Book Review of Enslaved (Eternal Guardians Book 5) by Elisabeth Naughton

Book Title: Enslaved (Eternal Guardians Book 5)

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Pages: 374
Audio Run Time: 10 Hrs 40 Mins

Author: Elisabeth Naughton

Date Published: 6 November 2012 (E-Book)
10 June 2013 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

She calls to him. Come to me. You can't resist. But Gryphon will not allow himself to be ruled by the insidious whispers in his head. And there's only one way to stop them: kill Atalanta, the goddess who enslaved him. But with so much darkness inside, he can't be sure what's real anymore. Even the Eternal Guardians, those who protect the human realms and the gods, want to exile him.

Finding Malea is like a miracle. Somehow he doesn't feel the pull of the dark when she's near. And he's determined to keep her as near as possible, whether she wants him close or not. But she's a temptation that will test every bit of control he has left. One that may ultimately have the power to send him back to the Underworld...or free him from his chains for good.

Review:

Enslaved by Elisabeth Naughton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Eternal Guardians series. I loved it!

My sister originally recommended this series; she thought I would enjoy it and she was right! I downloaded this as an audiobook, as I had previously enjoyed listening to the first four books in the series in audiobook too.

Enslaved is again narrated by Elizabeth Wiley. She does another fantastic job in telling the story. Her narration is crystal clear and her interpretation of the characters brought them to life, she has given each character their own tone and inflection of voice, which I liked.

Gryphon is an enigma, so I was excited to get to know this character more. As I read the story, I fell a little in love with him. He is an incredibly proud man and warrior, but to see him shamed by what he had to do in order to survive whilst his soul was trapped in Hell made me want to cry. He had no real choice or say, being a slave to Atalanta (or Dulas as she calls him). He is as traumatized by it as any victim of abuse. His self-esteem is extremely low, whilst his self-disgust is extremely high. I'm not a touch-y-feel-y person myself, but I really wanted to give him a huge hug!

Malea was introduced to us in Enraptured. She appears as a timid and almost teen-like (angst-y) woman although she is 3,000 years old in it, but as I read the story, I had a feeling there was more to this woman than first meets the eye. I was right. She is the daughter of Zeus and Persephone and is forced to live on Earth, unable to live in either the Underworld or Olympus. She has kept herself hidden from Hades, who has an intense dislike of her. But when a mysterious Eternal Guardian kidnaps her, she realises that running is not always the answer. Can she face her future fearlessly?

This series seems to be getting better as it goes along; I am completely hooked! The story continues from the end of the fourth book.
Gryphon has literally been to hell and back. The experience has left him emotionally, if not physically, wounded. Rescued by his brother, Orpheus, Gryphon finds himself fighting not only for his sanity, but against the dark pull of Atalanta's power. Meeting Malea may be a blessing in disguise. Can he break the curse placed upon him? What follows is a fast paced, action packed story that had me sitting on the edge of my seat! The story is told through various points of view, which I really liked. Not only do we meet all of the Guardians, including Titus, as well as Callia and Acacia (Casey) and Isadora again, we get introduced to a mysterious woman called Natasa. What does she want with Malea? Is she really a friend? Or is she something more sinister? I can't wait to read the next book to find out! Meanwhile, there is lots of danger and excitement, and the story arc is beginning to open up more. There is even a few shocks and surprises that completely caught me off guard. I loved the scene between Malea and her mother, Persephone. There's got to be something weird about your mother visiting you whilst being handcuffed to a bed; isn't there?
The heat between Gryphon and Malea is hot enough to melt the page! I love their chemistry. They make a wonderful couple and compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses.

As I have previously said in my reviews about this series, I love the world building. It has a wonderful mixture of fantasy combined with myth and reality. The characters' are extremely lifelike and they feel like my friends (apart from Hades - he's still a pompous ass in my opinion). The story ends on another cliffhanger and I can't wait to read/listen to Bound as soon as possible.

Elisabeth Naughton has written an exciting paranormal romance series. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow is wonderful. She has definitely found a fan in me!

Due to scenes of a sexual nature that are on the explicit side, I do not recommend this book for younger readers. However, I highly recommend this book if you love erotic paranormal romances with sexy heroes and strong female characters. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

              

About The Author:

Before topping multiple bestseller lists--including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal--Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A rabid reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry's most prestigious awards, such as the RITA® and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home. Learn more at www.ElisabethNaughton.com.

Author Links:

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Acquiring Hearts (A Heart Series Novel #1) by S. Donahue @SDonahue2015

Title: Acquiring Hearts

Series: A Heart Series Novel

Author: S. Donahue

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 20, 2015

Have you ever met someone and just knew that they were the one that you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with? In S. Donahue’s Contemporary Romance novel, Acquiring Hearts, Bradley Roberts accidentally meets Giavonna Coppi, his secretary's sister. He immediately has an attraction to her, but she is not like any of the women that he has dated before. 

Gia is an independent, hardworking lawyer who's been hurt in the past. She invested all of her time into establishing her career. When she meets Bradley, she senses the connection but is afraid to give him her all.

As Bradley finds himself wanting to spend more time with Gia, many dilemmas begin to surface. When their romance is tested, can they see past the obstacles that are standing in their way? Are they meant to be together or is it just easier for them to be apart? There’s only one way to find out…check out this heartfelt fairytale full of emotion, devotion and passion.

 

S. Donahue is a romance author who resides in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, with her husband and their four-year-old son. She has two book series titled The Heart Series and The Boston Kirkpatricks, and a holiday romance titled One For The Holiday. She is currently working on several novels to be released, including the highly anticipated Provoked.

When she is not writing, Donahue loves shopping, reading, and spending time with family. She loves to connect with her readers, so feel free to find her on Facebook or visit her blog at https://shannshops.wordpress.com/

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Book Review of Evernight (The Night Watchmen Series Book 2) by Candace Knoebel

Book Title: Evernight (The Night Watchmen Series Book 2)

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 330

Author: Candace Knoebel

Date Published: 31 October 2014

Synopsis:

One lie will change everything.

Faye Middleton has secured the Dagger of Retribution for the High Priesthood, but in doing so, she’s opened the door to more demands set by them. She now has to break the Holy Seal, and soon. Trapped in the alluring Ethryeal City, Faye is pushed to the breaking point trying to discover just what she is truly capable of, even if it means destroying herself in the process.

With the clock ticking down to the war between both Covens, and the truth about her parent’s mysterious disappearance within her reach, Faye is faced with tough choices that will forever change her. Will Faye be able to handle the demands from the Priesthood, and still be able to continue her search for her parents?

But more importantly, can she survive the truth she finds?

Review:

Evernight by Candace Knoebel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in The Night Watchmen Series. I loved it!

Faye Middleton is a wonderful character, although I didn't like her very much when I first met her in Everlasting. She is a teenager with some major angst in her life. She has faced the culling and found out that she not only does she have affinity to both witch and hunter powers, she is the only one able to handle the Dagger of Retribution. Now in Ethryeal City, along with her partner Weldon, the Gramm brothers, Jaxen and Gavin, and their partners Jezzi and Cassie, she finds herself facing the biggest challenge yet. Survival.

The story is told from Faye's point of view, and takes the reader on an amazing adventure. This story reminds me a little of Divergent, although there is no real similarity between them apart from a spunky heroine. There are some new characters introduced in this tale and we get to meet Clara Ravensmoore, Mack's witch partner. I took a real dislike to this character. She cold, cruel, calculating and ambitious. She pushes, torments and forces Faye to do things, but Faye is equally determined to succeed. I really wanted Faye to stand up to her more and when she does, I cheered!

There is excitement, danger and adventure aplenty in this book, with lots of twists and turns and more than a few surprises. The relationship between Faye and Jaxen is as hot as ever and is a smoldering cinder that could burst into flame at any moment - the sexual tension between the two is that palpable. The end of the story has a surprising twist for a cliffhanger, but it does give the reader the feeling that there are some unfinished loose ends that require tying up in the next book in the series. I am most definitely looking forward to reading it as soon as possible!

Candace Knoebel has written a fantastic sequel in this YA paranormal romance series. I loved her writing style, which is fast paced and it flowed wonderfully. I haven't read her other series, Born In Flames Trilogy yet, but having read this book, I will definitely be doing so at the earliest opportunity!

I highly recommend this book if you love YA paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

          

About The Author:

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-book one in a young adult fantasy trilogy. She discovered in 2009 through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. And an outlet for all the voices residing in her head.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. In January of 2014, the last book in the trilogy, From the Embers, was released, thusly completing the trilogy. She now works on the Night Watchmen Series, while guzzling Red Bulls and pretending to be a ninja on Heelys.

Amazon Author Page ; Goodreads ; Facebook ; Twitter

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Consumed (Collide Book 2) by J.C. Hannigan @jchannigan

Title: Consumed (Collide Series Book 2)

Author: J.C. Hannigan

Publisher: Booktrope Publishing

Re-Release: July 1^st, 2015

Purchase Link: http://tinyurl.com/p4shg7t

Jax Walker is a hard man to resist. He’s tall, dark, and delicious. Harlow didn’t plan on falling for another, with her heart still stuck on Iain. But it’s so hard with him gone. And she’s been aching since they last touched. Two whole years of silent wondering; of desperate sleepless longing. Fate, however, may have other plans. Just as Harlow’s ready to open herself to new love, her whole world is pulled into a twisting and painful spiral. In this new adult novel, readers are consumed by the collision of past and present. Raw and dark, this emotional minefield is the perfect second book in the continuing story of Harlow Jones.

Collide (Collide Series Book 1)

Re-Release: May 11^th 2015

Purchase Link: http://tinyurl.com/q29gala

Harlow Jones has a troubled past, and a questionable future. Surrounded by death, tragedy, and intrigue, she is forced to mature long before her time. Plagued by anxiety and depression, she hides her inner turmoil with spite and sarcasm. Her thick skin is impenetrable…or so she thought. Until she becomes involved with her grade twelve English teacher. In this exclusive entry into the new adult genre, with raw style that is as dark as it is poignant, Collide presents the ultimate choice: forbidden love or doing the right thing.

JC Hannigan lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, their two sons, and two dogs. She writes contemporary romance, through which she brings to light awareness of mental health and social challenges. Like any good Canadian, she loves hiking and carbs. Collide is her first novel.

Connect with J.C. Hannigan:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jcahannigan

Twitter: @jcahannigan

Google +: http://tinyurl.com/qaqex3f

Website: www.jchannigan.com

3 eBook Sets of Collide Series (Books 1 & 2)

CLOSES July 28, 2015

Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzNhODg2YjViN2I2MmQ3ZTc3NDBiNWZkOTI5ODZmOjY=/?

Book Review of Ghosts of Blackwell Book One Blackwell Trilogy by S.M. Bysh

Book Title: Ghosts of Blackwell (Book One Blackwell Trilogy)

Genre: Horror

Pages: 16

Author: S.M. Bysh

Date Published: 22 June 2015

Synopsis:

Things go bump in the night. But not what you may think. More sinister is afoot. Darren Duncan Randall a new mild-mannered clerk at a new station, finds himself under the spell of a mysterious captivating figure. As Chaos ensues, can Darren break this spell before before death and disaster come knocking at the door.

Review:

Ghosts of Blackwell Book 1 by S.M Bysh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Blackwell Trilogy. It is set, intriguingly in 1831 and introduces the reader to Darren Duncan Randall and a mystery that quickly turns into horror.

This is the first 2 star review I have written since I began writing reviews. I really don't like doing it, but feel that I must be painfully honest.

The beginning of the story (the prologue) intrigued me. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. As this is only a short story, I didn't really get a good impression of the characters. Therefore, I found them rather one dimensional and under-developed. They also contradicted themselves within the space of a sentence! One minute Darren and Morgana are very much in love, the next she loathes him with a passion. The story is extremely confusing and seems to jump around a lot; some of the story seems missing and random characters appear with no real reason. There is also an issue with tenses. Sentences have both past and present tenses in them, so a reader doesn't know if the characters are coming or going! This also causes a problem with the flow. I also don't know if the author had a problem with the formatting when uploading the book, but some quotation marks have been turned into capital E's or missing altogether. The suspense and horror is lost amongst the confusion and this made me grateful that the book is currently free and I didn't waste money on something that is this bad. This book has potential to be quite atmospheric and spooky, but it needs a complete overhaul, with a re-write to flush out the confusion and a proper edit and proofread done to give it a professional polish.

This is S.M. Bysh's debut novella. She has the potential to make a wonderful horror writer as she has a vivid imagination. However, she needs to watch her tenses and develop her characters and dialogue more. I would be interested to find out how she grows as an author in the future.

I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this book as it is written (at the time of writing this review) to lovers of horror, but if you do decide to download this book in the future, I hope that the above issues have been sorted out and you will have a better experience than myself. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

          

About The Author:

S.M. Bysh the author of Prettiest Poetry Volume One. An up and coming mystery writer working on oddly enough, her first Paranormal Horror, also a mystery series, along with her first science fiction amongst many other things. When she is not writing her favorite activities include, crocheting, rug hooking,embroidering. watching her favorite shows, Haunted Collector, Elementary,CSI, Paranormal Witness,Ghost mines. Or watching Star Trek series or movies. As well as being with family.

Facebook ; Goodreads ; Amazon Author Page ; Twitter

Cover Reveal: Later Than Expected (Great Expectations Series #2) by Catherine Scott @cscott_author

Book: Later Than Expected

Series: Great Expectation Series

Author: Catherine Scott

Expected Release: September 2015

Cover Designer: RE&D Margreet Asselbergs

Hosted By:Francessca's Romance Reviews

Synopsis

Ben Blackbird has always been there for everyone else. He took care of his mother and sisters when his alcoholic father didn’t. He raised his son alone when his wife got sick and eventually died from breast cancer. Ben has been his family’s rock in every crisis situation. He loved his life, but he was lonely.
Greta spent her childhood in the foster care system. But she was always did well in school, but didn’t have much experience with men. Years later after enduring years of her husband’s cheating and manipulation her husband dies unexpectedly giving her the opportunity to start a new life.
Both Ben and Greta find themselves on the same delayed flight to Nashville. Ben offers to share the drive and they find an attraction along the way. Their romantic relationship continues but her husband’s past threatens to destroy their hopes for a long awaited happily ever after.

About The Author

Catherine Scott grew up in the Chicago area but fell in love with the Southern Illinois region while attending university where she studied psychology and special education. Catherine has taught the best kids in the world for more than 15 years. Catherine lives in Kentucky with 3 dogs and the love of her life. She writes romantic suspense novels. “When You Least Expect It” is the first novel in her Great Expectations series. “Later than Expected” is her second novel due for release on September 15, 2015.

You Can Follow Catherine In the Following places

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BOOK ONE 

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When You Least Expect It

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Release Day Blitz: Protector (The Brannock Siblings #4) by Jessica Wilde

 

Title: Protector (The Brannock Siblings #4)
Author: Jessica Wilde
Release Date: July 17, 2015
Release Blitz: July 20, 21, 22
Hosted by: Always Behind A Book

Isabelle Brannock was adored by her children in every possible way. Her ability to love reflects in each of them and to this day, they remember the never ending happiness she and their father, Liam, shared. However, life wasn't always beautiful and their magnificent mother kept her dark secrets buried away so her children would always remember that family is the most important thing.

Liam Brannock has watched his children find that same happiness he knew so well and, as a father, he couldn't be prouder. Knowing that the struggles each of them endured were worth the sacrifices they made to find the love of their lives, he finally feels content with revealing the secrets Isabelle worked so hard to keep.

Liam tells his children the story of how he met their mother and the secrets they never suspected would be possible for a woman who lived each day showing her children that love conquers all.

For readers 18+ due to sexual content.

Note to readers:

This is Liam and Isabelle's story as well as updates on Ash, Con, and Gus.

This cannot be read as a standalone.

Series Order:

Book 1 – Leverage (SALE FREE)

Book 2 – Conned (SALE 99¢)

Book 3 – Missing (SALE 99¢)

Book 4 – Protector

       

He walked out the door, glancing back at his aunts once more. Both of them were smiling his way, waving and watching him like a bunch of hawks. He started toward the gardens feeling Maggie's eyes on his back until he was out of her view.

It wasn't long before he came upon the grove, but his quest was soon forgotten.

For the second time in his life, he was brought to a standstill by the beauty in front of him. He caught sight of that long brown hair flowing over a creamy shoulder... that was shaking.

The air in Liam's lungs caught and he felt that tightness in his chest from before, when he heard a sniffle and saw the woman wipe under her eyes.

She was crying. This stunning, flawless woman was sobbing and he felt that tightness twist and pull until he couldn't just stand and watch any longer. Liam looked around to see who had hurt her, but no one else was in the grove. He was angry for her and heartbroken that a woman like her would ever have a reason to cry like that.

She was so wrapped up in her world that she never even heard him step into the grove. His footsteps on the grass were silent, but surely she would have heard him crashing through the trees. He watched her a moment longer, debating on whether to sneak away and leave her in peace or find out what was making her so sad and fix it for her.

His mouth decided for him.

"Tears don't belong on a face so beautiful."

She startled and immediately stood and backed away from him. Smart woman, but it was still frustrating to see that it was out of wisdom, not instinct. She regarded him warily before looking around to find that they were completely alone. The trees surrounding the grove were covering them from anyone who might be watching.

Liam normally wouldn't allow this type of situation to occur. He would have left her alone and gone to fetch Maggie to help. But this wasn't a normal situation and Liam couldn't help but feel drawn to the woman standing before him, looking like she was about to run.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, bird. I'll not harm you."

Her shoulders sagged for a moment of brief relief before she lifted them straight and jutted out her chin. Her show of strength was impressive, but Liam could see the unease in her eyes so he stayed where he was and let her have her space.

She cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest. "I am sorry if I am trespassing. Maggie told me to come here and it was just a beautiful place to sit and think."

Her voice sent a jolt of electricity straight into his gut. A husky sound that vibrated all the way down his spine and he couldn't stop himself from studying her lips as she spoke.

Good Lord, help me.

She quickly wiped the tears from her face and sniffed a few times before gaining her composure and lifting her chin once more. Liam had been right the day before, she was stunning up close. Tear stains on her cheeks, eyes red rimmed, nose red, lips red. If she was this beautiful crying, he was doomed when she was smiling.

The very idea of her was... impossible.

Her yellow dress didn't cling to the curves he knew would be there, but it gave a hint of a graceful womanly figure and the exposed skin of her chest beckoned his eyes. His lips thinned, cursing himself for being disrespectful and he looked down at her legs.

That didn't help at all.

Eyes, Liam. Look at her eyes.

After clearing his throat, he said, "You are not trespassing. It is a garden for the public, but no one comes in anymore."

"Well, that's a shame. It's breath taking," she said and dropped down to the small bench to sit once more.

Apparently she decided that he was harmless and he sighed with relief. Liam kept his distance, hoping he wouldn't startle her anymore than he already did. She turned her head to look at him with a sad grin.

"This is a nice place to sit and think. Feels secluded even though it isn't."

That voice. Raspy yet feminine. It sent another shock to his veins and his blood pumped harder. If she kept speaking, he would pass out from his suddenly improved circulation.

Liam stepped closer and caught a glimpse of the freckles running across her nose. A ray of sunshine crossed over her face as she found a comfortable position on the bench. She was not only breath taking, but she glowed with an aura that he had never seen before. She was sad, of that he had no doubt, but her presence exuded happiness. Like being this close to her could make everything in the world right again.

I should send her up north and see if that solves all these troubles, Liam thought to himself.

Those freckles. He needed to get closer and get a better look at them.

"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the small spot of bench beside her.

Her eyes narrowed, red rimmed and only slightly puffy.

It felt like hours instead of seconds before she sniffled and nodded her head, a shy grin pulling at her lips. "Please. There isn't anywhere else to sit unless you favor the grass."

"Aye, I do, but I favor a beautiful woman more," he replied.

Her blush was devastating and it spread across her cheeks like the red of a summer sunset. Poetic, Liam. Very poetic.

GRAND PRIZE: Entire Brannock Siblings Series signed paperback set! AND (2) Signed Paperbacks of Protector

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Leverage (The Brannock Siblings) Book 1

Currently FREE for a Limited Time

       

Conned (The Brannock Siblings) Book 2

Currently on SALE for 99¢

      

Missing (The Brannock Siblings) Book 3

Currently on SALE for 99¢

      

I live in Morgan Utah with my husband, daughter, and dog, Kolo. I write as often as my active daughter will let me and my husband has the patience of a saint. I find inspiration from dreams, people I meet, and life experiences. When I write, I usually end up drinking one too many cans of Peace Tea, eating three too many Fruit by the Foot fruit snacks, and accidently kicking my pup and best buddy, Kolo, too many times since he loves to sleep under my desk at my feet.

I started writing as a teen, but my fear of the unknown won out every time and I threw everything out. After becoming a mother and deciding to stay at home to raise my beautiful little girl, I tried again when I couldn't stop thinking of ideas. I loved every minute, every hour of sleep lost, and every character that came to life in my mind.

It's strange, but my favorite moments are when I have writer's block because I can turn to my husband and find inspiration through him by just doing what we do best together. Talking, laughing, and just being in love. He doesn't like to read, but he never stops encouraging me to keep going.

Writing has become an important part of my life and every book has a special place in my heart.