Book Review of Operation One Night Stand by Christine Hughes

Book Title: Operation One Night Stand

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Pages: 304

Author: Christine Hughes

Date Published: 2 June 2015

Synopsis:

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE HER SEXUAL KARMA

Caroline Frost had it all-until her boyfriend banged the superskank intern, and poof! Caroline's happy little bubble disappeared. Now it's been six weeks of weeping, a mountain of ice cream, and a permanent buttprint on the couch. Enough is enough. She and her ladybits need an intervention-now.

Enter Operation: One Night Stand: Find a man who is hotness personified and have some much-needed sexy time. The only problem is that Caroline is torn between a flirtatious, well-built guy and the ridiculously hot bartender serving her shots. This was supposed to be all fun and no games, but like the perfect scotch on the rocks, no good fling finishes without a twist . . .

Review:

Operation: One Night Stand by Christine Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is a fun, entertaining read. I really enjoyed it.

Caroline Frost is a great character. I really liked getting to know her. She has been in a pity party ever since she found her boyfriend in bed with a work colleague six weeks before. In an effort to get her out of it, her best friends' Mel and Sarah organise an intervention, and Operation One Night Stand is born.

I started to read this book not really sure if I would like it. However, as I got further into the tale, I found myself giggling at the antics of these three women. In a way, this has a slight Sex In The City feel to it. I love the witty banter between the friends, as well as the other characters, especially Ryan and Brian. In a way, I found the plot a little predictable, but there were a few surprising twists that I didn't foresee. I love the bar scene where Brian (the bartender) and Caroline flirt for the first time, as well as the bathroom scene later. Talk about hot! *Fan's myself*

I enjoyed meeting Melody and Sarah, who are just as strong and feisty as Caroline. Sarah is Caroline's room mate and Melody is an old school friend. Ryan and Brian are gorgeous and sexy as sin. I liked both guys, though I thought Ryan wasn't quite right for Caroline. Subconsciously, I think Caroline knew it too.

This story had me smiling, then chuckling if not out right laughing at some of the situations some of the characters have gotten themselves into (the gym scene comes to mind). The sexual situations were explicit though not too erotic. However, they were all hot.

This book doesn't end with a HEA, but neither does it end in disaster. It fades out, so it is left to the reader to decide how they want the story to end. I would hope for a HEA, but life is not necessarily like that.

Christine Hughes has written a wonderful contemporary romantic comedy. This is the third book I have read by this author. I love her ability to bring the characters to life on the page. I eagerly look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

Due to scenes of an explicit nature, as well as bad language and excessive consumption of alcohol, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. However, I highly recommend this book if you love romantic comedies or contemporary romances. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

Falling in love with literature was easy for her. As a child, she was a voracious reader and loved to write. When it came time to go to college at Georgian Court University, choosing a major was easy - English Literature. In 1998, with a Bachelors in English Lit strapped to her hip, she wasn't sure which avenue to take so she went on to earn her teacher's certification and taught middle and high school English for nine years before writing her first novel.
Born in Aurora, Colorado, the daughter of an Army helicopter pilot and a stay-at home mom, she moved all over the country as a child before settling down in New Jersey. Christine currently stays home to write while her husband works and her two boys attend elementary school. Don't bother her too much during football season - she's either cheering on her boys or crying in her pint glass over yet another Jets loss.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page ; Goodreads ; Facebook ; Twitter

Cover Reveal: Scorch (Black Inferno #4) by K.T. Fisher

Book: Scorch
Series: Black Inferno #4
Author: KT Fisher
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: 15th May 2016
Cover Designer:Francessca’s PR & Designs
Hosted By:Francessca’s Romance Reviews

Synopsis:



When your ex is an abusive man, and nobody knows he even exists, what do you do when he starts to threaten your life? That’s the situation Crystal found herself in. She kept Troy a secret when she ran to her brother, but now he’s found where she is and isn’t prepared to let her go. He believes she belongs to him but he doesn’t know the history Crystal shares with Booker, the drummer for Black Inferno and what he will do to protect her. Booker cares for Crystal and wants to finally come clear about their relationship, but can Crystal face the hard truths and be able to finally get rid of her troublesome ex, or will he finally catch her and destroy her future for good?
Either way, she has to come clean about her harsh past to be able to save herself from Troy.

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The other books in the series have also had a complete makeover take a look here:


HEAT – Black Inferno #1



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Ignite– Black Inferno #2



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Ember– Black Inferno #3



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About The Author



K.T Fisher is a British romance author. She was born and raised in Nottingham, surrounded by her family. Now, she has two daughters of her own and decided that she needed to live her dream to inspire her children.

K.T Fisher mostly writes about hot, delicious men. Her books are packed with hot suspense and thrilling dangers, add her signature erotic scenes and you have a steaming romance that you have to read.

Ever since K.T Fisher released her first book, Rockstar Daddy she hasn't been able to stop and has since released many books that are loved by many.

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Book Review of The Iron King (The Iron Fey, Book 1) by Julie Kagawa @Jkagawa

Book Title: The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 368

Author: Julie Kagawa

Date Published: 19 January 2010

Synopsis:

MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY—ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth.

For Meghan is the daughter of a mythical faery king…and a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in The Iron Fey series. I absolutely loved it!

Meghan Chase is a wonderful character. I really liked her. She's a typical sixteen year old, full of angst and a bit of a tom boy. However, all is not what it seems and when her four year old brother gets kidnapped, she finds herself on a deadly mission to rescue him. Along the way, she finds out that she's not a normal teen after all. She's the daughter to Oberon, the Faery King of the Seelie court of Summer.

I have been in a reading slump for a while and have struggled to find a book with which to fall in love with reading again. Browsing through my bookshelf, looking for inspiration, I saw this book that I had swapped in a book club but never had a chance to read. I decided to try it and I am glad I did, because I haven't been so excited about a book for quite some time.

I started to read this book and I got so caught up in the tale that I forgot that I was sitting in my lounge! This story captured my imagination and held me enthralled right up until the end.

As the story unfolds we get to meet Meghan's brother, Ethan whom I absolutely adore. He's cute and reminded me of my nephews' at that age. Robbie Goodfell is Meghan's best friend and is a bit of a clown, but he's also hiding a secret. He's not exactly human and is known as Robin Goodfellow or Puck to those in Faery. I really liked this character. He is the witty, outspoken mischief maker of the Summer faery court and has been appointed by Oberon to keep an eye on Meghan.
We are also introduced to a Cait Sith called Grimalkin, who reminds me a little of The Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass, and to Prince Ash, the third son of Queen Mab of the Unseelie court of Winter. I wasn't too sure if I would like Ash at first, but I would have to say that I fell for him myself. He's a complex character, with a depth to him that I enjoyed getting to know. I know it sounds weird, but I also enjoyed his and Puck's feud. Although they clashed physically in fights, there was a respect and deep friendship hidden amongst the heartbreak caused by a tragic accident.

I fell in love with this story as it is full of action, adventure and danger, as well as romance. Meghan goes on an amazingly dangerous journey that will test her strength and determination to the fullest. It is a coming of age story that left me breathless in it's complexity. The descriptions of the faery world and creatures living within it were vivid and felt real. As I sat reading, I could picture every scene in my mind's eye with ease. The way the author has incorporated the myths of the Summer and Winter faery courts with modern technology to create a whole new court under the rule of The Iron King intrigues me. In our modern day lives, we use technology for everything. If the land of faery was made from peoples hopes, dreams and fears in olden times, then the technology we use today would definitely have an impact on it. The author explores this concept with frightening detail. The only thing I was worried about in this book was a love triangle, as I am not overly fond of those. However, I needn't have worried. Some readers have become fans of Puck and others Ash. I must admit that I fall into the Ash camp. But Puck is an intriguing character too, though his mischievous nature makes him a little irresponsible at times.

I reached the end of the book and thought "Wow, what a ride!". I am now looking forward to reading the next book, The Iron Daughter as soon as possible.

Julie Kagawa has written a fantastic Young Adult series. I love her writing style, which is fast paced and exciting. The flow was also wonderful, as each scene moved effortlessly into the next. There may have been a few continuity issues, but it didn't affect my enjoyment. This is the first book I have read by this author, but she has found a fan in me and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

Although there are no scenes of a sensual nature, there are scenes that are violent or a little gory. Therefore, I do not recommend this to readers under 15. However, I highly recommend this book if you love YA fantasy or paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn't getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.
When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time (okay, at least the illustrations did), but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a
real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, an obnoxious cat, an Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and a hyper-active Papillion.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page ; Goodreads ; Website ; Facebook ; Twitter

Audio/Book Review of Storm Mistress (Others of Seattle Book 2) by Brandy L. Rivers

Book Title: Storm Mistress (Others of Seattle Book 3)

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Pages: 364
Audio Run Time: 10 Hrs 50 Mins

Author: Brandy L. Rivers

Date Published: 15 September 2014 (E-Book)

12 May 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

18+ adult content

Nothing is as it seems…

Everything Isadora Starling wants is right there in front of her, but Toryn is off limits. He’s her best friend. She’s been denying her heart all these years, afraid to lose him.

Toryn Flame has a long past full of secrets. None of which he can share with Isadora, the only person who truly matters to him. She’s the one woman who has never shown a hint of lust toward him, but even if she did, pursuing her is forbidden.

That all changes when the family Isa doesn’t know decides it’s time to reveal who and what she is. After Isa’s recent attack, their motives are unclear.

His only goal is protecting Isa. Toryn will do everything in his power to keep her safe, including going against orders from his king.

Toryn’s only fear is losing Isa’s trust. Once the truth is revealed, can she forgive him for years of misdirection and omissions? Can she come to terms with a world she doesn’t want or know?

Review:

Storm Mistress by Brandy L. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Others of Seattle series. I really enjoyed it.

I decided to get this book in audio format, since I had listened to Night's Embrace this way. This book is again narrated by John Lane, who did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life.

Isadora Starling is a wonderful character. I like her strength and determination. She has felt a strong attraction to Toryn ever since she met him, but he's never shown any interest in her. When a stranger brings danger into her life, she turns to the only man she can trust.

Toryn Flame is also a wonderful character. I really liked him. He is a little mysterious and I enjoyed getting to know him better. He is determined to resist his attraction to Isa, as he has a mission to fulfil. Unfortunately, danger forces him to face breaking Isa's trust and reveal secrets that have been kept from her; that's she's a Fae Princess and has power over the five elements, fire, air, earth, water and wind.

I started to listen to the story and was quickly hooked. I found myself on a wild ride of action, danger and romance. The story is told through the eyes of several characters, though Isa and Toryn have the most say. I love meeting Toryn's mother, though she scared me a little. I also found myself intrigued with the dragon, Adanathos (sorry, not sure of spelling), who was only in a few scenes. I also enjoyed meeting Leon, Toryn's friend.

I enjoyed watching Isa grow into her powers. She is a truly powerful and formidable fae. I also enjoyed watching Isa and Toryn's relationship bloom. They both have an amazing chemistry that fizzes and pops; the sparks are extremely hot! The danger from Remus and his greed for Isa's power made me shiver. I know the Fae world is a little strange, but his plans were pure evil.

However, although I enjoyed the story, I also found that there are mentions of other characters' and relationships from the Others of Edenton series that surprised me. As I have only read a few of the books from that series, I found the mention of these couples as a little spoiler-ish. Therefore, I have come to the decision that I will not be continuing this series until I have caught up with Others of Edenton first. I mean no disrespect, because I really love this series. I love the Other's world in Seattle and the characters in it and look forward to continuing it soon. But, for now, I will be focusing on the Others of Edenton.

Brandy L. Rivers has written another intriguing paranormal romance series. I loved her fast paced writing style, and the flow was wonderful. Her characters are lifelike and likable. She is now one of my favourite authors.

Due to explicit scenes of a sexual nature, as well as use of bad language, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. However, I do recommend this book if you love hot erotic paranormal romances full of werewolves, vampires, fae, druids etc. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

                  

About The Author:

I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

For more about me and my books, please visit:

Author Links:

Goodreads ; Amazon Author Page ; Facebook ; Twitter

Cover Reveal: Down and Out by Lila Rose #MCRomance #DownAndOut @lilarose78 @hottreepromos

Title: Down and Out

Author: Lila Rose

Series: Hawks MC #3: Caroline Springs Charter

Genre: MC Romance 

Cover Designer: Wrapped Pages

Editor: Hot Tree Editing 

Release Date: June 17th

Stricken by grief, Kalen “Dive” Brooks drifts away from his MC brethren, only having room in his life for his child. Worried for his son, he’ll do anything necessary to protect him, even if it’s admitting he needs help.

Alone and vulnerable, Philomena “Mena” McAdams has lost it all: her parents, her husband, her job and her home. Living out of her car, she’s learned life isn’t worth regrets. When Mena takes the job of nanny and housekeeper for Dive, she doesn’t know what she’s getting into, but neither does Dive.

Can they learn to love again when things are so down and out?

iBooks Exclusive Preorder: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1104137781#

Audio/Book Review of Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 1) by Jessie Donovan

Book Title: Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #1)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 258
Audio Run Time: 6 Hrs 29 Mins

Author: Jessie Donovan

Date Published: 22 September 2014 (E-Book)

5 November 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

In exchange for a vial of dragon's blood to save her brother's life, Melanie Hall offers herself up as a sacrifice to one of the British dragon-shifter clans. Being a sacrifice means signing a contract to live with the dragon-shifters for six months to try to conceive a child. Her assigned dragonman, however, is anything but easy. He's tall, broody, and alpha to the core. There's only one problem - he hates humans.

Due to human dragon hunters killing his mother, Tristan MacLeod despises humans. Unfortunately, his clan is in desperate need of offspring to repopulate their numbers and it's his turn to service a human female. Despite his plans to have sex with her and walk away, his inner dragon has other ideas. The curvy human female tempts his inner beast like no other.

Review:

Sacrificed to the Dragon by Jessie Donovan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Stonefire British Dragon series.

I saw an advert on one of my social network newsfeeds about this book. Intrigued, I looked it up and decided to listen to the audiobook sample. After listening to it, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, as I really enjoyed it.

This audiobook is narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies, who did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life. He definitely got the growl-y voice of Tristan down, as well as the Yorkshire accent of the Peak District. I would consider listening to other books read by him.

Melanie Hall is a wonderful character. I really liked her. She is incredibly brave and determined. In order to save her ill brother with a vial of dragon's blood, she sacrifices her old life to become a surrogate mother to the dragon-shifter clan. When she meets Tristan, she is not impressed with his attitude. However, she is determined to make the best of it. The question is: Can she survive with her heart intact?

Tristan MacLeod is a character I really liked. His dragon side, on the other hand, not so much. Tristan is the typical over-protective alpha type, dangerous and a little mysterious, but his dragon came across as a whiny two year old throwing a temper tantrum when he didn't get his way - I wanted to give him a time out!

This is a wonderful paranormal romance. Unfortunately, I read another paranormal romance with a slightly similar storyline a few books before (although there were some differences too), so this book gave me a feeling of de ja vu. Nevertheless, I really liked the way the story unfolded.

It is not easy for an author to come up with something new and fresh in the romance genre, as most situations have already been explored or flipped on its head to satisfy the readers' appetite for romance. Nevertheless, I love how the author shows the reader Tristan's softer side, which makes him more approachable. Melanie has a stubborn, steely side that clashes with Tristan's arrogance. This creates sparks and heat, which is almost palpable.

What wasn't really explored (in my opinion) is the reason why the dragons had to find human females to mate with. There are female dragons born, but are they sterile? Or are there not enough of them? Another thing that bugged me about the story is that the dragons are basically exhorting the human population for females in return for vials of blood. Granted, the blood has healing properties and the human dragon hunters have virtually decimated the dragon population in order to get it. However, this just didn't sit right with me. Maybe I am reading more into this than I should since it's a romance book but, that's my opinion. Other readers may disagree with me.

I reached the end of the book with mixed feelings. Although I enjoyed the audiobook, which had me on a roller coaster ride of emotion, I am not sure I will continue with the series in audio format. I may enjoy it more if I read the books rather than listen to them.

Jessie Donovan has written a wonderful paranormal romance that caught my imagination. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. I look forward to reading more of her books in future.

Due to scenes of an explicit nature, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. I do, however, recommend this book if you love paranormal romance or books with sexy dragon-shifters. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

Jessie Donovan wrote her first story at age five, and after discovering the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey in junior high, realized that people actually wanted to read stories like those floating around inside her head. From there on out, she was determined to tap into her over-active imagination and write a book someday.

After living abroad for five years and earning degrees in Japanese, Anthropology, and Secondary Education, she buckled down and finally wrote her first full-length book. While that story will never see the light of day, it laid the world-building groundwork of what would become her debut paranormal romance, Blaze of Secrets. In late 2014, she became a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Jessie loves to interact with readers. When not reading a book or traipsing around some foreign country on a shoestring, can often be found on Facebook.

===================
Series by Jessie:
Stonefire Dragons, Lochguard Highland Dragons, Cascade Shifters, Asylums for Magical Threats

Author Links:

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Book Review of Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 9) by Felicity Heaton @RabidReads @felicityheaton

Book Title: Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates #9)

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Pages: 453

Author: Felicity Heaton

Date Published: 9 April 2016

Synopsis:

A powerful warrior and commander of the dark elf legions, Bleu is a loyal and devoted male, and one who has never failed in anything—except one thing. Love. When an elusive female dragon shifter surfaces in Hell again, giving him a mission to hurl himself into, he gladly returns to his hunt for her and the deadly blade she stole from his prince seven centuries ago, but as he closes in on his prey, fate reveals she is far more than his enemy.

Having escaped from the black market arena and her life as a slave, Taryn sets her sights back on the task she began seven hundred years ago when her brother stole a precious sword, but in the three centuries she’s been a captive, everything has changed. Corrupted by a craving for power, her brother has become dangerously obsessed with finding the blade and using it to claim the ultimate treasure—the position of King of Hell.

Faced with having to end her beloved twin to stop him from bringing all of Hell to its knees before him, will Taryn be strong enough to use the very blade he seeks against him? And when Bleu finally catches his elusive prey, will he listen to his head as it demands he complete his mission or his heart as it demands he claim his eternal mate?

Review:

Possessed by a Dark Warrior by Felicity Heaton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the ninth book in the Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance series. I loved it!

Bleu is a wonderful character. I have liked him ever since I met him in the first book of the series, Kissed by a Dark Prince. He is a commander in Prince Loren's army and is his friend. When a dragon who stole his Prince's sword seven centuries before resurfaces, he vows to track it down. However, things are more complicated than he anticipated; the dragon is his eternal mate.

Taryn is also a wonderful character. I liked her fiery determination, especially since she has not had an easy life. She is a dragon with rare colouring, which makes her valuable to slavers. Having escaped the slave market after three hundred years of captivity with the help of Cait, the Hell Cat shifter, she will have to face her brother's madness and fight to keep her most prized treasure, her fated mate.

I absolutely love the Eternal Mates world. I have been waiting a long time to read Bleu's story, so as soon as I could, I started to read it. I was quickly pulled in and kept riveted from beginning to end.

The story is told through the eyes of Bleu and Taryn, which gives the reader a chance to see and feel as they do. We get to meet a few of the other characters again: Prince Loren, Olivia, King Thorne, Sable, Rosalind and Vail amongst others. We are also introduced to some new characters: King Tegan, the demon king of the Second Realm and Queen Melia, the phantom queen of the First Realm and Isla, her adviser. We also get to meet Taryn's twin brother, Tenak, who has become power hungry and more than a little insane.

I found myself grinning at certain scenes between the squad mates under Bleu's command, Dacian, Fynn and Leif. I also held my breath during the descriptive battle scenes that I have come to love. The heat between the main characters is as scorching as ever. Their chemistry is explosive and explicit. I love the way the story swept me up and spit me out on a roller coaster ride of emotion. Hell is a dangerous place, and the characters living within it have a strength within them that helps them to survive. However, they also have flaws and fears, which makes them lifelike and relatable.

I don't know if the sword will have significance in future books, but I am looking forward to finding out. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Awakened by a Demoness as soon as possible. There is an preview of it at the end of the book to whet the appetite.

Felicity Heaton has written another fast paced, sexy paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed! I love her fast paced writing style, which flows effortlessly from scene to scene. She is on top of my favourite author's list.

I do not recommend this book to younger readers due to the extremely HOT and explicit sexual scenes. However, I highly recommend this book (and series) if you love sexy paranormal romances full of vampires, elves, werewolves, cat shifters, succubi, incubi, angels, dragons and demons. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

           

About The Author:

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.
If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Pinterest | GoodReads  | Amazon

Audio/Book Review of The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1) by J.A. Hawkings

Book Title: The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1)

Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera

Pages: 99
Audio Run Time: 2 Hrs 47 Mins

Author: J.A. Hawkings

Date Published: 6 July 2015 (E-Book)

8 December 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

Year 2076. The colonization of the solar system has begun. Engineer Jeff Baker and exobiologist Nicole Price find themselves on an exploratory mission. Destination: the Jovian moon of Callisto. As the two are about to land, however, their ship is compromised by a malfunction of its electrical system. Having reached the surface without serious damage, they are startled by the sight of an unknown spacecraft. It appears to have crashed. Baker, an expert in space flight mechanics, explores the ship and realizes it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before. He suspects there are only two logical explanations: it’s either some secret government project or the ship came from another star system.

Review:

The Last Spaceship by J.A. Hawkings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This the first story in a science fiction trilogy.

I am unsure if I liked this book or not. I have mixed feelings about it.

This audiobook is narrated by Fred Wolinsky. Unfortunately, I found his narration to be extremely off putting. Although he read the story clearly, I found the slow pace of his speech and the drawl in his voice to be rather grating for my ear. I found myself switching off the book often to listen to something else, in an effort stop myself from grinding my teeth in irritation.

I normally do character breakdowns in my reviews. However, although I enjoyed meeting Jeff Baker and Nicole Price, I found them and the other characters to be rather one dimensional and lacking the spark that would have made them come alive for me.

The story is told through several points of view. It started off strongly; I love the description of the crashed spacecraft on Callisto's surface, the suspense of who the owners were had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, the story began to go down hill from there. The captain and crew of the Nabira (sorry, not sure of spelling) ship that rescued Jeff and Nicole, and their mission, felt a little dis-organised and had me feeling confused. There are also several unresolved loose ends that promise to be revealed in the later books.

I love science fiction, but this book left me feeling confused and dissatisfied. Although this book is only two hours and forty-seven minutes long, it felt longer. I love it when a book grips me and this one, sadly, did not. I am not sure I will continue with the trilogy in audiobook format if the same narrator will be used.

J.A. Hawkings has written an intriguing start to a science fiction trilogy. I cannot say for sure that I loved his writing style, as I found it disjointed and confusing. This, in my opinion, also affected the flow.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this in audiobook format, but suggest you give the print form a go if you love space operas or science fiction. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

          

About The Author:

J.A. Hawkings always wanted to be a Star Fleet Captain in Star Trek's fictional universe. He ended up as a surveyor instead, but developed a passion for writing. He hopes that you will get as much enjoyment from reading these books as he does from writing them.
Hawkings lives in Europe. He enjoys traveling, stargazing, and dreaming about strange new worlds for his stories.

You can find J.A. Hawkings online at:

Facebook: https://goo.gl/u9wZMu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAHawkings

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13850124.J_A_Hawkings

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Hawkings/e/B00WQ4I01O/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Email: jahawkings85@gmail.com

Blog Barrage & Giveaway: Possessed by a Dark Warrior (Eternal Mates Book 9) by Felicity Heaton @RabidReads @felicityheaton

Possessed by a Dark Warrior, the ninth book in New York Times best-seller Felicity Heaton’s hot paranormal romance series, Eternal Mates, is now available in ebook and paperback. To celebrate the release of Bleu and Taryn’s long romance novel, she’s holding a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY and sharing sneak peeks of the book.

Enter the Possessed by a Dark Warrior international giveaway (ends April 24th) and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate by using the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post or at her website, where you can also download a 4 chapter sample of the novel: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/possessed-by-a-dark-warrior-paranormal-romance-novel.php

Here’s more about Possessed by a Dark Warrior, including an excerpt from this paranormal romance novel.

A powerful warrior and commander of the dark elf legions, Bleu is a loyal and devoted male, and one who has never failed in anything—except one thing. Love. When an elusive female dragon shifter surfaces in Hell again, giving him a mission to hurl himself into, he gladly returns to his hunt for her and the deadly blade she stole from his prince seven centuries ago, but as he closes in on his prey, fate reveals she is far more than his enemy?

Having escaped from the black market arena and her life as a slave, Taryn sets her sights back on the task she began seven hundred years ago when her brother stole a precious sword, but in the three centuries she’s been a captive, everything has changed. Corrupted by a craving for power, her brother has become dangerously obsessed with finding the blade and using it to claim the ultimate treasure—the position of King of Hell.

Faced with having to end her beloved twin to stop him from bringing all of Hell to its knees before him, will Taryn be strong enough to use the very blade he seeks against him? And when Bleu finally catches his elusive prey, will he listen to his head as it demands he complete his mission or his heart as it demands he claim his eternal mate?

Possessed by a Dark Warrior is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/possessed-by-a-dark-warrior-paranormal-romance-novel.php

Excerpt

“Thank you, but I have to go.” A soft female voice rose above the din and Bleu stilled. “I have to fly.”
A chill skated over his skin beneath his armour, his eyes slowly widening as he finally comprehended why he had felt such a strange yet familiar sensation on seeing the female on stage attacking the fallen angel.
Fly.
He spun on his heel to face the stage.
A heartbeat of time passed, a split-second that felt like an eternity as he stared up at the female on the stage, taking in the striking violet-to-white eyes that he would never forget as they locked on him. Her lips parted, long lashes falling to shutter those incredible eyes, and his pulse hammered into overdrive as the three long scars on the left side of his neck tingled. He slowly raised his hand to rest his fingers on his armour over them.
He inched his right foot forwards.
Towards her.
She turned in an instant and he could only watch as she transformed into an enormous violet dragon, tearing stunned gasps from the remaining few people in the arena. She reared onto her hind legs, flashing the white stripe that ran from beneath her jaw, down her throat, and under her ribs, and beat her wings, the white membrane between her purple wing bones stark against the dark sky of Hell.
His breath left him in a rush as she threw her head back, her long white horns almost touching her neck, and roared, the sound deafening as it echoed across the land.
“Wait!” He launched onto the stage in a single leap, unwilling to let her escape him again.
She snarled through gleaming white fangs each as long as his arm and swept her left paw downwards, delivering a devastating backhand that hit him square in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him flying across the arena so fast that he didn’t have a chance to teleport.
His back slammed into the rough black rock, fire searing his bones as his mind scrambled, the pain so intense that he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think or feel anything for a second.
All the time it took for the dragon to launch into the air, her enormous wings sending gusts of wind at those remaining on the stage, almost knocking them over.
He couldn’t let her escape him again.
He wheezed as he pushed onto his feet and staggered towards her, his ears ringing and vision wobbling.
He growled as she took flight and used the last of his strength to call a portal. Green-purple light shimmered over his black armour and he dropped into the darkness. It dissipated a second later as he landed on the stage where the dragon had been.
Bleu bit out every curse available to him in his native tongue, his legs wobbling beneath him, barely strong enough to support his weight as pain wracked him.
He stared at the dragon as she flew into the distance, unable to pursue her in his current condition, forced to watch her as she disappeared into the gloom.
Slipping through his grasp once more.
The world around him dulled and then light pierced the darkness, colourful and bright, twinkling.
Bleu let his breath out slowly and inched his eyes open, his vision slowly coming into focus, sharpening the beautiful display of light above him. The delicate small flowers on the tree sparkled like starlight and he lost himself in watching them. A warm breeze blew across him, causing the long grasses and colourful flowers that surrounded him to bend and dance, and their scent to fill the air with sweetness that sank deep into his soul.
Whenever a stronger breeze blew, the blooms on the trees would flutter closed in a wave before opening again, shining brighter than ever.
Beautiful.
He rested in the grass, encompassed by nature, bathed in her warm and comforting light.
His muscles felt liquid beneath his skin, his bones loose, his body filled with a floating sensation, one that he couldn’t remember feeling in a long time but he still knew the name of it. Peace.
He lifted a heavy arm and managed to run his fingers through the longer lengths of his blue-black hair, preening it back as he tried to remember the last time he had felt this sedated and relaxed. Long enough that it felt foreign to him now. Centuries perhaps.
Millennia.
Gods, maybe he hadn’t experienced it since he had left his home village to join the ranks of the soldiers, swearing to protect his kingdom and his princes.
He had been serving one of those princes for forty-two centuries, almost his entire life. It had become his whole life. It was his purpose.
Had been his purpose.
He threw his arm across his eyes and heaved a sigh as he pushed away from that thought and crushed it out of existence by focusing on the nature surrounding him, soothing his weary soul and bringing him a moment of peace that he knew would be all too brief.
He switched his focus from the nature around him to the dream once he began to relax again, picking out every detail of what was actually a memory, a moment that had occurred only months ago.
He pushed deeper into his memories of the female, running back to another time three centuries ago when their paths had crossed in a dragon clan’s village. The scars on his neck tingled, luring him into drawing his arm away from his eyes to run his fingers over them. Scars she had given to him.
He focused on them and turned the clock back another four centuries, to when he had first set eyes on her.
She had been in her dragon form, her violet scales dark in contrast to the white of her breast, an invader in the elf kingdom and one he had been dispatched to pursue and capture, and bring to justice for her crimes.
She had stolen something precious from Prince Loren, a powerful sword of elven making that had belonged to his father and had been protected in the palace, locked safely away from the world where it could do no harm.
In her reckless hunger for the sword, she had rampaged across the elf kingdom, laying waste to many villages, slaying thousands of his kin.
He had fought her near the border with the First Realm of the demons, where mountains rose high into the darkening sky beyond the elf kingdom, beyond the sphere of the light they brought into their realm to make it verdant and give it life. She had escaped them but then she had returned a short time later. That time, he had led the charge against her, but she had been stronger than he had anticipated, had injured several of his warriors and himself too. They had lost her, and he had hunted for her for decades before he’d had to move his focus to matters regarding his prince’s safety.
Four hundred years later, when Prince Loren had sensed the presence of the sword again, linked to it through the blood of his father, Bleu had led the three finest elf warriors in the army to the dragon realm to seek her out and regain the ancient blade.
He squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled crossing paths with a slender female in one of the villages and she shimmered into being in his mind, as if it had been only yesterday. Her tightly pulled back hair accentuated her striking sculpted features, her face bathed in the shadows of the small thatched stone building she had exited. He had questioned her, so entranced by her beauty and how she kept her head bowed, a touch of shyness to her behaviour, that he had allowed his men to leave his side to question others.
A foolish mistake.
He had dropped his guard and she had lunged at him when he had pressed her about the violet and white dragon, her talons raking down his throat and her incredible eyes flashing dangerously at him as she came into the light.
It had taken him a moment to realise she was the dragon he hunted, long enough that she had fled before he could stop her, transforming and flying away from him just as she had in the arena only a few months ago.
Bleu stroked the scars on his neck. The proof of her sin and a constant reminder of his unfulfilled mission. She had slaughtered thousands of his kin, had stolen something precious to his prince, and extremely dangerous. With such a weapon, she could slay an entire legion of elves with one swing. Now that she had surfaced again, he wasn’t going to let her escape him.
This time, he would capture her and bring her to justice.
The flowers above him in the trees twinkled, their warm light flowing over him, soothing the fatigue from his body. He had been tracking her for what felt like forever, but he wasn’t sure how long he had been gone from the elf kingdom. Not more than seven days, perhaps ten at most. Time had lost meaning in his pursuit of her, his mind so focused on his mission and following all the leads he had to their conclusion, or to the next lead that drove him ever onwards, inching closer to her.
He would complete this mission.
He had never failed one, wasn’t the sort of male who could leave things unfinished. He always had to see them through to the end, even when that end was one that hurt him. He couldn’t leave a fight, could never surrender, not even when his life was at stake.
He would finish this.
Bleu rose fluidly onto his feet and stretched, clasping his hands together above his head. His fingers brushed the flowers on the trees, causing the blooms to briefly close and the light to dip, before they reopened and glowed brighter. The grass tickled his calves as it sprang back and wavered in the warm breeze. Nature cocooned him in a brief sweet embrace that he savoured, aware that it would be a while before he could visit this place again. He tipped his head back and brushed his fingertips across the deep green leaves of the tree that had given him shelter, silently thanking nature for her comfort and for restoring his body, driving the weariness from it enough that he could continue.
He stalked forwards, his bare feet lightly compressing the grasses as he walked through them, heading towards the edge of the forest. With a simple mental command, his armour flowed from the black and silver bands around his wrists, the scales rippling over his body to cover his nudity.
Boots formed over his feet first and then the scales raced upwards, over his calves and thighs, cupping his backside and groin, before encasing his stomach and chest, and running down his arms. He kept his hands unprotected and ran his fingers over the scars on the left side of his throat again, his thoughts locked on the dragon female as he strode out of the forest.
The warm light of nature gave way to the darkness of the Fifth Realm of the demons, the calming soft touch slipping from him and leaving him cold inside. Black gravel crunched beneath his boots as he marched up the incline, heading into the gloom, his eyes rapidly adjusting to the grim realm, sharpening to pick out the subtle difference between the bare obsidian lands and the deep grey sky of Hell.
Bleu halted at the brow of the slope, standing at the precipice where the black land plummeted into a deep canyon. He scoured the lands beyond the canyon. The Third Realm of demons.
Beyond that was the mountainous home of her kind.
Dragons.
If his information was correct, he would find his next lead there.
He called his black blade to his left hand and narrowed his eyes on the deep distance, all of his focus on it.
He was closing in on her.
Seven hundred years of hunting were finally going to end.

Possessed by a Dark Warrior is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback.

Author's Website | GoodReads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks US | iBooks UK | iBooks AU | iBooks CA | iBooks NZ | Kobo | ARE | Google Play

Find all the links, a fantastic 4 chapter downloadable sample of the book, and also enter the giveaway and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/possessed-by-a-dark-warrior-paranormal-romance-novel.php

Books in the Eternal Mates paranormal romance series:

• Book 1: Kissed by a Dark Prince
• Book 2: Claimed by a Demon King
• Book 3: Tempted by a Rogue Prince
• Book 4: Hunted by a Jaguar
• Book 5: Craved by an Alpha
• Book 6: Bitten by a Hellcat
• Book 7: Taken by a Dragon
• Book 8: Marked by an Assassin
• Book 9: Possessed by a Dark Warrior
• Book 10: Awakened by a Demoness – Coming Spring 2016
• Book 11: Haunted by the King of Death – Coming Summer 2016

Author Bio

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too. If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series. If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Pinterest | GoodReads

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Book Review of Red Leech (Young Sherlock Holmes Book 2) by Andrew Lane

Book Title: Red Leech (Young Sherlock #2)

Genre: YA Mystery

Pages: 338

Author: Andrew Lane

Date Published: 5/11/2010

Synopsis:

Sherlock knows that Amyus Crow, his mysterious American tutor, has some dark secrets. But he didn't expect to find a notorious killer, hanged by the US government, apparently alive and well in Surrey - and Crow somehow mixed up in it. When no one will tell you the truth, sometimes you have to risk all to discover it for yourself. And so begins an adventure that will take Sherlock across the ocean to America, to the centre of a deadly web - where life and death are cheap, and truth has a price no sane person would pay . . .

Review:

Red Leech by Andy Lane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Young Sherlock Holmes series. I loved it!

Sherlock Holmes is fourteen years old and is beginning to develop his detective skills with the help of Amyus Crow, his mysterious American tutor. I really like this young man. He thinks quickly on his feet, even though he puts himself into situations when his curiosity gets the better of him. When his brother Mycroft visits the house, Sherlock finds himself embroiled in another adventure when he eavesdrops on a conversation.

I bought this book in 2012 in paperback format. Since then, there has been a new cover, though I am not sure if it has been re-edited or changed in any way. Therefore, I can only review what I have read. Unfortunately, due to my rather large reading list, I haven't had a chance to read it until now. I started to read it and didn't put it down until I had finished it several hours later. I found myself completely hooked.

This story takes the reader on a journey from England, across the Atlantic on a steam ship, to America on the trail of a wanted man. The story is full of action and danger, with kidnappings, fights and a scary villain.

I was, however, slightly disappointed about the red leech that gave the book it's name. It didn't
really have much to do with the story except to give a bit of mystery as to why someone would go to such lengths as to collect it from Borneo. I must admit that Balthassar seems to be a scary villain. However, I found his character development a little lacking. Then again, he is also a megalomaniac and a little crazy, so I guess that's all we needed to know about him. I was also slightly puzzled as to why his cougars reacted the way they did to the red leech when they were from completely different environments. They didn't react the same way with ordinary leeches, so why the red one? This wasn't explored. Granted, this book is aimed for young readers and not adults like me, so this may be me just being pedantic. I did enjoy the plot and the story, so I am now looking forward to reading the third book, Black Ice, as soon as I can.

Andrew Lane has created a fantastic adventure for Sherlock to sink his teeth into. I love his fast paced, descriptive writing style and the flow was wonderful. I would definitely consider reading more books written by him in the future.

The reading age for this book is 11+, but I would definitely recommend this book for everyone who loves reading YA mysteries. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Amazon US    Amazon UK

About The Author:

Andrew Lane is the author of the Young Sherlock Holmes series of young adult novels, starting with Death Cloud. He has also written numerous spin-off novels based on the BBC sci-fi television series Doctor Who, as well as definitive guides to Babylon 5 and the Wallace and Gromit films, and is the author of The Bond Files: An Unofficial Guide to the World's Greatest Secret Agent. He lives in Dorset, England.

Author Links:

Website ; Facebook ; Goodreads