Review: Stilettos, INC. by Lexi Ryan

Description:
Brains. Attitude. Beauty that brings men to their knees-if their Jujitsu moves don't do it first. The women of the private investigation firm Stilettos, Inc. are not your average PIs. Each armed with a special power, there's no case the Stiletto Girls can't crack-until Specials start vanishing in growing numbers.

Darian Lorring is an agent for the Specials Intelligence Agency, a secret government organization of humans with special powers. His unit's latest mission is to track the Stiletto Girls and determine their role in the assassination attempts on the president. But it's hard to keep secrets from a Stiletto Girl. His best defense? Keep sex on the brain. And Darian will eat and breathe sex to protect his country...having Paige in his bed again is just an added bonus.

Empath Paige Sykes hopes solving the missing Specials case will answer unresolved questions of her mother's disappearance ten years ago. But one sexy, chauvinistic SIA agent continues to get in her way-and in her bed. How can she trust what she feels around Darian when his ability allows him to project emotions and physical sensations? How can she trust any man when her ex, Collin Raines, appears to be tied to attempts on the president's life?
If you liked "Charlie's Angels," you'll really love this sexy, fast-paced paranormal!

Review:
I received this book as a review copy from the author and really knew nothing before I started reading. I expected a chic-lit novel because of the rather sassy name and cover but what I got was so much more.

This book is an entertaining paranormal romance with quite a bunch of erotica elements. The plot is thrilling but a bit predictable. One big drawback for me was that the story is told out of multible POVs. I have nothing against this in general but it totally confused me in this book. I think it only got that confusing because the story also jumped back and forth in time and my orientation was totally screwed.

The characters in this book are really likable. The girls are real fun and made me laugh more than ones.
Paige, our heroine is a strong woman and also an empath . She stands her man and knows how to get the big bad boys without male assistance. Her company is successfull and independent and that's also the way she wants it to stay. She doesn't appreciate SIA agents putting there nose in her business at all. She believes SIA deems them uncapable to handle the dangerous assignments and that is something she can't accept at all. She had a really hard past and still struggles with getting rid of her affection for her ex. He saved her more than ones and also broke her heart, more than any other man could, as he left her.

Darian works for SIA and has really big soft spot for Paige. He knows that this is counterproductive to his assignment but he just can't help himself. His mission is not what Paige suspects but the real one is probably worse. Luckily his gift is to project emotions and feelings to others and this is a great way to block an empath. He's aware of the fact that the Stiletto girls are capable and totally know what they are doing but he just can't stop worrying about Paige and her friends.

The question "Who is the bad guy?" is rather complicated in this book. We try to figure that out through the whole story. There are a few potentials, some more and some less evil, and a nice build up with typical accusing one or the other to be the bad boy. The revelation at the end was not that surprising to me but the story was good enough to keep me reading.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. Okay it was nothing totally new or outstanding but it kept my attention the whole time, made me laugh and entertained me. I recommend Stiletttos, INC. to all of you who loves paranormal romance and enjoys a quick and sexy read.

To learn more about Lexi Ryan and her books please visit her website here.

The Stilettos Girls Series:
1. Stilettos, INC.:  reviews @goodreads, buy the ebook @amazon
2. Flirting with Fate: review @goodreads, buythe ebook @amazon

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Review: Switch by Megan Hart

Description:

Don't think.
Don't question.
Just do.
The anonymous note wasn't for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the habit of reading other people's mail, but it was just a piece of paper with a few lines scrawled on it, clearly meant for the apartment upstairs. It looked so innocent, but decidedly— deliciously—it was not.

Before replacing the note—and the ones that followed— in its rightful slot, I devoured its contents: suggestions, instructions, commands. Each was more daring, more intricate and more arousing than the last… and I followed them all to the letter.

Before the notes, if a man had told me what to do, I'd have told him where to go. But submission is an art, and there's something oddly freeing about doing someone's bidding…especially when it feels so very, very good. But I find that the more I surrender, the more powerful I feel—so it's time to switch up roles.
We play by my rules now.

Review:

I received this book as a review copy from netgalley and then...uh...kind of bought the book out of my OCD to have the really good books as a print copy.

At first I really loved this cover. It represents the book really well and it is just nice to look at. Then I remembered the discussion about "Is he sniffing his armpit?" (BF thought that too by the way) and now I always have to smile when I look at it.

Just to warn you in advance: I'm such a sucker for Ms. Hart's writing and I can hardly leave out all the adoration and awe I feel while thinking about her books.

Like always while reading a book by this author I was highly surprised to get something different from what I expected. After reading the blurb I thought about a highly erotic game in a D/s relationship. But again this book is so much more.

Paige is a very complex character although her life is nothing exceptional- she is the illegitimate daughter of a businessman and his secretary. She is in her twenties now and already divorced once. She has a strange love for paper and ink and quite quirky boss but otherwise her life is completely ordinary. Until she finds the first note in her mailbox. The note is not for her but who would put a unsealed note down before reading it (not me- I would be reading it ASAP too). And OMG what a message this note is:

Shall we begin?
This is your first list.
You will follow each instruction perfectly. There is no margin for error. The penalty for failure is dismissal.
Your reward will be my attention and command.
You will write a list of ten. Five flaws. Five strength. Deliver them promptly to the address below.

So huh? Now you all feel nosy? I so did. The journey Paige goes with these notes is eye-opening not only for her but for the reader too. Or so it was for me. I really adored the way Ms. Hart developed Paige's view of relationships, men and sexuality through these little notes. I won't tell which direction this takes but it was a surprising one.

On the other hand we have Austin. He is Paige's high school love and ex-husband. Austin has his good and bad sides. I couldn't decide at the start if I liked him or not. But with time he really grew on me and sometimes I was more on his side and would have loved to tell Paige what I think of her decisions.

We also have her sexy neighbor Eric. He's a real eye catcher and a very nice person but was way too nice for me. I was praying the whole time that he would make a move on Paige but you have to read that for yourself. *wicked grin*

This book, as all books by Megan Hart, was a wild ride for me. It's not a great tearjerker as the former books I read but perhaps I got glassy eyes ones or twice. *wink* I always love that her books are so full of emotion and they have such an intense and real feeling that I can only say: you all should read one of her books. Her novels are always so much more for me than just an erotica. Don't get me wrong, I like my erotica smutty and all but hers are always so emotional intense and thought inspiring. It could be that this is only my impression but I just can't stop buying her books (only 2 this week *guilty face*). Megan Hart's writing is a new addiction of mine and I can't wait to get new fix!

To learn more about Megan Hart and her books please visit her website here.

You can read other reviews @goodreads and buy the book @amazon.

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Guest-Review: Dream State by Robert E. Crull

No cubes here today. I've got a surprise for you and me. I've got my first guest reviewer here today. YAY!!!! And it's a special one, too. The bestest ever. It's my wonderful boyfriend who will review for you a book I thought would not be too gentle to my stomach. LOL 
So please be gentle and welcome The BF, finally stepping into the digital world with me.

Description:
 

By day a predator harbors gruesome thoughts that he wraps in a cloak of secrecy . . . at night he unleashes them without restraint.

How much of ourselves do we reveal to the outside world? Is it just enough to accomplish what we need to in our daily lives … domestically, socially, and professionally? Where does the rest of the human puzzle fit in – the sinister, shadowy pieces? Some of us conceal these facets so that they never see the light of day. But others express them during the chilling hours of the night. You will be captivated and mesmerized by the story of Drew, an eccentric man who by sunlight lusts for power, and by moonlight performs horrific, deadly acts. Dream State is a compelling tale that tackles human nature, reveals human longings, and exposes human vulnerabilities. Will self-absorption and personal cravings push Drew to act out as the ultimate predator? Prepare yourself for a spine-tingling adventure as you read Dream State, an absorbing novel of venomous lust.

Review:

I'm usually disinclined to read something from an author who is fresh on the market. You never know what awaits you. In this case I was surprised to find a well developed and at times thrilling style of writing which makes up for the overall too
thin storyline.

The main character - one Drew Sovern - appears to be "`only"' a cold blooded killer, who enjoys ultimate control and supremacy over his victims. We enter the story to witness his latest excourse to "feed his powers". After the first chapter you begin to
wonder about the reason behind his actions. Is it because of the mysterious voice in his head that speaks in bold letters and persuades or forces him to do things or rather - as is described in later chapters by means of flashbacks - some primeval urge to give in to rage and hatred like a sith-lord. Perhaps all of us have some kind of inner voice, the only question is whether to ignore and subdue it or to give in to it. Drew is not able to do this filtering and that entitles him to sympathy of a sort, as he is not and would never be able to experience love and friendship.

Later there emerges a seemingly unrelated plot about one Anne-Marie whose husband Andy lies in a coma for three years after a car-crash. While we visit the episodes of Drew the almighty with a depth of grisly details we are left waiting for the one person on this world who would prove the match and salvation for him.
When finally his dream-woman appears on the stage Drew begins to wonder about his previous life and at one point I was even hoping that he would gain deliverance from his inner demons. But not all's well if end's well. The plot takes a sharp u-turn and leaves the reader somewhat surprised at the end...

I enjoyed reading this book at more than one chapter, though the grisly details are sometimes a bit overdone in my opinion. The real horror is in imagining the things that aren't there as well as in the real thing - so fewer details would sometimes be better. Mostly reading this book was well not exactly fun as we're talking mass-murder here but quite enjoyable and Mr. Crull's ability to keep the reader interested speaks for itself.


To learn more about Robert E. Crull and his writing please visit his website here.
You can read other reviews @goodreads and you can buy this book as an ebook @smachwords and as a hardcover @amazon.

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Guest Post by Tina Donahue and a Giveaway!!!

Please welcome again the wonderful Tina Donahue. Her new book "Deep, Dark, Delicious" (my review can be found here) was released this month and she is her to celebrate this event with us. She got a great giveaway in her bag and great post to tease you a bit.

So girls, please welcome Tina and show her a bit of love!

Romance’s tender, quiet moments. . .

Although it’s always fun to write between-the-sheets encounters in a romance, some of my favorite scenes are those in which the hero and heroine are first discovering each other, learning about each other’s pasts.

These can be powerful moments in a romance, whether it’s a graphically erotic tale or not, which adds depth to the inevitable sex scenes.

In the following excerpt from Deep, Dark, Delicious, Rafe has just arrived at Eden’s home to being his 30 day stay as her guest. She needs his fee to save her house from foreclosure. He simply needs to be close to her, having already lost his heart. However, he must woo her, as she’s been hurt badly in the past. Their romance at this point is tender and quiet, laying the groundwork for the intense passion that comes later. Read on:
____

She led him past the curved doorway into the formal dining room, equally attractive with numerous windows, plants and a sunroom just beyond the finely crafted table and chairs. There, he stopped once more, touching the edge of the chandelier hanging above the furnishings. Its countless crystals created a waterfall of light on the table, floor and walls. The small pieces of glass jingled beneath the air-conditioning’s rush of air, sounding like wind chimes. “This is amazing.”

Eden’s arm bumped his. “It’s Trish’s design. I’ll tell her you like it, if that’s all right with you. Or will I be giving away too much?”

 

 

 

 

 

Amused at her sarcasm, liking her goading, he swung his face to hers, his manner deliberately somber. Without the heels she’d worn last night, the tip of her nose barely reached his shoulder. Haltingly, her eyes ticked upward from it, her expression distracted, disoriented. The look a woman wears in bed after being fucked good and hard by a man.

“No, it would not,” he answered.

She closed her eyes slowly, breathed deeply and looked at him again. “What?”

She’d lost track of their conversation. Poor girl. After today, she’d have trouble concentrating on anything except him and their pleasure. “Your kitchen, where is it?”

Again, she gestured generally east. “Through the doorway.”

The room was an eighth the size of his mansion’s gourmet kitchen with a thousand times the appeal. Dark brown Spanish pavers graced the floor, complementing the pale mustard walls. Two more ceiling fans were above the kitchen table and prep area, their shiny copper blades turning slowly. A series of gourmet cooking utensils hung from a pot rack over one of the counters. The cabinet below the kitchen sink yawned open. Beside it lay a metal box as big as a suitcase, crammed with every gadget imaginable. “Are those your tools?”

“Some of them. This place is really old. I have to repair it on a daily basis.”

His brows lifted at the C-clamp in the center of one of the pavers. He didn’t know any woman Eden’s age who would’ve been able to identify, much less use the device. “Before you bought this place, didn’t you have an inspection done of the plumbing, electricity and other structural matters?”

“I inherited it from my grandmother when she died. I’ve been fixing this stuff since I was a kid so I could save her some money.”

Pride and sadness rang in her voice. He put the wrench on the counter and looked at her.

She’d crossed her arms over her chest just as she always had in front of the judges’ table during the competition. Unlike her voice, her expression held no emotion. “You lived with your grandmother?”

Her eyes moved past him to the window by the kitchen table, its view of the backyard and pool. “My mother dropped me off when I was twelve. Mitch, her boyfriend at the time, wasn’t into raising kids and wanted me gone.” She lifted her narrow shoulders as if to say she couldn’t have cared less. The slight tremor in her voice said otherwise. “Grandma was so happy to have me she decorated the spare bedroom in all this frilly pink junk a fairy princess would’ve gagged on.” She smiled at the memory, her eyes sparkling with tears. “I lied and told her I loved it. I would’ve died for her. She gave me my first real taste of home. She was always here when I got back from school. She sat with me after dinner to help me with my homework. She even took out a loan on this place to send me to the culinary institute. That was before the housing boom caused the house to appreciate. I paid her back within a year of graduating. I worked three jobs in order to do it. I didn’t want her to struggle or want for anything.” She sighed deeply.

Compassion flooded Rafe, urging him to take her in his arms and comfort. He didn’t move, suspecting empathy wasn’t what she required. She needed his respect and had it. Her story awakened memories of his own childhood, wanting to succeed so he could make life easier for his parents. Here was the soul missing from her dishes during the challenge. Here was the real woman buried beneath the confident ‘I-have-to-be-perfect’ chef. “When did you lose her?”

She fingered the corner of her eye and looked at the tears she’d wiped away. “Five years ago. A stroke. It was very sudden. She hadn’t even been ill. She lasted only a few days before it was over.”

“I’m sorry.”

She dropped her hand and shrugged, then added softly, “Thanks.”

“Do you ever see your mother?”

She exhaled loudly, more a complaint than a weary sigh. “She manages to come around when she needs money.”

“Do you give it to her?”

New tears brimmed in her eyes. Her voice was whispery, belonging to a twelve-year-old child who still missed her mom. “If I can spare it. How could I say no? She’s my mother.”

He moved closer, but didn’t touch her. He wondered what type of a mother could willingly give up her own child. And what of her father? Had she known him or even met him or was he a shadowy figure her mother seldom mentioned? “Eden, are you certain you want strangers to live in your house?”

She stepped back, arms across her chest again, no sign of tears in her voice. “I don’t have a choice. In order to open my restaurant I took out several home equity loans. Grandma left the house to me free and clear. It kept appreciating and the restaurant was doing well. Until the economy tanked, I didn’t think I’d have any problem meeting the payments.”

He now understood the depth of her financial situation. She surely owed more than the home’s current worth and bankruptcy would forestall the inevitable for only so long. “Is the bank threatening to foreclose?”

“Not since you wrote me the check last night for your stay. Even if you end up hating it here and decide not to invest, I’ve bought myself a few months, more than enough time to get new vacationers. And no way am I losing this place. I couldn’t do that to Grandma.” She inclined her head to the sink, her voice stiff. “That’s not going to fix itself. If you’ve changed your mind, I can –”

Patiently, he interrupted. “I haven’t changed my mind.” He grabbed the industrial-sized flashlight from the counter and handed it to her. “You do know what to do with this, no?”

She tapped its head against her palm, making small thwacking sounds. “If you fuck up my plumbing, I get to whack you over the head?”

He laughed. “You’re going to pay for that.”

The tapping stopped. Her skin pinked up nicely. She looked at him from beneath her lashes. “How?”

“That would be telling. Time for me to fix your leak.”

“Wait.” Her free hand went to his upper arm, her moist fingers hugging it. “It’s dirty down there. You’ll mess up your clothes.”

Heart pounding, he studied her fingers on him. “You want me to work in the nude?” His eyes slid to hers.
______

In the following pages, they come together – man to woman in a powerful sex scene that I believe is all the more satisfying because of the quiet, tender moments that preceded it.

Deep, Dark, Delicious is available from Ellora’s Cave.

My website: www.tinadonahue.com

My blog: http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/

Deep, Dark, Delicious YouTube video trailer: http://www.youtube.com/tinadonahue

Email addy: tina@tinadonahue.com

For today’s readers, I’m hosting a scavenger hunt contest!!!

Rules:
Periodically throughout the day I will post a question (four in all). Answers found on my website: www.tinadonahue.com Keep all of the answers until the last question has been posted. Then, email me your answers at tina@tinadonahue.com. The first reader to contact me with all four questions answered correctly will win.

Prize:
A print copy of my novel Adored. http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-7772-138-adored.aspx

Winner will be announced: January 28^th at this site and at my website: www.tinadonahue.com

Thanks for stopping by!

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A Winner & Me around the Blogoshpere!

After a stressy week and yes I was really busy the weekend was over way too soon. But now it's time for a winner again.

I loved reading all your comments and I wanted to thank Rachel again for coming here and keep the discussion going. Thanks hon!

The winner Mr. Random.org proclaimed is:

*~*drumroll*~* 

Sarah

Woot! Congrats hon! You won a print copy of Anytime Darlin' by Julia Rachel Barrett. I will write you an email now. 

Now a little self-promo.

If you missed it: I published my Review of First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost over at Book Lovers INC. You can go it read it here.

And today I'm over there too, talking about: EBooks only on an eReader? Would love to see you over there to join the conversation. Here's the link.

 
And don't miss the great giveaway there too. To enter go here.
Hope you all have a great day!

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Review: Deep, Dark, Delicious by Tina Donahue

Description:

A wickedly sensual feast…
Eden DeCarlo may have narrowly lost Miami’s best chef competition and the prize money she desperately needs, but she has caught the eye of dangerously virile Rafael Zayas, one of the judges and a wealthy restaurateur. Despite her vow not to let any man derail her life, Eden’s captivated by Rafe’s imposing masculinity, then challenged by the business deal he offers. He’ll invest in her new venture if, for one month, she can satisfy his culinary expectations and the sexual attraction they both feel.
Dominant and unashamed, Rafe knows what he wants when it comes to carnal pleasure and will spare no seduction to have Eden in all the ways he demands—naked, wanting, submissive.
Within thirty days, he will teach her the delights of yielding to passion, relinquishing all control to him and fulfilling her deepest, darkest and most delicious desires.

Review:
I received this book as a review copy from the author and after reading Adored I had high expectations for this one.
This story is not only a simple BDSM book, it is definitily more than just that. It's all about inner insecurities and how to deal with them. 

Eden is a broken woman. She has deep issues with commitment and struggles every second to not fall in love with Rafe. She's afraid of the future and what it might bring. In her thoughts are so many ifs that it makes you really nauseated. She definitely thinks too much but she also doesn't want to let her chance go. It's a dilemma for her but she takes the risk and plays Rafe's game.

Rafe is a very successful and sinfully rich chef and OMG is this guy hawt. He's a Dom from head to toe and lives it wholeheartedly. He knows what he wants and he won't, under any circumstances give up his wishes. He is in charge after all. He knows how to goad Eden into doing as he pleases and he does it in such a charming way. He has many plans for their relationship and doesn't want it to be only an affair. He's a family guy and has every intention to include Eden in his.

OMG this book is spicy to say the least. So happy that I didn't read it in the tram this time. ;) It has the perhaps longest and most torturing sex scene ever. I really thought I would explode. Soooooo good. This scene alone deserves a smut halo.


I know it's not fair but for my taste this book was way too short. There are so many thing I wanted to know that were left out. In my opinion the story should have started a bit more earlier in the relationship between Rafe and Eden. I felt like I missed some of the important stuff. Also the development felt a bit rushed because many things were just left out and referred to as having happened in previous last week. I love to read about each tiny little detail and that would have given this book so much more depth. Don't get me wrong it has some emotional build up but but sadly not enough for my taste.
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend to everyone who loves his smut very hot!



To learn more about Tina Donahue and her books please visit her website here.


You can read other reviews @goodreads, buy this book @Ellora's Cave

And please come back next Tuesday cuz Tina will be here with a guestpost and giveaway of a print copy of Adored(you can read my review here). Believe me, you don't wanna miss that!

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Review: Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl

Description:

The wrong man just might be her perfect fit...

Primal attraction is a big red flag to prim and proper office manager, Jane Morgan. After a rough childhood with a mother who liked her men in prison jumpsuit orange, Jane changed her name, her look and her taste for bad boys. So why is she lusting for William Chase with his tattoo-covered biceps, steel-toed boots and unadulterated sex appeal? The man blows things up for a living!

She gives herself one explosive, fantasy-filled night with Chase. The next day, it’s back to plain Jane and safe men.But when her beloved brother becomes a murder suspect, and her lawyer ex-boyfriend won’t help, Jane turns to Chase. And she discovers a man who’s been around the block knows a thing or two about uncovering all kinds of truths.

Review:

I received this book as an review copy from netgalley.com because I forgot that I already ordered it. I got both copies on the same day and started the paperback cuz I still have no idea how to read the netgalley eBooks on my Smartphone. Yeah, I now realize that it just doesn't work and I'm so not happy about that. But back to the book.


This is the third book in the Tumble Creek series and it really blew my mind. We meet one of the best heroes ever and I happily proclaim: I found myself a new book-boyfriend.

We already met Jane in Start Me up. She is Quinn's prim and proper secretary/partner and we get a deep view into her soul in this book. Her life isn't what she shows to the world. She comes from a family with a rather imperfect history. Her mother is a jailbird groupie, Jane was conceived while her Dad was in prison and her stepdad is an ex-con too. Her brother is a charming young boy but he hangs around with the wrong kind of people and his morals leave many important things out. Jane wants to leave all that behind. She has goals: Jane wants a respected and successful business man, a few kids and a white picket fence around her wonderful middleclass house. The man she wants has to fit in her scheme but she discovers that only the bad boys seem´to stir any emotion in her. But that's a thing she can hardly accept. A plan is a plan after all. She is stubborn as hell and sometimes I would have loved to take a cold bucket of water and just throw it in her face.

Chase is a tough guy. He's big in all the right places and covered in wonderful ink-work. He owns his one firm but looks like one of his working man. He knows what he wants and tries everything to get it- Jane in this case is what he wants. He knows from the beginning that Jane can't accept him as more than a little game she plays to amuse herself. He has nothing against being her birthday present and being used in bed. Which man seriously would? But when they meet more often feelings stir for her and he just can't give up that easily. He sees a possibility here and there is no way he will give up on her.

As it says on the back of the book "Rawr, animal magnetism…" that is just what these two have going on. OH my, that was hot. And I so want a Chase bday present but okay nobody is asking. =( The relationship between our couple develops in sweet little baby steps but never gets boring for the reader. Ms. Dahl set the right speed here and I felt like cheering Chase on to not give up.

We have good developed side-characters to spice up the story. Every one of them is so individual that it just blew my mind. I loved Grandma Olive- she so reminds me of my own gran. And yes mine always says things that make me want to get swallowed by the ground.
This book has it all: great witty conversations that make you wanna laugh out loud, sexy hawt scenes between the sheet that will leave you hot in all the right places and the right amount of love to sweeten up the whole mix.


As always is the case with Ms. Dahl's books, I can just say go and get it. This whole series is the best thing you can do to train your laugh-muscles.




To learn more about Victoria Dahl and her books take a look at her website here.


Tumble Creek Series:

1. Talk Me Down: my mini review, reviews @goodreads, buy @amazon

2. Start Me Up: my review, reviews
@goodreads, buy @amazon
3. Lead Me On:

reviews
@goodreads, buy @amazon

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Guest Post by Julia Rachel Barrett and a Giveaway!

 

Please welcome Julia Barrett here today. Her new book Captured was released on January 6th (You can read my review here). She's here today to talk about one of my favorite topics: Science Fiction and romance. So enjoy!

For Love of Imagination!

I am a science fiction freak. People look at me like I’m speaking Greek when I talk about BSG. BSG? Only the best science fiction series ever written for television! I’m still suffering withdrawal. The final episode of Battlestar Galactica broke my heart.

My other favorite is the short-lived series, Firefly, created by the incomparable Joss Whedon, about a sparsely populated post-apocalyptic galaxy. I loved the fact that two languages survived the wars, English and Chinese. Yup…sounds about right to me. Great cast, amazing series…too bad it didn’t fare well with the TV viewing public. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Joss Whedon and James Cameron are two writers/directors who understand that not only must science fiction be entertaining and gripping, but they know a story must be internally consistent. An author can create an outrageous fantasy world, but a reader can suspend disbelief only if an author follows his or her established rules for the invented world. The characters must live by those rules. For example, if an author states that man cannot fly, then if a flying man appears, she better come up with a damn good explanation for why she’s breaking her own rules.

James Cameron achieved pure poetry with his first Terminator movie. He grokked – check out Stranger in a Strange Land - the circular nature of time travel. It’s like being stuck on a feedback loop. The two main characters, Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese are forced to play their crucial roles over and over again. The dance between Sarah and Kyle continues unto eternity – the photo of Sarah Connor that Kyle keeps with him tells the entire story. Watch the movie and see when the photo is taken. Circular. Time travel is circular.

Science fiction and fantasy are mother’s milk to me. From the time I was a kid, I’ve put myself to sleep at night by making up fantasy stories in my head, so it came as no great shock when I found myself transitioning from romance/suspense to science fiction. Captured, with Siren-Bookstrand, is the first of my sci-fi books to be released. The story of Mari and Ekkatt came to me in one night, in one single, detailed dream. I dropped everything to write it – and I actually ended up getting it on paper…or on computer…in three weeks, quite possibly a record for me! I can tell you lots about the book, but I think I’ll let the characters speak for themselves, – here’s a blurb:


 

Mari never expects to find herself caged in a cargo hold on a spaceship.  She learns from her captors she's headed to the meat market.  When they try to return her to stasis, she resists.  The male in charge, Ekkatt, allows her to remain awake.  Mari realizes her survival depends upon connecting with Ekkatt.  She must make him see her as a sentient being or she will end up dinner.

Ekkatt has never spoken to any human.  Humans are beasts.  They are valued for one thing, the money they bring at auction.  The Attun are vegetarians, but other species prize human flesh and Ekkatt makes good money trapping.  Then the female with red hair awakens.  She speaks to him and forces him to admit she has a name.  Mari throws Ekkatt's entire life into question, the biggest question...can he watch her sold to the highest bidder? 

___________________

An Excerpt:

There were periods of times when the two of them were alone in the cargo hold. Ekkatt seemed a bit more open then. He’d converse with her in his stilted English. She’d listened hard to his conversations with Pana and struggled to pick out individual words. Their language sounded Semitic. It reminded her of the time she’d attended a wedding at an Ethiopian Coptic Church. She’d understood quite a bit of the service. Listening to the men talk to each other was like having a word right on the edge of her tongue that she couldn’t quite get out. Given enough time, she could learn their language.

Ekkatt humored her, as one would humor a child, as if she amused him. He taught her a few words in his own tongue like come, stay, sit, hungry, food, drink, and move your ass. She began to learn the difference between his tolerant laugh and his grunt that meant – get the hell out of my sight you filthy animal. He even brought her a tunic without her asking for it.

He’d seen her shivering and commented, “If you sleep, you will not feel the cold of space.”

Mari shook her head, no. But, she had fallen asleep for just a brief period of time. When she woke a threadbare tunic had been thrown over her. Mari had been so grateful that she’d cried. She’d huddled in a corner of her cage and kept her back to the men so they wouldn’t see her tears and realize how close she verged on breaking down every single moment.

Pana had actually growled when he’d seen her approach wearing the oversized garment. He’d had words with Ekkatt over it. Finally he’d stormed off and shoved her out of the way, saying, “You stink, beast. You’re stench follows me above decks.”

Mari rose to her feet cautiously, eyes fixed on Ekkatt. “If you allow me to bathe properly,” she said, “I will not stink.”

“You will be cleaned…you will all be cleaned, when we reach our destination. We haven’t the facilities to bathe an animal.”

“If you came to my home,” said Mari, speaking clearly, “I would treat you with respect and dignity. I would not call you an animal simply because you are not human.”

Ekkatt shot her a hard look. “This ship is not my home, and on this ship you are nothing to me but cargo, valuable, but very filthy, cargo.”

________________

I had more fun writing Captured than I’ve ever had writing any book! I hope you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for coming and visit me anytime!

Julia

To buy Captured, click here.

To visit Julia’s Website...Facebook.

Now to the contest:
Julia has offered to give away an ebook copy of Anytime Darlin'   to one lucky commenter.

Giveaway rules:
1.) Leave a comment telling us about your favorite science fiction series or movie! Or just ask Julia a question!
2.) Leave me a way to contact you(email in blogger profile or twitter is okay)!
4.) You can get an extra entry when you spread the word about the giveaway(just leave a link).
5.) Open to everyone!
6.) Giveaway ends on the 24th January and I will draw a winner after getting up the next day!

That's it! So comment away!

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Release Day: Flash of Dark & Interview with the author Sara Brookes

Please welcome Sara Brookes here today. Today is the release day of her first novel "Flash of Dark", first book in the Rebirth series. I met Sara online on twitter and in the blogosphere and let me tell you she is a great person and a wonderful writer.

So again please welcome Sara.




Susi: Hey Sara, nice to have you here!
Sara: It’s great to be here and thanks again, Susi, for having me.

Susi: Tell us a bit about yourself?
Sara:
I’m just your average writer that decided it was time to tell her own stories spinning around in her head. I’ve always written, since I was a kid, in fact. But never wrote anything novel length until a few years ago. The idea for this series came about because it always seemed like the woman was normal and the man was the supernatural. I really wanted to read something with the situations flipped – and so the Rebirth series was born.

Susi: I thought it would be nice to ask a few other things, that will give us a deep look into your soul *snort* so here are a few bullet questions:

Susi: Tea or coffee?
Sara: That’s easy – coffee.

Susi: Pepsi or coke?
Sara: I’m a Diet Pepsi kinda girl.

Susi: Cat or dog?
Sara:Cat. I’ve never been much of a dog person.

Susi: Sunny beach or winter wonderland?
Sara: As pretty the snow is to look at it just can’t beat a sunny white sand beach with turquoise water. Er…now I want to go somewhere tropical.

Susi: Werewolf or vampire?
Sara: Vamps

Susi: Star Wars or Star Trek?
Sara: Oooo..tough call. I’ve loved both since I was a kid but I’ve always been more of a Star Wars geek. Star Trek definitely holds a special place in my heart though.


Susi: Cinema or home-movie?
Sara: Cinema for certain movies but I definitely enjoy curling up on the couch with hubby and watching a movie. You just can’t get that in the theatre.

Susi: Weighted Companion Cube or cake?
Sara: Oh, definitely weighted companion cube.

Susi: So okay back to the important stuff. Tell us a bit about your first book "Flash of Dark"?
Sara: I’m so excited to be able to share this story with people now. Flash of Dark started formulating in my head about this time last year, so seeing it fully realized a year later is very exciting for me. I’ve always loved the paranormal and urban fantasy genres combined with romance plus adding my own spin to vampires and the Tuatha Dé Danann was way more fun than I realized. With Flash of Dark, we’re seeing the early rumblings of something big on the horizon and we’re along for the ride as just a few piece of the puzzle are fit together. Plus, I got to throw in a bit of a murder mystery, not to mention some really, really hot sex scenes. I knew I had something when I was told by a friend who read one of the very first drafts of the story and whatever I did to the story, I was forbidden from removing a certain sex scene.
Here’s the blurb to tell you a little bit more:
Remember when you were little and your parents warned you to stay away from certain things and told you that there were no creatures that hid in your closet? Guess what? They weren’t telling the truth. My name is Ana Sullivan and I’m one of those things that go bump in the night…
As a member of the immortal Tuatha Dé Danann, Ana was sent to the human realm three hundred and fifty years ago by the Fae council to keep tabs on the self-banished High King. Once a Celtic god with a talent for stealing souls, she does her best to keep her life on as even of a keel as possible, despite the fact that her best friend, Lucas Edwards, is a vampire. Keep as low a profile as you can, that’s Ana’s motto while she’s here. After all, she can live vicariously though Lucas.
Her tranquil life is thrown into a tailspin when an incident outside of her club points to her as the prime suspect in a high profile murder. As if that wasn’t enough trouble, handsome, rich and a media darling, Stark Grantham walks into her life she can see her peace and calm being chipped away one precious chunk at a time. Not to mention, Stark’s very, very human, as high profile as they come and everything Ana’s spent her life trying to avoid.

Given Ana’s Fae ability, a toxic touch that can be lethal to mortals, will his choice to be with Ana cost Stark his life?

Susi: Tell us a bit about Ana?
Sara: Ana’s a piece of work, that’s for sure. She just wants to live quietly in obscurity and run her club, plus do her assigned work. Any excitement in her life comes from her best friend, Lucas – as you saw in the blurb, he’s the vampire in this book – and that’s okay with her. Until Mr. Grantham comes along. Bye-bye peace and quiet. *g* However, she’s not just your average club owner because she’s not even human. Because she is Tuatha Dé Danann with her full powers and her touch can kill if you’re not careful. That’s something that petrifies her and keeps her from getting close to people.

Susi: And now, only for the girls: What about Stark Grantham? How does he fit in this all?
Sara: Stark’s one of those mysteries you just want to solve and have a heck of a lot of fun doing, too. He’s rich, handsome, smart and persistent like nobody’s business. He loves for someone to try to prove him wrong simply because most of the time, he’s right. Right out of the gate, Ana tells him that she’s not his type and he definitely wants to show her how wrong she is. The attraction between him and Ana is evident really early on and I had a great time exploring their relationship.

Susi: How did you come up with this paranormal setting of fae, gods and vampires?
Sara: I’ve always been fascinated with vampires and the Fae, even back into my teens. However, it wasn’t until two years ago that I had the idea to combine the two. They were both immortal races I already had a significant knowledge base of, so it seemed natural to combine the two. There was still research involved, of course, but I have just as much fun doing research as writing.


Susi: It's book 1 in the Rebirth series. How many books are planned in this series?
Sara: What can we expect?
Well, I have books 2, 3 and 4 already written. Believe it or not, while Flash of Dark is the first book in the Rebirth series, it wasn’t the first book of the series I wrote. I’m currently revising book 2 a little to polish it up, but that book introduces new characters and more of the story gets told – this time from the vampire’s perspective. There’s something happening between the vampires and the Fae and I don’t even think humans are safe from it. And – a bit of a teaser for the next book – we’ll actually get to meet the reason Ana was sent through the Veil to live here, you only get glimpses of him in Flash of Dark, and let me tell you, he is hot, hot, hot.

Susi: I heard you also have a second book released in the future? Midnight's Ghost, book 1 in the Star Runner series is an erotic science fiction romance. Finally someone who shares my love for that. Tell us a bit about that book?
Sara: I’m still all giddy about that one; I got the offer right before Christmas from Liquid Silver Books, so it was a wonderful early present. Midnight’s Ghost tells the story of a woman who pilots her own cargo transport ship. She is what’s known as a star runner and she’s always prided herself on her ship and her clean record. But then her former lover asks her for help and considering he’s escaped from prison, that clean record could get a little dirty. Oh heck, who am I kidding, a lot dirty. *g* Midnight’s Ghost is definitely high action/adventure mixed in with science fiction and hot romance, so if you’re a fan of Firefly, early Star Wars or the most recent Star Trek movie, this is going to be one book series for you.

Susi: What do you love most about this genre?
Sara: I’ve always been a science fiction geek, as far back as I can remember in fact and I’ve always been told to write what I’d like to read. So, it fits that I would write stories in this genre. I love combining really advanced technology with the basics of storytelling – good vs evil and tossing in a really hot love story in there. I also love the idea of starships flying around out in the stars, exploring new places and meeting new life forms and tossing a really hot love story in there – bet I said that already, didn’t I? *g*

Susi: Last question: What would you ask yourself if you were in my position? And please feel free to answer!
Sara: Can you give us a small excerpt of Flash of Dark?
I certainly can – here ya go!

Ana and Stark have just met for the first time and Stark has asked Ana out and we start with Ana’s reaction:

“Are you asking me out?”
“There would be dinner, of a sort, involved, so yes—a date if you will.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, taking in his expensive tailored suit, the fine Italian leather shoes he was wearing. There were some things that a woman, even a Fae, knew. “I’m fairly certain that I’m not your type, Mr. Grantham.”
A charming smile lit up the devilish expression on his face. “What makes you so sure of that?”
Damn, he was handsome.
Looks aside, my affinity for the cheap, sleazy tabloid shows had not only shown me the good about Stark, but the bad as well. I knew what was behind that deceptive smile. Judging from the revolving stream of women he used as arm candy, each and every one I had seen were the polar opposite of me. I couldn’t care less about what fashions were currently walking the runways and how quickly I could get my hands on them. I was happier frequenting the thrift store a few blocks away than throwing my money away on the latest overpriced fashions. Waste of time and resources in my opinion, especially at my age. We aren’t even going to discuss my true age. In human years, I’m hellaciously old. Thankfully I didn’t look a day over thirty-one. Twenty-nine on a good day when I actually bothered to fuss with make-up and a dress. Right now, my jeans and crisp white shirt suited me just fine. Dressing up had never been my forte. Even before I had found myself amongst humans.
Just at that moment, a bleached blonde that was all tits and ass, wearing a black clingy scrap of material that left little to the imagination folded herself around Stark. She trailed a finger over the gentle curve of his ear and flashed a smile at him that spoke of the night she had obviously planned—one that involved getting both of them horizontal as soon as possible.
Hell, if she looked at me like that, said those things I overheard, I’d do her. The look she did give me wasn’t as friendly as the one she had given Stark. In fact, it was one of those distasteful glares that said she wanted me as far away as possible. She obviously had her claws already firmly, deeply seated under Stark’s skin and saw me as an annoyance. Ms. Fake and Bake didn’t seem to care that she was obviously the flavor of the moment. She was going to take what she could get from what I could see.
I arched an eyebrow at Stark and smirked. His eyes met mine and though he wasn’t apologetic, the intent I had glimpsed earlier was gone. “I rest my case,” I said before I moved off, leaving the two of them to whatever they had planned for the night. Despite my dismissal, I felt his eyes watching me as I disappeared through the moving crowd. I felt those eyes follow me all the way up the stairs until I disappeared through my office. The door shut behind me with a soft click and the soundproofing of the room shut out the pounding beat that drove the crowd on the dance floor below. My back contacted with the wood and I smiled into the dark of my office.

That was not the last I would see of Stark Grantham, I knew that without question. He was curious enough to return, to see if he could learn more about the woman who was convinced she wasn’t his type.


Susi: Thanks Sara for coming over and answering my questions!
Sara: Thanks again for having me, Susi, I had a great time!

Curious now? Other places to find Sara Brookes: website, facebook, twitter.

Sara will be here today to answer all your questions and to have a great time!

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There's something new in the Blogosphere!

Just a short info about a new blog coming around next Tuesday, January 19th.

It's the grand opening of the

Book Lovers INC


What's the fuss about this place?
It will be a place to talk about all things faintly related to books.
There will be reviews, author interviews, discussion, opinions and all the other things you can think of.

All in one place.

Which genre will there be reviewed?
There will be spot for everyone, from Romance in all varieties to Erotica, Urban Fantasy or YA and all the other ones the staff likes!

When?

Launch day is the 19th January (next Tuesday)

Where?
At the new blog for all booky things:
Book Lovers INC

  What to expect?
A grand opening day and for sure prizes.
There will be 10 winners!
The books for grabs are:

• On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
• Skin Game by Ava Gray
• Playing with Fire (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl,1)by Gena Showalter
• Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
• Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl, #2) by Gena Showalter
• Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
• Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• Prime Evil by Heather Long
• Remembering Ashby by Heather Long
  
  
And also a grand winner with a special prize pack including:
The first THREE books in the Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels Series:
• Magic Bites
• Magic Burns 
• Magic Strikes
How to win? Come over on the 19th January and find out!

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Awards and my thanks!

I got a few awards the last few weeks so I thought it would be time for a post this weekend.

Also before I start this, I wanted to thanks you all, as my readers for coming here, reading my posts and leaving me comments. I really appreciate it and I have never thought that I would get such a great feedback. It always astounds me that someone really reads all these posts!


So just: Thank you all!!!!

Back to the awards:
I got this one from Natasha @Wicked Little Pixie and  Sagi @Sagi's Randomness. Thanks so much girls!


The Rules:
1. Thank and post URL to the blog that gave the award.
2. Pass the award along to 4 brilliantly over the top blogs (blogs you love!) Alert them so they know to receive the award.
3. Copy and paste this quiz… Change the answers, ONE word only. (2 are acceptable!)

1. Where is your cell phone? ~desk
2. Your hair? ~red
3. Your mother? ~emotional
4. Your father? ~funny
5. Your favorite food? ~chocolate
6. Your dream last night? ~disturbing
7. Your favorite drink? ~coffee
8. Your dream/goal? ~world peace?
9. What room are you in? ~study
10. Your hobby? ~reading
11. Your fear? ~no coffee
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ~ Berlin
13. Where were you last night? ~home
14. Something that you aren’t? ~carnivore
15. Muffins? ~chocolate-cherry
16. Wish list item? ~IRiver story
17. Where did you grow up? ~smalltown
18. Last thing you did? ~petting cat
19. What are you wearing? ~black
20. Your TV? ~old
21. Your pets? ~Cat
22. Friends? ~everything
23. Your life? ~stressy
24. Your mood? ~happy
25. Missing someone? ~yes
26. Vehicle? ~tram
27. Something you’re not wearing? ~bikini
28. Your favorite store? ~amazon
29. Your favorite color? ~Red
30. When was the last time you laughed? ~just now
31. Last time you cried? ~Wednesday
32. Your best friend? ~sister

I'm tagging for this award:



- K.C. @smokinhotbooks

- pattepoilue @One Book Away From Heaven

- Stacy @Stacy's Place on Earth
- Heather @Book Obsessed

I also got this wonderful award from 5 great girls. Thanks so much to:
- Sagi @Sagi's Randomness
- Minx @Loose Knickers and Window Lickers

- Pixiedust @Pixie's Ponderings
- Sparklybearsy @Ramblings of a Book Bitch
- Lily Child @ Lily's Bookshelf 


What to do: 

List 10 things that make you happy.
Try and do at least one of them today.
Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day.
Link back to the person that tagged you.



My list:
1. My books- can't live without them.
2. BF- he's the greatest person I ever met.

3. MY kitty- The cutest cat in the world!
4. Coffee- strong and as often as possible.
5. All my tweeps @twitter- They always make me smile.
6. Having a lazy PJ Sunday with pattepoilue on twitter- most relaxing thing ever ;)
7. Music- rocking and loud!
8. Geeky stuff- I'll never have enough USB things!
9. Sunshine- Always lights up my mood!
10. My sister- for always being their for me!


I'm tagging for this award:

- pattepoilue @One Book Away From Heaven

- Heather @Book Obsessed

- Lea @closetwriter
- Donna @Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings
- Patti @Book Addict
- Larissa @Larissa's Life
- Wendy @The Book Lush
- Queen B @That's Queen Bitch To You

- JoJo @JoJo's Book Corner
- Natasha @Wicked Little Pixie

Thanks again to all you guys! You really make me happy!

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Review: Captured by Julia Rachel Barrett

Description:
Mari wakes naked, on the cold metal floor of a cargo cage. She has been captured by an alien trapper, Ekkatt, a man of Attun-Ra. Her destination is the meat market. Her only hope of survival is to connect with Ekkatt. She never expects to fall in love with him.


Review:

First thing I have to say is: I so love science fiction! I really adore this genre with all those little techy things in the mix with great action and a bit of romance or even erotica. I always enjoy reading about the social problem in foreign societies as a mirror of our own- present or past. In my opinion, we grab these things better when we have a little distance to the ones that are accused. And isn't it a nice way when the accused are sexy big men with long silky blue-black hair and yellow feline eyes? Very nice way in my opinion.

The book starts a bit alarmingly. We wake up together with Mari in a room full of naked woman in cages, not only human ones but many different species, and two hunky men watching over them. First thing I thought was: OMG not the Stockholm syndrome again! But after that I thought: isn't it greedy to have a whole ship of sex-slaves? But as it shows it's not the way my dirty mind pictured it. The women aren't kidnapped to being raped, their even worse future is being sold on the meat market. Yep, you read that right! There are species enjoying nothing more than a human steak. So ick!!!! But okay, we need a bad party in this book. Even worse for me was the attitude of the "smugglers"(who are vegetarians by the way- love that part). They think humans are nothing more than animals without any feelings and higher cognitive functions. You feel charmed already?

So how does it work out that Mari fells in love with one of them? Ekkatt isn't like the most of his species. He sees from the first minute after Mari woke up on the ship that she is different than all the other women he has transported. She's brave and totally able to form coherent sentences and to argument with logic. Why is that so surprisingly for him? Because no women ever before woke up on a transport.

Mari is a real strong heroine. She doesn't cower even in her severe situation and tries to be brave enough to live through it all. Her will to live is unbreakable and she sees her chance in the handsome Ekkatt. She notices that he isn't convinced of her being a stupid animal. So she grabs all her wit and courage to make him free her or at least help her.

Ekkatt's character is unbelievable open for someone being raised in such a society. He is headstrong and has a pure moral attitude towards life no matter the species. As soon as he realizes what the authorities plan to do to Mari he has to do something to prevent this. This decision is a really big one and if someone catches him he will be punished by death. But nothing will sway him from this point.

These two have seriously chemistry going on and I'm again surprised that luckily the aliens fit us anatomically. LOL I enjoyed reading about these two. Their interactions are lovely and they are both so concerned for each others- that just melted my heart. The way Mari showed Ekkatt what kissing is was adorable. I loved that Ms. Barrett also include a language barrier between our couple. The way Mari described some words to Ekkatt was just hilarious.

As you may have noticed, I really liked this book but 2 things were a bit of a letdown for me. First, there was a revelation from Mari's near personal past I found a bit too much. I thought this(Sorry I can't say what) would influence her decisions differently but I can accept that as a minor fault. The bigger problem for me was the ending. It was kind of abrupt and I still had so many open questions. It was a bit unsatisfying to end this book at exactly this point. But I hope we will get a second book in this world that will hopefully answer my questions.

After all I recommend this book to all of you with at least a small interest in science fiction with the right amount of social struggles and a hot romance in the mix.

To learn more about Julia Rachel Barrett please visit her website here and her blog here.
And please come back next Tuesday(Jan 19th) for a guestpost and a giveaway with Julia.

Read other reviews @goodreads
Buy this ebook @bookstrand

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Today is my Birthday & Giveaway reminder!!!!

 


 
Happy Birthday to me!!!


Yeah, I know I already told you but I wanted to remind you of my giveaway!

You can choose a book I have reviewed in the past here on my blog (take a look for the list here). For the specifics and to enter please go here. Deadline is Sunday, January 17th.

And to sweeten up our day I have a little funny video about two men playing the piano in a very manly way!

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Review: Crossroads by Moira Rogers

Description:

Derek Gabriel was born human in family of psychics, aware of the supernatural world but never a part of it...until a rogue shapeshifter took humanity from him in a vicious attack. He's spent two years struggling to adjust, not just to a change that's driven many insane, but also to the prejudices of a culture where transformed wolves are considered inferior. A serious struggle, indeed, when the woman who attracts the man and the wolf inside him is the daughter of the most powerful wolf in the country.
For Nicole Peyton, nothing is more important than escaping the stifling confines of elite shapeshifter society, an old-fashioned world where women are valued only for their bloodlines and bank accounts. In New Orleans, she has a bar she loves, friends she cares for, and a smoldering, unspoken tension with an unsuitable but incredibly attractive man.
Neither could predict how quickly forbidden longing would erupt into burning need, but Nick and Derek have more than themselves to think about when Nick's sister arrives in the city with a shapeshifter strike team hard on her heels. The only way Nick can save her sister may be to play by the Conclave's rules--but it will mean giving up the man she's falling in love with, unless he's willing to risk everything in a challenge that will shake the foundations of their world.(author's website)

Review:

In Crossroads we finally get the chance to see Nick and Derek becoming closer.
In Crux the tension between these too build up and I was so curious about them both.

Nicole is the daughter of the alpha but she tries to stay out of all the political stuff that goes on in the supernatural world. She likes her life the way it is. Being a bar owner suits her and Nicole likes to decide for herself what to do and who to love. She is independent but also caring for the ones she loves. Nick finally has enough of all these back and fourth between herself and Derek. She decides to take the initiative  and pursuits him. But as always in life nothing is as easy as it seems. Her sister is in deep trouble and Nick has to save her, no matter what!

Derek is a turned werewolf. He struggled for years to get control over his new urges and his strength. His life wasn't easy before the attack. He fosters his cousin, an empath alone and always knew about the supernatural world. But being young and alone with a girl in her teens is not easy at all, count in the attack and you can imagine that his whole life got chaotic. Even worse is that he now is one of the unaccepted made-ones. The turned werewolves aren't worth anything in the eyes of the most other wolves. He has to stand his own to survive and with each time he gets challenged he gets stronger. His attraction for Nicole is nothing he can ignore for a long time. He is fascinated by her and can't keep his eyes from roaming her body. He knows that for Nick having a made werewolf partner could become a great problem. She's one of the most watched and most powerful woman in the wolf society and in the eyes of the majority she should only consider a high-standing full-blood for this role. That so not good for the male ego.

These 2 have serious chemistry going on since the first day they met. That hasn't changed after Derek's turning into a werewolf, okay perhaps the attraction got even more unbearable. It was such a salvation to see these two finally getting together and it was exceptional hot! After this long waiting they really knew how to sate their desires. *wink* It was even more sad for me that all this happened at a so inconvenient time.

I really loved Crux but I have to say Crossroads blew me away. This book is full of action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Love, family and obligations play a big role and they seem so real that I just couldn't put this book down. The plot is heartbreaking but never too hard to stomach and the mix with funny witty conversations makes it into one of the best urban fantasies I ever read.
I recommend this series to everyone with at least a bit interest in urban fantasy. You will not regret this! Moira Rogers is definitely one of my best discoveries so far!

Crossroads will be released as an ebook on February 9th and the print release is November 2nd.
To learn more about Donna and Bree (the author duo behind Moira Rogers)  and their books please visit the Moira Rogers website here.

The Southern Arcana Series:
1. Crux: my review, reviews @goodreads, buy @amazon, 
               buy the ebook @fictionwise
2. Crossroads: reviews @goodreads, preorder @BooksOnBoards

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Meme Monday Special Edition Demonica Week

Rules:

- List your top 5 Book Demons and why you love them.

- link it back to Larissa' Life.

My pick:

5. Cadeon Woede (Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole)
A little stalker demon but he won my heart. He's so nice and would give everything(okay nearly everything) to right his wrongs. Great inner morals for a demon!

.

4. Lugh (Morgan Kingsley Series by Jenna Black)
Totally agree with Larissa here. That's a mighty hot demon for not being corporal. He's such a nice one and so lovely tempting. I, at least can't resist him.

3. Georgina Kincaid (Georgina Kincaid Series by Richelle Mead)
Yeah, I know she is a girl but she is one of the greatest characters I have ever read about. A succubus who hates to be one? Isn't that heartbreakingly. Love her books! They make me laugh and make me cry!

2. Greyson Dante (Megan Chase Series by Stacia Kane)
He's mysterious, a total badass but also cares for the ones he's responsible for. Yes he does icky things but he is a demon after all and we just have to accept that.

1. Niol Lapen (Midnight Series by Cynthia Eden)
This one is my Mr. Wet-Dream and so he really deserves the first place. He has the right mix of good and bad and knows how to bring a woman's blood to the boiling point!

So these are my faves. What is your Top 5?

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