Friday, May 25, 2012
Books, Books, and More Books: Too Hot for kids - My Wicked Gladiators Rview
Books, Books, and More Books: Too Hot for kids - My Wicked Gladiators Rview: Book Review of My Wicked Gladiators Hosted by Bewitching Book Tours My Wicked Gladiators By Lauren Hawkeye Publisher Avon R...
Books, Books, and More Books: The Bull Years ~ An unusual review for an unusual ...
Books, Books, and More Books: The Bull Years ~ An unusual review for an unusual ...: Book Review of The Bull Years by Phil Stern Hosted by Virtual Book Tours Book Synopsis: For Steve, Sophia, Dave, and Brooke,...
Too Hot for kids - My Wicked Gladiators Rview
Book Review
of My Wicked Gladiators Hosted by Bewitching Book Tours
My
Wicked Gladiators
By
Lauren Hawkeye
Publisher
Avon Red
BLURB:
Alba has spent her entire life pleasing others.
As an upper-class plebeian woman in Ancient Rome, that is her place
in life. But when her husband Lucius, the owner of a prestigious gladiatorial
school, uses her body as a bargaining tool to increase his fortunes, she is
faced with doing as he demands, or finding herself on the street.
Forced to lay with masked gladiators chosen by Lucius, Alba is
surprised to discover pleasure in being powerless. Only in the forbidden arms
of Caius and Marcus does she find comfort, however temporary it may be.
But with Lucius’ demands looming and the threat of death for her
gladiators ever-present, will Alba’s fleeting pleasures be enough? Or will Alba
finally grab hold of her happily ever after, no matter the consequences?
About the Author
Lauren Hawkeye is a writer, theatre enthusiast, knitting
aficionado and animal lover who lives in the shadows of the
great Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada.
She’s older than she looks—really—and younger than she
feels—most of the time—and she loves to
explore the journeys that take women through life in her stories.
Visit Lauren online
Book Review:
First
let me say, this is an adult only book.
This review is acceptable for all audiences, but the book is definitely
for adults.
That
said… Yum! Think Spartacus, Gladiator,
or 300 with the two hottest stars up close and personal. Oh and wearing only a leather loin cloth or
nothing at all while bringing you all the personal earthquakes you want. Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
Oh, the
story is good too. Basically the wealthy
woman, who is best friends with her servant because they were raised together,
finds out her husband, is a jerk. He “breeds”
her to a gladiator (servant) because he can’t get her pregnant and he wants to
do business with a man who is a family man.
Luckily, the gladiators are good men who care for the woman. She comes to despise the class strictures and
long for a life with the men she has come to love, but life isn’t fair and we
don’t get what we want, right?
I give
this book 4 out of 5 clouds and a steamy 8.5 chili peppers.
This
product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my
opinions or reviews
The Bull Years ~ An unusual review for an unusual book
Book Review of The Bull Years by Phil Stern
Hosted by Virtual Book Tours
Book Synopsis:
For Steve, Sophia, Dave, and Brooke, life hasn’t turned out as planned.
Rather than easy fame and fortune, these happy-go-lucky teenagers of the 1980′s
found young adulthood a mystifying series of dead-end jobs, failed
relationships, family scandal, and surging frustration.Now approaching middle age, all they want is to reverse their gradual alienation from life and one another, reconnecting with their earlier, innocent selves.
But there’s a catch. Before any of them can move forward, they must collectively confront that one outrageous night back in college that first drove them apart, revealing secrets potentially shattering everything they ever were.
Author Information:
Phil Stern is the author of both Contemporary and Science Fiction.
His debut novel, The Bull Years, was published in 2011. A hard-hitting commentary on both the frustrations and ultimate validation of modern-day life, The Bull Years follows the lives of four people throughout the late 80′s, 90′s, and into the 21st century, directly addressing the gradual alienation and disconnection often experienced during young adulthood.
"I wanted to write about characters everyone could relate to," Stern says. "We've all had our ups and downs. I think people sometimes feel everyone else has experienced more success than they have, or are more firmly grounded in our world than they could ever be. My hope is that everyone will recognize a little part of themselves in Steve, Sophia, Dave, and Brooke."
Born in 1970 in Ossining, New York, Stern grew up with a love of all types of science fiction, including the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, John Wyndham, Piers Anthony, and more.
"Speculative fiction is so different today than it was back then," Stern says. "I wanted to write stuff a bit more recognizable to fans of my generation. Science fiction should be about ideas and alternate worlds, strong characters and good stories.
Going into talk radio after attending SUNY Albany, Stern hosted regular shows in the New York City area, Albany, Utica, NY, and Greenville, NC. He later went into the advertising and sales industries.
Stern now lives in Florida, and is working on his next novel.
His debut novel, The Bull Years, was published in 2011. A hard-hitting commentary on both the frustrations and ultimate validation of modern-day life, The Bull Years follows the lives of four people throughout the late 80′s, 90′s, and into the 21st century, directly addressing the gradual alienation and disconnection often experienced during young adulthood.
"I wanted to write about characters everyone could relate to," Stern says. "We've all had our ups and downs. I think people sometimes feel everyone else has experienced more success than they have, or are more firmly grounded in our world than they could ever be. My hope is that everyone will recognize a little part of themselves in Steve, Sophia, Dave, and Brooke."
Born in 1970 in Ossining, New York, Stern grew up with a love of all types of science fiction, including the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, John Wyndham, Piers Anthony, and more.
"Speculative fiction is so different today than it was back then," Stern says. "I wanted to write stuff a bit more recognizable to fans of my generation. Science fiction should be about ideas and alternate worlds, strong characters and good stories.
Going into talk radio after attending SUNY Albany, Stern hosted regular shows in the New York City area, Albany, Utica, NY, and Greenville, NC. He later went into the advertising and sales industries.
Stern now lives in Florida, and is working on his next novel.
Email – philstern30@hotmail.com
Website – www.philstern.com
Book Review:
This is a very cerebral book.
Told from the point of view of three friends from college in the 1980’s:
Steve, Dave, and Sophia and Steve’s 20 something neighbor in journal type
entries. Steve is writing a “Life story”
book entry and has asked these three people to join in. Steve, Dave, Sophia, and Brooke attended
college together and were very close until one weekend when a major event tore
them apart. They haven’t spoken in the
20+ years since college ended and are catching up on each other’s lives in
these Journal style entries.
The book is raw, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, often depressing, but
very real. It is not the type of book
that I would traditionally read or pick up, yet I am oddly drawn to it. Perhaps this is because I am also a child of
this era, graduating college in the 1980’s and can understand their point of
view. One of the most humorous and
truthful parts of the book is when one of the writers laments being the last of
the non-tech generations. For my kids
the fact that we didn’t have a television until I was in 3rd grade, only had
three channels (and if the President was on that was the only thing on), cell
phones and computers were non-existent, and sending something wirelessly to be
printed out was a bit like finding out you could “beam me up, Scotty.” (for all
the traxie fans)
The idea that who we become when we “grow up” is not necessarily what
we planned when we were young and idealistic is not a new one to me, but I have
not seen many books address these issues with such tact and wit. While I would not have necessarily chosen a
book like this, I am glad that I read it.
I give this book 4 out of 5 clouds.
This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no
way affects my opinions or reviews.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Win a copy of Succubus Lost and review
Book Review
of Succubus Lost Hosted by Bewitching Book Tours
Succubus Lost
From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency,
#2
Enchanted
Publishing
Tiffany Allee
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Blurb:
Someone is kidnapping and
incinerating otherworlders beyond recognition, and Detective Marisol Whitman, a
succubus, races to find the murderer before he claims another victim. But her
pursuit is derailed when her responsible younger sister vanishes. Marisol
suspects foul play and enlists support from an unlikely source: an agent from
the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, Valerio Costa.
When the trail pointing to everyone
from vampires to witches dries up, Agent Costa admits to knowing more than he’s
shared. Marisol’s sister’s kidnapper harnesses more magic than she can
imagine—and they’re running out of time. To find her sister before her powers
are drained and twisted beyond recognition, Marisol must connect the dots
between cases and put her trust in Costa, a salamander who may burn her before
she can solve either case.
Book
Synopsis of Book 1:
From the Files of the Otherworlder
Enforcement Agency, #1
Tiffany Allee
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 159 pages
Release Date: January 2012
ISBN: 978-1-937044-99-2
From the Files of the Otherworlder
Enforcement Agency - Book One
When she’s sent to a crime scene
and finds her second dead woman in as many weeks, half-banshee detective Kiera
“Mac” McLoughlin is convinced a serial killer is on the loose. Incubi are
extinct, her boss insists. But what else can kill a woman in the throes of
pleasure? When her partner is murdered after using witchcraft to locate the
killer and Mac is thrown off the case, her frustration turns to desperation.
Certain the killer is an incubus,
Mac works behind her department’s back to chase down slim, sometimes perilous
leads. While the killer eludes her, she does discover handsome Aidan Byrne, an
investigative counterpart from the enigmatic Otherworlder Enforcement Agency.
Mac typically runs her investigations fast and hard, but with Aidan at her
side, she’s running this one “hot” as well. But Aidan knows more than he’s
letting on—something that could shatter their blazing romance and add Mac to
the killer’s growing body count…
Author
Information:
Tiffany currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of Chicago and
Denver, and is happily married to a secret romantic. She spends her days
working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes, ass-kicking
heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books, of course). Her
nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats (according
to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and family.
Book Review:
Succubus Lost is
charming, sexy, and well-written. This
is the second book in the series and focuses on one of the characters
introduced in book one. However, it can
be read as a stand-alone. Some of the
finer points will be a bit vague, but nothing that is crucial to the plot
rather more background information.
Both of the books have
gorgeous women and charming, handsome men, and sexy scenes. The heat level, however, is more PG-13 than R
rated and would be alright for more mature teens.
This is a cute series with a fun and
interesting mixing of paranormal with humans.
In this case, the paranormals are police and FBI-like people. It’s like a tamer version of the Furry United
Coalition series by Eve Langlais.
I give these books 4 out of 5 clouds
and a heat rating of 3 chili peppers.
This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no
way affects my opinions or reviews.
Book Review
of The Third Fate Hosted by Innovative Book Tours
The Third Fate © Nadja Notariani, 2011
The Third Fate is a paranormal romance that Nadja Notariani began during NaNoWriMo. She’s written over 50K in this delicious tale of vampires, revenge, betrayal, and awakenings. The characters she developed for The Third Fate whisper to her of sequels and ongoing storylines, but that remains to be seen...
Blurb ~ The Third Fate
~ 'One Fate be granted mortal man, used for evil or good as the inner voice directs. Alas, the divine spark draws the eyes of the Fates, the Second Fate sparingly gifted by their hands. Be warned offspring of the gods, guard your gifting well. For if the Third Fate be unleashed, the soul lays bare before one so touched by the gods.' ~
Cautious and quiet by nature, Paige Kinnell watches life unfold from the sidelines, maintaining her simple existence as a shield to hide behind. But underneath her shy, careful ways, Paige senses a disconnect with the world around her, indulging instead her ever curious interest in the legend and lore of time nearly forgotten.
One chance encounter with an ancient of the undead begins an unraveling of reality as Paige knows it, leaving her to sort through dreams and enchantments, discovering along the way that one's Fate can be mere illusion, and that the consequences of opening her heart to another may cost dearly.
Cael Maccinnis, the handsome Highlander she's met, seems the answer to every unspoken longing of her heart, even as he awakens dark, secret desires buried within her soul. As strange and unnerving changes begin occurring in her mind and body, Paige has no choice but to face her life's unnatural turn and confront the frightening implications. For within Paige's past a secret lay dormant, hidden even from her. This truth, guarded well and wielded by the Fates themselves, becomes the catalyst invoking the power of The Third Fate.
The Third Fate is a paranormal romance that Nadja Notariani began during NaNoWriMo. She’s written over 50K in this delicious tale of vampires, revenge, betrayal, and awakenings. The characters she developed for The Third Fate whisper to her of sequels and ongoing storylines, but that remains to be seen...
Blurb ~ The Third Fate
~ 'One Fate be granted mortal man, used for evil or good as the inner voice directs. Alas, the divine spark draws the eyes of the Fates, the Second Fate sparingly gifted by their hands. Be warned offspring of the gods, guard your gifting well. For if the Third Fate be unleashed, the soul lays bare before one so touched by the gods.' ~
Cautious and quiet by nature, Paige Kinnell watches life unfold from the sidelines, maintaining her simple existence as a shield to hide behind. But underneath her shy, careful ways, Paige senses a disconnect with the world around her, indulging instead her ever curious interest in the legend and lore of time nearly forgotten.
One chance encounter with an ancient of the undead begins an unraveling of reality as Paige knows it, leaving her to sort through dreams and enchantments, discovering along the way that one's Fate can be mere illusion, and that the consequences of opening her heart to another may cost dearly.
Cael Maccinnis, the handsome Highlander she's met, seems the answer to every unspoken longing of her heart, even as he awakens dark, secret desires buried within her soul. As strange and unnerving changes begin occurring in her mind and body, Paige has no choice but to face her life's unnatural turn and confront the frightening implications. For within Paige's past a secret lay dormant, hidden even from her. This truth, guarded well and wielded by the Fates themselves, becomes the catalyst invoking the power of The Third Fate.
Meet Cael Maccinnnis...
'Perched on the concrete ledge, chilled night air
whirled around his head, not that the cold bothered him. Fall had
arrived. Dusky shades of twilight lingered in the west, but that, too,
was of little consequence. Breathing in deeply, Cael savored the smell of
blood, of humanity pervading the night air. He needed to feed.
Arriving in Glasgow to attend to business, now
concluded, Cael had the city spread below, a pagan offering on the altar of his
hunger. Feeding from mortals offered sustenance. With little
strength to be gained from their blood and the absence of the sensuality found
in feeding from another vampire, Cael approached the necessity with resigned
indifference - unless hunger grew too strong, as he had allowed this time.'
Meet Paige Kinnell...
'Paige blinked, once, twice, peering about her
entryway in hazy confusion.
I really need to get some
sleep...
Throwing her woolen wrap over the bench, she slumped
down, prying the chic heels from her tired feet with a sigh of relief.
Twelve hour days plus her commute wreaked havoc on her fashionable
tastes. Weariness swept over her, and for once, she omitted her regular
habit of sitting with a mug of hot tea to unwind and headed straight for the
shower.
Half-an-hour later, cozy in flannel pajamas, Paige
sank into her overstuffed chair, pulling the yellow chenille blanket around her
shoulders. She was alone; she'd checked the doors and windows twice, but
the nagging sensation of a watchful presence lingered eerily. Reaching
for her neck, Paige again felt the strange tingling ache surge beneath her
fingers.
What is going on with me tonight?
Shaking her head and snuggling into the chair, she
stretched her legs on the ottoman and sank into deep sleep. When her
phone chirped much later, she uttered apologies in her dreamlike stupor and
returned to sleep like the dead. As her body rested, her mind came
alive, sensual images filling her dreams - images of a man.
Meet Pilar...
''Pilar,' he ground raggedly, 'in the name of all you
hold dear, remove yourself from my presence before I...'
One look at him altered her disposition. He
turned to her, breathing heavily, the green-gold beauty of his eyes
hidden beneath fevered blood lust. She made to leave, to abandon her
plan, but his thrall caught her, binding her in place as he slowly approached.
'Malcolm?' she breathed in a hush, no notion of
whether this was the same man she loved.
She'd never seen him like this. He only came
nearer. Pressing his lips to her forehead, Malcolm's hands trailed over
her shoulders and arms as he breathed in her sweet scent. He nuzzled her
neck, scraping his fangs, now elongated in anticipation of tasting her, against
her tender flesh. A whimper escaped her, and Pilar understood without
doubt that she had overplayed her hand.'
Meet Malcolm...
'A faint knock interrupted his brooding.
'Enter,' he commanded.
The gold-leafed handle turned silently, admitting
Pilar Michaels, her head held high, shoulders straight. Pride marked her
features, the Roman nose, dark mysterious eyes, small bow-like mouth with full
lips.
By the Fates she was beautiful.
She was also his enemy. Supposedly.
Malcolm ceased his pacing, greeting her formally.
'Welcome to my home. I hope you will be
comfortable during your visit.'
Her head tipped in deferential reply, a slight action
with mammoth implications.
'You have need of my skills, Malcolm of Clan
Gaunson. I, too, have need of yours,' Pilar reasoned. 'Perhaps we
can help one another.'
'Do you propose an alliance of sorts?' Malcolm
returned smartly.
'An alliance?' she mocked, yet humor glinted in
shining eyes. 'Surely reciprocity is a more apt term, Malcolm. Or
would you prefer we enter into a more permanent agreement?'
Malcolm caught her innuendo, breathing deeply.
He would make no reply. It was safer that way.'
Meet The Fates...
'Charity, what are you doing?' Harry inquired, seeking her for a game he and Jael had dreamed up.
'Playing, silly,' she giggled, setting the glowing orb on the side table and skipping off to join her siblings.
'Playing what?' curiosity prompted him to ask.
'What else but a game?' Charity laughed, taking Harry's hand. 'Shall we play something new today?'
'Oh, yes!' Harry exclaimed, distracted from his questioning for the moment. 'But Jael wants to play hurricane! We haven't played hurricane in a very long time. Say you'll play, Charity!'
'Well...,' Charity considered. 'It has been a very long time since we played hurricane. We'll have to convince Old Zephyr to join us. It's no fun at all unless he blows his hardest.'
Harry ran ahead yelling for Jael, and Charity smiled, thinking of her own game a moment before giving her attention fully to the upcoming festivities. She, her brother Harry, and sister Jael had loved games as long as she could remember, since Father Time set the hands of his wondrous clock in motion. Now time marched on, but Charity and her siblings remained the same, children ever indulging in their beloved games.'
Meet The Fates...
'Charity, what are you doing?' Harry inquired, seeking her for a game he and Jael had dreamed up.
'Playing, silly,' she giggled, setting the glowing orb on the side table and skipping off to join her siblings.
'Playing what?' curiosity prompted him to ask.
'What else but a game?' Charity laughed, taking Harry's hand. 'Shall we play something new today?'
'Oh, yes!' Harry exclaimed, distracted from his questioning for the moment. 'But Jael wants to play hurricane! We haven't played hurricane in a very long time. Say you'll play, Charity!'
'Well...,' Charity considered. 'It has been a very long time since we played hurricane. We'll have to convince Old Zephyr to join us. It's no fun at all unless he blows his hardest.'
Harry ran ahead yelling for Jael, and Charity smiled, thinking of her own game a moment before giving her attention fully to the upcoming festivities. She, her brother Harry, and sister Jael had loved games as long as she could remember, since Father Time set the hands of his wondrous clock in motion. Now time marched on, but Charity and her siblings remained the same, children ever indulging in their beloved games.'
Author
Information:
Nadja
Notariani (1971- )Nadja Notariani was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania. Her upbringing included very diverse environments, affording wide and varied richness of ethnic and religious tradition. Raised in both an Italian/Mediterranean American home and a traditional German household, Nadja gleaned the unique benefits of viewing the world through two widely different lenses.
Nadja currently resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her published titles follow: Claiming The Prize, a contemporary romance; Her Dark Baron, a historical novella; and The Third Fate, a paranormal romance, published in late March, 2012.
The author can be found at her website, on facebook and Romance Novel Center, or through email, and enjoys hearing from readers. nadjanotariani.blogspot.comnadja.notariani@gmail.com
This biography was provided by the author
or their representative.
Book Review:
I know
that Vampire books seem to be all the rage, but this one was something
special. Oh, and did I mention hot, hot,
hot? Wow, who wouldn’t want to love a
vampire with all that supernatural beauty/handsome and sex appeal. But I loved the Scottish Highland Druid twist
in this book. I am amazed with the
ability of the author to take these two very different backgrounds and stories and
blend them seamlessly into this passionate, engrossing tale.
My
daughter and I have been cataloging the “perfect man” by taking the attributes
of our favorite people and putting them together. So far we have dance like Fred Astaire, sing
like Frank Sinatra, voice like James Earl Jones, butt and arms of Huge Jackman,
chest of Orlando Bloom, eyes like Paul Newman, look like a cross between Sean
Connery of Bond fame and George Clooney, hair like Pierce Bronson, and sense of
humor and love of mate like Bob Hope.
Ok, except for being brooding like Wolverine from the movies, this is
how I picture Cael from this book. I
feel swoon-worthy just thinking about him and that’s before I read all the hot,
yummy scenes in the book. Yep,
definitely adult only.
I give
this one 4.5 out of 5 clouds and a heat rating of 8.5 chili peppers. Ooo-la-la.
Pick this one up for that scintillating read.
This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no
way affects my opinions or reviews.
For further stops in this book tour, click on the links below:
5/21 Red Headed Bookworm /Review
5/23 Book Lovin' Mamas /1st Chapter
5/24 Books,Books,and More Books /Review
5/25 My Cozie Corner /1st Chapter
5/28 Words I Write Crazy /Review & Giveaway
5/30 Eternally Books /Review & Giveaway
5/31 Reading,Writing and More /1st Chapter
6/1 Always a Booklover /Review
6/1 The Lucky Ladybug /1st Chapter & Giveaway
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