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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Weekly Winners

Below is a list of all of the winners from the last week.

Karen
Changing Constantino's Game by Jennifer Hayward

JoannaM
In Bed With a Rogue by Samantha Grace

Gretchen
My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts


All winners have been notified via email. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered. =)

ARC Review: Uncivilized by Sawyer Bennett


Uncivilized was a seriously sexy read by Sawyer Bennett, and I really enjoyed reading this one. This book was so different from anything that I have ever read before, and I really liked how unique it was. I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for something that is not only different from others out there and are looking for a book with some a lot heat and steam.

Zacharias Easton has been used to living in the jungle with no rules at all. He takes what he wants when he wants and is used to having control. But when Moira Reed shows up to take him back to the US after his godfather tracks him down, he is reluctant to go. His adoptive father tells him that he needs to return to where he came from, and makes him promise to at least give it a year and if he is unhappy to return after that. At first Zach wants nothing more than to make Moira uncomfortable and to punish her from taking him away from the home and life he loves. But as Zach and Moira grow closer and he learns more about modern society he starts to question where he truly belongs.

Zach was great. He was uncivilized and so manly, a complete alpha. I loved that he was super smart and really loved to learn new things and see the world. He was so sexual, and he was determined to learn every way to pleasure and to receive pleasure from a woman. I loved that he was relentless with Moira and wouldn't let her run away from the attraction between them. They were so hot together, and you could feel the tension between them. Moira tried so hard to stay professional and avoid what was going on between her and Zach, but in the end the passion she felt was undeniable. I liked seeing her give up some of that control and really explore that side of herself with Zach. I felt like these two were perfect for each other on a physical level, but they also developed such a strong emotional connection after everything that they had been through.

For me though, I struggled with some of the story itself. It was slow at times and felt like it would drag a bit. I found myself wanting to skim some parts of Zach's history and his life in the jungle to get back to him and Moira. These two were just so sexy together, and I thought that they could not have been any hotter. I loved reading about them together in both the physical sense and also just being together. They were different and I hadn't seen a relationship like theirs before in anything I remember reading. I would definitely recommend this story, and I think that if you are looking for something with a ton of steam that you should look no further. I look forward to reading more from Sawyer Bennett in the future.

**ARC Provided by AToMR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |





Feature and Giveaway: Pulled Within by Marni Mann


Storms can't last forever…can they?

For five long years, Rae Ryan has lived in a storm over which she has no control. Little by little, everything has been taken away from her—her job, her relationship, her best friend and her home. Plagued by nightmares and a terrible family secret, she carries her scars as much on the inside as she does on the outside.

Hart Booker, another disappointment from her past, returns to Bar Harbor and shelters her from the rain. He reminds Rae that forgiveness is possible, happiness can be found on the other side of darkness, and beauty rests beneath her scars. But a sinister figure lingering in the background seems determined to pull Rae back into a past she’s been trying to outrun. Can she survive the storm and become part of the light she so desperately desires? Or is she destined to remain
Pulled Within?

Recommended for mature audiences due to explicit language, sexual abuse, disturbing situations, and drug use.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Feature and Giveaway: Darkly Dreaming by Grace Draven


Fall into magic and fall in love with Darkly Dreaming, a five book fantasy romance collection from award-winning and bestselling writers Elizabeth Hunter, Grace Draven, Danielle Monsch, Kristen Painter, and Cate Rowan. Darkly Dreaming contains five fantasy romance novels intended for adult readers.

Feared by a priesthood. Coveted by a god. Tempted by a slave. In Grace Draven's MASTER OF CROWS, a renegade mage must battle a god for his soul and decide if his fate—and the fate of nations—is worth the life of the spy he has come to love.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | iTunes |

Friday, September 19, 2014

Review: Where Life Takes You by Claudia Y. Burgoa


Where Life Takes You is the first book in Claudia Y. Burgoa's Life series, and is the first book that I have ever read by her. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this story, but I really ended up liking it. This book was such a journey, and I feel like we have just scratched the surface. I can't wait to see what happens next for these characters and to continue where this book leaves off. This one was definitely an emotional roller coaster, and there were times that things happened that won't be for the faint of heart. There are a few violent and intense things that happen that could be triggers to some, and I would recommend proceeding with caution if that is something that affects you.

Becca Trent had a childhood where the only bright spot was her grandmother. After her grandmother died she was left with the mother that never wanted her and that she was never good enough for. Things got worse when her mother married Greg and she got a new stepbrother and stepsister. Her stepsister Lisa made her life a living hell, and took advantage of Becca's mother's hatred for Becca as well as Becca's best friend Ian. When Lisa stole Ian away from her, Becca was left with nothing. Things continued to get worse and after a few years, things took a tragic turn. Now years later, Becca has tried to move forward but she still hasn't faced her past and sees a therapist on a regular basis. She relies heavily on her best friend Dan, and he provides her with the love and sense of family that she had been missing. But when her past gets brought back to the surface, things quickly spiral out of control and Becca is left more broken than ever before. As Becca continues to struggle, her relationship with Dan seems to barely be hanging on and for the first time in awhile she starts to feel alone again. Can Becca put the past behind her and move forward once and for all? Or will she continue to lose everything she cares about, including Dan?

I will admit that I did struggle a bit with both Dan and Becca. While I liked Dan at times, I thought that he was a controlling jerk a lot of the time. I also didn't completely understand his actions, and he seemed to not really think about Becca's needs all the time. He might have thought that he was doing what was best for her, but he never asked for her input or gave her a chance to tell him what she needed. I kept waiting for him to take a bit of a step back and tone it down a little, but it just never happened. After everything that they went through he continued to take control and pretty much surround her with those that would do his bidding. Becca was vulnerable and had been through a lot, but I also thought that she was weak and a lot of things that happened were her fault. She had been dealt a bad family and childhood, but once she had grown up I felt like she made some bad choices. While I think that her friendship with Dan was a good thing and it helped her, I felt like she let Dan get away with running her life too much. I felt like she had never really stood on her own two feet or really tried. She didn't really seem to take her therapy seriously, and I felt like she should have been able to open up to someone about her past. The longer it drug on, the more respect I lost for her. I felt like she should have been able to talk to Dan and that with their honesty policy that she should have been able to trust him, especially after everything that they had been through and that he had done for her. I thought that Dan and Becca had a great foundation for a relationship and they really seemed to work well together. They were great with one another and had a lot of chemistry. But I still feel like despite what they told themselves that their communication skills needed work.

Overall, I thought that this was a good start to Becca and Dan's story and I am interested to see where this goes next. I think that the characters are interesting even if a bit frustrating, and I kept turning the pages because I had to know what would happen next. I am really curious to see if Dan and Becca can heal themselves and each other, and if they can get past everything. I think that they still have a long road ahead of them, and I hope that they both are able to finally find their happiness. I will admit that this story was a bit confusing at times though, and I found myself getting lost more than once. I think that there were too many random and inconsequential characters and it was hard to keep their names and back stories straight. I thought that most of them weren't needed and honestly it would have been better if they weren't involved at all. But beyond that I thought that this was a great beginning. If you are looking for an emotional journey of healing and love and can handle some intense and serious issues, I would recommend giving this one a try. I am looking forward to getting more from Claudia Y. Burgoa, and I can't wait to see what happens next for Becca and Dan.

**Review Copy Provided by Xpresso Book Tours**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |





ARC Review: Broken by Love by C.A. Harms


I have been waiting for Kate and Carson's story since I finished Scarred by Love. I knew that there was so much more to those two, and I couldn't wait to see what was next for them. Broken by Love was really well written, and I loved seeing these two again. Broken by Love can be read as a standalone story without having read Scarred by Love. But I would start at the beginning to get some of the back story on these two, as well as to get to know a lot of the other characters featured in this story.

Kate and Carson have always bickered and had an uneasy relationship, but after moving in together and expecting a child together she thought they were finally on track for a future together. But Carson has become distant and is hardly ever home. When he isn't out drinking with his friends until all hours of the night, he comes home and picks fights with her that are beyond their normal bickering. Finally having reached her breaking point, she calls her best friend Riley who is also Carson's sister and asks to help her move out. As the arrival of their child grows closer, Carson realizes how badly he screwed up and is more determined than ever to do anything to get Kate back. Kate loves Carson and wants nothing more than for them to be a family, but he will have to prove to her that he is all in this time before she will allow herself to give in. Can Carson show Kate that she and their baby are the most important things in his life, or will it be too late?

I liked Carson, but I thought he had handled things really badly. Besides being scared about the baby coming, he really didn't seem to have a reason for acting the way he did. But I really liked that he realized his mistake right away and set out to make things right. He gave Kate time and space and was patient with her. It showed just how much he cared that he didn't try to force things before she was ready. He really turned things around and it was clear how committed to his family he was. Kate was great as well. She really thought of herself and her baby first and foremost and made a tough decision. I liked that she wasn't afraid to go it alone if that was what was best for them. But she always wasn't afraid to forgive and move forward when Carson showed her that he was in it for the right reasons and that he had changed. I liked that she didn't hold it over his head or make him suffer for his mistakes. Carson and Kate had a lot of chemistry and you could really feel the passion between them. But they also were forming a family together, and you could tell that the love that bonded them together was more than just a new life that they had created. These two were meant to be, and just needed a little time and space to get there.

Overall, I thought that this was a great installment to the series. I liked Kate and Carson, but it was also great to see familiar faces as well as some new ones. I am interested to get Max's story next. I am really curious about him, especially after the events at the end of this book. I do think that sometimes these stories tend to focus a bit more on the secondary characters than I would like, but C.A. Harms does do a good job of setting up each new story. I just wish that the main couple wouldn't get kind of pushed to the side as much as they sometimes do when focusing on those around them. I will definitely read the next book though, and I look forward to seeing where this series goes next.

**ARC Provided by HEA Bookshelf Tours**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |





ARC Review: Night Unbound by Dianne Duvall


Why have I not heard of this series before now? The Immortal Guardians series is a paranormal romance where immortals are fighting bad vampires. Night Unbound is the fifth book in the series and the start of a new story arc. All the other books up to this point aren’t imperative, I haven’t read them and it was such an easy story to get sucked into. All the stuff you need to know is said and/or explained. The characters are all my favorite kind of people the four S’s; smart, strong, sexy, and smart asses. The story is in-depth and complicated, when it comes to writing it all down for a review, it is all coherent and works well as it comes together in an explosive ending.

Lisette d'Alençon is one of the few female Immortal Guardians and everyone while they all respect her strength they are very protective of her. She has no problem standing on her own as one of the better fighters in the group and would do anything for Seth and their beliefs. Until she does the one thing that is bound to get her on Seth’s shit list she falls for Zach. No one really knows who he is they only know Seth doesn’t like him. Zach is the same as Seth, kind of, when eons ago Seth sided with the humans Zach and the ilk band him and shunned him saying he was going to bring about Armageddon. Zach never understood why Seth risked it all until he met Lisette. Everything Zach has done in the past has to been to get close to her. Seth finds out what Zach has been doing and automatically assumes the worse, that he was the one to betray him and injures him enough that it lures the others to Zach and Zach for all he has done to help the humans is captured and tortured. Zach concentrates on Lisette the whole time enduring far more than ever because he escapes in to Lisette’s dreams. Lisette is fascinated by the winged hunk that shows up sporadically. Lisette as a telepath has almost no control over her power when she sleeps and isn’t all that surprised the Zach keeps showing up each night appearing more injured and weak. One night Zach shows up beaten and almost dead. Lisette calls the two people she knows she can trust and nurses him back to health.

The secret of Lisette and Zach isn’t kept for long when trouble with the crazy vampire threat heightens to a new level and Seth doesn’t know who he can trust anymore. It doesn’t take long for it all to sort out and finger the next person to blame. Everything falls in place as it becomes evident that the unknown enemy is something they really never expected. I am so going to read the other books in this series and really looking forward to reading more.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |



Guest Post with Author Maggie Robinson and Giveaway


Maggie Robinson is a former teacher, library clerk and mother of four who woke up in the middle of the night, absolutely compelled to create the perfect man and use as many adjectives and adverbs as possible doing so. A transplanted New Yorker, she lives with her not-quite perfect husband in Maine, where the cold winters are ideal for staying inside and writing hot historical romances. Her books have been or will be translated into French, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Dutch and Italian.

Places to find Maggie:
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Guest Post with Author Dianne Duvall and Giveaway

Meet Dianne Duvall, author of Night Unbound.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Dianne Duvall earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, where she studied fiction writing, playwriting, and poetry writing. Darkness Dawns, the first book in her Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, was nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance - Vampire by The Romance Reviews. It was also deemed a Top Pick by The Romance Reviews and a Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in the series, was nominated for Best Best Book of 2011 - Paranormal Romance by The Romance Reviews and declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series, has been declared a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and Night Owl Reviews. Her Immortal Guardians novella In Still Darkness was released in the Predatory anthology on May 7, 2013, and has received many fabulous reviews. Darkness Rises, the fourth book in the series, hit the USA Today Bestseller list, has been nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and was deemed a Night Owl Reviews Top Pick.

Dianne has also completed two not-yet-published paranormal romance novels that are prequels to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. Rendezvous With Yesterday is a time travel romance and won second place in the Picture This writing contest.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-wining screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared on screen as a machete-weilding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.

Find Dianne at:

Thursday, September 18, 2014

ARC Review: Forever Starts Tonight by Roni Loren


Forever Starts tonight is a novella in Roni Loren's Loving on the Edge series, and features Jace, Andre and Evan from Melt Into You. While this book could be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading Melt Into You before starting this one to get the full experience. I really love Roni Loren's books, and she always packs so much heat and steam into her stories. I was really excited when I first heard about this book, because like the rest of the fans I just wanted more of these three. It was nice to get more of them and see how they were doing together. I will admit that this novella felt like a really long epilogue to me though.

I really enjoyed seeing how Jace, Andre, and Evan were dealing with issues that hadn't really occurred to them before. Their relationship was anything but normal, and in this story I think that really started to sink in. They began to think about marriage and kids, and how that would work for them. I liked that this book really seemed to strengthen the feelings that they already had between them and set them up for an even stronger HEA. I really thought that it was great to see them finally be completely open and honest with one another, and I felt like they were able to lay all their cards on the table. I enjoyed seeing how they worked all together, and separately as well. Their relationship felt real to me, and I didn't sense anyone being left out or having hurt feelings. These three individuals really work best as a triad, and I think that was clear all through this story.

I did feel like there wasn't a lot going on with this one though, other than some really steamy sex. I will be the first to admit that I enjoy those parts of the book the best, but for me that was the majority of this story and it just seemed to start to drag because of that. I felt like there were a few things that were introduced into this story that ended up being pretty much non-events, and I was wanting to see how those played out. Andre's ex clearly wasn't taking no for an answer, and I really wanted to get some closure on that one and see her confronted with Jace and Evan face to face. It would have been nice to see her witness the connection between the three of them, and I honestly wanted them to kind of show her what they were all about. I really think that you can't go wrong with anything that Roni Loren writes, and I always enjoy her writing style and the majorly hot books that she writes. But for me, this one just wasn't quite as good as I have come to expect from her. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series. I am dying to get my hands on Colby's book Nothing Between Us.

**ARC Provided by Penguin Group Berkley/Signet Romance**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |





Review: Tempting Sydney by Angela Corbett


Tempting Sydney is the first book that I have read by Angela Corbett and I did enjoy it. There were a lot of things that I really liked about this story, but there were also things that didn't work for me. I feel like this one was a bit hard for me to rate because what I liked I really liked, and what I didn't I really didn't like. I would definitely say that this one is worth the read, but honestly it wasn't my favorite and I found it predictable in a lot of ways.

Sydney Parker is an inexperienced law student, set on getting good grades and becoming a successful lawyer. She has never had much time for boys or dating because of her dedication to her future. But all that changes when she meets the sexy Jackson West. She is at first attracted to his beautiful blue eyes, but she quickly sees that he is so much more than that. Jackson gets to know Sydney better by working on her 1969 Camaro, and he is determined to get her to take a shot with him. But Jackson also has a past that has kept him from opening up to anyone in a long time, and tries to keep things fun and light with Sydney. But Sydney isn't willing to continue seeing Jax unless he can open up to her. Can Sydney and Jax find a way to open up to one another and take a chance on a future together?
I liked both Sydney and Jax. They were both refreshing and different, and I really liked that these characters weren't just your typical cookie cutter type of NA characters. Sydney was inexperienced but she wasn't a virgin. She was dedicated to her education and future and preferred to study rather than go out and party. Yet she wasn't judgmental about her best friend Brynn who was promiscuous and dated and partied like they were going out of style. I liked that she didn't always push Jax, but that she just wanted to know that he would eventually open up to her even if he couldn't at that time. I thought that she was supportive and was really good for him. Jax was more experienced, but that was more due to the fact that he was older than him being the typical manwhore. He was always looking out for Sydney and was so sweet with her. I loved seeing him being thoughtful and really taking in everything that she did and said. He was interested in her for more than just the physical, and that really showed. I thought that they had great chemistry and the attraction between them was clear.

But those things being said, I did have issues with this one. I felt like their emotional connection and relationship while it took awhile, had an insta-love feel to it. I wasn't buying it because they fought everything back and forth for so long that by the time they got together they were already practically saying they loved each other. It just didn't work for me. While I saw them getting there, it felt like that part was actually pretty rushed. I also felt like these two had a lot of push and pull. Sydney kept pushing him away when he would try, but then Sydney would come around only for Jax to shut her out. It got old and frustrating really quickly. Beyond that, the story itself felt pretty predictable and didn't really bring anything new or different to the NA category. I felt like while the story was alright it wasn't anything special outside of the characters. I would definitely say the high point was the characters if not their actions. Jax was charming and sweet and impossible not to fall for. I liked that they were easy to root for and care about, I just wish that the story had been different. I also thought that while Sydney's friend Brynn and their friendship was fun, sometimes it felt a bit too over the top. She was crazy and I liked that, but honestly she seemed to have a new guy every night and that bothered me a bit. It really almost felt irresponsible how she seemed to not put much thought into her own safety or well being and she just cared about who she was hooking up with that night. I would read more from Angel Corbett in the future based off the characters in this story, but hopefully the story will have a bit more than just some characters that I loved.

**Review Copy Provided by Jean Book Nerd Tours**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |





Interview with Author Roni Loren and Giveaway


Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Places to find Roni:
Site Blog | Facebook Twitter Tumblr |

Guest Post with Author Angela Corbett and Giveaway


As a child, Angela Corbett’s most prized possession was a set of read-along books. She used to follow along with the narrator on the stereo and dream of when she would be able to read by herself. Her childhood reading habit led her to consider her future career. However, after consulting with her parents, she realized she had already exceeded hobbit height and since fairies and dragonslayers were tricky jobs to get, she decided she wanted to create worlds of her own. She started writing poetry in elementary school and worked as a journalist in high school and college, but could never leave her love for writing fiction behind.

She is a graduate of Westminster College where she double majored in communication and sociology. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She loves classic cars, traveling, and escaping in a good book. She lives in Utah with her incredibly supportive husband and their five-pound Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls could rival Justin Bieber's.

Eternal Starling is her debut novel and the first book in the Emblem of Eternity trilogy.

Find Angela at:

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

ARC Review: The Freezer by Timothy S. Johnston


If Agatha Christie, Michael Crichton, Isaac Asimov, and Alfred Hitchcock had a (literary) love child, it’d likely take the form of Timothy S. Johnston’s second book in The Tanner Sequence series, THE FREEZER. A masterful combination of horror, sci-fi technothriller, and locked-room mystery, Mr. Johnston’s sophomore novel delivers a tautly paced thriller with Hitchcockian pitch-perfect tension and suspense that surpasses his excellent debut, THE FURNACE, and will have you staying up all night to finish it.

Homicide investigator Lieutenant Kyle Tanner—whom we first met in THE FURNACE, though the mysteries are all self-contained—is en route to Pluto for his engineer girlfriend’s latest assignment and working cases along the way when a mysterious death on a colony in the asteroid between Mars and Jupiter summons him to Ceres. The case is a strange one: a physician-scientist formerly on Jupiter’s ice moon Europa, dead from an aneurysm caused by a nano-bomb inserted in his aorta. A second, more personal—and shocking (apologies to the passersby startled by my very vocal “you did NOT just go there!” outburst upon reading it)— murder by the same MO and Tanner’s discovery that he harbours a nano-bomb himself that will rupture his aorta in four days sends him to a military outpost known as The Freezer in the barren and inhospitable wasteland that is Europa to investigate. Nothing at The Freezer is as it seems and no one is cooperating, and Tanner must unravel the facility’s secrets and find the killer whilst his life ticks away and he stands at the edge of an emotional precipice. The successful locked-room mystery requires that the tension be kept high and the characters (and reader) feeling claustrophobic throughout to stretch everyone’s psyche to the breaking point, and Mr. Johnston does it masterfully from the opening pages. Tanner’s happiness and blossoming new life with girlfriend Shaheen; the deeply personal nature of that second murder; the looming death sentence from the bomb; the dangers of The Freezer’s environment, where the unstable ice, cold, or radiation could easily kill you; the scarce means of escape; the secrets and deception and inability to know whom to trust; the horror of The Freezer’s true purpose; the gruesome murders—it all combines to ratchet up tension with every passing page in a way that does Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense himself, proud.

Less heavy on the science—but still very much science-driven and clearly well researched—than its predecessor, THE FREEZER is more fast-paced and action driven than THE FURNACE. In keeping with Mr. Johnston’s style of melding mystery and suspense/thriller elements, the first half of the book is primarily an Agatha-Christie-in-space whodunit, and Kyle Tanner is a futuristic Hercule Poirot whose knack for uncovering clues and putting together the pieces of seemingly unsolvable crimes is astonishing. Unlike the bombastic and egocentric (albeit admittedly brilliant) Poirot, Tanner is humble, likeable, and real, and on an emotional journey that challenges who he is and what he believes in. The Tanner Sequence books are set in the not-too-distant future where the Terran Confederacy and its Council have saved humanity from greed and corruption and now rule with an iron hand, ruthlessly crushing any semblance of opposition to its authoritarian rule. As a member of the military, Tanner is a tool of that dictatorship and finds himself conflicted between the unquestioned obedience & adherence to the chain of command demanded by the military and the disgruntlement & dissidence of civilians. Tanner’s growth as a character and evolution in this respect is most evident and compelling reading the series in order, but new readers who discover Mr. Johnston’s work with THE FREEZER will still be able to appreciate the richness and awesomeness of Tanner’s character. I’m generally not a fan of first-person narratives, but it works beautifully to make the Tanner Sequence books experiential for the reader and greatly up the ante: I felt as if I was Tanner, racing against the clock to kind the killer and unsure of whether I would live past the next minute.

THE FREEZER is a gripping page-turner that surpasses its already-excellent predecessor and makes a fantastic addition to The Tanner Sequence series. The science is compelling, the writing is excellent, and the depth of human depravity it explores is both disturbing and realistic. It’s not for the squeamish, but fans of mysteries and technothrillers should certainly check out Mr. Johnston’s work. I look forward to Tanner’s next adventure in THE VOID, and any future books in The Tanner Sequence!

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | Kobo |




ARC Review: Dare to Submit by Carly Phillips


Wow! I’ve read Carly Phillips before but “Dare to Submit” From the “Dare” series was way more than I expected!

Decklan Dare is part of the Dare family. He is a cousin of the Dare brothers and lives in New York. He is as a New York City detective. As a person he is very intense and also very shut down. He refuses to do relationships. Because Decklan lost his family at a very young age he is use to taking care of himself and he likes to feel in control. In order to fulfill his need for control he visits a fantasy club. At this club he first sees Amanda Collins.

Amanda is also very shut off. She also does not do relationships and she too frequents this fantasy club. Although she knows that Decklan has being eyeing her since her first laid eyes on her he has never approached her. Amanda is also pretty intense. She lives in California but gives herself some release at this fantasy club as well.

When Amanda and Deck finally decide to give into their mutual temptation, they both agree that their relationship will be purely physical. They both decide that they will enjoy their time together as long as it lasts and that is it. As tends to be the case neither one can deny the feelings that they develop for each other. By alternating weekends in NYC and California, they make sure to spend time together. Deck takes on the Dom persona and Amanda the submissive they both fall into an easy routine. When Deck’s family unexpectedly comes by and they meet Amanda they both realize that they have fallen in love with each other.

Amanda realizes that she has fallen in love with Deck and wants to tell him about a big secret that she has been keeping form him. Before she can tell Deck he finds out and he feels betrayed. I really liked Amanda and Deck and skipped the previous book in the series, Dare to Surrender because I was drawn to Amanda and Decks story. I thought that some aspects of the story were dark but it also made sense since both characters are intense. Their scenes together are also very intense. They really push each other’s limits in an attempt to learn to trust each other and communicate. The only reason this was not a five star for me was because of how Deck handled Amanda when he found out her big secret. I also wanted there to be a more emotional and stable connection between them. Overall, I’m enjoying all of Phillips books and plan to read “Dare to Surrender” next! This was a hot and steamy romance!

**ARC provided by InkSlinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |







Guest Post with Author Mira Lyn Kelly and Giveaway

Meet Mira Lyn Kelly, author of True or Dare.

USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action and entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

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Audiobook Review: Lead Me Not by A. Meredith Walters, Narrated by Shayna Thibodeaoux and Sebastian York


After reading Reclaiming the Sand by A. Meredith Walters, I jumped at the chance to get Lead Me Not. I really loved her writing style, and I felt like Walters was really able to capture the true nature of the characters and made them seem so real. That story was raw and emotional, so I really wanted to see what she would do with a good girl that falls for a bad boy in the underground club scene. I expected this one to be really emotional and raw, and Walters definitely delivered. This story was more than I ever could have expected, and I really felt like she captured the addiction and struggles with drugs well. But while I did love the story and can't wait for more, I had some problems with the narration of this audiobook.

Aubrey Duncan is determined to help others in a way that she didn't help her sister. She is attending Longwood University and has been assigned a support group that she will help co-facilitate in order to continue her education. She meets Maxx Demelo in the group, and is instantly drawn to him. While Maxx may be captivating in group and draw the attention of those around him, Aubrey can tell that there is much more beneath the surface with him. Maxx is supporting his little brother by working the underground club scene, and selling pills to those looking for an escape. But he has also been using the pills to self medicate from dealing with his troubles. When Aubrey comes along, Maxx realizes that Aubrey could be the one to save him, and he is just as drawn to her as she is to him. They quickly form a connection and find themselves unable to stay away from one another. But despite the feelings between them, Maxx sinks further into the dangerous world of drugs and addiction. As Aubrey struggles with her feelings for Maxx and the complication they provide in regards to her future, she must also figure out a way to help him out of the dangerous situation he has found himself in. But in order for Aubrey to really help Maxx, he has to want to be saved. Aubrey knows that the longer she continues to let things go on between them, that they more likely she is to end up with a broken heart and a shattered future.

I really felt that Maxx was a good guy. He was in a bad situation and had been struggling with all of the responsibility he was forced to take on at such a young age. Maxx was such a different person when sober and I really loved seeing that side of him. It was hard to watch him spiral out of control and I kept hoping that he would be able to pull himself out of he destructive patterns. I think that Aubrey meant well, but she didn't really go about helping him in the right ways. Aubrey was pretty hard for me to connect with and I didn't understand her much of the time. For someone that had suffered the loss of her sister from drugs, I would have expected for her to do more than just barely try to convince Maxx to leave the drugs behind. At one point she literally just walks away and leaves him behind when it becomes too much for her to handle. I felt like she could have done so much more for him and I just didn't get it. She did save his life, and I was glad when she finally was able to stand up and say enough was enough. I think that she made the right choice in the end and did what was right for both her and Maxx, even if it was hard on both of them. I really felt the chemistry and emotions between them, and I could see that they both clearly loved each other.

While I felt like Sebastian York did an excellent job narrating Maxx's character, I did not care for Shayna Thibodeaux's narration at all. This is the second story that I have listened to her as the narrator for the female character, and not only does she sound way too young for the character but she also sounded exactly the same. She didn't do the character justice, and her voice was not right for the story in my opinion. I feel like she reads everything the same, and she also has a tendency to speak in crescendos. It gets very irritating, and really distracts from the story. Sebastian York however was the exact opposite. I felt like he brought Maxx to life and really portrayed the raw and gritty emotions that Maxx was experiencing. His voice was easy to listen to and was very engaging. I found myself enthralled with the story and didn't want to stop listening when he was speaking. I would definitely be interesting in listening to more stories with Sebastian York as a narrator, and I thought that his portions were by far the highlights of this audiobook. Despite Shayna Thibodeaux's narration, I really felt like the story was so good that I wanted to keep listening. I really can't wait to get more about Maxx and Aubrey and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this story. While this one does not end with a huge cliffhanger, A. Meredith Walters does leave us wanting more and with things unresolved. I think that this book is definitely worth the read/listen if you are looking for something real and raw. This story might not be all hearts and flowers, but I think that is what makes this one worth the time. I can't wait to read more from A. Meredith Walters in the future and I would love to listen to more narrated by Sebastian York.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon and Schuster**

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