Saturday, April 30, 2011

ARC Review: Book It Forward ARC Tours - Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest RisingTempest Rising
by Tracy Deebs
Hardcover, 352 pages
Expected publication: May 10th 2011 by Walker Books for Young Readers
ISBN 0802722318
Courtesy of Book It Forward ARC Tours
Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.
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My Thoughts:
Tempest Rising was a really sweet Y.A. read that I blew through.
Tempest Maguire is a bit of a tomboy; she’d rather be surfing with the guys and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Mark, then hanging out at the malls with her girlfriends. As her seventeenth birthday approaches though her body craves more then just riding the waves, it wants to be under them, despite how her mind and heart feels. After her mother walked away six years ago leaving her, her brothers and father behind, she swore that she would never choose her mermaid side. But when the sexy and mysterious Kai is drug under the waves the choice may be taken from her. Will Tempest survive the war brewing under the surface of the ocean? And will she choose to remain a mermaid, human or can she find a balance between the two?
Tempest Rising was a fascinating story written from Tempest's point of view. I really enjoyed the unique underwater world that Tracy Deebs has created with different mythical creatures; mermaids, selkies, sea witches. I also liked the how in the plot, Tempest knows her mermaid heritage but despite her prejudices, because of her mother’s abandonment, and being set against becoming a mermaid, you can tell that she was born to the water. I also loved her surfer lifestyle; it was entertaining and makes me want to head out to the beach right now.
The author kept Tempest true to her character throughout the novel, never wavering from her initial feelings, instead having some mature and grow along the way while others remained the same. I was able to dive into the characters without a problem, each one was unique and I found the side characters just as entertaining as the main ones. Tempest is strong, sensitive and loyal with a deep love and commitment to her family. She had a love triangle to deal with and it wasn’t as suspenseful as you usually find in Y.A.'s, but there was a lot of back and forth, should I choose him or him. I thought Kai was sexy and charming and right for Tempest, though I did feel that Mark got the short end of the stick; he really cared for Tempest and thought she was the one.
The setting was imaginative and I could picture the cali surfer life and the world of mermaids and selkies around me while reading.
The descriptions of characters where a bit redundant towards the middle but I flew through this novel within a day, turning the pages as fast as I could to see where Tempest’s destiny would take her.
The ending was nice but it felt like it was missing something, I can’t really say what without revealing a major spoiler but I would of like more closure. The story could end here and that’d be it, but the author left a few points open to continue the story with. Nothing to cause those hated throw-the-book-across-the-room cliffhangers, a lot of the story is wrapped up neatly, but it does leave you interested for more.
Full of action, drama, mystery, and angst, with a beautiful cover Tempest Rising was a great and refreshing read.
Rating: 4 - A great read!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Review: Everyone Loves a Hero by Marie Force


Everyone Loves a HeroEveryone Loves a Hero
Marie Force
Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Published February 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 140224574
Fame has its perks... Reluctantly famous, First Officer Cole Langston finds being in the spotlight has its advantages-until he meets Olivia. Having women throw themselves at him everywhere he goes becomes a serious problem when he's trying to convince her she's the one... And its price... Olivia has trouble trusting a guy like Cole, and everywhere she turns she sees reasons to run. But he's the only man who's ever seemed to understand her as an artist and as a woman...Cole is working overtime to prove to Olivia that he's serious, but her deep seated mistrust and his entourage of unwelcomed fans may be more than they can overcome...
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My thoughts:
Marie Force delivers with a romance that is both sweet and hot in Everyone Loves a Hero!

Cole ‘Jackpot’ Langston is a former Air Force pilot working as a First Officer for a commercial airline, based out of Chicago. He likes to live the high life with traveling, womanizing, and driving fast cars. When the pilot he is flying with has a heart attack and Cole is forced to take the passenger-filled plane down in a snowstorm, and then administers CPR, saving the pilot’s life he is named a hero. Fame is cool at first but Cole soon tires of all the media attention, though he still takes advantage of the female interest. Needless to say, he is quite the player. With good looks, charm and now ‘Hero’ status he sees plenty of action but is always upfront with the ladies, stating ahead of time he isn’t looking for anything serious.
That is until he gets knocked out standing up for a stranger and wakes up staring into the beautiful face of Olivia Robison. From that first ‘Jolt’ he is lost. Now he has to convince the insecure Olivia that she is it for him and despite all their odds, they can make this work…

I absolutely loved Cole and Olivia right away; the way they fought for their relationship to despite the numerous obstacles was absolutely endearing and I was unable to put this book down because of it.
Cole is just amazing in every way, not perfect by any means, but definitely a man you can easily fall in love with. He knows Olivia is the one for him right away but he has his work cut out for him convincing Olivia and getting rid of a few ex girlfriends while she isn’t looking.
These two provide the perfect balance for each other, Olivia inspiring Cole to be a better man and Cole giving Olivia the push and confidence that she needs.
Olivia is very insecure, she has led a sheltered life and is somewhat intimidated by Cole’s experience, but she is especially insecure when it comes to her abilities to keep him interested in her. And her feelings are very relatable. I know if a sexy, charming man was all of the sudden into me and professing his love I’d be a little wary too, especially with numerous women constantly throwing themselves at him right in front of her, ex-girlfriends showing up wherever they go and a crazy disgruntled ex causing trouble. Cole is patient and constantly reassures her with his words, actions and is just incredibly sweet. I found myself continually smiling while reading this novel. Cole also supports Olivia in her art, pushing her to attend art school and show other’s her work, giving her the courage she lacked.
When these two get together the sex scenes are sizzling and numerous. The writing flowed smoothly and kept me turning the pages, Cole & Olivia’s story was complex and very entertaining. Their character growth was also fascinating and dynamic. Good suspense with their relationship and a few twists to keep you guessing. The ending was wonderful and heart warming, it put a big smile on my face and I closed this book with a happy sigh.

The only reason this novel received a 4.5 from me instead of a 5 was because I thought that the ‘I love you’s’ came a little too quickly and too often, and though I loved all the sex scenes there was one or two too many and it seemed like filler for the plot.

I think that Everyone Loves a Hero would be a great read to lift your spirits if you’re feeling down, but is an exceptional read either way and I will be recommending it to my friends. And Cole was just *dreamy sigh*, wow. I will definitely be adding him to by BB harem. Make yourself comfy hon, I’ll be visiting you often! LoL
I’m not usually one for contemporary romances but this one grabbed me hook, line and sinker.

Rating: 4.5 Loved it, a must read!

Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

* Originally reviewed and posted by me on sister site, Paranormal Romance Addict


Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #9)Lover Unleashed
Black Dagger Brotherhood #9
J.R. Ward
Hardcover, 489 pages
Published March 29th 2011 by NAL Hardcover
ISBN 0451233166
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either. When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul. As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

My Thoughts:

Lover Unleashed was simply amazing! I loved every second of this new BDB novel and could not bare to put it down for even a minute.

Payne and Manny had explosive chemistry right from the start and a true, emotional connection that could not be denied. Their entire relationship was touching and Manny’s support of Payne was beautiful. I’m disappointed we didn’t see more sexy time between them because there was another couple that took up a lot of the novel but you will find no complaints about that from me! Though I did miss the mating ceremony.
Then we have my favorite part of the whole book, Vishous. Him and Jane go through some heartbreaking times and it really tugged at my heart. Just thinking about it right now is making me tear up. But I could see both side’s point of view and being a V lover I totally sympathized with him. Butch really comes through as his brother, helping this couple over a huge mountain in their relationship. I just can’t say enough how much I loved these scenes with the trio. We saw a whole new side of V here which just added to his multiple dimensions and made me love him even more, which you would think is impossible but it’s not!  Ward has added a whole other layer onto this fabulous brother.
Qhuinn and Blaylock also had some scenes in Lover Unleashed and I’m really hating how their relationship, or lack thereof, is getting drawn out but Ward threw in an interesting twist towards the end with the lovely Layla. And I really want to see where this is heading and I have to say *ducking head* I’m not with the majority of BDB fans here. LoL But I think Qhuinn is heading into the right direction and maturing a lot.

As to the plot, Lover Unleashed was more about the characters and their relationships then action so some readers may be disappointed with that but I am not one of them. We had a few Lessers pop up but the plot took a side trip away from that and the big bad with some interesting new characters in the Band of Bastards! Sounds intriguing, no? I can’t wait to see where these new, bad brothers take the story in future installments. There was also a new detective introduced, Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, and we will see more of him in the next Fallen Angels novel, Envy!

The ending felt rushed and I wanted more more more but despite that I loved Lover Unleashed, it’s moved its way to the top of my favorite BDB novels! This is definitely a must read novel from a have to read series! 

A Fabulously Full 5 Wine Glasses!!!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Review: The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating by Evelyn Lafont


The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and MatingThe Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating
by Evelyn Lafont
ebook, 140 pages
Published March 30th 2011 by Helios Media, Inc
ISBN 0012319651
Josie wants what she's never been able to have--sex with a vampire. When she receives an invitation to a party thrown by one of the world's richest vamps, she doesn't stop to question her luck; she just jumps into her favorite stilettos and heads out to the event of a lifetime, secretly hoping that she'll come home with a party favor in the shape of a sexy coffin dweller. But the great undead, much to Josie's chagrin, aren't just pale sexbots with pointy teeth waiting to satisfy her carnal desires; they are dangerous--and sometimes cranky. With a single-minded focus on fulfilling her sole sexual longing, Josie unwittingly entrenches herself in the twisted and sometimes antagonistic world of vampire relationships with no one to guide her, but herself.
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My Thoughts:

The Vampire Relationship Guide was a funny novella and a fun, quick read.

Josie is an outspoken 32 year old who works in a bridal shop and has an obsession with dating a vampire; until she suddenly has two hot vamps vying for her attention. Then she finds out that they may not be all the rage she thought they were.

Josie meets Gregory at a party and they instantly hit it off and he seems like the perfect man, err..vampire. But when she plans a date with him, Walker, the rude vampire that she met skulking outside of Gregory’s residence also asks her out. She figures why not and agrees but these two constantly rub each other the wrong way. I love me some bad boys so I was instantly drawn to Walker even though he managed to say all of the wrong things. Gregory was just too perfect for me. I loved the dialogue between Josie and Walker and Josie was just hilarious all by herself. The things that came out of her mouth had me laughing out load.

There was some suspense, action and a twist thrown in towards the end but the beginning went at a slow pace. And I knew that one of Josie’s love interests weren’t all of what they seemed but I was surprised as to how that aspect turned out. I also wasn’t believing the emotions between Walker and Josie, though I did love them, they’re relationship just wasn’t as developed as her and Gregory’s.
One sex scene that was so-so, with a middle aged woman dying to get into the sack with a vampire I thought there would be a bit more but alas, it was not to be.

The main lesson of this novella is, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! An entertaining and fast read to break up the routine of 300+ page novels.

Rating: 3.5 A Good Read!


The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating Blog Tour

Today I have author Evelyn Lafont joining us with a guest post for her blog tour of The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating!

Hiding Your Books

Do you remember the first “dirty” book you ever read? The one that you hid from your parents and read under the covers only when you were sure they wouldn’t catch you?
I do. It was Flowers in the Attic. Some girl in school, who must have had awesome parents, brought it in and slowly loaned it to each of us until we had all read the dirty parts she graciously dog eared for us. Man, I loved that book but I resented the hiding and I couldn’t wait until the day came when I would be an adult and could read whatever book I wanted, whenever I wanted, without ever having to hide it from anyone.
Interestingly, at 36-years-old, I’ve found that this day never actually comes, or at least, it hasn’t for me. I still hide books when we have people over because I don’t want them to see the covers, like that one with the fabtabulous highlander smushing that chick’s breasts against him while licking her forehead (Disclaimer: This is not a real cover, just a weird fetish I have). And while e-readers make this easier because they hide the nature of what you are reading, I still jump out of my skin a little when I’m going over a particularly sexy part in a book and my husband starts talking to me. Almost like I think he’s going to see the crazy barbed penis sex scene I was just reading branded on my forehead.
When I push myself to think beyond my personal ticks, I realize that there is nothing to be embarrassed about when reading romance novels. If anything, we should be proud of how far the genre has come over the years. We should bask in the sexual empowerment it gives, and we should celebrate its acceptance of fetishes and proclivities.
At the very least, I guess we should take it out of the “Guilty Pleasure” category…unless that’s your fetish…



Next Stop On The Tour: Book Lover's Hideaway

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About the Author:
Evelyn Lafont is an author and freelance writer with an addiction to Xanax and a predilection for snark. Her debut novella, The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble                                                         and Smashwords .


Series Review: The Feral Warrior Series by Pamela Palmer 1-4

*Originally reviewed & posted by me on sister site, Paranormal Romance Addict



The Feral Warrior Series #1-4
By Pamela Palmer

Eons ago, before the rise of human civilization, two immortal races battled the Daemons for control of the earth. The Mage, or magic ones, and the Therians, the mighty shape-shifters. Though traditional enemies, the Mage and Therians banded together to overcome the High Daemon, Satanan, ending his reign of terror and destroying his armies. The cost of victory was high. To win that ultimate battle, both races were forced to mortgage nearly all their power. Only one Therian among each of the ancient lines of shape-shifters was left with the power of his animal. Nine remain.They are the Feral Warriors.

6033257
Desire Untamed
Kara MacAllister's quiet small-town life is transformed forever the night a powerful stranger rips her from her home, claiming she is the chosen one – the key to his survival. Spiriting her away into the rain-soaked night, Lyon reveals a truth Kara can barely credit. She's immortal, and the only one who can save his race. And deep within her, he arouses a fierce, primal hunger beyond anything she's ever imagined. But only when their lives are threatened by an ancient evil will Kara and Lyon realize they have found a love they would risk their immortal souls to claim...and a powerful desire that could never, ever be tamed.                                                                                                           

Obsession Untamed (Feral Warriors, #2)
Obsession Untamed
Every time she closes her eyes, Delaney Randallsuffers another nightmare. A brutal serial killer has found his way inside the tough, take-no-prisoners FBI agent's head. Now she lives the murders through his eyes, from his deadly approach, to his victims' screams. Until the night he breaks into her apartment and she fears she's going to be the next to die. But the man who snatches Delaney from her home isn't the murderer. He's Tighe, a dangerous Feral Warrior who needs her and her visions to stop the rampages of a creature as inhuman as he is evil. Tighe has little use for humans, but as he and Delaney join forces to track the dark fiend, he falls for the intense beauty and becomes wild with an obsession as untamed as his heart.                                      

Passion Untamed (Feral Warriors, #3)
Passion Untamed
Though the Mage witch Skye has a gentle heart, demonic forces have enslaved her, forcing her to kidnap Paenther, a powerful and dangerous Feral Warrior. Even chained and naked, Paenther is a cunning prisoner who seduces her, body and soul, turning captive into captor. Paenther's pride demands revenge against the enchantress who emerged from the deep woods like a sensual vision and enthralled him, even as she makes his body burn with passion. Despite his fury over her treachery, Skye's gentle beauty calls to his soul, calming the wild chaos within him, and stealing his heart. But when evil threatens, Paenther and Skye's only chance at survival is to trust in one another…and the power of love.                                                                      

Rapture Untamed (Feral Warriors, #4)
Rapture Untamed
The most combative - and tormented - of all the Ferals,Jag is a predator who hunts alone - until daemons terrorize the human population. To stop them, he partners with Olivia, a flame-haired Therian temptress as strong as she is beautiful. But Olivia is no ordinary immortal. The survivor of a vicious supernatural attack, she possesses a deadly and forbidden skill - one that must remain hidden, especially from the powerful Feral Warriors.As Jag and Olivia's sensual dance of dominance and seduction gets wilder and hotter, a dark force sets its sights on Olivia, threatening to destroy everything she has vowed to protect. And the only one who can save her soul is the arrogant jaguar shifter she lusts for but dares not love.



Crystal's Thoughts:

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Interview with Sable Grace, author of Ascension

Today I am very excited to interview the wonderful writing duo, Heather Waters & Laura Barone, otherwise known as Sable Grace!

Sable Grace
Welcome ladies, can you please start off with telling us a little something about each of you?
L:Well, I’m not sure if people would call me a bookworm—because I have enough books for a small library—or a nerd because I like tech toys and am an avid gamer. I also have an addictive personality so I get sucked in quick. I’m a mom, have three active toddlers living in my house, and married to my real life hero (I know, so cliché, but still true) for half my life.

H: I’m a nerd! A gigantic, proud nerd with a love of video games (hello World of Warcraft buds!) that might swing me to the geek side, too. But more importantly, I’m the mother of two pretty spectacular kids and wife to a pretty amazing man for the last 16 years.

I love how the two of you work together to write one book. Can you share with us your writing process? Do you have any rituals that you go through?
H: I’m typically the brainstormer, mainly because I’m the fool who has to write the synopsis for each book. Since we usually don’t have a plot that early, I have to make one up in order to get the next proposal out the door. I’ll usually write the first few pages of the manuscript as well, just to help me get the synopsis up and running, and then I pass to Laura. We usually stick to a page quota for each day and we’ve done this via two different methods – she’ll take one day, I’ll take the next, or we’ll both write every day, me in the morning, Laura at night. There are no rituals, per se, unless you include the wine that flows on the rare occasion that we get to work side by side. With her living in Ocala and me in Jacksonville, that doesn’t happen often enough! I’m a control nut. Spreadsheets, schedules, revisions, etc. Laura’s more relaxed and laid back. I think if we both needed to control the process, this would never work. Like, ever. Seriously. I’d kill her if she didn’t kill me first.

L: I pretty much write whenever the spreadsheet tells me to. For years, even before we started writing as Sable Grace, I’d tell Heather what I wanted to accomplish in the year and she’d set up a writing schedule that would show me how I could get done all I wanted to do without stressing or giving up sleep to get it done. So when we started working together, it only made sense that we have a schedule and charts. And, since I absolutely love to watch the little pie chart fill up, this works well for me. There are times I wish we lived closer so we could work side-by-side more but perhaps it’s best that it takes two hours to reach each other—or she might give into urges to smack me more often J

You two seem to have compete opposite personalities, I bet it can get pretty interesting at times. Can you share with us something funny that has happened while writing together?
H: I can’t think of any funny event in particular, but we’re able to make each other laugh every day. As different as we are (and boy are we!), we both have the same patterns of speech in real life – the same snarky, sarcastic sense of humor that gets us in trouble with people who don’t get it. But humorous stuff does happen in the process over all. We just got revisions back for book 2 of the series where our editor pointed out that a pair of boots that had gone missing in one chapter kept appearing and disappearing again in the next several. Because there’s two of us writing the scene, it’s pretty easy to have one of us forget a detail like missing boots, and the other one remembers. Keeping details straight like that can be a major headache.

L: Wow, funny happens with us every day, especially on those rare occasions we get to work side-by-side. We get each other’s humor, which is not always a good thing since there’s a good chance many won’t, but it keeps us in chuckles. Some of the funniest things in the writing process is when we envision our editor scratching her head trying to figure out what two seemingly different words placed together in a sentence have to do with each other and all she puts is a “huh?” in the margin. Cracks us up because we’ve either deleted too many words or left a couple stragglers and completely change whatever we were trying to say—or simply confuses the daylights out of everyone involved.

What part of the writing process do you ladies love? What part do you hate?
H: As far as what I love the most… it’s the revision process. The hard work is done at that point, and now I get to fiddle and tinker and figure out what works and what doesn’t. There’s not really a part of the process that I hate. Maybe the synopsis, but even those can be all right if you get on a good roll. I guess a better question/answer would be what am I weakest at? I won’t remember to put in details unless I’m forced to. You may never know what the town looks like or what the characters are smelling unless I remember to go back and put it in. I’m too caught up in the story to care, honestly, and tend to skip right over it when I’m reading other books. But I know readers like that stuff so I do try!

L: My favorite part is the first draft. I love to see where the story is going to go and figure out all the twists and turns. Learning the characters and seeing what else can happen to them is sheer joy. Hate is such a strong word, but trying to figure out the logic behind something is not always fun for me—or Heather!—but sometimes the scene on the page doesn’t include the reasons for whatever was in my head, because well, I didn’t know them at the time I wrote it, so it can be a lot of work fixing those. Sometimes it requires rewriting, but most times we can talk it out and discover the truth behind an event or action to make it all logical and flow with the story.

AscensionYour debut novel, Ascension, was released yesterday. Congratulations! Ascension and I share the same birthday, woot! Can you give us some details as to what readers should expect; plot, pace, romance, ect?
Happy birthday! Woot, indeed. Um, let’s see… plot: think Greek myths mixed with Vampyres and Werewolves and Witches… World goes Kablooey and kick ass heroine makes it all better. Or tries to. Pace? The Miata theme zoom zoom zoom comes to mind :D And as for the romance, all I can say is, you’ll see it begin in Ascension… but don’t be surprised if there are no marriage vows or moving in together at the end. You might have to wait a couple of books for that happily ever after.

What kind of readers do you think Ascension will appeal to? 
Anyone who likes adventure! Or sex. Kick ass heroines. Mythology. Or even things that go bump in the night.

Being a native Floridian I absolutely love St. Augustine, the architecture, the history, the atmosphere. What inspired you to pick it for the backdrop of your story?
H: I’m only about 30 minutes away from St. Augustine and it’s been a constant weekend getaway for me and my family over the last 15 or so years. The minute you step into the historic side of the city, there’s a noticeable difference to the way the air feels. It’s like you walk in a cloud of stories that have passed through the city walls. How could we not want to set the series there? Besides, it’s one of the first cities we destroy in Ascension, and if you’re going to start rebuilding the world, I can’t think of a better city to start reconstruction! Let it be the oldest city twice in its lifetime!

L: St. Augustine has always been one of my favorite places to visit with its history, not to mention all the ghost stories attached to it. And, as Heather said, it’s the oldest city now and deserved to be the oldest in the rebirth, too.

Do you have a favorite character that you wrote? Why? 
H: I love our heroine, Kyana. She wasn’t the heroine, originally, but when we first wrote the book, a character named Jordan was supposed to be the star of the show. But Kyana walked onto the page, protecting Jordan, and suddenly, Jordan looked as interesting as a pair of shoelaces. But for me, Kyana is kind of the Buffy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yes, she’s interesting and kick ass, but she’s kind of just the focal piece that all the really interesting things happen around. The secondary characters are who fill the world up for me, personally. Geoffrey, Haven, Nettles. Those are the ones I tend to have the most fun with – probably because they can get away with a lot more naughty things than Kyana or Ryker can.

L: Oh, I love all our characters. Kyana for her strength and Ryker for his loyalty. Haven because she’s such a girly-girl when I’m so not! And Nettles, the change-o-character Queen. She’s been through a lot of transformations before finally reaching the person she is now. But my favorite, from the moment he stepped onto the page is Geoffrey. I have a thing for Vamps. Always have. However, my heart goes all gooey for the badass bad boy who knows what he is and won’t make any apologies for it. (Think Spike of the Buffy/Angel days. That’s Geoffrey’s persona for me.) He’s Vampyre. He’s killed for survival, for pleasure and for the Order, and he’s not going to make excuses for it. And, he has an awesome accent. Who could ask for anything more?

What makes Kyana and Ryker perfect for each other and why will readers fall in love with them?
Ryker is the perfect complement to Kyana, primarily because he’s everything she wishes she could be. Calm, caring and unafraid of what others think of him. She’s perfect for him because he knows she is all those things. And more. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Can you share with us a favorite scene that you wrote?
H: How to pick? A scene we wrote together or separately? Separately, a scene I wrote that I really loved was the final scene or two of Ascension. A lot of readers have said that they are irritated by the cliffhanger, yet they’ll pick up book 2 because of it. It’s not the cliffhanger that I’m proud of, though. It’s the final little twists those scenes reveal about the book. The final secrets explained, I guess. As for a scene we worked on together – there’s a particular bath scene that was cut out of Ascension… and might have worked its way into book 2….(Wonder if our editor even noticed that) :D

L: Wow, and I thought the favorite character question was hard. There’s the fight scene in. . . . no, wait, the one in Book 2 where the vehicle’s about to . . . . no, that’s not it either. Hmm, guess I’m going with the first time you meet Haven. Their friendship is such a strong part of who they are and what they’ll do, and it was just fun to write the mall rat when yeah, I only go to the mall under threat of death. Of course, that original scene was tweaked and morphed into what it is now, but the bond between them, that closeness that is so unique to them, is still there. Once again, have to agree with Heather on the favorite that we did together. That bath scene has seen a few versions and I’m keeping crossed fingers that it will be in Book 2.

Do you have anything you’re working on now that you can share with us?
We’re both working on solo projects – nothing contracted. And as Sable Grace, we’re just wrapping up revisions on book 2 (title to be announced and book to be released Jan ’12) and have turned in the manuscript for book 3.

What would Ascension’s hero, Ryker, never be caught dead saying?
H: “Dude.” There’s enough surfer boy in him that he doesn’t need to be completely clichéd about it!

L: Oh, man, Heather took my answer! Okay, besides anything stereotypical to the surfer crowd, it would have to be “sweet” endearments. He has a nickname for Kyana, but it’s not your usual baby or honey or anything like that. He’d much rather show her what she means to him than put a label on it.

H: Wait.  I don’t think we’d hear him say “Not tonight, Kyana,” either.

What is Kyana’s, our heroine’s, favorite weapon and why?
H: She has these silver-plated daggers that have been with her since she joined the Order of Ancients. I don’t even know yet why she cares about them so much, but she gets really pissed off when she doesn’t have them.

L: Not sure what makes the daggers so important to her, but I think they’re her weapon of choice because they allow her to get in the grit of the action, get her hands dirty, and lets her look her prey in the eye when she kills them.

How did you celebrate your first sale as Sable Grace?
H: Ok, how sad is it to say… we didn’t. An excited phone call, and then we got to work.

L: Still sad that we didn’t celebrate the sale in a big way. I have toddlers so it makes it difficult to find adult time. My hubby swears that one day we’ll have one ginormous party to celebrate all four sales. Hmm, maybe on the fifth. If anyone at Avon is listening…..

Okay, time for some Quickies:
Coffee or Tea?
            H: Tea
            L: Coffee!
Beer or Wine?
            H: Wine
            L: Why isn’t vodka or tequila in the question?
Night or Day?
            H: Night
            L: Night
Fast or Slow?
            H: Wow. Um. Depends on the activity and mood?
            L: Is this a trick question? LOL!
Left or Right?
            H: Right
            L: Left
Up or Down?
            H: Up! Unless we’re talking about.. nevermind
            L: Up
Hot or Flirty?
            H: Hot
            L: Hot
Dressy or Casual?
            H: casual
            L: casual
Suspenseful or Tearful?
            H: Suspenseful!
            L: suspenseful
Contemporary or Historical?
            H: Gasp! I can’t answer that…. Ok yes I can. Historical
            L: Contemporary
Dog-ears or Bookmarks?
            H: Bookmarks for sure.
            L: Bookmarks, please!
Tattoos or Piercings?
            H: Piercings
            L: Piercings
Vampires or Werewolves?
            H: Vampires!
            L: Vampire all the way
Angels or Demons?
            H: Angels
            L: Wow, another trick question. Um, Angels, if they’re not ‘that kind of angel’ (Think John Travolta as Michael here)

Thank you so much ladies for stopping by and again, congratulations on your new release! Do you have any last words or comments that you want to leave for our readers?
H: I really just want to say thanks to you, and to everyone who’s already read Ascension and has written/said such wonderful things about it. I hope that you guys will come on this ride with us and see where the world goes from here now that we’ve gone and destroyed it.

L: Heather has such a great way of stealing all the good answers, but it’s worth repeating. Thanks to all who have written to say they’ve read/enjoyed Ascension. For their support and kind words as we make our debut into the real world. I hope each and every one of you stick around to see what else we have in store for Kyana and her friends.

H: That’s the prize for answering first :P

If you'd like to find out more about Sable Grace and their debut, Acsension, you can visit:

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Review: A Tale Of Two Goblins by H.P. Mallory

A Tale of Two Goblins A Tale Of Two Goblins
Dulcie O’Neil #2
H.P. Mallory
Kindle Edition
Published March 21st 2011
ISBN B004TAS3BK
Courtesy of author for blog tour
A Dreamstalker— a creature that stalks and kills its victims in sleep. A fairy in law enforcement determined to stop him. A potions smuggler who possesses something she wants. A vampire with his own agenda. And a partner who couldn’t possibly be sexier or more frustrating. Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy working in law enforcement for the Netherworld. When Knight Vander approaches her with a case regarding comatose victims, she agrees to help him, imagining the most difficult part will be combating her attraction to him. But, what Dulcie isn’t betting on is the fact that the case becomes personal when she learns all the victims are somehow linked to her. When her best friend falls victim to the Dreamstalker, Dulcie must do everything in her power to ensure her friend’s survival, including associating with criminals and accepting the fact that desperate times do definitely call for desperate measures.
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My thoughts:

A Tale of Two Goblins was a delightful surprise and a great read!
The spunky, independent fairy is back and better then ever.
There is a Dreamstalker going after people that are connected to Dulcie, causing them to drop into a coma and eventually die, but when Dulcie’s best friend Sam falls victim the stakes are raised even higher. Teaming up with the sexy Knight once again it’s a race against time while things start to heat up in other matters, and not just because he is a Loki. 

The first half of the novel moved a bit slow and I was worried that I’d have the same feelings for it as I did To Kill a Warlock. But by the second half of the book, what I found lacking in the first (romance, chemistry, character/relationship development) was more then made up for here, and by the end I didn’t want it to stop! And lawd, the way it ended was killer, just when we got to what I’ve been waiting for throughout these two books. Evil, evil author…
Plenty of action, mystery and suspense to keep readers entertained and the continuing sub plot of Dulcie’s writing a new paranormal novel adds a fun aspect to the story. The plot itself was good and really kept me guessing as to whom the villain was.

I still enjoyed the secondary characters more then the main character Dulcie, especially the love interest Knight, but Dulcie’s growing on me and I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series. A fun quick read.

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses - A great read!