Showing posts with label NetGalley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NetGalley. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Review by Alicia: Bad Luck by Pseudonymous Bosch



The plot thickens in the brilliant sequel to Bad Magic! 

At Earth Ranch, things can get a little magical (some might say strange). Intrepid readers will discover a runaway boy, fishy cruise ship, strange cave paintings, dragon-like footprints, and other mysteries that Clay and his friends need to solve. Danger, adventure, mischief, mystery, llamas, and a delightfully irreverent and hilarious narrator make bestselling author Pseudonymous Bosch's anticipated new novel irresistible.

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I will admit, I requested this book from NetGalley based on the description, and that it was a children’s book. It is about a summer camp for kids with magical abilities set on volcanic island with an obscure history. One of the campers, Clay, doesn’t appear to have any magical abilities and isn’t sure why he’s there. Until the day he discovers the cave with all the drawings and a mysterious book. The book is filled with whimsy, magic, villains, and heroes. I enjoyed the book from the first page to the last page. 

This is the sequel to Bad Magic. I was not aware that this was a second in a series, but this was an excellent stand alone. This is the kind of book that will catch a kid’s attention and hold on to it right until the last page. This is the kind of book that is filled with enough adventure and fantasy to hold a young readers attention all the way through the book. Every character has a role and it is quite magical how each of them seem to draw you into the pages of the book. I can’t wait to catch up on this series and then move on with the next books.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.





Pseudonymous Bosch is the anonymous pseudonymous author of the Secret Series. Not much is known about him other than that he has a passionate love of chocolate and cheese and an equally passionate hatred of mayonnaise. Rumors of Boschian sightings are just as frequent and about as reliable as reports of alien abductions. If you ever meet anyone claiming to be Pseudonymous himself he is almost certainly an impostor. The real Pseudonymous is said currently to be hiding in a cave in a remote jungle (although there are contrary reports that he is somewhere in Greenland). 








Friday, January 8, 2016

Blog Tour, Review by Jackie & Giveaway: First Touch by Laurelin Paige


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REEVE IS HERE!  
Meet Reeve & Emily in First Touch by Laurelin Paige! This highly anticipated release is NOW LIVE!  
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QcYftH
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1lWuKkT

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Blurb
When Emily Wayborn goes home to visit her mom while on hiatus from her hit TV show, she receives a voicemail from her former best friend, Amber. Though the two were once notorious party girls, they haven't spoken in years. Although the message might sound benign to anyone else, Amber uses a safe word that Emily recognizes, a word they always used to get out of sticky situations during their wild days. And what's more chilling than the voicemail: it turns out that Amber has gone missing.
Determined to track down her friend, Emily follows a chain of clues that lead her to the enigmatic billionaire Reeve Sallis, a hotelier known for his shady dealings and play boy reputation. Now, in order to find Amber, Emily must seduce Reeve to learn his secrets and discover the whereabouts of her friend. But as she finds herself more entangled with him, she finds she's drawn to Reeve for more than just his connection to Amber, despite her growing fear that he may be the enemy. When she's forced to choose where her loyalty lies, how will she decide between saving Amber and saving her heart?
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Excerpt
“Tell me something,” he said, overtly switching gears. “What’s with you and Chris Blakely?”
He’d been watching me at the Expo, then. Before he’d come outside after me.
His question about Chris was spoken casually, but it was purposeful. A more naïve woman might have missed it, but I was too experienced with men like him. He wanted me to know that I was in his sightline. That this was what it meant to be part of his life. That he would monitor me, if he felt like it; he’d rule me. And he expected me to submit.
I couldn’t decide if that freaked me out or thrilled me.
So I played coy. “He’s an actor. We’ve worked together on occasion. I guess we’re friends.”
I walked into the kitchen and got a glass from the cupboard. Chewing my lip, I filled it with filtered water from the sink and debated full disclosure regarding Chris…It was a long shot, but since I hoped to contact Chris for more information about Missy at some point, I decided the less I said the better.
I drank some of my water then set the glass down and leaned across the counter to watch Reeve. His fingers trailed across the spines. I couldn’t see the exact books, so I tried to think what was there. My Katherine Hepburn autobiography. My copy of Rebecca.
He stopped and pulled one from the shelf then flipped through it lazily. This one I recognized from the cover. PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, one of my coffee table books. I collected them and had so many that most lived on my bookshelf rather than on my coffee table. This particular book was a printing of blog posts that shared secrets anonymously. Parts of it read like my diary, and I’d marked several pages with Post-it notes so I could easily come back to them. Reading it had always felt comforting.
Seeing it in Reeve’s hands, though, wasn’t comforting. He flipped through the pages, stopping on the ones I’d tagged. Chuckling at some. Growing somber at others. At one, he lifted his head toward me and nodded slightly as if confirming what he’d just thought, what he’d just read.
I ran through several confessions I knew by heart, trying to imagine which it had been—
Again and again. Used.”
“I’m more scared of court than I was when he almost killed me.”
“I would do absolutely anything in the whole world if I thought it would make her happy.”
Whichever ones he was reading, any of them—all of them—were private. Too private for him to know spoke to me. Yet, I didn’t stop him. I let him sink one layer deeper under my skin.
It was bad enough that he was in my apartment—in an apartment that I paid for myself. His presence reminded me of a time when everything I owned had been given to me by men. The things I had now, though small in number and worth, were all mine.
Trying to distract myself from the anxiety Reeve’s invasion caused, I asked, “Why do you want to know about Chris anyway? Do you want me to fix you up? He’s got a fiancé, you know.”
Reeve shot me a glare. “Cute.”
He put the book back on my shelf and moved toward me. When he reached the counter, he said, “Chris doesn’t look at you like he has a fiancé.”
Ah. I’d forgotten Reeve was a jealous man. Or I’d underestimated the depth of his envy. Strangely, it was a fairly common trait of the kind of men I’d involved myself with in the past, the kind of men who had everything. I knew how to pander to them, knew what to say to put their insecurities to rest. No one could ever be man enough to compare with you, I’d say. It might have been what Reeve was looking for in regards to Chris.
But I couldn’t bring myself to give it to him. “A lot of men don’t look at me like they have a fiancé.”
Reeve leaned across the opposite side of the counter so we were face-to-face. “I don’t like that.”
Jealousy was generally boring, yet, on Reeve, it was fascinating. And, I suspected, dangerous. “You don’t? What are you going to do about it? Lock me up and never let me out in public?”
“I have some nice secluded resorts I think you’d like. My island properties are so beautiful you’ll forget you’re in a prison.”
He flashed his dimple. It was subtle, only noticeable when he smiled in a certain way, the way he was smiling now. And his eyes…I’d thought they were blue, but now I saw green flecks. They caught in the light. They caught me in them, made me feel warm. Made me feel trapped.
I stood up straight, distancing myself without moving away. “Look at you. Acting as if you have some claim to me. I think I already blew you off the other night.”
“Look at you, acting as if I’m a person that you blow off. I think I already warned you about me.” He was teasing as I’d been. But he wasn’t all at the same time.
My heart skipped a beat. “Another threat?”
“If you want it to be.” He looked at me like he had earlier—that intent way that saw through me, into me. Saw all my dark parts.
In a way, he was showing me his darkness as well.
My lip quivered, but I wasn’t scared. Well, not scared enough. “I do.”
His eyes sparked, and with that simple phrase, we entered into an agreement. He would have me. He would fuck me. He would bring me into his world.
And in return I’d let him break me.



5 Star Review
I was given this book for a honest review through NetGalley
I really don't know where to start, this book was brilliant, It pushed my comfort zones and  had me hooked from page one ......
Emily Wayborn is visiting her mum when she replays a phone message left a while back by her once inseparable  best friend Amber. Amber uses a safe word that Emily recognizes from their wild days together. This message sets Emily off looking for Amber and every lead takes her to Reeve Sallis....
Reeve Sallis is a billionaire playboy known for his underhand shady dealings but would he stoop to kidnap or even murder...
Amber has her work cut out for getting close to the playboy and once she does she has a series of tests to pass. Will she get what she is looking for or will she just fall in love with Reeve.....
This book is not a sweet romance its raw and gritty and it covers subjects that some may find disturbing like rape, violence, hard rough sex and dubious consent all of which took my out of my comfort zone but this book was so well written it intrigued me and I sat up all night reading it.
First Touch is filled with intrigue and the cliff hanger will leave you asking more questions than there are answers for its a dark erotic romance and I hope we don't have to wait long for book 2
Loved it Laurelin Paige

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Last Kiss (Book Two) A First and Last Novel
Releases June 14th, 2016
Pre-order NOW!

About the Author:
laurelin paige.jpg
Laurelin Paige is the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there's kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn't seem to complain, however. When she isn't reading or writing sexy stories, she's probably singing, watching Game of Thrones and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.


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Thursday, November 5, 2015

Review by Maimeo's Angels: Darkest Before Dawn by Maya Banks



THE ALL-NEW KGI NOVEL from the “incredibly awesome" (Jaci Burton) #1 New York Times bestselling author of When Day Breaks.

The Kelly Group International (KGI):
 A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t...

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they've known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock's true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he's been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She's the only woman who's ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he's spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

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4.0 star  
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through the publisher and Netgalley.

This is book 10 in the KGI series. Having read the previous books I was excited to see what Maya Banks had in store for Guy Hancock and Honor Cambridge. This series is one of my favorites and I wasn’t disappointed. Although this book, like the others can be read as a stand-alone, I would recommend you read the previous books if possible as it makes it easier when characters from previous books appear.

As we have come to expect from the KGI series, the men are tough, alpha males not afraid to charge, sometimes violent always determined to succeed. Guy Hancock is no different; in fact he is darker than the previous heroes of the series. A man so used to being deep undercover, that it is hard to remember whether he is on the side of good or evil. 

The first part of the book in my opinion took a bit to get through and at times it did seem a tad repetitious. I also found it hard to understand how a woman, any woman could absolve someone of the betrayal that Hancock is guilty of. Honor is so selfless, it is almost unbelievable.

Having said that the chemistry between Hancock and Honor is intense; neither can understand the feelings they have. When Hancock gives in to the inevitable it is heart wrenching, he knows what he is about to do and the repercussions for Honor. 

Honor, is feisty, courageous and determined the only survivor of a terrorist attack and despite the fact that she is now being hunted she absolutely refuses to give in. 

Several of the characters from her previous books in the series also make an appearance which I was pleased to see since I love all the Kelly’s and their extended families. 
Although this was not my favorite KGI book, I cannot wait to read more in this series and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long. Who will be next I wonder? 




Maya Banks lives in Texas with her husband, three children and assortment of pets. When she's not writing, she can be found hunting, fishing or playing poker.




OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES


Monday, November 2, 2015

Review by Jackie: Filthy Rich by Virna DePaul




High finance and a sizzling office affair raise desire and passion to the boiling point in Virna DePaul’s seductive new contemporary romance—perfect for fans of Carly Phillips, Lori Foster, and Molly O’Keefe.

Cara Michal has had to fight every step of the way to earn her place in the glittering seven-figure world of Wall Street. Years ago her hardworking father, a small-time investment adviser, was humiliated and wrongfully accused of fraud. Now Cara is at the top of her game, trying to support not only herself but her mother and brother. The occasional night out dancing soothes Cara’s soul, even as a bitter need for revenge against the man who destroyed her father makes inner peace elusive.

Then, in a moment of heat, Cara kisses a sexy stranger at a party—only later to discover that the man is Branden Duke, her new boss, an infamous operator with a wicked reputation in bed and on the Street. Branden is a man who seemingly has it all—except a woman who connects with him on a physical and emotional level. Now that he’s found Cara, he’s not sure he can let her go, even if he should.

In spite of herself, Cara is drawn to this charismatic guy. He is a challenge like none she has ever faced in her life. Their passion for each other is unquenchable, surprising them both with its ferocity. Even as Cara wonders if she can trust this man with her heart and soul, the ecstasy of their love cannot be denied. But when the past threatens the present, the two are faced with a truth from which they may never recover.

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4 Star 
I was given this book through NetGalley for a honest review
My first book by Virna DePaul and I really enjoyed it, I will certainly look for more from her.
Cara has had a tough life and is now supporting her mother and her brother after her father died from a heart attacked after being accused and framed for stealing money.
Branden is a hot sexy billionaire who doesn't commit to any relationships. Brandon has just purchased D&B where Cara works. No one knows the company has been sold yet .....
So when Cara meets a tall dark stranger at a works party and has a heated moment with him the last thing she expects is to be introduced to him the next day as her new boss......
Cara and Brandon have chemistry but Cara is also  strong woman who doesn't rely on men to get through life. Will they both except their feelings for each other or will their parents past come back to haunt them........
This book has a lot going on and its not your typical billionaire romance, Yes it does have some great hot sex scenes but it also has a story that involves mystery, suspense and a stalker as well as some insider trading. 
Its a standalone but I do hope we get more from the other characters in this book.




Thanks for visiting my author page! I'm a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, and a former criminal prosecutor who loves thrilling, sexy stories about ordinary people overcoming extraordinary obstacles to find love. I hope to bring my readers emotional stories that make them feel and dream and wonder well-after they've finished reading them. 

I write for Harlequin and Random House. I'm also a bestselling Indie author. 




Monday, October 19, 2015

Blog Tour, Reviews by Maimeo's Angels, Irene & Giveaway: Alasdair by Ella Frank


Alasdair (Masters Among Monsters Book 1) by Ella Frank

Date of Publication: October 13, 2015

Blurb

A DANGEROUS ALLURE
Bestowed with eternal life by the Ancient Vasilios, Alasdair Kyriakous is one of the most feared and ruthless vampires in existence. His name carries weight across all of the seven continents.
But he is a mystery to his kind, an anomaly among the self-indulgent. While he enjoys the pleasures of the flesh, he is exceptionally particular in his choice of partners and prides himself on his ironclad self-control.
Yet with one look his control will become a thing of the past, and Alasdair will discover that eternal life doesn't always last forever…
A DEADLY ATTRACTION
Thrust into a world he could never have imagined, Leo Chapel awakens in his worst nightmare. Taken hostage by the dangerously mesmerizing vampire, Alasdair, Leo must rely on his intelligence to escape before he reveals a secret he isn't even aware he's hiding.
A FORBIDDEN DESIRE
Unaware that they've been brought together by an outside force and are little more than pawns to a higher power, Alasdair and Leo spend time trying to uncover the other's secrets, the attraction between them growing stronger all the while.
But enemies are watching and preparing to act against them. When decisions that will alter lives and destinies have to be made—can a dead, grey heart learn to beat again?

Available From




4 star 

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.

This was a new author to me and also a genre (paranormal) that I do not read very often. I will be honest and say that this book was not at all what I was expecting. I had no idea that it was a Vampire M/M story although that didn’t worry me at all once I realized what I was 
reading.  
Alasdair Kyriakous is a vampire, ruthless and feared. Given eternal life, he is totally in control until he meets Leo Chapel. Leo is a man with a secret; he doesn’t even know he has, Alasdair and Leo are attracted to each other even though both are trying to discover what the 
other is hiding before fate takes over and lives are changed drastically.
I was impressed with MS. Franks writing, her plot was interesting and unique in many ways. The characters drew you in and I was surprisingly invested in what was happening.  The suspense built throughout the book which I really enjoyed.The chemistry between Alasdair and Leo made me shiver and the sex was hot hot hot. I did 
get a little confused on occasion as the story is told from multiple POV’s but all in all it was a great read and I will happily continue to read this series.



5 stars

First let me say this is a paranormal book, along with it being M/M!!

I love me a good vampire book. Alasdair seemed to be enriched with Greek History.
There were twists on every page that you read.
Each vampire book has it's own lore. Well Ella Frank's vampires are really unique. You have Alasdair who has this obsession with Leo who is human. Alasdair isn't sure what is pulling him to Leo. He only knows that he can't stop thinking of him.
Alasdair gifted with eternal life, strength, and all those other qualities that come with being a vampire has his downfall. MEN!

Leo who has come face to face with Alasdair has no idea what is going to happen to him. He does know that Alasdair is beautiful even for a man/vampire. 

You meet Alasdairs vampire family. You learn how Alasdair became vampire. Those crazy twists I mentioned? Yeah Leo does this weird thing when him and Alasdair get intimate. It's like he gets projected back into the past. Not to say to much though. These vampires don't sparkle!! 

About Ella Frank


Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as "scorching hot!" and "enticingly sexy!"
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Find Ella Frank Online

Teaser

With no more than a flash of thought, he was inside the man's room and standing at the foot of a large bed.
Locks. Such a useless human defense.
He cocked his head to the side and examined the book splayed open on the man's naked chest. It looked as though it had fallen there when he'd drifted off to sleep, his fingers still resting against the glossy cover.
Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths.
Now that is an unlikely coincidence.
A sinister smile morphed Alasdair's lips, and he touched the tip of his tongue to the fangs elongating from his upper gums. The familiar surge of adrenaline caused his skin to come alive with awareness as his body prepared itself to do what it had been created for.
Raising his hand, he flicked his wrist and the covers whisked back. The man beneath was no more aware of the action than a slight shift in the air as a low sigh escaped him and he stretched his body, turning his head on the pillow.
The sight that greeted Alasdair made the hours he'd spent tracking well worth the time. When the human took a breath, the knotted drawstring tie of his linen lounge pants caught his attention. Fuck, that made him want to indulge his carnal side first.
Maybe this was the root of his current obsession. In fact, that thought was followed by one truer to his perverse nature. How long would it take to have him clutching those covers from lust if I wanted it? And as Alasdair continued to observe the human, he realized just how much he wanted it.
The chest where the book was lying was covered in a light dusting of blond hair. It trailed a path along the center of the man's sternum to his stomach, which looked as hard as his own. However, unlike his own abdomen, this man's skin would be warm to the touch.
Perhaps he could take a moment or two and… No, he didn't have the time, and that really was a shame. A meeting had been called this evening, and he was due at the Assembly Hall soon. The last thing he wanted to do was piss off the Ancients by being late.
So, with the speed and the stealth only his kind possessed, he was on the bed and stretched out above the man, and his mouth hovered over the ear closest to him.
He threw the book, which landed with a loud thump on the floor, and couldn't stop himself from slipping one of his hands beneath those thin pants to curl his fingers around the flaccid cock he found inside. When a soft groan left the human, Alasdair used his other hand to capture his captive's wrists like iron shackles and pin them above his head. Before the man had a chance to wake, he delved inside his head and projected an image of where this hunt would finally end.

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