#REVIEW: Black Dawn by Cristin Harber

Title: Black Dawn

Series: Titan #6

Author:  Cristin Harber

Published Date: July 14, 2015

Publisher: Mill Creek Press

Format: ebook

Pages: 279

ISBN: 9781942236085

Genre: black ops romance

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Synopsis: Parker Black wants the one woman he shouldn’t have—his buddy’s girl. She sweet and smart, but clueless about how deep Parker lives in Titan’s virtual world. Everything is controlled. Chaos is mastered. Black and white data and risk analyst. That is the way he understands his world, how he plays his role to keep Titan teams alive.

But he’s wrong.

About everything.

Lexi Dare lives two lives. She’s an unhappy fiancé stuck in a spiraling relationship, unsure how she ended up with a ring on her finger and an abuser in her bed. But she’s also elusive. Elite. A master hacker playing deadly stakes.

When the lines blur and the truth comes out, Lexi’s only shot at survival is the trust of her rival—her equal—before it’s too late.

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved the Titan men since the very beginning of the series, and for just as long, I have secretly crushed on the guy in the background, Parker. Now that he had his own story, I knew I had to read it. It is Parker’s book, so if you’re looking for guns and mayhem from the very beginning, you won’t find it. That doesn’t mean you won’t find an amazing story because it is just as amazing as every single one of the other Titan books.

It just has a different vibe to it because Parker is different. The author has done an amazing job with being able to differentiate her characters, and create books with the uniqueness each character truly has. Not only that, but she has created women who are just as strong in their own right. Lexi is a woman who I can relate to. I have been in a relationship like hers with her fiancée, and it is so hard, it takes such a core of inner steel to be able to do what she did. Lexi may not be Sugar, but she is just as tough and gritty in her own way.

If you’ve ever been that nerdy girl, that girl geek, the one who would rather curl up with a book on some obscure subject like Biblical Aramaic (*guilty*), then Parker is your Titan man.

#BLITZ for #CANCER #SUPPORT and #GIVEAWAY: You're Not Alone Anthology

100% of the royalties earned or accrued in the purchase of this book, in all formats, will go to the Pamela Winton tribute fund, which is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

You're not Alone

by Ian D. Moore and friends

An anthology, themed on relationships, of more than 20 authors 

from around the world . 

From urban fantasy to stories that bring tears to the eye.

Quick Details:

Release Date:  July 11th, 2015      

                           

Cover Design by Christine Southworth

What can be better than a good book and the satisfaction of helping others at the same time? 

An international group of indie authors, inspired by the personal grief of one, decided to collaborate in the spring of 2015 in a project to create this multi-genre smorgasbord of original short stories, all with the same potent theme – relationship. Some are heartfelt, some funny, some poignant, and some are just a little bit scary – much like relationships themselves. All are by authors fired by the shared enthusiasm to give something back in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. 100% of the profit made on the purchase of this book, in any format, goes to the charity. Cancer touches us all. It has in some way affected those who have contributed their time and talent here. This is our way of showing that we care.

Indie authors carry forward a revolutionary shift in publishing, which allows the author to be creative director in their own work. There are many exceptional, experienced and acclaimed writers who have decided to take this bold step in publishing. In producing this anthology we have also had the inestimable assistance on board of artists, graphic designers, and bloggers – all of whom have a place in our acknowledgments. You, the discerning reader, are the other vital part of this equation. By buying this book you are supporting the work of indie authors, as well as discovering their worth. You are also supporting the charity to which we have chosen to dedicate our work.

Meet the team:

Meet the authors and the stories:

1.  A Year Afterwards - LESLEY HAYES, author of The Drowned Phoenician Sailor.

2.   Closure - BL PRIDE, author of Addiction (Book One, Beyond Life series).

3.   Colin and Sandy - ANTHONY RANDALL, author of The English Sombrero.

4.   One of Those Days -IAN D MOORE, author of Salby Damned.

5.   Dolphins Dance – MIKE BILLINGTON, author of Corpus Delectable.

6.   A Special Evening- D AVRAHAM, author of The Shepherd King, (Book I: Foundation Stone; and Off-Wire).

7.   At the Hands of the Healers-SALLYANN PHILLIPS, author of Angel’s Blood (Book one, of the Angel’s Blood series).

8.   Dad – KAYLA HOWARTH, author of The Institute.

9.   Forever Yours - CHRISTOPHE FISCHER, author of The Luck of the Weissensteiners (Book 1 of the Three Nations Trilogy).

10.  Fruits -PHYLLIS EDGERLY RING, author of the soon to be published The Munich Girl: A Novel of the Legacies That Outlast War.

11.   Lillies on the Mantel – SYLVA FAE, soon to be published children’s author, Sylvanian Ramblings sylvafae.co.uk

12.   Gabriel and the Minister Bird - ANDREW UPDEGROVE, author of The Alexandria Project.

13.   Inside Out - PENNY LUKER, author of The Truth Finder.

14.  Witch’s Mark – KATERINA SESTAKOVA NOVOTNA, author of Hawaiian Lei of Shrunken Heads.

15.   Love’s Silent Ache - LISA SHAMBROOK, author of Beneath the Rainbow.

16.   Goals - TOM BENSON, author of A Taste of Honey.

17.   If the Shoe Fits - KATHARINE E. HAMILTON, author of The Unfading Lands.

18.   The Birth – LUCINDA E. CLARKE, author of Amie.

19.   Lotta Blum - BARBARA DORAN, soon to be published new author. Can be found at www.serendipitydoit.wordpress.com.

20.   Never too Old -ANGELA LOCKWOOD, author of Language in the Blood.

21.   Ooh Air Magrit - REBECCA BRYN, author of Touching the Wire.

22.   Babes - MAX POWER, author of Darkly Wood.

23.   A Stitch in Time - SK HOLMESLEY, author of Autumn Antics.

24.   Day Late Dollar Short – ERIC LAHTI, author of Henchmen.

25.  Love in an Elevator – S.E MEYER, author of Origins (Book 1 of the Origins Series).

26.   No Longer Broken - NICO LAESER, author of Infinity: An Anonymous Biography & Skin Cage.

27.   Last Goodbyes - PAUL RUDDOCK, author of Not What You Thought.

28.   The Yoga Bowl - FELIPE ADAN LERMA, author of One Night in the Hill Country

 With invaluable help editing and polishing from Diana J Febry author of Bells On Her Toes

BUY THIS BOOK ON AMAZON

Giveaway:

9 Prizes:

- A paperback copy of "You're not Alone"

- One e-copy of any of the following titles by Max Power: "Darkly Wood","Larry Flynn", "Bad Blood" and "Little Big Boy".

- 2 e-copies of each of the following titles by Anthony Randall: "The English Sombrero: The Little White Ball" and "The English sombrero: Nothing to do but Run"

- An e-copy of any of Phyllis Ring's books

- 2  e-books by Angela Lockwood
- 10 e-book copies of "Origins" by S.E. Meyer
- ebook copies of "Salby Damned" by Ian D. Moore

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#REVIEW: Mermen by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Title: Mermen

Series: Mermen Trilogy #1

Author:  Mimi Jean Pamfilhoff

Published Date: May 10, 2015

Publisher: P & S Inc

Format: ebooka

Pages: 249

ISBN:  0990304876

Genre: contemporary fantasy

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: These Mermen Don’t Have Tails, They’re Deadly as Hell, and They’ve Got Something He Wants…

INFAMOUS BACHELOR and SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE ROEN DORAN IS A BASTARD. Yes, he knows it. And no, he doesn’t care. He’s got money and power, and he depends on no one. But when his estranged father dies, willing him a secret island, Roen will come face to face with an even bigger secret: its occupants. And these savage, sea-obsessed warriors are quick to make their position clear: Leave now or die.

There’s only one problem. Nobody tells Roen what to do. Ever. Oh, and one other thing. He’s just met the island’s other new “guest” and something about her brings out his possessive side.

SOLE SHIPWRECK SURVIVOR LIV STRATTON had been adrift at sea for ten grueling days when salvation miraculously appeared: an uncharted island. Only, the deceivingly beautiful men who live there aren’t interested in saving her. No, not at all. Because they somehow believe she is their property, a gift from the ocean to do with as they please. This is not good.

Her only hope? Billionaire Roen Doran, of all people. A man who’s said to care for nothing and no one. But if he’s so heartless, then why is he about to risk everything to help her?

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Mimi Jean Pamilhoff, and I was impressed. This book is a fresh, intriguing take on mermaids and mermen. The very first page finds us in the middle of the ocean, fighting off dehydration and inevitable death with Liv Stratton, the only survivor of a sunken ship. And from there, it only gets better as Liv washes ashore on an island filled with testosterone laden men. If you think this is every woman’s fantasy….think again, this is more nightmare-inspiring.

The characters really made the book. Liv hadn’t changed much through out the book except for her hormone driven lust for Roen. You could see that she was a strong, independent woman, as she struggled to survive after the sinking of the ship, out in the water. This continued on to the end of the book.

Roen started out as a heartless billionaire, willing to destroy anyone or anything that got in his way of making more money .Once he got to the island though, something changed, perhaps because he wasn’t under the scrutiny of society, but he became very human, especially in his feelings towards Liv. The change between the sweet caring Roen, and the crazy testosterone Roen of the island was like dealing with someone with multiple personality disorder.

The book ends on a fantastic cliff-hanger: one that had me immediately looking to see if I could get the next book.

#RELEASE DAY: Walkin' On The Sun by Paul DeLisle

I could not be more excited to feature this new release! Who hasn't rocked out to the music of Smash Mouth?! Now you can go behind the music with a band that carried the spirit of a generation in Walkin' on the Sun; The Official Smash Mouth Biography. 

Blurb: 

Hello. My name is Paul DeLisle. I’m the guy who wrote this book. You've probably never heard of me. That's okay. Most people wouldn't know me from Adam. But, unless you've been living in a cloistered monastery for the last fifteen years, you have heard of my band.

So begins the memoir of the creation, rise, and current state of the multi-platinum recording artist Smash Mouth as told by bassist Paul DeLisle. Well known for their hits “All Star,” “Walking on the Sun,” “Then the Morning Comes,” “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” and “I’m a Believer,” the band carried the spirit of a generation, but didn't stop there. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look from Paul’s unique, there from the start, insider’s view.

Excerpt:

There's an episode of Cheers where washed-up ball player Sam Malone, frustrated with either Diane or Rebecca, proclaims, "Y'know, most people don't know this ... but I’m famous!"

I love that line. I can totally relate. You see, I am a founding and continued member of the band Smash Mouth. Yet I am, proudly and alas, the bass player. I’m not famous. My band is.

From the beginning, Smash Mouth was set up as a democracy between four musicians and a manager, each player having an equal voice on band matters. Yet we were all fully aware and accepting of the fact that, as lead singer/frontman, Steve Harwell would be getting a disproportionate amount of attention. Seeing as he is the face and mouthpiece of Smash Mouth, you may be a little disappointed he didn't write this book.

But stay with me here. Because as you'll see, I have a unique vantage point: as one of only four original constituents, I’ve been involved in every aspect of the band since day one. Only Steve and I have trod every step of this Smash Mouth journey. Also, while traditionally under-recognized, the bass player himself sees everything. Plus I went to college. Who better to write a book about Smash Mouth?

That said, keep in mind this book is solely from my point of view. Steve, Greg, Kevin, and Robert would obviously have different takes on certain events. However, this book is simply intended as a comprehensive account of our rise to fame and continued success.

So without further ado ... here’s what happened:

EEP!!! How awesome is that! Pick up your copy of Walkin' on the Sun today and get your own "backstage pass" to the world of Smash Mouth! 

Buy Links: 

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords 

---

#RELEASE DAY: The Plan by Tawdra Kandle

The Plan

A Crystal Cove Romance

Book 2

Available Now!

iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Smashwords/Google Play/All Romance Ebooks/Goodreads

Emmy Carter is a hard-working, no-nonsense woman. She's focused only on supporting her family and growing her pie business. Working weekend nights at The Riptide is just something she does to help pay the bills. When it comes to men--or love--she's not interested. Since the day her surfer-boy husband walked out the door to find bigger waves, Emmy's been determined never to give another man power over her heart. Cooper Davis agrees. He's been married--and divorced--twice, and he's got no desire to make it a trifecta. He has his carpentry business, which is his passion, and his teen-aged daughter to keep him busy. The posse, his best friends since boyhood, tease him about finding the right woman. But Cooper knows she doesn't exist. When Emmy and Cooper share a casual hook-up late one night, isn't a big deal. It's just a one-time thing. Until it isn't. And although neither of them will admit to themselves or each other that they want more, each encounter only brings them closer to the happily-ever-after they never planned to have. Like it or not. . .it's all part of The Plan.

***Special price for THE POSSE (A Crystal Cove Romance Book 1)***

***99 cents for a limited time only!***

iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Google Play/Kobo/All Romance Ebooks

One women, three men, and a love story as unpredictable as the riptide . . .

Being a widow at the age of forty-four was never in Jude Hawthorne’s plans. After her husband’s death, she’s left with her family’s beach restaurant and two nearly-grown children. The last thing she’s looking for is another chance at love.

However, if her husband’s best friends, the Posse, have anything to say about it, love is just what she’s going to get. The Posse is determined to take care of Jude, and when they decide the best way to do that is for one of them to sweep her off her feet, three begin to vie for her affections. But only one can reach her heart. In a story of friendship, loss and second chances, Jude will learn her life is far from being over.

Coming August 25th

The Path

A Crystal Cove Romance

Book 3

Abby Donavan came to the small beach community of Crystal Cove to start over. After a painful affair broke her heart and derailed her burgeoning career, taking over management for the just-opened bed-and-breakfast was the safe choice. In this sleepy town, Abby figured she could bury her memories and forget the pain. When the chance to have her own hotel falls into her lap, though, she can’t resist the temptation. Making the old Riverside Inn into the showplace she’s always dreamed of running offers the second chance she never expected. Abby didn’t expect another kind of second chance to land on her doorstep at the same time. Ryland Kent wants to help her bring the Riverside back to life, and his passion for restoration is irresistible. But as much as she wants to ignore it, she can’t help seeing another spark in his eyes . . . one that offers to reignite her own flame. Sometimes the path to a happily-ever-after is anything but smooth. Pre-order here! iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Google Play  

About the author

Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance (THE KING SERIES), through NA paranormal and contemporary romance (THE SERENDIPITY DUET, PERFECT DISH DUO, THE ONE TRILOGY) to adult contemporary and paramystery romance (CRYSTAL COVE BOOKS and RECIPE FOR DEATH SERIES). She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair. Follow Tawdra here: Facebook/Twitter/Tsu/Pinterest/Instagram/Website/Newsletter/Amazon

#REVIEW: The Last Bookaneer by Matthew Pearl

Title: The Last Bookaneer

Series: none

Author:  Matthew Pearl

Published Date: April 28, 2015

Publisher: Penguin Press

Format: ebook

Pages: 400

ISBN: 9781594204920

Genre: historical fiction

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 1 ½ stars

Synopsis: book'a-neer' (bŏŏk'kå-nēr'), n. a literary pirate; an individual capable of doing all that must be done in the universe of books that publishers, authors, and readers must not have a part in

London, 1890—Pen Davenport is the most infamous bookaneer in Europe. A master of disguise, he makes his living stalking harbors, coffeehouses, and print shops for the latest manuscript to steal. But this golden age of publishing is on the verge of collapse. For a hundred years, loose copyright laws and a hungry reading public created a unique opportunity: books could easily be published without an author’s permission. Authors gained fame but suffered financially—Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, to name a few—but publishers reaped enormous profits while readers bought books inexpensively. Yet on the eve of the twentieth century, a new international treaty is signed to grind this literary underground to a sharp halt. The bookaneers are on the verge of extinction.

From the author of The Dante Club, Matthew Pearl, The Last Bookaneeris the astonishing story of these literary thieves’ epic final heist. On the island of Samoa, a dying Robert Louis Stevenson labors over a new novel. The thought of one last book from the great author fires the imaginations of the bookaneers, and soon Davenport sets out for the South Pacific island. As always, Davenport is reluctantly accompanied by his assistant Fergins, who is whisked across the world for one final caper. Fergins soon discovers the supreme thrill of aiding Davenport in his quest to steal Stevenson’s manuscript and make a fortune before the new treaty ends the bookaneers’ trade forever. But Davenport is hardly the only bookaneer with a mind to pirate Stevenson’s last novel. His longtime adversary, the monstrous Belial, appears on the island, and soon Davenport, Fergins, and Belial find themselves embroiled in a conflict larger, perhaps, than literature itself.

In The Last Bookaneer, Pearl crafts a finely wrought tale about a showdown between brilliant men in the last great act of their professions. It is nothing short of a page-turning journey to the heart of a lost era.

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my introduction to this author, and I was highly disappointed. This had to be the wordiest, slowest book that I have yet to experience this year. Trying to slog through this book was like trying to walk in the middle of a flood of maple syrup in the middle of February. It was always one of those books that I could easily put down, and completely forget about. I picked it because the blurb sounded so amazing: in reality, the characters are completely forgettable; the action is non-existent until the very end. I can’t see many people, unless you are one of the determined readers, to read through 400 pages, just to get to the action in the last 50.

I’m not sure I will be reading any more from this author.

#REVIEW: World After by Susan Ee

Title: World After

Series: Penryn and the End of Days #2

Author:  Susan Ee

Published Date: November 19, 2013

Publisher: Skyscape

Format: ebook

Pages: 336

ISBN: 9781444778540

Genre: post apocalyptic fiction

Add to: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister, Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Most sequels fall flat. That’s the curse of the sequel. If you are really lucky, the author finishes the series before it is so horrible that readers just stop reading. It happened for Fifty Shades for me, it happened for numerous other series for me.

The first book in this series was dark, terrifying, and thrilling, all at the same time, and it ended in such a way that I immediately picked up the next book without taking a breath. The end of the first book was an emotional, heart-rending experience and I needed some sort of happy ending. Instead, I was tossed into a book where people think Penryn is dead in front of them, Paige is some sort of miniature Frankenstein, their mother is even crazier than before, and Raffe? Oh Raffe….

The more I think about it, the more it shows how, when push comes to shove, any society sees what is right in front of them only superficially and judges, not on the person’s inside, but on their appearance, basing the person’s morality on how they look. And aren’t we as a society so very guilty of that too?

This book did not succumb to the curse of the sequel; instead it was just different enough to not be a carbon copy of the previous book, but just as exciting. If I could have, I would have read it in one sitting. This book was just as dark, and emotional, and gripping as Angelfall, if not more so.