Enduring Romance

Enduring Romance is Retired

2011-08-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

It was a glorious four year run, making love connections between authors and readers! And those Cyber-Launch Book Parties were a blast. A big thanks to everyone who ever popped in. If anyone wants to follow me around the blogosphere, I can be found at my main site Kimber An and will be spending a lot of time at our new group blog for ePublished YA authors, Fabulously Young ePubs.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

2011-08-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Countdown to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Book Seven-Part 2-THE REST OF HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS BY J.K ROWLING!!
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Yep, it’s time for Part II!!!! Whoo-hoo! It’s the Last Battle, and it’s awesome!! Here we go:

WARNING!!!!!!

ENJOY!

Okay, where were we? Oh, yeah. Dobby just died, they’re at Shell Cottage with Luna, Dean, Mr. Ollivander, and Griphook. Wonderful.

The trio only stays there long enough to interrogate Griphook and Mr. Ollivander about the possibility of a Horcrux in the Lestranges’ vault and the possibility of Lord Voldemort having (dun-dun-doww!!) the Elder Wand, respectively.

So they set off to break into Gringotts-not a good idea, to say the least. This is proved when the treasure in the vault is cursed and nearly kills them, a horde of goblins turn up and nearly kill them, and they hitch a ride on a blind dragon (do NOT try that at home!), which again, nearly kills them.

Luckily, though, they get the Horcrux-a cup that used to belong to Helga Hufflepuff. Unluckily, Griphook got the sword, so they have nothing to destroy it with. Unluckier still, Voldemort’s noticed Harry’s going after his Horcruxes. He’s going around checking on them-and no doubt he’s going to be slightly annoyed when he discovers most of them are gone. Okay, that was a bit of an understatement. Try REALLY REALLY YELL-HIS-LUNGS-OUT-ZAP-SOME-GOBLINS/HOUSE ELVES/WHATEVER’S HANDY annoyed. That also means he’s going to turn up at Hogwarts and probably protect his Horcrux there even more securely.

Harry has to get there first. They Apparate into Hogsmeade, where they discover the Death Eaters have the whole place under their control. They’re nearly captured but rescued by Aberforth Dumbledore, Dumbledore’s brother!

Aberforth protests their fighting Voldemort and all, telling them Dumbledore’s full backstory in the process, but eventually lets them into Hogwarts via a passageway to the Room of Requirement.

There they meet Neville, Luna, Ginny, and some other old friends, including Cho Chang which makes things a little awkward. But eventually they sort things out and Luna takes Harry to the Ravenclaw dormitory to see a model of what Harry thinks is the Hogwarts Horcrux-Rowena Ravenclaw’s long-lost diadem.

While there a Death Eater attacks, is Stunned by Luna, and the Death Eater and her brother are tied up by Professor McGonagall, who decides to support Harry and fight Voldemort. A little later we meet Snape, who duels Professor McGonagall and escapes, presumably to join Voldemort, who by the way is on his way to Hogwarts RIGHT NOW!!!!

Luckily, no one decides to run and scream their lungs out. Unluckily, Voldemort is aware of what is going on and prepares to take over Hogwarts. The Order of the Phoenix joins in and the battle begins.

Meanwhile, Harry finds Ron and Hermione. Somehow they managed to get into the Chamber of Secrets, get a basilisk fang, and destroy the cup Horcrux, sharing their first KISS (YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!) in the process. Now they’ve just got to figure out how to get the diadem.

Luckily, Harry gets a brainwave and comes up with the answer: it’s in the Room of Requirement! Unluckily, Draco Malfoy and his henchmen Crabbe and Goyle follow him there. Crabbe, who seems to be a bit rebellious lately, sets a Fiendfyre curse going, and the trio, Draco, and Goyle barely manage to get out. Luckily, the fire destroys the Horcrux. Unluckily, Crabbe dies in the blaze.

And the tearjerking only starts there. It quick succession three people we never thought would die do just that. I’m not saying who, but it’s pretty major.

All this has Harry close to despair. Only heightening the drama is Professor Snape’s death at the hands of Voldemort. But before he dies, he gives Harry a memory. Harry heads up to Dumbledore’s office. He finds out from the memory that-surprise!!!-Dumbledore had planned his death with Snape, so Snape never truly won the Elder Wand from Dumbledore-and thereby, neither did Voldemort! Actually, Draco did-remember, he’d Disarmed Dumbledore right before Snape killed him. So technically it was Draco-and remember, Harry took Draco’s wand at Malfoy Manor, so now-dun dun doww!!-the Elder Wand is Harry’s! Yeah, confusing, I know. But really, are there any good books that aren’t?

But even bigger than that is the revelation-Harry’s a Horcrux!

Yep, you heard me right. Harry has a bit of Voldemort’s soul living in him. This explains how Harry got Parseltongue, and all those times he read Voldemort’s mind, and how his scar would hurt whenever Voldemort was really angry, really happy, or really close.

Unfortunately, it also means that Harry has to die if anyone’s to beat Voldemort.

So he does.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, don’t everyone go running and screaming in panic. Harry doesn’t die. He almost dies, which is another matter entirely.

He survives, again, due to a serious lapse of good sense on Voldemort’s part. Remember when Voldemort took Harry’s blood to revive himself way back in Goblet of Fire? Well, that’s what saves Harry now. When he took Harry’s blood, Voldemort bound them both to life while the other lived. In other words, Voldemort can’t kill Harry, and vice versa. Not for long, though!

And plus, Voldemort just unknowingly destroyed the piece of his soul that was in Harry, so there’s only one Horcrux left-nasty old Nagini.

She’s soon taken care of by everyone’s favorite cheer-on-able hero, Neville, leaving Harry and Voldemort in the final showdown. Who will win?! Will Harry win, and save the whole world, wizards and Muggles alike? Or will the former-super-cute Tom Riddle turned Voldemort win and take over the world?!

I’m not saying, but it should be obvious if you’ve been paying attention.

Well, that’s it everyone! I have now reviewed the whole Harry Potter series! I think I did an OK job, but it’s nothing at all like the actual book, so I recommend you go read the whole series. It’s been really fun reviewing these, and I hope you enjoyed it. Sadly the series is now at an end: all the books and movies have been released. But it’s been great! Now go read some more, and I’ll be back with more great reviews! Until then, happy hippogriffs to you!

Fabulously Young ePubs!

2011-07-31T07:15:00.001-07:00

Come check out the new group blog- Fab ePubs

Fabulously Young ePubs Launches Tomorrow!

2011-07-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Pop on over and check it out. We have NINE authors contributing from three different publishers. Fabulously Young ePubs

Fabulously Young ePubs!

2011-07-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hey, Blog Buds, the other Decadent YA authors and I are throwing together a group blog, so I'll be transitioning to that this weekend as Enduring Romance goes into retirement. If you are or know anyone who is an *ePublished* Young Adult author, please let us know! We're all Decadent right now, but we'd like to include non-Decadent authors to spread the love. Fabulously Young ePubs

Five Star Review for CRUSHED SUGAR!

2011-07-24T19:32:00.001-07:00

CRUSHED at I Heart YA Books

More of Kimber Jr's Top Ten HARRY POTTER Stuff

2011-07-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Kimber An here: This is excellent feedback on why readers like certain characters.
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My Top Ten favorite Harry Potter characters
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1. Luna Lovegood-because she is AWESOMENESS ITSELF!!!! I like her because she has imagination and believes in things she can’t see, and she’s a very good character. She also knows how to stand up for herself! ;)

2. Hermione Granger-because she is among the greatest heroines of all time!!!!! She’s cool because she’s a bit of a know-it-all but that’s a good thing because she’s able to help Harry with the hunt for the Horcruxes. She’s also not afraid to punch bullies like Malfoy! She’s a really good friend and is always there for Harry and Ron and she’s just truly brilliant! And plus-she has a really good sense of timing! ;)

3. Ginny Weasley-because she is a true Gryffindor!!!!! I’m pretty sure a lot of people just think of her as Harry’s love interest. NOT TRUE!! Yes, she likes Harry. And Harry likes her. And they kiss like four times-holding the record for most kisses between the same two characters in Harry Potter-but she’s so much more!!! Hey, she dueled Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries, not to mention took part in the Battle of Hogwarts!! She grew a lot from the timid first-year who was possessed by Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Now its clear-she’s a true Gryffindor!

4. Harry Potter-because he is a truly realistic protagonist!!!! Now Harry is the person who generally comes to mind when you think of Harry Potter-for obvious reasons. He is like the greatest protagonist ever, just because of the way he grows from book to book. When he’s eleven, he acts like an eleven-year-old. When he’s fifteen, he acts like a fifteen-year-old. And when he’s seventeen, he acts like a seventeen-year-old. He’s also the type of hero you care about. He’s not some random guy running around zapping this other bald guy for no apparent reason. He’s a boy who lost his parents to a very evil wizard and wants to avenge them and everyone else who’s lost their lives to Voldemort. You really care about him and let me tell you that really comes into play in the last part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. All in all, just a truly great character!!

5. Ron Weasley-because he is a very good friend to Harry!!!! Ron can be a confusing character. He’s often insensitive and sometimes a bit unkind, but he’s really a very loyal friend to Harry and Hermione. He’s also prone to jealousy, but in the end shows himself as a true Gryffindor, fighting alongside Harry in pretty much every major battle he’s in. Not to mention he, like Hermione, has a very good sense of timing!! ;)

6. Mrs. Weasley-because she’s the one who zapped Bellatrix!!!!! Of course, that one act pretty much seals her place in my top ten, because I absolutely hate Bellatrix. But more than that, she acts as a mother figure to Harry, whose mother was killed by Voldemort. She’s very caring and can be very fierce-as she demonstrated when she zapped Bellatrix-when those she loves are in danger.

7. Bellatrix Lestrange-because she was bad, but she was very, very good at it!!! Honestly, even I have to admit she was a really good villainess, possibly second only to Cruella DeVil. In fact I’d say she’s my all-time favorite villain, Harry Potter or not. I would say she even beats out Voldemort in terms of true evilness, but I don’t think so. They’re about equal in terms of true evil, and after all that’s what being a villain’s all about.

8. Fred & George Weasley-because they are the main sources of comic relief, yet still manage to be true heroes!!!! These twins are two of the funniest characters I’ve ever encountered in books in general, and yet they still manage to pull off the whole hero routine, and do it well. Not to mention they got revenge on Professor Umbridge, who in my opinion is second in nastiness only to Bellatrix and Voldemort themselves! Truly awesome!!!

9. Neville Longbottom-because he is a true unsung hero!!!!! Truth be told, he’s not the type you’d expect to become a hero-though then, neither is Luna. But boy does he become one in the end!!!! He’s the one who defeated Nagini, the last remaining Horcrux, with the sword of Gryffindor. I’m going to say right now, they expanded his role quite a bit in the movie of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and I love how they did it. It’s absolutely magnificent, and if you didn’t think Neville was a true hero yet, you would now!!

10. Severus Snape-because he is a truly dynamic, tragic character!!!! Surprised? Don’t be. He is a surprisingly dynamic character. In the first few books he’s just basically a big bully to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. In Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince, you learn more about him, including his backstory. Honestly, before I saw the movie, I never thought I’d get that emotional over Snape. He’s just not the type you have much sympathy for-until the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Pt. 2). Then, just when you start thinking “OK, Snape’s a definite villain ‘cause he killed Dumbledore and pretty much took over Hogwarts, oh, and not to mention he’s a Death Eater,” BOOM!! That whole thing just positively shatters and you really get to see what a tragic life Professor Snape had. You’d never have thought it, but he is a true hero and deserves his place on my list.

My Favorite Harry Potter Book & Movie:

Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-just because it’s when you see everything completed and it all makes sense.

Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2-it’s just magnificent and emotional and everything else a truly great movie should be. Hands down my favorite Harry Potter movie.

Top Ten Favorite HARRY POTTER Moments

2011-07-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the last Harry Potter movie, my daughter compiled several lists of favorites. Besides being fun, I think it's helpful to us writers to see what appeals to readers.
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Movie Only: this scene is only in the movie, not the book

BaM: this scene is in both the book and the movie

1. Harry and Hermione’s dance-movie only, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

2. Dumbledore’s Farewell-BaM (but they’re very different), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

3. Ron and Hermione say Goodbye-movie only, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2

4. Hermione Punches Malfoy-BaM, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Clip on YouTube

5. Ron & Hermione’s Kiss-BaM, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Pt. 2)

6. Harry & Ginny’s Kiss-BaM, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7. Harry & Ginny’s Kiss-BaM, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (pt. 1)

8. Harry & Ginny’s Kiss-movie only, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2

9. Harry & Cho’s Kiss-BaM, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

10. Mrs. Weasley Zaps Bellatrix Lestrange-BaM, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (pt.2)

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU B***!"

Of course, this IS a personal favorite of MAMA BEARS like me the world over!

This Blog Will Retire August 1st...

2011-07-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

...after four glorious years of making love connections between Readers and Writers. It will remain online, but become Read Only. Please pop back in for updates between now and August 1st.

What Matters Most?

2011-07-17T02:34:00.000-07:00

Most of the young adult fiction I write has to do with people saving the world. (Hell, that's what most of my fiction deals with in some way.) But as we know from super-hero movies, even when you're saving the world, you still have a life. So at what point does one fall prey to the other?

I have a tendency to come into popular TV series late. Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I started watching in season 6. Smallville? Uh...on DVD right around the time it ended its run. (Yay for jumping on Supernatural from the start! But...it doesn't take place in high school, so we'll save that for another day's analysis.) But one great thing about watching so much of these shows all at once is that the trends kind of whack you over the head with a two-by-four.

Buffy and Angel I understood. He was instrumental to helping her save the world (or occasionally trying to destroy it himself) more than once. So that was a romance that fit right in with her being the chosen one. But her other romances? Not quite as much.

And don't even get me started on Clark Kent. Seriously, boyo, save the world or get the girl.

There's a delicate balancing act when you're dealing with world-ending matter and dating. How many times did Clark have to ditch Lana to go be a hero before she got the message that he had something more important going on? (Granted, he did, but since she didn't know, that isn't the point.) And Buffy? The only boyfriends that stuck for that girl were the ones who also weren't quite "normal", and every one of them that lasted knew she was the Slayer. And you know that the love interest always ends up in trouble, especially if they aren't super-(or supernatural)-powered.

So how does a character decide what matters most? The love-interest or "the world"? One's immediate and one's...kind of vague. The balance of one life you know and care intensely about weighed against the many strangers. And what does that decision say about them as a "person"? The copout, of course, is that they can manage to save everyone. Sometimes it works. Sometimes though, it just looks like a cheat.

As a writer, it's something I try to weigh very carefully, because reality says it can't work every time. At some point, the character has to decide and someone has to lose.

YA Decadent Blog Stomp: Bitter Roses

2011-07-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Blog Buds! It's my turn for the blog stomp. Please scroll to the bottom or click on the Blog Stom icon on the sidebar to the left to learn how you can enter the daily drawings and the Grand Prize drawing for the loaded KINDLE!
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Looking around at all the wonderful YA Authors I hang out with at Decadent got me thinking about why I write Young Adult in the first place. Well, at first, I didn't. I had no idea what I wrote. I just had big stories in my head and I wrote them down. It wasn't until people started critting them for me over at Critique Circle , people like Sara Gwen who was a teenager at the time, that I started getting feedback about having a 'voice' best suited to writing for teens. Duh. So, I worked on toning that voice and packaging my stories for that audience.
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So, why is my voice best suited for teens? My personal opinion is my lack of Bitter Roses. What I mean by that is Adults seem to go through a change at around age 20 (scientifically speaking, this is the age at which the human brain stops growing) and they begin to look back on their childhood and adolescence either in Bitterness or through Rose-Colored Glasses. Their ability to Think and Feel as their younger selves diminishes dramatically. (I've seen a similar thing happen around age 40, but that's for a different post.)
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This diminishing never happened for me.
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Here's a song to demonstrate what I mean:
'When I Grow Up' by the Beach Boys
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As I was saying, I still Think and Feel childhood and adolescence, which is undoubtedly why I was a Childcare Professional for years and years before having my own four children and finally becoming a published YA author.
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And there's another thing. My childhood and teens were far from ideal. I've read that other authors, most notably J.K. Rowling write for young people as a way to recapture childhood, because their own was not-so-good. I know I'm nowhere near the calibur of author Rowling is, but I think I've learned something she has too and I've learned to infuse my stories with it. You can either let Pain fester into Bitterness and end up miserable. Or, you can turn Pain on its ear and become Empathetic to those who suffer similarly. This is why the heroine of the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles is an Empath. It's a supernatural ability for her, but any human can learn empathy by really seeing and feeling for those around her, and then acting in a compassionate way. I'm not saying I've arrived at that, but my journey in life is taking me there.
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Commenters on today’s post are entered to win a Decadent title of their choice. In addition, all commenters will be entered into Decadent’s grand prize drawing. There’s some great stuff to win, so please enter today and enter often!
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Kimber An

Thank you

2011-07-07T03:25:00.000-07:00

I hadn't quite expected to be doing this so soon, but I'd like to say thank you to Kimber An for having me as a reviewer on Endurance Romance. She was the friend who went 'go for it!' when I mumbled about becoming a book reviewer and getting a blog. I'm so glad I took her advice!

Today's my last review on ER for a while. I've had to think through a few long term plans because of my health, and I'm cutting back on extra responsibility outside my own review blog. I'll still pop in to read posts, and I'll definitely be back if I have any publication news for my own novels. Although there's a big ocean between us, I've had fun working alongside Kimber An, Rebecca, Mfitz, Kimber An Junior (whose reviews are hilarious and always have me grinning madly at my laptop screen). I might be able to come back one day, but I'll have to see where life takes me first.

Never stop reading! Books are what make the world go round, along with love and friendship, all of which are found here.

The Jinn Darazgosh by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

2011-07-07T02:04:00.000-07:00

June 2011, Kindle ebook

Short story (fable)

Review copy

Summary of the book received with the publicity info

A Fable Relating How the Curiosity of a Jinn Led to the Usual Unhappy Results and Brought About the Closure of the Heavens Upon His Race

As this was such a short story, I won't use my usual review format. I think this is the first Islamic fable I've read. I was really intrigued by it, and I wasn't disappointed with the story. Darazgosh is quite a character, and a prime example of how the full story is often needed to fully understand a situation. I was constantly trying to second guess the story, and I failed miserably every time (a good thing). It is a really short tale, but it's one that's going to remain with me for a long time. I know I'll be re-reading it to remember the finer details, as well as for remembering that situations are often never what they appear to be, because no one ever knows all sides of it. That's the fun of life!

You can find out more about Musharraf on his website.

YA Decadent Authors Chat Tonight!

2011-07-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

at The Romance Studio

Done with SWEET BYTES!

2011-07-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Woo-hoo! Kimber An is a happy author today!

Decadent YA Chat for Blog Tour

2011-07-05T04:27:00.000-07:00

It's tomorrow night, July 6th. Come and be entered into the Blog Stomp's prize drawings!
Decadent YA Chat at the Romance Studio

Decadent Publishing YA Blog Tour Starts Today!

2011-07-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Blog Buds!
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My publisher, Decadent, kicks off its month-long blog tour today, starting at home with Let's Get This Party Started! This one's hosted by fellow YA author, Leslie Soule who is also one of my editors.

Leave a comment under this post or any other related post here or at one of the other participating blogs and you will be entered into the prize drawings.

Grand Prize: An Amazon Kindle loaded with SIX eBooks!

First Prize: a free eBook each month for 12 months

Second Prize: a free eBook each month for 6 months.

Additionally, each stop on the blog tour will have a drawing for an eBook on its assigned day.

This blog's stop is July 7th.

Today's stop is at Daily Dose of Decadence

Romance Endurance Training

2011-06-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, the title Enduring Romance always makes me giggle a little bit. Because if you think about it, it can be taken two (or maybe more) ways. First is the straight-forward "romance that lasts forever" sweetness and light. Then there's the "putting up with romance" angle. On any given day, I can alternate between those two meanings like they're on opposing sides of a wildly swinging pendulum.

You see, I consider myself primarily a "strong romantic elements" type of author. I can do straight romance, but I have a much harder time with it. I think the problem is I have a hard time looking at romance and falling in love as the primary part of anyone's story. An important part to be sure, but primary? For me that only works in fairy tales. So when I read or write romance, I always have to put on my princess glasses and see the world in this rainbow of cartoon colors. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't.

Strong romantic elements though? (Happy sigh) That's my sweet spot. It still has all the magic of boy meeting girl (or girl meeting girl or boy meeting boy...whatever match-up the story at hand needs), but like in life it's told within the framework of a bigger picture. Characters get to fall in love while finding the bad guy or running from danger or saving the world. It still happens, but it isn't the primary focus of their lives.

Because whether we like to admit it or not, there's always more than romance going on. There's school and jobs and family and friends, and sometimes falling in love has to take a backseat to those other things. For me, in romance stories, it always wants to be in the front seat--preferably driving.

Oddly enough, the first novel I ever tried to write was a romance. It was an epic love story about these two kids who ran away together as teenagers then were torn apart by life and how they fought to find each other again later. There was war and natural disaster and all sorts of stuff going on, but the focus of the story was the main characters and their emotional journey with each other. It...uh...*cough*...never made it very far. As much as I loved the idea (and still do, as a matter of fact) I couldn't write it.

Romance writers get a lot of grief from people saying how easy it is to write that "fluff". I'm pretty sure the only people who say that are the ones who've never tried writing it. Romance is hard.

Then again, so is falling in love.

~*~*~

Julie Particka is the author of Pretty Souls, book one of the Paranormal Response Team series, and the newest contributing member to Enduring Romance. She'll be posting every third Sunday. In the meantime, you can find her online at her website, blog, Facebook page, and Twitter.

Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

2011-06-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

9th June 2011 (UK), Mira Books
540 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Romance

Book blurb
Olivia Bellamy has traded her trendy Manhatten life for a summer renovating her family's crumbling holiday resort. Tempted by the hazy, nostalgic memories of summers past - childhood innocnece and the romance and rivalries of her teens - it's the perfect place to flee after her broken engagement.

But what began as an escape may just be a new beginning.

As Olivia uncovers secrets buried thick with dust, one by one her family return, their lives as frayed at the edges as the resort. Her father and the mystery woman in the tatty black and white photograph, Uncle John, who's trying to be a father again to his teenage kids. Conna Davis, the first love she never forgot.

Laughter is ringing around Willow Lake once more. This could be Olivia's summer of a lifetime!

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Olivia: although she's been emotionally burned, she focuses on a project and gives it her all. It's not her fault that because of the project ghosts from the past emerge: they are mysterious, painful and pleasurable.

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Daisy - initially she isn't someone I like or relate to, but she cares so much for her brother, and just wants to be loved by her father. I like who she becomes by the end of the story.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Substance abuse is horrific at any age. Keeping essential secrets about a loved one's past can initially cause an awful lot of hurt, but it doesn't last forever.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Apart from the obvious ones indicated in the blurb, there were a nice lot of surprises. I especially liked how the story switched povs, and switched from the present day to the past (mostly to life at camp).

One of my favourite parts was...frustratingly I thought I'd put a bookmark at my favourite part, but I haven't so I haven't go the exact details. It was when Daisy became happier with her family situation, and wanted to do something with her life.

I give this romance/family saga 9/10, with the romance rated between mildly sensual to sensual, there's also some strong language and substance use/abuse.

If you like this I recommend Lily's Journey by Tania Crosse, another story full of family secrets and character growth.

Kimber An is At Reader Girls Today

2011-06-04T05:02:00.000-07:00

Bianca Interviews Adrian and Ophelia

Kimber An's Site

2011-06-02T06:23:00.001-07:00

Updated

Wanted! By Kate Thompson

2011-06-02T02:59:00.000-07:00

September 2010, Bodley Head (UK publisher)
128 pages, Hardback
Review copy

Children's, Historical, 9+

Drama, ancient Rome, mad emperors, misunderstanding, tense moments, family ties and support, some humour

Summary from Random House Children's Books (UK)
Marcus is a young baker in Ancient Rome, living with his family in the shadow of the murderous Emperor Littleboots. When a slave boy shoves the reins of a sleek, beautiful horse into Marcus’s hands seconds before he is killed by a soldier, Marcus knows he’s in danger – because the horse is Incitatus, the Emperor’s most prized and powerful animal.

Will Marcus find a way to keep Incitatus hidden? Are the rumours of Littleboots’s death true – or is it all a trick? And how can Marcus save himself, and his family?

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Marcus...he's one plucky boy, although some might see him as unfortunate when Incitatus decides he likes Marcus & won't leave his side.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Incitatus - that horse has such character!

How evil/nasty is the enemy? I'd say pretty evil considering how Marcus could be executed at any moment.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? It's surprising how much a small book took me by surprise. Never just a book on the number of pages!

One of my favourite parts was...when it ended. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and not worry about Marcus.

I give this 9/10 - the illustrations added to the sense of action throughout the book.

SUGAR RUSH Reviewed

2011-05-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

Got Romance Reviews Caution: This is an over-18 site.

CRUSHED SUGAR Reviewed

2011-05-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Got Romance Reviews Caution: This is an over-18 site.

Kimber An at Daily Dose of Decadence

2011-05-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about the PLAYLIST for the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles there today.

Summer Reads & Writes

2011-05-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hey, Blog Buds, school's out! I've been spending almost all my computer time on Sweet Bytes, the next full length novel in the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles. Now that school's out, I can do more.
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Writing must always come first now. I was hoping to have Sweet Bytes read to send to Decadent by the first week of May. Um...okay, so then I set my goal for the last week in May. Well...then in my story analysis I came up TWELVE chapters short of my wordcount. Yeah, I spewed coffee on my computer screen. Good thing I have Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder or that would have taken me months to figure out and then months more to figure out what to do about it. As it is, it took just a few minutes. But, it will take a solid week to make up those chapters.
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Anyway...I reckon my editors would rather receive a story that's as complete and good as I can make it all by myself.
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Once that's done, I'm going to be spending time on blogosphere-wide events, like Decadent's YA Blog Tour in July. I'll be guest blogging all over the place and such. Stay tuned to this station for more details.
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Besides that and a massive amount of end-of-the-homeschool-housecleaning, I also plan to READ! Yes, read! Haven't had time to do that in such a long time. I really do miss being a book reviewer. With the last Harry Potter movie coming out, I want to read the whole series again. My children and I are planning to read Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone out loud together.
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I also want to reread Nefertiti by Michelle Moran again. It's one of those books I like to read once a year. I want to read Lottery by Patricia Wood, but I gave my copy to my mother and made her swear to take excellent care of it. Signed by the author, you know! I'll check out a copy from the library. Other rereads will be Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair and Apocalypse Blues by Walter Greatshell.
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For first time reads, I want to squeeze in some Steampunk, like Boneshaker by Cherie Priest and a few swoony Historical Romances set in World War II and the Old West. Any recommendations?
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Ahhh, summer! I can't wait to go camping!
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You know what I can't figure out about camping these days? Why in tarnation do people even go if they have to take all their modern junk with them? When I go camping, goshdarnit, I wanna get dirty!

Spy Girl: The Dark Side of Midnight by Carol Hedges

2011-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

June 2005, Usborne books
272 pages, Paperback
Children's 11+, thriller-ish

Summary from Usborne.
Jazmin Dawson is a super-cool secret agent with hi-tech kit and a hi-octane life of crimebusting... in her dreams! In reality, Jazmin is a schoolgirl with a serious snack habit, whose biggest battles are with her maths homework. But then everything changes. Jazmin’s mum, who is a spy, goes missing and Jazmin is sent to rescue her. Stepping off the plane in Prague, Jazmin finds herself at the centre of an international mystery, and with a dangerous mission to infiltrate a rogue scientific institute.

Enjoying Ally Carter's spy series (ok so I've only read the first one to date..I do have the rest!), this one really caught my eye. It sounded awesome. Only at first I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd expected to. The style of writing is a bit different to what I'm used to, because there was a lot of pov changes in quite quick succession. I found it a little difficult to read the first paragraph of each section because of the style of font it was in, but that's a formatting issue.

It didn't take long before I was used to the style, and totally in love with Jazmin. I had formed several theories (just like Jaz) about what her cousin Clea was doing when she was away.((Jaz was staying with her cousin, aunt and uncle while her mother was away - she didn't want to be there! Clea didn't want Jaz hanging around, and kept disappearing. The mystery about Clea thickens when Jaz finds out that her cousin isn't actually with her friends - apparently Clea is with Jaz! Since they clearly aren't together, Jaz starts investigating) They were all wrong. I loved how Jaz dealt with everything thrown at her - she's so like me in some of the decisions she makes and her viewpoints. It's nice how imperfect she was, especially with loving snacks, and then realising she could get healthier by cutting down on them and switching what she eats. Her thoughts are very comical.

I think it was the way all the viewpoints started connecting together, then the way the links got thicker as the story progressed which grabbed my interest the most. I was sitting thinking 'oooooooo' as the book got closer to the end. Yes this is primarily a spy novel. It involves nutters (they are!). It also involves a key figure popular in children's & young adult fiction - angels. This angel isn't sweet - it's extremely scary! I was pretty freaked out by what it did. As for the end - that really blew my mind away. And Jaz's. Poor thing. Her cousin hadn't changed too much by the end of the story - which in some ways was a shame, but not entirely unexpected. As for Jaz - she changed a lot. She had to grow up very fast. Skip the next paragraph if you don't want minor spoilers.

Here's a minor spoiler: Jaz meets a guy who turns out to be more than he seems. Jaz doesn't know this though. Ever. There's a misunderstanding, they fall out, then tragedy strikes. How annoying! I was more mad than upset about this. Until what happened next...which was even more frustrating because Jaz doesn't know he survived! I'm so getting the 2nd book because I'm really hoping that the guy's disappearance will be an ongoing story. There's a real mystery there!

Right back on track for everyone now. So many issues get addressed in this action packed book. Cults, parent-daughter relationships, life of high flying business men, a little bit of a futuristic style with some of the houses, paranormal with angels, mild teen romance, life of spies and criminals.

This is definitely one of those books I'll be raving about to friends for a while, and insisting people check it out. Definitely gets 10/10 from me! Content wise it's relatively clean, with a bit of violence (on the gore-o-meter). Most of it is unseen violence though, all off the page.

Mother's Day Sale at Decadent!

2011-05-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Go, Hot Mamas!
Mother's Day at Decadent

New eBook Community!

2011-04-29T05:23:00.001-07:00

Check it out http://www.wattpad.com/

Review: Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney (and CONTEST)

2011-04-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

Semi-Sweet
by Roisin Meaney

Genre: Foodie Fiction with Romantic Elements
Publisher: Grand Central
Cost: $10.95

CONTEST: See here.

What I Liked:
First of all, I'm a sucker for anything foodie-romance related. While this isn't really a romance novel, it is definitely a love story. I would say a'la Nicholas Sparks, only it's not depressing. Also, more interesting. But I have no affinity for Nick Sparks. Also known as The Spork. He gives love stories a bad name. This book will give them a good one.

I appreciated the uncomplicated voice of this book. It's a story that could so easily be a trainwreck, because there's so much going on, but the author pulls off an engaging, complex tale. And the food. Well, like I said, I love the food. This book is one of those novels that will entertain you, but leave you with a sense that this story could as easily have happened to you. Very unlike most foodie books I've read, but still worth the read. Well-written, and couldn't have been happier with the ending if I'd tried. Love books like this!

Book Blurb:
Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.

CONTEST
I will be giving away two copies of this book on my foodie romance blog. Come on over and check it out!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T05:42:00.001-07:00

Backyard Chickens

Writing & Philanthropy

2011-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there everyone! Today I'm blogging about writing and philanthropy. Philanthropy is defined as "the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed by the donation of money to good causes."

If you've seen the movie Toy Story 3, then you're familiar with the part where Barbie and Ken meet for the first time and then say, "It's like we were made for each other."

Well that's how Writing and Philanthropy are, too - made for each other. On the one hand, you've got writing. In a way, writing is a dialogue that a person enters into with the world. On the other side of things is philanthropy, an act of dialogue with the world that a person enters into in an attempt to bring about positive change.

Many publishing houses are philanthropic and have causes that they support. Individual writers have causes that they support as well. My own personal quest for several months has been to find a good diabetes charity organization to work with. I didn't know where to begin. I'm fairly new both to writing and to philanthropy, so I expected to just pick out a charity organization, say "I'm a writer" and be directed to an author liaison, or something of the sort. How wrong I was! I cam to find that this is not in fact how things work in the real world.

After tirelessly searching and feeling like I'd just been calling out into a void (a lot of the writing process tends to feel like that) I finally gave up my ego and posted the question up on an author discussion group that I'm a part of. One of my author friends quickly replied, directing me to author Brenda Novak, who runs a huge online auction supporting diabetes research. I sent Brenda Novak an e-mail, with a bit of trepidation since she's a big-name author and I'm (Eep!) just Leslie. But Brenda Novak wrote back to me that same day.

The reason I chose diabetes as my own little philanthropic "pet project" is that my stepfather, Richard A. Anderson, died from diabetes back in 2002. So to me, supporting the cause of diabetes philanthropy is like a personal vendetta against my stepfather's killer. Also, it's an act that's opening my heart as well.

Check out the Brenda Novak Online Auction at http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com - the site will go live on May 1st.

And check out my stepfather's novel, The Temple of the Heart!!!

Introducing well known English Children's Author Jacqueline Wilson (2 reviews)

2011-04-22T03:27:00.000-07:00

I don't usually review children's books here on ER, but today I thought I'd introduce everyone here to a well known English children's author, Jacqueline Wilson. I know that her books are sold everywhere, so I'm guessing they've made it across the pond. Jacqueline is a big force for children. In my view, she is known because her books tackle lots of difficult issues in a way that is both funny and serious at the same time. I read a few of her books when I was little. I love her books even more now, because I have a wider knowledge of the issues, I realise more than I did in the past how important her stories are to children. You can find out more on her website, including details of various awards.

On with the first review!

Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson

February 2011, Hardback (UK, unsure of USA)
Review copy, Children's, 9+

Summary from Random House Children's Books
Lily isn't home ALONE - but she sort of wishes she was; looking after her three younger siblings is a lot of responsibility.

When Mum goes off on holiday with her new boyfriend and her stepdad fails to show up, Lily is determined to keep the family together and show they can cope without any grown-ups. But taking care of 6-year-old twins, her 3-year-old sister and the family's flat feels overwhelming and Lily is worried that school or social services might discover their situation and break up the family. What could be better than to take all the little ones for a camping adventure in the park? Plenty of space to run about, no carpet to vacuum, and surely no chance anyone will guess they're there . . .

I read Lily Alone when I needed a light read. That might seem a contradiction in terms considering the subject matter (parental neglect), but what I clung to was the humour that's dispersed throughout the story. Some books are solid heavy going. Having read Jaqueline's books before, I knew that this was the right blend for me in that particular mood.

Unfortunately Lily's mother's actions aren't unusual. Similar cases happen throughout the world each week (probably every day). Children should be at the heart of a family, and parents have an obligation (which is mostly enjoyed and not seen as a chore) to look after their children. Lily's mother's emotions are pretty up and down, and she seems more like a child than an adult. It's up to Lily to sort things out. Lily loves her mother. If she didn't, she would have spoken out when she and her siblings were left alone. She kept quiet and tried to do the right thing. It's an emotional book, with me wishing to take Lily and her siblings somewhere safe and warm. It's all from Lily's pov, and it's clear that she is mature for her age. The way her siblings view the situation is realistic. There is a lot of drama and strong emotions, so I recommend having tissues ready at this and the next book. I give it 9/10

The Longest Whale Song by Jaqueline Wilson

September 2010, Hardback (UK, not sure of USA)
Review copy, Children's 8+

Summary from Random House Children's Books
Ella’s mum’s in a deep coma having just had a new baby. That means Ella has to live with Jack, her hopeless stepfather and cope with her tiny newborn brother, as well as worrying about Mum. The only thing that’s going right is her school project. It’s all about whales and how they sing out to each other to attract a mate – sometimes for hours. Maybe a whale song could reach Mum, wherever she is, and bring her back to Ella and baby Samson. Surely it’s worth a try?

Ella's story deals with several issues at once. Ella struggles to live with her stepdad. She doesn't like him, wishes he wasn't there, and that her mother was with her biological father. It's very clear from her voice exactly how she feels about him. It makes her mother's new situation a nightmare. She's so attached to her mother that you will need tissues as she tries to get her mother to react to her. Although the situation isn't a pleasant one, I liked how it helped her form new friendships at school, and learn to love research. It shows that when there is a major family incident schools are quite understanding (although there is a limit to how far the child in question can slack off). It shows there is always something everyone can do during difficult times Equally it helps deal with the tricky issue of a loved one being ill, and all the fear and anger emotions which go hand in hand with illness.

It's a sweet book because it reveals how over time Ella actually starts liking her stepfather. It's a very slow process, and she never adores him as much as her mother. She discovers that her own father doesn't always meet her expectations, which in turn brings about a new understanding for her stepfather. She also discovers that she loves her little brother dearly, and shows signs of being an awesome older sister. You'll have to read it to find out what happens when Ella plays the whale song to her mother - it's a moving scene. I've give this one 10/10

I hope you've enjoyed learning a little bit about Jacqueline's work, and please do check out her books.

(I forgot to say that both books have illustrations by Nick Sharratt, who often illustrates Jacqueline's work. His illustrations are distinctive and add volumes to the stories.)

Review: Dark Kiss of the Reaper by Kristen Painter

2011-04-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Dark Kiss of the Reaper
by Kristen Painter

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Contemporary)
Cost: $3.99 (Kindle)

What I Liked:
Well, I'm a big fan of Kristen Painter's work in general, so I had a leg up already on that one. Not a huge fan of these angel stories, so it took some getting used to. But I'm glad I stuck through it, becuase as always, I adored her hero and thought even the heroine was worth reading (I'm notoriously hard on heroines).

This is not your typical Angel of Death story. In fact, I thought the world-building that Kristen Painter accomplished in this book was unique enough that I would be able to distinguish it from other more commonplace angel stories. I loved the setup and their romantic trajectory. I thought it was well-written and engaging. While it wasn't my favorite book of hers (will anything ever live up to Heart of Fire? ::sigh::), I did thoroughly enjoy it and will read it again.

I will say, if you like angel stories, I think you'll really enjoy this. Kristen Painter has a lyrical voice, she does great world-building, and writes heroes very well. And the story.... it's heartbreaking and beautiful.

Book Blurb:
He'll steal her heart, then take her soul...

The angel of death has a name: Azrael. He also has a purpose, to soothe the souls of the suffering into the peaceful passage of the after life. But in his twilight existence, Azrael has never known peace or pleasure...

Until he meets Sara, the first mortal who can see him in his Reaper form. Charming and spirited despite bearing her own burdens, she intoxicates him with the pleasures of life, even taming his brutal dark side with her fearlessness. But Azrael’s new happiness is short-lived when he realizes Sara’s health is fading. The bright flame of her life is about to be blown out.

And he’s to blame.

~ review by Rebecca Lynn

Four Stars for CRUSHED at Night Owl!

2011-04-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

CRUSHED at Night Owl

Unrequested ARCs

2011-04-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Blog Buds!
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Just a reminder, the policy here on Unrequested ARCs is you send them at your own risk. We only review books we like or love here, so it's much cheaper to ask us if we want a book before sending it.
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Also, I, Kimber An, no longer review books. Since my first book, SUGAR RUSH, was accepted for publication last year, I just don't have time. Oh, sure, once in a while I'll get sick and have the time and sudden urge to read, but mostly I just can't. Besides novel-writing, I also have FOUR children. Count 'em, FOUR. So, once again, not such a good idea to send me an ARC, if you're pinching pennies these days.
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Now, if the ARC happens to be Young Adult, I might pass it on to Kimber, Jr. Or not. I still reserve the right to be a neurotically overprotective mother. But, I certainly don't have the time or money to stand in line at the post office and mail a paper ARC to any of the other reviewers here.
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So, please, ask first.

Nevertheless, Enduring Romance is on a few of the Big Boy Publishers mailing lists and I still get ARCs out of the blue, just automatic sends, I guess. I figure it's not the authors' faults the publishers didn't check out our policy here and, being an author, I know authors got to eat and usually have a few hungry mouths to feed. So, I'll tell you about their books anyway, if I have time.
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DEPARTMENT NINETEEN by Will Hill. Here's a review- http://bookzone4boys.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-department-19-by-will-hill.html
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EONA by Alison Goodman. Here's a review-
http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/04/book-review-eona-by-alison-goodman.html
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Okay, guys, got to get back to writing SWEET BYTES. I was just getting to an exciting part too.

Decadent Temporarily Opened for Submissions!

2011-04-14T20:38:00.001-07:00

Pop on over and join a great team of authors, editors, and all around geniuses!
http://www.decadentpublishing.com/index.php?osCsid=205e64d12a8933c520257f8df2b11bcf&content=submissions

A Little Bee Told Me...

2011-04-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

...that Decadent Publishing may open to general submissions for a few days this week. Keep an eye on this page- Decadent Submissions

Siobhan Reviews SUGAR RUSH!

2011-04-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

SUGAR RUSH at LoveFantasySciFiNovels

Dottie Reviews CRUSHED!

2011-04-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

At Tink's Place

Review: Lois Lane Tells All

2011-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lois Lane Tells All
by Karen Hawkins

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Pocket
Cost: $7.99

What I Liked:
I love Karen Hawkins' voice. She's got that special something. In fact, I picked this book up to read for a "killer openings" class, and ended up finishing it, a couple of hours later. She sucked me right into this story with great voice from page one. The story is great as well, and a lot of suspense elements, although I wouldn't call this a straight suspense.

The plot is intriguing, and if you're a Superman fan, you're going to love this book. But my favorite part was the hero, Mark. He's definitely the Clark Kent we've all wanted to find. Listen to this line, from page 365: "Mark rubbed his cheek against her hair, settling into the couch to engulf her deeper into his embrace. When the time was right, he'd tell her he loved her. For now, he'd just show her." ::melting:: I just adore this guy. It's worth it to read, just to get into his beautiful mind.

If you're a fan of contemporary romance, of Superman, or of the Sophie-Kinsella-type romantic comedies, you should check out this book. It won't disappoint.

Book Blurb (from Amazon.com):
New York Times bestselling author Karen Hawkins returns to Glory, North Carolina, for another delightful story of love and laughter.

She thinks she’s Lois Lane . . .Susan Collins always wanted to be a hard-hitting reporter, but there’s not much call for her talents in sleepy Glory, North Carolina. Then the Murder Mystery Club—a trio of enterprising octogenarians—decides to open their own CSI lab at the assisted-living center. And when strange "accidents" begin to happen around town, Susan senses she could be on to the news story of her dreams.

He doesn’t want to be her Superman . . .Mark Tremayne has returned to Glory to take over as CFO of The Glory Examiner. His job is to keep the newspaper profitable, which means covering the annual Baptist Church Bake-Off and selling ads for the county fair—not allowing his too-sexy-for-her-own-good reporter to hare off after a wild story that could alienate some of the townspeople.

Together . . . they’re Kryptonite.Mark’s and Susan’s viewpoints could be from different planets, but their mutual attraction is in total alignment. Despite their arguments, the indomitable redhead and the hot accountant are a sexual explosion waiting to happen. And when it does, Glory had better watch out!

~ Rebecca Lynn

Buy Back Books

2011-04-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went on a hot date this weekend to Title Wave Books in Anchorage, Alaska and I had the chance to buy back a couple of favorite books which I'd given away.

It just doesn't seem right to ask for books back that I let people borrow. If they love 'em as much as I do then they ought to keep them forever. I was able to buy back NEFERTITI by Michelle Moran and MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND by Lisa Shearin.

Of course, my daughter, known here as Kimber Jr, immediatelly reappropriated by new copy of NEFERTITI, so I'll have to buy it back yet again.
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Here are some more I'm looking to buy back when I can
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CONTACT by Susan Grant
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THE KING'S DAUGHTERS by Nathalie Mallet
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APOCOLYPSE BLUES by Walter Greatshell
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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND by Allegra Goodman.

RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU by Jana Deleon
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I've reviewed all of these. Google or do a search in the box at the top of the blog page.

Yotsuba& volume 1 by Kiyohiko Azuma

2011-04-06T04:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those germ gremlins, I haven't been able to read the book I planned to review today. However, I'd like to over you something a little different. I adore anime and manga, so jumped at the chance to feature in the translation month over on Mostly Reading YA.

Please check out my review of Yotsuba& vol 1 which is the start of a sweet, funny series. It isn't an anime, but I can recommend Azumanga Daioh as being something similar.

Julie Particka at the Paperback Dolls

2011-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Julie at the Paperback Dolls

Jess Wins!

2011-03-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Jess won the Grand Prize Drawing celebrating the release of my prequel novella, Crushed Sugar. Besides the cool Alaska stuff and a free copy of Crushed, she gets a t-shirt with Bianca's famous words from the end of Sugar Rush-.
What do you need? A good bite on the neck?
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If you're interested in getting your own t-shirts, please pop over to my CafePress store. I make no profit from the sales. The shirts are sold at cost. Lately, I haven't been able to access it on my computer. I think my browser's the problem. If you have trouble seeing my page on CafePress, please let me know so I can email the site and get it fixed. Thank you! Here's the link-
T-Shirts for Diabes & Blood-Sucking Dead Guys

The Drawing is Now Closed!

2011-03-30T19:44:00.001-07:00

The winner will be announced as soon as she confirms. A Big THANK YOU to everyone!

Last Day for Grand Prize Drawing

2011-03-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

Check out the Crushed Sugar's Release Day Post to learn the details and comment under this post or that one to be entered. The drawing will be held tonight at 6 p.m. Alaska Time. The winner will be announced after he or she is notified and confirmed. Thanks to everyone who helped make this release a blast!

Mighty Jesse Reviews CRUSHED

2011-03-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

The Amazon reviews are starting. Mighty Jesse just posted hers. Thank you, Jesse!
Mighty Jesse's Review of CRUSHED SUGAR at Amazon
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Hey, if you've reviewed CRUSHED or SUGAR RUSH, I'd really appreciate it if you reposted your review at Amazon!

Thanks for an Awesome Release Party for CRUSHED!

2011-03-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

The contests here and at Blog Buddies and reviewers' sites are ongoing with different closing dates. The Grand Prize Drawing here is on Wednesday, March 30th. Scroll down to check out all the stuff and links. Now, I must get back to work on the next full-length novel in the series, Sweet Bytes. I also have another shorter tale in mind, but I don't know if it'll fly yet.
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Brace yourselves, Blog Buds. Tomorrow's Monday.
;)

Four Star Review for CRUSHED

2011-03-27T06:59:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Siobhan! CRUSHED at LoveFantasySciFiNovels

How To Write a Book Review

2011-03-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Good morning, everyone! Well, I've tried my hand at writing book reviews before, but it's definitely something that could use improvement. They say that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach, so I thought I'd try this method. Also, book reviews are one of those things that seem deceptively simple - after all, a review is just your opinion of a book, right?

Well, it turns out that there's a little more to it than that. I've noticed that with most of the reviews I've received, the reviewer starts out by first summarizing the plot. This is a technique that shows that you've been paying attention. It's one of those tips that they give you in counseling sessions as well - if you can repeat back to the other person what they've just said (the gist of it, you don't have to repeat verbatim) - it shows that you've been paying attention.

One of the things you have to decide is your own policy when it comes to whether to give "negative" reviews or not. Many sites do not give negative reviews, and if they receive a book that they do not like, they will pass it off to someone who will give a good review of it. Personally, I think a good way to address the parts of a book that you don't like, is to give constructive criticism. It all ties in to your job as a book reviewer. What are you trying to accomplish by being a reviewer? Ultimately, I think a reviewer's job is to point out the places that an author can work on, in order for them to improve with time and with the writing of later books.

You have to decide on a format policy. Will you only review physical copies of books, or will you also accept electronic copies? Or both?

Many sites have rating systems. Stars seem to be the most commonly used objects in a system, and rating systems seem to typically go up to 4 or 5 stars. I've also seen some fantasy review sites that use swords and such.

Not sure if I've forgotten anything or not. But suffice to say that book reviewing is not as easy as it might seem at first.

Jen's Reviews of CRUSHED and SUGAR RUSH Up At LovLivLife Reviews

2011-03-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

Pop on over 'cause this one's got a drawing for a free copy of CRUSHED. CRUSHED and SUGAR RUSH at LovLivLife Reviews

Heather's Showcase for CRUSHED at the Galaxy Express

2011-03-25T18:11:00.001-07:00

Thanks a bunch, Heather!
CRUSHED at the Galaxy Express

Kimber Guests at Nayu's Reading Corner

2011-03-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

We're talking about secondary characters. The Necessity of Bianca I included three little snippets from Sugar Rush, Crushed, and the next novel, SWEET BYTES.

Jen Reviews CRUSHED

2011-03-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

Jen's Review of CRUSHED SUGAR! and Jen's Review of SUGAR RUSH!
Thanks, Jen!

Release Day for CRUSHED SUGAR, a prequel novella by Kimber An

2011-03-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Blog Buddies! The glorious day has arrived. I am officially an author with a backlist. CRUSHED is my second published book. I'm finally on my way to being Jane Yolen when I grow up.
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Several of my cyberspace buddies are shouting me out today, including fellow Decadent author Julie Particka , bestselling Fantasy author Lisa Shearin, and some Facebook friends, and maybe on Twitter too. If you shout about CRUSHED, please let me know and I'll link to your site. Pop over to my Media Kit for Bloggers if you need anything.
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Rebecca Lynn over at New Kids on the Writers' Block and Nayu's Writing Corner and Tia Nevitt are having contests to give away free copies of CRUSHED.
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But, I'm giving away the Grand Prize right here at Enduring Romance. This prize includes a free copy of CRUSHED SUGAR, plus a t-shirt, and these two very cool Alaskan things-

The wooden Orca is obviously a key chain. The little pictures are *stickers* meant for use in scrapbooking. They're puffy and raised and can be used for anything really. They're not 'little kid' stickers! All you need to do to enter is comment under this post and leave your email.
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*Contest Ends March 30th at 6 p.m. Alaskan Time!*
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Now, to kick off this celebration, I've posted a new excerpt from CRUSHED SUGAR-
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CRUSHED Excerpt: Ophelia Meets Tristan
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But, if you can't contain your excitement (please, God!) pop over to the Decadent website to buy and downly CRUSHED SUGAR right now! I don't know why, but it's cheaper there. I do know I receive a larger royalty if you buy it there, because secondary places like Amazon gets their cut. Here's my buy page at Decadent-
CRUSHED SUGAR at Decadent
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I was surprised to find that CRUSHED is already up at Amazon and Smashwords, so if you prefer either of them, go for it. Here's the link to Amazon-
CRUSHED SUGAR at Amazon

And just for good measure, here's the link to my About CRUSHED SUGAR Page.
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Thanks so much to everyone for your encouragement and help!

Nayu Review's CRUSHED!

2011-03-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

CRUSHED at Nayu's Reading Corner

The Grey Horse

2011-03-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Grey Horse is not a new book, it was first published in the 80's. The cover shown here is from a 2000 re-print, and if you can find a copy of the original edition in a used book story you'll get a much nicer cover. Still, even if this is the only version you can find, buy it. It is also available in a Nook edition.

This is probably my favorite book of all time. It was the first book I bought for my new Nook.

Set in Ireland in the late 1800's, before the Irish gained independence from Britan this is the story of Ruairi MacEibhir, a stable hand for horse trainer Anrai O Reachtaire. Ruairi's in love with Maire NiStandun. She won't have him. She's big, dark, stubborn, and notorious both for her temper, and the rumor she's illegitimate. On top of everything else Maire is a Nationalist. But Ruairi is a pooka so they both have secrets.

Local land owner James Blondell is a man caught between two worlds. To the local gaels he's an English outsider, to his London born wife he's too Irish and blind the the dangers Irish secessionists pose to their son Tobias.

Toby hates the isolation of being his father's son. He fears he can't live up to his Blondell's expectations, and is terrified of being sent away to school in England. He's timid and awkward until his father sends him to Anrai to improve his riding skills. There he gets jumping lessons on Anrai's mysterious grey native horse and meets Ruairi the groom with odd eyes. Ruairo teaches him that a small young boy can be more powerful than a Thoroughbred, or fate itself, if he can find his inner balance and learn to keep his whits about him.

There's political intrigue, murder, horse raceing, love, and loss, all set against the landscape of Western Ireland. I've read the book more than a dozen times and it never gets old.

Leslie Soule's Shout-Out for CRUSHED!

2011-03-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Leslie!
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CRUSHED at Leslie's Dusty Rose Blog
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If you have a blog, Facebook, or Twitter account and feel so inclined, I'd really appreciate a shout-out for CRUSHED! Let me know and I'll blab about it on all my sites too. Here's a couple of links for info you might find helpful-
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About Crushed Sugar
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Kimber An's Media Kit for Bloggers
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CRUSHED SUGAR will be released tomorrow, Friday, March 25th.
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Thanks a whole bunch!

Blood-Sucking Dead Guys

2011-03-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

I'm hanging out with longtime blog buddy, Tia Nevitt today. Pop over and join the conversation. Comment and be entered to win a free copy of CRUSHED SUGAR.

My Decadent Page and The Cool Ad They Got For Me

2011-03-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

See here!
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My Books at Decadent
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And here!
Kimber An at Night Owl Teen

CRUSHED SUGAR Release Week Festivities

2011-03-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

My *prequel* novella, Crushed Sugar, is due to be released this Friday, March 25th by Decadent Publishing. The most important thing to remember about Crushed, especially if you've already read Sugar Rush, is that it is a PREQUEL. This means its set BEFORE the first events of Sugar Rush. The thing is I really wanted to release Crushed first, but Sugar Rush was more ready to go. I just didn't have time to do Crushed Sugar justice in the editing department before Sugar Rush. So, please, bear in mind that the villain, Martin, is fully human at the start of Crushed, he's always been nice to Ophelia, the heroine, and she has no idea what he will become.
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Yeah, I guess I am a little paranoid about that! But, just look what happened to George Lucus and the Star Wars prequels! Those little buggers are hard to write. Pop over to my main site to learn more- Kimber An
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On Release Day, I will be posting a nice big announcement here. Plus, a bunch of my blog buddies are hosting me in the coming weeks and some of them will be giving away free eBooks of Crushed. AND! I will be giving away a Grand Prize here, a free eBook of Crushed Sugar, a t-shirt, and these cool Alaskan thingys I just bought today. Anyone who comments under Release Week posts, starting with this one, will be entered into the drawing. The Grand Prize Winner will be announced Wednesday, March 30th.

I'll be stopping over at Tia Nevitt's Blog on Wednesday, March 23rd to talk about my spin on Blood-Sucking Dead Guys.
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The lovely Lisa Shearin is graciously letting me take up space at her blog on Release Day, Friday, March 25th.
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I'll be adding to the Ramblings of a YA Writer with Julie Particka same day.
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Heather Massey, brand new debut author, will be helping me reach for the stars at The Galaxy Express
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And fellow Decadent author Vanessa Barger said she'd give me a shout-out too. She co-blogs here one Saturday of the month, by the way.
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Fellow Enduring Romance reviewer, Nayuleska, is hosting me at her blog, Nayu's Reading Corner on Saturday, and I'll be popping in at the SFR Brigade too. And then I'll post here on Sunday, rounding up the week.
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The Grand Prize Drawing Winner will be announced Wednesday, March 30th.
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I'll post an excerpt of Crushed this Wednesday, March 23rd, but, for now, here is the blurb-
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Be careful what you wish for.

Ophelia’s had a wicked crush on Martin since they were kids, but she was always just his geeky little friend. Then, on the first day of her junior year, he’s suddenly and wildly attracted to her. She can’t imagine what’s changed, but shocking her small school’s social order fills her with vindication for insults suffered.

Ophelia meets Adrian right after and true love extinguishes the wicked crush. In secret, he gives her courage against a specter threat.

Tristan Li is pale and hungry, and draws Martin’s immediate ire. He knows things about Ophelia which she assumes are delusions brought on by an aggravated illness like her own, diabetes. When battle breaks out between his ancient race and new blood, even the courage of her secret love might be crushed.

Kimber An at Rebecca Lynn's

2011-03-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

I'm the guest at New Kids On the Writers' Block today!

PRETTY SOULS by Julie Particka

2011-03-20T06:03:00.000-07:00

Making It Real

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You know that girl? The one in high school who is drop dead gorgeous and knows it, even if she doesn’t flaunt it too much? She’s the same one that can tell you exactly when a guy becomes interested in her, and she’s not afraid to approach him because she’s not guessing, she knows he’s into her. She’s often a cheerleader, but doesn’t have to be, because even without that popularity-inducing label, she’s awesome.
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Yeah. I so wasn’t that girl. Not many people are.
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Now I know books are supposed to be about fantasy, and I’m okay with adding that girl in sometimes (in her own way, Cass is close…or at least that’s the persona she presents to the world). The thing is I like to read about girls who were more like me too. Not so confident in our appearance or our ability to pick up guys. A little shy about even talking to a boy we like unless we turn on the snark, which is—let me tell you—the best way to get a date. (In case you missed it, that was sarcasm. Never let me be your dating guide. You can thank me for telling you that later.)
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It isn’t that those girls are ignored in fiction, but they’re usually the best friend or the boyfriend’s sister or some other secondary character. I prefer to put them front and center. I’m sure some of you have read Pretty Souls and are sitting back saying, “Now, Julie, Elle’s beautiful. Don’t pretend she isn’t.” To that I say, I’m not. She is beautiful, but she’s overshadowed by the fact that her younger sister is that girl, right down to the cheerleading uniform.
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Elle’s the girl who can pick out every single one of her faults, and she likes to hide everything behind attitude, baggy clothes, and studying. She’s involved in activities at school, but nothing high profile. She runs track instead of playing basketball. She’s in the color guard rather than cheerleading. She’s content to let Cass out-shine her, even though she secretly yearns to be more.
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That’s the kind of girl I was, and the kind most of my friends were. Sure, I had a couple friends who were that girl and a couple who had absolutely no desire to be anything more than their own personal status quo. But most of us? Most of us fell in the in between. So that’s something I try to really infuse my characters with, that feeling of “not quite where I want to be”. Because without it, where’s the room for growth? Where’s the journey? Sure, Elle could fight demons until she’s old and gray, but if she’s still the exact same werewolf who hates her inner beast and thinks she’s the shadow to her sister’s sunlight…what’s the point?
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So I want her to stretch her furry legs and grow and piece by piece reach for the person she’s destined to become rather than staying who she is. I wish the same thing for my own kids.
And I wish it for Cass too, because as most readers have figured out, with her nothing is what it seems, and she’s still got a long way to go. (In case that wasn’t a blatant enough clue, for those who’ve been wondering, book two is hers ;-) )
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Kimber An here. That title is pure genius. If you all want to learn more about Julie and her stories, please visit her site Julie Particka

SUGAR RUSH Ad at Romance Reviews

2011-03-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

It was a freebie for posting their banner here. It's a revolving ad, so you need to wait it's turn.
SUGAR RUSH Ad at Romance Reviews

CRUSHED SUGAR, a Prequel Novella by Kimber An, Reviewed by Kimber Jr.

2011-03-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

What, another one?! Yeah, there’s another! Actually, technically it’s a prequel, and a novella one at that, so don’t expect anything huge. But it’s a back story, and who doesn’t love those?! Here we go!!

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The story opens with-who else?-Ophelia. She’s with Bianca in a restaurant when she runs into the local I’m-the-Alpha-Male-and-I-Know-It Martin Brynner, whom she’s had a crush on for the past seven years.
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But is Martin really all he seems? On the outside, he’s a cute if embarrassing guy. But the next day, the first day of school…..he changes. All of a sudden, he’s after Ophelia like a dog after a hot dog that’s just rolled off the grill. Sinister? Maybe. But for the moment Ophelia just wants to enjoy having the most popular dude in school for a boyfriend.
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And yet….Ophelia can’t help thinking otherwise when she meets Adrian Grayer, a supposed-gay guy with the griffin as his symbol and very cute blond hair. Then there’s Tristan, a black-haired guy with attitude and a fondness for Star Trek.
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Sound like your average love-triangle-romance? It’s not.
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When Ophelia finds Adrian with a broken hand, she immediately gets her mom to heal him, and then looks him up on her medical files. But according to them, he lives in a place with no house! What’s up with that?
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Of course, this isn’t totally a romance…..it’s also a comedy!! Everybody’s favorite Goth jokesters the Goth Girls are back and having a good laugh at Katelyn’s expense. When technogeek Ophelia rigs Katelyn’s food processor, she immediately wins the respect of the Goth Girls…..with a little hilarity along the way!!
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But then she gets her mind mysteriously wiped of (&F((censored for suspense))*()*** leaving her wide open to the increasingly-sinister advances of the world’s worst jerk boyfriend, Martin.
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And, that’s it! If you want the rest of the answers, you’ll have to actually READ the BOOK!!! See ya later!
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Kimber An here. Thank you, My Baby Girl! Momma wuv u so much! To learn more about CRUSHED SUGAR, pop over to my main site- About CRUSHED SUGAR
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CRUSHED SUGAR will be released on March 25th from Decadent Publishing. If you've read SUGAR RUSH, please remember this is a *prequel.* This means it takes place BEFORE the start of the events in Sugar Rush. Martin starts the story fully human and has always been nice to Ophelia. She doesn't know he's the Villain yet.
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Stay tuned for further developments as Release Day approaches!

Fallenwood by Leslie Soule

2011-03-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

March 2011, Decadent Publishing
189 pages, ebook
Review copy

Summary from Decadent Publishing

Fallenwood—a land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 16-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.

I think the cover is pretty cool, and so too is Ash. She's got a lot of qualities which I share with her. I think that Leslie might enjoy knitting. I loved the sheep with brightly coloured coats that Ashley notes wouldn't need dyeing for yarn. Definitely a knitter's dream! Equally she's emphasis placed on knitted blankets, and also a particular opinon Ash has about handcrafted items, as well as a few other hints. Having connections like that with the protagonist really helped me cheer Ash on during her adventure. Her viewpoint is often funny, with some insightful statements made. Ash's ninja statement was particularly hilarious. She likes video games - also like me! She is intelligent, and tries to think one step ahead of the action. Events get too much for her at one point which is why she succumbs to manipulation by one of the antagonists. She definitely has a mind of her own, and is determined to do what is right, even though she'll upset a lot of people by doing so. She warms to her companions, who stand by her even when she makes a mistake and forces them out of a place of sanctuary.

I loved Ash and what happened to her. Her companions had distinctive characteristics. I particularly liked Morganessa and Greymalkin - sentient cats are always amazing. Several of the plot revelations had me pleasantly surprised, and wondering what would happen next, which is always a good thing in a novel. However, I did have a few issues with the story.

The first is the smoothness of the story flow. The story follows Ashley, but then it deviates to different characters involved in the story, following them one after the other, with a bit of time before returning to Ashley. I think perhaps there would have been more suspense if the point of view had gone from Ashley, to a different character, then back to Ashley etc. Although the information revealed was important and interesting, it felt that I'd been given it a little too easily. Plus I adore Ashley and wanted to find out how she was doing. This happened a few times. I felt the information could have been shared in a subtler way, involving Ashley more. The more it happened, the more annoyed I got. The information appeared from nowhere, with little connection to the previous chapter. I could see a couple of places where the seemingly irrelevant chapters could have fitted into the story. Because this happened so often it did pull me out of the magic a little.

One chapter ended abruptly and I couldn't quite make sense of it. Sometimes concepts were repeated within paragraphs of each other and they didn't really need to be. There was a character (who appeared in a few chapters) who played an important role in the story, but I couldn't really connect him to anyone. What he did was important, but it felt a little strange.

There were great forces fighting against Ash, but there wasn't much action from these people. I'd hoped for a little more danger and more scenes with the antagonists.

Ash is highly skilled at fighting, something which the enemy uses against her. However, for me this particular skill of hers wasn't used as much as it could have been. I'd expected more situations where she could prove her fighting skills.

The overall story is good, and I loved most of the ending. I was left feeling a little stunned and thinking 'wow'. The part about the ending which I didn't like was how rushed it felt. I felt that there was a whole chapter missing. What happens to Ash is a huge deal, and yet as a reader I didn't really see her view on it. Seeing as she was the protagonist, it felt weird that she wasn't examining her feelings about it.

Although the parts I have issues with are quite major, I would like to stress that I did enjoy the story.
I'll leave you with a line which I'm quite taken by (and now can't remember where I found it or who said it). The world belongs to those who see the beauty in it all.

Content is very harmless, only a few kisses, a little violence but not detail of the gory parts.

CRUSHED Ad at Romance Reviews

2011-03-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

It was free too, because I put their banner at the bottom of this blog. This is kinda nice, because I can't afford to buy ads. It's the revolving ad at the top so you have to wait for CRUSHED's turn. Check it out.

Kimber An at 'Daily Dose of Decadence Today'

2011-03-16T05:12:00.000-07:00

Not a Newbie Anymore

Review: Heart of Lies by Jill Marie Landis (CONTEST)

2011-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Heart of Lies
by Jill Marie Landis

Genre: Christian Romance
Publisher: Zondervan
Price: $9.33

What I Liked:
I am telling you again: If you liked Redeeming Love, you have to read this book. When I read JM Landis' first "Irish Angel Series" book, I said it was like Redeeming Love, and I wasn't kidding. Her lyrical voice and deep spiritual message, combined with the rich historical detail and engaging characters will have you saying the same thing. I am sure.

I love this time period, and the general message of these books. I've seen a lot of books pull the "Pinkerton" angle and fail. But this one succeeds excellently. Tom is a believable and deep and a fantastic hero. Maddie is wounded and spunky, and an incredible woman to root for in this great story. I challenge you to read this book and not like it.

Plus, Jill Marie Landis is giving us a signed copy of this book that one lucky commenter will win, so you have a chance to find out for yourself just how good this book is, at no cost to you! I genuinely think this book will move you and speak to your heart. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Book Blurb:
Raised in a tribe of street urchins, Maddie Grande was taught to be a thief and beggar on the streets of New Orleans. But Maddie doesn't know her real name or where she came from. Raised by Dexter Grande, Maddie and her twin 'brothers' have recently left New Orleans and moved to the bayou. The twins are rarely there, but Maddie has come to love the swamp. She has learned to fish and trap and sell pelts at the local mercantile. Maddie longs to change her life but knows that her brothers will never give up their lawless ways. When they kidnap the daughter of a wealthy carpetbagger, the twins force Maddie to hide the precocious eight-year-old while they return to New Orleans to wait for notice of a reward. Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott is assigned to the kidnapping case in which Maddie has become an accomplice. In a journey that takes them to Baton Rouge, a mutual attraction becomes evident, but Tom and Maddie cannot trust each other. Will Maddie ever discover who she is? Will her real family ever find her? Will Maddie and Tom listen to their hearts? Or will they choose honor over love?

COMMENT HERE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THIS AMAZING NEW BOOK!

~ Rebecca Lynn

ONCE UPON A TIME IN SPACE by Heather Massey

2011-03-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

This one's a little hot for the kiddies, so pop over to the sister-blog Enduring Romance & General Naughtiness

Upcoming Events for CRUSHED SUGAR Release

2011-03-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Blog Buds! My calendar is taking shape for Crushed Sugar. It'll be considerably low-key compared to the release of my debut novel, Sugar Rush. It's so nice not to be a freaked-out new author anymore!
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Kimber An's Calendar
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If you'd like to showcase Crushed Sugar, have me guest blog for you, or interview me, please email me at eMail Me!
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If you're a book reviewer and I haven't already tracked you down and begged you to read it, please eMail me and I'll ask Decadent Publishing to send you a FREE electronic Advanced Reviewer's Copy.
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Several blogs hosting me and Crushed will be giving away free copies of it. I will also be giving away a BIG PRIZE here to commenters on my Release Day post, March 25th. I haven't decided what it'll be, but definitely something Alaskan. For Sugar Rush, I sent a plush toy moose.
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To all my blog buddies, if you'd like to give me a simple shout-out, please pop over to my Media Kit for Bloggers. I'll be updating it with the blurb, which can be found on the About CRUSHED SUGAR page right now. If you let me know, providing I don't find out, I can link to it here and my other blogs and Facebook and such.
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For this week, expect excerpts at some point, plust my daughter, a member of the target readership, will be reviewing Crushed Sugar right here this week, Thursday or Friday. Yeah, she's my daughter, but, believe, she doesn't hesitate to tell me when something's crap!
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If you all Tweet, Facebook, and otherwise shout-out about Crushed Sugar sometime during the next couple of weeks, I sure would appreciate it!

CRUSHED SUGAR Release Date is March 25th!

2011-03-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

About CRUSHED SUGAR

Giveaway! Jill Marie Landis Autographed Book!

2011-03-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to post a review today, because I want a bit of time to promote this contest. Jill Marie Landis, whose first book in her Irish Angel series was one of the best books I've read all year, has offered to give away a signed copy of her newest release.

So I'm just putting out the warning. I'm going to give away a copy of Jill Marie Landis' "Heart of Lies" when I post my review next Tuesday. If you comment on either this post or the review I'll post next Tuesday, you'll be entered to win a free autographed copy of this amazing book.

Comment away, my pretties. And tune in next Tuesday to see what I thought of Heart of Lies. Did I like it as much as Heart of Stone? You'll have to wait and see...

HEY YOU by Valerie Mann Releases!

2011-03-06T05:43:00.001-08:00

Hooray! My novella, HEY YOU, in the Run Devil Run series with Decadent Publishing has finally been released! It's been a long road to get here, but well worth the trip!

What's so special about it? Seriously, who wouldn't want to take a literary road trip with four hot men and a rock band? Well...okay...I didn't exactly travel with them. In my overactive imagination I did, though. And...well...the books in the series aren't about the boys exactly...but they modeled for us and provided us with plenty of inspiration and some amazing covers!

HOW'S THIS FOR INSPIRATION?

Run Devil Run is a popular rock band based in Los Angeles. The guys were happy to lend their faces and talent to Decadent Publishing. Trust me, it wasn't a hardship on our part to make this happen! (oh, and my cover features the uber-sexy Jackie Joyride ~ I think I did okay, don't you?)

The books in the series are all paranormal, with Hey You probably the darkest of the bunch. As Heather Bennett, co-owner of Decadent Publishing said, "Paranormal romance lends itself easily to the Rock vibe.” After reading the other books released in the series, I couldn't agree more.

What's Hey You about?

Playing by the rules…Cara spent her entire life doing just that—dutiful daughter, stellar student, responsible adult…in a word…nerd. Not that she had much choice. The Society, a secret moral social order she’d been born into, had one motivating tool in its arsenal to ensure members didn’t succumb to temptation and break any of its laws...

The Watcher… A demon whose sole mission consisted of waiting for his watch to break the rules—and bring them to...

The Dark. Marek sucked at his job. Not only did he hate being a Watcher, but he’d fallen in love with his watch, Cara, placing his eternal soul in peril. Only able to protect her in her dreams, when she reaches a crossroad in her life that puts her mortality in jeopardy, they have to decide who will give the greater gift.

Will Cara sacrifice her mortality for Marek’s love…or will he sacrifice his soul to save her life? Read an excerpt

I'm going to do TWO things to put some Run Devil Run awesomeness in your hands because I think you're going to love this these stories and this band as much as I do!

1. Leave a comment on this blog. I'll pick one random commenter here to win a free download of Hey You. Winner will be announced here and by email (if you leave one) on March 26th.

2. Want to win the GRAND PRIZE? Buy a copy of Hey You from Decadent Publishing by March 25th. When you purchase your book, you will also receive a free download of the song "Hey You" by Run Devil Run. You'll be sending a print screen file as proof of purchase to Decadent Publishing in order to receive the download. So ~ send a print screen file to me as well, confirming your purchase of my book. Send it to valeriemann09@yahoo.com I will announce the winner on my blog, Facebook and Twitter on March 26th.

What will the LUCKY WINNER win? A basket full of goodies, including Run Devil Run autographed swag like their latest CD. I'll also throw in a copy of the Run Devil Run anthology print book, goodies from all of the RDR anthology authors, and decadent edibles (chocolate comes to mind). So....follow #2 to the LETTER and I'll enter you in the big drawing. Good luck!!

Valerie Mann

valeriemann09@yahoo.com Facebook ~ valerie.mann Twitter ~ mannvalerie

Cyber Launch Party for Fallenwood !!!

2011-03-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone! I am pleased to announce that my fantasy novel, Fallenwood, has officially launched from Decadent Publishing!

An ebook copy of Fallenwood can be purchased at the Decadent Publishing website at http://www.decadentpublishing.com/

Well, I wasn't sure what to post for the launch party, and I've only got a couple minutes before I have to rush outta here and do State work for the day, so I thought I'd just post up some questions that people can have fun answering:

-I love tea. What's the best kind, in your opinion (brand or type)?

-I love the forest, and Fallenwood (as its name implies) is all about the woods as well. Anyone have any good forest-y stories they'd like to tell?

-What makes for a good fantasy novel?

Each person who comments to this post will be put into a drawing for a free ebook copy of Fallenwood!

Painfully Ordinary by Stephanie Amox

2011-03-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

December 2010,
Paperback & Ebook
Review copy

Summary from kNight Publishing

Two teenager's lives become not so ordinary...

Caitlin and Leah are content with the slow and steady pace in their small Texan town. They have the typical challenges of any American high school – evil girl cliques and oppressive ex-boyfriends. They see themselves as painfully ordinary…but that soon changes.

The arrival of two newcomers at school sets Caitlin and Leah on an explosive path of magic, betrayal, secrets and forbidden love. The discovery of Caitlin’s true identity causes tremendous upheaval in her painfully ordinary life. Caitlin must learn to embrace her birthright and trust in her friends or she risks endangering them all.

Until the final chapter, I thought this book was brilliant. In the first chapter I was both scared witless and thankful it was still daylight, as well as laughing away at Caitlin's life. This is a fun read (up until the last chapter). I really love it. Caitlin is so full of life. She is more like a sister to her best friend Leah. They know each other so well that they might as well be twins. Caitlin needs this closeness for what happens to her. It was pretty scary when Caitlin's ex-boyfriend was on the scene. He isn't a normal human either. But then neither is Caitlin.

Discovering just how different she is provides lots of dramatic scenes. Caitlin's emotions are on display to everyone, without even trying. How many girls can bring about a thunderstorm when they are angry? She is impulsive, and can get seriously ticked off with people. Her family - both blood and magically related family - are both protective and equally liable to cause shift in weather patterns. I feel sorry for her because everything does happen so fast. It's a huge deal that the enemy is after her.

All the various friendships and relationships are believable. Talon's pattern of speech is a little odd, but it makes sense when I found out who he was. He always puts Caitlin first, as does everyone else. It's fun reading about her because while there are a few scary times, there are some laugh out loud times which remind me of friend & family gathering that have been full of fun and mayhem.

There are a couple of issues I wasn't fond of, and once I read the last chapter I'm really not so keen on. I felt there should have been more instances when Caitlin is in danger. It seems to happen quite a bit in the beginning, but there is no culmination into a final showdown. In fact the danger seems to disappear altogether at the end, with no mention of the enemy or why they have decided to leave Caitlin well alone. I found that a pretty odd read. That part of the plot went poof, like the swarms of sparkly butterflies Caitlin can conjure up. There wasn't really further delving into Caitlin's family ties. There wasn't a wrath from the Elders about Caitlin & Talon's relationship. Everything just ended without a resolution (other than the fact that Caitlin & Talon love each other and have a special bond).

It was a mild heat level book. However, the way that Talon and Caitlin have exchanges grossed me out a little. I know that's weird considering I read plenty of vampire stories, but I wasn't entirely comfortable with it all.

I think I have mixed feelings about this book. The majority was exhilarating, fun and with a good mixture of creepiness and joy. But the minor grumbles I have with it are pretty big. I think I will be reading it again, just because of how awesome most of the book is. Even if this is a book in a series, which I think it might be, I still think there could have been more appearances by the enemy, more stakes, and have something conclude at the end. Even with my reservations, I still recommend this book because it'll make you smile and go wow at how awesome life as a fairy can be :)

Review: Pale Rose of England

2011-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Pale Rose of England

by Sandra Worth

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Berkley

Cost: $9.04

What I Liked:

Finishing this book put me in the same frame of mind I was in when I finished The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It was a historical whirlwind that, once it sets you down, you think, yes, it was exactly like that, whether it really was or not. And quite literally, this book was a whirlwind. It picked me up from the opening and when I finally landed, I felt like I'd been to Oz and back. Only, of course, I don't live in Kansas.

The story of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, is one that I'm familiar with as a historian. But I've never seen it painted in quite this way before. With the proliferation of historical fiction written about England at the turn of the 16th century, I expected that I would have seen it all, but I was wrong. The story of Lady Catherine Gordon took me quite by surprise, and opened up the world of the Tudor Court in a way I'd never really considered before.

Fans of The Tudors will appreciate the lavish historical setting and the unique perspective on Henry VII's court. Fans of The Other Boleyn Girl and other Philippa Gregory books will appreciate the attention to detail, the intense love story, and the heartbreaking saga of Lady Catherine. Fans of historical romance will find their assumptions challenged and ultimately rewarded. Fans of historical fiction will love the great care with which Sandra Worth treats real events of history, and yet the startling beauty with which she illustrates one of history's mysterious figures.

All in all, I think there is something to please all readers. I know this particular reader puts the book down with relish, feeling satisfied with the literary meal provided. I hope you can say the same. Sandra Worth is quite the jewel. I know I'll be eagerly consuming Worth's other Tudor novels in the near future.

Book Blurb:
It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard-known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck-has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Stepping finally onto English soil, Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest.

But rather than assuming the throne, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would be stamped as an imposter. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, must find the courage to spurn a cruel monarch, shape her own destiny, and win the admiration of a nation.

~ Rebecca Lynn

What's In A Name?

2011-02-26T07:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanted to talk about names today, and how to come up with names for things in novels, because that's the absolute hardest part of the whole thing for me. I could easily spend days looking for just the right name for my characters. But it's not just characters that you have to name - it's everything from businesses to locales to towns and cities.

So choosing the right name is important. It has to ring true to you. But it's SOOO difficult. When I was writing my novel Fallenwood, I took days to find the name Hieropraxis - the name of my bad-guy sorcerer. It's a name that means "sacred knowledge put into practice".

In the course of my searchings, I've discovered some things about names. Coming up with names for my main characters is always more difficult than the sideline character names. Personally, since I write fantasy, I wanted my novel to be different, so I didn't go with the traditional hard-to-pronounce things. I absolutely hate it in a fantasy novel when I get to sentences like, "And then the son of Turithal-et-Nijja went to the Tower of Kaliaili with the sword of Ru-dan-nita in the country of Baliahkkahtra" because it not only slows down the story, but (to me, anyway) renders it silly. So I decided to go with names that are relatively easy to say and pronounce.

For my main characters, I chose names that I really, really liked - Ash, Will, Greymalkin, Edward - names that just seemed to stick in my memory. Terces was a bit harder - he's my jester character. For his name, I jotted down any words I could think of that might be close to a jester's name - like free writing, and then messed with the words and turned them backwards and combined them and just generally played with the words until I got to the word "secret" and flipped it backwards - Terces was born.

For a lot of the minor characters that showed up, I inserted the names of my friends. The names Aaron, Lee, Ian, Becca, Amber, and Sarah show all show up in the novel and those are friends of mine.

I like to consult baby name books if I absolutely can't think of a name for a person, but I usually don't find names I like there. I seem to have better luck with just observing names that I really like or ideas that seem to stick with me.

For place names, I had read somewhere that if you get stuck on these, you should read the names on a real map. So that's what I did for a lot of the place names, is took names of real places and mixed them around until I got something pleasing.. However, I got stuck when it came to naming the small towns that my group went to on their journeys. For this, I used a little-known secret of the world wide web - a gem that is to be pulled out only in case of emergencies where you're hopelessly stuck and need a quick name - Yes, I'm talking about the Rinkworks Fantasy Name Generator - http://www.rinkworks.com/namegen/

I've found that there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to naming things in fiction. As with all else in life, you have to make your own rules to go by. But I hope this provides some examples of how it can be done.

If you're a fan of fantasy, be sure to check out my novel Fallenwood, soon to release from Decadent Publishing!

Blurb:

Fallenwood—a land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 23-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.

2011-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

First I should say that in general I dislike time travel stories. They always seem to have some sort of cheat in their resolution. I also am not a big fan of WWII fiction. That being said I completely enjoyed Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis. These books tale place in the same universe as her earlier time travel novel Doomsday Book

Willlis is a brilliant writer. She is one of the most award winning SF Writers of all time. One of her strengths is writing novels and stories that both SF fans and the general public enjoy. She has done it again with these books.

Blackout and All Clear follow a handful of Time traveling Historians who are all observing England during WWII. They are looking into several different key events, The Blitz, Dunkirk, and the VI and V2 attacks. Things are going well at first, then suddenly they all find out that their drop windows won't open and they can't get home, and things seem to be happening is slightly different order than history believes. Time travel theory says this can't happen. A historian can't be trapped in time, and history can't be changed. Historians can only go back in time to a time an place they can't change. If there is a possibility the could change things the time drop will not open and let them go back in time.

As time moves forward the various historians path's cross. The plot moves between their day to day cover lives in wartime London, where they walk a fine line between being observers and being participants in what is going on around them, and Oxford in the future where their colleges are trying to find out why they have not come home.

There is a slight cheat at the end of the story, but the plot and characters are so good that I didn't care.

Review: A Family For Faith by Missy Tippens

2011-02-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

A Family for Faith
by Missy Tippens

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Cost: $5.50

What I Liked:
Well, it's easy to figure out where I should start with this review: what I liked the best. Gabe. Wow. I've read several of Missy Tippens' books (I think everything she has out, now), and I know she writes good heroes. But none of them have been quite like Gabe. ::sigh:: This is the kind of man I think we all long to meet, if we're single and Christian.

Of course, the book itself was excellent, as well. Faith is a great heroine, and her journey as a character is fulfilling and engaing. But the highlight of this book is Gabe. Ahhh, Gabe. ::sigh:: If you're a Harlequin fan, a series romance fan, a Missy Tippens fan, an inspirational romance fan... or just a fan of really amazing heroes, you have to go read this guy. You will absolutely fall in love with him from the first page, with his protective care of his daughter and his hurting heart that wants to open to love. I love it when authors break the rules (starting off in the hero's pov, no meet-cute on the first page) and it works. This one works. Phenomenally.

Go forth, do likewise. Or just buy the book and read it. :) This man is worth knowing. Excellent work, Missy Tippens. As usual, another home run!

Book Blurb:
When Faith Hagin sees widower cop Gabe Reynolds every day in her coffee shop, she can't help but feel for the struggling single dad. She's raised a teenager of her own—and sadly, knows what not to do. But thanks to his matchmaking preteen daughter, Chelsea, the whole town's praying for Gabe to find a wife! Even though Faith thinks she's content being just friends, spending time with him and Chelsea starts to feel like a fresh start at having a family. And their love may be the answer to everyone's prayers.

~ Rebecca Lynn

Another Blog Buddy is a Debut Author!

2011-02-22T05:11:00.000-08:00

I am so proud to announce that yet another one of my blog buddies has had her first novel published. Heather Massey has run The Galaxy Express for a while now. I first remember running into her at Alien Romances. After singing the praises of other Science Fiction Romance novels, she now has her own.

CONGRATULATIONS, Heather!!!
Visit Heather Massey to learn more about her book!
.
Once Upon a Time has an erotic Heat Level, so Mfitz's review of it will be posted on our sister-blog Enduring Romance & General Naughtiness which is for adults-only. We'll let you know and link to it when the time comes.

New One from Linda Lael Miller

2011-02-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's out today!

Linda Lael Miller

Imprisoned in Time by Laura Gay, translated by Federica Pibiri

2011-02-17T01:29:00.000-08:00

January 2011,
196 pages, Paperback (mine was PDF)

Time travel, and sort of a historical romance

Blurb from the book
Elisa is a high school student, with all the usual concerns of all girls of her age: family, boyfriends, school. One day, though, she finds herself in an entirely different time: the Rome of the Borgias, and she has to learn how to survive in a world which is completely different from her own. While desperately seeking a solution to go back to her time, two young men fight for her love: the charming but wicked Cesare Borgia and Cristiano, honest and loyal. The former is ready to kill to have her, while the latter would give his own life for her. Who will conquer her heart? In a crescendo of action this story will charm you from the first page to the last.

*smiles* I'm really in love with historicals at the moment, predominantly for the range of costumes, and this book doesn't disappoint me. Elisa definitely wears the costumes of the era she finds herself in - she'd stick out like a sore thumb if she stayed in her jeans. She manages to stick out enough just by what she says (a few profanities) and her modern mannerisms. Even when it is explained to her how she should act, she doesn't find it easy to stick to the social rules. These are rules which the nobility seem to bend and break whenever they please. First there is the family incest that Elisa unravels - not her family. That was a little weird to stomach, but upon reflection that did happen more in the past than it does now. Then there is the cruelty that those in power inflict on mere servants - or anyone who displeases them.

Elisa both sees and suffers some of this punishment. As a reader I knew she was in a precarious position and her life wasn't secured, but Elisa only truly realises this when it happens before her very eyes. Up until then, I did like her, although she felt so naive by claiming to be in love with every man she was with, and then putting them aside for another. She had enough wits to remain fixed on her goal to get home. I enjoyed watching some of those around her become her genuine friends. They really pull out all the stops for her when they learn she's in trouble. As for her enemies - Cesare was a brute. He was definitely wrong in the head. It was fortunate for Elisa that he became so besotted with her. I know that caused her lots of problems, but equally it saved her from some hardship. She was particularly brave at the end in the huge plot to free herself from Cesare.

There are a few spelling mistakes, and sometimes the sentences don't quite flow or the wrong words are used. One small issue which was solved at the end, was that the characters sound as though they would belong in the modern world. Laura notes that she is not writing a historical per se. There are parts of it based on fact, and other areas are fiction. I would like to make it clear that the flow of the story didn't suffer for the spelling/flow - it is such an engaging story, with lots of tense moments and uncertainty that although I registered the errors, it didn't pull me out from the story itself. Content wise, there are a few strong profanities, and it's sensual to highly sensual in places.

I definitely recommend this book, and I wish I could read Italian, since some subtleties are lost in translation.

Review: Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge by Lynn Raye Harris

2011-02-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge
by Lynn Raye Harris

Genre: Contemporary Series Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Cost: $3.40

What I Liked:
Well, I adored Lynn Raye Harris's first book I read (The Prince's Royal Concubine), so I naturally had high expectations for this book when I picked it up. And while I did like TPRC better (but seriously, it's like a gold medal in Harlequin romance for me) I really loved this book. This one will also be a keeper.

It helped that the heroine shared my name. Oh, and also that the hero would often say her name. That was a nice fantasy. The hero was hot, the plot was fast-moving and engaging. The characters made me want to keep reading the story. And I liked the heroine. I felt for her, I wanted her to end up with him.

Lynn Raye Harris has a great voice. I have a feeling I'm always going to enjoy her books. I'm looking forward to reading the one that's out that I still haven't read. But I'm MORE excited for her to have a new release, because based on what I've seen so far, her writing just keeps getting better and better!!

Book Blurb:
Nobody messes with Alejandro de Ramirez. He doesn't suffer fools, and certainly has no time for manipulative wantons. Rebecca Layton was both. Five years later, Alejandro's life is still in turmoil--and he's more merciless than ever. The Spanish magnate wants retribution....

Unusually, and frustratingly for Alejandro, his plan doesn't go smoothly. Surely Rebecca wasn't this alluring before. And did his body always respond in this way--with such passionate fury? This is no longer just revenge...this is red-hot and dangerous!

"I Lived To Hear You Say My Name." A Romantic Excerpt from CRUSHED SUGAR

2011-02-14T07:58:00.000-08:00

CRUSHED Excerpt

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Chapter Four of CON & CONJURE by Lisa Shearin

2011-02-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

Chapter 4

I thought I would be the one sharing Rache’s crosshairs with Prince Chigaru.

I was wrong.

We searched the building Rache had used for a killing perch, which conveniently for my homicidal ex was a Conclave office building that was being renovated, so there were no occupants who would have been very much-needed witnesses. Even more frustrating, the workmen who were there had been on the lower floors and hadn’t seen anyone.

Right now I didn’t know if someone had paid Rache to kill Mychael, or if he was making this hit a personal vendetta. The potential who, why, and how much didn’t matter. The bottom line was that Rache wanted Mychael dead, and if no one was paying him that meant that in some twisted way, it was my fault.

To make the situation worse—if that was even possible—I hadn’t known he was there until his bolt hit Mychael’s armor. That meant a veil of some kind. Rache didn’t have magical talent, but it was possible that his employer had given him an amulet personally keyed to him whose purpose was to veil his presence. I’d encountered them before, but they were obscenely expensive. But if Taltek Balmorlan could afford to fund the start of a war and retain Rache’s services to help that war happen, he could certainly afford a custom-made magical trinket.

We were walking quickly back to the Greyhound Hotel. Mychael had set the fast pace. He wasn’t trying to put distance between him and the man who tried to turn him into roadkill, Mychael wanted to get back to the scene of what he considered the bigger crime and Prince Chigaru as quickly as possible. There were plenty of Guardians there, and a senior knight to act in Mychael’s stead, but when a hopefully future head of state was poisoned, shot, and nearly blown up, that was a situation that needed to be handled by the paladin himself.

Mychael’s scowl mirrored my own. We’d chased Rache halfway across town, and now we were coming back empty handed. Mychael took that personally.

So did I.

Rache had gotten away from me twice in one day, and that pissed me off. Though Rache had missed his target twice, and I knew that would piss him off. Rache didn’t miss.

Though what bothered me the most was that for all intents and purposes, Mychael completely blew off the fact that Rache Kai had just tried to kill him. And Vegard and the other Guardians didn’t seem all that bent out of shape about it, either.

I nearly had to run to keep up with Mychael’s long strides. “So world-class assassins take shots at you every day?” I snapped.

“What?”

“Rache just tried to skewer you and you don’t care.”

“Trust me, I care.”

“You don’t act like it.”

“Because I have a worse situation on the waterfront and at the Greyhound. We didn’t catch Rache, and my time was wasted.”

“And your life was damned near ended.”

“Damned near. I won’t forget the attempt, but it was just that, an attempt.”

“So you’re not concerned?”

“At the moment, I’m more concerned with keeping Prince Chigaru alive. And with three assassination attempts before he even set foot on dry land, I think we can count on everyone who tried before trying again. That concerns me.”

We went around the next corner and the voices coming from the waterfront was like a solid wall of sound. That was one of the things you could always count from a crowd that’s just seen a big explosion—the smart ones had gotten the hell away, leaving the morbidly curious and the brainless gawkers, and the only thing either group did was get in everyone’s way who was trying to clean up the literal and political mess.

Mychael apparently trusted his men to deal with it all. He didn’t even pause, but headed straight for the Greyhound Hotel.

Prince Chigaru Mal’Salin had reserved nearly the entire hotel—a palatial structure in the center of the Judicial District built to accommodate visiting dignitaries and obscenely wealthy mages and student parents. I was used to inns where the smoke was as thick as the coffee. In my opinion, all the polished marble and gilded woodwork was a bit much, but I wasn’t the one footing the bill.

What I saw filling the entire wall behind the registration desk caused a twitch to take up residence in my right eyelid.

A mirror.

I looked around the room. More mirrors, ridiculously large and abundant mirrors.

Some people were content to merely ask for trouble; the hotel’s owner was on his knees begging for it. All kind of nastiness could get into a room through a mirror. Assassins, spies, black mages, demons. Prince Chigaru had dodged death three times already, and it wasn’t even lunchtime.

I couldn’t believe this. “Who the hell thought those were a good idea?” I asked Mychael.

He looked where I was looking. “I’m not fond of them, myself.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Not fond? They’re unwarded mirrors. What kind of lunatic would—”

“I had my best mirror mages check them. They’re completely warded.”

“But they aren’t all . . .” I made a wavy motion with my hand, “nauseatingly rippley.”

Warded mirrors rippled, rippling mirrors would make a lot of hotel guests sick. I could see where that would be bad for business.

“It’s a special kind of warding,” Mychael said. “I had a mirror mage friend of mine check them again last night. He assures me that nothing’s coming in that way.”

Imala was waiting for us in the lobby, though waiting normally implied patient and calm. Imala was neither. The head of the goblin secret service was pacing, and judging from the floor space available all around her, her people were very smart.

They were staying out of her way.

She spotted us and closed the distance. “Well?”

“He tried to kill Mychael, too,” I told her.

Imala’s expression didn’t change. “And?”

I didn’t think anyone could be less concerned than Mychael about Rache’s second target, but I was wrong.

“And we didn’t get the bastard,” I told her.

Imala didn’t say a word; instead she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. Yep, the lady was frustrated to the point of violence. We had three assassins and only one of them was in something resembling custody. Imala’s day was far from over.

“Raine, I know you did your best,” she told me.

I was sure Imala meant it, but what she said wasn’t what I heard. “You did your best” ranked right up there with “I’m disappointed” as far as I was concerned. Both sounded nice enough, but it didn’t make me feel any better about failing. You couldn’t sugarcoat failure. The only thing that would cure that was having Rache trussed at my feet. Feet that would kick him a few times before anyone official could haul his sorry ass away.

“And it wasn’t good enough.” I paused. “I know him, Imala. I’ll find him.”

“Know?”

I told her exactly how well I knew Rache Kai.

She laughed, and a few of her people backed away even further. “For many goblins, such a relationship would be cause for boasting, not shame.”

“What have you found out from the healer?” Mychael asked her.

“That he’s telling the truth; or at least he thinks he is.”

“Meaning?”

“Chatar was with the other four mages attempting to push the boat away—”

I started to explain that I didn’t shove the boat into the yacht, but Imala held up her hand.

“Tam told me what truly happened. Thank you for your attempt. You risked much to make it. Our mages misunderstood what they saw and counteracted your efforts.”

“The mage was telling the truth . . .” Mychael prompted, encouraging Imala to continue.

“I have witnesses,” Imala said, “the trustworthy kind, who say that Chatar was on the stern of the yacht with the other four mages. However, I also have equally reliable witnesses who place Chatar near the prince when the attack came.”

“So who’s lying?” I asked.

“Neither. All honestly believe that they are telling the truth. Tam and I have questioned them ourselves. Both of us are quite adept at discerning falsehood.”

“Any magical hanky-panky with your reliable witnesses’ minds?”

“None that we can discern.”

“Did you find the weapon?” Mychael asked.

Imala shook her head. “Nothing was found on Chatar’s person or in his cabin.” She shrugged. “But that means little considering it could have been easily disposed of in the harbor following the explosion.”

“Where is Chatar now?” I asked.

“In his room. He’s being guarded, but for the moment, that is all.” Imala smiled, very slightly. “He claims you accused him because he and the other mages stopped you from assassinating the prince.”

I snorted. “And what about his own colleagues pointing the finger at him?”

“He says he was framed by rivals.”

“So, let me get this straight. Everyone on that yacht considers themselves to be loyal to the prince, yet there are rivalries strong enough that they’d frame each other for murder?”

“These are goblin courtiers, Raine. Rivalries start in the crib. Intrigues begin when we can walk.”

“Damn.”

She shrugged. “It’s the way of our people.”

“It’s a wonder anyone sleeps at night.”

“We sleep mostly during the day.” Imala’s smile broadened until her dimple showed. “And then we find it advantageous to be light sleepers.”

************

Mychael needed to see Prince Chigaru—and Chigaru wanted to see me.

Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any better.

Imala escorted us up to the prince’s suite herself. It was protocol and polite, but mainly it kept two elves from being met with drawn steel and bad attitudes. Imala knew at least I would respond accordingly. That was what she really didn’t want—any of her people to get themselves permanently dead because they were momentarily cocky.

Tam met us in the sitting room in the prince’s suite. He was dry and once again perfectly groomed. His robes were mostly raw black silk with velvet trim. They swept the floor but were slit up the sides to show fitted leather trousers and boots. Tam shared my opinion about robes—they were fashionable deathtraps. Trying to fight or run away from someone or something bent on killing you was best done with unencumbered legs. I’d imagine that was ten times as true in the goblin court. Tam’s hair fell in an ebony sheet down his back, and was held away from his face by a silver circlet set with a single ruby. A silver chain of office was draped over his broad shoulders.

We told him what happened with Rache, what nearly happened with Mychael—but most importantly, what didn’t happen. No Rache Kai in chains. Tam hissed a particularly descriptive obscenity in Goblin.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” I told him.
***********************
To learn more about Lisa's awesome books, please visit her website- Lisa Shearin
Also, you can read my reviews of Lisa's other books by clicking on her tag at the bottom of this post.

Decadent Publishing Giving Away a Loaded Kindle This Week

2011-01-30T06:32:00.000-08:00

My publisher is participating in a promo at Coffeetime Romance. Their prize will be a Kindle loaded with six eBooks! (Of course, you can load it with tons of others too.) Their day is FEBRUARY 1st! That's this Tuesday. Mark your calendar and enter for your chance to win this prize. It's worth, what? A couple hundred dollars? Huge prize, don't miss it. Here's the link-
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1592

Warrior - Zoe Archer

2011-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a review that is a long time coming. It's so long coming that I'm almost embarrassed to post it especially because sometime at the end of the summer I got a copy of this book in the mail, no note, no return address, so someone was expecting me to do a review.

Warrior is equal parts alternative history, paranormal romance, and adventure story. I enjoyed that it avoided many of the genre cliches. The time period is pseudo-Victorian, but most of the novel is set in Mongolia. That was a big pluse for me because I've wanted to see Mongolia ever since I heard one of my college professors talk about spending time there in a Yurt, (and not just because of the wonderful Mongolian dinosaur fossil sites). I also liked that both the hero and heroine aren't straight out of central casting. For one thing the hero, Capt. Gabriel Huntley, isn't a brooding dark alpha male. (I'm so sick of dark brooding alpha types) Gabriel isn't a pushover. Big, blond, and slightly battered by life. He's a veteran soldier, late of the Thirty-third regiment foot, who has resigned from the army and is heading home for a well deserved retirement when is stumbles into a mystery that will transform his life. He's one of those people who is competent at whatever he turn his hand to, and a natural leader, but he's not someone who seeks out positions of authority or uses his ability to dominate those around him.

Thalia Burgess knows she's not a typical Victorian lady, she has been raised in the wilds of Mongolia by her scholar father, and is more used to wearing a del and riding across the steppes than wearing a corset and serving tea. She has also trained as a Blade of the Rose a warrior sworn to protect Sources, objects that are repositories of magical power.

Thalia and Gabriel are thrown together in a quest to find a protect a powerful Mongolian source, and keep it from falling into the hands of a group of evil English magicians bent on world domination. The quest goes as these things do, with ups and downs, challenges met, and lost. Archer does a nice job of working Mongolian geography and customs in to the story, while at the same time developing Thalia and Gabriel's growing relationship.

These two are meant for each other and make a good team, but the only flaws I see in the book are with their relationship. Everyone, from the magical Source, to the slightly too helpful Mongolian bandits, seem to be conspiring to put these two together in sexual, or at least sensual, situations and when that happens Thalia becomes just a little too out of character naive. There is also one more magic enhances too perfect to be real sex scene for my taste. These scenes don't really fit with the texture and flavor of the rest of the book in my opinion. They don't ruin the book, but it don't add to it either.

Despite that one flaw I enjoyed the book and look froward to finding time to read the rest of the series.

I'd like to play forward the kindness of whoever sent me the book and send my copy one to someone else to enjoy. I'll send my copy to the first person to comment on this review with their contact info.

Kimber An Guest at Long and Short Reviews

2011-01-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

How I Write Novels Even Though I Have Four Children and a Wicked Case of Tendonitis

Review: Blue by Lou Aronica

2011-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Blue
by Lou Aronica

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Fiction YA
Publisher: Fiction Studio
Cost: $11.53

What I Liked:
The main character--Chris--is fantastically complex. Definitely the kind of character you'd want to spend a book with. His life, his relationship with his daughter, his problems... all fantastically complex.

I liked the fact that the book doesn't start off straight in the fantasty world. It sort of draws you into it, kinda like The Neverending Story. It's definitely a way to escape from the reality of his daughter's hard life, but it's more than that. It's the magic of creating something together that is truly unique. All writers know this. There's nothing quite like it. But this story goes one step further, into the realm of what happens when you stop telling stories and a world that exists, even when you don't want it to. It's a very interesting concept.

It's also a beautiful story.

Book Blurb:
Chris Astor is a man in his early forties who is going through the toughest stretch of his life. Not long before, Chris' world sparkled - he was doing significant work, he had a good home, and his young daughter brought him more joy than he ever could have imagined. Now, divorce and estrangement have left him confused and all too often alone.

Becky is Chris' fourteen-year-old daughter, a girl who overcame enormous challenges in her early years to become a vibrant, vital young woman. Her parents' divorce has left its mark, though, most significantly in her relationship with her father. Once, they told remarkable stories together. Now, they barely speak. Emotional detachment from Chris is not Becky's biggest concern, though.

Miea is the young queen of a fantasy land that Becky and Chris created when Becky was little - a fantasy land that has developed a life of its own. Miea knows nothing of Becky and Chris. She only knows that her beautiful kingdom - a place of remarkably varied flora, dignified and distinctive fauna, and an ecology that works in symphonic majesty - is in terrible, maybe fatal trouble.

At the most challenging junctures of their lives, Becky and Miea discover each other and Miea shares this discovery with Chris. For Becky, it is nearly inconceivable that a place she created has come into existence. For Miea, it is nearly inconceivable that a child created her land. For Chris, it is beyond inconceivable that he is again sharing something important in his daughter's life. For all of them, it as though a world of opportunity has opened up before them.

But time is not on their side. In fact, time might be running out.

Together, they need to uncover a secret. The secret to why these worlds have joined at this moment. The secret to their purpose. The secret to the future. It is a secret that, when discovered, will redefine imagination for all of them.

Montana Creeds: DYLAN by Linda Lael Miller

2011-01-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

Just read this. It's good. Hands hurt too much to write a review. Author's Link- Linda Lael Miller

Author/Editor? How Did THAT Happen?

2011-01-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

   So Kimber An suggested that I write about how I became both an author and editor at the same time. It does make for an interesting story and I've really had to pick my own brain to think about how and where it all began. But what follows is the origin story of it. I'm a huge fan of mythology, and origin stories are great, so let's see how I do with writing one of my own...
   Well, Kimber refers to me as the "Grammar Goddess" sometimes and I'm quite flattered by this, since it wasn't always the case. As a matter of fact, all through school, up through high school, I hated grammar. I didn't understand why it was important or what I would ever use it for and it was boring as all getout. After all, I had more important things on my mind back then...like checking out the cute guys in my classes (sigh). What changed that all for me is that I had to take a required grammar class for my English degree when I got to college and went for my B.A. I took a class by a professor named Jonathan Price, and it turned out that he'd written a book called Grammar Demystified. Sure, I thought - as I sat at the front of the class because I knew that otherwise I would surely nod off or not do the work - demystify it for me. But the amazing thing was that he did. It began to make sense and I realized that grammar really is important because it defines the way in which we use language. And personally, I wouldn't have felt like I had really "earned" my English degree if I didn't get past the obstacles holding me back from learning grammar.
   So Professor Price taught me to like grammar and to not be scared of it. Well, I got out of college and job searched for a LONG time. When I finally got a job with the State, I was relieved, but I didn't know how I was going to use the B.A. degree I got in English. After about a year and a half of State work, I heard that Decadent Publishing had started up and that they needed editors. I had written a novel called Fallenwood, and some other random pieces of fiction, but I'd tried submitting to what seemed like a million publishers, and all to no avail. So I stuck with editing for a while. I'd never done any kind of professional editing before and wasn't really sure what it was going to be like, but with a steady footing in English and grammar, I felt confident that I could handle it.
   So I took the test and submitted it, and not too long afterwards, became an editor for Decadent. I started editing other people's work and decided that I should try and submit something of my own. So I sent "The Devil's Bidding" in for submission, expecting it to be rejected like all the other times it had been rejected by publications before. At the time, I had a notebook that I would tape rejection letters into, and it had become a sort of collection of mine. I wanted to be able to add another page into my rejection notebook and collect the Decadent logo. What I got was something much cooler - the first acceptance for one of my stories. And that's how I became an author/editor at the same time.
   One of the great things about being an editor and author at the same time is that I have learned to be better about editing my own work. I used to hate editing the things I'd written. Once they were written, I didn't want to take a second look at them. This was a good thing to get over, since I've recently had to do a lot of editing for my upcoming novel Fallenwood.
   Thanks, Kimber, for giving me the opportunity to blog here!

0.4 by Mike Lancaster

2011-01-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

3rd January 2011, Egmont (UK - not sure if/when it will be published by Egmont US)
Children's, Paperback
Science Fiction, 11+

Summary from Egmont UK

It’s a brave new world.

'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore'

So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded on to old audio tapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax. But perhaps they contain the history of a past world...

If what the tapes say are true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie.

And if everything we know is a lie does that mean that we are, too?

This is one of those books that made me go wow a lot. My spine tingled most of the way through the novel. I have to say that I'm pretty glad I got a proof copy, without the final cover. It freaks me out a little - I do have a fear of anything wiggly. I think I turned a little pale while reading this book - there are a few moments when things are a bit too - um - wiggly for my liking. Those aside, this novel rocks!

Initially I was intrigued by 0.4, but before I started reading I did wonder whether it would be a bit weird or not. It sounded weird with the tapes. Strangely that actually worked out pretty well, and it heightens the element of surprise for the reader. Kyle is a likeable character. He's fairly ordinary, but what happens to him is extremely extraordinary. The story starts off with a snippet of what his life is normally like, as a background for all the strangeness that is to follow. The story is laid out by having sections where Kyle tells it into a cassette tape (which came before the mp3 player, before the cd player, before the mini-disk player - waaaay back in music history (not that long ago because I had one when I was little)). Just by nature of the very first cassette tapes, a few chunks of Kyle's words are cut out from the story, which made me go 'grrr' at the book and hope that I caught up in the next chapter (I did).

It isn't that Kyle disappears from the world. He and a few others disappear from peoples' existence. That is because they aren't people, but they are something else, something that can be altered or wiped out. The way the event happens is pretty clever. I really thought that it was a joke - until the joke never ended. There is a good deal of suspense and danger as Kyle and his friends go on the run from their own families and fellow neighbours. There are several moments where it seems like they will get caught. The truth behind what 0.4 really got my mind thinking. The fugitive element of the plot worked well, as did the way that Kyle used his friends' skills to survive. Through the event and the consequences, Kyle learns a lot about himself, and also about how his new friends behave. The future isn't necessarily an optimistic one for Kyle, but he has the right attitude to face what's coming. I'm very eager to read the next book, 1.0.

(Content-wise there isn't anything of note, other than a few horror elements).

This is on a similar vein to Michael Grant's trilogy Gone, Hunger, Lies (Blogger won't let me put links to my reviews for these just yet, I'll try and add them another day).

Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love by Chris Robertson and Shawn McManus

2011-01-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

September 2010, Titan Books
Graphic novel, Paperback
Fantasy

Summary from Titan Books
James Bond-style adventure starring Fables’ own Cinderella.
When supernatural artifacts from the Homelands begin surfacing in the modern world, it’s up to Cinderella, Fabletown's best-kept (and best-dressed) secret agent to stop the illegal trafficking. But can Cindy foil the dark plot before Fabletown and its hidden, exiled inhabitants are exposed once and for all? And how does her long-lost Fairy Godmother factor into the equation?

When I was approached to review some TV-tie in books, I was invited to check out the other books by Titan. I zoned in on this one. How could I resist learning more about one of my favourite fairy tale characters? This is Cinderella like you've never seen her before. She didn't get the happily ever after with Prince Charming, but she is relatively happy now. She runs her own shoe shop - well, what else do you think she could sell? She isn't around the shop much, which shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately in this story her shop assistant gets too big for his boots (slight pun intended), has crazy ideas which create a moment of popularity followed with many complaints and protests outside the shop. In between her spying, Cinderella manages to sort out the problem swiftly.

Yes, Cinderella is a spy! How cool is that! She is nifty with weapons, and equally dangerous without them for she uses her environment to hurt her attackers. One of her attackers turns out to be working on her side (not that you'd believe it at first). Cinderella goes undercover, which involves going back to her roots to get to the bottom of the mystery. There is magic abound in the gadgets she uses. But to be fair magic is only a part of the story. A lot of it is about Cinderella's courage, quick thinking in a crisis, her ability to formulate a plan and be able to modify it when circumstances change.

The illustrations are stunning. Cinderella visits a variety of locations, each with a different outfit. There are a few pictures with outfits that aren't used in the story, but are more of a chapter break. Despite having a mature readership suggestion on the back, this book isn't too steamy. There is the odd use of strong language, and there is innuendo and a few half-intimate scenes but generally it's a decent book.

It was fascinating to learn what Cinderella did over her long life (we are talking a few hundred years), and how her work impacts on normal people and other Fables. The only down side was that the outfit on the front cover wasn't actually used in Cinderella's story. It provided a nice chapter interlude though :)

I recommend this book for anyone who loves a strong female protagonist who can hold her own in a fight, who is intelligent, has an extensive wardrobe and who is fun to read about.

My Guest Post at Alien Romances

2011-01-11T10:06:00.001-08:00

Ancient Egypt & Blood Sucking Dead Guys

Another Four Star Review for SUGAR RUSH!

2011-01-10T17:59:00.000-08:00

SUGAR RUSH at Romance Reviews

SUGAR RUSH Receives a Four Star Review from Night Owl!

2011-01-10T10:52:00.001-08:00

SUGAR RUSH at Night Owl

What does 2011 hold in store for me?

2011-01-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm still getting back into the swing of things after the holidays. I got a little lazy with my reading (terrible, I know) and the only book I've read this week (book. Singular. One. Terrible! (the lone digit, not the book which was an awesome re-read)) can't be posted here because its needed for my special focus next week.

So I'm without a book to review (bad me). I thought I'd chat about what I hope to happen on my postings this year.

I am determined to actually get through Lisa Shearin's novels. I've read a few - but I'm re-reading them and keep setting them down as other shiny books grab my interest. I'm easily distracted by several things: chocolate, anime, books, icecream, milkshake, soft toys and not necessarily in that order. Perhaps I can do this before her next book is released (see - I don't even know what date that is!)

That takes care of 4-5 reviews :) As for the rest, I haven't got a clue what I'll be reviewing. But I'm looking forward to reading all the other books reviewed here, and to more great work by Kimber An :)

SUGAR RUSH is Reviewed at Tink's Place

2011-01-06T04:14:00.000-08:00

It's a place for those who love reading and other mischief! SUGAR RUSH at Tink's Place