Jess Wins!

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!

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

Last Day for Grand Prize Drawing

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

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!

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.
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Four Star Review for CRUSHED

Thank you, Siobhan! CRUSHED at LoveFantasySciFiNovels

How To Write a Book Review

  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

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

Thanks a bunch, Heather!
CRUSHED at the Galaxy Express

Kimber Guests at Nayu's Reading Corner

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

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

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!

CRUSHED at Nayu's Reading Corner

The Grey Horse

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!

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

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

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

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.

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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.

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

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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

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

PRETTY SOULS by Julie Particka

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

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.

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

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

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'

Not a Newbie Anymore

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

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

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

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!

About CRUSHED SUGAR

Giveaway! Jill Marie Landis Autographed Book!

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!

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 !!!

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

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

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