BDB Read-a-Thon

Welcome

As the seasons turn from warm to cold, and in my case COLDER. I'm going to seriously heat things up here on the blog.

As many of you may or may NOT know, I haven't read the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series yet. So for the rest of 2012 I'm doing just that. Reading the whole series from start to finish. Join me as I enjoy the series and talk all things BDB from the Brothers themselves to the women they come to love. Enjoy your favorite moments all over again as I discover them for myself.

If you'd like to join me I've created a linky list for you to join in! So join me as I enter the realm of the BDB and find my own Brother to swoon over and call my own.

Vaempires - the Review Tour

Vaempires
Book One The Evolutionary War
By Thomas Winship

It is the morning of Princess Cassandra’s sixteenth birthday. Everyone’s attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate the momentous event.

Cassandra’s boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He’s still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires—former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood—have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.

The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpire that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.

What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?

Review

Princess Cassandra (Cassie) is turning 16. Its the big important day she can officially be princess to her family. There is even a HUGE celebration in which many people have come to the royal estate, but things go terribly wrong and chaos erupts as her home is attacked by the væmpires. Cassie is wandering the halls where massive casualties have occurred, the guard is mostly dead and soon she discovers so are her parents in a most heinous way.

Daniel was out of town when the attack started, and heading back home he encounters numerous casualties in the streets as the væmpires are attacking and draining vampires at will. He is desperately trying to get back to Cassie's estate to check and see if she is there...when he tries to com her and can't reach her he panics. He tries his best friends and manages to get through temporarily as the væmpires have cut off com links across the world. Daniel finds out that this wasn't an isolated attack. His next thoughts race back to his own home where his family are, but he sees that many vampires outside of their homes need his help before he can reach his own home or Cassie's.

Daniel tries to reach his home and at first all he hears is static and then his father's voice which is flighty and he sounds very raspy... he has been attacked and Daniel's mother is already dead and his father is near death. His father tells him he must take his rightful place and think of the people first and man-up and be the king he is meant to be. Daniel is afraid to do so, but soon realizes he doesn't have a choice of the world will soon be taken over by the væmpires. As he returns home he runs into trouble with some væmpires preying on humans and others with powers noever before seen in their species. All the more frightening to vampire-kind and humans alike.

Meanwhile, Cassie is in her own battle as she was kidnapped by a væmpire, Vielyn, out to be the king. She struggles with his added strength, speed and second opposable thumb in order to free herself from being held captive in the capitols secret chamber cell. She finds a means to escape while Daniel fights his way back into the capitol in search of Cassie. Meanwhile only to be hunted down again by Vielyn and another væmpire with a power of her own. even when they are reunited, they are far from safe as this new væmpire's powers are unleashed leaving Daniel and Cassie fighting for their own and each other to survive.

This was a spellbinding novel and a gripping tale as the væmpires are almost superior to vampires in many ways - stronger, faster, and far more devious then anyone would have thought. I loved Cassie's determination not to give in and let the væmpires have their way with her and how she fought to be free and fight, even if just to see Daniel again. Daniel had to come into his rightful place as acting king and look at the bigger picture when he wanted nothing more than to be with Cassie. Seeing both of them fighting for each other was endearing and captivating as they would do whatever they could to end of the væmpires trying to kill them both. I give this a solid 4 stars.

It's almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America's Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel's family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie's relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn't know what he should or shouldn't do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises--guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations--but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.

Review

NOTE: the events of White Christmas take place a full 6 months before the events of Revolutions, but is meant to be read AFTER revolutions...and for good reason!

Whit Christmas start with Daniel in slump, its right before Christmas and he's trekking to get to the secret location of the meeting of the Vampire King and Queen, the human president and some other select representatives to discuss the diminishing relationships that are occurring between races.

Daniel is nearing the location when he sees Cassie out in the woods, not sure how to broach her he keeps a distance so she doesn't see him watching her. When she returns inside Daniel comes in. and heads to his room to try and relax, knowing full well with the tension between him and Cassie at an all time high, even talking to her is an impossibility. Daniel dozes, off only to wake hours later to Cassie knocking. When they get to talking a little things begin to fall away and they start to talk again, but just as they start to get "cozy" trouble arrives at the compound...

Vaempires have arrived demanding to be let in and that they were intentionally left out of this meeting for a reason. (Obviously!) The arrive to cause trouble and in spades! Donrel the leder and only Vaempire on the council is ready to cause major trouble among the humans and vampires. Little do the King Queen and Human president know they already have their plans laid out...

Daniel knows their up to no good, but can't quite figure out what their strategy is, not to mention how they found out where the compound was. But whats worse, they have an insider with a power none of them knew about. But I digress, with the Vaempires now in on the meeting things get heated very quickly as accusation, allegations and rumors from past come to light and make the meetings very tense. The one rumor they claim will help bring about peace is one involving Cassie. That she broke off an engagement to a vaempire because of his mutation. Cassie vehemently denies this, but the council believe she should go through with it to help ease tensions. We all know Daniel gets his two cents in at this point, but gets in trouble in attempting to follow her as she leaves.

Later he decides to leave and clear his head, but didn't expect to run into Cassie doing the same thing as well. They start to talk about what happened at the meeting and their feelings for each other become sort of revealed. As they are together in the woods Daniel finds courage to give Cassie her Christmas gift....a sweet ending to a excellent pre-quel as it were. A great mid read between stories

The tale of The Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.

Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.

Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls.

With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.

Review

This story by far is my favorite to date of this series. We get to see the events of Revolutions thru the perspective of Linq and Ray, Daniel's two best male friends, and his most trusted.

Ling and Ray are finally able to get through to Cassie, who got locked in a secure room by Daniel to keep her safe, but she doesn't like being locked away and so gets Ling to let her out, so she can go after Daniel who is after our major villain in the series, Vielyn. Can you say uber souped up creep-a-zoid? *shudders* They head into the fray in Orion and are heading toward the castle to find Cassie and Daniel. BUt they run into trouble, a group of Vaempires to deal with before they can get to far. They end up fighting the pair and are soon nearly outdone. When one decides to drain Linq nearly dry!

When Ry finally gets the one off Linq they quickly get him some synth-blood to help him heal and get back on his feet. The get back on track and to the palace, in the meantime Cassie is caught again by Vielyn this time...and things are worse then she fears as the events prior start to come back to her....Daniel is dead, killed by Vielyn right before her eyes.

Vielyn has Cassie and with Daniel dead the only hope lies on Linq and Ray. Cassie is trying to keep her head composed while dealing with Vielyn, but her actions only get her into hot water and Vielyn is ready to put her out of her misery...by removing her memories associated with Daniel that is. Then out of nowhere one of the nasty vamps from the compound appears....ready to kill Cassie since Vielyn won't do it.

Ray and Ling get in to the palace which is void of life, it even feels empty, almost haunted. As they get further in the sights of battle are everywhere, blood, overturned and damaged furniture, and everything is in shambles. As they head out toward the toer they catch the scent of their friends having been their and the carnage surrounding them gives them ample idea of what occurred. The continue to find scattered parts until they come to the the west ward and then it hits them...hard. Dead vamepire bodies and parts are everywhere, but one thing keeps them moving a beating heart... they stumble upon a body, and something about her seems off, but when they don't know...yet.

They end up dealing with a LOT for then they bargained for as they try to find Cassie and Daniel in the mess, but then the story takes off and I'm not going to ruin the rest as its too good to do to Tom's story. I know, evil aren't I. But those of you who love a good ending with a cliffhanger are going to DIE after you read the rest of what happens next. And to do that you need to read the book and see where it MIGHT take us next!

And there you have it. A review for each of the three stories thus far, I've loved what I've read to this point and I'm very anxious to see what Tom throws at us next. This last part gets a FIVE from me as it's got me hooked on his story. Thanks Tom for making me enjoy horror again and I'm eager to devour what you come up with next!

About the Author

Thomas Winship was born in Middletown, NY and still resides in Orange County. He holds an MBA in Management from St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he serves as an adjunct professor of courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. He also spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training.

Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, a mystery/legal thriller entitled Temporary Insanity (a.k.a. Case Closed), was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. His second novel, Væmpires: Revolution, was published in October and a follow-up novella, Væmpires: White Christmas, was published in December.

He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.

He is currently working on the next installment of the “Væmpires” series, which is scheduled for an early 2013 release.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Goodreads

Books on Amazon.com | Books on Smashwords

Luminosity Blog Tour - Review and Bio

Good Morning Everyone. I am thrilled to be art of this blog tour. This was a book I have been looking forward for a long time. So without delay...I bring you Luminosity.

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

About Stephanie Thomas

Stephanie Thomas has been writing ever since she could put letters together to form words. When she was a small child, she would present her mother and father with self-made newspapers filled up with make believe stories and pictures. Her love for writing followed her all throughout her schooling, where she entered and won writing contests of all sorts. Stephanie decided to become an English teacher and completed her B.A. at The Pennsylvania State University. While teaching, she later went on to get her Master’s in writing from The Johns Hopkins University. She completed her very first manuscript during her graduate studies, and by the end of the program, she had completed two more.

Stephanie is quick to tell anyone that she’s a born and raised Philadelphian, and her heart will always belong there. She moved to Baltimore with her husband, and they’ve been living there for the last five years with their doggie, Sailor, and their rabbit, Buns (aka “T Sizzle).

Her Website | Stephanie on Twitter

Review

We are introduced to Seer Beatrice, or Bea to her friends. She was raised in the Institution, a place where children gifter with the Sight are raised to use their power to see the events of the future (Vision). When Seer Beatrice has a vision the leader, The Keeper, listens. When her visions start to predict a war with the Dreamcatchers, people whose Sight faded and then turned into a curse, The Keeper begins to make their Training more vigorous and dangerous.

When Seer Beatrice started hearing a voice in her head calling her name, and her visions start to change it unsettled her. And The Keeper is keeping more of an eye on her and her Visions, and letting her get away with things that most Seers would be penalized for it catches her attention. She sneaks out to find a former seer called The Widow with secrets of her own. What Bea finds out is startling, and it changes her perspective on things. She keeps her changing Visions from her best friend, Gabe, or Seer Gabriel. Gabe has caught on to this and begins to avoid Bea in hurt feelings she knew they both were developing for each other.

The dreamcatcher in her dreams starts to talk to her and show her his world outside the City walls. He says they need to save each other, but how when their on opposite sides. All Bea knows is that she feels safe with this Dreamcatcher. But the war starts sooner then thought, and The Keeper has them Training with real Beacon bullets and putting them against each other in a holographic world. Some Seers get hurt, others killed. Things only get worse from here, as The Keeper believes the war is upon them, and has them hunting an actual caught Dreamcatcher. When they start to find out startles their group and makes them rethink what is really going on.

When their world is rocked when the Dreamcatchers breach the barrier protecting the City the Seers are sent out to protect the Citizens, knowing that the Dreamcatchers could be anyone around them and to shoot and kill on the spot. They soon realize they have a plot in mind and that the real threat is back at their Institution. ONce inside things are much grimmer, many Seers are dead, looks of horror and fright frozen on their faces. But things aren't over. Things are just starting to come together. In order to find out what happens and how it ends, you need to read the book!

Stephanie does a great job of building a world where the City is the last surviving City around after a war the devastated the US. I liked how Bea developed and began to finally question what is truth and not, and not everything is how it was told. Be and her friends are all teens of varying ages. SO we get the young love through the story. It starts off a but slow as we get to know Bea and her friends. Ir's only the back half where the action takes place and the last major part is what leaves us wanting to know what happens "after". I'd give this a 3 of 5 , as I began to want to get to the the war and see how things are handled. Stephanie definitely made it have a strong impact and there are some things I knew were coming others were a surprise. I'm curious to see what the next story will affect Bea's development and introduce us to more of her world.

Giveaway

There is a giveaway going on with the blog tour. It is a US only Giveaway for a signed book and swag. Enter the Rallfecopter form below. Thanks for dropping in and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five Tour - Guest Post and Excerpt with Christie Rich

Today I have Christie Rich here talking about Little Known books...of which I bet we all have at one point or another, so I give you Christie Rich! Welcome Christie!

Little Known Books

I don’t know about you but sometimes I want to read something original. I love a good vampire romance, but sometimes I’d like something with a new edge. I’m listing some of the books I’ve read lately that snared me and made me want more. This isn’t an all inclusive list by any means because I’ve read some great books lately, but these are the ones that came to mind when I tried to remember the best I’ve read lately.

Blood Debt by Nancy Straight—This one is completely original. I don’t recall another book about centaurs. The mythology is intriguing and I enjoyed the writing style. I got so involved in this story that I had to take my kindle shopping with me to finish the book. I’m sure a few people thought the men in white coats had lost me. I got to a critical point in the story and gasped in the ice cream isle, crying “No” to whoever might have been listening. Suffice it to say, the story problem resolved, but I literally had a panic attack because of this scene. It was so good. And for those of you who hate love triangles, this is your book. The main love interest, Drake, is swoon worthy without being a jerk, which I found refreshing.

Crux by Julie Reece—Again, the use of mythology in this book was amazing. It’s been a while since I’ve had such a visceral reaction to a book. For whatever reason I totally connected with Birdie, the protagonist, even though I hated her name, lol. When I met Birdie, she was homeless and in a bad way. A bunch of seemingly random events end up happening that turn out to be not random at all and Birdie is sucked into an adventure of a lifetime. I loved Julie Reece’s writing style and captivating characters. I totally hated it when this book ended, especially because it wasn’t part of a series. The ending was complete and satisfying, but I loved the characters enough to want to follow them around a bit more.

The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton—This one was a surprise to me. I happened to see a tweet from Ms. Hamilton one day saying if I could unscramble a word, I could win her book. I did just that and she gifted me a copy of The Forever Girl from Amazon. I ended up contacting her to tell her how much I was enjoying her book and she and I became online buddies. The Forever Girl happens to be one of the best vampire reads I’ve read. It’s completely original and uses elemental power, which I love. I was completely captivated by the writing and the great storyline. This one is definitely worth the read.

What Kills Me by Wynne Channing—To be honest, when I found out about this book I thought, “not another vampire book”, but What Kills Me is anything but a carbon copy of what’s out there. It’s full of action and bright characters that were easy to connect with. I ate up the book in no time flat just to see what happened. Although this had some romance, it was more of an adventure mixed with a bit of horror. Some of the fight scenes were pretty intense.

Lichgates by S.M. Boyce—I don’t usually go for epic fantasy. I’m more of a paranormal gal, but I picked up a copy of Lichgates because the storyline intrigued me. It’s about a girl that goes hiking and ends up literally falling into another world. She is chosen by a book to be its guardian and has to learn magic and try to fend off all of these crazy otherworldly creatures. The imagination behind the story is great and I loved the world of Ourea and all the races S.M. Boyce created. Epic’s usually feel really long to me, but not this one. It totally sucked me in.

A White So Red by Krystle Jones—I love Snow White and this retelling was amazing. The depth of the world kept me glued to the pages, and the characters had an original twist. Curse Girl by Kate Avery Ellison—Growing up on Disney films set a love in my heart for fairytales.

Curse Girl is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that has such a great cast of characters and wonderful storyline. Even though the story followed the main structure of Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast, the story felt totally original. I came away wishing it had been longer and wanting to know what happened after the resolution happened. The alternate world created by Ellison was compelling, and I’m kind of hoping she dips into that world for another story at some point.

A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King—I love books that make me question my beliefs. In this book the demons aren’t necessarily the bad guys. They’re not traditional, by any means, either, which was surprising. I totally hate labels, so every time I found myself thinking, “but this is a demon, they should be bad,” I went, oh, wondering how many times.

Obsidian (Lux Book I) by Jennifer L. Armentrout—I’m kind of glad I didn’t know much about this book going in. If I’d known it was about aliens I might have been less enthusiastic. An online friend of mine went ga-ga over it, so I gave it a go. Two things: Armentrout can write. I love her characters, her descriptions, everything about the way she tells a story. The only thing is, some of her books have gotten a little close to being too adult to be YA. That being said, this book rocked my socks and I fell in love.

A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter—Like my first book, Five (Elemental Enmity Book I), A Hidden Fire is free on Amazon. I picked it up on a whim and started reading. I couldn’t stop. It’s brilliant. The characters are real, and made me care about them. I loved the action as well as the romance in the book, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series. Once again I found myself reading another vampire book, but I have to say that the genre seems to have sprouted new wings. The books I’ve read lately have been anything but a carbon copy of Twilight.

So there you have it, my list of fantastic reads you might not have heard about. What about you? What books have snagged you this year? I’d love to know.

Thanks Christie.... Surprisingly I have several of those books in my Kindle and I've read a few of those you have listed as well.... I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on What Kills Me. It was a page turner for sure with fight scenes that were almost out of anything you'd see in the Matrix...LOL

Rayla Tate’s life is about to turn vertical…again. As if it wasn’t bad enough her mother disappeared under questionable circumstances leaving Rayla to be raised by her aunt in a horrendously small town. Her overprotective guardian is determined to ruin Rayla’s life. She refuses to let Rayla out of her sight or out of the state. Provincial living might be what her aunt demands of her purposely sheltered niece; but, Rayla has other ideas. In a desperate attempt to follow her dreams she flees the safety of her home and runs away to college with her best friend toward a bright future in the art world.

However, excitement over her newfound freedom turns into terror when she is chased by a mysterious stranger on her way to school. When his motorcycle suddenly morphs into a fire-breathing pegasus, Rayla questions her sanity. Worse, the man riding next to her stirs a burning desire in her soul she has never known or could have ever imagined. Using all the will she owns, she manages to resist the compulsion she feels; yet, as he disappears into the night, she is certain he hasn't gone far.

Rayla quickly dismisses the encounter to her overactive imagination. She is determined to settle into her new life, yet the images and feelings of that night still haunt her. To make matters worse, her aunt seems to be in on the act, insisting that Rayla will soon be hunted by a pack of fae lords for a power over the elements she never knew she possessed—a power that could change the world. Quicker than she ever thought possible, she finds herself surrounded by stunning men that all seem determined to win her heart. Why does she feel drawn to each one of them? More importantly, what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using whatever means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.

Excerpt

The view of the sunset reminded me of my favorite bluff back home. Nothing but sky was visible in the horizon. I might as well have been standing on the edge of the world gazing at the gilded gates of heaven.

“I will never tire of seeing that,” a melodic voice erupted behind me.

If I had gotten a bit more air, I would have landed on Mars. “Zach.” I put a hand against my pounding heart. “You scared me.” I hadn’t even heard him come up to me.

“I noticed.” He smirked. “I was trying my best not to disturb you. You looked so peaceful, but I am a selfish man.” He chuckled, moving closer.

My attraction to him was hard enough to handle when he had all his clothes on. My pulse raced with his approach for an entirely different reason. He had the sort of flawless body that belonged on the airbrushed pages of a magazine. His skin glowed golden in the blazing sunset that brought out rusty hues in his dark hair. My fingers itched to trace every angle of his sculpted abdomen and chest.

“Leave it to you to make this thing look good,” he said, running a finger under the strap on my shoulder. “By rights, it should be burned. Are you going to tell me why you insisted on wearing it?”

“No.”

He traced my collarbone. “Really?” In one fluid motion, I was in his arms, and he was carrying me deeper into the water.

I hoped he couldn’t feel the thud of my heart beating against his chest. “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked more calmly than I felt.

“Changing your mind,” he said just as evenly.

I could see where he was going with this, and over the edge of a cliff wasn’t my idea of fun. “Don’t.”

He grinned. “Tell me.”

I stiffened in his arms. “If you do this, I will leave—without you.” His exaggerated exhale tickled my neck, sending goose-bumps down my body.

“Don’t you ever relax?”

I gritted my teeth, hating what I had become in the past few weeks. If he had tried this back home, I would have protested, giggled, and screamed but loved every minute of his antics. Things were different now. I was on edge constantly. “I’m so not okay with heights. Let me down.”

The set of his jaw didn’t give me any comfort. He walked up a ramp between the two converging rivers that made the waterfall. On sure feet, he stepped to the edge. I honestly didn’t know how he was still standing with the water blasting against his knees. He leaned into my ear. “Tell me.”

I clung to his neck like grime to a barn cat. “I don’t want to.”

He looked over the edge and back at me. The humor in his gaze died. He sighed, stepping back a few paces. My heart found its way back into my chest. He carried me to a lounge chair, setting me down gently.

“You can’t possibly think that thing is pretty,” he commented after a while.

“Pretty isn’t everything,” I said.

He raised his brows, tucking his strong chin inward in mockery then looked at me sidelong. “It helps.” He smiled teasingly.

I shot him a dirty look before giving him my back. He placed a timid hand on my shoulder. “Come, now. It can’t possibly be as bad as all that.”

Why couldn’t he just let it go? I wasn’t all up in his business, why did he feel the need to be in mine. “Drop it already.”

Zach sat beside me, coaxing my chin upward. His voice was soft. “Aren’t you having fun, lass?”

I wouldn’t look him in the eye. If I did he would see every insecurity I had. “I was before you decided to go all Tarzan on me.”

He thumped his chest, doing a great imitation of the call. I tried to smile, but I didn’t think it helped.

“You weren’t like this the other day.” He turned away as if in thought, glancing at me hastily. “Don’t you like swimming?”

The other day I didn’t have four terrifying men after me. I would have liked to give him an easy out, but I didn’t want to lie. “I usually love it.”

Cassie had an indoor pool back home. On the rare occasion I actually got to stay the night at her house, we would spend hours in the water. She taught me how to float first. I had progressively gotten better. I was an adequate swimmer now. The one thing I didn’t like was the high-dive.

He frowned. “Is it me?” His brows furrowed as though he was really worried. “Have I done something to offend you?”

I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply. “I’m sorry. I’ve had fun today, really. I just have other things on my mind right now.”

He grinned, tucking my hair behind my ear. “I’m a great listener.”

I didn’t like being such a disappointment, but I couldn’t snap myself out of it. I could just imagine how fast he’d be gone if I did tell him everything that was wrong with me at the moment. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”

He knelt in front of me and took my hands in his. “You can’t expect me to not be curious.” “It’s a free country,” I said. “Be curious all you like.” I was pushing him away when normally I would have been doing everything in my power to keep him interested in me.

The sun had made its final descent. The haze of twilight settled all around us with the stars spotting the barely glowing sky. In a few minutes, I would be able to relax a little. Zach tugged my hand. “Do you wish to go join the others?” He sounded dejected.

Why was I acting like this? I needed to snap out of it. My mood wasn’t his fault. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here for a while.”

He nodded then moved to a lounge chair opposite me, wasting no time in getting comfortable. “Why don’t you tell me of your home?”

The subject seemed safe enough. “Have you ever been to eastern Utah?”

He made an odd sound, sort of a half concealed groan. “It has been many years.” He wasn’t old enough for it to have been that long ago. I leaned back and put my arms behind my head preparing to give him details.

“I see,” he said in a sympathetic tone, his eyes soft with compassion.

I followed his gaze down to my exposed torso. How could I have been so stupid? The bottom half of my scar poked out from beneath the fringe. I bolted up, pulling awkwardly at the fabric.

He shook his head. “Everyone has imperfections, Rayla.” In an instant he moved to the edge of my chair. Calloused fingers caressed my shoulder before skimming down my arm. “Some are just more visible than others.”

I turned away. Then I got mad. “Really, where’s yours?”

His face crinkled thoughtfully. His eyes held haunted shadows. “You’d be surprised.”

I gave him a look. “Enlighten me.”

“There are certain things I want to change so badly about myself that it consumes my life.” Unless he was a fantastic actor, he was being sincere.

“Like?”

He grimaced, only slightly, but it was enough to make me wonder. “I would rather not get into that with you yet.”

I cocked my jaw, clicking my tongue. “It’s okay for me, but not for you, huh?”

He leveled his gaze to mine seriously. “If a scar is all you have to hide, you should be thankful.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The truth burned me like a solar flare. I should have been able to put on a pretty bikini without so much as a second thought, but I wasn’t there yet. I hoped I would be some day. I felt ridiculous being so shallow. “You didn’t answer my question,” I said after a moment of hesitation.

The lines of his face turned hard. “I know.”

“There you are,” Natalie yelled, cresting the hill in a sprint with Sam close behind her.

“Help me, Rayla!” She crouched down between my chair and the stacked rock wall.

“They can’t save you,” Sam said coldly, standing by my feet. “You will pay.”

I turned back, whispering, “What did you do?”

She smiled proudly. “Put ice in his trunks.”

Zach narrowed his eyes at Natalie. His jaw tightened. “You deserve anything you get.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet.

Sam swept the chair sideways. Natalie squealed, trying to out-maneuver him. She didn’t make it.

Attempting to wrench away from him, she said desperately, “You can put ice in my suit. Rayla, do you have a drink?”

Sam smiled wickedly. He looked over at the edge of the falls. Did all male minds work the same? “I have something better in mind.”

She put her hands on his cheeks. “Please, Sam. I’m sorry. I won’t do anything like that again.”

He grabbed her wrists, pushing her into the river. She kicked at him and squealed the entire way.

“Not after this,” he said, grinning. Without another word, he pinned her arms to her sides in a bear hug. She smiled at him. I couldn’t see his expression, but her eyes flew wide just before he shouted, “Geronimo.”

Her “No” was squelched when they hit the water. Zach grinned down at me. My smile shriveled.

“Don’t even think about it,” I said when he came closer. Natalie’s laugh rang clear from below.

“Not that I don’t find the idea tempting once more, but I think I will pursue your affections another way.”

About Christie

I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing now. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. We live in a quiet community under the Wellsville mountains in Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Where to find Christie:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Book's Links:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Createspace

Review

Meet Rayla Tate... a recent high school graduate whose Aunt is set on having her attend the local college. Rayla on the other hand wants more from her life then living the rest of her life out in rural Utah. When her Aunt refuses to listen about going away for college, Rayla sets off a chain of events she never in her wildest dreams thought would ever be real.

When she cleaves Utan with her friend Carrie all of the sudden a motorcyclist turns into a huge frightening pegasus with a hulking driver riding atop the wild beast...but can Rayla trust what she is seeing, or is her mind playing tricks on her? When she stop her car to try to escape the scary things she thinks is out there it's suddenly gone. Her best friend is clamming up on her and won't tell her if she believes what they know they both saw wa actually real. They carry on to their new school with no other unusual events.

Events start to unravel from here. Carrie clams up more and they begin to have fights. ONe night Rayla takes a jog and runs ont a man in her path, and she is mysteriously drawn to him ,but knows nothing of this man in front of her. She manages to come to her senses and leaves with some new friend, Natalie. One afternoon in the bookstore they are approached by a group of four guys who all look like varying cultural versions of gods...Carrie is VERY jealous of the attention which focuses on Rayla and NOT her. They all try and offer to buy her a shirt for the upcoming football game, but she feels uneasy with the approach they take and gaining her affections. Then she meets Zach and her world tilts on its axis. He is nothing like the others and treats her well.

Meanwhile she is finding out more about what she is then she had cared to know, no thanks to her aunt. She is an elemental, a being capable of controlling one or more element - earth, air, wind, water or fire. She was sent to her aunts when her mother was "killed" and sent to be protected from a fate she never knew laid before her. The four guys fron the bookstore aren't humans, but Fey lords set to try and bond with her to gain power over her element and controlo over her. Her world isn't safe outside of Utah and college is not whats it's cracked up to be.

There is so much more to the story, but I can't give it all away or it won't be fun for you to read, but I really enjoyed the world building in her worlds, as you get a small glimpse of the certain parts of Faieria, where many of the characters are from. There are a lot of small revelations throughout the story which lead up to the cliffhanger of a climax at the end which I did NOT see coming! It has be waiting for the next novel. A very good Fey story with a ton of twists along the way.

One Night with a Hero - Laura Kaye

I feel so fortunate to have Laura Kaye back on the blog again for her tour of Brady's story titled One Night with a Hero.

Hello Again Laura. I’m apparently addicted to Heroes and HAD to have you back with Brady’s story now out!

Okay, a gal’s gotta ask: Where the devil did that whipped cream scene come from? I about died of a hernia laughing so hard trying to get through that!

LOL! Awesome! I’m glad you had fun with that scene! I don’t really know where it came from! But the minute Joss brought that can of whipped cream in from the kitchen, I knew they were going to have some fun with it!

Brady is a very persistent and yet, caring gentleman. How did his hard upbringing shape his character?

His childhood experiences after his mother died shaped him fundamentally. His is so fearful of turning into his father that he doesn’t even realize how good of a person he is. My heart really hurts for Brady during a lot of this book.

Joss was a very fun puzzle to piece together. She seems tough and gruff on the exterior but she’s like any other female on the inside. Was she fun to write?

Joss was amazing to write. Yes, she does struggle with insecurities, but she’s also amazingly strong and resilient. She’s a survivor. And I loved writing a heroine who had a more unusual appearance…

Joss is one tough cookie at first for Brady to crack, she didn’t truly think he’d come back…not to mention be the way he was with her at the park. Did seeing that help her see the more relaxed side of who Brady is?

Joss was pretty taken with Brady all the way around. And each new layer she peeled back more him even more appealing. The more she knows him, the more she realizes he’s a much more complicated guy than she imagined that first night.

When they started spending time together it was more for the “physical release” they seemed to both need to feel loved at the time, but they both knew it was turning into more. Their feelings must have been becoming more involved as they felt so at ease. Was it meant to happen that way?

There’s a lot of physical interactions frontloaded into the first half of this story, and those scenes are definitely there for a reason. Both Joss and Brady believes they can safely participate in the sex and keep their hearts guarded, but the sex serves to bring them together emotionally whether they want it to or not.

Brady stalled for a while on going to get his closure, was this by his own accord or did he need to work through other things before he was really ready to confront his past?

Brady had to find a way to getting emotionally and mentally prepared to find his closure, because he feared if he gave up his anger, he’d have nothing left.

Brady gets a double whammy which sends him overboard. Did the order in which these occurred play an importance in how he reacted and how things panned out from there?

Unquestionably, yes. Without offering spoilers (grins!), his reaction would’ve been different if he’d learned the second piece of information before the first. Learning about these two things in the order he did made it all the worse, and made him feel like the one path out of the anger he could see was gone forever, and with it, a future he might’ve wanted for himself.

It took Brady a very long time to realize he never really needed to get full closure from his father. That he was in control of how things played out. How does that affect him?

It’s a total revelation to him. But it also frees him to pursue what he’s finally realizes he wants.

We get to see Marco and Alyssa again and they played a HUGE part in the outcome. Did that plan out as you wanted or did they decide how best to make it happen and do it their way?

I always knew that Her Forbidden Hero’s Marco and Alyssa would play an important role in this story. Marco, Alyssa and Brady were always too close for it to be otherwise. Marco was the person in Brady’s life who had always called him out, and Alyssa wants to take care of him, too. I really love the pair of them in this book.

When Marco “knocks some sense into him” everything seems to fall into place. He seemed to change in an instant. He knew what he had to do. With that in mind he set out on his mission. Was he happy to finally have the clarity he needed and know where he belonged?

Absolutely. There’s a repeating theme in the book of Brady trying to clear his head, so the moment he finally finds that clarity, he’s a man on a mission and he does everything it takes to be successful.

With the set now completed what’s next on your WIP list? I know you just had a HUGE deal go through with Harper Collins. What can us readers anticipate to read next?

Right now I’m working on South of Surrender, the third book in the Greek-mythology-inspired Hearts of the Anemoi series set to release in Spring 2013. After that, I’ll be writing the third Vampire Warrior Kings novella. Next, I’ll start working on the first of the books in my new Hard Ink series with Harper Collins/Avon—I’m so excited about that!!!

Thanks for stopping by again Laura! It’s always a pleasure to have you stop in!

Thanks so much for hosting me! So glad to visit you here!

See the whole Laura’s Pandora Bracelet Giveaway here!

Where to find One Night with a Hero

Amazon US | B&N Nook | Kobo

Where to find Laura Kaye

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

“Laura Kaye is synonymous with great, sexy romance.”
~NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

He wants just one night…

After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to marry or have kids. Sent stateside to get his head on straight—and his anger in check—Brady’s looking for a distraction. He finds it in his beautiful new neighbor’s one-night-only offer for hot sex, but her ability to make him forget is addictive. Suddenly, Brady’s not so sure he can stay away.

…what they need is each other.

Orphaned as a child, community center director Joss Daniels swore she’d never put herself in a position to be left behind again, but she can’t deny herself one sizzling night with the sexy soldier who makes her laugh and kisses her senseless. When Joss discovers she’s pregnant, Brady’s rejection leaves her feeling abandoned. Now, they must overcome their fears before they lose the love and security they’ve found in each other, but can they let go of the past to create a future together?

About Laura Kaye:

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. A published non-fiction author, Laura’s work as an historian and training as an archaeologist help her create vivid and accurate portrayals of other times and places. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Review

Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott is sent stateside to get his affairs back home in check, and his anger problem as well. But he didn't expect the feisty and fiery Joss Daniels to call him a freaking "Sailor". Bring it on! Brady is one tough cookie to back down fron a challenge, and when Joss finally cracks under his gaze it's instant fireworks. even under them, and on her truck in dark vacant parking lot.

Joss is instantly attracted to Brady, but to her all men are alike..they walk all over you and then rip your heart out. Leaving you in shreds, but she couldn't herself from eggin him on...and finding that he'd eagerly take her on. He's not what she expected in a one night stand. He's kind, considerate and not afraid to go after what he wants...her at the time.

When Joss offers the perfect solution of a one night stand for them both it releases Brady's self control and he shows her a night of pleasure that leaves her feeling like she was treasured and cared for. When she suddenly finds him standing at her door at 7am, she's dumbfounded....their neighbors! Oh my! This sets off the afore mentioned whipped cream incident I nearly died laughing in! who knew! But its not all fun and games for these two. As they start to have more tie together and get to know a little, they both go into protective modes and Brady claims that he can't be capable of love and he'd only end up leaving her. She claims that they all see her as a friend and not girlfriend material.

Brady does a near one-eighty and hurt Joss in the process. He start avoiding her and trying not to draw attention to himself around her. Doing anything, including working crazy hours to stay away, but she lingers in his thoughts. Meanwhile poor Joss is knee deep in work and suddenly finds herself feeling ill. ONe night when Joss is watching a young baby and she gets violently sick, Brady cones to the rescue and cares for her. Joss shortly there after has a huge revelation which knocks her cold. And when Brady find out things REALLY hit the fan! Joss kicks him out and refuses to talk to him after his reaction to her news.

Brady is on the verge of getting his affairs back in order and his military life back to how he wants it, but when another problem occurs he looses it. He feels that he can't get the closure he needs to move on. Leave it to your best friend to "knock some sense" into Brady. And with sone help from his Sister he tries to fix things with Joss, but find she's hard pressed to trust him and let him back into her life. With a LOT of patience and a whole lot of creativity he bcomes a man he never knew he could be.

Laura Kaye has done it again in this second and last of Her "Heroes" series. I fell in love with military men all over again. Brady is captivating and complex in a perfect way. Joss is a true won in bas-ass chick skins! They fint together so well and to see their story play out it melts your heart. Laura knows how to write a hero and make him feel like he's real. A perfect fun, yet sext love story you don't want to miss.

Giveaway!

Laura is beign kind and offering a giveaway of an eBook of One Night with a Hero to one lucky commentor on the blog. Please leave your E-mail address in the comments so we can contact the winner. Otherwise it won't count. Thats for sopping in and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway