Hot Cover Thursday; The Dark Divine

Hot cover Thursday is hosted by kyanaras mad reviews

We thought this could be a really fun feature and I have seen different variations of this out there but none on a Thursday and I wanted something for a Thursday. So here it is. Join in on the fun and link up over at Kyanara´s blog!

This week I am gonna show case a book that I just think is stunning! I don´t know why I like it so much it is almost graceful in some way. The cover I am thinking of is The dark Devine by Bree Despain. Isn´t it beautiful?

Check out more about this on GOODREADS

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Author in the spotlight: Giveaway Winner!

Hi everyone! The month of October is over! It is the last day and we want to say thank you so much and good bye to the lovely author Robin P. Waldrop. It has been so fun to have you with us this month and I hope you think so too!

We think this is such a fun feature and we are most definitively going to continue to do this feature!

Robin has been so kind enough to give away a package with two of her books and today we hare happy to announce the winner of this giveaway! 

The winner is picked randomly and will have 72 hours to respond to the e-mail that will be sent out or we will pick another winner!

CONGRATULATIONS TO..........

Elizabeth Wheatley

So this conclude this Author in the spotlight month and it is sad to say good bye to Robin.

Tomorrow is a new month and we will be introducing a new author to be featured during the month of November! So stay tuned and be sure to stop by and check out who it is!

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Rising

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme and is hosted by Jill @ breaking the spine.

This week I am waiting for the third book in the Darkness rising series by Kelley Armstrong. It is a sister series to The summoning series. Both these series are really good and I would recommend reading them. But you can read this series without having read the summoning series. It is a YA paranormal romance with the theme of psychic abilities!

The Rising By Kelley Armstrong

Release date 9th of April 2013

by Harper teens publishing

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Cloud Cabal and now the Nast Cabal as well, they’re quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it’s not like they can just go to the authorities for help. All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they’re so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control. Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her, but she’ll have to face them if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can’t keep running forever.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after the breathtaking end.

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Teaser Tuesday: Last Regress

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!

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This week my Teaser is from my current read Last regress by Rachael J. Thorne, a book I got for review.

Alyssa Matthews thought she had an explanation for everything. After all, as a slightly sceptical paranormal investigator that was what she was used to doing; researching, observing and explaining.

So when she began writing a paper about a long forgotten case of death by Spontaneous Human Combustion, she assumed it would be a run-of-the-mill piece. Little did she realise that she was about to be plunged into a situation that would not only force her to question her own sanity, but also her scepticism about the nature of the paranormal.

Not to mention the dreams that just wouldn’t go away...

My teaser 

This presence, or perhaps it seemed more accurate to describe it as these entities, these were the nightmares that were haunting her, the reason for Greg´s concern.

These were no nightmares though; she was absolutely sure that they couldn´t be mainly because they felt far too real.

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Tune in Tuesday with Parachute

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger @ GReads

But this feature can now be found at Katelyn´s blog Kate´s tales of books and bands until further notice

I very recently discovered the lovely band Parachute and I just fell in love with their music right away!

The first song I heard by them was Kiss me slowly and that is really amazing, but I wanted to share two other songs that very fast became my favorites from their album The way it was. I am not sure why I like these songs so much, I just do.

Parachute - Philadelphia 

Album: The way it was

Parachute - You and me

Album: The way it was

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Author in the spotlight: Playlist to Shadow of the blood moon

Genevieve Labreck is back with a score to settle. Her mom has been kidnapped by Zane, hybrid and all-around monster. Rumors fly that Gen’s mom is holed away in Prague, a city recognized by humans for its serene beauty and intense culture, but Gen and Will know something humans don’t. Prague is haunted by dark, evil forces.
Can Gen and Will save her mom, or will they be too late?
Some will live, others will fall. At what price do you walk away from those you love?

Robin´s playlist while writing this book

1.      Whatever You Like by T.I.

2.      She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

3.      Halloween Theme Song

4.      Empire State of Mind Part 2 Broken Down by Alicia Keys feat. Jay Z

5.      Rooster Cogburn by This Boy Wonders

6.      Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice

7.      Apologize by One Republic

8.      I’ll Be by Edward Mcain

9.      Payphone by Maroon 5

10.  Wild Ones by Flo Rida

11.  We Found Love by Rihanna

12.  Club Can’t Handle Me Right NOw by Flo Ridas

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Book review: Seductive Secrets by Colleen Connally

Author: Colleen Connally
Title: Seductive secrets
Series: Secret lives series
Genre: Historical romance, suspense 
My copy: Kindle, Amazon freebie
Purchase: Amazon (still free 1st of november)!
My rating: 4 stars

The synopsis:

Someone wants Alyce Hythe dead…

Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England’s most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father’s name. For years, she has been hidden away from all prying eyes, given a new identity and told to forget who she was. But strange things have been happening causing old rumors to once more be whispered. Long has Lord Julian Casvelyn lived with guilt brought on when his brother was murdered by England’s most infamous traitor. But one eventful night has changed everything Lord Julian believed about his brother’s death. Never did he suspect the woman he has just saved from certain harm is the daughter of that man. Now Julian is caught in midst of a conspiracy and desire for that woman. Thrown together by fate, the two search for answers long denied them and along the way discover a love that can free them both.

//ad on goodreads//

My thoughts:
( this book is not suited for YA readers)

This book was so much fun to read. It had excitement and danger from page one, not to mention all the steamy love that drifted of the pages. I love a historical romance with a little danger thrown in for good measure! 

Our heroine is young and in hiding and has been for most her life because her father is known as the most hated man in England and well even though he is dead she is living with the consequences. Then somehow she seems to be found out and is rescued by the one man who probably hated her name more than anyone. But she is sure her father was innocent and soon Julian our hero of the story starts to realize that too. Then their search for the truth begins. 

I love that the sparks started to fly immediately! Sometimes that is just right. I also liked a lot that you were to keep guessing for quite a while who that bad guy was, that is a sure winner to keep a reader´s interest. Julian is such a lovable character who just falls flat on his face when he meets the stubborn Alyce. Alyce on the other hand fights a bit with her feelings and she also have a loyalty conflict that almost tear her apart. 

This was a great read that I enjoyed a lot. It was exciting and fun to read and I recommend to everyone who is historical romance fan!

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Contemporary Romance Monday: Nora Roberts

In this feature we will highlight an author and a book that we really enjoy reading from in the contemporary romance genre. There are so many great books out there and so many awesome authors. So this is a chance for us to recommend some books and authors that we or one of us really like. 

I hope you will like this feature and if you like to join in with a recommendation. Leave a comment and/or the url to your own blog post. 

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So do you feel romantic today?

I´ve been debating with my self what author to show case this week. There are so many great authors out there who could need some appreciation, or not. :)

Anyway I think I´ve decided to showcase an author who is very well known and I would say that most know of her? Or maybe you don´t? Anyway this week on contemporary romance one of my all time favorites will take the scene. Roberts is an author who have been with me from the beginning. She was one of the first Contemporary romance authors I read as a teenager.  I was hooked right away. She is so good at what she does and sometimes she even throws in a bit of the paranormal in her books. She has a way to just make you fall in love with the characters of her books and I just love that. Her books are perfect to escape to when you need a brake from life. This week I will showcase the first book in the 'born in' trilogy By Roberts.

Born in fire by Nora Roberts

Gifted, reclusive, stubborn, free-spirited...Maggie Concannon is a glassmaker whose exquisite works are more than mere objects of beauty, but reflections of her own true nature. One man saw the soul in her art, and vowed to help this complex woman build a lucrative career. When gallery owner Rogan Sweeney came to Maggie's isolated studio, her heart was enflamed by their fierce attraction - and her dark past was slowly healed by a gentle and forgiving love...

//ad on goodreads//

All the books in the series:

Born in Fire #1

Born in Ice #2

Born in Shame #3

//ad all on goodreads//

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Book review: Incarnate by Dana Michelle Burnett

Author: Dana Michelle Burnett
Title: Incarnate
Series: Spiritus series  #3
Genre: Young adult, paranormal romance
My copy: Epub received by Author
Purchase: Amazon
My rating: 4.5 stars

The Synopsis:

I moved away from him, not wanting to be anywhere near him. I was hurt and angry. Ever since that first night in my room when he appeared to me, we had been moving toward this moment. Why couldn’t he see that?
To be in a love affair with a ghost is both a fantasy and a punishment for Becca. Always searching for balance between her deep love for Alastor and her desire for a normal life, a chaotic period of impulsiveness, death, and mourning have led her to the ultimate turning point. Can she and Alastor go against the laws of nature and cheat death to be together again? And at what price? //ad on goodreads//

My thoughts: 

This book is just as amazing as the other two was and it is well worth 4.5 stars, it was so close to that 5 stars. This was the last in this series and it was good end to it I think. Burnett has a really beautiful writing style and you really understand the feeling she want to convey with her story. It is emotional, sad and beautiful all at the same time

The most amazing thing with this book or rather this series was the way Burnett wrote it. Becca is a young woman with a really troubled soul. She is unhappy, harbor so much guilt over her previous life and her choices in this one. She is in love with a man whom she can never touch and who can never touch her. She is constantly getting pity looks from people around her who think she is crazy. The melancholy just jump of the pages and you can really feel all of her pain of a love she can never have. This story about Becca and Alastor is not a happy one. Every book ends with a hope of something that could turn their story around.

In this book Becca is determined. She is determined to bring Alastor back to life. And this story is a about that struggle and the struggle she has with herself to stay sane and with Alastor who is against her plan and that is also very hard on her. 

This book ooze of pain, loss, guilt, desperation, love and the struggle to gain happiness! This is a read that brings out a lot of emotions. It is not a light read in the least, nor is this series BUT this book, as was the others, is amazing and a book that will stay with me long after I closed the last page. I highly recommend this book and this series. You wont be sorry to have picked it up, I promise! 

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STS and IMM; What´s in my mailbox this week?

IMM is about sharing
the books you found
during the week
and is hosted by
The Story Siren

Stacking The Shelves is all
about sharing the books you
are adding to your shelves.
Hosted by Tynga´s Reviews

Since both STS and IMM is about the same thing  they get to be in the same post. 

Okay so what do I got for you this week? Well a few things actually.

AMAZON E-BOOK FREEBIES

I love freebies but I start to wonder if I am ever able to read all the books that I get every week? LoL well I have a lot of books to read now at least!

The medium by C.J. Archer (goodreads)

Cowgirls & Vampires by Tim O´Rourke (goodreads)

The ghost exterminator by Vivi Andrews (goodreads)

No more wasted time by Beverly Preston (goodreads)

GOT FOR REVIEW

I so super excited about this book! I read and reviewed the first book Asylum in this series and it was awesome so I am sure this one will be as well! And the best part! The Author actually sent me a paperback and that almost never happens. Since I live in Sweden I always get e-copies and that is okay but it is so awesome to actually have the real thing. And now to the other awesome part of this: IT IS SIGNED, YAY!!

Abrahams men by Kristen Selleck (goodreads)

I almost forgot about the other book I got for review this week! That is another one I am so excited about. It is from another series that I have reviewed but is like a sister series to the Insight series I´ve read and reviewed before.

See by Jamie Magee (goodreads)

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Book review: The Athena Effect by Derrolyn Anderson

Author: Derrolyn Anderson
Title: The Athena Effect
Series: The Athena Effect #1
Genre: Young adult, Paranormal romance, suspence
My copy: Epub received by author for review
Purchase: Amazon 
My rating: 4.5 stars

The synopsis:

Country girl Cali has been kept a secret her entire life, raised in isolation by two very troubled people. Despite her parent’s disturbing fits, Cal is perfectly content, living at one with the nature that surrounds her, and finding adventure inside the pages of her beloved books. When an awful tragedy tears her away from her remote cabin in the woods, nothing she’s ever read has prepared her for a world that she knows very little about.
Girls and motorcycles are what bad-boy Cal’s life is all about. Brought up in a raucous party house by his biker brother, he’s free to do as he pleases, going through the motions on his final days of high school. Aimless, Cal stopped thinking about his future a long time ago.
Attacked by a gang of thugs while running an errand for his brother, Cal is in serious trouble until a fierce girl appears out of nowhere to intervene. She chases off three grown men, sparing Cal a brutal beating before disappearing into the night like a spirit. He can’t stop thinking about his mysterious rescuer, and when she turns out to be the weird new girl at school who goes out of her way to avoid him, he can’t contain his curiosity. 

He’s never met anyone like her before, and the more he learns about the unusual girl who shares his nickname, the more he wants to know. Cal can’t help falling for Cal, but can he keep her from falling victim to a dangerous enemy from her parent’s tragic past?

My thoughts:

I really loved this book! It was amazing to say the least. It is well worth 4.5 stars it as so close to 5 stars. And the reason it didn´t get 5 stars is that I just felt it moved along a little fast toward the end, but that might just be me. Anderson really has outdone herself with this one. I really loved her series Marina´s tales but I think this book was much better. It´s like she reached a new level as an author or something not that I´m an expert or anything.

The plot was great and a real page turner. During a big part of the book. You knew something would happen sooner or later and made me really curious as to what that something would be and was definitely something that kept me reading. You could feel it looming over Cali´s head like a dark cloud, and you are just waiting to see when it would appear.

The love story between Cali and Cal is amazing. They are both intrigued by each other almost from the beginning. And when Cali saves Cal he can´t stop thing about her and he tries everything to be near her and establish some contact with her but she is stubborn and tries to avoid him, since she is sure he is nothing but trouble. But the sparks flies and they just can´t be away from each other. They are like magnets, unable to keep away from each other. And Anderson is really good when she describes their feelings and desires for each other. And Cali´s gift makes  their feelings for each other seem so much more intense! It is like everything is so much more intense through Calí´s eyes.

I highly recommend this book! It was an amazing read and really hard to put it down once you started reading it. This is one of those books you will be glad you took time to read! I am so glad I accepted this review request it was well worth my time.

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Write like the wind, edit like an architect

We have the pleasure to enjoy a wonderful guest post by Robin today! We hope you will all like it and this is the perfect read for all of you who hope to become an writer one day! 

ENJOY

WRITING ADVICE, ROBIN STYLE

Write like the wind, edit like an architect. That is what a dear friend, mentor, and great Author, Aaron P. Lazar once told me.

As a child, I read anything I could get my hands on and I loved writing and telling stories. But as I grew older, I found less and less time to read or write. I missed these activities, but I was busy raising my children and attending to other responsibilities

After I grew older, writing became less of a priority, and was subsequently put on the back burner for many years while I raised a family. As my children grew to adolescents, I once again found time to read and I even started penning short stories.

One cozy winter day, my teens were at school and I became consumed by the urge to read. I picked up a book a friend had given to me, poured a cup of coffee, and snuck away to my little corner. Disappointment quickly set in when it became apparent I could not even get through the first chapter. I grew completely frustrated and closed the book. I had no idea what the plot was supposed to be, and the writing was horrible. The author had mixed tenses, and in one loooooooong paragraph, the author changed POV’s three times. I had no idea which character was speaking at any given point. I didn’t know much about the technical side of writing at the time, but I knew enough to understand the book was fatally flawed.

Determined not to let anything get the best of me, I waited a few days and picked up the book again. After thirty minutes of reading ad re-reading, I slung the book across the room. My husband asked me what was wrong. I told him about the writing and how even I could write better than that garbage. Evidently, he took me seriously. He calmly asked what I was waiting for. I just laughed, and told him I was not a writer anymore. However, that day he planted a seed, and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try it.

Eventually, I sat down at the computer, and started writing what I loved to read—FBI suspense/thrillers. I admit, it took a few minutes to get the creative juices flowing, but once I did, the pages started filling up.

After a few days, it all suddenly came to a screeching halt when I realized I did not have a clue about the technical side of an FBI agent’s career. I had not done an outline, or character sheets, or research, or anything. (Mistake # 1.) Readers tend to frown when the book their reading does not seem realistic, even though it is fiction.

Again, my husband said, “Get on the internet. I know you know how to do that. You’re on it all the time.” After giving him the evil eye, I went to work on to the internet. It did not go well to say the least. I was lost in this huge mass of information, and did not know whose advice to follow.

 I decided to search for authors who wrote in my same genre. From there I looked at their work and biographies, and I contacted the ones who seemed to have the most in common. I told them I was new, and asked for advice, and to my surprise, several were happy to oblige.

I continued writing, and as soon as I finished the manuscript, I started querying agents. (mistake # 2) I had been so anxious to be the next great author, I did not take the time to edit my novel. It was so full of grammatical errors no one would touch it. I queried more than sixty agents and all of them ended with rejections.

I was about to give up (mistake # 3), until I met a great friend, John Francis, also a writer, and he suggested I write some short stories and offer them for free on various sites to get my name out there. I joined several writers’ sites, met more great people, and began implementing what I had learned. The next thing I knew, I had a blog, a mentor, beta readers, an editor, and almost two thousand new friends on facebook.

I know, I know, you are asking yourself what does all of this has to do with me? In short, this is what I have learned. First: you need to figure out what kind of writer you want to be, and then you must do research on the subject, and lots of it, before you even think about starting your novel. Second: you have to figure out who your characters are and develop them, because if you do not, you will end up with a poorly written book. Third: make time every single day to write. Whether it is thirty minutes, an hour, or five hours. It is not as important what you write, but the fact that you write something every day. The only way to become a better writer is to write. The fourth and final thing is always finish what you start. There is no better feeling in the world than when you type those final two words…the end.

Oh, and I also want to add; when you become successful—and you will as long as you never give up—please don’t ever forget what is was like when you were a newbie. You will meet people along your journey that will remind you of where you were at one time or another. Take time to help them in some way, even if it is only giving them a little advice. Remember, writing is all about enlightening or entertaining the world, it is not about how much money you can make.

Thank you so much Robin for that awesome guest post!

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Paranormal Thursday: Becca Fitzpatrick

In this feature we will highlight an author and a book that we really enjoy reading from in the paranormal genre. There are so many great books out there and so many awesome authors. So this is a chance for us to recommend some books and authors that we or one of us really like. 
I hope you will like this feature and if you like to join in with a recommendation. Leave a comment and/or the url to your own blog post.

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This week I will highligt Becca Fitzpatrick and her amazing Hush Hush series.

I am absolutely inlove with it and is currently waiting for the last book "Finale". I love the way Becca writes. Patch makes me knee weak and he is my biggest bookhero crush lol 

The whole series is just wonderful and exciting all the way through. It is kind of bittersweet that this series is ending. I so want more but it feels like it is a good time to end it. 
 
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Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

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Hot cover Thursday #3: The darkest pleasure

Hot cover Thursday is hosted by kyanaras mad reviews

We thought this could be a really fun feature and I have seen different variations of this out there but none on a Thursday and I wanted something for a Thursday. So here it is. Join in on the fun and link up over at Kyanara´s blog!

This week I chose a HOT cover. I mean who does not like this one right! It is smoking hot and I would love to have this one in my book case. Actually I would love to have all the books in this series based on the covers alone! Trust me they all look more or less like this! I haven´t read this series though, but I LOVE the covers! yummy!

The darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter

Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her—even defy the gods.

Danika is on the run. For months she's eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won't rest until she and her fami ly have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can't forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear.…

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Waiting on Wednesday: Caged in Spirit

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme and is hosted by Jill @ breaking the spine.

This week I am waiting for the third book Caged in Spirit by J. D Stroube in the Caged series but there isn´t even a release date of this one yet but sometime in 2013 at least.

No blurb yet. but find out more about this series HERE

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