Fire Heart by Dan Avera

Title: Fire Heart

Author: Dan Avera
Series: The Titans, #1

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date: September 7, 2012

Source: Purchase

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Overall Rating: 5 Bad Boys – Absolutely Loved It!!!!!

Reviewer: Kat

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Author Summary

When mercenary Will Blackmane discovers that he is the living embodiment of a Titan - a god from an age all but forgotten - his world comes crashing down around him. Hounded relentlessly by the beings who drove his kind into exile, he must become the leader the world needs and unite the warring nations of Pallamar under one banner if he and his allies are to survive. His only chance of success rests with the other Titans, finally returned after five hundred years of hiding - and with Clare, an extraordinary soldier from an annihilated city far to the west. The growing bond between them is a strange and unexpected one, but it may be all that stands between them and the encroaching darkness.

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My Thoughts

Epic Fantasy based on Greek Mythology…this novel is pure GOLD!

Searching for something different to read one day, I stumbled across this gem. Not my usual genre, but I wanted to treat my imagination to the exquisite beauty of an epic fantasy. My love for all things Greek mythology led me to discover Fire Heart and my interest was piqued. And wow, I have to say to you readers, if you are as well in need of something wonderfully different from our normal paranormal read, then this is it for you. 

If you check out this link, you can go to Amazon’s Look Inside, where you can read the Prologue for yourself. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to read the entire novel. 

The original worldbuilding in this novel is honestly some of the most impressive I’ve seen. The creation theory based on Greek myth is brilliant, the detailed imagery recounted throughout is spellbinding, and the characterization is superb. Every Titan, human and villain developed so skillfully, making it impossible not to invest in their plight and struggle to save the world from the Fallen Ones. 

This author is seriously gifted. If you are a fan of epic fantasies such as George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” (Game of Thrones), or J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings”, then you will enjoy this tale composed by this new author. I can’t wait until the second in this series!

Oh, and if/when you read it, you’ll need more. So the author provides a few teasers on his website for Book #2. Just click here to check them out. And while there, take a minute to check out the artwork on his blog. There are some seriously awesome sketches of the characters in the novel. Amazing!

Happy Reading!!

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Buy Fire Heart Now…        Amazon 

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Review: Hot-Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Title: Hot-Blooded

Author: Amanda Carlson

Series: Jessica McClain #2

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Orbit

Release Date: April 23^rd 3013

Format: eBook/Paperback

Source: ARC from Author

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Rating: 5 Bad Boys – Absolutely Loved It!!!!

Reviewer: Kat

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Author Summary

Jessica McClain has just discovered she's the biggest threat the supernatural world has seen in over eight hundred years, but there's only one thing on her mind - finding her mate. Rourke's been kidnapped by a wicked goddess and his only chance of survival lies in her hands.

Finding Rourke and defeating the goddess proves to be difficult enough, but when the Underworld comes calling and Jessica discovers she's accused of crimes she hasn't committed, the entire game changes. The price they are demanding for her freedom is too steep. There is no way she can ever pay it back.

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My Thoughts

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Good gods, my heart rate didn’t slow down throughout the entire read…and it was awesome!

The author has given life to a fierce and uncompromising society of werewolves where Jessica, our heroine, is not supposed to exist.  In this series, there are no female-born werewolves and haven’t been for a very long time. Until Jessica.  Superstition is rampant among the Pack and most fear her.  Some believe she is the one spoken of in the prophecies.  The true Daughter of Evil who would eventually destroy the entire race.

Needless to say, Jessica’s life has been about struggling to survive under the constant threat of death. Even with the protection of some major players in the Pack, she still lived in fear. She’s a survivor and one kickass heroine, but more importantly, she has a heart bigger than most. That compassionate side of her is what endears her to me and why I just love her character.

The worldbuilding in this series is unique, the characters are relatable and believable even in this fantasy world of supernaturals, and the entire storyline is compelling. All of it expertly delivered by the author.

Hot-Blooded is a fast-paced read with non-stop action throughout. Once I started reading this novel, I wasn’t able to stop until it was finished. Even when I had to pause, I wished I had the Audiobook to listen to as I handled what pulled me away. Prepare to miss out on some sleep my lovelies. But it’ll be so worth it.

If you’re an Urban Fantasy fan or a fan of werewolves and shifter tales, you’ll definitely want to add this one to the top of your To-Be-Read list. I am so looking forward to Cold-Blooded coming October 8^th.

Happy Reading!!

5 Bad Boys – Absolutely Loved It!!!!

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Buy Hot-Blooded Now…        Amazon  |  B&N  |  Kobo | iTunes

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Smitten’s review of other books in this series:

• Blooded,Jessica McClain #0.5
• Full-Blooded,Jessica McClain #1

Implosion by Berinn Rae

Title: Implosion

Author: Berinn Rae

Series: Colliding Worlds Trilogy, #2

Genre: Sci-fi Romance

Publisher: Crimson Romance

Release Date: March 11^th 2013

Format: eBook

Source: Provided by Author

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Rating: 4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!

Sensuality Rating: High

Reviewer: Kat

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Author Summary

Humans and the Sephians have reached a tentative truce and combine forces to pursue the Draeken threat. The war is on…

Sephian warrior Nalea exists only to kill Draeken, and she’s good at her job. That is, until a particularly bloody battle, she finds herself captured by Roden Zyll, a Draeken commander known for his good looks and heartless brutality. Her tormentor ignites a passion she believed impossible, and she despises him for it. Worse, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

Desperate times call for desperate schemes…

Meanwhile, a tyrant has devised a plan that threatens to obliterate life on earth. Roden has spilled plenty of blood in his time, and he cares little for humans. But when he realizes his leader’s plan could lead to his people’s extinction, he plans a war of his own, a war that needs Nalea to succeed. But does earth stand a chance if its survival depends on Nalea opening her heart to the man who’d enslaved her people?

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My Thoughts

My lovelies, you know how much I love my romances. And I have to say I find it particularly exciting to read a romance about a couple that are hated enemies. Being on opposing sides of a battle and victim of circumstances totally outside your control just adds a certain element of tension and drama that isn’t there in some romances. Doesn’t the added insurmountable obstacle of war instead of someone’s internal issues really make for a more riveting story sometimes? Whatever it is, it sure worked well in this novel and I found myself completely engaged in this love story and thoroughly entertained from beginning to end.  

Implosion is a sci-fi romance built around the history of two enemy races, the Sephians and the Draeken, who are living here on Earth. The Draeken were drawn to Earth given their uncanny similarity to human DNA and have been living here for some time, without human alliance. A supernova destroyed their own planet, Draeka, centuries ago. Afterwards, they enslaved the planet of Sephia, and their people, and took it as their own. An uprising of the Sephian people after centuries of slavery caused the Draeken to flee the planet. A small number of Sephians chased them with orders to find and kill the last of their enemy before returning home. However, the Sephians have lost power to get back to their planet and have lived here under a very uneasy truce with humans.

Picking up about a year after the first in the trilogy left off, Implosion tells the story of Roden and Nalea. And what a story it is. Twists and turns, surprises and shockers. Theirs is a tale of lust, betrayal, and love in the most impossible of situations. 

It’s hard to go into much detail about their situation without giving away major spoilers for Book #1 … and I highly suggest you read Book #1 first …  so what I can say is that this couple is now among my favorites. Like Cat and Bones good. If you don’t know whom I’m talking about, then you mustn’t read much paranormal romance. Yes, I liked their chemistry that much. I know this was their ‘book’, however, I would love to see these two have a whole series of their own adventures. They could pull it off.

Roden, is the ultimate bad boy hero. He is so badass, everyone loves to hate him or they live in fear of him. But at the same time, he is such a good leader that those closest to him will follow him to death. On the surface, his methods are so seemingly harsh that everyone hates him. But once things are revealed, you think, ahh I see now why he had to do that and perhaps he isn’t so bad. Plus, at almost 7 ft. tall, longhaired, winged and owning other enticing attributes and skills *wink*, a lot can be forgiven.

From Roden himself…

“…he’d craved-no, needed-this woman to find him redeemable. Though he often suspected that there was nothing left to redeem. He’d crossed that line too long ago.” There it is, my lovelies, the tortured soul we all love and want to fix. Our weakness.    

Nalea, the heroine, is surely one of the coolest heroines I’ve met. Her story was a complete surprise. She’s one of those people that can say more with a stare or a few well chosen words than most can say blabbering on for hours. Smart, decisive, brave and full of kickassitude (Berinn’s word), Nalea is awesome! I rooted for her (and them) all the way.

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Bottom Line

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Overall, this is a good read and my favorite in the trilogy so far. I’m particularly fond of the world building and the sci-fi element is a treat. And if you’ve read any of Berinn Rae’s other works, you know she’s very skilled in bringing the heat to the romance side of things. I enjoyed it, highly recommend it and can’t wait for Book #3, Explosion, to be released later this year.

Happy Reading!!

4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!

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Buy Implosion Now…        Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

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My reviewof Book #1  Collision

Cover Reveal: COLD-BLOODED by Amanda Carlson

I am thrilled to take part in introducing the cover art for the fall release of COLD-BLOODED. You guys know me and how much I adore cover art. Check out my Cover Crush page to see. So when I get a chance to partake in a big reveal, I’m happy. Here is Book #3 in one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series, Jessica McClain… Isn’t it stunning?

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If you are a fan of UF but haven’t checked out this series yet, you really should give it a go. To give a really brief overview of the series…

The author has given life to a fierce and uncompromising society of werewolves where female werewolves don’t exist. Until fate births Jessica. 

Superstition is rampant among the werewolves in the Pack and most fear her.  Some even believe she is the prophesied one spoken of in the ‘Cain Myth’ (the true Daughter of Evil who would eventually destroy the entire werewolf race). Needless to say Jessica’s birth triggers all sorts of unrest and many adventures ensue.

The worldbuilding in this series gives a unique spin on werewolves that makes for a very compelling read.  It has great characterization all around with believable main characters and great supporting characters. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and full of hot testosterone-laden werewolves that seriously keep my pulse above normal the entire time. I highly recommend it!

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So far in the series…

BLOODED 
Book #0.5 

My review

Buy: Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books

FULL-BLOODED 
Book #1 

My review

Buy: Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books

HOT-BLOODED
Book #2

Coming April 23^rd

Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books

COLD-BLOODED
Book #3

Coming October 8^th

Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books

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COLD-BLOODED Author Summary

*Spoiler alert if you haven’t read the rest of the series, you may want to skip*

Jessica arrives back in town to find her best friend missing and the most powerful witch in the country is blaming her for it. But before they can move to save her, the group is attacked. 

On the run, Jessica and Rourke head to the mountains. Several surprises await them, but in order to save her father they are forced to leave for New Orleans early.

Arriving on the Vampire Queen’s doorstep unexpectedly, and bringing trouble on their heels, the Sects are thrown into an all out war. The vicious skirmish ends up forcing the vamps and Jessica to fight on the same team.

The Vamp Queen ends up owing Jessica, but what Jessica doesn’t realize is just how soon she’ll have to cash it in.

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About Amanda

Amanda is a Minnesota girl, born and bred. She started writing stories about teenage girls and their social missteps while in high school. She's been writing for over ten years, but began writing fiction in earnest after her second child was born.

Her book, Full Blooded, is a face-paced, action filled urban fantasy, the first in the Jessica McClain series. It will be released by Hachette Book Group by both ORBIT US & UK SEPT 2012. Full Blooded is her first novel. She lives in Minneapolis, with her husband and three kids.

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Contact Amanda

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Cover Reveal…As You Wish (A Cinderella Story) by A. Violet End

Looking for something different to read? I have just the thing…

A. Violet End is soon releasing her first erotic romance novel and it's based on the fairy tale we all know and love…Cinderella.

Intrigued? I know I was so I asked Violet a few things about it. I'd like to share with you the novel’s beautiful cover and what she had to say about the story.   

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A little about As You Wish…

Annora is willing to do anything to save her father from the dark eros of an evil witch-mother and two demonic step-sisters. It's a perilous task, battling such awful magic, but she doesn't have to face danger alone; a fairy man waits to make all Annora's wishes come true--for a price. This is not Walt Disney's Cinderella, dear reader. This is As You Wish, a Cinderella story coming soon from author A. Violet End.

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Gorgeous cover, yes? Absolutely stunning! Here’s what the author has to say about the novel…

Is it anything like the Grimm & Dirty Tales?  

Yes and no.  Mostly no.  It's a fairy tale.  It's based on my reading of the original, but I threw almost all the baby out with this bathwater and redid it.  In my Grimm & Dirty Tales, characters are less three dimensional.  They're more like paper dolls.  In As You Wish, it was as though two paper dolls fell in love with one another, broke the fourth wall, and said "Hey, writer!  Take a note!  We'd like a bit more story in our story, please!"  Once I realized what had happened, I was compelled to go back through the book and clean it up.  When one falls in love, one isn't near as crude as when one is just being Grimm & Dirty.  So, no, this book is quite different, although WHY I decided to write a romance when for 23 stories in a row I was content to just write smut, I do not know.  I guess it took me 23 tries to fall in love, what can I say?  Frog kissing is fun, too, let's not knock it!

How does it compare to the Billionaire books?  

Tristan and Lisa have a relationship...sorta.  Okay, the Diary of a F*ckdoll books have obviously taken a Sci Fi turn with the addition of part 5.  That saga will be over in part 7, and yes, there is something like a relationship happening between Tristan and Lisa, but it's not a romance.  That series is pure erotica.  As You Wish is about two characters who do the dirty, sure, but they also fall deeply, deeply in love.  And being fairy tale characters, it's a tough call how much of their personalities to draw.  Fairy tales are about archetypes, right?  In that way, I guess As You Wish has something in common with The Billionaire Who...stories, because Tristan and Lisa are archetypal, as well.  It is my great hope that by the time I get through this final ass-kicking edit of As You Wish, I will simply be presenting you with the finest story I've ever written.  Hot, sweet, dark, dirty, and romantic as hell.

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This sounds really good. I can’t wait to give this one a try. Coming very soon...

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About A. Violet End

 

A. Violet End is a professional writer and classy lady with a perverted imagination. She likes fairy tales. She likes twisting things to her satisfaction. Enjoy her take on the Grimm Brothers' European folklore, would you? If that's not your thing, then try her billionaire sicko boyfriend fantasy series, The Billionaire Who... for the story of a naughty rich guy and the flight attendant he has his way with, over and over again. Good clean fun, right?

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Contact A. Violet End

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Book Tour Guest Post & Giveaway…Concealed Desire by Eden Summers

I’m so pleased to have Eden Summers drop by today. Eden is the author of the new sexy and smart contemporary romance novel Concealed Desire. On today’s tour stop, Eden gives us an exclusive peek into her heroine’s (Beth) private thoughts on Sutherland & Son...where all kinds of delicious things happen...and Beth’s confession of her most embarrassing moment while working there.

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Eden is nobly gifting her readers on this tour and the instructions on how to enter for a chance to win is below. But first a little about Concealed Desire…

A love that breaks all the rules…

Since her first day at work, Beth Graison has been in love with Dean Sutherland—the “Son” in Sutherland & Son. Although he’s an unrepentant player, there’s an unmistakable connection between them, and she knows he feels it too. But she’s not about to risk her career for any man, especially one with an office right down the hall whom she works with every day.

Dean Sutherland doesn’t do love, but he does do women. And he hasn’t felt more than sexual attraction for any woman until Beth. Entirely feminine, smart, and with a natural beauty beyond compare, she makes him think about all kinds of uncomfortable things—like a future and happiness—things he knows from experience are pure fiction.

When his father, the “Sutherland” in Sutherland & Son, propositions Beth to be more than just an employee, Dean can’t keep her at arm’s length any longer. But he doesn’t expect the scorching kiss they share, or the idea that forms when he holds her in his arms. Can he stop his father’s manipulating game by making the first move on Beth? Or will his reputation as a womanizer make him just one more Sutherland she wants to ignore?

Pick up your copy at your favorite retailer:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | All Romance ebooks | Kobo Books

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Four quick questions with Beth Graison from Concealed Desire

What has been your greatest achievement while working at Sutherland & Son?

My greatest achievement, without doubt, would be not needing a change of underwear when Max Sutherland asked me to be his mistress. The Managing Director of the company is old enough to be my father and definitely not a gentleman I would like to place in my little black book.

What about his son? Can you describe Dean Sutherland in five words?

*bites lip* Ahh, hardworking, dedicated, *grins* thorough, but he’s also an egomaniac and sometimes needs help fitting his big head through a standard sized doorframe.  Sorry, that was more than five.

Most embarrassing moment?

Oh, I have too many to figure out which has pole position, but getting caught staring at Dean’s crotch would probably rate highly. There’s nothing like drunken stupidity to cause mass embarrassment.

And lastly, what have you learned from you time at Sutherland & Son?

I’ve worked there for a long time, so I’ve learned innumerable lessons. The things that come to mind though, are: 1. the reception will never stop looking at porn during work hours. She claims the images are art but I beg to differ.
2. No matter how stealthy I try to walk down the hall, Dean will always catch me with his penetrating stare. The guy has an eagle eye and nothing slips past him.

Sounds good, yes? Dean sounds like quite a bad boy. And that sure sounds like an interesting place to work!

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Giveaway 

For the giveaway, Eden is generously gifting a $15 Amazon gift certificate and 5 bags full of swag goodies. All you have to do is fill out this rafflecopter form and you’re in. Easy peasy. Best of luck my lovelies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Eden

I live in regional New South Wales, Australia with my two highly energetic sons and a husband I don't deserve (in a good way).

I've been an avid romance reader for years, falling in love with fictional hero's left, right and center. It wasn't until early 2011 that I decided to add to my pastime of reading and reviewing and take my own writing seriously.

I joined the Australian Romance Writers Association.

The hunky men and sassy women who dominate my daydreams are now being put to paper, eagerly awaiting their moment in the limelight.

Hopefully one day in the near future I will have something hot and sweet published and available to share with the world.

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Contact Eden

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