Cover Reveal: The Rise of Genesis

Announcing a new book by M.R. Merrick!

In a world where being Supernatural means you’re in danger, Ash Lawson is front and center. After years of helping others escape ATOM—a government entity known for abusing Supernaturals—he’s captured, and saving himself will prove to be the most difficult task he’s undertaken.

Tryst Rivera is a Succubus and veteran at the Academy, a facility tasked with converting underage Supernaturals into cooperative ATOM soldiers. She’s endured her time mostly unscathed, but when Ash arrives and their lives are tethered to one another, she’s placed in immediate danger.

With escape at the forefront of his mind, Ash struggles with the idea of life under ATOM’s thumb. He’ll die before he converts, but his life isn’t the only one he’s responsible for, and he already has more blood on his hands than he can bear. When a chance for freedom arises, Ash needs to decide how much—and who—he’s willing to risk for a second chance.

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Coming March 15, 2016

About the Author

M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer and author of The Protector Series, and The Rise of Genesis. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer between a pair of headphones and a large bowl of cereal.

Connect with the author

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Review: Fates Divided (Halven Rising #1)

Author Jules Barnard
Format e-book

Print Length 324 pages
Publisher ?
Published August 31, 2015

Elena Rosales has busted her ass to get into a good college. She’s the only one in her family ever to attend, and expectations are high. No pressure. But Elena’s got this one in the bag, because she’s as dependable as the molecules she studies, as reliable as the chemical reactions that comfort her in their predictability. Until they don’t.

Elena has always wondered why her mother abandoned her on her first birthday. It’s not until she turns eighteen and her chemistry experiments go berserk that she learns the truth: Her mother wasn’t human, and the Fae are willing to harm those Elena loves if she doesn’t use her power over the elements to cure them of a deadly disease.

Derek, Elena’s brooding neighbor, isn’t the friendliest guy, but he has access to an off-hours lab and is willing to help Elena create the antivirus. He has his own secrets to keep, and this business Elena is mixed up in could blow his cover. But when Elena and Derek get together, more than chemicals spark fire—and they soon discover just how complicated attraction can get when they find themselves on the other side of the portal, fighting for survival. Lives collide, and allegiance and love are tested, in Fates Divided.

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In the Halven Rising Series, love and ancient allegiances are threatened when the worlds of Fae and Halven collide. Each Halven Rising novel features a different couple and may be read as a standalone, but an overreaching story arc connects the books, so it’s fun to read them in order.

My Opinion

So there was an ad on a social media site that stated that this was just the book for fans of one of my favorite authors….

I normally love fae books. I am guessing that the issue here is me not the book. I went in expecting one thing and got another.

I could not relate to the main character, Elena. She claims to be very smart and yet she keeps doing dumb stuff. Elena’s never had a boyfriend before until Derek. For me there was no chemistry between the two. They start off as neighbors, and fellow science geeks. The relationship starts half-way through the novel and moves hello kitty fast. Then something happens, that pretty much ruined me cheering for them as a couple. I think the logical of the situations was also lost on me such as she has to go invisible (Derek’s halven ability). In order from them to make her invisible, they have to literally make out. How do you run from the enemy while making out? The enemy with arrows and swords? Seriously how does he run miles carrying her kissing the whole time- if they stop they become visible.

What I did like was Elena’s body guard Keen and her roomie Reese. That is a story that I am looking forward too. Fates Divided was just not the book for me below are some links to folks who loved it.

Kristen Gough Reviews

Janet's Reviews

My Rating 2 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote Definition of man cold: an affliction only caught by men, exhibiting cold-like symptoms, but no one has ever been as sick or as tired as the man who catches the man cold.

Other People

Reese- Elena’s bestie
Keen- Elena’s assigned body guard
Mateo- Elena’s cousin
Beatrice- evil Fae

Review: The Shattered Dark (Shadow Reader #2)

Author Sandy Williams
Format e-book
Print Length 304 pages
Publisher Ace

Published October 30, 2012

McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows…
McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.

My Opinion

The Shattered Dark picks up pretty much right where The Shadow Reader leaves off. McKenzie heads back to her place for a few things and discovers that her best friend Paige is gone. As in someone has made a mess of her apartment gone. So of course she has to go after her.

McKenzie in this book was still the same feisty heroine that she was in the first one. She is now in a relationship with Aren (this is not a spoiler- it is in the blurb). The relationship is completely adorable! He really is the guy for her. Strong, loyal, and most importantly able to put up with McKenzie. She is not difficult, but she definitely has some relationship issues. Which is understandable, she did wait 10 years for a guy. This is a relationship in which I can totally get behind- they really are cute together.

The action in this one seems ramped up a step. I love the politics of it all, and enjoyed watching Lena grow as a queen. Lorn, a shady character to begin with adds an extra sense of huh to the book. I feel completely bad for Kyol through out the entire book. Until the end- then I was just mouth open did that really just happen.

I pretty much loved this book that is until the end. Talk about a gamechanger event. Talk about a serious what the heck? moment. Followed by a really did that just happen? Then I remembered that I get to start the next book right away and so I stopped freaking out. Calmly went to bed and thought, McKenzie I will get caught up with you in the morning.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “I won’t pretend I don’t have feelings for you.”

Other People

Lena- acting queen of the Fae
Paige- McKenzie’s bestie
Lee- friend of Paige’s foe to McKenzie
Hinson- evil fae
Lorn- fae who looks after himself.
Shane- another human who can read the shadows

Book Trailer Saturday (6) Knightley and Son

Some people believe you can fall in love at first sight. When it comes to books I believe those people. Book trailers are an excellent way to fall in love at first sight. I hope to feature a book trailer here every Saturday to help you fall in love at first sight...

The once highly in-demand detective Alan Knightley has just woken up after an unexplained incident kept him asleep for four years. While he was out cold, his son, Darkus, took it upon himself to read of all his dad's old cases, and he's learned a lotabout the art of detection. It's a good thing too—because suddenly the duo find themselves caught up in a crazy conspiracy that involves a group of villainous

masterminds (who keep appearing and then vanishing), some high-speed car chases (that will have everyone fastening their seat belts), and a national, bestselling book with the power to make people do terrible, terrible things. But because Alan is still suffering the effects of his coma, he tends to, well, fall asleep at the worst possible moments, Meaning that young Darkus might just have to solve this mystery . . . by himself.

Favorites Giveaway Hop

Sometimes you have a favorite book,  a favorite genre, maybe a favorite series and even at times a favorite author. Regardless, they all have something in common- you reading them!  Other times we are afraid to step out of comfort zone- to try a new genre, author or series.

                       Favorite Series           Favorite Recent Reads

For this hop, I am giving away any two books from the photo montage.  I hope that my favorites soon get added to your list of favorites too.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now hop along to many more favorites on the great sites listed below.

Review: The Shadow Reader

Author Sandy Williams
Format e-book
Print Length 307 pages

Publisher Ace
Published October 25, 2011

There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

My Opinion

For ten years, McKenzie has been in love with Kyol. She has also been the fae kings Shadow Reader, looking into portals and being able to tell the king where one the fae has gone. She doesn’t know the politics of the fae kingdom, she only knows the king needs her help. She has gladly given it, risking everything in our realm to help them save theirs. Now McKenzie is caught in a war, one Kyol has for the last ten years kept her out of. The rebels have found her, planning to use her. Kyol will do anything to get her back. The main rebel strategist Aren, would do anything to turn her to the rebels side. McKenzie just wants to survive.

McKenzie is a character that I can get behind, cheering for her the whole time. She tries to be logical- sometimes even a little too logical. Ten years is a long time to wait for someone to act on love. She knows that Kyol and her can’t be together, she does try to move past her feelings for him. When the rebels present their story, she remains true to the king. She attributes her attraction to Aren to Stockholm syndrome. She fights back- taking no prisoners.

Aren is a rebel with a cause- survival of his people. He stays true to the cause the whole time. The thing I like about him the most though is that he follows his instincts. He trust his decisions to work out in the end. He is attracted to McKenzie yet knows that she loves another. He point blank tells Kyol that he now has competition. I mean who does that? I enjoy the chemistry between the two.

The world building and secondary characters are pretty incredible. This is a book that is fast paced and entertaining. It also allows you to see both perspectives on the war- which is interesting. There were very little questions left at the end. Thank goodness for no cliffhangers. Yeah there is a bit of a love triangle (so if you avoid them- you have been warned). This love triangle is different than others- I can’t really explain it though.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “I’ll fight for the chance to be with you.”

Other People

Kelia- rebel fae, in love with a human.
Nico- human in love with Kelia

Lena- mean fae gal

Swoon Thursday (5) The Shattered Dark

The fabulous girls over at YA Boundcreated this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. 

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound.

The silver in his eyes seems to sharpen, and he takes a step forward, pressing his body against mine so that I have to move back.

"The complete truth, McKenzie, is I's do anything for you, but you ask for nothing. You won't confide in me. You won't rely on me. You're so preoccupied trying to decide if you can trust your feelings that you won't consider giving in to them."

The Shattered Dark Kindle Location 1818

You gotta swoon when personal space gets invaded for the sake of honesty.

Waiting on Wednesday (5) The Power

Hey y'all, thanks so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

With any great change, there is always strife, and the Covenant

University has become the frontline between pure-bloods who want the Breed Order reinstated and the half-bloods who want the right to control their own destinies.

Fate has other plans.

The violence is escalating and war between the races seems inevitable, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. Hyperion may be out of commission, but Josie and Seth know they have only earned a reprieve. Seth must get Josie fully prepared, which means controlling her newfound abilities, and they need to find the other demigods before the Titans do.

But the gods are sensing a greater threat.

Only one thing is more dangerous than a bunch of starved Titans, and that’s an out-of-control Apollyon. The aether in Josie is drawing Seth in deeper, and when lust mixes with love and gives way to power, he knows being close to her is not only dangerous to her, but to everyone around them, but letting her go requires a level of selflessness that just isn’t Seth’s style.

The paths taken in the past are becoming the roads of the future.

Just as chaos breaks out, familiar faces from the past return, complicating the already strained bond between Josie and Seth, and when the danger from the Titans erupts with devastating consequences, the dark allure of power calls to Seth again, but this time Josie might not be able to pull him back.

And when the struggle between power and love becomes the deadliest battleground, there may be no salvation.

Why am I waiting?

I have a love hate relationship with Seth. I hated him as a love interest for Alex. I am loving him as a love interest for Josie. After The Return, I have to know what happens with these two.

Teaser Tuesday (5) The Shadow Reader

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “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!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"If I were a good man," he says, "I'd acknowledge that Taltrayn is an honorable fae, that he loves you and would take care of you. I'd step down and let you have the man you've always wanted, but McKenzie, I'm not as good as Taltrayn. I never will be, and I can't step down. I'll fight for the chance to be with you."

The Shadow Reader Kindle Location 5226

There is something about Aren that makes me just sigh. Maybe it is that he knows that he is not as honorable as his rival and yet he is still going to try to win McKenzie's heart.

Cover Reveal: Deceived (Dark Alliance #1)

Luke Rogan’s assignment is simple: secure young Elijah Scoffield and his mother and bring them back to headquarters—just an ordinary mission for an operative of the Dark Alliance. But Elijah is no ordinary kid. He’s the grandson of one of the country’s most influential politicians—a man privy to the Alliance’s most valuable secrets, including its centuries-long connection to the Knights Templar. And someone else is attempting to capture the boy—someone who's proven he doesn’t give a damn about collateral damage...

Heartbroken at the lies that tore her world apart, Sarah Scoffield will do anything to protect her son—even if that means teaming up with a deadly stranger. But Sarah soon finds herself falling in love with her dark hero. And as danger stalks ever closer, the fiery desire that claims them awakens in Sarah passions she’d thought dead and buried long ago...

About the Author

Kate SeRine (pronounced “serene”) is a hopeless romantic who firmly believes in true love that lasts forever. So it's no surprise that when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed her characters would always have a happily ever after.

Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project—probably while consuming way too much coffee. Kate is also the author of the award-winning Transplanted Tales paranormal romance series.

Connect with Kate at www.kateserine.com, Facebook.com/kateserine, or on Twitter @KateSeRine.

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Excerpt from Deceived (Dark Alliance #1)

            “I thought we were safe here,” Sarah said, her arms crossed over her chest.

            “We’re as safe here as anywhere until we get to my place,” Luke assured her.

            She lifted a brow. “Yet you’re acting like you expect someone to come barging in and attack us at any moment.”

            He took a step closer and immediately realized his mistake when his heart started pounding at the nearness of her. Shit. He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from touching her. “If being paranoid is what’s going to keep you and your son alive,” he said, “then guilty as charged.”

            “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Luke,” she began, edging closer, damn it all, “but why does it matter so much to you if Eli and I are safe? You don’t know us. I get that you’ve been given an order, but I also heard you talking to your commander and know you’d rather be somewhere else. If you’d insisted that someone else watch over us, I would’ve understood. I can just go to the police, tell them what happened. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

            Luke stared at her for a long moment, trying to figure out the answer to her question. Hell if he knew why it mattered so much to him that he keep them safe. In the technical sense, he protected people every day and had for going on fifteen years when he added up his time in the military and then working for the government and now with the Alliance. But she was right—this assignment was hitting him on a level he hadn’t anticipated.

            “I guess because, when I wasn’t much older than Eli, someone took my mother and me in, watched over us when we needed it,” he finally said, not sure where the explanation was even coming from. “And someone else did the same thing for me again a few years ago when I was in a really dark place—except this time the enemy I was up against was myself. If it wasn’t for that person stepping in, I don’t know where I’d be. But dead is a damned good bet.”

            Sarah straightened. “Oh. God. I’m sorry.”

            “Don’t be,” Luke told her. He shook his head as his vision went a little blurry. Suddenly too tired to stand, he leaned against the edge of the sink. “I made a promise to keep you and Eli safe, Sarah. I’ll keep it. There’s no way I’d abandon you, so don’t worry about it.”

            The next thing he knew, Sarah’s arms were around his neck, hugging him tightly. He resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, to bury his face in her hair and let the warmth of her wash over him. But when she pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered, “Thank you,” in his ear, he almost gave in.

            Fortunately, before he could move, she stepped away and hurried back into the room with Eli, leaving Luke gaping at the empty doorway and wondering exactly what the hell he’d gotten himself into…

Review: Make Me Stay

Author Jaci Burton
Format e-book
Print Length 304 pages

Publisher Berkley Jove
Published Dec. 1, 2015

The New York Times bestselling author of Love After All and the Play-by-Play series delivers a new novel about how love sometimes has plans of its own.

Having left his hometown of Hope years ago, only one thing could persuade architect Reid McCormack to come home for a lengthy stay—the challenge of renovating a historic building. But once the job is finished, he’ll be headed back to Boston, no matter how much he’s drawn to beautiful florist Samantha Reasor.

Samantha watches over her elderly grandmother and pours a piece of herself into every floral creation she designs. Her crush on Reid has been blooming for a while now, but she’s reluctant to act on it. A temporary fling isn’t what she’s looking for, even if Reid is smoking hot and super sexy. She wants a real, permanent, forever kind of love.

Two people with different goals couldn’t possibly work, and yet as their attraction grows into something deeper, maybe falling in love is the one thing Samantha and Reid can build a future on.

My Opinion

The McCormack brothers buy a historic building to renovate- Reid comes home to oversee the project. He plans to stay in Hope for a few weeks and then back to Boston he goes. Sam has a bit of a crush on Reid and never really acts on it. Timing has just been off. With him back in town though, they do start to hang out. Maybe love will be involved, maybe lust- who knows.

For some reason I never connected with these two. They just didn’t seem like a good fit to me. Both of them were well kinda bland. Neither of them stand out in a crowd. There was no yan to the others yang. I kinda felt like they were both settling for each other because the people around them are in love and moving on to that stage in life where they are building families.

I did feel that they cared for each other but the chemistry wasn’t there for me. Some of their conversations felt half forced as well. The story moved along slowly and that could have been the reason I felt that the conversations were awkward. There are moments where both of them are caring and it’s cute. Just wish the passion was there.

Make Me Stay is a sweet story, that if you have time and have started the series should check out. There were hints of something going on between Megan and Brady- hopefully the next story in the series.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “At the intersection of Love and Denial.”

Other People

Grammy Claire- Sam’s grammy
Not My Dog- Reid’s dog
Megan- Sam’s bestie
Brady- guy that Megan is interested in.

Review: Truthwitch

Author Susan Dennard

Format e-book
Print Length 416 pages
Publisher Tor Teen
Published Jan. 5, 2016

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

My Opinion

Truthwitch brought me out of my fantasy slump! Not since Robert Jordan’s last Wheel of Time book (Knife of Dreams) which released in 2005 have I been so captivated with a fantasy world.

The book starts with Safiya and Iseult, best friends who are also witches. Safiya is a Truthwitch (knows when you are lying) and Iseult is a Threadwitch (sees the ties around people). Both girls rely on their powers yet discover throughout the story that relying too much on their power will get them into trouble. The girls are from different class- Safiya is from the nobility and Iseult is from a nomadic tribe. Yet they become Threadsisters, a bond closer than that of sister or best friends. Safiya is hotheaded and impulsive, Iseult is calm and logical. They balance each other out nicely.

When it is announced that Safiya is to be the new emperess (via a marriage to a horrible man) her uncle and guardians help her flee. Prince Merik, who desperately needs a trade agreement with businessmen agrees to allow them passenger ship on his ship. He is a Windwitch, and does not know that Safiya is the future empress. In her defense she did not know it either, until the announcement.

Not only does the girls have the entire empire looking for them, they kinda upset a blood assassin, Aeduan. Who’s main goal now is to kill Iseult and Safiya. Will the girls make it to the port that they are trying to make it to or will the emperor or the blood assassin win?

Safiya is an interesting character. She could have been portrayed as a wow is me I am an orphan with a drunkard as an uncle. She is not. Instead she is portrayed as a girl who knows her worth, believes in her and her Threadsister Iseult. Does she make impulsive decisions? Yes, yet she owns up to them and tries to fix them when they have consequences.

Iseult is also intriguing. She could have been portrayed as wow is me, I am an outcast among outcast. My mother (tribe cleric) chose another to apprentice under her than me. I am not welcomed in my tribe and everyone is mean to me due to my race, Nomatsi. Instead she is the calm, cool, collective one. She knows that she has the ability to do great things. She knows that she has the ability to do even greater things with Safiya by her side.

The characters are all within themselves are interesting, yet combined together with their threads interweaving it is downright spellbinding. Friendship in general is the true reason to read this book. There are a lot of relationships found in the story: Safiya and Iseult, Merick and Safiya, Merick and his Threadbrother Kullen, Merick and his Aunt Evrane, Iseult and Evrane, Iseult and Aeduan, Aeduan and Evrane. Each of them as complex as the next, all of them enchanting.

I wanted to read Truthwitch- I was excited about reading Truthwitch. I was hesitant to read it as well. There was a lot of hype about this book before it released. I have been burned before by books with this much hype. Thank goodness I came away from this book with no soot on me.

Truthwitch met all of my expectations- met them and then exceeded them. The only downside of the story is that the sequel will be out in 12 months instead of 2. The wait may just actually physically hurt a little. What will happen to my favorite Threadsisters? Merik? Aeduan? And of course Evrane?

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote "Trust me as if my soul were yours."

Other People

Merik- prince of Nubrevna, Windwitch
Aeduan- Bloodwitch hunting the girls
Evarne- Merick’s aunt, monk
Puppeteer- a girl, maybe evil…
Empress Vaness- cares more for her empire than herself