Blog Tour Stop: Favorite Shadows Strike Quotes

Thank you so much for joining me today!  I’m excited to be here at The Reading Cave, celebrating the release of SHADOWS STRIKE, the sixth book in my Immortal Guardians series.  (If you’re new to the series, don’t worry.  The books can be read as stand alones.  You’ll just be more familiar with the secondary characters if you read them in order.)  Today I thought I would give you a glimpse of what you’ll find in Ethan and Heather’s story by offering you a few of my favorite quotes from it.

First Quote 

She smiled.

“What?”

She gave him a titillating once-over.  “You’re hot when you’re all tough and protective.”

He grinned.  “Stop tempting me.  Chris is on his way, so I need to keep my head.”

She winked.  And damned if it didn’t make him want to toss his phone, lock the door, and bend her over the sofa.

“Your eyes are glowing again.”

“I know, damn it.”

She laughed.

Second Quote

“Why don’t you sleep for a bit?  I signed the confidentiality agreement, so you don’t have to worry about me trying to sneak pictures of your fangs and calling all the news outlets while you rest.”

Smiling, he shook his head.  “And what will you do while I sleep?”

“Find a permanent marker and draw a mustache and bushy eyebrows on your face.”

He laughed.  “I really like you, Heather.”

Third Quote 

He nodded. “You can learn a lot about a person from the way he or she faces death.”

A groan escaped her.  “I don’t even want to know what you learned about me.”  She had shaken in her boots during every skirmish.

“Are you kidding?  I learned that you’re brave as hell.  A true warrior who—”

She snorted.  “I babbled like a maniac the night we met and tried to convince myself I was still asleep.”

“Hell, that’s better than screaming and running away or crapping your pants.”

Another burst of laughter escaped her.

Fourth Quote

At last she found a faint smile.  “Could you maybe not mention my dad while we’re both standing here naked?  I mean, I know I’m too tired to do any fun stuff, but . . . still.”

Laughing, he looped an arm around her and guided her into the shower.  “Yeah.  I didn’t think that one through.”

Fifth Quote

“I don’t want to be the kind of woman who freaks out if we happen to run into one of your old girlfriends. We’re both adults. You didn’t come to me a virgin. And I didn’t come to you a virgin.”

“Oh, but you did,” he said somberly. “You swore you’d been saving yourself for me. That you had never made love before. Never kissed a man before.” He squeezed her hand. “That you had never even held hands with a man before you met me.”

Grinning, she patted their clasped hands. “You just keep believing that, honey.”

Shadows Strike
(Immortal Guardians #6)
by Dianne Duvall
Paperback/eBook, 320 pages
Expected publication: August 25th 2015 by Zebra
ISBN 1420129821

The Immortal Guardians protect the innocent in secret. Sometimes the secret gets out…

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can’t guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she’s awake, she isn’t sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn’t trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that’s coming, it will take everything they have just to survive…

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | BAM! | Barnes & Noble

Review: Two Minutes

Author Dannik Dark

Format e-book
Print Length 317 pages
Publisher self-published
Published August 16 2015

After years of living abroad, Maizy returns home to the only family she's ever known--a pack of wolves. When she confronts her childhood watchdog to see where they stand, his resentment leaves her uncertain about where she really belongs.

Behind Denver's charming smile is a tragic past--one that's made his wolf savage and unpredictable. Only Maizy has been able to tame that darkness, and when they're reunited after many years apart, he no longer sees a child he once protected. She's captivating and intelligent--a woman with the world at her fingertips and two suitors offering more than he ever could.

Torn between two worlds, Maizy must choose how her fairy tale ends. Tragedy, murder, passion, and imprisonment all collide with a heart-stopping twist.

"You must decide how your fairy tale will end, little one. With a love that could be fleeting and hurt you in the end, or with a man who will give you your heart’s desire."

Destiny will find you.

My Opinion

For some reason this is my least favorite of all of the books in the series. I think it is has a lot to do with the two main characters taking so long to figure out that they love each other. Plus, figuring out that that love is worth it.

Maizy throughout this series has been a regular. First as a little gal with Denny as her watchdog. Umm…. a watchdog does just that, watches over the kid. Maizy is all grown up and no longer needs a watchdog. A wolf of another type may be what she does need or maybe something else that goes bump in the night. Only time will tell.

Denny who is my favorite shifter in this series seriously needed to be slapped a few times y’all. Then hauled down to the local pool hall to shoot a few rounds before she slapped some more sense into him. Enough with the selfless act man! Man up- tell the gal how you really feel and get your love on track. I get that in the past you were hurt- lots of people get hurt by love. It is worth it in the end.

Maizy for her part is just trying to fgure out what is going on. She thinks she has a clue and then something else gets thrown into the equation. If Denny didn’t remind her of a popular song about running Hot and Cold, I don’t know who else would.

I liked Two Minutes. It was a fun book, but I guess I went into it wanting more, needing more, hoping for more and getting just enough. Sort of like wanting some cherry coke and getting vanilla- still good just not what you were hoping for.

My Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “Because I’m a man, and we fail miserably at romance.”

Other People

Austin- Alpha of the pack
Lexi- Austin’s mate, Maizy’s sister
Prince- competition for Maizy’s heart

Review: Bone Crossed

Author Patricia Briggs

Format e-book
Print Length 300 pages
Publisher Orbit
Published Feb. 3, 2009

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan—and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends'.

My Opinion

This is not a stand-alone novel, this is the fourth book in the series. Reading it first will confuse the snot out of you. You seriously need to read the first three books to understand this one, and probably to understand my review.

Bone Crossed begins a few days after the events in Moon Called happened. The events that should have had seriously traumatized Mercy. For some reason though she is taking it all in stride, which I am not sure is actually a good thing. She does have panic attacks because of the Moon Called events but I just feel like there should be more of an emotional reaction. I would seriously hate to be Mercy. I mean can the gal ever catch a break?

After the horrible events of Moon Called she now has a vampire coven out for revenge on her behind. As Adam’s mate, her enemies are now the pack’s enemies. (How she becomes Adam’s mate is either going to make you happy or tick you off- there is no happy middle on this one.) Amber, an old friend shows up out of the blue and Mercy agrees to help her. Her son, Chad is seeing ghost and Amber needs Mercy to figure it out. This has her leaving town for a few days so that Adam can try to sort things out with Marsilia. Marsilia is also mad at Stefan and so he goes with Mercy when she goes out of town sort of like a body guard. While out of town Mercy attracts the attention of Blackwood, a powerful vampire who is just plain evil. When they get back to town all hades breaks loose with Marsilia and Stefan.

Mercy is still the snarky mechanic that we met in the first book. I like that she is having some type of reaction to what happened to her. I just don’t feel like her reaction is realistic. Adam gets a little on the possessive side in this one. He is gentle with her, and he does try to help her. He just doesn’t like other guys around her at all but again very understandable reaction. I felt bad for Stefan, the things that Marsilia puts him through are heinous. Her rational for it was however very logical and probably for the best.

If you are already a fan of Mercy and you are invested in her story then you are probably going to like this one. There were times while reading, I wanted to shake Mercy and ask her where her back bone was. I mean, the first three books she was a strong independent woman. In this one, not so much which could be a hidden reaction of her being attacked. I don’t know. I am not sure after this one though that I am going to continue in the series.

My Rating 3 stars out of 5

Favorite Quote “Not to worry about what had been or what would be, just the now."

Other People

Samuel- lone wolf, Mercy’s first love, roomie
Stefan- Mercy’s vamp who is on speed dial
Darryl- Adam’s second or the beta wolf if you will
Zee- fae, Mercy’s old boss
Ben- Amber’s kid, sees ghost, deaf

Book Trailer Saturday (23) The Potion Diaries

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...

When the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. Oops. A nationwide hunt is called to find the

cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn.

Enter Samantha Kemi - an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam's family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but they've fallen on hard times, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? Just how close is Sam willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing former classmate and enemy, in the meantime?

And just to add to the pressure, this quest is ALL OVER social media. And the world news. 

No big deal, then.

Review: Waiting for Ethan

Author Diane Barnes
Format e-ARC
Print Length ?

Publisher Lyrical Shine
Published September 15, 2015

When Gina Rossi was in junior high, her best friend’s psychic grandmother got everything right—from predicting that Gina would break her arm and travel to Italy, all the way to leading police to a missing neighborhood child. The one time Gina didn’t listen to her, she almost got herself killed. So when she says that Gina will marry a man named Ethan—but she will have to wait for him—Gina believes her, and waits…

Now thirty-six, Gina’s Mr. Right is nowhere in sight—until the day she’s stranded in a snowstorm, and rescued by the last type of Ethan she expected. It’s very romantic, yet surprisingly not. This Ethan is sexy, and clearly her hero. Still, instead of her “Aha” moment, Gina’s confused. And when Ethan is happy to discover she’s single, does Gina dare tell him, It’s because I've been waiting for you? But the bigger question is, does she dare question destiny—by taking it into her own hands? And is she brave enough to handle what happens once it’s time to stop waiting—and start living?

My Opinion

Cute, adorable read!

Waiting on Ethan is an enjoyable tale about a gal who has so much faith in her best friends Granny ability to predict the future that she waits a long time for her future husband to come along. Why not when all of her other predictions have occurred just like she said they would. The problem is waiting until she was 25 was okay….even when 30 passed her bye she was good. Now, that she is 36 she can literally hear her biological clock ticking. Goodness, is he ever going to come along. Everyone thinks she is silly for waiting for an imaginary guy.

Finally, in a moment where she needs a knight in shining armor to come along- a guy in a pick-up truck shows up. He rescues her from the snowstorm and delivers her home. Come to find out his name is Ethan. Is he the Ethan that she is suppose to be with? Or could there be someone else?

I loved Gina. She tries and is not perfect. She thinks that this is the guy that she has been waiting for her whole life. She wants it to be him, so badly. Doubt does set in though- what if she is wrong? I think we have all been there- with a partner who we want it to work out with. We try to make it work but something is missing. Do we throw in the towel or keep going? Ethan is going through some stuff. I don’t like him at all. This was Gina’s life plan- find Ethan, marry him, have babies and live happily ever after. Can she throw away the plan? Does any of us ever want to throw away the plan?

Waiting on Ethan is a book that will make you want to laugh with Gina, scream at Gina, cuss at Ethan and cheer on her friends. It may have you cheering on a guy that could be in the picture if Gina would just let him. It is one of those fast reads where when you get to the end of the book look up and say holy cow! I read that in one sitting!

My Rating 4 stars out of 5

Favorite Quote “Marriage is something I intend to do just once.”

Other People

Luci- work bestie
Jack- Ethan’s bestie, seems like an okay guy
Neesha- childhood bestie
Cooper- colleague

Swoon Thursday (33) Two Minutes

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created 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!

“Because I’m afraid if I hold her, I’ll never let go!” His shout fell into fractured words that ripped open a dam of pain- the kind only love can bring.

Two Minutes Kindle Location 3286

I feel so bad for Denny at this point in time. I love that he recognizes that he is afraid, afraid of falling, afraid of rejection, afraid of loving.

Waiting on Wednesday (33) Soundless

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.

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped i

n Chinese folklore. 

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

Why am I waiting?

With the ending of Bloodlines, I have had a hole in my heart where Richelle Mead books belong. Since I do not know if there will be another Age of X book, I have get my Mead fix some other way. Hopefully, Soundless will work.

Teaser Tuesday (33) Waiting on Ethan

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!

You will not meet him for many years. You will get tired of waiting. You will doubt that he will come, but he will. You must wait. You must wait for Ethan.

Waiting on Ethan Kindle Location 147

“Marriage is something I intend to do just once,” he says. “That will be nice for your wife,” I say. She’ll always know she was your first choice.”

Waiting on Ethan Kindle Location 2388

Oh my.. if I was a young girl and told I MUST wait for a certain person over and over again. I think I would, even if it drove me crazy.

Cooper is my kinda guy. He has the three S's- success, sexy, and sarcasm. Too bad Gina can't get past his name.

Review: Beauty and the Werewolf

Author Kristin Miller

Format E-ARC

Print Length ?

Publisher Entangled:Covet

Published August 25, 2015

This lone wolf falls hard...for his enemy.

Unmated werewolves don't normally live past three hundred years old...and billionaire Jack MacGrath is cutting it close. Sure, he has almost everything-the respect of his peers, a mansion in San Francisco, a private jet, and fast cars. But without a mate, Jack's in trouble. Then he sees her. Gorgeous, proud...and his enemy.

Isabelle Connelly is good at hiding things from her father. Like her success as a painter, or the incredibly intense attraction she has to Jack MacGrath. After all, she's royalty and falling for anyone lesser-to say nothing of a rival pack-would be, er, unseemly. Now she must choose between her duty to her family and her pack...or her perfect fated mate.

My Opinion

For over three hundred years Jack has looked for his Luminary…fated mate. He hasn’t found her and time is no longer on his side. He has to keep looking for ways to up his adrenaline as he continues the quest. He has pretty much accepted that he will not find her. So for now he just finds ways to cheat death. His only peace comes when he stares upon a painting from his favorite artist, Bella Nolan. Which is how he meets Isabelle- they get into a bidding war over a painting.

Isabelle is the daughter to an alpha wolf in Irish Wolf Pack. She is slated to take over the pack once her father dies- which will be soon. Dad is sick with not much time left; Isabelle wants his approval to continue painting before he passes away. She is actually really good and has made a lot of money off of her paintings. Daddy of course has already voiced his opinion on the matter but she thinks she could change his mind. She has a brilliant idea that if she gets all of her paintings together in one place and show him them that he will approve of her.

Isabelle is really attracted to Jack but she keeps fighting it. Jack knows that she is his Luminary but is not sure how to convince her. He has a huge collection of her paintings though, the same ones she is trying to round up to surprise her dad. He uses them to get her to spend more time with him. He finally has her convinced that she is his fated mate when she gets called him back to Ireland.

I adored Jack in this one. He is strong, sweet and well honestly really adorable. Isabelle and I had a few issues. I don’t like how she leaves Jack when she knows he is dying (if you don’t find your mate by 300 years, you pretty much die- Jack really has been cheating death). So for her to leave him even to go see her dad was a hard pill to swallow for me. He is suppose to be her destiny, without him she will die as well.

Then throw in the added twist that Jack and Isabelle’s family are feuding. So much so that once her daddy finds out she met her mate. Her Luminary, instead of being happy he acts extremely un-daddy like. This grated on my nerves just a little- I understand I do, but still she is your daughter man!

Beauty and the Werewolf is a sweet tale. Jack will melt your heart and while there will be times that you want to shake Isabelle really hard you may grow to like her.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote I already told you I’ll pay to replace your Monument of Manhood.

Other People

Branson- Jack’s butler and best friend

Jasmine- another one of Jack’s friends

Neil- Isabelle’s friend

Review: Walker Saga Bundle

Author Jaymin Eve

Format e-book
Print Length 713 pages
Publisher self-published
Published April 3, 2015

This bundle contains books 1-3 in the bestselling Walker Saga. Follow Abigail and her friends as they journey through the First World star system. They have an important and dangerous mission: gather the seven half-Walker females. This group of kick-butt girls are the one chance to defeat the Seventine and save the worlds.

First World - Book 1
Spurn - Book 2
Crais - Book 3

My Opinion

I have to confess- I did not want to read this series. Seriously, I did not want to read this series. I read Dragon Marked by this author and LOVED it. PUFFY HEART loved it, as in my favorite read of 2015 so far loved it, and thought for sure that there was no way that her first series would be as good as her second. So, I put it off, read other series, re-read Dragon Marked, stalked her twitter account for Dragon Mystics teasers. First World ended up being free on Amazon and I thought why not- I had nothing else to read. Opening it I knew just knew it was a big mistake- I ended up reading all of the released books for this series in a four day period. The Hubby thought I was crazy and now I am compulsively checking on a release date for the last book in the series.

As with other bundles I will of course give a brief review of each of the books.

First World-

Abby and Lucy grew up together on a compound in New York City- a different New York City than we know. This one is war-torn and pretty horrible. On they day that they leave the compound they discover that Abby is not from Earth but instead from a planet known as the First World. A mysterious gem helps them create a portal to take them to Abby’s home planet. As she meets her family Lucy is taken and she will do anything to get her back.

Abby is one of those kick-butt heroines who does not have the time to whine, cry, or well be a witch. I love her relationship with Lucy. They have been best friends since they were three (that is 15 years for anyone counting). In that time, they have been through a lot. They have only ever had each other. Their banter and mannerism with each other reminds me of my bestie and me. They are adorable, even when they are rolling their eyes at each other. They are loyal to each other above all else and I like that. I like that they are not afraid to say are you sure about this when things come up. They are able to depend on each other and that is rare. The Chuck Norris references may have also made me giggle a lot.

There are some swoony moments in this one with a certain mysterious guy name Brace. Abby has dreamed about her for years, but doesn’t meet him until she goes to her home planet. He is protective of Abby but not overbearing. He seems to honestly want to help her.

Spurn

Abby, Brace, Lucas, Sam and Lucy go to the planet Spurn- the first stop on Abby’s mission to unite the half walkers. Spurn is a planet made mainly of water- the inhabitants at time remind me of Little Mermaid. The half-Walker from this planet is named Talina- her mother is disgusted with her. Everyone on this planet treats her pretty much like crap. Everyone that is but her brother, Raror and Ladre the leader of the Baroon clan. There is trouble on Spurn and Talina cannot leave until it settled. It will be up to Abby and the gang to help her. Once that danger is over, they are faced with challenges from other Walkers for the half-Walkers. Brace’s protective nature towards Abby is explained here, which we could have guessed.

Talina is a nice addition to this story in that she balances out Abby’s impulsive reactions with logical thoughts and concern for others. Abby’s first concern is always the immediate threat, Talina sees beyond it. Talina grows in this book, so much so that in the end you can’t help but smile at the differences between the before Abby Talina and the after Abby Talina.

Holy Swoon feast batman! Brace steps up his game in this one. The interactions between him and Abby are priceless. Just as the interactions between Lucy and well anyone is pretty awesome. For a sidekick Lucy rocks! So much so that I kinda wish she would get her own book. Abby and Lucy together are just plain fun, even if say they are in prison. I like how synched to each other they are.

The ending here is a cliffhanger, one that I don’t think I could have handled if the third book hadn’t already been released. Yeah it is that much of a game changer. It made my heart break for Abby. I felt like the gal already has enough on her plate with trying to find the other half-walkers, learning her powers and having to save the universe. The betrayal of the person that does the action (sorry no spoilers) is less shocking, as I always wanted to give the person a side-eye. So with the cliffhanger, I had to immediately start the third book. I promise you will too.

Crais-

Brace is gone, hopefully Abby can get him back. She still has a mission, to gather the other half- Walkers. Abby, Lucy, Talina and Lucas go to Crais- a planet with two suns where the people must had within the caves to survive. Stepping outside will kill you in a matter of minutes. Abby will find the half-Walker Fury and her mate Dune. While there is internal fighting on their planet they cannot stick around she is wanted back on First World. Fury and Talina are polar opposites, which makes sense since Talina has control over water and Fury over fire. Fury is a spitball of fire- she is bitter and well mean. I don’t really like her to begin with. She does tend to grow on you though.

The Seventine give Abby a way to get Brace back. Taking it means that another one of the Seventine is released. With the first Seventine having access to their melding bond, it is harder and harder for Abby to resist the deal they want to make. Josian and Abby decide that the other Walker clans need to be brought in to help fight the Seventine. This means though that the halfs will be put on display for all the Walkers to see. The arrival of Brace’s best friend Colton adds an extra layer of comic relief, his interactions with Lucy being especially funny. Those two are either going to hook up or kill each other. Shoot to be honest they may do both.

Crais is really one crisis after another. It really is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure from start to finish. There will be several things revealed, all the while the secrets between everyone keeps adding up. I cannot express how truly awesome this series is. Each book keeps getting better and better.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote 

"Damn, I'm unfit.  I need to start jogging, if this running-for-our-lives thing continues." First World

"I can't ignore your distress.  It makes me want to slay dragons and kill spiders." Spurn

"Curiosity is a gift, and its rewards are knowledge." Crais

Other People

Lucy- Abby’s best friend
Quarn- Abby’s protector
Josian- Abby’s Walker Daddy
Lallielle- Abby’s momma
Colton- Brace’s best friend
Magenta- Colton’s twin sister

Book Trailer Saturday (22) Alive

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...

A young woman awakes trapped in an enclosed space. She has no idea who she is or how she got there. With only her instincts to guide her, she escapes her own confinement—and finds she’s not

alone. She frees the others in the room and leads them into a corridor filled with the remains of a war long past. The farther these survivors travel, the worse are the horrors they confront. And as they slowly come to understand what this prison is, they realize that the worst and strangest possibilities they could have imagined don’t even come close to the truth.

Review: Shadow Strike

Author Dianne Duvall

Format e-ARC
Print Length 320 pages
Publisher Zebra
Published August 25, 2015

The Immortal Guardians protect the innocent in secret. Sometimes the secret gets out...

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can’t guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she’s awake, she isn’t sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn’t trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that’s coming, it will take everything they have just to survive...

My Opinion

Holy heck Heather is one tough human. She has been dreaming for the past year of sitting outside and being attacked by vampires at exactly the same time every night. Instead of oh I don’t know staying inside and not going outside at that time. She finds the field that she is suppose to be attack in, then this tough chick goes and sits there night after night. This is suppose to make her feel not crazy- honey please! Going there and trying to fulfill this destiny is cray-cray. Granted the dream does have a hot immortal guardian in it, Ethan.

Ethan is surprised at Heather’s reaction to him after the attack. She is actually worried for him and patches him up. Being cared for is something he has been lacking in so the last hundred years. This of course makes his heart go pitter patter. Not only that but he realizes that Heather is a gifted one- she can read minds. Instead of hiding from her gift, she fashions it with a pretty name and actually gets national recognition for her ability. Not the mind reading, she has everyone and the military convinced that she is watching body language instead to be a human lie detector. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.

There has been another super vamp attack, and the Immortal Guardians are on top of it. Unfortunately, so is Heather’s daddy, who just so happens to be a General. When more military bases are attacked though the General calls in Heather to help with the investigation. This will also call in the Immortal Guardians.

The chemistry between Heather and Ethan is genuine. Heather is very straight forward in the fact that she thinks everything that is going on is weird. Ethan is very honest about his reaction to her and what he is hoping for. Both are protective of each other. The only part of the book I didn’t like is when Heather tells him she is not the type of gal to get with a guy without knowing them for a LONG time. Yeah, you can guess what happened.

Shadow Strike is a fabulous addition to the Immortal Guardian series. I loved that the author gives us glimpses into the lives of the previous couples. I enjoy how entwined everyone’s lives are. If you are looking for a paranormal romance that will knock your socks off this is the story for you.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “One man’s insanity is another man’s profit.”

Other People

Chris- human go to guy for the Immortal Ones
Seth- Immortal Guardians leader
Lisette- Ethan’s mentor

Swoon Thursday (32) Beauty and the Werewolf

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created 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!

His death wasn’t what mattered at all. It was Isabelle’s happiness. That’s all that had ever mattered in the first place.

Beauty and the Werewolf Kindle Location 1850

You got to hand it to Jack- he sure knows how to treat a gal. Not so sure that dying is worth it though or that it will make her happy.

Waiting on Wednesday (32) The Rose Society

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.

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes the second book in the exhilarating Young Elites series.

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers that murdered her love, the Crown Prince Enzo Valenciano.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

Why am I waiting?

Umm..... after the ending of the Young Elites I was mad at Adelina. Oh so very mad at Adeline. Now, that Enzo is dead how will she stay good- he kept her good. I fear for Adelina, maybe even more than being mad at her.

Teaser Tuesday (32) Shadow Strikes

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!

"You're beautiful, you're smart, you think quickly in a crisis, and you kick ass. Do you have any idea what a desirous combination that is?"

"Since I could say the same about you, yes."

He grinned. "You're bold, too? Be still, my heart."

Shadow Strikes Kindle Location 707

I love that Ethan is not afraid to say what is on his mind. I like how Heather counters it with her own.

Review: On the Hunt

Author Alexandra Ivy

Format e-ARC
Print Length 384
Publisher Zebra
Published August 25, 2015

Four of today’s most intriguing paranormal authors entice readers deep into the shadows, where vampires, immortals, and other supernatural creatures heat up the night...

ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...

SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
With a deadly disease spreading like wildfire across the country, microbiologist Nora Medina needs to focus all her energy on stopping the pandemic. Playing with dynamite—in the form of her way-too-hot ex—is the last thing she should be doing. But forced to work with Deacan McDougall against unexpected enemies with the seconds ticking by, she knows the explosion is coming…

PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.

STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple

My Opinion

Again this is one of those multiple story books so I will be giving a brief review of each story.

On The Hunt

What a great addition to the Sentinel series. Bailey is a free spirit. She has to be after being forgotten so many times by those that are supposed to love her. Mika made a brief appearance in the previous book and let me tell you he made an impression. People see him as arrogant, stand-offish. I saw him as guarded, he has a past with someone who broke his heart. When Bailey gets taken, Mika will do anything and everything to get her back. The sparks fly of the charts in this one y’all. If you haven’t started to series yet, you need to.

My rating 5 out of 5 stars

Scorpius Rising

This is an interesting take on the world gone zombie wild. Nora is on vacation when some soldiers take her home on the way they gather her team up. You see she is a microbiologist, one of the best in the world that works for a pharmaceutical company and there has been an outbreak that needs containment. Her ex-husband is a special strategist to the President of the US and is in charge of the containment. I liked their interactions with each other. I like how she and he bickered yet supported each other in their roles during the crisis. I like how he is the one that won’t give up on them. I did not like how the outbreak occurs- very convenient. This was the first time I have read anything from this author and I can guarantee it is not the last.

My rating 4 out of 5 stars

PHANTOM EMBRACE

I had not heard of the Immortal Guardians before reading about them here. Yuri and Cat’s love story is well pretty sweet. It was cute and cuddley and I wanted to hug them both. So what is a gal to do after finding a new series- I promptly went and one-clicked the first book in the series, and then the second. I think you are getting the picture. Yepper, I got hooked on the Immortal Guardians. Yuri and the rest of his people are just too amazing. I enjoyed how they worked as a family unit. I liked how they protected those they loved. I adored how they loved. I needed more of that right away.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Stake Out

Nina a fashion designer vampire finds a dead model 24 hours before her fashion show. Well, technically an undead model 24 hours before the biggest fashion show of the year. Oh did I mention her fashions weren’t finished so she still had to do that as well as hunt down the newly made vampire and the person who sired her. Nina and I just did not click- I felt she was self-observed, selfish and woow is me. Not only that but her love interest Pike- there was no chemistry between the two. I think this could be a case of me being new to this series, but yeah I hated it. I had to force myself to finish reading it.

My Rating 2 out of 5 stars

This is a case of where I found a book with multiple authors that I actually enjoyed. Yeah there was one story that I hated but overall the other three were really good. The only author in this book that I was familiar with was Alexandra Ivy. I rate the collection overall as 5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Magic Breaks

Author Ilona Andrews

Format e-book
Print Length 348 pages
Publisher Ace Hardcover
Published July 29, 2014

No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…

As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.

As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear…

My Opinion

At the beginning of the book, Curran Kate’s mate gets called away. Since Kate is his mate, she must take his place at the Conclave. While there, the Pack is accused of killing on of the Masters of the Dead. Kate knows that this is a set up by Hugh, her daddy’s lackey. Not only does she have to prove it to the Conclave but there is grumbling in with the wolves, some thinking that Jennifer doesn’t have what it takes to be Alpha. This of course has been going on since Desandra came to live with the Pack. It doesn’t help that Desandra is now Jennifer’s beta. Kate ends up making sure that there is not a supernatural war, unfortunately she of course disappears. Curran wants her back and will do what it takes to insure his love is safe, moving Heaven and Hell to get to her.

Kate has grown over the last seven books. She no longer jumps in feet first, instead she observes and then acts. Curran and her bodyguards have taught her diplomacy- at least a little. Supernatural politics is now natural for her to recognize. This is a side of her that is pretty awesome to see.

Curran’s devotion to Kate is pretty amazing. Everyone and their momma is telling him to give her up, not to go looking for her and he does anyways. He supports her regardless of the situation- just as a mate should.

Kate’s meetings with Roland are enlightening. As are those who are in favor her and Curran. The deal they make in the end with Roland to save their city- woowziers! Talk about a game changer. I am liking it and cannot wait till the next one is released so I can once again step into Kate’s world.

My Rating 4 stars out of 5

Favorite Quote “You’ve maxed out your wit quota for the night.”

Other People

Derek- wolf shifter, Kate’s trusty side-kick
Jennifer- Alpha of the wolfs
Ascanio- bouda shifter, Kate’s intern
Andrea- Kate’s bestie
Barabas- pack lawyer and advisor to the Kate
Ghastek- Master of the Dead

Book Trailer Saturday (21) Star Cruise: Marooned

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...

Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance. 

Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl. 

But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them. 

Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?

Review: When a Scot Ties the Knot

Author Tessa Dare

Format E-ARC
Print Length 384 pages
Publisher Avon
Published August 25, 2015

On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shyly pretty and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.

A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter … and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.

Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters… and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.

My Opinion

It has been so long since I have read a Historical Romance novel. They were my first books, my first loves and then like many first loves- I moved on. Not to bigger or better loves just different loves. That is until I saw the blurb for this one and thought hmm... maybe I should go back to my first love again.  Boy am I glad I did.

Madeline really did not want a season, she really did not want to come out, she really did not want to go to parties. One day under pressure to like all things related to the upcoming season, Madeline kinda-accidently says out loud that she didn’t need one…because she already met someone. A love captain in the army, who loves her and asked her to marry him. She wrote to him every month. This captain protected her for years five from the pressure of a season- and then she promptly kills him. Why not he is imaginary? Once he is died she goes into mourning for another five years. Putting her promptly on the shelf, and since she had a castle she didn’t need a man in her life. She was content to live out her life as a spinster. Until he shows up- the Captain shows up at her castle.

Maddie is adorable. She takes her career as an illustrator of nature serious. Often locked in her tower of a workshop drawing away. She is tender-hearted her spinster Aunt Thea lives with her. Sure, she would like a family of her own but has resigned herself to spinsterhood. She knows her limitations- crowds, people just aren’t her thing. She knows that making up an intended is wrong but honestly, he isn’t real so the only person that it hurts is her.

Captain Logan though is real- and he has a lot of responsibilities. He promised his men that he would see them home safely back to the Highlands. When they got here though things weren’t safe, families were torn apart, loves lost. He has honor though, a man of his word- he will protect his men the only way that he can. He knows he is in the wrong with making Maddie follow through with all the things she promised in her letters to a made-up love. Those letters though, they had a greater impact on him than Maddie knows.

I love how Captain Logan is determined to protect his men. I love how his protectiveness will extend to Aunt Thea and Maddie. He is a man burdened in more ways than one. I like how he manipulates Maddie into marriage- yes, manipulates her. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. I like how he seduces her, without trying- because he knows her. Five years of her inner most thoughts will do that to a person. I like even more his reaction to his untimely death, wowziers.

I loved this love story. Captain Logan is perfect for Maddie and Maddie is perfect for him. They may fight it, keeping secrets from each other but dang is the chemistry H-O-T-T. If you want to be taken away to a land where the men sweep you off of your feet this is the book for you.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “I love you to the point of madness.”

Other People

Aunt Thea- Maddie’s spinster aunt
Callum- one of Logan’s men
Rabbie- one of Logan’s men
Lord Varleigh- interested in Maddie’s illustrations

Swoon Thursday (31) On the Hunt

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created 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!

"When we were together I cold pull you into my arms and keep you warm." The dark gaze slowly

skimmed down her body. "I didn't like the thought you might be cold and alone."

On the Hunt Kindle Location 428

"Your eyes shimmer like the finest emeralds in the candlelight," he murmured, his voice a soft caress."

On the Hunt Kindle Location 455

Dang Mika! You know just what to say to a gal to make he fall for you.

Waiting on Wednesday (31) Reawakened

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.

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.

Why am I waiting?

Oh my... will Lilliana fall for a prince that has been mummified for a thousand of years? Seth take over the world? Or will they be able to stop them? Plus let’s be honest- this takes place in Egypt!!!!

Blog Tour! Shadows Strike

Bestselling author, Dianne Duvall, returns with the sixth book in her exciting and addictive Immortal Guardians series - Shadows Strike!

Shadows Strike
(Immortal Guardians #6)
by Dianne Duvall
Paperback/eBook, 320 pages
Expected publication: August 25th 2015 by Zebra
ISBN 1420129821

The Immortal Guardians protect the innocent in secret. Sometimes the secret gets out…

U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can’t guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she’s awake, she isn’t sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn’t trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that’s coming, it will take everything they have just to survive…

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | BAM! | Barnes & Noble

Teaser Tuesday (31) When A Scot Ties The Knot

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!

"I'm Captain Logan MacKenzie. I received every last one of your missives, and despite your best

attempts to kill me, I am verra much alive."

When A Scot Ties The Knot Kindle Location 486

He leaned forward, capturing that lush, pink mouth in a possessive kiss. She didn't need any coaxing to kiss him back. her lips parted beneath his, and when he slid his tongue deep, her tongue moved forward to welcome his.

When A Scot Ties The Knot Kindle Location 2805

Captain MacKenzie it is such a great surprise to meet you, and boy do you know how to kiss.

Review: Blackmailed by the Hero

Author Julie Particka

Format e-ARC
Print Length ?
Publisher Entangled Brazen
Published August 11, 2015

The wrong bed. The wrong guy.

Party planner Vicky Stone is on a post-divorce mission. Not only does she intend to land her dream promotion, she's going to indulge in a night of hot hook-up sex. Preferably with the hunky actor she just met at a work function, no-fraternization rules be damned. Fortunately, his drunken directions included a right that should have been a left, landing her in bed with her brother's extra-hot, extra-off-limits best friend instead of the unemployment line.

And, oh, he feels good. Too good.

Bad boy Dante Palladino's forbidden fantasies are about to come true...until Vicky realizes who she's feeling up. And to find out she risked her job for sex with some loser? Not on his watch. Dante throws down the ultimate, albeit self-serving, blackmail. Vicky will date him-and only him-and her secret will be safe. But Vicky swore never to fall for another guy who could break her heart...and Dante's on course to do just that.

My Opinion

Holy Hotness! Blackmailed by the Hero is one smoking hot book. Never before has a wrong turned lead to such a perfect ending.

About two years ago, Vicky’s life got turned upside down- her husband wanted out. Instead of wailing in self-pity Vicky put her big gal pants on and decided to make something of herself. Sure, she could just depend on her actor brother to support her but now that she was alone she decided that she had to take care of herself. So she got an apartment and a job- she has a plan on how to get promoted within the next five years. She doesn’t mind the grunt work she is doing right now because well to be honest she feel s like she has to pay her dues. Her job has one rule no fraternizing with the party goers.

Vicky promises her bestie that she will have a one night stand within the next three months. She has been on a dry spell since her divorce and Jane is worried about her. When one hot actor hits on her, she decides why not. Too bad she ends up in another actor’s room, Dante- who just happens to be the same guy that she was enchanted with five years ago. Her brother’s best friend, who told her to stay away from him. Once Dante realizes who Vicky was trying to see, he is determined to save her from that mistake. The actor was bad-news bears.

Vicky is a determined and focused lady, I like that. She is trying hard to guard her heart and her head. I think at times she over guards herself but who wouldn’t after a devastating divorce. Her ex-hubby is a douchbag and she doesn’t want to end up with another one. She is strong even though she views herself as weak. There is a point in the story where I wanted to scream at her for being silly but I can understand where she is coming from.

Dante is one amazing guy. He really is trying to look out for Vicky. He is concerned for her, and is fearful of what would happen due to the other actor being a jerk. He tries to protect her but at times I felt that he was playing fast and furious with her job. He knows he can’t date Vicky because of the rules with her employer yet he tries anyway. Sometimes being the hero means to step away from the situation for a bit, and he needs to learn that.

I enjoyed Blackmailed by the Hero. The determination of Vicky to pull herself after her divorces is spectacular. The need of Dante to protect her is adorable. The scenes where they are together are smoking hot. I will never be able to go to the Opera again, without thinking of this book. If you are looking for a sexy love story this is the book for you.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “She doesn’t want you to rescue her. That doesn’t mean you can’t fix whatever the hell happened.”

Other People

Reed Russell- jerk actor, hate him
Jane- Vicky’s bestie, love her
Ethan- Vicky’s brother, Dante’s best friend