Archive for March, 2014
REVIEW: SHADOWS DANGERS(Book One of the Last Hope Series) by Cyndi Mezni
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on March 31, 2014
Blurb:
Losing a loved one is never easy. Although Deliah learned to live without her parents when fate took them from her as a young girl, history repeats itself and causes her to face even greater challenges when Tess, the woman who raised her and was like a second mother to her, passes away. But even worse than dealing with her loss is the coinciding arrival of inexplicable nightmares that haunt Deliah’s nights.
She becomes consumed with images she didn’t understand and a recurrent dream about her parents’ car accident. Oddly, this dream details different versions from what she had always been told about the accident.
But when a new family, The Wates, arrive in town and begin to pay close attention to her, even stranger events follow. Now, Deliah must not only face her nightmares, but the possibility that a world she never suspected exists. And this world may cost her everything.
REVIEW:
Mezni has created a world unlike any other!
To say that this novel is unique would be an understatement. The author has blended several genres into a mystical tale that’s both creative and enchanting. My mind raced for an explanation as the author revealed only the necessities, which caused my anticipation to skyrocket! Deliah’s an endearing character, with a heart of gold, and Garreth is an enigma in which I enjoyed learning about.
There may be a few controversial responses about certain areas of this novel, but paying attention to the detailed narrative may clear up most of them. I don’t know whether the author is going to give another POV in the next installment, but she’s done a wonderful job of introducing Deliah. You get to know this heroine’s every thought, response, and feeling. Admittedly, there were a few times that I had to remind myself of her age, due to her lack of judgment. The story line is different and quite enjoyable, and the creative factor is incredible. There were questions left unanswered, but I was given enough to satisfy my curiosity, for now. I’m intrigued and I’ll definitely follow this series.
ABOUT THIS LITERARY CHEF:
Cindy Mezni is a young Swiss writer. She discovered her passion – became obsession – for writing by chance, during a winter afternoon where she had fun by rewriting the story of a popular book because the sequence of events were not to her liking.
Consequently, she began to publish fictions and fanfictions on Internet for almost two years to share her stories and submit them to criticism to improve her writing. After receiving encouragement and compliments from the jury of a writing competition at her school, Cindy finally took the path of publishing with The Last Hope series then the Nëphyr trilogy and Poisoned Iris trilogy – and many other books in the future, she hopes.
Since the said winter afternoon, not a day goes by without her fingers touching her computer’s keyboard to write new fantasy or sci-fi adventures…
The publishing journey of Cindy Mezni in a few words: In May 2011, her first book, Shadow’s Dangers (The Last Hope, Book One) was published by a small French publishing house. Since, Ex Tenebris (Nëphyr, Book One) has been published by the French publishing house, J’ai Lu, in April 2013. The book two, Chaos, will be released in 2014. The books one (second edition) and two of The Last Hope series will be self-published in July 2013 in French. In Fall 2013, the book one in the Last Hope series will be published in the US by Evatopia Press and the first books of Poisoned Iris and Nëphyr will also be released in the following months by Evatopia Press.
https://www.facebook.com/cindymeznibooks
https://twitter.com/CindyGMezni
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“NEW” COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: DISCOVERY by BRINA COURTNEY
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News, YA Fiction on March 27, 2014
Discoveries can be dangerous. Discoveries can be deadly.
Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews’ boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it’s time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer…
…until a young girl’s body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan’s.
Now a guy looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It’s a matter of life… and her death.
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
***NOT SUITED FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 17***
About The Author
Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She’s spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: RENEGADE REJECT (Renegade Sons MC #2)
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News on March 27, 2014
We are very excited to share with you the amazing cover for
Emily Minton and Dawn Martens’ newest book,
Renegade Reject (Renegade Sons MC #2),
which is releasing MAY 13th!!
RELEASE DAY REVIEW: FOREVER (Time for Love Book 1)
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on March 24, 2014
Blurb:
Rebecca Andrews knew she was lucky to be hired as a private nurse for an elderly lady who was going on a one-month trip aboard a luxury cruise ship. But there was one big problem. The client was the grandmother of her ex-boyfriend–the guy she was still in love with, the guy who didn’t love her back.
Zach Carmichael couldn’t say no to his grandmother’s plea to join her on a month-long cruise for her eightieth birthday. But he didn’t expect his spritely gran to bring two private nurses with her. One of them happened to be the woman who’d broken his heart–the one he believed lied to him about her feelings.
Aboard a luxury liner, their passion for each other flared again. Was it just a temporary flame brought about by the romance of being on a cruise? How could they give love another chance when they were both afraid to put their hearts back on the line?
Book Links:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525499-forever
Review:
Communication seems to be the problem in this relationship, which is often the cause of many break-ups! After a short lived love affair, Zach and Rebecca can’t seem to shake what might have been. Their effort to fight the inevitable becomes much harder when they’re forced to deal with the past. While they’re trying to mend fences, however, a few vicious tempered individuals keep kicking the posts.
This was a quick read with a great cast of characters and plausible story line. The erotic scenes were placed perfectly, and the details were on the naughty side! Too many times, I’ve seen wonderful people torture themselves unnecessarily because of misunderstandings and the work of gossipers. I could easily place an actual face on some of these vile characters. The ending brought everything together nicely, though, and I look forward to following the series!
About This Literary Chef:
Ever since I was a young teenager, I have loved reading romance novels. My auntie used to send me boxes of her books and I would devour them one after another.
Every so often, I would read a mystery or a suspense or a paranormal novel as I love those genres too. But romance is still my favourite. 🙂
For many years, I wrote technical and non-fiction materials for professional use and had only dreamt about writing a novel.
Then, one day, after a period of binge-reading sexy romances, I decided to sit in front of my computer and start writing my first fiction book. The result? My first novel in the hot and sexy Lifestyle by Design series.
After that, I knew that I would love to tell more beautiful love stories through my books.
I live in Sydney, Australia with my amazing husband who lovingly cheers me on (and yes, sometimes irritates and annoys me 😉 ) in my journey as a novelist.
COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: FINDING HOPE FOR TOMORROW By Kathryn McNeill Crane
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News on March 24, 2014
Title: Finding Hope for Tomorrow
Series: Tomorrow #2
Author: Kathryn M. Crane
Release Date: Summer 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
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Synopsis
One fateful night. Convictions forgotten. Foundations crumbled.
For the past ten years, Liam lived his life with one foot in the present. He spent time with his parents, his sister Wrynn and her three daughters, and worked to build his business. His other foot was firmly planted in yesterday where his memories tortured him. Despite encouragement from friends and family, Liam rarely considered dating for fear of ruining another person’s life. After all, he obviously hurt Lara to the point that she ran with no further contact. Just when he met someone and felt ready to move on, the voice from his past once again exploded into his life.
Unexplained absence. Lives forever changed. Secrets revealed.
Fleeing was a way of life for Lara. When a call came ten years ago, Lara may have left Highlands, but her heart stayed behind with Liam. Now, another call gave Lara the words she needed so that she could safely return to the only place that soothed her soul. While anxious about seeing Liam after so many years, Lara knew that her reappearance would be the easy part for Liam and his family to deal with. What she worried about was the other information that she’d held close to her heart.
When past collides with present, one soul finds hope for tomorrow, and the other mourns for things that can never be.
Playlist
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Other Books in the Series
Searching for Tomorrow (Tomorrows #1)
Amazon US – Amazon UK – Amazon CA – Amazon AU – B&N – iTunes – Kobo
Some people are blessed to find that one certain person who completes them.
Wrynn’s yesterdays were what others only dream of having. She and Tripp were the best of friends before they even thought about love. They had the fairy tale life where ‘like’ turns into ‘love’, and ‘love’ becomes ‘happily ever after’.
What happens when life conspires against you, and snatches your soul mate from your arms?
…only her forever love ended much too soon.
Broken beyond her own ability to repair, Wrynn boxes up her grief and attempts to raise her three girls the best she can on her own. As time slowly passes, Wrynn relives her life with Tripp while struggling most days to get out of bed. She is reminded of him at every turn.
How do you set your grief and anguish aside? How do you pick up the shattered pieces, put those pieces back together again, and try to move on?
Wrynn tries to find the joy in life every single day through her daughters, family, and friends. Her twin brother Liam has dedicated himself to helping Wrynn put her life back together after losing his own love. On the other hand, her mother-in-law lives to torment her at every turn. Wrynn can’t even find a chance to breathe, much less a desire to somehow search for her tomorrow.
Trailer
Playlist
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About This Literary Chef
Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads
If you are reading this, I think you should know that “About me” sounds so very pretentious to me. I guess that is what I am supposed to write about, so here it goes!
Kathryn is a simple country girl who likes to spend time with her hubba, hunka hubby, her three kids and her friends. She loves to cook and really loves to eat! During the spring and summer, you will more than likely find her outside puttering around in her garden. When the veggies start coming in, she will probably be sweating over a hot canner in the kitchen, canning all the goodies she is blessed with. Kathryn likes to hike and go camping, and gets to do this pretty often! On cold winter nights, you will probably find her wrapped in a warm blanket, lost in a good book, while sitting in her rocking chair on the front porch!
Kathryn was born and raised in North Carolina, and while she loves to travel, she can’t imagine ever leaving the mountains that she has come to call home. Not a day goes by that Kathryn doesn’t thank God for abundantly blessing her. He has been so good to her, and she is very grateful. She holds Jeremiah 29:11 very close to her heart and believes it with every fiber of her being. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Kathryn loves flip flops, chocolate, sweet tea and dirt between her toes. As far back as she can remember, she’s had a book in her hand. Reading has carried her to places she will never go. It has introduced her to people that she will never meet. When life is great and when it is rough, she’s always been able to find a book to carry her through. She finally decided to write down some of the stories in her head and heart after dawdling around and wasting years dreaming. She hopes you enjoy reading those stories as much as she loves writing them!
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Giveaways
(Everyone)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
(If you’ve read and reviewed SFT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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REVIEW: STAINED By: Ella James
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on March 22, 2014
BLURB:
Seventeen-year-old Julia is finally living the good life. She’s traded a hard cot in a Memphis orphanage for her very own room in a perfect little house, on a perfect little street, with a perfect set of parents who picked her to be their daughter.
But Julia is hiding a secret – and one fall night, she returns home from a friend’s house to find that her secret has found her. Her ‘forever home’ is ashes. Her parents are dead. And, in the sky above the flames, a winged creature hunts her.
The Nephilim King, Samyaza, has taken everything from Cayne. After struggling in the darkness for years to piece together his shattered life, Cayne is finally ready to confront his past and avenge the loss of everything he loved. He tracks Samyaza to a Memphis warehouse, where he winds up flat on his back, in the healing hands of a beautiful, dark-haired girl he doesn’t need to know.
Unbeknownst to either of them, they are already bound. Cayne’s past holds the answers to Julia’s future. But what will pose the greatest threat to her? The bounty placed on her head by the leaders of two Celestial realms, or giving her heart to a man who is bound, by birth, to break it?
Review:
This YA novel starts off with a terrifying beginning, which immediately grabbed my attention! Exhilaration filled me as an adventure ensued!
Julia’s a gifted young woman with a compassionate soul, but she’s not a normal teenager. Compared to Cayne, though, she’s the girl next door. Cayne is an impossibly gorgeous breed of his kind, but he’s got a real bad side. Fortunately for Julia, his anger is aimed towards someone else. These two have good dialogue and the author does a great job of building the romantic tension. The action-packed fights between Samyaza and Cayne create the perfect path of heroism for Cayne, yet terrifies you at the same time.
There’s another world and a few more characters that have an important impact on the story, but I don’t want to cross the spoiler line. I’ll simply say that although the narration goes back and forth between these worlds, it is seldom, and it’s easily understood.
I honestly don’t know how I’ve missed this series, but I’m glad it was sent to me! I kept thinking of a younger version of Hellboy throughout this novel, and for the record, I love Hellboy. The sensual aura between Julia and Cayne kept the romance lover inside of me wishing for more, while the danger around them caused me to read like a speed demon! My advice: slow down or you’ll miss important innuendos. Ending with a cliffhanger, which is an ingenious way of capturing the reader, this novel was a joy to read. Since I’m now a hostage, I can’t wait to follow this cast of characters in the next installment!
– STAINED BOOKS TWO AND THREE LISTED IN AMAZON’S TOP 100 YA EBOOKS OF 2012.
-NOMINATED BEST DEBUT NOVEL AT UTOPYA CONVENTION 2012.
-NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 10 YA ROMANCE BOOKS OF 2011.
-WINNER OF THE FLAMINGNET TOP CHOICE AWARD.
-CAYNE NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 10 BEST BOOK BOYFRIENDS OF 2011.
-FEATURED ON NUMEROUS AMAZON BESTSELLER LISTS.
-FIRST IN A COMPLETED SERIES OF FOUR (INCLUDING STOLEN, CHOSEN, AND EXALTED)
About This Literary Chef:
Ella James is a Colorado author who writes teen and adult romance. She is happily married to a man who knows how to wield a red pen, and together they are raising a feisty two-year-old who will probably grow up believing everyone’s parents go to war over the placement of a comma.
Ella’s books have been listed on numerous Amazon bestseller lists, including the Movers & Shakers list and the Amazon Top 100; two were listed among Amazon’s Top 100 Young Adult Ebooks of 2012.
http://facebook.com/ellajamesauthorpage
http://www.ellajamesbooks.com/
COVER REVEAL: I KNOW LUCY By: Melissa Pearl
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News, YA Fiction on March 20, 2014
Releases on April 20, 2014
Add to your Want To Read List on Goodreads
Genre: YA Romantic Suspense
Lucy Tate is on the run. After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, she’s spent five years in hiding — taking on different personas and faking her way through life. The authorities can’t be trusted, so she remains in the shadows, always one beat ahead of the man who is forever hunting her. That is, until she meets Zach Schultz, a senior at Monte Vista High and the one guy she can’t bear to leave. Suddenly her natural instincts to lie, steal, and run are overshadowed by something else…the desire to stay. It’s her one shot at a normal life.
Curious by nature, Zach is immediately drawn to the new girl at school. How can a person look both confident and vulnerable all in the same moment? Determined to learn more about her, he tries to get close, but is thrown into a world of lies and confusion. The only thing that becomes apparent is that discovering the truth may get him killed.
Teaser
ZACH…
“This is different, you guys.” I shook my head. “I mean yes, she is gorgeous. And yes, I’m attracted to her, but it’s not just her looks. There’s something about her. She’s intriguing. It’s like she’s not all she appears to be or something.”
“You can tell that after two minutes of interacting with her? Give me a break.” Elliot balled up his napkin and threw it on the table.
“I know I don’t know her at all yet, but I can tell there’s something more there.” I rubbed my bottom lip.
“She looks normal to me.” AJ shrugged.
“I think she’s pretty. She looks sweet, but…” Liesl turned to spy her quickly. “AJ’s right. She looks like any other transfer student. What makes her so different?”
“It’s something about her eyes. There’s a story in them. I can’t even explain why I think that. I just feel like she’s got a lot of layers and I want to peel back every single one of them.”
“I bet you do.” Elliot raised his eyebrows.
“Not like that.” I threw him a droll look. “I just want to solve the mystery that is Danielle Harrison.”
“Dude, there is no mystery.” Elliot slapped his hand lightly on the table.
“Yes there is. I can feel it.”
“Careful, Zachy, your Nancy Drew is showing.” Jaeda’s green eyes were large and round as she gave me a playful look.
“I don’t care.” I shrugged, confident in the truth that I really didn’t. “That girl over there has secrets and I’m gonna figure out what they are.”
Giveaway
Author Bio
Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books. Recently she signed with Evatopia Press and her first Evatopia book is coming out in February 2014 – True Colors, The Masks Series #1. She is very excited to be trying out new things this year while continuing to publish under her own name as well. She has six books planned for 2014 and is excited about writing each and every one of them.
“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.”
http://www.melissapearlauthor.com
Social Links:
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/melissapearlauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaPearlG
Blogs: http://melissapearl.blogspot.com/ and http://yalicious.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/melissapearl
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5314516.Melissa_Pearl
Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/melissapearl
Newsletter subscription: http://eepurl.com/p3g8v
Website: http://www.melissapearlauthor.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/melissapearlg/
Other Titles by Melissa Pearl:
The Time Spirit Trilogy
Golden Blood – Black Blood – Pure Blood
The Betwixt Series
Betwixt – Before – Beyond
The Mica & Lexy Series
Forbidden Territory
Forbidden Waters (due for release: 2014)
The Masks Series
True Colors
Book 2 (due for release: 2014)
Book 3 (due for release: 2014)
Book 4 (due for release: 2015)
The Fugitive Series
I Know Lucy (Releasing: April 20th, 2014)
Set Me Free (Releasing: May 18th, 2014)
The Song Bird Series
Fever (Releasing: June 15th, 2014)
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DARE TO DESIRE By Carly Phillips
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News on March 20, 2014
Title: Dare to Desire
Author: Carly Phillips
Release Date: April 10th, 2014
Synopsis
Quarterback Alex Dare, had it all — an all-star football career with the Tampa Breakers and his choice of willing women — until a severe injury forces him into early retirement. When he is offered a ground-breaking position with a rival team, he’s intrigued, but there’s a catch. He’ll be working alongside the same woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his head for too long. Social worker Madison Evans grew up in foster homes and knows first hand what it means to have-not. She isn’t impressed by Alex Dare’s wealth or charm. Not since she fell hard for him once before, only to discover she was just one of his too-easy conquests. This time around Madison refuses to succumb to Alex so easily. But Alex wants Madison. And if there is one thing Alex does well, it’s to get what he wants. The playboy athlete must prove he’s got game in more places than on the field. He means to prove that he’s a changed man but no sooner does he begin to break through Madison’s defenses when a new opportunity comes knocking and threatens her new-found trust. Can he make Madison take a risk and dare to love?
Sneak Peek Excerpt
“Has anyone ever said no to you?” she asked, hoping he didn’t notice the tears of frustration in her eyes, the pain in her voice for the things she wanted but could never have.
“Not when it mattered,” he said, his honesty surprising her. “And you matter. I also know how to work for what I want. And Madison?” He looked directly into her eyes. “I want you.”
Pre-order Your Copy Today!
http://www.itunes.com/carlyphillips
Amazon:
About this Literary Chef
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels that today’s readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly is making the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. Her Serendipity books will still finish up in January/February 2014 via Berkley as planned. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find all information about Carly at her website and other social media sites …
Facebook | Goodreads | Carly’s Website | Twitter
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BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY..DAMNED IF YOU DON’T By Linda J. Parisi
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on March 17, 2014
Blurb:
“Jack” Kent’s on the hunt for white collar criminals, and as a private
investigator he always gets his man. Except in this case it’s a woman, the
brilliant cellular kineticist Dr. Morgan Mackenzie, whose next thrilling
discovery is—him.
her employers with the formula for a priceless but deadly diet drug, Morgan
agrees to a night of pleasure with the outrageously sexy stranger. But when she
leaves the next morning, Jack won’t let her get far, and that’s when she
realizes the horrible truth. Her cowboy on a white horse isn’t a hero after
all. He’s part of the posse.
to turn Morgan in, he learns who the real criminals are, and suddenly, it’s a
race against time to find a murderer before they’re killed themselves. To do
that Jack needs to convince Morgan he’s on her side. Even though she doesn’t
trust him, Jack is a drug she can’t resist, leading her to find out that more
often than not you’re Damned If You Don’t fall in love.
Excerpt:
She forced her head upward. The breeze ruffled a few strands of his hair. His face grew taut with desire telling her exactly what his intentions were. But his eyes. Oh, heaven, his eyes. Those killer blues had softened. They’d gone from sapphire chips to the color of swirled marble, filled with confusion and heat. Funny, he didn’t seem to be able to understand this—thing—growing between them. Theirs was an insane passion, a fool’s passion, one she couldn’t begin to understand either.
Letting her see inside, though, made up her mind. There was no way to stop what was about to explode between them. He bent his headcloser and closer to hers. Her chin tilted upward to meet his. One touch would reignite the fire that would probably get them both locked up for certain.
His lips closed over hers, his tongue sweeping into her mouth before he let go, his breath going staccato as he leaned his forehead against hers.
“Jack,” she whispered, panting, her heart thundering, “all right.”
He grabbed her arm, pulling to where a steel beam met the sidewall of the ferry and created a tiny private corner.
Trembling fingers cupped her cheeks. Molten fire scorched her skin as his gaze roamed over her face. One enchanted evening had morphed into pure need. And that frightened her more than anything else. His head drew closer and Morgan fell back into the wall, finding the cold metal strangely comforting, solid in a sea of emotions she could neither accept nor deny.
He dragged his lips across her forehead, her skin burning under their trace, and then tasted her brows and cheeks as if touch could imprint her features. He drew in short, helpless breaths. His hard length pressed against her belly. How had everything gotten so out of control?
“Jack,” she choked out once more, trying desperately for one last bid at sanity. He stilled. His arms tightened around her back. His head dipped and his lips devoured hers.
So much for the word no.
Perhaps he tasted her inner struggle. Perhaps he tasted her fear, and not just the fear about getting caught making love on a ferry. Whatever the cause, his kiss gentled, coaxed. Their tongues tasted and mated, giving and taking. And that frightened her most of all. It wasn’t just about sex anymore. It was about sharing.
Jack tore his mouth away and leaned his forehead on top of hers. Neither of them could breathe. Two hearts beating out of control. They were both a hairbreadth from exploding.
It was all so wrong. And so right.
$75 Amazon Card Giveaway:
About This Literary Chef:
you through the darker, spicier side of Romance with her Paranormal, Paranormal
Romantic Suspense, and Romantic Suspense tales. Winner of the New Jersey
Romance Writer’s Golden Leaf Award for Best First Book for her novel, Noble
Blood, and winner of the 4th Annual Stroke of Midnight Contest for her
novel, The Joining: Bound by Blood, Linda is a long-time member of the
RWA and the current secretary of Liberty States Fiction Writers. Linda has seen
the publishing industry turn upside down yet stay the same because everyone
loves a well-written Romance. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, John,
and a family which includes Audi, a Cocker Spaniel mix who had her at woof!
Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: A Thousand Perfect Things
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on March 15, 2014
A Thousand Perfect Things
BLURB:
In this epic new work, the award-winning Kenyon, whose work has be compared to Larry Nivens and Stephen R. Donaldson, creates an alternate Earth in the 19th century. This Earth is ruled by two warring factions—scientific Anglica (England) and magical Bharata (India).
Tori Harding, a Victorian woman, whose heart aches to claim the legendary powers of the golden lotus, must leave her reasoned world behind and journey to Bharata. In pursuit of the golden lotus, Tori will be forced to brave its magics, intrigues, deadly secrets and haunted places, to claim her destiny and choose between two lovers in two irreconcilable realms.
As a great native insurrection sweeps the continent of Bharata—Tori will find the thing she most desires, beautifully flawed and more wonderfully strange than she could have ever dreamed.
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Book Depository
Excerpt:
Prologue
January 18, 1857
Lord Nelson’s statue perched on its granite column in the square, but to Edwina Banning it appeared that his shoulders stooped, as though he were weary of the heroic pose. It might have been a trick of the light.
Presently satisfied that the great naval hero was not drooping–and how, indeed, could a statue droop–Edwina tipped her parasol back into place and turned to watch six-year old Anna who was feeding pigeons with her father. The day darkened as a sudden high cloud tented the sky wintry gray. A horse pulling a coach shied in its traces, for a moment disrupting the decorous progression of carriages. Anna’s father pulled her close.
“Papa,” Anna said, pointing at Lord Nelson on his column, “the statue is bleeding.”
Mr. Banning held his top hat on as he craned his neck to see. “Pigeons do make rather a mess,” he said.
“But the mess is red.”
Edwina Banning turned to look, noting with alarm a red slime oozing down the column. Just as she was trying to imagine how this could be, she stared hard at one of the lions anchoring a corner of the plinth. The metal sculpture opened its mouth in a cavernous yawn. It was said that the iron lions had been cast from Scottish cannons. She had always found satisfaction in that story, and therefore it took her a moment before she entirely grasped that the animals were awake.
They stirred.
As Mr. and Mrs. Banning gaped in stunned denial, blood oozed from under Nelson’s coat and dribbled down the granite column.
Edwina’s lips parted for a scream just as one of the lions–the one facing the church of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields–leapt through the air and landed on a peanut vendor, crushing him to the ground. Then the second lion found its prey: a top-hatted gentleman with a cane. The cane crashed down on the beast’s head, but as the lion was made of iron, it had no effect. The square erupted with shouts and screams. Pigeons flew up in a clatter of wings and demented cooing.
Lord Nelson sagged and fell to one knee, clutching his chest.
The rampage began. The lions rushed to the slaughter, breaking necks with mighty paws and tearing at throats. They did not linger to feed, but turned from one victim to the next, finding their quarry closely packed in the square, though trying to flee. The fastest among them got as far as the steps of the National Gallery before falling.
Mr. Banning yanked open the door of a carriage, and surprised the lady inside by throwing his daughter into her lap and shoving his wife in as far as he could. He jumped inside and slammed the door closed. As terrified horses charged away, their careening carriages in tow, people in the square threw themselves on top of the conveyances, or clung to riding boards.
From the floor of the carriage where she huddled with her mother little Anna whispered, “They’re not real lions, though.”
Edwina clutched her daughter tightly. They weren’t, they weren’t at all.
But they killed.
Review:
An excellent Sci-Fi twist in Historical Fiction fashion!
I loved this beautifully descriptive novel, and was fascinated by its story line. The author has represented two worlds in a unique fashion, and created a wonderful cast of characters! Magic, religion, science, mythical creatures, and a land of exotic wonders await you!
About This Literary Chef:
Author Kay Kenyon
Kay Kenyon is the author of eleven science fiction and fantasy novels, including A Thousand Perfect Things. She is the author of the critically acclaimed science fiction quartet, The Entire and The Rose. Bright of the Sky was among PW’s top 150 books of 2007. The series has twice been shortlisted for the ALA Reading List awards and three times for the Endeavour Award. Four of her novels have been translated into French, Spanish and Czech. Along with her novels Tropic of Creation and Maximum Ice, two of the works in the quartet received starred reviews from PW.
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