Archive for category Reviews
BIRTHDAY BLAST! EVERLASTING HUNGER(HUNGER MATE BOOK #1) by BRANDY DORSCH
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News, Reviews on August 10, 2014
Review: Falling For The Pirate(Men of Fortune 2) by AMBER LIN
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 26, 2014
Title: Falling For The Pirate
Author: Amber Lin
Release Date: July 21st, 2014
About Falling For The Pirate (Men Of Fortune #2):
Vengeance is a dish best served in bed…
London, 1812
After the deaths of his parents and a dark, troubled childhood, Captain Nate Bowen vowed he would have his revenge. But he never expected to have the tool of his revenge dropped so neatly into his lap. Juliana Hargate is not only the daughter of his enemy, but is destitute, very much alone—and exquisitely desirable.
And now that Nate has saved her life, she’s at his complete mercy…
Captive. All Juliana wanted was to clear her father’s name. Instead, she’s been struck with amnesia—unable to recall even her name—and imprisoned by a tall, imposing, and entirely unscrupulous pirate.A pirate whose eyes seem to look past her skirts and many petticoats, and whose touch sends delicious ripples of desire through her. With every passing day, she finds herself tempted to give him the very thing he’s determined to take…
Amazon // B&N
Excerpt:
It was warm in the room. Too warm. The blankets were suffocating, and someone had built a strong fire. She could smell the coal.
Coal. There was something about coal, but she couldn’t remember what. Her head felt foggy, as if filled with water, her thoughts adrift in the murky dark. There was something important she had to remember. Floating just beyond her grasp.
Cuts and bruises all over her body made themselves known as she came awake, as if they awoke too, one by one. Her palms burned, as though she’d fallen and scraped them. Her ankle throbbed—possibly she’d twisted it. Her side ached. What had happened to her?
If she held herself very still, the pain dulled to a muffled roar, just quiet enough that she could focus on other things.
Such as where she was.
And who she was.
Her eyes felt glued shut. She opened them by force of will and stared at a plain drapery striped with light and dark blue. Pretty; serviceable. She was almost sure she’d never seen it before. Almost, because she couldn’t remember what she had seen before. She could only feel certain she hadn’t.
The furniture looked heavy. Good quality. Not ornate.
That detail seemed meaningful to her. Not ornate. As if she had once lived somewhere that was ornate—with fancy tapestries and delicately carved furnishings. Somewhere much colder than here.
A faint memory of freezing water and sinewy shadows came to her, tickling her memory. Sinking, drowning. But nothing moved beneath her now, and her throat felt utterly dry. If she’d been in the water at some point, she was most definitely on land now.
She looked around, letting her gaze sweep the cozy room before landing on a large wooden chair. More to the point, the man sleeping in the chair.
His legs were spread wide—bracing himself, even in sleep. His shoulders were well above the back of the chair, his head leaning against the wall behind. He seemed too large for the furniture, like a grown man sitting on a child’s rocker in a nursery. Only, this chair was quite average-sized.
She had a sense of familiarity, of having seen him before. Which was strange, because she didn’t feel like the sort of woman acquainted with pirates.
And this man was most definitely a pirate.
He wore no jacket. She felt faintly scandalized, except he was also alone in the room with her. He was alone in the room with her, which was far worse than being in shirtsleeves. And if that weren’t shocking enough, the ties at his collar hung loose, baring a portion of his chest. Tanned. Sprinkled with dark hair. And wholly inappropriate for her to see.
She looked away—and right into his eyes. He was awake now. He’d been watching her examine him.
“Who are you?” Her voice came out low and rough. What had she been doing last night to make her voice so raw?
And had she been doing it with him?
The pirate stretched slowly, wincing as his body straightened into order. She had the sense he was rolling himself back up, as if he were a tree he had to trim just to stand upright.
“You asked me the same question last night,” he remarked.
His voice vibrated with sarcasm. He didn’t sound happy to greet her this morning. And, in fact, her sense of familiarity was completely misplaced if she’d asked for his name just last night.
“What did you answer?” she asked.
A glimmer of humor shone from his eyes before they went black again. Black like his hair. Black like the sea. He smiled, and the smile was black, too—with irony and annoyance. “I didn’t,” he said. “I’m not in the habit of explaining myself to thieves.”
REVIEW
As a lover of this genre, this was a quick and interesting read for me!
Nate and Juliana are wonderfully paired, and each character has their own extraordinary qualities. His character has much more depth than your typical pirate, and she’s not your average spoiled little rich girl. The plot has a few twists, good supporting characters, and great love scenes. Amber Lin has an excellent writing style that makes you an immediate fan!
I read this in a flash and can’t wait to see what she has in store for the next installment! Great series!
The Men of Fortune Series by Amber Lin:
#1 Letters At Christmas (novella) : Amazon / B&N
About Amber Lin:
Amber Lin writes erotic romance with damaged souls and deep emotion.
Her debut novel, Giving It Up, received The Romance Review’s Top Pick, Night Owl Top Pick, and 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies. RT Book Reviews gave it 4.5 stars, calling it “truly extraordinary.” She has been published by Loose Id, Carina Press, and Entangled.
Amber married her high school sweetheart, birthed a kid who’s smarter than she is, and spends her nights writing down her dirty thoughts. In other words, life is good.
Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
REVIEW!! DARK SECRETS(DARK #2) by MADELINE PRYCE
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 21, 2014
Dark Secrets (Dark #2)
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
ISBN: 9781419991370
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Theme: Vampire/Demon (a few shape shifters thrown in there…)
Length: 85,000 words
SYNOPSIS
The worst moment of Micah’s life was when Ella nearly died in his arms. Her miraculous recovery should have been the start of their future. Unfortunately, a new demonic heritage, the Shadow Agency’s corruption and Julian, the vampire who turned Ella, are testing their relationship. Despite hotter-than-ever sex and a variety of new places and positions to explore, Micah begins to wonder if a relationship based on lust can survive for more than a few scorching-hot months.
Ella has forgiven, but not forgotten, the fact that Micah once plunged a dagger through her heart. Everything with Micah is passion, excitement and an uncontrollable desire to explore his body in a variety of very satisfying ways. But as buried secrets, ongoing lies and murderous deceptions pile up, Ella is reminded that she and Micah’s relationship was based on a curse. In order to forge a future together, Ella and Micah will have to face down their personal demons—and prove that love and trust are more than just words.
***EXPLICIT CONTENT INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY!!***
REVIEW
**THIS NOVEL IS A PART OF AN EXTRAORDINARY SERIES. WHILE IT COULD BE READ ALONE, I ADVISE READING THE PREVIOUS NOVELS***
Powerfully erotic! I have an impression of Ella and Micah branded in my dreams!
Madeline Pryce takes this genre to a different level with an astute scenario that mesmerizes! I couldn’t tell where she would lead our fabulous paranormal characters next, and I couldn’t read it fast enough. A definite plus is that there’s nail biting intimacy to go along with the nail biting storyline! The banter between Ella and Micah is comical at times, and very alluring. It was an exciting change to have the narrative bounce back and forth between them, which was done so flawlessly. They have that “it” factor, which immediately speaks volumes for the author’s writing style. Each supporting character plays a pivotal role that affects the outcome, as they’re not wantonly thrown in to take up space. I’m completely hooked on this series!
Simply put: If you want a clever story with a lot of spice READ THIS SERIES!
Highly recommend to mature readers! I loved it!
A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Buy Links
Amazon US – http://amzn.com/B00LMADNXS
Amazon Ca – http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LMADNXS
Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LMADNXS
Amazon AU – http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00LMADNXS
BN (Nookie!) – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-secrets-madeline-pryce/1119935913?ean=9781419991370
Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dark-secrets-23
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22464543-dark-secrets
Series Reading Order
Dark Cravings (#1 Ella/Micah – 85k)
Dark Innocence (#1.5 Hannah – 45k)
Dark Secrets (#2 Ella/Micah – 85k)
Dark Vengeance (#2.5 Castro – 45k) – release date coming soon!
Dark Promises (#3 Ella/Micah) – Spring 2015
ABOUT THIS LITERARY CHEF
Madeline Pryce wrote her first novel when she was ten, penned with neon-pink ink in a loose-leaf binder. Captivated by romantic literature, yet intrigued by the paranormal, she continues to develop her own voice, writing the kinds of stories that inspired her as a teen.
Author Links
Blog – http://madelinepryce.blogspot.com
Facebook Page – http://facebook.com/madelinepryceauthor
Facebook (I welcome friends!) – http://facebook.com/madeline.pryce
Facebook Fan Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/madelineprycefanclub/
Twitter – http://twitter.com/madelinepryce
BLOG TOUR STOP & REVIEW! THE LUCKIEST by WENDY OWENS
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 18, 2014
O
nce upon a time Mackenzie Phillips thought she’d found her happily ever after. She had married her high school sweetheart and had started her perfect family. But one tragic night Mac’s perfect life was ripped away from her, leaving her beautiful fairy tale existence in ruins.
When everything worth living for is suddenly taken from you, how do you keep going? People told her how lucky she was just to be alive after that night, but she didn’t agree.
Years passed with Mac living in a fog, until another unfortunate turn of events placed her world on its head once again. Now, still carrying the tender wounds of her past, this widow has to face the realities of life again.
Broken and truly alone, she must find work. In walks her new employer, Dean Johnson, a guy who is just broken enough himself, that she thinks he might actually be able to understand her. But Mac soon discovers that that bond with Dean may instead force her to face demons she isn’t yet ready to deal with.
***Contains mature material including language and sex***
Puchase your copy of The Luckiest
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1niUa9z
Apple IBooks: http://bit.ly/TheLuckiest-Ibooks
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/TheLuckiest-Smashwords
Barnes & Noble ( Paperback ) : http://bit.ly/TheLuckiest-Paperback-BN
Excerpt:
I glance in, but the box is dark inside all of the tissue paper. My hands retrieve the first item. “Buckeyes!” I exclaim.
“I can see why she’s your best friend.” Dean leans on one elbow, watching me explore the contents one by one.
I reach in, continuing to pull out items—a black hair scarf with cherries, a pair of earrings from one of my favorite local jewelry designers in Cincinnati, Abbi Glines’s newest steamy romance. My cheeks go hot as Dean sees the cover, lifting his eyebrows.
“Well, I think that’s it,” I say, lifting the box, the sound of something shifting inside catching my attention. “Oh, there’s something else.”
I reach in, and as I do, I can feel Dean’s eyes locked on me. I feel something long and cool slip into my hand. Locking my fingers around it, I let the box fall away. Instantly, I see Dean straighten up, a half-cocked grin on his face.
Much to my horror, I look down to see a pink rubber penis-shaped device in my hand. I freeze, but my cheeks are on fire. All I can think about is the different ways I am going to torture Monica before I kill her.
“I can explain,” I begin. I’ll tell him she’s crazy—like actually certifiable.
He’s still grinning at me as he gives me a slight nod. He closes the gap between us even more.
“You know, I can help with that,” he offers, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s serious, or perhaps maybe I’m wishing.
“You think I’m that easy?” I hit the ball squarely back to him. I consider licking my lips, but worry that may be over the top. I’m looking directly at him, and damn, he’s incredible.
“A guy can hope.” He pauses, playfully lifting an eyebrow. “Can’t he?”
I grin. In fact, I can’t do anything but grin. He moves closer, and I glance down, realizing I’m still holding the device. My breath hitches, but he still moves closer. He’s facing me, never moving those gorgeous blue eyes away from me. He slides his arm around my waist, and as he presses himself against me, I’m sure I can feel an erection. This surprises me, and my hand releases the dildo, which falls to the floor with a thud.
“What’s wrong? Can’t contain your excitement around me?” he whispers, his breath warm on my neck, just below my ear.
My mouth is watering, my heartbeat quickens, and my head is now spinning. I pull back, the distance giving me a slight bit of clarity. The idea of this kind of pleasure is tempting. The bulge in his jeans tells me he is interested.
In an attempt to casually conceal the pink rubber shaft, I use the toe of my platform sandals to kick it under a nearby chair. Dean cocks a brow, his face shifts, and he laughs softly.
“What?” I shrug innocently.
“Did you just kick a dick under a chair?” He’s still laughing.
“Watch it, or I might make a habit of it.”
“Ouch,” he hisses, then winces, grabbing himself as if he were imagining the attack.
My eyes dart past his shoulder, where Storm is coming up the stairs. She has on her headphones, staring at the face of her phone. I nod my head at Dean, indicating we’re no longer alone. I shift, moving to walk past him. He grabs my hip, pulling me into his grasp.
“We’ll continue this later,” he promises. He takes my hand and leads me past Storm and out of the bus without a word. I wonder if she can tell what had been transpiring from the look on my face.
As we move around the side of the bus, I feel his hand shift to the small of my back. It’s like he knows all the places to touch me to drive me absolutely insane.
REVIEW
This was an excellent read that had me emotionally hooked from the start!
The author has written a wonderfully descriptive novel that guts you with one traumatic event after the other! Although we are rewarded for our tears with a happy turn of events, tissues are recommended for the beginning. Mackenzie is a strong heroine deserving of the title, and Dean is the poster child for HERO!
If you’re in the mood for a beautiful love story with a little rock n roll, love lost, and love gained, then this is your book!
About The Author:
Connect with Wendy Owens:
Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads
Wendy Owens is a writer, born in the small college town, Oxford Ohio. After attending Miami University, Wendy went onto a career in the visual arts. After several years of creating and selling her own artwork she gave her first love, writing, a try. It’s become a passion ever since. Wendy now happily spends her days writing the stories her characters guide her to tell, admitting even she doesn’t always know where that might lead. Her first series, The Guardians, is a YA fantasy series about angel and human hybrids.
Since then she has branched into NA Contemporary Romance and released titles to include Stubborn Love, Only In Dreams, and Do Anything. Her next romance, The Luckiest is scheduled to be released in July 2014.
When she’s not writing, this dog lover can be found spending time with her tech geek husband, their three amazing kids, and two pups. She loves to cook and is a film fanatic.
For more info on Wendy’s young adult fiction visit http://wendy-owens.com/
If you want to follow her on social media you can visit:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyLOwens
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-L-Owens/191731754221996?fref=ts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5038955.Wendy_Owens
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
REVIEW & GIVEAWAY..SMORGASBORD by Jagjiwan Sohal
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on July 11, 2014
Title: Smorgasbord
Author: Jagjiwan Sohal
Genre: Middle-Grade/Young Adult Comedy Horror
Length: 170 pages
Release Date: March 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0615971919
Imprint: Mythos Press
SYNOPSIS:
When Anna Lopez’s zombie attack video goes viral, no one could believe that the high school cheerleader had taken a bite out of the undead monster – and liked it! Now nothing will ever be the same for supernatural beings…because humans have discovered they taste freakin’ DELICIOUS!
And when a zombie boy gets in the crosshairs of a gang of hungry-human hunters, Julie, a young vampire loner, jumps in for the rescue. But now Julie’s got more than she bargained because taking care of a rambunctious undead creature who only knows one word (“brains”) is NOT easy. And when Julie and her zombie pal stumble upon on a crazed soccer mom, they find themselves on the run from a trigger-happy family who want nothing more than to grill them up for a neighborhood barbecue bash!
Ceecee’s son: a rising 7th grader’s review
My thoughts:
I’ve always liked fantasy books, and they haven’t always been as action-packed as this was. This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. What I liked the most was the concept. It was both great and funny that Julie and brains were trying to not get eaten by the humans, same goes with the other monsters. I am going to tell my friends about this book!
CeeCee’s Review
Reading & Discussing this creatively adventurous novel with my sub-teen was a blast!
There are several characters that make this book amazingly unique, but our main focus is on Julie, a teen vampire, and a zombie- child whose only vocabulary is “brains”. While these two run for their lives, they’re lucky enough to encounter more paranormal creatures with the same problem: they’re the newest culinary fad. Unfortunately, there’s a psychotic woman leading a group of hunters that makes ted nugent look like mr. rogers. Throw in a zombie rancher, his spokeswoman, and a reporter scorned, and you have one heck of an adventure!
For the record, I’m not a zombie fan, but I truly enjoyed this book! This author is brilliant! I highly recommend picking this one up!
As a parent, I must warn that there is some descriptive violence involved here. Although my son & I had a wonderful time reading this, I wouldn’t recommend this novel for children below the 6th grade.
we’re GIVing away 10 copies!
AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS
Born and raised near Toronto, Canada, Jagjiwan Sohal works in the Canadian film and TV industry as an up-and-coming screenwriter and producer. His short stories have been published by The Horror Zine, Scribal Tales and Hello Horror. Smorgasbord is his first novel.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BLOG STOP! TEMPTED(A BirthRight Novel)by Brandi Leigh Hall
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News, Reviews on July 9, 2014
What if the very thing to save you—is the one thing beyond your reach?
Torn between the two men who have fallen for her–and the evil who wants to possess her–twenty-year-old Chloe Bishop can no longer remember the fatal vision which threatens her future happiness. But when the magical link is severed between Chloe and her Wiccan family, they must find a way to save her before temptation leads her into darkness—-and into the welcoming arms of Mr. Wrong.
CONTENT RATING: (PG 13)
No sex, passionate kissing, moderate swearing
REVIEW
Excellent addition to the series!
I simply love stories involving witches, but I always try to remain unbiased. Luckily, this novel is an easy read that immediately sucked me in! The mystery, drama, and sweet romance, was played out very well. The writing style is entertaining, and the characters are unique. Although the narration bounces from one point of view to another, this merely increases the dramatic effect.
I like the closeness of this supernatural family, and I look forward to what’s coming next!
Haven’t read book #1- Tethered? Snag it today!
No matter how you try to fight it—Destiny has a mind of its own!
Returning home to her Wiccan roots wasn’t quite what nineteen-year-old Chloe Bishop had in mind for summer break. But when fate makes other plans, Chloe is forced to face her unwanted magical abilities—the destiny she never knew existed—and the handsome stranger who is somehow tethered to both.
Purchase on Tethered on:
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Tethered-BN
Apple iBooks: http://bit.ly/Tethered-iBooks
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Tethered–Amazon
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Tethered-Kobo
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18627447-tethered
TANGLED (A BirthRight Novel #3)
Release Date: December 2014
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20887833-tangled
Brandi lives in central Pennsylvania with her fur-ball cats (Onyx and Klepto), where she spends most of her time attached to her laptops, reading books, appeasing her sweet tooth, and watching TV for motivation. Growing up in a haunted house inspired Brandi’s fascination with the paranormal, so it only made sense that she’d write Urban Fantasy books for both teens and adults.
Brandi hasn’t been lucky enough to meet her soul mate (yet), so she writes paranormal tales of those who have. Her stories combine magical elements with real-life issues, strong female characters, semi-old fashioned men and family values, woven together and told from an emotional, first-person perspective. She enjoys writing sweet stories that teach girls it’s okay to speak your mind and be independent, career-driven, and not worry about fitting in to society’s mold.
In addition to the BirthRight Novels, she also has four additional adventures she’ll be writing over the next few years, so stay-tuned.
AUTHOR LINKS
Blog: www.BrandiLeighHall.wordpress.com
Website: www.BrandiHall.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrandiLeighHall
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/BrandiLeighHall
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/BrandiLeighHall
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7325602.Brandi_Leigh_Hall
Email: BrandiHallAuthor@aol.com
Brought to you by
Blog Tour Review! THE GIRL IN 6E by ALESSANDRA TORRE
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 8, 2014
My life, inside this apartment is simple. It works, as long as I follow the rules.
1. Don’t leave the apartment. Not in case of fire, not to mail a letter, not to run an errand. The door stays shut, and I stay inside.
2. Don’t get attached to clients. I take off my clothes, I stand in front of the camera, and I perform. What they want, I give. Their secrets, I keep. Everything I tell them, is a lie.
3. Don’t kill anyone. I’ve obeyed that rule for over three years.
My life, inside this apartment was simple, and it worked. Then, I started breaking rules.
Enter a world of lies, thrills, fears, and all desires, in this original thriller from A. R. Torre.
**Warning: This book contains explicit sexual references, and should not be read by anyone under the age of 18.**
Undressing is an everyday occurrence. Most women do it mindlessly, automatic motions that accomplish an end result. But, if done correctly, stripping can be the ultimate foreplay, a sexual seduction that can wipe clear any rational thoughts and leave a man totally and utterly at your mercy. I have mastered the art.
I kneel on the bed and trail my fingers over my skin. Light, teasing caresses designed to heighten my senses and stimulate my body. I exhale slow, trembling breaths as my hands travel near sensitive areas, the dip in my neckline, the lace over my breasts. I keep my eyes down, subservient to him, and wait for the command. One always comes.
“Take off your top. Slowly.” The voice was foreign, English words dipped in culture and dialect. I comply, lifting my eyes and biting my bottom lip gently, my tongue quickly darting out, and hear his gasp in response. I run my hands down my neck, grazing the top of my collarbone and dipping under the silk of my negligee. I slide down one strap, then two, the silk bunching over my breasts, the fabric clinging to my nipples. Then I rise to my knees, crossing my arms, sliding the fabric higher, letting it reveal inch by slow inch of skin until it unveils the curve of breasts, dip of throat, and the pout of pink lips.
“Good.” He groaned. “Very good. I like you, Jessica.”
Jessica. Not my real name. He thought he knew me. They all thought they knew me. After all, they’ve seen my Facebook page, seen the Photoshopped photos that construct my manufactured life. They believe what they see, because they want to believe. Like I want to believe.
I turn to the wall and stand, dragging my expensive thong down over my toned hips, bending over and exposing my most private area to his hungry eyes. The embroidered lace slides the rest of the way down my legs and drops around my ankles, snagging on the Italian stilettos that encase perfectly pedicured feet. I am naked now, and slide down to lay on my side in front of him, propped up on one elbow, his eyes hungrily feasting on my body. The lights, bright and hot, illuminate my bare skin, causing it to glow. He speaks, the arousal present in his voice, in the slight thickening of his accent.
“Touch yourself. Just your fingers. I want to see you come.”
He wants my fingers, a seductive performance of gasps, moans, and slick foreplay. Eventually, fingers won’t be enough. The next visit he’ll want more, something bigger, deeper – my moans to be louder, my orgasm stronger. There will be no secrets anymore, no boundaries, no requests he won’t be comfortable giving. At this moment, I am his, to do with as he pleased. And right now, he wants fingers.
This is a twisted, erotic, thriller that kept me on my toes! Pay attention because the narration doesn’t commit to one point of view, but it doesn’t take away from the story. The main character is definitely in a world of her own, but I enjoyed visiting!
A.R. Torre is a pseudonym for popular erotica author Alessandra Torre. Blindfolded Innocence, her first novel, was a huge success and captured the attention of readers everywhere. When not writing, A.R. Torre enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
July 7
Falling In Fall Book Blog | Four Chicks Flipping Pages | Ginger-read Review | six chicks and their love of books | Scandalous Book Blog | Little Read Riding Hood | mustreadbooksordie | Southern Belle Book Blog | The Whispering Pages Book Blog
July 8
Books Books Books | spreading the word | Smitten With Book Heroes | Sexyways of Reading | Teacups & Book Love | The Literary Melting Pot |The Lusty Literate |The Reading Cow | This Redhead LOVES Books | True Story Book Blog | who you callin a book whore | WiLoveBooks
July 9
Book Junky Girls | Books are love| Book Unhinged | bridger bitches book blog | Deal Sharing Aunt | Drue’s Random Chatter | Not Everyone’s Mama | Love Between the Sheets | Mythical Books | The Book List Reviews | The Two Brains of Book Reviewers | Turning Pages At Midnight
July 10
Anny Books | Bujoijoi22 | Cheekypee reads and reviews | CherryRed’s Reads | Crystal’s Sweet Reads and Reviews | Eskimo Princess Book Reviews | Perusing Princesses | Rose’s Book Blog | The Book Bar | The Book Bellas | The Book Nuts
July 11
Blushing Divas Book Reviews |book boyfriend reviews | Book Worms | Books To Breathe | Jessica Loves Books | MI Bookself | Recommended Romance | She Hearts Books | Short and Sassy Book Blurbs | Stephanie’s Book Reports | The Book Enthusiast | The book obsessed momma | The SUBCLUB Books | We Love Kink | Book Worms and Couch Potatoes
REVIEW..A SEASON WITHOUT RAIN by JOE SCHWARTZ
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 8, 2014
SYNOPSIS:
Jacob Miller is angry with himself, the world, and God. Life seems so unfair, so cruel, that he can’t imagine why anyone even tries. After having a nervous breakdown, selling his business, filing for bankruptcy, having a baby, and finding out he owes over twenty grand in taxes, he is hardly happy to be alive.
In the span of a year, Jacob will discover three very important things about life.
Things can always be worse.
There really is a God. And if you wait long enough anything can change.
A Season Without Rain explores that gray area between poverty and middle class life, the struggling underclass for whom there are no advocates. A powerful story told in a modern, everyday voice that will entrench readers in Jacob Miller’s black world of anger, hate, resentment, lies, and violence.
A Season Without Rain is Joe Schwartz’s first novel. His previous short story collections Joe’s Black T-Shirt, The Games Men Play, and The Veiled Prophet of St. Louis have been acclaimed vulgar as Bukowski and visceral as Carver. Joe lives and works in St. Louis happily writing stories exclusively about the Gateway City.
REVIEW
The gritty and despicable side of life can bring you to your knees, but it can always get worse!
Lured in by the writing style, I quickly became immersed in this story. I love the rawness of the characters and the realness of each situation. Jacob is just your average guy next door where I come from, and his problems are a dime a dozen around here. What separates this novel is the author’s ability to remove the filter that most stories have. It was a refreshing change for me!
I loved it!
AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS
A St. Louis native, I write exclusively about the Gateway City. I prefer the style of fiction deemed transgressive fiction. That is my stories protagonists generally find a solution to their problems through either illicit or illegal means. I personally prefer stories told through a criminal’s point-of-view. It is never the crime that fascinates me so much as the motivation to do it and the terrible, almost predictable outcomes to such actions. Just as I have an expectation of writing to be read I believe that it is as important, if not more so, that you as a reader should have the expectation of being entertained as you read. Anything less is such a disappointment.
Life is short. Stories are forever. -Joe
AUTHOR LINKS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Review: The Sinful Man by Keith Rommel
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on July 1, 2014
SYNOPSIS
Headaches. Hunger. Pain.
Leo needs something . . . his stomach growls, but it can wait. That’s not hunger he must feed. He has to get to his next high, but without money he knows he can’t buy what he needs to sate the voice inside telling him to get more, get more.
Voices. Visions. Addiction.
No luck asking his father. His mother is in no position to help. After failing to steal the money he desperately needs, Leo must appeal to his dealer, the dangerous and infamous Saint Nick—despite the inevitable beating he’ll take for showing up empty-handed. Still, anything to keep the voices and flashbacks at bay . . .
Demons. Addiction. Death.
Leo soon learns that everything has a price—not just money for drugs, but that every choice he makes has a repercussion. Suddenly caught between a world where he can see the sins of his past and a new consciousness that he doesn’t fully understand, Leo finds himself not only chasing the dragon, but being chased by demons of a whole different kind. He must learn the finality of being past hope—all while reliving his missed opportunities for second chances—and truly come to understand that he is responsible for his own undoing before he runs out of time. After a lifetime of bad choices, this Sinful Man discovers the consequences to his actions and the mortal responsibility of exercising free will.
REVIEW
While very disturbing and morbid, this novel is a great read!
A mysterious journey that depicts the life of one very delusional man, the author creatively intensified my interest by alternating the past and present with great skill. I couldn’t help but think of warnings I’ve received from my elders throughout my years, and found myself recalibrating my own moral compass.
While there is mature content, I think this would be an excellent read for teens, as it seems a modern day fable to me.
COLLECT THE TRILOGY!!
BLOG TOUR STOP & GIVEAWAY! RAINFALL by MELISSA DELPORT
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on June 24, 2014
Paige’s father has Alzheimers, and her fiancé is shot and killed in an armed robbery. Paige fights her depression and pulls herself out of the dark place that she has succumbed to, with monumental effort and a new-found determination to live her life to the fullest, doing things that both terrify and exhilarate her.
When Paige meets Adam, the attraction is instantaneous. Adam grew up in an orphanage and has no recollection of his life before the age of six. Paige falls head over heels in love and embraces a happiness she never dreamed possible. Until the day she finds Adam in bed with another woman.
Wanting nothing more to do with him, Paige cuts Adam out of her life, until she receives a mysterious visitor, who reveals secrets about Adam’s past that shock Paige to her very core.
Determined to fight for the man that she loves, Paige finds herself on a journey that will change her life forever.
This is a very powerful read!
I love the realness of this story, as it made me feel a sort of kinship with the heroine. I’ve known the heartbreak of Alzheimer’s and have seen what losing your love at such a young age can do to a person. The fortitude Paige possesses is astounding, yet heartbreaking.
While I admit that I felt Adam misled Paige by not being truthful in the beginning, their story is too enigmatic to hold a grudge. True love takes work, devotion, determination, loyalty, and compromise. Melissa Delport has brilliantly translated true love in this beautiful story.
I recommend picking up a copy, but not without a box of tissues. Great read!
Wife, mother of 3, businesswoman by day and writer by night, Melissa is the author of The Legacy and The Legion (books 1 and 2 of The Legacy Trilogy), and she is currently writing the final installment of the trilogy, The Legend.
Melissa is also the self-published author of the stand-alone novels Rainfall and The Traveler (available on Amazon).
An avid reader herself, Melissa finally decided to stop ‘watching from the sidelines’ and to do what is her passion.
“I was driving home from work when inspiration struck, and a storyline started unravelling in my head. For a few days, it was all I could think about and eventually I realised that the only way to get it out of my head, was to put it all down on paper. I started writing, and that was that.”
She lives with her husband and three children in Hillcrest, South Africa.
June 16
Love Us Some Books | All Booked Out | Serenity Doesn’t Come Easy
June 17
Book Lovers Obsession | orchard book club
June 18
Sex and the Books | Book Addict Mumma
June 19
Smut and Bonbons | The Book Blog | Booklover Sue
June 20
My Daily Romance | Books and Friendsz
June 23
Bookworm Betties | Cheekypee reads and reviews | Sam’s Book Basket
June 24
The Literary Melting Pot | The Book Nut | Bottles & Books Reviews | Koko Brown
June 25
Cruising Susan Book Reviews | Reading Is My Superpower | Mean Girls Luv Books | Tattooed Book Review
June 26
Deal Sharing Aunt | Roberta’s Dreamworld | Crystal’s Many Reviewers
June 27
iHeartBooks by MiLo18 | Short and Sassy Book Blurbs
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