Month: April 2019

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NEW RELEASE: Love & Ghosts



Presents : New Release

Love & Ghosts
by Carrie Pulkinen


Series: Crescent City Ghost Tours; Book One
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Love in the Big Easy shouldn’t be so hard.

Trying to add some excitement to her life, Emily Rollins accepts a dare to kiss a masked stranger at a charity ball. Fireworks ignite with that simple kiss, and she longs to learn more about the enchanting man. But Emily has lost so much of her heart already; succumbing to his charm is the last thing she needs.

Sean LeBlanc is a medium who runs the most popular haunted tour company in New Orleans. When Emily shows up on his ghost tour, with no idea he’s the mystery man from the ball, the long-buried emotions she unearthed in him are rekindled, and he’s convinced he can learn to love again. The problem is Emily doesn’t believe in the supernatural.

Just as Sean begins to open her mind to the existence of spirits and the possibility of love, a mysterious wooden box with a sinister power arrives on Emily’s doorstep, threatening her sanity and her life. If Sean can’t convince her ghosts are real, her disbelief will doom them both.




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About the Author

Carrie Pulkinen is a paranormal romance author who has always been fascinated with things that go bump in the night. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing and her love of a good happily-ever-after, and becoming a paranormal romance romance seems like the only logical career choice.

Before she decided to turn her love of the written word into a career, Carrie spent the first part of her professional life as a high school journalism and yearbook teacher. She loves good chocolate and bad pens, and in her free time, she likes to read, drink wine, and travel with her family.



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NEW RELEASE – Haunted Melody: A Ghost Story

Here’s a new release by Alyson Santos. You can also read my review.

 

Haunted Melody: A Ghost Story, a hauntingly beautiful paranormal romance by Alyson Santos is NOW LIVE!

 

They say death is the end. I thought so too until I learned it’s just the beginning.

     

Grab your copy Today!

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US – https://amzn.to/2UVAwZb

Amazon Worldwide – mybook.to/HauntedMelodyAS

Add to your TBR – https://bit.ly/2Iz0BZ7

             

About Alyson Santos

I’m a writer, musician, and cat lover. I also have an alternative music obsession. Seriously, it’s a real problem. I write what needs to come out, whether it’s pain, tears, or laughter. I write people and relationships, about the beauty and horror of what we do to ourselves and each other. I write Love. Vengeance. Compassion. Cruelty. Trust. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Darkness, and the incredible way humans destroy and heal each other. I like to eradicate barriers, refusing to be confined by the laws of physics or limitations of reality. I will befriend a vast population of possibilities and introduce them in ways that might surprise you.

Follow Alyson Santos

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Gws1dL

Website – http://www.alysonsantos.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralysonsantos Instagram: http://instagram.com/authoralysonsantos Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoralysantos Newsletter: http://www.alysonsantos.com/newsletter.html

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BOOK REVIEW-Haunted Melody: A Ghost Story

I read so many books that I am sometimes amazed that I like almost all of them. Usually I can find something to latch onto even if the overall story doesn’t do it for me.

But it was bound to happen sooner or later. Y’know, finding a book that I just couldn’t get behind. Unfortunately, this is that book.

Now, I do have to start with a mention that I greatly admire authors. They have a talent that is unique, and it takes a lot of guts to share that talent and open themselves to criticism.

I’ll also say that just because this book didn’t do it for me, doesn’t mean that one of you won’t love it. Everyone has different tastes. So please take this as it should be: my opinions on what the book did (or didn’t) do for me.

It took me forever to get into the plot. I spent the first few chapters trying to figure out exactly what was going on, and I could not get a grip on it. I’m all for an author not revealing secrets, or building slowly to a reveal. But I was so lost on this one that it put constantly on the wrong foot. I didn’t have anything to latch onto to help pull me to that revelation where everything would suddenly make sense.

And once that reveal occurred, it caused me to have even more questions (instead of being an “Aha!” moment where things all of a sudden make sense). You know the premise from the blurb, but it still didn’t clarify a whole lot as I read further.

With paranormal romance (or paranormal anything) there has to be a certain amount of belief in the supernatural, as well as a suspension of disbelief. I’m really into the supernatural, so I usually don’t have a problem with that. But for some reason, and I think it’s because the beginning put me in the wrong frame of mind, I kept questioning the relationship between Milo and Rachel. There were too many things that just didn’t work for me.

I know this probably doesn’t help some of you very much, but I don’t do plot-heavy reviews because I think people should be able to experience a story with on their own with as little interference as possible.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance then you should absolutely give this novel a try. I will still look forward to the author’s next books. This one just wasn’t the one for me.

My Goodreads review is below.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Haunted Melody: A Ghost StoryHaunted Melody: A Ghost Story by Alyson Santos
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’m all for trying new genres and finding new authors. I know a lot of people love this author, so I was excited to be able to read an ARC of her latest. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed early on, and that disappointment never let up. I’m sure other people may love this book, but it just wasn’t for me. I do not like to give DNFs if at all possible; if I’ve been entrusted to read it, I will read to completion. But this one was a struggle. I spent the first half of the book wondering what was going on and the second half in disbelief (and not just because it was paranormal – I’m cool with that part). There were too many logical fallacies and unsupported issues for me to be able to enjoy the story. I’ll give another one of this author’s books a try, but I didn’t like this one. This review was written based on a pre-release copy.

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BOOK REVIEW: Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3) by Rachel Caine

I read the first two books in this series before I started my blog, so I don’t have reviews on them, but believe me when I say that I eagerly await each new installment in this series.

SPOILER ALERT: I will warn you right now, if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, do not read any further. Not only are there references that you won’t understand, but there may also be plot points from the first two books that will be exposed. That being said, get over to Amazon or your bookstore of choice and get the first two books of the series. Be warned, there are twists, turns, and the exploration of the evil of human nature, but they are excellent thrillers!

Okay, back to the review.

After the events of the second book, one would hope that Grace and her kids (and Sam) would be able to have a little bit of normalcy. Unfortunately, evil still exists and their lives once again get turned upside down.

I found Grace to be a fascinating character. She understands that her past will forever put a target on her back, and (by extension) on the backs of her kids. But she still also feels the need to help other people, which is how she gets caught up in the events at Wolfhunter River.

The author is especially good at creating moments that appear to be part of the overall plot, but sometimes they are not. I love this aspect of her writing because it keeps me (as a reader) off balance and questioning what I think I know.

I am a pretty good detective, and I did have suspicions about one part of the plot about halfway through the book that turned out to be correct (go me!). But the rest of the plot had some excellent twists that I didn’t fully guess on.

I did like her commentary (via Grace) regarding the online outrage and blame culture; I think that was spot on. However, there were a couple of mentions (Westward Invasion and a brief commentary on a 12 year old not calling adult women females) that seemed jarring and out of place. It felt like the author’s political beliefs took over for a few brief moments, and they took me out of the story.

All in all, however, this was another excellent analysis of the evil of man and how people can be so easily consumed by greed and hate – and how dangerous that can be when the beliefs are based on false perceptions or flat out lies.

I look forward to seeing where the series goes next because I have a feeling that Grace and Sam still have a way to go. It will also be interesting to see if friendships are repaired and trust can be regained.

My Goodreads review is below.

AVAILABLE NOW! (Released 4/23/2019)

Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3)Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been excitedly waiting for this book and could not wait to start reading. I was not disappointed. I could not swipe pages on my Kindle fast enough and read this straight through! After the events in the second book, I wondered where the author would be able to go with the main thread tying the books together, and she did a great job of creating a situation that will give her plenty of leeway for future novels. There was “hold onto your seat” action and a LOT of gut-tearing emotion. Both aspects are something the author has always done very well, and what will keep me coming back for future installments of the series. Another wild ride in a great series. If you want a more detailed review, visit my blog at firefliesandfreekicks.com. This review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

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NEW RELEASE: Stay With Me by K.L. Grayson

It’s a day for new releases. The latest by K.L. Grayson drops today, and you don’t want to miss it! Head over to my review to see why I say that 😉

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Stay With Me, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by USA Today bestselling author K.L. Grayson is live!

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Stay with me.

Three simple words.

One impossible request.

I’ve loved Allie McCallister for as long as I can remember. Her happiness and well-being mean more to me than anything else, which is why when the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, I had to take it. Three months was such a short amount of time to be apart to provide the financial stability we needed to start our lives.

It wasn’t supposed to catapult my band to stardom, and it sure as hell wasn’t supposed to set off the chain of events that pushed my relationship with Allie to the brink. Our hearts were shattered, our love tested, and when everything fell apart she begged me to leave.

Eight years ago, tragedy broke us. Now we’re back in the same little town where we once dreamed of building our future.

She’s a divorced, single mom.

I’m a damaged country music star.

There are a hundred reasons for us to stay apart.

But all it takes is one look, one touch, one kiss to know our story isn’t over. Now I have to convince her to let me stay.

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Download your copy today!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/StayWithMeKLGrayson

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/StayWithMeKLG

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2H1Q1au

Nook: https://bit.ly/2H4hPev

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2IEWBX6

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2H4TWmW

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About K.L. Grayson

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained

daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she

writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the

day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males,

brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that

order.

Connect with K.L. Grayson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksbyKLGrayson/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booksbyklgrayson/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/booksbyklgrayso/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-l-grayson

Website: www.klgrayson.com

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NEW RELEASE: Beauty and the Professor

Be sure to check out the latest release from Skye Warren. The first half of her modern fairy tale duet is available today. For more details on the book itself, have a look at my review of Beauty and the Professor.

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Once upon a time there was a beautiful college student… And a beastly professor with scars he can’t hide…

Beauty and the Professor, the first in A Modern Fairy Tale duet from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren, is available now!

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Once upon a time there was a beautiful college student…

Erin cleans Mr. Morris’s house twice a week to pay her tuition. The reclusive ex-soldier intimidates her, but she can’t help but feel sympathy for him. Then she walks in on him touching himself, and she has much darker, much more sensual feelings.

And a beastly professor with scars he can’t hide…

Blake Morris knows he’s scarred both inside and out. He’s reclusive and surly. Nowhere near good enough for the smart and beautiful young woman who cleans his house.

He receives an offer to return to his alma mater as an associate professor. This is his chance to reenter the world–and to be worthy of the woman he dreams about. He never expected to see her sitting in his classroom on the first day of the semester.

Author’s Note: This book was previously published as a serial in multiple parts, including Beauty Touched the Beast, Beneath the Beauty, and Broken Beauty. It’s been collected into this volume to make things easier for new readers.

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BEAUTY AND THE PROFESSOR is the first book in A Modern Fairy Tale duet.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U1u9nj Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Beautyprofessor Apple Books:https://apple.co/2Xzp3MG Nook:http://bit.ly/2XAqD0v Kobo:http://bit.ly/2GuXxZw Google Play:http://bit.ly/2DrwUnA

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UfpUDZ

FALLING FOR THE BEAST is the second book in A Modern Fairy Tale duet.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UbXOtx Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BeautyBeast Apple Books:https://apple.co/2URYvJt Nook:http://bit.ly/2UwC9rV Kobo:http://bit.ly/2VkbH9r Google Play: http://bit.ly/2VXATQ8

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UicaJI

About Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance such as the Endgame trilogy. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

Connect with Skye

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2DEpMn9 BookBub: http://bit.ly/2SQgiir Twitter: http://bit.ly/2GDYiBq YouTube: http://bit.ly/2ByI2OF Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2SyDFhh Instagram: http://bit.ly/2STxF1I Stay up to date with Skye Warren by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2N8gTXG http://www.skyewarren.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Beauty and the Professor by Skye Warren

The first book in the latest duo by Skye Warren, Beauty and the Professor is a modern retelling of (you guessed it) Beauty and the Beast. The premise was good, and it had a lot of things going for it, but for some reason, it just didn’t impress.

I think one of the reasons is that I recently read Overture by the same author, and I felt that there were a lot of parallels: young, lively female/older wealthy male with a chip on his shoulder, mutual attraction but unwillingness to act, etc. It even felt like I was rereading some passages.

There were parts that I liked. I thought the premise of Blake being a former soldier who had suffered his injuries while serving was a good one, but it should have been explored more. I think more insight into his experiences allow more sympathy for his character as opposed to Erin just wondering about his PTSD. The author did address this a few times, but I think it could have been a little bit more.

I also really enjoyed the college classroom episode – the author obviously did homework, because the discussion about precedent was very well done. Aside from being interesting, it allowed Blake to use his mind to guide people away from focusing on his features.

No review of a Skye Warren book is complete without mentioning the sexy times, and there are plenty of those. As always, they are super steamy but also darkly romantic, which fits the overall character development.

But because of the romance and the inner thoughts, there were a couple of events that felt totally out of place, especially towards the end of the book. I know that the author was setting up for book two, but the cliffhanger for this one seemed to come out of left field (especially considering a few events that happened shortly before).

Overall, the book was okay. Knowing it is part of a duet makes it difficult to review because I know the story will be continuing. So think of this as a review written halfway through the book just to keep everything straight. I do look forward to seeing how it all works out in the end.

As always, my Goodreads review is below.

RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2019 (Available Now!)

Beauty and the Professor (A Modern Fairy Tale Duet, #1)Beauty and the Professor by Skye Warren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As a modern twist on the classic “Beauty and the Beast,” this book had a lot of potential. Erin is a sweet college student who cleans the house of the reclusive Blake, a former soldier who suffered burns that disfigure half of his face (shades of “Phantom of the Opera” as well). If you know the fairy tale, you know that they end up together, but seeing as how this is a modern retelling, “together” means mostly in bed. Those scenes (and there are plenty of them) are steamy as heck. The rest of the plot is just…okay. I thought there were some inconsistencies in characters, and a couple of twists were predictable. I did like the scene in the classroom, as the concept being taught (about precedent) was very interesting. I look forward to seeing how the second book finishes the story because this novel does end on a cliffhanger (that seemed out of the blue). This review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC.

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COVER REVEAL: Beautiful Ever After

I have been waiting for this cover to release. Isn’t the ring gorgeous!?!

Now I’m more ready than ever for the book itself….

 

Beautiful Ever After (Beautiful Illusions Duet #2) by Georgia Cates Release Date: May 7th

 

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44284160-beautiful-ever-after

   

PREORDER TODAY!! Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UuviPC B&N: http://bit.ly/2XvUtTQ Kobo: http://bit.ly/2UuuSsw Apple Books: https://apple.co/2Uw62c2

   

Blurb: Everything in my life has changed. This woman, my paid companion, has turned my world upside down … while making it right for the first time ever.

We were brought together by need. Hers was money. Mine was companionship. And sex.

Caitriona Louden gave me the girlfriend experience. All of it. And now she’s gone.

I’m not supposed to miss her. I’m not supposed to love her. But I do. Both.

Our contract expired, and she walked away. Now my world is falling apart without her in it. Because she is my everything.

A fairy-tale romance. It’s ours to have. And this woman I’ve come to love so dearly is my beautiful ever after.

   

About the Author: Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her music and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

 

Connect w/Georgia: Website: http://www.georgiacates.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgia.cates.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorgiaCates Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgeorgiacates/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/georgiacates1/ Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/georgia-cates Sign up for her newsletter: http://bit.ly/2HrWkV7

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BOOK REVIEW: Getting Hot with the Scot by Melonie Johnson

Don’t let the title fool you, this was more RomCom than bodice ripper. Although, the main character (Cassie) does love herself a good bodice ripper, especially ones involving men in kilts. Hmmmmm……

This was actually a fast and fun read. Five women made a pact while they were in college: five years after they graduated from college, they would travel to five European countries, with each of them picking a country to visit.

The premise is fun, the opening chapter is hysterical, and the story flows quick and easy. The conflict between Logan (said “hot Scot”) and Cassie is legitimate and makes sense – there is no melodrama or false indignation to be found, and their chemistry is off the charts.

The dialogue is witty, and the interplay between the five women is especially well-done. The author did a fantastic job of making this reader feel like she was in the middle of the fun and didn’t want it to end.

I thought the descriptions of Scotland, particularly Logan’s family and home, were especially detailed, and painted complete pictures. It definitely made me want to return to Scotland!

The only thing I didn’t completely have a feeling for was Logan’s internal struggle. It was alluded to in the first part of the book, but then took center stage in the second half. It felt a little bit forced, even though it logistically made sense for the character. In retrospect, I understand why the author chose to write it this way (because the book gets a little more serious, so the characters do as well). It just was a little jarring.

All of that being said, I still enjoyed it immensely. I now know this is the first of at least three books, and I’m assuming two more will be coming to round out the five women. I can’t wait to read the rest of them!

My Goodreads review is below.

Expected Release Date: April 30, 2019

Getting Hot with the Scot (Sometimes in Love, #1)Getting Hot with the Scot by Melonie Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a lot of fun to read. I appreciated that the author gave the reader just enough background to make the main characters, Logan and Cassie, believable – but without going over the top with backstory. The opening chapter was terrific and had me wondering if I misjudged what the book was about (but in a good way). The author did a fantastic job of tying that chapter closely to Cassie’s reading choices. The dialogue was snappy, especially between the group of friends, and I could practically feel the camaraderie spill off the page. I wanted to hang out with them. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and devoured the book in a day. I look forward to reading about each of the girl’s experiences (I hope!) Check out my more detailed review on firefliesandfreekicks.com. This review was written based on a pre-release ARC provided by NetGalley.

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BOOK REVIEW: Stay With Me

I have recently begun to enjoy second chance romances. Maybe it has something to do with spring finally arriving, and that whole re-birth/new hope attitude that comes along with it.

Stay With Me by K.L. Grayson is a well-written novel in this genre. The prologue introduces us to Allie and Jackson when they are teenagers, facing some big decisions. The rest of the story takes place eight years later (except for a couple of flashback memories) as the two try to find their way with each other again.

The plot is very straightforward without the usual back and forth/self-doubt of the characters. It also has depth, as the events that separated Allie and Jackson are realistic and heartwrenching. The doubts that do arise come from those events, and seem completely natural.

I think that’s what I appreciated the most about this book. The characters deal with real life events instead of exaggerated or far-fetched roadblocks that so often pop up in romance novels.

I don’t give away plot points, so I don’t want to say more about character introductions or interactions. I do hope that if you’re looking for a pleasant, HEA, second chance romance, that you will pick this one up. My Goodreads review is below.

Expected Release Date: April 23, 2019

Stay with MeStay with Me by K.L. Grayson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a sweet second chance romance that had some unexpected depth to it. Allie and Jackson are teenagers in love, but life choices force them apart. Eight years later, they get the opportunity to try again. The characters were real, the plot was interesting, and there were more than a few unexpected occurrences. I liked how the author thought out the repercussions of the choices of some of the characters. There was no melodrama (as sometimes happens in romance novels); every incident had meaning and purpose. I also appreciated how the author avoided the usual “should we or shouldn’t we” and allowed the characters’ doubts to be natural. Nothing felt forced. Oh, and Mason is the cutest book kid I’ve “met” in a long time. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a quick HEA read. This review was written based on a pre-lease copy.

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