Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 112

Sad Cat Diary

Shared today in honor of my cats who are also quite sad...

 
One of my fuzzy beasts happens to be a midnight howler. She sits downstairs when the rest of the house is in bed and sings so all will know of her great sorrow.

Book Review: Dawn of a Dark Knight by Zoe Forward

BLURB:
In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop.
An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods' choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn't have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden.
Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable.
She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm’s length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision—follow the gods' rules or follow their hearts.
Buy links:Wild Rose PressBarnes & Noble NOOK Amazon Kindle
REVIEW:
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Batman!
Okay, so Dawn of a Dark Knight by Zoe Forward has nothing to do with Batman, but none of the other dozen plus reviewers on Amazon has gone there, and how could they not with a title like that? What the story IS is a nonstop, action-packed romance full of excitement and danger at every turn.
Ashor, the hero of this paranormal romance, IS a dark warrior within his own right, but that's where the similarities to comic books end. Ashor is yummy and tormented, walking a fine gray line between fighting for the forces of good, always in danger of succumbing to his internal darkness. He is ancient, an immortal reborn into a new life over and over, but always doomed to the endless torment of battling the daemons who walk the earth threatening humanity.
It's funny, because I usually start my reviews by talking about the heroine, but Ashor Vlahos, the Scimitar Magi commander, defined the story for me.  His tortured nature and acute loneliness really struck a bull's eye on my soft spot for bad boys. He kicks ass and takes names, and then broods for a while. Le Sigh. I felt immediate empathy for him and wanted to keep reading in order to see what would happen next.  He's the sort of guy you want to kiss and coddle and make better even though you realize (intellectually) that he's way too tough to need mothering. But that's sorta exactly the point because he appeals so much to that nurturing instinct.
I have to admit up front—as a rule, I don't like Fated Mate stories.  I want love to be the result of free will, the product of choice, not something that two people are thrust into as the result of predetermined destiny.  Kira Hardy, medical doctor and the heroine, is smart and courageous but she struck me as less remarkable in terms of characterization than Ashor.  I think my general impression was that she was simply too young for him. He needed a woman more his own (ancient) age.
However, so far as fated mates go, Zoe Forward weaves a remarkable tale and really makes Ashor and Kira work as a couple. The hero and heroine share plenty of chemistry and the sexual tension sizzles on the page. Kira provides Ashor with the healing spirit he needs to repair his tattered soul. Their relationship falls in the vein of star-crossed lovers, because while they are fated to be together, it is forbidden by the Egyptian gods due to their respective roles. Ashor is the Prime, the head of the Scimitar Magi, and Kira is the mystical healer meant to attend to the eight remaining Scimitar Magi—all men.
I felt the cover doesn't really do the story justice. At a glance, I wouldn't connect the cover imagery with a paranormal tale deeply rooted in the Egyptian mythos. Someone needed to fit an ankh in there somewhere. There is a rune on the cover but it is not immediately recognizable so it left me feeling a little confused.
Zoe has really created an intricate world with a complicated mythos constructed upon Egyptian mythology.  My familiarity with the mythology is limited to three sources—Stargate, the TV show, Anne Rice's The Mummy, and an old White Wolf supplement called "Mummy". Initially, I found myself referring to her helpful Glossary of Terms at the back of the book but eventually I got the hang of it. Likewise, the occasion choice of wording threw me but I recovered and became engrossed again in the story in short order.  The villains are freaky scary and the Big Bad is a darkly sinister figure.
Dawn of a Dark Knight is an excellent read for anyone looking for a paranormal romance with plenty of action-adventure and sizzling hot love scenes.
Buy links:Wild Rose PressBarnes & Noble NOOK Amazon Kindle

Cats Lawyer Up: Snark Response to Cat Grievances page 2

Author Spotlight: Zoe Forward

Please tell us about yourself and your writing.
Thank you for having me drop by! I’m a veterinarian by day and a writer at night. In the middle I’m a mom.  My special love of archaeology, especially anything Egyptian, shines through in the Scimitar Magi series.  A deep part of me wishes I had pursued a career that would have me at a dig site in a hot, sandy country, but I’m a small animal veterinarian, caring for everything from chinchillas to dogs...and even one hermit crab in there.
What does your writing space look like?
I don’t have one spot to call my own that I use for writing.  With my busy schedule I’m happy to grab a few minutes to type some lines. And I’ll do that wherever I might be. My space is my laptop and somewhere quiet.
Do you have a process for coming up with character names and book titles?
I like to come up with back story for the character first, and then peruse names that are of the ethnic origin of the character I am working with.  For my latest release, Dawn of a Dark Knight, the title was based on the African proverb: No matter how long the night, dawn will break.  The idea reflects the struggle of the main character, Ashor, in conquering his internal darkness and finding his own dawn.

Tell us about your current book. What is it about? What inspired it?
For Dawn of a Dark Knight(book one in the Scimitar Magi series) I created a new type of hero. As a passionate reader of paranormals I’ve read my fair share of vampires, weres, face, shape shifters, and demons. And loved them all. But I wanted something fresh.  In DAWN OF A DARK KNIGHT the Scimitar Magi are ten pseudo-immortals that live within our modern world, but struggle to remain incognito.  The guys are not exactly thrilled to discover they vowed their eternal soul eons ago to serve the Egyptian gods, and now must execute daemons for the rest of their lives.  With no past-life memory, they’ve got no clue how to wield the powers gifted to them by the gods. Man to super warrior in a five-minute induction ceremony with no instruction manual.  So, it takes each Scimitar a long time to work it out.  At first losing control at random is the norm, and irritates the bejesus out of the more experienced guys.  Incidents happen like blowing up a gas station, which is misinterpreted as an international terrorist act.  And then there are the women. Each Scimitar gets matched to one woman for all time, and she is also reincarnated. But when, and if, this woman shows up is entirely up to the gods, who love to muck things up for entertainment.


BLURB:
In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop.
An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods' choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn't have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden.
Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable.
She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm’s length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision—follow the gods' rules or follow their hearts.
Buy links:Wild Rose PressBarnes & Noble NOOK Amazon Kindle
Quick quiz: Favorite food? Hot fudge sundae Favorite color? GreenFavorite animal? HorseBiggest pet peeve?  Not refilling the toilet paper when it runs out.Name one person, living or dead, you'd most like to meet. Mark Twain.  
Where can we find you on the web?
Email: zoe@zoeforward.comWebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads

Book Review: Untamed Hunger by Aubrey Ross

Major Sasha Young has been stationed at Alpha Colony for the past three years, part of an elite military team assigned to maintain order and resolve conflicts between the shapeshifters. She has watched the hostile morphs, secretly fascinated by their predatory grace and animal magnetism. The colonies were established to protect defenseless humans from these genetic anomalies. So why does she feel like the morphs are the ones being victimized?

Grayson Evans, a rare white-tiger shifter, is frustrated and appalled by how little their human keepers understand the average “morph.” After an especially violent altercation between leopard and tiger shifters, he decides it’s time to educate them. He’s had his eye on Sasha ever since she arrived at Alpha Colony and introducing the feisty beauty to the full potential of a felidae-morph is going to be his pleasure — and hers!

 FREE on Amazon

Review:

It'd been too much to say I love this cover but I do like this cover A LOT. The layout is clean and it definitely connects the reader with what the book is out--sexy big cat shifters. The best part? The ripped, sexy male model. Sadly, the view of the gent's fine backside is interrupted by some artfully placed claw slashes. But again, at least the cover ties into the contents. You're not opening a Godiva box, expecting Godiva chocolates, only to find bird droppings.

On a side note:  It is a longstanding pet peeve of mine when I pick up an erotic novel targeted at heterosexual women and find a naked woman on the cover. It leaves me going, "Um, really?"

Cover artists: know your audience. Hetero women reading hetero erotica prefer to look at naked MAN FLESH. The only response a naked chick elicits is envy. "Gosh, I really wish my ass was that tight! I think I hate her. Do I really want to read this book?"

Somewhere out in the nether, Aubrey Ross is probably reading this right now, thinking she's been reviewed by a crazy woman. This is an unsolicited review. I downloaded her novel during a free day on Amazon and I've never met Ms. Ross. Disclaimer: the author has no knowledge of my review and no warning.  ((Poor lady)).

Untamed Hunger starts off strong. Immediate action. Vibrant setting. Our heroine, Sasha, is a member of a security force charged with keeping the peace among a population of morphs (big cat shifters)--creatures who can become human or shift to a certain breed of feline based on their breed. The story opens with a fight being broken up and a victim lying severely wounded. Her assailants are unknown and the male lead, Grayson, has the clues necessary to help solve the mystery. Will he help Sasha out?

From page one, the story hit all the right notes--action, intrigue and a tough female lead. Interestingly enough, it is a science fiction setting. So often, shifter stories are paranormal fantasy but Untamed takes place on another world in another solar system. Sexual interaction between the morphs and the human security force is strictly prohibited, so there's a star-crossed lovers element also. No worries though, because rules are made to be broken and our hero and heroine are getting hot and heavy before the first chapter's even out. These two POP with so much sexual chemistry it's like thermite.

 Grayson is a tiger morph, oozing primal sensuality, and charismatic to boot. He has ulterior motives and he distrusts humans but wants Sasha so much he is willing to trade the information she desires...for her submission. The story does take an unfortunate turn into Dom/Sub roles. (Unfortunate for ME, because I despise watching strong women bow down to strong men. Anyway, what's a turnoff for me isn't necessarily going to be the case for others.)

Untamed Hunger delivers nonstop action and sizzling sexual tension right up until the very end. The story is short but satisfying and does not disappoint. For a more traditional romantic subgenre, I would probably rate Untamed Hunger four stars. However, for what it is (erotic paranormal), I'm upping that to five because it never fails to deliver on what it promises--a fun, fast, sexy read.

 FREE on Amazon

Random Penguin

Whoever created this site is GENIUS and deserves accolades.

Very sinister



My, that's one SEXY penguin

Visit RANDOM PENGUIN to see more.

Cover Reveal: The Child Thief

Based on some feedback from readers, I've asked Farah Evers to revamp my cover for The Child Thief. She's come up with a really powerful revision, which I hope ties the novella more strongly into the series concept for Hunger Moon.



In other news, I'd intended to post page 2 of Snark response to cat grievances today. However, there's been sabotage to Mr. Snark's computer, which controls the scanner, so page two will be delayed until next week. At this time, the identity of the saboteur is unknown (but we have our suspicions).

And in other news:
My latest erotic paranormal title, The Mating Game, has been submitted to my publisher for consideration.I've currently got three WiPs. Hell on High Heels is my sequel to Learning to Fly, currently at about 60K. It is the closest to completion. As summer progresses, you'll probably see me talking about my in works titles more.Finally, I'm working on getting out a paperback version of Hunger Moon.   

Cats Lawyer Up: Snark Response to Cat Grievances page 1

Page 1...

Goddess Fish Presents: Shadow of Danger by Kristine Mason

Shadow of Dangerby Kristine Mason~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through violent nightmares and hellish visions. The local sheriff, who believes in Celeste’s abilities and wants to rid their peaceful community of a killer, enlists the help on an old friend, Ian Scott, owner of a private criminal investigation agency, CORE. Because of Ian’s dark history with Celeste’s family, a history she knows nothing about, he sends his top criminalist, former FBI agent John Kain to investigate.
John doesn’t believe in Celeste’s mystic hocus-pocus, or in her visions of the murders. But just when he’s certain they’ve solved the crimes, with the use of science and evidence, more dead bodies are discovered. Could this somehow be the work of the same killer or were they dealing with a copycat? To catch a vicious murderer, the skeptical criminalist reluctantly turns to the sensual psychic for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart. 
Roy, the sheriff who’d reminded him of Paul Bunyan, minus the ax and blue ox, came up beside him. “What are you thinking?”
John stood, then scanned the area, the dense woods, the highway where the deputies had set up a road block. The smooth asphalt was littered with police cruisers, several CSU vans, and maybe a half-dozen deputies. “I can’t be sure, but I spoke with...Mitchell?”
“Yeah.” The sheriff nodded. “He’s the lead with Eau Claire’s CSU team.”
“Mitchell tentatively confirmed your suspicions, but will know more during the autopsies.”
“Shit.”
“My exact thought. You’re in a heap of it.” And he’d just plowed through his own pile in Chicago, the stench still lingering, still fresh.
When he’d joined CORE, he’d known he would see just as much as he had when he’d been with the FBI, but Ian had promised downtime in between cases, something he’d never had with the Bureau. Something he needed now. What he’d witnessed while working with the Chicago PD and FBI Field Office would haunt him for a lifetime. And as pissed as he was about having a mini vacation dangled in front of him, then quickly pulled away with one simple phone call, he still had a job to do. 
BUY LINKS:AmazonBarnes & Noble
AUTHOR BIO:
I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good had come from writing it. I realized my passion, and had found a career that I love.
When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.
Where to find Kristine Mason on the web:
FACEBOOK TWITTERWEBSITE
Kristine will be awarding four (4) print copies of Pick Me (US only) and three (3) $10 Amazon GCs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour.  Please leave a comment to better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here. 

Goddess Fish Presents: The Secret Door by Stephanie Burkhart

BLURB:
It's 1927 and Lord Zoltan Kristos, Hungary's Minister of the Interior, takes great pains to hide the fact he's a werewolf from the world. Despite his efforts, he's recognized when he goes to the Austrian-Hungarian border to inspect the area for damage from a recent rare earthquake.
Zoltan is accused of stealing Kurt Meklau's witch, Inna, and is recklessly pursed to Volturn Manor, a residence belonging to another werewolf family, the Vargas. After a fight with Meklau, Zoltan barely escapes and his adversary is found dead.
Sophia Varga and Tomas Martin find Zoltan. Sophia is determine to attend to Zoltan's injuries and protect her home, but when Kurt's father, Marcus, comes seeking revenege, Sophia is tested like never before. As Zoltan and Sophia work together, attraction and desire flame between them.
Will the secrets Volturn Manor harbors offer Zoltan and Sophia the clues they need to defeat Marcus and give them the opportunity to explore their feelings for one another?
BUY LINKS:
AmazonBarnes & NobleDesert Breeze Publishing 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Sophia paused, scooped out a new handful of lotion and rubbed it into the scratches on his muscled thighs. Again, a low, uneasy breath escaped from his throat. Her touch drove his body wild. Glancing down, there was no mistaking the bulge of his manhood through his boxers.
Sophia paused, her gaze settling upon his groin, then looked up at him. His jaw tensed, and he drew in a breath.
She nipped at her lower lip, uncertainty in her eyes. "You're hard," she whispered.
"See what you've done to me."
She raised an eyebrow, her question unspoken.
"I assure you this has not happened before," he said.
For a moment she studied him intently, her eyes darkening to the color of sapphires before she continued.
He looked her over seductively. His heart skipped a beat with desire. She rubbed the lotion into her hands and placed them on his stomach. He groaned, reaching out with his left hand and threading his fingers into her hair, jerking her head back so they were eye-to-eye. She set her jaw. His pulse pounded. Something intense flared between them, yet she kept her hands on his abdomen. Encouraged, Zoltan tugged her toward him, pressing her chest against his. Her nostrils flared and her brow furrowed in confusion.
He stopped, reminding himself he needed to offer a choice. "Do you want me to kiss you?"
"No." The sound of her denial was weak. He held her close.
"Do you want me to release you?"
"No."
"How should I solve my predicament?"
"I don't know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio:
I'm a member of Generation X, and was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, the U.S. Army gave me a job. I  spent 11 years in the military, 7 stationed in Germany. While in the military I earned my B.S. in Political Science from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA in 1995. After leaving the Army in 1997, I settled in California. The New England Patriots are still My favorite football team. I've been married for 20 years.
Currently, I work for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher. I'm a member of  EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection). I'm published with Desert Breeze Publishing and 4RV Publishing.
Follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
Like my Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephan...

FIND ME ON GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart
Website  
Blog
Writing.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  My Review: 
The Secret Dooris an historical paranormal fantasy book set in Hungary during July 1927. The story kicks off with an immediate BANG, taking the reader on a high speed (for the times) car chase upon perilous roads and ending with a brutal fight between two werewolves. Stephanie Burkhart mixes action adventure with Gothic romance and sprinkles in a touch of mystery to create an entertaining tale. This is book four in the Budapest Moon series, but back story is skillfully integrated, and the story may be read as a standalone.
Zoltan Kristos is a dark hero with a checkered past. He is a nobleman and a werewolf, and has committed acts earlier in life, which he has come to regret. His fight with rival werewolf Meklau is over a personal witch, Inna, who possesses the knowledge to administer specific herbs to werewolves to aid in their transformation and healing. During the fight, Meklau is killed, although not directly at Zolton's hands, which brings the wrath of the story's primary antagonist, Marcus, down upon Zolton.
Sophia Varga is the daughter of a werewolf man and a human woman, and the mistress of Volturn Manor. She possesses some wolf traits but remains unable to shift her form to that of a wolf. She is a courageous and resourceful heroine, but untested as the story begins. However, the fast moving plot provides her with plenty of opportunities to prove her worth.
Zolton and Sophia share an immediate attraction. The characters have good chemistry, but I have to confess, the initial romantic scene as shown in the excerpt left me giggling. 
She nipped at her lower lip, uncertainty in her eyes. "You're hard," she whispered. "See what you've done to me."She raised an eyebrow, her question unspoken."I assure you this has not happened before," he said. 
What—never?! For a grown man, I'd have expected him to have experienced erections eight to ten times as a day from the onset of puberty and onward. That's one heckof a stoic hero...
All kidding aside, the romance between the hero and heroine is thoroughly enjoyable.  The love scenes are sensual, imparting a pleasant sizzle, and nicely interwoven with the fast paced action sequences. The take on werewolves is original but also harkens to traditional horror, and the author does an excellent job of transporting the reader to the post-World War I setting. There were moments when the language choice threw me.  The Secret Door is a solid choice for the reader looking for an exciting paranormal story containing both romance and adventure.
BUY LINKS:
AmazonBarnes & NobleDesert Breeze Publishing 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephanie will be awarding a back list print book, either The Hungarianor The Count's Lair, from the Budapest Moon Series to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop, and a Grand Prize of a coffee and chocolate gift basket: $10.00 GC to Starbucks, A Coffee Mug, Andes Chocolates, Magnets, and a Lori Powell Original Book Bag to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY).