A.R. Von's Blog, page 37

Review Predator's Serenade (Gemini Island Shifters #2) by Rosanna Leo

"Predator's Serenade"
Author: Rosanna Leo
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 112
Source: Author in exchange for a honest review.
Published: August 12, 2013
Author's Website

Buy Links: Amazon

Goodreads Blurb:
There are three things that make bear shifter Soren Snow’s skin crawl: mothers, their children, and the great outdoors. Soren is a famed musician and playboy, and he would rather spend his days pressing the flesh with the women in his fan club than developing meaningful relationships. When his brother calls in a favor, forcing Soren to revisit the Ursa Fishing Lodge in Northern Ontario, he couldn’t be more displeased. However, he owes his brother big time.

Gioia Clementine would rather not meet Soren, her drummer son’s rock idol. But when tragedy strikes her home, it seems the only one the boy might respond to is Soren. Gioia begrudgingly agrees to let her son meet him, hoping the rock star won’t turn her tween into a musical misogynist.

When Gioia and Soren meet, the sexual chemistry threatens to set the Ontario woodland ablaze. Can these two opposites find a common ground? And can they manage to resolve their unwanted feelings, even when a mysterious stranger arrives at the lodge, threatening everything?
My Review:
A great addition to the Gemini Island Shifter’s series and my favorite so far. Be ready for laughs, thrills, mystery and hot sex in Predator’s Serenade (oh boy!)
Gioia is currently visiting Gemini Island with hope it will help her son, Gunner. He has been acting out for some time now and she is afraid for him. Hearing from others how Ryland helps young shifters, she feels this would be the best way to help. When Ryland suggests bringing his brother Soren to the island since Gunner is a huge fan of his. She becomes a bit weary. After a little thought she gives it the ok and hopes it will not be one of the worst decisions of her life.
Soren has many likes and dislikes just as everyone else does. One of his tipitty top dislikes is children. That’s why when his brother asks him for a favor, to help him help a child, he’s very reluctant. But of course he caves for his brother and some sound convincing. Now he cannot help but to think if he’ll regret caving for his sibling…
Rosanna Leo wrote it so it can be read as a stand-alone story if you chose to do so. But I personally recommend reading book 1 (Predator’s Kiss) first so you can get to better know Soren and some of the other characters. A 4.5 rounded to a solid 5 rating :)


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Suicide Prevention Hop

"Authors Care ~ Suicide Prevention Week"

This hop was put together by the beautiful (inside and out) author Louisa Bacio

For my post I thought I'd just share some things I love. It's a not a huge list & it's not EVERYTHING. But it's what mainly makes me smile. I hope it brings a smile to your face as well :)

My boys

My furry daughter


 My hubby




 Tattoos 

And now for a few with no pictures...
My sister and her children
Dragons
Hiking
Dancing when no one is watching (and at times when they are)
Hula hooping
Writing
And singing off key

I hope you enjoyed my little post :)

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are many stops for this hop where you can enter to win various prizes. Be sure to enter both rafflecopters at this stop.There's the Grand Prize towards the bottom of the page (Grand prize is one (1) $50 gift certificate to Amazon. Winner will be chosen randomly from Rafflecopter entries on Sunday, 9/15/13), the rafflecopter for this stop (winner gets a Wunder prize pack containing a signed swag card, ebook and $5.00 Amazon Gift card) and each of the others in the hop.

Good luck!



Blurb:
A World of Turmoil and Yearning

Wunder may have a normal life now…well, as normal as a freak of nature could have. Half zombie while her job is to hunt bloodthirsty creatures to protect the innocent. It’s the dreams that haunt her and they aren’t nightmares. Wunder dreams of a man, a man made just for her. Is he real, can he be the one she‘s yearned for?

Pete’s world is a lonely one as he wrestles with the reality of being part zombie. His hatred for the creatures that killed his parents drives him to patrol the streets and wipe them all out. His life would be stark, but for the dreams he’s been having; of a woman, so sensuous, so sexy. These alluring visions have become erotic and consuming. He feels as if he made her up to keep from going crazy. Is this life of hunting the walking dead, all there is? Or is she out there, waiting…just for him?

***For readers 18 + only due to sexual content, violence and language.***

Find Wunder (0.5 DreamZ), Wunder (# 1 The Approach) and soon to be released Wunder (#2 Reunion) on Goodreads HERE

View the trailer to get idea of what the Wunder series is about and to get a peek of Pete in my eyes ;)





Here's a excerpt from Wunder (0.5 Dreamz):
There are some others beside my dad and myself, who know what I truly am, but not many. My dad had no other choice but to try and find out more about me and what to expect as I grew and developed. He wanted to be prepared in case of anything happening because of my DNA. There seems to be no other part zombies of any sort around. So, he went to a couple of his closest friends who worked in the medical field, and they ran a multitude of tests on me. Comparing me to other humans, other zombies, even a few animals (to date there’s never been an infected animal of any type).
I don’t remember much about most of it. I was way too young to hold those memories. I do recall lights, very bright ones and some smells. I now know what one particular scent was. Zombies. Boy, do those suckers stink! I think it’s my heightened senses that make it so bad. I’d describe their scent as a combination of the stink in the air which comes into a car window when driving by an old sewage plant on a very hot day, combined with a rotted corpse. The smell of death reeks!
My dad always tells me he doesn’t smell them the way I do. Not even close. He can only smell them when he’s up close and getting personal with handing them their death. One of those ‘up close and personal meet the end of my machete’ types of meetings. He’s been by my side for all of it. He still is to this day. Even every month, when I have to go renew my proof of living, he’s right there by my side.
He insists on being there in case any changes occur within me. So, I won’t have to feel alone or frightened.

All they do to process anyone for their proof of living (which everyone has to go through no less than once a month) is prick your finger to draw a bit of blood. I guess you could say it’s somewhat similar to what a diabetic would do to test their blood sugar. Except in this case, they’re checking for a different sort of abnormality within. You know, the fucked up infected kind. 

Also available Wunder (#1 The Approach):


Coming soon Wunder (#2 Reunion)


Add Wunder (0.5 Dreamz) to your Goodreads "Want to read shelf" HEREAdd Wunder (#1 The Approach) to your Goodreads "Want to read shelf" HEREYou can get your copy almost everywhere ebooks are sold!



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Feel the love. Join the Suicide Prevention Hop with Authors Care -- Sept. 8-14.
1. Louisa Bacio -- Love Knows No Bounds  13. Vicktor Alexander  25. Michael Rupured  2. Lucy Felthouse  14. A.R. Von   26. V.S. Morgan  3. Nikki Prince  15. Andrea Speed  27. Andrea R. Cooper  4. Natalie-Nicole Bates  16. Kharisma Rhayne  28. Sharita Lira  5. Tempeste O'Riley  17. Makayla's Book Reviews  29. Katya Armock: erotic paranormal  6. Caitlin Ricci  18. Charley Descoteaux  30. Renea Mason  7. H.B. Pattskyn  19. Kendall McKenna - Love and Dog Tags  31. Barbara Winkes  8. Dianne Hartsock  20. Lisabet Sarai  32. DC Juris  9. skylar  21. Jana Denardo  33. Alex Jones  10. Sabrina Sol  22. Tara Lain  34. Siobhan Crosslin  11. R.L. Kirk  23. KC Burn  12. Bonnie Bliss  24. Lane Hayes  

Spotlight with d.k. snape Author of Kin Ship: Moustache on the Moon

Kin Ship: Moustache on the Moon – Part One by d.k.snape
Synopsis:We believe in life on other planets. We believe they visit us from time to time. What if life also evolves in the vast empty space between galaxies, among the very stars themselves? What would it look like? What would you do if it showed up in our skies?
Marnie is your average teenager. She goes to school every day, hangs out with her friends, and tries to stay out of trouble. One morning, while suffering through another boring class, her world is turned upside down when two intergalactic strangers come to collect her.
And it’s not just Marnie’s world, but her whole family’s too. It seems that random kids and their moms and dads have also been scooped up and taken to the hidden mountain valley far from their homes. No one knows why they’ve been selected or what’s really going on…
Purchase Links:Amazon: US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, IndiaSmashwordsCreateSpace


How Language and Word Count Matter in a Middle Grade NovelBy d.k.snapeI never realized writing fiction took as much research as I ended up doing for Kin Ship, part one of Moustache on the Moon. I mean, it’s a story, fiction, I made it up. Right?I know that fiction has to have a certain amount of realism. After all, it is about a person, place, and time with scenery and community. What I never realized is that I’d spend years researching. Not just in a lump of time, but constantly checking facts, reading science sites and weather reports. I even had to email NASA a few questions.Once I decided my aliens did need their own language, and admitted to myself if I tried to create my own I’d never get my story finished, I researched all the isolate languages on Earth. Did you know there are only three?I chose Basque, not only for its very foreign sounding words, but for the mythology I read about. It fit my aliens to a T. Now I had to research original Basque. Ok, I didn’t have to. But my inner creator insisted. My Euskadaz would speak the original language, darn it. That settled, and with words and phrases found, I wrote, edited, wrote some more, finally realizing my little story seemed to be getting a little out of hand. I figured, in the beginning, when I was mapping the story – I like to know the beginning and the end of it – I likely had  a three book series. But stories go their own way. I just follow and try to keep up. Moustache on the Moon had turned into a rather longer story than I had originally planned. And I hadn’t even gotten anybody off Earth at one hundred thousand words!  In the end, I had to go to the bookstore and look at all the novels for my age group. Moustache on the Moon was a bit weighty for a middle grade novel. It was definitely too long… I decided to leave it alone, realizing I still had to look at the grade level of my word usage. It was bad enough that I was introducing a whole new foreign language in a book for kids.  I can only say: thank goodness for the internet!I found several sites that gave me a decent overview of words middle graders should know. More words that bright kids probably knew and a handle on the few words I’d used that maybe, just maybe, might cause my readers a slight problem. I thought about taking them out. I slept on that conundrum. I reread where I used them and decided to leave them in because kids like to be challenged. But I did make sure I used the words in sentences where context told the meaning. Now I had way too many words for the first book. My story mapping showed me I needed another two books of the same length to finish the tale properly. I read it over and over looking for any way I might pare this tome to an acceptable size for the age group I directed it at. I did manage to edit out about fifteen thousand words. The story needed every single part I left in. I loved all of it!So... Rather than cut it down to a reasonable fifty thousand or so, I sent it to a publishing house.
Thankfully Sirens Call Publications came up with a sound plan and the entire series will now be comprised of 9 shorter, more manageable novels.  Now I just have to finish the story. Don’t worry, I have it all running, movie form, in my head.



Author Bio: I grew up in a small town just north of Toronto. I always had a vivid imagination. Ask my mother. It’s not that I don’t like to tell the truth. But isn’t the world a brighter place when fairies and aliens populate the local neighborhood? Being an intelligent, non-girlie girl, I didn’t fit in well with my peers. Instead I found books! I read everything I got my hands on. And I mean everything. I contracted some ugly balance-affecting disease at twelve. Stuck in bed for months, my family and neighbours rallied, bringing me books of all kinds once I finished the encyclopedia and dictionary, cover to cover. They just wanted me happy. And quiet. But boredom struck. You can’t just read all the time, I tried copying some of my favorite stories, embellishing them as I saw fit. And one day, I wrote one of my own, all by myself. Personally thought I’d done a good job. When it didn’t receive rave reviews from my family, I decided to try harder, not give up and leave it to the experts like my parents wanted. I’m finally ready for the world to decide.

Review Hyde (Dark Musicals #3) by Laura DeLuca

"Hyde"
Author: Laura DeLuca
Genre: YA Romance
Pages: 271
Source: Author in exchange for a honest review.
Published: July 28, 2013
Author's Website

Buy Links: Amazon

Goodreads Blurb:
Rebecca Hope has looked death in the face twice and lived to tell her tale.

She and the love of her life, Justyn Patko, land a summer internship at a local dinner theater, performing the musical Hyde. While they are excited about their first paid acting gig, they soon find themselves surrounded by more experienced cast mates, jealous of their success. As if the tension isn’t bad enough, they soon discover that the business might be a front for something much more sinister.

When Justyn is accused of a crime that she knows he would never commit, Rebecca must decide if she wants to follow her head or her heart. While trying to prove his innocence, she makes a shocking discovery of her own.

Everyone has something to conceal in the grand finale of the Dark Musicals Trilogy. Rebecca has to look beyond the façade to discover the true Hyde or face her final curtain call.

My Review:
Hyde is without a doubt my favorite of the Dark Musical series. In addition to the romance, excitement and mystery, we get another adventure and yet another journey for this duet. A definite must read for any fans of the genre.

Rebecca and Justyn are working their butts off to survive. Each slaving with their jobs to make ends meet while finishing up their schooling and continuing on with their musical careers. Their bond as a couple has grown very strong and I continue to adore them as a couple. These two (of course) ran into another startling mystery. But this one is very hard to solve. Murder, drugs, deceit and envy. Who is friend and who is foe?

I’m unsure if this is the last of the series, but either way. I loved the ending! It’s a very satisfying read and I strongly recommend to any thinking about reading this to go back and read book 1 and 2 of the series first so you get to grow with the characters the same as I have :)


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Review Predator's Kiss (Gemini Island Shifters #1) by Rosanna Leo

"Predator's Kiss"
Author: Rosanna Leo
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 149
Source: Author in exchange for a honest review.
Published: May 20, 2013
Author's Website

Buy Links: Amazon

Goodreads Blurb:
Bear shifter Ryland Snow just wants peace. The peace and quiet afforded him at his woodsy retreat, the Ursa Fishing Lodge. As owner of the lodge, Ryland enjoys the tranquil life he’s created among his fellow shifters. He lives to maintain a safe haven for them, away from meddlesome human eyes.

When his rock star brother arrives, bringing trouble in the form of a possible hitman, Ryland is incensed. He’s been cleaning up Soren’s messes as long as he can remember, and is tired of his brother’s lecherous exploits.

Things go from bad to worse when Lia Goodblood stumbles upon Ryland and his lodge. Yes, the reclusive erotica author is easy on the eyes, but the human woman is more trouble than she’s worth. To say nothing of her bizarre fear of furry creatures.

Ryland determines to rid himself of her presence. But when he learns she’s on the run from a crazed fan, Ryland’s protective bear instincts flare. And the bear won’t be denied.
My Review:
Predator’s Kiss is a fun, mysterious, exciting and sexy read that any fans of the genre will truly enjoy!

Lia is a popular author on the run with hopes to hide from a stalker. Little does she know that her running is taking her straight to a private island and into a bit more trouble. Things go from bad to worse and then some when she runs into the resorts owner Ryland. Oh boy does it ever!

Ryland owns/runs the shifter resort (Gemini Island) for some time. He started it up as a peaceful place for shifters to safely roam free and be themselves in peace. There’s one VERY strict rule on this island resort. Absolutely no humans are allowed to step foot on it. When Ryland not only finds a human running around the island but finds he’s having a hard time turning her away. Well, let’s just say he bends the rule a bit ;)

A great start to a new series. Great story and great characters that keep the reader hooked into its pages and leaves them wanting more in the very best of ways! I look forward to reading the next of the series (Predator’s Serenade). Oh boy do I!


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#WedBriefs Flash Fiction Lady #16 by A.R. Von

Hello everyone and welcome to Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction an awesome way to start your Hump Day! As always, I was given various options to inspire this weeks brief. I chose to go with the one photo and the 3 word prompts for this weeks Lady. The word prompts I used are: "Use ugliness in some way, use a blue moon in your tale, or use a flogger, paddle or whip" .

For those of you that have not read the prior week's portions and would like to. Click HERE to access them all.


I hope you enjoy & thank you for reading!






“Lady #16” by A.R. Von



I am now dressed in garments that carry Dezso’s scent. He said they were his garbs from many years ago and the only items he has that will fit me without falling off. I feel this clothing is uncomfortable and unnecessary. I’m still not used to this body or having to dress. But I will adjust with time…just as Dezso wishes for me to do.

He sent a message to a seamstress to come this evening for her to measure me for gowns and such. He made sure to mention for her to bring anything she’d already made, so I may have something while awaiting the clothing’s completion. He thinks of everything!


We now sit on a square piece of fabric with food and drink spread out in front of us. This is eating outdoors and it is such a delight too. Many things I’ve never tasted. So far, I’m enjoying it all. He even brought some of the wine I enjoy so much, saying we can have some a bit later on. He tells me it’s not very good to start a day with wine as an accompanying beverage to our morning meal.


I wait for him to start talking about what he’s promised to tell me. I hope I’ll not have to wait too much longer. I’m very curious of how such a wonderful male, so full of goodness could have any darkness in him at all. Just as I finish my last bite of peach, he clears his throat to get my attention.  


Dezso then starts to speak as if he heard the words from my mind. “I know you want to ask questions. But can I please tell you the story about why I’m not all light first Iria? Then you can ask me questions to your heart’s content, all right?” 


“Yes Dezso, please do.” I give him an encouraging smile.
His facial expressions seem to change with his thoughts. It looks as if he is struggling with how to start. He takes a deep breath, filling his lungs deeply and begins his tale…

****




[image error] I’m unsure from what point to begin, so I don’t the sound a fool to Iria’s ears. I decide to recall how my mother told me she and my father met and will go on from there. “Over 26 years ago, my mother and father met while attending a blue moon ritual for strength and power. At the time, there were more people of light then darkness and it was not so easy to tell if someone had even a small amount of darkness within them because of the overpowering abundance of light. Anyway, my parents were introduced that night and according to what she told me. It was love at first site. She was unaware that my father held ugliness inside, darkness. They were married short months after their introduction. Very happily so. I was conceived on the very night they consummated their marriage.” I take pause while struggling with what I should say.
She watches me in silence, seeming to wait for the rest.
Finally, I look at Iria with sadness in my heart and begin speaking once more,“It was not until after I was born that my father changed. He started changing. He treated my mother as if she were nothing but a slave. He asked my mother for strange things during their bed play and began beating her with a whip when she would not agree. It took some time, but my mother got together with her sister’s and cast a spell of protection around her and our home. Casting him off the property. Preventing him from ever returning and harming my mother again.”

Iria eases a bit closer to me and holds my hand her expression is filled with hope to lend me strength to go on. I know she can see it hurts me to talk about this part of my past and the memory of my parents. “Is he still alive, Dezso? Have you seen him since you were a babe?”


“I do not know if he still lives Iria. I do know that I’ve not seen him since he was cast from our home and our land. I’m glad of that. I would not be able to hold back my fury over his treatment to my mother. She was such a sweet and loving soul. I miss her dearly.”

Iria pulls me into a tight embrace and I bury my face within her hair, breathing deeply and calming myself. Embracing the love she offers so freely to me. “Don’t you see Iria? The darkness I have within me. It came from my father, I was born with it. I fear that a day may come and I may turn like he did. I don’t know his history except for the few things my mother told me. She received no warning before he changed. The only thing she remembered was he’d been away longer most days. She believed he started practicing the dark arts, just as Than and his followers do.”
Iria strokes my hair and tries to give me comfort.
“This is my fear—my lady. I dread what happened with him is what will happen with me. If I knew a way to get rid of this darkness forever. I would do it without a second thought and be full light as I’m meant to be. As I desire to be.” We are still holding one another as I speak and I find Iria’s cheeks are wet from solemn tears. I wipe away her sadness and I can see in her eyes she feels what I desire, what I crave. I know she will do whatever she can to help me keep the darkness at bay. Even better, to help me to remove it from myself.

“There has to be a way to remove it Dezso. Have you ever asked others like you, about it?”


“No, Iria. I’ve never asked for the fear of being judged or cast off. But I’ve now found strength with you in my life and I believe I’m ready to face this fear and find a cure once and for all. Your love…my love for you will get me through whatever I’ll have to face to make it right. I have more faith now than I ever have. Thank you my sweet for loving me so truly.” I give her a soft kiss upon her sweet peach flavored lips and before I know it, we have scattered the rest of the food from the blanket…


Be sure to come back for the next brief!

(This story continues to be dedicated to my one and only sister, my Pookie. Her love of unicorns from when we were tots is what inspired me to write it. Love you my sissy!)




Here are other AMAZING Wednesday Briefs for you to visit:

Victoria Adams Tali Spencer    Nephylim   Rob Colton Elyzabeth VaLey   MA Church   Cia Nordwell Andrew Gordon Julie Lynn Hayes Shelly Shultz

Wunder's first ever Tour happening NOW! Tour wide giveaway & (here only) learn about the zombie's of Wunder's world

What are they? Well, they’re the walking dead, duh! Seriously though, the zombies (aka the infected) in Wunder have been terrorizing the planet for over 30 years. They are gruesome, strong, and much faster than the average zombie you see on television. They are also a lot smarter. They know how to trap their prey and the best way to get them down for the kill. They crave protein due to its ability to strengthen their muscles and improve their physical condition. So, when they attack their prey (humans), they start off with consuming whatever blood they can get and work their way deep, to get to the marrow of their prey’s bones. 
The origin of the contagion is not yet known, but it is under constant investigation. Some say it is alien based, something that was brought to the planet by other worldly beings with hopes all humans would die and the aliens would take over, live and flourish as if we were never here. That’s not yet been proven.
Others say, that it was created as a biochemical weapon from one of Russia’s or Korea’s mad scientists that are out for destruction of anywhere but their country, so they can have all control. But those theories are… Just theories, nuff said.
One thing we do know for sure is Wunder is a rarity. How many people do you know that can actually say they are part zombie? Exactly! NONE. 
She now fights alongside some others, to help all that are terrorized by the infected to stay alive and uninfected. She doesn’t see them as kin or anything of the like. She sees them as enemies, targets, needing to just be…gone. And that’s what she’s trained to do for a majority of her life. Taught by her 100% human father and his comrades. Kill or be killed!




Blurb:
A World of Turmoil and Yearning

Wunder may have a normal life now…well, as normal as a freak of nature could have. Half zombie while her job is to hunt bloodthirsty creatures to protect the innocent. It’s the dreams that haunt her and they aren’t nightmares. Wunder dreams of a man, a man made just for her. Is he real, can he be the one she‘s yearned for?

Pete’s world is a lonely one as he wrestles with the reality of being part zombie. His hatred for the creatures that killed his parents drives him to patrol the streets and wipe them all out. His life would be stark, but for the dreams he’s been having; of a woman, so sensuous, so sexy. These alluring visions have become erotic and consuming. He feels as if he made her up to keep from going crazy. Is this life of hunting the walking dead, all there is? Or is she out there, waiting…just for him?



View the trailer to get an even better idea about the series AND get a peek of Pete in my eyes ;)






Add Wunder (0.5 Dreamz) to your Goodreads "Want to read shelf" HERE Available NOW!Add Wunder (#1 The Approach) to your Goodreads "Want to read shelf" HERE Available NOW!
Add Wunder (#2 RReunion) to your Goodreads "Want to read shelf" HERE Coming soon!

You can get your copy almost everywhere ebooks are sold!
Below is the giveaway for you to enter and other tour stops for you to visit! Good luck and have fun :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway







SCHEDULEAugust 25Cu's Ebook Giveaways (Spotlight/Review0.5,#1)The Book Obsessed Momma (Spotlight)August 26Black Words-White Pages (Spotlight/Interview/Playlist/Top Ten)August 27I Feel The Need, The Need To Read (Spotlight/Review 0.5,#1)August 28Paige Matthews (Spotlight/Playlist)Wanda Loves Books (Spotlight)August 29Mia's Point of View (Spotlight/Playlist)August 30Ms. ME28 (Spotlight/Playlist)Loves All Things Books (Spotlight/Playlist)August 31Victoria's Gossip (Spotlight/Interview)Romance Book Junkies (Spotlight)September 1Paranormal Romance & Authors That Rock (Spotlight)September 2Shandra's Shadow Show (Spotlight)September 3Fairiechick's Fantasy Book Reader (Spotlight)September 4Promiscuous Book Blog (Spotlight, Playlist)Ramblings of a Book Lunatic (Spotlight)September 5BookwormBridgette's World (Spotlight/Interview/Playlist)Eclipse Reviews (Spotlight)September 6Ashley's Reading Bliss (Spotlight/Review 0.5,#1)R&M Fab Book Reviews (Spotlight/Top Ten)September 7Sylv Jenkins & Friends (Spotlight)Siren's Romance and Fashion Blog (Spotlight/Review 0.5,#1)Xscape From Reality With A Really Good Book (Spotlight/Playlist/Top Ten)

Review Mandy's Story by D'Elen McClain

"Mandy's Story"
Author: D'Elen McClain
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 136
Source: Author in exchange for a honest review.
Published: July 16, 2013
Author's Website

Buy Links: Amazon

Goodreads Blurb:
Mandy’s Story is a standalone, humorous and little bit kinky side story to the Fang Chronicles series.

Every beastkind knows you don’t mess with a Kodiak bear—everyone that is except Mandy, the wolf-pack Alpha’s sister. When Mandy hears whispers that the bad attitude bear, Honey, has chosen a mate, she takes matters into her own hands because her wolf decided months before that Honey was hers. If drugging, kidnapping, and making him live in a feral cage won’t work she’s planning to give Honey a little bad attitude of her own.

The bear clan is ferocious, deadly, and their fighting skills coveted by other beastkind. With war on the horizon, Honey has little time for games or courting much less more than a few grunts of acknowledgement to a young she-wolf who seems to be everywhere he looks. When he wakes up in a feral cage at the hands of that same exasperating she-wolf… all bets are off.

If anyone thought bears and wolves don’t mix, they’ve never seen Mandy on a mission. She refuses to give into the sexy he-bear when he tries to seduce her out of her tight little assets and himself out of the cage she’s locked him in. Two can play that game and in the end Honey will learn, they both need to win, or else.

My Review:
My favorite of the series to date! Mandy’s Story is fun, funny, exciting, very unpredictable, romantic and sexy. A great read for any fans of the genre to enjoy! A 4.5 rounded to a solid 5 rating.
Honey is one grumpy bear. Albeit a handsome, kind and loving grumpy bear. He has no time for games, pranks or little girls and lets it be known. But when one young and beautiful little wolf gets the best of him. He just might stick around to play a game or three ;)
Mandy is just shy of being of age for mating. She’s known who her mate is for a long time and grows more and more impatient to claim him as hers. So much so she devises a wicked plot to corner him and convince him she is his mate. But will her plan backfire and will she never know the love and bond of a true mate?

I’ve followed this series from book 1 and have enjoyed each one of them. D’Elen has written each one so they can be read as stand-alone reads. But I recommend reading each one of them. Each is original in its own way, each touches you in its own way and each is so worth the time spent reading :)


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Review and giveaway with Laurel Cremant author of Persuasion Skills

Persuasion Skills by Laurel Cremant [image error]
  Blurb:
In the aftermath of a major health scare, Pepper Holts makes the relief-inspired decision to seize the day. Unfortunately, most of her “seizing” involves a bit of merlot and her best friend's pants! After a shared night of passion she realizes that her feelings for Jax are a lot more complicated than she ever thought.
Jax has finally realized that his allergy to marriage has nothing to do with the institution itself, and everything to do with the women in his bed—or more specifically, the one woman not in his bed. Her reaction to their one night together has him scrambling to regroup. So he does what he knows best—he disappears, and he thinks. The plan?—convince Pepper into staying with him at a secluded cabin for one week. One week of pretending to be a happily married couple to show her how great they could be together.

EXCERPT. . .
Marching into the main room, she confronted her friend-come-raving-lunatic.“Forget Misery. You’re in definite Psycho territory here!”A tint of red darkened his cheeks. At least he had the decency to blush. His show of embarrassment gave her hope that there was still a chance to reason with him.“I know it looks bad”“Looks bad? Looks bad? Jesus, Jax, you bought a closet full of clothes!”“I didn’t want you to get cold. You’re such a Miami girl.”“And my shampoo?”“I wanted you to feel at home.”“And the drawer filled with lingerie?”He grinned at her. Stupid, sexy dimples.“Okay, that one was more for me than you, but you can’t blame a guy for being hopeful.”She stared at him and tried to take deep, calming breaths.Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.“What exactly is your grand plan here? What are we supposed to accomplish trapped up on this mountain?”He planted his arms across his chest and gave her a long, unreadable look.“We live here for one week, like a real married couple,” he said finally.She opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off.“Consider this a trial run. If at the end of the seven days, you’re not convinced we’ll be amazing together, I’ll let you walk away, and I’ll drop the whole thing.”“I can’t just not go back to Miami, I have work—”“I called your assistant this morning. She’s cleared your schedule for the next week.”“My family—”“All think you’re on a much-needed and overdue vacation. They say ‘Hi,’ by the way.”Her left eyelid trembled. Was it possible to develop a chronic tick in a matter of minutes?Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.“And how exactly is a real couple supposed to live?”“We do the things any other vacationing couple would do. We spend time with each other, go on walks, have romantic dinners.” He sent her a heavy lidded gaze. “We sleep together,” he said huskily.Her body heated at his words, and her mouth went dry at the thought of being in a bed with him again. She let her gaze drift to his crotch and bit back a moan. He was most definitely aroused.As if sensing her gaze, she could swear she saw his cock thump against his zipper.She drew her gaze away from the hypnotic view as he made his way towards her with long, smooth steps.“I’m not having sex with you again,” she said shakily. “That’s what got us into this mess to begin with. If we hadn’t slept together in the first place, you wouldn’t be proposing marriage right now.”“That’s where you’re wrong.” He placed a hand on her lower back and drew her into his warmth.The look in his eyes had her catching her breath. Crazy Jax she could handle. Aroused Jax was a whole other story.He leaned down and nuzzled her throat with his nose before whispering in her ear.“The sex only helps prove my point, but I’ll make you a deal.”Her stomach quivered at the feel of his lips at the flesh of her ear. She cleared her throat before responding.“Does it involve you coming to your senses?”The rumble of his chuckle vibrated up his chest and against her sensitive nipples as one of his hands smoothed down her back and squeezed her ass.“No, but it should put you at ease.”His meandering hand was making it hard for her to concentrate. All she could do was snort in reply, silently begging her hips not to give in and rub against him. “For the next seven days, we get to pet each other as much as we want, fondle and taste to our heart’s content, but I won’t fuck you, Pep,” he said while nibbling at the soft skin of her throat.It took a minute for her lust-addled brain to process his statement.“But you said—”He lifted his head and placed a soft, too-short kiss on her lips before stepping away.“I said we’ll sleep together. Before we have sex again, I want you fully willing to be my wife and nothing less,” he said, a serious expression flattening his lips.She searched his eyes, but his gaze didn’t waver. She grasped at the last life-line she could find.“I don’t think I can be what you need, Jax.”“And what exactly do you think I need?”“I’m not exactly a submissive kind of woman,” she said.She frowned as he snorted at her statement.“No shit.”“I’m serious, Jax. I don’t think I can be the type of woman you seem to want. Our night together was good—”“Amazing,” he said firmly. “It was amazing.”“Whatever, fine amazing,” she said, not wanting to go down that road at the moment. “But I’m not wired to be bossed around and told what to do. You want a submissive woman, and I’m just not that.”He shook his head sadly at her. It hurt to see his look of disappointment, but it was what she expected. She wouldn’t take her words back because they were the truth. As much as she enjoyed him dominating her in bed she knew that the bedroom was as far as she would allow it.“Pep, if I wanted a submissive woman, we wouldn’t even be here right now.”“But—”“Do I want to tie you down and fuck you senseless? Hell yeah. I can’t wait to see you bound and spread-eagled for me again.”He reached up and cupped her heated cheeks, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.“And I can’t wait to see your nipples in pretty little clamps, tight and hard just begging to be sucked.”Her breathing was way past erratic, but she couldn’t look away from his heated gaze.“But that’s where it ends. It stays with sex. I like your kick-ass attitude, Pep. I don’t want a woman who isn’t willing to argue and fight. What I prefer in the bedroom doesn’t extend to the rest of our relationship.”Her heart sank as she saw her chances of surviving the next week with her heart unscathed deteriorate in a pile of ash.“I don’t want to change who you are, Pep. I just want to prove that we work together. Give this week a chance,” he said.A heavy sigh worked its way past the lump in her throat.“You’ve got yourself a deal, Mr. Grey,” she told him.It almost hurt to see his answering smile of relief.“Well, Mrs. Grey, I think it’s time for lunch. How ’bout I fix you a grilled cheese sandwich and then we head out for a walk?” He pulled her back in for a hug.She laid her head on his chest and breathed in his scent. She had a fleeting thought that traipsing around in the woods with him sounded like fun. Apparently, insanity was contagious.“Yeah, sure. Why the hell not?”
BUY LINKS:Amazon (US): http://www.amazon.com/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWGAmazon(UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Persuasion-Skills-Boardroom-Acts-ebook/dp/B00DSHXQWGAll Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-persuasionskills-1228259-147.htmlBookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/persuasion-skills-mfEvernight: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/persuasion-skills-by-laurel-cremant/


ABOUT LAUREL CREMANTLaurel is a romance author, who like most writers loves to read. Her first love (pun intended) has always been romance. From the sappy YA romance novel to the more risqué erotica novels, Laurel is a sucker for a good love story.
Laurel writes paranormal and contemporary romance and is a self proclaimed, out of the closet nerd. She admits that she can't seem to avoid adding a bit of "nerdology" or "geek-dom" to all of her books. Living in Miami, she also admits that she can't seem to avoid giving her heroines gorgeous shoes, "In Miami, we worship everything strappy, open toed and just plain hot!"
AUTHOR WEBSITE & LINKS
Website: www.LaurelCremant.comBlog: www.laurelcremant.blogspot.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaurelCremantFacebook: www.facebook.com/LaurelCremantAuthorPinterest: www.pinterest.com/LaurelCremant

[image error]Persuasion Skills is a fun, romantic and sensual read that many fans of the genre will enjoy their time reading.

Pepper lives her life, her business, which she is partners with her best friend in and she loves her best friend. Never willing to lose what they have because she cherishes their friendship so much. She continues to keep her feelings to herself. But how much longer can she continue to hold back?

Jax finally wakes up after a life time of being against the biggest commitment of life, marriage. He also has come to realize that the love he feels for his best friend is much more than friendship…

I LOVE IT when two people that are the very best of friends become much more. It’s more personal, real and rare when it happens. Good job Laurel! Now I just have to sit here and wait for more from you ;)



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#WedBriefs Flash Fiction Lady #14 & 15 by A.R. Von

Hello everyone and welcome to Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. This week is a touch different from the weeks past. The reason being is I'm posting both last weeks Lady and this weeks. I got hollered at by a reader or two that I left you all high and dry and I am very sorry I disappointed you. I didn't have proper access to the internet where I was and could not get into my email for the prompts or anything else for that matter (yes I was GRRRR!).

Otherwise, as always, I was given various options to inspire both briefs. I chose to go with the three photos below and two word prompts total, one for each Lady. The word prompt I used for Lady #14  is: "crazy in love" & for Lady #15 "the ties that bind".

For those of you that have not read the prior week's portions and would like to. Click HERE to access them all.

I hope you enjoy & thank you for reading!




“Lady #14” by A.R. Von

I leaned upon Dezso for comfort from the dark memories and remembered something from my vision, when the scorpions surrounded me in the cavern, during my dream state. A voice…Deep, eerie and evil. It reminds me of the voice of Than when he was speaking angrily with Dezso by the waters, the day he was looking for me in my former form.
It was Than commanding the army of insects, the scorpions, that surrounded me. His body was not present. At least not that I could see and his voice sounded far away. Faint, as if he was talking from another plane of existence so very…distant.

He said quite a few things in a language I could not understand. Even with the knowledge of languages Dezso gifted me with. There were some things he stated in the English language I recognized and they have me a bit puzzled. It was about the unicorns and how he and his followers are seeking each and every one, so the darkness can take over and they can live freely as they were meant to for ages.
They need the blood and horns of hundreds of unicorns and all of his people can live to their full evil potential. He said all unicorns and other creatures of light must die so the darkness can prevail. ‘Rid the world of all of its light’ is what he said.

That is not what puzzled me though. What did—were the five words he stated over and over again once he got out his plans for the creatures of light. ‘I know what you are.’



I must tell Dezso all of this I now remember and he can help me. We need to work together to defeat this darkness. It will only be defeated with us working as a whole…a team. One unit for the light to prevail alongside the others who freely join the side of good.

The goddess told me how Karma will do her duty in all ways and help the side of the light. She always helps the souls filled with light and goodness the most. Sometimes, she takes a while. But she alwaysgives what is deserved in any case.

I pull myself and my thoughts together. I must be strong for what’s to come. For myself, for Dezso, for our people and for our future. Taking a deep breath. I lift my head and look at my beloved and tell him all that I’ve just remembered.

He still caresses my skin in soothing circles as I reveal more on Than’s evil plans and the knowledge he revealed about me. Dezso stays very quiet. Absorbing all of my words and thinking deeply.

I am now finished with all I’ve remembered and he still continues to touch me. His face no longer looks relaxed and content. It now looks determined and a bit angry.
He pauses his circles and raises his hand to wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I have some ideas Iria. But I am unsure how possible they all are. I will need to train you in the use of the magic you now have. I know of others who can help with all I do not know of. Through it all, you will have to keep nothing but positive thoughts within your mind. Once one thinks in reverse, in a negative way…Is when darkness has more power. You must remember this my love. It is only a small portion of what is needed. But it will help strengthen our power when we face any darkness.”
I feel my body tremble from his words and his touch.
Dezso then places a tender kiss upon my brow and holds me close. “What we just experienced was us connecting as one soul in the most intimate of pleasures Iria. This is one example of positive. Together our light, even with me having some darkness within me can defeat all evil. Being with you brings me full light. The darkness is gone in your presence. My light brightens as it never has before. I’ve never been in love before. But I know I am crazy in love with you my lady.” He kisses me so very passionately and lovingly.
I understand what he is saying to me, indirectly. If either of us should be worried about defeating the darkness it should be him since he has darkness within. I do wonder where the darkness came from. Why a man with so much warmth and heart would have any darkness at all. So, I take this time to ask him knowing I will get my answer. “Dezso, how did you get darkness within you? Where did it come from?”

He looks down at his hands and takes a deep breath. Seemingly thinking of how to tell how it happened. He opened his mouth, looked at me. Then closed it again and looked back down at his hands.  He finally speaks while still looking down. “I do not like to speak of it Iria. But I know I must share all of myself with you and I will. All of the good and all of the bad. But can we please sleep now and start anew in the morning. We will go out and picnic under the sunrise and make love to a new day and talk until we run out of words. I do not want to ruin our first time together with my tainted life. Not right now, please?”

I feel his sincerity and know he will tell me all in due time. I have a very hard time even thinking of saying no to him and of course I relent. “Yes Dezso. But tomorrow you give it all to me. I want all of you and no less. Just as I will always give to you.” I smile and softly kiss his lips. He smiles back and fluffs the pillows we are to lay upon for sleep, then pulls me close to him.

We both find sleep very quickly wrapped in one another’s arms…

~~~***~~~


“Lady #15” by A.R. Von


I awaken to a sweet scent that I know belongs to Iria. I got to move my hands to caress her soft flesh but find myself bound. My hands are tied together and attached to the bedpost. I turn my head to where I know Iria last lay and do not see her present. My eyes and mind are still full of sleep, confused as to why I’d be bound in anyway and how. “Iria?” I try to sit up but am restricted in movement because of the rope. A loud sound at the foot of the bed brings me out of my current thoughts and the sight before me takes my breath away. 

Iria stands there naked and bathed in the light of the sun. Looking at me with a hunger I’ve never witnessed, desire that is as clearly written on her face as I’m sure it is on mine.


She seductively licks her lovely lips and trails a finger up from the top of my foot to mid shin. Giving me the most delicious goose bumps I’ve ever experienced. I cannot help but to wonder what is going on in her mind and why she is doing this. I tilt my head in question. Hoping there is no more need for words right now. I’m beginning to feel as if I am incapable of a coherent sentence at the moment. I’m highly aroused by this predicament.


“Dezso, my love. Your wrists are currently bound by the ties that bind us, our souls together as one. Will you submit yourself to me and complete our binding for all eternity? Will you become mine as fully as I am yours, forever bound to one another?’


I swallow a lump that has formed within my throat. It’s a painful swallow but I must to answer her with the words my heart speaks so loudly into my mind. “Forever my lady. I am forever yours, bound for all eternity. Throughout all ends and all beginnings. I would kneel before you and hand you my heart and soul without hesitation.”


She smiles at me and slowly begins to crawl up my body. Making sure her breasts caress my flesh as she makes her way, then her face is just centimeters from mine.


I shiver at the contact and find I am breathing very heavily from arousal. “Please untie me Iria. Let me love you.” I jolt up with the feeling of falling and find myself no longer bound or Iria above me.She sleeps soundly beside me with a hand moving within her nether region and another upon her breast. What a glorious sight to awaken to. It’s just as arousing as the dream I left unfinished. My cock is harder than stone and begging—no pleading for release. I place one hand upon her other breast and move my face towards where her hand begins to quicken. I cannot help but wonder what she dreams. Hoping it is me, completing these actions and bringing her to her peak.

Inhaling deeply of her intimate scent I stop her hand and hold it down to her side while using my other hand to spread her folds and dive in for a feast with my tongue. 


She writhes beneath my mouth, panting and whispering my name. She quickly comes to completion with a jolt upwards. Grabbing at my head and pushing it closer to her. “Yes Dezso, yes!”


I remove myself from her valley and climb upon her. She’s blinking drowsily at my with a timid smile upon her face.

“Good morning Iria. I will have you know my love.”


She gives a small nod and spreads her legs wider for me.I enter her with one powerful thrust and she screams my name upon entry. I do not hold back moving as fast as my hips allow. Pounding into her over and over again, while enjoying her pussy pulsing in orgasm around me.Bringing forth my own. There is no holding back my love for her. I release it with one more powerful thrust within her once again bringing forth another orgasm within her. Her pussy milks each and every drop of my essence. Almost as if it’s sucking it from my cock.

We both lay still for a few moments gaining our bearings. I am the first to move or speak. I lay a kiss upon her sweaty brow and continue along the side of her face until I reach her lips. “Good morning love. Are you ready to go out and about for our picnic with the sun?”


She sighs softly and smiles.“Yes Dezso. Can we go on our picnic as is.Without coverings?”

I cannot resist letting out a full bellied laugh. Tears are leaking out of my eyes from the intensity of it. “No Iria. We must dress. I will find you something to put on. We will both dress and go have our morning meal outdoors as I stated yesterday and I will answer all of your questions the best I can. Do you approve?”


“Yes Dezso. I approve just as long as we can remove the coverings again very soon.”


I give her another quick kiss and roll off of her to gather all we need to enjoy our day outdoors. I know I am taking a risk by bringing her out after what she has told me of Than’s words. But I have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep us safe and aware for the time we are out. Plus, where I want to take her is not far from here and I already have wards in place to protect the surrounding area of our home.


I have a great feeling about today. I don’t ever recall awakening so happily…


Be sure to come back for the next brief!

(This story continues to be dedicated to my one and only sister, my Pookie. Her love of unicorns from when we were tots is what inspired me to write it. Love you my sissy!)




Here are other AMAZING Wednesday Briefs for you to visit:

Lily Sawyer    Shelly Shultz MA Church  Nephylim   Cia Nordwell Tali Spencer    Victoria Adams Elyzabeth VaLey    Julie Lynn Hayes Andrew Q. Gordon