Wednesdays worldly covers is a weekly feature I made up where every week I share a cover from around the world because who doesn't love a pretty cover!
Since we missed last week this week will be a double feature :)
This is the French cover for 'Mortels petits secrets' which translates to the same as our title Deadly little secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz.
Mist: I've never read this book but I'm pretty sure this crrepy cover doesn't suit it lol It's so dark and morbid, I don't like. but I do like the font and the pretty pink flowers and vines.
Ninfa: Really nice, I love the dark feel of it and the model with her eyes closed is very intriguing. It makes me want to know more about what she's hiding and why she looks almost ashamed. I like.
And this here is our cover in the UK and the US.
Mist: This one is so much nicer, it's breezy and kinda makes me think of spring. Whilst I don't think it'd stop me in a store, I like it.
Ninfa: I like the title and the frame around it is really pretty. Not sure about the actual whole cover though, it's kinda boring and doesn't really give me any big reactions...Perhaps a little too vague for me.
And for your second dose here's the German cover for Meerjungfrau sucht Prinz fürs Leben (Mermaid Prince looks for life) by Tera Lynn childs, otherwise known as Forgive my fins.
Mist: I don't get the title of this one at all (Perhaps Google translate didn't get it right lol) but I do think the cover is lots of fun, the way the tail is drawn on for a cartoonish feel, it lets me know this is a light book.
Ninfa: This cover is so much fun, and gives you a very clear idea of what the story is going to be like. I love the drawn mermaid tale and the gorgeous blue sea background. Very, very pretty.
And here is what it looks like in the UK.
Mist: I really love this cover. I like the aqua tint over the whole thing and the drawing of bubbles and shells and the fun font, it's great!
Ninfa: Very cute and very girlie, exactly what a YA cover should be. Love the little bubbles on the side and the pink title.
UK vs US is where we compare the uk and us cover of the same book.
Lots of other blogs do this but I don't know where it originated.
Mist: Whilst I like the US cover it's a UK win for me. I love the tag line and the eerie almost scary feel from the girl crouching alone. The US cover is cool but I don't like that yellow and the girl in the middle kind of doesn't fit in.
Ninfa: I prefer the US version with the gold yellow cover. It looks so apocalyptic and I like the lonely figure walking through the rubble in the destroyed city, it really makes me want to find out more about the book. The UK version is kinda sad and grey but I do like the tag at the top...if they put that on top of the US one it'd be perfect, so US win for me on this one.
And for the second helping I thought I'd do something a bit different.
Mist: Another UK win for me, it's simplicity gives it a creepier feel than the AUS cover that has lots going on and gives the book a younger feel. I love the blue on the UK cover of the and the tagline. The people on the AUS cover are kind of cheesy but I like all the clouds and lightening.
Ninfa: This is a UK win. I love the slick and elegant cover, it's so modern and sci-fi. The Aussie version is a little too busy for me and I don't like the POD title font and colour.
UK wins.
Story: Jane Parker has seen so much loss and suffering to last her a lifetime. Her dreams are haunted by the terrible accident that took away her family and she lives as a recluse, running away from life and people, steeling her heart to not be hurt again.
But as her dreams start to show her a gorgeous man, chained and abused, her heart can't help but reaching out to him.
When a strange book is delivered to her home she thinks nothing of it, but inside the pages she discovers the story of the mysterious prisoner and she's sucked into his world with no hope of escape.
Nicolai is the prisoner is Jane's dreams. A Vampire sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina, he doesn't know who he is and where he comes from, but a ferocious need for freedom and revenge burn inside him and the only thing he's certain of is that Jane is the only person in the world that can help him.
Once they come together, a powerful force will be unleashed, and worldswill be changed forever.
Review
I've read Gena Showalter's books for years and one thing is certain: she never disappoints.
Her stories deliver exactly what it says in the tin: sexy and tortured heroes, strong willed heroines and a romantic whirlwind that will sweep your heart and senses away.
“Lord of the Vampires” is no different.
The first instalment in the 4 books series “The Royal House of Shadows”, which is a collaboration of 4 fantastic authors (Jill Monroe, Jessica Andersen and Nalini Singh), is as sizzling hot and page turning as any of Gena's books (I'm a big fan of “The Lords of the Underworld” series)
Nicolai is a great anti-hero, he's savage, vengeful and yet he's full of contradictions and I loved how his true emotions started to blossom as his feelings for Jane became deeper and stronger.
He was of course my favourite character in the book :)
I love the new world in which the story evolves, and although it is very familiar in that it resembles other worlds from Gena's stories, it's still interesting and varied and full of interesting mythologies and legends.
The plot is intriguing and well developed and has so many twist and turns that it's going to keep readers entertained and on the edge.
I can't wait to see how the series will continue but let me say, Gena Showalter has certainly kicked it off with pure class ;)
You'll love it if you like: Gena Showalter's books of course :)
Since these are all short novellas I decided to one review of them altogether.
What's it about?
Hold me: Still reeling from her mother’s death, news anchor Jane Caldwell’s life is upended further when she learns the father she lost twenty years ago is still alive. Her mother’s will unleashes a manhunt—the Caldwell sisters must find their father, or their mother’s estate will not be settled, and their questions about his disappearance will remain unanswered.
Jane’s search leads her to Guatemala to investigate a man who claims to be her father and heir to the family fortune. Needing a translator, she enlists enigmatic Harrison DeNeuve, a sexy ex-patriot with a penchant for wearing dark sunglasses in public.
As Jane struggles to reunite with her would-be father, Harrison fights to suppress his desire for Jane. He has a secret—one he’s sequestered himself in a third-world jungle hideaway to keep safe—and falling for Jane puts more than his heart at risk.
Jane finds two men in Guatemala—a father and a lover—but can she trust either of them?
Thrill me: Santa Fe Police Detective Margo Caldwell needs a vacation, but the wild goose chase her mother’s death triggers isn’t quite what she had in mind. Margo and her sisters must locate their father, or the Caldwell estate will remain unsettled—and they’ll never know why their father didn’t return from the Gulf War.
Pursuing a lead, Margo heads to the Virgin Islands in search of Zach Caldwell. To navigate the waters of the Caribbean, she needs a boat and a captain. Too bad Captain Adrian Prince, with his mesmerizing muscles and wicked grin, may be gunrunner.
Adrian takes Margo on his delivery route to small islands near St. Thomas that hide more than wildlife, booze, and sexy boaters. On a remote, mangrove-ridden patch of sand, they find gun-toting Zach Caldwell. When their mission turns deadly, Margo must save Adrian’s life—and her own—even if she loses her heart in the process.
Entice me: Heartsick over the untimely death of her mother, Allison Caldwell is blindsided again by the secret revealed in her mom’s will. Her supposedly dead father is alive, and she and her two sisters must find him in order to settle the Caldwell estate.
Robert Rivera, private investigator and former Navy SEAL, alerts Allison to new intel identifying her father as a P.O.W. in Afghanistan. With her sisters out of the country pursuing leads, Allison insists on heading to the war-ravaged country to find him. Robert doesn’t want his naïve client to take the risk. He knows what danger lays in that godforsaken land…he’s lived through it. Barely.
But Allison is determined to go, and Robert can’t let her travel alone. Reluctantly appreciative, Allison quickly realizes how much she needs his guidance and protection, and how deeply she longs for his love. Robert struggles to understand her effect on his battle-weary heart.
The path to Allison’s father is blocked by terrorists, traps and treachery—all demons of Robert’s past. Can he survive a second round with the enemy and keep Allison out of harm’s way?
My review 5/5
I should start by saying I don't really read romance novels and I'm not that big on short stories or novellas so as you can imagine I really had to think about it but I'm always saying I'm willing to try new things so I said yes, if you've spotted my 5/5 rating then you can guess I'm really pleased that I did. These aren't the soppy love stories I was expecting, they're exciting and passionate with a good story and plenty of action.
Each book follows one of three sisters, each of which are following a different lead in the search for the long lost Dad. Along the way each Sister meets a handsome man and some steamy scenes ensue.
Even though it sounds like each story would be the same thing but in a different country it really wasn't, each tale stood on it's own with every character having their own personality so I didn't get them confused with each other.
I understand with novellas they have to move along faster and skimp on descriptions to fit everything in and personally that's something that annoys me and is what puts me off shorts but I found it wasn't the case with these, they were full of descriptions of the scenery of the different locations that I could imagine Guatemala and Afghanistan, both places I've never been.
I could also tell lots of research had been done by the author, particularly for book three which takes us into the war zone of Afghanistan.
Theses books had my heart racing and not just because of the... ahem... steamier scenes but because of the action scenes when I just wasn't sure what was going to happen.
I really enjoyed the authors writing and read each 70(ish) page novella really quickly. The story was well rounded and each book, which actually occur at the same time, linked together seamlessly.
I was left thirsty for more and I'm extremely glad I came out of my comfort zone to read these!
My thoughts on the covers
Hmm, perhaps a little cheesy, but who doesn't love cheesy sometimes. I think the scenes on the bottom half capture the location settings really well and look at all those hot men! I think they give the feel of the books and I liked them.
Favourite quotes
Harrison took her suitcase without a word. He was quite the gentleman. If only he could have been less of one last night. - Hold me.
Adrian Prince was going to be good in bed or berth or whatever it was called on a boat. - Thrill me.
Ally felt his heart beat, satisfied with it's rapid pace, with the dark cloudiness swirling in his eyes. She ran her hand through his hair, loving the intimacy of the gesture. - Entice me.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, head on over there to play along.
This weeks top ten is;
'Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read'
I could probably list at least 50 books for this one lol So I'm going to try sticking to ones I just had to have and still haven't got to reading.
They're in no particular order other than the order I found them on my goodreads 'to-read' shelf.
1. Matched by Ally Condie (Bought 4th March 2011) - I wanted this so bad when it came out but I couldn't get it, so I asked my Dad for it for Christmas last year, three months later when he still hadn't got to getting it for me I bought it myself, so then of course a copy he'd ordered showed up so I ended up with two! I gave the extra one away and guess what, I still haven't read it! However I should be getting Crossed for review any day now so I do have plans to read it very soon, yay!
2. Need by Carrie Jones (Bought early 2009) - I hadn't heard of this when it came out, I was still new to the genre, but I came across it browsing the bookstore and it sounded good (and it had a pretty cover!) so I bought it, I've even since bought Captivate and very recently someone gifted me Entice so I now have all three available books in the series but have I read it... nope!
3. Night World books 1 - 3 bind-up by L.J. Smith (Bought May 2009, I think) - I got this after reading Twilight because I wanted more Vampires yet somehow it's got pushed aside over and over and I've never read it.
4. Strange angels by Lili St. Crow (Bought Feb 2010) - I heard about this first when it was on my Amazon recommendations, it sounded so good I purposely searched it out on a shopping trip with a friend, a year and a half later it's still waiting for me to get to it.
5. The hollow by Jessica Verday (Bought Dec 2009) Well actually this was a Christmas present from my husband but who do you think picked it! lol It's another one I've since collected the rest of the series to but still haven't read.
6. Sisters red by Jackson Pearce (Bought June-ish 2010) - I just had to have this, I moaned at my husband until I got it, I had planned to read it but somewhere along the way I didn't.
7. Storm born by Richelle Mead (Bought Dec 2009) - After loving the first couple of Vampire academy books I wanted to try something else by the author so I bought this and the next book, I even later went on to buy the first book in her succubus series but I've never gotten to reading either. I think I'm subconciously worried that I'll be let down if I don't like them as much as VA and it'll ruin that for me, or something lol
8. Wings by Aprilynne Pike (Bought Dec 2009) - No story to this one, it sunded good so I bought it but I still haven't got to reading it.
9. Halfway to the grave by Jeaniene Frost (Bought June 2010) - I wasn't sure if I should about getting this one for the longest time, even though I know it's a popular series I just wasn't sure it was for me but someone said I just had to get it so I did planning to read it sometime soon but I just never, now I've promised someone else I'll have it read by the end of this year and I'm running out of time!
10. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater (Bought Jan 2010) - This one sounded interesting so I bought it, I've since bought Shiver and Linger by the author which I looooved and yet I still haven't gone back and read this one!
And after going through my Amazon history and racking my brains to remember when I bought these books I just totally shocked at how many more books I've owned for nearly two years and still haven't read!
Hello, my name is Cambria Hebert and I am a coffee –aholic. I am also a werewolf –aholic, a shop –aholic and a vampire diaries –aholic. Yeah, I know I have a lot of issues. I tried the twelve-step program and I had a sponsor but he looked and acted suspiciously like a werewolf so how was I supposed to quit that habit? Exactly.
But that isn’t my biggest problem. Nope. I have another little obsession. Okay, it’s the biggest one yet… *clears throat* I… am a book- aholic.
There I said it.
You know my dirty little secret.
I’ve had this problem since I was a little girl. When I was really young I could never find anything I liked so I made the books I read. One was about a duck. One was a restaurant menu that I played waitress with. But then I got older and I became obsessed with R.L. Stein (he’s probably to blame for the werewolf addiction) and his Goosebumps series. Then I read all the classics like Little Women and Huckelberry Fin. Then I got even older and I found those romance novels…. Yeah those. My mom would walk by my bedroom door and stop while I was reading and say, “what are you smiling about?” If you ever read those books you know what I was smiling about.
It was all downhill from there.
I read and read for years. Magazines, cook books, and romance still. Then I found the world of young adult literature. No twelve-step will ever cure me from YA reading. I love it. It’s a whole new world to me.
Then came the vampires, werewolves and witches…. OH MY!
That’s all I read now. But I have to tell you that my reading habit is beginning to suffer. Yup, there’s a new disease in town.
Hello, my name is Cambria Hebert and I am a writer – aholic. All that reading of werewolves and fairies put some crazy ideas in my head. And since I was already crazy you can imagine how that went. So, I started writing. The people in my head tell me their stories and I write them out. It’s the best thing ever. Creating a story and a plot from a single idea is so challenging but when it all starts to come together, when the world in your head unfolds on the paper…its magic.
It has become an addiction so I had to get another sponsor: Otherworld Publications. I don’t think they are really helping me cure my disease because they keep asking me to write stuff. Since they are my sponsors I can’t say no.
Besides, there is this one girl, her name is Heven, she talks to me a lot. She has quite the story to tell. I can’t just let it go untold…
She’s disfigured and she can’t remember how she got that way. I have to help her find out. Before she had her “accident” her life was perfect, she had everything. But then it all changed and she realized the life she had probably was the wrong life for her. So Heven and I are going to figure out what kind of life she was meant to have. Apparently there’s this guy, his name is Sam. Heven is pretty taken with him…
But I have this feeling.
Sam isn’t everything Heven thinks.
But, I guess we will figure it out together.
This has been a helpful AA meeting but I really must go. My sponsor needs me to check in and Heven has some things to say. Apparently she had a nightmare and needs to get it out…
For any of the other “a-holics” out there. There is hope. When it feels like there isn’t pick up a book and disappear into its pages. When you come back out you’ll forget what it is that you just had to do.
Unless of course you are a book –aholic. For that I am pretty sure there is no cure.
Lost in a world of white, I lay. Pain and cold were my only companions. How long would it take me to die? Would the cold freeze my heart and stop its beating?
A red plastic sled saved the day. A woman saved my life.
Unfortunately, saving my life might cost Grace her own. We get one day together, Christmas day, one day of bliss among misery. Too soon t...moreLost in a world of white, I lay. Pain and cold were my only companions. How long would it take me to die? Would the cold freeze my heart and stop its beating?
A red plastic sled saved the day. A woman saved my life.
Unfortunately, saving my life might cost Grace her own. We get one day together, Christmas day, one day of bliss among misery. Too soon the tree is down and all that’s left of the cinnamon biscuits are crumbs.
The people who want me dead come back to see their task complete. I didn’t have a plan, but Grace did.
Never trust a woman with a shotgun.
What if your life was charmed and everything in it was perfect…
Before.
This is the story of my past. Of what things were like for me when everything was normal. Of what every teenager’s life is like. Clothes. Parties. Boys and summer vacation. What’s so wrong with that? I liked it. I was happy.
Until things changed. I chan...moreWhat if your life was charmed and everything in it was perfect…
Before.
This is the story of my past. Of what things were like for me when everything was normal. Of what every teenager’s life is like. Clothes. Parties. Boys and summer vacation. What’s so wrong with that? I liked it. I was happy.
Until things changed. I changed.
I didn’t know that lies and secrets were about to take over my existence. I didn’t know there was someone out there, someone meant just for me. I didn’t know that I was about to go on a journey, a journey that would lead me to the girl I am today.
This is the beginning of the worst year of my life. Would I go back and change things? Erase everything that has happened to go back into these moments?
Not a chance.
This is a story of before.
Before. Everything was so much better Before. I wasn’t haunted by nightmares, my place at school was secure and my face was flawless. Now, I’m a freak and everything has changed. The worst part is that I can’t remember the night I was sentenced to the shadows. The memory has been stolen from me and I just can’t shake the feeling that someone, something is out there -watching.
Just when I think I have my life handled, Sam, with his intimidating golden stare and shiver inducing voice, makes me realize that I don’t know anything. He makes me see that my scars don’t matter. That they never mattered. I can’t help but fall for him, completely unknowing that he knows exactly how I got this way. Not knowing he was involved.
Heven has no idea how closely death stalks her. She has no idea what I have done to keep her alive. I fear the day she learns my secrets, finds out what I really am. But even then I cannot stop, I vow to make things right. Finally her hunter will be hunted, Heaven and Hell, faith and sin will battle, and we will be victorious. But first, Heven must learn to be what she never imagined. I know her strength is there – I feel it. If we are to overcome all odds, she must push past her flaws - her frailties - to become much more
Cambria is very kindly giving away a signed personalised copy of Masquerade and an Ecopy of both Whiteout and Before.
Deets
The paperback copy of Masquerade giveaway is OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY, so please be sure to enter where your from on your free entry or it will be deleted from the running.
The Ecopy giveaways are INTERNATIONAL, so again please enter where you are from in the extra info on your free entry.
Ecopy winners will receive a smashwords coupon code to download their book.
The paperback will be sent mid December when it becomes available.
Giveaway ends 21st November.
There is no requirement to follow just fill in the 'Free entry' to enter, however following and sharing is always appreciated so there are extra entries for those to say thanks.
First of all, thank you so much Terri for taking the time to answer our questions :)
Thank you so much, Misty and Ninfa. It’s an honor to be here!
So, here we go:
- "In Leah's Wake" is written from different perspectives. How difficult was it to change your point of view from that of a teenager to, say, her mother or father?
When I write – this is probably true of most writers – all the characters I create are in some way a part of me. While I don’t consider myself to be entirely like any character, I’m a bit like all of them. In that sense, in that I’m very close to the characters, it’s not as hard as it may seem to get inside their heads. In a way, we’re like method actors; we channel our characters; while we’re writing, become them. That’s how it feels to me, anyway.
It is sometimes hard to transition. I find it easier to spend my full writing day with one character. I may write a scene from the point of view of a second character, but the result is usually an overview or a sketch. The next day I’ll go back and fill it in.
- The book deals with some very serious issues (drugs and underage drinking amongst others). Did you feel the need to research these themes or were you inspired by real life stories in any way?
I did do quite a bit of research. I read articles and researched various drugs on the Internet. If I had questions about the teen point of view or I wasn’t sure how a teenager would act in or react to a particular circumstance or event, I would ask my daughters or their friends to share their thoughts and insights.
When I was writing the book, my daughters were teenagers, so I was acutely aware of issues and problems involving teens. In one scene, Jerry Johnson, the police officer, thinks about an accident in which a car carrying teenage boys hits a tree, the car bursts into flames, and he’s unable to save them. Sadly, this really happened. I heard the story and couldn’t get it out of my head.
More than specific events, the book’s central themes came from observation. Parents want to do well by their children and often push themselves – and their kids - to be perfect. This creates an unhealthy, even damaging, competition among families. When kids get in trouble, they’re ostracized, leaving them isolated and alone, causing problems to escalate. Themes about connection, community and responsibility come from those observations.
- Were you ever a "Leah" or a "Justine" as a teenager?
I was neither and both. Like most artists, I’m a rebel. I don’t like being put in a box, told what to do or how to do it – I’d rather make my own mistakes (laughs) – so in this way I was a Leah. In high school, I was a dork – class officer, straight-A student – and I was an even bigger dork in middle school, so in that way, and also in that I’m non-confrontational, I was more a Justine.
There seems to be sort of a fairy tale bittersweet moral in the story, where the people who behave badly get their reckoning, and the good people get to carry on with their lives, was that something you did consciously? Was it important for you to give a message to your readers?
This is an interesting question. No, that was not conscious at all. If there’s a message it’s really that we need to be more invested in our community and take greater responsibility for each other.
We tend to believe only bad kids from bad families get in trouble, but that’s simply not true. This attitude allows us to distance ourselves – this could never happen to us. When families have problems we judge and ostracize them, adding to the difficulties they’re already facing.
The Tyler family is far from perfect, but they love one another. Had the community rallied around and supported them, Leah might not have gotten as lost. Like adults, most teens just want to feel accepted and loved – not for what they accomplish or contribute, but for who they are. The truth is, when problems arise, the fallout affects the entire community. I think we owe it to our teens, to our communities, and to ourselves to work harder to support and encourage all kids, not just those who conform.
- What would you like people to say about your book?
First, I hope people find the book worth their time. Readers often tell me the characters made them angry or that they wanted to scream at them. This makes me smile. It means the reader felt invested. Last week, at a reading in Ann Arbor, a seventy-year-old woman said that In Leah’s Wake should be required reading in every high school. I was and am deeply touched by this. If my book gives readers a sense of connection, I will be wildly happy.
- What was your favourite book growing up?
This feels silly now – The Exorcist. By today’s standards it’s tame; then The Exorcist was a shocking literary sensation. As I’ve said, I’m a bit of a rebel. Although I’ve always loved reading, I resented being forced to read the classics in school, particularly in they were almost always about boys or men. Being forbidden gave The Exorcist a deliciously sweet edge. I also loved Exodus, a glorious book by Leon Uris, about the birth of the nation of Israel. It was, to my mind, the first important book I ever read.
As a child, I loved – and still love - Peter Pan. Although the stories are often dark, I adored my book of fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen.
- Is there a book that touched you or inspired you in a special way?
I grew up in the sixties and seventies, while women were fighting for equal rights. As a child in a patriarchal Italian family, I felt those struggles intensely. The prejudices faced by the family in the play A Raisin in the Sun resonated with me. I felt the same way, later, when I read Native Son and Malcom X. My novel-in-progress, Nowhere to Run, deals with racism. While my struggles pale in comparison to those faced by many African Americans, I feel that prejudices and challenges are part of the human story; in stories about overcoming them, I find hope and inspiration.
-And last but not least, are you a Bookaholic?
Absolutely! A writer without books is like a baker without flour! Reading is such an integral part of who we are. Reading informs our writing, makes us better writers. For most writers, certainly for me, reading provides comfort, companionship, inspiration. In a strange way, we grow up thinking of books almost as friends. It’s my love of reading - that connection – that compels me to write.
Thank you again so very much, Ninfa and Mist. I’m grateful for this opportunity to chat with you and to meet and connect with your readers. Readers – thank you so much for the generous gift of your time!
In Leah's wake The Tyler family had the perfect life - until sixteen-year-old Leah decided she didn't want to be perfect anymore. While her parents fight to save their daughter from destroying her brilliant future, Leah's younger sister, Justine, must cope with the damage her out-of-control sibling leaves in her wake. What happens when love just isn't enough?
This mesmerizing debut novel tells the tale of a contemporary American family caught in the throes of adolescent rebellion - a heartbreaking, funny, ultimately redemptive quest for love, independence, connection and grace.
About the author
Terri Giuliano Long is the bestselling author of the novel In Leah’s Wake. Her life outside of books is devoted to her family. In her free time, she enjoys walking, traveling, and listening to music. True to her Italian-American heritage, she’s an enthusiastic cook. In an alternate reality, she might have been an international food writer. She teaches writing at Boston College. In Leah’s Wake is her debut novel.
The Caldwell sisters series (so far) by Lucianne Rivers
Blurb
Hold me:
Still reeling from her mother’s death, news anchor Jane Caldwell’s life is upended further when she learns the father she lost twenty years ago is still alive. Her mother’s will unleashes a manhunt—the Caldwell sisters must find their father, or their mother’s estate will not be settled, and their questions about his disappearance will remain unanswered.
JStill reeling from her mother’s death, news anchor Jane Caldwell’s life is upended further when she learns the father she lost twenty years ago is still alive. Her mother’s will unleashes a manhunt—the Caldwell sisters must find their father, or their mother’s estate will not be settled, and their questions about his disappearance will remain unanswered.
Jane’s search leads her to Guatemala to investigate a man who claims to be her father and heir to the family fortune. Needing a translator, she enlists enigmatic Harrison DeNeuve, a sexy ex-patriot with a penchant for wearing dark sunglasses in public.
As Jane struggles to reunite with her would-be father, Harrison fights to suppress his desire for Jane. He has a secret—one he’s sequestered himself in a third-world jungle hideaway to keep safe—and falling for Jane puts more than his heart at risk.
Jane finds two men in Guatemala—a father and a lover—but can she trust either of them?
Thrill me:
Santa Fe Police Detective Margo Caldwell needs a vacation, but the wild goose chase her mother’s death triggers isn’t quite what she had in mind. Margo and her sisters must locate their father, or the Caldwell estate will remain unsettled—and they’ll never know why their father didn’t return from the Gulf War.
Pursuing a lead, Margo heads to the Virgin Islands i...moreSanta Fe Police Detective Margo Caldwell needs a vacation, but the wild goose chase her mother’s death triggers isn’t quite what she had in mind. Margo and her sisters must locate their father, or the Caldwell estate will remain unsettled—and they’ll never know why their father didn’t return from the Gulf War.
Pursuing a lead, Margo heads to the Virgin Islands in search of Zach Caldwell. To navigate the waters of the Caribbean, she needs a boat and a captain. Too bad Captain Adrian Prince, with his mesmerizing muscles and wicked grin, may be gunrunner.
Adrian takes Margo on his delivery route to small islands near St. Thomas that hide more than wildlife, booze, and sexy boaters. On a remote, mangrove-ridden patch of sand, they find gun-toting Zach Caldwell. When their mission turns deadly, Margo must save Adrian’s life - and her own - even if she loses her heart in the process.
Entice me:
Heartsick over the untimely death of her mother, Allison Caldwell is blindsided again by the secret revealed in her mom’s will. Her supposedly dead father is alive, and she and her two sisters must find him in order to settle the Caldwell estate.
Robert Rivera, private investigator and former Navy SEAL, alerts Allison to new intel identifying her father as a P.O...moreHeartsick over the untimely death of her mother, Allison Caldwell is blindsided again by the secret revealed in her mom’s will. Her supposedly dead father is alive, and she and her two sisters must find him in order to settle the Caldwell estate.
Robert Rivera, private investigator and former Navy SEAL, alerts Allison to new intel identifying her father as a P.O.W. in Afghanistan. With her sisters out of the country pursuing leads, Allison insists on heading to the war-ravaged country to find him. Robert doesn’t want his naïve client to take the risk. He knows what danger lays in that godforsaken land…he’s lived through it. Barely.
But Allison is determined to go, and Robert can’t let her travel alone. Reluctantly appreciative, Allison quickly realizes how much she needs his guidance and protection, and how deeply she longs for his love. Robert struggles to understand her effect on his battle-weary heart.
The path to Allison’s father is blocked by terrorists, traps and treachery—all demons of Robert’s past. Can he survive a second round with the enemy and keep Allison out of harm’s way?
My thoughts
I've put these three together because they're all less than 100 pages each so I didn't want to bombard you with posts of all three. I'm on the blog tour for the third book 'Entice me' which has recently been released and so I have that for review but the publishers sent me all three since I've not read them. These are sooo far from what I normally read but I do like to try something new every now and then so I decided to give them a shot when I was approached about the blog tour, I am looking forward to starting them in, like, three minutes, and I hope I enjoy them.
Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst - Yes, I know, I know, I'm on a ban!! But when I had some money left from a night out my husband told me to order myself a book. What's a girl to do! so I ordered this, it sounds so fun and I'm mega excited to read it.
eBooks
For review
Pure by Julianna Baggott - Courtesy of NetGalley, I was seriously excited when I saw this one on there! Can't wait to read it.
On my reading pile this coming week.
I usually mention what I'm planning to read the next week on the end of my videos if anyone watches that far lol But since there's no video I'll still tell you so you know which reviews I have coming up.
I give credit to Rachel over at fiktshun who I stole got the idea from.
So after I've finished the three novellas by Lucianne Rivers (pics on the left go to Goodreads) which I expect to run over into Monday, I'm planning to read
I didn't just buy Birthmarked when it came out, I preordered it and I still haven't read it!
So then when I saw Prized on NetGalley I requested it so I could read the two together for the release of Prized and do a double review, I've fallen behind and missed the release date (I think) but better late than never, I'm really excited that I'm finally reading them though. And I just found there's a short story between the two of them so I'll have to see if I can get my hands on that.
And if either my lost copy or the second copy sent of this shows up I'll be stopping to read The double shadow by Sally Gardner because I'm the last stop on the blog tour on the 20th so I need to get it reviewed! It's not my typical read but I'm looking forward to it.
And if you've managed to stick with this post this far down the go enter my giveaway to win £50 to spend on books of your choice Book Depository, it's International!!
Lost in a world of white, I lay. Pain and cold were my only companions. How long would it take me to die? Would the cold freeze my heart and stop its beating?
A red plastic sled saved the day. A woman saved my life.
Unfortunately, saving my life might cost Grace her own. We get one day together, Christmas day, one day of bliss among misery. Too sooLost in a world of white, I lay. Pain and cold were my only companions. How long would it take me to die? Would the cold freeze my heart and stop its beating?
A red plastic sled saved the day. A woman saved my life.
Unfortunately, saving my life might cost Grace her own. We get one day together, Christmas day, one day of bliss among misery. Too soon the tree is down and all that’s left of the cinnamon biscuits are crumbs.
The people who want me dead come back to see their task complete. I didn’t have a plan, but Grace did.
Never trust a woman with a shotgun.
My review
4/5
I've mentioned before that I don't really go for short stories but I'm totally glad that I did end up enjoying this one. Whilst I'd like to have known more about the back story of how our characters got to be where they are, that's just my full length novel preference coming through, but I know, I know this is a short story! And I did get into it right away and I was really intrigued to know what was happening and what was going to happen.
I really liked both the main characters as well, I could grasp what kinds of people they were even in such a short space.
I'm trying my best not to spoil so I'll just say I really liked where it went and how it ended, it was believeable and the christmas setting was an extra plus for me beacause I love Christmas!
My thoughts on the cover
I really like it, you definitely get that cold winter feel and the bloody heart really gives it something extra and makes you wonder what it's about, at least that's what I think lol
Favourite quote
I was jealous as hell she had men's clothing here. the thought of any man touching her made me angry. And I did know her. she was brave and caring; she was loyal and strong. And she cooked good food.
