Monday, July 27, 2015

The Sephra's Tear by Robyn Bachar

I would like introduce this wonderful new book in the BBT bookcase to you.

 

Author: Robyn Bachar
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Robyn Bachar
Publish Date: 6/1/15

From the Back: 

 

Just one spell will change their fates…

Cordelia is a pawn of House Dorchada—a notorious noble family comprised of thieves, assassins and dark wizards. Desperate to avoid their poisonous politics, Cordelia plotted her escape for years, but her carefully laid plans are jeopardized when her father commands her to marry an aged lord of Frostever.

With only a few short months left before her wedding, Cordelia’s salvation hinges on creating a Sephra’s Tear—a forbidden amulet that causes overwhelming lust in its victim. A black market buyer promises a life-changing amount of coin as payment for the Tear, but being caught creating it carries a death sentence.

Two wizards are needed to produce the passion to fuel the erotic spell, so Cordelia recruits the aid of peasant wizard Nathaniel Ravenwood. Nathaniel has long denied his desire for the beautiful Cordelia. As a noblewoman and a Dorchada she is as dangerous to Nathaniel as a viper, but the fortune she offers is a temptation he can't refuse.

Dealing in dark magic comes with a price, and Cordelia and Nathaniel risk losing their freedom—and their hearts. Their fates depend on the one spell that will free them, or destroy them.

                                                      Amazon   Barnes and Noble    Kobo
                                                     Scribd    iTunes    All Romance eBooks
                                          Grab it at Smashwords for $1.99 Use Coupon Code: ME32Q


Excerpt:

Nathaniel’s study was located in the lower levels of the stronghold, carved out of the stone the city was built upon, where the wizards of limited financial means lived and trained. The décor changed with each floor she descended, the layers of artistry and comfort stripped away until the walls and floor were bare gray stone. Like everything in White Harbor, the lines dividing the wealthy and the poor were clear. Cordelia enjoyed the tangible privileges of noble birth, but she knew she wouldn’t have them for much longer. She’d gladly give up silk and perfume for the freedom that wool and sweat would bring her.

When she arrived at Nathaniel’s door she paused and inhaled a deep breath. Cordelia had committed many small larcenies, and a Sephra’s Tear would be the boldest sin she had ever attempted. Cordelia’s hand trembled as she raised it, and she knocked and opened the door when she heard him bid her enter.
Seated at the aged desk dominating the room, Nathaniel glanced up from the book he had been reading. Surprise flickered across his face for a moment before he rose.

“Lady Dorchada. I won’t have your money until the first of next month.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Then to what do I owe this honor?” Though the question was phrased respectfully, his tone was suspicious. She couldn’t blame him - a Dorchada at one’s door was never a harbinger of good news.

Cordelia stepped into the tiny room and let the door shut behind her. He had a desk, a small alchemy table and a stove for heat. There was one other chair, but it was occupied by a tall stack of books. She glanced at it and gave Nathaniel a pointed look. Rounding his desk, he cleared the books away and waved his guest to take a seat.

“Thank you.” The stiff chair was uncomfortable, but Cordelia sat in it primly. “I apologize for the interruption. I will try not to keep you long. I have a new business proposition.”

“You have my attention.” Nathaniel returned to his seat and watched her with a neutral expression. She hesitated as the well-rehearsed speech vanished from her thoughts. Cordelia cleared her throat and tried to phrase her request as politely as possible.

“I need assistance with casting a somewhat difficult spell, and I hope that you may be able to aid me.”
“What sort of spell?” Nathaniel tended to be brusque, and his straightforwardness added to the anxiety tying her stomach into knots.

“One that would require discretion, should you choose to be involved.”

Nathaniel sat back and folded his hands in his lap. “All of our dealings require discretion, my lady. Thus far I’ve been impressed by your caution.”

Cordelia nodded. “Thank you. It is a Sephra’s Tear. A potent Tear.”

The wizard’s dark eyebrows rose to nearly his hairline. He raised his folded hands, covering his mouth to hide his expression. She admired his composure in response to such an unusual request—he probably didn’t often have women arriving unannounced at his door to ask that he make love to them until they both collapsed. Then again, he just might, considering how attractive he was. Nathaniel was older than Cordelia, but not by much. Unbound, his long black hair fell past his shoulders. As with most wizards Nathaniel’s hands were slender, hinting at dexterity instead of strength, and he had high, sharp cheekbones that most of the noble ladies in White Harbor would kill to be graced with. His plain, charcoal robes were well made, but were durable instead of fashionable. Cordelia found his eyes to be his most interesting feature; pale, crystalline blue, Nathaniel’s eyes were mesmerizing, though they were usually filled with suspicion when looking at her.




With the strength that an abuse woman tend to hide from their abusers, Cordelia works on a plan that not only will free her, but her half-sister; Cara as well. We see magic, endurance, and love endure thought out the book. But the dilemma becomes a crutch when she must struggle with the decision to use dark magic in order to escape. A decision that will have consequences for those around her too. 

The book was tastefully done when it came to the sex scenes without being overworked & raunchy.  There are some twist of suspense that will keep your interest peaked. I won't give too many details away so that I don't spoil the book for you. I have to admit that between the the magic, romance and titillating turns for me wonder if there will be a second book in this series.  I can think of a couple ways that the story line can go and hope to see more in the future. Overall I think the book is worthy of a 4 star status.


***Note*** I received this ARC from BBT for the exchange of my honest opinion of the book.  Please remember that these are my own thoughts on this series of books.

Now of course there are other stops on the tour that could include interviews, several guest blog stops and more reviews.  Be sure to check them out!





July 6 Interview
ARe Café

July 6 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and Sissy, Too!    

July 7 Review 
Dowie’s Place

July 8 Interview
Daniela Ark

July 8 Review
The Bibliophile Chronicles 

July 9 Guest blog
Marsha A. Moore

July 10 Spotlight
Roxanne’s Realm

July 13 Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books

July 14 Interview
Sophia Tallon

July 14 Spotlight
T's Stuff  

July 15 Guest blog
Butterfly-o-Meter Books

July 16 Spotlight
Fang-tastic Books

July 17 Guest blog
Books N Pearls 

July 20 Spotlight
Dark Side of Romance

July 21 Spotlight 
Share My Destiny

July 21 Spotlight
Marianne Willis Author

June 22 Guest blog
Highlighted Author  

July 23 Interview
Shut Up and Read 

July 24 Guest blog
Sapphyria's Book Reviews

July 24 Spotlight
Jodie Pierce's Ink Slinger's Blog

July 24 Spotlight
Shyla Wolff

July 27 Review
Ramblings of a Quilter

July 28 Spotlight
Houston Havens  

July 29 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt

July 29 Review
Diaries of 2 Thick Chicks

July 30 Review
Books and Authors

July 29 Spotlight
Lisa Medley

July 31 Spotlight
CBY Book Club

August 3 Spotlight
Susan Heim on Writing

August 3 Review
Literary Musings

August 3 Review
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
 
 
 


Robyn Bachar enjoys writing stories with soul mates, swords, spaceships, vampires and gratuitous violence against the kitchen sink. Her books have final-ed twice in the PRISM Contest for Published Authors, twice in the Passionate Plume Contest, and twice in the EPIC eBook Awards. As a gamer, Robyn has spent many hours rolling dice, playing rock-paper-scissors, and slaying creatures in mmorpgs.

You can find Robyn online at www.robynbachar.com and on Twitter at @RobynBachar.

           Website    Newsletter    Twitter     Blog   Facebook    Google+    Goodreads    LibraryThing
                                                                         Shelfari   Amazon



This time around we have a $25 Gift Card to Amazon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well time to give this a wrap. Until next time...

Toodles,
Tricia  
Posted by at 213 comments:

Saturday, July 18, 2015

OMG !! A Quilt Posting

The heat and humid is awful right now. And will continue to be all weekend.  But never fear!! I actually have something quilty for this posting.

Yesterday was an interesting day.  I got a call from Ms. D about going to the Remus Quilt Show hosted by the Remus Quilt Guild and that she would be here in 20 minutes.  So that was just time to get me and Curtis dressed and ready to fly out the door once she pulled in. Remus is about 12 miles from the house so it was a quick drive.  

After being informed that we was on a schedule, I tried my best to get pictures of the quilts quickly and still have time for the second hand table. There was a couple vendors but as time was short I really didn't get to look at them.  I even had some money with me.  Oh well.

 So here  are some of the pictures I took.  This one really appealed to the nature lover in me.

 

As me and Curtis walked through the quilts I told him to find the one he liked best.  This blue & white cabin was his pick. 
I'll have a much better picture of this quilt; once I unload all of the photos off the camera, along with the marker information.
 

 We managed a quick look at the second hand table and we found a couple of items to purchase.  We even got lucky and found a "Learning" panel of simple squares and some blue fabric for the back.  After a few minutes of discussion, we decided that he wanted to do his own couch quilt.  We will be doing a simple straight stitch by hand.  

 This endeavor of his will actually start tomorrow since I had to go to the storage unit for batting pieces to join up for the middle.  And he had a car wash fundraising event for scout's today.

 You might have remembered that I mentioned that he went to Camp Rotary for his week of Boy Scout Camping.  It appears he had lots of fun, learned new skills and exerted plenty of energy as proof is in the pudding so to speak with these before and after photos.
   


I don't think he made it 15 minutes from the time he hit the door to the time he hit the bed. LOL.  It was a while before he came up for air.

 Last night I ended up doing a mental rendition of walking the floors. Come 10 o'clock I sat down with a show box of pieces that needed to become sections.  Well here is my before and after pictures. 










After having to re-pin/re-stitch over of my half bits in the first photo and minus an hour that I was in FB talking to a friend. I put the last row on at 5a.m. This is the TQPM Button Up pattern from their virtual retreat that got put a side again.  

Well now that I have the rest of the fabrics pulled out, I can work on making & attaching the border on tonight. This top is quickly becoming a finished UFO by my standards. Yeah!!

The other thing I did was move the quilt that is in the floor hoop and drew my stitch lines on.  One more large move and then it's on to the smaller areas with a hand hoop.  

So there you have it.  An actual quilting post.  Until next time...

Toodles,
Tricia

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, July 13, 2015

Angels - Good & Bad?

Is there more than one type of Angels?

I wanted to check out this ARC from BBT because I'm use to the references of Angels being all well ... angelic. The ones that have wings, halo and gentle kind beings.  I know there are some books and movies that does give a look in to the darker side of Angels.

No Rest for the Wicked Banner 851 x 315
No Rest for the Wicked

Author: Dane Cobain
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
Publisher: Booktrope/Forsaken
Cover Artist: Ashley Ruggirello

no rest for the wicked

Book Description:
When the Angels attack, there’s NO REST FOR THE WICKED.

Father Montgomery, an elderly priest with a secret past, begins to investigate after his parishioners come under attack, and with the help of Jones, a young businessman with an estranged child, Montgomery begins to track down the origin of the Angels.

The Angels are naked and androgynous. They speak in a dreadful harmony with no clear leader. These aren’t biblical cherubs tasked with the protection of the righteous – these are deadly creatures of light that have the power to completely eradicate.

When Jones himself is attacked, Father Montgomery knows he has to act fast. He speaks to the Angels and organizes a final showdown where he’s asked to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Available at Amazon



This story was so different from what I had expected.  It had me hesitating, even cautious.  I'm not particularly a person of traditional religions, but I thought it was kind of refreshing that the Angels wasn't very nice as I know most people would define them.

That they considered themselves judge, jury and executioner. What them seem to me is that they are sin eaters. It's so chilling. I don't know why exactly but they made the hair on my arms to stand straight up. It is dark, grisly and had me on edge the whole time.  With each page I turned, my breath would catch in anticipation.  Eerie in fact. It made me feel like the very air was crackling as these Angels came to a person demanding to know all their sins.

Mr. Cobain has dangerously thrilled me with the story of these angles reminding me that there is evil in the world; as well as good and he managed to bring a bright & burning light to it.

I would like to know more about the back story between Father Montgomery and Jones as it added to the spice of the story as well as the characters that was being judged.  What was it that brought these person to light on the Angels radar?  I did find it interesting that Father Montgomery choose to give the ultimate sacrifice.

I would like to see what else Me. Cobain plans to do with his dark side. That would be a book worthy of reading.  I have to thank BBT for introducing me Mr Cobain and in light on my honest opinion that I'm giving for the exchange this ARC I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. And I have to acknowledge that it sent shivers down my back again as I typed up this reviews.



dane

About the Author:

Dane Cobain is a writer and poet from a place you’ve probably never heard of, somewhere in England. His debut novella, a supernatural thriller called ‘No Rest for the Wicked’, will be released by Forsaken in the summer of 2015. When he’s not writing books, he’s reading and reviewing them on his book blog, SocialBookshelves.com – Charles Bukowski, Graham Greene and Phillip Pullman are favourites.


Find him at www.facebook.com/danecobainmusic or follow @DaneCobain on Twitter.
http://www.danecobain.com
http://www.facebook.com/danecobainmusic
http://www.twitter.com/danecobain
http://www.youtube.com/danecobain

- See more at: http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/#sthash.cmfHwYaY.dpuf




July 6 Guest blog
Clarissa Johal, Author
July 6 Interview
BooksChatter 
July 7 Spotlight
CBY Book Club
July 8 Spotlight
Rose's Brain
July 8 Spotlight
Susan’s Books I Like
July 9 Spotlight
Around the World in Books  
July 10 Guest Post 
Mythical Books
July 13 Spotlight (review later)
Blog for readers, writers and blogger by Daniela Ark
July 13 Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books
July 14 Spotlight
Reily Garrett
July 15 Spotlight
Shyla Wolff
July 15 Review 
Ramblings of a Quilter
July 16 Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
July 17 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and Sissy, Too!
July 17 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm
July 20 Interview
Eclipse Reviews
July 20 Spotlight
Sophia Tallon

So what is the give-a-way this time?  How about gift cards for Amazon for:

one $15 gift card

one $10 gift card

one $5 gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well time to give this a wrap. Until next time...

Toodles,
Tricia
Posted by at 2 comments:

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Surrnder? One Might Not Want To

Cue the Garrison Keller-style radio announcer ...

"This posting is brought to you by Bewitching Book Tour.  Where you are sure to find the paranormal story just right for you. That's BBT ... get some today."

Surrender to the Chase Under Realm Assassins Book 2




Written by: Amanda J.Greene
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 5/26/15
ASIN: B00Y9JE3DS
Number of pages: 117
Word Count: 33,500
Cover Artist: Kim Killion

Book Description:

A year after the tragic death of his close friend and fellow assassin, Ethan Halstead is ready to take up his sniper rifle once more. But his first assignment is nothing he ever expected. Ethan must hunt and retrieve a beautiful, spirited, alluring werewolf.

Knowing no other way to escape an arranged marriage, Fraya flees from her pack. As she contemplates slipping across the border and heading to South America, she is captured by a dangerously seductive vampire who plans on escorting her back to her family. Even as Fraya vows to make Ethan's mission as difficult as possible, she can't resist the riotous desire he sparks within her.

But Ethan isn't the only predator that peruses Fraya. A powerful rival pack's alpha wants to make her his mate. Will Ethan be able to keep Fraya safe and return her to her pack? Or will he surrender to temptation and claim Fraya as his own?


Excerpt:

Lightning splintered the sky. Thunder shook the earth beneath his feet. Damp heat thickened the air. Any moment, the winds would kick up and the red hued clouds would release a torrent of rain.

Ethan loved summer storms and treasured Arizona for its monsoon season. It was only during the madness of the storm that he found peace. In those rare, precious moments, the world reflected the chaos that roiled inside him and he felt… as if he belonged.

Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath and savored the soothing scent of the desert. To his disappointment, he would not be able to appreciate the beauty of nature’s fury. Clearing his mind, Ethan unleashed his senses. His mark was close. He could feel her. Crossing the street, he headed for the quaint coffee shop he frequently sped past. She was here, which meant he could call an end to this pointless job.

Ethan was an assassin, not a damn babysitter. He was an expert tracker and sniper, yet the Under Realm Syndicate had him chasing after a spoiled little she-wolf. He had been tasked with fetching the runaway and returning her to her pack – a complete waste of his time and talents. He couldn’t believe he had let Cole talk him into this. The fact was this case should’ve never made the list. Why the Syndicate decided to get involved was beyond his understanding. This wasn’t a kidnapping or a hostage situation. The female wasn’t a criminal. She wasn’t a threat to the human world or Under Realm society.

His annoyed growl blended with the booming thunder. Cole had insisted Ethan accept this assignment, “You should be grateful the Syndicate is willing to give you a second chance. You’ve been out of practice.”

Who could argue with that logic? Ethan had been off the map for a year. Most within the Syndicate believed he had been killed on his last mission.

I should have been. Shaking his head, he dispelled the thought. He refused to take sober trips down memory lane. He needed to focus on his task.

The aroma of freshly ground coffee was overwhelming. Ethan reigned in his supernatural senses as he stepped inside the shop. The door closed and the torrential rain began to fall. He did a quick, nonchalant sweep of the café, careful not to meet anyone’s gaze. Eye contact encouraged conversation, and he was here on business not pleasure. He would grab the werewolf, take her back home, and detain her until he could make arrangements with her father. Simple.

Ethan walked to the counter. After the blonde and brunette baristas finished arguing over who would help him, he ordered and received a black coffee. The cup had both girl’s names and numbers written on it. He thanked them with a smile. They batted their lashes and insisted he stop by a college party later that night.

Ethan’s shoulders shook with a light laugh. Naïve mortals.

Turning, he headed up the winding iron staircase that led to the second floor loft area. The walls were made almost entirely of glass, providing a glorious view of the storm. Students sat at the tables working on their laptops while groups lounged on the sofas discussing the world of social media.

The delicate scent of wildflowers drifted through the air, drawing his sharp gaze to the far corner. There was nothing remarkable about her presence. She appeared to fit in perfectly with the scene, as if she were just another co-ed. She wore a pair of skinny jeans and a crimson sweatshirt. She sat with her feet tucked under her crisscrossed. Leaning over the table, her long dark brown hair tumbled forward, blocking his view of her face. Ethan noted the worn, tattered condition of the book she read. Her frame was small. She seemed fragile, but he knew better. She was strong, fast, and intelligent. His mark appeared to be ‘normal’ by human standards, but she was the wolf he was looking for.

Hoping everything would go smoothly, he advanced. This was a delicate situation. The female could freak out on him. She could cause a scene, and he loathed drama just as much as he loathed this particular job. It was not a search and rescue mission. No, it was a track-down-a-spoiled-brat-and-take-her-home mission. A simpleton could do it. Why it had to be done was beyond him. At twenty-four, she was an adult. She had a degree in biology and was a werewolf; she was more than capable of taking care of herself.

Who cares? Grab the girl and go.

Ethan quickly reminded himself of the two basic rules: never become personally involved with your mark and strike first, ask questions later – if you cared about asking question at all.

As he approached the woman, he felt a slight tremor in the air. A warning? A threat? Someone was watching them. He set his senses loose once more, scanning the café for the source of the violent energy, but it had vanished just as quickly as it had arrived.

The girl must have felt the glimmer of danger. Her gaze snapped up and met his. Her warm, honey colored eyes were round with surprise. Her tempting red lips parted with a silent gasp. Ethan froze. She was… more than beautiful.

She blinked up at him. Her gaze innocently seductive, her mouth violently tempting, and her wild flower scent was overwhelming. His body reacted instantly. It had been years since he’d felt such a strong, instant attraction. He watched her lick her lips; lust shot through him like a lightning strike. Oh, yes. The wolf was alluring and, to his surprise, he was disappointed that she was his mark.

“Hi,” she said with a nervous lilt to her voice. Ethan mentally shook himself and crossed over to stand at the chair opposite her.

“Hi,” he replied.

Thunder rumbled; the force shook the glass walls. The girl flinched and her gaze fell from his. For a soundless moment, she sat with her hands clasped in her lap, her head tilted down. The mortals gasped and laughed as another boom shook the windows.

“You may sit,” she said, her voice low, barely audible.

Ethan could smell the fear that sparked within her. Was she frightened of the storm, or what possibly lurked outside? An overwhelming sense of protectiveness settled over him and he frowned. He didn’t like it. He wasn’t the protective type.He was a killer not a savior.

Focus and get this over with.

“Not a fan of thunderstorms?” he asked as he claimed the chair.

She straightened and fixed her gaze on him once more. Her expression was bland, her cute stubborn chin titled up, her shoulders back. She looked regal and refined. Every bit the aristocrat she was.

“I’m accustomed to snow storms.”

“Really? Where are you from?”

“Minnesota,” she answered with a hint of hesitation.

He smiled and was shocked he didn’t have to fake it. “You’re a long way from home.”

She shrugged and returned her attention to her book.

Ethan took a sip of the surprisingly good coffee and relaxed in his seat. He picked up a golf magazine, which rested on the table beside them, and began flipping through the pages. He wasn’t at all interested in golf. Being a vampire, he preferred keeping out of the sun. Although, contrary to popular lore, he wouldn’t burst into flame or turn to ash. He could work on his tan, he just preferred not to.

He casually glanced over at the werewolf and inwardly groaned. She was reading a list of the top ten hot spots in Chile. It appeared she was interested in sunbathing and he couldn’t stop the image of her in a bikini from cropping up in his mind even if he’d wanted to. And he certainly did not want to erase the image.

She sighed, closed the book, and tucked it away in her backpack, which hung off the back of her chair. She took up her latte and settled her gaze on him. Her lips turned up with a sweet smile.

“You don’t strike me as the golfing type.”

He raised a brow and tossed the magazine down on the table between them. “No?”

She shook her head, her long dark curls waving around her shoulders. “Not at all. You look like you’d rather go to a shooting range than work on your golf swing.”

Ethan couldn’t argue with that. He’d had his basement converted into an indoor gun range.

“Very observant,” he said. “What about you? What’s your hobby?”

She bit her bottom lip as she contemplated. Ethan wanted to bite it for her. “Traveling. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. You know, see the world, and experience different cultures.”

“Is that what your trip to Arizona is all about?” he asked.

“More or less,” she answered with a shrug.

“Well, South America is beautiful.” Her eyes grew wide. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the table. Excitement laced her voice, “You’ve been?”

Ethan shifted closer and reached for her hand. The air trembled with another flicker of danger just before the lights went out. Darkness flooded the café.

His mark shoved away from the table, snatched her backpack, and darted toward the stairs. Ethan was right behind her. The mortals grumbled complaints, some laughed, while others stumbled through the dark. She was about to reach the exit when the door flew open, crashing against the wall. Humans screamed and shouted in alarm. The girl froze, and Ethan cursed. Clearly, he hadn’t been the only one searching for her. He could sense the alpha’s presence and, judging by his target’s reaction, so could she.

Ethan grabbed her wrist. She swung around. Her fist raised, her honey colored eyes glowed, and her fangs bared. Shadows of a wolf’s fierce visage flickered over the fine features of her face. Her fierce growl vibrated her entire body. Ethan ignored the warning and tugged on her arm, pulling her toward the emergency exit at the back of the coffee shop.

He pushed the door open. His mark tried to twist free of his hold, but he held her firm.

“Let go of me,” she demanded, her voice roughened by her partial transformation.

“Not a chance, sweetheart.” She growled and fought harder.

He wasn’t surprised by her strength and knew she was still holding back.So was he. Pushing her now soaked and tangled hair from her face, she snarled, “What’s going on?”

“I thought it was obvious,” he said.

“That you’re attempting to kidnap me?”

Ethan shook his head. “No. That you have an alpha hunting your ass.”

Her stare was one of confusion, awe, and horror. She stopped, and he paused. Literally dragging her across the street would draw unwanted attention. He reluctantly released her wrist. She was soft and warm while he was hard and cold. A frown creased his brow when the sharp sense of loss pricked his long dead heart. On some level, he’d enjoyed the feel of her.

She blinked up at him. Her large, honey eyes sparkled with fear. “W-what did you say?”

His chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “I’ll explain. For now, come with me.”

She shook her head.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder, scanning the parking lot for any sign of the alpha. He could sense the wolf was close.

“We don’t have much time. We need to go.” The woman fell back a step and Ethan’s body tensed. His instincts flared. She retreated another step. Would she run? A part of him wished she would. He loved the chase. The hunt. His heart began to pound, his pupils dilated, and his fangs began to sharpen, all in anticipation.

“Don’t!"




This is the second book in the Under Realm Assassins series. Having said that, I thought the book did well as a stand-a-lone book. The pace was a fast track, but that was okay with it's strong characters without a lot of fluff to cloud things up. I like that it has a straight forward plot line with some intrigue and suspense.

Even though there is a werewolf and vampire; it didn't feel like it was a cookie cutter story that has been done over and over. There was a few risque scenes between the vampire: Ethan and the female lead & werewolf, Fraya as they try to deal with Fraya's father and an alpha werewolf that stalks Fraya.

It would probably have a PG-15 rating for those who might not give it to a young adult reader. There is a bit of violence in the fight scene but not too graphic.  Both the sex and fight scene don't cause a huge blimp on the map as in comparison to some other books & TV that I have across for young adults.

I really liked the book and I am going to give it 4 out of 5 stars. 

The sneak peek that I got from the provided ARC has me (in exchange for my humble but honest opinion) looking to see if my library has this series.  If not, I'm going to request that they would consider purchasing it so I can share with other paranormal readers in my area.




It is time to show you the other stops on the tour where you can find interviews, guest blogs and so much more.  So be sure to stop by and say "Hello".


July 6 Spotlight
I Love Books

July 6 Spotlight
Indy Book Fairy

July 6 Review
Books and Authors

July 7 Guest blog
Urban Fantasy Investigations

July 7 Spotlight
Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My 

July 7 Spotlight
Jodie Pierce's Ink Slinger's Blog

July 8 Spotlight
The Bookish and The Romantic

July 8 Review
I Smell Sheep 

July 8 Spotlight
Share My Destiny

July 9 Guest blog
Butterfly-o-Meter Books

July 9 Spotlight
Susan’s Books I Like

July 10 Interview
Sophia Tallon

July 10 Review
Tipsy Ink

July 13 Review
Ramblings of a Quilter  (This is Me)

July 13 Review
Books Books and More Books 

July 13 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and Sissy, Too!


Amanda J. Greene is a paranormal romance author. When she is not writing, she can be found playing the role of a university student who also works full time. She lives in Southern California with her very supportive husband and their two dogs. Doing all the above and being a military wife is not easy, but rewarding! Of course, she accomplishes everything with a strong cup of coffee in her hand.

Amanda is also an associate reviewer on The Book Nympho blog.







Of course there is another give-a-way along with this book tour. And such a great prize indeed!! Yes this time around we have:

2 e-book copies of the Under Realm Assassin series



So that wraps up another edition for my BBT postings this week.  Until next time...

Toodles,
Tricia
Posted by at No comments:

What Defines "The Perfect Wife?"

Is there such a thing as a perfect wife? 

Here is the 3rd BBT spotlight and review for this week.  I have one more on the 10th and then one on the 14th.  But these BBT books are just so addictive, that it's hard to only do a couple in a month as I planned.  What can I say?  There just like that potato chip ad about just one.

This time I have a nice & sweet historical based in England during the late Regency and the reign of George IV.  At a time when the well-to-do British High Society was still wearing corsets and every girl of the Ton had their Season in order to find a husband.  But it's nice to know that not females was out to find a husband like the female lead in The Perfect Wife. 

 

 

The Perfect Wife by Amber Lake



Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Ice House Publisher

Date of Publication: 06/18/2015

ISBN: 978.84.16384-21-1
ASIN: B00WTNVN1G

Number of pages: 130


Cover Artist: Borja Puig
Book Description:


A society full of rules, but when it comes to love, there is no written rule.
Charlotte Wilcox, an unfortunate baronet’s daughter, has been living with her father in a small village since her mother died when she was still a kid. Although she is happy at home and the fact of remaining single at 23 is not a worry for her, her relatives put pressure on her to find a husband who provides for her.


With that purpose, she travels to Bath, where her aunt Margaret is responsible for educating her so that she can get a proper marriage proposal.



Charlotte thinks that the strict norms that govern aristocratic members of society are ridiculous and old-fashioned. Thus, she is afraid that she will never become the perfect wife that her aunt expects and that every gentleman wishes.


At the first ball she goes to, she meets Edward Holne, viscount of Eversley, and all the rules that her aunt had taught her will be useless before the attraction between them.


EXCERPT:

Bath, Somersetshire, March 1831 
“…The perfect wife has always in mind that the husband’s happiness is her greatest concern even if she has to give up to her own happiness. This success is enough to bring her absolute bliss.
She neither asks the husband any explanation about his words or actions nor complains if he arrives home late. She keeps in mind that he is the master of both her and the house.
She always lets her husband speak in the first place and she listens to him carefully since any topic he brings up is more important than the ones she could ever think of. When he lets her talk, she does so in a humble and plain tone without expanding on typical women trivialities that end up boring and exasperating the husband.
She does not overwhelm him with domestic problems or with her interests and hobbies, which are insignificant compared to those of men…”
Charlotte closed the book and let out an inelegant snort out of exasperation. The more she read, the more she thought its content was ridiculous. How was it possible that aunt Margaret stood up for such nonsense?
She had lent her the guide and told her to read it thoroughly absorbing all its instructions dealing with the main rules of behavior that should govern her future life of married woman. However, she didn’t think she could carry them out; she even doubted that some rules were actually right. Her father had raised her to think and act with complete freedom as long as it didn’t harm her fellows. He had also taught her to make a source of satisfaction out of her knowledge, to be proud of her intelligence and her enthusiasm to learn and reason, and she wasn't ready to sacrifice everything in order to find a husband. She preferred being single rather than becoming a brainless puppet in the hands of a man that was going to decide what she had to say or do. This was such a humiliating idea that she was unable to accept it.
She was very fond of her aunt and she appreciated her efforts to marry her to someone, but she agreed that this attitude was neither proper of an impeccable spouse-as she claimed-nor the guarantee of the marriage stability.

Ever since she arrived in Bath two weeks before, her aunt never stopped trying to polish her unruly personality and rustic manners. That was something she was always re- minding her. She also trained her for social practice in order to come across successfully during the social season that had just started. Everything was designed to get a proposal, which was the main reason for her being there. Charlotte imagined that her aunt was making much more effort than she originally thought in order to transform her into a fair lady. Even tough, she knew that her pride was preventing her from admitting it and, of course, from giving up.

With a resigned but light-hearten sigh, she closed her eyes and fell into a snooze induced by the calmness the delicious lunch had made her feel. That was another one of the rules she denied to follow: the austerity in the diet as the guide indicated which her aunt resolved to defend so that it forced her to usually sneak in the kitchen and have an extra food supply to help her get by such sort of penance. Margaret insisted that a polished lady had to be very sparing with meals and this fact tormented her. Yes, greediness was a sin, but even having a bite to eat was too much, so she had decided, together with the cook’s complicity, to provide herself with all she needed in order not to starve to death while she was at that house.

She also disagreed with waking up at dawn to ride a horse around the park. According to her aunt, it was an elegant and useful habit considering that at that time many single gentlemen devoted their time to such a healthy hobby. And, even if no one had ever talked to her, maybe due to the fact of passing her very quickly, Margaret didn’t lose heart and insisted on it every day. Anyway, one nonsense after another she wasn’t easily bearing.

“Have you gone completely mad, child?”

This yell behind her back surprised Charlotte, who hastily stood up and looked at her aunt with an expression of total misunderstanding.

“How do you dare lie down on the lawn and exposing your face to the sun? I had almost managed an acceptable skin!” She angrily regretted. “Now you’ll have to put on the brightening concealer again otherwise you’ll look like a peddler tonight, with all your face blackened by soot.”

Charlotte was terrified when she knew what was expecting her-more than an hour standing still with a horrible mush on her face made of a mixture of honey, lemon juice and ground oat. This process had repeated daily, every morning and every afternoon, and she didn’t see any expected results anywhere.

“It’s only been a while, Aunt Margaret. Besides, I am not undergoing again that torment. If my possible candidates don’t like my appearance, that is because they aren’t suit- able to even consider them.” She complained with a surly voice. She was used to life at the countryside with the healthy sun caressing her face and coloring her cheeks. She didn’t understand the determination in making it lighter until showing a pale skin just like the one of the sick, however fashionable it was.

“Don’t say stupid things, kid. That color only gives away your rural origin and you shouldn’t be very proud of it. A real lady tries to cover her face from the sun, otherwise she takes the risk that people think she is in the street all day instead of being at home waiting for her husband or taking care of her guests, as every good married woman must do.” She emphasized.

“But I’m not married, if you remember.” She replied with a certain resentment. She was again talking nonsense. She did felt proud of her origins and she missed her home in the countryside.

“I perfectly remember that, Charlotte. My obligation is indeed to get you married. Moreover, that rule applies to future spouses too.” She reminded her maliciously.

Charlotte gasped loudly, annoyed by her aunt’s words. “Stop complaining and follow me to your room. I’ll try to fix the damage you've made. And don't make those inelegant noises, please; you look like a mare neighing.” She told her off irritated while she walked into the house with quick determined pace.

With bad attitude though, Charlotte had no choice but to comply with the categorical order. She had promised her father that she would obey her aunt and learn everything she taught her and she was willing to patiently bear every sacrifice that promise required.

When they arrived at the room, Margaret started giving orders to the maids and Charlotte, resigned as she was, prepared herself to bear the long hours of torture in order to get the appearance every elegant lady should have, according to Aunt Margaret’s rules.

“I’m afraid that if you don’t do your part to improve your appearance and manners, you’ll never have an acceptable gentleman propose to you. I will regret disappointing your father, who has entrusted me with the task of marrying you, but every single day it seems to me a tall order. Of course, it is not completely your fault. It was him who, against my opinion, insisted on taking on your education after my beloved sister’s death. I should never have allowed him to raise you in that small village doing everything you pleased.” She regretted while she spread that sticky mass on the girl’s face.

Charlotte bit her tongue to avoid replying to her aunt. How did she dare criticize her father, who had taken the bur- den of raising and educating a 10-year-old child when her wife died? Margaret, who wished to take care of her, had always reproached him for this decision and she criticized him for not knowing to raise her child appropriately. However, Charlotte appreciated that her father had held his ground before his sister-in-law and let her live in Parham, the small village where she was happy during her 22 years of existence without worrying about her future.

Nevertheless, some months before, Margaret convinced him of the need of finding Charlotte a husband. Thus, she wouldn’t depend on George, his brother and heir of the house and lands, when her father died.

Charlotte didn’t want to be a burden for her family. Her brother had a wife and two children to feed. Her sister-in- law didn’t like that solution either, so that she agreed on Margaret’s idea and persuaded her father-in-law to take Charlotte to his matchmaker sister-in-law. Even if she didn’t completely agree on the idea of marriage, she complied with her father’s wish and traveled to Bath. She only set one condition: if after three months she didn’t get married, she would come back home.

Charlotte was fully aware that she had little chance of get- ting married and especially in such a short time. Being the child of an unlucky baronet and being already 22 without standing out for her beauty, which Margaret was always re- minding her, made the chances of getting married-as her family wished-even smaller. The fussy aristocrats hardy ever married someone that wasn’t the same as them or that didn’t give a substantial dowry, in case they needed funds. There was more to be said from local nobility and rural land-owners. Not only did they expect that their future wife would come together with a bulky bag of money, but they also required that she provided them with social contacts among the upper class.

She didn’t have neither one thing nor the other. She could only provide great knowledge on the wild flora of the county and on the study of medieval texts. This wasn’t a very appropriate cultural background to find a husband-as her aunt claimed-nor was her being prone to argue, her little willing to obey and her revolutionary ideas-mainly that a woman could look after herself if she got the chance to try. Margaret thought that all these facts were the reason why she was still single at her age, so she had to make an effort if she didn't want to see another year passing without finding a husband, which was something that every woman longed. Every single day she spent in the city, she appreciated more and more her reduced rural world. There she led a simple and nice life helping her father with his studies on botany and throwing herself into the literary club she had set up, formed by other girls around her who were fond of reading. The even had the chance to count on the experienced involvement of Professor Davis, recently retired from teaching and a great authority in history and medieval literature. At the club, she didn’t feel as the dumb bumpkin that her aunt usually stated.

After those two weeks at her aunt’s, she started to regret having accepted to take part in this project. The task of getting ready for marriage was more and more difficult to her and, obviously, it was giving her little satisfaction if it implied giving up her hobbies and learning stupid things that seemed to be totally necessary to be a perfect wife.

She had had to learn to serve the tea properly, to dress adequately depending on the time of the day and the event she was going to, to keep a smile on her face without suffering any jaw ache, to train herself into embroidery and difficult points of stitching that would make an impression to her fellow women, to recite boring verses without looking like a choked goose, to learn by heart the protocol and refined expressions to entertain her guests. Luckily, she had enough practice to get through those lessons without the least difficulty, but she felt overwhelmed by the load of things she ignored and that Margaret said “they were very important to become a real lady”. This was something she was far from being and the reason why her aunt hadn’t dared taking her to any relevant event.

During all that time, her rare social life had reduced to strolling around that beautiful city and to attending to several visits. That was the first night she was going to attend to an important event and she couldn’t help being nervous. It was about a ball in the house of the Earl and the Countess of Newbury. They were important members of the local upper class and it was one of the most select and largest ball of the beginning of the season.
Her aunt Alfred, Margaret’s husband, was good friends with the earl and that’s why he invited him to all his parties. In fact, she had happened to meet the countess in a visit to the museum and she thought she was very nice. She had even invited her, together with her aunt, for tea in her great residence. At the meeting, the kind lady showed interest in her hobbies and confessed that she also liked Gothic literature. Charlotte was glad to see that they had that interest in common, but she was even more delighted when she saw her aunt’s surprised expression. She didn’t considered it suitable to spend time with these novels. The fact that lady Newbury, who was considered a flawless lady and a good example by Charlotte’s aunt, liked those kind of pastimes typical of the working class must have caused her a big shock.
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How about a book review?  Sounds good right? Well here we are Book Review Time! I received a free ARC in exchange of my honest & humble opinion from BBT.  Thank You Roxanne!

 


With this historical romance to take you back the Regency Era that brings us to the time of many Jane Austen's books. And just like her books, we get to peek in to the past when most girls are looking for their husbands by attending all the events that the Ton has to offer.  
That is - expect for Charlotte. 
She is a strong willed young lady who knows her mind and fights the bit all the way, so to speak; when her Aunt Margaret tries to take the Country out of Charlotte.  Charlotte on the other hand, just wants to go back to the comfortable life she had with her father.  

Pale and dainty she is not! I loved her spitfire attitude from her point of view.  She reminds me of some modern day ladies that I know. I don't know about you, but I most likely wouldn't have been a part of the Ton back then and I'm almost certain my current attitude would be seriously frowned upon. That book of Aunt Margaret's would have had accident of some sorts as I laughed at it so hard that I would have snorted out loud and watched Aunt Margaret faint away disparately. LOL

The pace was fun, steady and enjoyable.  It was fun to read how Charlotte was going out of her way not to marry until ... oh ... wait ... nope ... I'm not going to tell you. LOL  You will have to pick up you own copy in what ever fashionable way that the Ton provides you.

But if you ask me how I liked the book, I would not hesitate to give you a gentle push and hand you 4 little stars out of 5.  I think this made for a perfect summer read and hope to enjoy more of Amber's books soon.

Amber Lake


Amber was born in a village by the seashore in Murcia (Spain) a long time ago and now she is living in Cartagena with her husband and children. She has a B.A. in History and she also has a degree in Teaching. She works in the university in the same city where she lives.



Since she was a little girl she has been passionate for literature. She lapped up everything she could get her hands on and very soon she began to create in her mind her own stories, tales, short stories and drafts of ambitious young novels.



Her studies, her work and her family were the reasons why she put on hold those literary dreams for several years, although she kept on embodying on paper some ideas that she wished her own novels would talk about. Fifteen years ago she resumed her old dream and she started to write regularly. She sent her stories to some competitions, where she won a few prizes, and also to different publishing houses.



In 2008 she saw how her dream came true with the publication of her first novel. Other novels followed that first one, such as El escolta in 2010, Buscando a la esposa perfecta, in 2012, El escolta (new version) in 2014 and some others. Thanks to all these novels, she has been very lucky to see how her readers have warmly welcomed them and this fact has made her very proud.



Blog: http://amber-lake.blogspot.com.es/



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amber.lake



You tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/amberlakewriter


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4825560.Amber_Lake

 


 Well it's been fun sharing my opinion of the book but there are so many others on the tour with me.  So why not stop by and see what they have to offer up on their pages.  I'm sure they would be more than happy that you took the time to stop by and say a quick "HI!" to them.
 

 

June 29 Interview
Sophia Tallon

June 30 Interview
'Living Life With Joy' 

July 1 Interview
Shut Up and Read 

July 1 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and, Sissy, Too!

July 2 Spotlight 
Mythical Books

July 2 Spotlight
Shyla Wolff

July 3 Spotlight
Roxanne’s Realm

July 6 Interview
Deals Sharing Aunt

July 7 Spotlight and review
Boundless Book Reviews

July 8 Spotlight
Around the World in Books  

July 9 Spotlight
Books and Authors

July 9 Spotlight and review
Ramblings of a Quilter

July 10 Interview
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

July 10 Spotlight
Fang-tastic Books

July 13 Spotlight
Share My Destiny

July 13 Review
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
 





Oh before I go, I have to tell you about this wonderful give-away that we are having on this tour. It brings me such pleasure to tell you that filling out the points on the Rafflecopter, You can WIN a $15 AMAZON Gift card!  

Who can't think of something they really want on Amazon.com right now?  

Well if you WIN - just think about all the possibilities! I know I have a wish list over there worth drooling over.  And you could pick up your own copy of The Perfect Wife by Amber Lake. {wink wink}
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Until next time ...

 Toodles,
Tricia
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