To Tempt The Devil (The Lord Hawkesbury’s Players #3) by C.J.Archer-a review

TO TEMPT THE DEVIL (The Lord Hawkesbury’s Players #3) by CJ Archer-a review

TO TEMPT THE DEVIL by CJ Archer

TO TEMPT THE DEVIL is the third storyline (November 2012 release) in CJ Archer’s Lord Hawkesbury’s Players series. The Hawkesbury Players series focuses on the actors and player and, behind the scenes members of an acting company in Elizabethan England. Although this is the third novel in the series and many of the players were established in the first two storylines, it can be read as a standalone without too much difficulty.

Rafe Fletcher returns to his boyhood home after seven years away only to discover his younger half-brother James is facing a imprisonment for not paying his debts. Unable to secure a source of income, James leaves on his own accord but not before asking Rafe to look after the beautiful Lizzy Croft. Lizzy and James had an agreement, of sorts, to marry out of duty and love, but the love for each other was innocent and pure.

Rafe has always been attracted to Lizzy but knowing his brother was ‘betrothed’ to Lizzy made it more difficult-she was forbidden. But Rafe’s life has been hard. As a hired assassin he carries many secrets and one has caught up with him at home. To protect himself as well as his friends, Rafe must hunt down the man he once thought was dead.

Lizzy works as a seamstress with the Lord Hawkesbury’s Players, but her income and livelihood are threatened when a personal vendetta between the Troupe owner and sponsor hangs over the actors and their friends. The ensemble of actors is close, with each supporting the others. Lizzy takes it upon herself to face the man responsible for the possible demise of the company, but her heartfelt plea for understanding will find both she and Rafe on the run for a murder they did not commit.

Rafe and Lizzy’s attraction to one another is forbidden. Rafe knows that Lizzy is the only woman for him, but she has been promised to his brother James. But James and Lizzy’s relationship is anything but romantic. Lizzy is frightened by and drawn to Rafe who, must protect her from herself and the authorities. Lizzy witnessed a brutal beating seven years earlier and continues to replay the scene over and over. And it is this memory that keeps Lizzy from admitting her true feelings for Rafe. And she will discover that her relationship with James was a good excuse to keep Rafe from knocking down the door. But life on the run will find Lizzy and Rafe together, and their growing love for one another is heartbreaking and sad knowing that each has betrayed their love for James. I did, however, feel the relationship between Rafe and Lizzy wasn’t as sexual or romantic as it could have been. It felt forced and uneven-I wanted more!

TO TEMPT THE DEVIL is an engaging storyline. There are some humorous moments when Lizzy and Rafe must walk around in disguise and the interaction with the Lord Hawkesbury Players is interesting to read. I want to see Antony find a mate-that should be an interesting storyline especially during the Elizabethan time period. We meet a young Williams Shakespeare and his lover Kate-Kate can be very ‘shrewish’ at times. 😉 CJ Archer has written a wonderful story that will keep your attention.

ORDER: Amazon/ Barnes and Noble

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Cover Reveals and More-November 30, 2012

COVER REVEALS AND MORE

 

TITLE: Rising Darkness

AUTHOR: Thea Harrison

SERIES: Game of Shadows

RELEASE DATE: March 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE: A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses

AUTHOR:  Molly Harper

SERIES:  Nice Girls Spinoff

RELEASE DATE:  May 2013

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Blood Trade

AUTHOR: Faith Hunter

SERIES: Jane Yellowrock

RELEASE DATE: April 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Bayon/Jean-Baptiste

AUTHOR: Alexandra ivy and Laura Wright

SERIES: Bayou Heat #2

RELEASE DATE: N/A

 

 


 

TITLE: Talon / Xavier

AUTHOR: Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright

SERIES: Bayou Heat #3

RELEASE DATE: N/A

 

 

 

 

TITLE: My Bluegrass Baby

AUTHOR: Molly Harper

SERIES; N/A

RELEASE DATE: December 17, 2012

 

 

MOVIE POSTER

What do you think of the movie poster for BEAUTIFUL CREATURES?  The release date is February 13, 2013.

Upcoming in 2013

(For a more detailed list ‘click’ on the NEW RELEASE tab at the top of the page)

December 2013
Midnight’s Promise (Midnight’s Warrior #8) by Donna Grant

November 2013
Midnight’s Temptation (Midnight’s Warrior #7) by Donna Grant

October 2013
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel MacKenzie (Mackenzie #6) by Jennifer Ashley

September 2013
Untitled (Elemental #9) by Jennifer Estep
Through The Zombieglass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter=YA

August 2013
My Notorious Gentleman (Inferno Club #6) by Gaelen Foley
The Untamed MacKenzie (MacKenzie #5.5) by Jennifer Ashley
Tall, Dark and Vampire by Sara Humphreys
Styxx (Dark Hunters) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Burn (Breathless #3) by Maya Banks
Heart Fortune (Heart Mates) by Robin D Owens
Omens by Kelley Armstrong
Possession by Kat Richardson
Biting Bad by Chloe Neil
Heart of Venom (Elemental Assassin) by Jennifer Estep
Midnight Frost (Mythos Academy) by Jennifer Estep=YA

July 2013
The Darkest Craving (Lords of the Underworld #10) by Gena Showalter
Rapture’s Edge (Night Prowlers #3) by J.T.Geissinger
Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson) by Darynda Jones
Enthralled by Lora Leigh/Alyssa Day et al
Outcast Prince by Shona Husk
Cold Copper (The Edge of Steam ) by Evan Monk

June 2013
Darkness Avenged (Guardians of Eternity) by Alexandra Ivy
Affliction (Anita Blake) by Laurell K Hamilton
Tiger Magic (Shifters Unbound) by Jennifer Ashley
Wicked Memories (Castles of Dark Dreams) by Nina Bangs

June 2013 Young Adult
Cold Steele by Kate Elliott
Born of Illusion by Teri Brown
After Daybreak (Darkness Before Dawn 33) by J.A. London
Rush by Eve Silver
Ink by Amanda Sun
The Keep by Veronica Wolff
Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

 

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Edge of Sanity by Shannon K Butcher – a Review

Edge of Sanity by Shannon K Butcher – a Review

 

Edge of Sanity by Shannon K. Butcher is her third book in her Edge series.  This was a terrific non stop action filled book. Edge of Sanity will be released on December 4th.

Description:
“I NEED TO KNOW IF ANYONE WAS KILLED LAST NIGHT.”


In his years working for the private security firm The Edge, Clay Marshall has seen it all. But the recent blackouts he’s been having are new. So is waking up with blood on his hands and clothes, with no memory of where the blood came from—or who he might have killed. He hates to admit it, but he needs help.
 
Dr. Leigh Vaughn has treated other Edge employees before, but from the moment she sees him for the first time, Clay strikes her as a special breed of man. She knows he’s dangerous, and distrustful of doctors, but she finds herself drawn to him even as his own steely exterior gives way to his growing desire for her.

Neither knows, however, that Clay is being used as a pawn in a larger experiment, and that his blackouts are only the first step toward a terrifying goal. And both Leigh and Clay will put themselves in harm’s way to stop an unseen enemy—and to save one another

Review

Edge of Sanity starts immediately into a tense action filled story of Clay Marshall, our hero in this book.  Clay works for The Edge, a private security firm, which is the background of this series.  Clay has recently been having blackouts, waking up covered with blood.  He cannot remember anything.  He doesn’t know where to turn, and decides to tell his best friend, Mira.  She is concerned for Clay, knowing he is not telling her the whole story, but knowing something is terribly wrong.  Mira goes to Payton Bainbridge, her boss at The Edge.  Payton, knows immediately what is wrong, once he listens to Mira, but he doesn’t tell her anything, other then he will help Clay, and to keep this private.  Payton goes to Clay, tells him to go away to his secluded vacation home, and bring no technical items. No phone, no computer, nothing.  He is to lock himself in the house, and only let in one person, whom he will send to help him.  Clay, seeing how serious and troubled Payton is, becomes concerned, but he knows he must follow Payton’s orders.

We now meet our heroine, Dr. Leigh Vaughn.  Leigh is a doctor, who helps Payton on occasion, to secretly fix up injuries to members or clients of The Edge.  It is Leigh, whom Payton sends to watch over Clay.  She accepts the assignment, with the promise that Payton will allow her to see her brother, who is locked away in a private facility.  Clay is immediately attracted to Leigh, but forces himself to be distant, as he isn’t sure what is happening to him, and he fears he is dangerous to anyone near him. 

We learn early on, that Clay has been brainwashed as a child, and just recently someone has triggered his activation.  Whoever is behind this has had him unknowingly going on missions to kill.  Clay doesn’t believe this at first, but learns from both Leigh, whose brother was also brainwashed, and from Payton, who confessed about his own involvement many years ago, and he was now trying to stop it and find out who is behind those early experiments, and the recent activation. 

This was a tremendous storyline, extremely exciting, and non stop action.  The race was on with Clay and Leigh being threatened at every step, as they were constantly hounded by the enemy, who was able to track them down.  Once Clay and Leigh realized how deep Payton was in this mess, they weren’t sure they could trust him, even though Payton told them he has been trying to stop this for a long time, and rectify his past mistakes.  What made this story great, was the developing romance between Clay and Leigh.  Clay knows he has fallen for Leigh, but he wants her far away from him, as he knows he has no control if someone pulls his trigger, and in that case anyone within reach of him is in terrible danger.  Leigh wants to help Clay, and she also knows she has fallen hard for Clay, but Leigh needs to help save her brother, and feels Clay must learn to trust her.  Despite their love, and great sex, the danger facing both of them, keeps them from any type of commitment.

The last 1/3 of the book was totally filled with non stop excitement, bringing in some other players into this dangerous game.  There were a number of twists and surprises that endanger their own lives, as well as those close to them.  Shannon Butcher outdid herself in this fantastic exciting story, as I could not stop reading.  Not to mention having a wonderful couple made it even better, as I loved Clay and Leigh together.  Edge of Sanity was an emotional roller coaster ride, and it had a sensational ending.   

Edge of Sanity Pre-Order Links:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

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Catching Up with Shannon K Butcher

Catching Up with Shannon Butcher


The Reading Cafe is thrilled to welcome back the wonderful Shannon K. Butcher.  When we last talked to Shannon, she had just released Dying Wish, from her fantastic Sentinel series.

Today Shannon will be discussing her upcoming new release, The Edge of Sanity (our review is tomorrow) from her equally fabulous Edge series.

Let’s talk to Shannon.


Hi Shannon.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us again at The Reading Cafe, and to give us an update as to what you have upcoming, as well as what to expect in 2013.

Shannon: Thanks so much for having me over for a chat! 🙂

TRC: Edge of Sanity is scheduled to be released on December 4th. This is your third book in your Edge series.  Please tell us the premise of this series, for those who may not have read it.

Shannon: The series revolves around a group of mercenaries working at a private security firm run by a woman. They do a wide variety of jobs, and in the course of those jobs, some of the contractors begin to run across odd things. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the books, but I will say that as the series progresses, the source of those odd things becomes clear, and their efforts shift from simple business and profit to something much more personal.

TRC: Can you give a brief description of Edge of Sanity?

Shannon: EDGE OF SANITY is one of those books that has been in my head for a long time, dying to come out. It revolves around Clay Marshall, one of the employees of the Edge. His health has been getting progressively worse over the last few months. He’s been plagued by headaches, and more recently, blackouts. When he wakes up covered in blood—enough he knows someone has to be dead—he finally reaches his breaking point and asks for help. That help comes in the form of Dr. Leigh Vaughn, who knows all too well what Clay is going through. Together, they set out to uncover the source of his blackouts and find a way to stop them. But the closer they get to the answers, the more obvious it becomes that those answers may cost them their lives.
**TRC Note:  Watch for our review on Edge of Sanity tomorrow
Edge of Sanity
Pre-Order Links:
 Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: Falling Blind is your next book in your Sentinel series, which is expected to be released in April, 2013.  Can you tell us a little about this book? How many books do you plan for the Sentinel series?

Shannon: I’m hoping to do 12-15 books in the Sentinel Wars. I’ve set up the series with a definitive end, but I also designed it so that there’s some wiggle room in the middle to play with a few extra stories if I have the chance.

FALLING BLIND is book seven of the series and revolves around Cain, whose foster daughter has recently grown up and left, leaving him feeling lonely and floundering for a purpose. For centuries, she kept his lifemark healthy, giving him purpose and the willpower to cling to his soul and his humanity. Now that she’s gone, he fears that his days are numbered. Then he meets Rory, a mouthy, pink-haired woman with more guts than common sense. She’s plagued with the ability to see through the eyes of others when she’s close to them, forcing her to live in solitude. She’s only in the city now to hunt for the person who makes her inconvenient gift go away. When Cain finds her, he makes it his job to help her with her task, but in doing so, they draw the attention of a powerful Synestryn demon seeking revenge.

Falling Blind Pre-Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: Forget Me Not was a novella that you released in August.  This was a very sexy paranormal romance.  Are you planning on making this into a series?

Shannon: When I wrote this story, I never planned for it to be anything more than a single novella. I’ve always loved world building, and probably did more of that than absolutely necessary for a story so short. There’s definitely room to play more with this world, but for now, I’m focusing more on some other fun paranormal projects. I could always come back and revisit this world, but I don’t currently have any plans to do so.

 

Forget Me Not Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books a Million


TRC: Would you like to share with us what you may have upcoming in 2013, besides Falling Blind?

Shannon: Right now, the only hard release dates I have are for Falling Blind. I’m anticipating that the anthology KICKING IT may come out later in the year as well. I’m working on my short story contribution for that right now, which is buckets of fun. 🙂

In addition to those books, I’m currently working on three other projects, but they’re still too new to talk about. What I can tell you is that they’re all paranormal romance ideas that have been rolling around in my brain for long enough that I had to finally let them out. 🙂

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Shannon: I just want to thank you for inviting me to come out and play with you all. I often hermit up and disappear while I’m writing, so it’s really nice to have a chance to come out and be social.

Thank you, Shannon for giving us an update on what we can look forward to in 2013, and we wish you the best with Edge of Sanity & Falling Blind.

If you want to learn more about Shannon, you can find her at the following links.

Website:  http://www.shannonkbutcher.com/
Twitter:

Facebook:
Goodreads:

Shannon has graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a signed copy of RAZOR’S EDGE, as well as one of Shannon’s handmade necklaces (see photo)1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

4.  Contest runs from November 29th – December 2nd.

 

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Erin Irvin-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

ERIN IRVIN-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

From Erin Irvin’s Blogsite  As you probably know, I’m the author of the Lone March Series. I write all sorts of things, though much of it tends to be in the YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres.

Besides writing books, I am a singer-songwriter/musician. My songs, which I generally refer to as quirky anti-folk, are accompanied by my guitar, affectionately known as Bertram, who’s been with me for ten years. I’ve also made one music video and if you look to the right of this page, you should see it around the middle of the right-hand column.

Some years ago, never mind how long precisely, I spent the most glorious year of my life to date in England, studying at the University of Leeds, as an exchange student from the University of North Texas, where I will soon graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies. My three areas of concentration are Music, Film/Theatre Arts, and Creative Writing. I am a complete nerd for all these subjects. I only mention England because if you’re paying attention, you’ll find out pretty fast that I’m a serious anglophile.

Also, if you care, I make very poor doodles and, for reasons I can’t fully explain, post them on Deviantart→

Let’s Get Started

TRC: Hi Erin and welcome to The Reading Café.  Congratulations on your latest release in the Lone March series MOON-SWELL. We would like to start with some background information.  Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Erin: Sure. Let’s see…Well, I’ve been writing since I was about four years old. My first “book” was called Sally’s Party. It was about a girl named Sally having a birthday party. As I’m sure you can guess it was very imaginative. I wrote about what presents she got and illustrated the whole thing. My mom drew the line at letting me staple the pages together though—she insisted on doing that part for me.

TRC: Many authors develop their love of writing at an early age.  What was the catalyst that sparked your desire to write?

Erin: I don’t think there was a specific catalyst. I honestly can’t remember a time that I wasn’t telling stories in some way or another. I was singing delirious, make-it-up-as-you-go songs when I was probably two or three, I was creating whole worlds with my dolls, filling spirals with doodles and poems, and play-acting with my siblings or by myself. I don’t know how to live day-to-day without these creative outlets.

TRC: What difficulties have you faced as an author?

Erin: Growing up, I had a lot of trouble finding a story that had traction. I had ideas coming out my ears but I was sort of all over the place and my brain was still developing so I would get bored easily and want to move onto some other creative pursuit, or at least some other story. That’s why I loved poetry and songwriting so much because those forms allowed for my shorter attention span to flourish! I didn’t complete a story until I was thirteen (other than Sally’s Party, of course) and even after that it was a struggle. I wrote hundreds of pages of stories when I was in high school but couldn’t seem to finish them. After high school, I wrote a [very poor] one-act play, a couple of short stories, more poetry, and lots of songs. It wasn’t until I was 24 that I completed my first novel. But now that the finding traction issue has passed, I would say my biggest difficulty is being able to step back from a story and see it as a whole, to find its weak spots and flaws. If it’s a series, that gets harder the further on you get because there’s just more going on and there’s more at stake the further in you are. But I like a good challenge so it’s worked for me!

TRC: Your bio states that you are also a musician.  Do you use music as a means to help you write and if so how?

Erin: I do actually. I’ve sometimes written songs to help me get inside the head of a character before I write a particularly difficult scene with that character. And I’ve also done the flipside of that, where I’ve been inspired to write songs based on scenes from my books, or at least based on the emotions of a character in that scene. “Ancient Glass” and “The Pure” are two songs that come to mind just off the top of my head, but the latest one is “Just Two” which is especially interesting—since I’ve never done this with either songwriting or novel writing—because I actually did them both simultaneously; I started the scene, then stopped to write a couple of lines that would end up being the first in the song, then wrote a little more in my chapter, then wrote some more of the song. It was strange but it worked on both ends.

TRC: Would you please tell us about your ‘addiction’ to Dr. Who? 😉

Erin: *Ahem* How did you know about that? How did this get out?? Oh, I guess I have talked about it in both of my blogs a couple of times… So you want me to tell you about my—did I use the word ‘addiction’ myself—did I actually admit to that, or is that your inference from my shamelessly nerdy blogging? Either way, I suppose it’s true. Well, do you have a few hours? Because I can hash this out right now, if you really want me to. I could get into all the specifics of why I love that show but I will no doubt bore 98% of your readers to death. If anyone wants to know—and if you are a sci-fi nerd, or a writer—or even just a lover of good story-telling then I advise you to watch it and find out for yourself. It may be my favorite show, second only to Twin Peaks.

TRC: Would you please tell us about the premise of the Young Adult  LONE MARCH series?

Erin: The Lone March Series is about a girl named March Howe, who finds out she’s the last female were-wolf on earth. At first she’s scrawny, sickly, and very, very sheltered, so therefore, kind of immature. But as her were-wolf traits start coming out, she goes through a lot of physical changes, and by the end of her first Full Moon cycle, she’s sort of blossomed into a young woman. Her maturation is still slow but her position as the last female of her kind pretty much forces her to grow up (at least a little bit) with each book. There’s a lot of mystery about her past, a lot of things the wolves in her pack aren’t telling her, and, I have to say, there are some gritty things in this series, like some heavy issues she has to deal with, pertaining to the fact that she is the last she-wolf. But there is also humor and romance—though it’s always unsettled; March’s romantic life is uncertain and almost always in flux. I think that’s enough to get people going. If I say much more I’ll start giving too much away.

TRC: Your latest book in the series is MOON-SWELL.  Would you please tell us about the premise?

Erin: Why don’t I give you the last paragraph of the official synopsis? This sums it up pretty well:

In Book Four of the Lone March Series, March Howe has to figure out who she can trust, and who’s pretending. In her evolving love triangle, she must decide who’s best for her. And when strange things reveal themselves, it’s time for her to finally come to terms with the fact that she’s different. Will these secrets earn her the trust and respect she deserves from her pack or will the last of the were-wolves go beyond protection…and lock her up once and for all?

So there you go. And I guess I should say this one has more…graphic content, shall we say? It definitely deals more with the romance aspect of March’s life. For those of you who are already readers of Lone March, just know: this book is different from the first three. I like to call Book #4 the beginning of “Act Two” in the Lone March series.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Erin: At least eight. But I can’t say for sure because I never know exactly how long it’s going to take me to tell the story of any given installment. It could be nine. Oh, and there is also one novella planned for after the series ends.

TRC: March is a very angry young woman/werewolf and at times she risks the lives of everyone with whom she has contact, yet Avery Harper (her guardian) seems to take much of it in stride.  Is there an Avery or March in your life that you have based these characters upon?

Erin: Not really. I guess it would be a more interesting answer if they were based on real people but no. I will admit March has a lot of me in her. Not the angry part—that’s all her and her were-wolf hormones—but definitely her awkwardness, her thought progressions, her general fear and doubt. Those things are all very much me. Avery was completely independent of real life. I’m going to sound crazy when I say this, but he created himself. In the beginning, I had a very clear idea of who Avery was going to be and what purpose he would serve in the story—he even had a different name back then—but over the course of writing the first few books, I would get these…what can I call them that won’t make me sound insane?…little whispers that would sneak up out of nowhere. (Yeah, that’s not crazy at all, is it?) But it’s true, as I wrote him, he would make these inferences on his own character and his actions and I felt very compelled to trust that and respect the character’s independence. I’m really not crazy, I promise (well, maybe a little). It’s hard to explain—even some other writers I’ve spoken with don’t get what I’m talking about. But for lack of better phrasing, I let my characters tell me who they are. And Avery’s not the only character to straight-up tell me no and demand his own way!

TRC: If you could virtual cast the Lone March series, which actors or models would best represent the major characters?

Erin: Ah! I’m always afraid of this question—and I have to answer it so many times! I should just come up with a finalized list and make it a rote recitation. But I can’t ever decide. It used to be Emma Roberts as March, but I guess she’s getting too old now. Maybe Chloё Grace Moretz would make a good March? She’s about the right age and has definitely demonstrated both a gentle, innocent side, and a darker, angsty side, in the movies I’ve seen. March needs both, for obvious reasons. She’s got to be able to pull off a major sense of weakness and fear, as well as strength and courage. It’s a hard mix. As for the others…I don’t know…Adrien Brody has a very raven-like quality so he would make a good Avery. I know one for sure—I have always pictured Quinn, from the moment of his conception, as Kris Kristofferson. Hands down, he would make the perfect—well, he IS Quinn. Funnily enough, Adam Brody (no relation to Adrien that I am aware of) is who I pictured for Deckard, albeit a younger version of him—more like when he played Dave Rygalski in Gilmore Girls. That’s all I know—I’m tapped out.

TRC: There are certain ‘unwritten’ guidelines for writing Young Adult storylines but sometimes the lines blur, especially knowing many of the readers are adults.  Where do you think the lines should be drawn as it pertains to sex and violence (graphic or otherwise) in young adult storylines?

Erin: Oh, I don’t know. I mean I have a running debate with myself about where to draw the line; I think about it all the time. It’s a very blurry line—it’s a blurry subject. A large part of me says it’s my story and I have to tell it how I want to tell it without worrying about what everyone will think—because if you worry about other people’s opinions all the time you’ll drive yourself crazy and end up hitting a wall in your writing. But there is another part of me that does feel an obligation—or, more accurately, a responsibility to represent what I believe to be good morals and decision-making in my main characters. And if he/she screws up, then I feel a responsibility to make them pay for their mistakes or at least face them and learn from them. For Lone March, we’re talking about were-wolves, so there have to be some elements of the grotesque, the macabre, anger and violence, and overcharged hormones. It’s just in their nature. What fun is a were-wolf who never has the urge to thrash around and engage in some mild sexual activity? The answer is no fun at all.

TRC: What difficulties did you face getting this series to publication?

Erin: For Moon-Linked, I had more trouble than with subsequent books. I saved up a lot of money to get it in print by self-publishing and to pay for a professional cover. That was quite a hurdle for me, being, at the time, a broke, full-time college student with no job. And it took a while to find a cover artist, and then when I did, he was far away and I’d never met him in person, so it was difficult to communicate what I wanted in emails. The cover turned out great but after that, a friend volunteered to do the others, and he’s such a talented (Emmy-award-winning) genius that I never have to communicate anything twice; he just gets it and turns my simple idea into something way cooler than I could possibly imagine.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with other authors, family and friends.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Erin: First, my sister, Lauren, who is a writer too. (She’s working on a series that has a fairy princess as the main character—but she’s not what you think of when you think ‘fairy princess’ in the least. She’s a total badass. My mouth was hanging on the floor for nearly every page of reading that book because she was so arrestingly fearless and powerful and hardcore!) Anyway, we have major idea-bouncing sessions with each other. Second, my dear friend, with whom I share my first name, Erin. She’s also a writer. (And she’s working on an amazing graphic novel trilogy, of which she’s doing the artwork herself, and which is also very fantasy-based and has a really beautiful and inspiring message.) We bounce ideas every time we talk on the phone or see each other. And third, my fiancé, Travis. He gets the brunt of the idea-bouncing. All three of them are very helpful and encouraging. And they’re all smarter than I am so that helps!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Erin: I am about 75% through the first draft of Lone March #6. I have another YA paranormal series—it’s actually a trilogy—and a middle grade four-book paranormal series, both of which I will be able to dive back into once I finish Lone March. I’m just too immersed in March’s world to focus on anything else at the same time.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Erin: Yes—I want to thank all my amazing readers, who are coming along with me and March through her turbulent journey. You guys are awesome!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Dessert: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Favorite TV Show: Twin Peaks

Favorite Movie: Matilda

Last Movie you Saw: In Theaters: The Master; At Home: Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark!

Last Vacation Destination: San Diego, for Comic-Con 2011.

TRC: Thank you Erin for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the new release. We wish you all the best.

Erin is offering a paperback collection of books 1-4 in her Lone March series to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe to qualify for the giveaway.  If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in such as Twitter or Google, please post a comment along with your email address as Twitter etc does not allow for email information (if we have to contact you as the winner).

3.  The giveaway is open to USA only.

4.  Giveaway runs from November 28 to December 1, 2012

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Lone March series by Erin Irvin-a review of books 1-4

LONE MARCH YA series by Erin Irvin-a review of books 1-4

 

MOON-LINKED (Lone March #1)

MOON-LINKED is the first storyline in Erin Irvin’s young adult Lone March series focusing on 15 year old March Howe and the discovery she is not human. The basic premise is interesting-March finally reaches puberty at the age of 15 and in a 24 hour cycle, she gets her period, develops unusual body hair, increased hearing and sight, falls in love and grows several inches. And to complicate matters, her new boyfriend’s father has taken a dislike to March. But what March will discover is that Ethyn Harper’s father knows exactly what has been happening to March and why.

March will discover that she is a shape shifter- and the last of her kind. There are several different species of ‘were’ including raven, cougar and wolves, but March is the last surviving female of her clan due to a war between the species. Every female was eradicated to ensure the species did not continue, but we will learn that March did not meet the same fate as the other females.

The first 2/3 of the book we follow March as she tries to figure out what is happening to her body, and the last 1/3 she must follow the dictates of her new clan and the impending full moon. Her first shift isn’t pretty and what she discovers is that she will become the pawn in a war between the clans. The clan with the female holds the power.

I had a couple concerns with Moon Linked but one in particular involved a ‘real’ wolf and its need to be with March.  Yes, I know this is a paranormal storyline that involves shifters and werewolves (What? Werewolves are NOT real? ) but it made for a few uncomfortable moments.  Everyone knows I am NOT a prude and I do not have too many issues with the content in most storylines, but this one had me a little–unsettled.

MOON-LINKED is an interesting and different look at a ‘were’ shifter series. There is some humor as our heroine tries to deal with her new and improved body. There is a potential for the requisite YA love triangle and of course, the popular and cool crowd wants nothing to do with March and her friends. I suspect there are others of varying species about to evolve and manifest in the halls of the local high school. The writing is simple, the storyline is fast paced and easy to read and, Erin lets the reader in on her version of the ‘were’ myth and how it has affected the varying species on earth.

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MOON-ACHE (Lone March #2)

MOON-ACHE is the second storyline in Erin Irvin’s Lone March series. It has only been a few days since March’s first change and already the ‘were ‘world is very much aware of her existence. When her new pack ran into some internal troubles, March would find herself back with the Harper’s. Running from the pack only made sense when the new self-proclaimed alpha was determined to make March his mate. But life wasn’t about to get any easier, when she discovers that the only family she has known is gone and social services has placed her with a religious zealot who doesn’t stop at anything to keep March in line. Once again, escape is her only option and this time she will find herself back with the Harper’s. When Avery Harper reveals to what extent her new pack has had to endure because of her existence, March decides that to take matters into her own hands.

Meanwhile March’s personal life runs into a little trouble. The requisite YA love triangle has emerged. We all saw it coming. As the only female of her species, she is wanted and hunted by all of the clans, and life as a breeder is not on her agenda. But when a young were from her pack begins to have feelings for March, territorial instincts will kick in and March’s high school boyfriend will become the victim of a jealous rage. Knowing her presence in his life could possibly lead to further problems and attack, it is March’s decision to let go and move on with her new life.

MOON-ACHE reveals the existence of a few more ‘were’ species and further develops upon the animosity between the groups. There is still no revelation about what has happened to create such hatred between the supernatural powers but we are closer to discovering why this has occurred. And the were-ravens-all I can say is Victorian England probably never looked so stuffy—“quoth the raven-Nevermore.”

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MOON-BURN (Lone March #3) by Erin Irvin

MOON-BURN will find March on the run with an unwelcome partner. Knowing his intentions towards March are for personal gain and power, she takes control of the situation from the start- using gun power at every opportunity- the former alpha wanna-be becomes her personal target. The girl should not be allowed to hold a gun but we will discover that she had a good reason to keep him under control. At this point and throughout most of this particular storyline March’s anger is out of control, but it is explained away as wolf-rage. When March attempts a rescue of the pack, Avery Harper will once again drop in like the super hero and help March save the day. But March will remain the number one person on every were-wolf’s hit list. Whoever is in possession and marks the female, has power over the other packs. And there are other packs looking to claim March as one of their own.

To complicate matters, everyone at school is now treating her like a celebrity. With at least 2 abductions (and a runaway) to her credit, March has topped the A-list for wannabes cliques and one-time enemies seeking information. But it is her ‘relationships’ with Ethyn and Greyson that amped up my angst. She continues to play a game with their hearts. Her Jekyll and Hyde persona is disconcerting for both me, as the reader and the storyline characters. Werewolf rage is not pretty, and definitely, not an easy read.

One thing that made me uncomfortable in this particular storyline- March has developed sexual feelings towards her guardian Avery Harper. Avery is the father (and were-raven) of her on-again/off-again boyfriend Ethyn and at every opportunity March is throwing herself into Avery’s embrace. To say the least, when a 15year old girl has a fascination with an older man, it becomes more than uncomfortable in a young adult storyline.

MOON-BURN divides the storyline between her life with the pack and her life back in school. There is no easy solution in the short term, but some major anger management is definitely something that has to be considered.

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MOON-SWELL is the latest (November 2012 release) storyline in the Lone March series and with it comes some major revelations. We follow March as she travels between pack den and the Harper household but her feelings become conflicted when she believes everyone is hiding secrets-and they are. Not knowing what the future holds, she is fully aware that the pack is preparing to go to war to protect the only remaining female werewolf. There is a feud between the species, and the wolves are at the center of it all.

March’s relationship with both Ethyn and Greyson will hit some rough patches as she learns to deal with her wolf hormone-induced aggression. Her friends will eventually turn their backs on March and, Greyson’s decision to leave will force March to take another look at the damage she has inflicted, but it won’t take long before the young shifter finds another target for her affections and finally gives in to her hormonal drives. But this new target is more than just human and his involvement with March will bring out another side that can only be explained by the very people keeping her true heritage under wraps. Although the sexual encounter was not graphic in content, there was a sexual encounter-none the less.

March’s relationship with Avery will continue to be uncomfortable for me. Avery reveals his feelings for March –that of a father to a daughter, but with that realization, March is once again conflicted with her own emotions towards the man who has sworn to protect her from the others and in most cases, from herself.

March in many ways is your typical rebellious teen but with the added difficulty of being a shape-shifter and the only female were-wolf in existence. But that doesn’t excuse her self-centered attitude and self-appointed god-like status. She actually considers herself royalty among the wolves. The history of the ‘were’ will reveal some major turn of events, when the players involved are closer to March than she could have imagined. This is a story of stereotypes, racism (as in species) and prejudiced attitudes to towards anyone with a differing set of DNA.

MOON-SWELL continued to run up my YA love triangle angst, especially when March continues to deny any responsibility or culpability for her actions towards the opposite sex. She is in a perpetual state of anger, rage and arousal, and lashes out without thinking about the consequences of her actions to others and especially her friends.

Once again, the storyline is fast paced although I would like to see more interaction between March and her pack. There are also some Harper family secrets that have yet to be revealed when Avery’s flock of ravens alludes to some major indiscretions in his past. Moon-Swell is another interesting storyline and look at a shape-shifting phenomenon.

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Overall, The Lone March series is an interesting and fascinating read.  Erin Irvin has put her own spin on the shape-shifter genre centred on the ‘lone’ survivor of a war between the species. Erin has written a series that takes many of the human problems of hatred and animosity between race and religion, and applies the same to the varying species in her shifter world.

But as you can guess, I had a couple of issues as it pertained to the Young Adult storyline and the heroine’s need to  ‘have sex’ and ‘mate’. The storyline tells of a young, 15 year old (turned 16 in Moon Swell)  shifter girl adjusting to life as an angry, hormonal female wolf but I did not consider her behavior with the boys (and men including her guardian) as role model material for the YA genre. I am especially concerned with her attempts (to) and fascination with seducing her boyfriend’s father. The series is directed at young adult females and the sexual aggression and actions of the 15 year old female heroine were disconcerting and uncomfortable (for me).  

Copies supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Cover Reveals-November 27, 2012

COVER REVEALS-November 27, 2012

 

 TITLE:  Darkness Avenged

AUTHOR:  Alexandra Ivy

 SERIES:  Guardians of Eternity

 RELEASE DATE:  June 2013






 

TITLE: The Proposition

AUTHOR: Jennifer Lyon

SERIES: The Plus One Chronicles

RELEASE DATE: February 26, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Rebel Obsession

AUTHOR: Donya Lynne

SERIES: AKM

RELEASE DATE: January 15, 2013

 

 

 

 TITLE:  The Perfect Gift

AUTHOR:  Jennifer Ashley

SERIES:  The Mackenzies

RELEASE DATE:  December 11, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Kiss of the Betrayer

AUTHOR: Boone Brux

SERIES: The Bringer and the Bane

RELEASE DATE: December 11, 2012

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Born of Illusion

AUTHOR: Teri Brown

SERIES: N/A

RELEASE DATE: June 2013

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Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee-a review

Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee-a review

BONE DEEP by Bonnie Dee

BONE DEEP is an historical romance (re-release May 2012) novel without the usual feel of the historical aspect. Taking place in 1946, Bone Deep follows the life and love of military widow Sarah and how she learns to overcome grief when she realizes that are far worse things in life than having a loved one die-a survivor who must face the reality of abuse with every stare and whisper.

Sarah will embark on a journey of discovery when she finds the ‘tattooed’ man from the travelling carnival hiding in her barn. When Sarah and Tom first eye each other, Tom is trapped behind a cage in the ‘freak show’ exhibits, but there is something about the sadness in his eyes that draws Sarah like a moth to a flame. She sees behind the colors and artwork that cover 99% of his body-she sees the man and she knows instantly that this man has a story to tell.

Tom’s connection to Sarah is instant. When Tom first introduces himself to Sarah, he is soft spoken and with few words. But he is also on the run. He has escaped the confines of his ‘jailer’ and refused to go back to a life on display. Years of isolation and abuse have taken their toll on Tom. With few companions and friends, Tom has had little use for the spoken word. But his body art tells a different story.

As the storyline develops Sarah will discover that there is an attraction between the two, but there are so many odds that must be overcome including the rumors that an escapee from the carnival is threatening the lives of everyone around. To protect Tom, Sarah opens her home as well as her heart.

There is a slight paranormal feel to the storyline, one that is explained by way of Tom’s connection to the carnival fortune teller, and it is this particular power that will force Tom into the open before the condemning eyes of the local towns people. Sarah and Tom must endure the rumors and talk, as well as the escalating anger from the people who are too quick to judge. But it is 1946 after all and someone different is perceived as a threat.

BONE DEEP is first and foremost a love story. The love scenes are romantic, real and emotional. You can feel the love that is growing between Tom and Sarah, and you know that someone will come along and tear this couple apart. Sarah’s immediate attraction to Tom went beyond the façade and into his soul. She taught him to love and trust, and he taught her to open up her heart and let someone else inside.

This is my first Bonnie Dee novel. It is a little older, I believe it was first released in 2006 (according to Goodreads), but it is well worth the time and effort of the read. Bonnie writes a story that proves love can overcome abuse, even when everyone around is threatened by the very person with whom you are in love.

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Reviewed by Sandy

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