Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Soulstone (Immortalis #4)


It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone. Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum. The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.












Excerpt
As I went upstairs to get ready for my night with Ian, I stumbled upon my clan members seated around a large cherrywood table in the formal dining room. I stepped inside to see if any of them wanted to join me for a night out on the town. I opened my mouth to speak and caught the awkward glances that Nicholas, Crystal, and Drew were giving me. Silence enveloped the room, as if my presence were unwanted.
“Did I miss dinner?” I asked, hoping to break the awkwardness of the moment with a little humor, but none of them laughed at my bad joke.
Nicholas folded his hands in front of him on the table. He shook his head and clenched his jaw as if he wanted to say something but was holding back. Drew looked down at the dining table, pretending to be intensely studying the grain of the wood, while Crystal sat back in her chair, picking at her long, manicured fingernails. If I wasn’t mistaken, they seemed to be avoiding eye contact with me. This was one of those many times I wished I were an older vampire and had developed the ability to read thoughts. Being a newbie, as I was, I had almost none of the nifty abilities that the more experienced vampires had. I could sense emotions, but that wouldn’t do me much good here. I did, however, have the sneaking suspicion they’d all been talking about me.
“Okay then,” I said to break the silence. “Lysander’s crystal is in the coffin if anyone is looking for it. I noticed something different about it today. Possibly a good thing. Fingers crossed. When Ariana gets here we need to have her take a look at it. Maybe the spell is reversing itself. Wouldn’t that be great?”
Crystal glanced up for a brief second and smiled awkwardly at me.
Drew cleared his throat and it sounded like he said, “Okay,” but didn’t bother to turn and look in my direction.
I found it odd that none of them bothered to comment on what I had said about Lysander or the crystal. Come to think of it, they’d been acting funny for the last few evenings; avoiding me, ignoring me, and spending a lot of time in their own little group. Did they know something I didn’t? And if they did, why weren’t they telling me? I wanted to blurt these questions out but knew better. If they were trying to hide something from me, the direct approach wasn’t going to get me any answers. I’d have to keep a close watch on them to find out myself.
“Anyway… Ian is dragging me out of the house. We’re going to hit the bar. If anyone else wants to join us, I’d love to have you. Please come.”
Crystal shook her head and folded her arms across the table, but maintained her silence.
“Drew, Nicholas, either of you guys want to tag along? Don’t make me go out with Ian all by myself.” I figured that would at least get a rise out of one of them. They’d been like overprotective brothers, and Ian was just the kind of guy that brothers kept away from their little sisters.
 “Actually, that might be best.” Drew said in his usually chipper tone. “You get along well with the Boston crowd. I feel you should go out with them more often. It would do you good.”
“I’m sorry… what?” To say I was startled would be an understatement. “Remember we’re talking about Ian here. Mr. Wannabe Casanova. You want me to go out with him tonight?”
 “You can handle him,” Drew responded.
“What I think Drew is trying to say,” Crystal said softly, “is that we want to see you going out and having fun. We’re worried for you. The Boston crowd is younger, and you can relate to them better. Maybe that’s what you need to move on.”
“Move on!” I said a bit louder than I wanted to. “Nicholas, back me up here. Have you moved on from Rozaline?”
I realized about two seconds too late that I probably shouldn’t have reopened that wound. And I was right. Nicholas’s face tensed. His jaw clenched. His eyes zeroed in on mine, and without needing to hear the sound I knew he was still screaming in pain on the inside.
Rozaline, Nicholas’s mate, had died days before Lysander had been charred and trapped in the crystal. We’d all watched her decapitated and drained at the ghostly hands of Aniketos. Her death had been gruesome and very final, and I doubt even the coldest heart out there could have gotten over that pain so quickly.
“Sorry, that was wrong of me. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. All I’m trying to say is, she died and he is allowed to mourn. Lysander isn’t dead, and you all seem to want to act like he is. There is nothing for me to move on from.”
Crystal stood and walked purposefully toward me. “We just feel like you might be holding false hope. We don’t want you to hurt more if things don’t work out.”
“At least I have hope.” I couldn’t hold back the raw emotion in my voice. “At least I want things to be better. What are you all doing? Have you lost your humanity completely? This is no different than if he were in a coma in a hospital. If we were human, I’d be by his side every day, because I love him. That’s what you do when you love someone.”
She put her arm around me. “You’re not wrong to care. And we do want things to be better. Even if that means letting go.”
I jerked away from her.
“Not of your hope,” she added. “Let go of some of the pain. Don’t forget you have to live too. Transfer that energy into something productive, so you’re not constantly dwelling on the uncertainty of his situation.”
“And what if I’m not ready to let go of the pain? What if all I have is my pain?”
“You know that’s a lie.” She pulled me back into her arms. “You have us. We care… in our own way.”
Drew stood and joined us. His massive height dwarfed both Crystal and me. “So go out tonight. Have fun with Ian and Zuri and anyone else you can drag along with you. Get out of this house. That’s all we want.”
“Then I want you all to come too.” If I was to be forced into going out and having fun, they should have to go too. It was only fair.
“We’ve already hunted,” Drew said with an obviously fake smile. “And I don’t really care much for the dance clubs here.”
“There is nothing you can say that will get me to go to another bar,” Nicholas said with a note of finality.
I knew better than to push him. We shared a common pain, though not exactly the same, and I wouldn’t blame him at all for locking himself away to mourn. Losing a mate with whom you have shared eternity is not something you can just walk away from. He’d been ready to join her, offering himself as a sacrifice, but that too had been stolen from him when Lysander took his place.
“Well, I know Crystal will go with me.” I gave her my best you’re-not-getting-out-of-this look. Crystal liked to go to parties and clubs. She’d been the first to take me out dancing after I’d been turned. “No excuses. If you don’t go, I don’t go.”
She sighed and for a brief moment, I almost believed she was angry at me for giving her an ultimatum; but then a smile blossomed from her tight lips. “Oh, all right. I’ll go out tonight.”
Drew cleared his throat. “I thought we had our own plans for tonight.” He put his arm around his mate. “Remember, just the two of us?”
She stammered for a moment and looked up at her mate with confusion in her eyes. “Oh… yes… I completely forgot. Alyssa, let’s have a girls’ night some other time.”
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but they were all acting very suspicious. I sighed in disappointment. “Fine. I’ll see you all later. Will someone call me if Ariana gets here before I return?”
“If we’re home.” Drew said with a cocky tone that didn’t suit him.
Something was definitely up.
“Yeah, okay. If you’re around, give me a call,” I said, and then turned and headed toward my room to get ready.  

Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, she still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write. And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale… Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.



Pickup Men (Pickup Men)

Pickup Men 
 5 of 5 stars false 
It takes a pissed-off Brahma bull named Shockwave to show rodeo pickup man Marty Fairgrave the cold hard truth about champion bull rider Tripp Colby: Tripp will never leave the safety of his closet or acknowledge Marty in public. Sometimes loving someone just isn’t enough, and after a year of hiding what they are, Marty finally sees the light—and it’s no longer shining on Tripp.
Tripp Colby would do anything for Marty. Well . . . almost. He’s never loved anyone before, and isn’t quite sure how to handle it now. But he knows Marty is his everything, and in order to win him back, Tripp will have to overcome his darkest fears and step into the light.
But no matter Tripp’s intentions, the cost might be too high and the effort too late for these two cowboys to ride off into the sunset.

Review

*****I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****
Marty Fairgrave is considered one of the best pickup men on the circuit, and "one of the gayest". Being out of the closet since he was a juvenile, he is comfortable with who he is and who he loves. Along with his best friends Kent and Bridge, and a very supportive accepting family, Marty has been able to rise about the people who may cause problems for him and accept that not everyone is comfortable with his lifestyle and be ok with that. Tripp Colby unfortunately has not had the same support or upbringing. The son of a man who ran a controversial facility to "cure" gay people, he has learned to hide who he truly is so far in the closet that he's not sure it will ever see the light of day. Falling in love with Marty has just complicated that. Being a world champion bull rider on the same circuit as Marty, his daytime activities are vastly different from the nighttime ones with the man. Surrounded by a stereotypical "man's sport" and a few close minded good ole boys and Tripp can't bring himself to confess or show his feelings. A Brahma bull changes everything in a few minutes and Tripp and Marty are sent on a whirlwind of heartbreak and eventually healing.
There are sometimes those books where they feel like they're written for you. You can't put them down and you're almost depressed when they end. This was one of those books for me. While I won't say it was perfect, it was perfect for me. Being an avid rodeo fan, ex to a bull rider, and a previous competitor, I loved that one of our main character's was one of rodeo's unsung heroes, the pickup men. I'm a sucker for a sexy cowboy and love anything that focuses on the sport. The cowboys were strong, sexy, and amazing. Marty was such an easy to connect with character who automatically had you falling in love with him. Tripp was frustrating at times but broke your heart. The side characters were a blast. I felt like there could have been more about Eric coming into the bunch. Instead he was just accepted into the close group of friends overnight it seemed and after a failed seduction of Marty. I was extremely intrigued by what in the world was going on between seemingly straight Bridge and proud and out Eric. There were definitely hints of interested and more coming from Bridge's side and hopefully they'll get their own book. I understand where other reader's frustrations came from with this book but didn't experience any of them enough to halt my love for the story. It was a sweet romance that defied the odds and allowed our characters to grow as people. 

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The Storm Inside

The Storm Inside by Alexis Anne
Genre: Adult Romance
Published: September 17th, 2013

The only thing holding me back was my heart. You know, the broken one. It knew if Jake and I got back together we’d make our past relationship look like child’s play. It would be a sweet footnote to this new, torrid love affair. ‘Jake and Eve 2.0’ would be an uncontrolled explosion of sex and adoration.
Uncontrolled explosions were dangerous. Everyone knew that.
And yet, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from playing with the matches…” ~Eve

Loving someone and being in love aren’t always the same thing.

That’s what Eve Daniels is trying to come to terms with when Jake Spencer suddenly returns to her life after ten years of silence. Haunted by a past he had no power to control, Jake left everyone and everything behind in hopes of saving Eve from his demons. His one regret was breaking her heart.

From the moment they reconnect, it is clear to Eve the passion, brilliance, and determination that first attracted her to Jake are stronger than ever. So strong that fighting their pull seems useless. But falling back in love isn’t as easy as letting the walls down. Eve soon realizes the choices they’ve both made come with consequences. Ones that will test how deep her love runs for a man living with a storm inside.

Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.



Purchase:
Amazon (paperback) | Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Noble




Jake slammed my back into the wall of the shack, the boards of the wall bending and flexing from the impact.  For a moment I worried we’d punch a hole right in the side of the building, but then Jake nipped my earlobe at the exact same moment he flexed his hips into mine, and I forgot everything I was thinking.
Everything but him. 
I didn’t think about the ten years he’d been gone or how much I hated him.  All I could feel was his hard body pressed up against mine, his rough hands as they desperately roamed over my skin, and the intensity in his kiss.
We’d always made an explosive combination; that clearly hadn’t changed.  If anything, the added experience and time apart made what we’d had in the past look sweet and warm.  Because this—what we were doing now— was off the charts insane.  It was brutal and animalistic in the most fantastic way.
The afternoon thunderstorm was howling outside.  It was my favorite time of day, and Jake knew it.  The thing about Florida’s summertime storms was that you could feel them.  When lightning strikes, the air crackles with electricity moving through everything around you.  The moment it splits the sky, thunder vibrates so deeply it shakes the earth and every molecule in your body.  You feel it everywhere.
Thunderstorms are a full body experience from the light and the vibrations, to the sound of the wind, the pounding of the rain, and the taste of the humidity in the air.
It’s like Mother Nature is trying to sweep you away in a symphony of senses.  And at the moment I was swept away by both the storm and by Jake.  I was completely lost to everything.
It had always been like this with us.  Ten years hadn’t dulled it at all.  If anything, the waiting only made it more intense than ever. 
His hand closed around my jaw, turning my head away so that he could nuzzle my neck.  As his tongue stroked upward along my skin, the muscles in my belly clenched and I squeezed my legs around him tighter.
“Oh god, Eve…” he moaned, pinning my hands to the wall and looking up at me with fire in his eyes as he continued to rock against me.  The intensity with which he wanted me only made me crave him more.  I ground back against his firm waist even harder.
Words seemed to ruin everything between us, so I wasn’t about to start talking now.  I just panted, throwing my head back, and pushing against him with my hips to let him know I wanted to continue.  There was no doubt in my mind how wet I was, my body was practically begging to have Jake back inside me.
Taking my cue, Jake released my wrists and slowly, silently began to undress me, not that it took much.  My bikini was held on by four sets of strings.
His eyes hungrily roamed over my naked breasts with a passion that made me shiver with hot desire.
Thunder rattled the roof as Jake stepped back, pulling me toward him with his hand knotted in my hair.  The tug on my hair follicles hurt in the most fantastic way.  He crushed his lips against mine and I would have cried out in pain if it hadn’t felt so good.
The one thing that kept running through my head, the one thing I couldn’t ignore any longer, was how badly I wanted this man.  Every inch of me wanted to possess him.  I felt like a tigress stalking her prey.  Jake was mine and no one else’s.  Always had been, always would be.
The shack was dank and old: there wasn’t a surface in the place that seemed clean or inviting, let alone suitable for our naked bodies.
Jake’s towel was flung over the back of a folding chair and with a quick flip of his wrist, the towel now covered the seat.  I let him pull me onto his lap, my toes just barely reaching the floor on either side of him.  His warm and sweaty skin against mine was electric and I gasped.  I needed him inside me, now.



Alexis Anne lives in Central Florida with her tall, dark, and handsome husband and their two adorable superheroes. Their crazy lives have taken them from archaeology digs to breaking news as they traversed the worlds of anthropology and television news. When she's not reading or writing, Alexis can be found at the beach or on the water with her family. Her first series, FILTERS, are contemporary romance short stories. The Storm Inside is her first full-length novel.



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The Wrong Billionaire's Bed (Billionaire Boys Club #3)

The Wrong Billionaire's Bed (Billionaire Boys Club, #3) 
 3 of 5 stars false 
The Billionaire Boys Club is a secret society of six men who have vowed success--at any cost. Not all of them are old money, but all of them are incredibly wealthy. They're just not always as successful when it comes to love...
Audrey Petty's always been the responsible one. The good twin.  Successful, dependable, and trustworthy--that's Audrey. She'd be the perfect girlfriend for her childhood crush, billionaire Cade Archer...except that she's pretty sure she's not even on his radar. But when fate (and her chaotic twin) come together, Audrey finds out that she'll be spending the next month with Cade at his remote cabin retreat. It's a dream come true... 
Until she meets her worst nightmare.
Billionaire playboy Reese Durham is used to seducing women to get what he wants. But when stiff, too-proper Audrey bursts into the private mountain lodge and scares his companion out the door, it's time for a little revenge. It's clear that Audrey's in love with his buddy, Cade...and it's clear to Reese that blackmailing Audrey with this information can get her to agree to just about anything. Like furtive kisses in the dark, or a secret rendezvous in the woods. Audrey may think she knows what she wants, but Reese is determined to show her what she needs.
And as Reese discovers the volatile minx behind the buttoned-up exterior, he starts to think maybe she's just what he needs, too.

Review



****I received a copy of this book through Penguin Group, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review****
Audrey has always been the safe one, the responsible one, the good twin. She's also always had a crush on billionaire and childhood best friend Cade Archer. However, she's never been able to get him alone long enough to make more of an impression on him, always leaving herself in the friend zone. When her twin sister, the wild pop star Daphne Petty decides to finally get clean, she finds herself in one of her many fantasies, spending time in Cade's remote mountain getaway. What she never saw coming was Reese Durham.
What a fun, sexy romp! A little predictable at times but still a fun journey, The Wrong Billionaire's Bed is a great addition for any romance or new adult fan and can be read as a stand alone. The characters were sassy but not my favorites. I didn't connect with Audrey, and her blind obsession with Cade got a little old. Cade was too good, too clean, and came off as sweet but safe, boring. Daphne was a spoiled brat and drove me up a wall the way she walked all over Audrey and everyone else around her and there was always an excuse for it. Reese was the only character I truly connected with. Unfortunately I felt like every time his true character came through, it got shut down, but I still really enjoyed his humor and flirty personality. The storyline remains very realistic throughout and didn't get ridiculous like some stories featuring "billionaire playboys". Definitely a book worth picking up when you're looking for something lighter to curl up and enjoy. 

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