Hunted by Lorenz Font - Blog Tour

Title; Hunted
Author; Lorenz Font
Series; The Gates Legacy, book one
Source; Publisher in exchange for honest review as part of the blog tour
Format; PDF/On my kindle
Publisher; Renaissance Romance Publishing
Publication Date; March 5th 2013

Description; Deep in the heart of New York City’s netherworld, a horrible disease is ravaging the vampire community. The Vampire Council is on a crusade to obliterate those infected, and Harrow Gates is target Number One. The unwitting source of the plague, he suffers from the same nightmarish symptoms as his victims. The world he'd been thrust into was cold, cruel, and intent on eradicating him, and the legions of afflicted vampires he created with his bite.

A bounty hanging over his head, satisfying his hunger has become an enormous challenge for Harrow. The less he feeds, the more hideous and painful his lesions become. Constantly running for his life and learning new tricks to survive, Harrow is in no position to refuse when Pritchard Tack offers him a unique opportunity. Pritchard not only gives Harrow a new beginning, but also a purpose and a chance to rectify the chaos he created in the vampire world. However, the multi-billionaire has an agenda of his own.

Jordan is a reluctant new vampire and a woman on a mission. After the demise of her family and her own transformation at the hands of Goran, the ruthless leader of the Vampire Council, her only focus is revenge. Constantly faced with one frustrating dead-end after another, a stroke of luck leads her to an underground facility that she suspects is the lair of the monster for whom she is looking.

Upon learning more about the truth behind the secret bunker, Jordan must fight against her growing feelings of friendship and concern for the facility’s inhabitants. One man in particular threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. There is something behind Harrow’s dark lenses that unsettles the hardened female. Once again, she trembles and hungers for something other than red-stained revenge. Is love strong enough to override her hate-fueled thirst for vengeance?

Goodreads Average Rating; 4.78*s
My Rating; 4.5*s
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Who would I recommend it to? Those looking for something new to read, something with unexpected twists.
Will I ever read anything else by this author? Yes, I will

My Review; This book has great characters, and a great plot. When I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. It just...sucked me in. Unfortunately sleep called and so it took me a bit longer to read the book, but it was still a great read.

This is a great first novel and I am expecting to see a lot more of Lorenz Font.

Hunted has a different take on vampires. Sure, you've all heard that before, but this book is different and it's awesome and I think you should read it.
Especially if you are a fan of vampire books and you are looking for something new.

I cannot wait for more from this author, and more from this series!

An amazing début and an interesting take on vampires. Definitely one I think you should all check out.

With vampires, a great plot line, and awesome character, well, what more could you want?

Men At Work: Why Women Live Longer Than Men by Cheezburger Network

Title; Men At Work: Why Women Live Longer Than Men
Author; Cheezburger Network
Series; Not part of one
Source; NetGalley, in exchange for honest review
Format; Kindle
Publisher; Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date; April 16th 2013

Description;  From the New York Times best-selling author/website Cheezburger Network, a hilarious compilation of over 100 photos featuring the heights of male incompetence and showcasing the feats, follies, foibles, and questionable DIY activities of men at work in the home, the office, and just about anywhere.Men at Work showcases dozens of original full-color photos based on the popular websites There, I Fixed It and FAIL Blog, two of the most trafficked Cheezburger sites. From precarious ladder placement and jungle gym scaffolding to questionable balancing of two-ton mechanical equipment, Men at Work dares to offer a possible reason for why women live longer than men.

Picture after picture offers valid explanation as to why this life span gender bias exists. It seems that whether they are washing windows, paving roads, or attending to questionable DIY repairs at home, men at work tend to balance risk with reward. If the ladder isn’t tall enough, turn it into a scaffold by using a picnic table as the base and then add some plywood, along with a concrete cinder block and paint can — voilà!, problem solved. Or, if that 50-story skyscraper lacks a window ledge, create one yourself with a carefully placed 2 x 4. This rollicking collection offers dozens of full color photographs that illustrate the notion that to live longer, perhaps men just need to work a tad bit smarter.

Goodreads Average Rating; 3.75*s
My Rating; 2.5*s
Would I recommend it? Maybe, I'm not sure. Probably not. But maybe to someone who loved the Cheezburger Network
Who would I recommend it to? Cheezburger Network die hard fans
Will I read anything else by this author? I might try one or two more books, but I don't know yet...

My Review; I was honestly kind of disappointed by this one. I saw this book on NetGalley and I saw that it was published by the same people that published Sorry I Barfed On Your Bed (Review Here), and so I thought I'd lucked out and found another book that would make me laugh out loud and smile all the way through...

I was wrong.

This book is...okay. I guess. It just...wasn't as funny as I was hoping it would be. I mean, there were a few part where I smiled, maybe gave a small laugh, but overall, my enjoyment level of the book was...not that great.

Which sucks.

I mean, it's not like the book was entirely terrible, and I might recommend it to a few people, those who like the Cheezburger Network sites and such, but, I think this book was kind of a let down.
Not really that funny at all.
Not even the pictures were all that great.

Sorry if you feel differently, but...I just, I'm disappointed.

It's been a while...

I know it's been a short while since I've written a post. I'm reading several books at once and not finishing too many, and those that I am finishing...I just haven't been writing reviews for. Sorry about that. I should really stop that, I should write reviews for every book I read... Now, that's an ambition for another time!

I'll try to post more, but until then here's what I'm reading...

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/11451886-claire-gamblin?shelf=currently-reading

(17 books at once? Eeek.)

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Title; Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice.
Author; Richelle Mead

Description of first book; St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Ratings; 
Vampire Academy - 5*s
Frostbite - 5*s
Shadow Kiss - 5*s
Blood Promise - 4.75*s
Spirit Bound - 5*s
Last Sacrifice - 5*s
Overall rating; 5*s (Really 6 or more stars.)

I recommend these books and will be reading probably everything by this author. 

A kind of Review; I didn't write a review for the first book in this series and so I wasn't going to write a review for any of these books...but, after finishing them all, I feel like I should say...something about them.

This isn't really a review, this post is sort of...promotional? I don't know. All I know is that I loved this series. From the beginning to the very last page.
These books made me laugh!
These books made me cry!
These books made me sigh happily!
These books made my sigh sadly!
These books are...beyond amazing!

Now, there were times when I was mad with the characters, when I was mad with the author, and the books altogether. Especially at the end of the third one...

The conclusion to these books...is...eh. Like, after everything that had gone on I was expecting something a bit...more for the end. But, there is Bloodlines, the series that ties in with this one... So, maybe that's why it ended the way it did.

Anyway, you need to read this books. Yes. Need to.

The characters are awesome.
The books are awesome.
Richelle Mead is awesome.

Lash by L.G. Castillo - Cover Reveal!

Book Info:

Expected Release Date:
June 24, 2013

Title: Lash (Broken Angel #1) by L. G. Castillo

Genre:
New Adult Paranormal Romance

Goodreads Link:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17306427-lash

Book Synopsis:

Decades after being banished from Heaven for saving a life he shouldn’t have, seraph Lash is given a chance to redeem himself. His mission: protect Naomi Duran, a young woman who has lost her faith. The assignment proves to be anything but simple when his superiors, the Archangels, withhold key information about Naomi and refuse to restore Lash’s powers. When an unexpected source reveals centuries-old secrets, his trust is shaken to the core, and he begins to doubt those whom he had once considered to be his greatest allies.

Determined to avoid anything that would risk his chances of returning to Heaven, Lash struggles with the greatest obstacle of all—his growing feelings for Naomi. But when her life is threatened by an unknown source, Lash questions the wisdom of the Archangels and his ability to keep her safe.

Soon, Lash will have to choose where to place his faith—in the home he has fought so hard to regain or in the forbidden love he can’t bear to lose.

----------------------------------

• This Will Be a Trilogy

TBN (Broken Angel #2)
Release Date: Fall 2013

TBN (Broken Angel #3)
Release Date: Spring 2014

-----------------------------------

Author Bio:

L.G. (Linda) Castillo wrote her first story when she was ten and has been writing ever since. She took a break from writing fiction and poetry to focus on obtaining her Ph.D. in counseling psychology. She is now a licensed psychologist and currently works as a professor at a Texas university. Although she has published her psychological research in several professional journals and books, her dream is to publish a novel.

It wasn’t until she found the world of fanfiction that she became inspired to write stories again. She uploaded her first fanfiction novel under the pen name Lacrimosa Moon. With the support and encouragement of her readers (and lots and lots of caffeine), she wrote the first book of the Broken Angel trilogy, Lash, during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo 2012).

When she’s not writing, she scours the Internet collecting frequent flyer miles and uses them to travel with her husband throughout Europe.

Author Photo:









Author Contact Links:

Website:
http://www.lgcastillo.com

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LGCastilloAuthor

Seduction and Snacks (Chocolate Lovers #1) by Tara Sivec

Title; Seduction and Snacks
Author; Tara Sivec
Series; Chocolate Lovers, book one
Source; Amazon, paid
Format; Kindle
Publisher; Self published
Publication Date; June 11th 2012
Description; Claire is a twenty-something, single mom that grudgingly helps her best friend sell sex toys while she attempts to make enough money to start her own business to give her foul-mouthed, but extremely loveable (when he's asleep) toddler a better life.

When Carter, the one-night-stand from her past that changed her life forever, shows up in her hometown bar without any recollection of her besides her unique chocolate scent, Claire will make it a point that he remembers her this time.

With Carter's undisguised shock at suddenly finding out he has a four-year-old son and Claire's panic that her stretch marks and slim to none bedroom experience will send the man of her dreams heading for the hills, the pair will do whatever they can to get their happily ever after.

Warning: contains explicit sex, profanity and enough sarcasm to choke a horse.
Goodreads Average Rating; 4.39*s
My Rating; 5*s (maybe 6...)
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Most definitely.
Who would I recommend it to? All of you that like to laugh.
Would I read anything else by this author? For sure.

My Review;

Initial Reaction; Oh, I should have read this book sooner! Talk about laugh out loud! I highlighted so much of this book.

Actual Review; This book. This book was hilarious. I can't believe I waited so long to read it! Okay, so that there was pretty much my initial reaction, but it's true. I laughed out loud several times, enough times that people kept asking what was so funny. I'm glad I read it at home, I may have gotten some funny looks otherwise.

Claire, she was so real. And if you know me, you know how much I love characters that seem real.
She got all of this stuff thrown at her, and she took it so well, and she was hilarious and just kept pushing through it all.

Gavin was probably the most hilarious child. Ever. Certainly a handful and the most entertaining four year old I've ever heard of.

Carter. Carter, he was funny, he was nice, he was pretty awesome.

My favourite character is between Gavin, Claire, and Liz.
Liz was definitely one of the funniest characters, and she wasn't a terrible friend either.

Oh, this book. You need to read this book. It is one I could read again already. I just...did not expect it to be that funny!

Okay, enough gushing. But seriously, read this book, if you have the right sense of humour you won't regret it!

I can't wait to read the sequel, which is waiting for me on my kindle because I downloaded it straight after finishing this book!

Drama Queens With Love Scenes by Kevin Klehr - Promo Blitz

{Giveaway is international and is for either a nook, kindle or paperback copy of the book - winner's choice}

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Book Info:

• Title: Drama Queens With Love Scenes

• Author: Kevin Klehr

• Release Date: December 21st, 2012

• Genre: Speculative Fiction / Gay Romance

Synopsis:

Close friends Allan and Warwick are dead. They're not crazy about the idea so to help them deal with this dilemma are Samantha, a blond bombshell from the 1950s, and Guy, an insecure angel.

They are soon drawn into the world of theatre - Afterlife style, with all the bitchiness, back-stabbing and ego usually associated with the mortal world. Allan also has a secret. He has a romantic crush on his friend, Warwick, but shortly after confiding in his new angel pal, his love interest falls for the cock-sure playwright, Pedro.

Not only does Allan have to win the heart of his companion, he also has to grapple with the faded memory of how he actually died.

GR Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16111156-drama-queens-with-love-scenes
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GhHlCK9J-jM

Excerpt:

The music had become upbeat since we entered. Nellie gently swung her hips while one hand snapped in rhythm to the beatnik-like tune. The drummer and the guitarist played it hip in dark sunglasses, as if posing for a fashion shoot. The spiky haired bass player soulfully strummed his instrument like it was an extension of himself. I wanted to be his groupie ready to take on his deep throbbing melody.

Around us, groovy patrons found their swing. With arms waving and bodies gyrating, they crowded the floor.

“Is this jazz feel too cool for you, Guy?” I asked.

He propped his chin on both hands, staring at us through blurry eyes and gesturing more gracelessly as the orange liqueur took hold.

“In this state,” he mumbled without moving his jaw, “I could even listen to Barry Manilow.”

He downed his drink as if it was water waiting for a marathon runner.

“Come on guys,” I said. “There’s a party in full swing. Why aren’t we dancing?”

I shuffled my feet into the crowd, holding hands with my drinking companions. We oozed into the jumbled rhythmic pulse of the bodies twisting and spinning around us. There was no Warwick or Pedro here to make me sad, just a group of friendly strangers sharing the beat.

Guy created his own tempo as his hands clapped out of synch. Even his wings got into the act, making him look like a seagull caught in a fishing net. Maudi’s upper half gyrated back and forth, yet still poised like the cultivated lass she was.

I danced with them but somehow in my own space, wanting to shed my skin and take the joy of this party home with me, albeit with just the bass player. The primal pulse of his talents would inject the same life into me as he was to his instrument. We’d come alive, sweaty, breathless, ecstatic!

“Allan, darling,” said Maudi. She leaned over to my ear like Mata Hari about to share a password. “That bass player is sober. You are drunk.”

“So?”

“So if you approach him you’ll look like a sleazy rogue.”

“How did you know I was interested in him?”

“Sweetheart, nobody here can miss your unsavory curiosity. You’re slobbering over him like he’s a juicy peach.”

“And how I’d love to nibble on that peach. And that banana as well.”

“Dear, take the matter in your own hand. No one will get hurt.”

“What about friction rash?”

She shook her head. As she pulled away, Guy gazed at me, clawing his hand and purring like a tiger. Was he sending me up or saying he was horny as well? I considered it. My sex life was on life support, but would I go to hell for sleeping with an angel?

From that moment on, the rest of the soirée was a bit of a blur. I recall being chatted up by a sexy bald headed gent in a white safari suit, or at least I’d like to think he was chatting me up. Guy danced on one of the tables to a jazz version of “Shaft.” Hearing Nellie croon “Shaft” was equally bizarre. A dreamy guy was sung “Happy Birthday” while blowing out candles on a cake.  Some poor elder tripped backward onto the cake. I think a group of girls helped him scrape the baked delights from his shirt, but they seemed a little anorexic so perhaps they were just hungry. I believe a man was dancing in white boxers, or maybe he was a stripper?

“Here, try this.”

While my head was filled with delightfully twisted fantasies of me and the bass player, the birthday boy sidled up and shoved his finger in my mouth. Rich gooey white chocolate melted down my throat.

“Is that the sample pack?”

“If you play your cards right. Besides, I have a mad desire to show off my birthday suit.”

“Do I get to blow out the candle?”

He grabbed the back of my head and pulled my mouth to his moist lips. Our tongues swam, locking us to each other. An addiction I didn’t want to break. I could hear the bass urging me to take this man home. Its sensual strum wouldn’t lead me astray. But this man would, with all the right moves.


Author Bio:

Kevin lives with his long-term partner in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own ‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.
From an early age Kevin had a passion for writing, jotting down stories and plays until it came time to confront puberty. After dealing with pimple creams and facial hair, Kevin didn’t pick up a pen again until he was in his thirties. His handwritten manuscript was being committed to paper when his social circumstances changed, giving him no time to write. Concerned, his partner, Warren, snuck the notebook out to a friend who in turn came back and demanded Kevin finish his novel. It wasn’t long before Kevin’s active imagination was let loose again.
His longest running passion is a weekly radio program he produces with Warren for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander station, Koori Radio. Since 2004 they have been discovering music, both new and old, and interviewing local artists and community leaders. Every Friday night, The Rhythm Divine is heard across Sydney and via the world wide web.
Author Contact Links:

Website: http://kevinklehr.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4298144.Kevin_Klehr
Twitter: kevinklehr


Buy Links: http://www.amazon.com/Drama-Queens-With-Love-Scenes/dp/1936185903