GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

Book Review: Her Fierce Warrior (X-Ops #4) by Paige Tyler


by Paige Tyler
March 1st 2016 
352 pages
by Sourcebooks Casablanca
The woman tensed. As anger and fear ricocheted across her face, her eyes changed from red to green to brown in a dizzying display like nothing he'd ever seen.

Every instinct in Angelo's body screamed at him to lunge for his weapon. Instead he set his feet for impact, blocking her slashing claws. Unbelievably, after a few moments of struggling, she went still, all the fight gone...

Minka isn't sure she should trust the sexy Special Forces soldier who found her. Subjected to horrors, on the run from scientists set on locking her in a cage, Minka is terrified of the monster she's becoming...and somehow, Angelo is the only one who can calm the beast inside her and make her feel safe.

But can she trust the way he makes her feel when she's not even sure she can trust herself?

Woot! Woot! Time to jump into another installment of Paige Tyler’s X-Ops series and this time it’s a hybrid in the spotlight! And she has a really cool name!

Okay so when Her Fierce Warrior begins, Minka Pajari has just escaped a secret lab where she was experimented on and tortured and is now a feline hybrid. She feels out of control and enraged when she meets Special Forces officer Angelo Rios who knows exactly where Minka needs to go. Fortunately Minka seems calmer in his presence even though she’s not entirely sure she can trust him but he’s the only one willing to accept her as is at that moment so she allows Angelo to take her with him to the states where she begins to learn more about her new status and Angelo himself.

First off, how cool is the heroine’s name? Minka Pajari. It sounds so exotic and rolls off the tongue easily. Plus it isn’t a name I’ve run across before in a romance. I loved this character. She was an innocent, somewhat naïve woman before she was kidnapped and experimented on and throughout the story it was like she recaptured a bit of that innocence without becoming a totally dependent, ridiculous ninny. Minka was the right balance of vulnerable and dangerous. She did a lot of growing from beginning to end and the final result was very satisfying.

Hybrids were introduced in a previous book and while they’re known to be humans who were changed using shifter (Humans born with naturally occurring genetic mutations that give them animal traits) DNA, there wasn’t any explanation of what the hybrids went through so I didn’t particularly feel bad for them. Now with Minka I got a front row seat to how difficult it is for hybrids to control the animal inside of them. The hybrids suddenly went from being out of control animals that needed to be put down to victims of greed that needed to be helped.

I swear Paige Tyler is a romance goddess because she balances out the paranormal with the contemporary to create an addictive read every time. But more than that she creates characters that are easy to bond with and even easier to love. Angelo wasn’t an obvious Alpha Male, he understood the value of being gentle and silent in order to help Minka come to terms with who she had become. He had an easy going charm that hid a lethal persona. Sometimes I forgot that he was a Special Forces officer and not someone who sat behind a desk for a living. And yes, he’s a total stud muffin who can cook! *cue dreamy sighs*

And while there were appearances by previous characters like Landon and Ivy, Her Fierce Warrior remained Minka’s journey to control and accept her new status in life. I did like the inclusion of characters that have yet to have their own stories told like Dr. Zarina Sokolov who has the same effect on hybrid Tanner as Angelo has on Minka. I think Tanner and Zarina’s story could end up being very interesting but it was Layla, Ivy’s shifter sister who is involved with Jayson, a wounded former soldier who is on a downward spiral due to his injuries that really piqued my interest. I really hope that Paige Tyler plans on keeping them as a couple because Jayson is easily one of the most interesting candidates for a hero I’ve read in a while. Plus, I can’t resist a tortured character and Jayson has cornered the market on that.

I still haven’t had a chance to read Landon and Ivy’s book (Bad me) so I hope I can get around to buying it soon so I can better understand those two but for now I look forward to more from this series and the next step in the conflict of who is funding the forced experimentation on people and why. Tyler knows how to hook readers and keep them coming back for more!

Sheep Rating: 4 shape shifting sheep





Adria

About the Author:
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Paige graduated from The University of West Florida with a degree in education in 2000, but decided to pursue a full-time career as a writer in 2004. Since then, she’s written over fifty books in several genres, including paranormal, contemporary, western, sci-fi and erotica. She loves writing about strong, sexy, alpha males and the feisty, independent women who fall for them. From verbal foreplay to sexual heat, her stories of romance, adventure, suspense, passion and true love will leave you breathlessly panting for more. 

She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them.

When not working on her latest book, Paige enjoys reading, jogging, P90X, Yoga, Pilates, going to the beach, watching NFL football, watching movies and hanging out with her husband (not necessarily in that order!)

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Book Review: Forsaken: (The Seer’s Apprentice, The Pearl Dragon, and the Devoted Ghost) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Book 8) by Rachel Humphrey-D’aigle

Forsaken: (The Seer’s Apprentice, The Pearl Dragon, and the Devoted Ghost) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Book 8)
by Rachel Humphrey-D’aigle
Pages: 547
A FATED FANTASY QUEST ADVENTURE. Book 8, Forsaken: The Seer’s Apprentice, The Pearl Dragon, and The Devoted Ghost. Before the last stand begins, there’s a few more stories to tell.

Jae Mochrie is Juliska Blackwell’s prisoner. She’s tasked him with a simple request… one he refuses to give in to. The price for his defiance is exactly what he expects. But he sees an out… a possible solution, or at least a temporary solution. One that might give him more time. Unfortunately, it does not go as planned and Juliska’s reaction is not what he expects, at all.

It sends her into a fury. And then to top it off, she sees a ghost… one from her past. A face she never wanted to see again. These events set off a chain reaction, leading to Juliska’s first real vision in years.

Just how did Juliska Blackwell go from lost girl found and raised by the Svoda, to a Firemancer, to being their Queen? You might think you know her motivation… there’s been a few hints along the way.

What happened when she was kidnapped by Jurekai Fazendiin? The first created and most powerful of the Immortal Grosvenor.

What really happened on what should have been the happiest day of her life? Her wedding day…

And who exactly is “Uncle Eddy” otherwise known as Colin Edward Gillivray, and why did he take his own life? Forcing him to straddle the world of the living and the world of the dead, for all eternity? Before we can go forward we must first journey into the past.

Mystery, Magic, Adventure, Suspense, Friendship, Loyalty, Prophecies, Bloodlines, Secrets, Lies, Family, Destiny, and Dragons. The Quest is Traveling Back in Time…


How did Juliska Blackwell become some a vindictive, hateful person? This book tells the story of what happened when she was kidnapped by Jurekai Fazendiin and how Juliska became the person we know today.

Good story full of so many surprises! I always appreciate when an author fills in the backstory of an important character and this book did a great job of doing so. The question that I was left with is there any hope for Juliska? Most people have hope and want to think people can change. This was not only an enjoyable read but had some good life lessons as well. If you haven’t read the other books in the series you could read this one first but I would start at the beginning. Happy Reading!

Getting 4 sheep






Denise B



About the Author:
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Rachel Humphrey-D'aigle is the Author of the Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Series, and the Demon Isle Witches Paranormal Romance for Teens.

She also writes under the Pen Name, Starla Silver, with the Wicked Good Witches Series- Same Story as Demon Isle Witches but written for Adult Readers Over 18 Only.

Please Read Each Series in Order.

Winning the Internet this Week...The Corgi Lettuce Massacre and Soviet Union Superhero and Dog regret.

this just makes me laugh. Wish there was sound.


This is just badass.


This was a last minute add because...

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Rulers of Darkness Box Set (Books 1, 2, &3) by Amanda J. Greene only $.99 limited time

is now available for special price of $0.99
– Limited time only.
Read excerpts from each of the 3 novels. 

Read 3 sizzling, dark, paranormal romance novels and fall in love with the Rulers of Darkness.

Passion can be lethal...


Caressed by Moonlight (Book #1)
Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary aristocrat. He is a vampire king, who will do anything to save his clan from complete annihilation, before an ancient curse can claim his immortal life.
Penniless and orphaned, Victoria Kingston has nothing to bring to a marriage, yet she must shackle an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage by the end of the month or forfeit her rights as guardian of her younger sister. With the help of her dearest friend, Victoria begins her hunt, and vows to stay far away from the dark, mysterious, Dorian Vlakhos.
After meeting the beautifully innocent Miss Kingston, Dorian had to have her. He would do absolutely anything to make Victoria his. One sweet stolen kiss would bring them together while a force, more powerful than any vampire, would bind them for all eternity, but treachery, war, and death rule Dorian's dark world and Victoria would be fortunate to survive.


Caressed by Moonlight Excerpt

“Dorian?” her voice was filled with concern and laced with fear as his hand caught her wrist. His fingers held her immobile as he bent his head down and took in the clean scent of her hair. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and reached out with his mind seizing hers. He whispered soothing words to calm her fears.

Victoria was captured in a net of dizzying pleasure. His mind dominated hers, filling it with a misty fantasy that stole her breath away. He snatched her roughly to him, pressing their hips together tightly, one arm wrapped about her waist as the other moved to cup the back of her neck. His lips hovered over the tempting pulse of her throat. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging lightly, bringing him closer.

Falcon slammed his fist against the wall of the cabin, the sound snapping Dorian back into reality. He cursed and shoved himself away from his tempting wife. She stumbled back from the force of his movements and the release of her mind. She shook her head, trying to clear it.

“Leave.” His words were low and harsh.

Her eyes shot to Dorian, standing in the far corner of the cabin, his arms wrapped around his middle. He grimaced as pain drilled into his skull. He looked helpless and vulnerable. She took a step toward him and his eyes jumped with evil excitement.

“Leave, Victoria.”

“Why?”

The hurt and confusion in her voice was clear, it pierced his heart. She did not understand what had caused such a drastic change in him. He had been romantic and seductive one minute and cold and angry the next.

He knew she shouldn’t be in the room. It was dangerous for her; he could not restrain his hunger. He could easily kill her. But he needed her. He needed her caring, warm touch and her smooth voice. The beat of her heart pounded in his ears.

“You shouldn’t be in here.”

“You are ill,” she said, ignoring his words.

She was coming towards him now. He turned his back as she reached for his arm.

“Dorian?” She was standing behind him now; he was aware of her every move, her every breath, her every thought, and every beat of her heart. She wanted to ease his pain and was willing to do anything to help her husband. Victoria ran her hand up his back and Dorian hissed. Her touch was the perfect blend of ecstasy and excruciating pain.

“Please, you need to go,” he said between clenched teeth.

“Why?” She began to massage his shoulders.

“You aren’t safe—I can't control myself.” He cursed as her breath brushed the nape of his neck. His eyes grew black, his fangs burning to pierce her skin. He pulled away needing the distance.

Victoria blinked with a start as he vanished and appeared in his chair before the window. How could he possibly move that fast?

“Get out.”

“But I want to help.”

“Get out!” he bellowed.

Victoria stood motionless and puzzled. She opened her mouth to speak again but he now stood in front of her and grabbed her shoulders, his fangs flashing. Her eyes were a peculiar blend of fear, confusion, pain, and love. He’d never seen anything like those emerald green orbs. He turned and dragged her to the door, flung it open, and shoved her into Falcon's waiting arms. He slammed the door shut, the sound of the bolt sliding home cut through her like an executioner's axe.

Caressed by Night (Book #2)
Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundred years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.
Kerstyn Ingmar's life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.
While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.


Caressed by Night Excerpt

In a flash of movement, he twisted Kerstyn around and shoved her hard against the cold brick wall of a bar, shielding her with his body. Gunshots vibrated the night and drowned out Kerstyn’s screams as Dimitri’s body absorbed the bullets.

“Oh my God…Oh my God…” she chanted the phrase again and again even after the car peeled out of the alley.

Dimitri stepped forward, freeing her. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her. Her eyes were large circles as they met his chest. Blood welled out of the holes in his clothing.

“We have to get you to a hospital.”

“I will be fine.”

“Yeah, the fuck right. You don’t need to be a tough guy,” she snapped as she ripped open her purse, her fingers desperately searching for her cell phone.

“You do not need to call an ambulance, I assure you.”

Kerstyn cursed and threw her purse to the ground. She had left her cell at the house.

“We need to try to stop the bleeding.”

Before he knew what she was doing, he was shoved against the wall. She frantically worked the buttons of his jacket.

“Leave it.”

In her frustration and panic, Kerstyn tore open his shirt, buttons flying everywhere, and Dimitri cursed. Those damned humans had changed everything. A wave of scenes washed through his mind as the future began to rewrite itself, but the ending, Kerstyn’s ending, remained the same. He willed his eyes to focus on her, taking in deep, rapid breaths, his lungs filling with her rosy scent and…

His hand shot out and Kerstyn jumped back. Fear. He could smell it. Taste it.

Kerstyn could not take her eyes off his bare, bloody torso. His muscles contracted, contorted, and pushed one bullet out. Then another. And another. Five bullets in total clattered to the pavement. Her face paled, her eyes glazed over, her mouth hung open, and her breathing stopped. She was in shock.

“Kerstyn.”

She did not answer.

He grabbed her shoulders and lowered his head until their eyes met. “Kerstyn,” he repeated. Still she stood unblinking and not breathing. “Kerstyn!” He shook her until her head began to bob.

A steady stream of curses fell from his lips. The humans had been driving down the street possessed by the haze in their heads. A spur of the moment decision had altered everything.

Dimitri’s muscles eased slightly when he heard her suck in a sharp breath. Releasing her, she stumbled, but he did not reach out to steady her. His fingers drew into fists at his sides. Instinct told him not to touch her; she needed space.

Her eyes fell to the bullets that decorated the ground. Then, ever so slowly, her gaze began to travel up his body, beginning at his leather shoes, up his long, pinstripe-covered legs, pausing at his chest, and finally settling on his face. Dimitri didn’t move. His lungs failed to expand and his heart stilled. He tried to look into her thoughts, but they were as blank as his. Panic sparked at the base of his spine. For the first time in centuries, he did not know what was coming next.

“You’ve healed,” she whispered. Her voice was rough and her throat ached from her screams. “Your wounds are gone. That…that is impossible.”

“Not for me,” he grated.

Her eyes narrowed. “What are you?”

He dropped his head. Why now? Why did it have to happen this way? He cursed, damning Fate for the tricks she played. He had not wanted it to happen this way. He wanted them to take their time, to get to know one another before he shared his secret with her. Now he was cornered. He had to tell her or―no. He would not erase her memory; he could not disrespect her that way. He would not take the coward’s way out. He had to tell her.

His heart clenched. What if she rejected him? What if she hated him? What if he repulsed her? She was his mate, but that was no guarantee that she would understand, that she would stay with him, or that she would love him.

“What are you?” she demanded again, her voice shaking.

Her thoughts screamed at him. Vampire. Vampire. Vampire! He forced his gift aside, shoving it back into the darkness of his mind.

“I think you already know,” he said before pulling his shirt closed. 

Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Book #3)
Consumed by madness and tormented by dark memories of blood and death, Hadrian Lucretius, King of the Validus Clan, has returned after living in self-imposed exile for nearly three hundred and fifty years.


To maintain peace with the vampires, Eva Maldonado is offered as a sacrifice to the crazed vampire king by her father, the alpha of the Silveria Shifter Pack. Hadrian's reputation is both legendary and lethal; he is ruthless, bloodthirsty, lusty, and soulless. When Eva arrives at the ancient fortress high in the Carpathian Mountains, she is shocked to find a ravaged man with dark burning eyes filled with loneliness and dangerous desire.

Would she be his lover...or his prey? His savior...or his victim? Would Hadrian lure her into madness or would their perilous passion be their redemption?


Caressed by a Crimson Moon Excerpt

Hadrian materialized in the kitchen, the small action draining the remaining energy from his exhausted body. He staggered, almost blind, his hands outstretched, his bare feet slapping the cold tile. He could scent the blood within the refrigerator. His stomach rolled with disgust even as thirst scorched his throat.

He lurched forward, his clawed fingers splayed across the surface of the hidden refrigerator its façade blending seamlessly with the line of pristine, white cabinets. Throwing open the door, he snatched a bag of blood. His fangs ripped into the plastic, freeing the crimson liquid. At once the rush hit him, seeping into his starved cells. Images of Eva assailed him, sweeping him away. Her cries of ecstasy still rang in his ears, the heat of her body still clung to him and the intoxicating scent of her arousal drowned his senses.

Hadrian tore into a second bag. Eva, he could still see her beneath him. Her face flushed with pleasure, her eyes sparkling with desire for him, only him. Her lips parted as she gasped for precious air, her climax claiming her. She had thrown her head back in sweet abandon as her body convulsed around him, drawing on him, milking him. 

He groaned low in his throat as he reached for another bag allowing the second to join the first, empty on the floor.

The demon howled for Eva. Enraged. Craving. Her. Only her. Only Eva.

The chilled blood settled like a rock in his stomach as the tangy flavor of plastic filled his mouth.

One taste, the vampire pleaded, just one taste of heaven, of Eva.

Hadrian growled, forcing himself to swallow the repugnant blood.

The demon railed even as his hunger ebbed. Hadrian raised a shaking hand to grab another sack of blood. More, he needed more. He needed Eva. He needed her soft touch, the soothing sound of her voice, the warmth of her soul.

When he released the last drained bag, he stumbled back. His legs buckled, but he caught himself, clutching the edge of the marble countertop.

His teeth gnashed together as his chest pumped, frantically drawing in unnecessary breaths as he waited for the crazed hunger to wane. His muscles began to relax and his fangs slowly retreated. He could feel every cell in his body swell with life as the nourishing blood flowed through his system.

He cursed himself for being a selfish idiot. He should have known better. He had told himself he would feed regularly, a lie. He had intended to keep his bloodlust at bay while Eva resided within the fortress, but a part of him still refused to drink. He no longer enjoyed the act of feeding; he only took sustenance when it was vital he do so. He loathed the contact required to take directly from the source, from humans. It was too intimate. He found sinking his fangs into a bag of blood just as revolting. But deprivation only bred destruction.

Power coursed through him like lightning as he grew stronger. The demanding storm of hunger faded as a hurricane of overwhelming, unidentifiable emotions tore through him. His body pulsed, his heart thundered, and his soul…he could feel his soul. For the first time in centuries, he could feel the flutter of life within his chest, warming his heart. The broken pieces of his soul blazed, the heat so intense as they began to weld together.

Eva. She had somehow triggered this change within him.

What did it mean?

For hundreds of years he had existed void of all real emotion, knowing his soul was damaged. He had known no love, no true joy, only anger, sorrow and guilt, the demon’s favorites. But Eva made him feel everything in a flood. Even hope, a sensation he believed he would never know again. And rightly so, he did not deserve love or happiness, especially not hope.

His heart ached and swelled as his soul burgeoned with life and a strange, euphoric sense of contentment settled over him.

Gods, what was happening?

The lights suddenly flipped on, sending him reeling back. He buried his claws in the smooth, polished surface of the counter. His vision blurred as bright colors burst all around him. Hissing, he raised a hand to shield his sensitive eyes.

“Hadrian?” Falcon called from the doorway.

Hadrian muttered a curse when the knight rushed forward.  He knew he looked like hell: naked, his face smeared with blood. 

“My Latin is rusty, but I’m not a snake born of a whoring bitch,” Falcon said with a light laugh. “You look terrible.”

Prying back one finger at a time, Hadrian removed his hand. He blinked trying to clear his vision.

“This is the last place I thought I would find you, especially in this condition.”

Hadrian scowled.

“Here.” Falcon unzipped the duffle bag he carried and tossed Hadrian a pair of loose workout shorts.

Hadrian caught the clothing on reflex alone, his vision still blurred. His claws retreated and he leaned his weight against the cabinets behind him, his legs still weak.

Falcon glanced about. “Is Eva with you?”

“No.”

He ignored the knight’s frown and stepped into the shorts.

“Where is she?” Falcon demanded, his tone harsh, all humor gone.

Against his will, Hadrian’s senses sought Eva. He found her easily.

“I believe she is heading towards her room,” he answered as nonchalantly as possible, even though he longed to flash to her. Was she going to shower? He longed to join her. Or was she going to change and search for him. He felt a twinge of heat rise in his cheeks. He had ruined her clothes.

“What happened?”

Hadrian growled, the demon not liking Falcon’s accusatory tone.

“That does not concern you.”

“You slept with her?”

Hadrian said nothing as his fingers skimmed over the counter, searching for a towel. When he found one, he wiped the blood from his mouth.

“For god’s sake, Hadrian, she is mortal.”

“The girl is unharmed, if that is what worries you.” Folding the now ruined cloth, Hadrian straightened, his now sound and strong body. “I’m not a total beast.” His words, spoken in defense, suddenly struck him as truth. He had managed to be gentle, to hold himself back, to deny his very nature for Eva, for her pleasure. He had not ravished her, though he could not deny he still wanted to devour the sweet half-breed.

Falcon rubbed his nape. “I didn’t say that you were. It’s just, well, I’ve known you for so long. You aren’t exactly known for…I mean,” he sighed, “shit.”

Hadrian held up a hand, stopping his friend. He knew what Falcon was trying to say, he was not known for being a tender lover. “People can change.”

Falcon’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, people can change.”

Hadrian shrugged off Falcon’s implication and pushed the secret, blood stocked, refrigerator closed, the door seamlessly blending in with the cabinets.

He swooped down to collect the empty bags of blood. Popping open the lid of the trashcan, he tossed them inside, concealing the evidence of his frenzied feeding.

His senses strayed again, finding Eva still in her room.


B&N

Friday, February 26, 2016

Guest Post by Emily Night - When in Gnome (Gnome Sweet Gnome Trilogy Book 1) Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway

The Monster in the Closet
Guest Post by Emily Night

I remember lying in my bed and staring at the closet door. It was porch gray, and the rough plywood door stood out as a paler shadow among the others that composed the darkness. Some nights, I had to turn on the light to make sure that the small piece of wood nailed to the edge of the frame still held it shut. Throughout my childhood, the closet was a recurring feature among the fears that toyed with my imagination.

In my favorite novel written by Stephen King, It, George is afraid of the basement. “It” is a monster that exploits the fears of its prey like the boggart in the wardrobe in Harry Potter. However, It is not easily laughed away and is brutal in its manifestations. More recently, in the well-received and creative 2014 film The Babadook, a widow and her troubled son are haunted by a malevolent entity after discovering a children’s book. At night, the widow watches shadows growing from the direction of a large wardrobe in the old house.

In my book, When in Gnome, Daniel is a psychic who is haunted by memories related to how he inherited his powers. While the overall tone of the first novel is whimsical, the second book in the Gnome Sweet Gnome trilogy is considerably much darker, as Gnome is being invaded by creatures from the Underworld. I decided to give “I Smell Sheep” readers an exclusive preview of No Place Like Gnome and share an excerpt of an early draft.

No Place Like Gnome Excerpt
Daniel
I followed Ben to the foyer, where the temperature was several degrees colder. My breath hung in the air like fog. I stopped at the staircase, where frost was gradually accumulating on the steps.

"What is it?" Ben asked.

I turned to look at Ben, but he was gone, and the house was silent, empty, and dark. The house looked deserted and dilapidated and creaked and groaned all around me. A cold wind rushed through my soul. The walls tilted, and the doors and windows were all askew. I was watching Rosewood die around me, and I felt it in my bones, like I was dying, too.

I heard a door slam upstairs.

Putting a shaky hand on the banister, I began to climb the icy stairs. Something upstairs beckoned me—a force I couldn’t deny, although my mind was clawing at the back of my skull and trying to find a way back down. “Don’t go up the stairs,” it whispered to me. “You do not want to see this.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse at No Place like Gnome and that you’re looking forward to the finished book as much as I am. I will leave you with the words of John Lennon, taken from his song, “Beautiful Boy”:

Close your eyes have no fear

The monster’s gone, he’s on the run, and your daddy’s here.

However, before you turn off the light, you might want to make sure the closet door is firmly shut (it never hurts to wedge a chair under the door knob) and that nothing is under the bed. You know, just in case.


When in Gnome (Gnome Sweet Gnome Book One)
by Emily Night
Genre: Paranormal Romance
September 28, 2015
ISBN: 1515387747
ASIN: B017YGK0WU
Number of pages: 355
Word Count: 90,674
Evangeline Black quickly becomes entangled in the magic that thrives in Gnome, Mississippi, when she spontaneously shifts into a wolf only hours after arriving.

Her life is out of control, and she has to rely on the kindness of strangers: the psychic caretaker of the lovely antebellum home where her mother was born, the sheriff who practices his own version of Native American-inspired magic, and a rocker werewolf. While she struggles at the bottom of the magical learning curve, it becomes apparent that someone is stalking her.

Evangeline quickly learns two things about Gnome. The first is that anything is possible. The second is that magical creatures are much less enchanting when they want you dead.



About the Author:
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Emily Night grew up in a series of small towns in Mississippi. The youngest of four children, she dreamed of being a writer from the moment she wrote her first story in the fourth grade. At the age of twelve, she rode her bike up to the square of a small town and asked the editor to publish one of her stories. While the editor did not, he was very kind and encouraging. She graduated magna cum laude from Mississippi College and later obtained a Master's from Belhaven University. She prefers reading and writing fantasy because fantasy allows her to test the modern-day limits of what is possible.


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5 signed copies When In Gnome 

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Book Review: Flowers in a Dumpster by Mark Allan Gunnells

Flowers in a Dumpster
by Mark Allan Gunnells
December 4th 2015
Kindle Edition, 314 pages
Cover art by Ben Baldwin
Edited by Monique Snyman
The world is full of beauty and mystery. In these 17 tales, Gunnells will take you on a journey through landscapes of light and darkness, rapture and agony, hope and fear. 

A post-apocalyptic landscape where it is safer to forget who you once were... An unusual support group comprised of cities dying of a common illness... A porn star that has opened himself up to demonic forces... Two men battling each other to the death who discover they have much in common... A woman whose masochistic tendencies may be her boyfriend's ruin... A writer whose new friendship proves a danger to his marriage and his sanity.

Let Gunnells guide you through these landscapes where magnificence and decay co-exist side by side. Come pick a bouquet from these Flowers in a Dumpster.

Flowers in a Dumpster (great title by the way) is a collection of 17 horror short stories from Mark Gunnells. This is my first time reading Gunnell and color me impressed. This is a solid collection. Sometimes, stories in a collection blend together because the author's voice is the same in each story. This isn't the case with Flowers in a Dumpster. Gunnells' strong storytelling skills and unique look at the darker side of humanity kept me reading till the end. Each story had its own voice. And many of them left a lasting impression. I also liked the varying story lengths. The stories told in just a few pages was just as satisfying as a longer ones.

If you enjoy walking (you should probably be running though) on the dark side, check this collection out. Most of the horror is psychological, but there are a few slice and dice and eat'em stories.

4.5 "Flower picking" Sheep





SharonS

About the Author:
Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his fiance Craig A. Metcalf.

Spotlight: Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14) by Jennifer Estep + giveaway + excerpt

Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14)
by Jennifer Estep
February 23, 2016 
Pocket Books
400 pages ISBN: 9781501111273
Note: This contains major spoilers for Spider’s Trap. So if you absolutely do not want to be spoiled, skip reading the book description. SPOILER ALERT * * * SPOILER ALERT * * * SPOILER ALERT * * *

Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship? That’s the question Gin Blanco asks when a friend’s long-lost relative strolls into town. The suspicious reunion is a surprise for everyone—and a big problem for Gin. Book fourteen in the New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”

It’s not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far—my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I’m the one on the outside looking in.

It’s funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he’s doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I’d like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I’ll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground—for good.




Excerpt
Bria tilted her head to the side, making her golden hair gleam, and her blue gaze swept over my black toboggan, fleece jacket, jeans, and boots. Despite my dark attire, her sharp eyes easily spotted the dirt and blood crusting my clothes.

“Well,” she drawled, an amused note in her voice. “I see that the Spider has been busy tonight. Care to tell me where you were, what you were doing, and how many people you killed?”

“That depends on who’s asking—the cop or my baby sister?”

Bria grinned, a mischievous expression on her pretty face. “Well, this cop knows you’ve been up to something shady at Blue Ridge Cemetery.”

I blinked. “How do you know I was there?”

She started ticking off points on her fingers. “For one thing, it’s after midnight, and you’re wearing your usual assassin attire. You’re also covered with dirt and blood, which means that there was at least one body involved somewhere along the way. A cemetery seems like a perfect place for something like that to go down.” She paused. “And I might have tracked the GPS on your car when I showed up after my shift ended and you weren’t here.”

I frowned. “I don’t have GPS on my car.”

“Correction. You didn’t have GPS on your car . . . until Silvio placed a tracking device on it a couple of days ago.” Bria grinned again. “He wanted another way to keep tabs on you, now that you’ve started turning off your phone when you don’t want him to know where you are. Silvio is rather determined to save you from yourself, as he puts it. Watch out, Gin. Next thing you know, he’ll be sewing GPS trackers into your underwear.” [JE: In other sentences, we have characters quoting each other in italics. Change this to italics too to keep style consistent?]

“And I’m going to cheerfully throttle my overefficient assistant when he comes into work in the morning,” I growled. “After I take away his phone and tablet.”

She laughed. “Oh, taking away his electronics will be punishment enough. Silvio is rather attached to them.”



About the Author:
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Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Bitter Bite, the 14th book in the series, will be released on Feb. 23.

Jennifer also writes the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.


Giveaway #1
The publisher will ship 1 copy of BITTER BITE to your winner, US/Canada only.

Giveaway #2
There is a tour-wide giveaway for a complete set of the Elemental Assassin series, a $25 Amazon gift card, and 3 signed copies of BITTER BITE. Series & gift card are open to US/Canada; signed copies are US only.

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