Alpha Male Diner: Jacob Armstrong (werewolf) by Sara Mäkelä (Cold Moon Rising book tour) + giveaway

Jacob Armstrong

Recipe created by: Sarah Mäkelä

Cold Moon Rising - Book #1.5 Cry Wolf series

Ingredients:

1 toned and muscular All-American frat guy

2 captivating emerald green eyes

A dash of tousled blond hair

1 feral beast

Equal parts of kindheartedness, determination, and loyalty

Season with desire for the woman he wants

Mix the ingredients in a steamy forest under a full moon. Sizzle in a hot pan with unquenchable passion. Watch him rise to any challenge thrown at him. Serve carefully, his stamina can be more than a human woman can handle.

Caution: the full moon weakens the firm grip he has on his wolf.

Taste Test

With Jacob this close, it took every ounce of focus to keep my thoughts on the impending exam. More than once, I caught myself staring at his lips wondering how soft they’d be as they kissed my skin. I only hoped he didn’t notice my glances that might make things highly embarrassing.

The fresh scent of my clean sheets ever so slightly mixed with his musky, warm aroma that fascinated me to no end. The way his hair moved when he turned his head in my direction caught my attention. His presence in the apartment made life seem more bearable, from the studying to the incredibly noisy neighbour who thought everyone wanted to hear his heavy metal albums all throughout the night.

“Think you’re up for a break, Kelly?” He shut his textbook with a loud clap and quirked his lips to one side. “We’ve been going at it for a while now.”

My notecards toppled from my hands, and I jerked back, caught off-guard by his words. “Uh, yeah...” If we’d really been ‘going at it,’ I would’ve refused to take a break. Stop thinking about him like that. “Yes, that sounds good. Want something else to drink? Maybe a coffee or Coke?”

The amused twinkle in his emerald green eyes melted my insides. Maybe studying on my bed hadn’t been the best idea. However, the dinette set would barely be enough room for one of our textbooks, let alone...

“Water.” Jacob leaned over me, brushing his palm over my exposed knee as he reached for the fallen study cards. “It’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it?”

He had to be kidding me. With him this close, it was like a sauna in here. I wanted to touch him, show him that all of this flirting was more than I could handle. My heart pounded in my ears. If I didn’t do something to him soon, I might explode.

As if on cue, he turned to face me. Our lips were barely inches apart, and I saw flecks of gold in his green eyes. Seconds ticked by. Was he going to make a move? I didn’t have the strength to sit by and not take this chance. Not if it meant this brief encounter would pass by forgotten.

I leaned into him. The moment our lips touched, a spark of lust... desire... chemistry burned its way inside me. One brush of lips wasn’t nearly enough. My body thirsted for more kisses.

Jacob froze in place, and I wondered for a split second if what I felt was only me. Maybe the flirting had been meaningless to him. He pulled me up so we stood beside my bed. His messy blond hair brushed across his forehead, and I ran my hand through his hair, savoring the softness.

He held me ever closer, his lips caressing mine. The kiss was gentle, careful as if afraid to take things too fast. This moment was heaven.

My arms circled his neck of their own volition, and I trailed my hands down Jacob’s back. The hard muscles flexing beneath my fingertips sent heat coursing through me. This so wasn’t a good use of our study time, especially now that final exams were on top of us, but I really didn’t care.

He’d been the only stable thing in my life since I’d come to college last September. We had three classes together that first semester, which was kind of crazy, but I didn’t mind. Ever since, we planned our courses together, as much as we could, at least.

Two of the three classes we had this semester were science and math, so I didn’t hesitate to take him up on study sessions. Fortunately, the last was English, my forte.

Jacob nibbled on my ear lobe, and tingles of pleasure blanketed my body. “Your skin is so soft, Kelly.” He slid his hands along the hem of my skirt stroking the backs of my thighs, the intensity of his touch growing less controlled by the second. His palm brushed against my backside.

If this kept up, we’d hit the point of no return.

Cold Moon Rising
Cry Wolf, #1.5
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kissa Press LLC
Date of Publication: 2/17/2014
Passions flare when the cold moon rises…

Kelly: a normal college girl, who knows what she wants—to survive her final exams, and find someone to share her life with. Studying with Jacob is becoming too hot to handle; she’s falling for him, but he’s going too fast…

Jacob: a not-so-typical frat guy, who hides a secret—he’s a werewolf. Whenever the moon is high, he’s driven to shed his human form and satisfy his powerful desires. He craves Kelly, but she’s pushing him away…

Fallout: Jacob can smell Kelly’s arousal, but she insists she doesn’t want sex. A wolf can only take so much before his natural instincts win out. When the tension between them explodes, Jacob has no choice but to walk…

Kidnapped! Kelly is abducted by evil scientists who’ve mistaken her for a female werecat and, despite their differences, Jacob has to try and find her. But it’s a race against time and the lunar tides. The scientists have taken Kelly to their lab and turned her into a shapeshifter for real. The full moon is rising, and soon neither Kelly nor Jacob will be able to control their inner beasts. Who knows what the consequences will be when they are consumed by unquenchable animal lust…

About the Author:

Website-Twitter-Facebook

Goodreads
Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy...even a sweet contemporary romance!

A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night-light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies (and Ghost Adventures), and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.

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Book Review: The Witch Who Cried (Wolf Cry Wolf, #1) by Sarah Mäkelä' Cold Moon Rising Tour + Giveaway

The Witch Who Cried Wolf
Cry Wolf, #1
By: Sarah Mäkelä
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kissa Press LLC
Date of Publication: December 2, 2013

Be careful what you wish for…
A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…

Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…

The power of love: Things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia...

Buy for $.99

Amazon-B&N-Kobo

Mia Brooks is hired to make a healing salve but something goes wrong because she decided to make a love potion at the same time and things got mixed up. She doesn't use her magic often so things easily go wrong.

Ethan Parker is home for the holidays from the Army when he runs into Mia. He's had a thing for her for a long time and didn't know she had a long time crush on him, but before they can explore this romantic spark they find themselves running from werewolves.

Had Mia been told that the salve she was working on was for a werewolf, she probably wouldn't have used wolf's bane in it. But she did and now the werewolves are after her and Ethan gets caught in the middle. 

After getting attacked by a werewolf and watching Mia fight it off with supernatural powers, Ethan undoubtedly has some questions. The sweet girl he's known all his life has a whole side to her that he knows nothing about.

Changes happen fast in this story, the action doesn't stop which kept me engaged and ready to see what else would happen. I really liked the twists and turns and unexpected surprises.

For such a quick read this novella has a lot of story with characters we really get to know and care about. The author's writing style flows easily and the storyline is going to reel in anyone who loves books about shifters, werewolves or witches.

I give this book 4 sheep.

Mary Kirkland
My Published Articles
Dark Thoughts Blog

Excerpt

With Jacob this close, it took every ounce of focus to keep my thoughts on the impending exam. More than once, I caught myself staring at his lips wondering how soft they’d be as they kissed my skin. I only hoped he didn’t notice my glances that might make things highly embarrassing.

The fresh scent of my clean sheets ever so slightly mixed with his musky, warm aroma that fascinated me to no end. The way his hair moved when he turned his head in my direction caught my attention. His presence in the apartment made life seem more bearable, from the studying to the incredibly noisy neighbor who thought everyone wanted to hear his heavy metal albums all throughout the night.

“Think you’re up for a break, Kelly?” He shut his textbook with a loud clap and quirked his lips to one side. “We’ve been going at it for a while now.”

My notecards toppled from my hands, and I jerked back, caught off-guard by his words. “Uh, yeah...” If we’d really been ‘going at it,’ I would’ve refused to take a break. Stop thinking about him like that. “Yes, that sounds good. Want something else to drink? Maybe a coffee or Coke?”

The amused twinkle in his emerald green eyes melted my insides. Maybe studying on my bed hadn’t been the best idea. However, the dinette set would barely be enough room for one of our textbooks, let alone...

“Water.” Jacob leaned over me, brushing his palm over my exposed knee as he reached for the fallen study cards. “It’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it?”

He had to be kidding me. With him this close, it was like a sauna in here. I wanted to touch him, show him that all of this flirting was more than I could handle. My heart pounded in my ears. If I didn’t do something to him soon, I might explode.

As if on cue, he turned to face me. Our lips were barely inches apart, and I saw flecks of gold in his green eyes. Seconds ticked by. Was he going to make a move? I didn’t have the strength to sit by and not take this chance. Not if it meant this brief encounter would pass by forgotten.

I leaned into him. The moment our lips touched, a spark of lust... desire... chemistry burned its way inside me. One brush of lips wasn’t nearly enough. My body thirsted for more kisses.

Jacob froze in place, and I wondered for a split second if what I felt was only me. Maybe the flirting had been meaningless to him. He pulled me up so we stood beside my bed. His messy blond hair brushed across his forehead, and I ran my hand through his hair, savoring the softness.

He held me ever closer, his lips caressing mine. The kiss was gentle, careful as if afraid to take things too fast. This moment was heaven.

My arms circled his neck of their own volition, and I trailed my hands down Jacob’s back. The hard muscles flexing beneath my fingertips sent heat coursing through me. This so wasn’t a good use of our study time, especially now that final exams were on top of us, but I really didn’t care.

He’d been the only stable thing in my life since I’d come to college last September. We had three classes together that first semester, which was kind of crazy, but I didn’t mind. Ever since, we planned our courses together, as much as we could, at least.

Two of the three classes we had this semester were science and math, so I didn’t hesitate to take him up on study sessions. Fortunately, the last was English, my forte.

Jacob nibbled on my ear lobe, and tingles of pleasure blanketed my body. “Your skin is so soft, Kelly.” He slid his hands along the hem of my skirt stroking the backs of my thighs, the intensity of his touch growing less controlled by the second. His palm brushed against my backside.

If this kept up, we’d hit the point of no return. The simple kiss had gone far beyond what I’d anticipated. While I really enjoyed making out with Jacob, I wasn’t ready for sex with him. Intimacy shouldn’t be rushed. I wanted to wait for the right one, for a committed relationship. One-night stands weren’t in my vocabulary.

Besides, why give something away too fast? Most guys moved on after sex, right? Not that I suspected Jacob was that way. Besides, I counted on him studying with me. Without his help, my chances of doing well on finals for College Algebra and Physics were slim to none.

He slid his hands higher as his tongue slipped down the length of my neck, making my insides weak along with my self-restraint. A moan rasped from my throat, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure that had been my voice.

Could going to bed with him be that bad?

About the Author:

Website-Twitter-Facebook

Goodreads
Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy...even a sweet contemporary romance!

A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night-light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies (and Ghost Adventures), and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comic Review: Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf: Volume Two (ARC)

Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf: Volume Two (Alpha & Omega Graphic #2) 
by Patricia Briggs 
releases: May 7, 2013
A world of shapeshifting wolves comes vividly to life in this collection of four comics based on Cry Wolf, the first book in Patricia Briggs’s #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.

Charles and Anna are on the hunt for a rogue werewolf in the Montana mountains. The creature has morphed into something so dark that it kills everything in its path: deer, elk, grizzlies…humans.

But the wolf is the creature of something far more powerful. One of Charles and Anna’s own pack harbors a centuries-old secret that has come back to haunt him—and wreak vengeance on those around him.

Charles and Anna—unaware of the truth—are two innocents who stand in the way. But even as members of their pack rally around them, Anna’s rare power comes into its own—and is unleashed

I reviewed the Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf: Volume One graphic novel a while back. I wasn't happy with the artwork and thought the story deserved something less cartoonish considering the dark edge to the story. I did find the story captivating and the cliff hanger ending had me wanting this next volume, which contains issues #5-#8 and is the conclusion to the story. The artwork is by the same artist and it isn’t as disappointing as the first volume, but still not to my taste. Since I addressed those issues in the previous review I am not going to discuss it again and not factor it into my review of this volume.

This issue tells Asil’s story in flashbacks and we learn why he is unstable and suicidal. The witch Mariposa has come to get revenge on Charles’s father Bran, and ends up finding Asil and causing him to relive his painful past. I haven’t read the book this graphic novel is based on so the story is new to me, and it is a quick page turner. Charles and Anna get caught in the crossfire and Anna embraces her omega powers to help save the day with Charles and Anna completeing the mating bond.

There is an excerpt at the end from Briggs's most recent Mercy Thompson release Frost Burned (reviewed here). The Cry Wolf graphic novels give a peek into the world Briggs has created in her novels and will definitely appeal to urban fantasy fans. The cover art of each individual issue is included and is absolutely beautiful.

Review: Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf: Volume One

4.5 Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit by Kalpar)

Sheep ARC review: Cry Wolf (Alpha&Omega Graphic Volume #1)

Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega Graphic #1)
by Patricia Briggs (Creator), David Lawrence (Adapter), Jordan Gunderson (Illustrator)

The long-awaited collection-the first four issues of the graphic novel adaptation of the #1 "New York Times" bestselling author's novel "Cry Wolf"

"Cry Wolf" is Patricia Briggs' "New York Times" bestselling novel about the werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham. Now, these characters come alive in full-color graphic novels.

Anne never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack...and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack she's learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males.

Then Charles Cornick-the son of the leader of the North American werewolves-came into her life. He insists that not only is Anne his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And Anna may be the key to stopping a rogue werewolf that threatens the entire pack.

This is a re-issue of Ace's compilation of the Dynamite Entertainment Cry Wolf graphic series. It contains new artwork and a never-before published version of issue #1. It is NOT identical to the Ace edition though it does have the same ISBN.

I have read some of the Mercy Thompson graphic novels and loved everything about them so I was excited to see the Alpha and Omega series was also being adapted as a graphic novel. The only Briggs novel I have read is Fair Game (Alpha and Omega series Book #3) and I was blown away by Briggs's writing (my review). Cry Wolf: Volume One is a collection of the first four issues based on the first book in the A&O series, which I haven’t read.

Cry Wolf: Volume One is about Anna, who was changed unwillingly into a werewolf and then abused by the pack that changed her. She was rescued by Charles who is Bran’s (ruler of all werewolves in North America) son and chief enforcer and it turns out Anna is Charles’s mate. Their inner wolves recognize each other but they have yet to complete the bond as man and woman and Charles doesn’t want to force her after her traumatic experience with the pack that turned her. Anna is also a rare Omega wolf with powers she doesn’t understand but will prove fateful in later chapters. Charles and Anna are sent to investigate attacks in his pack’s territory of Montana. Volume one introduces us to Charles’s family and sprinkles in Anna’s and Charles’s individual backstories to catch the reader up.

The writing was a little vague and I was confused at first but things were eventually addressed later in the story. If you have already read the novels, though, this might not be an issue for you. By the end of the fourth chapter I was hooked on the storyline and there was plenty of suspense, and I was happy that a few pages from Volume Two were included as a teaser.

The whole point of a graphic novel is to have pictures do most of the story telling so it is a major part of the book. Unfortunately, the artwork didn’t deliver a great experience in this collection. The cover art for all four chapters is perfect and sketches provided as extra content were spot on, but something happened when it came to the coloring of the panels. The characters become too cartoonish looking and downright ugly in some panels. When compared to the Mercy Thompson graphic novels this was a disappointment, and I expected better.

Bran, Charles and Samuel

I would give the story adaptation 4 Sheep, but the art is of such importance in this media I can only give this 3 Sheep overall.

Sharon Stogner (edited by BAK)

No, Charles...just No