GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: Fever
Showing posts with label Fever. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fever. Show all posts

Friday, March 9, 2018

Book Review: High Voltage: A Fever Novel Book 10 by Karen Marie Moning

High Voltage: A Fever Novel Book 10
by Karen Marie Moning
March 6, 2018
Pages: 477
Immortal Faerie and ancient feuds, secrets and sacrifices—a thrilling new chapter in the bestselling Fever series begins, featuring Dani, Ryodan, and other beloved characters, as they battle to save Dublin from the rising of a terrifying evil determined to enslave the human race.

There is no action without consequence.

Dani O’Malley was nine years old when the delusional, sadistic Rowena transformed her into a ruthless killer. Years later, Dani is tough and hardened, yet achingly vulnerable and fiercely compassionate, living alone by her own exacting code. Despite the scars on her body, and driven by deeper ones carved into her soul, no one is more committed to protecting Dublin. By day she ensures the safety of those she rescues, by night she hunts evil, dispensing justice swiftly and without mercy, determined to give to those she cares for the peace she has never known.

There is no power without price.

When the Faerie Queen used the dangerously powerful Song of Making to heal the world from the damage done by the Hoar Frost King, catastrophic magic seeped deep into the earth, giving rise to horrifying, unforeseen consequences—and now deadly enemies plot in the darkness, preparing to enslave the human race and unleash an ancient reign of Hell on Earth.

There is no future without sacrifice.

With the lethal, immortal Ryodan at her side, armed with the epic Sword of Light, Dani once again battles to save the world, but her past comes back to haunt her with a vengeance, demanding an unspeakable price for the power she needs to save the human race. And no one—not even Ryodan, who would move the very stars for her—can save her this time.


I never want to give something away with a review, so I want to start out by saying that many times throughout this book I just wanted to scream! Scream with happiness, scream in anger, scream in frustration, just scream! Another thing I never do is share a quote from a book but I need to break that rule as well. A shout out to Moning on this quote from High Voltage: 
“One kiss and two days later, BOOM – I was untouchable. If I were a character in a novel, I’d snipe the bitch who wrote my life this way.”
The picture that Moning paints with her stories is so real. I must remember sometimes that I have never seen BB&B or Dani or any of the Nine which makes the love, the fear, the anger and the pain, all the more real for the reader to experience. The depth of her characters is real, her worlds are another part of her soul which makes her books some of the best I’ve ever read. In High Voltage, the real Dani is front and center. We learn more about the different layers of her than we ever have before. This book touched me more than any of her other stories. I absolutely can’t wait to see what comes next in this explosive series.


Giving this 5 sheep.





DeniseB

About the author:
website-FB-twitter
Karen Marie Moning is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the sizzling Urban Fantasy FEVER Novels set in Dublin, featuring MacKayla Lane and Jericho Barrons, and the paranormal romance HIGHLANDER Series, with fifteen books in print in thirty-six countries.

She is a winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA award, and multiple RITA nominee. She graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Society & Law.

*Sign up for Karen's email newsletter to receive the latest book release updates, as well as info about contests & giveaways ( www.karenmoning.com/kmm/press/newsletter-signup.html)

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Book Review: Feversong: A Fever Novel Book 9 by Karen Marie Moning (spoiler-free)

Feversong: A Fever Novel Book 9
by Karen Marie Moning
January 17, 2017

Random House
Pages: 560
As Mac, Barrons, Ryodan, and Jada struggle to restore control, enemies become allies, right and wrong cease to exist, and the lines between life and death, lust and love, disappear completely. Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the earth, yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: The Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.

The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie queen, who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.


This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.


Feversong is the epic conclusion to the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. Filled with adventures, love, good and evil, heartache and sadness makes this a truly great ending to a superb series.

Mac has been possessed by the Sinsar Dubh, but Barrons and Jada are convinced she is still in there, and they will stop at nothing to save her. The world is approaching the apocalypse and the only way to save the world is find the lost Song of Making and convince the Seelie queen to sing it.

This was one of the best of series books I have ever read. I am so sad to see it end but happy with the way the story ended. Hopeful that this isn’t the real end but maybe just the beginning. Would love to see some books on the Nine, I think their stories are just would be a great spinoff for Moning.

Review: Feverborn: A Fever Novel Book 8 
Review: Burned (Fever Series Book 7) review 1, review 2

Giving this 5 sheep




DeniseB

About the author:
website-FB-twitter
Karen Marie Moning is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the sizzling Urban Fantasy FEVER Novels set in Dublin, featuring MacKayla Lane and Jericho Barrons, and the paranormal romance HIGHLANDER Series, with fifteen books in print in thirty-six countries.

She is a winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA award, and multiple RITA nominee. She graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Society & Law.

*Sign up for Karen's email newsletter to receive the latest book release updates, as well as info about contests & giveaways ( www.karenmoning.com/kmm/press/newsletter-signup.html)



Monday, December 12, 2016

Double Book Review: Fever (Blood Moon Rising Werewolf Rising #1) by Lola Taylor

Fever (Blood Moon Rising Werewolf Rising #1)
by Lola Taylor
February, 2014 (Fourth Edition, October, 2016)
Genre: Werewolf PNR 
Publisher: Indigo Dreamer Press
ASIN: B00ING5PN0
Number of pages: 114
Word Count: 33k
When the Blood Moon rises, the wolves come out to play… and find their mates.

Danica has about given up on love. In a last-ditch attempt at finding “the one,” she agrees to a blind date through an online dating service. But instead of finding roses and romance, she finds someone intent on killing her. That is, until the mysterious, brooding Gage shows up to save her….

Gage is running out of time to find a mate. If the Blood Moon sets before he can find her, he’ll lose the rank of packmaster—and the peace within the pack he’s worked so hard to obtain. When he saves a luscious blonde in the parking lot of a bar, he has no idea she is his mate—until he Marks her with his touch.

Determined to keep her safe at any cost, Gage whisks Danica away into a hidden world full of lust, unlikely love, and treachery. Someone’s put a hit on his mate, and he’s hell-bent on finding out who, all while the Blood Moon looms closer, threatening to destroy his chances at true love forever. That is, if something—or someone—doesn’t kill the woman he’s falling for first. 





Review: Bianca Greenwood
Three Sheep
Gage Johnson, Moonstruck Pack Alpha, is facing a deadline. With the blood mood on the horizon, mere days away, he must find his destined mate to cement his newly acquired alpha status. Danica Williams has been unlucky in love and life, until a chance meeting in a dive bar leads her straight to Gage. The attraction is immediate.

Fever features steamy romance set against brewing pack politics and paranormal espionage. It’s an engaging, quick read. The plot moves exceedingly fast though, resulting in a story that’s underdeveloped. I never felt fully connected to the characters, their development reliant on standard types. Rapid romance development doesn’t bother me -- much. However, things sync a little too quickly for these two. Early in the book, Danica, completely new to the world of paranormal, is facing a life and death situation. She runs for her life all the while reconciling her potential new relationship with Gage. The incongruity between real suspense and personal reflection had me scratching my head. Taylor excels at creating a sensual, erotic scene. Such scenes were book highlights. Fever also generates interest for future series installments. Ominous threats remain at the end of the book and this creates traction for the rest of the series.

Fever, originally published in 2014, is the first in Lola Taylor’s Blood Moon Rising series. The series includes six installments, each detailing love and life entanglements of the Moonstruck werewolf pack. Currently, Fever is free on the author’s website.




Review: Adria Reyes
Two Sheep
Lola Taylor’s Fever starts off with Danica looking to meet her online date at a bar. She’s practically given up on love and is kind of desperate to find a guy to date. When her date doesn’t show up she leaves only to be cornered outside of the bar and almost killed. That’s when the hottie she spotted back in the bar saves her, and then things turn really weird. For wolf shifter Gage, the Blood Moon means he’s almost out of time to find a mate so that he can stay in charge of his pack but that doesn’t stop him from saving the woman about to be murdered. Then he finds out that Danica is his mate and that someone put a hit out on her. Without question he takes Danica under his protection while he tries to find out who is trying to kill her and why.

So, this is my first time reading Lola Taylor and honestly, there was a lot of important stuff missing. It wasn’t that Gage and Danica weren’t likable, they were, but maybe it was because I didn’t fully connect with them as characters. There’s no real growth as individuals and I could honestly say that as a couple I needed them to connect more rather than just accept that they were mates. I wanted more than just sex between them. Sometimes there were moments in Fever where it seemed like they were really getting to know each other and bonding on a more emotional level but then something or someone would interrupt and it was back to finding out how to stop the Big Bad. The romance was just not believable. Aside from happening super quick, by the end I felt that Gage and Danica still didn’t know enough about each other.

I think the author tried to cram in too much into a small amount of pages so everything felt halfway done and very rushed. Fever introduced the wolves but then there were witches too, and oh wait there were more things to talk about and then they were overlooked. Why bring them up in the first place if there wasn’t enough time to explain anything?

Bottom line, this paranormal romance missed the mark. It had a lot going for it but just when I thought it was going to hit the big checks on my checklist, it didn’t. And then it was over and I was like What? That’s it? Lola Taylor has the right idea with Fever but it could definitely use some more development and believability between the main couple.

CHAPTER 1
All right, it was official—her date had stood her up.

Honestly, it shouldn’t surprise her. Seriously, who took someone on their first date to a bar?

And not even a nice bar. Howl was anything but swanky. With wooden floors that looked like they hadn’t seen polish—or a broom—in a decade, posters of couples in crude positions all over the walls, and the stench of sweat, beer, and sex in the smoky air, it looked like a gigantic version of a man cave.

Speaking of men, there were entirely too many rough-looking individuals here. Admittedly, it made her pause when she drove up and discovered there were more motorcycles than cars parked outside. She loved chrome and fast wheels as much as the next girl, but all the, er, “decorations”—animal skulls, hides, etc.—adorning said motorcycles gave her the heebie-jeebies.

She took another long sip of her beer. What the hell had she been thinking, agreeing to meet a total stranger at a place like this?

Because you’ve been lonely since Seth broke up with you and moved away.

Being the only person left in her high school town, the only one in her old circle of friends who hadn’t gone to college or gotten married, Danica had started to feel pretty damn unwanted. That definitely showed in the extra pounds she’d packed on since the “Epic Breakup.” Since the only people left in the small town of Moonstruck, Arkansas, were either the young or the old, it was sparse pickings for friends, and even slimmer prospects for dating. And since her empty bank account said moving was not an option, she’d turned to online dating.

“They worked,” the advertisements said. Countless people on the commercials preached, “I met my soul mate online, and we got married, like, instantly.”

In hindsight, she should have known better. If history had taught her anything, it was “Karma isn’t going to make it easy for you.”

She smiled wryly. “Karma, fifty, Danica, zero.”

Taking another swig of her nearly empty beer, she looked around. For the most part, the men had watched her with curiosity, but they hadn’t come over yet. People seemed to be keeping their distance, which she found odd. She thought she looked damn cute in her tight jeggings, black ankle boots, and a black see-through tunic that showed off her black lace bra. The bra alone should have at least earned her a “get-to-know-you” beer from somebody. But alas, here she was, sitting by herself at a bar, waiting for a date that obviously was never going to come.

Shouting erupted from across the room as one burly man threw down his pool stick and shoved another man, nearly spilling beer all over the pool table.

From the dais near the table, a tall man stood from the shadows, his silhouette suggesting broad shoulders and a lean torso. The dim lighting revealed dark jeans, a button-down shirt, and a dinner jacket—not the typical biker bar garb the other men wore.

He also wasn’t nearly as stacked as the two guys about to go at it in front of him, yet they took one look at the man and instantly backed down.

Huh. This place was getting weirder by the second.

Danica felt her arms prickle with the sensation of being watched. She looked up to find the mystery man had stepped into the light—and was looking right at her.

Her breath caught.

Holy. Hell.

Okay, the lighting in here sucked, but she could definitely see a defined jawline, a straight nose, and light brown hair that had been styled with a bit of gel. Despite his Adonis looks and more fashionable wardrobe, he didn’t look any less masculine for it. If anything, it made him look sexier.

Danica sighed, feeling heat building below her navel.

She blinked. Wow, this was an all-time record for her. She’d gone from falling head over heels for a man in a few weeks—i.e. Seth, who’d been a jerk—to lusting for one at first sight. She blamed the fact she hadn’t had sex in six months.

But she wasn’t about to bring a man home with her tonight. She didn’t want a one-night stand. She wanted romance, flowers. She wanted “the fairy tale” as Julia Roberts had said.

And something told her she wasn’t going to get that with any of the guys here. Might as well cut her losses and bail.

She’d started to take another sip of her beer with the intent to finish it when that pleasant tingling sensation went up her spine. Unable to stop herself, she turned around.

The handsome stranger smiled at her.

And dammit if she didn’t smile back.

***



Gage’s inner wolf grinned as the luscious blonde tried covering the smile she’d flashed him. Normally, human women didn’t do it for him, but this one had a sense of spirit about her that was incredibly alluring. The fact her top left little to the imagination in regards to her plump breasts only made him harder.

God, he was so freaking horny. Ever since the mating heat had taken hold of him at the beginning of the month, his cock sprang to life at the mere sight of a little cleavage. It was like going through puberty all over again, a hell he never wished to relive. The heat had only intensified as the month drew to a close. In exactly one week, the Blood Moon would rise, sealing him forever with his mate the first time they made love.

Now, if only he could find his mate.

His best friend and bodyguard—as if he needed one—came up beside him. He was also his brother. The slightly older wolf wasn’t wearing as much metal tonight as he usually did. His ears were only partially lined with studs, and he’d taken his tongue piercing out. Ink crawled up the wolf’s massive arms, which he showed off in a black tank top, despite the chilly autumn weather. Since werewolves ran hotter than humans, due to their animal nature—and especially during mating season—they rarely worried about the change of temperature.

His bodyguard, Nikolas, nodded in the direction of the bar. “You’ve been eyeing that female since she walked through the door.”

“And?” Gage raised a brow in challenge.

Nik shrugged. “And I can’t blame ya. She’s hot for a human. Got soft curves too. Wouldn’t be like banging one of our she-wolves, all hard muscle and bones.”

Gage’s cock throbbed with desire at the thought of feeling the woman below him, of his hands moving over her soft, smooth skin. He’d never been with a human before. He wasn’t the type to hold back during sex, and the she-wolves were tough by nature. Humans were fragile. Breakable. He’d feel guilty if he injured a woman during love-making.

Yet the thought of making her dizzy with pleasure never left his mind as he watched the woman down the rest of her beer and snag the bartender to cash out her tab.

Nik chewed on his lip ring. “So I take it you’ve had no luck with the last were-princess I brought you, Your Highness?”

Gage scowled. He knew Nik was aware he hated being called that, which was exactly why Nik did it. Sometimes, he was as childish as a pup. “I’ve… met with all the princesses you’ve brought me, but alas, I have yet to mark any of them.” Saying it aloud like that, voicing the possibility he might lose his pack because of some stupid law, turned his blood to ice.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

Nik studied him, then elbowed him lightly. “Think nothing of it. You’ll find your mate before this month’s Blood Moon sets.”

“I have to,” Gage muttered darkly. An unmated packmaster was not worthy of calling himself a King of Wolves. After at last claiming the position of Alpha over Malachite (a.k.a. “that sadistic son of a bitch”) only this past month, Gage couldn’t afford to be demoted for the sheer fact he couldn’t find a worthy female to be his mate. But he didn’t get to choose—the magic in his blood did.

His attention snapped forward as the woman, casting him one last look, donned her jacket and purse, then started walking toward the exit. His blue eyes trailed her, unblinking, his heart speeding up. He took a step forward, and Nik grasped his arm.

“Best let that fish return to the sea,” he said. “Your efforts are better spent on courting other royal she-wolves going through their Fevers, considering the circumstances.”

“I know.”

Still, he found himself leaning toward the woman, wanting to go with her.

What was the matter with him?

A dark figure moved within the shadows, detaching itself from the wall and following the woman out the door.

Gage’s hackles rose. “Excuse me,” he said, shoving Nik’s hand aside as he stepped off the dais and toward the door.

Nik swore then rubbed his temples. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Following a gut instinct and feeling half-mad for it, Gage continued his deliberate pace toward the exit, senses wired for danger.

Then he heard her scream.

About the Author:
Website-FB-Pin
goodreads-G+
Newsletter
“Lola Taylor” is a pen name created for the romances I can’t show my grandma without blushing. My favorite genre to write is romantic suspense, usually involving hot werewolves, warlocks, or any other type of paranormal creature. Keep the action hot and the romance hotter—that’s my motto! I’m a horror film junkie, I still love Halloween as an adult (seriously, I think I get more excited for it than some kids do), and what precious spare time I have is spent with my family, reading (everything from sci fi to middle grade), playing the flute, painting pretty pictures, or screwing around on Pinterest or Etsy. Hailing from the South, I currently live in the Midwest with five fur babies and my hubby.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Free Book Blitz: Fever (Blood Moon Rising Book One) by Lola Taylor + giveaway + excerpt

by Lola Taylor
Genre: Werewolf PNR
Publisher: Indigo Dreamer Press
February, 2014 (Fourth Edition, October, 2016)
ASIN: B00ING5PN0
Number of pages: 114
Word Count: 33k
When the Blood Moon rises, the wolves come out to play… and find their mates.

Danica has about given up on love. In a last-ditch attempt at finding “the one,” she agrees to a blind date through an online dating service. But instead of finding roses and romance, she finds someone intent on killing her. That is, until the mysterious, brooding Gage shows up to save her….

Gage is running out of time to find a mate. If the Blood Moon sets before he can find her, he’ll lose the rank of packmaster—and the peace within the pack he’s worked so hard to obtain. When he saves a luscious blonde in the parking lot of a bar, he has no idea she is his mate—until he Marks her with his touch.

Determined to keep her safe at any cost, Gage whisks Danica away into a hidden world full of lust, unlikely love, and treachery. Someone’s put a hit on his mate, and he’s hell-bent on finding out who, all while the Blood Moon looms closer, threatening to destroy his chances at true love forever. That is, if something—or someone—doesn’t kill the woman he’s falling for first.


CHAPTER 1
All right, it was official—her date had stood her up.

Honestly, it shouldn’t surprise her. Seriously, who took someone on their first date to a bar?

And not even a nice bar. Howl was anything but swanky. With wooden floors that looked like they hadn’t seen polish—or a broom—in a decade, posters of couples in crude positions all over the walls, and the stench of sweat, beer, and sex in the smoky air, it looked like a gigantic version of a man cave.

Speaking of men, there were entirely too many rough-looking individuals here. Admittedly, it made her pause when she drove up and discovered there were more motorcycles than cars parked outside. She loved chrome and fast wheels as much as the next girl, but all the, er, “decorations”—animal skulls, hides, etc.—adorning said motorcycles gave her the heebie-jeebies.

She took another long sip of her beer. What the hell had she been thinking, agreeing to meet a total stranger at a place like this?

Because you’ve been lonely since Seth broke up with you and moved away.

Being the only person left in her high school town, the only one in her old circle of friends who hadn’t gone to college or gotten married, Danica had started to feel pretty damn unwanted. That definitely showed in the extra pounds she’d packed on since the “Epic Breakup.” Since the only people left in the small town of Moonstruck, Arkansas, were either the young or the old, it was sparse pickings for friends, and even slimmer prospects for dating. And since her empty bank account said moving was not an option, she’d turned to online dating.

“They worked,” the advertisements said. Countless people on the commercials preached, “I met my soul mate online, and we got married, like, instantly.”

In hindsight, she should have known better. If history had taught her anything, it was “Karma isn’t going to make it easy for you.”

She smiled wryly. “Karma, fifty, Danica, zero.”

Taking another swig of her nearly empty beer, she looked around. For the most part, the men had watched her with curiosity, but they hadn’t come over yet. People seemed to be keeping their distance, which she found odd. She thought she looked damn cute in her tight jeggings, black ankle boots, and a black see-through tunic that showed off her black lace bra. The bra alone should have at least earned her a “get-to-know-you” beer from somebody. But alas, here she was, sitting by herself at a bar, waiting for a date that obviously was never going to come.

Shouting erupted from across the room as one burly man threw down his pool stick and shoved another man, nearly spilling beer all over the pool table.

From the dais near the table, a tall man stood from the shadows, his silhouette suggesting broad shoulders and a lean torso. The dim lighting revealed dark jeans, a button-down shirt, and a dinner jacket—not the typical biker bar garb the other men wore.

He also wasn’t nearly as stacked as the two guys about to go at it in front of him, yet they took one look at the man and instantly backed down.

Huh. This place was getting weirder by the second.

Danica felt her arms prickle with the sensation of being watched. She looked up to find the mystery man had stepped into the light—and was looking right at her.

Her breath caught.

Holy. Hell.

Okay, the lighting in here sucked, but she could definitely see a defined jawline, a straight nose, and light brown hair that had been styled with a bit of gel. Despite his Adonis looks and more fashionable wardrobe, he didn’t look any less masculine for it. If anything, it made him look sexier.

Danica sighed, feeling heat building below her navel.

She blinked. Wow, this was an all-time record for her. She’d gone from falling head over heels for a man in a few weeks—i.e. Seth, who’d been a jerk—to lusting for one at first sight. She blamed the fact she hadn’t had sex in six months.

But she wasn’t about to bring a man home with her tonight. She didn’t want a one-night stand. She wanted romance, flowers. She wanted “the fairy tale” as Julia Roberts had said.

And something told her she wasn’t going to get that with any of the guys here. Might as well cut her losses and bail.

She’d started to take another sip of her beer with the intent to finish it when that pleasant tingling sensation went up her spine. Unable to stop herself, she turned around.

The handsome stranger smiled at her.

And dammit if she didn’t smile back.

***



Gage’s inner wolf grinned as the luscious blonde tried covering the smile she’d flashed him. Normally, human women didn’t do it for him, but this one had a sense of spirit about her that was incredibly alluring. The fact her top left little to the imagination in regards to her plump breasts only made him harder.

God, he was so freaking horny. Ever since the mating heat had taken hold of him at the beginning of the month, his cock sprang to life at the mere sight of a little cleavage. It was like going through puberty all over again, a hell he never wished to relive. The heat had only intensified as the month drew to a close. In exactly one week, the Blood Moon would rise, sealing him forever with his mate the first time they made love.

Now, if only he could find his mate.

His best friend and bodyguard—as if he needed one—came up beside him. He was also his brother. The slightly older wolf wasn’t wearing as much metal tonight as he usually did. His ears were only partially lined with studs, and he’d taken his tongue piercing out. Ink crawled up the wolf’s massive arms, which he showed off in a black tank top, despite the chilly autumn weather. Since werewolves ran hotter than humans, due to their animal nature—and especially during mating season—they rarely worried about the change of temperature.

His bodyguard, Nikolas, nodded in the direction of the bar. “You’ve been eyeing that female since she walked through the door.”

“And?” Gage raised a brow in challenge.

Nik shrugged. “And I can’t blame ya. She’s hot for a human. Got soft curves too. Wouldn’t be like banging one of our she-wolves, all hard muscle and bones.”

Gage’s cock throbbed with desire at the thought of feeling the woman below him, of his hands moving over her soft, smooth skin. He’d never been with a human before. He wasn’t the type to hold back during sex, and the she-wolves were tough by nature. Humans were fragile. Breakable. He’d feel guilty if he injured a woman during love-making.

Yet the thought of making her dizzy with pleasure never left his mind as he watched the woman down the rest of her beer and snag the bartender to cash out her tab.

Nik chewed on his lip ring. “So I take it you’ve had no luck with the last were-princess I brought you, Your Highness?”

Gage scowled. He knew Nik was aware he hated being called that, which was exactly why Nik did it. Sometimes, he was as childish as a pup. “I’ve… met with all the princesses you’ve brought me, but alas, I have yet to mark any of them.” Saying it aloud like that, voicing the possibility he might lose his pack because of some stupid law, turned his blood to ice.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

Nik studied him, then elbowed him lightly. “Think nothing of it. You’ll find your mate before this month’s Blood Moon sets.”

“I have to,” Gage muttered darkly. An unmated packmaster was not worthy of calling himself a King of Wolves. After at last claiming the position of Alpha over Malachite (a.k.a. “that sadistic son of a bitch”) only this past month, Gage couldn’t afford to be demoted for the sheer fact he couldn’t find a worthy female to be his mate. But he didn’t get to choose—the magic in his blood did.

His attention snapped forward as the woman, casting him one last look, donned her jacket and purse, then started walking toward the exit. His blue eyes trailed her, unblinking, his heart speeding up. He took a step forward, and Nik grasped his arm.

“Best let that fish return to the sea,” he said. “Your efforts are better spent on courting other royal she-wolves going through their Fevers, considering the circumstances.”

“I know.”

Still, he found himself leaning toward the woman, wanting to go with her.

What was the matter with him?

A dark figure moved within the shadows, detaching itself from the wall and following the woman out the door.

Gage’s hackles rose. “Excuse me,” he said, shoving Nik’s hand aside as he stepped off the dais and toward the door.

Nik swore then rubbed his temples. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Following a gut instinct and feeling half-mad for it, Gage continued his deliberate pace toward the exit, senses wired for danger.

Then he heard her scream.


About the Author:
Website-FB-Google+
Pin-Goodreads
Newsletter
“Lola Taylor” is a pen name created for the romances I can’t show my grandma without blushing. My favorite genre to write is romantic suspense, usually involving hot werewolves, warlocks, or any other type of paranormal creature. Keep the action hot and the romance hotter—that’s my motto! I’m a horror film junkie, I still love Halloween as an adult (seriously, I think I get more excited for it than some kids do), and what precious spare time I have is spent with my family, reading (everything from sci fi to middle grade), playing the flute, painting pretty pictures, or screwing around on Pinterest or Etsy. Hailing from the South, I currently live in the Midwest with five fur babies and my hubby.

I’m pretty easy-going. If you want to get to know me or just say “hi,” you can find me on Facebook, Google + , Pinterest,and Goodreads.

Giveaway
5 ebook copies of Books 2 and 3 in the Blood Moon Rising series (open worldwide). Winners will be randomly selected via Rafflecopter and announced on my website and social media on November 19th. Ebook prizes only, no paperbacks. By entering, you are saying you’re 18 or older, or are considered an adult in your country of origin. All prizes are in English language only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Sheep Interview: Joan Swan + BLAZE giveaway

*update: Intimate Enemies if free for the kindle right now-use link at bottom of post
Today we have the goddess of multi-tasking and man-titty covers! (seriously...have you seen her covers?) Joan talks with us about Blaze, book 2 in her Phoenix Rising series, ropes, fear and firemen. Did I mention the sexy man titty covers?



Sharon: For our readers who haven’t read your Phoenix Rising series would you tell us about it?
Joan: Love to! Adore this series! Bunch of hot guys, couple of sexy, kick ass girls, one nasty, powerful enemy… 

Oh, you meant seriously. Yeah, I can do that too.

A mysterious explosion at a military warehouse injuries a team of seven hazmat firefighters, killing one. The contents of the building, chemicals used by the Department of Defense, have inflicted the team with various paranormal abilities. Abilities the government wants to study covertly. Abilities the team wants to understand and expose.

Each book in the series focuses on different members of the team and their struggle with the aftermath of the explosion. And as the group delves deeper into the incident and uncovers pieces of the puzzle, their personal issues are complicated by a powerful enemy trying to keep its secrets. 

Sharon: *looks at Katie* she had me at bunch of hot guys… 
Katie: Agreed. 
Joan: Yeah, I tried stopping there with my editor…didn’t fly. They’re soooooo picky. 

Katie: I’m a cover lover and lady your covers are hot! Do you think covers matter to readers? 

have you guys seen these covers?!
Joan: Yep. Sure do. The majority of readers say they prefer the cover to reflect the story within the book. Many will tell you they get ticked off when it doesn’t. And they get really ticked off when it’s misleading.

Many readers will tell you they love sexy covers. Many will tell you they loathe them. Many readers will also tell you one thing and buy another. People are so interesting!

Also, it seems to surprise readers that in traditional publishing, authors have almost no input on covers. Cover design is generally farmed out to freelance artists who know very little about the book they’re designing for. And while authors often fill out an “art sheet” regarding their book’s cover, the input I’ve received from dozens of authors, including NYT bestsellers, is that the house does what the house wants.


I guess I lucked out. <G> 

Katie: Plus people just have different tastes. But I like my man to taste hot like your covers!
Joan: I knew I liked you!


Sharon: Fever, your debut came out earlier this year. How long was your journey from “hey, I’m gonna write a book!” to “Hey, I wrote a book!”? 
Joan: Ten (10) looooooooooooooong years. Oh, wait…that was from “Hey, I’m gonna write a book!” to “Hey, I published a book!” I think the first book took me about a year. They all took me about a year until I sold. Then—whap! Deadlines. It’s amazing how fast you can write when you have deadlines! 
Sharon: how many do you have written already?
Joan: *choke* As in publishable? None. They’d all have to be rewritten. But there were nine before FEVER.
Oh, but I did rewrite INTIMATE ENEMIES, which was a 2x Golden Heart finalist, and self-published it. Very pleased with the result. It’s gotten fantastic reviews. <G> 

Katie: I look through your bedroom closet right now, what deep dark secret would I find? Bodies?
Joan: Me…trembling in a corner… Oh, no wait, that would be the secret to the next question.
Um…fear. Lots and lots and lots of fear…all stuffed waaaaaaay back in the corner so I can actually DO things with my life. 

Sharon: NOBODY PUTS FEAR IN A CORNER! Sorry, don’t know why that popped into my head <G>
Joan: LOL, sounds like your fear needed a voice. Just keep your fear out of my closet. If my fear pipes up, I’ll know where it came from.


photo: acyee_x
Sharon: You have a family, a daytime job, you write books and you have a very active blog…what’s your secret…clones? Cyborg? Eating Wheaties of the gods? 
Joan: OCD. Severe. Bordering on insanity. 
Katie: You have found a home Joan, insanity and the flock walk hand in hand! Weeeee!!! 
Joan: Hallelujah! I won’t be the only one talking to gremlins now!
Sharon: talking? we breed the suckers!
 
http://gremlins.wikia.com/wiki/User:Hill_Nothing_fan



Time for a little fun... Take a deep breath (so you can smell the sheep) and go with your gut! 




Sharon: zip lines or rope course?
Joan: ZIP LINES!! Ropes?? are you KIDDING??? 

Sharon: ropes are very popular in romance ;)
Joan: Wait…were we talking romance? Can’t I change my answer? 


Katie: Coke or Pepsi?
Joan: Oh, man, that’s a dangerous question. I’m only answering because I’m behind the protection of a screen…Pepsi. (Diet) 

Sharon: *dropping to knees and pumping fists in the air* YEESSSSSSS!
Katie: Joan, I thought we had something special going?! *Sobbing*
Joan: *covering face with hands* Good Lord. I knew I should have taken the fifth. 


Sharon: skipping or shuffling?
Joan: Skipping, shuffling makes me feel like an old lady.


Katie: Fist bump or High five?
Joan: High five…guess I am showing my age there <G>

Katie: Pfft. Let’s high five!
Joan: *smack* 


Sharon: manicure or pedicure?
Joan: Pedicure. I use my hands at work (the day job) and there’s no point in a manicure.


Katie: Under the covers or on top?
Joan: HAHAHAHAHA!! That question implies a bed. 


Sharon: O_o you don’t have a bed?
Joan: Didn’t say I didn’t have one…just don’t…you know…always use it…;D


Check out Fever and Blaze. Book #3, Rush, comes out Oct 2013 and Book #4 comes out April 2014


About the author:
I was never a star English student or a Literature buff, but I’ve always had a creative soul and an active imagination. Writing was a natural culmination of those two talents.

Sexy romantic suspense is my genre of choice, and, occasionally, I like to dabble in the lighter side of paranormal as well. I write the Phoenix Rising Series, FEVER, BLAZE, and two more books coming in 2013, for Kensington and the Covert Affairs Series, INTIMATE ENEMIES, independently.

A triple RWA Golden Heart finalist, I am a lover of craft and closet-hoarder of writing craft how-to books. I’m a recovering OCD perfectionist…bet you can just imagine how well that’s going.

In my day job, I work as a sonographer at UCSF Medical Center, rated one of the top ten best medical centers in the nation – a location with an intensity that makes me slightly—okay majorly—insane. This seems to work well with my inner writer. Access to abundant character material—and I’m not only talking about my patients—is a fringe benefit.

I’m married to my own personal hero, a veteran firefighter, we have two beautiful daughters and are blessed to live in the heart of wine country on the gorgeous Central Coast of California. 

To keep up with my latest news & releases please visit me online: 






Phoenix Rising Series




FEVER 

Book 1 
Dr. Alyssa Foster will admit to a bad boy fetish…

But when she finds herself face to face with a convicted murderer with a ripped body, a determination for freedom and an eye on her as his get out of jail free card, Alyssa knows she’s in deep trouble…. Not just because Teague Creek is a prisoner desperate for freedom, but because his every touch makes her desperate for more.

A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose…

Teague Creek has one shot at freedom, but his plan to escape with a hostage develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives who know of his strange abilities, he needs to avoid trouble, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever.

Purchase Links: 





Add to your Goodreads Shelf



BLAZE 
Book 2 
The hotter they come, the harder they fall…

With a man like him, every mission becomes personal…
Ever since FBI agent Keira O’Shay started tracking a young boy named Mateo, she’s felt a connection even her empathic abilities can’t explain. Sheneeds to save Mateo from the cult leader holding him hostage. Nothing can interfere with that—not even the reappearance of Luke Ransom, the hot-as-hell fire captain she’s regretted walking out on for three long years.

Losing Keira left Luke vulnerable—in every way. When they were together, the powers each possesses were mysteriously enhanced. But it’s the sexy, surprising woman beneath the tough exterior that Luke’s really missed. Even if she betrayed him utterly. And even if agreeing to help her uncover a government conspiracy means watching his life and his heart go up in flames again…


Purchase Links: 


Joan Swan's BLAZE Blog Tour Schedule
chance to win a book at every stop!
Tour runs from September 17 - October 6
September 17 - Grave Tells - http://gravetells.com/
September 18 - Book Reader Addicts - http://bookreaderaddictsgiveaways.blogspot.com/
September 19 - Pearl's World of Romance - http://pearlsworldofromance.wordpress.com/
September 20 - Under The Covers - http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com
September 21 - Reading Between The Wines - http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/
September 22 - Riverina Romantics - http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com/
September 23 - Reading on The Wild Side - http://readingonthewildside.blogspot.com/
September 24 - United By Books - http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/
September 25 - My Keeper Shelf - http://mykeepershelf.blogspot.com/
September 25 - The Reading Café - http://thereadingcafe.com/
September 26 - Ramblings From This Chick - http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/
September 27 - I Smell Sheep - http://www.ismellsheep.com/
September 28 - Paranormal Haven - http://www.paranormalhaven.com/
September 29 - Just Romantic Suspense - http://www.justromanticsuspense.com/
September 30 - Just Romantic Suspense - http://www.justromanticsuspense.com/
October 1 - Close Encounters With The Night Kind - http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/
October 2 - Book Monster Reviews / Literal Addiction -
Book Monster - http://bookmonsterreviews.blogspot.com/
Literal Addiction - http://www.literaladdiction.com/
October 3 - Books-n-Kisses - http://www.books-n-kisses.com/
October 4 - Readers Confession - http://www.readersconfession.com/
October 5 - Book Lovin' Mamas - http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com//
October 6 - Cocktails & Books - http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/


GIVE AWAY
US/CAN Only
Joan is giving away a print copy of Blaze
To enter:
1. talk to raffle dude
contest ends Oct. 3