Book Review: DARK SECRETS, A Paranormal Noir Anthology + giveaway

DARK SECRETS, A Paranormal Noir Anthology
Participating Authors: Rachel Caine, Cynthia Eden, Megan Hart, Suzanne Johnson, Jeffe Kennedy, and Mina Khan
ISBN: 978-1-942840-05-3
Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.
MARION, MISSING by Rachel Caine
Valentine is a detective with two major problems: he's been offered a kidnapping case that will probably get him killed, and his partner won't let him turn it down. He owes her that much … since his partner's a ghost, and he blames himself for her death. A dark, haunting noir mystery of love, hate and loss.
FEMME FATALE by Cynthia Eden
PI Mick Swayne has seen it all—his clients have included liars, thieves, and even killers. He thinks he can handle anything and anyone. Then she walks into his office. Savannah Moreau is beautiful, seductive, and…a vampire? The gorgeous vamp hires Mick to help her track down a killer who is hunting in Chicago, but as Mick slips deeper into Savannah’s paranormal world, he wonders if he can really trust his new client…
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Megan Hart
When the devil starts the music, you'd better get ready to dance.

Kathleen Murphy has sold her soul to the devil. Fame, fortune, success...everything she's ever dreamed of is hers, and all she has to do is the devil's bidding. When love comes knocking, the last thing in the world she wants to do is involve Jake in her twisted world, but the devil's started up the jukebox and Kathleen has no choice but to learn the steps
THE CONSORT by Suzanne Johnson
Faulkner Hearne, the captain of the ruthless Fae Hunters, finds his duty at odds with his heart when he’s ordered to capture the consort of Faerie’s cruel Prince of Summer when she flees across the veil into modern New Orleans. Can Faulk turn Liandra over to a certain death at the hands of the prince, or will he risk a war with Faerie in order to save her?
An all-new novella set in the Sentinels of New Orleans multiverse.
HEART’S BLOOD by Jeffe Kennedy, a Twelve Kingdoms novella
A dark fairytale retelling of a princess robbed of rank, husband and even her name.

Nix is nothing. The Princess Natilde—her former waiting woman—attacked her on the journey to wed Prince Cavan, stripping her of everything and taking her place. With no serving skills, Nix becomes a goose girl. Perhaps if Nix keeps her promise never to reveal who she really is, Natilde won’t carry out her vile threats. Prince Cavan entered his arranged marriage determined to have a congenial, if not loving relationship with his future queen—for the sake of both their kingdoms. But, his wife repels him more each day and he finds himself absurdly drawn to the lovely Nix.

With broken vows, anguish and dark secrets between them, Cavan and Nix struggle to find the magic to restore what’s gone terribly wrong... if it ever can be.
THE DJINN IN THE MIRROR by Mina Khan, a Djinn World novella
A paranormal Cinderella story with a young witch as the heroine and a wicked, sexy djinn instead of a fairy godmother.

Dahlia, the step-daughter of a power hungry wizard, promises to free a djinn trapped in a mirror if he rescues her from impending death. But Ashmael the djinn has his own agenda: to trick & seduce his way to freedom. The only problem is he ends up falling for Dahlia. Can he win his freedom and save the girl?

Goodreads-Kobo-amazon-ARe-Google Play

This is a solid anthology of quality stories. All the authors were new to me except Caine and Khan so it was a great chance to sample some authors I've been meaning to try.

All the stories are considered urban fantasy and there are varying degrees of romance depending on the story. They all have a dark edge to them, some darker than others, but they all have happy ever afters.

Marion, Missing is a noir mystery set during the segregation period, and. P.I. Valentine is a white man and his P.I. partner is Tilde, a black woman. Caine does a great job of touching on the racial tensions of the times and expressing Valentine's deep guilt and eventual forgiveness of himself.

Femme Fatale isn't as complex, and not as dark as the others. It is pretty straightforward with some dark humor.

Dance With the Devil delivered the darkest emotional punch. The plot kept you guessing and your heart will break right along with Kathleen. I was worried there was no way this one could turn out happy, but Megan Hart pulled it off.

The Consort had the most humor and romance. I love fae stories and have always wanted to read Suzanne Johnson's series. It is the world building that attracts me (and sexy fae men, duh!) and this story delivered.

Heart's Blood had a horror element to it. I loved the contrast of the innocence of Nix and Prince Cavan pitted against the evil of Princes Natilde. Well told with a heavy fairy-tale feel.

The Djinn in the Mirror has me wanting to find a magical mirror with my own djinn! Great mixing of an urban setting and djinn mythology. Ashmael is toe-curling sexy and Dahlia is an underdog heroine you can root for and be very jealous of...

At $.99 you would be a fool not to grab this one. Whether you love urban fantasy or PNR, you will find something to love in each story.

4 1/2 "Dark and dangerous" Sheep

SharonS

GIVEAWAY

$120 Amazon GC & Gothic Lace Choker & Earring Set

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b9cd9a9331/?

All the author bios and links are past the break...

Sunday Swag: Mina Khan

Sunday Swag Team!
Riverina Romantics 
 I Smell Sheep 

Today's feature Author: Mina Khan 

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Mina Khan started writing at an early age and in the third grade published a thought-provoking poem:

In the Temple of Pong

There is a gong

That rings 

in the middle of the night 

Is it right 

for it to ring in the middle of the night? 

Hard as it is to believe, she went on to win a few awards for her poetry and then decided to tackle serious writing – short stories, screen plays and books. After concerns expressed by her parents about her livelihood, Mina pursued a career in journalism – print and television. 

She retired from full-time media work in 2007 to focus on her family and personal writing. Currently, she teaches cooking classes and writes about food for her day job. 

Mina considers writing her greatest vice and her only salvation ~it drives her bat-shit crazy and keeps her sane. 

I got to meet Mina at Authors After Dark 2014 in Charlotte, NC yesterday! I forgot Baaart, but she brought me a cute little sheep keychain :)

signed notepad, bookmark, signed postcard, guava candy, chocolate tea

Head over to Riverina Romantics and win more Swag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Swag: Mina Khan (extra special giveaway)

Sunday Swag Team!
Riverina Romantics 
 I Smell Sheep 

Featured Author: Mina Khan

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Mina Khan started writing at an early age and in the third grade published a thought-provoking poem:

In the Temple of Pong

There is a gong

That rings 

in the middle of the night

Is it right 

for it to ring in the middle of the night?

Hard as it is to believe, she went on to win a few awards for her poetry and then decided to tackle serious writing – short stories, screen plays and books. After concerns expressed by her parents about her livelihood, Mina pursued a career in journalism – print and television.

She retired from full-time media work in 2007 to focus on her family and personal writing. Currently, she teaches cooking classes and writes about food for her day job.

Mina considers writing her greatest vice and her only salvation ~it drives her bat-shit crazy and keeps her sane.

This isn't a normal Sunday Swag because Mina has offered a large prize pack! The M&Ms have a dragon on them!

Win: Signed copy of WILDFIRE, a Wildfire pendant, Wildfire M&Ms, bookmark & book tote!

Head over to these blogs and win more Swag!

Cover Reveal: A Paranormal Mystery with Cowboys and Dragons by Mina Khan + giveaway

It’s so great to be celebrating my new release with I Smell Sheep! Baaa-wsome! I’m thrilled to share my novel, Wildfire: A Paranormal Mystery with Cowboys and Dragons, with you and your readers. Check out my cover:

Lynn Hana Alexander is a 25-year-old Japanese American shape-shifter haunted by guilt. She’s been questioning herself and her dragon abilities ever since she failed to save her grandmother. 

When her best friend is threatened by mysterious fires burning up acres of West Texas, Lynn rushes to the rescue determined not to fail again. However, with a tempting firefighter, a flirty city developer and dragon pheromones distracting her, how is she going to find the arsonist?

And worse: is her primary suspect a malicious rogue dragon or the love of her life?

Excerpt

Closing her eyes, Lynn Hana Alexander inhaled the dank smell of the bayou and summoned the change.

Heat crackled across her skin, filled her mind, as blue-green scales rippled over her body giving her tan a bronze sheen. Lynn’s core dissolved to molten lava, reformed and hardened. Muscles stretched and grew stronger, bones pushed and molded flesh. Nubs emerged from her back, elongated and flared into wings. A deep burn spread from her gut, igniting cell after cell, until she shook like a live wire juiced on raw power.

Her leathery wings flailed behind her as she stumbled around a bit before settling into the new weight. One would think a five foot one and half-inch Asian American woman would transform into a delicate, miniature-poodle type of dragon. Not so. In dragon-form, Lynn was seven feet of sharp scales, sinuous muscle and steely strength.

She raised her face to the moon and launched from the roof. Below her, Buffalo Bayou wound through downtown Houston glittering like a net of diamonds under the silver moonlight. The tremendous beat of her wings drowned out her worries for a moment.

Buy Links: Smashwords Amazon B&N ARe Kobo

About the Author:

Amazon Author Page 
Stories by Mina Khan 
Facebook Author Page 
Twitter: @SpiceBites

Mina Khan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She writes about djinns (genies), dragons, hunks and whatever else sparks her fancy. She also writes a weekly food column for the San Angelo Standard-Times as Rashda Khan. Originally from Bangladesh, she is now a proud West Texan.

Her first published work, The Djinn's Dilemma, won the novella category of the 2012 Romance Through The Ages (published) contest. A Tale of Two Djinns won the 2013 Readers’ Crown for best paranormal romance.

To sign up for Mina’s quarterly newsletter with release updates and inside information on the stories

click here

Giveaways

If you’d like a signed paperback copy of Wildfire, check out my Goodreads giveaway! 

Also, I have created a special giveaway to celebrate Wildfire release with dragonlicious prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alpha Male Diner: Mina Khan serving Djinn + giveaway

Ready to taste something sinfully good but oh, so bad for you? PNR author Mina Khan is treating us to some Irish Djinn...

Rukh O’Shay (djinn/human assassin-Irish stock) 

Recipe created by Mina Khan 

The Djinn’s Dilemma

1 tempting sexy mouth 
2 striking ocean blue eyes 
Tanned thighs & chiseled cheekbones 
Several pounds of rippling muscle 
Generous dash of exotic Djinnish essence 
A heap of Irish charm 
1/3 cup darkness and shadows 
1/3 cup liquid smoke 
1/3 cup dark chocolate 
A heaping handful of secrets 
A bunch of wild tattoos 
1 cup danger and bad-ass 
2 tablespoons of good rum 
A dash of wit and an ounce of snark 
Breathtaking sexy skills in and out of the bedroom 
A heart full of romance (with the right spark!) 

Mix it all up, let it simmer to a boil, and serve at sunset with a side of cold beer and hot Salsa music, in a bed, in a car or in the shower.

Taste Test

(From the heroine Sarah’s POV. Rukh has just rescued her from two would-be attackers):

The guy was big. Bigger than the other two put together. Big, silent and overwhelming, like night personified. His dark hair, thick and full, fell in unruly waves that just brushed his broad shoulders, swept away from a high forehead. Ocean-blue eyes, striking against his dark tan, stared at her full of concern.

Damn it, she was a reporter, not a romance writer. The guy could be in cahoots with the other two. Maybe it was a plot to make her think he’d rescued her and to get close. Her grip on the bag tightened. If she survived this, she’d have to give a description to the police. Something useful, an identifying mark, not a description that would make her a laughingstock.

“Are you okay?”

She managed a nod, as her gaze traveled from his tempting cupid-bow mouth, down his thick, sweaty neck. Black tattoos swirled and licked across his skin, then disappeared under the gray T-shirt, only to emerge in a wild flourish to wrap around the rippling muscles of his bicep and flow down his left arm. Tattoos could be useful for identification, but a wave of desire washed through her, leaving her dizzy. She swayed.

He took a step forward. The movement set her free and she stumbled back. “What do you want?”

“Looked like you were in trouble.” He shrugged. “I just wanted to help.”

“Thanks.” However, journalism and suspicion went together like chocolate and peanut butter. Her gaze locked with his. “What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you at the paper.”

A dark flush speared across his chiseled cheekbones. He managed a sheepish grin. “I parked in

the paper’s lot for quick access to the trail.”

His sweat-stained T-shirt and dark shorts supported his story. Her eyes traveled lower, checked out his nice-sized package, lingered over his tanned thighs. What the heck was wrong with her? She was tired and traumatized. But she knew danger could be a turn-on, a way to say thanks for being alive. Nothing more than a heightened reaction. She needed to go home.

“Thanks for coming to help.” She licked her lips. “Who are you?”

“Rukh.” The way he rolled his r’s set off an answering purr inside her.

“I’m Sarah. Sarah Jasmine White,” she said, extending her hand.

He gave a quick nod as he extended his. Their fingers met, his hand engulfed hers. A dizzying jolt of electricity surged through her and hot unadulterated need exploded deep within her gut.

Sarah’s breath rushed out as she pulled her hand from his and stepped forward. She reached up, let her fingers slide into his hair, and pulled his dark, scowling face down as she kissed him.

He stood rigid and frozen in her arms. His hot breath caressed her cheeks.

Her wanton tongue traced over his lips. A soft moan escaped him, leaving behind a half-opened mouth and ragged breath.

Sarah slipped her tongue in, and tasted warm, dark chocolate.

She winced as he grasped a fistful of her curls and kissed her back. His tongue, lips and teeth worked her. Angry, demanding and hungry. As the kiss grew, everything physical between them—flesh, muscles, bones—seemed to evaporate. Until his taste invaded every pore. 

Rukh O’Shay, half-djinn and assassin, is used to taking out the bad guys. But his latest assignment, Sarah White, is nothing like he expected. A glimpse of her bright aura reveals her gentle spirit, while her luscious beauty clouds his mind and makes him long for only one thing—to taste her. 

Sarah shares the feeling of raw desire at Rukh’s touch. He can turn her on with a glance, and satisfies desires she didn’t even know she had. But Rukh had been hired to kill her—and the only way to save her is to find out who wants her dead before someone else finishes the job… 

Amazon| B&N| Kobo| iTunes| Are |Harlequin 

About the Author:

Amazon Author Page-Blog -fb-Twitter
Mina Khan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She grew up in Bangladesh on stories of djinns (pronounced "gins"), ghosts and monsters. These childhood fancies now color her fiction. She daydreams of hunky paranormal heroes, magic, mayhem and mischief and writes them down as tales of romance and adventure. 

Her first published work, The Djinn's Dilemma, won the novella category of the 2012 Romance Through The Ages (published) contest. To sign up for Mina’s quarterly newsletter with release updates and inside information on the stories.

***GIVEAWAY***

*A signed copy of my second novella A Tale of Two Djinns

*a reusable stylish tote

*a multi-highlighter

*note pad

*a genie lamp key chain

*a bag of dark chocolate because my hero reminds me of dark chocolate

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lovestruck Giveaway Hop!

Lovestruck Giveaway Hop!

I Smell Sheep is proud to take part in the 2012 Lovestruck Giveaway hop hosted by Under the Covers Book Blog and Bona Fide Reflections!

The point of this tour is to "carry away" readers with a (hopefully) new series or character. We decided to pick a series from NYT Best Selling Paranormal/Romance author Nalini Singh AND we will be giving away a great starter book for those that want to dive right in! Angels' Flight released March 2012 contains a compilation of novellas from her amazing Guild Hunter Saga. Here's a look at what's inside:

ANGELS' FLIGHT

In Angel's Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels' Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all...

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels' Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless...

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels' Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

Prize Pack

Nalini Singh- Angels' Flight

Mina Khan-A Tale of Two Djinns

Jess Haines-signed cover flat

Larissa Ione-handmade bookmark

Moonpies

Kool-Aid

Bookmarks

**This is a US ONLY Contest.**

Make sure to fill out the Rafflecoptor thingy below and you're all set! Contest ends June 23rd at 12:01am. Good Luck and happy reading!

Sheep Book Review: A Tale of Two Djinns by Mina Khan

A Tale of Two Djinns, by Mina Khan, is a Paranormal Romance novella that, while predictable, provides plenty of entertainment along the way.

Plot:
Akshay, warrior prince of the earth djinns, earns the title of Crown Prince at a high cost when he loses his best friend in a battle against ancient enemies, the water djinns. Heartsick, he escapes to Earth to mourn.Nothing gets the biological clock ticking (and elders lecturing) like almost dying in battle, so Maya, princess of the water djinns, travels to Earth for some no-strings-attached sex to fulfill her duty and produce an heir. But the beautiful and tough warrior gets more than she bargained for when she meets Shay.Their not-so-simple one-night stand is interrupted by assassins and the world, as they know it, is changed forever. As Maya and Shay pull together to survive, both are determined to have their happily-ever-after and bring peace to their worlds — warring families, shadow assassins, and nosy busybodies be damned.

First off let me share something pretty wonderful about this book. Mina is donating fifty percent of all proceeds to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). On top of this gracious donation from the author the story itself is a fun, quick read made for a lazy day.

Akshay is prince to his people with the ability to not only gain power from the earth itself but also to steal the hearts of many a young lady with his dashing yummy looks. Akshay starts the story out with a big bang and while you don't get enough time to really fall for this guy you do enjoy the playful nature and kind spirit he brings out. From across the watering hole is the young princess Maya, sworn enemy to the earth Djinns, this feisty female is out to get her baby boom on and sets her sights on the warrior with the mostest, Akshay.

Magic carpet rides and a heavy Arabian influence give this story a fun flare while fantastical warriors and suspicious characters keep the reader entertained. On the down side the story was so short you didn't get to establish a great connection with the characters. The only other major drawback was the last chapter, which of course I can't comment on without spoiling the whole thing. So I'll just say that for me things got wrapped up in too neat a bow.

All in all you get a nice quick tale that manages to touch on some important subjects even if it is just briefly, plus a helping of romance thrown in to help heat things up.

Getting 3 'bar fighting' Sheep
KD