Tuesday, November 29, 2011

RELEASE DAY for A Summer In Europe

Today is the release day of a fabulous new novel by a favorite author of mine, here's a few questions she answered about the new book.

A Summer in Europe



Marilyn, thanks for sharing with us a few insights on your new release.

Some of you might remember Marilyn from when she was here and we featured her last novel Friday Mornings at Nine as our month long feature in March of this year and thanks so much to her we will be fortunate to feature this very novel in May of 2012. I have had the pleasure of already reading this and you may read my review again at the end of the interview.

Marilyn, did you research this novel while actually in Europe and tell us a little about that.

Debbie, first of all, thanks so much for inviting me here—both this week, as I’m celebrating the new release, and also for May 2012. I loved getting to be your guest back in the spring and chatting with the B&N book club members then. Can’t wait to do it again!

As for researching A Summer in Europe, I was fortunate to have done a fair bit of traveling back in the early years of my marriage. My husband and I were both teachers then, so we had some time off together during the summer. It was back before we became parents or homeowners, so we didn’t have the number of expenses that we have these days or quite as many daily details to manage. Our son is a teen now, and we haven’t traveled overseas since he was born, so it’s definitely been a while since I was in Europe… I wish I could have gone there to specifically research this novel, though! That would have been great fun.

However, those trips we took in the 1990s were really memorable to me. I snapped a lot of pictures of the places we visited, so I had dozens of photo albums to look through that featured that sites I would later use in the story. And, long before I became a published writer, I kept journals—ever since junior high, actually—so I was able to read through some of my travel journals as I was writing the book, too.

But I think one of the early signs that someone might have the inclination toward being a novelist—and I suspect this is true for many people who are reading this—is that you train yourself to see the world as a writer long before you train yourself in the craft of writing fiction.

Back when I first visited Europe, I was a full decade away from attempting to write a novel, and I wouldn’t have had a clue at that time how to begin plotting and structuring one. But I did bring as much awareness as I could to each unique experience I had, particularly with regard to travel. I paid attention to the sensory aspects of the meals we ate and the music we heard. I noticed what was both similar and different to my life at home in the American Midwest. I people-watched obsessively. And I kept lots of little mementos, like maps and brochures and concert programs, which had details printed on them that I knew I wouldn’t remember on my own. I looked through an entire box of old postcards as I was writing the first draft of A Summer in Europe last year, remembering my first impressions of the cities we visited fifteen or more years ago and recalling all the little things that stood out for me back then. That turned out to be the most important thing for me in my research: remembering my emotions and reactions to every place. The rest—from the floor plan of the Louvre to the Dover-Calais ferry schedule—could be found online, and I did spend a lot of Internet time checking details like those.

Did you know the ending of this novel before you started, is it the same for all your novels?

Yes, I knew what the ending of this book would be from page one. There were some narrative twists that appeared as I was writing the story that I hadn’t expected at all—things that seemed right for the characters only once I’d gotten to know them a bit better. But as far as big-picture plotting, I wrote my outline for A Summer in Europe before I began drafting, complete with all the major turning points. For me, it just works better to have a basic structure laid out, so I do that for all my novels first. I find I have to be able to visualize where the story is headed—both the highs and the lows of the characters’ emotional changes as well as the rising action of the plot development.

But these types of outlines are never overly detailed. They’re usually just 15 - 20 sentences, with each one highlighting something important in the story arc. It’s like being able to see the skeleton of a creature on an x-ray—nothing is fleshed out, but you get a general sense of the creature’s size and shape based on that image. Just enough so you can tell whether you’re dealing with a giraffe or an aardvark. Or, in my case, a contemporary women’s fiction journey or a light romantic comedy.

Did you plant yourself in any of these characters and is there anyone you know in there as well?

One of the great joys of writing fiction is getting to populate your stories with characters you hope will be memorable. Real-life people have a range of fascinating quirks, and I’ve often seen traits in others that I quickly nabbed for my characters. I almost never admit this to the people in question, by the way, and I’m especially cagey when a family member asks, “Hey, I read your book. Is that meddlesome/klutzy/disorganized character you wrote based on me?”

I try to look mystified. “Whatever would make you ask that?!” I shoot back. Then I say, “Oh, look! Holiday cookies. Want some?” LOL.

But that tactic is rarely necessary because, in truth, the characters in a novel must serve the story. You can cherry pick a few traits from someone here or there, and you can combine them with traits from another person or two to create a unique character but, eventually, you’ll need to carve away anything that doesn’t have meaning within the story world.

For instance, my main character, Gwen, and I share a few things: we both are teachers (even though I’m not currently in the classroom), we both are from the Midwest, we both have good relationships with our younger brothers (Gwen has two of them; I have one) and we both love Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. So, there were a few aspects of her world that I immediately understood.

However, Gwen’s life has been marked with loss in a way mine has not. I’m incredibly fortunate to still have both of my parents with me. The early death of Gwen’s mother affected her deeply and many of her perceptions are filtered through that loss. So, even though I could give her certain experiences of mine in Europe—like eating gelato at my favorite ice cream shop in Italy or going on The Sound of Music tour in Austria—the way her character would react to these adventures is far different than the way I would. And it needs to be, if the character is going to feel authentic.

So, yes, there are little snippets of me and of people I know and love (I’m still not saying who!) in this new novel, but their traits are just sprinkled on top, like candy bits on a birthday cake. Ultimately, the characters need to stand on their own, and their pasts and their futures belong only to them.

Will you be having any author events at B&N for this novel so maybe we can meet you in person?

I hope I will! At this point, I haven’t planned any bookstore events because we’re heading into winter and the holiday season, so I know it’s a pretty chaotic time for everyone. I’ve got an “Events” page on my website, though, and I always update it when a new program or signing is added. I love meeting readers in person, so if anyone happens to be in the Chicago/Northern Illinois area, I hope you’ll stop by one of my library talks or conferences. And it would be a treat to get to do a signing at my local B&N, too, so I’ll discuss that with my friends there and see what the calendar looks like. Perhaps we can schedule one in the New Year.

Marilyn thanks so much for sharing just a little with us about this great new novel and I look very forward to your month long visit in May where we can really dig up the dirt. Please visit Marilyn’s website here

Deb, thank you!! I’m looking forward to visiting in May, too J. Happy Holiday, everyone!


Here's my review:

A Summer in Europe
Marilyn Brant
Kensington
ISBN 13:9780758261519
352 pages

On Gwen Reese’s 30th birthday, it wasn’t the expected gift from her boyfriend Richard (which she didn’t get) but the totally unexpected one from her eccentric aunt Beatrice that turned out to be the life changer for this disciplined and ordered person. Gwen suddenly finds herself the beneficiary of a vacation in Europe complete with scenic and historic sites and in the company of Aunt Bea’s quirky friends and members of her S&M (Sudoku and Math-jongg) club. But something profound happened to this regimented life on this very free spirited journey and as Gwen travels a road she’s unfamiliar with she learns something about herself that was hidden beneath that façade of uniformity, even more surprising is that she’s not the only one on a path of discovery.
Emerson Edwards and his brother, Thoreau, meet the group in Italy and throw a wrench in Gwen’s well-oiled life with their intelligence and their irreverence.
There are consequences that come with discovery and it’s as these two very different roads connect that Gwen will find out if the fear of her past will dictate her future.

This is a brilliant piece of contemporary literature, it’s timeless in its essence. Ms. Brant brings us a rather later that usual coming of age in this story of a woman who’s life has been ruled by loss and fear, then she gives us the hope that this new woman can come out of her chrysalis in tact and ready to take on her whole new world. She does this with her customary prose like dialogue and a narrative that will take your breath away as she takes us through Europe that can vividly be seen in your mind’s eye. Her characters are superstars, every one of them from the 90 year old feisty Zenia to the 15 year old Ani and all the ones in between. But it’s Gwen who shines the brightest, who we will cry with and cry for, who we will root for and scold who we will want for most of all as we see her evolve throughout the novel. Is it a love story, yes it is, but not just a romance, it’s the love of one’s self, of familial and friend love and of course also that love that makes the world go round, the kind of love that heats the coldest of nights and fills the emptiest of rooms.

This is your first must read of December and you’ll want to share with the people who mean the most to you, a perfect stocking stuffer and yes it wraps beautifully. It’s also a read that will be enjoyed by multi-generations and both sexes. If this is your first trip with Marilyn Brant I know it won’t be your last.
Thank you Ms. Brant for another exceptional read.

Buy the book here



Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Review of Copper Beach by jayne Ann Krentz

Copper Beach
Jayne Ann Krentz
Penguin Group
ISBN 13:978039915875 – Release Date 1-10-2012
352 pages

Abby Radwell antiquarian and para psi book finder is in over her head when it becomes obvious that someone wants her to find a certain para coded lab book missing for forty years and they won’t stop at anything to get what they want. Abby also knows what it means to be a loner so when Sam Coppersmith in all his testosterone filled glory comes to the rescue Abby doesn’t know how to handle him or the fever she seems to have when Sam is around.
Sam Coppersmith is on the trail of a lab notebook that disappeared forty years ago when the mine his father and partners were working in exploded, it was always assumed that all the notes were lost with the partner who didn’t survive the blast. Now there are sure signs that the notebook is out there and he’s determined to get it to stop it from falling into the wrong hands but he needs help from one very talented psi book de-coder. When they meet there is more heat in the room than he can ever remember feeling and he knows right from the start that she’s going to be trouble and she’s going to be permanent, now he just has to convince her. Together Sam and Abby search for the lost book with murder and mayhem all around them and some unlikely help along the way. Will they survive to see where this attraction leads or will they be psi-murdered like others before them.

What I expect from Ms. Krentz is a marvelous contemporary tale with great suspense, hot romance and maybe a touch of woo-woo, what I didn’t expect was for her alter ego Jayne Castle to show up, but that’s exactly what happened when Castle meets Krentz in this one of a kind story. We get the contemporary of Krentz mixed with the over abundance of paranormal we’d expect from Castle only in a contemporary setting instead of sometime in the distant future and on a distant planet. With characters all across the realm from super good to super bad and a little dog to boot instead of a dust bunny. Her hero and heroine are very enigmatic and will pull readers in right from the start with the independence of Abby and the protectiveness of Sam Ms. Krentz as usual puts all the good traits into her special couple but doesn’t stop there as her other characters are all important to the tale. The romance is great and the conclusion is obvious to everyone but Abby right from the start. The love scenes will psi-sizzle right off the page.

If you’re looking for something to warm up the coldest days of the year, start with a sure thing because if you’re a fan you’ll know you can’t go wrong with this amazing author in all her incantations, Jayne Ann Krentz, Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick.
Need something to get over the after holiday blues, this will start you right up, want the first must read of the new year, it’s between these pages.
Thank you Ms. Krentz for another incredible journey through your incredibly imaginative world.

Buy the book here, visit the author's website here

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

It's Release Day Tuesday Meet Two Favorite Authors of Mine


First Welcome Larissa Ione who's releasing book two of Her Lords of Deliverance series
Immortal Rider

Larissa, thank you for stopping by and answering a few questions.
Larissa also writes under the pseudonym of Syndey Croft she is a paranormal romance author of several series.

Thanks so much for having me! It's an honor to be here.

Immortal Rider is the second in the Lords of Deliverance series, and for those of you who don’t know these are about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, will there only be four books in the series.

There will definitely only be four books, but I plan a book for Reaver, which will grow out of the fourth book. I'm not sure if Reaver's book will stand alone or start a new series. In any case, it'll definitely be a Demonica/Lords of Deliverance blend.

I’m a big fan of both your series written under Larissa Ione, is there any more novels planned for the Demonica series.

I'm so glad you're enjoying the series! And to answer your question...well, sort of. See, the Demonica series and the Lords of Deliverance series are so intertwined, that pretty much anywhere I go from here will belong to the Demonica world. As I said above, I do plan a book for Reaver, and I'd love to do one for Tavin as well as several other characters who play roles in both series. I've also been toying with writing books for the Seminus kids when they grow up, but I have to get a few other books written first, partly to give the kids time to mature in my head!

You write both mainstream and urban fantasy/paranormal which genre do you like writing most.

Paranormal, definitely. I love to create worlds and go really over the top when it comes to the denizens of those worlds. I tend to write dark and gritty, and for me, the paranormal genre just works for my voice and style.

Will there be any B&N book signings anywhere?

I don't have any scheduled -- I tend to do drive-bys more than scheduled signings. I hit the Barnes and Noble in Green Bay, WI every time I go there, and I plan to sign some books at that location on the 3rd of December. I'm hoping to get to the Madison, WI store over Christmas, as well.

Good Luck with the book and in the future.

Thank you! And thanks again for having me!

Click the Link to check out all of her novels


Now Please welcome Diane Chamberlain who's Re-Releasing a novel from the early 2000's




Diane thank you for taking the time to tell us a little about your novel, I have had the pleasure of reading The Midwife’s Confession and I’m looking forward to this one too.

I’m so glad you enjoyed The Midwife’s Confession and thank you for inviting me to chat about Kiss River.

Kiss River is a re-release, did you update it in any way, if so how does that work

I didn’t update Kiss River for a couple of reasons. First, the story involves a diary written by a young girl during the second World War. Her age and the age of the people she writes about in the diary are significant to the present day story. In order to keep that historical context, I couldn’t possibly update the book. Second, and this is even more important, my readers have told me they don’t care if a book is updated or not: they’re reading for the emotional story, not the 2011 technology. I’ve been very pleased with my readers’ response to the re-released novels.

Is Kiss River a love story, tell us just a little about it.

Kiss River is part love story, part mystery and 100% family drama. Set in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, it’s about a young woman, Gina, who sees only one way to save the life of the daughter she’s about to adopt: she needs to raise the lens of the Kiss River lighthouse from the bottom of the ocean where it was tossed during a storm. But the people of the Kiss River have their own reasons for keeping the lens right where it is. Armed with an old diary and its secrets, Gina fights to change their minds.

There are many of your works you could have re-released, was there something special about this one, will there be more re-releases coming.

Kiss River is only one of several of my books my publisher has re-released, and I’m thrilled to see those books get a second life. Keeper of the Light, for example, was re-released this past April and involves some of the Kiss River characters at a much younger age. Even though the stories may not be updated, the beautiful new covers and the trade paperback size give them a fresh new look. It’s been wonderful to have these stories available once again for my readers.

Do you have any booksignings at B&N I’m sure some of us would love to meet you in person.

I love speaking and signing at Barnes and Noble and my experiences in the B&N stores has been very positive. I look forward to doing more signings there in the future.

Thanks so much for taking time out to chat with us and good luck

Thank you for the chance to talk about Kiss River.

Here is a link to her website for more about Diane and her other novels


thanks to both of these wonderful talented authors and good luck both of you!!!


Thursday, November 17, 2011

Review of Christmas on Nutcracker Court by Judy Duarte

Christmas on Nutcracker Court

Judy Duarte

Kensington

ISBN13:9780758238955

320 pages

The residents of Fairmont are getting ready for Christmas and some have more holiday spirit than the rest and some have much more to be thankful for than the rest – take single mom and hairstylist Carly Westbrook who is more worried about keeping she and her two sons fed and under roof than Christmas buying. And now she has to worry about eccentric neighbor Max Tolliver who’s dog keeps showing up to get her boys in trouble.
The Diamond Lils are a group of poker playing girlfriends who are also about to find out what the real meaning of Christmas is all about and the real value of prayer too.

But there’s also Christmas magic in the air in this town and it seems that answering prayers and keeping the faith is something that these folks are going to see first hand.

Judy Duarte gives us a touch of magic with this delightful holiday story based on faith and prayer and the power of both. Her plot is a simple one of everyday life, of hardships and plenty that is an easy read. She doesn’t just give us larger than life characters but real everyday folks down on their luck and real life worries that most of us go through at one time or another. But what the real magic is, is how she tells her story, the smiles it will bring and sometimes the tears, and at the end how your heart will be lighter for reading it. She also gives us more than just a holiday tale but a life enriching journey that will take us into the depths of despair that doesn’t dim faith but embraces it. It’s also a love story, a family drama, and a contemporary work that will fill you with hope and light no matter what time of the year you read it. And most important it’s timeless and ageless and can be enjoyed by every member of the family, young and old, male and female.

Thank you Ms. Duarte for an enjoyable trip to your fascinating fictional town and Merry Christmas to you too.

Buy the book here visit the author's website here

Monday, November 14, 2011

Review of All I Want For Christmas is A Vampire by Kerreyln Sparks

All I Want For Christmas is a Vampire
Kerrelyn Sparks
Avon
ISBN 13- 970061118463
370 pages

Toni Davis trying to prove the existence of Vampires was given that proof almost too good when she herself was attacked. If not for the “good” Vampire that saved her she would have been literally dead meat. Now that she knows they exist how does she go about proving it to save her best friend who as the result of her own attack confessed it to be Vampires and was put in the mental ward of a hospital quicker than you can say AB positive. Toni is offered a job as a daytime guard (babysitter) by her savior the “good” Vampire and thinking it can only help her prove their existence she jumps at the chance.
Ian MacPhie was tired of looking 15 and that really sucks when you were born in the 16th Century, as a result of a new breakthrough drug he was able to age more than a decade in less than two weeks. Now he’s on a mission to find his true love, the only problem is that he has no idea how to go about it, what is a Vampire to do, seek the advice of friends. Well that was his first mistake, his second was getting up close and personal with Toni Davis his new daytime guard because when they make contact there are sparks flying all over the place. The problem Ian thinks he’ll only be happy with another Vampire and Toni is convinced that she doesn’t deserve to be loved. Karma or fate or kismet has something else in store for these two, is it love, lust or a virus.

Kerrelyn Sparks gets really creative with her Vampire romance and I guess that’s understandable when they are the new black, they’re coming out of closets and getting degrees, are civil servants or kings of the realm and with so many out there this one stands out because these characters are well, more human than most, there’s more emotion in them and I also like how they interact more with the general population of living beings as well. I also like her dialogue with it’s mix of Olde Scottish to American punk and rap and the characters fit the dialogue to a tee. The romance is unbelievable yet the authoress makes it so, the love scenes will sizzle on the page and yet there’s just a hint of the innocence you feel in the hero and heroine.
I’ll have to admit that this is my first by Ms. Sparks but I know it won’t be my last.
This is what every romance lover wants in her stocking and you know we’ve all been good and all we want for Christmas is our Vampire romance.

Buy the book here (from Santa) visit the author's website here and have a Vampy Christmas All

Friday, November 11, 2011

Review of To Santa With Love by Janet Dailey

To Santa With Love
Janet Dailey
Zebra Books
ISBN13:9781420120738
352 pages

Sheltered semi spoiled 21 year old Jaquie Grey decides college isn’t for her and against her parents wishes is going to LA to find a job and grow up, however, little Tombstone Arizona got in her way and so did rancher Choya Barnett, literally as she runs her car into his jeep. Now she finds herself with a lost wallet and no way to pay for repairs.
Choya Barnett has no room in his life for a spoiled girl from Dallas especially when she’s captured his small son’s heart and will no doubt break it into millions of pieces. But he’s caught between a rock and a cactus and has to help her when she’s without money and her wallets gone missing. He gives her a job as his housekeeper and just hopes that he’ll get away with his heat intact too.
These two very different people find themselves wanting the same things in life, but are they the right people for each other.

This novel was originally published in 1977 under the name of The Master Fiddler and has been expanded and updated. This talented author has given us many years of great stories and wonderful characters. The story line here is of souls reaching out to each other from different directions and finding each other despite that. The dialogue is as easy going as the lifestyle in this small Arizona town. The characters I expected better of from Ms. Dailey, it might be that the tale doesn’t update well I’m not really sure and although I learned to like these two it took a great deal of the book to do it. And even though I did come to care for Choya and Jaquie is was Choya’s son Robbie and his dad Sam who were the stars in this read. They stole the show with their shining personalities. Although I enjoyed this romance the more I read it I truly expected more from Ms. Dailey especially being acquainted with her work.

The main thing to remember is that you will like the story the Christmas background and the characters, you’ll love the scenery and the vastness of the Arizona desert and you’ll get to go back to the very start of Ms. Dailey’s career and see where she came from. It’s a journey worth taking and I’m glad I did.

Buy the book here

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Review of An O'Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods

An O’Brien Family Christmas
Sherryl Woods
Mira
ISBN 13- 978077808312703
288 pages

Matriarch Nell O’Brien wants to spend Christmas in her beloved Dublin, she hasn’t been since she was a girl and her entire family want to make sure it happens, she also wants to put her matchmaking to work for her grandson Matthew and Laila Riley.
Laila Riley gave up her dream job of working in her father’s bank after the explosion that was her announcement of being involved with Matthew O’Brien, her father was not happy not just because he’s younger but because he’s a known rake and rascal and decided Laila’s judgment is flawed because of her choice. So what’s a girl to do other than storm out, quit her job and as a direct result break it off with the man who if truth be told takes her far out of her comfort zone. She’s been invited to Ireland for the O’Brien family celebration, but how can she go knowing that Matthew will be under foot the whole trip and she’s not sure she has the willpower to resist him.
Matthew O’Brien never wanted to break up with Laila, he loved her and still does and wants nothing more than to convince her that he is her one and only and in spite of the interference of his family he’s bound and determined to make this happen, but first he needs to get her to Ireland.
Let the games begin is a perfect description of this mêlée called a family holiday with many different personalities and opinions it makes one wonder if Dublin is big enough for all of them.

Ms. Woods does herself proud with this classic tale of Christmas love, what little girl doesn’t dream of her prince charming and what big girl hasn’t dreamt at least once of being a Christmas bride or at least finding a certain bling under the tree. The characters are all old friends from her previous catastrophic O’Brien family sagas with a few new ones to shake up the plot. The love story is also classic, two people who are reunited and will bring a tear to any romance lover’s eye. Ms. Woods also brings us the sights, sounds and smells of an Irish Christmas scene and I swear I could smell the evergreen and see the lights blinking in the windows, she also gives us an easy to follow and fast paced dialogue. The love scene is pretty smokin, but in a very veiled and indistinct way and will not offend any reader. All in all it’s the perfect start to the most written about holiday. Will they ride off into the Irish sunset, oh me dearies for that you’ll have to read the book.

Thank You Ms. Woods for an enjoyable read, a memorable romance and a breathtaking journey to the Emerald Isle.

Buy the book here visit the author's website here

Monday, November 7, 2011

Review of Winging It by Deborah Cooke

Winging It-Book Two of the Dragon Diaries

Deborah Cooke

NAL- Publish Date 12-6-2011

ISBN13:9780451234896

352 pages

Zoe Sorenson has the problems of any other almost 16yr old girl, her friends, her parents, boys, but there’s much more to her than just that. Zoe is one of the elusive dragon shape-shifters known as the PYR, she’s also the rare Wyvern to her race, the prophetess the one who has all the answers for her kind. But she doesn’t, and that causes more problems almost then she can handle, caught in the middle of both PYR and human situations. Especially now that the Mages have surfaced again and knowing that what they want is the eradication of all shape-shifting species her concern is valid, it’s not knowing how to fix it that is the problem, that and the fact that the adult PYR one being her father don’t think the Mages will break their treaty with the PYR, but Zoe knows different. And therein lies the problem, how to go about proving this without breaking the “Covenant” that says that PYR should never reveal themselves in their dragon forms to humans and also because Zoe’s best friend Meagan, just happens to be human and the lies are getting to be a bitter barrier between them especially when the Mages seem to be targeting Meagan, it gives a whole new meaning to conflict.

Deborah Cooke is the brilliant author of the Adult paranormal romance Dragonfire series, which happen to star the parents of the stars of this series. The most amazing thing I find between the two, both of which I’m fans of, is the seamless way she narrates them. In this series she has me totally convinced she’s a 16 year old by her actions, her dialogue and her antics and most importantly the innocence I feel from these characters who are far less worldly then their older counterparts from the adult series. Her plots are unbelievably believable as she convinces her readers of all kinds of fantasy come to life. Her characters are enigmatic (as dragons should be) with a healthy dose of enchanting vs enraging (which normal red blooded teens will do). Her main protagonist Zoe is a mix herself as we watch her try to fit into both her worlds, interact with all the species that we’ll meet and do the right things by her parents and her friends. Along with this she shows us her romantic teen side as well, bewitched, bothered and bewildered by a male. But this is not just for female readers as there is a good dose of dragon fights and bloodshed that will appeal to teen and adult male readers as well.

So if you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, action, adventure and danger you can definitely find it between the pages of these novels. If you like the family drama or teenaged angst, this too can be found here. If you like me are always on the lookout for a read that will enrapture and keep your interest throughout the whole read, this is also true here.

Thank you Ms. Cooke for another enjoyable dose of the fantasy fiction I’ve come to expect from you, you never disappoint me.

If this is your first read by this author, please try her other novels and her other pseudonyms of Claire Delacroix or Claire Cross and be sure to visit her Dragon Diaries webpage.

The novel is part of a series but makes a good stand-a-lone. Buy the book here visit the author's website here.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Review of A Summer in Europe by Marilyn Brant

A Summer in Europe
Marilyn Brant
Kensington
ISBN 13:9780758261519
352 pages

On Gwen Reese’s 30th birthday, it wasn’t the expected gift from her boyfriend Richard (which she didn’t get) but the totally unexpected one from her eccentric aunt Beatrice that turned out to be the life changer for this disciplined and ordered person. Gwen suddenly finds herself the beneficiary of a vacation in Europe complete with scenic and historic sites and in the company of Aunt Bea’s quirky friends and members of her S&M (Sudoku and Math-jongg) club. But something profound happened to this regimented life on this very free spirited journey and as Gwen travels a road she’s unfamiliar with she learns something about herself that was hidden beneath that façade of uniformity, even more surprising is that she’s not the only one on a path of discovery.
Emerson Edwards and his brother, Thoreau, meet the group in Italy and throw a wrench in Gwen’s well-oiled life with their intelligence and their irreverence.
There are consequences that come with discovery and it’s as these two very different roads connect that Gwen will find out if the fear of her past will dictate her future.

This is a brilliant piece of contemporary literature, it’s timeless in its essence. Ms. Brant brings us a rather later that usual coming of age in this story of a woman who’s life has been ruled by loss and fear, then she gives us the hope that this new woman can come out of her chrysalis in tact and ready to take on her whole new world. She does this with her customary prose like dialogue and a narrative that will take your breath away as she takes us through Europe that can vividly be seen in your mind’s eye. Her characters are superstars, every one of them from the 90 year old feisty Zenia to the 15 year old Ani and all the ones in between. But it’s Gwen who shines the brightest, who we will cry with and cry for, who we will root for and scold who we will want for most of all as we see her evolve throughout the novel. Is it a love story, yes it is, but not just a romance, it’s the love of one’s self, of familial and friend love and of course also that love that makes the world go round, the kind of love that heats the coldest of nights and fills the emptiest of rooms.

This is your first must read of December and you’ll want to share with the people who mean the most to you, a perfect stocking stuffer and yes it wraps beautifully. It’s also a read that will be enjoyed by multi-generations and both sexes. If this is your first trip with Marilyn Brant I know it won’t be your last.
Thank you Ms. Brant for another exceptional read.

Buy the book here visit the author's website here



Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Review of A Home By The Sea by Christina Skye

A Home by the Sea
Christina Skye
Harlequin
ISBN13:9780373776085
368 pages

Grace Lindstrom has tried over the last year or so to rebuild her life from the ashes that the death of her fiancé left, the betrayal that followed and the heartbreak that continues. With the biggest career opportunity arrives the meeting of an enigmatic man that just might change her mind about relationships. When a family emergency strikes she drops everything and rushes home to Summer Island Oregon, where surrounded by her lifelong friends she learns to breath again, and perhaps to dream again too.
Noah McLeod needs utter concentration for his highly dangerous job but his life has been anything but since the tragic death of his brother. But when he suddenly spots a face through a window his whole life changes.
Grace and Noah have much to offer each other but there are many struggles they will have to face to make it. Will they be brave enough to take a leap of faith or will their haunted pasts control their future.

Christina Skye brings us one of the most heartfelt of romances from her beautiful scenic Oregon shore to her unforgettable couple and her narrative that is as pain filled as it is promising. Her plot is one of triumph and tragedy of love and of pain and it’s a story of life and of loss. Her dialogue does the landscape of the Oregon coast proud and her narrative is easy to read and hard to put down because you just have to know what happens to these characters next. And her characters, they are all wonderful and not just the hero and heroine but all the co-stars and even the bit players as well. I feel as though I know all of these people personally after reading this. Her hero is hard to forget with the personality that every woman wants not just talk dark and handsome but the strong silent type as well. The heroine could easily be pitied but her personality doesn’t allow it and you will find yourself intrigued and awed by her. The romance is one that you right off the bat know won’t work but some how they will and the journey to that knowledge is half the enjoyment of the read. The love scenes are sensual and a little racy and yes I read them twice, okay three times and am still fanning myself thinking about it.

If you’re looking for a read that will be remembered long after the final page is closed, if you’re looking for those just a bit larger than life characters who’s story you will recommend to your friends or family, if you’re looking for that first stocking stuffer of the season, this is the one. If you just want a read for yourself to curl up with by the first fire of the season, or if you enjoy the writing of Susan Wiggs or Susan Mallery, give this one a try. And something tells me that we haven't seen the last of this bucolic town or it's residents.

Thank you Ms. Skye, this was my first experience of your writing but it won’t be my last.

Buy the book here visit the author's website here

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Review of Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love

Devilishly Hot

Kathy Love

Kensington

ISBN13:9780758265876

Annie Lou Riddle had big dreams and when she landed the job at HOT magazine she thought they all came true and if her dreams included selling her soul and working for demons she’d be right. Now after three long years in servitude to her demon boss Finola White she thinks she can manage the remaining seven year sentence and she just might have if she’d never met Detective Nick Rossi.

Nick Rossi is back on the force and now investigating too many strange disappearances from the offices of HOT magazine and when he meets the boss Finola White that uncomfortable pricking on the back of his neck starts again, but meeting Annie seems to make it all worth his while, but she’s skittish and she’s taken.

Annie and Nick are instantly attracted to each other but there are obstacles in their way and some of them are demonic.

It’s rare that a title so perfectly describes what’s between the pages of a novel but this one hits the jackpot because Devilishly Hot this one is in every way and this talented storyteller brings us one devilishly hot romance. Her plot is straight from the brothers Grimm with morals and consequences to boot. Her dialogue is perfect for the contemporary reader with its fast paced, exciting and descriptive narrative. And her characters, oh her characters are real characters some angelic, some straight from Hades and some in between. Her villains are deliciously devilish and will have you cringing and laughing out loud at the same time. Her hero is the all American male, strong, protective and with a heart of gold and her heroine is the small town girl makes big gone bad that never fails to pull the heartstrings of the readers and most importantly of the hero. The romance is soulful, it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and readers will find themselves constantly on the edge of their seats waiting for the next thing to happen to this couple. The love scenes are also HOT, spicy and descriptive and should come with a doctors warning from the elevated heart rate and pulse that it will cause.

So if you’re looking for something to warm you in the first cold days of autumn, or looking for a devilishly funny read with enough substance to make it go that distance to be so much more than “chick lit” or just another romance novel, if you like your romance with a paranormal/fantasy twist, if you like your romance on the sizzle burner, look no farther than this tale. And if this is your first by Kathy Love it won’t be your last.

Buy the book here visit the author's website here.