What's new on my shelves?

Hello! Now, I haven't done this sort of post in about a month and in that time I've received MANY amazing books, both ones for review and ones I've bought. Because listing all these would take forever, I'm only going to show you the ones I have received for review in the last month :) I may do a seperate post later in the week listing the ones I've bought/won.
So here goes!

Books Received for Review

Grave Memory by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft book 3) - received for review from Berkley UK!

When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

Oh my God! I was ridiculously excited when this dropped on to my doormat! I could have hugged the postman! 

Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione (Lords of Deliverance book 3) - recieved from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...
Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.
Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

Another heart-stopping moment! I'm a huge fan of the LOD series. I hope this lives up to the hype...can't see why it wouldn't though!!

Shadow Rising by Kendra Leigh Castle (Dark Dynasties book 3) -  recieved from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley 

Ancient Secrets, Dark Passions...
As one of the Grigori, a noble vampire dynasty shrouded in mystery, Ariane has spent her life hidden away in the desert. Like all of her kind, she is a watcher, fated to observe, forbidden to act. Yet when her best friend, Sammael, vanishes, she defies all rules and flees her safe haven to bring him home.
A shape-shifting assassin for the House of Shadows, Damien Tremaine is hired to locate Sammael. His hunt for the wayward Grigori leads him to Ariane, the rogue vamp who stands between him and his bounty. Damien never lets emotion interfere with his work, but a single touch from the sexy, beguiling vampire shatters his self-control. Drawn together by their common goal, what begins as an alliance of necessity soon becomes one of desire. But when the secret at the dark heart of the Grigori comes to light, Damien and Ariane must make a choice that could bind them eternally...or tear them—and everything they care about—apart.

Thought this sounded quite good, fingers crossed the book is as good as the blurb :)

The Ravenous Dead by Natasha Hoar (Lost Souls book 2) - received from Carina Press via Net Galley

This time the dead are hungry…

Rachel Miller doesn't just see dead people, she rescues them. As a member of The Order of Rescue Mediums, she spends most of her time helping stubborn spirits move on from the world. But after she learns the details of three brutal murders, she knows the culprit can only be a reaper, an undead monster that relentlessly stalks its victims to feed on their souls.

A reaper once consumed the soul of Rachel's mentor as she watched frozen in fear. Now, Rachel is in the role of teacher to Kit Elkeles, a rodach just learning to control his wraithlike powers. After Kit and Rachel rescue a half-vampire, they work to protect him while searching for a way to stop the reaper. But when Rachel realizes who the monster is really after—and just what kind of dark magic she'll need to stop it—will she be able to do what is necessary before it devours one of her friends…or even herself?

Another one that I thought sounded interesting. Hopefully I'll be proved right!

Bane by Trish Milburn (The Coven book 2) - received from Bell Bridged Books via NetGalley

To protect those she loves from herself, Jax will leave them all behind. She'll risk everything in a desperate search for answers. 

Jax Pherson fled the darkest of covens and from her own father's evil. For a brief moment, her courage was rewarded. She found everything she'd ever wanted. A normal life. An amazing boyfriend. An envy-worthy best friend . 

But her past put them all in danger, forcing a confrontation with the dark covens. In a life-and-death battle to save those she loved from the covens, Jax gained staggering power. Power so intense, so dangerous, she fears the darkness that now dwells inside her like a living thing. 

If she can't control the power, she may yet become as evil as the witches she conquered. 

With her friend Egan, Jax leaves all she's built and heads for the one place that might hold the answers she desperately needs to hold back the darkness-Salem, Massachusetts. Her research unearths a shocking discovery: the Bane, a secret group of witches dedicated to thwarting the covens. 

Jax desperately needs their help in her fight against the covens, but finding the Bane is easier said than done and takes all her skills and courage. As Jax gets closer, her dark powers begin to rise and control her actions. If she succumbs to the darkness, Jax may have as much to fear from the Bane as the evil covens and the determined hunter on her trail.

Now as you may know I enjoyed WHITE WITCH, which is book 1 in this series. Therefore I had to try book 2 as well. Hopefully I'll like it as much as the first one :)

Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane (Downside Ghosts book 5) - received from Del Ray Publishing via NetGalley

A DEADLY HIGH

Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.

As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.

MMM, I'm a big fan of The Downside Ghosts series...there is no heroine out there like Chess. Can't wait to see what trouble she's getting into in this instalment :)

Blade Song by J.C. Daniels - received from author via NetGalley

Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.

So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.

Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.

If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee…

As you guys may know J.C. Daniels is Shiloh Walker's pen name. I love Shiloh Walker and can't wait to see what she's going to do with Urban Fantasy :)

Tempted by the Highland Warrior (MacKinloch Clan book 3) - received from Harlequin via NetGalley

After years of brutal torture, Callum MacKinloch is finally free of his captors--but his voice is still held prisoner. He'd never let anyone hear him scream.Although Lady Marguerite de Montpierre's chains may be invisible, they threaten to tie her to a loveless and cruel marriage.

When Marguerite discovers Callum waiting to die, her heart aches for the warrior beneath the suffering--but they can have no future. Yet she is the one woman with the power to tame the rage locked inside him. Maybe he can find another reason to live...for her.

I've read the first 2 chapters so far and it's a case of so far soo good :)

Finally, that's everything I received for review :) let me know what you guys think of my haul and tell me about your own !!

Feature and Follow {15}

Helllloooo! Long time no post I know but I'm back and raring to go...as long as I don't have to physically move, damn I'd forgotten what being on your feet 8 hours a day felt like. Anyway, I'll stop complaining. So today is Friday *does happy dance with arms only* and of course it's FEATURE AND FOLLOW TIME :)
For those who don't know, Feature and Follow is a weekly meme run by the good folks at Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Let's see what this week's question is shall we?!

Q:  If you could "unread" a book, which one would it be?  Is it because you want to start over and experience it again for the first time?  Or because it was THAT bad?

Ahh, now that's a tricky one...I personally don't wish to unread books, I may regret reading them but would never not have wanted to read it (if that makes any sense). Mainly because there is a reason I start each book and the way I am means I get a physical itch...no seriously, it's actually hard to control myself...when I'm not reading or haven't picked up something new in a while. Regret is much easier to live with than that itch let me tell you.

But to answer the question, I would have to say Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Purely because I can't actually remember reading it for the first time. I must have been about 10 or 11 I think when I first read it...maybe even younger. Either way, I would love to go back and jump head-first into the magical world as an adult. It must be an amazing experience :)

Ok, so that's all for this weeks Feature and Follow! Let me know what books you would like to unread!!

A Quick Note

Hi everyone,

I'm writing this post to apologise to all of you, I haven't been posting as regularly as I would have liked over the past week or so. The reason being that I've visited my family back in Yorkshire and stupidly not used some of that time to get ahead with my reviews. I've now just started a new placement (on Monday) for my Nursing degree so everything is a little hectic around here at the moment. I'm loosing my marbles if truth be told, so bear with me and I will get up and running again soon!


Hopefully I will be back posting by the end of the week and I hope you enjoy the rest of the week :)

Thanks!

Review: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

Hey guys! Time for a new review and today we have Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep, book 3 in her YA Mythos Academy Series. *may contain spoilers from books 1 and 2*

Title: Dark Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: 13th July 2012* (UK) | 29th May 2012 (US)
Series: Mythos Academy, Book 3
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
*available for kindle 29th May in the UK

Blurb from Goodreads:
I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.
Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?
It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

Review:
First Line - '"If you guys don't stop making out, I'm going to be sick." Daphne Cruz laid another loud, smacking kiss on her boyfriend Carson Callahan. Princess pink sparks of magic shot off my best friend's fingertips and flickered in the air around the couple, the tiny rainbows of colour almost as bright as Carsons flaming cheeks.'
Gwen Frost is a Gypsy. A Gypsy with the rare gift of psychometry or 'touch magic', magic that gives her the ability to read the memories and emotions tied to any object or person she touches. Since her mother's murder a year ago, Gwen has attended the elite Mythos Academy, a school for those gifted with magic in all its forms. The Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons and many more attend to learn how to fight...for the magical community has it's enemies. The Reapers of Chaos are followers of the evil Norse god Loki and they are determined to free him from his prison so he can once again terrorise the world with Chaos. These Reapers are the ones responsible for Gwen's mothers murder...and now they hunt her.
Gwen's mother hid a powerful artefact during her time at Mythos Academy. An artefact the Reapers need to find at any cost because it's the key to freeing Loki from his prison. After an attack at the museum Gwen and her classmates were attending, Gwen finds out that the dagger may be hidden inside Mythos Academy itself, if she's going to find it, she's going to have to trust in her instincts and her touch magic...but Gwen sees secrets when she uses it...secrets people don't want her to know. But if the Reapers find the Helheim Dagger before Gwen and her friends at Mythos do, The God of Chaos will be unleashed into the world once more.

I've got a confession to make...I haven't read books one and two in this series *gasps*. I know, I know...silly of me really but to be honest, it wasn't that hard to catch up so I guess you could read this like I did. However I'm fairly certain it spoils books one and two, so I'd advise reading those ones first. Either way I'm definitely going back and buying the earlier books, they'll be good if DARK FROST is anything to go by.
Right, so our heroine is Gwen Frost, a Gypsy with the power of Psychometry (she can read emotions and memories from anything she touches). She also has an awesome sword named Vic. Vic talks. Vic talks a lot...mainly about killing and maiming but other things too. He's actually quite funny for a sword, his quips has me giggling. When they interact it almost always had me laughing...why can't I have a talking sword *sulks*.
Young Gwen has the weight of the world on her shoulders as only she can find this dagger everyone is searching for. Even though she's the Goddess Nike's champion, it's a lot of responsibility for a teenager. Not only that but her quest is putting those she loves in danger. The attack on the museum and the death of many of her classmates brings home the stark reality of what Gwen has to do...and she's not sure she's cut out for this.

The Reapers of Chaos ran their swords through everyone they could get their hands on, then shoved the dead and dying to the floor. The museum staff, adults, kids. It didn’t matter to the Reapers who they killed. Wax figures, statues, and display cases crashed to the floor, splintering into thousands of pieces. Blood spattered everywhere, a cascade of scarlet teardrops sliding down the white marble walls.
A sick, sick feeling filled my stomach at the bloody chaos in front of me. I’d heard about Reapers, about how vicious they were, about how they lived to kill warriors—about how they lived to kill us. I’d faced down two Reapers myself, but I’d never seen anything like this. Chapter 1.

Not only that, but Gwen's friends are having problems of their own...sometimes causing Gwen to think she has no-one she can rely on. Daphne's skill emerges but she has trouble adjusting, and when Gwen tries to help, she's accused of sticking her nose in to other people's business like she always does, and that she won't allow people to have secrets. This cuts Gwen to the very core, and when the same phrase is used by Logan because Gwen accidently uncovered a painful memory from his past, she feels cut off from her friends and abandoned in her time of need.
However a familiar face brings Gwen comfort when she needs it most. From what I understand, previously Gwen had rescued a Fenir Wolf from the hands of the reapers that had been torturing her. Now the wolf (named Nott) has come back to Gwen. They're able to have a sort of communication through Gwen's psychometry and Gwen discovers Nott is eating for two...and wishes to stay with her. Which naturally causes Vic apoplexy :) Can't argue with the fact that she's an amazing guard though...despite being 'the size of a house'!

Gwen is tested both physically and emotionally in DARK FROST. The lives of her friends, her classmates and her Grandma are constantly on the line...the escape of one of Gwens most hated enemies from they Mythos prison puts everyone on high alert...and sooner or later, Gwen knows she'll have to come face to face with the Reaper who murdered her mother.

DARK FROST is a great YA book, there's laughter, there's tears. Jennifer Estep's writing here kept me hooked from the word go, and the end! Oh the end, it was one of those where I'm turning the book over and going 'WHAT! No, that can't be it! I need to know now!!' Don't get me wrong, it's a fabulous ending but I just can't wait to see what happens to Gwen and the folks at Mythos next!

My Rating: 4/5

100th Feature and Follow Giveaway Hop Celebration!

Welcome to V's Book Life! Hello to those who are visiting for the first time and Welcome Back to those who have come before :) Now, those of you who regularly read know that (almost) every Friday I pparticipate in the meme FEATURE AND FOLLOW hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.
This week's FF is a little different, because it's the 100th celebration. Yep, Feature and Follow has been running for 100 weeks *cheers*. Congrats to the hosts on making such a successful meme! I've really loved participating even though I've not been posting for long :)

Anyway, in celebration there is a Giveaway Hop and I'm a most willing participant :) I love you guys and I love feature and follow! However, before we get to the Giveaway details, I have the Feature part of the post to do!

My feature task this week is to feature another blog/blogger. Today I will be introducing you to Liz at Night Sky Reviews!
Why did I pick Liz to feature do you ask? Well, to be honest I was struggling to think of just one blog that love and admire since there are so many amazing ones out there! So I decided that I would introduce myself (and you) to a new blog, one that I hadn't read before...and so the search began. I was looking for someone unique and just cool...and I stumbled across Night Sky Reviews. As soon as I saw it, I just knew. I really love the header design and layout, but what really sealed the deal was in the 'about me' section. Not only is Liz the same age as me (20) but she is also a huge Harry Potter fan like me :) However Liz definitely seems like a more dedicated fan...she has 2 HARRY POTTER TATTOOS!! How freaking awesome is that...a bottle of Felix Felicis on the back of her neck and the Deathly Hallows symbol on her arm! So cool! So yeah, you need to stop by Night Sky Reviews and check out what Liz has to say :)

GIVEAWAY!

Now, without further ado, let me tell you what I'm offering up as the prize in this hop! I hope you all enjoy the hop and continue with Feature and Follow for weeks to come!

Yes, I'm giving you the chance to win ONE of these two amazing June releases, I'm actually jealous because I can't wait to get my hands on these two books either! Love you Vlad! If you want to know more about these amazing books you can visit the following links to Goodreads!
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Here are the details:

• The winner will have the choice of one book, either a paperback copy of The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead or a paperback copy of Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost.
• If the winner selects Once Burned as their prize, it will be pre ordered for you as it will not have been released yet :)
• The contest is open INTERNATIONALLY...well...as long as the Book Depository ships to you (click here for a list of countries)
• Contest will close Thursday 14th June at 11.59pm (GMT) 
• The winner will be announced on Friday 15th June as part of my regular Feature and Follow Post.
• You must fill out the FORM below, comments do not count as entries!
• YOU MUST READ MY GIVEAWAY POLICY BEFORE ENTERING!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND HAPPY HOPPING!

This is a GIVEAWAY HOP...check out these other blogs where you can enter contests too!

Waiting on Wednesday {5}

Hello! Wednesday, middle of the working week and I'm already needing the weekend...in fact it took me 3 attempts to type the word Wednesday!!! Anyway, back to books. Waiting on Wednesday is the weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows all us book junkies to drool over the up coming releases that we so desperately want!
This week's drool worthy book comes from NYT Bestselling author Larissa Ione! Can you guess what I'm waiting on? Warning, if you have not read Lethal Rider...just the blurb of Rogue Rider may be a spoiler for you!

Title: Rogue Rider
Author: Larissa Ione
Publisher: Piatkus (UK) | Grand Central Publishing (US)
Release Date: 20th November 2012
Series: Lords of Deliverance, Book 4

Blurb from Goodreads:
The prophecies were there but no one listened. Until now. They are the Lords of Deliverance and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride.
Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues - and falls for - a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man that Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he's also the kind of man that can be very dangerous . . .
Reseph may not know his background, or why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian's life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian's neighbours are killed and demon hunters arrive on the scene, Reseph fears that he's putting Jillian in danger. And once it's revealed that Reseph is also Pestilence, the Horseman responsible for ravaging the world with death and destruction, he and Jillian must face the greatest challenge of all: can they forget the horrors of a chilling past to save the future they both desire?

Why am I waiting on it?

Well I'm currently devouring Lethal Rider and am loving it so far. As much as I love the 'good' horsemen, I've always been intrigued by Reseph...wondered what he was like before the events that broke his seal. Reseph is always described as the most easy going of the bunch - the kinder brother if you will (mainly followed by allusions to how bad the others would be if their seals broke considering Pestilence is redefining evil). I am a big fan of Larissa Ione's writing, both her LOD and Demonica series are some of my all time favourites! The humour in these never fails to make me laugh and they are always action packed. Much Love for Larissa Ione over here :) Fingers crossed we'll see more of Wraith in Rogue Rider...and maybe more of Reaver?! Man those guys are yummy :)

Alright, drop me a comment and let me know what you're waiting on this week!

Look Out For: Rupture by Curtis Hox

Hi everyone, today I'm honoured to be doing a post about Rupture by Curtis Hox. This is book 1 in his Transhuman warriors series, and it sound like an interesting read. I'm on a bit of a Dystopian kick reading wise at the moment, and this YA novel would fit right in. This was released in March 2012 and is available to buy now :)

The blurb:
Simone Wellborn is a Transhuman with an attitude. She’s been genetically engineered from birth to be super smart. The problem? All that tinkering her parents paid top dollar for provided a few unexpected results, like an annoying ability to blast telekinetic energy at the worst possible times. She also has another tricky issue: strange entities possess her and, worse, transform her into something dangerous.
Simone's mother sends her to the Sterling School for reject Transhumans. While there, she meets a few other students with similar problems. They’re all Transhumans with dirty secrets. Heartthrob Hutto Toth is a charming gladiator. He annoys Simone from day one, but he’s also a Werebear who accidentally killed a boy in a glad match, and Simone can’t stand how much she likes him. There’s two-foot tall Wally Dorsey, who’s determined to pilot a personalized mech. His best friend, Beasley Gardner, is a mountain of a young girl with enough muscle to beat up any boy at school, but she’s suffers from a rage disorder. Finally, Simone meets Kimberlee Newkirk, an unassuming Succubus who fears she’ll kill the next boy she kisses.
These defective students find themselves at the center of a deadly conflict when another student, Joss Beckwith, attracts a Rogue Artificial Intelligence, the new power brokers in a society radically changed by science and technology.
The Transhuman Warrior Series tells the story of Simone and her friends as they’re transformed into highly specialized human weapons. They must challenge the increasing power of the Rogues as these enemies push into Realspace with one goal in mind: total domination.

It certainly piqued my interest, these students are obviously social outcasts...thrown away by their families or they wouldn't be called reject Transhumans. I imagine the characters must have some interesting backgrounds that I would love to read and I'm already rooting for these students, I always root for the underdog :)
Now, to entice us all some more Curtis Hox has kindly provided us with a excerpt from Rupture. I enjoyed it...like I said, I always root for the underdog!

Excerpt:

"Sterling is for rejects. Tranz rejects."

The words exploded out of Cooter Dawkins' mouth before his girlfriend, Simone Wellborn, could stop him.

The two of them sat across from each other in a booth at Mo's Coffee Shop, Cooter gripping a can of Dr. Pepper, Simone a mochachino topped with a mountain of whip cream.

Simone was an attractive girl with jet-black hair that stood out in two flaring pigtails. She wore baggy clothes that hid a lean but athletic body. She wasn't much more than a hundred and ten pounds, soaking wet, and Cooter was over six-feet tall, and his shoulders were so wide she had to lean to the side to see who walked in.

“Oh, great,” Simone said.

"What?" Cooter swiveled in his seat as if his life depended on it. He spilled his soda all over the sleeve of his navy-blue Ellington Preparatory letterman jacket but kept his eyes glued on the oddball walking to the counter.  "Tranz."

The little Transhuman was only two feet tall. He wasn't an infant, or even a dwarf. He was proportioned well enough to look like a shrunken teenager who might do some ollies on a shrunken skateboard. He even wore shrunken clothes.

"Look at that,” Cooter said. “He's wearing a sweet pair of Bermudas, probably special ordered from Freaks-R-Us."

"Shh," Simone replied and pulled on his sleeve. "Don't let him hear you. I know who he is."

Cooter faced her. "So? What's he going to do? Ever since the Sterling freaks started coming to town, everyone has to walk on eggshells. Fuck that. Just because you're transferring there doesn't mean I have to like it."

The coffee shop wasn't a big store, but like most of the businesses in Cranton, Georgia, it was located on Jefferson Davis Road, where the stores lined up one after the other along the only strip in town. Simone liked Mo's because of the mismatched couches, the free WiFi, and the posters of pop stars all over the place. She wondered if the little Sterling student had taken a cab because he was too short to drive, and the Sterling School was several miles out of the town limits in the countryside.

"I wonder how he got here," Simone said.

"Maybe he walked," Cooter replied, then burst out laughing.

The defective Transhuman looked their way. He carried a huge can of soda in his hands, way too big for him, and it was enough to make Cooter laugh again.

"Shh—"

"Don't get your titties in a twister, Simone. Deformed Tranz like him should stay locked away in their school for the fucked-up-and-useless."

Simone sat up straight and considered getting nasty with her jerk of a boyfriend because that two-foot tall Tranz also had a premium intellect package—at least that was what she'd heard.

Cooter continued. "Otherwise, they'll be coming to town all the time. Soon, they'll be cruising up the street, hanging out at the movie theater and game store, and probably applying for summer jobs."

And Cooter couldn't have that, she knew. Cranton was a regulated township for the privileged and wealthy, like Cooter's family, and hers. "He didn't do anything. Leave him alone, Cooter. I'm warning you—"

"Hell if I care what you do. You've been a pain ever since you got kicked out of Ellington. He's one of the Sterling freaks. And don't say a thing, not after Dustin got killed."

"It wasn't this kid who did it—"

"Doesn't matter."

As the little Sterling student neared their table, he almost dropped his soda. It was slick with condensation; he used his entire shirt to wipe it down. "Just want a straw. Can you get it for me?"

His voice was faint and tinny and caused Cooter to sit rigid. He glanced at the sugar counter. "Get it yourself, freak."

Simone stood and admitted to herself it had been a mistake to spite her mother by dating Ellington Prep's star quarterback. She smoothed out the oversized clothes she always wore and considered telling him off but said nothing to her boneheaded (and soon to be) ex-boyfriend. She glided to the counter, grabbed a straw, bent over, and handed it to the little guy.

"Hey, I'm Simone. He's an idiot."

"I'm Wally."

Cooter snorted. "Lucky you she's so nice. I could strangle you with that straw." Again, laughter. And then to Simone: "I'm an idiot?"

Simone and the stranger from outside of town both saw that Cooter was only half kidding. He may have been the best-looking guy around and so socially acceptable and perfect it made Simone’s mother insane with annoyance, and, worse, he'd been engineered by his rich parents to be what he was: Mr. Perfect, but Simone had always known he had a mean streak. He was everything wrong with their new society: Unforgiving. And that made them worlds apart. And, damn it, she hated it when her mother was right.

Wally backed away, eyes locked on Cooter.

"How'd you get here?" Cooter asked.

Wally took another step, almost stumbled.

Cooter slid out of the booth. Simone moved to hold him back, but he pushed her aside and she stumbled backward.

"Ow!"

Another local, a young natural girl, saw it from behind the counter, but did nothing. She obviously knew who Cooter was and didn't want to piss him off. She stood with her hands at her sides, and watched.

"Yo, turd man," Cooter said, “how did you get to town on those little stick legs?"

Wally remained calm but kept backing up, his eyes on the massive young man in front of him. They were so disparate in size that Cooter could toss him across the room.

When the door opened and a figure appeared, Cooter was only one step away from maybe giving Wally a goal-winning kick. The new man was Cooter's equal in size. But he was dressed in a black woolen robe that hid his hands and feet and made him look like some mendicant friar in need of a bath. His long hair hung in strands from his head, nearly covering his face. His skin was sallow, as if he'd never been in the sun a day in his life.

The coffee girl bumped into the espresso machine behind her and spilled a jug of milk.

Cooter paused in mid-step as if someone had used a remote to freeze him. He put his foot back where it had been, not where he'd intended it to go.

The stranger scanned the room. "Wally, get in the car." His voice was soft and broken, and very weak, as if he'd been screaming all night from the bottom of a well.

Wally seemed saddened by what was happening, paused, then turned and walked out.

"Miss Wellborn," the man said, "I'm Coach Buzzal Vaughn. We'll be seeing you later today at Sterling?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Sounds great right! Ok, that's all from me for now but for more information check out the Transhuman Warrior Series page!

You can buy the Rupture e-book at: Amazon

About The Author:

A little about me:
I’ve written six unpublished contemporary, literary science fantasy novels in the last decade, all of which I finished and promptly put away. I didn’t even let my wife read one until this year. (I know, ultra critical and self defeating as hell, but that’s me.) I did rounds of agent hunting with little luck, and since everyone is talking about epublishing, I thought I’d give it a try by writing a series of three YA novels with all the juicy stuff I love from Sci Fi and Fantasy and just have fun with it. I’m also forcing myself to be open to everything that goes along with the business side of marketing without griping, “Frack it! I just want to write.” So this site will, at first, probably be a bit about process, plus be a place for me to explore ideas related to my projects. Then, if all goes well, a way to market my novels. As of now, we’ve soft launched Bleedover, a contemporary science fantasy novel I wrote a few years ago. We’re using it to learn the marketing side, while I finish working with an editor on the first three books in my Transhuman Warrior Series, the fun YA novels I wrote last summer. These have all been drafted, with covers. And Rupture (Book One in the Transhuman Warrior Series) is in round two of the edits.

GIVEAWAY!

If you think Rapture sounds like something you may want to read, there's a giveaway being hosted by Bewitching Book Tours to giveaway 5 kindle versions of Rupture!!
Want to enter? Fill out the form below!

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I am not the host of this giveaway, and take no responsibility for entries and prize management/delivery. 

Interview + Giveaway with Quinn Loftis

Hello! It's me again. Now today I'm honoured to have been able to interview the lovely Quinn Loftis as part of a Bewitching Book Tour for JUST ONE DROP, book 3 in her amazing GREY WOLVES SERIES! Quinn is also hosting a very exciting giveaway throughout this tour - the details of which can be found at the bottom of this post!

Vikki: Hi Quinn! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It’s great to have you with us today! If you're ready, lets get started.


Vikki: For those who haven’t read the Grey Wolves series yet can you sum it up?

Quinn: The Grey Wolves Series starts out with Prince of Wolves, here we meet Jacque Pierce, her two best friends Jen Adams and Sally Morgan. 3 ordinary girls living in Coldspring, TX. Their summer is winding down and rumour has it that the neighbours across the street from Jacque are having a foreign exchange student from Romania live with them. Of course since Coldspring is such a small town any news is big news. Jacque and her friends want the scoop on the new student. Turns out he's tall, dark and incredibly handsome…and furry. His name is Fane, and he is the prince to the Romanian Grey Wolves. He arrives in Coldspring and within minutes of stepping out of his limo he faces his destiny.

Blood Rites-Book 2 is a continuation of Fane and Jacque's story. Just when we think they are going to get their happily ever after circumstances and people with their own agenda step in attempting to destroy all the Fane and Jacque have built. One of these people happens to share a pesky little thing called DNA with Jacque. We also begin to see another relationship building between sassy Jen and brooding Decebel, the Beta to the Romanian pack.

Just One Drop- this begins Jen and Decebel's story. Blood Rites end's with the question, is Jen human? Just One Drop answers this question and introduces readers to the path Jen must follow. Jacque, Fane and Sally are still very prominent in this story, and many new friends are introduced. In Just One Drop Jen and the other single pack members are required to attend The Gathering, something that hasn't happened in over a century. But trouble, deceit, hatred, and envy are all brewing. We will travel through this journey with Jen only to come to a maddening cliff hanger.
Out Of The Dark- Book 4 due to release on June 7, 2012 is the continuation of Jen and Dec's story.

Vikki: I absolutely loved Just One Drop. What inspired you to write about Werewolves? Have you always been drawn to the Paranormal Romance genre?

Quinn: I love the paranormal genre, and for me werewolves are just the crème of the crop. They're tough, possessive, honourable and their animal nature gives them a redeeming quality that can be hard to achieve in other paranormal characters.

Vikki: I have to say that Jen and Decebel don’t exactly get off to the best start in this book and they hit some rough patches, did you always envision them being together?

Quinn: Yes, I felt like their personalities were going to be perfect for one another. Jen needed a guy who wouldn't let her walk all over him and Decebel needed a girl with a back bone.

Vikki: I do love Jen’s no-nonsense attitude when Decebel gets all Alpha wolf on her, though Decebel is quite overbearing at times in his quest to protect Jen. Is this a trait of all the wolves or is it just Decebel?

Quinn: I think to an extent all werewolves are this way, it's just part of their makeup. However just like humans, werewolves are individuals and therefore have distinct personalities and quirks. Decebel just happens to have a little more overbearing tendencies than others.

Vikki: Much of Just one Drop is set in Romania. Why did you choose this location? Have you visited the country (it’s on my ‘to visit’ list!)?

Quinn: I haven't visited it although I would love to. I love the history and mystery behind the country. As we all know there is a lot of folk lore based there and I just thought it would be a great back drop for a paranormal series.

Vikki: Definitely agree, I think Romania would be beautiful. You left me wanting so much more at the end of Just One Drop, such a brilliant finish! I’ve seen that you have the next book, Out of the Dark, scheduled for release June 7th 2012. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Quinn: Out Of The Dark is going to be more intense than it's predecessors and have some tougher struggles. But the humour the other books have had will still be there and we will still see and hear from all the characters. OOTD is the continuation of Jen and Dec story. As we know JOD ended with Jen in dyer straights and Dec not knowing where she is. Not only that but something is amiss amongst on of the other packs and there is a possibility that dark magic is involved. Jen and Dec are going to go through their share of up's and downs in this book. They, along with the others will have their moments of heart break, but also triumph. No worries, I don't believe in un-happy endings, so all the gut wrenching will be worth it in the end.

Vikki: Phew, I must say I can’t wait to see where you take us next! So do you know how many books will be in the Grey Wolves series?

Quinn: There will be 7 books as of right now in this series
.
Vikki: Oh awesome! What are you working on at the moment?

Quinn: I just started the outline for Book 5 which has yet to be named.

Vikki: I’m personally a huge Vasile fan but do you have a character you like writing the most or have the most fun with?

Quinn: Honestly Jen and Dec have been my favourite; however Costin I think is going to rank right up there with them.

Vikki: Aww, I love Costin as well! So which of your characters personalities do you think is most like yours?

Quinn: I'm a balance between Jen and Jacque.

Vikki: Nice! Where is your favourite place to write?

Quinn: My dining room table.

Vikki: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Quinn: Read, laundry, spend time with my family and get together with friends.

Vikki: If you could go to dinner with any author (dead or alive) who would it be?

Quinn: C.S. Lewis or Jane Austen

Vikki: Ohh, good choices. So finally, what book are you reading right now?

Quinn: Just started City of Bones The Mortal Instruments Series

Vikki: Man, I love that series! Thank you so much for your time. I’m looking forward to Out of the Dark!

Quinn: Thank you for having me!

Now for the GIVEAWAY!
For the tour Quinn is giving away some amazing prizes, all you need to do to enter is follow the instructions on the form below and you'll be in with the chance of winning some amazing goodies :)


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Review: Just One Drop by Quinn Loftis

Time for a review I think. Today I'm part of a Bewitching Books Tour for Just One Drop by Quinn Loftis, and I've been looking forward to this book since the tour was announced :) Hold on to your hats people, hurricane Jen has arrived :)

Title: Just One Drop
Author: Quinn Loftis
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 5th 2012
Series: Grey Wolves Series, Book 3
Source: Copy provided as part of the Bewitching Book Tour in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Goodreads:

Jennifer Adams, best friend to Jacque Pierce and Sally Morgan, spicy, out spoken, a little crazy and human...or so she thought. Jen has just found out that human DNA is not the only thing that resides in her veins, she happens to share that little pesky werewolf gene, although it isn't more than just a drop. Now that she and her friends are living in Romania with Fane's pack, she is also oh so conveniently stuck with the object of her affection, the fur ball Decebel.
Drawn to each other by something they don't understand Jen finds herself frustrated by the lack of mating signs between her and said fur ball. Not only is she dealing with that not so un-frustrating problem, she now has been informed that because of that little drop of werewolf blood in her she is now required to attended a multi-pack gathering for un-mated wolves. This type of gathering hasn't taken place in over a century but with a shortage of females among the werewolf population the males are getting worried they won't ever find their true mates.
Meanwhile Decebel struggles with the emotions he is feeling towards Jen. He tries to keep his distance but there is just something about the mouthy blonde that keeps him coming back for more of her verbal abuse that he just can't seem to get enough of...go figure.

Review:
First line: '"Jen you are not going back to the States so stop trying to pack your damn clothes," Sally growled.She intercepted Jen and snatched the pants she was carrying to an open suitcase, which lay haphazardly across the four poster bed. Jen steadily ignored her and did an about face to the closet to grab some more clothes.'
Ok, as you can see at the start of this book, Jen is attempting to pack her bags and jet back to the US. Where is she you ask? Well, Jen would be in Romania. Living with a wolf pack. Yes you did read that right, our Jen is living with a werewolf pack. Previously in the series, Jen had discovered she had a tiny amount of werewolf blood running through her veins, making her a dormant wolf. She should stay with her two best freinds, Sally and Jacque but a certain fur ball is causing Jen to want to run back home. The fur ball (Jen's words not mine) is named Decebel and he is the pack's Beta, but only out of choice...the damn man is dominant enough to be Alpha of his own pack should he wish. Anyway, Jen and Decebel have had sparks before in the series (though the previous novels have been about Jacque and her mate Fane) but said fur ball has run off with his tail between his legs because his wolf is not showing any signs of wanting to mate with Jen. It's been 62 days 4 hours and 22 minutes since Jen last saw Decebel and she's sick of waiting for him to show up at her door. However, when Jen's tries to leave, who should turn up but Decebel, and that's where things get interesting :)

I adored JUST ONE DROP, Jen is just hilarious. I mean Decebel is about the most dominant, manly wolf man you will ever meet and she calls him 'the fur ball'. Jen's mouth just keeps getting her into trouble, as does her spontaneous attitude. Put that together with two equally humerous sidekicks and a tightly wound alpha wolf and you're ready to have yourself a party. Quinn Loftis has written this brilliantly, we all know I love a good dose of humour in anything I read and JUST ONE DROP has that in spades :)
JUST ONE DROP is set in Romania and for the most part Jen and her two besties as well as Decebel, pack leader Vasile (whom I just adore) and a few other pack wolves are attending The Gathering. This is an old tradition amongst wolf packs revived for the 21st centuary. Due to wolves only having their one true mate, and with population numbers dwindling, the Alphas of 4 packs decide to bring back an old tradition, that is basically speed dating for wolves. All the unmated females and males of the packs gather together in one place in the hope of finding mates among the other packs. However, when you add Jen and her panchant for trouble to a highly strung, territorial alpha wolf and several sex-crazed young male wolves there's going to be bloodshed. Decebel is still trying to fathom his feelings for Jen and her natural talent for pissing him off makes for one hilarious and enthralling novel. Add to this a conspiracy to murder my darling Vasile and his mate to gain control of the pack and you have the recipe for one awesome read!

We want you to feel safe, Jen. No one will force you to do anything, and if you happen to meet your mate don't panic, okay?"
"Alpha," Jen smiled ruefully, "when have you ever known me to panic around yummy werewolves?"
A growl resonated through the room.
"Oh, stick a cork in it, B," Jen snarled at Decebel.
Vasile cocked his head to the side as he looked at Jen. "B?"
"Yeah. Ya know, for Beta. Although, I like it because I could also be calling him the technical term for a female dog and he wouldn't know it. So really, calling him B totally works to my advantage," Jen explained in all seriousness.
Everyone turned when a quick burst of laughter came from the right side of the room. When Sorin saw everyone turn their eyes on him, he quickly began coughing. Holding up his hands, he finally composed himself. "Pardon me, Alpha. I seemed to have swallowed wrong."
"You have to be careful while swallowing smart ass comments, Sorin," Jen teased. "They tend to have a choking effect."
Sorin winked at Jen, who refused to look at the ominous wolf in the room currently staring a hole in her head.
Jen looked back to Vasile. "Okay, so the moral of the story is find a mate, don't panic, and try to avoid any male pissing contests…literally." (chapter 8) 

Yup, definite disaster alert. As well as keeping up with Jen and Decebel, we are also able to see how Jacque and Fane are progressing since their mating. They can speak mind to mind like all mated pairs, and I have to say that some of what Fane says makes me go all mushy and wish that I could find a real live Fane. Anyway, it's good to see what they are getting up to, I just want to see more of Alpha Vasile to be honest...he's even more dominant than Decebel, meaning he could kick serious ass :) He's the strongest Alpha in living memory and his mate Alina is so sweet...I don't hate her at all...nope ;)

All in all, JUST ONE DROP is one of the funniest new books I've read in a while. While it did take me a while to get used to the American slang Jen and her friends used it was comforting to know that none of the Romanian wolves knew what they were saying either :)
I loved every minute and will definitely be keeping my eye on Quinn Loftis and the Grey Wolves Series for the foreseeable future :)

My Rating: 4/5

Now for your reading pleasure, Quinn has provided us with an excerpt from JUST ONE DROP to entice you!

Excerpt: chapter 6.

"What are you grinning about?" Decebel growled, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"I think it's time we break up their girls' night out. Preferably before Jen falls off the bar," Fane told him. Though he tried, he couldn't hide the teasing laughter in his eyes as he watched his words penetrate Decebel's mind.

"She's in a bar?"

"Oh, she'll do you one better than that, Beta." Fane chuckled. "She's on a bar. As in dancing on a bar. The patrons are quite taken with her."

Decebel was out of his seat and ripping the door open before Fane could finish his sentence.

"Did you have taunt him?" Vasile scolded.

Fane shrugged. "Seeing the steely, calm Beta all riled is too much to pass up, Alpha."

Vasile tried to hide his smile as he shook his head at his only son. "Fine, but hurry up and go with him or he'll tear the damn bar apart, and I don't have the time or energy to deal with that mess."

"As you say." Fane winked at his father.

"Luna, I'm giving you fair warning. Your little adventure has been found out by the subject of your taunting. Do you think it wise, my love, to bait a dominant male?"

Fane could feel her surprise as she heard his voice in her mind. He smiled. He loved surprising her – it was a nice change of pace since he was usually the one being surprised.

"Crap. Is he on his way here?" Fane heard the anxiety in her voice.

"Hell is on his heels, love."

"You are enjoying this entirely too much, White Fang."

"Aw. Now, Jacquelyn, that is no way to speak to your mate." Fane couldn't cover his laughter.

"Just remember, wolf-man, I will follow through with my threat to have that dog house built for you. Now how long?"

"You wound me with your words, Luna."

"Fane, I'm not playing with you. How long till the brooding fur ball arrives?"

Fane had neglected to tell Jacquelyn that he and Decebel had been driving the whole time they'd been conversing. The bar was only five minutes from the mansion. He smiled to himself as he and Decebel climbed out of the Hummer.

Fane pulled open the door to the bar. He took in the scene and nearly lost his composure at the sight.

"You're looking stunning, Luna, if not a little under-clothed." Fane watched as Jacquelyn's eyes, big as saucers, met his across the bar. He grinned wickedly, raising his eyebrows as he whispered in her mind.

"Gotchya."

If JUST ONE DROP has caught your interest you can but it (and the rest of the series) from these lovely websites.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

I recommend you check these out :) Seriously, go now.

About the Author:

Quinn is a 31 year old wife, mother, nurse, and writer, not necessarily in that order.  She lives in beautiful North West Arkansas with her husband, son and Nora their Doberman pinscher. She loves writing, reading, and crocheting. Her favorite holiday is Christmas, favourite book(s) is Pride and Prejudice, The Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs, and the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. She loves to be silly and have fun, loves music and thinks there is no greater sound in the world than that of her little boy's laughter.  

Website: www.quinnloftisbooks.com 

Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis

Cover Reveal: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Hello everyone! Hope you've all had a great week so far. Now today I'm privileged to be part of the cover reveal for one of Entangled Publishing's 2013 releases. I know that sounds like a long way off, but by the sounds of it, THE COLLECTOR by Victoria Scott is going to be worth the wait.

HERE IT IS!

Pretty sweet right? It's certainly bold. I love the quote at the bottom from Mary Lindsey..."Dante Walker is the kind of guy I wish I'd men when I was Seventeen. And the kind of guy I'd kill if my daughter brought him home." Certainly sounds like Dante Walker isn't exactly the guy next door...more like the guy who set next door on fire :)

Here's the Blurb for THE COLLECTOR:
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.
Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Definitely going on my TBR List :) THE COLLECTOR will be published in Spring 2013 by Entangled Teen however is you can't wait 'til then there is more information and a cool trailer available via Dante Walker's Website.

All right then. Enjoy!