{Excerpt + Giveaway} Wicked Charm by Amber Hart

Today we have the release week blitz for WICKED CHARM  by Amber Hart! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: WICKED CHARM
Author: Amber Hart
Genre: YA Romantic Thriller
Release: January 30, 2018

About WICKED CHARM

Nothing good comes from living in the Devil's swamp.
Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn't half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.
Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.
Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell―the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.
But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there's something else that draws Willow to him.
When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they're leading to her own death.

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Excerpt

The walk is littered with stones and broken twigs. Leaves rustle like crackly paper. The wind brushes my skin so lightly that it’s almost a sigh. And then, only a few minutes later, I see the thing Beau wants me to see, sitting in the middle of it all.

“What is this?” I ask.

I bound over to it. Tree roots pop up from the ground like veiny scars intersecting a path. The crazy boy has made a platform for us out of wood, with four stilt legs beneath it digging into the ground. The wood is pine and smells like it, too. I run a finger along the edge, feeling where he smoothed it. It’s newly made, I can tell by the flakes that pepper the forest floor like pencil shavings and the rich wood smell. Atop the platform are another four posts with a fifth in the center, and draped over that is a canopy of white fabric. It sways in the breeze like spider’s silk.

“I wanted us to have a place to hang out,” Beau replies. “Where we won’t run into Old Lady Bell, Charlotte, or Grandpa, and where we can both be alone to relax.”

His eyes roam the swamp around us.

The makeshift pavilion is smaller than my room, but still it’s the most beautiful thing. Clear lights are strung around it, reminding me of fireflies. There is not enough space in my lungs for the quick breaths of excitement I find myself taking. I gasp at the beauty of it all.

“How did you get them to light up?” My question is filled with wonder.

“Battery powered,” he says, his grin growing. “Wait till you see inside.”

He helps me onto the platform that protects us from wandering critters below. It’s easily five feet up. I try not to catch my feet on the lights.

Beau pulls back the drape. A small cluster of cushions sits on the ground, fronted by a tiny wooden table topped with freshly fallen leaves and sticks, reminding me of a bird’s nest. A pink magnolia marks the middle, the source of the floral smell that sticks to the air.

“You did this?” I ask, mesmerized.

“All by myself,” he says.

It’s hard to imagine. Sure, I can see how Beau would bring the cushions and lights and tools to the island by boat, and how he could use the resources already here—the trees and stump for the table, the sticks and flower and leaves—to construct everything, but what I can’t see is why Beau would go through the trouble. Isn’t he the boy Jorie warned me about—the one who breaks hearts? Isn’t he the one Gran swore was darker than the night? That Beau doesn’t match the one standing before me, watching my reaction.

“I love it,” I say.

And then I wrap my arms around this surprising boy and press my lips to his. 

Trailer

About Amber Hart

Amber Hart resides on the Florida coastline with family and a plethora of animals she affectionately refers to as her urban farm. When unable to find a book, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the sand. She's the author of Wicked Charm and the Before & After series for teen readers, and the Untamed series for adult readers. Visit her online at www.amberhartbooks.com. 

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Giveaway

{Review} Breathe by Kristen Ashley

Breathe by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary
THEME: Romance, Mature, Mystery
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

There's nothing like the first time . . .

In Carnal, Colorado, Faye Goodknight is the town's quiet, shy librarian. She may also be Carnal's last remaining virgin. For years, Faye has had a crush on Chace Keaton, but the gorgeous cop has always been unattainable. She's resigned to live contentedly with only her books for company-until Faye suddenly meets Chace alone in the woods . . .

Chace doesn't think he's the good guy everyone believes him to be. He's made a lot of choices he regrets, including denying his feelings for Faye. Through his choices, he's come to believe the pretty librarian is too good for him, but after their time in the woods, Chace realizes that she may be his last chance for redemption. Soon, their long simmering desires grow to a burning passion. Yet always casting a shadow over their happiness is Chace's dark past . . .

REVIEW:

I swear I can read any Kristen Ashley any day everyday, The Colorado Mountain series is definitely one of my favorites of hers. Sadly I skipped book four and read five and six, I didn’t realize what I was missing. In the end you don’t need to read all of the books in this series to know whats going on, but there was a continued mystery from the pervious book that was concluded in this one.

Breathe follows Chace Keaton, who is going through a major dark period in his life. His wife whom wasn’t liked in town, nor did he love but was blackmailed into being with, was murdered. His relationship with his family is tense and connected to his manipulative wife. Now all he thinks about is why someone would murder his wife and will the murderer strike again. That’s when the sweet librarian Faye Goodknight opens up a soft spot in Chace closed off moods and brings a little happiness into his life. But when a young injured boy catches Fayes eyes and she wants to help, it set her up for danger that Chace wants to make sure she is kept safe.

Chace, like many of Kristen Ashley’s heroes has a tough past and a tough exterior. An alpha male to the max and also being a cop and hero in the town gives him some authority. But he also has such a big heart when it come to Faye, even though he tries to push her away, she sticks to him and helps him realize the good inside. Chace goes through a lot of ups and downs, the town has his back but he is targeted by a group of people that know his weakness, including Faye. It’s a constant battle for him.

Faye is the shyest and most innocent out of the women in this series, I adored her nerdy aloof persona. She loves books and anything science fiction, and actually reminded me of myself with her battlestar galactica references. She also has had a major crush on Chace, but has never really had the chance to show him that she cares and is interested. She didn’t understand what happened with his wife but believes he is a hero and someone who needs some happiness. Faye’s family and friends are her big support, including some friend from Ashley’s other series, that sneaks in there.

Overall I love the mystery that ties the couple together, the series always touches on darker and very scare subjects but makes up for it in the couples sweet connections. Ashley also introduces the next alpha male in the series, and I was happy to see a different perspective of him. Once again, kudos to Kristen Ashley for keeping me on my toes with her mystery and romance plots.

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{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} of Mean Streak by Sandra Brown

Mean Streak by Sandra Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Romantic Suspense
THEME: Mystery, Thriller
RECEIVED: Tour

BLURB:

Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the search for her.

While police suspect Jeff of “instant divorce,” Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won’t even tell her his name. She’s determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive.

Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can’t turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law.

As her husband’s deception is revealed, and the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer.

REVIEW:

I’ve always loved a good mystery but never really sat down a read one before. I was excited to have my first book by Sandra Brown, be one with a seriously twisted mystery plot line and smoking hot romance.

Mean Streak follows Emory Charbonneau, a doctor and hard-core marathon runner. She has an upcoming charity event that she wants to train for, but her training destination becomes a dangerous one. After leaving on a bad note with her husband she finds herself injured and saved by a mystery man in the mountains. With no contact to the outside world and is now being held by her mountain man, she is unsure of her fate. But when a connection starts to grow between the two and she becomes involved with helping young women in need, she is put in a sticky and dangerous situation. Little does Emory know the true nature of her mystery man and that her husband back home is anything but innocent.

Emory is a strong woman who is dedicated to her job and her love for running. She comes from a well-known family and has tried to leave that all behind to start her own life. But her marriage isn’t loving, which has Emory more defiant in wanting to go to a dangerous training area. I had an inkling that there was something off with Emory’s husband Jeff. There was no love in his demeanor and well of course a ton of betrayal. But it was so obvious that I was surprised that Emory was blind to it all, she’s a smart woman who I thought would have noticed it. I did however love her change in persona once she interacts with her mystery man Hayes. So much happens between the two, a lot of secrets, surprises, passion and a shocking turn of events that brings these two together

The main mystery besides Emory going missing was the mountain man Hayes. While everyone else is looking for Emory, the readers know where she is but we don’t know who she is with. This man wont tell her anything about him, he is dangerous, strong and from what the read can tell is hiding from someone. I loved this character so much, because I had no idea what he’s back-story was, if he was going to harm Emory in the end and if he was going to have a happy ending.

Overall this was such a suspenseful and fantastically written thriller. The beginning was a tad slow and any scene that Emory and Hayes weren’t in I was wishing I were back with them. The romance was hot and heavy, it wasn’t an instant connection but there was a heap of sexual tension to start. I’m now officially a Sandra Brown fan and cant wait to read some of her past work as well as her future.

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AUTHOR BIO:
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including DEADLINE(2013), LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), SMOKE SCREEN (2008), PLAY DIRTY (2007), RICOCHET (2006), CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), & HELLO, DARKNESS (2003).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program “PM Magazine.”

In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Author links: Site | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

{TOP 5 REASONS} Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong

 Is a feature where I pick a title and give you five reason why you should read this book. Hopefully it will be something to help with recommendations.

I'm sure your thinking...Kelly Armstrong wrote a contemporary crime thriller?? What!? Yep she totally did and it seriously rocked my world. I discovered this years ago while I worked at borders and it was a long wait for each book that came out. And there were only three!

But it was so worth the wait. Exit Strategy is book one and introduces the hit woman Nadia. She's a major bad a--, who you wouldn't think is threatening until she put a gun to your head. But in this series there is a ton of conspiracy, romance, betrayal and some really great character developments. I love, love this series. Now here are 5 reason way.

1: The Characters! 

Kelley Armstrong is known for her character, normally in the paranormal realm, but it's the same for this series. Nadia is a fantastically strong female like Elena in her Women of the Otherworld series. She puts herself in danger to track down killers, and one who took the life of her cousin years ago. Most of the time Nadia is on her own and living a double life in a way, but she also has her mentor to keep her grounded.

2: Romance...Sizzling Hot!

Okay so the romance is hot, but its not a major focus until later on. I adored her two love interest Quinn and her mentor Jack. Both guys know different sides of Nadia. Nadia needs both of them in a way but the one who gets her the most is my favorite Jack. He's older, smarter and freaking hot!

3: Danger Danger Will Robinson!

If you have ever seen the show Alias or any other spy show that deals with assassin, killers, etc. Be prepared this is a dangerous world that Nadia lives in and people do get hurt. Nadia maybe be a hit girl but she also a good person and does right when it comes to good people.

4: Plot

From Book one to book three there is an on going plot that revolves around what happened to Nadia and how she became a hit girl. The death of her cousin and the missing pieces of what happened to her and Nadia when they were teens. The resolve in the end is intense, I wont give it away but I cant believe how it all unfolds.

5: The Writing

Kelley Armstrong is a writer that never lets me down, I've loved everything she has written. But even though she's better known for her paranormal writing, I feel this series is much stronger and the plot is way more intricate.

{Review} of Harbor Island by Carla Neggers

Harbor Island by Carla Neggers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery
Theme: Suspense, Romance, Suspense
Received: Publisher

BLURB:

When an FBI agent’s clandestine meeting with an anonymous informant turns into a cold-blooded murder scene, the only clue seems to involve the most legendary and elusive art thief in the world. From the New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty books, Carla Neggers, comes HARBOR ISLAND (Harlequin MIRA, September 2014, $24.95 U.S./$27.95 CAN.), her latest novel featuring former nun and art crime expert turned FBI agent, Emma Sharpe.

Emma Sharpe is still getting used to life with her new fiancé and fellow FBI agent, Colin Donovan, when she receives an anonymous phone call asking her to come to a remote island off the Boston Harbor.

Emma arrives, to find a dead woman lying in a pool of blood. Gripped in the victim’s cold palm is a stone bearing the signature Celtic inscription of an international thief whom Emma’s family of art detectives has been chasing for the past decade.

Emma discovers that the victim, Rachel Bristol, was a filmmaker working on a movie based on the exploits of the legendary art thief, but her research may have led her too close to the truth and gotten her killed. Or perhaps she is the victim of her former husband and stepdaughter, Travis and Maisie Bristol, two of Hollywood’s most powerful movie producers. The Bristols are working on their own film version of the art thefts and clearly didn’t appreciate the competition.

And what of Oliver Fairbairn, a Hollywood consultant on matters of Celtic mythology exactly like the type inscribed on the stone in the dead woman’s hand? Suspicion even falls on Emma’s friend Finian Bracken, a tortured Irish priest now living in Maine. Ten years ago, however, Father Bracken was Mr. Bracken, a happily married businessman who now has ties to the same Irish village where the now infamous art thief struck for the very first time.

Emma knows this is no movie, however, but real life with real lives in danger, including those of her own FBI team and everyone they care about. To protect them, Emma must solve a case that has, for over a decade, stymied the smartest detectives in the world, including her own grandfather…and she must solve it now.

HARBOR ISLAND is available wherever books are sold, and at www.Harlequin.com.

REVIEW:

As I'm expanding my genres I decided to go back to my first love, which was mystery thrillers. I'm a huge Raymond Chandler fan, after reading all his novels in high school, so I was excited to give Carla Neggers a try. I heaedr about the Sharpe and Donovan series and loved the idea of an art detective and a deep uncover agent trying to track down an art thief who may be turning in the direction of murder. I am however starting slightly late into the series as Harbor Island is book fourth and a lot I can tell has happened to the main leads. Even though this was the fourth book, I actually didn't feel lost, I was able to understand what's been happening plot wise, the characters were very developed but easy to connect too and understand. And the murder mystery was intense and had me on the edge of my seat, but I was able to know what was happening. I seriously never got bored, but I did get curious on how this all began and of course how Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan meet. So I say if you are looking for a new mystery series with some slight romance, then start from the beginning, since I would love to have known how these two met.

For a long time the Sharpe family has been on the search for a serial art thief, whom has now been dubbed the Sharpe Thief. Emma and her fiancé of four days have just come back to Boston after some time in Dublin working on another case. But these two FBI agents are about to get placed in the middle of a murder that connects to Emma's art thief. With the death of a woman named Rachel Bristol who called Emma to meet with her on information about the thief, is found dead in their meeting place, they are sucked back into a new case. Emma and Colin discover that Rachel was making a movie based off of the Sharpe Thief and that she may have gotten too close. With the trademark Celtic cross found at the scene Emma and Colin know that this thief needs to be found before another death happens.

The whole story may focus on the big murder mystery but there are also many characters involved who are each connected to what has happened. Emma and Colin may be the main pair, but they certainly for me, were not the main focus in this book. I felt they were more secondary characters but still such a great partnership. Almost like a Mulder and Scully duo without the UFO connection and instead replaced with an untouchable thief. The other duo focused on was Matt "Yank" and his wife Lucy who are in another location based in Ireland. And lastly Father Fin and Aiofe O'Byrne who are both connected to Rachel. Aiofe and Fin had a past relationship, but Fin is dealing with the loss of his entire family and Aiofe is the niece of the first victim of the Sharpe Thief. All are connected and each story line is built around who killed Rachel and why, and of course the elusive thief. It's actually really interested to connect the dots and see each prospective. As well as connect to the individual couples who are all dealing with their different type of relationships as well as the main plot line.

As for the main pair, Emma and Colin are still learning about their relationship and how to tell their families about their engagement. It's very obvious about how much they care about each other and that they have a lot to work out. I'm interested to see how these to balance their jobs and differences. But in the end, it's also made me super curious on how they met and got together, so I'll be reading the first books so I can see how it all began.

Overall I loved the mystery and continuation of the same focus on this one thief, its an on going story but the readers to get some things resolved in the end so its not disappointing. I really enjoyed all the well developed characters and the romance that wasn't too focused on but satisfying enough for someone like me who loves romance. My only small issue was the repetition of how attractive Aiofe is, I got that she was pretty and was reminded so much I got annoyed. Luckily I liked her character to I could look past it. I'm hoping in the next book that it focuses more on Emma and Colin then jumping around to other, that way I can connect to them a bit more, as I felt I should have. I cant wait to continue this series and look forward to starting it also from the start.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a murder mystery novel with slight romance that will have you solving the case along with the characters. Fans of the Raymond Chandler novels and The Burg series by Kristen Ashley will want to get their hands on Harbor Island by Carla Neggers.

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{Review} of Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong

Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Contemporary
THEME: Romance, Mystery, Thriller
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

Protect the innocent. If there is any one principle that drives hit man Nadia Stafford, it’s this. In her own mind, when she was thirteen, she failed to protect her older cousin Amy from being murdered. Now she fails again, disastrously, when she botches a hit. To help her find her equilibrium, her mentor, Jack, brings her a gift: the location and new identity of the predator who killed her cousin and disappeared after the case against him failed.

Vengeance, justice? With the predator in her sights, nothing seems more right, more straightforward, more easy. But finding justice is never as simple as it seems.

REVIEW:

Holy Moly!! I have missed this series so much and as much as I love it and don’t want it to end, I’m happy to have a conclusion. This was a great ending to a long awaited book. I’m a huge fan of Kelley Armstrongs Women of the Otherworld series and discovered her mystery series a when the first was released years ago. Her characters are just as complex, with lot of humor intertwined with a seriously intriguing plot; I couldn’t wait to see what Armstrong did with this series. This of course is the last in the Nadia Stafford series and I felt it went out with a bang, no pun intended.

Wild Justice brings back Nadia Stafford, the tough as nails hit man who takes out some seriously bad people in the world. Ever since the murder of her cousin and killing a bad person while on duty as a cop, Nadia has taken a path many wouldn’t understand. But after a hit fails and devastates Nadia, her mentor Jack decides that she needs something to bring her back. He gives her the location of the man who took her cousins life. But a hit mans life is not an easy one and Nadia and Jack discover that there is more behind this killer than meets the eye.

Nadia is like many of the female characters Armstrong writes, tough, determined, and passionate and down right dangerous. She has gone through many ups and downs and now has a chance to seek revenge for what started her downward spiral. I had a feeling from the beginning that the series would come back to this storyline, it has always affected Nadia, she is missing pieces about what happened and wants to find justice. I liked the combination of Jack and Nadia working together, they know how each other think, kill, love, and laugh. Nadia gets a lot of answers and not all are what she wanted to hear but needed to know.

Jack is as awesome as ever, still a quiet man who only speaks in short sentence but I love him nonetheless. His character finally unfolds in this book, the readers slowly peels back the layers as he opens up to Nadia and talks about his past. Jack has always been my favorite guy in Nadia’s life and I’m glad that Armstrong decided to focus on him a bit more. In the end no one knows Nadia best like Jack, he is the one person who understands her triggers and what she needs.

Overall this was a fantastic ending to such an intense series, there is lots of humor, twists, shocking moments and much needed romance. All the characters come back, including Quinn and Evelyn. What I loved most is how one secret unfolded another, which this wasn’t just about one mystery but a more complex secret that even Jack and Nadia were shocked to discover. I will miss this series so much but am happy to have a great conclusion.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel with violence and minor sexual content. Fans of Jennifer Esteps Elemental Assassins series and Janet Evanovichs’ Stephanie Plum series will want to read the Nadia Stafford series by Kelley Armstrong.

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{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} of Deceived by Julie Anne Lindsey

Welcome to Seeing Night Reviews stop on the Deceived blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours.  Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Deceived by Julie Anne Lindsey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Contemporary
THEME: Mystery, Romance, and Thriller
RECEIVED: Tour

BLURB:

Ever since she could remember, Elle has had to hop from town to town to keep up with her dad's demanding career as a corporate insurance agent. Each time, a reoccurring nightmare followed her wherever she went--until the day that the frightening figures haunting her at night became all too real. When news of a serial killer spreads throughout her new school, Elle worries that the Reaper has been leaving her his calling card in the form of cigarette butts on her doormat and an unusual ribbon in her locker. With the help of Brian, a boy she meets at a flea market, she discovers that this isn't her first encounter with the murderer and that her father has been concealing her true identity for the past twelve years. But despite her father's desperate attempts to protect her, Elle still comes face to face with the darkness she has been running from her whole life. Trapped in the woods and with help hundreds of miles away, will Elle be able to confront the Reaper and reclaim the life she lost?

REVIEW:

I’m always on the look out for something new, with Deceived I got a mystery thriller that had me guessing until the very end. There were so many twists that started connecting the dots from the characters young age to the present. Lindsey crafted a great amount of suspense, adding in touches of humor, romance and characters that were easy to connect too.

Deceived follows Elle a senior and new student Francine Frances boarding school. All her life she has moved town to town because of her dad’s job, now she finally found a school and friends she likes. But she is still having her night terrors, she feels she’s being watched and a ribbon reminding her of her past is randomly left in her locker. Not only that, but the boy Bryan she met one day at a flea market suddenly shows up at her school and is everywhere she is. Elle soon discovers she in danger, her life has had many secrets and Bryan is apart of it.

Elle hasn’t had it easy, moving from one town to the next doesn’t really leave time to make friends or have a place to call home. Once she starts at her new boarding school, she easily connects with her wild roommate Pixie and the boy she crushed on at a random flea market is now at her school. But she has always been cautious, paranoid and then some. Having her father making it even harder since he is always concerned about her safety, even though he’s always away for work. What was great about Elle is that she was determined to get to the bottom of all the coincidence that start happening. She is also extremely brave for someone who knows there is danger out there and she still heads out by herself. I did however feel that was kind of carless of her that she wanders around a lot alone. Her relationship with her best friend pixie was fun and added some humor to the more serious tones. Overall her family past connect to the danger is key to the plot and the readers get to kind of solve the mystery with Elle.

Bryan is probably one of the biggest mysterious until about a little less than half way through. The readers will be shocked by his secrets and I actually loved the idea behind his character. He’s an overall great guy, who just followed his heart and also takes his job very seriously. I adored his entire family and loved the warmth and liveliness that they brought to Elle when they meet her. The only thing that I didn’t really agree on was the insta-love, I wished there was more of a growth or at least a more subtle approach to how they connected. But nonetheless I loved their bond, their adorable scenes, and the protective nature he has with Elle.

Overall I think this story rocked, the mystery was so suspenseful and how the danger was connect to Elle and her family, as well as Bryan. I don’t want to give too much away but I will say the villain is uber creepy and so well written it gave me chills. There are lot of surprises, and some pieces I felt happened a little fast and would have been better if explain in a bit more detail. Elle discovers she’s been deceived, which of course is a great title, eh? In the mix of it all she has to leave a lot behind to learn more about the danger she should be trying to get away from. I will definitely be looking out for more work from Lindsey, she brought to life a mystery that unfolded through a bunch of secrets within secrets that all came together in the end nicely.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a young adult novel that will have you on the edge of your seat and make you take a second look over your shoulders. Fans of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Kelly Armstrong’s Omens will enjoy Deceived by Julie Anne Lindsey.

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Available now on Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository and more.

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AUTHOR BIO:
Julie Anne Lindsey is a multi-genre author who writes the stories that keep her up at night. In 2013, Julie welcomes five new releases in three genres including her newest title, DECEIVED, a YA suspense from Merit Press, and her first cozy mystery, MURDER BY THE SEASIDE, book one in the Patience Price, Counselor at Large series from Carina Press (a digital imprint of Harlequin).
Julie is a self-proclaimed word nerd who would rather read than almost anything else. She started writing to make people smile. Someday she plans to change the world. Most days you'll find her online, amped up on caffeine and wielding a book.

Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW), Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Sisters in Crime (SinC) and the Canton Writer’s Guild.

Find her online:

Tweeting her crazy @JulieALindsey

Soothing her book obsession on GoodReads

Pinning the pretty on Pinterest

Tumbling lamely on Tumblr

Blogging about books and writing at Musings from the Slush Pile

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{Review} of Venom by Fiona Paul

Venom by Fiona Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Historical
THEME: Mystery/Romance
RECEIVED: SWAP
AUTHORS BLOG: Fiona Paul's Site

BLURB:

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

REVIEW:
I was looking for something different in the Young Adult genre and Venom hit the mark. Historical mystery is new for me and I absolutely enjoyed it, finally a love triangle that doesn’t have insta love. I was thrilled to read about a girl who follows her own path, even during this era she’s independent and really straightforward.

Venom follows Cassandra Carvella, who lives in Renaissance Venice among the wealthy folks. Having lost her parents she lives with her aunt who restricts her from having a real life, as well as having a fiancé who was chosen by her parents years ago. One night after a friends funeral she comes upon a woman who was murdered and she is determined to find out who the killer is since he seems to know her now. With the help of a smart mouthed artist named Falco they go undercover in places Cassandra never thought she’d see in her restricted life. But nothing is what is seems, not even love and death.

Cassandra is a rarity among the women in her time; usually they are trying to get married, making sure they have the best outfits, and so on. But Cass is different and she wants to break free from the shell she’s been held in and wants to solve this murder mystery. When she discovers the dead body, she got herself in the middle of this mess along with Falco a young artist. He is someone new to her not just by being poor, but that he makes her heart beat faster and doesn’t treat her like royalty but an equal.

Falco, when the readers first meet him its obvious he’s going to by a guy full of secrets. But unfortunately I felt his character was easy to figure out right from the beginning, I did whoever enjoy his snarky and flirtatious attitude. I liked how his character developed Cass, he helped her realize that she should think about her life and do what she wants to do.

Luca was a bit of a shocker; the readers don’t get introduced to him until half way through the story. There are letters that are sent to Cass from him and he seemed like such a sweet and hard studying guy. Then the readers meet him and are in for a bit surprise. He has a temper and lots of secrets; I was shocked by how Fiona Paul crafted this character, which made him actually my favorite. There is still a lot to learn about him and what else he hasn’t told Cass.

Overall I enjoyed the mystery behind who was murdering these innocent woman and why. I had no clue who it was until the end but had an idea who was connected to it all. I did enjoy that there was romance but that each character is still trying to figure out what they really want so it didn’t turn into an insta love. The story did take a while to pick up and I felt it took me a bit to really connect to the characters. I do hope that we learn about Cass’ past and her family, along with her ties to Luca. I’m curious as to what Paul has in store for the next installment and what other mysteries is Cassandra going to get herself into.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel that the readers will enjoy solving the mystery along with the lead character. Fans of Ingrid Paulson’s Valkyrie

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{Launch Post} Uncontrollable by S.R. Johannes

Yay! Uncontrollable is out today!

Uncontrollable is the second book in "The Nature of Grace" series by S.R. Johannes. Untraceable, the first book in the series, has won and been nominated for several awards including Winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award (YA), 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (YA Nominee), and a finalist in The Kindle Book Review's "Best Indie Book of 2012 (YA)".

Kirkus reviewed Untraceable as "A thrilling story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance.  The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with rapids, holding suspense to last page."

If you like a page turner, you will love this series!

Head over to Mundie Moms for a Big Uncontrollable Launch Party with tons of prizes and then over to SR Johannes blog for even more.

To continue on with the blog tour, check out the line up! Where SR talks about anything from marketing to writing to her books to personal interviews and giveaways.

Book Summary

As 16-year-old Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program". 

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants. 

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues. 

Little does she know, she is being hunted too. 

On Sale Now! 

Uncontrollable is on sale in paperback and ebook at all major booksellers including Amazon, iBooks/Apple (coming soon),  Smashwords, and B&N. If you haven't read Untraceable, you can get it in paperback and ebook at all major booksellers including Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, and B&N.

Author Bio

S.R. Johannes is the author of award-winning and Amazon bestselling Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and new tween paranormal, On The Bright Side. She has also published short novelettes as well as a teen romance anthology with 16 other authors titled, In His Eyes.  Uncontrollable, the sequel to Untraceable, is scheduled for September 2012.

S.R. Johannes is a winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Awards (Young Adult) and was also recently nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (Young Adult). Untraceable was also recently named a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review's Indie Book of the Year (YA)

After earning an MBA and working in corporate America, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. 

{Excerpt Post + Giveaway} Devil's Do-Gooders by Lisa Maliga

Devil's Do-Gooders by LisaMaliga
Blurb:Curtis Angeles hassurvived the hell of watching his wife of sixteen years die of brain cancer.Emotionally drained and psychologically scarred, he escapes the cold Chicagowinters and bittersweet memories, and moves to rural Neroli, Florida. He seekspeace, quiet and privacy--but will he find it? Curtis rents an apartment in alarge historical house, which he shares with an antiques store owned by Larry"the landloooord" Pleasant. He settles in, relaunching his onlinegraphic design business, and tries to begin the healing process. Soon, unseendark forces emerge within his home. Are they paranormal? Demonic?Psychological? And just as he's getting into a routine, the antiques businessis replaced with "The Conservatory" which is run by Able McCormick, anarcissist and self-appointed dictator of Neroli.

Who are the devil'sdo-gooders? What do they want from him? Part horror, part psychologicalthriller, "Devil's Do-Gooders" follows Curtis into a world wheresomething sinister is determined that his journey will end in a violent death.
Warning: This bookcontains some graphic sexual content, language and violence.

Excerpt from Chapter 7

That Friday, all the occupants of the historic Wilkes Housemet in the side yard/parking area. Curtis was heading out to the city for theafternoon and hadn't anticipated a convergence of any kind other than gettinghis mail and picking up groceries. Just as one of the kittens scurried backunder the house, the tan SUV pulled up to the side of the Trust &Preservation Conservatory and parked crookedly. The short man got out and wavedand called out to Curtis.

"Hello!" said the man as he headed over to Curtis'scar. "My name's Wendell Hamilton. I'm the executive director of the Trust& Preservation Conservatory."
"Hello, Wendell, I'm Curtis Angeles." They shookhands.

"I believe in the good neighbor policy and I wanted toassure you that we're a nonprofit and we don't work long hours. We come and goa lot. We don't work on weekends and our hours are standard Monday throughFriday from nine to five."

"That's good to know." Curtis said, looking up tosee the black Silverado rolling down Hickory Street. Shit, here comes thelandlord. For a second he felt guilty about feeding the cats, as he knew hewasn't supposed to. They were wild cats, for Christsakes, what harm did it doto feed hungry animals? Just because the landlord didn't like 'em…

The large pickup stopped in the middle of the road and Larryjumped out, leaving his door open. "Hey, Wendell, good to see you. Hey,Curtis." He walked over to them.

Maybe Curtis was being sensitive, but he felt like thelandlord was decidedly cooler toward him than to the newest tenant in the store-turned-office.
"Larry, I was just explaining to Curtis about ourbusiness hours."
The landlord chuckled. "What hours you lazysonofabitch!"
Wendell's sparse eyebrows crinkled. "I don't know whatyou mean. I work six, uh, five days a week."

There was the sound of a car pulling into the parking spacenext to Wendell's SUV. It was the white station wagon. The men watched as aslight woman with curly brown hair and a long floral dress walked over to them.Wendell smiled and announced loudly, "there's the one and only AbleMcCormick!"
Curtis smiled at the man's cheesy impression of a talk showhost announcing a guest. He noticed that Larry was grinning as he watched theyounger woman making her way over to them. She held a few envelopes.

"Wendell, I waited in line at the post office down inBeelerton to mail a package. And I've come to find out that the post officewill be closed come January! My friends own the shop where the post office isand now they won't be getting any more money from the government. Now we can'tjust let the government close down all the post offices in the state of Floridajust because they're small. What about the post office here – is that next? Orthe two in Magnolia? Will they stop delivering mail altogether?

3 Winners for ebook choose any format PDF, Kindle, B&N, Nook or Smashwords

{Review} of Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy

Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Romance
THEME: Suspense
RECEIVED: Received for Review from Signet Eclipse
AUTHORS BLOG: Elle Kennedy's Site



BLURB:

Dangerous. Ruthless. Savage. And she's the good guy.

Abby Sinclair had a desperate childhood until she was rescued and adopted by a retired army ranger who molded her into a master of self-defense. Now, she's a cunning and fearless assassin thrust into assignment after dangerous assignment, using everything she has-nerve, resilience, strength, sex-to come out on top. Her only rule: trust no one.
Abby's latest assignment is in Columbia: go undercover and snuff out a dangerous arms dealer active in the underground sex trade. But when Abby purposely blows her cover in a last-ditch attempt to free the helpless victims, deadly mercenary Kane Woodland is recruited as back-up. His mission: get Abby out of that hell hole.

The last thing Kane expects is to feel a primal attraction for Abby. But when she convinces him to join her on her perilous mission, their newfound passion could put the lives of their whole team at risk.

REVIEW:

Midnight Rescue was a very intense and suspenseful read, the plot kept you on your toes and I was always nervous for the lead characters. The readers are introduced to characters who are tough as nails, both male and female and are determined to get the mission done at all cost.

Abby Sinclair is a girl that nobody should mess with, being saved at a young age by a man who was a former army ranger; she learned how to be tough. Now as an adult she works as one of the most deadly assassin and is sent on a mission that turns extremely dangerous when her cover is blown. Little does Abby know that her boss Noelle wants to save her and get her back, sending a hired mercenary team to rescue her. Thus Abby meets Kane a member of the mercenary team and someone whom Abby clashes with immediately. Both are stubborn but determined to get the job done that Abby was prevented from finishing.

Abby is a young woman who is seriously damaged, she is trained to protect herself and be on her own. Making her one emotionless girl, but her tough exterior is clouded with her injuries from being captured on her mission. Even though Abby has trust issues that are understandable but it really turned me off from her character when she became a little too untrustworthy and emotionless which made me not enjoy her character as much as I should have.

Kane, tough and broken like Abby, he has some issues as well but really wants to help Abby and earn her trust. But he knows that she has her shields up pretty much 80 percent of the time and gets frustrated when she keeps really important details from him. I was frustrated along with the poor guy, he was really opening the doors for her with himself and she just gave nothing back. Luckily these two have some hot chemistry that helps them work through their emotional baggage.

There is also a secondary plot that goes along side Abby and Kane, with their friends Trevor and Isabel. Even though I enjoyed both characters, it distracted me from the other couple because I was really rooting for these two as well. I liked their dynamic personalities and even though Trevor is pretty much broken beyond repair Isabel is one heck of a woman who is trying to keep him alive.

Overall I enjoyed this action packed and suspense novel. I can’t wait to see what progresses with Abby and Kane and really hope to find out more about Trevor and Isabel. Kennedy wrote knows how to bring in the heat for her characters but creating a plot that really hooks you in and keeps you guessing.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult for mature readers, with sexual content and adult situations. Fans of author Lauren Dane and Lori Foster will enjoy Elle Kennedy’s Killer Instincts novel Midnight Rescue.

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{Review} of Revived by Cat Patrick

Revived by Cat Patrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Science Fiction
THEME: Science/Life/Death
RECEIVED: Received for Review from Little Brown Books for Young Readers
AUTHORS BLOG: Cat Patricks Site

BLURB:

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life. 

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

REVIEW:
Books like Revived make me remember why I enjoy science fiction books so much. The mystery, the science experiments and of course the bad guys. This was my first book from author Cat Patrick and definitely not my last; I enjoyed her characters and story telling behind this interesting novel about a science project called Revive.

Revived follows Daisy, starting right off the bat with her dying surrounded by classmates and school teachers after she was stung by a bee. Obviously she was allergic, but Daisy is different, she is apart of a program called Revive, which bring you back from the dead. It has only been tested on young kids and each child is protected and tested by an agency. But something goes wrong when she discovers a hidden case file and she wonders whom can she really trust.

Daisy isn’t your ordinary girl, having died so many times and being brought back to life isn’t normal in any case. But it’s the life she’s always known, having agents pretend to be her parent while pretending to be a normal girl. Her social life was pretty sad until she moved to her new town. I felt kind of bad for her since she pretty much has to lie to everyone about her past. But I liked her relationship with the other kids that are in the program,

Matt and Audrey are brother and sister, they befriend Daisy and all become really close. I loved their relationship and how they both really understood and accepted Daisy. They do hit some emotional aspect that pretty much broke my heart, but the characters learn and become to accept how things just can’t be controlled. Patrick wrote such a wonderful friendship around these three that challenge the characters and put them in some difficult situations.

Overall I really adored this book, so much happen but in the end this book is really about life and death. What would happen if someone had control over bringing people back after death and the consequences? The bad guys were a little obvious at one point but still keep the story strong. The writing was superb and I cant emphasis enough how much I loved Patrick’s character building. The plot was intense and kept the heart pumping, I never knew what was going to happen next. This is a science fiction book that you don’t want to miss.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel that makes you really wonder about government secret projects. Fans of authors Lauren DeStefano who writes the Chemical Garden series and Elizabeth Norris author of Unraveling will love Revived by Cat Patrick.

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