Review of Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Innkeeper Chronicles #1
Format Read: Kindle ARC
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 2, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | CreateSpace
* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link. 

Blurb from goodreads:

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

Cover Reveal: THE DEEP END OF THE SEA by Heather Lyons

Do you like mythology? romance? stories of redemption? Then you may need to check out "The Deep End of the Sea" by Heather Lyons. It releases February 13, 2014 and I have the cover to share with you today.

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard.  As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

Review of Three Ways to Wicked by Jodi Redford

Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: Wicked Shores #1
Format Read: Kindle Book
Source: gift from the author
Release Date: December 24, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Samhain

Blurb from goodreads:

"Three ingredients for a hot summer: sun, sand, and sizzling sex. "

"Wicked Shores, Book 1"

Following a nasty breakup with her ex, Kayla English is eager to get her erotic writing mojo back on track. Except progress on her current book has flatlined, right along with her belief in happily-ever-after.

Solution? Two weeks of solitude in the Florida sun thanks to some friends' generous offer to house-sit their place on the beach. She didn't count on having roommates-or on getting the sexiest peepshow of her life.

Seven years after an intimate encounter rocked their worlds, business partners Tyler Bishop and Gibb Masters have kept things strictly in the friend zone. A recent storm has left them homeless, though. They figure moving into Ty's parents' place is preferable to roughing it elsewhere, even if it means resisting the temptation to slip between the sheets with Kayla...and each other.

As the days heat up, so does their three-way attraction. But when emotions run deeper than any of them expect, three wary hearts must decide if it's worth the risk to write their own HEA.

Warning: This book brings the dirty. We're talking dirty sex in an outdoor shower, on a boat, and on the kitchen counter with a dirty-mouthed Casanova. In other words, all the good stuff with a side of glow-in-the-dark body paint.

Cat Thursday - Are YOU A Cat Maniac?

 

 Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict.

Sigh, the only ones that aren't true about me are the sleeping better with cats (Goof was a PITA when he slept with me) and I rarely carry cat treats on me, though I always have some around the condo.

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Giveaway & Excerpt from The Merchant of Venice Beach by Celia Bonaduce

I'm back with another excerpt, this one from a contemporary romance, "The Merchant of Venice Beach" by Celia Bonaduce. Currently a Field Producer on HGTV’s House Hunters, Celia Bonaduce's TV credits cover a lot of ground - everything from field-producing ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to writing for many of Nickelodeon’s animated series, including Hey, Arnold and Chalkzone.  

An avid reader, entering the world of books has always been a lifelong ambition. The Merchant of Venice Beach, A Venice Beach Romance, was published August 1st, 2013 by eKensington.

Find Celia Online: 

Website: http://celiabonaduce.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Celia-Bonaduce/352890508156101 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CeliaBonaduce 

eKensington Author Page: http://www.ekensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/26393 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7039196.Celia_Bonaduce 

A Novel's Two Lives - Guest Post by Joseph Wallace & A Giveaway

Today I have a post from Joseph Wallace, the author of the new thriller, "Invasive Species". It's a scientific thriller about a newly evolved predator from the African wilderness. Before turning to writing fiction, Wallace contributed articles with a focus on the tropical rainforest and invasive species to many national publications, including Sierra and Audubon. "Invasive Species" is the result of interviews with leading scientists in the field and rooted in scientific fact. 

About Joe, from his website: 

Hi! I’m Joe Wallace. I’m the author of two novels: the global apocalyptic thriller Invasive Species (2013, Berkley Books), and Diamond Ruby (2010, Touchstone), set in 1920s New York City. I’ve contributed short stories to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and anthologies including Bronx Noir, Baltimore Noir, Hard Boiled Brooklyn, and two Mystery Writers of America collections: The Prosecution Rests and Ice Cold. I’ve also published nonfiction books on dinosaurs, natural history, and baseball, and written on nature, travel, and health for magazines and newspapers. I live with my family north of New York City, where I run storytelling workshops in the local elementary schools and work as a writing mentor for high-school students.

2014 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge

 I have several series that I'm behind on. I start one and lose track or I get sidetracked by review books and then I get behind. So, I'm taking part in this series challenge hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews.

Here are the rules  and all the info from the challenge post at SBR:

1) All books that are part of a continuing series qualify (i.e. Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, James Patterson's Alex Cross, etc. etc.)

2) It doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 books in a series to complete it, it qualifies (i.e. if you only need to read one more Sookie Stackhouse book to complete the goal, that's fine) The goal is to complete a series from wherever you are up to until the last published book.

3) The qualification period is January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Books must be read during this time frame to count.

4) Take the button above and post about it. Use the Mr. Linky at SRB to sign up and make sure you link it directly to your post about this challenge.

5) If you don't have a blog, that's fine; leave a comment at the original post to sign up and tell us what you are reading. Or you can join the Goodreads group for this challenge by clicking here.

6) Any format of book counts - audio, ebook, etc.

7) You should choose the series you want to finish before the challenge begins, but it isn't necessary. It's fine to change series during the year - as long as you complete whichever series it is.

8) Choose a level....

Level 1 - Complete 1 series.
Level 2 - Complete 2 series.
Level 3 - Complete 3 or more series.

Okay, I'm going for Level 3 and these are the series that I want catch up on:

October Daye by Seanan McGuire

I've read four of the seven full-length books currently published and there's an eighth planned for next year.

Black Wings by Christina Henry

I've read two of the six published books but own 4 of them; I can get the rest from my library. I'm not sure if there will be more in the series but I'll catch up to book six and see where the series is then.

Kitty Norville by Carrie Vaughn

I've read the first eight books, there are currently twelve with a thirteenth expected next year.

I am going to be a busy Bea. :D

ETA 3/1/14:  I've decided to drop the Black Wings series and add in Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs, Ashfall by Mike Mullin, Midnight Magic Mystery by Jennifer Harlow, Coming Home by Jessica Scott, and Kara Gillian by Diana Rowland. That makes my total series that I'm aiming for 7. Gulp. There's 1 more series I may do, if I can squeeze it in, but this is the list for now.

ETA 6/1/14: And I'm adding one more, cuz I'm just plain nuts. :D I'm adding The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer. This is not the extra series I mentioned earlier, that series is still waiting in the wings. I'm playing catchup on this series and I realized I should add it to this challenge. New series total - 8

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Blog Tour Giveaway & Review of The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats by Constance Corcoran Wilson

Publisher: Quad City Books

Format Read: paperback

Source: The author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: October 22, 2013

Buying Links:  Barnes& Noble | Amazon*

* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link. 

Blurb from goodreads:

The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats is a Seuss-ical tale for young children which builds upon the moral of the first Christmas Cats book to once again teach children a valuable life lesson.

In this second Christmas Cats adventure the lesson to be learned is: In life, always keep an open mind. Don't accept stereotypes as true or let the unfounded opinions of others prevent you from finding out the truth for yourself. We all need to act without prejudice and learn to accept each other as individuals.

The Christmas Cats learn that rats, too, should be judged as individuals. Another message: all of us should try to help others.

Written for the author's four-year-old granddaughters, Ava and Elise Wilson, with the assistance of talented professional illustrator Gary McCloskey, The Christmas Cats continue to have adventures while attired in their familiar silly hats from Book One (The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats).

Learning to accept others in a non-judgmental, open-minded fashion is a lesson we all must learn. If children can internalize this behavior while young, learning to help others and to do good works, the world will be a better place.

Quote-Tastic #28 A handsome devil and a kinky morning.

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in. 

Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! 

Just grab the button and put up your post :) 

Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  

I'm reading Ilona Andrews' new book, "Clean Sweep", and it has some excellent quotes in it. It's the first book in a new series and so far quite good. I picked several quotes. Dina is an innkeeper and Ryan a werewolf; they don't hit off too well to start with.

I turned and walked back to my bedroom, the balcony door closing softly behind me. Obnoxious smart-ass. Never been anywhere, never done anything, huh. Arrested development, huh. Considering that it was coming from a man who spent his nights peeing on his neighbors' fences, that was rich. Shoot, I should've told him that. Oh well, too late now.

*****************************

I've never before understood the true meaning of "handsome devil". I knew logically what it meant, but now I saw it in action. Sean was a handsome devil in the flesh: arrogant, dangerous, and hot. I knew he was bad for me, but I had this absurd pull to reach out and touch his face. If he weren't so happy with himself, I might have even considered it.

*****************************

Caldenia descended down the stairs and saw him. "Ooo, Planning a kinky morning?"

"No, just dealing with a pesky intruder."

"Oh well. If you kill him, do save me his liver. Werewolf liver is a very tender delicacy." She licked her lips. "Especially when sauteed in butter."

"What the hell...?" Sean growled.

"I'll keep that in mind."

*****************************

Usually they roared their house name at the top of their lungs, trying to intimidate...Oh. They were trying to be inconspicuous. I bit my lip to keep from laughing I'd never had an attempt at intimidation whispered at me before.

If you like urban fantasy mixed with sci fi and humor, give this a shot. It's good. My review will be up on Saturday.

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• Review: Clean Sweep (The Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews (bookslifewine.wordpress.com)
• Quote-Tastic #25 It was already dead. (beasbooknook.blogspot.com)

Sunday Book Share #67

 

 I'm participating in The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer; Showcase Sunday hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea; Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and Library Loot co-hosted by The Captive Reader and The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. All of these memes give book bloggers the chance to share print and digital books they've received, and posts and events at their blogs.

Oy, I'm glad last week is over. It was stressful on several counts. I'm closer to being ready for Christmas though and I, once again, have a new cell phone. So far, it works. :D Over the next few weeks, the majority of reviews will be catch-up reviews, books that have been sitting in my review pile for an embarrassingly long time. I have an ambitious plan to post a review a day from the 21st through the 30th. Will I succeed? Check back and find out. :)

ARC Review of Little Monkey Calms Down by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Publisher: Picture Window Books
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 1, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Little Monkey is having a bad day. After a major melt down, he goes to his room and uses some coping techniques to calm down.

Bea's Thoughts:

I work with and teach young toddlers, 15 months to two years, so this book immediately caught my eye. Little Monkey drops his ice cream and has a meltdown. He screams, he cries, he throws himself on the ground, and then the omniscient narrator (presumably one of his parents who are seen at the end of the book) offers suggestions on how he can regain control. It's actually quite frightening for toddlers when they lose control so help in regaining it is both necessary and appreciated. The suggestions provided to Little Monkey are practical, simple, and easily implemented. I appreciate that the author is respectful of Little Monkey's emotions and doesn't deride them or make them seem unimportant. It's also good that the emotions are plainly labeled, helping toddlers, and young pre-schoolers, identify and control their emotions.

The artwork is bright, cute but not cutesy, and not too detailed. Children will enjoy the illustrations and relate to Little Monkey. I definitely recommend this book for homes and classrooms with young toddlers.

The Friday 56 #8 You're absolutely perfect.

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading an erotic romance, Three Ways to Wicked, by Jodi Redford. Her stories are fun, steamy, and just make me smile. If you like the quote, go to my facebook page to enter to win an ARC; the book is out on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

The quote is from 56% into the ebook.

Gibb's tender smile increased the ache of happiness in her chest. "That's all we want for you to be. Because you're absolutely perfect in every way, sweetheart."

Sigh, I'd love to have someone tell me I'm perfect in every way. :) This is a sweet scene.

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Flash Giveaway at Facebook!

Hello readers! I wanted to let you know that the wonderful Jodi Redford is giving away an ARC of her soon to be released menage erotic romance, Three Ways to Wicked, over on my facebook page. It runs until 5:59AM EST tomorrow.

To enter, find the giveaway post then tell Jodi and I one wicked thing you've done; it can be big or little, anything that you are comfortable sharing. Heck, you can even lie; we won't know the difference! :D I'll use random.org to choose the winning comment on Friday morning.
 

 

"Three ingredients for a hot summer: sun, sand, and sizzling sex. "

"Wicked Shores, Book 1"

Following a nasty breakup with her ex, Kayla English is eager to get her erotic writing mojo back on track. Except progress on her current book has flatlined, right along with her belief in happily-ever-after.

Solution? Two weeks of solitude in the Florida sun thanks to some friends' generous offer to house-sit their place on the beach. She didn't count on having roommates-or on getting the sexiest peepshow of her life.

Seven years after an intimate encounter rocked their worlds, business partners Tyler Bishop and Gibb Masters have kept things strictly in the friend zone. A recent storm has left them homeless, though. They figure moving into Ty's parents' place is preferable to roughing it elsewhere, even if it means resisting the temptation to slip between the sheets with Kayla...and each other.

As the days heat up, so does their three-way attraction. But when emotions run deeper than any of them expect, three wary hearts must decide if it's worth the risk to write their own HEA.

Warning: This book brings the dirty. We're talking dirty sex in an outdoor shower, on a boat, and on the kitchen counter with a dirty-mouthed Casanova. In other words, all the good stuff with a side of glow-in-the-dark body paint.

Cat Thursday - Do you want my box?

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict. 

I can't remember if I've done these photos already, my apologies if I have but they still make me smile. 

Goof has a cardboard box of his own - the box where I store papers to go to the recycle bin. A cardboard box AND paper! He's a happy boy. I've tried to get a pic of him in it but he jumps out every time. :D 

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"Warm Your Heart" Christmas Blog Hop from Astraea Press

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Astraea Press! We love this time of year and our catalog reflects it. We have lots of Christmas/holiday/winter books we'd love for you guys to check out.

Is it the cooler weather? The fires in the fireplace? Family gatherings? Or our sweethearts under the mistletoe (yeah, I'm guessing mistletoe too ;) ) Whatever the cause, we want to celebrate Christmas and this holiday season with you. This is the third stop on a two week tour. Check out the rafflecopter for a chance to win a free Astraea Press Christmas book of YOUR choice (eep!). There is also a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

I want to thank Bea and all the other blogs who have offered to help. All of their facebook pages and/or twitter are on the rafflecopter. I hope you get a chance to visit them all.

So... MERRY CHRISTMAS from Astraea Press and our authors. We love our readers! Thanks for a great year.

~Kelly from AP

Disclaimer:  I am an employee of Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for putting up this post or participating in the blog hop. ~ Bea

December Kindle Fire Giveaway

 Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
 

 Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

 

 Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)

 

 

   December Kindle Fire Giveaway #2 Sponsors

Blog Tour: Vampires in Alaska - A Guest Post by Nikki Jefford & A Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my stop on the tour for the Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter books. They're set in Alaska and I immediately fell in love with the idea of Alaskan vampires; it's a fantastically horrifying concept. I had to be part of the tour.
 

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands (Wash.) where she is once more neighbors with Canada in a town without a single traffic light. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt.

When she's not reading, writing, working, or out on a nature walk, she's out riding her Suzuki DRZ400SM.

Find Nikki Online:

http://www.nikkijefford.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5424286.Nikki_Jefford

https://www.facebook.com/authornikkijefford?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://twitter.com/NikkiJefford

Blog Tour Giveaway & Review of Betting It All by Cate Masters

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Format Read: PDF
Source: tour company in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 14, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | ARe* | Decadent
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from tour company:

Can the daughter of a well-known prostitute start a new life where no one knows her family history? Norah Hawkins is sure going to try. When a letter arrives deeding her property in San Francisco, she packs her bags.

Irishman Gerard MacKenzie likes his life free and easy, but is tired of the snobbish East Coast folk. San Francisco has enough vice and folly to suit his needs. Meeting Norah gives him the opportunity to bartend in her saloon. Maybe he can convince her to let him play the piano. She’s a shrewd businesswoman, and negotiating with her makes his blood boil. Damn if she doesn’t make his blood boil in other ways, too.

The morning of April 18, 1906, a terrible earthquake buries their dreams beneath the city’s ruins. Can Norah and Mac rebuild their lives? Will rebuilding their dreams bond them forever, or tear them apart?

Blog Tour: Giveaway, Guest Post & Review of Call of the Herald by Brian Rathbone

Welcome to my stop on the Godsland series blog tour! This is a YA epic/high fantasy adventure series by Brian Rathbone. The tour consists of reviews of all of the books and the audiobook, as well as guest posts, interviews and more. Be sure to check out the tour page with all the tour information and additional tour stops.

The books in the Godsland series:

Call of the Herald (Book One) - FREE
Inherited Danger (Book Two)- FREE
Dragon Ore (Book Three) - 2.99US

You can also find it in one bind up called The Dawning of Power Trilogy Omnibus. Find the full list of titles and links at http://brianrathbone.com/ as this is only the first trilogy in the World of Godsland series.

********************************************

Publisher: White Wolf Press
Series: The Dawning of Power Trilogy #1
Format Read: Kindle book
Source: tour company in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 2008
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links. 

Blurb from the author: 

Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war. When a Catrin Volker, a teenage horse trainer, inadvertently fulfills the prophecy of the destroyer, she becomes the most feared and hunted person on all of Godsland. With the help of her friends, she must convince the world that she wants only peace.

Sunday Book Share #66

 

 I'm participating in The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer; Showcase Sunday hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea; Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and Library Loot co-hosted by The Captive Reader and The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. All of these memes give book bloggers the chance to share print and digital books they've received, and posts and events at their blogs.

Last week was unusually warm for December in New England, temps were in the 50s! But we're supposed to get snow tonight and tomorrow morning and chilly temps. Brrrr. I want the 50s back. :D I took some time to purge some books and donate them so instead of collecting dust in my living room, now they're being used and appreciated. :) Also, my injured wrist is almost 100% better. On the downside, I was sick again last week and my brand new cell phone decided that it didn't want to actually work as a phone. I couldn't make or receive calls. Since I don't have a land line, that was a bad situation. It was nice to discover though that I had friends willing to call 911 when they couldn't get hold of me. :)