CBLS Blog Tour Review of "Sinful" by Kacey Hammell

Canadian-born author, Kacey Hammell is a self-proclaimed book-a-holic, who began reading romances at a young age and became easily addicted.  As a Mom of three, Kacey has made certain that each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right.

A decade ago, while working for multiple review sites, Kacey quickly discovered that she was developing the writing bug. Thanks to the encouragement of her own beloved hero husband, she decided to try her hand at writing. 

With a love of contemporary settings, modern day romances and the happily ever after, as well as the excitement of suspense, Kacey creates stories in genres she’s familiar with and that she loves most. She also loves vampires who nibble the necks of the heroines, ghosts who can't leave a loved one, shape-shifters who are sexier than hell and the thought of her very own werewolf or were-cat to tame makes her tremble!

 

Readers can contact Kacey at kaceyhammell@gmail.com

Readers can learn more about Kacey’s books and contact her via:

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Website/Blog

Email

 CBLS Sinful Tour Schedule

Publisher: Kacey Hammell
Release Date: November 1, 2011

Series: #1 Follow the Music
Buying Links:

Amazon | aRe | Barnes & Noble (Nook)  | Smashwords | Bookstrand

Book Blurb:
 

Music was their only dream & passion...

Until they found one another...

For years, Mikayla Gallan has dreamed of providing a better life for her younger brother, Matthew, and herself. Coming from a family of musicians, Mikayla and Matthew have dreams of someday making it big. But Mikayla's first priority is always ensuring Matthew's future. When Houdini Records comes knocking on her door, offering her everything she's ever wanted, Mikayla's scared to grab onto their offer.  

Sinclair "Sin" Devlin, part-owner of Houdini Records has loved and lost and has no intentions of ever going down that path again. He's determined to put his company back on the map and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Meeting Mikayla Gallan, hearing her sultry and passionate voice on stage, Sin believes he has found the only woman that could save the company. He's even more shocked to realize that perhaps she's also the only woman to save him from himself.

My Thoughts:

OK, most of you know I am picky about technical matters in stories - grammar, spelling, missed words, etc. I'm generally okay with a few, as it's nearly impossible to catch every single one. But, the more that accumulate, the harder it is, for me anyway, to follow the story. I'm trying to translate it into legible English, mentally copy edit, or both. This story had me doing both:

mikayla shivered as he withdrew his hand from underneath her move and caress her ribs and stomach.

Note the lack of capitalization on the name "mikayla"; that occurs all throughout the story though her last name is  capitalized as are some other names. Some names are capitalized, some are not. I couldn't decide if it was a style thing or poor proofing. It didn't help that mikayla's last name is spelled two different ways in the story. There were numerous sentences with missed words, odd capitalizations, wrong punctuation or lack of punctuation, etc. It made the story difficult to read. Correction: The funky capitalization seems to be the result of converting the PDF to kindle format. The other issues though were in both formats

Now, the actual story. I liked the premise, and both of the leads, Sin (though, I'm REALLY tired of authors naming their characters Sin, it's beyond old.) and mikayla. Both are likable, though there was one incident early in the story that had me going WTF? I can buy, usually, love at first sight, and  people have sex with each other quickly these days but this, it just didn't fit with what we had been told of the characters up till then (sorry, I know that's vague, I'm trying not to reveal spoilers. Email me if you want to know), and I didn't buy it , nor did I buy the instant connection between them. Their romance happened very quickly and didn't feel believable. Oddly, the aspect of the romance that I found most believable occurred in the epilogue, about a year after the main story. There, we see the hesitancies, the doubts, and the ordinary problems that a couple have. The story has an HEA, humor, some steamy sex scenes, and is a quick read, but overall, it just didn't work for me.

I received a PDF for review.

In My Mailbox #15 - Armstrong, del Franco, and Covington, Oh My!

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.

This past week was an AWESOME book week for me. The book fairy was very, very kind to me. :)

Won

I won this from the Dream site; it's a great way to learn about new books, and win them. I enjoy this series, so I jumped at the chance to win it. I still can't believe I actually did. 

Gifted

The author is a friend of mine and when I mentioned that Amazon didn't have it yet, she emailed it to me. How nice was that?  :)

Library

Purchased

Review

SQUEEEEE! I am so happy, and surprised, that I got this. I love Kelley's writing and the first book in this YA series, The Gathering, was wonderful. 

This is such a good urban fantasy series. And, it's set in Boston MA, just up the highway from me. :D

Not one of my fave series but one I do enjoy very much. Has from The Book Pushers introduced me to Caine's Weather Warden's series and this is an offshoot. They are both good.

I had an awesome book week. :) How was yours?

Hades Strikes Back! A New SIRENZ Book Trailer

Well, Hades, god of the underworld, is not easily pushed around. Remember the book trailer I posted for SIRENZ? The one created by Sirenz authors Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman? Hades did NOT like it, and came up with his own. Go here to see both versions. I like both versions but you can definitely tell that Hades has a perverse sense of humor, his version has a loud crunch during the train scene.

Review of Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: November 21, 2011
Series: Deborah Knott Mystery #17
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

*May contain spoilers for earlier books*
 

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant are on a train to New York, finally on a honeymoon after a year of marriage. January in New York might not be the perfect time to visit, but they'll take it. The trip is a Christmas present from Dwight's sister-in-law, who arranged for them to stay in an Upper West Side apartment for one week. While in New York, Deborah has been asked to deliver a package to Lt. Sigrid Harald of the NYPD. Sigrid offers to swing by the apartment to pick up the box, but when they reach the apartment, they discover that it is missing and the doorman has been murdered. Despite their best efforts to enjoy a blissful getaway, Deborah and Dwight soon find that they've teamed up with Sigrid and her team to catch the killer before he strikes again.

Teaser:

I left the door on the latch and fetched a wet cloth from the kitchen to begin wiping surfaces that had been dusted for fingerprints, including the cat that Luna had forgotten to take. Dwight came down the hall from the second bathroom with a bath mat in his hand. "I'm going to put this over that bloodstain till we can get it cleaned," he said.

 The chenille mat had interlocking circles of blue and green and didn't exactly go with anything in the room, but yes, I was glad to have the blood covered.

My Thoughts:
*May contain spoilers for earlier books*


OK, first thing. Although the book is listed as being part of Maron's Deborah Knott series, it is a crossover between that series and her Sigrid Harald series. The focus is on Deborah and Dwight but Sigrid is a major character in the story. The first three chapters are told from Deborah's perspective, then after that the chapters alternate between Deborah and Sigrid, with a couple chapters from Dwight's perspective near the end of the book. I haven't read the Harald books, other than to skim a couple at the library. The Knott books, though, I read regularly and enjoy them. A co-worker introduced me to them several years ago and I'm glad she did.

Deb and Dwight have been married for a year but never took a honeymoon. They finally get a chance for one when Dwight's sister-in-law Kate, married to Dwight's brother Rob, arranges for them to stay at an apartment she owns, but doesn't use, in New York City.  At the same time, Deb is doing a favor, delivering a package, for a relative of Kate's, who is also a distant relative of Deb's. That relative, Mrs. Lattimore, happens to be the grandmother of Sigrid, making Deb and Sigrid distant cousins. Confused yet? :D The genealogy in the Knott books can be confusing and this one gave me a headache, trying to keep it all straight. There is a brief chart at the front of the book but it doesn't include Kate, Mrs Lattimore or Sigrid.

The package that Deb is delivering is for Sigrid's mother so when Deb and Dwight arrive in NY, Deb calls Sigrid to arrange a time to deliver the package. Before that happens, however, they attend a party given by a neighbor. During that party, a murder occurs and Sigrid is the detective on the scene. The story gets increasingly complicated and Deb, though out of her jurisdiction, can't help but get involved.


It's not the strongest story in the series but it's a good one and I enjoyed seeing both Deb and Dwight in a different setting. I really liked that Maron resisted the temptation to write them as fish out water, but instead as just two people playing tourist in a new environment. She also poked fun a bit at the perceptions that people have of Southerners. Sigrid was interesting but I still have no desire to read that series. Since I don't read those books, I don't know how good an introduction this book serves to that series but we do meet Sigrid's team and learn a bit about her and her background. For someone new to either series, or even both, Maron works in background on all of the major characters without doing the dreaded info dump.

"Three-Day Town" is a quick read, occasionally confusing, with attention to detail, interesting characters, and a decent mystery.

I  received a hardcover from the publisher for review.

GIVEAWAY: Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?

Book Blurb (from goodreads): You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? If you want to work at Google, or any of America's best companies, you need to have an answer to this and other puzzling questions.

ARE YOU SMART ENOUGH TO WORK AT GOOGLE? guides readers through the surprising solutions to dozens of the most challenging interview questions. The book covers the importance of creative thinking, ways to get a leg up on the competition, what your Facebook page says about you, and much more. ARE YOU SMART ENOUGH TO WORK AT GOOGLE? is a must read for anyone who wants to succeed in today's job market.

Read an excerpt.

Try out the Quiz

Watch the Video

Learn more from William Poundstone's Facebook page

Visit WilliamPoundstone.net

Follow @WPoundstone

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Release Date: January 4th, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Length: 304 pages

ISBN: 031609997X (ISBN13: 9780316099974)

The Fine Print:

-Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win. (Sorry, this is the publisher's restriction)

-No P.O. Boxes, please.

-Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners.

-There will be three winners.

-Leave a comment using Rafflecopter.

Review of Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human. 

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely. 


Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism. 

 When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Teaser:

"As long as I'm dreaming," I muttered, my words lost to the cacophony of the gym, "I'd also like a pony, a convertible, and a couple of friends."

"That's a tall order."

I'd known that there were people sitting next to me, but I couldn't begin to imagine how one of them had heard me. I hadn't even heard me.

"Would you settle for a piece of gum, an orange Tic-tac, and an introduction to the school slut?"

My Thoughts:

This book had a bunch of good quotes, that one made me laugh when I read it. It also is a good snapshot of the two characters. The "school slut" ends up being central to the story and of course, is not really a slut. She is a smart, funny, strong character, which also describes the lead, Kali, and Bethany, the girl whose life she saves. All of the teen characters are strong, smart and funny. Kali is also a loner, but she has a strong moral code and she doesn't back down; however, she's not ruthless, she does have compassion. She does what she thinks is right, no matter the cost to herself. Her mother left when Kali was three years old, her father is benignly neglectful and, when the story starts, she has no friends. But she copes, despite the loneliness and during the book, she makes friends and allies. She has a hard time coping with that at first and Bethany (Don't call her Beth! LOL) repeatedly accuses her of having a savior complex.

I sped right though the first 30-40% of the book, it was non-stop action. Then Barnes switched gears and the action slowed a bit while we learned more about her world and the characters, then the action picked up again. I really enjoyed the book: the characters, the dialogue, the world building, and the humor. I figured out early on the identity of one of the villains but Barnes had other surprises and twists and turns that I never saw coming. The story flowed, it made sense, and it was a fun read. It was the first book by Barnes that I've read but it won't be the last. At times, her voice reminded me of another YA author, one I've reviewed here many times, J.A. Campbell.


Some quotes:

I needed to find Bethany before I lost my nerve or my common sense. Her life depended on my being simultaneously brave and stupid.

Actually, yes. She was the kind of person who referred to her boyfriend's baby sister as "Little Miss Loose Legs." Leaving and never giving me another thought was exactly what I expected a girl like Bethany to do. "Seriously, Kali? I'm shallow, not a sociopath. There's a difference, and I am not leaving you here alone, so suck it up and deal me in." 

 "The bloodsucking parasite doesn't think I'm an animal," I said, my voice dry. "I feel so very comforted. Allow me to do my dance of comfort."

 Sometimes, the biggest truths were the simple ones-inescapable, undeniable, pure. I'd worn my secrets like a robe, and now I was naked. I was bleeding and visibly healing and utterly exposed.

I received an eARC from the publisher for review.

SINS OF THE SON Book Trailer

Linda Poitevin, UF author and author of The Grigori Legacy series, has a new book trailer for book two, Sins of the Sons. It's up at YouTube, you can view it here.

So, what do you think? The music is quite ominous and the graphics, I thought, were eyecatching.

In My Mailbox #14

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.
 
Click on the pictures for links to their goodreads pages.

Review

I enjoy Krista's writing, I've read or reviewed or own most of what she's published. When she was looking for reviewers for these, her newest titles, I jumped at the chance.

Kindle Freebies

I bought the Toddler book more as something to read to see if it's one I can recommend to the parents in my classroom than for myself. The stress proof one however is definitely for me. I need help dealing with stress. Vixen and Space Sucks just looked fun. :) You may have noticed I like Krista's writing. :D She's one of several authors who have their own folder on my kindle. :)

What did you get this week?