Title: Barely Alive Series: Barely Alive #1 Author: Bonne R. Paulson Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Horror Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Zombies Publisher: CreateSpace Format: PDF, 113 Pages ISBN: 9781475078480 Release Date: March 26, 2012 Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Book Tours} Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: In twelve weeks, seventeen-year-old Paul Ledger will be dead. At least he hopes so.
Paul is trapped in the worst cult the United States has ever seen. Infected with a zombie virus, symptoms culminate in a dead body but thriving mind over a course of twelve weeks. If he doesn’t earn the final death he longs for, he’ll be chained in a basement facility, moaning for human flesh for eternity.
Sent out to kidnap girls for food, toys, or whatever the boss wants, Paul nabs Heather McCain. He’s not a fan of humans as a general rule, but even his graying skin and insatiable hunger for her flesh don’t stop her from reaching out to him. Give him the second chance he doesn’t know he needs.
Overcome by his cravings, Paul bites her delectable skin. Amazingly, she doesn’t develop the zombie-like side effects. When the boss discovers Heather’s immunity, he gives Paul an ultimatum – deliver up Heather and her family to continue the research or watch as Paul’s brother suffers the zombie fate.
Paul has a chance to endure his short zombie existence knowing his brother is safe. But he’ll have to sacrifice Heather to do it.
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED AFTER 12PM.
James Character Bio:
Everyone has heroes. Some like Spiderman, Batman, the Avengers, sure, even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are awesome, but James’s hero is a bit closer to home. His big brother Paul. And when Dominic changes James to match Paul, a small part of James is glad – another trait he and Paul have in common.
They’re different in looks like peanut butter and jelly. James is tall and thin – a runner, while Paul is huskier like a football player. Girls like muscles and, oh man, the girls like Paul.
James’s favorite memory with his brother involves dirt biking. They rode all over the place as kids and James missed their time together. Since the escape to Idaho, James has enjoyed more time with his brother. He’s not too fond of the virus, but hunting together and fighting Dominic has made him feel like his family is on the mend.
Favorite song: Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas – don’t tell anyone.
Favorite color: Since contracting the virus – red, blood red.
Nickname growing up: String bean.
About this Author:
Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.
Title: Phantom Author: Laura DeLuca Genre: Young Adult Fiction Publisher: Pagan Writers Press
Format: PDF, 262 Pages ASIN: B007Q3W7XC
Release Date: March 29, 2012 Source: Tour Host {YA Novel Reader Book Tours} Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had always found enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the play that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses “Phantom” as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the middle of an unlikely love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker who uses the lines from the play as their calling card.
Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.
Short Review (full review to come):
The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite musical/plays ever. In my middle school choir we even sang a 10 minute song from the musical, and let me tell you, Christine's soprano part is very difficult. But back to the review. I love reading book based off of a previous story that I loved. That is no different with Phantom. It's awesome to read other people's take on a classic story. This book should definitely be given a shot by those who feel the same.
About this Author:
Laura "Luna" DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and three children. She has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. Old high school friends would tell you she was always scratching in her notebook instead of paying attention in class and the children she used to babysit for always loved to hear her scary stories at bedtime. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.
Summary: Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly. In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.
Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?
What starts as a means for revenge becomes the beginning of an undeniable love.
Jessie is a bad boy from the wrong side of town, but he has a rare natural talent that makes him a sought-after quarterback. Being the son of a drug dealing mother and almost killed in a drug deal gone wrong, he has dreams of becoming a prosecuting attorney. Claire is a good girl who isn't as perfect as she pretends to be. Having been adopted as a recovering heroine addicted baby, Claire hopes to become a social worker so others can have the same opportunity she was given.
Jessie and Claire had very different upbringings, but they both come from the same place; Jessie's mother was a drug dealer and Claire's birth mother was a drug addict. The fact that Jessie and Claire want to work against drugs, each in their own way, was one of the things I liked most about both of them. They're not letting their dark beginnings rule their lives or take them down the same path as their mothers.
From reading the book's summary you would think that Going Under was about Jessie's revenge against Forbes Henderson for trying to ruin his chances at a football scholarship by using Claire, Forbes' girlfriend. But that was eclipsed by the back-and-forth between Jessie and Claire, that ends up being so much more, and the real life issues of the distribution and use of drugs and the consequences thereof.
A character I really liked besides our couple was Claire's BFF, Payton. She's the kind of best friend I wish I had. After seeing Jessie and Claire together, Payton wants that kind of love herself. The sequel to Going Under is Payton's story. I can't wait to read Shallow to see if she's able to find the love she wants.
About this Author:
I am a wife, mother of two daughters and a labor and delivery nurse. I have recently added Paranormal Romance Writer to my list of things to keep be busy, but I am ecstatic to release my debut novel, Blood of Anteros, the first book in The Vampire Agápe Series.
Like others that enjoy a great story of paranormal romance, I am easily bored by the tale of an obtainable, ordinary romance and was inspired to create The Vampire Agápe Series. When I am not tied up with my family or delivering babies, I am working feverishly on the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series.
Title: Battlefield Series: Battlefield #1 Author(s): J.F. Jenkins Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Science Fiction Elements: Publisher: Astraea Press Format: ASIN:B007LUWC8A Release Date: March 15, 2012 Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Book Tours} Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: Cadence, JD, and Orlando couldn’t be more different from one another. Under normal circumstances, the three wouldn’t so much as say hi to each other if they could get away with it. Then an alien crashes through the roof of their local mall, and everything changes. Not only do the three teens gain new abilities, but they’re also chosen to help fight in an intergalactic war where the next chosen battlefield is Earth.
Reluctant at first, they change their minds when the fight hits close to home. Teenagers from school start to go missing, and some are dead. Together they must learn to work together and solve the mystery behind these disappearances before more lives are lost.
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATE. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
About this Author:
J.F. Jenkins lives in Minneapolis where she spends most of her time creating and plotting world domination – something that has been in the works for roughly 13 years.
In her free time she works as the local coffee wench and dominates the minions of the pixilated world on her PS3.
She’s also got a little man (J Walk) and a little man trapped in a big man’s body (J Dawg) to take care of along with her two fur babies Ushi and Tibu.
Title: Dire Needs Series: Eternal Wolf Clan #1 Author: Stephanie Tyler Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance Elements: Werewolves, Shapeshifters, Deities, Witches, Ghosts, Demons Publisher: Signet Eclipse Books, Penguin Group Format: Mass Market Paperback, 390 Pages ISBN: 978-0-451-23623-4 Release Date: March 6, 2012 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 4/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: The full moon is their mistress. They are predators of pleasure and pain. Feared by humans, envied by werewolves, the Dire Wolves are immortal shifters, obeying no laws but their own bestial natures. Once they were many, but now only six remain, a dangerous wolfpack forever on the hunt…
Rifter leads the pack, embracing the lifestyle and ethics of an outlaw biker even as he battles an ancient enemy who has become a new, powerful force. But with his Brother Wolf raging inside him, howling to be unleashed, he needs to satisfy his hungers. And when he meets a drop-dead gorgeous blonde drinking alone in a bar that caters to both human and inhuman, Rifter’s primal instinct is to claim her.
Gwen has her own desires, long unfulfilled. She hopes a passionate night with the leather-clad, Harley-riding biker will ease her suffering. The seizures that have wracked her body her entire life are incurable—and they’re killing her.
But none of that will matter if Rifter can’t stop the growing threat to them all–trappers who are determined to enslave humankind and use the Dire wolves as part of their nefarious plan.
Review:
"When Fenrir was killed by the god Odin, Hati created two beings in his image who would become known as Mother and Father Wolf, Dire wolves born in human form so they could walk among the humans without fear, but change to their true form at will." Thus the Dire race was born, but as the packs grew, they became envious of what the humans had. In their quest to gain power, wealth, and respect, the Dires began killing humans and eventually became uncontrollable. The Elders sent them a warning, but it was not heeded and the Elder set the Extinction upon them. Now there are only six known Dire alphas left, cursed with the inability to die and charged with protecting the very humans their ancestors murdered. "Rifter needed a woman, Brother Wolf needed to run wild, and their appetites for sex and destruction mingled, rose with a hot howl as Rifter's Harley roared through the winter night." One night as Rifter was out riding his bike, he stopped at a bar named Bite, because he smelled danger. There at the bar was a young woman who, not only caught the attention of all the men, but Rifter as well. Gwen is a human and for some reason Rifter feels drawn to her. "She was already living with a death sentence, so why make it harder?" Earlier that day, Gwen went to a neurology appointment for her seizures, and the truth wasn't good. The seizures are killing her and the medication isn't helping. So with that news, Gwen went to the bar, looking to awaken long-buried instincts she suppressed because of her illness. When she literally felt Rifter walk into the bar, she knew he wouldn't be gentle and treat her carefully. This fated meeting between Rifter, the reluctant King of the Dire pack, and Gwen, the dying doctor who only wants to live, will change both their lives forever. I thought it was interesting how in this series the wolf is their natural form and the man their secondary. It's different from how shifter stories are usually written with the man turning into the animal, instead of the animal turning into the man. The coexistence between the men and their Brother Wolves was pretty tame. Everything is equal, they work together, and there isn't any struggle for control between the two. There is one thing both man and wolf disagree on: their goals in life. In Rifter's case, his Brother Wolf's main goal is to become Father Wolf, which can only happen through mating. The fact that there are no Dire females makes that near impossible. Whereas Rifter only wants to die. Although that changes when he meets Gwen. Rifter is a reluctant hero in Dire Needs. He doesn't want the responsibility of leadership, but knows that he needs to accept that role for the good of the pack. I think what will make him a great leader is his humbleness. He's confident and self-assured in his abilities, but he doesn't gloat about it. Confidence is good, but too much confidence can be a leader's downfall. "According to Facebook, Rifter left the bar with a human. Twitter confirms." Okay, am I the only one who thought that the use of social media was hilarious and kind of unbelievable? I mean, they value secrecy and don't want humans to know about their supernaturalness. How in the world could they keep humans from seeing their status updates and tweets? That is the unbelievable part. There is just no way. The hilarious part is the picture I get in my head as I read the quote Stray said above. He sounded like a teenage girl using Facebook and Twitter to stay in the know. He's this huge, masculine guy using social media for confirmation regarding Rifter. That just paints a funny picture in my head. I really liked Rogue's description of Gwen and I totally agree with him that it's going to make things a whole lot more interesting. Gwen is hovering between life and death, she's a healer and a destroyer. She's dying because of her seizures, but she recently learned that she may yet live. Gwen is a doctor who heals the sick, but she also has the ability to destroy the Dires. It's like Gwen's very existence is liminal, an inbetween exixtence. She's inbetween who she was and who she's going to be. She's half one thing and half another. It's very interesting to think about. I can't wait to see how her liminality affects future events. With the revelation that there are more Dires in the world than was thought, a great war between the supernatural and humans is beginning, and long-dead prophecies are turning out to be true. Stray will need to call in his brother, Killian, to help in the upcoming battles, but why was Killian kept a secret from the rest of the pack? I can't wait to find out in the next book, Dire Wants. Standout Quotes:
"You are magic to my logic."
"Forget your science. Embrace your wolf."
About this Author:
NY Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense with military heroes and paranormal romance - all with happy endings. Her Eternal Wolf Clan series begins with DIRE NEEDS, which is available March 6, 2012 from NAL.
She also co-writes paranormal erotic romance for Bantam Dell under the pen-name Sydney Croft.
She lives in New York with her husband, her daughter and her weimaraner and she adores her job.
For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.
For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com.
Summary: Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent...creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn't even know she had.
Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning?
Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child--an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence.
Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.
Review:
Sarah Ross is an empath, which means that she has the ability to feel the emotions of others. Her ability is so strong that the emotions can be overwhelming sometimes. But after an attack by a mysterious creature in an abandoned house in the woods, Sarah meets Evan Valente who helps her get back to her campsite. The odd thing is that she feels none of Evan's emotions. Though Sarah has reservations about trusting Evan, she can't stay away from him.
When Sarah visits a Native American healer, she learns that she's not just an empath, but an Indigo Child as well. An Indigo Child is an evolved human with special powers, such as Sarah's empathy. Even stranger is that when Sarah and Evan touch, the power between them increases and they can do even more extraordinary things together. There is definitely something different about Evan, and when Sarah learns the truth about him, she'll have to decide if she's still willing to trust him or if she'll need to run to get away from him.
Joanne Brothwell uses Native American and Italian folklore by introducing us to the Native American Skinwalkers and the Italian Benandanti (good walkers) and the Malandanti (bad walkers). The Stregheria are witches and warlocks in Italy who are either good walkers or bad walkers. The good walkers were hunted into extinction for suspicion of witchcraft, but the bad walkers managed to survive the hunts. The Valente family is actually the last of the Italian bad walkers to survive.
This is actually only the second story I've read that had Skinwalkers as the supernatural element, so it's a new and interesting element to use. I love the use of folklore in Stealing Breath. It gives a richness to the story and gives us some insight into the Native American and Italian cultures.
I also really liked Sarah and Evan's relationship. They have a strong connection, but also have a lot of problems too. There's a point where Sarah learns the truth about Evan, and even though it hurts her to do it because she loves him, she forces herself to walk away from him. But a surprise revelation about Evan that even he didn't know about makes Sarah realize that maybe he's not as bad as they both thought him to be. So their relationship isn't perfect and has it's share of ups and downs, but the imperfections of their relationship is what makes it so perfect. It doesn't seem rushed or instantaneous. It takes time and effort to make their relationship work.
Stealing Breath is a part of a genre that doesn't get much attention. You can't put this book in the Young Adult genre or the Adult genre. It lands somewhere in the middle. I asked the author what genre she would put Stealing Breath into and she brought to my attention a genre called New Adult fiction. I was so intrigued by this new genre that I looked it up and found that New Adult fiction is a genre for novels that land between YA and Adult. The characters are usually between the ages of 18-26 and are just coming into adulthood. They are either just starting college or a new career after graduating high school. So Stealing Breath fits perfectly into this virtually unknown genre.
I'm really excited to read about what happens next for Sarah and Evan. Will they ever be able to settle in one place and live normal lives or will they have to continue running from those who want to possess their strong and powerful essences?
Book Trailer:
About this Author:
Joanne Brothwell is the author Stealing Breath, a paranormal romance from Crescent Moon Press, who has also published Vicarious, the prequel to Stealing Breath. Joanne lives in the country with her family where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis. You can find her online at www.joannebrothwell.com
I awoke to rustling outside my tent. The crunching of footsteps on gravel, twigs and branches snapping. Was that a voice? I lay motionless inside my sleeping bag, heart pounding, listening.
“Help.” A disembodied whisper. Was it right outside? I strained to hear but the throbbing pulse in my head drowned everything else out. I sat up. The atmosphere within the domed tent was wet, ripe with morning breath. The tip of my nose was cold as an icicle.
“Help.” The murmur came a second time, more audible than the last. I was sure it was a child’s voice. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be the voice of the eight year-old, Jessica Crow, who had gone missing from the neighboring Indian Reservation three days ago?
I thought of the drive out to the campgrounds when my friends, Amber, Kate, and I had been listening to the radio report on the status of the missing girl from the Wakina Reservation.
Poor Amber. Once again, she’d cried at the reminder of her third cousin, Jessica, lost and alone in the forest. Everyone in the community, including Amber, had been searching for her night and day but had found nothing. I’d practically dragged Amber along camping, telling her she needed a night off from her worries. It was a hard sell, but she’d finally agreed.
I glanced at where Kate and Amber should have been laying, but their sleeping bags and pillows were missing. The last I’d seen them had been around the bonfire at two in the morning. They could have ended up crashing just about anywhere, and I wasn’t about to go peeking into random tents to find them.
Having fallen asleep in my jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, I slipped on my jacket and shoes, pulled the ponytail holder off my wrist and wrapped my hair into a tight bun. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Then, unzipping the door flap of the dome tent, I stuck just my head out.
Nothing was out of place. Empty cooler bottles atop the picnic table, charred wood in the fire-pit, and the car we came in. Every campsite around us was nearly silent. The sounds of late-night make-out sessions, pounding music, and yelling were replaced by the occasional snore.
Using my empathy, I focused on trying to pick up on the emotions of any lucid person around, hoping I would hone in on Jessica’s emotions. Normally, the waking feelings of others hit me like a gale force wind, without my even trying. In fact, it had always felt like a bit of a curse that I was a walking sponge for other people’s pain. But right now, all I felt was…nothing.
The voice had seemed right outside the tent. Could I have imagined it?
I slipped out. A low, white fog blanketed the earth, enveloping the world in silence. The temperature hovered around freezing, way too cold for camping. And last night’s vodka was no longer taking the edge off. I shivered.
After checking around the cars and circling the campsite, I started down the road. Inside the forest, the eerie glow of early morning and the cool fog blanched the world a ghostly white. The moist nip in the air sharpened the scent of pine needles that littered the camp ground. I continued down the road for about ten feet until it led to the mouth of a hiking trail.
Now that I was half-frozen and shivering, the May long weekend at the campgrounds of Greater Slave Lake, North Dakota, seemed like a very stupid idea, even if it was the annual spring kick-off party.
“Help!” the diminutive voice called out again, this time, louder.
The memory of Jessica’s face flashed through my mind when I’d met her last summer; honey-brown eyes and springy hair that always stuck up around her head with static, and her sweet smile, part baby teeth intermixed with adult teeth. She was such a sweet, innocent child. If she had survived this long, she could be dangerously close to death from cold. My heart battered against my chest wall, and I fought off the urge to start running, directionless, into the bush to find her.
The voice had originated from further within the tree-line, I was sure of it. Closer now, yet still far away. I entered the trail and headed straight.
“Jessica?” I called out. No response but the echo of my own voice from the trees around me.
The trail was straight and narrow for well over a hundred feet, the trees like two solid walls of green on either side of me. Then the trail began to snake back and forth until it forked into several side-trails. I stopped to listen.
A dry crackle emerged from the trail to my right, and I immediately followed the sound. This far into the forest it was darker, the only light filtered through evergreens and fog. I looked back. The vapor had closed in behind me, obscuring the pathway like a curtain of white. Shivering transformed into shaking.
Despite running these trails in the early morning numerous times, today it looked different. I cursed under my breath and shoved my hands into my pockets.
“Hello?” I called, my voice immediately diminishing, muffled by the woods. Other than the odd bird chirp and frog croak, the forest was quiet. If the voice really had been Jessica, she would need help and most likely immediate medical attention. I forced myself forward.
The trail wound to and fro, the brush dense, the fog almost material as it clung to the spruce needles. The path grew thin and sparse, barely enough room to place one foot in front of the other, with the way the underbrush encroached on the trail. I stumbled on twigs and logs as branches clawed my cheeks and pulled my hair. I began to trip, reaching out for something to hang onto. I fell, my hand forced into a thorny bush.
Damn it! I stood up and peered at my scraped hand, blood beading out of paper-cut sized scrapes. I’d been out here for at least ten minutes, but still, I heard nothing but the crunch of my feet snapping the twigs underfoot and my breath echoing through my own head. Ready to turn around and head back to my tent, the high-pitched voice rang out once again.
Title: Staring Into the Eyes of Chance Series: LIIA (Lycan International Investigation Agency) #1 Author: Kay Dee Royal Genre: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Erotica Romance, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Werewolves, Psychic Abilities Publisher: MuseItHOT Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing Format: PDF, 157 Pages ISBN: 978-1-927361-99-3 Release Date: March 2, 2012 Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours} Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s): Olivia swears off men until she meets Chance, a Lycan alpha. He ignites an undeniable hunger they can only sate together.
Summary:Olivia endures a thirty-four year passionless marriage, discovering her dead husband’s philandering history at his funeral. She devotes her energy and life-long sensitivity with animals to her wildlife refuge and preserve.
Chance, a Lycan alpha and leader of the Lycan International Investigation Agency (LIIA) throws himself into his investigations. He chooses to neglect his duty of finding a primal-mate after watching his father become an empty shell over the loss of his.
A murderous rogue pack draws Chance onto Olivia’s wildlife preserve, sending Olivia’s animal sensitivities into overdrive. Chance and Olivia discover a sizzling force driving them together.
Will they succumb to its enticing tether, or fight to resume their loveless lives apart?
Review:
When one man and one woman, both unwilling to risk the pain of falling in love meet, they feel an undeniable connection. They need to search their hearts and decide if what they are feeling is worth taking a chance on. Staring Into the Eyes of Chance brings us the story of Chance and Olivia and the lengths they'll go to to protect what matters. Olivia suffered through thirty-four years in a marriage with a man who didn't love her and cheated on her the whole time until he died. Chance witnessed the effects of losing a primal mate when his father lost his mother during childbirth, and he doesn't want any part of that pain. Chance and Olivia meet while Chance and his pack are tracking a rogue pack through Olivia's wildlife preserve. Sparks fly and a bond is formed. But when the one your destined to be with is threatened, what will you sacrifice to protect that special someone?
I really liked how Olivia and Chance's relationship developed. The attraction was instant, but they didn't fall in love right away. Olivia has trust issues after learning of her dead husband's cheating, and Chance has given up finding his primal mate to avoid the pain potentially losing her would cause. Each has their issues with falling in love and it takes them a while to become comfortable with each other. But when they finally decide to take that chance, they discover a love and passion, trust and loyalty that cannot be broken.
Their primal mate bond is really tested during and after the rogue pack alpha captured Olivia. Smoke is one of the most vile and disgusting bad guys I've ever read about. Not only did he kidnap, sexually assault, and drug Olivia and her best friend, Lindsey, he also marked Lindsey, effectively making her his mate and stealing her from Trevor, who Lindsey is the primal mate of and loves very much. That is one of the worst things that can happen to primal mates, being mated to someone else. There is also question about whether he is Chance's long-lost, and supposedly dead, older brother, Savage. Kay Dee Royal has created a bad guy of the top tier, ans though I found Smoke repulsive, he works really well for the villain of this book.
The ending of the book leaves a lot of questions left unanswered, but it does end on a somewhat happy note. I can't wait to read the next adventure in this series.
About this Author:
Kay Dee Royal writes paranormal and fantasy erotic romance—maybe because it's also her favorite genre to read! She pens tales with wild, rugged heroes and strong, intelligent heroines. She'll give them both a few shadowy secrets, making her stories intriguing and fun. She resides in Southern Michigan with her family (her dogs, her cats, her caged husband... you get the idea) You can reach her at her blog and find the latest on her titles from her publisher, MuseItHot.
Staring Into the Eyes of Chance ~ Humans can have PN abilities, too.
Thank you, A Bibliophile’s Thoughts on Books, for having me today. I’ve been enjoying all the different blogs on my tour and look forward to spending time here.
I’m Kay Dee Royal, an author who loves writing and reading paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary erotica romance.
My muse enjoys being taken away by strong, intelligent, confident heroines and rescued by wild, rugged, beastly heroes, both of which harbor shadowy secrets of intrigue and fun. My muse lives for the escape (LOL), imagine that.
With that in mind, besides telling the tales of paranormal beings, there are also humans with paranormal abilities…like Olivia. She’s a fifty-five year old widow of a philandering husband (for the entire thirty-four years of their marriage) and has never had children.
Olivia began at an early age ‘reading’ animals…any wildlife or domesticated animal. She never realized everyone couldn’t do what she did—knowing what the little OR big creatures were thinking. In her very early years, she didn’t know how she knew an animal’s mood, but she had the ability to calm them and understand their wants and needs.
As she grew older, certain kids bullied her…until she hid her gift/talent. Not until she was in her early twenty’s, did she come out of the closet to a close friend…not even her sister, Lacey knows about Olivia’s psychic ability with wildlife.
The thing about Olivia, she could only ‘read’ creatures, not humans. So, the first time she meets a Lycan in human-form…to be exact, four Lycan in human-form, she’s totally thrown off with sensory overload.
It was one of my favorite scenes to write. And, the Lycan had no clue she could ‘read’ them…even better.
So, what paranormal abilities would you like a human heroine to possess?
Here’s a scene of Olivia being somewhat challenged by her ability…
Excerpt (18 +):
Olivia closed her eyes, calling up her animal sensitivity ability, while shoving down her own panic. After years of psychically working with animals, she knew they sensed panic and fear. Her breathing needed regulating.
Olivia relaxed as best she could and opened her mind. She sensed the wolf; masculine. He came across with an urgent need to protect, more like helping her feel safe. Another howl, with a deep and sinister timbre, shattered her concentration. A stab of electricity zipped through her, pumping adrenaline and tightening every muscle. This howl came from farther inside the forest than the first one. She sensed aggression in the wolves within the forest, ready for battle. Her heart drummed against her ribs in anticipation of an answering call, and she couldn’t stop the tremors running rampant in her belly.
Instead she saw the lights go out through her closed eyelids. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but blackness.
Nine o’clock on a September evening, what did she expect?Damn power company! Hopefully Lacey sat in the Jacuzzi and wouldn’t come running out.
She lay listening for any sound. Her own breath, the loudest panting she’d ever heard, came in at a close second to her heart banging against the walls of her chest. Slowly, she sat up. The back of her head throbbed, her spine hurt, and the front of her body ached, especially her breasts. She bent her legs to stand and in that same moment a jet of hot mist coated her face.
Wolf breath.
Olivia froze, tamping down the run-for-your-life urge. Her mind reached toward the beast beside her, searching his energy markers, his emotions, urges. She read him as curious, stimulated. Maybe a misread of…sexually stimulated? She sat back on her haunches, figuring if she stretched at least four feet of her five-foot ten frame, maybe she’d appear larger. His breath assailed her from above, she remained squatted.
Damn, this thing is huge!
He sniffed the top of her head, down by her ear, licked the length of her neck and up the side of her face. Another howl close by, echoing near the tree-line, got the wolf’s attention. He raised his head from her and shoved her body back with his own. She went down on her butt, folding her legs sideways. Fur from his backside pressed into the front of her, including her face. Olivia turned her head away and took a breath. A shiver began in her belly and inched through her arms, legs, and up her neck. She sensed his urgency, he must move and his need…again, to keep her safe and again something else, another misread?
He moved back, his head next to hers. A growl vibrated, harsh and deep, beside her ear. Olivia jumped when he yipped instead of howled. He circled her, stopping behind her. A sudden scratch of claws and pebbles from rain washout near the barn pelted her. Air swirled around her as the wolf leaped over her head in the direction of the woods.
Olivia’s breath whooshed out like a balloon being released. Tears welled and trickled down her face. The wolf’s size was about as abnormal as it got. She’d never heard of any wolf being that large. She’d done plenty of research on the species, brushing up for the wolf pup she rehabilitated and released back into the wild years ago when Ray and she first opened the refuge, before they owned the preserve property.
Olivia pushed herself up onto wobbly legs, her stomach lurched, and before she could blink, vomit spewed. She retched hard, falling onto her hands and knees, weak and crying, something she hadn’t done since Ray’s funeral. As if on cue, all the lights popped on, illuminating her shadow against the barn wall.
Oh, that’s lovely. Damn power company.
A howl, and then another and another, echoed from different locations in the forest. Her forest, her wildlife preserve, not a place for a beast like her visitor, and most definitely not a place for the aggressive lot in the forest. She swiped her face with the bottom of her shirt and looked toward the woods.
About thirty yards away in the mowed meadow, her wolf circled with another, close-in-size, milky-eyed wolf with a deformed face, both spot-lighted in the yard light. They flashed razor sharp teeth and glowing eyes, with the exception of the one’s coated eye. Their vicious growls and snapping jaws filled the air. Olivia found her tranq gun on the ground and grabbed it. By the time she turned for a shot, she saw the tail end of both wolves leaping into the woods, her wolf chasing the other.
Olivia leaned against the barn, adjusting her position in accordance with her pain. She thought of the curious readings she sensed from her wolf, not sure of their meaning. She never questioned first impressions from readings anymore. Years of experiences proved first intuitive readings rang as authentic truth in almost every case.
She closed her eyes and pictured her wolf looking at her for the first time, the way his head snapped in her direction and how their gazes met and connected. She touched her neck, sliding fingertips up her cheek where his tongue touched her skin. Her breath caught, heart raced, and her eyes opened wide. She laughed out loud, maybe in relief, maybe in a small fit of hysteria, or maybe because she consider that wolf as “her” wolf. Her “stimulation” readings from him threw her off, knowing it wasn’t a possibility.
Title: Barely Alive
