Playing For Keeps Teaser Pic!

 

The lovely Emma Hart has just released the following teaser pic for her forthcoming book Playing For Keeps! It is due for release on 24th June, so not long to go now!

 

 

 

 

Playing For Keeps is the second book in The Game Series (my review of Book #1 The Love Game can be seen here)! Playing For Keeps is Megan and Aston's story, and I cannot wait to read it!

 

ICYMI here's the HOT cover!

 

 

For more Info on Emma and her books you can check her out (stalk) her here:

 

Twitter / Goodreads / Blog

Tour Stop and Author Interview: For Love or Money by Cathy Perkins

 

I'm delighted to be part of the For Love or Money Blog Tour

and to have to opportunity to interview Cathy Perkins.

 

What they say: When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body while hiking, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder—and Holly is the prime suspect. Of course, the fact that the infinitely sexy—and very pissed off—cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, who just happens to be Holly’s jilted ex-fiancé, doesn’t help matters.

 

To protect her future, her business...and her heart...the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, while staying one step ahead of her ex-fiancé. She better solve the case before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass...and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly’s.

Book Information

Title: For Love or Money

Author: Cathy Perkins

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: 367 pages

Release Date: May 2013 Ebook

ISBN: 978-1-62266-097-1

Imprint: Suspense

Where to Buy For Love or Money: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

Tour-wide Giveaway:

Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway Cathy Perkins is offering a Kindle Paperwhite to one lucky winner as part of the For Love of Money Blog Tour celebration! Simply fill out the rafflecopter form provided below for your chance to be entered. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Cathy: Cathy Perkins is a member of the Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She writes predominantly financial-based mysteries but enjoys exploring the relationship aspect of her characters' lives. Her suspense writing lurks behind a financial day-job, where she learned firsthand the camouflaged, hide in plain sight, skills employed by her villains.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the setting of FOR LOVE OR MONEY, with her work-a-holic husband, a 75-pound Lab who thinks she’s still a lap-puppy and a Wirehair puppy’s who’s intent on digging her way to China.

 

You can learn more about Cathy on her website http://cperkinswrites.com

Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook

 



Author interview:

Cathy Perkins: Good morning Zili. Thanks for inviting me to visit with you today.

Zili: Hi Cathy, when did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

CP: I’ve had a life-long love affair with reading, but I didn’t start writing until about five years ago. This probably isn’t how most people start, but I had a lengthy consulting job in a city about 90 miles away. I’d listen to music and daydream during the commute. Pretty soon the day dream had dialogue and I thought, hmm, this is turning into a good story. That particular book lives in a box under the bed, but I was hooked on writing, creating worlds and characters.

Z: Is there anyone in particular who influenced your decision to become a writer?

CP: Every author of every book I’ve read (and that’s in the thousands) probably isn’t a good answer. Three people who’ve had a direct impact on my writing career are:

Renee Rearden–fantastic urban fantasy author and the world’s best critique partner

Steve Vassey–South Carolina Writer’s Workshop local chapter head and the guy who encouraged me when I first inched out and showed someone my first story.

Jenny Crusie–Fabulous author and teacher at my first Lowcountry Masterclass. I learned so much, I think my head nearly exploded that week!

Z: Where did you get the idea behind For Love or Money?

CP: My stories grow out of day dreams, the snippet of an idea, a what-if. My husband and I were hiking along the Snake River  in a game management area called Big Flats (which happens to feature in For Love or Money)  and had to push through some tangled foliage at the shoreline. Being a mystery writer whose mind can go all kinds of strange places, I glanced over my shoulder and said, “Wouldn't this be a great place to find a body?”

That germ of an idea kept growing. Why would the heroine be out at Big Flats to stumble over the body? How did the body end up beside the river in the first place?

Z: Do you have a favourite character from For Love or Money?

CP: Oh, isn't that like asking who's your favorite child? I spent the most time with Holly, so I feel “closest” to her. Holly is smart and ambitious, but like many women, she’s struggling to find not just balance in her life, but also to define her definition of success.

Over the course of the story, she has a few “No sh*t, Sherlock; you're just figuring that out?” moments (Hmm, are we allowed to say things like that…) as she learns what really matters to her. Of course, she has these fraud and murder investigations to resolve before the killer puts a bullet into her, but that’s a different issue.

Z: Who, if anybody is Holly based on?

CP: I know a number of talented, hard-working women Holly's age and a few with her off-beat sense of humor, but she's just a character who evolved as the story came together. Once I had the (requisitely hideous) first draft on the page, I knew she'd be curious and tenacious, as well as want to do the right thing for her friend.

Z: Is JC based on anybody you know?

CP: JC is also a fictional mashup of guys I've met over the years. While he would be good at his job (and the sexual chemistry between Holly and JC was so fun to write), I wanted him to be very human, with his own baggage to carry. Clearly they still have obstacles to overcome which will show up in “Book 2” of the series.

Z: Is Alex’s mother based on anybody you know?

CP: Now that I think about it, the minor characters are more likely to be based on someone I've met. Dickerman, aka The Shrimp, is based on a patrol officer I had to deal with in a volunteer position – and his name is drawn from a person who annoyed me for years. Word of warning – authors do stuff like that :)

Alex's mother is an exaggeration of the headache known as a friend's mother-in-law.

Z: Does the ‘pigging’ really happen in real life?

CP: Yes, it did.

Visitors today will have to read the book to figure out what we're referring to!

A big thank you to Cathy for taking the time to answer my questions - I think I'd run the other way from Alex's mother... shudder! ICYMI you can see my review of For Love or Money here!

Inescapable Desire by Danielle Jamie Tour Post & Review

Inescapable Desire (The Savannah Trilogy #2 ) Blog Tour

What they say: Savannah and Kayden's relationship is full of passion; the chemistry between them is undeniable, but will their relationship be strong enough to with stand jealous exes and an unexpected tragedy that threatens to tear them apart.

After giving up on love, Savannah built a fortress around her heart; until Kayden storms into her life breaking through her resolve and the walls she built around her heart. Savannah took a huge leap of faith deciding to move from Los Angeles to Galveston Texas. She wants to be closer to Kayden and away from the insanity of L.A. Being the daughter of Country Music's Hottest Duo and having a very public break up has made life in Los Angeles almost unbearable.

As soon as Savannah begins to feel like her life is finally piecing back together, men from her past come back into her life causing strain on her very new relationship with Kayden. Just when she thinks things cannot get any worse tragedy strikes; sending Savannah’s world crashing back down around her. Will her relationship with Kayden, be strong enough to with stand the new obstacles thrown at them? Or will it tear them apart forever?

 

Where to buy Inescapable Desire: Goodreads  / Amazon US / Amazon UK

Author's Bio: I’m 28 and a mother to three wonderful kids. Madison 9, Bailey 5, and Finn 22 months. I run a successful boutique online, Bailey Booper’s Boutique; some items have been featured on Teen Mom 2. I live in a small town in NY with my husband of 10 years, enjoying my happily ever after. My perfect day is spending time at the beach, I love the Ocean. I’m an outdoorsy type of girl; every chance I get I’m outside walking or running around with my kids.

I have been writing for as long as I can remember but I finally decide to peruse my dreams of sharing my stories with the world when I published my first Novel back in March.

Author Links: Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

 

The lovely Danielle is offering you the chance to win this super cute charm bracelet & (for US residents only) 2x Inescapable Desire ebooks.
 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Plus just for stopping by here you have the option of winning an e-book copy of Inescapable Desire.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

I was given a copy of Inescapable Desire in exchange for a honest review!

What I say: First up I should probably warn you that this is most definitely an adult book, so if you're not comfortable reading adult fiction and in this case erotica then Inescapable Desire is not the book for you.

This is book 2 in the series so a quick recap is in order. Savannah caught her boyfriend of 4 years and recent fiance Logan in bed with another woman. Absolutely devastated Savannah finds it hard to trust again, until the former playboy Kayden Knox warms her heart (and bed). Book 2 starts with Savannah's move to Texas and her being in an official relationship with Kayden. Logan has tracked her down and is still very much a problem.

There's a lot of sex in the book, most of which was hot. There were a few times when I felt the sex scenes could have done with a bit more editing, to give them a more natural flow. Sex is notoriously hard (sorry no puns here) to write and in general I think that Danielle does a good job. I can't imagine many girls and a lot of guys who wouldn't want their own Kayden!

On to the story: The plot is structured to follow the developing relationship between Savanna and Kayden. Danielle throws in some fun twists and turns to add tension and drama. I have to say that I didn't see the ending coming, it was both great and extremely annoying - when you've read it yourself you'll see what I mean! Luckily I'm a big fan of cliffhangers, but I still wanted to read more! I cannot go into much detail because anything more will spoil the story.

I'm all for supporting indie authors and small publishers, hence my role in this tour. I really enjoyed Inescapable Desire. In places closer attention could have been paid to editing as there are incidents where the grammar was slightly off. This is only a small thing though, which I was more than willing to overlook because these errors don't really detract from the story. If you enjoy contemporary fiction coupled with 'sexy times' then Inescapable Desire is worth a read.

3.5 Stars in my Sky!

My fav non-spoilery quotes:

• "Nice black eye by the way. My baby has a mean right hook."
• "Hey now, Mr. I'm hot as shit and I know it. You need help holding that big head of yours on top of your shoulders?"
• He flashed a mega watt smile at me. Such a shame he's not straight. Brooklyn would be all over that like white on rice."
• I feel like I'm in a freaking twilight zone! He is pushing all the wrong buttons right now.

Check out the Inescapable Desire book trailer:

Review: OBSESSION by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What they say: He’s arrogant, domineering, and... To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

 

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something... unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

What I say: Holy Hotness! I loved OBSESSION. From start to finish I was completely enthralled! It made me completely rethink everything when it comes to the Arum and Luxen and I was left contemplating who exactly are the bad guys? Even more so than before I cannot wait for the next Lux book Origin!

 

I'm a total fan-girl when it comes to Jennifer and her books! OBSESSION was one of my past Waiting on Wednesday reads and I was extremely excited to take part in the cover reveal. The good news is that OBSESSION was even better than I had expected! Jennifer manages to mix great drama and tension with wit and humour!

 

I have to admit that I was worried that Serena would simply be another version of Katy. Don't get me wrong I really like Katy, but I don't like seeing authors reusing similar characters again and again, it seems lazy. I should never doubt Jennifer though because Serena is a great female lead and yes she has a certain stubbornness common in many of her leading ladies,  but Serena is most definitely not Katy! Serena is less impulsive (mainly) although this probably comes from being older. Both Serena and Katy are strong ladies who do not enjoy being ordered around, but their strengths come across in different ways.

 

Serena is not afraid to embrace the darkside when it comes to the Arum and Jennifer does a great job of showing the varying degrees of good and evil. If you've read the Lux series you'll be expecting 'Luxen good, Arum bad', but after reading OBSESSION I'm really not sure anymore. Jennifer has created this fantasy world, then abruptly turns it on its head and makes her readers question everything - clever lady!

 

First up I need to say that Daemon Black has got some serious competition in Hunter! I didn't expect to like any Arum and I never considered that Jennifer would create another male character who is right up there with Daemon, but Hunter so is! Hunter is snarky, moody, a murderer and totally lethal. He's also strong, oh so hot and comes with a real dirty grit and dark sense of humour.

 

I do not want to spoil any of your reading experience when it comes to OBSESSION so I won't go into the plot any further, but be prepared to be amazed! I'm ready for the Hunter Invasion!

5 shiny Stars in my Sky!

My fav non-spoilery quotes:

• I'd most likely be dead or locked up in a lab somewhere, getting probed - and not in the fun way.
• "Are you done acting like a psychotic, cracked-out Muppet baby?"
• At least I now knew that the male species were asses no matter what planet they hailed from.
• ...sitting in front of a man, who may not be a hundred-percent human but had to have caused a panty-dropping crisis across the universe.

The Week Ahead 3rd June!

I've been mostly absent for the last few days because of my MA Graduation (who can say mature student?)! This means I'm kinda behind with my reviews, so sorry about that guys!

 

I have just realised what a busy week there is on the blog - This week I'm taking part in several tours and blitz's, and I have a LOT of reviews to post. There's some bad ass competitions coming up in the week ahead so watch this space!

I'm hosting a tour stop for Danielle Jamie's Inescapable Desire (book #2 in the Savannah trilogy). It's an adult contenporary romance with lots of naughtyness! Danielle is running a book and charm bracelet giveaway and I also have an ebook giveaway. Also there's still time to enter The Waiting Game giveaway to win a $20/£20 Amazon giftcard!

Look out for the release of Vampire Elite this week by Irina Argo. It's a vampire meets eyptian gods combo, with some pretty crazy names. 

I also have reviews of Doll Bones, Acid, OBSESSSION and several ARC's coming up and a sneaky author interview or two!

Review: Going Under by S. Walden - Touchy Subject

What they say: Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.

Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.

(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence).

What I say: Going Under covers some pretty controversial topics and in places it's difficult to read, but I think essentially that's exactly S.Walden's point. Sexual violence, particulary in teenagers, is never easy to read or write about but it is a subject which needs to be discussed!

 

As heroine's go Brooke isn't exactly your average lead - she spent months sleeping with her best friends boyfriend, and at times is hard to like. At first I found her to be extremely selfish, but I later realised that more than anything she's naive. Her guilt over her past actions and Beth's death lead her to change schools to try to expose violent teenage boys. She purposefully puts herself in harms way, never fully understanding the consequences of her actions until it's too late.

 

As the story progressed I found myself softening towards Brooke and I wanted her to bring the guys to justice. I really liked Ryan, although at times the story was too similar to certain elements in Almost. I also think Brooke was particularly harsh to him all things considered, but I can understand both his actions and her response.

 

The flashbacks, showing scenes between Brooke and Beth were really sad, it's especially horrible when your already know what's going to happen. The entire book was focused around building to the final confrontation. This was hard to read and I really hope the events are entirely fictional. The issue of consent and release was a tough subject to approach and I think Walden deserves credit for drawing attention to this rarely discussed issue. 

 

A good read, but it doesn't always flow well at times. I felt Brooke needed more development, but her naivety is part of her character. I wasn't one hundred percent convinced by the ending but I think that was mainly because of my uncertainty of Brooke.

3.5 Stars in my Sky!

My fav non-spoilery quotes:

• We're allowed one huge mess-up. I wish I would have saved mined for later on in life. Eighteen felt like too young an age to already use it.
• "Guys want a 'good girl' who's pure and sweet and inexperienced, but then he expects her to be this rock star in bed. It's totally messed up."
• Either way, my feelings were hurt, and my pride along with them. Shouldn't he try to fight for my affections or something?
• My heart still warred with my mind, refusing to forgive, believing he was a monster."