Sunday Post: March 18-24 2013

March 23, 2013 | 11 Comments

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
~this meme was inspired in part by – In My Mailbox~

Hey everyone!  I haven’t been around online too much within the last week or so.  It seems that my entire family has taken turns being sick (when 1 person gets sick, it makes it’s way through the entire family).  So, there’s that.  Plus, we found out that my brother in law is leaving for Afghanistan this coming week  He’s a former marine and he’s going to work on the base as a civilian contractor for a year, but it’s still pretty crazy.  With Easter and my kids spring break around the corner, these next few weeks look like they will be pretty busy for me as well.  I am (like usual) trying to catch up on my review writing and have some good reviews coming, as long as I find time to sit and write all my thoughts down

This week at Book Savvy Babes:

Giveaway open US

• Top-Off Tuesday: After Hours (super HOT cover )
• The Book Pirate’s YA Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch (5 stars)
• Laurielu’s PNR Review: My Dangerous Pleasure by Carolyn Jewel
• Book Savvy Babe’s PNR early Review & Giveaway of Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost (5 stars!)
• Saturday Snapshot: Monkeying Around
• Contest Winners Announcement

New to the TBR:

For Review

• Tiger Magic by Jennifer Ashley (via NetGalley)
• An Outlaw in Wonderland by Lori Austin (via NetGalley)
• Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson (via NetGalley)
• Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare (courtesy of Avon publishing)

Bought:

• Lady of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle (only $2.99 on Amazon)
• Immortal Rider by Larrisa Ione (audiobook from Audible)
• Magic in the Shadows by Devon Monk (audiobook from Audible)

Happy Reading!

Contest Winners Announced!

March 23, 2013 | 2 Comments

There have been a few contests recently at Book Savvy Babes and I am happy to announce the winners!

The Stillness of You by Julie Bale

Book Blitz e-book winner

Laurie Goudge

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop

Winner of $15 Amazon/Book Depository Gift Card

Sarah Dickerson

Thank you to all of you who entered the contests!  I appreciate all the comments and participation and that you all stopped by Book Savvy Babes!  See the right side bar for the contests running now.

Happy Reading!

Saturday Snapshot: Monkeying Around

March 22, 2013 | 15 Comments

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books.  To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky (at At Home With Books). Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

I still have plenty of pictures from my February cruise to Roatan and Cozumel.  This week I decided to share more light-hearted photos with you all.  In Roatan, we got to see some of the “Marcel” monkeys (yep, I’m not really technical on my animal names, but I figure most of you will get the Friends reference).  We got to see the monkeys up close.  The monkey’s were not very impressed with me, but for some reason, they loved my hubby.  Go figure…

Don’t mind me…

Monkey Love

The look on the monkey’s face on my husbands shoulder is priceless.  He’s looking at him like my husband is the treat (or maybe just his hat?).  Anyhow, I got a good laugh out of the pictures.  Have a great weekend everyone,

Early #Review: Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost and #Giveaway

March 22, 2013 | 43 Comments

Twice Tempted

by Jeaniene Frost

Published by: Avon books

Heather’s Rating: 

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges…

Leila’s psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn’t sure what the future holds. If that weren’t enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she’s also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won’t admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity…

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

Book Savvy Babe’s Review:

Fire and electricity, heat and sizzle, Twice Tempted has it in spades.  Once Burned was a great read, but this book goes a little deeper with Vlad and Leila.  They have highs and lows, frustrations, surprises, and chemistry through the entire book.  I was wonderfully lost in Twice Tempted.  Jeaniene Frost has once again written unforgettable characters into an unforgettable story.

I really enjoyed book 1 in the Night Prince series, but I love Twice Tempted.  Vlad and Leila have to get real with each other, and of course, enemies are around every corner.  Both Vlad and Leila are stubborn and determined to have their way.  Neither is willing to settle, so they have some issues to work out (understatement).  I love Leila, she doesn’t settle.  She wants more from Vlad, but Vlad doesn’t open up to anyone.  Vlad thinks like a vampire and doesn’t always remember that humans do not understand vampire ways.  Leila decides to go back to her circus-style life, but that doesn’t work out how she thought.  Leila is once again a target, but this time, her enemy stays hidden.

Vlad is one deadly, bad-ass, pyrokinetic vampire, but Leila is not too bad herself.  Leila’s electric abilities and talents grow in Twice Tempted, she manages to take care of herself and kick butt too.  She is not used to violence, so it’s understandable that she struggles with accepting the violent paranormal world she finds herself in.  I have loved Vlad since he first appeared in the Night Huntress series, but I also love Leila as a character as well.  As she adjusts better to the paranormal world, she adapts, learns, and grows.  Vlad and Leila’s relationship isn’t easy, they come from completely different worlds and backgrounds.  They have a lot to work through, but the pay off is worth it.

Bottom line, for paranormal romance fans, The Night Prince series is a “must-read.”  The world is the same as the night huntress, but it gets a fresh wind with Leila and Vlad.  Jeaniene Frost has a special talent for writing magnetic, memorable characters and Vlad is one of them.  Twice Tempted has made it to my favorites shelf.  I can not wait for book three, to see what comes next for Vlad and Leila.

The publisher sent me an extra print copy of Twice Tempted, so I have a copy to give away!  The postage is on me, so the contest is open to US only.  There will be 1 winner.  The contest will run for 1 week, from today March 22 through Thursday the 28th at midnight.  To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below.  Good luck and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PNR #Review: My Dangerous Pleasure (My Immortals #4) by Carolyn Jewel

March 21, 2013 | No Comments

My Dangerous Pleasure

by Carolyn Jewel

• Published by: Forever
• Publish date: June 2011
• Source: Netgalley
• Laurielu’s Rating: 
• 

Goodreads blurb:

TEMPT THE DARKNESS… Strong-willed and independent, Paisley Nichols is used to taking care of herself. But when an insane mage begins tracking her every move and threatening her at every turn, she has no choice but to put her life in the hands of a demon.

RISK THE PASSION… Burned by betrayal, demon assassin Iskander won’t get too close to anyone. He spends his days serving his warlord and his nights indulging in carnal pleasures . . . and that’s exactly how he likes it. But when a mage wages a wrenching psychic assault on his beautiful tenant Paisley, Iskander must defend her. Under his protection, she will be drawn irresistibly into his life and learn about her own mysterious powers. And not a moment too soon. The mage haunting her isn’t acting alone-and he won’t rest until he destroys both Paisley and Iskander.

(Review originally posted on Bona Fide Reflections.)

My Dangerous Pleasure (Witches #4) by Carolyn Jewel lends a wonderful take on demons in that they are not the evil re-incarnate that many books relate. In this story, Paisley Nichols who is a “vanilla” human builds a caring relationship with the demon Iskander. The beginning of the story allows the couple to build a platonic, caring relationship affinity where they both appreciate each others strengths. This type of relating is new to Iskander since he was a rake and fairly recently out of a binding relationship which almost drove him, literally, insane.

Even though Paisley is not portrayed as a kick-ass heroine, she definitely makes up for it in chutzpah. She is an entrepreneur who is being stalked by a good-looking demon who is not right in the head since he is being controlled by someone else who was once close to Iskander. The demented demon’s actions lead to Iskander stepping in to help Paisley and under Iskander’s guardianship and gentlemanly care, Paisley gains a surprising insight to a side of herself she never could have dreamed up in a million years. From there, the plot definitely thickens with passion, intrigue, and secondary characters who add a wonderful addition to the weave of the story.

This is my first foray into Ms. Jewel’s books. Being the fourth book in her Witches Series, I did not think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. In my humble opinion, I don’t think that fact detracted from the story-line of this book. However, My Dangerous Pleasure did peak my interest to read more about the other characters mentioned in this installment. I definitely would recommend this book and the series to my fellow paranormal romance reading pals and those who are new to the genre but love steamy romance and conniving villains.

Happy Reading from the Book Savvy Babes!!

(E-book supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

YA #Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

March 20, 2013 | 2 Comments

If You Find Me

Emily Murdoch

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

The Book Pirate’s Rating: 

Summary from Goodreads:

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

The Book Pirate’s Review: 5 Stars!!!

When a book starts out with horrible grammar and slang, especially from characters as if it’s supposed to be a hint of their past and will add “texture” to the story, it comes out just plain annoying. I have had to put many books down unfinished because of this style of writing. When I began this novel, I cringed expecting this to be another one of those.

“Beans ain’t free, but they’re on the cheap…”

I kept on, though, because there was just something about the story that tugged at me. I am so thrilled that I did. Emily Murdoch actually achieved that character texture and her development of Carey is absolutely beautiful. It has been some time since I have read a novel that was so rich in language, context, emotion, and life. I could hardly put this down, hated going to work or even stopping to make dinner.

Imagine a child having to raise another child. Oh, you’ve read that already? How about a child raising a child, living in the middle of a forest with harsh seasons, protecting their younger sibling with a shotgun, being sold for sex by their mother, hunting for food, and completely adapting to this lifestyle for years? No, you’ve never read this. What an incredible fight for survival. Even once Carey and her younger sister, Jenessa, have been found and rescued by their father, they have now been plopped into the wilderness of humanity. This is an unforgettable journey of Carey and her sister starting over with life while dealing with their haunting past and psychological terrors.

Emotional, gripping, and saturated with real nightmares no human should go through, If You Find Me is the most creative and well-written YA novel of 2013. I dare another 2013 author to come close to the talent Murdoch has.

Happy Reading!