Cover Reveal: Shudder by Samantha Durante

Synopsis
It’s only been three days, and already everything is different. Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d  thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.
And then there are the visions.The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers –and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

 The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

I've been climbing the walls waiting for this installment to release. I absolutely loved the first in the series, so much so that it made my Best of 2012 list. You can read my review HERE

The expected release date for this title is June 15, 2013. In the meantime you may connect with the author via:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

You may also check out the author's Goodreads PROFILE or add Stitch and Shudder to your shelves by click either title.

As an added bonus it's contest time! Enter below for a chance to win a print ARC of Shudder!

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!

Cover Reveal: Sweet Contradiction by Peggy Martinez

When Beth Michaels high tailed it out of the hole-in-the-road town she grew up in, she only had two goals. One—get as far away as quickly as possible, and two—never set foot in her parent’s home again. But when she receives a heart breaking call from her childhood best friend, Jen, she has no choice but to turn her ’56 Ford pickup back in the direction of Salem, Missouri to attend a funeral.  

There’s a new local in town when Beth arrives, and suddenly, it ain’t all that easy for her to remember her rules for dating. #1. Cookie-cutter-perfect guys ain’t her type. #2. Tie wearin’ and church frequentin’ is an automatic dismissal. #3. Most importantly, never date anyone from small minded, conservative, Bible-thumping towns like Salem. Unfortunately, Matthew Wright breaks all her rules and then some.

Matt might be from a small town and have small town values, but that doesn’t mean he fits into a little slot of Beth’s preconceived notions. After all, ever so often good guys are good. Now if he could just convince Beth to let go of her past and give him a chance, he’s pretty sure there’s a whole lotta sweet under that prickly exterior. His own … Sweet Contradiction.

Tentative release date- June 2013

If you'd like to connect with Peggy Martinez please visit:
Blog
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Or purchase her novels via:
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Review: Relativity by Peggy Martinez

Relativity by Peggy Martinez

Review by Nicki

In book one of this series Sage Hannigan warped 100 years into the past to 1904, book two picks up three months after she warped back to her own time.

Even though she managed to save the world and history as we know her return to the present was extremely bitter sweet as she left behind the friends she cared about and the first man she ever loved, Dr. Aldwin Blake.

As she tries to come to terms with the fact that all those she left behind are dead, she scours the city looking for criminals and doing her part to prevent crime.

After she gets a job working at a night club, quiet unexpectedly, someone from her distant, yet not so distant past, resurfaces. Unfortunately he's not the only one looking for her and she's set on a roller coaster of emotions, as once again she tries to right the wrongs of the past and not destroy herself in the process.

I don't even know where to begin because I loved this book so much! Peggy Martinez has an unbelievable knack for making the reader's heart ache for her characters and she does it yet again, and beautifully I might add, in this installment of the Time Warper Series. If you've read Contingency then you know how heartbreaking the end was, prepare yourself to share the character's grief all over again. There was a point in this book when I was reaching for the tissues, I won't tell you what happened but I will say chapter twelve and thirteen. Read it and you'll understand.

The plot of the book doesn't take long to get kicked into gear.  At first it seems that poor Sage can't catch a break but then our brooding vampire, Soren, shows up. He's been trying to keep his distance from her as he was worried about her safety. As it turns out, the crapola really hit the fan after she warped back to the present and there's someone out there intending to do her harm. They team up in effort to solve the conundrum and the sparks fly between them, romantically speaking.

I have to admit that I was full on Team Aldwin while reading Contingency but after reading Relativity, I think I'm now on Team Soren, then again maybe I'm not. Ahhh! For the very first time I'm actually torn on the love triangle and not of an opinion which character the leading lady should end up with. Both men are extremely likable characters and the thought of either getting their heart broken is extremely depressing. Bravo to the author for this, in a time when love triangles are a dime a dozen she has taken a story element that has the potential to be cliche or dull and turned it into something bitter sweet and addicting.

For the time being I'm going to state that I am Team Soren, but I make no promises that will still be the same tomorrow...or in the next paragraph but for now I'm planted on that side.

This book was a fabulous follow up to Contingency. It lived up the high standard of its predecessor and dare I say, even exceeded it in some aspects The character development was great. The plot was fun and fast paced setting up an exciting path for book three. It's a terrific read if you're looking to swoon over the vampire bad boy, feel the pain of the characters and cheer on the leading lady.

I highly recommend reading this series if you haven't already. I'm not sure on an ETA for book three but I know there are two novellas in the works, Actuality which will be from Soren's point of view and Brevity which will be from Aldwin's point of view. Both of which I'm sure will only insure more debate as we all try to decide which team we're on.

Soren...yeah, Soren....or hmmm...


Ciao!

You can connect with the author via
Facebook
Website

Purchase this title via:
Amazon

If you're so inclined you may also read our tag team review for Contingency (book one) by following the LINK

Review: Aces High by Elle Casey and Jason Brant

Aces High by Elle Casey and Jason Brant


Doug is a college student squatting in his dad's old apartment. Charlie is fresh out of the foster care system. When they both find themselves hard pressed for cash, the situation leads to a partnership that will not only put their safety at risk but take them into the world of the supernatural.

I have to start out by saying I haven't read any of Elle Casey's work but if you've followed this blog for more than a day you'll know we're big Jason Brant fans around here. So I went into this book not completely knowing what to expect. Although, I figured it would be easy to spot the authors "changing of the guard",  I was wrong. This book is a fantastic collaboration that flows together absolutely seamlessly.

The absolute highlight of this book is the characters. They're funny, likable and relateable in that awkward post teen not yet an adult sort of way. Charlie is sassy and knows how to take care of herself whereas Doug is perhaps a little high-strung and even a bit sheltered. They torment the hell out of one another mercilessly, constantly trying to one up each other.Their interactions were hysterical. I always read in bed at night and at one point I started laughing so hard I woke my husband up, which is no easy task since he sleeps like the dead. Seriously, it's that funny.

 The chapters alternate which character's perspective the reader is seeing making for a fast paced story and a fun read. The authors plan for this to be a series and it's going to be extremely entertaining to see what shenanigans Charlie and Doug can get into.So hop on board because I believe this series is going to be a wild and crazy ride!

Ciao!

Check out video interviews with the authors over at Cynthia Sheep Book Editing and Reviews!

You may purchase this title via Amazon:
Kindle edition LINK
Paperback LINK

You can connect with the authors via
Facebook - Jason Brant
Blog- Jason Brant
Website- Elle Casey

Paranormal Anthology with a Twist is now live!

A collection of short paranormal stories with a twist by 11 talented authors including:
Bart Hopkins
Michael Loring
Rene Folsom
Jon Messenger
S.L. Dearing
Anthony Lance
Penelope Bartotto
Eaton Thomas-Palmer
Jason Brant
Megan McMinimy
Nicki Scalise- Hey, that's me, one of your favorite reviewers from this blog!

Edited and compiled by the always talented Cynthia Shepp and Rene Folsom
Gorgeous cover art by awesome Phycel Designs.


Hop on over to Amazon to get your copy today and don't forget to leave a review when you've finished reading it. If you're really feeling generous come back to the blog and let me know your thoughts on my story, just be kind, I'm fragile. Thanks!

Ciao!

Review: The Dark by Jason Brant

The Dark by Jason Brant
What if suddenly for no explainable reason your world was plunged into darkness and everyone you cared about inexplicably disappeared while you were left fearing what was waiting in the shadows? What if your only weapon was a flashlight? Could you survive and better yet, would you even want to?

Nicki's review
 
In this novel we follow a small band of survivors as they try to make sense of their predicament while praying they'll make it through the night. Each chapter gives a different character perspective from a grieving drunken widower to a teenage pizza delivery boy, to name a few.The character development was well thought out and executed nicely. Each character's perspective was unique enough that it never felt cliche or dull.

*On a small side note* There was a very minor character at the beginning of the book that I swear I read in Tommy Chong's voice. Was this intentional on the author's part? I couldn't say, but it made me laugh regardless.

The environmental ambiance in this novel was fantastic, making the reader's reality fall away until they feel as if they are in the thick of it. If you're familiar with the author's work then you already know how skilled he is at such things.If not, the best I can describe it is that you will quickly forget that you're not being hunted by one of the untold evils lurking in the shadows. Before I move on let me just back up here for a second. You're NOT familiar with his work? How many more 5 reaper reviews do Jannah and I have to give his books before you'll trust us? You trust us right? Yes? Okay good...now go buy all his books and thank us later. Wait...wait! Finish reading the review first and then you can go.

I know I've said this before but it bares repeating Jason Brant is a master at his craft. Six pages into this book and I was spooked enough to have goosebumps on my arms. The last book to do that to me was The Gate by...you guessed it, Jason Brant. The author takes the basic childhood fear of the dark and spins it into a tale of terror and death for adults.If you're looking for a book that will make you second guess whether or not you're too old to sleep with a night light, look no further.


Jannah's Review



Once again Jason Brant knocks it outta the park. The Dark is both action packed and terrifying. I found myself emotionally connected to each and every character. I could feel their terror. I could feel their anguish. It was as if I could reach out and touch the darkness they feared. This is one I will definitely read again and again. Highly recommended.

Review: Deck of Lies by Jade Varden

Deck of Lies: Justice Book 1 by Jade Varden
 

Rain Ramey was a high school student who wins a scholarship to the prestigious Sloan Academy, only one of five students to win such an award.

She soon discovers that her classmates, the wealthy and privileged elite, aren't friendly to those who are allowed to roam their halls thanks to "charity".

When the most popular girl in school, Carsyn Von Shelton, brands her as an enemy Rain's life becomes horribly unpleasant in more ways than one.  A simple prank resulting in an arrest for shoplifting turns Rain's world completely upside down and she doesn't know who to turn to when it's revealed that her parents have been hiding a very dark secret.

*This book had so many awesome twists and turns that I am going to do my very best to avoid spoilers. It would a shame to ruin it for anyone interested in reading it*

When I first started reading this book I was very worried that it was going to be a lot of teen angst and drama, there is a little but it's not the center piece of the plot nor did it ever wear on my nerves. The plot is dark with amazing characters. The main character, Rain, is well thought out and very relatable if you were ever the outcast girl at school. As she discovers the deceptions on which her entire life was built you can't help but feel her pain and sorrow. The author did a fantastic job of conveying the loneliness the character is faced with as she tries to adjust to her situation.

Carsyn von Shelton is a classic mean girl "villain" but in this case that is perfectly alright. We want to hate her. There's no part of this story where I felt Carsyn is just misunderstood or really just wants to be Rain's friend but has a reputation to uphold. Nope, she's just a nasty, vindictive, cruel person. She does have a boyfriend, Owen, who befriends Rain much to Carsyn's chagrin. One might wager that is not going to end well for Rain... or will it? Hmm...guess you'll have read the book to find out.

Rain's main confidant through her turbulent life is a mysterious guy named River.He's that dark brooding character that we all crave, the dark knight if you will. I really liked the character and that the mystery surrounding him follows you through the whole story. He seems to know a little bit too much about Rain's family and history but how? I can't say...no really I can't because I don't know yet and I'm alright with that. Since this is book one in a series of four I like that the author didn't give us all the answers here.

Although I have only mentioned but a few here, there are many more interesting characters to round out the cast, each with their own secrets and mysteries. To be honest I'm not sure our main character can trust a single one of them.

I loved this book as indicated by the rating I gave it. I was on the edge of my seat by the end and I stayed up until one am to finish it then immediately downloaded book two. This was a terrific beginning to a series that I am looking forward to finishing. I would highly recommend this book especially if you're looking for a great mystery with enough plot twists to keep you guessing.

Ciao!

Blog Tour: House Rules by Chloe Neil

At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal—tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.

Purchase this book via

Amazon

Barnes and Nobel

Books-a-million

Indiebound

Nicki's Review:

 

As with my review of Biting Cold, I'll start off with one word for ya- Ethan...Ethan...Ethan. Okay, that was technically three words or one word repeated three times...whatever. As you can probably guess there is a lot of Ethan in the book and that made this little fan girl very happy. There seemed to be something a little different about the character in this book and it's not even something I can necessarily put my finger on or didn't like but just something I noticed. I'd be interested to see if anyone else gets the same vibe or not. Since Merit and Ethan or Methan as Neill dubs them, which by the way I love, are just starting their relationship, there are a lot of scenes that make your heart go pitter patter. But as fans of this series know these two have had a very bumpy road and it certainly doesn't end here. They will drive you crazy, in a good way, yet again with their stubborn attitudes and refusals to see the other's side. Yet, for once, the problems aren't all resulting from Ethan's behavior. I think Neill did a great job in allowing us to sympathize with both characters this time around instead of  having the reader wanting to slap Ethan around until he comes to his senses. Am I right? You can't tell me there weren't times during the series you didn't wish you could grab Ethan Sullivan by the shoulders, shake him and yell Geez, get it together man!

Even though I go into each new book from this series with high expectations, those expectations are always met if not exceeded. This installment was no exception. With the Cadogan house vampires' nerves on edge awaiting the official departure from the GP the last thing Merit and Ethan needed was extra drama but that's exactly what they get and from all sides. Two rogue vampires go missing, Merit's initiation to the Red Guard is looming and someone from Ethan's past comes into the picture just to cause problems. House Rules has a lot of story arcs going at once but I think Neill navigates us through them very smoothly.

This installment had a bit less action but more Methan relationship stuff so I felt it was a fair trade off. As with all the books in this series I tore through this one in record time and enjoyed every minute of it. Now I'm back to being in the Post Chicagoland Vampires New Release depression as I impatiently await for August to arrive so I can read Biting Bad. 

Loved House Rules, love the series, go get your copy now!





One of our favorite excerpts from the book:

"That guy," Lindsey said, "is a douche.  Asterick, I hate him.  Footnote, he can suck it."


Visit our Facebook Page for a chance to win some fabulous Chloe Neil/Chicagoland Vampires prizes.

Review: Debits and Druids

Debts and Druids by Diana J. Febry


This is a story about the secrets people keep and the high price they pay to keep them hidden. We have a small cast of characters: Bob, Tina, Duncan, Sarah and Dick.

Bob and Tina are married. He is a professor and she is a housewife obsessed with horses.Bob has been keeping the secret that they are in total financial ruin.Tina is blissfully ignorant and unaware.

Dick is Bob's highly eccentric friend who made some poor choices regarding his own finances and business ventures.

Duncan and Sarah are married. He's a veterinarian and she is not who she's been pretending to be for years.Sarah's secret will trump them all and put everyone on a collision coarse with tragedy.

The book started out a bit slow but it's worth continuing to turn the page. Each chapter gives us a different character's perspective and moves the story along while giving us little hints and details as to each persons motives. I felt that each character was interesting and complex with the exception of Tina. She felt a bit one dimensional and in my opinion, didn't contribute much in the way of the story until the end. She was a very self centered character and most of her chapters were spent talking about her horses. Now this may have been intentional on the part of the author, if so it was it well done because she made me dislike the character. If not, sorry I still disliked the character. hehe

I felt incredibly empathetic towards Bob. In this day and age he was very relatable given his financial woes.  With his creditors breathing down his neck, the threat of foreclosure on his home looming and his family blissfully in the dark he makes some poor decisions and is defiantly the catalyst for the story.

Dick was in interesting character although his role wasn't much more than to be a sounding board for Bob's troubles. Having once been a smart business man he becomes (for lack of a better term here) an earth muffin, right down to his open-toed sandals  I could picture this character so well in my mind that I almost giggled when he would make an appearance. I liked the character a lot though and always found the story more entertaining when he would arrive on the scene.

Sarah...whew...where to begin? Her chapters were my favorite. She was a very well written character and it was fascinating to watch her downward spiral  The author did a great job giving just tiny crumbs of her back story until I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what she had done and what her huge secret was. The paranoia and the self-defense mechanisms employed within the characters arc were wonderful, especially when the risk of exposure looms threatening to destroy her life and family.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I liked that the characters had a very real word feel about them and it was plausible to believe these events could happen if someone had their back against a wall. I liked that the ending didn't conclude with sunshine and rainbows, there were no winners in this tale so don't be looking for a happy finale.It was an interesting read that I think most readers could enjoy.

Ciao!

Cover Reveal: Relativity by Peggy Martinez

Cover Reveal For Relativity Book Two in the Sage Hannigan Time Warper series! Contingency (book one) made Nicki and Jannah's Best Of Lists for 2012. There's still time to read it before book two releases on February 23!

We'd also like to take this opportunity to wish Author Peggy Martinez a very happy birthday! 

May the following year bring untold surprises and joy!

Synopsis:

Three months after Sage Hannigan time warps a hundred years into the past and saves President Theodore Roosevelt and the future as we know it, she is still trying to come to grips with all the has gained…and all that she has lost. All of her searching hasn’t turned up Cerberus Society or any creatures of the night and she’s beginning to wonder if she’s gone crazy after all. The only things keeping her grounded are her sparring sessions with Matt and her weekly ritual of scouring the city for low lives to kick the crap out of, and even that can’t keep her dreams free of the heartache and bitter sweet memories she has come to loath and…to cherish. When blasts from the past; good, bad, and evil, come knocking on her door, will she be able to do what she has to, even if it means having her barely-healing heart ripped to shreds?

Teaser excerpt from Relativity

“You’ve been through much in your few years, lass. I’m sorry for that.” She spoke softly and her voice cracked. “I wish I could wipe away all the tears you must have shed alone at night and make you forget all the things you have had to endure by yourself, the good Lord knows I do.” She sniffled and then continued. “But, I can see your strength, your beauty, and your powers shining through all of your sorrows. They have made you who you are and believe me, lass, you are meant to do something great, don’t ever doubt that.”

If you'd like to read Contingency, the first book in the series, it's free today for Kindle!