Review: God Save the Queen - Kate Locke

London, present day - and Queen Victoria still rules with an immortal fist.

She's the undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where technology lives side by side with magic, where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side effects include undeath) and Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day.

Xandra Varden is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it's her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But things get complicated when her sister goes missing. Xandra will not only realise she's the prize in a dangerous power struggle - but she'll also uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire itself.

The Immortal Empire Series:
God Save the Queen
The Queen is Dead
Long Live the Queen

Visit Kate Locke's website for more information

Review:
As soon as I saw the cover I knew I wanted to read God Save the Queen - it was the combination of the steampunk style outfit with modern London buildings in the background that raised my curiosity. You've got to love a heroine with bright red hair too! Reading the blurb and discovering Kate Locke has created an alternate history where Queen Victoria didn't die - she was actually infected with the plague and became a vampire - just sealed the deal and moved this onto my 'must read' pile of books. Imagine a world where Queen Victoria is celebrating her 175 year on the throne, a world where the British Aristocracy were all infected with a plague that turned them into vampires. The same plague that turned the Scottish Aristocracy into werewolves but didn't really have any effect on the main population. You have a world full of steampunk technology, where women wear corsets and where your heritage dictates your place in society. You also have a story that is a mixture of urban fantasy, alternate history and steampunk - in other words a story that is full of awesome.

Our heroine is Xandra, a 22 year old halvie who was born of a vampire father and a human courtesan and who now works for the Royal Guard protecting the Aristocracy. When her sister Dede goes missing and is presumed dead Xandra is the only one who doesn't believe what she is told, she is convinced that her sister is still out there somewhere and is determined to find out what happened to her. Even Xandra's brother Val and her other sister Avery believe that Dede is dead so she is on her own when it comes to the investigation. The more Xandra starts digging into Dede's disappearance the more she starts to uncover about her own past and the secrets those she is closest to have been keeping from her.

Xandra is the kind of character I find it easy to care for, she is strong and independent but she is also caring and she knows when to accept the help that is offered to her. She has been kept in the dark for her whole life and everything she thinks she knows is completely turned upside down throughout the story. I can't say much more without giving spoilers so I'm just going to say I was impressed with the way she coped with the revelations that were thrown at her. I really found myself liking her family unit, particularly the relationships she has with her siblings but some of the characters I'm most interested in finding out more about are Vex (the Alpha of the British werewolves) and the Goblin Prince. I have a feeling there are a lot more secrets still to uncover and I'll be interested to see how the story develops in the next book.

Considering God Save the Queen was written by an American author it had an authentic British feel to it that I really enjoyed. Add in a great cast of characters, a mystery that kept me guessing and some fabulous world building and this is a book you won't want to miss out on. I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment and will definitely be adding Kate Locke to my list of authors to watch out for.

Source: Received from Orbit in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
Snowdrop Dreams
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Masquerade - Rachel Morgan

Betrayed by the guy who supposedly loved her, Violet deals with her anger and hurt by teaming up with her archrival Ryn to help him find his missing sister. Hanging out with Ryn isn’t high on Vi’s list of things to do, but she kind of owes him after he inconveniently saved her life recently. As the two of them struggle to put their differences aside, they find themselves drawn into a plot much greater than a single missing child. A plot with Violet herself at the center.

Creepy Hollow Series:
Guardian (Short Story)
Labyrinth (Short Story)
Traitor (Short Story)
Masquerade (Short Story)
Titles and release dates for future instalments to be confirmed.

Visit Rachel Morgan's website or the Creepy Hollow website for more information

Review:
Masquerade is the fourth story in Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow series and I would highly recommend reading them in order or you won't be able to follow the ongoing plot. I'm going to warn you now that this review will contain spoilers for previous stories so if you haven't started reading it yet then look no further. I can recommend checking out the first story Guardian though.

After the shocking betrayal at the end of Traitor Violet barely escapes her latest battle with Zell with her life. Badly injured the last person she expects to come to her aid is enemy Ryn but she has no choice but to accept his help. It turns out that Ryn had a reason for helping her though - his sister is missing and he needs Violet to help him find her. As they join together to search for Calla can they put their differences aside and recover the friendship they had many years ago?

Masquerade is a fab instalment to the Creepy Hollow series and I think it was my favourite part of the story to date. It was really interesting to find out more about the background between Ryn and Violet and see just why he came to hate her so much. They lost their friendship thanks to grief and misunderstandings but can they work together to come out stronger on the other side?

I love the way we get regular instalments for this series - it's like watching a TV series in book form and if you've enjoyed the earlier stories then you're sure to like this one just as much. They really are perfect for when you just want something quick and fun to read and I'll be looking forward to finding out what happens next for Violet. I was slightly disappointed that we didn't find out more about the reasons behind Nate's recent actions but seeing a nicer side to Ryn more than made up for it!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: I Can Has Cheezburger? - Professor Happycat

LOLcats 101
A LOLcat iz a piksure of a kitteh wif a funny caption. LOLcats r frm teh internets and r full of win!!1!

Eric Nakagawa and Kari Unebasami cofounded www.icanhascheezburger.com in January 2007 as a gathering place for "LOLcats," images of cats with captions. For this book, they've selected over two hundred of their favourite LOLcats from the site, which are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

Visit the I Can Has Cheezburger website for more LOLcat images

Review:
I don't think there is anyone out there who hasn't come across LOLcats by now (if you haven't then get yourself over to www.icanhascheezburger.com immediately!). I was given this book as a Christmas present years ago but it is one I still pick up and flick through time and again when I'm in need of a giggle. If you're the kind of person who (like me) has a selection of humorous coffee table books then you should have at least one Cheezburger book as part of your collection!

This is the kind of book that you can dip in and out of but even reading from cover to cover only takes about 10 minutes because it's mainly images with short captions. It is also an ideal gift for ICHC fans or cat lovers everywhere.

There isn't much else I can say about the book apart from the fact that I love it so I'm going to leave you with a couple of my favourite images:

Source: Received as a gift from a friend

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here

Rebel Heart Blog Tour: Moira Young's Film Influences

To celebrate the release of Rebel Heart I'm thrilled to welcome Moira Young to the blog today to talk about the films that have influenced her writing. I had hoped to post my review of Rebel Heart later today but life and moving house kind of got in the way and I didn't quite manage it. I am half way through reading Blood Red Road though and loving it so far so keep an eye out for my reviews coming soon.

Before I hand over to Moira to tell you about some of the films that have influenced her writing I want to give you a bit more information about Rebel Heart:

There's a price on Saba's head.

They call her the Angel of Death. She defeated a tyrant, but victory has come at a cost. Haunted by the ghosts of her past, she needs Jack. His moonlit eyes, his reckless courage, his wild heart. But Jack has left, and a ruthless new enemy searches for Saba across the Dustlands . . .

Dust Lands Series:
Blood Red Road
Rebel Heart
Title & release date for the 3rd book to be confirmed

Visit the Dust Lands Facebook Page for more information

Now please give a warm welcome to Moira Young as she talks about some of her favourite films and the way they have influenced her books!

********************

Moira Young

(Photo Copyright - Benjamin Harte Photography)

Movies have always been a powerful influence on me. I got off to a good start with what’s widely considered to be one of the finest movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz. I first saw it when I was four and it’s my greatest literary influence.

It’s a classic example of the hero’s journey, which can also be said of Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart. In fact, the action of Blood Red Road kicks off with a dust storm that sends Saba on her epic journey to find her kidnapped brother. This mirrors the twister at the beginning of The Wizard of Oz, which hurtles Dorothy out of her sepia Kansas home into the technicolour world of Oz and her journey along the yellow brick road.

I’m beginning to suspect that this trilogy might be an extended riff on ‘The Wizard of Oz’

The first movie I ever saw in the cinema was Gone With the Wind. My dad took me – just him and me, no mum, no little sister. I was eight. It was unimaginably glamorous. The red velvet curtains, the plush seats, the smell of buttered popcorn. It was shown with an interval. As Scarlett O'Hara stood silhouetted against the sky, fist raised, and cried, “As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again” and the curtains swept shut, I was so overcome with emotion and excitement that I was sick into my popcorn bucket. My love for visual storytelling on an epic scale stems from this experience. High romance. Great drama. Big canvas.

Uncannily similar to the paperback cover of Blood Red Road?

The most obvious cinematic nod for these books is to the Western. My dad is a fan, so I’m a fan too, and surely Westerns are the particularly American version of the hero’s journey. The touchstone for Blood Red Road is John Ford’s The Searchers, which features a flawed hero. People classify my trilogy as dystopian, but I intended to write a Western set in the future, so I’m sticking with my description! The original Star Wars trilogy is sometimes referred to as a Western set in space, and I would count the first two in my own personal top ten most influential movies.

Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) walks away at the end of ‘The Searchers’

I wanted to write a page-turner of a book, a story that would be hard to put down. Here, I point to Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last of the Mohicans: two very different movies, but both carry you along at a relentless, exciting pace, with epic sweeps of action, emotion and tension from start to finish.

Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) fights his way out of an ambush

Movies have given me a rich visual imagination, so no wonder I write in a cinematic way. When my writing is going well, it's like there's a movie playing in my head and I just write down what I see and hear. Fingers crossed for Blood Red Road, the movie!

This concludes Moira Young’s blog tour. Find out more about Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart at www.facebook.com/bloodredroadbook

@Moira_Young

********************

Thanks so much for visiting today Moira, I'm definitely going to be thinking about these films while I'm reading the books now! This may be the last stop on Moira's blog tour but you can still check out the previous posts by visiting the other blogs who took part. Check out the banner below for more details.

Cover Reveal: Naturals - Tiffany Truitt

If you enjoyed Chosen Ones, the first book in Tiffany Truitt's Lost Souls series then I'm sure you are eagerly anticipating the release of the sequel Naturals in April 2013. It seems like a long wait doesn't it! Well to tide you over until the book is released I'm really excited to take part in the Naturals cover reveal.

What do you think? I love the cover model's hair! I also think it matches well with the cover for Chosen Ones. I have the first book on my kindle but it would be very tempting to buy print copies of both books just to have these covers sitting on my shelves! I've included the Chosen Ones cover below so you can easily compare the two.

Here is the blurb for Naturals but please note that this does contain spoilers for Chosen Ones so stop reading if you haven't started the series yet!

About Naturals: Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

About Tiffany: Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonald's and Banana Rats (don't ask) she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

For more information you can visit Tiffany Truitt on Twitter or at her blog.

So what do you think of the Naturals cover? Have you already read Chosen Ones or is it on your wish list? I'd love to know what you think of the series so far and if you're excited about the next instalment!

Review: Enslave - Felicity Heaton

His determination to succeed in business has left no room in his life for love. Now, a beautiful and deadly succubus has teleported into his dark, decadent world and is in danger of enslaving his heart.

Andreu’s future entails opening an erotic theatre like Vampirerotique, gaining wealth, women and power, not shackling himself to a single female, but he cannot deny the dangerously seductive succubus who stirs his anger and passion, and tempts him like no other—he will have her.

The moment their eyes meet, Varya knows she cannot have the exotic dark vampire who sets her pulse racing. His shadowed aura marks him as forbidden, but the hungers he awakens in her are too intense to resist—she must have a taste.

When an erotically-charged kiss ignites their soul-searing passion and reveals something dangerous about Andreu, will Varya leave forever or will she dare to risk all in pursuit of something she thought was beyond her reach?

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Enslave is the fourth story in Felicity Heaton's Vampire Erotic Theatre series and although it works as a standalone romance I'd recommend reading the series in order. This is an incredibly steamy series of novellas and one that I've been thoroughly enjoying so I would definitely recommend checking them out if you haven't already.

We were briefly introduced to Andreu in the last book but we didn't know much about him so I was looking forward to discovering more. He is Javier's brother and has come to the theatre to cover for him so he can go on his honeymoon. Andreu also wants to learn more about how the theatre is run so that he can open his own version when he returns to Spain. Andreu plans to take a much less hands on approach to running his own theatre than his brother though, employing others to do the work and leaving himself free to make the most of the profits. As much as he admires Javier's business he finds it harder to understand his brother's relationship choices - the last thing he is looking for is a long term relationship! Andreu likes his freedom too much and won't let anything or anyone take that away from him.

We have come across vampires and werewolves in the series so far but this time we are introduced to succubus Varya. Varya has wandered into the theatre looking for an easy meal but she had forgotten how easily older vampires are able to sense her kind. She is drawn to Andreu from the moment she sees him but it is forbidden for her kind to feed from vampires. No matter how much she knows she shouldn't Varya can't help but keep coming back hoping to get a taste of him. She soon finds herself in over her head when the owners of Vampirerotique catch her intruding and take steps to prevent her from leaving.

As with the previous stories in the series the chemistry between Andreu and Varya is off the charts. Neither of them is shy in going after what they want and they both have plenty of experience at spicing things up a bit. Varya's need to feed on sexual energy adds an extra element and they make the most of the shows put on in the theatre! What I love most about this series is that Felicity doesn't just focus on the physical side of the couple's relationship so we also get to see them build a real emotional connection. Andreu and Varya both have issues that they need to work through but they come out stronger on the other side.

My only disappointment with this series is that I'm going to have to wait for the next two stories but I'm very curious to find out more about Payne and I'm dying to get my hands on Snow's story!

Source: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Seduce - Felicity Heaton

Bloodlust runs in his veins, a dark master waiting for the day it will reign over him. Now a woman with a pure soul and wicked intentions has him in her sights and is determined to crack the ice around his heart, and she might save or damn him.

Antoine stands apart from the world around him, a dangerous and broken soul who must maintain rigid control at all times or risk his dark addiction finally seizing hold of him. The shadows of his past haunt him and he sees his bleak future each night when his brother wakes screaming, his blood addiction turning him savage. He cannot allow himself to feel, but when Sera walks into Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, to audition, she awakens dangerous desires in him—hungers that could spell the end of both of them.

Sera has wanted Antoine since the night she first saw the gorgeous aristocrat vampire. She can’t ignore the deep carnal hunger he stirs in her or the ache to know the heat of his touch. With the help of her sire, an ex-performer at Vampirerotique, she sets in motion a game of seduction, one designed to thaw the ice in Antoine’s veins and make him burn for her.

When Sera discovers the shocking truth about his past and the darkness that lurks within him, will she be strong enough to seize his heart with both hands and win him forever or will she lose him to the ghosts that still haunt him?

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Seduce is the third story in Felicity Heaton's Vampire Erotic Theatre series and although the story works as a standalone I would recommend reading each of the stories in order starting with Covet. We have seen joint theatre owner Antoine in both previous stories but apart from the fact that he is an aristocrat and looks after his older brother Snow who is suffering from bloodlust we didn't know a great deal about him. He always seemed to be on the sidelines and as you find out more about his history you start to understand the demons that chase him and the reasons he keeps himself to himself. Although he is a loner he has a deep affection for his brother, their past has given them a bond that can't be broken and Antoine is determined to help Snow recover from his bloodlust.

Sera has lusted after Antoine from a distance ever since she first saw him, the more time she spends watching the aloof male the more intrigued she is and the more she wants to break through his hard outer shell and get to know the man inside. She sets out to seduce him but it isn't going to be easy to break down his defences and even if she manages it she may not like the secrets she finds. Antoine may find Sera attractive but he has been burnt before and has no intention of letting anyone close enough to hurt him again. He also fears that he will fall into the same darkness as Snow and worries about the possibility of hurting anyone around him. But Sera has a way of melting the ice surrounding his heart and he finds it impossible to push her away.

I have to admit I wasn't sure how much I'd like Antoine, it wasn't that I disliked what I'd seen of him so far - more that I didn't know him well enough to be excited about his story. I've been dying to learn more about Snow since I first read Covet though so if nothing else I was looking forward to finding out more about his past through his brother's eyes. I have to say Antoine surprised me and I loved him just as much, if not slightly more than Callum! Antoine is the ultimate brooding hero, someone with a dark past and who keeps his secrets close to his chest. He doesn't allow himself to let anyone close apart from his brother and although he has known Javier and Callum for a long time he has kept them at arms length. I absolutely loved the strength of the bond between Antoine and Snow, the brotherly connection between them means they always know when one is in need of the other. They are there for each other unconditionally and the love they have for each other shines through. I was pleased that Sera accepted that bond and made a point of getting to know Snow as she was falling for Antoine, she wanted to reassure him that she didn't intend to come between them and I really loved her for that. As I'd expected it was great to find out more about Snow's past, my heart broke for him and I can't wait to see his story. It is going to take a special kind of woman to help him heal his wounds (send him my way Felicity - I can handle him!!) and I can't wait to see how she does it.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series and can't wait to find out what happens next. I've already started Enslave and am very curious to get to know Andreu. If you haven't started this series yet then you don't know what you're missing - it's a must for paranormal romance fans, especially if you like scorching hot sex with a bit of an edge to it!

Source: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle / Paperback:

Review: Crave - Felicity Heaton

His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.

Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can’t ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.

Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she’s not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can’t believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.

When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Crave is the second book in Felicity Heaton's Vampire Erotic Theatre series and is the story of one of the joint theatre owners Callum. Callum has been sent to Paris to look for new talent to star in the erotic theatre performances but for the first time he finds himself so captivated by one woman that the theatre is the last thing he is interested in. Kristina isn't just a normal woman - she's a werewolf, alone and on the run from her pack to avoid a forced mating with the alpha. She just wants to stay under the radar so her pack can't trace her but that isn't going to be easy when a vampire is stalking her. Vampires and werewolves have been enemies for a long time but can Callum and Kristina put that to one side in order to find happiness together?

As always Felicity Heaton has a way of pulling you into her world and making you connect with the characters from the very first page. We had met Callum in the previous story but it was great to get to know him better and see behind the workaholic to the lonely man underneath. He has a very caring and tender side and when he sets his sights on Kristina he will do anything to prove to her that they have a future together. Kristina is wary of strangers, scared of getting hurt and terrified that her pack will track her down and force her to return to them. She is vulnerable but she is also strong, strong enough to fight for her freedom and brave enough to flee from everything she knows to start her life again. It isn't easy for a wolf to be alone and away from her back but anything is preferable to being forced to mate with a man she doesn't want.

Callum knows he wants Kristina and he manages to push her just the right amount so that she doesn't get scared and start running but is forced to face her fear and deal with it. Their relationship starts out as a steamy night of sex but becomes much more as they become closer and learn to trust each other. If you thought that Javier and Lilah's relationship was hot you haven't seen anything yet! Callum and Kristina know exactly what they want and they both like to take control in the bedroom (and the bathroom and anywhere else you care to mention!) so it was fun waiting to see who would get to take the lead in each encounter.

Crave is a satisfying read that I would recommend to any paranormal romance fan, it made me immediately want to pick up the next book Seduce and I'm really looking forward to continuing with this series.

Source: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle / Paperback:

Review: Covet - Felicity Heaton

They’ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.

Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.

Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.

When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilah’s master keep them apart forever?

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Covet is the first book in Felicity Heaton's Vampire Erotic Theatre series and is set in a theatre that caters to the erotic desires of it's vampire patrons that is run by four powerful vampires Javier, Callum, Antoine and Snow. Covet is the story of Javier who has been falling for human Lilah ever since she started work at the theatre 2 years ago. Unfortunately Lilah belongs to another vampire and if Javier acts on his attraction it will not only cause her unbearable pain it will also be his death sentence. But Lilah has also been fighting her attraction to him and when they find themselves alone in a private box during an erotic performance the tension rises and things steam up pretty quickly. Will one night of passion be the end of them both or can they find some way to be together.

I'm a massive fan of Felicity Heaton's books so as soon as I heard about her new series I knew I wanted to read it. I loved the idea of an erotic theatre that hosts performances aimed at teasing aristocratic vampires and the atmosphere is perfectly described in the story. As a novella the story is a quick read but it still has the depth to the characters that I've come to expect from this author, the pace works well and the romance between Javier and Lilah is incredibly steamy. Add in a bit of voyeurism as they watch the performers on stage from the private box they find themselves in and you'll certainly find your temperature rises while reading this one!

I can't wait to read the rest of the series but I'm particularly excited about Snow's book - I just have a feeling he is going to end up a favourite! If you like your paranormal romance dirty then this series is perfect - especially if you're looking for something that you can read in one sitting. I'd highly recommend giving it a try!

Source: Received free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle / Paperback:

Vampirerotique Blog Tour: Guest Post & International Giveaway

I'm a massive fan of Felicity Heaton and absolutely love her Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series so I was thrilled when she invited me to take part in her Vampirerotique blog tour to celebrate the release of the latest 2 stories in the series. I will be posting my reviews for all four books over the next couple of days but would highly recommend the series to anyone who likes their paranormal romance on the naughty side!

Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch (coming soon)
Unleash (2013)

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Felicity for stopping by the blog today to chat about her inspiration for the Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series!

********************

Writing the Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series

by Felicity Heaton

It’s great to be here at Feeling Fictional for the next stop in my Vampirerotique Summer Book Tour.

Today, I’m going to talk about writing the series. I’ve had a few people ask me about the Vampire Erotic Theatre series and why I wanted to write something spicier than my usual stories, so I want to talk about why I decided to write it and what started the whole series for me.

I’d had an idea a couple of years ago for a book that involved a vampire lord and a heroine who was offered to him in exchange for his continuing protection of their village. All very retro-vampire movie sounding. Last year I was looking for a new series idea though, and I came across the snippets of scenes I had scribbled down in a word document and shoved into my “maybe” folder. When I read the notes for the book, I realised that one element of it would be perfect as the new series of vampire romance novellas that I wanted to write. I was looking for something different to my normal books, shorter romances that packed more erotic punch. My love scenes are often highly charged and wicked, but normally the focus of my novels is on the romance and action. That isn’t to say that the novellas in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series aren’t romantic and don’t have plenty of action. They’re my usual style of books, packed with passion, action, emotion, layers of description that allow you to picture the scenes in your mind, and plenty of sweet loving, but condensed into smaller punchier offerings. Just look at the amazing reviews the book has been receiving and you’ll see what I mean.

The setting that leapt out at me on reading the notes for the book in my maybe folder was an erotic theatre that catered to vampires and put on debauched shows involving vampires and their human thralls to tantalise and tease the audience. I remember when I wrote notes for the hero and heroine’s time at the theatre, that I knew it was something unique and interesting, and would be a fantastic place to explore in the story. The theatre was perfect for my new series too. I wanted something that felt sensual and seductive, and decadent. A place that I could describe in vivid detail and really draw readers into a darker yet enthralling world of vampires. I was looking for something different, something that would really grab readers and excite them. Vampirerotique, the theatre in the series, was that place. I dreamt up four very different and very sexy vampire bachelors who have run the theatre for a century, dedicating themselves to the business and forsaking any pursuit of pleasure for themselves, and then crafted the world around them, creating two very different types of vampire—the aristocrats with their pure blood and haughty attitudes, and the elites with their mixed families of vampire and turned humans. The divide between the two is similar to lords versus commoners, and added an extra layer of tension and extra barriers into the stories.

The theatre is the most important part of the series for me though. It has a life of its own and is its own small world, with the owners, the performers, the stage shows, the audience, and the staff. There are politics in play, dark pasts that some would rather remain hidden, and forbidden love. The books set at the theatre will all feature the stage in some aspect and the shows that happen on it too, adding a spicy blend of voyeurism and acts seen through the eyes of the hero or heroine that lead them to do wicked and sometimes dangerous things.

Once I came up with the idea of the theatre and had it detailed out in my head and on paper, the stories of the heroes came to me. Javier’s story, Covet, features the scene I read that sparked the entire series—the now infamous private box scene.

I have other extremely erotic scenes in other books too, including a very wicked moment in a private booth at a nightclub and a saucy bathroom scene in Crave, a sexy striptease as a private performance and some shackles in Seduce, and a little moment of voyeurism in a private box at the theatre that includes some man-on-man action in Enslave.

If you like your stories with panties-scorching heat that could melt steal, intense emotion that will have you reaching for the tissues, and a healthy dose of action, then why not step into the world of Vampirerotique and immerse yourselves in unforgettable characters, undeniable passion, and romances that will stay with you long after you’ve read the final word.

Covet, Crave and Seduce are all available in paperback, and in ebook from Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks and Kobo. Enslave is now available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books and Apple iBooks and will soon be available from other retailers. Excerpts are available for all of the current releases in the series, so you can get a taste of these wicked erotic romances.

Biography
Felicity Heaton writes passionate paranormal romance books as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, Felicity Heaton’s best selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series she writes as F E Heaton or any of her stand alone vampire romance books she writes as Felicity Heaton. Or if you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try Felicity Heaton’s new Vampire Erotic Theatre series.

In 2011, four of her six paranormal romance books received Top Pick awards from Night Owl Reviews, Forbidden Blood was nominated as Best PNR Vampire Romance 2011 at The Romance Reviews, and many of her releases received five star reviews from numerous websites.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:
My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk
My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/felicityheaton
Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Giveaway:

Be sure to follow this fantastic tour between June 28th and August 25th to learn more about the passionate heroes, wicked heroines, and life at London’s premier vampire erotic theatre! You can also find yourself in with a chance to win a $50 or $25 Amazon Gift Certificate if you follow the tour. More details, including how to enter and a full list of stops, are available at the Vampirerotique Summer Book Tour page: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/vampirerotique-summer-book-tour.php

To enter for the grand prize of an Amazon gift certificate make sure you visit the above post on Felicity's blog and enter using the rafflecopter widget. The giveaway is international and you need to enter by the 31st of August.

Felicity is also offering two of my readers the chance to win a swag pack including the items above.  The giveaway is open internationally and to enter all you need to do is leave a comment or question for Felicity on this post along with a way for me to contact you if you are the winner (email address or Twitter ID). Entries will be accepted until the 31st of August and winners will be announced soon afterwards, I will contact the winners to get their addresses so that Felicity can send out your prize.

********************

Thanks so much for stopping by today Felicity, I really enjoyed finding out more about where you got the ideas for the series and I can't wait for Bewitch to be released!

Make sure you leave a comment to enter the giveaway and keep an eye out for my reviews of all four novellas in the series Covet, Crave, Seduce and Enslave over the next few days.

I've FINALLY moved!!

Anyone who has been following my blog for a while will know all about the nightmare housing situation I've had for the last 11 months since a massive sewage leak in the house I rent made it uninhabitable! I've been in various forms of temporary accommodation over the last year but my landlord finally offered to move me into one of the other houses down my road. The insurance company still hasn't signed off on the cost of repairing my old house and it doesn't look like they'll be starting work to fix it any time soon so I jumped at the chance of a permanent move.

You may have noticed that it's been a bit quiet around here over the last couple of weeks - I had been organised and scheduled posts for while I was moving but everything took longer than expected and it left me with very little time to read or go online. To be honest I'm feeling physically and mentally exhausted so even though the move is done (apart from the unpacking which is getting there but still a work in progress!) I can't seem to get my brain into gear for blogging. I have a few posts scheduled over the next couple of weeks but I think I'm going to take this week off from blogging to give myself time to relax and get some reading done. I'll be back soon though so don't worry!

I have Kirsty (from The Overflowing Library) staying for the week which I'm really looking forward to - there will be lots of girlie gossipping, plenty of book talk, hopefully some organising of the books in my new library and a few trips to meet up with some of our favourite bloggers and authors!

In the meantime I thought you might like to see a few pictures of the new house, it's not finished yet but I'm really pleased with how everything is coming together so far.

Front Room:

It wouldn't be my house if I didn't have books in there somewhere but I am also obsessed with dragons so some of my collection have pride of place in this room. I still need to find homes for the rest of my collection but here are a few of my favourites:

That red dragon at the bottom is actually Smaug from the Hobbit!

Kitchen / Dining Room:

The top of this picture shows the world's smallest kitchen - so small that I have to have my oven in the dining room (see the lower half of the picture)

Bedroom:

You can't tell from the picture but all the drawers are currently empty because I haven't got around to unpacking the suitcases full of clothes yet! In case the bed didn't give it away orange is one of my favourite colours.

Bathroom:

I'm going to miss lazing in the bath with a good book but I'm already head over heels in love with the power shower!

Library:

Now this is already my favourite room in the house! I've always wanted a library so I decided to turn the spare bedroom into one & I love it in there. Kirsty is going to give me the benefit of her library experience and help me reorganise the shelves this week. I'll be taking LOTS of pictures when it's done so this is just a sneak peek!

Of course you can't have a library without a librarian and after a lot of interviews Big Ted got the job. Just to give you an idea of how big he is I thought I'd include a picture with me in it too. I won Big Ted at Butlins when I was 18 and although he is huge and it can be hard to find a place for I can't bring myself to part with him.

So, that's a quick tour of the new house, like I said it's a work in progress and I'm still trying to find homes for everything but it is so nice to be living somewhere permanent again. It's just a relief to not have to go back to the house of sewage.

I hope you'll bare with me over the next couple of weeks while things are a little on the slow side - I'll be back to normal posting schedules soon & am looking forward to spending some time catching up on all the blog posts that I've missed and replying to all your comments!

Blog Tour: Pushing The Limits - Katie McGarry

I absolutely loved Katie McGarry's debut novel Pushing the Limits so I was thrilled to take part in the blog tour to celebrate it's UK release. If you haven't already read it then I'd highly recommend you get hold of a copy soon, the romance between Echo and Noah is delightful and will definitely appeal to fans of Simone Elkele's Perfect Chemistry series. You can read my review of Pushing the Limits here or read about the book and watch the trailer below:

They say be a good girl, get good grades, be popular.

They know nothing about me.

I can't remember the night that changed my life. The night I went from the top of the pyramid to loner freak. And my family are determined to keep it that way.

They said therapy was supposed to help.

They didn't expect Noah.

Noah is the dangerous boy my parents warned me about. But the only one who'll listen. The only one who'll help me find the truth.

I know every kiss, every promise, every touch is forbidden.

But what if finding your destiny means breaking all the rules?

A brave and powerful novel about loss, change and growing up, but most of all love.

Visit Katie McGarry's website for more information



I'm thrilled to welcome Katie McGarry to the blog today to talk about the music that inspired Pushing the Limits. Please make sure you give her a warm welcome!

********************

Music & A Pushing the Limits playlist

Are there any songs that influenced you when writing the book? If were to put together a soundtrack for Pushing the Limits what would you include?

Katie - “Push” by Matchbox Twenty helped influence the book. Echo and Noah never push each other physically, but they are always pushing the other in the area of trust. As in, you can trust me, but can I trust you?

I did put together a playlist for Pushing the Limits and the entire playlist can be viewed on my website: www.katielmcgarry.com. A couple of the songs on the list are “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, “Hey Soul Sister” by Train, “Down” by Jay Sean, and “Paint” by Roxette.

After reading a draft of Pushing the Limits, my sister-in-law, Angela, was inspired to write “Can You.” This song is from Echo’s point of view and it is absolutely gorgeous. You can check out a sample of the song on my website.

Are there songs that you associate with any particular scenes?

Katie - “Undone (The sweater song)” by Weezer—This song inspired the moment between Noah and Echo at the party.

“Crash Into Me” by The Dave Matthews Band—I listened to this song whenever I needed to write a kiss between Echo and Noah.

“Free” by Zac Brown Band—This song represents everything I wanted Echo and Noah to have gained by the end of the story. If you’re curious as to what happened between them the summer after the story ends, just listen to this song.

********************

Thanks so much for stopping by Katie - Pushing the Limits is one of my favourite books of 2012 so far and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the sequel Dare You To!

What do you think of Katie's song choices? If you've already read the book are there any other songs that it made you think of while you were reading?

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the blog tour, you can find the details on the banner below:

Review: Deceiving the Witch Next Door - Melissa Bourbon Ramirez

Storie Bell has a little secret—she’s a witch. But magic hasn’t exactly kept her life from being a complete mess—her love life is non-existent and the town thinks she’s a total nutter. Plus there’s her neighbour Reid Malone who runs hot one minute and cold the next.

Reid Malone can’t wait to escape Bloomington, Texas. Unfortunately, he’s stuck where he is unless he helps his father hide a very illegal secret. The only key to Reid’s freedom lies with the eccentric Storie…and he’ll do whatever it takes to get the information he needs from her.

But Reid’s holding something back. Something big. And if he’s not careful, he’ll find out exactly what happens when you try to deceive a witch...

Visit Melissa Bourbon Ramirez's website for more information.

Review:
Storie is a witch but her magic has brought her nothing but trouble, the whole town is wary of her but she is determined to prove to everyone that she is just a normal woman. All she wants is the chance to settle down somewhere and live a normal life and opening the Storiebook Cafe with her best friend is her chance to do just that. She wasn't banking on working next door to Reid though, her childhood crush that she hasn't seen since eight years ago but who has had a starring role in her fantasies since they made out the night before she left town. Reid was always desperate to leave Bloomington so when Storie returned she was expecting him to be long gone. Reid has been stuck in town helping to care for his sick father and has been roped into helping the old man achieve a life long dream before he dies. Unfortunately Reid needs to get hold of something that was hidden in Storie's new cafe but will helping his father lose him the woman who has haunted his dreams for as long as he can remember?

I really enjoyed Deceiving the Witch Next Door and although the story has a HEA I'm really hoping that it is going to be the first book in a series. There was definitely potential for supporting characters like Storie's best friend Harper to get their own book. I'd also be interested in learning more about people who cropped up from Storie's past. Even if this isn't the start of a series I'll be keeping an eye out for more from Melissa Bourbon Ramirez in the future and I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun and light paranormal romance.

I really liked the way Storie was so determined to fulfil her dreams, she has always wanted a place to call home and is doing her best to make it happen. Her father always warned her that a relationship between a witch and a human man would never work so Storie has created her own alternative family with her best friend Harper and her two daughters. She loves Harper like a sister and thinks of her children has nieces and I really enjoyed the close relationship between them all. The girls were just adorable and added a nice extra to the story. After being abandoned by her mother as a baby Storie has never had anyone to help her learn how to use her magic, she has had to guess at things as she went along and this has caused problems when she nearly ended up giving herself away. Strange things often happen around her and that is why the people in town are so suspicious of her but Storie has never tried to use her magic to cause trouble. Opening the Storiebook Cafe - a bookshop come coffee shop that sounds like the kind of place I would love to spend time in - has been her dream for a long time and she is thrilled that it is finally happening but being around Reid and the sudden re-appearance of her mother might just knock her off track.

I did find myself irritated with Reid because of the way he was so dishonest with Storie, I felt that if he had just opened up and explained what he was looking for and why then she would probably have helped him and things would have been a lot easier between them. I guess that would have meant there wasn't much of a story though. They did have great chemistry and I enjoyed their banter and the constant arguments that were often followed by hot make out sessions! Reid has always been determined that small town life isn't what he wants but that is more down to the way his mother raised him than because he is actually unhappy living in Bloomington. When he realised that Storie was all he'd ever wanted he worked hard to prove he was worthy of her and I liked the way he accepted her so easily even after he found out that she was a witch. The fact that he was prepared to stand up for her when she needed him most was what won me over completely.

Deceiving the Witch Next Door was an enjoyable read and one I'm happy to recommend.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle: