Crafting Corner: Halloween Edition

Crafting Corner is a monthly feature will appear on the blog on the first Saturday of the month and I hope that some of you will join in with me. Crafting Corner is somewhere for us to chat about anything craft related - it can be sewing, painting, drawing, model making, in fact pretty much anything goes. You may want to review crafting books or just talk about any current projects you're working on or things that you'd like to start. I don't really have a set format for these posts so I'm just going to roll with it and see what happens but hopefully some of you will find it interesting and be willing to share what you're working on too. It doesn't matter what day of the month you join in but if you do take part please come leave a link to your post in the comments so that I can check out what you've been creating!

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

Technically I'm a little early posting this (it should really go up tomorrow) but since I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween & the only thing remotely crafty I've done this month has revolved around Halloween it seemed silly to wait!

I hope you're all having a fabulous day full of lots of fun treats, fab costumes & cool, spooky decorations :o)

This is only the 3rd year that my Mum & I have carved pumpkins but even though it's a new tradition for us it's already one we love and each year we try to improve on what we did the year before. I think we outdid ourselves this time & we managed to come up with some quite cool designs. We spent last Sunday afternoon carving them with a family friend and these are what we came up with:

Just because I love them so much here are close ups of my two pumpkins:

What do you think? Did you carve pumpkins this year too? What are your favourite types of designs?

As much as I love dressing up I don't actually have any plans for Halloween this year but just because I'm not wearing a costume doesn't mean I can't fancy up my nails a bit. I already talked about nail art in my Crafting Corner post last month so I thought it would be nice to show you what I've been doing with my nails over the last couple of weeks to get into the halloween spirit :o)

Nightmare Before Christmas's Jack Skelington and Frankenstein & Bride

Spider & Webs

Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying your Halloween whatever you're doing to celebrate. If you've written about your Halloween costumes or any other Halloween crafts I'd love to see the posts so leave me a link in the comments & I'll come find them.

Spotlight: Rocky Mountain Romance - Vivian Arend (Excerpt + International Giveaway)

I'm a huge fan of Vivian Arend's paranormal romances and I love her new Thompson & Sons series but I have to admit I've not got around to reading her Six Pack Ranch books yet. This series has been on my wish list for a long time though so I'm excited to be taking part in the spotlight for the latest book in the series Rocky Mountain Romance. Vivian Arend is also holding a wonderful giveaway so make sure you enter below for the chance to win the entire Six Pack Ranch series (I for one would LOVE to win this!).

About the Book:

Second chances are the sweetest—and the hottest.

It took a spectacularly embarrassing break-up to knock Steve Moonshine Coleman off his lazy butt. In the ten months since that night, he's changed his ways. Now that Melody's back in town, it's time for this sweet-talking cowboy to convince her to get back in the saddle with him.

A return to her veterinary position in Rocky Mountain House was always in the cards for Melody Langley. Getting back together with Steve? Never part of the plan. He had lots of potential but zero ambition, and there's no way she'll accept anything less than a man who can keep up with her, in and out of bed.

But the new-and-improved cowboy is impossible to resist, so Melody issues a challenge. Three months to prove he's reformed. Three months of Steve orchestrating one sexual indulgence after another--‪wicked distractions from the old boys' club Melody faces at work and Steve's growing responsibilities‬.

He's got one shot to prove with more than words what's in his heart and soul.

Buy Links:
Amazon - http://bit.ly/AmazonRockyMt
Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/BNRockyMt
Kobo - http://bit.ly/KoboRockyMt
iBooks - http://bit.ly/AppleRockyMt

Books in the Six Pack Ranch Series:
Rocky Mountain Heat
Rocky Mountain Haven
Rocky Mountain Desire
Rocky Mountain Angel
Rocky Mountain Rebel
Rocky Mountain Freedom
Rocky Mountain Romance

Author Biography:
Vivian Arend in one word: Adventurous. In a sentence: Willing to try just about anything once. That wide-eyed attitude has taken her around North America, through parts of Europe, and into Central and South America, often with no running water.

Her optimistic outlook meant when challenged to write a book, she gave it a shot, and discovered creating worlds to play in was nearly as addictive as traveling the real one. Now a New York Times and USA bestselling author of over 40 novels and short stories in both contemporary and paranormal genres, Vivian continues to explore, write and otherwise keep herself well entertained.

Social Networking Links:
Website: http://www.vivianarend.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VivianArend
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VivianArend
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2932249.Vivian_Arend

Excerpt from Rocky Mountain Romance:

Melody went with Steve willingly, around the side of the barn to where his truck and a horse trailer waited. He helped her into the driver side and she slid into the middle seat, checking her watch to make sure she didn’t get too far behind schedule. No way did she want another repeat of her hellish Monday.

“I’ve got thirty minutes tops, otherwise I need to phone the clinic and let them know I’ll be late.”

“You won’t be late,” he promised.

They rattled down a short side road but instead of turning toward the highway, Steve took them along a back trail that led through the trees into a clearing at the side of wide-open ranch land. Nothing lay before them but miles of low rolling hills. To the west, the Rocky Mountains rose above to the sky, the craggy peaks decorated with a tiny dusting of white in the highest cracks and crannies. The tree line broke off to expose granite greys and flashes of white quartz.

It was an amazing view, and she was glad it was something she got to see every day of her life.

She was still staring in admiration when Steve parked the truck and jerked open the door.

Melody followed him out, but couldn’t see any signs of an animal that needed attention.

“Do you want me to be a veterinary to the squirrels?” she teased.

He whirled, catching her under the hips and pulling her against his body so he could kiss her fiercely. Her back pressed against the cold metal of the horse trailer as his overheated body met hers.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he confessed when he finally let her breathe. “I’ve been aching to touch you since the weekend. I need to be inside you.”

Melody didn’t have the words to protest, especially not when he put his lips to her neck and sucked. A flash of heat went from his mouth through her entire system, and she clutched his shoulders.

She was in motion again, this time her feet on the ground as his hands scrambled at her belt buckle. “I want you right now,” he demanded.

The clock was ticking, but his hands were doing incredible things even as Melody tried to make the right decision.

“Oh, God. Here? You’re not serious, Steve, right out in the open—?”

He shoved her jeans down to her ankles. He stripped off his shirt, dropping it on top of the wheel guard of the trailer while she stood, pants around her ankles, admiring the broad bands of muscles on his torso.

Then she was on top of his shirt, her knees spread wide as he pulled her forward to his eager mouth. Her ankles were trapped together by her pants, but Steve didn’t seem to care.

Melody shoved her hands into his hair to catch her balance, but there was no catching her breath as he ate greedily. His tongue danced over her clit until she was gasping, the sound loud in contrast to the wind in the trees behind them. Everything that had to be done that day vanished as her world closed on this time, this place.

Teasers:

International Giveaway:

As part of the spotlight tour Vivian Arend is offering one lucky winner the chance to win an ebook set of the entire Six Pack Ranch series. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter form below and the winner will be contacted directly by Vivian or her assistant so they can arrange sending out the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Last Good Knight - Tiffany Reisz

The Last Good Knight is an Original Sinners novella starring Mistress Nora, released in five parts.

Part 1 - SCARS AND STRIPES:
It's lust at first sight when Mistress Nora encounters a sexy newcomer to The 8th Circle. She's happy for the distraction, since she left her lover, Søren, but her session with Lance is cut short when her boss, Kingsley Edge, reveals they're all in danger...

Part 2 - SORE SPOTS:
With a potential stalker on the loose, Kingsley hires Lance as Nora's bodyguard, but stipulates no sex while he's on duty. Frustrated by the ex-SEAL's noble chivalry, Nora is driven to seek release with the one man she's trying to forget...

Part 3 - THE GAMES DESTINY PLAYS:
Shocked to see Nora's bruises, Lance is furious that she put herself in danger and demands to know where she got them. As Nora confesses her true nature, she's equally shocked to learn that Lance has some secrets of his own, drawing them together despite Kingsley's orders...

Part 4 - FIT TO BE TIED:
With her feelings for Lance warring with her recent encounter with Søren, Nora returns to Lance's bed and finds herself toying with the idea of…toying with him on a permanent basis. But after she gets a glimpse into his personal angst, Nora realizes she has the power to rescue this white knight...

Part 5 - THE LAST GOOD NIGHT:
Now that the perpetrator has been apprehended, Nora sadly acknowledges she doesn't need a bodyguard anymore. She adores Lance and wants to keep him but is faced with a dilemma—if she uses her connections to help Lance, she'll have to give him up forever...

The Original Sinners Series:
Seven Day Loan (Novella) (This novella was also released with the title The Gift)
Little Red Riding Crop (Free short story found on the author's website)
Submit to Desire (Novella)
The Last Good Knight (Serialized Novella published in 5 parts)
The Christmas Truce (free short story for the author's newsletter subscribers)
The Siren (The Red Years book 1)
Something Nice (Free short story for the author's newsletter subscribers)
The Angel (The Red Years book 2)
The Prince (The Red Years book 3)
The Mistress Files (Short Story Collection)
The Mistress (The Red Years book 4)
The Saint (The White Years book 1)
The King (The White Years book 2)

Visit Tiffany Reisz's website for more information.

Review:
The Last Good Knight is a serialised novella in Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners series, it fits into the time line before The Siren but I wouldn't recommend reading any of the prequel novellas until you've read at least the first main book in the series so that you'll be familiar with the characters and their relationships with each other. This novella was published in five instalments (see list below) but I have chosen to review the story as a whole so I'm going to keep my discussions about the plot fairly vague and focus more on how I felt about it.

I have been a huge fan of this series from the get go, Tiffany Reisz has managed to pull me into her world so completely that I feel like she's actually writing from personal experience and that all of these characters really do exist out there somewhere. I can't think of any other series where all of the characters feel so real to me, even the ones we don't get to spend a lot of time with like the newbie in this story Lance.

I have to tell you how much I adored Lance, he was such a wonderful, sweet and caring guy and I really wanted him to find happiness more than anything. I was so angry with life for screwing him over the way it had and it was actually painful to see what he had to give up in order to get the one thing he'd been fighting for for such a long time. I know that sounds vague but like I said, I really don't want to give you spoilers and I'm sure once you've read the story you'll understand exactly what I mean. The chemistry he had with Nora was absolutely wonderful and I really did feel that they could have been perfect together so it was hard to see the world trying to pull them in different directions.

As with any story by this author The Last Good Knight is incredibly hot, and will definitely leave you fanning yourself. Tiffany Reisz never fails to turn up the heat and Nora doesn't like to be kept waiting so you know you're in for a treat when she's in full on Domme mode. Her relationship with Lance isn't just about sex though, there is so much more to it than that and they have a strong emotional connection too. The story also has plenty of drama, action and mystery as well as giving us glimpses of both Soren and Kingsley which always makes me happy. As much as I would have loved a full length novel staring Lance (and I kind of hope we'll get to see more of him in the future!) I still enjoyed every minute of this novella and it's helped tide me over until the release of the next full length novel. I don't think I'll ever get enough of this series so I hope we've got many more stories to come!

Here is the reading order for the instalments in The Last Good Knight serialised novella:
1. Scars and Stripes
2. Sore Spots
3. The Games Destiny Plays
4. Fit to be Tied
5. The Last Good Night

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:

Review: Storm Glass - Maria V. Snyder

Untrained. Untested. Unleashed

With her unique magical abilities, Opal Cowan has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy - but now it's time to test her powers in the real world.

Under threat from a deadly massacre, the powerful Stormdancer clan need Opal's unusual skills to protect their people. And their plea is impossible to resist, especially when it comes from mysterious, mercurial Kade.

Yet pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions pushes Opal to uncover a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening, with danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?

The Chronicles of Ixia:
Poison Study
Assassin Study (Short Story)
Magic Study
Fire Study
Power Study (Short Story)
Ice Study (Short Story)
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Spy Glass
Shadow Study
Night Study
Shattered Glass (Novella)
Dawn Study

Visit Maria V. Snyder's website for more information

Review:
I have become a huge fan of Maria V. Snyder's since I discovered her books, I absolutely loved the Study trilogy staring Yelena and Valek but I was also looking forward to exploring more of this world she has created and meeting a new cast of characters in the Glass series. Although these trilogies are about different characters I would personally recommend reading the Ixia books in order, starting with the Study books and then moving on to the Glass series. It will make more sense to you that way as you'll get to see the full scope of the world and characters from previous books do make appearances in Storm Glass.

Opal was introduced in the previous books but we didn't get to know her well so I was really excited to learn more about her abilities to create wonderful creatures using glass and capture magic inside them. The magical glass she makes can be used by other magicians to communicate over long distances and I was interested to see what else she was capable of. One of my favourite things about this book was the description of glass blowing, I found it absolutely fascinating and it was described so vividly that I was able to picture exactly what Opal was doing. I actually quite fancy learning how to blow glass myself now and might have to look into the possibility of finding a class if it's not too expensive.

Opal has been studying at the Keep under the master magicians for four years now and although she is the only one who has the ability to trap magic within glass she really struggles with even the easiest kinds of magic. The other students make fun of her and consider her a one trick pony and she feels incredibly frustrated that she can't get the hang of anything else. She worries that she doesn't deserve her place at the Keep and is nervous that she will be sent back home.

Kade is a Stormdancer who is able to trap the energy from storms in glass orbs, these orbs are then used as an important energy source for factories and businesses but it is creating them and bleeding energy from the storms that helps the clans survive the winter weather. The Stormdancers have a problem though, the latest batch of orbs aren't able to do the job they were made for and they are cracking when they try to fill them with energy. Not only does this mean they are unable to reduce the strength of the upcoming storms but it also puts lives at risk when they try to channel the energy. Since this is a problem with glass Opal is the obvious person for the Keep to send to assist them but things are a lot more complicated than they first appear and Opal soon finds herself in the midst of a complex web of deceit and betrayal.

I found myself really liking Opal, she isn't as strong as Yelena was in the beginning, in fact, she's a little unsure of herself and doesn't really have much confidence in her magical abilities but she's intelligent and hard working which made it easy to respect her. We've already seen her kidnapped and tortured so the fact that she's come out the other side of her ordeal and with her sanity in tact shows that she has a strong backbone even if she doesn't realise it herself. I loved seeing her grow in confidence throughout the story, she really does come a long way and I'm sure we're going to see that continue throughout the series. I loved seeing her discover new sides to her abilities and things are definitely going to get interesting now we've seen more of what she is capable of. Opal may not be kick-ass in the same way Yelena was but she definitely has her own strengths and I'm glad she's so different to our previous main character.

I loved Stormdancer Kade from the beginning so was rooting for the two of them to end up together. I was a little frustrated by the triangle that formed when Ulrick came on the scene, I never really warmed to his character and hope that he doesn't have such a big role in the second book. It was also great to catch up with some of the characters we already know and love, Yelena makes an appearance along with her brother Leif and we also get to see a fair bit of Janco which was nice. I'll admit to being a little disappointed that we didn't get to catch up with Valek but I'm hoping that will change in the next book. Even though Storm Dance is a long book I found it to be a very quick read because I didn't want to put it down. Maria V. Snyder has a way of writing that hooks me in from the get go and I always feel incredibly invested in her characters and the journey they take. I can't wait to continue reading this series and see where she takes Opal next!

Source: Received from Mira Ink 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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: Ice Study - Maria V. Snyder

Ice Study is a short story that can be read for free on Maria V. Snyder's website HERE.

This is a short story about Yelena and Valek as they race to keep the powerful Ice Moon from a rogue magician.

The Chronicles of Ixia:
Poison Study
Assassin Study (Short Story)
Magic Study
Fire Study
Power Study (Short Story)
Ice Study (Short Story)
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Spy Glass
Shadow Study
Night Study
Shattered Glass (Novella)
Dawn Study

Visit Maria V. Snyder's website for more information

Review:
Ice Study is a free short story that can be read on Maria V. Snyder's website here. It fits into the series timeline after events in Fire Study so I would recommend waiting until after that book to read it.

After everything they've been through in the series you'd think that Yelena and Valek had earned the right for a little peace and quiet, some time just the two of them - kind of like a honeymoon perhaps? Well, of course nothing is ever quite that simple for these two and they are pulled straight into another adventure. This time Leif and Valek have been captured and Yelena is the only one who can save them both.

I don't like to go into too much detail when talking about these short stories because it is way too easy to give spoilers. I loved being able to visit this couple again though and I loved that the story is told from both Yelena and Valek's points of view. It is always fun to catch up with these guys and although I was disappointed that the couple were separated for the majority of the story you can still really see how perfect they are for each other and how in love they are.

I have enjoyed all three of these short stories from Maria V. Snyder and really hope that she'll decide to write more of them in the future. I don't think I'll ever get enough of this world or these characters!

Source: Free read on Maria V. Snyder's website here.

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.

Quick Review: Power Study - Maria V. Snyder

Power Study is a short story that can be read for free on Maria V. Snyder's website HERE.

Ari and Janco deal with a Sandseed Story Weaver and a cocky young soldier while Valek is off helping Yelena.

The Chronicles of Ixia:
Poison Study
Assassin Study (Short Story)
Magic Study
Fire Study
Power Study (Short Story)
Ice Study (Short Story)
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Spy Glass
Shadow Study
Night Study
Shattered Glass (Novella)
Dawn Study

Visit Maria V. Snyder's website for more information

Review:
Power Study is a free short story that can be read on Maria V. Snyder's website here. It fits into the time line of the series during events in Fire Study so I wouldn't recommend reading it until after you've finished that book.

Ari and Janco were my favourite side characters in the series, they added a lot of humour to every scene they were in so I was excited to spend some time getting to know them a bit better. This short story shows us what they got up to towards the end of Fire Study when Valek was off on a secret mission leaving Ari and Janco in charge of the other soldiers in the Commander's army. Since the two of them have never been particularly good at following orders I'm sure you can imagine the kind of trouble they get themselves into!

I'm not going to go into the plot because you should just read it for yourself to see what happens but I loved seeing things from their POV. They are both such fun characters and I enjoyed the chance to get inside their heads for a bit. I will say that I wish it had been longer but then I say that with any short story I read.

I love the fact that Maria V. Snyder has given us these little shorts to show us more of the side characters we've come to love throughout the series. It's always nice when authors give a little something back to their fans and it's something I really appreciate.

Source: Free read on Maria V. Snyder's website here.

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.

Review: Beyond Addiction - Kit Rocha

She’s fought like hell to leave the past behind.

Trix changed her name and her life when she got clean four years ago. Now, she has a new family and a job she loves—tending bar and dancing at the Broken Circle. As an O’Kane, she’s happy, untouchable. Until a nightmare from her old life tears her away from her home and drags her back to Hell—also known as Sector Five.

He’s still living—and dying—in it.

Losing Trix was the kick in the head Finn needed to get sober, but working as an enforcer for a man he hates is slowly crushing his soul. The only thing that keeps him going is his determination to destroy Sector Five from the inside. Then Trix comes back into his life—alive, in danger—and nothing else matters.

Getting her home could be a suicide mission. The only thing deadlier is the old spark that flares to life between them. Soon, Finn and Trix are battling the one addiction neither of them ever managed to kick—each other. And it could cost them everything.

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
This series really does get better and better with every instalment and I am completely and hopelessly addicted to the O'Kanes! I have been dying to get my hands on Beyond Addiction ever since we saw Trix being captured by thugs from Sector Five at the end of Beyond Jealousy, I thought the wait might drive me insane but it was so, so worth it.

Trix escaped Sector Five four years ago and since leaving behind a life of abuse and drug addiction she has made a home for herself with the O'Kanes in Sector Four. She changed her name and let the people she knew in Sector Five think she was dead so that they wouldn't come looking for her. Finn is an enforcer for the Sector Five leader but he loved Trix more than anything and losing her broke his heart. He managed to get clean but is biding his time until he can escape from the sector after destroying his boss and everything he stands for. Finn had no idea that Trix was still alive but the second he finds out she has been captured he knows he has to help her escape, it doesn't matter if it kills him he will make sure he gets her safely back to the O'Kanes.

Trix and Finn's story is action packed from the get go. The shit hits the fan the second that Finn sees how much trouble Trix is in and the drastic action he has to take to get her free is only the beginning - he still has to get her safely back to O'Kane territory. Sector Five bring out the big guns searching for them and Finn's actions give them the perfect excuse to go to war with Sector Four. Dallas isn't one to back down from a battle though and when one of his people is in danger his whole crew will fight to protect them. The story is incredibly fast paced and I spent the majority of the story with my heart in my mouth praying that Trix and Finn would make it to safety.

I loved seeing Trix and Finn's relationship rekindle, they had obviously had a strong connection before but they were both in a drug fuelled haze most of the time so things are very different between them now that they are clean. I was pleased that they both took the time to get to know each other again, they had both changed a lot since they'd last seen each other and even though they still had a deep bond they had to learn each other all over again. I loved seeing Trix stand by her man when they got back to Sector Four. Understandably the O'Kane crew were wary of Finn, he used to be an enforcer for their enemy so they aren't going to just let him walk in like he belongs there but they were grateful for his help getting Trix out and were willing to give him a chance for her sake. Finn has to earn their respect and trust though and I appreciated that he was willing to do that for her.

This story was just as addictive as the previous instalments and this has fast become a favourite series. I always immediately drop everything the second I get my hands on one of these books (I did actually read this back in August & had a great excuse to reread it recently because I'd left it so long to sit down and write my review). I will always auto-buy anything that Kit Rocha writes, these stories are dark, sexy and absolutely fantastic and I don't think I'll ever get enough of them!

Source: Received from the author 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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Every Second Counts - Sophie McKenzie

Outlawed teenagers Charlie and Nat are on the run, falsely accused of terrorism and kidnapping. With few people they can trust, they are desperate to bring down their accusers and return to their former lives, but time is running out.

Charlie has a plan that might just save them - but it will only work if she goes alone.

Could being together be even more dangerous than being apart?

Split Second Series:
Split Second
Every Second Counts

Visit Sophie McKenzie's website for more information

Review:
It is impossible to review Every Second Counts without including major spoilers for the previous book so please don't read this review unless you've already read Split Second (you can always find my review of that HERE if you haven't - it's a fantastic start to the series that I would highly recommend). So, if you're still reading I'm going to assume you've already read the first book & if you haven't it's entirely your own fault if you end up ruining the series for yourself!

As we saw at the end of the previous book Charlie and Nat have both been framed by Roman Riley and they're now wanted by the police for terrorism. Proving their innocence isn't going to be easy when Roman is such a powerful political force but that doesn't mean Charlie and Nat aren't going to try. They don't have long before the general elections though and unless they work fast Roman could end up becoming even more powerful than he already is.

Both Charlie and Nat have been through so much since we first met them, they thought they were working to stop the terrorists who killed Charlie's mum and put Nat's brother in a coma only to find out that they had been working for the very people that they hate. How can they show the world what Roman is really up to though? Is there anyone they can trust with the truth and to hopefully fight alongside them? It looks like the only way to get proof of Roman's plans is for Charlie to go undercover, she has a good excuse for going back to him but it won't be easy to pull off the deception. At the same time Nat will try to find backup from the resistance so they are ready to move as soon as Charlie gets hold of the information they need.

Every Second Counts is just as fast paced as it's predecessor and I couldn't put it down. I have to admit that this story felt a little less realistic than the first one, Charlie and Nat seem to get out of so many impossible situations without a scratch on them and it did start to get a little on the ridiculous side. I also felt that Charlie in particular was far too trusting and willing to take things at face value. Nat seemed to have more sense in that regard but even he was led into quite a few traps by not thinking things through properly. As much as I found it hard to believe some of the situations they got themselves into I did find myself really enjoying the ride, if you're willing to suspend belief a little then this really is a very action packed story. It also raises some interesting questions about the balance of political power and the potential for things to go very, very wrong if a leader has bad intentions. Overall I've really enjoyed this duology and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fast and thrilling read.

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster 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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: A Mere formality - Ilona Andrews

A Mere Formality is a free short story that can be downloaded from Ilona Andrews's website HERE.

This is the author's description of the story:

Warning: this story is one big dirty joke. There is no actual sex, but there is a lot discussion about it. It was written on a dare. Someone told us that we couldn’t write a short story around one particular phrase, and we did. So I recommend this for people 18+. Because you know, we wouldn’t want to corrupt your minors.

Kinsmen Series:
Silent Blade
Silver Shark
A Mere Formality (Short Story in the Kinsmen Universe)
Kinsmen Universe (Signed, Limited Edition, Illustrated Hardback containing all 3 stories)

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that I'm a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Ilona and Gordon Andrews and I absolutely adore their Kate Daniels series. All of their stories are full of humour, fantastic world building and great characters and even though A Mere Formality is only a short story (with 26 pages) it's no exception.

This story is completely stand alone so you don't need to have read any of the author's previous books to enjoy it and it's available to download for free from their website here: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/book/a-mere-formality/

I'm deliberately keeping this review very vague because it would be too easy to give you spoilers but it's basically a story about three alien species who are negotiating a peace treaty. You can expect lots of innuendos, jokes and dirty talk so it's recommended for adults only but there isn't any actual sex.

For a quick read this is a lot of fun and I'd definitely recommend it whether you're already a fan of these authors or not.

Source: Free read on author's website

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.

Review: Misled - Sylvia Day

Special Task Force agent Derek Atkinson has a craving for luscious vamp Sable Taylor. But Sable’s a bounty hunter, which makes him direct competition in the capture of wanted criminals. Despite the obvious attraction between them, she won’t give him a chance and after two years, he’s tired of waiting for her to come around.

So he’s got a plan to give them both what they want . . . each other.

Sable’s on a dangerous mission. She’s not who Derek thinks she is, so anything personal just isn’t possible. But like most master vampires, Derek’s wily and used to having his way. When he traps her on his ship, she decides to indulge. Two straight days of mind-blowing sex should be enough, but it isn’t, not for either of them. Her heart is involved now, but Sable can’t let Derek get too close. If he finds out what she’s doing, he’ll never forgive her.

Derek, however, refuses to let go.

Now he’s getting shot at and asking questions she shouldn’t answer. Sable has to reveal the truth . . . Derek’s love has been misled . . .

Carnal Thirst Series:
Misled
Kiss of the Night

Visit Sylvia Day's website for more information.

Review:
Sylvia Day is best known for her contemporary romance Crossfire series (which I love!) but she has also written a lot of other stories varying from historical romances to erotic science fiction like Misled and the Carnal Thirst series. I snagged this story from Amazon months ago when it was offered as a freebie but for some reason (probably my mountain of a to be read pile!) I'd hadn't got around to picking it up until recently.

Sable is an undercover agent posing as a bounty hunter while she is working a top secret case, she has been in the field for a long time and has to keep her true identity firmly under wraps so that nobody can discover what she is up to. Derek is also an Agent but he doesn't know that Sable is undercover. They have been attracted to each other for a long time but Sable can't risk starting anything with him in case her cover story is blown. Derek has spent two years trying to capture Sable's attention and he is fed up of waiting for her to notice him which makes him very determined to finally make her listen. He's owed some time off so he sets out to help her capture her latest bounty, and to prove to her what a fabulous couple they would make.

I'm going to be upfront and say that as an erotic romance the focus of this story is definitely sex rather than world building. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, after all it is incredibly hot sex and I definitely enjoyed reading it, but I want to put it out there because if you go into this expecting something else you could be disappointed. These characters spend a lot of their time going at it like bunnies - in bed, up against the wall or on pretty much any solid surface that is available to them - they have scorching chemistry and this story will definitely leave you in need of a cold shower or two. Although sex is the main ingredient there is more to the story and I did enjoy what we saw of the world and getting to know both of the characters.

Misled is a very quick, hot read and it's one I'd definitely recommend when you're in the mood for something spicy. I have to admit I would have loved it to have been longer so it could have had a little more depth but that isn't always what I'm looking for and I'll definitely be picking up the sequel (Kiss of the Night) at some point in the future.

Source: Purchased

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:

Review: Echoes of Scotland Street - Samantha Young

UK Cover

From the bestselling author of On Dublin Street, 'Scotland's EL James' (Sunday Post) comes a seductive story of forgiving the past and making up for lost time . . .

Shannon MacLeod has always gone for the wrong type of man. After she drifted from one toxic relationship to the next, her last boyfriend gave her a wake-up call in the worst possible way. With her world shattered, she's sworn off men - especially those of the bad-boy variety.

Cole Walker is exactly the sort that Shannon wants to avoid - gorgeous, tattooed, charming, and cocky. But his rough exterior hides a good man - one who's determined to pull Shannon from her self-imposed solitude and win her heart.

As Shannon begins to open up, the passion between them ignites to blazing levels. But when her past comes back to haunt her, her fears may destroy the trust Cole has built between them - and tear them apart for good . . .

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
I've been a fan of Samantha Young since I first read On Dublin Street and this series really has just got stronger and stronger as it's gone along. Cole was a sweet boy when we met him in Down London Road but we really got a chance to see what a fabulous man he'd grown into in Fall from India Place so I was incredibly excited to finally read his story. It's felt like Echoes of Scotland Street was a long time coming but Cole was definitely worth the wait and he's my kind of hero!

We already know that Cole didn't have the best upbringing thanks to his alcoholic and abusive mother. As much as his sister Jo, and her now husband Cam, have been positive influences in his life helping him become the wonderful man he is today deep down he still has the scars from the way his mother treated him. Those scars may be hidden deep but they are there if you look closely enough. Cole has seen how wonderful life has been for Jo since she met Cam and what he wants more than anything is to find the right woman for him so he can settle down and start a family of his own. He knows from the moment he meets her that there is something special about Shannon but she has sworn off of men and for the first time in his life Cole finds himself wanting a woman who isn't interested.

Shannon isn't completely immune to Cole's charms, in fact she is incredibly attracted to him, but she doesn't trust her judgement and is scared to take a risk. She has always been drawn to the bad boys which has led to a string of broken relationships and heartbreak and she has sworn to herself that she will never go down that road again. Tattoo artist Cole may look like a bad boy but he's actually one of the sweetest, kindest men you could ever ask to meet. Shannon doesn't take too long to realise how badly she has misjudged him but she is still wary and scared of getting hurt. Something terrible happened in her last relationship and she still hasn't forgiven herself for everything her family went through in the aftermath. She wants to trust Cole and if she's honest with herself she can tell he's different to the guys she has known before but she is still scared to take a chance on him. Cole is going to have to work hard if he wants to gain her trust and start a relationship with the woman of his dreams.

I loved Cole from the very first page so of course I was irritated with Shannon when she immediately misjudged him but to be fair to her I think most of us would have had the same opinion if we'd had the same relationship history as her. I was so pleased that Samantha Young didn't drag out Shannon's negative opinion though, it didn't take her long to realise how wrong she'd been and she was woman enough to speak to Cole and apologise for her previous actions. I can always find respect for people who are willing to own up to their mistakes and do something to fix them. Shannon and Cole were perfect together, not only do they have fantastic chemistry (and trust me the heat between them is off the charts!), but they also have a lot in common and their relationship is based on a solid friendship. I loved the fact that Shannon wasn't jealous of his friendship with Hannah and I also loved the way she stood her ground when a certain woman tried to butt into her relationship with Cole. Shannon has every reason not to trust men but she knows she's onto something good with Cole and in spite of a misunderstanding between them towards the end of the book overall this story was fairly drama free which I appreciated.

Echoes of Scotland Street is a fabulous instalment to the series, Shannon is someone I could see myself being friends with (if I wasn't so jealous that she got my man Cole LOL), and Cole is definitely a hero worth swooning over. Although you don't need to read this series in order because each book is about a different couple I would recommend starting with On Dublin Street, not only because all of these stories are fantastic but because you really get to know the whole group of characters as the series continues. I love the fact that all of the previous couples make appearances in the later stories and it always makes me smile to see how happy they all are now. I'm going to end this review by saying that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, we are introduced to the hero in this story (all I'm saying is he's a close relative of Shannon) and I have a feeling I'm going to love him!

Source: Received from Piatkus 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.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle:



Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour:

Review: Misty Falls - Joss Stirling

Fall for the lie . . . then unravel the truth.

Misty is a one-girl disaster zone. Born with a Savant 'gift' that means she can never tell a lie, her compulsive truth-telling gets her into trouble wherever she goes.

So when she meets Alex: gorgeous, confident, and impossibly charming, Misty instantly resolves to keep her distance . . . Someone so perfect could never be hers, surely?

But a dark shadow has fallen across the Savant community. A serial killer is stalking young people who have these special mental powers. Soon one of them will be taken to the edge of death . . . and beyond.

Savants Series:
Finding Sky
Challenging Zed (Free Short Story)
Stealing Phoenix
Burning Yves (Free Short Story)
Seeking Crystal
Misty Falls
Angel Dares
Summer Shadows

Check out Joss Stirling's website for more information

Review:
I love Joss Stirling's Savants series and was excited when I found out she was planning another three books set in the same world. I'll admit I was a little disappointed when I realised that the hero of Misty Falls wasn't one of the Benedict brothers though, I've become so invested in the family and was worried that things wouldn't be the same without them. Thankfully my fears were over nothing because although the Benedicts aren't the main characters here we still see plenty of the previous couples and we even get to see Uriel meeting his soulfinder! I'm actually quite glad that we're getting new characters and families introduced because I think it's going to give the series some fresh blood so to speak.

I can't remember if we met Misty in the previous books but she is Crystal's niece and because of that family connection she is friends with most of the characters we've already met. The story sees Misty travel to South Africa for the summer to visit family and she is travelling with Uriel because he is going to search for his soulfinder who he knows is in Cape Town thanks to Crystal's Savant ability. Misty has a very interesting Savant ability that means she is incapable of lying, she can't even tell a white lie to spare a friend's feelings and she always knows if people aren't telling her the truth. If she doesn't keep a tight reign on her ability people around her will find themselves suddenly blurting out their secrets and the things they most desperately want to keep hidden and I'm sure you can imagine what kind of trouble that gets her into. Misty is a fantastic character and she was constantly saying or doing things that were hilarious, she would try so hard not to hurt people's feelings but she had no choice in the matter and I laughed a lot at the things she ended up blurting out almost against her will.

When she meets Alex it is pretty much hate at first sight on his part, his ability allows him to charm anyone he talks to but because Misty forces him to be honest it reacts badly with his powers and he suddenly finds he isn't able to talk people around to his way of thinking. Misty doesn't really understand why Alex seems so dead set against her but she's also convinced that he would never look twice at someone as socially inept as she is. I enjoyed the antagonism between the two characters but was pleased when they finally figured out what was really going on. Because of the whole soulfinder thing the characters in this series do tend to fall in love very quickly but although I normally hate insta-love for some reason it's never bothered me in these books. I just have so much fun reading them that I don't mind how quickly things happen.

I don't want to say too much about the rest of the plot but there is a lot more to this story than a romance. Uriel may be searching for his soulfinder but he is also investigating a serial killer who is targeting savant teenagers. Misty inadvertently catches the attention of the murderer and it becomes a race against time to see whether she will be his next victim. The mystery was good, the story moves at a fast pace and Misty Falls was a very quick, light hearted and funny read. I loved getting to meet a whole new bunch of Savant characters and learning about all kinds of different abilities they had. I have a feeling that Misty's two best friends may end up being the future heroines in the rest of the series but I hope we get to see more of Misty's cousins and I'm sure the Benedict's will all be there on the sidelines.

Source: Received from OUP 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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Her Avenging Angel - Felicity Heaton

Once a proud angel of Heaven, Nevar is now a servant of Hell, bound to a new master—the King of Demons. Consumed by darkness and driven to seek revenge, he set in motion a series of events that awakened the Great Destroyer, a force that will bring about the apocalypse. Now, he is the creature’s master and the fate of our world rests in the hands of an angel with only darkness in his heart.

Lost in the mortal realm without any recollection of how she came to be there, Lysia is only aware that she has survived a great battle. When she stumbles into a demon bar, she finds more than a chance to discover what happened to her—she finds a dark and deadly angel warrior who stirs fire in her veins and awakens soul-searing passion she cannot deny.

With the mounting threat of the Great Destroyer, the forces of Heaven and Hell against him, and a band of dangerous angels intent on capturing Lysia on his heels, can Nevar protect the beautiful woman who is light to his darkness and find the strength to save the world?

Her Angel Series:
Her Dark Angel
Her Fallen Angel
Her Warrior Angel
Her Guardian Angel
Her Demonic Angel
Her Wicked Angel
Her Avenging Angel
Her Sinful Angel

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
It's felt like a long wait for this latest instalment of Felicity Heaton's Her Angel series but Nevar's story was brilliant and I loved Her Avenging Angel. This is a fantastic series but it really is one that is better read in order so this review may contain spoilers for previous books and if you're new to the series I would recommend starting with Her Dark Angel (my review can be found here).

Felicity Heaton is great at creating bad boys and just as good at giving them the chance to redeem themselves when it's their turn to shine which is exactly what she did with Nevar. We all know what he did to Asmodeus and Liora in the previous book but I found it hard to blame him too much considering everything Asmodeus had put him through and the couple have forgiven him and tried to build bridges. Nevar's problem is that he can't forgive himself, he hates the darkness inside him and he doesn't feel worth of anyone else's love and friendship so he's never really believed that the others really do care about him and want to see him happy. It's painful to see Nevar so distant from the people who could be his friends, he always feels like he's on the outside looking in and although he cares about the others he is scared to show it in case they reject him. His shame over his past actions makes it very hard for him to find happiness and he's just going through the motions and not making the most of life.

When Nevar accidentally releases the Great Destroyer, a powerful being capable of bringing about the apocalypse, he has no choice but to accept help from Asmodeus and the others to stop the end of the world. He is distracted from his task by Lysia, a demon with no memory of where she came from and no idea who she really is. Lysia brings out all of Nevar's protective instincts but he still doesn't feel worthy of her no matter how much he craves her. Lysia may not have her memories but she knows what she wants and she isn't going to let Nevar walk away from her without a fight, especially not when he's about to face a viscous enemy that both heaven and hell have failed to destroy.

As much as I enjoyed the romance between Nevar and Lysia I think what I loved most about this book was the interactions between the rest of the characters we've met throughout the series. I think nearly all of them made an appearance here and I particularly loved the scenes with Erin, Veiron and Dante! There is a huge amount going on in the wider world here and although a lot of things are resolved by the end of the book there is definitely a new story arc set in place that should make the next few books extremely interesting. This is a series I've been following for several years now and I can't wait to see what happens next.

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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Blog Barrage: Her Avenging Angel - Felicity Heaton (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Her Avenging Angel, the seventh book in New York Times best-seller Felicity Heaton’s hot paranormal romance series, Her Angel, is now available in ebook and paperback. To celebrate the release, she’s holding a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY at her website.

Find out how to enter the Her Avenging Angel international giveaway (ends October 26th) and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website, where you can also download a 6 chapter sample of the novel: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-avenging-angel-romance-book.php

Here’s more about Her Avenging Angel, including an excerpt from this paranormal romance novel.

Her Avenging Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 7)
Felicity Heaton

Once a proud angel of Heaven, Nevar is now a servant of Hell, bound to a new master—the King of Demons. Consumed by darkness and driven to seek revenge, he set in motion a series of events that awakened the Great Destroyer, a force that will bring about the apocalypse. Now, he is the creature’s master and the fate of our world rests in the hands of an angel with only darkness in his heart.

Lost in the mortal realm without any recollection of how she came to be there, Lysia is only aware that she has survived a great battle. When she stumbles into a demon bar, she finds more than a chance to discover what happened to her—she finds a dark and deadly angel warrior who stirs fire in her veins and awakens soul-searing passion she cannot deny.

With the mounting threat of the Great Destroyer, the forces of Heaven and Hell against him, and a band of dangerous angels intent on capturing Lysia on his heels, can Nevar protect the beautiful woman who is light to his darkness and find the strength to save the world?

Her Avenging Angel is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-avenging-angel-romance-book.php

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

Her Avenging Angel – Excerpt

Lysia sighed, perched herself on the seat, and leaned on the bar with her forehead resting on her arms. She was warmer inside this noisy inn but still hungry, and still tired. She needed to feed. How?

A male stopped to her left.

She turned her head towards him and ran her eyes up from the waist of his impeccable crisp black suit to his shoulders and then his face. Vampire. She knew his kind and could see through his façade to the wretched monster beneath. He smiled, his fangs on show to her and his pale blue eyes swirling with ill intentions.

“Having trouble?” The dark-haired vampire leaned his left elbow on the bar beside her and she sat up.

She nodded. “I need to order blood.”

He frowned at her and her heart sank. He didn’t understand her either.

“What language is that? I’m afraid I’m not familiar with it. Can you mime what you want?” He shifted closer and she focused hard on every word he said, listening closely so she could grasp the words he used and use them too.

He smiled a little wider, and shifted a little closer. His gaze drifted down to her chest and back up again.

“Mime?” He made a show of using his hands to make shapes.

She was about to do as he asked when he danced his fingers over her left shoulder.

A cold shiver ran over her flesh and skated down her spine.

Lysia flicked her right wrist and hurled him across the room, scattering the crowd and ripping a few shocked gasps from them.

A male further along the bar looked her way.

She froze as her eyes met his, heat pulsing through her, a visceral throb that reached right down to her bones.

The male was handsome, but darkness clung to him, danger that called to her and lured her to him. There was evil in him.

He would know her tongue.

He raised a glass filled with green liquid and tipped his head, causing threads of his silver-white hair to fall and brush his brow. He swept them back and she caught a brief glimpse of tiny horns above his ears. Her belly flipped and heated.

“Kudos for giving Villandry hell,” he said above the thumping music, his deep rumbling voice doing funny things to her insides and turning her knees to rubber.

She presumed Villandry was the name of the vampire now picking himself up off the floor across the busy room. She wasn’t sure what kudos meant though.

Lysia swallowed her trembling heart, slipped off her seat and approached the pale-haired male with all the confidence she could muster when he was staring at her, his jade eyes burning into her body and setting her aflame.

Rousing strange feelings within her.

She halted beside him.

He swivelled to face her, set his drink down on the bar but kept his left hand on the stem of the elegant glass, and raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you naked?”

He held his right hand out and black material appeared in it. He offered it to her.

Lysia took it and stared at it, unsure what to do with it.

The male huffed, released his drink and stood, managing to tower over her despite the fact she was taller than the other females present. He moved closer to her and took the material back, but she didn’t notice it leaving her hands. The heat radiating from his big body washed over her, cocooning her in warmth and strengthening the feelings stirring in the pit of her belly.

She stared down at the strip of cut, hard muscles visible between the armoured plates around his hips and his breastplate. A warrior. Her heart accelerated. Her breathing quickened. She dragged her eyes back up to his face and found he wasn’t looking at her. He busied himself with slipping her arms into the garment he had made for her and she busied herself with memorising every sculpted plane of his face, from his straight nose and strong jaw, to his firm lips as they compressed into a mulish line.

She inched her gaze up higher, to the stunning jade eyes that were focused on their work with an intensity that made her ache inside with a desire to have them locked on hers with the same ferocity.

They shifted to meet hers and then dropped, a fascinating glimmer of shyness in them that lasted only a heartbeat before coldness swept in to wash it away.

He tugged the material closed over her front and tied a belt around her waist, fastening the garment in place.

“There,” he murmured, “now people will stop looking at you funnily, and you can stop looking at me funnily.”

He stepped back, a scowl darkening his striking eyes. She hadn’t been looking at him strangely. She was merely fascinated by him. Now that she was close to him, she could sense the depth of the darkness within him but something else countered it, something she could only describe as good. There was more to the male before her than she had anticipated, and it made the pull she felt towards him grow stronger.

She looked herself over. The sleeves were too long, concealing her hands, and the material reached her ankles. The garment covered all of her, leaving nothing on show. Had that been his intention?

“What do you want?” he said, bringing her focus back to him.

She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Blood.”

He back peddled, almost falling over his seat, a flicker of something dark crossing his handsome face. His eyes shone pure violet.

He had eyes like hers.

And he understood her.

“Leave me alone,” he barked and snatched up his drink with a shaky hand. He downed it, slammed the glass back onto the bar top, and shoved it forwards, away from him. “I’m not interested.”

Lysia frowned and shrank back. Why was he rejecting her company? He had given her something to wear, had seemed concerned about her, and now he was pushing her away. She clutched the robe over her chest in both hands and risked a step closer to him instead.

“I only desire blood… but I cannot order it.”

His violet gaze darted to her and away again. A shadow settled on his troubled features, turning them grim. He looked down into her eyes for long seconds, stealing all of her attention, sucking it away from the room and her surroundings.

He raised his hand and she flinched away, anticipating the strike.

It didn’t happen.

She squinted, remaining held away from him, and looked up into his eyes.

He cocked a single pale eyebrow and waved his left hand. The brunet male behind the bar came to them. He had been signalling the serving staff.

Lysia grimaced.

She had much to learn about this realm.

“Blood, straight up,” the white-haired male said.

The servant’s expression turned wary and he shifted foot to foot. “I’m not allowed to serve you blood, remember? You made me promise.”

He had? She canted her head, studying both men. Why had the man asked the servant not to give him blood? Did he drink it as she did?

The pale-haired warrior scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. He pressed both hands into the bar, digging his black claws into the wood, and leaned forwards, closer to the man.

“It is not for me. It is for the woman.”

The brunet shrugged. “She has to order it then.”

The warrior tipped his head back, screwed his eyes shut and sighed, and she felt he was searching for calm. He drew several slow deep breaths before opening his eyes again and fixing them back on the barman.

“I do not think she knows how,” he said.

“I tried, but the man didn’t understand me.” That brought his gaze back to her and she shivered under the intensity of it.

“That would be because you are speaking a language this man doesn’t know… one I don’t have a fucking clue about either but for some godforsaken reason I can understand you.” He shoved his fingers through his hair, clawing it back until it tugged at his forehead, smoothing the skin, and ground his teeth. He released his head, dropped his hands to his sides, and huffed as he leaned over, bringing his face close to hers. “Repeat after me if you desire… blood.”

She nodded, noting that it had taken a lot of effort for him to speak that final word. Why?

She leaned closer to him, trying to shut out the noise of the room so she could hear every syllable that left his lips.

She watched how they moved as he spoke. How his tongue moved. How his teeth moved.

Her focus shattered.

He had fangs.

Made for drinking blood.

Yet he had asked the man not to serve it to him.

And she had asked him to speak of it, something which had evidently pained him.

She stepped back and his pale eyebrows dipped low above his now-green eyes.

“I’m sorry. I have troubled you with my request.” She went to turn away but he caught her arm in a vice-like grip, holding her firm. She looked down at his black fingers around her and the claws that blended into the robe he had given her, and then up into his eyes.

He shook his head and spoke again, slower this time. “A glass of blood, please.”

Lysia swallowed to wet her parched throat and spoke the sounds he had made, repeating them several times over and growing in confidence when he smiled, making her heart flutter in her chest. He nodded and jerked his head towards the brunet behind the bar.

She turned to face him. “A glass of blood, puh-leeese.”

“We’ll work on that last bit,” the warrior muttered beside her, a touch of warmth in his deep voice.

The man nodded. “That’s ten quid.”

Ten quid?

What was a quid and where did she find ten of them?

“Money,” the brunet said.

She looked down at herself. As the warrior had clearly mentioned, and this man knew, she had come here naked. She had no coin.

The warrior huffed and slammed two pieces of reddish paper down on the bar top. “It’s on me. Plus my usual.”

The bartender looked displeased and Lysia feared he wouldn’t give her the blood because the warrior was paying for it, and had requested this man not serve him blood.

She bared her fangs and growled at the brunet, preparing to attack.

“Down girl.” The white-haired warrior caught hold of her arm again, wrapping long fingers around it, and heat blazed through her.

She looked across at him, her eyes wide. He glared at the bartender.

The man heaved a sigh, swiped the money off the bar, and walked away. A sharp spear shot through her heart and she tried to pull away from the warrior to follow the man, afraid he wouldn’t return.

The warrior’s grip on her arm tightened and he pulled her closer, until her backside bumped against his thighs. An achy shiver bolted through her and she spun to face him, catching the shock in his eyes before he covered it. He had felt it too.

“He will be back with your drink and then you can leave me alone,” he said in a gruff tone, released her and sat back on his seat, turning his profile to her.

Lysia’s heartbeat began to climb, awareness of the people around her creeping back in. The vampire was on his feet again and glaring at her. Others stared her way too. Some of them not mortal. She didn’t like how they watched her, not when she was weak.

Only the warrior felt as if he wasn’t a threat to her and that he would protect her rather than seek to harm her.

She didn’t want to leave his side.

The brunet returned as the warrior had said, bringing an elegant glass of green liquid for him and one filled with dark liquid. He set that one down in front of her and moved off to serve another patron.

The warrior eyed her expectantly.

He wanted her to leave.

Lysia sucked down a breath for courage and reminded herself that she was a warrior too and as powerful as any of these beings on her best day. Today was not her best day though and it was wreaking havoc on her courage, leaving her feeling vulnerable. She was injured, starving, and everything around her felt so alien and unfamiliar.

Except for him.

He made her feel safe.

She made sure she had all of his attention before she whispered, “Allow me to stay. The men here mean me harm.”

His face darkened, his jade eyes swirling into blazing violet, and he slid his deadly gaze towards those staring at her.

She felt their eyes leave her.

“Sit,” he growled, more a command than a request, and she obeyed.

She took the stool beside him, swivelled to face the bar and picked up her glass. She sipped the blood, her gums itching and fangs aching to descend. She wanted to gulp it down but it was such a small quantity and she didn’t think the warrior would buy her more.

It wasn’t enough to appease her hunger. It would only take the edge off it.

She would need more and her heart said she knew where she wanted her next meal to come from.

Her gaze slid to the warrior, settling on his strong neck and the pulse hammering there, powerful and steady, a beat that called to her.

She wanted to bite him.

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

Her Avenging Angel is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback.

Find all the links, a fantastic 6 chapter downloadable sample of the book, and also how to enter the giveaway and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/her-avenging-angel-romance-book.php

Books in the Her Angel paranormal romance series:
Book 1: Her Dark Angel – FREE in ebook at selected retailers
Book 2: Her Fallen Angel
Book 3: Her Warrior Angel
Book 4: Her Guardian Angel
Book 5: Her Demonic Angel
Book 6: Her Wicked Angel
Book 7: Her Avenging Angel

About Felicity Heaton:
Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. 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, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

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