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Blog Tour & Interview with J.K. Hogan and Review of Blood in the Valley
Today we have the lovely and very talented J.K. Hogan, author of the Vigilati Series with us! She is celebrating the release of the second installment of the Vigilati Series: Blood in the Valley:
The daughter of a Las Vegas hustler, Raven Sabatier grew up trusting nothing and no one—she doesn’t even trust herself to stay in one place for longer than a minute. When her quest to find out the secrets of her past leads her to the mountains of North Carolina, she’s set on a collision course with the one man she thought she’d never see again.
In Appalachia consulting on an archeological dig, Anthropologist Dr. Drew Deveraux comes face to face with the indomitable beauty who broke into his apartment a year ago, tilting his carefully cultivated world on its axis.
Engaged in a fight with their demons, both imagined and real, the last thing either of them expected to find was love. Together, they must unravel the mystery of Raven’s past and her connection with an ancient race of witches, in order to save their future—and all of the souls hanging in the balance.
I was fortunate enough to be able to interview J.K. and am sharing with you!!!
- What song makes you happy every time you hear it?
Wow, that’s so hard because I am such a music collector. The first one that comes to mind right now is Gold on the Ceiling by The Black Keys (and I also have a cover by Tab Benoit). Ask me again tomorrow and I may have a different answer.
- What movie can you see over and over again without getting sick of it?
Another tough one, because I’m not one to watch movies over and over again. I’d probably have to stick with a classic and say The Princess Bride. Or anything with Robert Downey Jr. in it.
- What is the worst fashion trend you ever bought into?
Poofy bangs. Platform shoes. Satin. Patent leather. You name the badness, I tried it.
- Did you dream of writing when you were a little or did you dream of other thing like being a ballerina (or Wonder Woman, like me)?
When I was a kid, I don’t think I thought too much about the future. I spent most of my time in my imaginary worlds, so I guess it wasn’t too much of a stretch that I became a novelist. The only other thing I can think of was that I wanted to be a cowgirl. I did that for a while before I got married. 
- Do you have any comfort reads?
I’m such a speed reader, I don’t know if I could put it down to particular books. Anything romance, really. Reading in general comforts me. I remember reading Wake Me Up Inside, an m/m paranormal by Cardeno C. while I had really bad morning sickness. That was kind of comforting. J
- What is your writing process?
It starts with an idea, or a character, and then I just sit down and write chronologically. I stop when the story goes cold so it doesn’t feel forced, and once it picks up again in my head, I get back to writing. I write straight through usually, and then I go back to fine tune.
- Revisions: love them or hate them?
Hate, hate, hate. I understand the need for them, and that they make the book better, but they’re so hard. It’s like someone criticizing your children (either yourself or someone else). It can be hard to take.
- Who/what inspires you?
Anyone who’s been able to make a career and support themselves by writing. Oh, an anyone who’s successfully raised a child. Now that I’m a mom, I’m realizing what a difficult and important task that is.
- How much of your day-to-day life goes into your writing?
Not nearly as much as I’d like. That number is ever-changing with the whims of my infant son. I get “mommy time” at night between the time I go to bed and when I actually fall asleep, so that gives me an hour or two.
- Kids in books: yes or no?
Hmm. Good question. Yes, as long as they work in the story and aren’t too much of a distraction from the plot. However, I’m definitely not into the whole heroine gets pregnant angle. It only really works for me in historicals, and I don’t read those much anymore.
- Pets in books: cheesy or sweet?
Pets make everything better! I think they make the characters more real. But again, it has to work with the story rather than distract from it.
- What’s your favorite thing to eat? (recipes welcome!)
Sushi. I love sushi.
- What is the scariest thing about being an author?
The first thing that comes to mind is the inevitable bad review. It has or will happen to everyone. So I guess, critique in general…worrying that your book will flop. I think any creative avenue comes with the same fear.
- What is the most exciting thing about being an author?
Creating something from nothing and having it entertain people. It’s amazing—there’s nothing like it.
- Do you have anything to share with us?
I absolutely love chatting with people about books (mine, or anyone else’s), hot guys, movies, music, whatever. So find me on twitter, FB, tumblr…pretty much all social media. I’m pretty active in social media, so I’ll most likely respond.
THIS OR THAT
- Peanut butter or jelly?
Peanut butter
- Chips or cookies?
Cookies. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?
- Best talent: dancing or singing?
Singing. I definitely can’t dance.
- Print or eBook?
I’m an ebook convert. I thought I’d never switch, but the fact that I can carry SO many books with me and never worry about finishing a book and not having another with me…that totally convinced me.
- Pen or pencil?
In general, pen. For writing, laptop.
- Best friends: as many as possible or only need one?
That’s tough for me. I have rather antisocial tendencies, and I don’t really have a best friend…But I think you can never have too many friends as long as you can count on them.
- Notebook or computer?
Computer or iphone.
- Print or cursive?
Cursive. Not that you’d be able to read it, of course.
- Zombies or vampires?
Hmm… For sexy? Vampires. For action, zombies. Love The Walking Dead.
- Angel or Spike?
Well, I was never into Buffy, but I was into Bones, so I have to go with Angel because of David Boreanaz hotness.
**Note from MamaJo – Isn’t she AMAZING? Not only has she given me a new book boyfriend, but she is a woman after my own heart! Do you want to learn even more about her, do you want to know why I have a new book boyfriend? KEEP READING :
J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them.
J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives on a farm with her husband and their three horses, one miniature donkey, one cat, and two champion agility dogs.
In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit www.jkhogan.com.
Where to find J.K Hogan on the web:
Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Amazon / Pinterest / Tumblr / Linkedin / Google Plus
Where to buy the books you
wantneed to read now:Fire on the Island (Book 1) :
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Island-J-K-Hogan/dp/1938404173
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RO8BZM
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-on-the-island-jk-hogan/1112102519
MamaJo’s Review: http://mamakittyreviews.com/?p=518
Blood in the Valley (Book 2):
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Valley-J-K-Hogan/dp/1938404475/
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Valley-Vigilati-Series-ebook/dp/B00CLENQO0/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-in-the-valley-jk-hogan/1115206625?ean=9781938404474
My Review of Blood in the Valley:
What I liked loved:
The expansion of the wonderful world J.K Hogan has created, the characters, the action, and the romance .
I have adopted Drew as one of my book boyfriends, he is caring, sweet, vulnerable, damaged, HOT, and most of all: he handled the changes to the world around him (and happening in his life) the way my dream man would.
I have also decided that in my next life, I want to be Raven, she has her own moral code – that you after her upbringing only adds to her charm, she kicks major butt, and she has an amazing capacity for love (even if she won’t admit it to herself!).
We also get to peek in on Isla and Jere, Jere’s mysterious brother, and even his mom (who helped to raise Drew)! (I also really liked Ray)
The romance was wonderful, showing that two flawed, yet strong characters can overcome their fears and strengthen their weaknesses together.
This series features truly strong women who don’t sit back and wait for their men to fix things for them – for me, this is imperative in a Paranormal Romance series that has a female protagonist . You won’t find whiny chits who either want someone to fight their battles or who want to know “why me” with the Vigilati Series. These heroines roll with the punches, get back up, acknowledge their weaknesses, kick some major butt , and love their men.
It is no secret that I love PNR, that being said – I have standards and I tend to set the bar rather high. Blood in the Valley not only reached the bar, but bounded right over it! Nothing is better as a reader of PNR than when the author expands the boundaries and rules of that world and makes it believable. And I have to say that by bringing us into her world as the characters learn the rules, Ms Hogan has made every single broken rule and shattered boundary flow naturally with the story.
*FTC Disclosure – I received an ARC of this book for review.
A Full 5 Meows
Review: Halo of the Damned by Dina Rae
A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship…
Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan’s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell’s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.
- Publisher: Eternal Press (a division of Damnation Books LLC) (February 4, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B0075XQYDM
- FTC Disclosure: Received my copy via publisher for an honest review
- *This book not for the faint of heart, if you have an aversion to blood and gore, rape, incest, or anything cult related; then this book is not for you.
Let’s jump right in with my likes and dislikes.
Likes: The characters, they are all flawed – extremely flawed. Some are redeemable; others make your skin crawl. I know this was the intent, and it takes true talent to portray that in the manner it is done here. I normally don’t add or mention songs in my reviews, but after the first chapter, every time Andel came onto the page I heard the song Scavengers of the Damned by Aiden in my head. I loved that Joanna wasn’t magically cured of her addictive behavior and that she recognized her flaws for what they were. Even the baddies made you want to know what they were doing, thinking, and feeling. Tony – just TONY!!! The creeps – if you are reading a horror novel and you don’t get that cold chills, hair on the back of your neck standing, pit of your stomach dropping feeling, the author just isn’t doing a good job. From page one, Ms Rae brings it and then keeps it coming!
Dislikes: It felt a bit rushed. Maybe the editor cut some of the narrative, but being a longtime fan of this genre, I felt this story deserved another hundred pages, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just my opinion. A few spelling errors and one very noticeable repeat sentence was present, but more than forgivable. Maybe these aren’t so much dislikes, but small complaints.
Overall, I recommend this book to horror fans, conspiracy theorists, and book lovers with a 4 full meows! I started out my love of reading with horror novels and have since traveled far and wide, let me tell you – I am oh so happy to be home with Halo of the Damned!
Link to song mentioned above: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAersib_JHM, when you read the book hit me up with your recommended theme song for one of the characters!
Review Trouble with a Cowboy by Sandy Sullivan
18 wheels had her heart until one hard-up cowboy found her kickin’ up her heels and propositions her to take his bull to Vegas.
Jacie Hawkins drives big wheelers for a livin’. Something not a lot of women do. Littleton Oklahoma is just a dry stopover for a few hours of rest and relaxation at the nearest bar. Jacie needs to find a hot cowboy to release some of her pent up frustrations on for the night, but wannabe’s aren’t her style.
Tucker Marshall needs a big-rig driver to haul his prize bull to National Finals Rodeo and he needs one fast. Who would have thought he’d find one shootin’ pool at the local bar dressed to kill and takin’ numbers?
Can some slashed tires and an ornery bull bring two hard-headed people together for some fun in the sun and a little more?
- Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing (February 13, 2013)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00BL9QCU6
- FTC Disclosure: copy provided by the author for the purposes of an honest review
When Jacie Hawkins walks into a bar in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma the only thing she is thinking of is getting good cowboy under her and getting back on the road. Jacie doesn’t like games, and she hates pretenders, so when one man who is clearly not a cowboy hits on her she sets him straight, but out of the corner of her eye she sees one very fine cowboy.
Tucker Marshall is in desperate need to get his bull to the rodeo in Vegas, but a one night distraction with the prettiest girl he’s laid on eyes on catches his attention and with her no-bullshit attitude he decides he might have found a good way to pass the time while waiting for a new driver to get there.
Finding out Jacie is a truck driver with her own Eighteen Wheeler is an awesome stroke of luck, but talking her into helping him is another matter altogether. Agree she does, but the cowboy from last night is not done causing trouble for them. When forced into a bull riding challenge Tucker is all ready to rock out, but Jacie is a little more hesitant.
“Worried?”
“Yeah. Who the hell would pay for my tires if you got killed?”
Here is where I laughed, because this is where the mess is going to be hitting the fan. Tucker is wary of women wanting him for his money, but Jacie really sort of doesn’t need his money – he just doesn’t know that, and she’s not about to tell him. They have amazing chemistry though, and I found myself in love with the imagery of this scene:
She wrapped her hand in the hair at the nape of his neck, knocking his hat to the floor, forgotten in the heat of their passion.
But Jacie throws the brakes on their passion and insists that will be a business only deal. Yeah – OOOOKKKKAAAYYY. Just a side note – there is no way I could keep my mind on business if at the first nights stop he says something like this:
“Okay.” He turned to go back into the bedroom, but stopped to glance her way. “A little warning in case you sleepwalk or something. I sleep naked.”
The lump in her throat threatened to choke her as he winked and shut the door between them.
“Great. Just fucking great. Sleeps naked. Of course, he does,”
Hahahaha – Yeah. I have to say Jacie is great at saying no but saying yes and she can’t tell him no for long. Soon they agree this will only be a two week deal. That’s it. Two weeks.
For crying out loud, I’ve only known him a few days. I can’t possibly be falling in love with him. It’s just lust. Yeah, intense, overwhelming, lust.
*Eyebrow raised* Lust. Yeah. Just lust. Later a quick solution response turns into something that both of them are just a little too comfortable saying and the end of their time is near. Will they stay together after these two weeks? Well you have to give it a shot.
As the daughter of a trucker, when the CB crackled on I laughed, because I have always said that CB’s were the first chat rooms ever invented. FYI I think twitter is the new chat room. Just saying. This was a nice sweet and easy read and although it didn’t rip my heart out or make me cry, it was just the perfect thing to read over the weekend.
Review: Once a Marine by Cat Grant
Love is a battlefield.
Discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, former Marine major Cole Hammond is struggling to find a new identity. But PTSD casts a pall on everything, and his hard-nosed, homophobic father can’t even bear to look him in the eye. To top it all off, he’s pretty sure he’s flunking out of law school.
Marc Sullivan is a kind, sensitive romance author-slash-waiter with a thing for men in uniform. Cole’s not wearing his anymore, but there’s no mistaking the warrior Marc meets in the diner one rainy afternoon. Cole’s sexy smile and Carolina drawl prove irresistible, but Marc’s played this game before, and he always loses. Once a Marine, always a Marine, and if there’s one thing Marc knows about such men, it’s that they all leave him in the end. It doesn’t help that Cole’s practically closeted in public, or that he refuses to seek treatment for his PTSD.
But like any good Marine, Cole’s willing to fight for what matters. And like the characters in Marc’s stories, he’s certain that if they try just hard enough, together they can find their own happily ever after.
- Publisher: Riptide Publishing (October 27, 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- ASIN: B0060OTERA
- FTC Disclosure: Copy provided by the author for the purposes of an honest review
I love Marines. I can’t help it. All my years int he Nay has be trained to love a man in uniform. So when I saw that Cat Grant had written about a Marine, I was all over it like a fat kid on cake.
Cole was discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) and is having a difficult time adjusting to civilian life. When he meets Marc, there’s an instant attraction. But years of hiding who he is have made it difficult for Cole to be open about his sexuality. This makes Marc understandably upset, since he ends up feeling like Cole’s dirty little secret. It was great to watch them work through their issues, although sometimes I felt like they were too quick to fight When Cole had to go home to take care of a family emergency, Marc got upset. With how close Marc is to his own mother, I felt like he should have understood more.
Overall, it was a good story. The characters kept me engaged and I was invested in them all the way through. I felt a genuine connection with Marc and a kinship with Cole, and love them both.
Rating: 4
ARC Review: Revving her Up by Joy Daniels
Her love life is running on empty. And he’s just the man to make her engine purr.
Full Throttle, Book 1
Sarah Katz’s career as a New York lawyer is in high gear—and the stress has left her hormones sputtering. With strict doctor’s orders to relax, she books the cure: a spa vacation in the cool, green mountains of Virginia.
When a pothole sends her Porsche to the side of the road, she finds herself stuck in small-town Rapture. She’d love nothing more than to blow this Hicksville and be on her way…until she meets sexy stockcar mechanic Cole Cassidy.
Coles knows exactly how to handle that fancy car, and its uptight driver. Sarah’s not his type, but neither can deny that their attraction is firing on all cylinders. Soon he’s introducing her to the thrill of speed at the local track—in his car, and on it.
But Sarah’s troubles aren’t so easily left in the dust. Unless she forces herself to decide if she’s willing and able to let someone else take the wheel.
Warning: Contains a false start, breakdowns of the automotive and erotic kinds, creative uses of shower massagers and silk ties, and thrill-rides in, on, and outside of a racecar.
- Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (January 15, 2013)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- FTC Disclosure: copy provided by the author for the purposes of an honest review
Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Samhain || GoodReads
There is something about fast cars that calls to my soul. As far back as I can remember there has always been something about the roar of an engine and a man that knows how to turn a wrench that could make my insides melt like hot butter. This was my first Joy Daniels book, but I am sure it won’t be my last.
Cole is a mechanic, from a small town in the middle of nowhere. If you would call a damn near rocket scientist a “mechanic”. Burned once by the “big city life” Cole is just being nice when he stops to help a woman with a Porsche on the side of the road. He has no idea what he is getting himself into though with Sarah, because she is as big city as it comes. On her way to some rest and relaxation, she has no idea there is something a lot more dangerous to heart on the other side of that pothole. After breaking her tire rod she is picked up from the side of the road and brought to town, and she is applying the term “town” with a light hand.
According to the sign at the end of the street, the middle of nowhere was officially called Rapture, VA. Sarah snorted. Some name. The only pleasure she’d get from this town was watching it disappear from her rearview mirror.
Left with only the hope of the hot mechanic Cole as her savior, she climbs into his truck to head to his house, where he will fix her car and get her going. However, she is getting him going and he is doing his best not to fall back into that trap. He can’t help but wonder about her as she looks like she is about to break into a thousand pieces from the stress of her life.
What would it take to make this woman really shatter? To let go and throw caution to the wind? She looked as if she could use some shaking up—of the good kind. But it wasn’t his place to say so.
Finding out her car was indeed broke, she is alarmed to learn she can’t leave town that night! So where to stay, oh where to stay? Oh, yeah, remember Cole, the one who was going to stay out her business? Guess who has a big ol’ house?
“Cole.” She waited until he was looking at her. “Thank you. I really appreciate your help.”
He gave her a genuine smile this time. “Just trying to help out, darlin’.”
This man was fixing her car, giving her a place to stay and calling her “darlin’”. Maybe there was something to this Southern thing after all.
I’m sure he’s just letting you stay because he’s nice, not that he has other “nice” parts just dying to meet you too. *grin* Here is where I break in and say, seriously get this one. Not enough to tempt you? When she plans to get the hell out of Dodge as soon as her car is fixed this is what Cole has to say about it:
“I could leave your little car up on the lift in my garage. Then where would you be?”
The cup in Sarah’s hand shook and she put it on the bedside table. “Right here.”
The huskiness in her voice made his balls tighten. Another step. She shifted back. “Where?”
“Here.” The word was barely a whisper. “In your bed.”
What I liked: This road is fast, the book is pretty short, but it’s a good ride. There is a really, really, good crash and burn scene, that was so well done it had me nodding my head. No, they didn’t wreck the car, but she came close to wrecking herself. I felt like they were real, the emotions were spot on and right amount of smut to make me make sure no one was reading over my shoulder.
What I didn’t like: TOO SHORT! I see this is just the first book in a series, but I really hope we get to go back and visit them. I want to know more about them, what happened when her week off work was over? Tell me MORE!
Overall a great read, well worth the time. It did bring back those warm fond memories of riding around in a 1985 Monte Carlo with Small Block 350. Of course we didn’t really race around as much as we would have liked, but we sure did tear up the back roads, and every now and then the back seat. What can I say, but you know how a girl gets when she turns 17, you know, kinda crazy. And for the record, I know who Jimmie and Junior are.
What’s the car that still makes you grin like an idiot? For me it will always be an 85 Monte Carlo.
Review: For the Living by LA Witt
For the last year, Jay Warren has struggled to find the nerve to tell his wife he’s gay. He’s ashamed of hiding it all this time and he doesn’t want to hurt her, so every time he gets the chance to tell her, he freezes up. The guilt has been almost unbearable, but when his wife dies suddenly, Jay’s conscience threatens to eat him alive.
Funeral director Scott Lawson deals with the bereaved every day of his life, and he’s also all too familiar with the inside of the closet. He offers Jay some much-needed compassion and understanding, and from that connection comes a friendship that quickly–perhaps too quickly–turns into something more.
But are grief, guilt, and loneliness the only things tying them together? Or will Scott get tired of being used as an emotional crutch before Jay realizes what he has?
- Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (March 28, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B007PAPWWY
- FTC Disclosure: given to me as an ARC by the author for the purposes of an honest review
I have a confession. I was a really big fan of the Showtime series Six Feet Under. Actually, the thought of being a funeral director in general is pretty interesting to me. So when I saw that LA Witt had written a book about a funeral director, I pretty much danced around in a circle (much like the pee pee dance, only without grabbing onto areas best not held onto in public) until I was able to get my hot little hands on a copy.
I couldn’t put it down from the first minute I picked it up. Jay is so conflicted over telling his wife that he’s gay that he’s drinking himself into oblivion. My heart hurt for him. It ached for her. And then when she dies before he’s able to tell her the truth, I cried like a little girl. Now Jay is left with an infinite amount of guilt and he still can’t talk to anyone about it!
When he locks eyes with the funeral director, Scott, I took notice. When they developed a friendship – an honest to goodness friendship – it was like a soothing balm to my heart. I loved watching these two develop their friendship, and I danced right along with them as they developed their friendship into something more.
I kind of thought that there might be a bigger conflict, but I think with all the internal conflict going on in Jay’s life, I think it was fitting that there wasn’t a meteor about to strike the earth or an angry mob with pitchforks looming outside their door. They had enough to deal with as it was.
Overall, I loved For the Living and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 5 meows
Quick series review: Cut & Run by Abigail Roux (and Madeline Urban)
I’m just going to do a quick review on the entire Cut and Run series up to the point where I’ve read (which, believe it or not, is NOT the current book in the series – Stars and Stripes- I’ve been busy!!)
I’ve been obsessed with Ty and Zane since day one. It’s rare that I finish a book and immediately want to go back and re-read it, but every time I finish a Ty and Zane book, that’s exactly what I want to do. Because they’re THAT GOOD. The boys (as I lovingly refer to them) are hilarious and sexy as hell and have their tender moments… everything that I like about a man, really.
While reading the books, I often wonder what else Abi (Roux, the author) is going to put my poor boys through. They’ve been beaten, blown up, shot at… one of them (I’m not saying who – you have to read the books yourself!) even went BLIND for most of one of the books! But they always manage to make it through whatever they’re battling at the time together, and that makes my little fangirl heart sing.
Overall rating: 5 meows
Review: Bridesmaid Lotto by Rachel Astor
Book 1 in the USA Today Bestselling McMaster the Disaster series.
Josephine McMaster is pretty and smart, but very much a klutzy mess. Finally, at 26, she may have actually lost the dreaded ‘McMaster the Disaster’ nickname that has followed her around her whole life.
Josie’s quite content to be single, much to her mother’s disappointment. So when a bizarre contest is announced where a socialite is holding a lottery to pick her bridesmaids (and rake in a little extra cash), she can’t roll her eyes fast enough, even if it does mean meeting Jake Hall, her one and only movie star crush. Obviously, Josie doesn’t enter the bridesmaid lottery, so you can imagine her surprise when her picture pops up among the winners, thanks to Mom. With a little prodding — okay bribing — Josie agrees to participate.
The wedding turns into the event of the year, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a paparazzi feeding frenzy, which gets even crazier after Jake Hall takes a special interest in her.
Can Josie handle the pressure in the spotlight? Is it possible she might really have a chance with Jake Hall? And if she’s busy worrying about all that, how in the heck is she going to keep ‘McMaster the Disaster’ from showing up in front of the entire world?
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B004V49BLU
- FTC Disclosure: Free in the iTunes/Kindle/B&N stores
Bridesmaid Lotto was a free read in the iTunes store, so I picked it up. What can I say? I’m a sucker for those free reads. When I’m feeling down or just don’t feel like I want to read something for review, I pick one of these free reads up.
Bridesmaid Lotto was an interesting find. It’s cute, funny, and sweet. It wasn’t a super sexy read, like I’m used to these days, but in this instance I think that’s okay.
Josie didn’t want to be part of the lotto. It seems like everyone else on the planet (including her best friend/roommate Calla) did. So when she wins the opportunity to act as a bridesmaid to one of the most popular socialites in the world, she doesn’t exactly leap at the chance. She grudgingly agrees to it, and her friend from work, Mattie, takes it upon himself to spruce up her wardrobe.
I loved Mattie. He was a bright spot in the story, and I hope to see more of him in future books. I don’t really care to see Josie’s mother though. She’s a pain in the butt and it feels like she’s trying too hard to be this super rich, super fancy woman. Why can’t she just be Josie’s mother and love and support her? Oops, sorry. I’m wishing she were more like my mom (I love you NanaKitty).
Jake, the best man who also happens to be one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Hollywood, is initially attracted to Josie because she doesn’t seem fazed by the whole situation. In all reality, she’s just as in love with Jake as the rest of America is, but because of the fact that she never wanted to be in the lotto and she somehow manages to act cool around him don’t give that little detail away to him.
Watching their romance bloom was cute and sweet. Some of the misunderstandings made me wonder if one or both of them were secretly in fourth grade (grownups talk!) but ultimately I really enjoyed the read.
My one complaint? Not enough sex. Everything was behind closed doors. Not even fade to black. And I am a dirty, dirty girl. But I do plan to read the next two books in the series, mostly because I want to know what happens with Josie and Jake.
Rating: 4 meows
Review: Crave Me by Crystal Jordan
Crave Me
As newly appointed heir to his Pride, Tomas Montoya struggles with both his new duties and his new mate. He craves the dark and dangerous pleasure he finds with Ciri but wonders if he can ever satisfy her need for more…
- Publisher: Aphrodisia (September 27, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0758261551
- ISBN-13: 978-0758261557
*Crave Me is part of the Prowl the Night duology. My review of Want me, the other part of the duology is forthcoming.
Crave Me starts off really hot. They’re in the middle of mating (panther shifters) but at the same time it’s really sad because he’s thinking the whole time about how he feels very distant from his mate. In panther society, not everyone finds their mate (or has one) so the fact that they found each other is pretty special. But he’s heir to the leadership of the pride in South America. He’s temporarily the second in command in the North American Pride based in San Fran… I’m not entirely clear how the second system works. Even though it was explained, it confused me a little bit.
Anyway. They love each other very much but they’re so different. She’s a traditionalist, he’s progressive. She’s Japanese, he’s Brazilian. She’s into art, he’s into politics. Things worked before he had to step up and be second in command of the North American Pride and now she feels that politics have taken over their lives. The main problem (for her) is that she has been taken out of her culture and thrust into another one where she doesn’t fit in. There’s a huge disconnect between them. He doesn’t have time to spend with her because he’s working all the time, and I completely understand where she’s coming from. On the other hand, as someone who has to work for a living (and enjoys doing so), I understand where he’s coming from too. He has to do these things to make sure that everything goes smoothly for his father’s reign, and later his. No one will respect him if he just tosses his duties aside, even if it is for his mate.
So, Crave Me is about them overcoming their issues to be together. There’s a LOT of mating involved in the novella, because of the way their genetics are – if they find their mate and they don’t bone a lot, they will literally go insane. But they have to work through their issues or they won’t have a successful mating.
I really enjoyed seeing them work through their problems to find their way back to each other.
4.75 out of 5
Review: Embrace the Night
They’re the Magickal ones…vampires, werewolves, witches and fae who dwell among humans, united by extraordinary talents and unbridled sexual powers…
Chloe Standish went looking for a one-night stand to erase memories of her cheating ex-and found the hottest sex of her life. A witch and biochemist who’s working on a cure for werewolves, Chloe knows all about magic, yet Merek Kingston evoked a spellbinding lust beyond anything she’d ever felt. But now her ex-boyfriend and research partner is dead, his part of the formula in terrorists’ hands…and the detective in charge is Merek, the same man who’s haunted her dreams ever since their frenzied night together.
Chloe is the one person whose future Merek can’t predict…the only woman who could make him break every rule just to possess her again. Nothing will stop him from protecting her, and an explosive passion too primal, too perfect to forget…
- Publisher: Kensington Books (June 1, 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B004NEW4ZI
This book is about a doctor (Chloe) who is a research scientist (and a witch) who is looking for a cure to lycanthropy… well, more a way to control their need to change. Sometimes during the full moon, a wolf will die during the change. Jaya, one of Chloe’s best friends from college, was one of the wolves who didn’t make it through the change, leaving behind her young son (Alex) and his father, who is also a research scientist and working with Chloe to find the cure.
I thought the friendship between the doctor and the “Normal” among the group of friends from college (Tess) and Chloe was very sweet… up until a certain point in the book, and I don’t want to give anything away because I hate spoilers.
Chloe meets up with Merek, who is a warlock and a cop. They have a one night stand before the beginning of the book, and they immediately have a connection. They can’t get each other out of their minds, but neither wants to admit it – especially Merek, because of events of his past that damaged his soul. They have incredibly hot smex and a deep connection that they’re fighting… and they go on the run with Alex, whose father is now missing.
I loved seeing the family dynamic between Merek, Chloe, and Alex. They worked well together and you could see the love between them all.
Sometimes the plot was a little confusing because I didn’t know who was good, who was bad, and what on earth was going on. There was a vampire named Payton who I had NO IDEA what side he was on. When another vampire Luca came on the scene, I didn’t know if he should be trusted either.
It was definitely an interesting book with a lot of twists and turns and very interesting characters. I’d like to see more about the other characters, and I hope that it’s part of a series.
4.5 out of 5 meows
