Book Shelf: Belonging (Regent Vampire Lords #2) by K.L. Kreig

“I don’t trust anyone.”
Leaving her job and only home, sassy, independent Analise is determined to do whatever it takes to convince the Vampire Lord to help locate her missing friend. What was not part of the plan, however, was her most unwelcome attraction to the irresistibly desirable, arrogant and dominating playboy.

“Well, I’ll just have to remedy that now, won’t I?”
With a rogue vampire still on the loose, Damian, Regent Vampire Lord of the East, has his hands full trying to keep the fallout to a minimum. The last complication he needs is for his fiery Moira, his Fated, to finally walk into his life at a time when everything is in utter chaos, putting her directly into the crosshairs of a centuries old war. But now that he has her, he’ll be damned if he’ll let her go.

He had the power to destroy her permanently.
Analise is equally drawn to and infuriated by the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on. And how can she bear Damian’s touch, when the touch of anyone before him repulsed her? With the inability to let others in, she simply needs to stick to the plan, use Damian to locate her friend and return home, heart unscathed.

But even the best-laid plans can go awry.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Belonging by K.L. Kreig’s is the second instalment in her Regent Vampire Lords series and is even better than the first novel. with a rich and powerful romance, enticing characters and tones of chemistry!

Damian DeStephano is the Regent Lord of the East, a powerful vampire known for his womanizing ways and ego. Damian and the other vampires within his domain are still dealing with the fallout from Xavier seen in the last book and find themselves facing a new discovery when Damian stumbles across his Moira in the form of Analise Aster, a smart and sassy young woman whose ties to Damian’s world are more complicated than he ever expected.

K. L. Kreig intrigued me with the first novel in this series, Surrendering, but Belonging was even better in my opinion; winning me over the moment I began the story. This dangerous and sensual world of vampires is reminiscent of some of my favourite vampire series, but despite the similarities, Kreig has managed to have me entranced by her characters and their stories.

Belonging is well told and wonderfully paced. The storyline builds and develops and the alternating POV’s between Damian, Analise and a couple of other characters make for a really enjoyable reading experience. I’m more invested in this series and the lives of the characters than I was in the first book and I’m already eager to read more!

Though I liked Dev and Kate in the first book, they didn’t blow me away the way Damian and Analise did. I loved these two! The verbally sparing that takes place between them and the banter was wonderful to read about. Damian is very domineering, but Analise gives as good as she gets and takes him on; word for word, quip for quip. They were sweet and sexy and their romance developed wonderfully.

Analise is street smart and sassy, having grown up in foster care and having been a victim of the system; seeing her life on the streets for a number of years and experiencing the worst society has to offer. Analise was a really great character to follow. I loved her from the moment I met her. Her voice was strong and biting, but she also had a lot of vulnerabilities and fears. She’d experienced a lot of pain, but I really enjoyed the balance of strong survivor and vulnerability that author K. L. Kreig wove into Analise’s personality.

Damian was a sexy and protective vampire and I loved the dedication he felt towards Analise. Damian had real personality and I enjoyed his cheeky nature. Obviously he’s a vampire, but he was also quite dominant, something Kreig explores throughout the story and builds on between Damian and Analise. I actually liked seeing Analise stand up to Damian and call him out on his incorrect actions; forcing him to re-evaluate his actions and his mindset.

Sarah and Romaric’s story is next—one I’m very much looking forward to reading about, however I’m becoming more and more invested in the ongoing relationship between Mike and Giselle with each novel in this series. I’ve heard they’re going to get their own novella and I already can’t wait as K.L. Kreig has already implemented a very complex dynamic between the two and considering what Giselle recently went through, the emotional and physical possibilities between them are very exciting!

Fast paced, exciting and deliciously romantic, Belonging is a sensual and sexy romance that will easily hook you and leave you raring for more. K. L. Kreig you’ve done it again!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Progressive Edits and the author K.L. Kreig (Thank you guys!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Recommendation: Like Black Dagger Brotherhood and the Midnight Breed? You'll enjoy this!
Cover: Another beautiful cover!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes......

Owl Post #66

Inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, Owl Post allows us bloggers to showcase the books we've bought, won or received throughout the week and is hosted by Brodie over at Eleusinian Mysteries. We all know that the Owl Post is the fastest way to send and receive mail and they certainly make me happy every time they drop a book off.  

Hello everyone and welcome to this week's Owl Post! Only one book to share with you this week but it's a good one :)

  For Review:

From Simon & Schuster: - When You're Back by Abbi Glines Ahhhh, another Abbi Glines novel :) I'm a massive Abbi Glines fan and I always love her books. Looking forward to more Mase and Reece!   .....Thank you Jen!   And that's me! What did the owls bring YOU this week?  

 

Spotlight: Half Blood by Lauren Dawes- Excerpt & Giveaway

I'm excited to be featuring Half Blood from Aussie author Lauren Dawes on the blog today with a fabulous excerpt and an even more fabulous giveaway. Lauren has so generously offered up a signed copy of Half Blood to an Australian follower and I have some buttons and signed bookmarks to giveaway to not one, but two international ones!

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A FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES

A battle for werewolf territory and rights has Rhett fighting for his life and for the survival of the pack. The last Half Blood --a half human, half vampire hybrid--has been found and Rhett has been chosen as her unlikely Guardian. The pack's survival hangs on her completing her transformation, but a Sicarii--a vampire assassin--is hunting her to ensure that never happens...

A DARK SECRET REVEALED

Indigo's hard exterior is nothing compared to the dark secret she carries within her. Her haunted eyes alone tell of her struggle and desire to live. But what she doesn't know is that she is hard-wired for survival; the very blood in her veins and the legacy of her father demands it. But when her life takes a violent turn, her heritage and her fate may be the very thing to get her killed...

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Inktera

 

From Half Blood.....

Rhett approached the late-model Camry he was about to boost. Grand theft auto wasn’t high on his to-do list, but he had to get Indi to a hospital. Besides, he was still buck-naked and hurting from the rapid change and the liquid donation. He glanced around the street, looking for humans. When he couldn’t smell or hear any close by, he punched his fist through the passenger side window. The tempered glass crumbled, falling into the seat.

Rhett swayed suddenly, clutching the top of the car to stay upright. Indi had taken a lot of his blood—more than he’d really been able to give—but he gave it willingly, knowing it would drag her back from the precipice of death she’d been flirting with. And although he would pay for what he’d done, he didn’t give a damn.

Popping the locks, he scrambled to get Indi into the back seat, snagging the blanket off the parcel shelf and spreading it over her. Her chest was rising and falling shallowly, but the color had come back to her cheeks. He brushed a few stray cubes of glass off the driver’s seat and hopped in the car, hot-wiring it to get it going.

Cranking up the heat to “inferno” to compensate for the broken window, Rhett tore off in the direction of St. Mary’s hospital in Reynard. It was in the next town over, but still within the Helheim territorial boundary. A wolf named Laithe worked in the ER as a nurse. He figured that if Nox was going to make another attempt at ending her life, she might as well have someone fighting on her side while she was there.

Laithe was having a cigarette when Rhett pulled into the ambulance bay, which was goddamn lucky. When he saw Rhett was behind the wheel, Laithe scrubbed out the end of his cancer stick on the heel of one of his Crocs and approached the car.

“Rhett, long time,” he said in a slightly accented drawl.

Rolling down the window, Rhett stuck his hand out to the guy, clapping palms. “Hey.”

“You feeling all right? You look like shit.”

Rhett’s lip tipped up in the corner. “It’s nothing I can’t handle,” he replied. Showing another wolf weakness was never good.

Laithe bent down and peered into the back seat. “What have we got here?”

Rhett licked his lips and hoped Laithe was going to be cool. “The pack’s felvair.”

Laithe looked up quickly, his wolf peering out of his eyes for a long time. Rhett could sense the longing in its acid-green gaze. The pack hadn’t had a felvair in a long, long time—a good hundred years or so. Laithe had given up on waiting and married the human woman he was with now, knowing they could never have children, knowing she would die long before he would. Trans-species breeding didn’t work. Only a female werewolf could give birth to a werewolf child. Any human/werewolf combination resulted in a miscarriage. 

Rhett felt light-headed again, his body trying to play catch-up on blood reproduction. He rubbed his temples as he said, “She was attacked by a Sicarii. Drained, but I got her heart going again. Can you help her?”

“Sure I can,” Laithe replied. He disappeared for a moment, returning with a wheelchair and a set of clothes. Laithe shoved the clothes at Rhett, and while he was getting changed, Laithe gently lifted Indi out of the back of the car.

Rhett asked, “What are you going to tell the doctors?”

“That I found her out here on my cigarette break. It happens a lot with ODs and domestic violence. They won’t suspect anything.”

Rhett breathed out a deep breath and gave Laithe his hand. “Thanks. I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do,” he replied. Rhett crouched in front of Indi and pushed some hair out of her face, liking how warm her skin felt now. He kissed her gently on the forehead and stood up.

“Take good care of her,” Rhett said, his voice sounding a little choked.

“You got it,” Laithe replied. He turned and rushed Indi inside the sliding doors where a dozen doctors and nurses were milling around.

Want more? Get Half Blood today!

Lauren Dawes is an urban fantasy/paranormal romance writer and the author of the Half Blood Trilogy. You won’t find any friendly vampires in between the pages of her books; just blood, teeth and violence. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or teaching. She currently lives in Victoria, Australia with her husband and cat.

Visit Lauren:

Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter  Facebook

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Book Shelf: Switched (Trylle #1) by Amanda Hocking

What if your entire world was built on a lie?

Wendy Everly knew she was different the day her mother tried to kill her and accused her of having been switched at birth. Although certain she’s not the monster her mother claims she is – she does feel that she doesn’t quite fit in...

She’s bored and frustrated by her small town life – and then there’s the secret that she can’t tell anyone. Her mysterious ability – she can influence people’s decisions, without knowing how, or why...

When the intense and darkly handsome newcomer Finn suddenly turns up at her bedroom window one night – her world is turned upside down. He holds the key to her past, the answers to her strange powers and is the doorway to a place she never imagined could exist. Förening, the home of the Trylle.

Finally everything makes sense. Among the Trylle, Wendy is not just different, but special. But what marks her out as chosen for greatness in this world also places her in grave danger. With everything around her changing, Finn is the only person she can trust. But dark forces are conspiring – not only to separate them, but to see the downfall everything that Wendy cares about.

The fate of Förening rests in Wendy’s hands, and the decisions she and Finn make could change all their lives forever...  

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Switched by Amanda Hocking is a gloriously detailed and magical story that introduces readers to a lush world and certainly captivated this reader from the very beginning!

Admittedly it’s taken me a little while to finally read this novel, but having now done so I can finally understand why readers around the world have fallen in love with Switched and why it initially catapulted Amanda Hocking into literacy success. Switched was a fantastic novel to read and I was very impressed with the story Hocking has set up so far. I already own copies of the remaining two novels in the series, so I’m sure to be starting them soon after finding myself entranced and invested in the main characters journey. 

Switched follows Wendy Everly, a seemingly normal teenage girl who discovers she is in fact a Trylle changeling who was swapped at birth. When Wendy is attacked by a group of dangerous Trylle known as Vittra, and having had a human “mother” who always knew Wendy wasn’t technically her child and who sought to harm her, Wendy chooses to leave her beloved brother and aunt with Finn, the tracker who has found her and protected her in order to discover her true heritage. Arriving in the Trylle kingdom known as Forening, Wendy soon learns she’s not just any Trylle changeling—she’s a princess; the Crown Princess and the one expected to take over as monarch one day. With the help of Finn and a bunch of friends she makes along the way Wendy slowly realises that there is something going on in Forening, and she may be in more danger from the Vittra than those around her are willing to let on…..

I was really impressed with Switched, and as I previously mentioned, I can see now why so many people seem to adore this series. Well written, Amanda Hocking takes a leap of faith with Switched by staying away from the traditional fey and faerie characters we know in favour of trolls, something I haven’t seen quite as much. Hocking doesn’t delve into the Trylle history too much, but I still find myself eager to know more; if there is more to be known.

Set amongst a lyrical backdrop, Hocking litters the story with intriguing characters, and not just our main character Wendy. Though Wendy is understandably the focal point, Hocking includes some truly personable minor characters; mostly Trylle Wendy meets during her time in Forening, but also her older brother Matt who simply adores Wendy. I loved the characters. Matt, Finn, Rhys, Willa, Tove, Elora....and of course Wendy; I could go on and on. They were that well written, even with some only having small roles within the story. I really hope to see much more of them in future books.

Wendy was a strong heroine to follow and I can only envision how powerful she will become as the series progresses. I liked the way Hocking wrote her character and enjoyed that she had attitude, made honest mistakes and struggled at times. She wasn’t unfeeling, but she wasn’t overtly emotional, and was just the kind of heroine you enjoy in these kinds of novels. 

Hocking creates nice relationships between Wendy and those she meets. They’re all different, complex and have different purposes. Wendy’s relationship with her biological mother and of course Finn are focal, and I’m interested to see what happens. I admit I’m a bit spoilt in the sense that I do know who Wendy ends up with romantically at the end of the series, but that doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying her journey and relationship with Finn so far. Amanda Hocking writes it with fire and chemistry and I like that. 

A stunning introduction, there’s no doubt Amanda Hocking has me hooked on Switched and eager to dive back into the world of Trylle and Wendy’s journey once more!

Rating:
Source: Purchased by me
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation:  I honestly think this is a must read for fans of fae tales, especially those who want a twist.
Cover: It's simple, but very pretty.....
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes!

Book Blitz: Dream Casters: Light by Adrienne Woods

Welcome to the Book Blitz for Dream Casters: Light by Adrienne Woods thanks to YaReads Blog Tours! Today I have an adorable teaser picture and the tour wide giveaway to share with you all. Enjoy :)

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Mr. Sandman, send me a dream, ta da da da…..Seventeen year old Chasity Blake knows the Sandman is just a silly children’s story parents tell their children to get them to sleep. At least she thought it was, until the day a mysterious, light golden sand appeared in her hands during a high school prank that went horribly wrong. A sand that has the power to send anyone it touches into a deep, sound sleep.

Fearing she had lost her mind, Chasity soon discovers the shocking truth of her heritage- she is a Dream Caster. Chasity was never supposed to be raised on the Domain, or what humans call Earth and she is forced to return to her true birth place, Revera – the world of Dreams.

However, in Revera there is no balance between good, the Light Casters, and darkness, the Shadow Casters, and Chasity is caught square in the middle. She soon learns that there is no place for anyone containing both the light and the darkness within them, and the shocking truth that if anyone in Revera ever discovered her shadow self, Chasity would be thrown into the Oblivion – the world of Nightmares.

Dreams are always more than they seem, and this time Chasity is going to discover just how different they can be.

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Smashwords

 

Adrienne Woods was born and raised in South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and two beautiful little girls. She always knew she was going to be a writer, but it only started to really happen about four years ago. In her free time―if she gets any because moms don’t really have free time―she loves to spend it with friends, whether it’s a girls night out, or just watching a movie. She’s a very chilled person. Her writing career started with Firebolt, book one in the Dragonian series. There will be four books in total, including a further two to three books, which will be stories that take place within the Dragonian series. Her other series, Dream Casters, will be released mid 2015. She also writes in different genres, and her woman’s fiction, The Pregnancy Diaries, will be published under a pseudonym. And then, she has a paranormal series by the name of the Aswang series, which will consist of about ten novels. And if that wasn’t enough, there is another series, Guardians of Monsters, which will be released in 2016.

 

Visit Adrienne:

Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Google +

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Book Shelf: An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

What if you were the spark that could ignite a revolution?

For years Laia has lived in fear. Fear of the Empire, fear of the Martials, fear of truly living at all. Born as a Scholar, she’s never had much of a choice.

For Elias it’s the opposite. He has seen too much on his path to becoming a Mask, one of the Empire’s elite soldiers. With the Masks’ help the Empire has conquered a continent and enslaved thousands, all in the name of power.

When Laia’s brother is taken she must force herself to help the Resistance, the only people who have a chance of saving him. She must spy on the Commandant, ruthless overseer of Blackcliff Academy. Blackcliff is the training ground for Masks and the very place that Elias is planning to escape. If he succeeds, he will be named deserter. If found, the punishment will be death.

But once Laia and Elias meet, they will find that their destinies are intertwined and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

In the ashes of a broken world one person can make a difference. One voice in the dark can be heard. The price of freedom is always high and this time that price might demand everything, even life itself.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is a thoroughly entertaining and impressive debut novel that draws readers into a powerful and dangerous world and follows two strong leads whose lives intertwine with deadly consequence. 

In the tradition of ancient Rome, An Ember in the Ashes depicts a brutal and dangerous society where defiance usually means death and those in power dominate those of lesser stations. In a world where the Martial Empire long ago defeated and enslaved the Scholar people, An Ember in the Ashes follows and is told through the eyes of two very different individuals; Laia, a slave and Elias a solider. 

When Laia’s remaining family is slaughtered and her only surviving relative, her brother is imprisoned for treason, Laia sets out to find a way to save him from execution, even when it means she must take a position as a slave and spy on the Commandant, a barbaric and heinous woman who runs a training school for Masks, the most fierce and deadly of Empire soldiers. Elias on the other hand is a Mask in training; one of the best and a student under the Commandant. However Elias has a secret; he loathes everything the Empire stands for and has plans to desert. As Laia and Elias’s lives begin to intertwine, the two begin a dangerous journey that will see them make tough choices and push the boundaries of their world like never before.  

An Ember in the Ashes is actually a really interesting book. Author Sabaa Tahir has clearly thought really hard and put a lot of work into detailing her complex world. The society within An Ember in the Ashes is a mix of ancient Rome with a hint of dystopia; there is magic, evil and many secrets to be discovered within. There’s so much unknown within this tale and I like that I still feel like there’s so much to be discovered. 

Tahir details an intriguing world of magic, danger and war in An Ember in the Ashes. There’s almost a medieval feel to it at times, and this blends well with the developing storyline as well as the main characters and the minor ones to create a very engrossing read. The storyline is still clearly developing but Tahir has won me over with the mystery surrounding her main characters destinies and their purposes. Powerful wise men known as Augurs hint at a bigger picture for both Laia and Elias and I for one cannot wait to discover what that may be.

I really loved Laia and Elias as characters. They’re both solid individuals and have their own personalities, fears and flaws. They both want more from life and are slowly discovering their individual limits. From different worlds, it takes a while for their lives to intersect, but Tahir sets a good foundation and gives them both purpose. They both have different wants and desires, but it’s seeing them find their common goals amidst the undeniable attraction between them despite their different positions in life that cements the fact they could do so much together. 

Considering, Elias and Laia are obvious love interests for each other, there isn’t an actual love triangle within An Ember in the Ashes; it’s more a love square. There’s no denying there’s an attraction and appeal between Elias and Laia, but they also both have deep, and very real, feelings and connections with other people. It’s odd…..seeing them with their respectable love interests, you feel the relationships and the desire. They both burn so deeply and you honestly feel these two individual romances and the possibilities they present. But then Laia and Elias are together and you can’t help but feel like they should be together. It’s confusing emotionally and you don’t know who to get behind, but Sabaa Tahir writes this all so well that I honestly feel at this point they could be with each other, or the others they care about and it would just work. 

Even after finishing the final page of this novel I’m still very caught up in the story. An Ember in the Ashes races towards a stunning conclusion that leaves the story set up beautifully for the sequel. Sabaa Tahir has created a dark, brutal world of magic, creatures and possibilities, and I for one cannot wait to see what happens to Laia and Elias next! 

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Harper Collins Australia (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: Fans of fantasy are sure to love this, although it's hard to compare it to anything else.
Cover: I'm not the biggest fan of your Australian cover; I don't think it really doesn't the novel justice.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes! Can't wait.

Waiting on Wednesday #99

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....  

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Releases on: January 5th 2015
Add on Goodreads!

Violin prodigy Etta Spencer had big plans for her future, but a tragedy has put her once-bright career at risk. Closely tied to her musical skill, however, is a mysterious power she doesn't even know she has. When her two talents collide during a stressful performance, Etta is drawn back hundreds of years through time.

Etta wakes, confused and terrified, in 1776, in the midst a fierce sea battle. Nicholas Carter, the handsome young prize master of a privateering ship, has been hired to retrieve Etta and deliver her unharmed to the Ironwoods, a powerful family in the Colonies--the very same one that orchestrated her jump back, and one Nicholas himself has ties to. But discovering she can time travel is nothing compared to the shock of discovering the true reason the Ironwoods have ensnared her in their web.

Another traveler has stolen an object of untold value from them, and, if Etta can find it, they will return her to her own time. Out of options, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the mysterious traveler. But as they draw closer to each other and the end of their search, the true nature of the object, and the dangerous game the Ironwoods are playing, comes to light -- threatening to separate her not only from Nicholas, but her path home... forever.

Thoughts:
I very much enjoyed Alexandra Bracken's The Darkest Minds and I'm so very excited for this novel to come out. The concept of time travelling gets me straight away, but the prospect of some romance, mystery and magic has me sooooo keen for this to be released. Is it 2016 yet?

What do you think of Passenger?

Is it something that you would read?