Waiting on Wednesday #189

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.....  

The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross 

Releases on: February 6th 2018

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When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

Thoughts:

Another fabulous sounding fantasy tale! What can I say? I love them--they're one of my fave genres. Magic, war between two kingdoms, plans to overthrow a king?? Sounds right up my alley! I'll be keeping my eye out for this one and it's stunning cover!

Do you like the sound of this? 

And what are YOU waiting on this week?

Book Shelf: The Darkest Promise (Lords of the Underworld #13) by Gena Showalter

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn't allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him - until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they've forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 


The Darkest Promise is the 13th novel in Gena Showalter’s brilliant paranormal romance series, The Lords of the Underworld, and is an absolutely delicious story featuring the sole female Lord Cameo and the fierce individual Lazarus as they finally give in to the passion that burns between them.

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn’t allowed to feel joy. If she dares, her demon will take those memories of happiness away, leaving her even emptier and saddened than she began. Centuries of pain and sorrow have taken its toll and with every word uttered by her mouth bringing sadness to those she loves, Cameo is desperate for anything that may turn things around; even if it means she’ll have to travel to a mysterious spirit realm in search of the one man who could offer her redemption. Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom of the dead with one driving purpose—compose an army strong enough to destroy his enemies…..until Cameo walked into his life. Though the raven haired beauty can’t remember their brief time together, it burns through Lazarus’s memory and he’ll do whatever it takes to lure Cameo into his bed. Betrayed more times than he can count, Lazarus is determined to enjoy Cameo and then walk away, but as he craves seeing her smile and happy more and more, will Lazarus find himself giving up on his vengeance for the woman he’s coming to love? Or will outside forces keep them apart regardless?

Yay! Cameo and Lazarus’s story! Though I was heartbroken at the time to discover Gena Showalter wasn’t pairing Cameo with Torin, I was stoked to discover her happily ever after would come in the form of the darkly seductive Lazarus. I honestly thought Lazarus had potential from the moment we met him and I think Gena Showalter did an absolutely brilliant job with The Darkest Promise!

As the only female Lord amongst a band of very fierce, fiery immortals, Cameo has always stood out as the only woman. She’s always been very a capable, strong and fierce warrior in her own right, something that doesn’t change within The Darkest Promise, but I admit it was nice seeing a softer, feminine side to Cameo. My heart really feels for all the pain and misery she’s experienced and how her afflictions have impacted her relationships with those around her, even the other Lords. They were never immune to her words of Misery and in The Darkest Promise we finally see firsthand how this made her feel. It was sad, but made me love Lazarus even more for being able to overcome that without too much difficulty.

And Lazarus…another fabulous male lead and someone I couldn’t help but adore. His history aside, Lazarus was self-assured, cocky, brutal and fierce and was sooooo swoon-worthy. A stellar PNR male lead who quickly came to adore his female and was willing to sacrifice himself to make her happy and be with her. Lazarus has always intrigued me ever since we first met him and it was interesting to get to know him in a new light. I would have loved to learn more about his experiences as Juliette’s consort, seeing as that fact was a big factor the first time we met him, however Gena Showalter only briefly touched on this in The Darkest Promise.

There’s a lot of sexy encounters between Cameo and Lazarus that litter the story and I loved seeing them fall in love. It was adorable seeing them fight for dominance over each other but ultimately become partners in everything. There’s was a story I’d been highly anticipating and I was thrilled with the final result.

Though Gena Showalter set the beginnings of a few potential storylines during the last book, The Darkest Torment, I admit I’m completely unsure which couple will feature next. I know I have a few I’m looking forward to seeing, including Viola who now intrigues me with her possible romance with a Sent One, but as far as the next Lords of the Underworld tale goes, I’m not certain who it will feature at all—looking forward to the surprise.

Fast paced, sensual and so addictive, The Darkest Promise is a satisfying and enjoyable novel that is sure to thrill fans from start to finish. 

Rating:

Source: Purchased by me from Big W
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 13th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I'm so glad to have finally been able to read Cameo and Lazarus's story and I CANNOT wait to see who is next!

Release Day: Brutal Sin by Eden Summers

I'm delighted to help Eden Summers celebrate the release of Brutal Sin, the third book in her series The Vault with readers today!

I'm a fan of Ms Summers and the wonderful novels she writes and can't wait to read Brute's story myself--I loved the first two books in this series!

___________________________

Falling in love will be brutal.

Bryan is ruthless, heartless, and more than a little proud of his notorious reputation, until his bad attitude threatens to strip him of the one place he can’t live without. His sanctuary. The Vault. The exclusive club is the only place he feels at home, and he’ll do whatever it takes to reclaim what is his. Even if it means asking for help from the woman who landed him in trouble in the first place.

Pamela may have become weak-kneed over Bryan’s talented hands once before, but this self-empowered widow isn’t stupid enough to want more from the sanctimonious ass. Nope. At least that’s what she tells herself before he turns up at her café, offering to refresh her memory on his skilled fingers and filthy words in exchange for a favor.

He needs her to set things straight in the Vault. She needs him to satisfy the cravings of fulfillment she’s been missing. It’s a match made in hedonistic heaven, until hostility turns to lust, and lust into passion, capturing them both in an emotional web neither one of them want to be ensnared in.

Warning: This is an exhibitionist’s playfield and a voyeur’s delight, but dominance always rules. Throw in teasing, torture, and a gag or two, and you’ve got yourself another night of debauchery within the carnal walls of the Vault of Sin.

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Check out the whole series here:

Eden Summers is a bestselling author of contemporary romance with a side of sizzle and sarcasm.

She lives in Australia with a young family who are well aware she's circling the drain of insanity. Eden can't resist alpha dominance, dark features and sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves retribution with a feminine smile on her face.

Visit Eden:

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Blog Tour: The Thirteenth Gate by Kat Ross- Excerpt & Giveaway

As someone who thoroughly enjoys Kat Ross's novels, I'm stoked to be helping her celebrate her latest release, The Thirteenth Gate thanks to Xpresso Book Tours!

Yesterday my review of The Thirteenth Gate went live and today I have an excerpt to highlight this wonderful novel.

_________________________________

Winter 1888. At a private asylum in the English countryside, a man suspected of being Jack the Ripper kills an orderly and flees into the rain-soaked night. His distraught keepers summon the Lady Vivienne Cumberland—who's interviewed their patient and isn't sure he's a man at all. An enigmatic woman who guards her own secrets closely, Lady Vivienne knows a creature from the underworld when she sees one. And he’s the most dangerous she's ever encountered.

As Jack rampages through London, this time targeting rare book collectors, Lady Vivienne begins to suspect what he's looking for. And if he finds it, the doors to purgatory will be thrown wide open…

Across the Atlantic, an archaeologist is brutally murdered after a Christmas Eve gala at the American Museum of Natural History. Certain peculiar aspects of the crime attract the interest of the Society for Psychical Research and its newest investigator, Harrison Fearing Pell. Is Dr. Julius Sabelline's death related to his recent dig in Alexandria? Or is the motive something darker?

As Harry uncovers troubling connections to a serial murder case she’d believed was definitively solved, two mysteries converge amid the grit and glamor of Gilded Age New York. Harry and Lady Vivienne must join forces to stop an ancient evil. The key is something called the Thirteenth Gate. But where is it? And more importantly, who will find it first?

Add on Goodreads or check out my 4 star review!

Purchase:

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From The Thirteenth Gate.....

Rain drummed on the roof of the carriage as it raced up Wickham Hill Road. Just ahead, the Greymoor Lunatic Asylum crouched at the end of a long, treeless drive, its peaked slate roof silhouetted against the sky. The black brougham drew to a halt before the wrought-iron front gate. Following a brief exchange with the occupants, two officers from the Essex constabulary waved it through, immediately ducking back into the shelter of a police wagon.

The asylum made a grim impression even in daylight. Now, in the darkest hour of the night, with water coursing down the brick façade and thunder rattling the turrets, Greymoor looked like something torn from the pages of a penny dreadful, hulking and shadowed despite the lamps burning in every barred window.

“I told them to watch him,” Lady Vivienne Cumberland muttered, yanking her gloves on. “To keep him isolated from the staff and other patients. Clearly, they didn’t listen. The fools.”

The carriage jolted forward down the rutted drive. It had been a little over a month since her first and last interview with Dr. William Clarence. Afterwards, Lady Cumberland had taken a hard look at those bars and strongly suggested to the asylum superintendent that he move Dr. Clarence to a room with no window at all.

Her companion, Alec Lawrence, gripped the cane resting across his knees. He had been present at the interview, had looked into Dr. Clarence’s eyes, a blue so pale they reminded him of a Siberian dog. The memory unsettled him still, and he wasn’t a man who was easily shaken.

“We don’t know what happened yet,” he pointed out. “Superintendent Barrett can hardly be faulted considering we withheld certain information. I rather doubt he would have believed us anyway.”

Vivienne scowled out the window at the rain-blurred grounds. “You may be right, but it was only a matter of time. I’ve known that since the day Clarence was brought here. The S.P.R. made a bad mistake entrusting him to Greymoor.”

“We still don’t know for sure—”

“Yes, we do. The killings stopped, didn’t they?”

“That could be for any number of reasons,” he said stubbornly.

“Including that the creature who committed them is behind bars. Or was, at least.”

Alec Lawrence buttoned his woolen greatcoat. This was not a new debate. “Perhaps. But there’s not a scrap of hard evidence against him. Nothing but a single reference in a report by some American girl and Clarence’s own odd demeanor. Had there been more, he would have been locked up tight in Newgate Prison.”

Vivienne turned her obsidian gaze on him. With her unlined skin and full lips, she might have been thirty, or a decade in either direction. Only Alec and a handful of others knew better.

“That American girl is Arthur Conan Doyle’s goddaughter and she seemed quite clever to me. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway,” she added quietly. “Walls don’t hold Dr. Clarence’s sort for long.”

“Look,” he said, softening. “For what it’s worth, I think we did the right thing taking him off the streets. I just....” He trailed off, unsure how he meant to finish the thought.

“You don’t trust my judgment anymore. Since Harper Dods.”

“That’s not even remotely true. I simply think we need to keep open minds on the matter. The signs aren’t there, Vivienne. I’m the first to admit Dr. Clarence is an odd duck, perhaps worse. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t human.”

Vivienne arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “And yet here we are, summoned by Sidgwick in the middle of the night. I wonder if he’s regretting his decision?”

The note from Henry Sidgwick, president of the Society for Psychical Research, had arrived in the form of a small, bedraggled messenger boy pounding on Lady Vivienne’s front door in St. James an hour before. It was both vague and ominous, citing an “unfortunate incident” involving Dr. Clarence and urging all due haste to the asylum.

A gust of rain shook the carriage as it slowed at the front entrance.

“I suppose we’ll find out in a minute,” Alec said, turning his collar up. He swiped a hand through chestnut hair and jammed a top hat on his head. “Off to the races.”

Want more? Get your copy of The Thirteenth Gate today!

 

Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day, the Fourth Element fantasy trilogy (The Midnight Sea, Blood of the Prophet, Queen of Chaos), and a new gaslamp mystery series that opens with The Daemoniac and continues with The Thirteenth Gate. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. For more information about Kat’s books, come visit her at katrossbooks.com

Visit Kat:

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Book Shelf: The Thirteenth Gate (Dominion Mysteries #1) by Kat Ross

Winter 1888. At a private asylum in the English countryside, a man suspected of being Jack the Ripper kills an orderly and flees into the rain-soaked night. His distraught keepers summon the Lady Vivienne Cumberland—who's interviewed their patient and isn't sure he's a man at all. An enigmatic woman who guards her own secrets closely, Lady Vivienne knows a creature from the underworld when she sees one. And he’s the most dangerous she's ever encountered.

As Jack rampages through London, this time targeting rare book collectors, Lady Vivienne begins to suspect what he's looking for. And if he finds it, the doors to purgatory will be thrown wide open…

Across the Atlantic, an archaeologist is brutally murdered after a Christmas Eve gala at the American Museum of Natural History. Certain peculiar aspects of the crime attract the interest of the Society for Psychical Research and its newest investigator, Harrison Fearing Pell. Is Dr. Julius Sabelline's death related to his recent dig in Alexandria? Or is the motive something darker?

As Harry uncovers troubling connections to a serial murder case she’d believed was definitively solved, two mysteries converge amid the grit and glamor of Gilded Age New York. Harry and Lady Vivienne must join forces to stop an ancient evil. The key is something called the Thirteenth Gate. But where is it? And more importantly, who will find it first?

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 

The Thirteenth Gate is Kat Ross’s latest release and is a thrilling tale of murder, mystery and the demonic set amongst a sharp and gritty Victorian London background that will captivate readers with its beguiling storyline. 

London towards the end of the 19th century has been the victim of a series of brutal, almost inhuman murders and the man believed to be the killer, dubbed Jack the Ripper, has just killed an orderly and escaped the asylum where he was being held. Lady Vivienne Cumberland and her associate Alec Lawrence have been tasked by the international agency they work for with tacking down the escaped killer who is far from human. Vivienne and Alec have a unique history and connection to the underworld creatures that plague London, but Jack may be the worst they’ve ever faced. Across the Atlantic Ocean, sleuths Harrison Fearing Pell and John Weston are beginning their careers with the Society of Psychical Research but their first case isn’t going to plan. None of the clues make sense and what’s worse is that everything they do understand points at a sinister supernatural connection. Investigating the murder of an archaeologist leads the duo to some troubling discovers and with the danger greater with every discovery, what will it take to stop the killer at work? And will they be brought to justice before it’s too late?

The Thirteenth Gate bridges the gap between Kat Ross’s Fourth Element series and her Victorian murder mystery, The Daemoniac as she begins her new series titled Dominion Mysteries. Picking up where its prequel The Daemoniac picks off, The Thirteenth Gate follows Harry and John, and well as “new” characters Vivienne and Alec. Fans of the Fourth Element series, such as myself, will be thrilled to discover Vivienne and Alec’s connection to the previous series and will be thrilled to see them feature in The Thirteenth Gate.

At first I was disappointment over the possibility of following a new set of main characters as I had previously enjoyed following Harry and John in The Daemoniac, but as soon as I discovered who Vivienne and Alec were, I couldn't have been more ecstatic to join them once again. So much has changed but Vivienne still features the capability, strength and tenacity that make her a strong female lead and Alec is still the kind individual he has always been. The Thirteenth Gate sheds some light on the current relationship between Vivienne and Alec and I'm intrigued to see where Ross plans to take things.

Kat Ross details such a raw, gritty and passionate setting within The Thirteenth Gate which feels authentic, and fills it with complex, intriguing characters. Set during the late 19th century, Ross depicts wonderful explorations of medicine, science and magic and introduces new friends and old enemies, possibly turned allies, to the novel. 

Danger rises with the turn of every page and the haunting ghouls and daemons that threaten society make for highly interesting reading. Mysterious and beguiling, The Thirteenth Gate kicks off The Dominion Mysteries wonderfully and leaves me eager to see what Kat Ross plans for the series next!
 
Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Xpresso Book Tours and the author (Thank you ladies!)
Publisher: Acorn
Format: Kindle ebook
Release Date: June 26th 2017
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Final Thoughts: Kat Ross's books never let me down and The Thirteenth Gate is no exception--can't wait for the next installment!

Read the prequel today for FREE!

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Waiting on Wednesday #188

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.....  

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking 

Releases on: January 2nd 2018

Add on Goodreads!

 

Valkyries have one great responsibility: to return immortals to the afterlife by slaying them. As a Valkyrie, Malin has always known that the balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos.

Malin not only wrestles with the knowledge that her mother might not be who she thought—she’s also thrust into the path of a gorgeous blue eyed guy named Asher who needs her help slaying the rogue immortal who destroyed his family. The balance of the world is at stake. And, as Asher competes with Malin’s ex for her love and loyalty, so is her heart.

Thoughts:

I absolutely love Amanda Hocking and was so stoked to discover she had a new book in the works. THEN I read the description for Between the Blade and the Heart and now I'm even more excited.
Valkyries! How exciting! I love Valkyries and can't wait to get my hands on this book as soon as it's released!

Do you like the sound of  Between the Blade and the Heart?

And what are you waiting on this week?

Book Shelf: Walk the Edge (Thunder Road #2) by Katie McGarry

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 

Walk The Edge is the second book in Katie McGarry's Thunder Road series and is another deeply enjoyable contemporary YA that features two flawed, but layered characters, sizzling romance and a wonderful story. 

Seventeen year old Breanna Miller is smart, responsible and good at keeping secrets. One of nine children, Breanna's place in her large family is as helper and role model, but no-one in her life seems to know that Breanna feels out of place, isolated and yearns for the freedom to be who she truly is. Fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club who are his home and his family, but a recent brush with a detective has Razor questioning what really happened eight years ago on the night his mother died. Razor has been haunted for years and not knowing the truth isn't something he can live with anymore. Breanna and Razor come from different walks of life, but when a chance encounter sparks an attraction neither anticipated will Breanna and Razor be able to overcome the cyber-bully who is now determined to blackmail Breanna over her and Razor's relationship? And will Razor finally learn the truth about his mums death before it destroys his relationship with the club forever?

Katie McGarry first made me fall in love with contemporary YA with her debut novel, Pushing the Limits. Ever since I read that gem, she never fails to captivate me with each and every novel she releases and Walk The Edge no exception to that rule. The Thunder Road series is raw and gritty and deeply emotional and features a mysterious and dangerous motorcycle club whose up and coming teenage members are flawed, complex and intriguing. 

Told through Breanna and Razor's back and fourth point of view, Walk The Edge is a passionate and emotionally driven story that explores the building relationship between two very different, but equally confused teenagers who unexpectedly find support and comfort in each other as they slowly fall in love. 

McGarry's characters are always very likable, but also very complex and layered. Both Breanna and Razor are experiencing their own trials and difficulties in life that affect their relationships with those around them. I actually felt very sad for both of them, Breanna especially. Intelligent as she was, the way her mind worked meant she struggled in a way few saw and it wasn't until she began to spend time with Razor that Breanna was able to explain to another individual her daily struggles. It was intriguing as I haven't met another character like Breanna that I can think of in literature and I loved that Katie McGarry brought someone new to the table in that regard. 

Razor was very closed off and quick tempered when we first met him in Nowhere But Here, so it was very enjoyable to see Katie Mcgarry explore him further in this novel. Razor grows a lot and comes to understand some unexpected truths throughout Walk The Edge as he learns the truth about his mothers death. Razor also begins the difficult road of healing and trusting those around him in this novel, including his Reign of Terror family and his father. 

As with all Katie McGarry novels, Walk The Edge is filled with angst and turmoil as we follow the characters on their journey. Raw and emotional at times, Walk The Edge will enthrall readers and leave them ready to delve back into this powerful world as soon as the opportunity rises again.

Rating:
Source: I purchased myself
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN 
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 29th 2016 
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Though I don't think I loved this one as much as the first, I still thought Walk The Edge was a brilliant read and can't wait to read Chevy and Violet's story next!