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2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Review: Cover Me
Cover Me
Author: Catherine Mann Release Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Elite Forces Book #1
ISBN: #978-1402244957
Genre: Military/Suspense Romance
Format(s): Paperback (344 pgs), e-book
We received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
It should have been a simple mission… Pararescueman Wade Rocha parachutes from the back of a helicopter into a blizzard to save a climber stranded on an Aleutian Island, but Sunny Foster insists she can take care of herself just fine…
But when it comes to passion, nothing is ever simple… With the snowstorm kicking into overdrive, Sunny and Wade hunker down in a cave and barely resist the urge to keep each other warm… until they discover the frozen remains of a horrific crime…
Unable to trust the shady local police, Sunny and Wade investigate, while their irresistible passion for each other gets them more and more dangerously entangled…
What Gikany & Una are talking about:
Cover Me is the debut novel in the new Elite Forces series. For a first novel in a series, it was pretty good. The world-building, what little there is in a military/suspense romance, was easily crafted into the story. The novel begins with our hero, Wade, who is a somewhat stereotypical military persona; dedicated to saving others, tough, stubborn, independent….you get the picture. Even though he does have a soft heart, it is what drives his need to save others, even against their will. Enter our heroine, the fiercely private and independent (did I mention stubborn) Sunny. Now, Gikany and Una both thought, how on earth would the author have these two come together without sacrificing the initial characterization. She didn’t. That is what makes Cover Me a fun and adventurous read.
First, Una must state, that this may have been her first military/suspense romance novel. As we have said before, Gikany and Una do not tend to read much contemporary romance (which we consider military/suspense to be a part of). Most of the military/suspense we read have a paranormal or fantasy twist to them. So, at least Una was surprised at how much she enjoyed this novel, more so than she expected. We really enjoyed the fact that Sunny is a capable and independent female who doesn’t need her military man to constantly save her. She does just fine on her own, thank you. Gikany and I feel that Sunny was a wonderful character simply because she stayed true to herself and yet these two were still able to have their “happily-ever after.” Even though their relationship starts off quite physical and moves really fast, the satisfying part of the ending is that it isn’t permanent “happily-ever after,” but “let’s see how it goes.” Which gave it a more realistic feel, and as Gikany says, “If you have read the Stepsister Scheme, you know that HEAs don’t truly exist.
The plot and twists of the suspense portion of the storytelling flowed well and had a few surprise twists. However, we didn’t feel the transitions to our bad guy were very smooth. It felt a bit jumpy and we found him, which is good, to be really annoying, insane, and truly evil. (Gikany does say, “I did like his wife…point for him”). We really found the addition of his wife to be very refreshing and she is a great character, even though she is a minor character. The overall story was well balanced between the romance and the suspense, which made it quite entertaining.
This series seems to revolve around the aspect that this group of pararescuemen are ill-fated for having long-term and fulfilling relationships. I enjoyed the added obstacle of the personalities between Sunny and Wade. (However, Una found our hero and heroine’s names a little off-putting). Reading the except for the next book, Hot Zone, due out later this year, I wonder how the characters will present themselves in the next installment. We did overall enjoy Cover Me and look forward to reading Hot Zone when it comes out.
Their Rating:
Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Review: Deeper Than Midnight
Deeper Than Midnight
Author: Lara Adrian Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Bantam Dell
Midnight Breeds #9
ISBN: #978-0440246114
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (416 pgs), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the author for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world was changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well--the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.
Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos's most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he's hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he'll go to end Dragos's reign of evil--even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne's tender heart.
What I’m talking about:
Taking place immediately after book 8 of the series (Taken By Midnight, review HERE), Deeper Than Midnight opens with a bang as the newest Order initiate (and former GenOne Assassin for Order nemesis, Draco), Hunter, and former Breed Enforcer, Sterling Chase, enter a seed Enforcement establishment and end up in an all-out brawl. They are searching for leaks in the system that lead to the deaths of a prominent Breed family.
For those not familiar with Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed Series, I suggest you go back to the beginning (or at least of few books) to get the back ground of her world. The Breeds are “vampire-like” males descended from alien beings that landed on Earth long ago. They live undetected and in secret among humans. The series follows the adventures of the Order - a group of warriors that protect the Breed society, whether they want it or not.
Deeper Than Midnight features the romantic coupling of Corinne and Hunter. She was held prisoner by the evil Draco for 75 years, subject to his ungodly breeding experiments. He is the outcome of said experiments, but escaped Draco’s lair for freedom with the Order. Knowing all of this, it is understandable when I tell you that their romance took a long time to develop. At almost halfway through the book there was still no spark between the couple - other than a heated glance. I understand the reasons behind this - her abuse, his upbringing, but it made for a slow read at times. I also had to suspend the “real life” knowledge I have learned about emotional scarring and go with the idea that Corinne could overcome the scars of some 75 years of mental and physical abuse in a relatively short period. And to her credit, Ms. Adrian did a good job of addressing the concerns, taking it slow and having the pair work through some of the fears, although at times it came across a little too romanticized. In the end, this is a paranormal romance, not a drama. If Corinne can get over her past, more power to her!
When the sparks finally do fly, it was tender and HOT. Even though I felt nothing from this couple until that point, I found myself jumping into their emerging passion with both feet (and a fan to cool me off). Their scenes were really well put together, and Ms. Adrian created a smooth transition from the timid and fearful couple to one that was ready to move forward with a physical relationship.
However, the love story took a back seat to the action with Chase and the overall, series-spanning story arc involving Draco. Although the first half of the book was slow and I didn’t feel the connection between Corinne and Hunter, the second half of the book EXPLODES! Yes, the romance became heated, but it was the story arc of the Breed nemesis that stole the show. It was by far the best segment of this overall story arc yet. The forward progression made on this plotline was phenomenal, filled with superbly woven details and intricate planning.
Chase... Can I just say I’m falling for this bad-boy Breed. He goes through hell in this story and it will be interesting to see what happens to him in the next book, Darker After Midnight, which focuses on the reckless warrior. (PS. I think we meet his Breedmate in Deeper.)
The book ended with an stunning cliff hanger, and all I can say is that I am COUNTING the days until I can get my hands on the next book. It was one of those almost surreal moments when you watch the story reveal itself in slow motion and you are helpless to stop what will inevitably happen.
In the end I thoroughly enjoy this book, even with the rough start. And even though the featured couple wasn’t as prominent as I would have liked, I enjoyed the other pieces of the story so very much.
My Rating:
Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Review & Giveaway: Dead Iron
Dead Iron
Author: Devon Monk Release Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: ROC Trade
Age of Steam Series #1
ISBN: #978-0451463968
Genre: Steampunk
Format(s): Paperback (352 pgs), ebook
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, one man must fight to hold on to what is left of his humanity…
Although the devisers have civilized the east with their contraptions, civilization hasn’t tamed the frontier that bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides. Cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother’s death, he’s a hard man for hire. But when a trio of miners offers him the possibility that his brother may yet survive, Cedar isn’t going to haggle for payment. All he has to do for them is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers from the realm of the Strange.
The Holder is in the hands of Shard LeFel, a dandified railroad tycoon who’s come to Hallelujah, Oregon, promising a civilized tomorrow. But what Cedar cannot know is that Lefel is an ancient Strange banished to walk this land for centuries. Now nearing the end of his sentence, Lefel is desperately searching for a way to fend off his own mortality—and the Holder may be the key.
In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only thing a man can count on is his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he’s going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all…
What B is talking about:
Cedar Hunt is a bounty hunter by trade, and lonely by choice. He’s run to the wilds of the frontier to escape his past, but that won’t help him be free of the curse he carries within himself. When evil, in the guise of creatures call the Strange, threatens the town of Hallelujah, he joins in the fight against it, and learns that he’s not as alone as he thinks.
Although I have a weakness for Steampunk, in general, I thoroughly enjoyed this book in its own right. It took awhile to get into the story, most likely due to the complexities of the world building involved, but once the landscape was complete, Dead Iron was a great read. The story is not only filled with standard Steampunk mainstays, like anachronistic technology in a more primitive society, but plenty of magic, too. Monk is committed to the visualization of her novel and painstakingly details every creature and device, even more than her characters, in some cases.
Cedar is definitely worth cheering for. He’s a good man who’s haunted by his past, and is paying his penance by doing whatever he can to make things right for others. He is trustworthy and determined, and his acceptance of the changes he notices in himself as he becomes more entrenched in his latest hunt is an easy transition, rather than a jarring epiphany. Which suits him perfectly.
Monk has also done a wonderful job crafting a truly deplorable antagonist in Shard LeFel. He, along with his henchman Mr. Shunt, is completely evil and unrepentant. He’s not even of the “fun to hate” variety. He’s loathsome. I spent most of my time while reading his scenes wishing him ill. His final scene, while somewhat graphic, still made me feel a lot better.
The other characters in Dead Iron shine as well, proving Monk has enough faith in her hero to give him some vulnerabilities. Every one of them is fighting their own battle, and doing it well, before realizing that their enemy is a mutual one, and it will take all of them working together to survive. The Madder brothers are especially fun, and I very much hope that will continue to be so as the series progresses.
I think Dead Iron is a welcome addition to the world of Steampunk. Monk has written a story rich in detail and imagination, and though much of it isn’t pretty, all of it is compelling. From the minute details of every “matic,” to the town itself, caught between progress and survival, to the offbeat characters, Dead Iron is a captivating tale, which I’m very pleased to have had the opportunity to read.
B’s Rating:
Enjoyed – strongly recommend (A-)
GIVEAWAY: ROC/Penguin Publishing has generously donated a copy (one winner) of Dead Iron to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to ROC/Penguin (http://us.penguingroup.com/) for sponsoring the giveaway of Devon Monk’s latest book. To enter, please leave a comment at the end of today’s review telling me what you like about Steampunk, or if you haven’t read before, what you might enjoy. Please also leave your email so I can reach you if you win the book. Only one entry per person. Winner is restricted to US mailing addresses, only. Contest open from June 27, 2011 until Friday July 1, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. One (1) winner will be selected from the comment entries using random.org. The book will be mailed out by the publisher after the release date.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday Snippet #64
Taken By Fire
by Sydney Croft
Bantam DellJune 28, 2011
**NOTE: this SNEAK PEEK comes from an uncorrected galley copy of the book**
“My powers are almost out.”
Thank fucking God. “Keep going.”
“I don’t want to do this anymore,” she murmured. “I’m killing you.”
“No one’s ever died from blue balls,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t look fine.” Well, no, he wasn’t fine at all. And as she let off the last of her icy blasts, his body was rocked with the most painful urges he’d ever felt. He clawed the ground and tried to breathe, looked any- where but at Mel, and his eyes fell on the waterfall.
His erection was a steel rod and fucking painful. Hell, maybe this would be the best thing for him—a cold shower times a million.
He took off at a dead run, not stopping until he hit the water. Kept going until his body was under the freezing wash and he was shivering.
Bye-bye, erection; hello, hypothermia.
“Stryker—are you okay?” Melanie was asking, from directly in front of him. She’d stripped naked, her skin glistening with crystal water droplets, but she didn’t seem affected by the cold at all. Well, her nipples were pert, hard little buds ... and this wasn’t helping anything.
“You’ll freeze.”
“Um, no. Cold doesn’t affect me. At all.” She glanced down. “Doesn’t appear to be doing you much good either.”
“Fuck. Mel, please, just give me a few minutes.”
But she was in his arms then, her mouth on his, so damned warm and willing, her legs wrapped around his waist. His body felt right against hers, his body continuing to beg for mercy from his arousal in an all-consuming way, until he couldn’t think straight ... couldn’t see straight.
That wasn’t from hypothermia either.
Her fingers wound through his wet hair and his hands held her hips, moved them back and forth, wanting nothing more than to be inside of her, right here and now.
But fuck, he couldn’t. He promised Devlin, and he did not go back on his word.
He pulled back, rested his forehead against hers. “Sorry, Mel,” he said over the slight rushing roar of the water, his voice raw.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Chat Opportunity
Dear Readers...
I wanted to share with you some exciting news! The Berkley Publishing Group is delighted to announce that bestselling author CHRISTINA DODD will be doing a Live Video Chat on Facebook next week--Tuesday, June 28 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM (eastern time).
Everyone is invited to participate in the chat. Just log into Facebook, "like" Christina's page and voila--you're ready to send in your questions and join the discussion!You can click HERE for the link to the LiveStream chat.
Happy Reading or in this case... Happy Chatting!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Review: Medium Dead
Medium DeadAuthor: Chris Dolley
Release Date: May 28, 2011
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): E-book
We received a copy of this book from the author for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
Brenda Steele is smart, funny and out of her depth. A Vigilante Demon called Brian wants her to find murdered spirits and help him track down their killers. But Brian doesn't just catch criminals, he likes to play with them first, and make the punishment fit the crime. As he tells Brenda, “if all you did was turn up, capture the bad guy then leave – century after century – you'd die of boredom.”
He's also reckless – his last partner died during one of his takedowns.
Along the way, Brenda discovers that Brian isn't as old, or as powerful, as he led her to believe. He might even be human. Whereas the murderer they're hunting, and the child he's holding prisoner, might not.
What Gikany & Una are talking about:
Medium Dead is a lighthearted, urban fantasy romp. The story begins with Brenda, the reluctant medium, as she starts her summer vacation. However Brenda’s vacation does not go as planned when Brian, the Vigilante Demon, shows up and convinces her to join him as he fights crime. Thus Brenda goes from being the reluctant medium to being the reluctant medium private investigator.
The banter between Brenda and Brian is quite funny and entertaining. However, there are moments in the storytelling where Brenda seems so whiny and annoying. The plot moves fairly fast, however, it can be jerky and has the occasional speed bump. What we mean is that the story doesn’t always flow smoothly--at times the story leaps ahead and the reader feels as if they missed something, while other times a scene or moment drags (like having to slow over a speed bump). These were the times when Una, admittedly, started skimming to get to more action.
Without giving anything away, the ending seemed to have some loose ends. We were uncertain if Medium Dead is the first novel of a series, but all evidence points to it being a standalone novel. If so, we feel that a few issues should have been resolved prior to the end of the book.
If you are looking for a light read, something as a break between beloved and serious series, this is a good book to curl up with. Medium Dead is an interesting romp, but do not expect anything overly serious.
Their Rating:
Liked it, there were a few issues - recommend (B)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
ARC Review: Taken By Fire
Taken By Fire
Author: Sydney Croft
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Bantam Dell
ACRO Series #6 (final book)
ISBN: #978-0385342292
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotica
Format(s): Paperback (304 pgs), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the author for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
HIS MISSION WAS TO TAKE HER OUT.
BUT DESIRE GOT IN THE WAY.
A product of genetic manipulation, Melanie Milan shares a body with her malevolent sister Phoebe. A sleek, blonde predator with a heart of pure darkness, Phoebe puts their body through the wicked underbelly of sex for thrills—when she’s not igniting her pyrokinetic skills for an evil organization bent on taking over the world. Melanie rarely gets out to play—much less fall in love. But that changes when rival ACRO agent Stryker Wills shows up, with a mission to take out the woman who torched his partner.
An operative with rare abilities, Stryker soon realizes that the woman he’s about to kill isn’t the murderous fire starter he’s hunting. But he does want her. Melanie, with the power to ice anything in her path, is heating things up in ways that are setting his blood on fire. As long as Melanie stays in control, she is his best ally to bring down her sister and stop hellish havoc from being unleashed. Walking a tightrope of longing and hate, Stryker and Melanie begin to understand that true power lies in sweet surrender to each other, to the fire between them, to the erotic adventure that’s joined their hearts and abilities to become their salvation—and perhaps the world’s.
What I’m talking about:
WARNING: This is the sixth and final book from the ACRO Series by Sydney Croft (Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler). Although you could read this book as a stand alone... please don’t. This series is so worth a read - it’s only 6 books! (You can read more about the entire series HERE.) Taken By Fire is the PERFECT series finally and you would miss out on so much if you read only this book. With that in mind, this review contains SPOILERS from the first 5 books, so move forward at your own risk!
Taken By Fire takes place less than a year after the dramatic conclusion of the previous book, Tempting The Fire, when ACRO agent Stryker witnessed ITOR (bad guys) agent Phoebe kill his best friend by burning him alive. We discover that Stryker has been hunting Phoebe to bring her to justice. But when he finally locates her, Stryker learns that Phoebe shares her body with her sweet and mostly innocent sister, Melanie. Since it appears that Melanie wants to bring down ITOR as badly as ACRO does, Stryker is ordered to bring the sisters in alive. This begins their heated relationship, and with each passing day, Stryker realizes he cannot hate Melanie for the crimes of her sister, and he allows himself to fall in love.
I joked on Twitter about how hard it is to write reviews for books you love - my solution... here is my review: THIS BOOK ROCKS... READ IT. That is all. Okay, so I need to say more, I know. First, the primary love story of Mel and Stryker... it was so hot! They start out as perceived enemies, neither really wanting to be with the other, but never completely evil to the other. I loved the internal (and external) struggles that they both experience - I could feel Stryker’s turmoil as he attempted to reconcile falling for the (sister of the) woman who killed his partner in cold blood. And poor Melanie - her life controlled by and ruined because of her evil sister and father. She understands why no one will trust her, but it still hurts. When the two finally come together out of lust and pent up desire: WOW! Taken By Fire out does the eroticism of all the earlier stories. (Let me just say that there is an ice dildo involved in one explosive scene and a spatula in another!) Their relationship is really well written - I didn’t feel any sparks between the two in the beginning, and I’m not meant to... they find their way together as they open up to each other and learn to trust.
Now for “everything else...” My favorite couple, Annika and Creed, are fairly front and center. We found out in the last book that Annika is pregnant, and that the ghostly Oz (brother of Creed and former love of ACRO leader, Dev) predicted that if Annika has Creed’s baby she will die. Oh, and Oz’s premonitions are never wrong. I completely adore this couple and how they have come so far since the first book. Being pregnant hasn’t made Annika any softer, but she has matured. I’m not going to tell you what happens; however, be prepared to shed a few tears while on this emotional roller coaster.
Dev... oh Dev. I LOVED Dev and Oz together. Ms. Croft BROKE MY HEART in an earlier book, but now Dev has Gabe. For me, Gabe and Dev never had the strong emotional connection I saw with Dev and Oz, but in Taken By Fire, Dev and Gabe put it all on the line to cement their connection. In addition, Gabe and Dev have some intense and HOT smex, and there is a m-m-m threesome that *fans self* um... you will need to cool off some! And although I am satisfied with how things played out and ended, I still felt more emotional pull between Dev and Oz’s ghost than Dev has with his new love, Gabe. It still was an amazing storyline and I really can’t complain about it one bit.
Taken By Fire wrapped up everything from the first 5 books while giving hope for the future generations. It truly was everything you expect and want from a series finale (and never seem to get). I was emotionally drained by the time I finished... Cursed out the authors a few times... but it was an amazing journey. Every loose was end tied up in a uniquely fitting way. Yes, there are happy endings, but they aren’t forced and did not feel contrived. I’ve said this before, but it is worth repeating: Sydney Croft is a master of sensual story-telling, and the ACRO series is in a league of its own.
My Rating:
Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
(But you must read the ENTIRE series!)
Labels:
5 stars,
ACRO,
erotic romance,
Larissa Ione,
paranormal romance,
Stephanie Tyler,
Sydney Croft
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comments
Monday, June 20, 2011
Author Interview - Kimberley Troutte
Today I have the honor of bringing to you author Kimberley Troutte. Kimberley is a Southern California girl, born and raised. She lives with her husband, two sons, one old dog, four very large snakes, and various other creatures that the man/kids/dog inevitably drag in. Kimberley is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the release of Catch Me in Castile, her second book with Samhain Publishing. Please help me welcome Kimberley toThat’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Kimberley, welcome and thank you for stopping by.Kimberley: Thank you. I’m very excited to be here.
Twimom: I read that you were writing for 20 years before you got “the call” from Samhain back in June 2008. What inspired you for all those years? What topics did you write about?
Kimberley: That’s a very long time, isn’t it? During those twenty years I worked a day job, got married, had kids, you know the usual life stuff. I wrote my grandmother’s biography—a real eye-opener that remains locked safely away within the family. I also wrote poetry, newspaper articles, short stories and one nonfiction book called Kid’s Play: Early Development Activities to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten.
Every now and then, I’d drag out this romance novel set in Spain and tinker with it. Finally, I got it right and Catch Me was born.
Twimom: Wow! You are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the release of Catch Me in Castile, a book with a ghostly twist. Can you tell my readers more about Santiago and Erin?
Kimberley: Erin is a woman who is driven to succeed in spite of the anxiety disorder that threatens to paralyze her. When things don’t work out as well as she’d planned—actually her plans explode in her face—she travels to Spain for a little R&R and falls into the arms of a smokin’ hot doctor. He’s the perfect medicine. Santiago is protecting his own family from a killer on the loose. He needs to keep Erin at arm’s length for her own safety. But there is something incredibly strong and brilliant about the American. Where does she find such strength in the face of her demons? He should push her away, but he can’t seem to let her go.
Twimom: Oh, sounds intriguing! Catch Me is actually your second book with Samhain. The “hero” of your first book, Soul Stealer, is Death... is he really the sexiest bad boy there is? Can you tell us more about your story?
Kimberley: Soul Stealer was such a fun book to write. The hero is Death, or to be more exact, Cain from the Bible. He is beyond gorgeous (his own father was made in God’s image, after all). Cain is dangerous. He is also a tortured man who deeply regrets killing his own brother. He didn’t know what death was then as no one had died on earth before. Now he understands all too well. Hate is too tame a word to describe his feelings for the job.
Cain never expects to fall in love, I mean, you know, he’s Death! But when he comes for Sara, a beautiful woman who has spent her short existence saving lives, he is struck by a spiritual beauty he rarely witnesses. She begs for more time, not for herself as countless others have before her, but simply two weeks to finish a homeless shelter before the bitter winter sets in. He’s torn. His job is to guide her soul to heaven. But his heart wants to keep her around a little bit longer. Maybe forever.
The Powers that Be are not happy when Sara’s soul doesn’t show up on time. The man known as Death will have to fight good and evil to keep Sara alive.
Twimom: Oh... *adds to my TBR list* I love books that take established characters and reinvents them. Both of these books seem to fall in the “paranormal” genre. Have you written or would you like to write any other genres?
Kimberley: I do like paranormals. I think it is the “other-worldliness” that appeals to me and the thrill that anything can happen. I enjoy stories with twists and turns. As to why I write them, well, that’s a question I’ve asked myself. I’ve decided that the passion to write about ghosts and men who live forever stems from that deep-seated desire to find love that never ends-never dies.
That said, I also write with a lot of humor. Catch Me in Castile could really be classified as a Chick Lit Paranormal slash Romantic Suspense with a pinch of Historical.
Okay, I’ll admit it.
My name is Kimberley Troutte and I am a genre-blender.
Twimom: LOL! Genre-blending is awesome! Do you have any works in progress you’d like to tell us about?
Kimberley: I am working on an Inspirational Suspense and a Contemporary Suspense. Oh, and I have a middle grade children’s fiction that I hope to sell one day. All three have light paranormal elements to them.
Twimom: Wonderful, I look forward to hearing more in the future! I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was your favorite read during 2010 or so far in 2011?
Kimberley: You would probably laugh if you saw my reading stack. I am reading mysteries, romances, young adult, kid’s books, not yet published books, on and on the list goes.
Hmmm. My favorite read? That is so darn tough. I don’t think I can narrow it to one book. For historicals, I really enjoyed Knight Dreams, by C.C. Wiley. The description in that book? Wow. I was smack dab in the time period. For fav authors that I go to every year? Meg Cabot LOVE her. Same goes for Janet Evanovich. For YA and younger, you can’t go wrong with Valerie Hobbs. Oh man, I could go on all day.
Reading is like dark chocolate for me. If an author draws me in, I’m not going anywhere until I turn the last page. Yum.
Twimom: Kimberley, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you.
Kimberley: Thank you! It’s been a blast.
You can find Kimberely Troutte on line at
Kimberley’s books are available for purchase at Samhain Publishing and other online book sellers.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sunday Snippet #63
Shadow Walker
Berkley SensationJune 7, 2011
“Among dragons, it’s more common to be alone,” Mick said. “We need so much territory, and when humans overran the world, there wasn’t a lot of room left for us. We’ve been dying out for centuries.”
Mick didn’t talk much about his dragon background, only occasionally feeding me bits of information. He’d once told me about a lady dragon he’d planned to take as mate, long ago. She’d been stolen from him by another dragon, and she’d later died. He’d been alone since.
The dragon council, a triumvirate who enforced dragon law, had assigned Mick to watch over me. The original assignment had been to kill me, but Mick had turned things his own way. He was still watching over me.
“Dying out?” I repeated.
“Slowly. Nothing to worry about. Dragons live a long time.”
“Maybe, but do Stormwalkers?”
“Mick’s smile vanished, and I saw a deep and ageless pain in his eyes. “I don’t know. That’s why I want to enjoy every minute I can with you.”
I knew what he meant. He would watch me age and die before he changed much himself. He know he’d lose me, and he was already preparing himself for it.
“You should find a lady dragon,” I said, trying to make my voice light. “Someone who can be with you for another couple of centuries, someone who can live inside a volcano with you.”
Mick laced his fingers though mine. “A lady dragon hasn’t snared me. You have.” He leaned to me, his eyes darkening. “Mate isn’t just a word to me, Janet. It never has been. I want you as my mate in all ways, in bed and out of it. I want to give you all I have, all that I am.”
Friday, June 17, 2011
IAD Discussion: Dark Desires After Dusk (#6)
Hello friends and welcome to this month’s Immortals After Dark 2011 Reading Challenge Discussion. The idea is for this to be an “open thread” to discuss the sixth IAD story (fifth book):
Dark Desires After Dusk
About the book:A ruthless demon mercenary. A lovely young halfling. In the dark, there's no escaping desire.
A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can't resist...
Cade of the rage demons will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.
A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny...
Raised as a human, Holly Ashwin never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon’s wicked touch.
Surrender to dark desires...
Yet just when he earns Holly’s trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs—and claim his heart?
Discussion:
I’ll list a few questions to kick it off, then please follow with your own points, additional questions and general comments. PLEASE keep the discussion to this book or the prior five stories and NO future stories.
ALSO - IF YOU HAVE A REVIEW for Dark Desires After Dusk, please include a link below in the comment section! My review is under a separate post HERE.
Lastly... Note to those that have not read Dark Desires After Dusk: Spoilers *may* be listed below, so beware!
1) What was your favorite part of this book? Least favorite?
2) Did you enjoy the courtship between Cade and Holly more/less/indifferent to those in the earlier books? Why?
3) We see lots of stories where the lead character is forced to choose between love and obligation, many times this leads one character to lie to the other. Sometimes it works and others times it is annoying... what is your opinion for this book?
4) This one was FULL of action, with a bit of violence. Did the blood and guts work for you? Do you feel there should have been more, less or indifferent?
5) What unanswered plot line are you most looking forward to reading about in a future book?
Thanks and Happy Reading!
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