What an Earl Wants by Kasey Michaels

Book Description:

USA TODAY bestselling author Kasey Michaels returns with a brand-new passionate historical series, featuring Kasey’s trademark banter and passionate romance.

Gideon Redgrave, eldest child of the late Earl of Saltwood, refuses to be humbled by the scandal that once tore his family apart. He’s built his life in London society around one rule: trust no one. So the last thing he wants is to play guardian and role model to a headstrong boy…or to engage in a battle of wills with the boy’s spirited half sister, who is fighting Gideon for custody.

Beautiful and bold, young widow Jessica Linden proves to be a formidable and passionate adversary. But the more they lock horns, the more Gideon realizes he’d prefer to have Jessica on his side…and in his arms. Especially now that a new threat—sprung from his father’s supposedly defunct secret society—is poised to destroy the Redgraves once and for all.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book.  Gideon Redgrave is known by many.  His family and the 'legacy' his father left behind is known by more.  He has become guardian to a less than stellar young man whose sister is determined to get him back regardless of what Gideon says or does.  Jessica doesn't want her younger brother to get involved with what their father was into and what she KNOWS Gideon is involved in....or does she?

I liked Jessica.  She was determined to do what was best for her brother.  She remembered him as the younger boy and when she met the 'man' he was becoming it was hilarious!  Gideon was likable just because he used the family's legacy to his advantage but wasn't actually like that.  I like that he and Jessica work together and the attraction between them is so strong!

I rate this a 4/5.  It was a good start to a new series.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

**This book contains adult themes and language**

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

Book Description:
Here we go again … 

Just when it seems life at Mythos Academy can’t get any more dangerous, the Reapers of Chaos manage to prove me wrong. It was just a typical night at the Library of Antiquities — until a Reaper tried to poison me. The good news is I’m still alive and kicking. The bad news is the Reaper poisoned someone else instead. 

As Nike’s Champion, everyone expects me to lead the charge against the Reapers, even though I’m still hurting over what happened with Spartan warrior Logan Quinn. I’ve got to get my hands on the antidote fast — otherwise, an innocent person will die. But the only known cure is hidden in some creepy ruins — and the Reapers are sure to be waiting for me there …

My Thoughts:
I loved this book.  I've been anxiously waiting for the next book in this series and devoured it.  Gwen still misses Logan completely but she has to focus on the problem she has at the moment.  Someone poisoned her water but SHE isn't the one who drank it.  Now she and her friends have to find the cure and walk into an obvious Reaper trap to do it.  
This was a wonderful addition to the Mythos series.  Gwen has grown and changed a great deal throughout the series, but I think most especially in this book.  Her nightmares are terrible, her friends still willing to do whatever they need to to help and Nike still ambiguous.  I loved the gryphons!  The revelations about her family were not surprising but still not exactly what you wanted them to be.  I liked the storyline and cannot wait for more!  
I rate this a 5/5.  I love the series!  If you haven't read them, I would start with the first book though.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Giveaway!!!

I have a group of 6 ARCs to giveaway to one lucky follower :)  Here is the list & a pic
1.  Murder Most Austen
2.  Murder Misdirected
3.  The Stolen Chalice
4.  Blues Highway Blues
5.  Murder of the Cat's Meow
6.  Acquainted with the Night

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with your email address.  **If there is no email address I cannot contact you and you will not be entered into the giveaway!**

Giveaway ends August 15, 2013.  

Because of shipping, this is open to US only!

The winner will be announced/contacted August 16th and will have 24 hours to respond.  

Winner will be chosen using a randomizer.

Defender for Hire by Shirlee McCoy

Book Description:

SOMEONE WAS WATCHING HER...

No matter how many times Tessa Camry moves, her mysterious tormentor always finds her...and leaves a grim reminder of all she's lost. But this year, no longer content to deliver roses, her stalker wants her dead. When former army ranger Seth Sinclair becomes her bodyguard, he encourages her to stand her ground, even if it means letting go of long-held secrets. Seth realizes that Tessa may be his second chance at love, but their future depends on finding the man determined that Tessa never forgets the past.... 

Heroes for Hire: Seeking the truth-at any cost.

My Thoughts:

I was completely taken with this book.  Tessa has been hiding for five years.  Each time she thinks she has escaped the past, it finds her.  Now it is obvious there is someone out there watching her that wants to do more than just remind her...they want to kill her.  Seth likes his new physical therapist but never expected to become involved in her personal issues.  When he sees her in trouble he can't just walk away and he fills the role of bodyguard.  The closer the danger, the closer Tessa and Seth become.

I loved Seth.  He was a great male lead.  He was strong, capable, a bit bossy and exceptionally caring.  Tessa has a rough past with a secret she has to keep.  The fact she has to decide if the secret is worth dying for is a bit much but I can see how she could get to that point.  The author does  a great job with the characters, making them real and believable.  I liked the police officers involved and the fact that she showed the differences in police work and bodyguards.

I rate this one a 5/5.  I loved the characters!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Spartan Frost by Jennifer Estep

Book Description:
I'm Logan Quinn, the deadliest Spartan warrior at Mythos Academy. At least I was--until the day I almost killed Gwen Frost.

Professor Metis and Nickamedes say that I'm fine, that Loki and the Reapers don't have a hold on me anymore, but I can't risk it. I can't risk hurting Gwen again. So I'm leaving Mythos and going somewhere far, far away.

I know Gwen wonders what's happening to me, whether I'm safe. I can't tell her, but this is my story. . .


My Thoughts:
I completely enjoyed this novella.  It doesn't focus on Gwen but Logan and how he is dealing with everything that has happened.  He is a Spartan warrior, strong, has fighting blood surging through his veins and is completely terrified of what the Reapers tried to do to him.  He doesn't feel the hold Loki had on him while trying to take over his body but is afraid it could return.  His remedy is to jump right back in with both feet.
I am so glad to have read Logan's story.  He was good in the Mythos books but to have his struggles and fears shown from his point of view was great.  I felt terrible for him for having to deal with it all.  At the same time I wanted to scream at him to go back because Gwen needed him to be with her.  I cannot wait for the next in this series!
I rate this a 5/5.  It is the perfect compliment to the series.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated here are 100% mine.

Relentless by Molly Hall

Book Description:
"Out of the darkness and into the fire. The truth changes everything." The discovery of who and what she is changed Kat Matheson's life forever, revealing a world she never knew existed. A world filled with ominous spirits, mystical beings and dark magic. And a powerful ruler who will stop at nothing to achieve his ultimate goal: her death. Now, in her fight to stay alive, and to protect those she loves, Kat begins the battle to take back what's hers. Teaming with the enigmatic Lovell, Kat searches for the clues that hold the secret to her destiny. Clues that take her to places she never imagined, exposing her life-and her heart-to dangers she never saw coming...


My Thoughts:
This book is the second in the series and it picks up where Reckoning left off.  Kat has to absorb all the prophecy means, Lovell is ready to train her and Rachel is missing.  She has to train and Lovell is determined to get her prepared so they travel to Scotland of the past.  Her boyfriend Rick is aware of her powers and goes.  As she navigates through her life she has to be exceptionally careful for the dangers lurking about.
I liked Kat throughout.  She has a lot to take in but she is still determined and a solid friend.  I really like Lovell and hope he and Kat get together.  I completely didn't like her boyfriend, Rick, and thought his actions a bit over the top at times.  The story line flowed well, while there was a LOT of info given it was done in an easy to handle way and not 'dumped' on you.
If you've read book 1, I say this is a 4/5.  If you haven't, read book 1 first! :)

Thank you to Reading Addiction Blog Tours  for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

Book Description:
I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.

My Thoughts:
This was an intriguing book.  Callie is to be a teacher at a College and has interviewed at several.  She has written a book that puts her in a very particular field.  The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers has gotten her some notoriety and an offer from Fairwick College.  It isn't where she wants to be but she is completely taken in by a house there and accepts the job and the house.  The dreams that have haunted her for years are much more intense and she realizes the demon lover she has dreamed about may be more real than she'd ever imagined!
I was intrigued with Callie.  While she is an educated woman, it takes a lot of evidence to convince her that some fairy tales are more real than we give them credit for.  Her fiance isn't someone I was overly impressed with.  I think if they were actually serious about each other they would have found a way to be close.  The staff of Fairwick was a story all their own and VERY interesting!
I rate this a 4/5.  It was a unique book.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

The Lady and the Unicorn by Iris Johansen

Book Description:
Rafe Santine is under doctor’s orders: He needs to stay put in his coastal California mansion for two months to recuperate from the pneumonia that nearly killed him. Despite a retinue of mistresses to keep the powerful tycoon occupied, Rafe struggles against boredom—until a stunning woman literally drops onto his estate. She has high demands of him, but Rafe has even greater demands of her. He knows instantly that he must possess every facet of the enigmatic Janna. But the only thing she’ll give him is her body—and for the first time in his life, that is not enough for Rafe.

Janna Cannon is willing to risk it all to save the endangered animals of the wild animal reserve where she works as a game warden. With the land they depend on pulled out from under them, Janna must take a gambit to convince billionaire Santine to give the reserve the real estate they need to keep the animals free. And she’ll need to sneak onto the man’s vast, highly protected property to do it. Much to her surprise, Santine agrees to grant her the land—if Janna agrees to give him herself in exchange. And what begins as luxurious captivity soon turns into an emotional awakening she never expected.

My Thoughts:
I liked this one.  Rafe is confined by his doctor to his mansion to recuperate.  He is bored and none of the beautiful women he can bring in can keep his attention   Then Janna shows up with some serious demands and he can't get enough of her.  She wants land to save her endangered animals and is shocked when Rafe agrees...that is until she discovers the catch.  But she may just enjoy that more than she expected.  
Rafe was a strong character.  He knows what he wants and goes after it.  Janna would do anything to save the animals and Rafe will do anything to have her!  His agreement to give her the land in exchange for herself surprises her but they really are good together.  This book isn't a 'typical' Johansen book because there isn't any suspense but it is a strong romance!
This one is a 4/5.  It was  good romance.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Dolled Up to Die by Lorena McCourtney

Book Description:
When Cate Kinkaid receives a frantic call about a triple homicide, she drives to the scene against her better judgement-aren’t triple homicides more up the police department’s alley?-only to find that the victims are not quite who she expects. Now she has a new rule to add to those she’s learned in her short stint as an assistant private investigator: always find out if the victims actually have human DNA. Because these three do not.
But who would shoot this nice lady’s dolls? What possible reason could the shooter have? And then there’s the startling discovery of another victim, who definitely does have human DNA . . .
With tension that is matched only by humor, Dolled Up to Die is the exciting second book in Lorena McCourtney’s The Cate Kinkaid Files. Mystery fans won’t find a place to stop and take a breath in this fast-paced and intriguing tale.

My Thoughts:
I liked this one!  Cate responds to a call about a murder, well actually three murders.  She is an assistant PI and really the police should be called for murder right?  Well except the victims aren't exactly human.  They are life sized dolls so Cate doesn't understand why someone would 'kill' them.  Then a victim is found that IS human and Cate should let the police investigate....right?
I really liked Cate.  She is determined to figure out the case when it was just dolls but then when the human victim is found, she knows the police should be investigating alone.  There are plenty of suspects but narrowing the list down is harder than adding suspects to it!  The author does a great job with balance in the story and the whole thing just flows and you can't put it down!
I rate this one a 4/5.  It is a great follow up to the Dying to Read (Book #1)

Thank you to Revell for the review copy of this book.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

**Available July 2013 at your local bookstore from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Demigods and Monsters by Rick Riordan

Book Description:

Released just before the March 2013 feature film Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, this new edition is updated through The Last Olympian, and includes several brand new essays!

The #1 New York Times bestselling Percy Jackson series—The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian—features a dyslexic boy who discovers he is the son of a Greek god, the target of mythical Greek monsters, and the center of a prophecy that could change the balance of power in the world forever. InDemigods and Monsters, YA authors take on the series' Greek gods, demigods, monsters, and prophecy, to add insight and even more fun to Riordan’s page-turner series.

My Thoughts:

This was a cool book.  It tells all about monsters.  How to identify them, what to look for, and how to navigate Percy Jackson's world.  You get an in-depth look at Riodan's characters that just get a mention in the actual series.  The Demigods are shown with their issues.  How the issues help/hinder them.  You see the mist and understand more about what it is and how it is used.  It tells you what do expect and do when you encounter the monsters....and what not to do!

I rate this book a 5/5.  Kids/Young Adults will really love it as a companion to the Percy Jackson series!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

The Survivor by DiAnn Mills

Book Description:
Kariss meets Dr. Amy Garrett, who survived a brutal childhood attack in which the assailant was never found. Now Dr. Garrett wants her story written in a novel. Kariss wishes she could seek the advice of Special Agent Tigo Harris, but she broke off the relationship a few months prior and seeing him again would be too painful. She interviews Amy and conducts her own research, stepping unaware into a viper’s pit of danger.

Tigo misses Kariss and wants her back, but he understands why she broke off their relationship. Instead, he concentrates on solving a car bombing and bringing the killer to justice. As Kariss’s new story attracts an onslaught of danger that she never expected, can Tigo save the woman he loves and find who wants her dead for writing about an unsolved cold-case?

My Thoughts:
I completely loved this book.  Kariss and Tigo are not together for stubbornness and faith issues.  Kariss is speaking to Dr. Amy Garrett about writing a book about Amy's horrible childhood experience.  Tigo is investigating a bombing for Linc that is both personal and tragic.  Writing Amy's story puts Kariss in danger once again, but who is targeting her?  How can Amy's long ago abduction and attempted murder be connected to a car bombing?
I still love Kariss.  She is stubborn, strong and not afraid to champion those who need championed.  Tigo is still wonderful and crazily stubborn!  The story line was great.  I completely disliked Amy's brother and didn't trust her at all.  She had to go through a lot as a child and it definitely shaped her.  The way the separate story lines work together and draw Kariss and Tigo to each other had me hooked from the beginning.
I rate this a 5/5.  I cannot wait for more from this author!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley).  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Excerpt of Judy Serrano's Linked!!!!

Linked

By Judy Serrano

Copyright 2012

Chapter 1

The blood was pulsating through my veins and when I looked down, my hands were shaking. All that schooling and relentless training still did not prepare me for what was coming next. What would I say, and how would they react? All the uncertainty was driving me mad. Sometimes I doubted my very own motives. I took this job out of necessity, not out of a passion for my craft and with every passing day, I grew just a little more disheartened.

I am a substitute teacher and this is my very first parent-teacher conference. Sometimes the meager pay that I bring home for this incredulous journey hardly seems worth it. I earned my degree, got my certification and couldn’t find a job as a teacher. So, the principal promised me a teaching position if I would just do this one last thing… be a long-term sub for a high school English class. This has not been my finest hour. The teacher I replaced had already made a mess of things and the students were failing left and right. One of the moms called and demanded to know why her little Michael was failing. Maybe if he did his homework… is of course what I wanted to say, but now I have to face her and tell her why little Michael is my least favorite student in the class.

I got all my papers together and sat back down at my desk when Michael walked through my door. “Michael,” I started. “What are you doing here?”

Just then a very handsome man walked in behind him. He was about 5ft. 10, blond and blue-eyed, wearing faded jeans and a button-down, powder blue sports shirt. When he smiled, my knees went weak and I’m sure my face flushed. “I’m Charles Cross,” he said, putting out his hand to shake mine. “My friends call me Charlie.” He smiled. “You look surprised. We do have an appointment today, don’t we? I hope I didn’t get the date wrong.”

“I’m sorry, I was expecting Michael’s mother,” I told him. “And yes, we have an appointment. I’m Daphne Foster.”

“She was unavailable,” he continued. “So now I guess you’re stuck with me.” He pushed Michael ahead of him so that he would move farther into the room. I’m sure my face was still red.

“I don’t mind,” I told him. Little did he know that my insides were doing summersaults.  “Please, sit down.” I motioned to the two chairs that I had strategically positioned in front of my desk.

“I understand that you’re not even really a teacher yet,” was his icebreaker.

“I’m certified,” I replied, trying not to sound too defensive. “I have just been unable to find a full-time position yet. But I assure you, Mr. Cross, I am more than qualified to teach your son’s class.”

“Good to know,” he answered, sitting back and starting to relax. “Michael is generally a good student,” he continued. “But he appears to be carrying a 60 in your class. Tell me what you think the problem is so that I can help him fix it.”

Michael was staring down at the floor with his baseball cap on backwards. I’m sure if he was standing up, we’d both be able to see his boxer shorts, peeking out beneath his sagging pants. “For starters,” I bravely began, “he can lose the baseball cap.” Michael sneered at me. “He’s not allowed to have it on during school hours, yet he always walks through the door with it on his head. This is a continuous waste of my valuable time, since we seem to need to argue about its importance, daily.” Charlie laughed, which frustrated me a bit. “He hasn’t turned in one homework assignment since I’ve been here and he is very disruptive during class.”

“Well, Miss Foster,” he responded in a condescending tone, “sounds to me like you have a problem with my son.”

“Mr. Cross,” I replied, trying to conceal the agitation in my voice,  “you are the one with the problem.” He sat up, giving me his full attention. I must admit that I began to feel my blood pressure rise. “I suggest that you get a handle on this boy  before I fail him and do not underestimate me, because I will do it.”

“Miss Foster, do you know who I am?” he asked. Michael smiled at this point and looked me square in the eyes.

“I don’t care if you’re Obama’s long lost son. He doesn’t do his work, he fails… pretty simple, really.”

He stood up and motioned for his son to stand. “I suspect that you will change your mind.”

I stood up at that point and put out my hand. “Thank you for coming in to see me, Mr. Cross… Michael.”

“Daphne.” My name glided off his tongue like music. “Such a beautiful name.” He shook my hand. “The pleasure was all mine.”

When he walked out the door, I had to sit back down. My knees were still failing me even though I wasn’t sure if he was threatening me or hitting on me. After my conference, my next class was Michael’s. He came in with no baseball cap, pants pulled up and he swaggered through the door without saying a word. He sat down in the back of the room and said nothing, all through class. When the bell rang I called him over. “Thank you, Michael.”

“My dad…” he started. “Never mind. Just forget I said anything.” He turned and walked out. I was never more anxious to go home. I felt somehow unsafe.

I ran to my car and high-tailed it to my apartment. I dropped my keys twice, trying to get the door unlocked. I felt as though there were eyes on me, weighing me down somehow, and when I looked up, Mr. Cross was standing in the corner of my balcony, right beside my front door.

I was startled and let out some kind of embarrassing noise. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“My son can be a problem… I won’t deny that.”

“Then fix it,” I told him, still very aware that he was uninvited, staring me in the face with contempt.

He laughed at my bravado. “His teachers fear me, as they should.” He walked over to me and I took a step backwards. “You… you are nothing more than an overpaid, substitute teacher. Why can’t you just pass the boy? You have no real, personal investment in him.”

“I have a personal investment in all my students. And I would appreciate it if you didn’t show up at my door, uninvited, Mr. Cross.”

“I will be sure to wait for an invitation, next time, Miss Foster.” He put his hand on my face and ran a finger down the side of my cheek. I shivered. He smiled, knowing how tense he was making me. “Daphne. Such a lovely name.” He walked away and headed down the stairs leaving me speechless and paralyzed.

He was ridiculously handsome and I was attracted to him on so many levels. I’ve never considered myself to be unusually pretty. With my long, dark, straight hair and skinny body, I couldn’t imagine anyone laying awake at night thinking about me. I suppose my dark green eyes are my best feature, or so I’ve been told. This kind of attraction was not something familiar to me and being so close to someone that handsome was something I was not used to at all. Men like that usually keep their distance. The other side of my ego was furious with him for showing up at my door uninvited and touching me that way. And he has a wife. At least I think he does. I guess I should be grateful that he wasn’t inside when I got home. 

     When morning came I drove back to the high school. I unlocked my door only to find the room full of daffodils.  I was shocked but knew without even a glance at the card who sent them. I opened the card that had been left with a single daffodil on my desk. Miss Foster, I will be waiting for my invitation.

Buy it today!!!  Here are the links for Linked :) 
Barnes & Noble
Amazon