REVIEW: The Birth of Vengeance by P.A. Ross

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: May 28th 2012
Publisher: Scarlett-Thorn
ASIN/ISBN: B008732YPQ
Format: ebook
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 168
Date Read: December 17, 2013

Description
You've been beaten, bullied and betrayed but vengeance is at hand. One swift stab of a needle and the vampire formula will coarse through your blood. It will give you the immortal powers of the vampire for the night. Your fangs will bite and claws will rip at their flesh. No human will stand in your way. You will taste blood and feel the thrill of the hunt, but tomorrow you will be human again.

Can Jonathan Harper resist such temptation? He wants vengeance on a gang that have driven him to despair. The vampire formula can give him vengeance but at what cost.

This dark urban fantasy series embarks on an action packed adventure, as Jonathan must face the consequences of his decisions. “The Birth of Vengeance (Vampire Formula #1)” is the first novel in a series of new vampire books.

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Review
This is probably one of my worst of 2013.

I give the author 2 stars for effort and for writing about vampires from a new/different angle and talking about a very important issue; bullying.

The story, the characters and the writing was all disappointing.
There was a lot of repitition, unnecessary details and inconsistencies (with the characters).

Jonathan was always going on and on and on about being bullied and wanting vengeance and feeling guilty for abandoning his friend.

Jonathan is a moody, uncertain character who is always whining. Even after all the training and everything. It got a bit tedious after a while.

The story in general just wasn't working for me and at the end, there was a failed attempt at throwing a curveball.
My reaction was: "oh please"

This story could have done a lot better.

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Rating
2 Stars

Recommendation
This book wasn't my cuppa but you might enjoy it if you can get over the constant whining. It's supposed to be horror but it doesn't cut it for me.

REVIEW: Home Again by Lisa Fisher

Source: Free copy courtesy of author
Publish Date: October 18, 2013
Publisher:
ASIN/ISBN: 9781492191445
Format: ebook
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Pages: 133
Date Read: October 22, 2013


Description
For superstar Aisley Carter, performing for a stadium full of people is easy. Being a singer-songwriter is all she’s ever dreamed of, but when the pressures of Hollywood become too much, Aisley’s forced to go home and work out her issues. That—or lose the life she’s worked hard for.

When she left home two years earlier, she never planned on coming back. To her, the small town of Burden, Washington is nothing but a dead end. Now that she’s back, she has to face everything she left behind—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Easton Everson.

East is the boy she grew up with, her best friend, her first kiss, her first love. He was her everything until the day she left. People say “home is where the heart is” and Aisley is about to find out just how easy it is to go home again.

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Review
Characters
Aisley, Easton & Becks are the major characters. There's also Aisley's manager, her bodyguard and her parents.

I did not like Aisley and Easton. They were too childish. Reading the book, you'd think they were 12 year olds. In fact, I know 10 year olds that are more mature than they are.

Becks, Aisley's other best friend, was very entertaining and funny. There are only two positive things about this book and she's one.

“What are you thinking about, Carter?”“Just about how weird it is, calling you my boyfriend.”He laughed. “It sounds good to me, beautiful.”My face flushed, the butterflies took flight. “I—” Whatever I was about say was cut off by Easton’s perfect lips on mine, kissing the words right out of my mouth.“You make me really happy, Ais.”“You took the words right out of my mouth, green eyes.” If only he knew how true that was.If he was love, I would never let him go.

Story
Like I said, there are only 2 good things about this book. The other is that it had a very promising and exciting premise.
Sadly, the execution was terrible. It had a lot of potential and could have done with a better thought out plot and better writing.

There was a lack of consistency with the plot and the characters.
A lot of unnecessary events were added just to create drama, or to put in a "touchy-feely", mushy scene that didn't fit into the storyline.

There was so much melodrama in a relationship involving two adults. Unnecessary shouting, crying, emotional blackmail, "angst". Their emotions were all over the place.
They'd be laughing one minute, and the next, they're shouting and screaming at each other.
There was too much drama packed into a 100+ paged book and it did not work.

Their pet names were ridiculous. He'd call her Carter, babe, girl, woman and she'd call him green eyes.

All in all, this book was terribly disappointing

I won't recommend this book to anyone really.

If you want to read my commentary on the book, click here

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REVIEW: Once Upon A Road Trip by Angela N Blount

Source: Free copy from Author
Publish Date: November 01, 2013
Publisher: Artifice Press
ASIN/ISBN: 978-0-9895809-7-7
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult, Memoir
Pages: 370
Date Read: November 19, 2013


“Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.”

Description
Eighteen-year-old Angeli doesn’t "fit in." She’s never been on a single date, and she lives vicariously through an online world of storytelling. With the pressures of choosing a practical future path bearing down, she needs a drastic change. Too old to run away from home, she opts instead to embark on a solo 2- month road trip.
But her freedom is tempered by loneliness — and anxiety tests her resolve as she comes face-to-face with her quirky internet friends.

Aside from contracting mono and repeatedly getting herself lost, Angeli's adventure is mired by more unoreseen glitches — like being detained by Canadian authorities, and a near-death experience at the hands of an overzealous amateur wrestler.
Her odyssey is complicated further when she unwittingly earns the affections of two young men. One a privileged martial artist; the other a talented techie with a colorful past. Bewildered by the emotions they stir, Angeli spurns the idea of a doomed long-distance relationship. But she is unprepared for the determination of her hopeful suitors. In the wake of her refusal, one man will betray her, and the other will prove himself worthy of a place in her future.

Angeli sets off in search of a better understanding of herself, the world, and her place in it. What she finds is an impractical love, with the potential to restore her faith in happy endings.

A true story with an unapologetically honest outlook on life, love, faith, and adventure -- Once Upon A Road Trip is a coming-of-age memoir

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Review
Characters
There are a number of characters.
Angeli is the main character. She was well-meaning but was a bit overbearing and a know-it-all. I didn't really like her at the beginning but she turned out good at the end. It was truly a story of personal growth for her

I know, I know…there’s something cliché about that. The heroine initially wanting to clobber a protagonist male, but later realizing that he’s grown on her and she actually really likes him. Technically, I’m not supposed to find that appealing. But maybe real life is a lot more cliché than anyone wants to admit. Or maybe there’s just a fine, subjective line between the cliché and the poetic.

Don was a jerk. Zak started out being a jerk too, but he happened to be a nice guy. And I loved his sister. One of my favourite characters in the book.

Scott seemed to be okay. Not nice. Not a jerk but he ended up being a creep and a jerk.

Vince was "offish" and weird at first but I really liked him. And I felt for him. He was really sweet and protective. Sometimes a little overboard but generally a sweetheart. He explained later on in the story why he was acting weird and rude when he first met Angeli.

“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said, with absolute conviction. His vivid eyes probed hers. With the same underlying resolve, he lifted a hand and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “I just think...you shouldn’t -have- to.”

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the style of writing. It reads like a novel and that made it enjoyable.

We follow Angeli on her trip across the US and even into Canada. Where she stays with people from her online writing community.

There's a lot of drama on the way. The story got really really interesting in the third part. The romance between Angeli and Vince was interesting. It wasn't first sight, I-just-met-you-but-I'd-climb-a-thousand-mountains-to-make-you-happy type of love. It built up as the story went on.

“There’s so much I don’t know, I think it’s been distracting me from what I do know. I know you have a good heart, an amazing mind, and the potential to do great things. I know I respect so many things about you. And...I like who I am when I’m around you.” She felt a smile forming on her face as she gathered her courage. “I guess what I’m trying to say is—if you’re still sure about this—then I suppose we can give it a try.”

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Rating
4 stars

Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book and although it's targeted at young adults, I'd recommend this to everyone.

Blog Tour: From Rum To Roots by Lloyd G Francis [Review & Giveaway]

In 1937 near Portland Cottage, in southern Jamaica, on a huge sugar estate, Linton McMann, the illegitimate son of the owner of the plantation, works making rum.
Meanwhile in Kingston, Daisy, helps her mother managing an ice business and dreams of joining her elder sister (Iris) in New York.
Seeking opportunity, Linton leaves the deep Jamaican countryside for New York and the collapse of the ice business and family crises force Daisy to leave Kingston, seeking a new start in the United States.
They encounter a vibrant Jamaican-American community in New York, where they meet at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. Becoming American citizens, they marry, and start a family. Ambition drives them to start a business and Linton capitalizes on a skill he learned as a young man in Jamaica, making a drink known in Jamaica as “Roots.” It proves wildly popular and the company, Family Roots, prospers beyond Linton’s and Daisy’s wildest dreams.
By 1986, the drink is a sensation. Money flows in, but something is missing. Happiness is as scarce as freshwater in the middle of the sea.
Wrestling with their past while living in a land of plenty, Linton and Daisy discover that truth is the only avenue to happiness.
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Edition: First Edition Format: eBook and Paperback Publication Date: August 6, 2013 Publisher: Marway Publishing ISBN13: 9780989216104

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Review
I'm not using my usual review format for this book.
I don't know what exactly I was expecting but this book is better than anything I could expect.
Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.
This is an emotional and deep story of the longing for a better life.
The book is mostly in English with most of the dialogue in Patois (Jamaican dialect). At first, the Patios slows you down but you get used to it and it becomes easier to understand.
It is very well written. No plot holes. No unnecessary details. It's perfection
The book pulls you in and you feel like you're a one of the cast.
Every character is well developed and adds to the story. Each scene comes to life.
The novel, although enjoyable and interesting, isn't for light reading.
You should take away the lesson on the importance and value of life, hope, forgiveness and most of all; family.
“Linton,” he said, “yuh will not know happiness without forgiveness. Yuh can’t make dem scars on yuh back disappear, but you can make these scars, in here––” he thumped his chest with his fist,”–– dem can heal. Dat’s forgiveness.

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Author Bio
Lloyd was born in Oakland in 1961, a first-generation American child to Jamaican parents. As a child his trips to Jamaica in the 60's and 70's shaped who he became.
Growing up in Hayward California he was steeped in the island tradition of reggae, Jamaican cuisine, and patois.

After studying engineering, Lloyd became a staff photographer for the San Jose Mercury News. He left newspapers to work for Yahoo Financial News Network and returned to journalism after 9-11. In 2001 Lloyd reported from Iraq for Newsweek Magazine, and went on to cover the war in Afghanistan. In 2004 he accepted a job with the Army Times Publishing Company and worked in Iraq intermittently for two years.
Examples of his work can be found here and here .

Lloyd returned to San Francisco in 2006. He lives with his wife, Leanne, his two sons, Marley and Waylon, a yellow nape Amazon parrot named Aquila and a rambunctious Red Lored Amazon parrot named Cosmo. He frequently takes long walks around San Francisco and Golden Gate Park, looking for great Instagram photographs.
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Author Interview: Juliana Haygert, Author of "Breaking The Reins"

Today, I'm posting an interview with NA author and blogger Juliana Haygert.

Tell us a little about yourself
Hi! I’m Juliana, NA author and all around nice girl. I laugh easily, but I’m also very irritable – you don’t want to be on my pissed off side ;)
I’m a lover of books, video games (World of Warcraft ftw!), chocolate, coffee, wine, jeans, high heels, family and friends – not necessarily in this order.

You write in multiple NA genres. Which is your favorite write? Why?
Why do you focus on NA. I started writing NA way before it had a name – eight years ago or so.
It was quite hard because agents and editors didn’t want NA.
My fave genre? I guess it depends on my mood.
When I’m deep into contemporary, I’m craving fantasy, when I’m deep into fantasy, I want to write contemporary.

Tell us something about yourself that's not in your author bio.
I met my husband when I was 17 (he was 22) – we started dating right away and we got married when I was 20. And I became a mommy at 24.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Toughest criticism = that I had to work on my narrator inner dialogue.
Best compliment = “Your voice is so rich, and your worldbuilding absolutely lush. I enjoyed the tension and the stakes in play here”
– it came from a known traditional author and it was about the short story I have on Wattpad.

If you could have dinner with anyone- fictional or real, past or present, dead or alive- who would you pick? Why?
This is a hard one.
Fictional, Zuko from The Last Airbender. Or Korra from Legend of Korra – love these two TV shows.

You will be stranded on a deserted island and bring 3 items.
Another hard one, jeez!
My toothbrush + tooth paste (that’s combo so it counts as one), my kindle, which would be loaded with great books (and it’s charger), and a warm blanket.

Have you always aspired to publish a novel? Which writers inspire/influence you?
Not really. I’ve been writing since I was 13, but I only thought about trying to get published when I was 26-27. I love Richelle Mead – her prose is simple and yet, it involves you. She creates rich worlds and fun characters. I like to think her writing influences mine ;)

Which actors/actresses would you like to see playing Hannah, Eric & Leo in Breaking The Reins?
Bah, I don’t know. I try not to think about it much.
One reviewer posted pics for Hannah and Leo on goodreads and I love it – she chose Krystal Reed as Hannah, but I don’t know who the guy is. Want to help me find out? Click here.
But honestly, Leo and his family would have to be Brazilian – maybe Marlon Teixeira or Pedro Arnon as Leo ;)

If you could be on one reality TV show, what would it be?
This is (was?) sort of a secret: my biggest dream is to be one of the celebs on Dancing with the Stars. But first I need to become a celebrity right? lol

Tell us about NA Alley
In the end of 2011, I met Victoria, Jaycee and Carrie online – they wrote NA, like I did, so we bonded over it immediately. Then around Jan/Feb 2012, I was thinking about contacting them and pop a question like what do you guys think of creating a group blog dedicated to NA?
However, Victoria beat me to it. She had already talked to Jaycee and they sent out the email inviting the rest of us.
NA Alley is a fun place where we try to inform and promote New Adult as a category.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully I’ll have moved back to the Carolinas, I’ll have published a dozen novels, and I’ll be making a good living out of it.
My hubs will still like the challenge of his line of work, and my daughter will be too big for me to even imagine.
I don’t envision getting filthy rich or hitting the NYT Bestseller list or things like that. As long as my books find a couple of readers and they like what they read, I’m happy!

The craziest/wildest thing you ever did.
Moved out of my parents’ house in a small town when I was 16 to live alone in a city of 1.5 million people? In Brazil, education is very different than here. The good schools are in the big cities and, to be accepted into college, you have to get a good education, so I moved out to finish high school in a better school.
Or, spent two months on Rio de Janeiro alone when I was 12 – I participated of a ballet workshop with the best dance company of the country.

Which of your characters do you relate to the most? Are any of them based on people you know?
Mirella from Gypsy Heart. I need to rewrite that manuscript and publish it because I love that story, but I wrote it back in 2010 (or 2009?). My writing improved so much since then, and I had a couple of ideas to make it better …
Mirella has a lot of me on her. I try not basing my characters on any people I know, though I’m sure some relate to the people in my life.

Are you going to write a continuation for Breaking The Reins? I'd like to see what happens to the rest of the gang.
It is a possibility – I’ve been getting lots of requests. I know Bia’s story and I have an idea for Hilary’s, but I know readers want to see Ri, Pedro and Gui too, so I’ll have to think (aka plot) for them too.

What is one talent that you’re hopeless at, but you wish you were good at?
Singing. I would love, love, love to sing.

Do events in your life influence your book/Are your life experiences included in your books?
No, not so far. I do have a notebook with major events and past experiences written down, so I can look over them and try to plot a story around them, but so far it didn’t happen.

What is the best book you’ve read recently?
I was working on a UF the last 2 months, so I’ve been reading a lot of UF and PNR. The ones I liked the most are The Archers of Avalon series by Chelsea Fine, and the Crescent Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy.

What is the best advice you have been given?
Do not give up! Simple like that ;)

What’s next for you? Any works in the making that you want us to know about?
I’m working on edits of Soul Oath and Cup of Life (both UF), and soon will finish writing Playing Pretend, a contemporary romance

.

Random
Vanilla or chocolate - chocolate
Fave Season of the year - fall
Fave Dessert – hmm, Cookie Cookie Sundae from ColdStone
Fave Name – Isadora (my daughter’s)
Fave Book you wrote – Breaking the Reins
Favorite word - LOVE
Weirdest food combo – none.
Random Fact – I went to Architecture School

The Author
Juliana Haygert is a New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.
While Juliana dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author.
Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.
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Author Interview: Diamond Drake, Author of Imagined Love

Day 3 and our second author interview.

We have Diamond Drake, author of Imagined Love

Willa Caldwell jumps in and out of her volatile and sometimes violent marriage seemingly unaware of the affects her actions have on daughter Jade. Lonely and insecure, Jade often falls prey to those eager to take advantage of her desperate need for love and acceptance. And both she and Willa endure heartache at the hands of those who claim to love them most.
As a young adult Jade decides toleave her hometown of Gary, IN, as well as the pain of her past to start anew in sunny California. Sadly, things don't go ashoped and she's left wondering if she'll ever experience real love or if it will always be... Imagined Love.
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My Review

Tell us about yourself
I'm Diamond Drake, the author of three chick-lit novels; Imagined Love, For the Love of Jade (sequel), and Love's Fool. I was born and raised in Gary, IN but I now reside in northern California with my husband of seventeen years, two teenaged daughters, and two dogs.

One thing about you that's not in your bio
Diamond Drake is my pen name.

Have you always aspired to publish a novel? Which writers inspire/influence you?
Yes, I've ALWAYS wanted to publish novels! In the first grade I vowed to my granny that I would do it and I talked about it every day!

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The toughest criticism I ever received came from one of my editors. She basically told me I "talk" too much and needed to learn how to get to the point.
The best compliment came from a group of readers who told me they changed their lives because of something one of my characters did. I still cry when I think about that.

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, fictional or real, who would it be? Why?
If I could have dinner with anyone it would probably be Nicholas Sparks. I'd love to know the secret to having so many of his novels made into major movies. That has to be an amazing feeling!

What book(s) are you reading at present?
I'm currently reading Football Widows by Pat Tucker and my own novel, Love's Fool. I'm gearing up to write the sequel and need to get re-acquainted with the characters.

For the Love of Jade won the 2013 International Book Award Winner for the African American category? How was that experience for you?
Winning the 2013 International Book Award has been a great experience. It's validating in a lot of ways. And I find that readers respond differently to me as well. They're more willing to give my work a chance.

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?
I think the cover plays a huge role in whether a reader will buy your book or not. As much we say don't judge a book by its cover, we often do.

Which of your characters do you relate to the most? Are any of them based on people you know?
The character I relate to most is definitely Jade from Imagined Love. That book was heavily based on my own life so I have a special connection with her.

What’s next for you? Any works in the making that readers should know about?
Currently, I'm working on my fourth and fifth novesl. One is the sequel to my last book and the other, Love's Choice, will introduce readers to a whole new cast of crazy characters! I love Dwight and Robin Haughton! haha

Random
Favorite season - fall.
Favorite dessert - cake!
Favorite book by another author - The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
Favorite book that I wrote - Hmmm ... that's hard to answer. I love them all for different reasons.
Random fact - Let's see... oh, I'm absolutely terrified of opening a can of biscuits! I hate when it pops so I have my husband or daughter do it for me!

Author

Diamond Drake, the author of For the Love of Jade, is known for her emotionally gripping tales. Born and raised in Gary, IN, she currently resides in Stockton, CA with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.
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REVIEW: Etoile by Olivia Besse

The Book

Source: free copy courtesy of author

Publish Date: July 25, 2013

Publisher: Wunderland Press

ASIN/ISBN: B00E4OH7PO

Format: ebook (mobi)

Pages: 244

Date Read: September 17, 2013

Note: Alternate/new cover edition (re issue under different name).

Description

From afar, Elodie Marais is just a typical 19-year old girl roughing it in Manhattan. She hates her job, her love life sucks and she's totally getting ripped off by her landlord. Like most of her starry-eyed peers, she'll do anything for the Triple P's—Prada, a Promotion and the elusive Perfect Boyfriend. But Elodie and her friends aren't your average new adults who are bored to tears by their uninspiring lives—they're fashion models.

So what's a girl to do when her life is turned upside down as two irresistible bachelors vie for her doe-eyed attention, just as she's starting to make waves in the modelling world? Will she go with charming and sensitive James, a handsome financier, or reckless and unpredictable Tyler, the stunning male model du jour?

Follow Elodie's adventures from Manhattan to Paris as she navigates the terrifying worlds that are the modeling industry and her love life, one effortlessly chic outfit at a time

Book 1 in the Mannequin Series

The Mannequin series is an exciting erotic romance journey that gives readers an intimate look into the not-so-glamorous sides of the fashion and modelling industries

My Review

The Cover

4 stars for the cover. I love it.

It's really simple and nice. And I love the pop of colour with the red font.

The Characters

There are a lot of characters. The major ones are Elodie, Tyler & James [Love triangle]

I like Elodie. She's brutally honest. Tyler is hoooot. I love his character. He's cocky but not in a get-over-yourself-you-d*ck way. He has a smart mouth and is funny. And James. Oh sweet, loveable, charming James.

Other character's are Tatiana, a funny, party loving girl from Belarus; Heddi, a more reserved beauty from Denmark and Jelena, whom we don't know much about other than she's Russian. These 3 girls are her friends and roommates

It's so hard to pick who I want Elodie to be with. I love both James & Tyler and they do different things for her.

I think we didn't really get to meet James. His character isn't really developed.

The dynamic of Elodie & James' relationship reminds me of Joshua & Melina's in Won't Last Long

The Story

I love the story. I love how it starts. It was like watching a movie.

I love that there are no billionaires or BDSM dungeons or tatted rock stars like we see in a lot of NA books lately.

I didn't like the unnecessary constant descriptions, a lot of modelling references that didn't need to be there, too much alcohol, too little food. Too much talk about food(or lack of it).

Cliffhanger. When I got to the end, I couldn't believe it. I thought I didn't download the book fully. It definitely left me wanting more. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

I love the writing style. Olivia Besse is amazing. She writes almost effortlessly. Her writing is edgy and gritty. This is a great debut by the author

The dialogue was snappy and funny and brought the characters to life

Generally

Sometimes, I forgot I was reading about a 19 year old. I loved a lot about the book. The author's writing style reminds me of Jackie Collins.

This book contains explicit content and is not intended for younger readers!

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Recommended To

If you love Jackie Collins, fashion, modelling and romance, this book is for you!

Rating

3.5 stars