Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Born a goddess. Controlled by the Fates. Can Macy’s love for her soul mate survive the bonds of time… and death?
17-year old Macy Lockhart is as far from normal as any one girl can be. The problem is, she doesn’t know it yet.
After a bloodstone pendant is mysteriously left on her door, Macy’s life begins to change in ways she’d never dreamed. And while she will eventually come to realize that nothing is ever what it seems, that her life is a tangled web of lies and the Fates themselves pull the strings, for now she is left with only the explanations that they offer her.
Macy is led to believe that if she doesn’t return to a previous doomed life, one in which she served as Queen Cleopatra ‘s handmaiden, the fate of the entire world will be threatened in a way that would destroy history as we know it. She learns that she has lived thousands of lives, each one ending tragically…but none as tragic as this one.
After returning to ancient Egypt, she is faced with heart-wrenching decisions. Unless she interferes with Fate’s plan, the very thing she was born to protect, her soul mate will die leading Marc Antony’s forces against Rome. Can she really stand aside and watch the love of her life die all over again?
In this fascinating novel-length prequel to The Bloodstone Saga, Courtney Cole sets the stage for an epic journey that will have readers holding their breath until the very last page of the very last book has been turned.
I added Every Last Kiss by Courtney Col to my Goodreads TBR on 10.29.12 and downloaded it from Amazon on 10.26.12. I probably won this, but I do love books that deal with Goddesses and enjoy reading Young Adult. Does have a pretty cover and it makes me curious. How about you?
Mermaids Marry In Green by Alice Renaud is Book III of the Sea of Love series. If you are a lover of the mer world, this is one series that is a must read.
Once I started reading Mermaids Marry in Green by Alice Renaud, I couldn’t stop. I forgot how fantastic the series is and I won’t put off reading any of her work again.
The afane had awakened, only to find out he was the last of his kind. He desperately struggles to find someone he can communicate with.
Calitha is on of the strongest mermaids in the western seas, but she struggles to fulfill her destiny. She wished she had had more time with her mother, more time to prepare for her role as the leader of the three mer clans. Whenever she was in doubt, she thought, “What would my mother do.” She never found time for herself, for a love life, for romance.
When Jonty, a warlock, entered her life, all bets were off. He came to her requesting her help in dealing with the afane, a water monster in England, and she was eager to go. The attraction was immediate, but Calitha is a leader, not to be mated to a human. Even though it was forbidden, the heart wants what the heart wants. It surely will not be an easy road, but I have a feeling…Sexual tension follows them, but they put it aside to deal with the problem at hand.
She surrendered, thinking she would have one night of pleasure before she returned to her duties, but that one night told her the truth – he was her mate. Of course, we know that is coming, but I do love all the push/pull that keeps them from making a commitment. It’s how the romance will come about that becomes one of the most interesting aspects of the story.
They both had a past, a mistake made, guilt weighing them down. Of course their love will have a rocky road filled with danger, but the sex is sweet…and HOT.
I love mer stories, but all too often I don’t finish a series. I am so glad I had all three of the Sea of Love series, because once I started it, I didn’t want to quit. Now that the story is told, what do I do? Where do I go from here. Any suggestions Alice?
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Mermaids Marry in Green by Alice Renaud.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Caltha Dooran is the toughest, fiercest shape-shifting mermaid in the western seas. She has three Clans to rule, and no time for romance. But when a warlock, Jonty, turns up and asks her to come with him to London to capture a water monster, she can’t say no. In London, away from her duties, her attraction for Jonty grows… and they soon fall under each other’s spell. But will his past and her responsibilities pull them apart, or can they find the only true magic, the one that binds two souls together?
ABOUT ALICE RENAUD
Alice lives in London, UK, with her husband and son. By day she’s a compliance manager for a pharmaceutical company. By night she writes fantasy romance about shape shifting mermen, water monsters and time-travelling witches. Her first book, “A Merman’s Choice,” was published in January 2019 by Black Velvet Seductions. It is the first book in a fantasy romance trilogy inspired by the landscapes and legends of Brittany and Wales. The second book, “Music for a Merman,” is out now and the third, “Mermaids Marry in Green,” will be released on 1 November. Alice has also written a short story, “The Sweetest Magic of All,” included in the BVS “Mystic Desire” anthology, out now. Alice loves reading and writing stories, and sharing them with anyone who’s interested!
I have been reading the Claus series by Tony Bertauski since the first one, Claus, Legend of the Fat Man. I have missed one or two, and hope to catch up on them. The series is unique and fun to read.
Gingerman is not my first foray into the world of Claus by Tony Bertauski and it won’t be my last. I have been loving this quirky series since the beginning, with Claus, Legend of the Fat Man.
Christmas White Blizzard, better known as Chris, is off to school. His mother loved Christmas so much, she names him and his sister, Yuletide. He is terrified of going off to school, but his desire to learn overrides his fears.
The Institute of Creative Minds is the ultimate dichotomy:
“Be creative and free. But follow the rules or go home.”
The Institute is unlike any school I have ever heard of before. It is Christmas all the time.
When he meets Joli, she decides to be his introduction to the school. I love her feisty, independent personality. She’s a rebel.
Gingerman….well, I don’t want to spoil your introduction to him, so you will need to discover everything about him yourself. I will tell you…he is…unusual. Whether he is good or bad, we will have to wait and see. The verdict is still out, but I do have my thoughts.
The magic of Christmas comes alive through Tony Bertauski’s descriptive words. So, come along with me, Chris, and the Gingerman to solve the mystery of the Institute. It is a wild ride and I think you may enjoy it. It is delightful, unique and mysterious.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Gingerman by Tony Bertauski.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
His real name is Christmas. It’s embarrassing.
He’s been accepted into the Institute of Creative Mind, a prestigious institute for eccentrics, outliers, and gifted students. A school located in the middle of nowhere with two-hundred-year-old castles and a formidable stone wall. A school where Christmas is celebrated the entire year.
Christmas trees, ornaments, and lights decorate the castles. Presents are given out every month, and students are pitted against each other in creative challenges. Chris soon finds out, however, the stakes are high.
The losers are expelled.
He spends sleepless nights keeping up with his homework to not disappoint his parents and to keep a cruel guidance counsellor off his back. But this place is more than a demanding school for gifted students. Chris finds a clue in a textbook his first night, written in code.
Run, run as fast as you can.
When he’s presented with an impossibility that defies all laws of physics and biology, anything becomes possible. Chris discovers students aren’t chosen for their artistic abilities but because of a DNA test. He doesn’t know what the school is really after. If he doesn’t stop them, Christmas will end forever. Everything depends on his courage.
My grandpa never graduated high school.
He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he
was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of
paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony
and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was
fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened
when they died?
I’ve written textbooks on landscape
design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of
stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a
gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more
finesse, but still informational for the most part.
I’m a cynical reader. I demand the
writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather
sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to
write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted
to create stories that kept you up late.
Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write.
Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than
reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way.
You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The
challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if
it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
A tale of stolen souls, mirror worlds, quantum physics and eternal love.
There’s a serial killer on the loose and Angel Copperwheat knows his name, but the murderer is long dead and using Angel to power his quest to become a God. The police think Angel’s the murderer and maybe he is?
Angel lives on the bubble-thin surface of what we call reality, surrounded by ghosts and the fractured moments of potential futures, living in more than one world. Angel has spent his life studying quantum physics, the magic of shamans, religions and myths and the threads that bind them, seeking the science of death and the afterlife, believing that nothing is inexplicable, merely unexplained, and always in hope of finding the answer to his biggest question, why me? Since he was a child, newly returned from the dead, Angel used his abilities selfishly, meddling with time and space in search of elusive happiness and the love he feels he doesn’t deserve.
The Reverend Forster, Vicar of St Swithun’s, knows who Angel is and what he is. Forster has tapped the cracks Angel opened in reality and used it to steal souls from the living, taking their power to fuel his quest to become a God. The empty bodies have been possessed by wandering ghosts and now Angel’s dull English home-town is a mess of blood, rape and murder. The dispossessed souls have charged Angel with putting the universe to rights. Can Angel close the rift, restore lost souls to life, remain alive and keep his darkest secret, while holding on to the hard-won love of his friends in the now, the past and future?
#4 – All the other complex and thought provoking context
That’s why I added Entanglement by Maya Panika to my reading list on 10.6.12..and it was free. Now, it is available for $2.99 and it is the only book I see that she has ever written, which was published on 6.19.12. Is she a one hit wonder? On hiatus? Living life? Hmmm…could that be a story, What Even Happened To Maya Panika? Any thoughts?
I have been reading Carolyn Arnold’s work for some time now and always enjoy them. I am excited to be on another adventure with Matthew Connor. So…what do you say? Ready for a treasure hunt?
The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure by Carolyn Arnold is due for release on 6.16.20, but can be preordered now for $4.99
Matthew Connor is an adventurous archaeologist and treasure hunter, a dreamer. This is not my first adventure with him, and I feel it won’t be my last. We never know where we will be going and what we will be after, but Indiana Jones step aside and make room.
Matthew and his friends search out the answers to legends, such as City of Gold. Feel free to ask Google, because Carolyn Arnold takes ‘true’ stories and makes them her own.
Today, we will be traveling with Gaspar, or Gaspiralla as his friends know him. He is a pirate that sailed the Gulf of Mexico and Spanish Main in the late 18th and 19th century. Is it a myth, a legend? There is an island named after him and Tampa has a festival, so draw your own conclusions.
Carolyn Arnold is not afraid to write in more than one genre, and I am so happy she does. Matthew Connor is one of my favorite series because I love to travel to distant places and she takes me all over the world, yet also writes of events in our neck of the world.
The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is action packed, filled with suspense and danger. The peripheral characters shine with their own talents and uniqueness that adds to this wild adventure where lives are lost and treasure found.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure by Carolyn Arnold.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Join the quest for a
pirate’s gold in the anxiously awaited third installment of the
international bestselling Matthew Connor Adventure series!
For
centuries, the existence of Spanish pirate José Gaspar has been
relegated to legend, but archaeologist and adventurer Matthew Connor and
his friends may have just found reason to believe the buccaneer truly
existed.
Rumored to have sailed and plundered the Gulf of
Mexico and the Spanish Main during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, Gaspar would have amassed a vast fortune. But can Matthew and
the gang prove myth as fact and find Gaspar’s priceless treasure? It
will take courage and tenacity as the path to gold proves deadly—and
even murderous once they discover the true identity and fate of the man
nicknamed Gasparilla.
The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure
is a fast-paced action adventure that’s akin to an Indiana Jones story
set in modern times. It’s light on history and heavy on action,
suspense, and intrigue. Buy this international bestselling book today
and strap yourself in for an action-packed good time!
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning
author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She
has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon
Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has
written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers
everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action
adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and
enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big
city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive
imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch
the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and
empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto
with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada
and Sisters in Crime.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Question: When your mother is a powerful witch and your father is a soul-sucking vampire, what does that make you? Answer: Cursed. With all the beauty and charm of a Siren, but cursed as a blood-sucking succubus, Empusa longs for love and a normal life. Neither of these can ever be hers, because the only thing she brings to anyone she loves is death. Em lingers in the mortal world, hiding from her father and existing in a lonely life. Until she meets Brennan. With golden hair and a radiant smile, he captures her heart and awakens it from slumber. But Brennan is more than he seems. And in a relationship where life itself hangs in the balance, is love ever really enough?
I added Soul Kissed, Moonstone Saga #1 by Courtney Cole to my TBR on 9.26.12. I do love a good paranormal story and we have vampires and witches on the agenda today. Do you have a favorite supernatural creature?
Love mermaids and all creatures aquatic? This limited time anthology is
just for you! With more than 700 pages of captivating fiction, you’ll
be enchanted by sirens, dive the depths with a mermaid, and fear
whether the sea witch is friend or foe.
With stories from:
Catherine Banks
Kai Ellory Viola
Mia Ellas
Anthea Sharp
Kristi Lea
LA Fox
Nicole Zoltack
Mara Amberly
Raine English
Margo Bond Collins
Sara Elizabeth
Mikayla Symonett
Tricia Schneider
Merrie Destefano
Bokerah Brumley
Rachel A. Marks
and Pauline Creeden
Are you ready to dive in before your chance is lost forever? Then order
this limited-edition collection of exclusive material from USA Today
and award-winning authors
Including the following stories and more! Queen of the Island by Bokerah Brumley Fated to be together, Calder and his mate must overcome the evil nymph that would keep them apart. Seize the Storm by Kristi LeaAn Isyre hides from the hunters who killed her family, as far from any ocean as she can be. The fire mage who discovers her secrets has a few of his own. Can they trust each other to face their pastsTouched by a Mermaid by Raine EnglishA secret society. A sea witch bent on revenge. An ancient world in peril. Paranormal Maritime War by Nicole Zoltack A stolen selkie skin just might start a war between the merfolk, the selkies, and the sirens. Racing the Clock by Catherine Banks“You will seduce the prince and convince him to give you his soul. If you fail, you will give me your soul for eternity.”The Church of Moon and Sea by Sara Elizabeth She must choose between two loves – the sea or the land. Fury by Merrie DestefanoTo survive, she made a secret deal in the Underworld. Soul’s Reef – Kai Ellory ViolaA mysterious phenomenon. A weird cult. Vaccines needed at the end of the universe – Captain Holloway just needs to get through the reefs.The Sea of Time and Stars by Mara Amberly“A woman watched from just above the water line, her sleek blue hair drifting in the water around her. One moment she was there and the next she was gone; so quickly I could’ve put it down to my imagination or a hallucination from my injuries.”
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
An underwater kingdom. A missing queen. A modern man plunged into an ancient war…
Trevain Murphy’s new wife has been forcibly taken. He must do all he can to search for her without falling apart. His love was the noble Queen Aazuria, ruler of Adlivun, and he has been burdened with all of her responsibilities. The Alaskan man is unable to cope with the political unrest of his new nation, and turns to his wife’s younger sister for help. Princess Elandria is expected to assume important administrative duties, but she is overwhelmed with depression and completely useless to her endangered people.
With Adlivun facing a growing threat from the foreign submarine superpower known as the Clan of Zalcan, headstrong General Visola Ramaris becomes focused on seeking advanced military protection. Going against the ancient mermaid tradition to remain hidden from land-dwelling societies, Visola decides to reveal herself to the American public and make an eloquent appeal for assistance. But nothing comes for free. The countries of the Pacific Rim invite Adlivun’s diplomats to an APEC conference to present their conditions. The price for survival is outrageous and unexpected; if Trevain agrees, the small marine kingdom will play a crucial role in changing the infrastructure and economy of the world forever. But will the proud citizens of Adlivun sacrifice their freedom and dignity for security?
Meanwhile, on a dark and desolate continent, a displaced queen has been captured and imprisoned by enemy forces. Her only concern is concealing the child she is carrying from her deranged captor. Thousands of miles from any sign of humanity, Aazuria must battle the coldest temperatures on earth in order to find her way back to her husband–but even if she lives, will she be in time to save her beloved Adlivun from itself?
The reason I added Boundless Sea on an Amazon free day, July 9.12, speaks for itself…mermaids!!! I added it to my TBR on 9.15.12. I don’t know if it needs to be read in order, seeing it is a part of the Sacred Breath series, but I will be checking for any other books I may have and read it regardless. After all, it’s mermaids!
I would grab From The Deeps for the cover alone. Isn’t it fabulous? I love water creatures and grab any books that contain them and From The Deeps looks like it has something special to offer.
Just looking at the cover for From The Deeps by Skye MacKinnon and Laura Greenwood, my imagination was captured by the creatures and myths from the water and this supernatural world that rang new to me, taking me on a wild ride of earth, wind, fire, water, lightening, ice and air that left me wanting MORE!
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Who knows what ascends from the Deeps…
Macey is really quite ordinary, if you ignore that she’s a kelpie princess living on land. Still, her life is boring until she gets kidnapped by a man who doesn’t quite know why he kidnapped her. Try and figure that one out.
Thankfully, he and his two companions are prepared to help her find out why she can’t return to Earth from their house in the Mists. Now the only problem is that Macey keeps getting distracted by the three mysterious and very sexy men…
A reverse harem romance drenched in Scottish mythology.
Love Dragons? Abigail Owen has a fabulous series for you. I have loved meeting and getting an in depth look into each character. This is a series that keeps on giving.
I am so excited to be back with these HOT firefighting dragon shifters, and to meet some new ones in The Enforcer, the third book of the Fire’s Edge series by Abigail Owen.
Drake was the only one who could save the family surrounded by fire, but because he is unmated, his body rebelled in his hurry to save them. It is Cami’s family that he rescues.
She is not afraid of him. She has issues of her own, no one to turn to for help, until…Rune. He just happens to be in the vicinity. He is a rogue, a dragon shifter with no clan and gathers those who need his help, offering them a safe refuge
Dragons come in many colors, each with their own special abilities, other than the normal fire breathing and such. If dragons do not mate, they begin to age and death is not far behind. Drake is one of those dragons. They have their own political intrigue and narcissistic rulers.There is betrayal, danger, love and sacrifice. The kings make the laws, the enforcers, enforce them. Going rogue is a death sentence.
Cami finds a friend in Skylar, who has her own secrets. For some reason, she is drawn to Cami and offers to help her, teaching her martial arts, while she is nursing Drake. At first she doesn’t know why she is drawn to him, but as she learns the ways of dragons, it becomes clear to her. At the moment, she is the stronger one.
“…is your default setting asshole?”
“I’m surprised he left you alone with me.”
“He didn’t want to, something about you being a scary motherfucker…”
Oh man, when a shifter dies…it brought tears to my eyes. Abigail Owen’s descriptive writing brought the scene to life and I could picture it in my mind. BUT, I’m not telling you who will no longer be with us. And Drake, that is his biggest fear. If he were to mate with Cami and not be healed, they would both die.
We have a lot of fun verbal foreplay that turns HOT, steamy, sexy, playful, HOT…ADULTS ONLY HOT.
“Did you know some dragon shifters can shift a single part of themselves?”
I know what first popped into my mind and I wonder what pop into yours. LOL
I love dragons in any shape or form. They are people first, doing all the things that humans do, after all, someone has to cook dinner, do laundry, and all those menial chores that need to be done day after day. I love Drake, Cami, and their merry band of misfits. Makes for some wonderful moments as their individual personalities are revealed. It has been a marvelous visit and I look forward to returning.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Enforcer by Abigail Owen.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Death comes for everyone. Even Drake Chandali. The aging process that twists all unmated dragon shifters’ bodies into something useless has taken hold of his body centuries early. A mate could have reversed the process, but now it’s too late. To protect his team of enforcers, he leaves, and comes face to face with the woman he’d thought was human when he saved her from a fire months before.
Except she’s not human. She’s a mate.
Camilla Carrillo almost lost her family to wildfire. To discover she’s fated to mate a creature made of flame and rage, and become one herself, should be terrifying. But somehow a rightness settles inside her, especially when she’s around the glowering red dragon shifter who wants nothing to do with her.
When Drake learns Cami bears his mark — the same mark as the High King — he refuses to believe she’s meant to be his. It’s too late. How could he turn Cami only to take her with him to the grave? At the same time, he can’t walk away. Hiding her from the corrupt, rotting High King might be the last honorable thing Drake ever does with the little time he has left.
ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN
Award-winning
paranormal and contemporary romance author, Abigail Owen was born in
Greeley, Colorado, and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in
Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are
the center of her universe.
Abigail grew up consuming books and
exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of
Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career
related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric
(Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing
without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
