Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Pierce 2 A Vampire Series by Jolie du Pre



Pierce 2
A Vampire Series
 

By Jolie du Pre

Love is always crazy for everyone, once you catch the bug.  You can’t think straight, make the right choices, all because of the infection known as love. <3

However, if you don’t already know, for Vampires, everything for them is already heightened. Therefore if they happen to fall in love- it too is much stronger.

Now imagine fighting the odds of a relationship, and then double it. That’s how it is for a Vampire. Once a Vampire falls for a human, and yes they can and have- that’s when things get real! Not only do they double, but it’s just a whole new ‘I want more!’ experience.


So, here we are in Michigan, the state that gets all of the Seasons. Hot, Cold, Wet, oh wait, My bad. I mean-Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. 

Firstly, this novella impressed me even more than the first. Jezebel is a rebel, and I totally love her name, it is so fitting of her character too! She is a kleptomaniac who has problems controlling her tendencies, and those very tendencies seem to hinder more than help.

The money she has been surviving on, was stolen from her last boy friend. And once it runs out, stealing isn’t helping her make ends meet, therefore she must land a job. Well, maybe this could be interesting and fun. Let's hope so.

At her new job she meets Steve. The thing is, can she stop stealing long enough and keep her Vampire self at bay long enough to keep this relationship? I mean after all, those both are her favorite things. And should she turn him into a vampire, or will he even want turned into one? Decisions, decisions….

I give "Pierce" book 2 five stars, because I totally fell in love with this one even more. It was much more entertaining than the first. This series is so intriguing I just couldn’t put it down, I read it in like a half an hour, and then re-read it again. This book is truly enjoyable, and made me smile, because I could truly picture everything perfectly, and felt like I was right there. You truly need to read this series, it is exceptional!

Here are my questions for Jolie:

1. Where do you choose your names and/or titles from?
Sometimes they come out of my head. Sometimes I use name generators I find online. Other times I ask my mailing list subscribers to come up with names. I run it as a contest, and the winner gets their name and website listed in my books.

2. Are you enjoying working on this series "Pierce"?
I love creating various paranormal romance scenarios for my Pierce characters. I love creating everyday situations that we all deal with love, jealousy, betrayal, etc.

3. Do you have big plans for "Pierce"?
No matter what happens with "Pierce," I plan to publish two novellas a month until the end of 2016. I believe more and more readers will find out about the novellas and will enjoy them.


4. Who is your favorite character or have they been written yet?
My favorite character so far in the “Pierce” novellas is Jezebel, found in Novella 2. She's a take charge, no fear type of vampire.


5. What was your favorite series to write and why?
My favorite series so far to write is “Pierce,” my current vampire series. I had a lot of fun with my “Benton” zombie series, too. However, I grew tired of writing about zombies. I have a vampire billionaire series coming up too - alpha male, sex, exciting scenarios.

6. What are your hobbies?
I pole dance for fitness. I also enjoy cooking healthy meals for my family, especially my husband since we're almost empty nesters.I like to garden. I don't know if reading and listening to good music are hobbies, but I enjoy doing those. 

7. Out of all the Authors/writers and people I've met- I liked that you aren't afraid to tell it like it is. How long have you been like that or were you always? If you weren't always- did something make you that way?
Thanks! I've always been outspoken. I grew up with strong black women in my family. That's where I got it from. For example, my grandmother is in her 90s, yet she's not afraid of anyone.

8. Do you ever get writers block?
Nope! If something is going on in my life that's bothering me, and depression hits, I won't feel like writing. Or if I have too many articles to write, it prevents me from writing fiction as much as I want. But it's never writer's block. I've got enough stories in my head to write about until the day I die. I was a huge daydreamer when I was little. Now I write all that stuff down.

9. Have you met any other Authors or writers?
Yes! I used to attend a lot of writers conferences. Most of it was before social media got going. Now, in the 21st century, an author can stay home and communicate online. It's still good to get out from behind your computer and meet authors and readers. I still do it.

10. Please share with us all of your links to follow you and learn more about you:
The two social media sites where I'm most active are Facebook and Twitter. I always respond to people who comment on my Facebook page or who tag me on Twitter.

11. Anything to add:
Thank you for the interview!






Pierce: A Vampire Series: Novella 2Pierce: A Vampire Series: Novella 2 by Jolie du Pre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love is always crazy for everyone, once you catch the bug. You can’t think straight, make the right choices, all because of the infection known as love. <3

However, if you don’t already know, for Vampires, everything for them is already heightened. Therefore if they happen to fall in love- it too is much stronger.

Now imagine fighting the odds of a relationship, and then double it. That’s how it is for a Vampire. Once a Vampire falls for a human, and yes they can and have- that’s when things get real! Not only do they double, but it’s just a whole new ‘I want more!’ experience.

So, here we are in Michigan, the state that gets all of the Seasons. Hot, Cold, Wet, oh wait, My bad. I mean-Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.

Firstly, this novella impressed me even more than the first. Jezebel is a rebel, and I totally love her name, it is so fitting of her character too! She is a kleptomaniac who has problems controlling her tendencies, and those very tendencies seem to hinder more than help.

The money she has been surviving on, was stolen from her last boy friend. And once it runs out, stealing isn’t helping her make ends meet, therefore she must land a job. Well, maybe this could be interesting and fun. Let's hope so.

At her new job she meets Steve. The thing is, can she stop stealing long enough and keep her Vampire self at bay long enough to keep this relationship? I mean after all, those both are her favorite things. And should she turn him into a vampire, or will he even want turned into one? Decisions, decisions….

I give "Pierce" book 2 five stars, because I totally fell in love with this one even more. It was much more entertaining than the first. This series is so intriguing I just couldn’t put it down, I read it in like a half an hour, and then re-read it again. This book is truly enjoyable, and made me smile, because I could truly picture everything perfectly, and felt like I was right there. You truly need to read this series, it is exceptional!



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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Wings of Shadow Book 2 Of the Immortal Sorrow Series by Sherri Wingler



Wings of Shadow
Book 2


Of the Immortal Sorrow       Series
By Sherri Wingler

Isabel …. Shes one of the few mortals who ever seen him, the monster that he is, whilst people are in their final moments. And Isabel, she loved him, no matter who or what he was.  She loved him for him.

And he wanted Isabel no matter how hard he tried not to. Or…did he even try not to? Love has amazing powers doesn’t it….

Is Asher going to make things worse, or is he going to make them better? Does he want to help, can he help, what can he do? What power does he have?

What could happen next? Never ever ask that!!! 

Since Izzy has avoided taking the elevator down, well then the big guy will just have to send for her! Oh and have no fear my friends, because what do they say?!

“Hell hath no fury like the woman scorned!” Izzy doesn’t play. Not when Sherri writes for her! But- look out below people, Father Time wants in on the action too!


Asher is loyal with honor and he does not want to give up on his love, and his love does not want to give up on him. And love is supposed to always find a way, isn’t it?!

This book is amazing, so fast paced, I love it, much better than the first! I completely fell in love with this one! I am totally and completely pleased with this! It is a wonderful read! I l could not put it down! I give it five stars! You will love this, especially if you loved the first one! You must go get your copy today, if you haven’t already!

Here are my questions for Sherri:
1. What made you write these books like a series?
I had a few reasons. First, I think there’s just too much story there to be contained in one book, unless it’s something as huge as Stephen King’s “The Stand.” Also, if you look at the market for young adult books nowadays, there are very few standalone books. Readers get caught up in a series when they find characters they love and they don’t want that story to end so soon. I know I do. Also, the series format is a great marketing tool. The first book is like a calling card and it sells the next book.

2. What made you want to bring "Father Time" into this book?
At the beginning of the first book, before I had a clue what I was really doing, there is a line about Time. Something like “Fate and Time choose when and how a mortal’s life should end. Death just carries it out.” So then I started thinking about Time as a person. Death was personified, so why shouldn’t I turn him into a character as well?
I spent several years when I was a kid reading nothing but Greek tragedy. (Just because I was such a wild teenager.) So I had a pretty decent grasp of the mythology before I started, and then I twisted it to make as entertaining a story as I could possibly manage.
Cronus is such a fun character, too. Everyone thinks he’s insane, and why shouldn’t they? Past, present, and future are all happening for him at the same time, which really would drive most people a little nutty, but with him you can never tell. Is he really crazy, or is he just acting crazy because he likes to keep people guessing? We may never know.

3. What movie star would you place as the "Father Time" character and "the Devil"?
I really don’t know. I’ve never pictured them as anyone famous. They just look how they look, if that makes sense. I think everyone gets a certain idea in their head of what a character looks like as they’re reading. I try to give just enough details about looks for the reader to form their own opinion. With Time, he can appear to be any age; young, old, or a child. I picture him with kind brown eyes and curly dark hair.
The character of Satan, well I think he was probably very handsome. He was rumored to be the most beautiful angel in Heaven, wasn’t he? For most of Book 2 he’s wearing a mask. It’s possible the Fall disfigured him in some way.

4. What is your favorite book you have ever read even as a child?
Ok, these are all from childhood, but I’d read them again in a heartbeat:
“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte, hands down is my favorite. Edward Rochester is the quintessential anti-hero and Jane was a thoroughly independent heroine. It was the world’s first romance novel, and I still maintain probably the finest.
I also really love a book titled, “The Unlikely Ones,” by Mary Brown. That one is a twist on the old story of the knight and damsel story, although there is a dragon in it.
“Phantom,” by Susan Kay. That book is freaking awesome. She told the story of the phantom of the opera from the phantom’s point of view. She followed him from birth on and it was glorious! I think Amazon still carries it. Read it if you can find it.

5. Have you met any Authors in person?
I haven’t and I really, really want to! I have lots of friends online from all over the world who write, but as of now I haven’t met a single one of them in person. I may have to break down soon and hit a book convention. I was hoping to have my entire series finished before I did that, though. I just want to be sitting at the table with a stack of books, instead of just a few.

6. What are you working on now?
I’m about to finish the prequel short story to my series, “A Glimpse into Darkness.” It should be out in a matter of weeks if not sooner. I know it seems strange to release a prequel after two books are already out, but I wanted to explore Fate a little more. She’s a great character to write. She’s very vindictive, but no good villain is black or white and she’s no exception. I wanted to capture the moment when she first came into power and desire for something she could never have drove her over the edge.
I’m also working on the third book, “Wings of Defiance.” That one belongs to Grim and Gwen. I had so many requests for those two to come back I had to give them a book. They’ve both got such strong personalities they pretty much stole the show in whatever scene I put them in, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s a bonus that they’re fun to write!

7. What famous people would you choose for "Isabel and Asher?"
You know, I really can’t think of anyone famous who would be a good Izzy or Asher. I drove my cover artist, Danella Miller, nearly crazy trying to find the perfect Asher for the cover for book 1. We ended up taking body parts from several sources, but the Asher on the cover is perfect. He’s as close to the Asher in my head as anyone will ever come.
My Izzy was pretty easy to find. She’s a model named Kate Durant and she fit the bill for my character perfectly.

8. Do you ever get writers block?
I don’t get blocked in the sense that I have nothing to write, but I do get blocked because there’s so many different ways a story could go. So I have to stop and think through each possibility until I finally give up, write the ending and figure out how I got from point A to point B. Also, I’m a huge procrastinator which is terrible, but it seems to be a common ailment with writers.

9. What are your favorite things to do?
Writing is my favorite thing to do. When the story is flowing the way it should it, lights up every part of my brain and I love that feeling. I have a full-time job and a family like so many other Indie authors, so there isn’t a huge amount of spare time for extra stuff. I’m really pretty boring. I’m just a cat lady with a laptop and a dream
J

10. Please share with us your links to your sites and books:
My Amazon author page where you can find my books: http://www.amazon.com/Sherri-A.-Wingler/e/B00JXT86FA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1451418310&sr=1-1
My blog where you can find out about new releases, giveaways, etc.: http://sherriwingler.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingler_sherri

11. Anything to add: I just want to add a thank you for taking the time to read and review my books!



Wings of Shadow, Book 2 of The Immortal Sorrows seriesWings of Shadow, Book 2 of The Immortal Sorrows series by Sherri A. Wingler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Isabel …. Shes one of the few mortals who ever seen him, the monster that he is, whilst people are in their final moments. And Isabel, she loved him, no matter who or what he was. She loved him for him.

And he wanted Isabel no matter how hard he tried not to. Or…did he even try not to? Love has amazing powers doesn’t it….

Is Asher going to make things worse, or is he going to make them better? Does he want to help, can he help, what can he do? What power does he have?

What could happen next? Never ever ask that!!!

Since Izzy has avoided taking the elevator down, well then the big guy will just have to send for her! Oh and have no fear my friends, because what do they say?!

“Hell hath no fury like the woman scorned!” Izzy doesn’t play. Not when Sherri writes for her! But- look out below people, Father Time wants in on the action too!

Asher is loyal with honor and he does not want to give up on his love, and his love does not want to give up on him. And love is supposed to always find a way, isn’t it?!

This book is amazing, so fast paced, I love it, much better than the first! I completely fell in love with this one! I am totally and completely pleased with this! It is a wonderful read! I l could not put it down! I give it five stars! You will love this, especially if you loved the first one! You must go get your copy today, if you haven’t already!


View all my reviews

Hot Shade by Tamara Lush



Hot Shade


Tamara Lush
 
Ah yes! A book that takes place on one of Florida’s own beautiful beaches! Well, you should just see the smile on my face, and I am only on page three. Call me prejudice, but I favor Florida and Ohio books, I just can’t figure out why. ::Smirk::  But…if you know me, than you are a step ahead of the game, because you know why!

Skylar Shaw is a journalist who ends up on a very interesting assignment. Said assignment ends up covering a plane crash with some details that end up requiring even further investigation. During this investigation, Skylar meets Luca Rossi a handsome Italian hunk, who has a big secret of his own. Luca has been in hiding for two years, he once was a journalist who had been working on an exposé about the Mafia, which destroyed his own life, and sent him into hiding.

After Skylar and Luca have discovered one another, they start dating, and having a magnificent relationship, building from friendship straight into love.  And Luca knows now that he has Skylar, he doesn’t want to let her go, not now, not ever. He has been alone far too long. 

As for Skylar, she has a story, and she refuses to let it go, and she thinks she can have love, and a story, and make them both work. When she reports on a murder in the swamp, things get a little more heated than she had anticipated. Now Luca and Skylar are both forced into hiding.

Their love life ends up being nothing like either of them had ever dreamed. Skylar and Luca feel unsafe on the Florida shores, least wise, once you uncover secrets that might not have been yours to tell….


I totally fell in love with this book, it kept me on the edge of my seat, not sure what was going to happen next. I was worried, and imagining everything so clearly. I was right there. I was certain I was watching a Movie. I positively give “Hot Shade” five huge stars. This is an extremely enjoyable book, more mysteriously and passionate than many other books I have read! If you haven’t bought this yet, I suggest you do, you will be glad you did!

Here are my questions for Tamara:




1. What made you write this book? 

I've loved romance novels since high school and thought about writing a romance for years, since my early twenties. I put the concept of writing a novel on the back burner while I concentrated on my journalism career. In 2012, I read a non-fiction book by an Italian journalist named Roberto Saviano. He wrote an expose on organized crime, and then went on the run under police protection because his life was in danger. (It still is). My imagination kicked in, wondering about his day-to-day life. Since he was a young journalist, I wondered if he had a girlfriend -- then started to consider what would happen if he fell in love with someone while evading the mafia. My hero Luca was inspired by this real-life hero.



2. How long did it take you to write this book?

It took me about three months to get a draft and then another few months to edit. It went through more editing with Boroughs Publishing Group editor Chris Keeslar. In all, it was fourteen months from when I started writing to publication.

3. What is your favorite scene in this book?

When Luca dances with Skylar at the Sloppy Iguana bar to the song 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' during 80s night. They both know they're in love with each other but are trying to take one last stand against falling too deep.

 
4. Of all the books you've ever read, even as a child- what is your favorite?

That is a tough question. Ooh. So tough. I would say Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. Non-fiction, I think Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. 


5. Who is/are your favorite Author(s)?
Lisa Kleypas, Molly O'Keefe, Tiffany Reisz.


6. What are your hobbies?

I'm currently into the adult coloring phase. You had some coloring books on your Facebook page that made me envious! I also walk a lot with my dogs and do yoga.


7. Have you ever had writers block?

No, not yet. It's not a luxury I have as a journalist. I try to write fiction every night, even if it's just a few words.


8. Do you ever imagine yourself as one of your characters? (Be honest now!)

I think it was easy to imagine myself as my heroine, Skylar Shaw, because I once was a rookie reporter at a small newspaper. I had to reach back in my fuzzy memory to recall what I felt as a new reporter, though, because my attitudes and approaches to stories are much different now.


9. Have you met any other writers?

I've been privileged to meet and work with lots of talented non-fiction writers, people that I look up to immensely. My favorite story about meeting a famous writer was when I was in college. I met journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson. I was nineteen and asked him what was the best thing I could do to become a journalist.  "Be a Playboy bunny," he said. I did not take his advice.




10. What are your future goals?

To continue to write news during the day and romance at night. To inform people of what's going on in the world and to entertain them, too.



11. Please share with us your social links and book links, etc:

WEBSITE/NEWSLETTER: http://www.tamaralush.com/
For all of the purchase links, I have them in one handy place: https://www.booklaunch.io/tamaralush/hot-shade


Thank you for reviewing my book and having me on your blog! Your questions were excellent!







Thank you for reviewing my book and having me on your blog! Your questions were excellent!



of which I am a proud ARC member!



Hot ShadeHot Shade by Tamara Lush
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah yes! A book that takes place on one of Florida’s own beautiful beaches! Well, you should just see the smile on my face, and I am only on page three. Call me prejudice, but I favor Florida and Ohio books, I just can’t figure out why. ::Smirk:: But…if you know me, than you are a step ahead of the game, because you know why!

Skylar Shaw is a journalist who ends up on a very interesting assignment. Said assignment ends up covering a plane crash with some details that end up requiring even further investigation. During this investigation, Skylar meets Luca Rossi a handsome Italian hunk, who has a big secret of his own. Luca has been in hiding for two years, he once was a journalist who had been working on an exposé about the Mafia, which destroyed his own life, and sent him into hiding.

After Skylar and Luca have discovered one another, they start dating, and having a magnificent relationship, building from friendship straight into love. And Luca knows now that he has Skylar, he doesn’t want to let her go, not now, not ever. He has been alone far too long.

As for Skylar, she has a story, and she refuses to let it go, and she thinks she can have love, and a story, and make them both work. When she reports on a murder in the swamp, things get a little more heated than she had anticipated. Now Luca and Skylar are both forced into hiding.

Their love life ends up being nothing like either of them had ever dreamed. Skylar and Luca feel unsafe on the Florida shores, least wise, once you uncover secrets that might not have been yours to tell….

I totally fell in love with this book, it kept me on the edge of my seat, not sure what was going to happen next. I was worried, and imagining everything so clearly. I was right there. I was certain I was watching a Movie. I positively give “Hot Shade” five huge stars. This is an extremely enjoyable book, more mysteriously and passionate than many other books I have read! If you haven’t bought this yet, I suggest you do, you will be glad you did!


View all my reviews