Wonderland Wednesdays: Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith

Title- Bound to Duty

Author– Stormy Smith

Publisher- Perfect Storm Publishing, LLC

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/5nlz0X

Book Summery:

Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she’s an Elder but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she’s betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and she doesn’t even know his name.

Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky Southern girl and to fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is and not what she’ll be.

As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head or her heart win the battle?

My Thoughts:

When I first found out I needed to read this book before the blog tour for Bound by Spells, I looked at the amount of pages and I panicked a bit. Thinking there was no way I could read both books in three days. Boy was I wrong! Once I started reading Bound by Duty, I was hooked and read the whole book in a day. I just could not put it down and it was such a quick and easy read.

Amelia has left her family and begun college, where she wants to be a normal college student. The only problem is that she is not a normal college student; instead she is a very important Mage, Mages and immortal beings that have different powers. She also is arranged to marry the prince, but when she falls in love she is faced with a huge choice, while still learning how to manage her powers.

In the beginning I thought I was going to get confused since some Mages (immortals) had different eye colors. I thought they would have different powers, I’m still not too sure if they do or not, so I began making lists and taking notes. After reading I decided that Ms. Smith does a great job writing that I never really found myself confused.

It was quite interesting seeing how Amelia’s powers are triggered and feeling she gets around certain people. She also has such great relationships with her brother and friends. There was one person in the book I kind of questioned and I was very surprised that I was right on the money with him. Even though I guessed a couple things in the book, I was very surprised by others and I cannot wait to read the second book!!

Pre- Release Blitz: BOUND BY SPELLS by Stormy Smith

We’re getting excited about the release of BOUND BY SPELLS by Stormy Smith! Check out the teasers and giveaway below!

BOUND BY SPELLS (Bound 2) by Stormy Smith

Mature YA Paranormal Romance

Release: March 19, 2015

Goodreads

Blurb:

Aidan Montgomery hadn’t been prepared for Amelia Bradbury to walk in and then out of his life. He also hadn’t expected to find the powerful magic hidden deep within him for the last nineteen years, but he’s embracing it — finding more control and more answers every day. Now, with the help of Amelia’s best friend, Bethany, Aidan is on a quest to understand his destiny and find Amelia.

Amelia decided to stand by her duty, which meant walking away from her first chance at love. Trapped in Cresthaven at the Queen’s mercy, she spends her days with Micah — an ally she still holds at arm’s length — struggling to manage her heartbreak while keeping her mind focused on the task at hand. As she continues to unlock the secrets of the Keeper power, Queen Julia’s true motives reveal themselves, forcing Amelia to decide, yet again, how much she’s willing to sacrifice.

Will Aidan get to Amelia before it’s too late, or will the very power that sustains them keep them apart?

“Featuring a cast of mages and shapeshifters with unique magical abilities, one destiny-shaping prophecy, a genocidal megalomaniac, and a budding, heated romance (or two!), this book is paranormal gold! Read the first book in the series first, of course, but once you finish this one you’re sure to be salivating for the next release in this not-to-be-missed romantic paranormal series.” ~Serena Chase, USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog, author of The Ryn

JOIN THE LAUNCH PARTY ON MARCH 19TH!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1580542118898977/

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naVJoEaE2_0

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NGE1MDEyNTkzNmEzMjcwYWY1N2NlODA1YWVlMmE3OjUwMA==/?

Check out BOUND BY DUTY!

Amazon 

GoodReads

About the Author:

Stormy Smith calls Iowa’s capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly that stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form.

Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.

Connect with Stormy

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Wonderland Wednesdays: Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Title- Red

Author- Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher– Entangled Teen

Release Date– March 10th

Amazon–   http://goo.gl/SkRnEv

BOOK SUMMERY:

Bad girls burn hot…

Red is the color of Kia Alcott’s hair.
It’s her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.
And it’s the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It’s an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn’t stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

MY THOUGHTS:

This book wasn’t anything that I thought it would be, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. This was such a great concept and had so much potential. Alyxandra Harvey did a great job developing characters in this very imaginative story.

I liked that this book was a duel POV otherwise I don’t think I would like Ethan as much as I did. There was so much going on in his head and he was torn in what he believed/ wanted to do. Kia was very likeable and just trying to figure out what is going on inside of her and about the boy who likes in the house she is staying at, Ethan. I was not of fan of a couple characters; the author did a great job in making me dislike certain people.

One thing that was in the way of me fully enjoying this story was the fact that in the beginning I was very confused and thought I missed a huge chuck of the story. I think I might have reread the first 10% about five times, and nope I didn’t miss a thing. It wasn’t until the middle/end that I fully understood what was going on. I also felt as though the ending was a bit rushed, that was so much that went on in such a small amount of time. I think that these character’s stories are not finished yet! I hope to see maybe a series come out of this.

Wonderland Wednesdays: Locked in Stone by Tory Michaels

Title- Locked in Stone

Author- Tory Michaels

Publisher– Entangled Publishing

Release Date- February 23, 2015

Amazon-  http://goo.gl/EdoQGL

BOOK SUMMERY:

Her enemy is her only hope…

Rose Johnson’s adoptive mother was murdered, and Rose is next. She may be the last gargoyle in the world—the last being who stands between this world and the evils of Otherworld. In order to keep her existence a continued secret, Rose needs to find the stone that holds her adoptive mother’s soul. Which means enlisting the help of her enemies the Sentinels…

Sentinel Cal Levesque never forgave himself for failing Rose’s family years ago. Seeing Rose alive is shock enough, until the stunningly beautiful gargoyle attacks him upon sight. As they strike an uneasy peace—and unexpected and escalating attraction—Cal knows he’ll have to tell Rose who really betrayed her family. And with Rose’s life in greater danger than ever, Cal has a chance to make up for the past…as long he doesn’t fall in love.

 MY THOUGHTS:

Now that I have been reading more and more paranormal this is the first time that I have read a book about gargoyles, Locked in Stone defiantly gave me a new outlook on gargoyles. Also, if you are a paranormal fan, there are the same magical being in this book as well, there’s a little bit of everything and I like that.

This was a very interesting concept that had me engaged from the very beginning. Once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down, and the fact that it was about 200 pages made it easy to do that. It was the perfect read for my snow day!

I also like that this book didn’t dwell on the romance side of the book. It was a back drop to the bigger story. Yes, there was a hero and a heroine and they had a huge attraction to each other, but there was this huge story alongside it. There were three scenes with A LOT of action in it, that’s always entertaining.

I really hope there’s more to Rose and Cal’s story; I think there’s so much more that can happen. Also, fingers crossed it’s in their POVs like this book was.

Wonderland Wednesday: Centaur Legacy By Nancy Straight

Title- Centaur Legacy

Author- Nancy Straight

Publisher- Smashwords

Release Date- Already Released

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/jQF0YS

BOOK SUMMERY:

Camille and Drake are on the run from the head of the Centaur Council, seeking the mythical pasture of Thessaly and a family heirloom that may keep them safe. As their journey progresses from the rolling hills of Ireland to the snow covered forests of South Dakota, Cami learns more about her mother’s secrets, including a twin brother and a Centaur legacy that puts a death warrant on her entire family.

Camille and Drake don’t know who to trust or where to hide. Camille’s family is quick to come to her aid, but who among them can be trusted?

A supernatural benefactor forces Drake to choose between being the man he wants to be and the Centaur warrior Camille needs him to be.

 MY THOUGHTS:

I think by now we all know by now how much I love reading novels by Nancy. She has a way in engaging me thought out the whole book. I don’t think of her books, just as romances, they are so much more. The romance is in the book yes, but I also think there’s an amazing plot in each of her books. Time flies by while reading her books and before I know it, I’m finished!

Centaur Legacy starts where we left off Drake and Camille are on the run hiding from her grandmother. I love these two together; I am so glad that they ended up together. Though out this book, I felt their connection even more. They are definitely a team that I am rooting for.

We learned a little more about Camille’s brother, Beau, and I really enjoyed his story line. Beau went through a lot and had a lot to figure out and I like how things ended for him. It was nice to be able to relate to the other characters in the book through their storylines; Nancy does a really great job in having the multiple POV to accomplish this.

I have always been a huge fan of mythology and learning about them. I think that is another reason why I like these books so much. Nancy did a great job incorporating more if it in Centaur Legacy. She did this by not only having centaurs in the book, but also having the character interact and refer to numerous gods.

Wonderland Wednesdays: Greta and the Glass Kingdom by Chloe Jacobs

Title- Greta and the Glass Kingdom

Author- Chloe Jacobs

Publisher- Entangled Publishing

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/GKrYU2

BOOK SUMMERY:

Once upon a dark time…

Greta the human bounty hunter never quite fit into the shadowed, icy world of Mylena. Yet she’s managed to defeat the demon Agramon and win the love of the darkly intense Goblin King, Isaac. Now Isaac wants her to rule by his side—a human queen. And the very announcement is enough to incite rebellion…

To make matters worse, defeating Agramon left Greta tainted with a dark magick. Its unclean power threatens to destroy her and everything she loves. With the Goblin King’s life and the very peace of Mylena at stake, Greta must find a cure and fast.

Her only hope lies with the strange, elusive faeries in the Glass Kingdom…if she can get there before the evil within her destroys everything.

MY THOUGHTS:

“Not when she’d finally realized how rare and special what they’d started together was. No king and queen anywhere were going to be as good together as they would be. She was finally going to prove that not only was she good enough for Isaac and good enough to stay in Myena, she was good enough to rule Myena.”

My second grade class has been working on their fairy tale unit in Language Arts where they have been writing their own twists on the fairy tale of their choice. So, I way beyond excited to receive an ARC of Greta and the Glass Kingdom! I loved reading the first book and I think I loved this one even more!

Ms. Jacob again does a great job illustrating this new world. I could really imagine and see all the different settings and creatures, she described in vivid colorful images.

This installment was very action packed from the very beginning!! This of course made me keep reading on. Poor Greta and Isaac, they cannot catch a break, I don’t think things could have gotten any worse than it did for these two. I do like that Greta never gave up, she is such a strong character and has changed so much!!

The ending of this story was great too!!! I hope I do not need to wait too long to find out what happens next for all the character! I even think there might be a second romance brewing, but I’m not positive.

Wonderland Wednesdays: Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

Title- Atlantis Rising

Author- Gloria Craw

Release Date- January 6^th, 2015

Amazon- http://goo.gl/zJvZAU

Book Summery:

I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

My Review:

“My time in foster care had taught me the heartache of losing someone I loved. With all the other uncertainties in my life I just couldn’t go down that road”

I thought Atlantis Rising was a very intriguing idea; it took me a little time to get into the story. After I figured out what was going on I could not put the book down. I wanted to know more of what was going on in Alison’s life but also her species as a whole. I always like to look for character development while reading and I defiantly saw some in with in Alison and her friends.

I also liked that I was wrong about some things in the story and didn’t see some of the twists; I was surprised about whom the mole in the story was and I was wrong about Connor, Alison’s lab partner.

Ms. Craw did a great job in writing a story that engaged me until the very end and I truly hope there is another book in the series. I would love to see what is in store for Alison and her friends next!!!

Wonderland Wednesdays: Ascension by Lorenz Font

Title- Ascension

Author- Lorenz Font

Publisher- The Writers Coffee Shop

Release- January 8^rd, 2015

Amazon- http://goo.gl/GaxpYo

BOOK SUMMERY:

Rohnert comes from a long line of pure-blooded vampires. Quiet and principled, he is known for his combat expertise and is beloved by peers and students alike. Having broken away from the Vampire Council, Rohnert has nothing to do with the affairs of the elite group of Elders, which is being run into the ground by Goran, a former friend and ally.

With the vampire race in upheaval, he must rise to the occasion and fulfill the prophecy of the black book, which is the source of wisdom and history of his people. Refusing to support Goran’s tyrannical rule and with no interest in ruling himself, he allies with freedom fighters led by the indomitable Harrow Gates. However, the prophecies failed to prepare him to handle one passionate and determined human doctor.

Shelly Anderson vowed to never fall in love again, but her resolve quickly changes upon meeting enigmatic and reclusive Rohnert. Although she was lucky enough to get what she wanted, their one night together ended in a nightmare. Now carrying his baby, she intends to raise the child on her own, but Rohnert’s unexpected reentry into her life derails her plans.

While she teaches him how powerful a human’s love can be, Rohnert realizes the lengths he is willing to go to keep her close and safe, even if it means violating a long-standing decree among pure-blooded vampires to keep their bloodlines alive.

When Goran begins to kill off the remaining Elders, Harrow’s rebels urge Rohnert to step in, but it isn’t until harsh reality comes knocking at his door that his choice becomes clear. Rohnert must do whatever he can to save the people he loves or risk losing them forever, but the reluctant savior may already be too late to protect the lives that matter most.

BOOK REVIEW:

After reading the first book in the Gates Legacy Hunted I became attached to Harrow and Jordan. Then I read the second book in the series and I became attached to Tor and Alison while falling further in love with Harrow and Jordan. Now I have finished the third installment and I can say I have grown attached to Rohnert and Shelly. When I first began this series, the multiple points of view confused me and I will confess I was not a fan, but now I can say I love that Lorenz Font has done this. As a reader, I am able to still see the world through the eyes of all my beloved characters even though the story isn’t truly based on them.

Ascension not only has the characters that we have grown to love, but we are introduced to so many more. We were also introduced into the vampire culture a little more; like the mating rituals and how the vampire council works. This novel was filled with all the drama the first two had and of course it had the same devastation the pervious installments had. I have to say Lorenz Font has surprised me with each story, and I have not seen some of the plot coming, and I will admit I had some tears.

For all those romance lovers, there were defiantly some sexy scenes between Rohnert and Shelly and of course so much love with all the pairs (Harrow/Jordan and Tor/Allison). There were also some sneak peeks of future pairs that I am very excited to see more of.

I cannot wait to see where Lorenz Font takes this vampire/human family next!!

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Click HERE to win a $20 amazon gift card or a copy of Ascension

Wonderland Wednesdays: Christmas with a Bite by Patricia A. Wolf

Synopsis

Sometimes the holidays totally bite…

This Christmas, Mara Livingston is determined to start over. But as she’s driving to her “new” home, a freak winter storm forces her off the road. Now she’s stranded in the middle of nowhere. Then he shows up. And there’s something strangely familiar about him…

Connor Reece never expected to see Mara again. Nor is he prepared for the onslaught of emotions―including an unimaginable rush of desire―she stirs within him. Now he has a chance to claim the woman he’s always wanted. Except, there are a couple of small details that Mara doesn’t know. The first is that Connor is a vampire. And the second is that if his family finds out about Mara, she will most certainly be killed…

MY REVIEW

This story was a great paranormal holiday romance, around this time it is always great to read a quick novel where you can cozy up under the blankets with hot coco. This was a great book to do this with. It has a little bit of everything; romance, a hot leading man that has something to hide, a woman that other woman can relate to and of course some hot sexy scenes.

Both Mara and Conner were drawn to each other, and it seems that this was not the first time they have been brought together, it must be fate! I love that Mara had such an open mind when it came to Conner. As soon as she stepped into his cabin she opened her mind to everything he offered even though her past is one that might not allow her to do so. I completely felt their chemistry and how much they couldn’t stay away from each other.

Wonderland Wednesday: Blood Debt by Nancy Striaght

Title- Blood Debt

Author- Nancy Straight

Amazon- http://goo.gl/tYSdca

Rating- 5 Stars

BOOK SUMMERY

Her whole life, it had just been the two of them. Before her mother’s last breath, she gave Camille the information she had craved her entire life: the identity of her father. Daring to contact him, Camille was welcomed by an entire family she never knew existed. But nothing comes without a price, as she discovers when her family claims a legendary heritage tracing back to a centaur touched by Zeus.

As she learns the secrets of her Centaur bloodline, she is drawn into a forbidden love with Drake. Her life may be the blood debt required to pay for her mother’s transgressions. The same person who once held her mother captive, and forced her into decades of hiding, now controls Camille. Her only chance is to seek a piece of her mother’s past that will win her freedom and the life she desperately wants

MY REVIEW

After reading His Frozen Heart by Nancy Straight, I fell in love with her writing and could not wait to dive into another one of her books. By luck I learned that Blood Debt, which is the first installment in the Touched Series, was free on amazon and I immediately bought it. Again, I was not disappointed in my choice of books. Nancy takes us into a world here centaurs exist. This was the first book I read where centaurs were involved and I must say, what a breath of fresh air! Being that not many writers touch upon this race, the book was one of a kind from the very first page, what a relief!

Now that I raved about the author I will rave about Blood Debt! I adored Camille and her new found family at the very beginning, they all accepted her with open arms (I always felt that they were too open and something else was going on). There was only one main character that I did not like and I wasn’t supposed to like her, every character stood out to me in their own way

There was also so much mystery within the story that Camille needs to uncover. Even after finishing the first book, I have questions unanswered. This means that I WILL be reading book two to find out more. I also love that the story had a forbidden love; I was rooting for all forbidden love within the book the whole time.

I was very engaged from cover to cover and it has a lot to do with the world that Nancy Straight developed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books that involves fantasy with a little bit of Greek mythology mixed in.