Monday, June 22, 2020

I moved to Wordpress

Hey everyone!

Just a quick post to let you all know that I moved from Blogger to Wordpress and you can now find me on:

I moved with the help of Ashley @ Nose Graze because I sure as hell couldn't have figured it all out by myself. Ashley made it all super easy for me where I had to barely do anything. 

I think Wordpress is gonna suit my blogging needs better than Blogger. I'm still figuring out Wordpress so feel free to drop any hints if you're familiar with it.

Byeeeeee

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Release Promotion + Review: Fifth a Fury by Pepper Winters + Giveaway!

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“There was a beginning once. A beginning that started with being sold to a monster I fell for.
There was an ending once. An ending that came cloaked in bloodshed and fury.”
Eleanor Grace is a simple mortal who has the power to topple a god. She captured his heart, fed him a different future, and fought for a fantasy that wasn’t make-believe but destiny.
Sully Sinclair is a man masquerading as a monster. He let down his shields and allowed a goddess to show him a simpler path. However, neither of them could predict the war that was coming, nor the toll it would take.
A fated romance.
A fight that will finish in tears.
The age-old battle of good versus evil.



I really enjoyed the first part of the book, it was exciting and I was never sure what exactly would happen and how it would go down but that part ended a little too quickly for my liking. The bad guy was defeated kind of fast, at least in my opinion and I'm sad to say that after that it wasn't that much of an thrilling book anymore. I still enjoyed reading it, of course since it's a book by Pepper Winters but I also can't say that it totally gripped me.

I've said it before in a previous review but three star books are so hard to review and I feel like that again. So I'll talk about some of the things I did love in this book. The characters, for one, were amazing. I still love Eleanor and Sully so damn much. Their chemistry definitely wasn't any less this time around and espcially Eleanor was so badass in this last book. I also enjoyed reading about Jess and Cal's budding relationship. I would love to read a book about them.

And then there was the writing. Pepper Winters has one of the most unique writing styles ever and I can't help but love it. She has such a way with words. There even was a chapter without any words at all. Just let that sink in. Anyways, the writing was equally amazing in Fifth a Fury and I couldn't get enough of that.

Overall, Fifth a Fury was a good ending that I for sure liked but it wasn't my favorite of the series, to be completely honest. I just felt like wanting... more. I'm sure every reader knows this feeling with at least a couple of books. And with this one I had more of a plot dislike than anything else. The characters and writing was amazing as always. I just wasn't as hooked by the story in general anymore.

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Enter the Release Day Giveaway here!

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Read the first chapter here!

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“You are worth more. You have more…goodness in your little finger than I do in my…entire body.”

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Pepper Winters is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller. With a catalogue of over twenty titles, she’s hit the bestselling lists over thirty times. 
She loves romance, star-crossed lovers, and the forbidden taboo. She strives to write a story that makes the reader crave what they shouldn’t, and delivers tales with complex plots and unforgettable characters.
After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. She’s also honoured to wear the IndieReader Badge for being a Top 10 Indie Bestseller.
After releasing two books with Grand Central, Hachette (Ruin & Rule and Sin & Suffer) Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work.
Represented by Trident Media, her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian, French, Hebrew, German, and Turkish. Audio Books for her entire back-list will be available soon.

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Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Review: Counts of Eight by Brynn Ford

Title: Counts of Eight
Author: Brynn Ford
Series: The Four Families #1
Publication: May 31st 2020

Genre: Dark Romance
Purchase it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo

Rating: 4/5

All of my choices had been stripped from me except for one.

Dance or

Three years ago, I was taken, stolen away, far from the world I knew, far from civilization. I became a slave, forced to serve one of the four families with my talent.

I'd been abused, battered, tortured in isolation. My Master brought me men, partners for performance, but they failed to live up to the high standard of dance my Master required.

Until one day, he brought me a new man. A blonde-haired, green-eyed, dreamy new man who had no idea what was coming.

The men before him had disappeared. I presumed they were dead. I couldn't afford myself the luxury of hoping they'd made it out alive because that would give me hope that I might someday do the same.

Hope was a dangerous thing and this new man's spirit still thrummed with that electric spark of lightness. I would be the woman to strip that hope from him piece by tiny piece until he had none left. Only then could I control him, use him. Only then could I even consider the possibility of a predictable, complacent survival in this nightmare life.

And until that time came, I would make the only choice I was given the liberty of making.

Dance or die.

CONTENT WARNING
This book contains explicit sexual content, violence, and mature themes including scenes where consent is not sought or given. The author in no way condones such heinous acts, but rather seeks to immerse the reader in the true horror of the characters’ experience. This is your trigger warning - reader discretion is advised.

Oh my gosh, Counts of Eight was simply breathtaking. Most of you probably already know how much I love dark romance. It's one of my all time favorite genres, I just love it. When I learned about this new book in the genre but a new-to-me author a couple of weeks ago I immediately pre-ordered because it sounded right up my alley and I just had a feeling that I would really enjoy it. Now that I've read it I can happily say that the book exceeded my expectations because I loved it so much. I literally couldn't stop reading. And this is why I finished the book in only a day and am already dying for the sequel that comes in September.

As I mentioned before this is one of my favorite genres to read so I've read my fair share of dark romance books. And I've got to say that Count of Eight wasn't at all like I imagined it would be because of the story and especially the characters. I was very much happily surprised by this because it's something I want from any book in any genre. I'm not going to explain the plot because I think you can get a better sense of it from the synopsis and I'm scared to give too much away but wow it was so good, people, SO GOOD!

Anya, Ezra and Nikolai were the main characters. Anya, especially, was in the spotlight the most. I loved reading about her. In the story she's already the somewhat broken slave of Nikolai who obeys his every wish and command until Ezra arrived to be her newest dance partner. And Ezra? I adored him. Him and Anya were just perfection together. I loved their start, how they slowly grew closer and closer together and their chemistry as they danced. Just ugh, they gave me all the feels. Nikolai is kind of harder to explain. He's definitely a villain, a monster even at times, but every now and then there would be this brief glimpse where he wouldn't seem that bad, maybe even human. Although considering how the book ended I might have to rethink my statement there. He intrigued me though. 

Reading new authors is always a shot in the dark but I'm very glad I gave this book and author a shot. The writing was absolutely wonderful. There are a few quotes I saved because they were just too beautiful and fascinating not to save. I will share some of them below. The sex scenes were also very well-written and so damn hot. I was practically on fire. So I've got no complaints in that department either. At all.

When I read dark romance I ususally go for authors like Pepper Winters or Skye Warren but I think I can definitely add Brynn Ford now to that list as well. I loved Counts of Eight and I'm so very excited (and kinda terrified) for the sequel, Dance with Death. I can't wait to see what's next for these characters.

About the author:
Brynn Ford is an author of romance in all of its beautiful and sensually taboo forms. She is a lover of the dark, twisted, and playful and strives to bring the unmentionable aspects of passionate romance into her stories.

Brynn resides in the Midwest with her husband and sons, whom she expects will someday be embarrassed by their mom's books. When she isn't obsessively writing, you may find her binge watching favorite shows while eating far too much junk food or fanatically reading, always seeking to lose herself in the emotional roller coaster of a damn good story.

She is quite the idealist, despite her fascination with the wicked and warped aspects of humanity. Some of her stories may run out of words before a happily ever after, but she’s a firm believer that her characters continue to live on outside the pages in the minds of her readers. Stories don’t end just because there aren’t anymore pages to turn.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon

Monday, June 15, 2020

Book Blitz: Machiavellian by Bella Di Corte + Giveaway (INTL)


Machiavellian
Bella Di Corte
(Gangsters of New York, #1)
Publication date: May 8th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

I hungered to be seen.
There were three things I knew about Capo Macchiavello:
He was gorgeous.
He was reclusive.
He was considered one of New York’s most savage animals.

And he wanted me as his wife. A simple arrangement – you do for me, I do for you. Nothing owed, no expectations. Except for one: never leave.
Life was never that simple, though. By the age of twenty-one, I was parentless, jobless, and homeless, and I had come to learn the hard way that nothing was ever free. Even kindness comes with strings.
Capo might’ve been the only man to ever see me, but I had made a vow to myself: I would never owe anyone anything. Most of all, the man I called boss.
I killed to stay hidden.
Mariposa Flores thought she owed nothing to no one, but she owed everything…to me, the ghost the world had once called The Machiavellian Prince of New York.
Machiavellian is the first of three books set in the savage world of the Gangsters of New York series.
EXCERPT:
I shrugged, the white button-down shirt tugging at my shoulders. “Some things are not worth trading in, no matter how old they are.” I pointed to the building we were slowing in front of. “We’re home, Mariposa.”
“Home,” she repeated, turning to face the window. “You live next to a fire station! Sweet. That’ll come in handy when I cook you dinner.” She became quiet as Giovanni hit a button on the dash and the garage door lifted. “You own this entire building?”
“Mmhm.”
“It’s not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“The bat cave?”
“How do you know about the bat cave?”
“Keely’s brothers. I was over once when they watched that movie.”
I gave a low laugh, burying the thought of Harry Boy further down. “Not a place shiny enough to blind you?”
Why did the fucker still affect my words?
She narrowed her eyes at me. “No, I just thought…something in Manhattan. A penthouse.” Then she grinned, my words sinking in. “Still, this is far from a paper house.”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down.”
“The big bad wolf dressed in a fine Italian suit.” She touched my hand, her fingers as soft as her lips, where the wolf tattoo seemed to snarl underneath the lights of the garage. “I should’ve known.”
Her eyes drifted to my lips, then back up to my eyes, and when she couldn’t hold my stare any longer, she started to fiddle with my tie. Nervous hands, like flitting wings.

Author Bio:
Bella Di Corte has been writing romance for seven years, even longer if you count the stories in her head that were never written down, but she didn’t realize how much she enjoyed writing alphas until recently. Tough guys who walk the line between irredeemable and savable, and the strong women who force them to feel, inspire her to keep putting words to the page.
Apart from writing, Bella loves to spend time with her husband, daughter, and family. She also loves to read, listen to music, cook meals that were passed down to her, and take photographs. She mostly takes pictures of her family (when they let her) and her three dogs.
Bella grew up in New Orleans, a place she considers a creative playground.
She loves to connect with readers, so don’t hesitate to email her at belladicorte@gmail.com if you’d like to reach out.

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Thursday, June 11, 2020

Audiobook Review: Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

Title: Soul of the Sword
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Shadow of the Fox #2
Publication: June 18th 2019 by Harlequin Audio
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Purchase it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | iBooksKobo
Rating: 4/5

One thousand years ago, a wish was made to the Harbinger of Change and a sword of rage and lightning was forged. Kamigoroshi. The Godslayer. It had one task: to seal away the powerful demon Hakaimono.

Now he has broken free.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has one task: to take her piece of the ancient and powerful scroll to the Steel Feather temple in order to prevent the summoning of the Harbinger of Change, the great Kami Dragon who will grant one wish to whomever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. But she has a new enemy now. The demon Hakaimono, who for centuries was trapped in a cursed sword, has escaped and possessed the boy she thought would protect her, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan.

Hakaimono has done the unthinkable and joined forces with the Master of Demons in order to break the curse of the sword and set himself free. To overthrow the empire and cover the land in darkness, they need one thing: the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross once again, the entire empire will be thrown into chaos.

It took me a while to get around to listening to the sequel of Shadow of the Fox but I finally did it and I'm so very happy because this was one awesome audiobook! I'm also wondering why the hell it took me so long to get back to reading books by this author after the Iron Fey series (I never even finished that series) because Shadow of the Fox and especially Soul of the Sword are such good books. 

I rated both the first and this second book with four stars but if I'm being totally honest I have to say that I liked Soul of the Sword a little bit more than the first one. I felt like in this sequel the characters had way more to lose and that made it all the more thrilling to see where the story would go.

My favorite character is still Yumeko. I felt like she grew a whole lot throughout this book and I just felt so bad for her and Tatsumi. The rare scenes they had together were simply heartbreaking. And obviously I'm very excited for the final book which comes out at the end of the month so at least I won't have to wait long. But I'm still super anxious for it because I'm not sure everyone is gonna survive. 

Overall, Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa was in one word: EPIC! You won't find a more action-packed, funny and heartrending book in the genre. I loved it.

About the author:
Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does.
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