Labor Day Giveaway Hop w/ Romance at Random!

Who doesn't love FREE BOOKS?!

From 9/1 through 9/15 Romance at Random and some pretty great blogs are getting together for a Labor Day Giveaway Hop with lots of lovely Free Books!

Just fill out the Rafflecopter, leave a comment & you could be chosen to win:

A Free Romance book! (10 winners in all)

 A prize pack from author Elisabeth Barrett  (5 winners) 

(check out her new release, BLAZE OF WINTER) 

Grand Prize is a $25 eGC

Are you doing anything fun for Labor Day weekend?
Reading any delicious books?!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*All gifts will be provided by Romance at Random! Huge thanks to them for including us in their hop!*

18 & Over- the invite

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines. This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make some new friends!

This weeks Question...

It's Labor Day Weekend here in the States; the end of those long summer days, relaxing at the beach and family barbecues! Which three fictional book characters would you invite to a barbecue?

Haunted (Women of the Otherworld #5) by Kelley Armstrong

Eve Levine — half-demon, black witch and devoted mother — has been dead for three years. She has a great house, an interesting love life and can’t be killed again — which comes in handy when you’ve made as many enemies as Eve. Yes, the afterlife isn’t too bad — all she needs to do is find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy.

But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in. An evil spirit called the Nix has escaped from hell. She feeds on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process. As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel. . . .


Type: Urban Fantasy, Demons, Ghosts, 1st Person
Heat: 1 out of 5
Rating: 5 out of 5

Whew. Now that was an amazing read. Haunted was by far my favorite book in the Women of the Otherworld series. Helluva shock since I really wasn't all that taken with Eve in previous books. But man did she turn out to be a huge surprise and an incredible heroine. I really enjoyed all of the different aspects of the book from the characters and their personal journeys to Eve's hunting down the Nix, an ancient evil that's escaped hell, which was just fascinating. Haunted wasn't the steamiest of reads but damn if it wasn't completely satisfying.

Dirty Little Secrets- the defiler of books...

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us! Click on the button up top to link up your post or if you don't have a blog join in on the comments! We wanna here from you too!

This week's question: 

Book abuse!  What's the worst thing you've done to a book?

What in Thunder?!

So. When I get a little bored I rearrange furniture. 

Entire rooms have moved to entirely different floors in the middle of the night. 

My bedroom moved to the dining room at 3am one time. 

Like I said. I was bored and wanted to see what it would look like. 

That little adventure lasted about 4 months. 

I'm feeling all itchy again and ready to try something new but man I hit the big 30 yesterday and damn if it didn't make me feel old! 

Way too old to be lugging beds and bookcases all over the blasted place.

So this time I'm taking it out on the blog!

Not quite sure what I'm going for but the next couple weeks I'll be messing around with things. Feel free to let me know what you think along the way. Love a color? Like this design or that? Let me know! Might get a little funky from time to time while I'm playing around. Best to just sit on back and enjoy the mess :) 

~Anna

August HOT read: Cross Your Heart

Hot Reads is a Monthly Meme hosted by Book Savvy Babe to share our hottest read of the month!  It can be any book you read this month that raised your temp or made you squirm. Hot cover, yummy characters or scene, etc. Join in and share your sexy reads and find some new ones!


Ack. I read so many hot steamy books this month it was hard to pick but I'm going with Cross Your Heart by Michele Bardsley as my "Hot Read". Never would have guessed that but damn Tez was good and so much fun when paired with the prim and proper Elizabeth. 

Early Review: A Season for Sin by Vicky Dreiling

The Earl of Bellingham is nothing is not a creature of habit: money, meals, and mistresses must be strictly managed if a man is to have a moment's peace. It's a system that works splendidly for him--until now. With his oldest and dearest friends succumbing, one by one, to wedded bliss, Bell is now restless and a trifle lonely. Enter the Sinful Scoundrels--Colin Brockhurst, Earl of Ravenshire, and Harry Norcliffe, Viscount Evermore--who drag him back into society and draw his rakish eye to the ton's new beautiful young widow. Bell isn't after a wife, but a challenge. And Laura Davenport should fit the bill quite nicely...

Type: Historical Romance
Length: novella, about 110 pages
Heat: 1 out of 5
Rating: 3 out of 5 for format, 4 out of 5 for writing/characters
Release Date: September 4, 2012

***A little heads up before you jump into this one. On it's own it's not a complete story and does leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger right when things are coming together. It's more of an extended prologue or glimpse into the separate lives of Laura and Bell, their first encounter and what will be a new series releasing in 2013.***

 A Season for Sin was a great read and goodness what a gorgeous cover! I really enjoyed Dreiling's writing style which quickly pulls you into the story and has a very nice flow. I was quite taken with Bell and Laura as well. They're interesting characters that easily captured my heart and left me both curious and eager to read more about them.

Echoes at Dawn (KGI #5) by Maya Banks

Grace Peterson is desperate, in hiding, and on the run after escaping a shadowy group determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only lifeline—an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister—has been severed, leaving her alone and vulnerable. And time is fast running out...

Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of the KGI. He’s unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged woman, and he’s fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven, and for the first time...hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has eluded is fast closing in. And now it’s pitching two lovers toward an unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.

Type: Romantic Suspense, Light Paranormal-telepathy, remote healing
Best read in order? Yes. Very connected to previous book in series, Whispers in the Dark
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Damn do I love a man that knows what he wants and doesn't play games. Rio was just what I look for in a hero. He's a freaking badass smoking hot alpha male that's in control, sexy as hell and under that tough guy exterior a very sweet man with a past that haunts him. Not only was Rio an awesome hero but Grace was a killer heroine. I love a strong woman who beats the odds. Especially one that had to struggle like hell to survive and has earned her stripes. And Grace has earned every single one of hers.

"And don't you dare cry on me either," he warned. "A woman who's survived all you've survived doesn't cry. She holds her head up and dares the world around her to fuck with her."

Snow Angel by Jamie Carie

When Noah Wesley heard the faint sound outside the door of his remote Alaskan mountain cabin during a violent nighttime blizzard, it was no less than the voice of God that urged him to take a closer look, soon to discover his snow angel.

Unconscious and more than half frozen to death, her name, as Noah would later learn after boldly saving her life, was Elizabeth, a beautiful young woman, fragile yet fierce, and intent on discovering gold like so many others in that region during the late 1800s.

But why Elizabeth was so drawn to the gold, and why she would chase it even through a pounding storm that no man would dare face, was a secret to be shared with no one else, not even at the inviation of Noah's deep blue trusting eyes.

Type: Historical (late 1800s), Christian Romance

Heat: 1 out of 5

Rating: 4 out of 5

A couple months back I was at the used bookstore and saw Snow Angel. The story of life during the gold rush in Alaska sounded kinda interesting so I decided to give it a try. I'm really glad I did. Snow Angel was a wonderful story with a unique setting that I found fascinating and characters that felt realistic, honest and really caught my heart.

18 & Over- fun facts :)

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines. This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make some new friends!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK...

Please share with us five fun facts about yourself. :)

Oh Lord. Alright, lets see...

WOTO Mini Challenge #6

For those that don't know I'm doing a Women of the Otherworld reading challenge that's hosted by Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf. Each month we read a book from Kelley Armstrong's series and do different little challenges like this one. If yall want to join in head over and sign up. There's still quite a few months to go and great prizes too!

For this mini-challenge you must...

Sucker Bet (Vegas Vampires #4) by Erin McCarthy

Gwenna Carrick has a history-900 years of it. As the vampiress ex-wife of the notorious vampire Roberto Donatelli, she must keep a low profile. Not easy when you're bathed in the neon glow of Las Vegas--especially when there's a whole online group of vampire slayers bent on dealing you your last hand.

A wild night with a stranger was not in the cards for Gwenna. But that's what happened when she met the ruggedly handsome detective Nate Thomas. Their passion made her feel alive again. But when Donatelli catches wind of the tryst, he's determined to clean house, with Nate the first on his To-Off List. Gwenna knows she hit the jackpot with Nate and won't let anyone stand in the way. But both soon realize they have far more enemies than Donatelli--both on the strip and underground...

Type: Paranormal Romance, Vampires
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Yes! Yes, yes, YES! Finally we find out about the vampire slayers yahoo group! Sucker Bet is the final installment of Erin McCarthy's Vegas Vampires series and I loved it. This is one of those vampire series that's just about having a good time. It's a touch campy, a little silly and absolutely delightful. It's everything you could want from a group of vamps living in Sin City and Sucker Bet was the perfect ending for such a fun series.

Tasty Tuesday: Chocolate Fudge Torte

Yeah, so some recipes really just flat out lie and damn if this one didn't take some doing. No way the people who put the cookbook together actually tried to make the thing. Pan size, cooking time. You name it it had to be played with a little. But a couple pies in and it turned out to be a damn good dessert. 

Tasty Tuesday: Chocolate Fudge Torte!

Mmmmm! 

Cover Reveal: CONJURE by Lea Nolan + giveaway!

Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Isn't that just a gorgeous cover?! There's something so magical and beautifully eerie about it that I love.  

Dirty Little Secret- How do you keep em?

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us! Click on the button up top to link up your post or if you don't have a blog join in on the comments! We wanna here from you too!




This week's question: 

"With so many great books out and about, are your bookcases super organized or are your books scattered all over the place? We'll show you ours, now show us yours"

Tasty Delights--Homemade Butter

Tasty Delights and Dazzling Disasters is all about playing in the kitchen and having some fun.

I'll share my delights or my disasters. Yall feel free to join in and create your own posts, share your favorite recipes, what have you. 

Mmmm. Butter.

Making your own is so darn easy and it's delicious!

Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor #6) by Jill Shalvis

Grace never thought she’d be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh’s loveable mutt to caring for his rambunctious kids. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad…

With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family–until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “good bedside manner.” Josh and Grace don’t know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day…

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3/5
Rating: 5/5

Oh man, what a fantastic book. I loved every single glorious second of Forever and a Day and am completely and utterly smitten with this group of characters. From Josh, the overworked single dad nearly at his breaking point to the slightly demonic bug-eyed pug puppy, sweet, scattered Grace and everyone in between. I was glued to the pages from the very beginning and flew through this story. Shalvis has a hilarious sense of humor and such a talent for creating an amazing tale that feels real and honest. One that'll have you laughing, crying and without a doubt head over heels in love by the end of the journey.

Zack (Armed and Dangerous #1) by Cheyenne McCray

Ever since bad boy Zack Hunter left her ten years ago, breaking her heart, Sky MacKenna hasn't been able to find a man who sets her on fire the way he did. Then he comes striding back into her life--bigger, badder, and sexier than before....

Zack Hunter never thought his job as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent would lead him back to his small hometown, and he never thought he'd set eyes on Sky again. Leaving her behind had been the stupidest thing he had ever done, but this time he isn't going to let her go. And as soon as Zack lays eyes on Sky, he makes it clear that he intends to make her his all over again.

When Sky becomes entangled in the case he's investigating, Zack can't help but take the threat personally. As the danger mounts, their passion burns even hotter.

Type: Erotica, Romantic Suspense
Heat: 3.5 out of 5
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I grabbed this one up the other day when I was at the used bookstore. Something about the muted background and the bold title of Zack really caught my eye. I'm glad I picked it up too! Zack was an enjoyable read and even though some aspects of the book didn't quite work for me it was still a great escape with a steamy couple and excellent suspense that caught my interest.

Spotlight/Excerpt: The Book of Paul + giveaway

Spice up your summer reading with an intelligent and impressive dark thriller!

The Book of Paul is a new dark thriller by author Richard Long. The book has received great reviews and is currently on sale for 99 cents on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes! Download your copy now!

Richard is doing a HUGE giveaway, including a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, signed copies of his book, a Tarot Reading, and more!

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brody (Circle Eight #2) by Emma Lang + giveaway

A year after their family was brutally torn apart, the Graham siblings begin to put their lives back together at their ranch in East Texas. With their parents gone, their bonds will truly be tested…
Olivia Graham has worked hard to take care of her family at the Circle Eight Ranch. But their family circle was broken when their young brother Benjy disappeared. Liv can’t shake the feeling that he must be out there, somewhere.
Brody Armstrong, a handsome but rough-around-the-edges Texas Ranger, has been working on their case for months, and now he has a promising lead.
As Liv follows him across the rugged Texas landscape and into Mexico, she’ll begin to find the answers she needs—as Brody finds a passion he didn’t know he wanted…
Type: Historical (1836), Western Romance Also writes as: Beth Williamson Heat: 3 out of 5 Rating: 5 out of 5
Emma Lang's Circle Eight series and the Graham family never fail to delight. I'm loving this tight-nit ranching family, their undying spirit, daily battles and the people they surround themselves with. Along with the oh-so-delicious Brody Armstrong, Olivia Graham sets out into the turbulent lands of Mexico in hopes of finding some trace of her baby brother who disappeared months earlier and hasn't been seen since. Lang doesn't hold back on the gritty horrors they encounter or the passions they unleash in each other and gives readers a truly captivating and unforgettable tale. 

Tasty Tuesday: Fried Yellow Squash Patties

Tasty Tuesday: Fried Yellow Squash Patties

Yum! A friend of mine posted this recipe to one of our groups and I just had to try it out. And OMG so good! Pretty easy too. Always a plus in my book. Thanks for the yummy summer treat Tonya!

Nice simple ingredients. 

And a great way to use up a bunch of yellow squash if your garden has gone squash crazy. 

Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5) by Robyn Carr

In the space of a few months Vanessa buried her husband, Matt, and gave birth to their son--breaking her heart while filling it with a whole new kind of love. But the one man she longs to share this love with now acts as if she doesn't exist.

Paul Haggerty lives by the marine motto: Semper Fi. Ever faithful to his best friend, he's done right by Matt's widow as best he can...considering he's been secretly in love with her for years. Now, just as he's about to make his move, another woman has staked her claim on him--a claim that will be tough to escape.

With courage, humility and not a little meddling from the good folks of Virgin River, Vanni and Paul might just get a second chance to have the love they both desire and deserve.


Type: Contemporary Romance, Small town

Heat: 2 out of 5
Rating: 2 out of 5

This was my first time reading a book that had a serious case of ADD. Hand to God there were no less than 12 different storylines. TWELVE! 

In less than 400 pages we got....

• the story of the supposed "main couple" Paul and Vannie dealing with their grief after Matt's death and finding love with each other
• Paul having all sorts of complications with another woman
• her father, Walt, and the new neighbor starting something up
• her brother Tom, who was getting ready to leave for West Point, and his girlfriend
• Ricky coming back into town on leave
• some heart stopping drama with Mel and Jack
• Preacher and Paige having a baby 
• Vanni's mother-in-law butting in and trying to set her up and bringing a love triangle into play 
• her cousin Shelby who is trying to move on after her mother passed away
• Paul's friend Joe and Vanni's friend Nikki getting together and having all sorts of drama
• and even some encounters with the mysterious pot grower Shady Brady who honestly I think was my favorite part of the entire book even though it went nowhere
• OH! and a huge fire happening in the area bring all the different Marines back into town for the 2nd time in the book

July Random Read: The Stranger I Married by Sylvia Day

Random Reads is a meme where we pick a random book from our shelf to read within the month. I’m on Goodreads so I’m using that along with Random.org to pick the book I’m going to read.

Can't figure out what to read next? Like a good surprise? Come join in on this months Random Reads! 

If you don't have a blog and want to play along let me know! We can always do a guest post for ya :)

JULY'S Random Read: The Stranger I Married by Sylvia Day!

At Last (Lucky Harbor #5) by Jill Shalvis

Amy Michaels loves her new life in Lucky Harbor. A waitress in the local diner, she's looking forward to her first weekend hike through the mountains. But when a wrong turn takes her off the trail, she finds herself up close and personal with forest ranger Matt Bowers. And even though she's tempted to kiss that sexy smile right off his face, she won't make the mistake of getting involved with the town heartthrob.

A former cop whose life went south, Matt doesn't let anyone get too close. But something about the feisty beauty caught his eye the moment he first saw her in the diner. After a hot night under a starry sky, Matt can't deny their attraction-or the fact that for the first time in a long time, he feels the stirrings of something more. Now it's up to Matt to help Amy see that, no matter what is in their past, together they can build a future in Lucky Harbor.

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Happy. Sigh. Jill Shalvis did it again. The woman just keeps knocking them out of the park and I am so damn thankful. I just love this series and At Last was an excellent addition. The "chocoholics" are back and this time their mission happens to be "good girl" lessons for one Amy Michaels who is doing her best to avoid sexy Forest Ranger Matt Bowers. The characters, the romance, wonderful friendships and the added mystery surrounding a young runaway all come together for a very satisfying read. 

“She found herself smiling. "Was the big, bad forest ranger scared?" 

"I stared a fire," he said instead of answering, and the typical guy avoidance of admitting fear made her smile in the dark. "But even after I had a roaring fire, I still felt watched." 

"What did you do?" 

His hand was still gliding up and down her back, absently soothing, not-so-absently arousing her further. "I got up and searched the perimeter," he said. "Often. I finally fell asleep holding my gun, and at first light was startled awake by a curious teenage bear." 

"Oh my God," she said on a horrified laugh. "What happened?" 

Amusement came into his voice. "I shot the shit out of a tree and scared the hell out of us both. I fell backward off the log I'd fallen asleep on, and the bear did the same. Then we both scrambled to our feet, and he went running off to his mama. If my mama had been anywhere within two thousand miles, I'd have gone running off to her just the same as the bear." 

18 & Over- The review pile!

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines. This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make some new friends!

This week...

Please share three books that are in your review pile (and unread) right now.

Biting Cold Blog Tour w/ Chloe Neill + giveaway!

Woohoo! You've made it to today's stop on the Biting Cold Scavenger Hunt!!

We're so excited Biting Cold is almost here and thrilled to be part of the hunt. Hope you're all having a great time too!

There's lots of goodies up for grabs here at herding cats & burning soup so make sure you're all entered to win the books and swag here before heading out for the rest of the hunt! 


"Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.

Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on."

::shiver:: sounds SOO good!! 
PreOrder Your Copy Today!   BookDepository    Amazon   Barnes&Noble 

Dirty Little Secret- the Sexy Olympics!

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us! Click on the button up top to link up your post or if you don't have a blog join in on the comments! We wanna here from you too!

This weeks Question:

All your favorite characters and celebs have been entered into the SEXY OLYMPICS! Who would win your Gold, Silver and Bronze and why?

BDSM Blog Hop & Giveaway!

Thanks to Scorching Book Reviews for hosting the BDSM Hop and showcasing some excellent BDSM authors this month! We're celebrating with them and sharing one of our favorite BDSM authors...

Wrangled (Whitehorse Montanta, Chisholm Cattle Company #6) by B.J. Daniels

Dakota Lansing had a crush on cowboy Zane Chisholm when she was a kid. But when she moved away from Montana, she thought she would never see him again. When her father died, leaving behind a secret that shocked her, she had no choice but to return. Who knew that secret would bring Zane back into her life in a big way?
With both their lives in jeopardy, Dakota is forced to admit she never got over Zane. Targeted by unknown assailants, Zane discovers his mysterious connection to Dakota is much bigger than either suspected. Dakota isn't that cute kid who used to follow him around the rodeo grounds. She's now a feisty woman with some secrets of her own.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, Hoyt and Emma know that the mystery of the deaths of his former wives isn't over. What they don't know is that the killer is getting closer to Emma than they ever suspected.

Type: Romantic Suspense

Heat: 1 out of 5, a little kissing and fade to black scenes

Rating: 4 out of 5

I've read a couple of books by Daniels now and I'm really liking her writing style. There's something about the flow and characters that just draws you in keeps you reading. Even though the writing isn't complicated and the mystery is pretty easy to figure out early on in the story I still found myself very entertained throughout and enjoyed watching everything unfold. With previous storylines wrapping up, family secrets being exposed, old attractions being rekindled and danger around every turn there's a lot going on in Wrangled and it's a very good ride.