Books and Things This Week

Books I added to my collection:

For Review: Tawny Weber sent me a paperback copy of BLAZING BEDTIME STORIES, Volume VII.  I'm lovin' the cover.

Purchased from The Book Depository: THE UNSEEN by Katherine Webb.

Kindle Freebie: SLEEPING LOVE by Sara Curran-Ross.  I got 8 Kindle freebies last week, but I'm most intrigued by this one.  Here's the blurb:

Historian Sabrina Michaels lost her memory ten years ago after waking up in a London hospital badly beaten. When she travels to a French chateau owned by handsome wealthy businessman Raoul Valoire to research his famous ancestor, he lays claim to her as his wife.

Afraid of confronting her past, Sabrina attempts to leave the chateau but finds that her husband is more than determined to have his wife back in his arms and in his bed. He is prepared to hold her prisoner until she uncovers her true identity and remembers her love for him.

Sabrina embarks on a journey into her own past in the hopes of uncovering what caused her to disappear from the chateau without a trace the night of her birthday party and the man who was responsible for her attack. She only hopes it is not the husband she is falling in love with all over again.

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Books I read last week:

My Lady Enslaved by Shirl Anders

Dark Side Night by Maryn Sinclair

Dom For Sale by Christine d'Abo

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

Currently reading: BAREFOOT IN THE SAND by Roxanne St. Claire (Just getting started, but so far, very good!)

Hot Reads: April

Do you ever read books that get you a little hot and steamy?  If you do, join in Hot Reads and share some of your favorite sexy reads and find some new ones!

Hot Reads is a Monthly Meme, hosted by Book Savvy Babe and Alive on the Shelves, where we get to share our hottest read of the month!  Your choice can be any book, it doesn’t matter the genre, the length, whether it’s new or old.  If you read it during the month, and it raised your temperature, it qualifies to be a HOT READ!  To make things as simple as possible, Hot Reads will take place the 28th day of the month.  So every month, be ready to share your HOT READ pick! 

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What a fun meme!!! My "Hot Reads" for April is SNATCH ME by Nara Malone.  I reviewed this book @ The Forbidden Bookshelf HERE.  What makes it unique is that most of the "kinky" scenes take place in the virtual world of an online role-playing game.  Here's the blurb:

From the moment Jolie discovers the Quarterz, a virtual post-apocalyptic world for capture role-players, she can’t resist the challenge. She’s chosen a hard game, where sexual submission to a captor is expected, demanded, no quarter given. She uses the challenge to escape real life and feels a sense of kinship to a world like the Quarterz, a society too broken to fix.

Mack created the Quarterz and took a gamble when he secretly lured Jolie there. He suspects he and Jolie share sexual interests that neither can admit in person. Now he has to hope that time in the Quarterz can help Jolie cope as she struggles to rebuild her life. He has to stand back and allow her to find her way in a game where he is not always the captor. But when the game is over, he’s determined to be the one who wins Jolie for real.

What was your hottest read for April?

Top Off Tuesday: HIGHLAND ROGUE

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What better way than to top off a good book than with a GREAT Cover!  Amanda from On a Book Bender, Christi from Smitten with Reading, and Felicia from Geeky Blogger's Book Blog want to see the covers that made you swoon!  Badge by Missie.

I've missed participating in Top Off Tuesday, so this week, I'm playing along!

HIGHLAND ROGUE by Tess Mallory

On her dream vacation in the Scottish Highlands, aspiring archaeologist Maggie Graham discovers a tri-spiral carving in the floor of an ancient cairn, and unwittingly sets its dormant magic in motion. Sent tumbling back in time 300 years, Maggie uncovers the most amazing find of all - a Scottish hero straight out of her wildest fantasies. There are just two tiny problems with this grand adventure: She’s trapped in 18th-century Scotland, and the man she’s fallen for is an outlaw, a thief, and a daring Highland Rogue.

Kilt, tattoo, big sword, muscles?  Perfect. :-)

Review: THE KINGDOM (The Graveyard Queen Series, #2) by Amanda Stevens

Mira; March 2012

Book Blurb:

Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town...

My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.

Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.

My Review:

Last year THE RESTORER was one of my favorite books, and I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for the sequel to be released. I couldn’t wait to find out where Amanda Stevens would take her Graveyard Queen next. After finishing THE KINGDOM, my initial thought is WOW! I may have liked the second book a smidge more that the first. Where THE RESTORER was more paranormal mystery/romantic suspense, THE KINGDOM is the perfect blend of mystery and eerie Southern Gothic fiction. 

If you’re not familiar with the series, I’ll briefly tell you about Amelia Gray. She’s known as “The Graveyard Queen” because her life’s passion is restoring old, dilapidated cemeteries. But what really makes her unique is her ability to see ghosts. Her adoptive father also has this gift (or curse, as the case may be), and he gave her strict rules for dealing with restless spirits. His most important rule was to IGNORE them, a rule Amelia broke in the first book, and it got her in a heap of trouble. 

In THE KINGDOM, Amelia is hired to restore a cemetery in the remote town of Asher Falls, hidden in the mountains of South Carolina. Immediately upon her arrival, Amelia knows there is something peculiar about Asher Falls. Much of the town has been deserted, and there’s something “off” about the ones who remained. Amelia can sense an evil presence there, yet something compels her to stay in this majestic yet wicked place. Somehow she’s connected to Asher Falls, and she’s determined to find out how. The secrets and mysteries in this town run deep, and there are certain residents that want Amelia silenced before she discovers the truth. 

I would love to talk more about the plot and supporting cast, but I don’t want to spoil this fantastic story for anyone! I highly recommend that you read the series in order, because you’ll definitely want to know Amelia’s history with John Devlin. Though he doesn’t make an appearance in THE KINGDOM, Amelia mentions him a lot. Hopefully we’ll get more of John in the third book. 

THE KINGDOM is the type of story that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The plot was fast-paced with many surprising twists and turns along the way. Amanda Stevens has a talent for making the reader a part of her story. I loved the vivid imagery of the mountains surrounding Asher Falls. I could hear the ghostly chimes over Bell Lake myself. Chilling! Fans of creepy ghost stories and Southern Gothics shouldn’t miss this series.

Mailbox Monday (13)

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April's Host: Cindy's Love of Books 

Happy Earth Day! :-)  I did my small part for Earth Day by buying several used books this week:

 (Sir Scorch and Goatee with my haul!)

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore

The Girl With No Shadow by Joanne Harris

The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I received a few cozy mysteries for review:

A Killer Read by Erika Chase

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

The Big Kitty by Claire Donally

A Deadly Grind by Victoria Hamilton

I also got a couple of interesting freebies for my Kindle:

Claire-Obscure by Billie Hinton

Primal Heat by Donna Grant

Have a fantastic week!

Mailbox Monday (12)

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Paper books added to my shelves:

The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot (Won)

The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields (Review)

The Next Always by Nora Roberts (Bought Used)

Out of Mind by Stella Cameron (Free)

The Angel by Carla Neggers (Free)

Cypress Nights by Stella Cameron (Bought Used)

New Releases from Harlequin (Bought)

Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay (Review)

A Killer Read by Erika Chase (Review)

Let Them Eat Stake by Sarah Zettel (Review)

50% Off Murder by Josie Belle (Review)

The Long Stitch Good Night by Amanda Lee (Review)

Murder Buys a T-shirt by Christy Fifield (Review)

Digital books added to my eReaders:

The Witch Thief by Lori Devoti (Bought)

Auraria: A Novel by Tim Westover (Review)

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Books read:

Secrets and Spells by Jessica Jarman (4 stars)

The Reason is You by Sharla Lovelace (5 stars)

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose (3½ stars)
The Last Girl by Kitty Thomas (4 stars)

Reading now:

Murder Buys a T-shirt

By Christy Fifield

First book in a new series!  (I love those.)  Glory's talking parrot, Bluebeard, is hilarious.

Zoe Winters’ Easter Egg Hunt! BIG PRIZES!

"Hop" on over to Zoe Winters' blog and check out the details on the Easter Egg Hunt she's hosting!  Zoe's grand prize is a Kindle Fire...just click HERE to find out the rules and how to play along!

The books included in the Egg Hunt are:

Cat Fight (short story):

Cat Fight @ Amazon 99 cent sale!

Cat Fight @ Smashwords (coupon code: UF39H Coupon good through April 8th)
Cat Fight @ Barnes and Noble 99 cent sale!

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Dark Mercy (novella):

Dark Mercy @Amazon 99 cent sale!
Dark Mercy @ Smashwords (coupon code: EH27Y Coupon good through April 8th) 
Dark Mercy @ Barnes and Noble 99 cent sale!

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Blood Lust (collection of three novellas):

Blood Lust @ Amazon 99 cent sale!
Blood Lust @ Smashwords (coupon code: MF44F Coupon good through April 8th)  
Blood Lust @ Barnes and Noble 99 cent sale!

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Save My Soul (novel):

Save My Soul @ Amazon 99 cent sale!
Save My Soul @ Smashwords (coupon code: LS76S Coupon good through April 8th) 
Save My Soul @ Barnes and Noble 99 cent sale!

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DEADLINE REMINDERS:

1. Deadline for acquiring the hunt books on sale: Midnight April 8th.

2. Deadline for turning in Easter Eggs: Midnight April 15th.

3. Winners announced on: April 18th.

Remember to visit Zoe's website HERE to find out what type of "Easter Eggs" she wants you to find and how to enter the giveaway!