United (Exalted: Book 3) by Tara Elizabeth

   Things are rapidly changing after the Republic falls and the truth about the pump has been exposed to everyone there.  Mena and Ryker find that some of their friends are missing and are determined to get them back.  They travel to Toledo Lake where they meet some more of the Exalted.  Everyone is either off of the pump now or coming off of it and their emotions are returning rather suddenly.  Everything at Toledo Lake is what we would think of as normal, and it's something to get used to for the Exalted that haven't really been outside of the Republic.
   Since the pump was exposed, things are happening rapidly now for those deemed "marauders" by the loyalist Exalted and those with them.  There is a war coming and they must protect the innocent people who live in Toledo Lake.  There are women and children there too.  Mena and Ryker know that they will all be killed if the villages don't ready themselves for this war.  And when it comes, there is always loss with it.

   This was another really good read by Tara Elizabeth!  I have really enjoyed reading this particular series and am a little sad to see it end.  It was a little quick in some spots.  I think more detail about a few things would have made it even better.  However,  we get to see some happy endings and some goodbyes as well.  So there is happiness mixed in with a little sadness. It's a good mix and the ending is wrapped up nicely.

A solid 4 out of 5 stars!!


Buy this book here:  http://www.amazon.com/UNITED-Exalted-Trilogy-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00RNAX1GA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1422681376&sr=1-1&keywords=tara+elizabeth&pebp=1422682066440&peasin=B00RNAX1GA


Blurb for United:


In this last chapter of the Exalted Trilogy, Mena and her friends discover the meaning of freedom and the costs to keep it. 

With Mena’s parents and friends missing, she and Ryker set out on a journey to find them and to warn the people of Toledo Lake about the imminent threat of retaliation from the First Republic. Things don’t go as planned, and Mena struggles to stay strong through all of her emotional perils. 

New friendships form. Old friendships fade. War will do that to people—even the strongest of people. 

Will Toledo Lake survive the wrath of Dr. Fredericks and his army? Will the Third Republic join in the attack? 

Strength be with you, Mena. 



Blurb for Exalted (Book 1):

After the fall of mankind, the Exalted became the protectors of the people. As an Exalted trainee, all Mena ever wanted was to be strong, to serve and to fearlessly protect the people of the United Republic of the Saved. All Exalted feel the same. In fact, that’s all they feel. Only when Ryker, an outsider, crashes into Mena’s life, does she learn that people are meant to feel much more. 

In this bleak future, set in what’s left of the southern United States, the trainees must compete in three Trials to earn their position amongst the strongest Exalted. In these Trials, female is pitted against female and male against male in demonstrations of weaponry, fighting and survival skills. The outcome: the United Ceremony, pairing trainees together for life based on how they place. The ultimate hope is to breed stronger Exalted and even better protectors. 

Upon learning from Ryker that the supplement she's taken her entire life is actually an emotion-blocking drug, her path takes an unexpected shift. Without the veil of “The Pump” blocking her emotions, Mena struggles with competing in the Trials and with her new, confusing love life. She’s experiencing new feelings with not one but two different guys, will Mena choose to leave with Ryker and be free or stay with her childhood friend, Ethan, and be United? 


Buy here:  http://www.amazon.com/EXALTED-Tara-Elizabeth-ebook/dp/B008RBYUZU/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1422681376&sr=1-3&keywords=tara+elizabeth&pebp=1422682316387&peasin=B008RBYUZU

Blurb for Denounced (Book 2):


Mena, an Exalted trainee, is the on the other side of a difficult choice: to leave the United Republic of the Saved with Ryker or return with Ethan and be United. Her decision changes everything . . . things she never considered. She has to overcome shocking realizations and tough challenges in the new life she has chosen. The people she thought she knew are not who she thought they were. Secrets come to light that were never meant to be known, by Exalted and citizens alike. The truth about the Republic is worse than Mena thought possible. Though she struggles, she continues on her mission to save the people of the Republic from the emotion-controlling drug called the Pump and set them free. She will do whatever she has to do for them and the people she loves.

Buy here:  http://www.amazon.com/DENOUNCED-EXALTED-Book-Tara-Elizabeth-ebook/dp/B00EGWCX3A/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1422681376&sr=1-4&keywords=tara+elizabeth&pebp=1422682449583&peasin=B00EGWCX3A



Tara Elizabeth's page: 

http://authortaraelizabeth.com/

Book Release from Susan Fisher-Davis!

Guess what is out today?  Lucas (Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 1) by Susan Fisher-Davis!

You can go buy it here:

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=1020&zenid=9vo0uc3sn63h2qqg286lg0met1


Or here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Boys-River-Wyoming-Book-ebook/dp/B00S50RPNW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422277963&sr=8-2&keywords=susan+fisher+davis&pebp=1422277967186&peasin=B00S50RPNW

The Vigilante's Lover: A romantic Suspense Thriller (Book 1) by Annie Winters and Tony West

So, I wasn't sure what to think when I started reading this book.  The blurb that I read was what really caught my attention.  It seemed like it would be an interesting read and the price was right so I bought it and soon after, settled in to read it.  First off, this is a pretty short read so if you have a few hours that's all you need really.  Second, it was nothing like I expected.  To be blunt, because of the title and the blurb, I kind of expected a little hanky panky, you know, a little bedroom action.  But not really.  The only thing kinky about this book is that this chick is tied up a lot and the guy seems to like some weird stuff.  Basically, this girl takes over her aunt's house, starts getting weird bondage letters from a prison, and she starts writing this guy back as the person he is writing to.  The girl seems like she has had a relatively uneventful life and wants some excitement.  Well she gets it when she wakes up in the middle of the night tied up because the guy she's been writing to has escaped prison.  When he finds her he thinks that she's some sort of operative out to get him.  All in all, I thought it was a fascinating read!  I would give this one 5 stars!



Blurb:

Mia trembles as she reads the letter that arrives from Ridley Prison. 

Seduction. Rope ties. Descriptions of things Mia has never experienced or known. 

The man’s words are desperately passionate. He longs for a woman who must have given him a fake address. Mia’s address. 

She plans to send the letter back. He’s a convicted felon. 

But his words gnaw at her. She’s never done anything dangerous. And no man has ever talked to her like this. 

So Mia writes him, pretending to be the woman he desires. 

It's her one dark thrill in her dull, solitary small-town life. 

The man is in prison for another fifteen years. 

It's harmless. She is safe enough. 

Until he escapes.

Opposing Sides (The University Park Series Book 1) by CM Doporto

  I rarely read a book where I connect with one of the characters so closely, but this was one of those books.

   Lexi Thompson has lived a life where she was sheltered as much as possible by her parents and is currently engaged to Collin Norris, who is a college baseball star.  Collin has also been rather sheltered and is a preacher's kid.  His parents along with Lexi's are on the extreme end of conservative in how they act and dress.  They don't drink any alcohol except on certain occasions, believe in waiting to give yourself to someone after you're married, don't cuss, and make sure they and their children wear very conservative clothes.  Both sets of parents are so focused on controlling their children's lives that the moms have decided for Lexi what wedding dress to buy, even though she hates it and it's her wedding.  To make matters worse, she is rather unsure of her feelings for Collin, who pretty much never shows his.  After she starts tutoring the star football player of the university, Raven Davenport, Lexi starts realizing just how much she doesn't feel for Collin.  However, her attraction for Raven has turned into a major problem and she doesn't want to tutor him anymore because of it.  But no matter how she looks at it, she is very attracted to him and really likes him, maybe more than she does Collin.  The hard part for Lexi is trying to break away from her parents expectations and for once, doing what she wants.

   Like I said above, I understand this character quite a bit and her struggle to take her life from her parents and into her own hands.  As an adult, she is old enough to make her own decisions.  Some parents want to shield their children so much from the world that they end up not letting them decide anything for their selves and this is a big mistake.  Lexi was going to marry Collin just because it was expected of her.  The university bad boy was not someone her parents would have approved of.  I have children and I want to shelter them too, but I also understand the value of them needing to slowly become independent and make their own decisions, whether they are good or bad.  Some things are learned best by experience.  And I am not saying I think that Lexi made poor decisions in this book.  In fact, she made good ones by making up her own mind about what she wanted and her reasoning behind it.  This was a very good read!

5 out of 5 stars!!

Balloons in the Yard by Bree Pierce

This is a book by a very new to the scene author.  It is her very first novella and it's a vampire story!  It's also a rather unique one.  Read the blurb down below!

Blurb:

Eight-year-old Laine lives in the small backwoods town of Willow with just her mom. She loves to play outside and one day wanders off down the road to a creepy old house nearby. When she sees some balloons in the yard, she goes inside and meets a woman named Lola who takes her downstairs to a birthday party. Now Laine is trapped there and her abductor is a vampire using her as a meal when she needs it. Although not abused, Laine is determined to escape and gets help from her new friend Harry. Fate is funny about things sometimes. As an adult, Laine is destined to come back to the underground where she was kidnapped. But will she let fate decide her future? Even if it is with the smoking hot Harry?

Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Balloons-Yard-Bree-Pierce-ebook/dp/B00RZNAT7Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420928200&sr=8-1&keywords=bree+pierce

Teasers:

Untamed by Brenda K. Davies BLOG TOUR

My Review:  

Man or monster?  It's the question Ethan constantly asks himself as he battles with murderous urges whenever he's around humans.  He and his family are all vampires, but not all vampires are alike.  His family are pure bloods.  He and his siblings were born into a family of vampires.  They didn't have to be turned like those that aren't pure bloods.  And they can do things that other vampires can't, like being able to tell if a vampire is a killer of humans or not by their smell.  This sin't a normal vampire trait unless you're in their family.  Ethan decides to get away on a vacation of sorts for a while with his sister and brother-in-law (Isabelle and Stefan).  They are disgustingly in love with each other while Ethan wonders if he will ever find his mate.  Since he is traveling down a path that could lead to him turning into a crazed monster, he highly doubts it.  Then he meets Emma while on his vacation.  She's a very sweet and kind girl, and a human.  Ethan has always made it a point to avoid humans, but this one won't let him go and he finds himself entangled in a very complicated relationship that is quickly spiraling out of control.  Things go from crazy to insane when Emma's ex turns up and he's not what anyone expected.  It turns out that Tristan has changed quite a bit in the last year and not for the better.  He's bound and determined to take Emma back, but there's no way Ethan will ever let that happen.  Even if he has to let the beast out to protect his mate.  Hopefully afterwards he can put it back in.

This third book in the Vampire Awakenings Series can be read as a stand alone or as a part of the series.  It's another fabulous read by Brenda K. Davies with a great story line and hot immortal vampires!  There's nothing like a good story about a guy who is seriously conflicted and constantly hiding it from the world, including his closest friends and relatives.  I also like how he misjudged Stefan and Ethan finds out that there are others who have struggled just like him with the impulse to murder humans.  The blood lust in some seem to be uncommonly powerful.  Ethan comes into contact with some of these vampires and they help him get through this trial while he tries to figure out what to do about Emma.  She and her friends find out by accident what he is and she has a hard time dealing with it for a while.  Through it all, one thing is certain though and that is how they feel about each other.  But she has to choose whether to act on these feelings or not.  If she does, she becomes like him and they are together forever.  If she doesn't, she destroys him.  How much of a sacrifice would it be to give up her life so she can regain a new one with the man she is supposed to be with?

NOVEL INFORMATION

Tour: December 29-January 16th

Untamed

Vampire Awakenings, #3

by Brenda K. Davies

Release Date: December 27, 2014

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Buy Link

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1x6yfXV

B&N: http://bit.ly/1APd2my

KOBO: http://bit.ly/1xShstg

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1wpdCBg

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1AaHTKp

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1xmcu8v

Synopsis: His entire life Ethan has been keeping his more violent urges a secret from his family. They all think he is just antisocial, what they don’t know is that every day he struggles not to give into his growing desire to kill. Looking to escape for just a little bit and hoping that a change of scenery will help him, he agrees to join Isabelle and Stefan in Bermuda.

What he doesn’t expect is for Emma to walk into his life and change it in ways that he had never anticipated. Just when he finally begins to find some peace in his life, a dangerous threat from Emma’s past arrives. Ethan is willing to do anything to keep Emma safe, even if it means giving into the brutality that he’s spent his entire life fighting against. Giving in a little though, may mean giving in for forever, if he is unable to bring himself back from the darkness that has always enticed him.

***Due to mature content and language this book is recommended for readers 18+***

The first book in this series, Awakened, is free. Each book in this series is a stand alone novel.

Also in the Series…

 

Awakened

Vampire Awakenings, #1

by Brenda K. Davies

Release Date: August 1, 2012

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Buy Link (FREE!)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1AaHW8U

B&N: http://bit.ly/1yCaMfu

KOBO: http://bit.ly/1vyg4uS

iTunes: http://bit.ly/13I4z7T

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1H15VJR

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1HJaO8N

Synopsis: Traumatized by her past, and struggling to move on from it, Sera has spent the past three years of college hiding herself from the world and content to stay that way. A chance encounter with Liam shatters her sheltered world, leaving her stunned and shaken by the strange feelings and emotions he arises in her, feelings she never thought she would experience and that frighten her in their intensity.

Harboring a dark and deadly secret of his own, Liam knows that he should stay away from Sera; that he will only bring her more hurt, but he is irresistibly drawn to her and unable to deny himself the pleasure that only she can bring to him. But when their pasts collide with their present, and Liam’s true nature is revealed, will their love for each other be enough, or will they be torn apart forever?

 

Destined

Vampire Awakenings, #2

by Brenda K. Davies

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/13I5jtN

B&N: http://bit.ly/1zlqk6c

KOBO: http://bit.ly/1zlqp9Z

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1xiF1ca

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1zCTfI1

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1BayWyP

Synopsis: Terrified of becoming mated like her parents, Isabelle has locked herself away in order to avoid their fate. She is content to stay sheltered amongst her family, hidden away as she lives out her days away from the human race, and the world. Despite her determination to remain alone, her world is rocked when a person from her parent’s past arrives at their door, bringing with them the powerful, and stunning vampire Stefan.

Though Stefan is not expecting to arrive at a nest full of vampires, he is immediately drawn to the vibrant, often defiant, and willful Isabelle. To his surprise, Isabelle does everything in her power to avoid him, and her desire for him.

No matter how hard she tries to fight it though, Isabelle begins to realize that trying to deny her destiny may just destroy them both, as there are some things that cannot be stopped. Just as she begins to let her guard down, Stefan’s dark and deadly past catches up to him and threatens to destroy them both.

Mature readers 18+

   
About the Author

Brenda loves to write adult paranormal and historical romantic fiction. When not with family, or out with friends, she's happy at home in Mass. with her husband, and energetic puppy Loki. She is currently working on the third Vampire Awakenings book and has a historical romance coming out later this summer.

Follow Brenda K. Davies.

Website: https://www.ericastevensauthor.com/brenda-k.-davies.html

Blog:     http://brendakdavies.blogspot.com/?zx=4817c88cb5a929da

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/BrendaDaviesAuthor

Twitter:            https://twitter.com/BrendaKDavies1

GoodReads:     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6519859.Brenda_K_Davies

Media Contact:

IndieSage PR

www.indiesage.com

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The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes

   Regular ole Paul Fischer is about to have a very difficult time of things.  His life had went from optimistic to severely pessimistic in a very quick downward spiral.  His bookstore, Stony Bay Books, is not doing well and he is getting a divorce on top of that.  To make matters worse, he finds out his ex, Rachel, is going to be trying to get the house and half of the book store.  Not that there was much to have if she got either.  Paul doesn't really fight things and it just seems to get worse and worse when he starts getting in trouble with the law as well.  Assault charges and more start mounting up.  He starts seeing someone, but regrets pulling her into the mess he's in.  Especially when it seems that his ex could be in some real trouble.  No one can seem to get in touch with her and surprise!  She's also pregnant with what could very well be Paul's baby.  The only one who seems to know anything about what's going on is a tiny little blue bird that keeps showing up at Paul's house, pecking on his tree outside and acting like it wants Paul to follow him.  A series of strange events unfold with the little blue Fairy Wren.  The wren seems to have some magic to it and takes Paul on a somewhat frightening journey to find Rachel.


   This book wasn't exactly what I expected.  From the title I was kind of expecting something more along the lines of fantasy or paranormal but it was more along the lines of strange and weird events.  Not to mention, I just downright feel bad for Paul in some ways because everything possible seems to be going wrong.  He is giving his lawyer lots of business.  All in all, he feels that he must find Rachel and get her out of whatever trouble she's involved in.  The book is filled with suspense and a slight tinge of the paranormal world through the Fairy Wren that keeps hanging out.  When I found out towards the end of the story what that bird had been doing pecking around in Paul's tree, it was a serious OMG moment!  All in all it was a good read!

A solid 4 out of 5 stars!!