Hotness Monsters of Note

This post is dedicated to all my book boyfriends... the boyfriends that I will never willingly choose in real life! They are egotistical, controlling, stubborn, dangerous and most of them want to drink blood or have some other crazy paranormal trait. Complete and total hardcore Alpha Males. *shivers* 

In real life - If a big hunk of a man ever had to chase me down the road flashing fangs and growling something like "come here" or "you will be mine" I think I just might wet myself bitch slap him - not that it would do them any harm (because they are all mighty, possessive, hotness on a friggin' stick and just plain WOW). *drools* 

Review: Dark Secrets

Dark Secrets [Cursed in Darkness #4]
By Natalie Hancock

Cursed in Darkness Series:
Eternal Darkness #1 - review
Dark Shadows #2 - review
Dark Awakening #3 - review
Dark Secrets #4
Ascend From Darkness #5
Darkness Arising #6
Darkness Unveiled #7

From Goodreads:

The hunter has made himself known, and now everyone is gone. Layla and a few others are now being hunted and have become hunters themselves. They must travel through an underground cave in order to get to those they love and Layla is not stopping for anything.

There are other creatures in the cave which they encounter, and some they wish not to even see, and with no success. Their lives, and those who have been taken, are on the line, and the farther they walk through the cave, the more they are faced with danger, the more Layla struggles to keep her deep dark secrets just that - a secret. It is not that simple, however. And as the secrets unfold, the hunter closes in.

Will it be too late for Layla to save the others?

Buy on: Amazon

Cover swoon!! As you know I'm a total and complete cover whore and Natalie Hancock has fed my appetite 100% with the covers for Cursed in Darkness Series - I mean really now... I'm running out of drool here.

Review: Edge of Disaster

Edge of Disaster
By A.M Hargrove

From Goodreads:

Alexia Hammond, broken and destroyed by a tragedy she can’t seem to recover from, is on a downward spiral toward destruction. A life of partying, alcohol, drugs and men has brought her near the edge of disaster. That is until one night while at work as a waitress in an upscale restaurant, she falls under the spell of one of her customers, Pearce Middleton.

Once she gazes into his smoky gray eyes, her life takes on new meaning. But can she put her past behind her and allow herself to fall for the exciting and gorgeous Pearce, or will her lewd behavior come back to haunt her and ruin her chances of happiness forever?

Buy on Amazon: Paperback| E-book

Review: The Destiny of Shaitan

The Destiny of Shaitan
By Laxmi Hariharan

From Goodreads:
When Yudi, Tiina & Rai embark on a mission to save the universe, they come up against the ruthless Shaitan who is determined to stop them at any cost. But they soon realise they have a bigger enemy - themselves. So they must learn to trust each other and overcome their fears as they fight their way towards the ultimate showdown.

Partially set in a dystopian Bombay of the future, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story, painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world.

Yudi, Tiina and Rai are destined to come together, for they are the Chosen Ones. It falls to them to save the universe from the powerful Shaitan, who is terrifying, and utterly merciless. Driven by greed, and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying anything that gets in his path, including his lovers and his own children. The battle between the Chosen Ones and Shaitan is a classic, epic encounter. Hated and feared by all, Shaitan must win this fight to keep his power. The stakes are high, the combatants are determined, and no matter what the outcome their lives will be changed for all time.

Buy on Amazon: Paperback    |   Ebook

We're BACK!!

Yes, you read that right... finally we are back in action and ready to rumble!

SLACKER! You have my permission to call us - well me mostly - a slacker. I have been a terrible blogger, reviewer, reader and friend for the past few months... life got in the way. Ritesh and I just want to give you the run down on what has been happening with us that we've been so quiet and withdrawn.

These last few months have been a total scary and thrilling as hell roller coaster ride for me. I was retrenched in July 2012 - not cool, but I got over the emotional side of it quickly enough with the help of my family and my wonderful co-blogger Ritesh!

With the retrenchment I had a lot of pent up frustration so I decided to take up a new sport... Cage Fighting. Yup... Cage Fighting. My style is Kickboxing and it's an absolute blast!

Blog Tour: Stone of Darkness

Today we have the brilliant author Resa Nelson on the blog for her blog tour of Book 3 in the Dragonslayer series. Fantasy is something we both love, so this fits perfectly on the blog. So, without further delay, let's get the interview started!

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Describe your series? What genre would you classify it into?

I guess it’s epic fantasy, but I also blend genres.  I strive to write page turners, because I don’t want my readers to get bored.  There’s usually some type of mystery going on, and sometimes it leans toward the mystery/thriller genre.  My books can get pretty dark, so I also strive to throw in as much humor as possible to give my books some balance.

How did you come up with the idea for the series? 

Many years ago I was propositioned by a co-worker (a married man with two young children).  Like a lot of writers, I write to work through my problems.  So I wrote a short story about a female blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers.  When a new dragonslayer propositions her, she doesn’t know what to do because if she doesn’t keep his weapons in good working order then his inability to fight dragons can place all her friends and neighbours at risk.  When the story was published there was a huge reader response, which made me think about turning it into a novel.  It took me 8 years to figure out how to do that.  And once I started writing the novel, I realized the story and the world I had created were much bigger than I’d first imagined.  So by the time I finished writing Book 1, I pretty much had the whole series in my head.

I am a Blogger, and I am pissed #3

I've written two posts on this topic previously, and both of them have been received just as I had hoped for. I've had most authors agree, and I hope accept some of these 'mistakes' they make while interacting with bloggers. Both the previous posts resulted in a lot of comments and discussions here on the blog, as well as on a number of Facebook author groups. I was actually surprised to see how receptive these posts have been. Don't get me wrong, I did get a few reactions I had expected in the beginning. A few authors argued that I had no right to point these out, or that bloggers were worse or at least just as guilty. I had a couple of authors post counter arguments to my points in the previous two posts, and I loved that. They were gracious and did not try to bash me. Each post was extremely respectful. For all of this, I am extremely grateful.

If you'd like to take a look at the previous two posts, head over to check out post number one and post number two. And to read the author reactions to my posts, check out the replies by author Natalie Star to post one and author Tara Chevrestt to post two. With that out of the way, let's get to the third and final post in the series.

11. Twitter: There are tons of authors and bloggers on twitter. But, there is a dearth of authors (and bloggers) who treat twitter for what it is, a NETWORKING tool. Most just consider it a marketing platform. This makes them do things which get on my nerves sometimes! All I see is links, links and more links! And then there are other things. First, I will not check DMs on twitter as I mostly get spam there. And don’t even get me started on auto-DMs! If I do somehow stumble onto your DM and I see a link requesting me to check out your book on Amazon, subscribe to your blog, or ‘Like’ your author page on Facebook, I will delete it without doing any of those things. I might even unfollow you and, if you still don’t get the message, I might just go ahead and block you. Using the @mention feature is just the same, so doing that does not get you off the hook. Want me to consider your book or your links? Want me to do an interview or feature you on my blog?  Then talk to me, get to know me better, interact with me, comment on my content, if you like something RT it. And, after you do all this, go read point number one again in post number one (Read the Review Policy).

Review: Dark Awakening

Dark Awakening [Cursed in Darkness #3]
By Natalie Hancock

Cursed in Darkness Series:
Eternal Darkness #1 - See my review
Dark Shadows #2 - See my review
Dark Awakening #3

From Goodreads:

In the hundred acres of land, more security and more people are watching Layla’s back now that everyone knows who she is. Layla wants to find the person responsible for the attacks made at her, just like everyone else, but when an attack happens to someone other than her, she and Nikalye are the only ones who know the truth. They are determined to find the culprit once and for all, before someone else is seriously injured.

Layla wishes she could tell Shade everything. He knows something is not right more than he can make her gasp with pleasure by just saying her name, but she cannot tell him—she will not risk putting him in danger any more than she has. She continuously fights for survival to keep herself and those around her alive, but when more things sinister arrive in the hundred acres of land and the culprit is revealed, the situation turns from bad to deadly.

Will Layla be able to survive?

Buy on: Amazon

Oh my soul!! Dark Awakening is by far (for me personally) the best book in the series! I have no words, totally dumbstruck. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Natalie throws this major curve ball – like ‘in your face’. Brilliant writing and a brilliant story line.

I am a blogger, and I am pissed! #2

The first post in the series got a lot of comments and interactions. If you've not read the first post, you can check it out here. After going through all the reactions, as well as reading through and participating in discussions about the first post on a number of groups, I'd like to clarify something here. These posts are in no way a generalization, and I am definitely NOT saying that most authors are like this. It is a few who are doing these things, and many more who may be unaware how irksome these things are to bloggers.

My only hope here is that, authors can read these posts, and just learn something which may help in creating better relations between bloggers and authors. So, let's continue!

6. Put out a good book: I’ve read so many books with a great story that were in desperate need of an editor. Spelling mistakes, bad grammar, wrong usage of words, plot holes, missing words, bad formatting, you name it. I know good editors are costly and not every author can afford one. But, in that case get good beta readers, alpha readers or any readers to help you spot mistakes you can’t find. I really do hate giving a good book a bad rating. Another thing authors could do to make a great book would be to get a professional cover designer if they can’t do a great cover themselves. That is why I always ask for a book cover along with a review request. There have been so many books I have seen and ignored because of bad covers. I’ll never know if I missed reading a great book because of this. 

~Alexia: Ditto! I’m a cover whore! If the cover doesn’t attract my attention I usually don’t read the synopsis or for that matter the book.

Blog Tour: Determinant

Welcome to the 2nd last stop of the Determinant Blog Tour. Here you will find the synopsis of Determinant (The Guardians of Vesturon #3), my ARC review, an excerpt, author bio and giveaway! Amazing prizes to be won - a Kindle Touch, Determinant (e-book) and Ressurection (e-book)!!

Title: Determinant [The Guardians of Vesturon #3]

Author: A.M. Hargrove

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance (with a sci-fi element)

Heat: Hot

Series: The Guardians of Vesturon - see here

Survival #1 - see here

Resurrection #2 - see here
Determinant #3

Beginnings: Prequel #0.1 - see here

Synopsis:

January St. Davis, on her own since the age of sixteen and struggling to stay in college, thinks she's scored in a major way when she lands a paid summer internship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. One evening, after working an especially long shift, a chance encounter with a group of mysterious men alters the course of her life.

Rykerian Yarrister, a Guardian of Vesturon with unearthly powers and impossibly gorgeous looks, finds himself at odds over the human female he recently saved from certain death. When it seems he is on the verge of winning her over, she is ripped from his hands by a strange and powerful being, threatening to destroy her if his demands are not met.

Do Rykerian and the Guardians have the ability to meet this fierce barbarian's ultimatums, or will January suffer a horrid demise?

Amazon e-book |  Amazon UK  |  Smashwords |  Barnes & Noble  |  iTunes

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Sunday Post #8

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Inspired by the meme, In My Mailbox - it's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books, things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

So let's get started :)

This week has been quiet-ish on the blog, as we both had hectic schedules work wise... here is what went down.

Monday, 23 July

Cover reveal of Genesis (Elemental Enmity Series #3) by Christie Rich

Sneak peak - In this post you'll find the cover for Genesis, book blurp and author bio. See cover here

Feature & Follow Friday #13

Hi peeps…

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Feature & Follow is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read.

Ok, so here’s how it works… Leave a comment on this post so that I can follow you back.

WINNERS: Emerald Dragon Character Contest

On Sunday, 1 July we posted about a contest... Create a character for 'The Emerald Dragon'! We received many entries and Solitaire Parke has chosen the two winners! 

Guest Post: Pinterest = Fun Social Media

Pinterest = Fun Social Media

by Terra Harmony

Of all the social media sites out there, the one I find most enjoyable is Pinterest. Here are the deets:

What is it: Images galore. Think of a digital pin-up board where you can post pictures and videos. Under your account, you can create different boards with different interests. This website is huge for fashion, travel, and foodies. 

Why do it: Currently, over 10 million people are using Pinterest. Some tout Pinterest as the fastest growing standalone website ever.  Users spend more time on Pinterest (average of 15 minutes per visit) than they do on Facebook (average of 12 minutes per visit) or Twitter (3 minutes). 

How: You can repin images you like or add your own. All images link back to the source, so there aren't any copyright issues (at least not that I know of). You can also 'like' pins and comment on pins. Choose other boards or people to follow.  

Cover Reveal: Genesis

Christie Rich's 3rd book in her Elemental Enmity Series will be available July 27th. In this post I will reveal the cover for Genesis, the synopsis and author bio. So here it is...

Genesis [Elemental Enmity #3]
by Christie Rich

Elemental Enmity Series:
Five #1 - see my review
Dark Matter #2 - see my review
Genesis #3

Synopsis:

Having just escaped the nefarious plans of the Order, Rayla Tate thinks all she has to do now is rescue her family and sort through her feelings, but bonding with five men might just be her undoing.  Not only does she have to deal with all of them reading her mind, Tabitha informs Rayla that she must choose a bondmate before she will be allowed to venture into the mortal realm to save those she loves most.

She has three weeks to get to know each lord, but her journey turns into far more than a simple choice of the heart.  Rayla comes face to face with the underhanded dealings of the fae political system where good is a matter of taste and evil lurks under beautiful shells.  Long held judgments crumble when she discovers the heart beneath the men she has come to count on.  Rayla must overcome long held fears, discover the truth behind the creatures of the dark realms, and conquer her greatest weakness before she can take her place as the new queen of the fae.

However, her world crumbles when she discovers following her heart’s desire might just mean the destruction of the world.  Will Rayla have the courage to choose the man who has risked everything to win her, or will she succumb to the manipulations of the fae council and those who would use her power for evil?

One choice:  five men.  The stakes have never been higher, but which one will prevail? 

Sunday Post #7

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Inspired by the meme, In My Mailbox - it's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books, things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

So let's get started :)

We've had a great week on the blog! Here's what went down...

Monday, 16 July

Ritesh and I received a blog award from Martina Bookaholic. Ritesh was super busy, so I answered the questions :)

Sneak peak - The Booker Award: I had to list 5 of my fave books, 5 fabulous moments, 5 things I love, 5 things I dislike and nominate 5 people for the award. See my answers here

Feature & Follow Friday #12

Hi peeps…

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

Feature & Follow is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read.

Ok, so here’s how it works… Leave a comment on this post so that I can follow you back.

Blogger Interview and Birthday Party: Alexia Smit

It is a very special occasion today as it is Alexia's birthday, so we're having a party here at Alexia's Chronicles. I decided to invite a few of Alexia's friends over for the party. I will also be asking Alexia a few questions, so everyone can get to know Alexia a bit better.

Let me first introduce Alexia's friends who've dropped in for the party. There'll be more friends joining in throughout the day!

Ritesh: That's me, of course, and I hope everyone has gotten to know me a bit better now that I hang around the blog a lot, and you can see some of my posts and reviews. I can't believe I have known Alexia only for a few months. I can truly say that she has become my best friend, even though I've never met her in person. She is an amazingly strong willed person, who'd do anything for her friends. Also, she is awesome, did you know that she has a karate black belt? Yeah that is Alexia, tough exterior, and mushy heart.

Review: Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows [Cursed in Darkness #2]
By Natalie Hancock

Cursed in Darkness Series:
Eternal Darkness #1 - See my review
Dark Shadows #2
Dark Awakening #3

From Goodreads:

Layla is incredibly weak from serious wounds after the attack and the hunger raging inside of her does not help. When Shade tempts her, with not just his body, but with his blood also, Layla struggles harder than ever. As much as she wants his blood pouring into her mouth while he takes her, she cannot do it. Her secret, her hidden identity will get out—and that she cannot handle.

Layla tries to continue to live her life as normal, however, things turn bad when Layla and Nikalye discover something and Layla has to fight for her life, putting everyone in serious danger.

Layla is on the lookout now, and the only distraction is Shade. When he speaks, when he breathes down her neck and touches her, she cannot remember anything but him. When they get intimate, it is all she can do to keep herself breathing as he pleasures her. She cannot understand how they both react so strongly with each other, but she does not care.

Yet she feels as though something is going to go horribly wrong, not with Shade and herself, but something else, something bigger…and she is not wrong.

It is worse than before and Layla has no choice now but to reveal who she really is, and risk everyone hating her for the rest of her time in the academy.

What is her secret?

Buy on: Amazon

So Natalie Hancock did it again... murdered my poor brain. Never before have I been so confuckulated by a plot. Once I figured out what the hell was going on, everything fell into place! Fabulous! Love love love book 2 in this series.

In Dark Shadows Layla has come out of her shell a bit more. She's opened up to some of her fellow students at the Academy. She has friends and life seems just a tad better on that front... she isn't that much of a loner anymore. This chick has been handed some major 'make or break' moments and she just breezed through it all with her head held high. Layla is awe-inspiring!!

Guest Post & Giveaway: The origin of The Guardians of Vesturon

The origin of The Guardians of Vesturon

By A.M. Hargrove

I love vampires, witches, werewolves and anything supernatural.  You name it, I’m one hundred percent in.  I can’t seem to get enough of any of them, so you can only imagine my excitement when all things paranormal began to surge and gain in popularity.  Somehow, I managed to have a daughter that *sigh* hates all things supernatural.  I still shake my head over that one (and oftentimes vigorously scratch it).  When I decided to try my hand at writing my first book, I plundered my brain for ideas that would appeal to both of us and hence, the Guardians of Vesturon were created.

I also love sci-fi.  She *sigh again* does not.  You may now be asking yourself, “What does she like?”  I’m still trying to figure that one out.  When I began writing Survival, Book 1 of The Guardians of Vesturon, I really wanted a blend of everything, minus vampires and werewolves.  I didn’t want strict paranormal or sci-fi either.  So the series tends to straddle the line.  There is a tendency for sci-fi, obviously, with the Guardians since they are otherworldly.  But it’s light sci-fi.  They are gifted with serious paranormal powers, such as telepathy and mind reading, for example.  There is a group of people on Earth they are connected with that have mystical/paranormal powers as well.  Though the books enter the sci-fi realm a bit, they are not high tech sci-fi to the point of turning a non-sci-fi lover off.  In other words, I don’t leap into the world of quantum physics and take you on a fifty page dissertation of trying to explain how that could possibly fit into my story.  The most intense form of tech you’ll ever see is my usage of the string theory in explaining the ability to travel faster than the speed of light.  Every now and then I might throw in an awful looking creature, but for the most part, my aliens are swoon-worthy, and easy on the eyes *wink*.