Saturday, July 16, 2011

Review: Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

* I received this novelle (digital copy) from the author in return for an honest review.

Amazon Product Description:

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator? 
When Darcy's outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense - it was all a dream. Or was it?
My thoughts:
This story is fantastic!  The first sentence grabbed me and never let go! 
This is a wonderfully written piece of work.  Descriptive wording,  clever plot, interesting and carefully created characters, a smooth flowing storyline, and an ending that both satisfies and leaves you wanting MORE stories from the author.


I found my heart in my throat as the story unfolded before me.  Who would prevail? The woman...the wolf...desire...and who would save her from herself?  


A MUST read for shifter fans!  Fantastic debut from a talented writer and fellow book blogger! Be sure to check this one out! I know I am looking forward to reading more books in this series and more books in general from Belinda Boring.


You can buy your own copy HERE or HERE.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Vampire Bites by Katie Salidas Blog Tour (and Giveaway!!!)

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour!!!
The Blog Tour is being presented by The Bookish Snob Book Promotions!
You can get to the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE!
To read my review of this book click HERE!
Go HERE and/or HERE to buy your own copy!
Today's feature: Katie Salidas!
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.  She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
 And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.
http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie
And now for your reading pleasure:

HALLOWEEN FANTASIES
Copyright © 2010 by Katie Salidas
Chapter Excerpt

Dante leaned into his brother’s ear. “You see, it’s a perfect package deal. Two beautiful females, just as I had described.”
A ginger-haired woman, in a witch costume, waved at them from across the room.
Trevor inclined his head, and a smile played across his face. “And which of the two beauties is mine for the taking?”
“You’re into costumes and games, right? Why not take the little witch for a ride on your broom?” Dante snickered. “She seems like she could be fun.”
“And that leaves the dominatrix for you?”
“Vampire huntress,” Dante corrected.
Trevor’s eyes lit up with amusement. “Oh, that is perfect.” He burst into laughter. “Mr. No Games wants to play with the vampire hunter.”
“I thought you would be amused by that.”
“Did she bring a stake?” Trevor clutched his stomach as he roared, unable to hold back the fit of laughter. “Or perhaps some holy water?” Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. He swiped them away with a quick brush of his hand.
“Go on then, get it all out of your system.” Dante didn’t bother hiding the aggravation in his voice. He didn’t care for his brother’s taunting, but he would endure it if it meant getting his way. He needed to separate Sasha from her friend if he wanted to have her for the evening. 
Trevor finally stopped laughing and straightened his face. “You know I prefer to pick my own prey, but seeing how you might be getting into the spirit of the evening, I’ll go along with this… on one condition.”
Dante arched an eyebrow at his brother. “What condition?”
“I want you to play a little game with me. Let’s make this a challenge.  No mind control. Tonight we work on charm and skill alone.”
Dante groaned. “I think that ridiculous Prince costume has gone to your head.”
Trevor smiled, flashing his brilliant white teeth. “I’m playing my part. It’s Halloween, a time to be someone or something different.”
“But I do not want to be Prince Charming. I like being a vampire.”
“That’s my point. You aren’t getting into the spirit of the evening. I want you to try and be something different tonight. Don’t just be a vampire. Be charming and have fun wooing a woman the old-fashioned way.” He folded his arms in front of his chest. “Unless you aren’t up to the challenge.”
His brother’s taunting set his teeth on edge. “You think I’m not capable of taking a woman’s vein and getting her in bed without mind control?” he asked with a snarl.
“I think you’re out of touch, yes.” Trevor matched Dante’s stern look. “Now, do you accept my challenge, or not?”
Dante turned to look back at the two women sitting at the bar. “I have no doubt I could have her within the hour… on skill alone.” He focused on Sasha, inhaling a deep breath as his eyes traveled the length of her body. He puffed his chest arrogantly. “She will be eating out of the palm of my hand, begging me to take her.”
“Well then, Casanova, shall we go meet our ladies?” Trevor held his hand out, pointing to the women.
Dante nodded, and the two brothers slowly made their way through the crowd toward the bar. 
As they approached, Dante’s eyes never left Sasha’s form, drinking in her tanned skin and lean body. He admired the way the leather pants clung to her long legs and the sensuous curve of her backside as she sat, perched on the bar stool. He imagined himself bending her over the side of a bed, kneading the soft flesh of her ass as he drove into her. His cock jumped to attention at the thought, filling his pants, pulling the denim taut over his waist.
“We meet again,” Dante said as they arrived at the bar.
Sasha looked up. Her long black hair, tied into a high ponytail, swung away from her neck as she turned to face him, revealing her tempting neckline.
His eyes zeroed in on her pulse. It beat with a tantalizing rhythm, calling to him. He enjoyed the way her body was already responding. This should be all too easy. He smiled, flashing his fangs at her.
“Oh… hi… uh, hello,” Sasha stammered, as if trying to find the right words to say.
Angela swallowed a gulp of her green beverage. “I see you found your brother.” She beamed a smile at him. 
“Yes.” Dante cleared his throat.  “Allow me to introduce Prince… er… Trevor.” He stepped aside and let his brother make his introduction.
Like a true gentleman, Trevor bowed low and then looked up to the two women. “A pleasure to meet you both.” He stood and took hold of Angela’s hand and brought it gently to his lips. “Especially you. Enchante, Madam witch.”
Angela giggled girlishly, and a smile spread wide across her lips. “Oh. You are really playing the part tonight, aren’t you, Prince… Trevor, was it?”
“You can call me Charming if that fits better.” He winked.
“I just might,” Angela said.
“Would you care to dance, Milady?”
“How could I resist?” Angela jumped to her feet.
Dante let out an exasperated sigh and then turned away from the garish couple to focus on his prize—Sasha. “Is the offer to join you still open?”
Sasha smiled and pointed to the recently vacated stool next to her. “Sure. Sorry I had to leave back there. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I just can’t seem to stand up very long. These shoes…”
Oh, I can think of a few ways to keep you off of your feet. Dante grinned. “It’s quite all right. We can finish our conversation here. Where did we leave off?”
Sasha took a quick sip from her drink. “I was telling you I would stake you if you tried to bite me.” She laughed and set the empty glass back on the counter. Her foot bobbed to the rhythm of the drum and bass beat.
 “Ah yes. I did want to take a little nibble.” He flashed his fangs at her and winked. “Even with the threat of being staked, it might be worth it. You look so tempting in that costume.”
A red flush hit her cheeks. Dante enjoyed the darkening of her skin and the rapid pulse that accompanied it.
Sasha looked down at the ground for a moment, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked. “And I thought your bother was Prince Charming.”
 “You find me charming?” Dante laughed. “And I thought I was being a cocky rogue.”
Sasha cocked her head sideways. “The best rogues are the most charming.”
“Then I guess I am doing my job well.” He smiled wide and licked the tips of his fangs.
“You are entirely too sure of yourself.” She appeared as if she was trying to hide her excited expression, but it was revealed by a twinkle flashing in her pale blue eyes.
Feisty, I like that. Dante’s eyes roamed the length of her body, stopping at the small broken stick in her belt loops. The corner of his mouth rose in a crooked grin. “I’m intrigued by your choice of costume, Ms. Huntress.”
“It wasn’t my first choice, but it works.” She casually brushed her hair off her shoulder, allowing her ponytail to hang down her back. “It looks like you put a lot of effort into yours. Those teeth look so real and sharp.”
Dante was momentarily caught off guard watching the thump of her pulse beating just beneath the surface of her bare olive-skinned neck. He shook his head in a vain attempt to shake away thoughts of sampling her tempting flesh. “Forget about my teeth. Let me order you another drink, and you can tell me more about you.”
 *****************************************************************
Want to win an ecopy?  Fill out the form below!  MUST be 18+ and a follower of The Wormhole!

The next stop on the blog tour is: July 16 – Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole!
Happy reading!
(Don't forget to check out the end of tour giveaway!)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

BlogFest 2011!


Check out BlogFest hosted by A Journey of Books HERE!
Welcome to The Wormhole!
Prize is book of choice ($10.00 or less) - giveaway ends 7/17/11 -Thanks for stopping by!
To enter: you must be 13 years old or older and fill out this form:
There are only two blogs after me - check them out too!

Review: Vampire Bites by Katie Salidas

Vampire Bites by Katie Salidas
(three novellas in one book)


*I received this book (digital copy) in exchange for an honest review and participation in the blog tour.  The blog tour is being hosted by The Bookish Snob Tours.


Amazon Product Description:
Enjoy three novella-length stories of love, lust, and vampire bites.

House of Immortal Pleasures:
Blindfolded, and kidnapped by her friends, Daphne is whisked away to the famed, House of Immortal Pleasures, a Vampire-run Brothel in Pahrump, Nevada.

Sometimes the only way to mend a broken heart is to get back in the saddle. At least that is how Daphne's friends see it. And since Daphne isn't showing any signs of letting that happen, they take it into their own hands. With a few shots of liquid courage, a pat on the ass, and a donated gold card, Daphne is unwillingly sent to meet her creature of the night, Connor.

Karma & Melodies:
Ten years after she was stolen from the mortal world, Kendra runs into the man she had always loved. But she's not longer a human and he's a popular musician on tour with his band. Can they find a way to make love work?

Halloween Fantasies:
Touted as the sexiest party of the year, the annual Halloween Fantasy Ball is the one place a girl can let loose and succumb to her wildest fantasies. Disguised as a sexy vampire huntress, Sasha captures the attention of Dante, a real life creature of the night. And this sexy vampire has a few fantasies to share.

These stories contain consensual sexual situations and strong language. Adult readers only.



My thoughts about the three stories in general:  
I enjoyed the characters.  In each story the characters have deep, meaningful relationships with each other in some way and look out for one another.  I found the author's ability to create strong characters to be the fuel for each story.  What I found most impressive was that each story was unique and contained a well developed story line ~ the reader isn't left with the feeling that something was missing.  The only downside is that you are left wanting more....more stories, more information about the characters...  They are so well done that you really aren't ready to move on when the story ends.


The House of Immortal Pleasure was my favorite, if I had to choose one.  I found myself falling for Connor and his desire for freedom, but fell in love with him when he decides he has to help Daphne replace her bad memories.  The romantic in me couldn't resist the ending to this one. 


With characters like this ~ I am hooked, I will always be a Katie Salidas reader!!!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Review: The Last Archangel by Michael D. Young (Blog Tour Post)


The blog tour is presented by Cedar Fort Publishing.
You can see the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.
You can buy your own copy HERE and HERE.
Welcome to my stop on the tour!
Today I am pleased to feature The Last Archangel 
by Michael D. Young
Michael is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in German Teaching and a minor in Music. He puts his German to good use by working to build online German courses for High School students. Though he grew up traveling the world with his military father, he now lives in Utah with his wife, Jen, and his two sons. Michael enjoys acting in community theater, playing and writing music and spending time with his family. He played for several years with the handbell choir Bells on Temple Square and is now a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

His first book, "The Canticle Kingdom", was released in Feb 2010 through Bonneville Books. Is is also the author of the inspirational pamphlet"Portrait of a Mother". He has also had work featured in various online and print magazines such asMindflightsThe New EraAllegory, and Ensign.


Amazon product description:
Xandir has been exiled to earth until the end of time. But when his cherub trainee disappears, Xandir makes a deal with rogue angels and giants that could restore life to the mortal woman he loves and end his assignment as a destroying angel in exchange for helping them bring about the end of the world and all of mankind.


My thoughts:
I wasn't sure what to expect from this one.  An angel as a destroyer?  
I am a firm believer that you can't have both Justice and Mercy - interesting considering Xandir's swords.  
I was pleased to find that I enjoyed the story very much.  I was swept into the story from the very beginning.  The characters are wonderful.   Cleverly created and original in design, they all come with interesting personalities that I found myself drawn to.     I was thrilled with the relationships that develop throughout the story and couldn't wait to get to the end!  
The story is well written, entertaining, inspirational, and like nothing else I have read lately.
The plot keeps the reader thinking but is a pleasure to read.  I hope to see more from him!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Review: The Dark Rising by Lacey Weatherford

The Dark Rising (Of Witches and Warlocks Book 4) 
                   by Lacey Weatherford


*I received this eARC from the author 
  in exchange for an honest review.


My Thoughts:


Once again, Lacey Weatherford has demonstrated her ability to craft a magnificent tale that is dark and dangerous, but filled with love and hope.  
Of Witches and Warlocks continues with The Dark Rising and Wow! You are not ready for this one!  
Hold on for the ride of your life as Portia and Vance continue to battle the darkness.  Will their love be enough?  Wonderfully written.  Couldn't put it down!