Sunday 28 August 2011

Guest Post: Romance and the Supernatural by L.M. Pruitt


As part of the 'Shades of Gray' book blog tour hosted by The Bookish Snob Promotions, I have the lovely and brilliant LM Pruitt over here visiting the blog for today, talking about romance and the supernatural. You can find my review and links to where to purchase the book here.




"Romance is tricky. Period. What’s romantic for one person is by no means romantic for the next. Some women go nuts over flowers. I know that they’ll be dead within a matter of days, most likely because I have a toxic hand with plants. I’ve killed bamboo before, so I’m not joking. Chocolate? Meh. Depends on my mood in general. But you buy me the book I’ve been salivating over and haven’t gotten to buy for whatever reason? There’s a good chance I’ll forgive your transgression or just forget about it completely.

Clearly, I’m somewhat untraditional.

One of the more memorable moments in the movie Legion (which has almost no romance) is when Gabriel and Michael are battling toward the end. Gabriel asks why/how Michael is there/not dead. Michael replies (forgive the para-quotation), “You gave Him what he wanted. I gave Him what he needed.” Now, obviously in real life situations someone isn’t going to kill/save the human race on your whim, but the point is the same.

It’s far easier to give someone what they want than what they need. Wants are usually very easy and more likely to be material or physical. Flowers, champagne, diamonds – even when they’re meant, they’re quick fixes to the inherent problem or situation. Heck, don’t get me wrong. If I could have someone drop a bucket load of money in my lap, tax-free, and say, “Do with it what you will,” I’d be ecstatic.

However, I don’t need it. Before you go psycho and ask what’s wrong with me, let me explain.

If you gave me a bucket of money, I’d do a lot of responsible things. I’d pay off all my debt, pay off my mom’s debt, get her a place to live, myself a place to live, set up college funds for a variety of people, endow a scholarship… you get the point. But after that, well, I’d be lazy for a while. Which is never in my best interests. I do the worst things every when I’m bored and feeling lazy. It’s like my mind demands amusement and the only way to achieve it is through wrecking some part of my life.

So a bucket of money? Not good.

The same principle applies in romance. The man who gives you everything you want is good, for the short haul at least. But what about when it comes to meeting basic needs, like trust, respect, love? If someone is inclined to take the easy way to generate emotions, I’d be likely to say those emotions won’t last long. But the man who gives you what you need, even if you don’t want it, even if you hate it? There’s moral fiber there, someone to turn to in the middle of the night to help you fight your demons and to walk next to in the day to face more mundane problems.

I would rather have someone who makes me face my problems, makes me face myself, than someone who placates me with a box of chocolates. I can trust he’ll be there, no matter what, which is a helluva lot better than chocolates.

Especially since most of those chocolate box sets are full of weirdness."


Hear hear, I totally agree with you. My man makes me face my demons instead of hiding away, he's there when I want to talk about stuff that is bugging me and he is there for me - through thick and thin. I think if I was with a guy that just placated me and gave me stuff I wanted, well he would be out of money very quickly, hehe!!

What do you guys think? Does your man give you what you want of what you need?

Keep reading for your chance to win an e-copy of 'Shades of Gray' by LM Pruitt.

Thanks for stopping by!!



About LM Pruitt

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. Titles written include New Moon Rising, Shades of Gray, the first novel in the Jude Magdalyn series, as well as Hole in the Wall, a Jude Magdalyn short. She is currently at work on Taken. She makes her home in Florida with one two cats—one smart, the other an idiot.



Connect with LM Pruitt at:

Personal Blog: http://www.lmpruitt.blogspot.com/

Facebook: L.M. Pruitt

Twitter: lmpruitt


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Here's your chance to win an e-copy of 'Shades of Gray'.

 
To enter:

 - You MUST be a follower of my blog

 - Leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address


And that's it, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Competition will close at 6pm UK time on 4th September.

Don't forget to stop by LM Pruitt's blog on 2nd September for another chance to win 'Shades of Gray' or 'Moon Rising'


Tomorrow's the blog tour stop is with Workaday Reads

Book Excerpt: The Vampire's Curse by S.J. Wright


As part of the 'The Vampire's Curse' book blog tour hosted by The Bookish Snob Promotions, I have an excerpt from S.J. Wright to share with you all. You can find my review and links to where to purchase the book here.

(Don't you just want to lick this picture?)





In the centuries since I had become one of the undead, I had never wanted a mortal woman as intensely as I craved Sarah. She was the ultimate temptation. Not just the breathtakingly delicious blood that flowed through her veins. I had the pleasure of tasting a little of it when I healed the wounds that Alex had inflicted on her. What had me entranced was the strength of her convictions, the saucy way she tossed harsh words at those she feared the most. Her courage, her voice, her hidden insecurities.


Every little fanciful thought that had ever passed through my mind about the girl suddenly rushed over me as I stood there in the darkness on that road. She stood there, hiding nothing. The expression she wore tore holes through me with its honesty. I might have drawn her away at that moment. It would have only taken a gentle word or two, but I felt powerless.


I have had many women. In the beginning, it was always about the blood and satisfying that thirst that drives all vampires. But we are capable of much more. I learned how to use my words, my eyes, my hands and my mouth to bring the kind of pleasure to a woman that she had never before experienced. There were times when all I really wanted was the coppery warmth of blood in my mouth, flowing down my throat. However, I preferred to be discrete with my feeding. If a woman was rendered nearly unconscious due to the effects of an incredible orgasm, she was less likely to feel alarmed when my teeth sank into her flesh. Compulsion is one of my abilities, but I use it sparingly. Perhaps it is one of my few moral qualms.


Sarah’s sudden vulnerability left me stunned. When I crossed over the boundary and took her into my arms, it was the strangest sensation. No one who knew me would have believed how easily I tossed away my chance at freedom. The deadly vampire, Michael Graviano, drawn back into imprisonment due to the heartrending expression on the face of a human. Impossible."


I love this excerpt, it's quite a emotional scene and I love how Michael is so thoughtful in his feeding habit. I think this is where Michael really shows his true colours underneath his cold vampire exterior. Sarah is his weakness..what's yours?


Keep reading for your chance to win an e-copy of 'The Vampire's Curse' by S.J. Wright.

Thanks to you all for stopping by =)


About S.J. Wright


"None of it had gone as planned. I was to have made the call and then lured her outside of the boundary. I had been caught up in the hope that lit her entire face. None of the speech I had prepared made it past my lips. All I could do was question my own purposes as I watched her. Her hair fell around her face like a shimmering amber veil, lifting and undulating with the wind. Her eyes were wide with anticipation, glittering in the meager light of the evening.


Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, at a time when children were still not required to use seatbelts in a vehicle, S.J. Wright grew up as the sixth of seven sisters.  She moved around a lot as a child, spent a good deal of her time reading books about horses, roller-skating (in an attempt to find Xanadu), and daydreaming about becoming a novelist.

She now lives in Little Elm, Texas with her husband, two sons, and one Jack Russell terrier that follows her around the house like a shadow.  She is the prime caregiver to her youngest son, who has spina bifida.  She loves horses (and swears one day she’ll actually get the guts to ride one again).

In February of 2011, she released her first paranormal suspense/romance novel called The Vampire’s Warden.  She plans to release a total of four books for the series.  S.J. (Stephanie) also loves hearing from her readers!  Be sure to check out her website at http://www.sjwrightbooks.com/
.

Connect with S.J. Wright at:

Blog: http://sjwrightauthor.blogspot.com/


Twitter: @SJWrightAuthor



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Here's your chance to win an e-copy of 'The Vampire's Curse'.

To enter:

- You MUST be a follower of my blog
- Leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address

And that's it, can't make it any easier. Competition will close at 6pm UK time on 4th September.
Tomorrow's the blog tour stop is with S.J. Wright and the chance to win $100 to spend on Amazon.com

Monday 22 August 2011

Review: Blood of the White Witch (ARC) by Lacey Weatherford

My Rating: E, P, B

Published: October 2010
Publisher: Moonstruck Media

Author's Website: laceyweatherfordbookds.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com Smashwords.com Barnes and Nobles

When love came knocking on the door of novice witch, Portia Mullins, in the form of handsome bad boy, Vance Mangum, she had no idea how quickly the attraction between them would escalate. Now she finds her relationship with Vance taken to a whole new level, in a way she had never dreamed possible at this point and time of her life. Yet even as the personal connection between them explodes, the two quickly find themselves in a world of shifting balances. While searching for Vance’s missing mother, they realize they are suddenly unsure of who to trust, learning that sometimes things are not always as they appear. When Vance’s demon characteristics abruptly begin to resurface again without warning, the horrible truth comes out, crashing down upon them and shattering some of their most precious dreams. Once the deadly plan is uncovered, Portia and Vance find themselves hastily rushing against the hands of time in an attempt to stop an ancient ritual from being performed. But will they be successful before fate reaches out to twist them cruelly, possibly separating them and changing magic forever? Passion, loyalties, powers, and family ties, will all be tested when dangerous adventures abound in this third installment in the Of Witches and Warlocks series, Blood of the White Witch.

Blood of the White Witch is the third book in the Of Witches and Warlocks series by Lacey Weatherford. This instalment in the series is full of action, passion and love. Best of all, it’s set in Scotland.

Portia and Vance are still overcoming their ordeal with Damien Cummings (Vance’s father) from The Demon Kiss. Vance decides he wants to dig deeper into the confession that Darcy had made regarding his mother and his father’s family. This takes them on a journey to Scotland where they find more than they had bargained for.

I absolutely loved this book. Vance was his usual sexy and awesome self and Portia was sort of taking a bit of a back seat in this story, but we do see her powers developing. This book was more about Vance looking into his family history and Portia, being part of his family, was there every step of the way for support. Sometimes delving into the unknown can lead to good things, but unfortunately for our hero and heroine, something always goes wrong. Vance learns more about why his father was performing the demonic rituals on him when he was a child and the heritage that comes with it. Portia also learns more about herself in this book but what she finds out is the cause for landing her and Vance in their predicament half way through the book.

My heart actually broke at the end of this book. It was such a heart wrenching cliff hanger to be left on but it builds immense suspense and a brilliant set up for the next book in the series, The Dark Rising. My favourite moment in this book had to be when Vance and Portia newly got to Scotland and involves some sexy Scottish attire.

Overall, loved this book and love the series. Vance and Portia’s story is timeless and I would recommend everyone to pick the series up and have a go. You won’t be disappointed.

Disclaimer: I was sent this ARC e-book for review from the author. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Review: Shades of Gray by LM Pruitt

My Rating: E, E, E

Published: 2011
Publisher: Red Hot Publishing

Author's Website: lmpruitt.blogspot.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com Barnes and Noble

Jude Magdalyn Henries has what some--okay, many--would call an unconventional life. Orphaned at birth, raised by nuns, teenage runaway, fake tarot card reader--there is very little about Jude that’s normal. Jude plays hard, which means she has to work at least semi-hard, but when she accepts an invitation to do a private tarot reading, “unconventional” takes on a whole new meaning.

Almost nothing shocks Jude anymore, but when she finds out that she’s the last in a line of matriarchal leaders of a magical group, shock is definitely what she feels. The Covenant has been waiting for Jude to come into her birthright for the past twenty five years. And then there’s the war between vampire factions for control of the city of New Orleans. In the end, the fate of the city hinges on one last battle, ranging from roof top to Bourbon Street to the bottom of the Mississippi River.


Shades of Gray is the first installment in the Jude Magdalyn series by LM Pruitt. Words can’t describe how brilliant this book was. There was action, romance, a bit of smut and heartbreak: the makings of an awesome story.

Jude Magdalyn Henries is just your average girl trying to make a living in the streets of New Orleans, be it hustling or setting up a scam, it puts food on the table and pays the bills. But all that changes after a scam goes wrong and Jude is on the run when she stumbles head first into an ongoing war: a war that she is at the centre of. From this encounter, Jude goes on to learn more about her heritage and all the goodies that come with it.

I can’t rant and rave enough about this book. I absolutely loved it from the get go, the story is unlike anything I have read before. Yes it’s supernaturally based but the story itself and how it unfolds is different, it kept things interesting. I thought I knew what Jude would do next, but every time I thought I knew what Jude would do next, I was wrong. Jude is a very unpredictable, outspoken and kind character. Her attitude gets her into trouble most of the time but sometimes it’s useful. No story would be complete without a love interest or two and Jude has some choices. Albeit the choice Jude made threw me, but I loved that this character could keep me guessing about what is going to happen next. The love interests themselves are some fine specimens and I don’t think I have ever been this jealous of a fictional character in my life, but I am.

Overall, just brilliant!! I can’t wait for the next book in the series, Shades of Desire. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but maybe not of any age. I would say mid-teen and upwards. LM Pruitt, you rock for writing this book!

Disclaimer: I was sent this e-book as part of a tour via The Bookish Snob Promotions. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.

Thursday 11 August 2011

Sexy Blog Makeover...

*nervous laugh* So..what do you guys think? Don't you just love the new look?

I do..I'm over the moon with it!!!

And guess who it's all thanks too...yup that's right! The one, the ONLY... The Bookish Snob

This is just a wee dedication to the awesomeness that is Bels! And if you want to know what Bels gets up to when she isn't making over blogs, writing books, reading, blogging then take a look at this pic..


(oh yes Bels, you can't hide your saucy minxy ways forever...although you might want to hide these pics from your husband LOL)

Some folk have all the fun, eh? HAHA! 

BUT seriously, love you Bels and thanks for making my blog all gorgeous and sexified!!

Without Mercy Winners

Congratulations to latishjean and ruby95660!!!

You have both won a copy of 'Without Mercy' novelette by Belinda Boring, aka The Bookish Snob.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Review: The Vampire's Curse by S.J. Wright

My Rating: VG, B, L

Published: March 2011
Publisher: Self-Published

Author's Website: sjrightauthor.blogspot.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Still reeling from having witnessed the vampire battle on her property that left her friend Alex a vampire himself, Sarah Wood is surprised yet again. This time, it's by a familiar face from the past.

Sarah's guilt pushes her into doing something unbelievable. Sarah's ex-boyfriend, Trevor, causes some trouble that will have lasting effects. Michael finds himself in the unusual position of saving a life instead of taking one.

Katie, the sister that Sarah wants to be protected at all costs, is in a new kind of danger.

Don't miss this new, longer look into the world of the Vampire's Warden, Sarah, as she confronts old enemies, new friends and new lovers.


The Vampire’s Curse is the second installment in the ‘Undead in Brown County’ series by S.J. Wright. This addition to the series is jam packed with excitement. There’s the unexpected appearance of Sarah’s undead mother, a steamy love triangle and a power struggle going on.

Sarah is coming to terms with the task, of being a warden, that was left to her by her father but I think she is beginning to become a little bit overwhelmed by it all. It’s all still surreal to her and she can’t believe that her mother is still alive. It really knocks her self esteem. She also has to deal with the guilt of making a life or death decision for her friend Alex. Her decision comes back to bite her on the butt.

Michael’s presence still makes Sarah pretty jittery but she begins to grow closer to him and begins to trust him. Not sure if it’s a wise decision but in the heat of the moment, she has to decide whether she can trust an incarcerated vampire under her watch or trust a vampire that she gave her all to and was nearly sucked dry because of it.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great addition to the series and gives you a bit more of an insight into Michael’s past and how he came to be in the field. We learn more about Alex’s past and connection to Sarah’s mother that was mentioned in ‘The Vampire’s Warden’. I loved the scene with Sarah and Trevor. Her cocky attitude had me cheering for her in the background hoping she would wipe the floor with him.

I think my favourite moment was near the end between Sarah and Michael. It was at that moment that all charades between them were dropped. It was quite magical reading this scene. I loved that Sarah couldn’t help but dip back into her usual defensive cocky attitude with him though. It makes the interaction between the two characters much more entertaining to read.

Overall, loved the book and would recommend it to anyone who has read ‘The Vampire’s Curse’ and enjoyed it. It would be ideal if the reader read the first book before reading this one although S.J. Wright does give a good narrative that would inform readers of any important information that would be needed to comprehend what was going on in ‘The Vampire’s Curse’.

Disclaimer: I was sent this e-book for review as part of The Bookish Snob Promotions for a book tour. I have not been paid for this review and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.