Tag: Sourcebooks

Friday Bargains: Sourcebooks deals

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

 The following books are availalbe for 0.99 at Amazon and Kobo ( probably other stores too). Enjoy!

Janette Aston is fascinated by all things scientific, despite the Victorian definition of ladylike. Enthralled by Illuminists committed to scientific discovery, she sneaks into their headquarters. Darius Lawley, Guardian, catches her. He must save this rare Pure Spirit able to harness crystal power, from the rival Helikeians. The couple’s attraction is sudden and steamy.


Welcome to Sultry Springs, Texas: where first loves find second chances…

Nine years after June Augustine hightailed it out of Sultry Springs with her heart in pieces, one thing stands between her and her dream of opening an upscale martini bar: a bogus warrant from her tiny Texas hometown. Now she’s stuck in the sticks for a month of community service under the supervision of the devilishly sexy Luke Gallagher, her first love and ex-best friend.

If Texas wasn’t already hot enough, working side-by-side with June would make any man melt. Luke wants nothing more than to strip her down and throw her in the lake-the same lake where they were found buck naked and guilty as sin all those years ago. In their heads, they’re older and wise. But their hearts tell a different story…

Rules Are Made to be Disobeyed…

Sophia Thorne is new to the Regency’s glittering high society, which resembles her magical homeland only insofar as both places are filled with ridiculous rules. Which means no matter where she goes, she’s bound for trouble…

And Scandals Are Meant to be Shocking…

The Duke of Robinsworth has flaunted and shocked society for years. In a moment of fateful mischief, Robinsworth encounters the enchanting and distinctly scandalous Sophia. Between her streak of magical mischief and his penchant for scandal, they’re about to take rule-breaking to a whole new level..

A stolen kiss from a stranger…
As if from a dream, Lady Gabrielle walked from the mist and into Viscount Brentwood’s arms. Within moments, he’s embroiled in more scandal than he ever thought possible…
Can sink even a perfect gentleman…
Beautiful, clever, and courageous, Lady Gabrielle needs Brent’s help to get out of a seriously bad situation. But the more she gets to know him, the worse she feels about ruining his life…
Enter the unforgettable world of Amelia Grey’s sparkling Regency London, where a single encounter may have devastating consequences for a gentleman and a lady

When a half-naked woman suddenly appears on his country estate, Simon Grenville doesn’t have time to be shocked. Demonic beasts are hot on his heels until the beautiful stranger unsheathes several knives strapped to her skin-tight trousers and kills them. As he stares at her fierce, heart-stopping face, Simon knows he’s in a hell of a lot of trouble…

Joan is from a time where demons run rampant and humanity is fighting for its existence. To prevent this terrible future, she is sent back to Victorian England to kill the magician responsible for unleashing the dark forces. But Joan is a soldier more used to sparring than dancing. To get close to her target, she’ll need Simon to teach her how to fit into polite society. Joan doesn’t mind practicing proper flirtation on Simon, but she can’t allow herself to be distracted by his gentle hands or devilish smile–the very future depends on it
 

Review: The Lure of Song and Magic by Patricia Rice

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Allromance
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:
Her voice was a curse…

When Dylan “Oz” Oswin’s son is kidnapped, the high-powered producer will do anything to get him back. Desperately following an anonymous tip, he seeks help from a former child singing sensation called Syrene, only to find she’s vowed never to sing again. Immune to her voice but not her charm, Oz is convinced she holds the key to his son’s disappearance—and he’ll stop at nothing to make her break her vow.

Only he can make her sing…

She knows the devastation her talent can bring. There’s more than a child’s life at stake, but Syrene cannot unleash her dangerous siren’s voice upon the world, even for a man who is impossible to deny.

The Review:

This have been on my wishlist for a long time, but I never got around to buy it until now. And I am glad I read it. This is Patricia Rice at her best.
The book hooked me from the start. The California setting felt believable, and I liked how the citizens of El Paso supported Pippa. I liked how they were depending on farmers and tourists, and how it made their economy vulnerable.
And.. Into this Oz storms. I liked Oz, and how he was prepared to do anything to find his son. It would have been easy for Pippa be steamrolled by Oz, but I liked how she stood her ground, and refused. It was intresting to meet the rest of the inhabitants, and Conan. Who was geeky like always.
The plot was fascinating, and I liked how everything was connected. Pippa’s past, Oz missing son, the villain. What I also liked was how Pippa slowly started to step out of her shell, and start to heal from the past scars.
So what I didn’t like. Sometimes I got confused over when the kidnapping happened, if it had happened when Donal was a baby or when he was older.

Review: This Magic Moment by Patricia Rice

On By MikaelaIn Uncategorized
The Particulars: Historical Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Smashwords ( I think)
The Grade: B
The Blurb:
Duke Harry of Sommersville indulged in a carefree, comfortable life— until a sudden inheritance leaves him plagued with a crumbling family manor and hungry debtors. What’s a desperate duke to do but marry the well-heeled woman betrothed to him for years?

Christina Malcolm Childe soon discovers the heavy demands of her new title and the dilapidated and haunted mansion that is her new home. To make matters worse, her magical gift of reading auras reveals that her laughing Harry has become a dark and bitter man. But this mischievous Malcolm has a plan of retaliation: to refuse to consummate their marriage until Harry learns to love her truly.

If only she can resist his raw masculinity long enough to determine the cause of his unhappiness and the mansion’s neglect. She must find her answers quickly, before the worm-eaten floors fall from beneath her very feet. That is, if Harry doesn’t sweep her off them first..

 
The Review:
I bought this when Patricia Rice re-issued the Magic series as e-books, but it is about to be released in print soon, I thought this was a good time to review it.
This is the fourth book in the Malcolm and Ives series, and it focus on Harry and Christina. I enjoyed following their romance, from a marriage of convenience to a marriage of love. They both mature a lot during the novel.Harry turns from an outgoing MP to a stern duke. His transformation is swift, overnight almost, but it makes sense. What I like is how he during the novel start to merge into a combination of his previous personality and his stern persona.
Christina was bubbly, and slightly tomboyish when the book started. But slowly she becomes more lady like. 
The  crumbling manor that Harry inherits felt believable,  since a lot of nobles struggled with maintaining their estates.  And Harry’s fathers wish to rebuild the manor was a part of that era.  I liked the mix of old and new in the manor. 
The plot was well crafted, and filled with unexpected twists. I loved how Christina’s gift of seeing ghosts and auras got her into trouble. And I loved Harry’s reactions since they made so much sense. What I liked was that they realised that they had to work together to solve the mystery, and save the estate.
That said, who the villain was felt a bit predicable to me, which pulls down the grade. ( That and the formatting errors. Which is fixed in the new edition.)

Ten Days of Yule Review:Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight by Grace Burrowes

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews
The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Discover a new love
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:
No one would ever guess that Lady Louisa, the most reserved of the Duke of Moreland’s daughters, had published a book of racy poems under a pseydonym on a dare. Before she can buy and destroy all of the copies, a dastardly fortune hunter seeks to compromise her reputation by revealing her secret identity at a holiday ball.

Before she can be publicly ruined, close family friend Sir Joseph Carrington saves the day by offering to marry Louisa. As he recites poetry to her, waltzes with her by starlight, and showers her with lovely kisses, they both begin to discover that their match may be the best Christmas gift either has ever received..

The Review:
Grace Burrowes are one of my favorite authors, so when this was one of the picks at Discover a New Love I snapped it up.
This was a sweet romance. Both Joseph and Louisa felt very believable, and down to earth.
Both of them felt slightly out of place at the balls and the soarees that the rest of the Ton felt at home with. The descriptions of felt believable, from the way some males prefered the billiard room, to the polite chatter that could hide so many things. As the story went on, their romance developed. It was a slow romance, but I enjoyed it. They showed their feelings in a thousand different ways.
Both of them had secrets, and I enjoyed as the secrets were gradually revealed, as both of them seperately, started to get an inkling of that something was wrong. It was touching, when their relationship reached the point that they trusted each other to reveal their secrets.
The biggest part I had with this book was that it lacked… tension. Oh, the sexual tension was there, but considering the blackmail threat, I missed the feeling of a suspense regarding to who it was, and what would happen.

Review: Sanctuary Lost by Moira Rogers

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance


The Particulars: Paranormal Romance
The Source: Purchased at AllRomance
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

If there’s one thing that Brynn Adler hates, it’s feeling helpless and vulnerable in unfamiliar territory. Three weeks ago, life tossed her into just such a world. A world of werewolves she never knew existed—until she found out her sister was one of them.
The pack seems determined to hurry her back to the normal world of humans. But after everything she’s witnessed, she’s not sure she wants to go—especially if it means leaving not only her sister behind, but the one man who makes her forget her life is falling apart.
Now all she has to do is convince him to agree to a plan to force the pack to let her stay.
Joe Mitchell has been battling his protective instincts since he rescued Brynn from her kidnapper. Getting involved with her is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. She’s on shaky emotional ground, and a supernatural war is no place for a human woman. He’s not about to let her make a hasty decision, one that will only bring her pain and regret.
Now all he has to do is let her go.



The Review:

This is the second book in the series, and it isn’t stand alone. I don’t believe there are many spoilers to book one in it, but to understand the background, it is best to have read book one.

I enjoyed the insight this book gave me when it comes to the Hierachy of a Werewolf pack. I loved how everyone (except Gavin) are dominant to some wolves, and submissive to others.I also enjoyed the insight in werewolf politics it gave me.    

This is a heart wrenching book.  My heart ached for Brynn, as she struggled to pick up her life and adjust to the changes in her life.I liked how Joe was there and supported her, even though he didn’t always agree with her descions.  But he did his best to ensure she could defend herself.   

Brynn might be submissive, but I love the fact that she is strong. She knows what she wants. I also loved that she had to fight for it, both with her sister and the Alphas of Red Rock Pass.

The plot was action packed, and filled with unexpected twists.  I loved how Ms Rogers took Brynn’s wishes and turned them upside down.While Joe acted as Brynn’s Guide,  I also liked that in the end it was Brynn that reached a balance with her wolf.

As all this happens, other events builds up to a confrontation with Alan Matthews.
While nothing with this book was bad, it took awhile before it fully hooked me :).

Review: Cry Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance
The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Kobo
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:

Keith Winston is tired of fighting. The war between werewolves and wizards rages on in Europe, but he’s come home to Red Rock, Montana in hopes of finding a bit of peace. Instead he finds more strife as he struggles against the pack’s dictates that he resume his place as the alpha’s right-hand man.

When he rescues a new wolf on the run, he knows his instant attraction to her could cause trouble. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself embroiled in another battle that goes against all his instincts—and his heart.
Abigail Adler learned about the existence of werewolves only when she became one. With her life threatened by a corrupt alpha, she flees to the only sanctuary she knows: Red Rock. While she’s grateful for the pack’s protection, she chafes under its unbreakable rules of conduct—except when it comes to submitting to the passion Keith stirs in her.
Then her tormentor kidnaps her sister in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. To save her, Abby and Keith must be willing to do the very thing that could get them all killed—break all of the rules.
The Review:
This is the first book in Moira Rogers excellent Red Rock Pass series, which is one of my favorite series.
The world is intriguing, and filled with fractions. I loved how the tension between werewolves that follows the old ways and werewolves that doesn’t affected the plot. I could feel an echo of how fast our society has changed, and not necessarily for the better. What I also liked was how she hinted at the existence of other factions. I cannot wait to see how that will affect future books, both in this series and the Green Pine series. ( And future, unwritten series.)
But what I liked most was how Moira Rogers has spent time thinking about the details. I loved the tradition of Guide and Initiation, and how it was encouraged to take time before taking the plunge. At least in the Sanctuary pack, in non- Sanctuary pack I felt it was more on the whim of the Alpha.
The book crackles with tension. Both between Keith and Abby, but also tension between the Red Rock Pack and the Helena Pack.I enjoyed reading about Keith and Abby’s relationship. It would have been so easy for Keith to take the plunge, and become both Abby’s boyfriend and Guide. Instead, he is adamant that Abby makes an active choice about who she wants as Guide. Both Abby and Keith had their past, and I loved how it came back to haunt them. Both the Romance and the Action built on each other, and both stemmed from the characters protective instinct.  That combination led to a book I couldn’t put down.  
This book was fast paced, but sometimes it felt like things happened too fast. It is a sign of Moira Rogers skill that it never became confusing.

Review: The Trouble With Magic by Patricia Rice

On By MikaelaIn Uncategorized
The Particulars: Historical Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available as e-book and in print
The Source: All Romance
The Grade: B-
The blurb:
Is Her Magic a Gift or a Curse…?

All the Malcolms have some magic, but Lady Felicity’s ability to read people’s emotions simply by touching them or their possessions overwhelms her. She’s reached a marriageable age, but how can she ever wed when she can see so clearly a man’s guilty secrets?

Only He Can Tell the Difference…

Ewen Ives, itinerant rake and adventurous inventor, knows better than to underestimate the mischief of the Malcolms. But sparks fly when he encounters Felicity

The Review:
I bought all of Patricia Rice Magic Novels when she selfpublished them, before she sold them to Sourcebook. Except… this book, some how, went missing. So, when it was re-issued by Sourcebooks I knew I had to buy it again.
And I am glad I did.
I enjoyed reading about Ewen and Felicity’s romance. I liked Ewen’s chivalry, and his attempt to protect Felicity from the visions. Even when he made mistakes, he acted for Felicity’s welfare. And my heart melted as he struggled between doing what he must, and doing what he wanted. It fascinating to see him grow, from a wandering tinker and inventor, to a man satisfied with settling down.
At first Felicity’s lack of self confidence annoyed me . But that annoyance disappeared quickly as the story continued. She has inner strength that I admired, and it felt like she could do anything. As long as Ewen was there. And that was one of the aspects that I liked most. How Ewen and Felicity fit. They are different, yet somehow their halves meshed and became one.
But what I especially liked, was that both of them knew that they would have rough times in front of them.I liked how the romance, and the threat of bankruptcy that hung over Ewen’s head worked together. And I also liked how they worked together, both when it came to finding Felicity’s journal, and figuring out how the lock that Ewen designed broke.
And that, in combination with an intriguing and carefully crafted setting, created a book I couldn’t stop reading.
Despite all the things I loved with the book, it sometime felt like I was skimming pages, not reading them. But that didn’t last long though..

Review: Enchanting the Lady by Kathryne Kennedy

On By MikaelaIn reviews
The particulars: Historical Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available as e-book and in print
The Source: Discover a new love
The Grade: D+
The blurb:
Sir Terence Blackwell is a lion shapeshifter who is determined to find the magical relic that killed his brother. When he sniffs out the taint of magic on Lady Felicity Seymour, a disinherited duchess, he’s sure that she’s far craftier than she first appears. Terrance believes that the easiest way to learn all of her secrets is to court the young miss. Unfortunately, Terrance’s plans for vengeance are soon thwarted when he finds himself falling under the lady’s enchanting spell…
The Review:
I downloaded this from Discover a new love since I read and liked The Firelord’s lover a couple of years ago.
This is a light paranormal, set in an alternate Victorian London. I had a lot of fun trying to guess which parts of London the different neighborhoods was based on. The alternative place names felt right and reflected the neighborhoods status.  How the magic system was set up appealed a lot too me.  I liked that you ( and your family) could raise or fall  in status, depending on which kind of magic you had.  I also liked that no one could do everything.  
The thing I liked most about this book was Terence and Felicity. Both of them were shaped by their backgrounds. Terrence just lost his brother, and is fiercely protective of his remaining family. And I liked the lengths he went to protect Felicity.
Felicity has spent her life being ignored. And her adaptions to that made me smile. But the first scenes made my heart ache as well since they showed very clearly how her life must have been.
Too me the plot was very predicable. From the way they met, to their courtship and then their HEA. The thing that kept me reading was Terence and Felicity’s relationship, but when I stopped reading yesterday I wasn’t sure if I would finish this.  In fact, it wasn’t until the last 70 pages or so that I felt that I was interested in what happened next.
A lot of that stemmed from my main problem with this book: I had a lot of problem connecting with the characters. I liked Terence and Felicity, but I didn’t love them. It felt like their feelings were just hinted at, and never truly shown. Which is too bad, since I felt that there was a lot of promise in the worldbuilding, and in parts of the plot.

Review: Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book.
The Source: Purchased at Allromance
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:

He’s looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance…
There’s never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field…
A girl just wants to have fun…
Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry’s not sure she’s ready to trust him with her heart…especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.
Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs…

The Review:

This is another unread book that I decided to read on a whim. I am glad I did. This wasn’t a perfect romance, far from it, but it made me laugh and smile.
  In many ways, this book felt like I was dropped into the house, and could follow Merry’s life there. From the moment she met Jason, to the first tentiative steps through their romance.  Their arguments, their first kiss. Her interactions with the odd neighbors.  Dealing with what it meant to be dating a celebrity.    
Merry wasn’t the only one struggling. Jason had his own reasons to worry.  He knew that if she reacted badly, he would be in a lot of trouble.

And then there are the neighbors. I loved the neighbors.  From the snarky ghost, to the phone sex actress witches, the vampire squatting in the cellar.  Oh, and did I mention the Werewolf in the cellar? 

One important subplot in the book was the search for the ghost’s murderer. I loved how all the tenants tried to help and solve it, in the best way they could.

The biggest problem I had with this book was ironically enough with the romance.   I never doubted their HEA, no matter what life tossed at them.  And it tossed a lot of them.  Jason’s secrets, nosy paparazzis, nosy family.  And honestly, a part of a good romance is the feeling of satisfaction, that despite everything they end up together.

Review: Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

On By MikaelaIn Uncategorized

The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Pre-ordered at Allromance
The Grade: B
The Blurb
Maggie Windham, oldest of the Windham sisters and a by-blow from His Grace’s pre-marital wild oats, finds herself in desperate needs of an investigator to help her retrieve a missing reticule. Benjamin Hazlit knows the Windham family secrets, and can be trusted to keep them to himself, so Maggie turns to Benjamin, though it means ignoring his too-broad shoulders, his too-knowing smile… and his too-skilled kisses.

As Benjamin starts the search for Maggie’s missing purse, he realizes two things: First, whatever was in that purse, its loss has Maggie not just rattled, but terrified. Second, Benjamin will go to any lengths to see Maggie’s peace of mind restored, even if it means he must keep himself in very close proximity to the shy, secretive lady who says she wants nothing to do with him.

The Review:
After the disappointment I felt over Lady Sophia’s Christmas Gift, I hesitated but I decided to purchase it. In fact, I did more than purchase it. I decided to use one of Allromance ebooks 10th for free discounts, and pre-ordered it. And l am glad it did.
This book reminded me why Grace Burrowes is on my auto buy list. It has everything I want in a good novel. Both Benjamin and Maggie are fascinating characters. None of them are intrested in waltzing around in ball rooms.
One thing that I like is that the fact that Maggie is on the shelf. She have fought for her independence, and won it. It was fascinating to see how the wall of isolation she had built around her to keep her secrets hidden came crumbling down when Benjamin started to poke his nose into her life.
Benjamin is the perfect compliment for Maggie. He is curious, strong and trustworth. It was touching to watch how he gradually coaxed out Maggie her secrets.
But what I liked the most were how tightly intervoven Benjamin’s search for Maggie’s purse and their romance was. Often, the mystery plot feels tacked on but not in this case. No, in this novel Benjamin’s search is what propels the novel forward.
I also liked that the romance developed gradaully through the book, and that even when they have revealed the secrets to each other their path isn’t easy.  
The end was touching on so many levels, and changed a lot of the family dynamics within the Windham family.
So what I didn’t like.
I had a lot of trouble with believing that Benjamin could keep the fact that he was titled a secret from a big part of the Ton. Yes, he might be from Cumbria but still. I thought there were some sort of calendar that listed all eligible Lords? Or maybe I am mixing things up.