THE GARNET DAGGER by Andrea Cooper

THE GARNET DAGGER by Andrea Cooper
REVIEWED BY: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
PUBLISHED March 25, 2013
RATED: 3.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?

REVIEW:
This was a fairy tale story full of elves, monsters and witches. The author delved deeply in the characters to give an idea of why they made the decisions they did when given little information regarding the quest. The romance part was a bit slow moving and lacked the characteristics of what I like to read. That being said, it would appeal to those that like an emotional bond rather than the physical. It was an interesting story but for some reason I found the journey to be a little long.

***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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SHADOW OF HOPE by Elizabeth Rose and Tina Pollick

SHADOW OF HOPE by Elizabeth Rose and Tina Pollick
PUBLISHED: June 21, 2013
REVIEWED BY: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
RATED: 3.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
A secret passed from generation to generation. A line of heirs destined to protect those they once persecuted. One god who seeks to destroy humanity’s last Hope…

Zoe is an ordinary woman who talks to her grandmother’s spirit, was raised by her coven, and is estranged from her father. Until one day she finds out that the necklace left to her by her mom, holds humanities last hope.

Evan is her reluctant protector, the last of the Templar Knights, who’s watched her from the shadows since she was a teenage girl. When an assailant from the past emerges and steals the key to keeping the rest of the world safe, Evan and Zoe must form a tenuous alliance to get it back.

Up against a mysterious enemy older than time, and a really pissed off God of War, Zoe and Evan have the odds stacked against them as they try to reclaim the Hope of all humanity. That’s if they can avoid killing each other.

Shadow of Hope is a fast paced, thrilling paranormal romance novella.

REVIEW:
This was a fun quick read with plenty of action and an unusual storyline. My only critique is that Zoe was a little one-dimensional, didn’t have a back story like the others and you never really got to know her. That being said, I couldn’t wait to see where the authors were going to take me and I anxiously kept turning the pages.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon ($2.99)|Smashwords ($2.99)

Shattered Blue: A Romantic Thriller by Jane Taylor Starwood

Shattered Blue: A Romantic Thriller by Jane Taylor Starwood
Publication Date: March 14, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Shane MacKinnon used to be somebody else. Hounded by scandal and haunted by a shameful secret, wealthy, privileged Shannon Malone fled Manhattan and took on a new identity.

Five years later, she’s finally met a man who loves her in spite of her troubled past. He’s leading her into a world of sensual pleasure she never imagined.

Now a menacing whisper on the phone threatens to shatter her new life. Someone thinks she has the missing millions from a massive investment scam. Someone who also has a far more sinister reason to come after her.

Shane thought the monster who tormented her childhood was dead. She was wrong. And now that he’s found her again, he’ll stop at nothing to finish his sadistic game.

REVIEW:
I loved Shattered Blue! Jane Taylor Starwood’s debut novel is a heart-lurching, page-turning, romantic suspense that kept me captivated! It has everything I look for in a great romantic suspense book. Plenty of danger, mystery, and steamy romance. Shattered Blue also has an intriguing plot with great characters. Matt Brennan is the perfect man in my opinion and Shane is a really likable female lead that is working to face the monsters of her past. I really enjoyed how they came together and the banter between them. Matt has an instant attraction with Shane, and Shane needs some convincing and boy does he set out to convince her! There is lots of steamy romance and passion between them. I highly recommend this book for all romantic suspense lovers! Jane Taylor Starwood is an author to watch and I can not wait to see what she comes up with next!

*Review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon|Smashwords

A taste of SHATTERED BLUE for you…

From Chapter 42 ~ SHATTERED BLUE
Jordan loomed over her and a flash of light blinded her momentarily. The knife. Shane felt her newfound courage faltering, felt herself falling back through the years, into the body of that little girl.

No.

She closed her eyes, pictured Matt’s face, Gram’s face, and felt her strength returning. She would not let Jordan terrify her again. She might fail tonight, she might die, but she would not be his whimpering victim.

Opening her eyes, she braved the flashing glare of the hunting knife he held above her face. She willed her body to lie still as she stared straight into his eyes. With a thrill of triumph, she saw the surprise in the gray eyes that stared back at her.

Neither of them spoke a word, but they both knew the final moves in the game were at hand, and that Shane had just altered the rules. She could see the dawn of awareness in his eyes: She was no longer a mere pawn to toy with as he pleased.

On the other hand, he still had the knife.

About the Author

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Jane Taylor Starwood is a long-time resident of Long Island’s North Fork, and grew up San Diego, CA, and survived the crucible of New York City for fifteen years before moving to the North Fork.

Her romantic suspense novel, “Shattered Blue,” is available as an ebook and trade paperback, and She is hard at work on the next one.

Her nonfiction book, “Long Island Wine Country: Award-Winning Vineyards of the North Fork and the Hamptons,” was published in 2009.

Cover Reveal for The King: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward

Cover Reveal for The King: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward!
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood (Book 12)
Release date: March 25, 2014

Book Description:
The newest installment in J.R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Wrath and the Brotherhood are locked in an epic battle over his throne and the very future of the vampire race.

I am so excited J. R. Ward is writing another book for Wrath and Beth! I can not wait!

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Pre-Order Links:
Amazon (Hardcover)|Kindle

THE LONER by Lindsay McKenna

THE LONER by Lindsay McKenna
PUBLISHED June 25, 2013
REVIEW BY: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
In all her years as deputy sheriff, Shelby Kincaid never met a man as stubborn as Dakota Carson. Practically eaten by a grizzly bear and still that man insists on returning, alone, to his isolated cabin in the Tetons. Shelby’s not even sure why it ruffles her—but she suspects it has a lot to do with the instant, powerful connection she feels with Dakota. If only he’d let down his guard with her….
Ten years as a Navy SEAL took its toll on Dakota’s body, his mind and his heart. Since being released, he’s endured months of painful physical therapy…and brutal nightmares. Dakota wants nothing more than to hide from the world, so why does Shelby’s gentle presence suddenly make him question his seclusion? But when Shelby’s life is threatened, Dakota knows his warrior spirit won’t hide any longer. He just hopes it’s not too late….

REVIEW:
The action started on page one and wove in nicely with a returning SEAL’s struggle with PTSD. I liked how the author dealt with this topic and didn’t make it stereotypical. The romance was both tender and fierce as they dealt with so many emotions. Two strong people faced with ongoing danger and finding each other through it all. I couldn’t put this book down.

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Amazon|B&N|Kobo|iTunes

MINE TO TAKE by Cynthia Eden

MINE TO TAKE by Cynthia Eden
PUBLISH DATE: June 14, 2013
REVIEWED BY: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Skye Sullivan knows that someone is watching her. Not just watching—stalking her. Months ago, Skye was involved in a dangerous car accident. The accident ended her dancing career and sent her fleeing back to Chicago. Skye is convinced that her stalker caused the crash, and she fears that he won’t stop pursuing her, not until she’s dead.

When someone breaks into her apartment in Chicago, Skye turns to the one man she believes can protect her—Trace Weston. Once, Trace was her lover. Two lost souls, they’d come together in a firestorm of need and desire. But then Trace had pushed her away. He’d joined the military, vanishing from her life. She’d put all of her emotion into dancing, and she’d tried to forget him.

Now Trace is one of the most successful men in the United States. Rich, driven, and carrying dark secrets, he agrees to help Skye. He’ll protect her from the danger that lurks in the darkness, but Trace wants more than to just be a guard for Skye.

He wants her. And he’ll take her. The years have changed him, hardened him. He’s not just a poor kid from the streets any longer. Now, he can have anything—or anyone—that he wants. And the one woman he has always wanted has just come back into his life. He won’t let her go again.

But with the threats mounting against Skye, she suspects that her stalker may be intimately close. He’s a man who knows her too well. As his attacks grow ever more dangerous, she realizes that if she trusts the wrong man, she could be making a fatal mistake.

REVIEW:
This story is full of action, drama and suspense. It really kept me guessing and on the edge of my chair… and I loved it! There may not have been a lot of steamy action but I didn’t really notice that while reading. The author made the sexual and emotional tension between Skye and Trace intense and seamlessly part of the story. I’ll be thinking of this book for a while.

*ARC provided by Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

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**Special Release Week Sale – MINE TO TAKE will be priced at .99 until 6/24.**
Buy Links:
Amazon|B&N|Kobo|Smashwords

Excerpt:
“H-hello, Trace.” She hated that stupid break in her voice. Trace made her nervous. Always had.He stopped in front of her. He stood at several inches over six feet, while she barely skimmed five feet three. Skye tilted her head back so that she could meet his stare.

“It’s been a long time,” Trace said, the words a deep, dark rumble. His voice went perfectly with the rock hard body and the sexy face—a voice that a woman could imagine in the darkness.

She swallowed because her throat was suddenly dry. “Yes, it has.” Ten years and three months. Not that she’d counted.

That assessing gaze of his slid down her body once more. There was an awareness in his stare that she hadn’t expected. A heat that made her remember too many things.

He was close enough to touch. Close enough for her to smell the crisp, masculine scent that clung to him.

His nostrils flared, as if he were catching her scent, too.

“You look good, Skye.” Again, that heat was in his stare. A heat that said he knew her intimately.

She wished her heartbeat would slow down.

“But you’re not here for a friendly chat, are you?” And he stepped away from her. He waved to the open chair near his desk and returned to his seat.

“We’ve never really been the friendly chat kind,” she said softly as she eased into the leather chair.

She didn’t take off her coat. She just pulled it closer to her.

A faint furrow appeared between his brows. “No, we weren’t, were we? More the hot sex type.”

Her lips parted. He had not just said that to her.

His faint smile said that he had.

“I’m not here for that, either.” She’d been wrecked after her last go round with Trace.

He leaned back in his chair. The leather groaned beneath him. “We’ll get to that…”

Uh, no, they wouldn’t. She wasn’t ready to feel that burn again.

He tapped his chin. “You’re not here for pleasantries, you’re not here for sex, then why have you come looking for me?”

This was where she’d have to beg. Because there was no way she had enough money in her account to cover his services. Not with the guy sporting this high rise building and looking like he’d just walked off the cover of GQ. How things have changed. “Someone is watching me.”

He stilled. The heat banked in his eyes as his whole expression instantly became guarded. “And what makes you so sure of that?”

“Because I can feel him.” Wait, that sounded crazy, didn’t it? When she’d gone to the cops, they’d sure looked at her as if she were crazy. You couldn’t feel a stalker. So they said.

She disagreed.

Wife in Name Only (Entangled Indulgence) by Hayson Manning

Wife in Name Only (Entangled Indulgence) by Hayson Manning
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Trapped in a loveless marriage, Zoe Hughes escaped to make a new life for herself on the tiny island of Tonga. Now she runs a successful boutique honeymoon resort. Selling true love is easy. No one needs to know she’s married in name only. At least until America’s premier honeymoon magazine wants to publish a feature on her perfect marriage. Now she must convince her estranged husband to rip himself away from plotting corporate takeovers in LA to save her island paradise.

Rory agrees to come for forty-eight hours, but only because he needs the positive PR. To his surprise, the wife he finds in Tonga isn’t the same woman he married. Now she’s so much more…

When a storm strands Rory in Tonga, will he win back his wife or leave paradise empty-handed?

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed Wife in Name Only! Hayson Manning is a new author, but after reading the description of the book and reading that Entangled Publishing was releasing it, I said yes to the offer to send me a copy for review. I am so glad I did! This book caught and held my attention from page one. The writing style was really easy to read and the descriptions painted a vivid picture for the reader. This is a second chance for love romance. Rory and Zoe are married, but Zoe left after feeling neglected by Rory. After leaving Rory, Zoe starts over on an island running a resort, Honeymoon Haven and after a year a magazine approaches her with a request to interview her and her husband to promote the resort. She wants the publicity for the resort so she contacts Rory after a year of not speaking to him and separation to asked him to come to the island and pretend they are happily married and in love for the magazine. He needs the publicity for his image as well so he agrees and comes to the island. Rory and Zoe have their problems, but they have a strong connection and chemistry they can not fight for long. They get a second chance with each other and the chance to fix the mistakes they made the first time. This is a great afternoon read that will sweep the reader away to an island romance! I really enjoyed it and look forward to Hayson Manning’s next book.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon|B&N|Kobo|iTunes

Rapture’s Edge: A Night Prowler Novel by J.T. Geissinger

Rapture’s Edge: A Night Prowler Novel by J.T. Geissinger
Publication Date: June 18, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
SECRETS… In the hidden world that exists beside our own, a mirror world of ancient magic and elegant deceptions, a world of people who are so much more than they first appear, a war is brewing. Most of these Gifted people—the Ikati, a savage, sensual race of lethal predators—are content to hide behind human smiles, disguising their splendor in order to survive. But others are discontent. And they will hide no longer.

BETRAYALS… Eliana lives for two things only: vengeance on the man who killed her father and seeing her father’s dream of living in the open with humans come to pass. But that dream is far too dangerous for The Hunt, a group of elite Ikati assassins with one objective: eliminate her before she can expose their secrets to the world.

SEDUCTION… Demetrius is haunted by the memory of the woman he once loved. He will risk everything to save her from the killers on her tail… and convince her, before the ancient walls between two worlds crumble, that only together can they defeat their real enemy, a brilliant, cunning traitor far more deadly than either of them can guess.

REVIEW:
I loved Rapture’s Edge! I really wish I had known it was the the third book in the series. I was a little lost at times without reading the first two books. I’m going to go back and read them to fully understand the story and I recommend other readers read the series in order. J.T. Geissinger created a fascinating and unique world with her writing. I really enjoyed her writing style and the characters. Eliana and Demetrius’s interactions are hot and steamy. I was a bit frustrated with Eliana’s distrust of everyone at times and wanted to reach in the book and shake her, but I enjoy characters that stir my emotions. I also liked that Demetrius never gave up on her. Rapture’s Edge had plenty of action, intrigue, mystery, suspense and steamy romance. A great Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy Romance series!

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon|B&N

Undying Destiny (A Novel of the Enclave) (Entangled Edge) By Jessica Lee

Undying Destiny (A Novel of the Enclave) (Entangled Edge) By Jessica Lee
Publication Date: June 17, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Kenric St. James is out for revenge. Over 300 years ago, an ancient female vampire turned him against his will and killed the woman he loved. He’s spent more than a century building an Enclave of warrior vampires who have sworn to defend humanity against his evil sire and her minions. But when Kenric finds a woman he finally burns to claim as his own again, Kenric knows loving her means giving his sire another target.
Emily Ross just wanted a fresh start. She’s a survivor, coming off the tail end of an abusive relationship, and craves time alone to learn who she is and to save the home that holds her heart. The last thing she needed was a controlling, alpha male calling all the shots.
Meeting Kenric might just have changed her mind, though. He is wrong for her in all the right ways. But in order to keep her heart from breaking, he first has to keep the hordes of evil vamps from stealing her very breath.

REVIEW:
I love a book with a hot, sexy vampire hero! I loved Undying Destiny! I was captivated from the fist page and it held my attention until I turned the last page. Jessica Lee is a new author for me and when I saw the hot cover for the book on NetGalley, I decided to request it after seeing the publisher was Entangled. Entangled Publishing had been publishing a lot of great books lately. I am so glad I requested it because I found another great paranormal author. The story had everything I look for in a great book. Undying Destiny was a great story with a plot that drew me in and I loved the characters. Kenric and Emily meet by chance and are instantly drawn to one another. Their adventure begins from there. Their story had plenty of action, mystery, suspense, and steamy romance. I am looking forward to the next book and I highly recommend this book for vampire lovers!

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon|B&N|Kobo|iTunes/ iBooks

I choose to believe in fairies, myths, magic and dragons. They all exist in the pages of a book!

I choose to believe in fairies, myths, magic and dragons. They all exist in the pages of a book!

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Found this pretty dragon picture to add some words to:)

PARANORMAL ROMANCE – Favorite Dragon Shifters
Elder Races by Thea Harrison
The Dragon Kin Series by G.A. Aiken
Heart of the Dragon (Atlantis, #1) by Gena Showalter
Dragonfury Series by Coreene Callahan
Light Dragons Series by Katie MacAlister
Aisling Grey Series by Katie MacAlister
Dragon Series by Allyson James
Everlasting Bad Boys by Shelly Laurenston
Dragon’s Heat Series by Tessa Adams
Dragon Down Under Series by Angela Castle
Immortal Danger (Night Watch, #0.5) by Cynthia Eden
Dragonfire Series by Deborah Cooke
Works Like Magick Series by Annette Blair