Daily Archives: 11/11/2013
REVIEW & RECOMMENDATION ~ The Lost Souls (A Holy Trinity Novella) by Madeline Sheehan
‘THE LOST SOULS’ by MADELINE SHEEHAN
BLURB
“Tahyra Petros tried desperately to save herself and her sister, and instead ended up forever changed.
Shandor Asenov battled with death, and lost.
Hockey Sava, in a valiant attempt at saving his friends, vanished.
Caroline Andrews lost her brother during a violent attempt at survival and was subsequently left alone in the hands of fate.
And, Marko Siwak disappeared in the middle of the night and was never heard from again.
These are the stories of their journeys lost in a world where devastation knows no boundaries, where enemies await them at every turn, and where heartache, loss, and death supersede happiness, peace, and love…and the destiny that awaits them.”
MY REVIEW
I’ve been looking forward to ‘The Lost Souls’ since I finished book #2, ‘My Soul To Take’ and boyza, I was not disappointed…. Madeline has created an awesome world full of darkness, magic, love, loss & heartache and I loved every single second of the emotional rollercoaster I found myself on!
In ‘The Lost Souls’ we catch up with characters we met in the previous 2 books. Hockey, Shandor, Carrie, Marko and a few others. The book covers the time from the guys in the clan leaving camp to go on the unsuccessful raid until slightly before the point where we left things at the end of MSTT.
We get glimpses of Xan and see how much he is suffering from the loss of Trinity and his subsequent finding out that she may still be alive – glad to say he has (finally) given up his manwhoring ways, but I’m still mad at him…. what a stupid, stupid man, that is so gonna bite him in the butt very soon!!!
We catch up with Becki who, once again, isn’t leading the life she would chose if she had a choice. We see Nico, Tobar and some other clan members and find out what happens with them.
‘The Lost Souls’ doesn’t just apply to Trin/Xan/Gerik and their separation and/or relationship but takes on a whole new meaning when we look at the characters in this book and the path their lives have taken since we last saw them.
I am a HUGE paranormal fan and I just ADORE the Trinity books. ‘The Lost Souls’ beautifully ties together what has happened so far in ‘The Soul Mates’ & ‘My Soul To Take’ and sets us up for the final instalment ‘My Heart & Soul’ which is due out in the summer of 2014. I haven’t been so excited about a book in quite a while and it’s gonna take all I have to wait patiently to find out how everything works out!!!
If you haven’t checked out this series yet, do so NOW, it is so worth the read!!!
I love that the story is so very different from most other books that are out there and the situations that the characters find themselves in are far removed from anything that could or would happen in everyday life.
The story will really make you think and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll cry bloody buckets but you’ll also laugh, smile and feel a little bit hopeful that maybe, just maybe, things will turn out right!!!
Can’t wait for more of the clan and to find out what happens with Xan, Trinity & Gerik the dragon….
Have to admit, I’m still #TeamXan….. 😉
Link to the Trinity books:
http://www.madelinesheehan.com/the-holy-trinity-trilogy
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Marie Harte – Recent & Upcoming book releases
RECENT RELEASE ~ MIRROR MIRROR
Every Halloween, Grandmother Rovela flees her house in fear of a ghost trapped in a cursed mirror. According to superstition, only on Halloween can the ghost be freed.
For years Linc Barron’s tried to avoid his attraction to his smart-mouthed friend Mandy Rovela, to no avail. He wants her, but more, he’s in love with her. And it’s high time he does something about it. So he makes a wager she can’t resist: twenty-four hours with him at her beck and call, if she’ll spend the night with him in her grandmother’s house. And ghost or no ghost, he plans to have Mandy.
Mandy has had the hots for Linc for years, but there’s no way she’s becoming another notch on his bedpost. So she agrees to his stupid wager – though no other Rovela would ever consider it – for a chance to win his heart.
But the ghost is not only real, it’s also far more than a trapped spirit. Dominic de Sange, the man in the mirror, is an earth mage who needs sex to gain power. And he’ll use everything Linc and Mandy have to push him back into the spirit realm where he belongs.
http://marieharte.com/books/mirror-mirror/
UPCOMING RELEASE – EVER AFTER (Anthology) – out 12 Nov
From five bestselling authors comes five brand new novellas sure to heat up the night.
Carrie Ann Ryan, Marie Harte, Rebecca Royce, Lia Davis, Leia Shaw
Carrie Ann Ryan – His Choice
Rebecca Royce – Alpha Rising
Lia Davis – A Rebel’s Heart
Leia Shaw – Destined for Eden
From Marie Harte’s Beasts of Burden, Eira, a fierce valkyrie, has spent fifty years trying to get a rise out of her goddess’s guardians. But when the battle-cat shifters give her what she wants, can she handle the heat—and the danger—that comes from loving them? (a m/m/f story)
http://marieharte.com/books/ever-after/
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Hoppin The Boxes Blog Tour ~ 11 – 18 November
Welcome to my stop for Hoppin the Boxes Today I’ll be featuring
Sibel Hodge
(see the giveaway tool at the bottom of the post!)
And now.. I present
Romantic Comedy Box Set (Helen Grey Series Books 1 & 2): Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Smashwords
Two full length romantic comedy novels from bestselling author Sibel Hodge in a special discounted box set.
Think Bridget Jones meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding…
FOURTEEN DAYS LATER ~ Book 1
Fourteen Days Later was short listed for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008 and received a Highly Commended by the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009.
When accident-prone Helen Grey finds a thong stuffed into the pocket of her boyfriend’s best work trousers, it’s time for her to move on. His excuse that he needed to dust the photocopier and just thought that it was a rag sounds like a lame excuse.
Helen’s life is propelled in an unexpected direction after her best friend, Ayshe, sets her a fourteen-day, life-changing challenge. Helen receives a task everyday which she must complete without question. The tasks are designed to build her confidence and boost her self-esteem but all they seem to do is push her closer to Ayshe’s brother, Kalem.
How will Kalem and Helen get together when she’s too foolish to realize that she loves him? How can he fall for her when he is too busy falling prey to her mishaps and too in love with his own perfect girlfriend? How will Kalem’s Turkish Cypriot family react when they find out?
Is it really possible to change your life in fourteen days?
MY PERFECT WEDDING ~ Book 2
Helen Grey is finally getting everything she wants. She’s about to have the perfect dream wedding and begin an exciting new life abroad on the sunny Mediterranean island of Cyprus. But living the dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
After a mix-up at the airport, Helen finds herself drawn into the midst of an elaborate plot to steal an ancient statue and assassinate a local businessman. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, her wedding dress is AWOL, the statue seems to be cursed, and Helen is wanted by the police.
With the big day rapidly approaching, a roller-coaster of mishaps, misunderstandings, and disasters threatens to turn the newlyweds into nearlyweds.
Can Helen prevent an assassination, save the statue, and have the perfect wedding? Or will the day to remember turn into one she’d rather forget?
WARNING! These books contains screwball comedy, quirky characters, and farcical situations…
About Sibel Hodge
Sibel Hodge is the Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Author of Fourteen Days Later and Be Careful What You Wish For. She has 8 cats and 1 husband. In her spare time, she’s Wonder Woman! When she’s not out saving the world from dastardly demons she writes an eclectic mix of romantic comedies, mysteries, thrillers, children’s books, and non fiction.
Her other books include My Perfect Wedding, The Baby Trap, Fashion, Lies, and Murder (Amber Fox Mystery #1), Money, Lies, and Murder (Amber Fox Mystery #2) Voodoo, Lies, and Murder (Amber Fox Mystery), The See-Through Leopard, How to Dump Your Boyfriend in the Men’s Room (and other short stories), It’s a Catastrophe, Healing Meditations for Surviving Grief and Loss, A Gluten Free Taste of Turkey, and A Gluten Free Soup Opera.
Her work has been shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008, Highly Commended by the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009, Runner Up in the Chapter One Promotions Novel Comp 2009, nominated Best Novel with Romantic Elements in 2010 by The Romance Reviews, Runner Up in the Best Indie Books of 2012 by Indie Book Bargains, and Winner of Best Children’s Book by eFestival of Words 2013. Her novella Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave has been listed as one of the Top 40 Books About Human Rights by Accredited Online Colleges.
Follow Sibel: Website § Blog § Facebook § Twitter
Excerpt from FOURTEEN DAYS LATER ~ Book 1
Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Smashwords
2) Age? Answer: thirty but look much younger.
3) Occupation address? Answer: anywhere.
4) Occupational position? Answer: standing, but occasionally sitting down.
5) Do you have a heart problem? Answer: probably will in a minute.
6) Do you suffer from breathlessness during exercise? Answer: sometimes during sex, but that was a long time ago.
7) Do you suffer from palpitations or unusual heart flutters? Answer: only when I think about someone special.
8) Do you have any back problems? Answer: only when I did a handstand when I was very drunk.
9) Are you allergic to anything? Answer: men who cheat.
10) Have you had any operations? Answer: I think I had a lobotomy once, but I can’t remember.
11) Do you enjoy a healthy eating programme? Answer: yes, started an hour ago.
12) Have you suffered from any illnesses? Answer: hangovers.
13) Do you suffer from any other problems? Answer: accidents frequently happen around me.
Excerpt from FOURTEEN DAYS LATER ~ Book 1
Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Smashwords
‘You are joking, right?’ I arched an eyebrow. ‘Nobody can change their life in fourteen days.’
‘That’s not what it says in here.’ Ayshe held up the magazine she’d been flicking through, her finger underlining one of the articles.
‘“Orgasms or Chocolate? What do women really want?”’ I read the headline aloud.
‘What?’ Ayshe looked at the magazine and adjusted her finger. ‘Not that. This. “Turn Your Life Around. The Simple Fourteen Day Plan Anyone Can Do”.’
‘That’s ridiculous.’ Tucking my legs underneath me on the sofa, I picked at my frayed jogging bottoms.
‘No, what’s ridiculous is you still moping about over Justin. It’s been six months since you split up with him. You need to move on with your life.’ She rose from her chair and flounced down next to me, resting her arm on my knees.
I wriggled away from her. ‘I’m having another iced coffee; want one?’
‘It’s too cold for iced coffee. It’s the middle of November for God’s sake,’ she called out as I clattered around in the kitchen. ‘Anyway, I thought you’d promised to cut down on your caffeine intake.’
When I returned, I sank down onto the sofa. ‘I still haven’t managed to get a plumber out to fix the dishwasher. Either they don’t turn up when they say they will, or they won’t come out for anything less than a total bathroom refurb.’
Ayshe watched me in silence.
I sat it out for a while, her steady gaze drilling into me. ‘What?’
‘Trying to change the subject isn’t going to work. You can’t avoid this much longer.’
‘I’m not, it’s true. You can never get hold of a plumber these–’
She clamped her hand over my mouth. ‘You need to go out and do things – and don’t give me that rubbish about you’ll never meet another man – he was the right one – he was the love of your life. I know four years together is a long time, but everybody always says that when they split up with people. You will get over him, but not if you keep refusing to move on with your life.’ She pushed me on the leg.
I wasn’t expecting the jolt and spilt my coffee all down my attractive jogging bottoms.
My thoughts drifted back to the time I’d discovered a size sixteen Agent Provocateur thong stuffed into the pocket of Justin’s best work trousers during the usual laundry run. I was pretty sure his company hadn’t suddenly changed their dress-code. I mean, smart trousers, shirt, and thong, wouldn’t sound too good in the staff handbook. I was also sure he couldn’t have picked it up innocently – as he’d told me – because he needed to dust the photocopier and thought it was a rag. And I knew it wasn’t mine because I’d never really fancied a piece of dental floss chafing my bits and bobs.
Excerpt from MY PERFECT WEDDING ~ Book 2
Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Smashwords
‘Do go on. This is thoroughly enlightening,’ Goodbody said in a voice that clearly meant it wasn’t at all.
‘Well, that was when I noticed that someone had drawn a moustache and beard on the picture of the woman on the front of the box.’ I narrowed my eyes at Kalem, who chuckled under his breath, remembering.
‘Anyway, I was really embarrassed and had to pretend that it must have been like that in the shop when I’d bought it.’
‘Is there a point to this?’ Goodbody asked, glancing at his watch.
‘I wanted to get Kalem back, and I knew he was going to the building society a few days later to get some money out, and he needed to take some ID. He can never find his driving licence, so he always takes his passport,’ I paused. ‘Because I’m a photographer, obviously I’ve got loads of old photos lying around, so I thought it would be really funny to pay him back for all the practical jokes he plays on me. I found this photo, cut it out, then stuck it over his passport photo with removable adhesive and put it back in the drawer. Then, of course, I forgot all about it.’ I tried to swallow, but my throat felt like I’d swallowed a Brillo Pad. ‘Until now.’ I tucked my hair behind my ears with shaky hands.
Kalem coughed. ‘Actually, I managed to find my driving licence and took that to the building society instead.’
I cast him a sheepish look. ‘Yes, I realize that now.’
‘You see! This is all perfectly innocent,’ Kalem said to Dick Head and Goodbody. ‘Can we go now?’
‘Not yet. Are you a Muslim too?’ Goodbody asked me.
‘No, I’m not a Muslim,’ I said.
A confused glance passed between Dick Head and Goodbody. ‘Well you certainly look like one. Can you please explain why you’re wearing a burka if you’re not Muslim,’ Goodbody asked me.
I glanced down at the floor length, head-to-toe black burka that I’d almost forgotten I was wearing. Even if the rest of the stuff sounded slightly odd, there was at least a perfectly reasonable explanation for this.
‘Well, there’s an ancient tradition with Turkish Cypriot families. When a new bride-to-be arrives in North Cyprus to get married, it’s good luck for her to be wearing a burka, isn’t it?’ I glanced at Kalem, willing him to explain this peculiar custom further. Instead, he kind of gave me a small shake of his head, and his jaw dropped.
Oh, God. I recognized that look. There was no such custom. This was another one of his wind-Helen-up practical jokes. If they could’ve seen my face, which of course they couldn’t because I only had a two inch rectangular slit for my eyes, they would’ve seen it completely drain of colour. Luckily, they accepted this explanation, and neither of the customs officers seemed to notice that my eyelids had just pinged open in surprise or that Kalem’s face had turned a scorching-hot shade of pink.
Dick Head picked at the adhesive on Kalem’s passport photo and pulled it off, examining the official picture of Kalem underneath. ‘What do you think?’ He handed the passport to Goodbody.
‘Mmm.’ Goodbody scrutinized it. ‘It looks legitimate.’ He sounded disappointed.
‘That’s a shame,’ Dick Head huffed and turned to Officer Goodbody, frowning. ‘Seems like we’ll miss out on our CAT bonus.’
Excerpt From MY PERFECT WEDDING ~ Book 2
Purchase Now: Amazon § Barnes § iTunes § Kobo § Smashwords
‘Ha-ha.’ I let out a nervous laugh.
Officer Head gave me a narrow-eyed stare, then turned back to Kalem. ‘Is that your real name?’
‘Er…excuse me. Is that a trick question? It’s obvious what his name is. It’s in his passport,’ I said, not wanting to state the obvious, but someone had to do it.
Oh, I get it now. It must be a dream. Yes, that was it. Recently, I’d been having a few of those pre-wedding jittery dreams – well, more like nightmares, actually – where I turned up at the venue in front of all our guests, and my wedding dress had suddenly turned see-through. And, even worse, I’d somehow decided to have my bikini area waxed into the shape of a dartboard, complete with bullseye. This was just one of those nightmares, that was all.
I leaped off the chair. ‘Come on Kalem, let’s go.’
‘You can’t go until I say you can go,’ Officer Head insisted.
‘I can do whatever I want. It’s my dream,’ I said to him with a haughty gleam in my eye.
‘SIT DOWN,’ he shouted back at me.
I heard a loud ringing in my ear. Surely you didn’t hear ear-ringing in a dream? I pinched myself. Ow! Shit. I was still awake. I slumped back in the chair. Uh-oh. This was for real.
The door swung open and another customs official with a toilet brush crew cut walked in.
‘Richard,’ the second officer acknowledged his colleague with a tilt of his head and then turned to us. ‘I’m officer Goodbody.’ He sat down, and I heard a noise like a whoopee cushion exploding. I couldn’t tell if it was him or the chair, though.
‘Let’s start again, shall we?’ Officer Head leaned forward. ‘Is that your realname?’
Kalem swallowed. ‘Of course it’s my real name.’
I looked between the customs men with suspicion. Richard Head? Was this for real? The light bulb was back on full power now. ‘Ha! I know what’s going on.’
They both raised an intrigued eyebrow and waited for me to enlighten them.
‘No one could be called Dick Head and Officer Goodbody. It sounds like something out of a bad Seventies porn movie. This is one of those TV shows, isn’t it?’ My eyes darted around the room like a maniac, looking for any signs of hidden cameras and cabling. ‘It’s like Candid Camera, or You’ve Been Punk’d, or something. Or…I know.’ I squinted at them. ‘Are you Ant and Dec in disguise? Are we going to be on their Saturday Night Takeaway show where they’re always playing practical jokes on people?’ I leaped up and leaned over the desk, so I was inches away from their faces, examining them for signs of false noses and excessive, disguising make-up.
Kalem shot me a horrified look.
‘Give me your passport.’ Goodbody ignored my outburst and held his hand out to me.
OK then, maybe not.
Please be sure to check the other tour stops where you will see ….
Barbara Silkstone with the Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider Boxed Set
Cheryl Bradshaw with the Sloan Monroe Boxed Set
Christy Hayes and the Golden Rule Bundle
Donna Fasano and the Single Daddy Club Boxed Set
Faith Mortimer and the Diana Rivers Mystery Set
M.P. McDonald and the Mark Taylor Omnibus
Melissa F. Miller and the Sasha McCandless Series
Giveaways!
Follow the HOP – Using THIS LINK
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Manday Hotties Blog Hop ~ 11/11/13
Hi girls, welcome to another Manday Hotties blog post.
Well, I’m back in a cold and bleak Edinburgh this week. I had a blast in Texas – finally got a chance to meet up with my DDD Book Club girls…… what a fantastic group of people they were….. Looking forward to our next meet in Vegas!!! 😀
This week I’ve gone for some b&w pics and my body part of choice is the chest/abs……
Hope you like what I’ve chosed for your viewing pleasure today! 😉
So, what do you think? Personally I’m torn between 2 & 4….. hard to choose. I’ll keep looking for a while, see if it helps me decide!!! 😉 LOL…..
Have you popped over to the other blogs taking part in Felicity’s Hop?
There’s some other fab mancandy at the following stops:
LINKS:
http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/blog/
http://victoriaembers.wordpress.com/
http://www.amandajgreene.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.carisroane.com/journal/
http://www.hdthomson.com/
Enjoy all of those gorgeous guys. Have a great week and I’ll catch you all next Monday!!
T xx
Book Loving Pixies 