In Search

I'm in search of a new read. I am pretty open as far as what I read, but I want GOOD. I have several option... like
The Fallen Souls

 or

Present Perfect

or

Until You

The problem is, HOW do I decide? I will admit I judge a book by it's cover and if you're honest you will admit to it as well. I look at the cover, the title, the synopsis, and I read the reviews. I tend to go to the first highest ranked review and then read the dreaded 1 and 2 star reviews. I want to see the good and the bad about the novel before I make a purchase. However, the thing that will make me overlook all of that is word of mouth. People are more likely to complain than compliment and it's true. So when I hear someone raving over a book I am likely to buy it. I may not LOVE it like they do, but it normally tends to be good reading. So, what am I going to read? I will leave that up to word of mouth. Suggest something. Tell me what your MUST read is and why.

Oohhhh, am I tempted!

I had the awesome priviledge to the ARC for Nicola Claire. I know her best from her Sweet Seductions series. Her upcoming book is due out 10/4/2013 and WOW! I am still reeling from this book. Here is the synopsis for "The Tempting Taste of Fire."

'Oh, this was sweet torture. To be this close to nirvana and walk away because I am coy. I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed down my fears. Theo wanted me. Like this. He craved me, in any way he could get me. Even if I wasn’t his, even if this all was torn asunder tomorrow, how could I not take the chance to feel this, to share this, with him? Even if just for a moment.'

For the past year Casey Eden has nurtured a crush on handsome, confident and slightly arrogant Theo Peters. For the first time in her life she's actually been able to flirt with a man. She even believed he was about to take their delicious flirtations to the next step.

But then things changed.

A pit full of dirt.
A preternatural world she never new existed.
And a fire of passion ignited deep inside her heart.

Now, they are sworn enemies, their attraction to each other a bitter-sweet temptation that will only lead to heartache in the end. But there is more for Casey to be worried about than forbidden love. Her world has been turned upside down and inside out, and now she has to find out who and what she has become. To do that, she must walk a dangerous tightrope between desire and reality. But reality for Casey includes a calling to the Earth and a longing for Fire, not to mention those who become aware of her will do anything to get what they want. And she soon begins to realise nothing will ever be the same again.

Sounds tempting, doesn't it. Here is my review.

--** spoiler alert ** Do you love paranormal romance? Do you like it? Sort of like it? Is it not really your thing? Well, read this one and it will be your thing. Nicola Claire writes like you can't imagine. I started reading this book last night around 7pm and stayed up till 1am reading. I would have finished the book last night but my vision started blurring with exhaustion...so what did I do? I took a NAP and woke up early to finish reading it! This book takes place in New Zealand. A young woman, Cassandra aka Cassie, wakes up buried alive but then starts to commune with the earth. Come to find out, she has been missing for 2 days. When she shows to work at her bakery/sandwich shop her best friend and her love interest are there loaded with questions, but she notices that things are changing and her love interest, Theo, notices too. See, he is like her but so different That difference also makes them immediate enemies. This book is truly original and unique. The characters and surroundings were so well developed and described that I could see, hear, smell and feel everything. When Cassie dug her hands into the ground, I could imagine drawing that raw energy into my body. Amazing, just amazing. So if you're asking, "What did I get out of this book, where you combine warring elementals with passion that singes?" MAGIC! Pure magic! Recommend: Yes and already have! HEAT: 4/5 Re-read: In a skinny minute! --Favorite Lines-- "So you are not immune to my charms," Theo purred, his voice deeper, rougher than before. "You are delicious" "If you destroy my house, Casey Eden, I will lock you in a concrete dungeon and feed off you for eternity. Fuck the rules! I will make you suffer my influence, I will make you beg for release." "But we will have to convince him you are something else" Theo explained..."And what exactly is that?" I whispered. He raised an eyebrow, gave me a sexy-smug smile, and said, "Mine." "What do you want, Oraia?" he whispered..."You," I whispered..."I want all of you." "For shame, Cassandra," he chided with obvious amusement. "You would deny me your first orgasm in my presence? I will gladly watch you play some other time, but tonight, my first with you, your orgasms are all mine." I was given this as an ARC for my honest opinion, and you've got it.--

So there it is...Check Nicola on her blog at http://nicolaclairebooks.blogspot.com/ and on GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5831941.Nicola_Claire

Summer break!

Well, it sure has been a while. What a summer!! My eyes are just now uncrossing. Unfortunately my family was riddled with illness and surgery and things are finally starting to calm down a bit. Even through all of the ups and downs of summer, I have been reading....not surprised? You shouldn't be.

This review is from a book that I am super excited about. First let me tell you how I got my hands on this! So an author, to be announced later, posted on Facebook about ARC, Advance Reading Copy, winners that had still not responded to her about receiving their ARC. WELL!! I posted that I would sacrifice and take one of those ARC's off of her hands, as did a few other readers. So this author, in good fun, posted that whoever guessed the number of pages (0-300) in this new book would get an ARC. So I guessed and was wrong. I asked the author how many times one could guess and she replied, keep guessing until someone gets it right so I start a count down. I started at 288 and went up to 300 then went from 288 down to about 240ish and some HAG, yea...I hope you're reading this...reported me as spamming. BEYOND PISSED does not begin to describe my feelings or reactions. I sent a message to the author who was also shocked. I mean, not only did it prevent me from guessing the page numbers but it also banned me from posted on NUMEROUS book clubs for about 6 hours. AARRWWGGHH!!! So what happens next? My awesome, hot as hell husband started guessing under his name and HE WON!!! 228 was the magic number and he got it! HA HA, the jokes on the bitch that reported me! So, my husband messaged the author and told her who he was and I received the ARC later that evening.

I started reading "Because You're Mine" around 5pm and could not put it down! I read while cooking, while eating, while brushing my teeth at bedtime. It is one of the best books I have read this year, and possibly last year. Here is the synopsis of "Because You're Mine" By K. Langston available now on hard copy and soon via Kindle:

Madison Waters knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She was already working for one of the most prestigious law firms in Boston as a research assistant, and in a few short months, she would finally graduate from Harvard and collect her law degree. Everything Madison had worked so hard for, was well within her reach. 

But when Madison has to take an unexpected trip back home, she's blindsided by the one thing she'd never planned on. 

Desperate to escape his wicked past, Holden Brooks moved to Madison's hometown five years ago. It was a struggle at first, but he eventually overcame the demons that nearly destroyed him back in Texas. Holden is in a good place in his life and love is the very last thing on his mind. 

Everything changes the moment their two paths collide and they soon find out, fate has a plan of its own.

You never know when love will come along and change...everything.

Sounds good, huh? Well, it is good! It got a rare 5 out of 5 stars from me and ton of recommends on GoodReads. Here is my review (may contain spoilers....you are forewarned!)

** spoiler alert ** You know those books that have immediate HEAT and they call it love and you **ROLL EYES** because it is too ridiculous to be even close to real? Or how about those books that have the typical love story? Well, if you're looking for that kind of book, you've come to the wrong place. Now...is it the typical love story? Yes and no. It has the immediate attraction, the "love at first site" aspect, the conflict and resolution but it is so much more. This is THE love story!! The one that everyone wants. The heat and passion that you crave. You feel what Holden and Maddie feel for each other, need like they need each other. I am ready for book 2!!! (NO WORRIES!! No cliffhangers here!) You really want to pick this book up. It is a definite re-read and 100% one-clickable. READ IT!
Re-Read: YES
HEAT:4/5
Recommend: Absolutely

FAVORITE LINES:

-"Has anyone ever told you how fuckin' sexy you are when you're pissed off like that?" Seriously? "I wanna punch you in the throat right now. Do you think that's sexy?"

-She was mine. Right fucking here, right fucking now.

-"The only reason you need a woman is so your heart and soul will have a place to call home."

-"Love is a lot of things. It's a hard place to fall and a soft place to land. It's give and take, push and pull. Love can bring you out the absolute best or worst in us. But, when you find a love worth fightin' for, that's true love."

-I was ready to go home. Home to my heart.

-Forever.

So that's it in a nutshell, but it doesn't do it justice. Not. Even. Close! One-Click this one y'all!

Follow me on GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11427082-jennifer

Becca's Dance by Jordyn Meryl

As you know from my previous posts that I love to read. In all of my reading, I have found my way into BETA reading, which is reading and reviewing before the novel/novella/short story/etc. before it is published. I have recently had the absolute pleasure to read Jordyn Meryl's newest "Becca's Dance." Here is my review...

Becca’s Dance by Jordyn Meryl

My Review by Jen Burgess

Do you remember your first love? Remember the itching in your palms to touch that person, the falling sensation of your stomach when you kiss, or the undying smile that stays on your face when you think of their face. In “Becca’s Dance” you are sucked into Becca’s world now as a rejected wife from a “safe” marriage, then back to a special summer 20 years prior. Becca was a strong willed, energetic, artistic woman 20 years ago, but life has tamed her. She married, had children and was the “Stepford Wife” her husband wanted her to be until he simply said he wanted out. With her children in college, she goes back to her Aunt Tilley’s lake house, the only place that has ever felt like home. There she starts to remember why that was her home and how much she belongs there. However, in going back she starts to vividly recall the heat, passion and deep seated love she discovered 20 years ago. Enters Clay. Clay is a local; his whole family has always lived near that lake. One day when he sees the grown up Becca he knows this is his “one.” They experience love and passion that only true, first loves can have. But when a tragedy shakes their foundation, Becca runs and Clay self-destructs. Can coming back to her home, finding her first love again, reconnecting with all of her friends help Becca pick up her shattered pieces? Will Becca and Clay reignite that passion or has that shipped sailed and friendship is all they have?

This book sucks you in with the first sentence…”Damn, damn. Double damn!” The characters are so well developed that you think of them as real, every day people. The undercurrents of passion, hurt and love are so palpable between Clay and Becca that you are cheering for them to come back together. The friendships between the girls and the guys seem very natural and believable. The flashbacks are GREAT! They really put you in that position. It made me start thinking about summers I had with friends at the beach. My favorite flashback was:

Slowly, lazily, never breaking eye contact, he lowered his mouth. The moist heat of his mouth against hers made desire claw at her, hot and sharp. Planting a deep kiss on her mouth, his low growl of delight vibrated her. Returning his kiss, she went up on her tip-toes, ran her hands up his arms, gripping the tight muscles of his upper arms. The kiss continued as he gently, with the touch of fire, let it linger.

OH. MY. GAWD! That is just one such moment that your heart sort of stutters. I think that this book works, especially for me, because sometimes going back to those good times…and not so good times can remind you of what you had and how to be thankful. It can also remind you of the love you once shared with someone…or maybe still do. I give this book 5 out of 5. I would recommend this book to any novel reader.

Oh to be a writer...

I think I have always had a creative side. Whether is was pretending and acting or singing and entertaining, I have always loved using my imagination. One this is for sure, I can not decorate, but that is neither here nor there. 

My senior year in high school I discovered reading. Now before some get all "She couldn't read?!" Of course I could read. Maybe I should say that I discovered the LOVE of reading. In Mrs. Cook's Senior lever English class we were presented with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

I fell in love with impossible circumstances, overcoming the odd, and--what girls doesn't love--happily ever after. I started dabbling in writing then with a few short stories but shortly after graduation I got married, had a couple kids and finished nursing school. Needless to say, writing was put on hold. 

After nursing school I started reading again...a lot! I was on the frequent flyer list at both branches of our local library and then my awesome, fantastic and outrageously handsome husband bought me a Kindle for Christmas. ahhhhh...be still my heart! (Guess which--the kindle or the hubs--makes my heart pitter patter :-))

A few years ago I started dabbling again, just a scene here and a scene there. Then I started following some of my favorite authors on social media. One of those authors is Alexa Grace. 

As in a previous post, I explained the Q&A and how it was fan requested. Let me explain and little more in detail.

I read a free read--who doesn't love FREE-- off of amazon.com that was the first in a series by Alexa Grace. I normally expect the cheesy, lovey dovey, expected romance off of the free list but I was pleasantly surprised! So I then bought the 2nd, then the 3rd and then I looked Ms. Grace up on Facebook. Much to my surprise there, she was a real person that talks to you...not AT you. She engages her readers not just entertains. I, in that moment, said that if I ever became a published author then I would be like her. So I joined her "Street Team." We are an inner circle of loyal fans that enjoy not only the works but the author of those works. We are patiently...or maybe not so patiently...waiting on her new series to come out. During this time, I asked Alexa if she would be willing to do a Q&A from her fans, for her fans. She JUMPED at the chance. 

The reason I am so excited about this question is because this is my question. I may never actually publish the book I am working on now, but I know that I will never give up.

Interview with PROFILE OF EVIL Author Alexa Grace

What is some advice for novice/unpublished writers that are wanting to become a published author?

Write your book. Write every day and don't stop until it is finished. Then go back and proofread and edit. If you self-publish, hire a professional editor and a book cover designer. It's a big mistake not to do this. Invest in your book and your career.

My latest book, Profile of Evil will be released in early May 2013. In PROFILE OF EVIL, Carly Stone is a brilliant FBI agent who's seen more than her share of evil. Leaving the agency, she becomes a consultant for Indiana County Sheriff Brody Chase. He needs her help to catch an online sex predator who is luring teenage girls to their death in his community.

To be the first to be notified when PROFILE OF EVIL is released, join Alexa's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexaGrace and/or subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/sJ-Df

Hello, my name is Jen and I am addicted to books!

 OK, so I like to read. Just ask my husband and kids. If I have a free minute, or can carve out a few minutes, I am reading! I scrounge around Amazon.com and find books...free books and not so free...and I read. Now, let me place a small disclaimer. I read for my personal satisfaction. I have a very demanding job as a registered nurse and reading is my escape.
 That being said, the books I read are not just fluffy, raunchy romances. Well, most of them are raunchy! (**wink**) OK, I'm just kidding. I like romance novels. I read ALL kinds of romance....Christian Romance, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal, Historical....the list goes on and on. The amount of books I have read are extensive. I received a Kindle 3 Christmas's ago and right after that I sold over 350 paperback books, kept around 50 "faves" and now, 2 Kindles later, I have over 300 downloaded reads on my Amazon account. :-) Nothing makes me happier than knowing I have a fantastic husband, 3 beautiful children and a book waiting to RESCUE ME FROM THE MADNESS!! Recently I have become a BETA reader for a couple of authors and one day, I hope to have published myself.
 Just for the people reading this, I do not JUST read. Believe it or not, I am HUGE into nutrition. We are currently in the process of going GMO and processed foods free (see future posts on this!) I also love the elliptical. Looking at me you can't tell, but I love to turn my kindle on, headphones in my iPhone with Pandora Radio on and go to town, figuratively. I also enjoy writing. I am not professionally educated other that what was required of me in nursing school. I have wrote several "things"  but nothing published....with time.
 I follow several blogs now and really enjoy them. So, I am going to take just a few minutes of my mommy, wife, nurse and book time to write a few opinions...and facts...down. As for today, I am done because, Sorry, I'm reading!

I'm so excited!

and I just can't hide it...

OK, enough of that! I am very excited!! I follow several of my favorite authors on Facebook. I like the interaction and the constant stream of updates for their upcoming books and signings. One of those authors has really reached out and embraced her fans. Linda Golden, aka Alexa Grace, is that author. She is active on Facebook, emails fans and mails out Swag Packs--but more on that later! I am lucky enough to be on her Street Team on Facebook. We, of course, love her books--The Deadly Trilogy. Which happens to remain on Amazon's Top Picks in multiple categories. The first book is FREE for you Kindle!! I asked Alexa if she would be willing to do a short Q&A for her fans and not only did she say yes, but she did it! We emailed her questions and she answered. So for the next week or so I am going to post about this favorite author and post her Q&A. If you haven't checked out her books, then you are missing out. Any person that likes suspenseful romance, police procedurals, contemporary fiction should have already read these books and currently getting ready for her next set of books, The Profile Series, which promises more suspense and romance.

So, without further a-do....here is question #1 from ALEXA GRACE.

Interview with PROFILE OF EVIL Author Alexa Grace

When did you start writing professionally?

I wrote a romantic suspense novel in 1985, went the traditional route and it was not published. I made a career change that year and for the next 25 plus years, I devoted myself 100% to my training management positions. When I lost my job in 2011, I did a lot of Internet research in self-publishing. Indie authors like Theresa Ragan and John Locke really motivated me to take the Indie route. Like them, I wanted to retain control of book design, writing, marketing, etc. Thus, my Indie journey began.

My latest book, Profile of Evil will be released in early May 2013. In PROFILE OF EVIL, Carly Stone is a brilliant FBI agent who's seen more than her share of evil. Leaving the agency, she becomes a consultant for Indiana County Sheriff Brody Chase. He needs her help to catch an online sex predator who is luring teenage girls to their death in his community.

The two resolve to stop this dangerous killer before he takes another young life — and time is running out.

To be the first to be notified when PROFILE OF EVIL is released, join Alexa's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexaGrace and/or subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/sJ-Df

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