Toni's Review of Where the Rain is Made by Keta Diablo ***4 Stars***

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother, Marsh. Now she must spend every waking moment planning an escape. She didn’t count on the powerful draw of desire interfering with her scheme in the camp of the brutal Cheyenne dog soldiers.

Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum...most of the time, but when he travels through time to help his beloved People he becomes Meko, leader of the most revered and feared tribe of the plains. Although their worlds are decades apart Meko can’t resist the dark beauty he kidnapped during a raid. He has many battles to fight but none he wants to win more than the one that will capture Cesca’s heart forever.

From the windswept plains of Colorado and the harsh life of a Dog Soldier to the placid life of a curator their love was fueled by passion and kindled by destiny.

********************

Welcome to the world of time travel. Hold on tight because we are going to soar into the clouds and delve into the amazing world of the People, the Cheyenne’s.

Francesca Duvall had a quiet life taking care of her father and her younger brother, Marshall.  All that changed in an instant the dog soldiers descended onto her home and killed her father.  Now she and her brother are prisoners of savages and her only goal is to save them both or at least her brother no matter what she must do.

Ethan Gray is a man with a mission to save his People.  He is devoted to their existence and to protect their way of life.  He is a Wanderer, a man destined to travel through time to protect the Cheyenne.  He is a modern man living in the past, sacrificing his own happiness for the good of the People.  His current mission is to save his tribe from being massacred.  He never anticipated finding his heart and soul in the eyes of a frightened woman.

Their love is forged on blood, pain and honor.  Two people who are from different times and different worlds.  Together they must protect their hearts, each other and the People.  These were violent and turbulent times and this is their story.

Toni's Review of Blood of Eden by Tami Dane ***3 Stars***

Sloan has a sky-high IQ, a chaotic personal life, and a dream: to work for the FBI. Her goal is within reach until an error lands her with the FBI's ugly stepchild: the new Paranormal Behavioral Analysis Unit. She'll get to profile criminals, but the pool of suspects is a little more...diverse. Yet even as Sloan tackles her first case--a string of victims, all with puncture wounds to the neck--she can't silence her inner para-skeptic.

To catch the killer she'll have to think like one. That means casting aside her doubts, and dealing with the bizarre nightmares that started with the job. But the strangeness is only beginning, as Sloan pieces together the shocking truth about a case that's more personal than she ever would have guessed.

********************

Today is the beginning of Sloan Skye’s dreams coming true.  She is starting her first day as an intern for the FBI.  Well that is what she thought when she left the chaos of her apartment this morning.  Now she is shattered, there has been a mistake and her position has just been stolen by her old high school crush turned frenemy, Gabe Wagner.

Total desperation and the desire to not have a repeat performance of last summer’s job, she jumps at the change to work for the FBI in any way shape or form.  Well she probably should have done a bit of research first.  She just got hired as an intern for the PBAU, Paranormal Behavioral Analysis Unit.  Yes, paranormals like vampires and other creatures of the unknown.  Who knew they existed…Sloan sure doesn’t believe it…yet.

Sloan tries to delve into her job with an open mind, but being the daughter of two brilliant people, this is a tough one to swallow.  Believing isn’t her only problem.  She is now having realistic dreams and frightening memories that are unsettling to her and may be related to the unusual case they are working.  Sloan has just entered a whole new world.  A world she never knew existed, but a world that already knew about her.

Blood of Eden is a good story, but I wasn’t totally absorbed by the storyline.  The set up of the series was well thought out and detailed.  Ms. Dane has developed a fantastic universe and I am still intrigued by the plot, though I felt bogged down at times.  She definitely has a new take on the paranormal, even delving into not well known creatures of lore and history.  I found it very fascinating and I am looking forward to the next installment.  I like to think that now that the ground work has been laid the next book will blow me away with the creatures, characters and storytelling.

Blood of Eden is a detailed oriented foundation to a potentially refreshing paranormal series.  Mystery and intrigue, new exciting paranormal creatures, and the possibility of a love triangle thrown in; what more can a reader ask for?


Thanks for reading! - Toni

Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear BLOG TOUR & Book Giveaway!!

Thank you Terry and her loyal Blog Followers for joining us today!

Welcome to Paranormal Addicts!

Addicted to Paranormal Love by Terry Spear 


I admit it. I’m addicted to romance, to happily ever after, to love. 


What is more special than a couple finding love? To cherish each other forevermore?To share in the highs and lows of a relationship?


To find love in a paranormal way.


Admit it. The paranormal can be hot and delicious and sexy. The romance can pull us out of the ordinary and place us in the extraordinary. We can fantasize about just how hot a vampire or a werewolf or a jaguar shifter could be. 


We can love them, knowing they will love us with a passion no mortal man can give us. Well, some can, but it’s like having a super-being making love to us. Not all powerful, but he’s just, well, out of the ordinary. 

THE PHENOMENON

THE PHENOMENON - Psychic, telekinesis, fortune telling, mind reading, astral projection, empathic

Psychics and soothsayers, people with ESP of psychic abilities, and just plain old women's intuition have been with us for centuries. Some of you may even know one or two people who actually have abilities beyond the mundane. But in stories, we love these guys: they are usually the fodder that other fantastic creatures feed on.

PRIZE #1:  eCopy of THE BELLE STALKER

PRIZE #2: eCopy of any paranormal book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

TIME'S UP AT: 7:00PM

So, here are your questions:

1.  What ability, if any, do you think you may have? How do you know?
 

2. Have you ever had your palm read, a tarot card reading, or even I-Ching? If not, would you like to? If so, what was it like and did any of it come true?

3. Do you think you've ever read someone's mind, saw the future, or had an overwhelming feeling of Déjà vu? 

4. Do you believe in astrology? If not, why? If so, why?

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THE FANTASTIC

THE FANTASTIC - Elves, magicians, wizards, enchantress, witches, time travelers, ogres, leprechauns, fairies

Mythical creatures have been standing side by side with humans since the dawn of time. They have accounted for all those things we can’t explain and taken the rap for those things completely out of our control. There is such a plethora of fantasy creatures laced through thousands of books, from the English pixie to the American Bigfoot, these characters liven our days and thrill us at night.

PRIZE #1: A signed copy of Starsight

PRIZE #2: An eCopy of Shoppe of Spells by Shanon Grey

TIME’S UP AT: 3:00PM

So, here are your questions: 

1. If you could be any fantasy creature what would it be and why?

2. What is your favorite all time fantasy or enchantment book?

3. If you were given the job of creating a fantasy world without using any known creatures, what would you invent?

4. If you were from another realm, what would it be like?

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THE BLOOD SUCKERS

THE BLOOD SUCKERS – Vampires, Harpies, Succubus 

Vampires have been around for a very long time in literature. From the very first fireside stories of the living dead tens of thousands of years ago to the TV shows that have aired since the sixties, vampires have been both good and evil, sexy and horrific, smart and dumb. They have been killed in so many ways it’s surprising they keep cropping up. From Buffy to Beowulf, vampire hunters have been an integral part of the legends. But there are other blood suckers out there as well. 

PRIZE: eCopy of Vampire Book of Your Choice
TIME'S UP AT: 11AM

So, here are your questions:

1. What would you be like as a vampire? Why? 

2. If you wrote a book about blood suckers, would your hero he one of them or the guy who fights them? 

3. What other creatures out there are blood or soul suckers? 

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THE SPIRITS
Ghosts, spirits, angels, demons, gods

As all of you know, these are one of my favorite characters. The wonderful thing about ghosts, angels, demons, and gods is they are so unpredictable! They can appear anywhere, so just about anything, and create more trouble than a kindergarten class in a crystal shop. Angels can be good or bad, wage war on anyone, or be… well, angelic! Gods can create havoc on a global scale and those wacky demons just like to possess things. And of course there is nothing more wonderful than a tame haunting going terribly wrong. 

PRIZE: eCopy of A Ghost of a Chance

TIME'S UP AT: 1:00pm

 

So here is what I want to know: 

1. Do you believe in ghosts? If so, have you ever seen one? Tell us about it! 

2. If you could be a god, what would you be a god of and why?

3. Do you think you may have a guardian angel looking over your shoulder? Why?

4. Who is your favorite demon, angel, ghost or god? Why?

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THE WORLD OF THE PARANORMAL - INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the wonderful world of Paranormal Addicts. Chelsea invited me to put together a forum where we can talk about all things paranormal. I will be giving away books and swag today and you'll have an opportunity to talk about what it is that makes you LOVE the paranormal! So, here are some guidelines to help all of us enjoy the forum and try not to get too lost... BTW, you guys are all my guinea pigs, since I've never tried anything like this before:

1. I will be posting a total of five blog posts for discussion starting at 9am PST and ending at 7pm PST on Saturday, 12/17/11. You will have two hours on each one to get involved in the discussion. Then, at the end of that particular discussion, I will call time and award a prizes to one of those commenters.

2. You are welcome to comment on any of the posts during the day for a chance to win a grand prize at the end  of the day.

3.  Because we're trying to keep this open to everyone, we are restricting comments to PG-13 please... if you want to get raunchy, then send me an email... you know where I live!

4. HAVE FUN. That's the most important rule of all. This is supposed to be mostly chatting about our favorite genre, what thrills, scares, or excites us about all those wonderful ghoulie creatures out there, so just enjoy! xxxooo Minnette :o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE WORLD OF THE PARANORMAL - DEFINITION

Definition: Paranormal is a general term (coined ca. 1915–1920^[1][2]) that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation"^[3] or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure.^[1][4] Paranormal phenomena are distinct from certain hypothetical entities, such as dark matter and dark energy, only insofar as paranormal phenomena are inconsistent with the world as already understood through empirical observation coupled with scientific methodology.^[5] Wikipedia

PART ONE - THE SHIFTERS
PRIZE: eCopy of IMMORTAL WARRIOR by Lisa Hendrix (1st book in the immortal viking series)
TIMES UP: 11:00AM

Werewolves, shape shifters, Manimals, mermaids/men

The shifters and half-animal/half-humans are gaining in popularity in modern fiction. Werewolves have been with us for many years, but men or women that shift into other creatures help us explore our inner beasts. Here are some questions for you:

1.      If you could shift into any creature you wished, what would it be and why?

2.      How many books or authors can you name that write about shape shifters?

3.      Besides those listed above, can you think of other shifters not mentioned?

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Toni's Review of Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall ***5 Stars***

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets — how can she defeat death itself?

*************************

Book Two in the Immortal Guardian Series. 

Ok two days and two books and on the third day, let there be reviews.  Yes, I have done nothing but devour these two novels.  I have been captured by this amazing new universe and I am officially in love with the characters.  They feel like friends that I could cherish forever.  Yes, I will admit I love my fictional characters.  I know I’m not the only one out there that would love some Hunters or Brothers.  If you are like me, you know EXACTLY who I am talking about, so no mocking.

Marcus has lived a long time, over eight hundred years.  In that time, he has loved only one woman, Bethany, a woman that was destined to never be his, but to eternally break his heart.  In his whole existence there has only been her.  Having her in his life platonically, not once but twice, was all he could ever have.  Now he has lost her for the last time, eight years ago.  His chance to ever find love has disappeared forever.  All that changed the moment he set his eyes on a fiery red head that had talent with a gun and the ability to set his pulse racing.

Not unfamiliar with the world of vampires and Guardians, Amitiska, “Ami”, isn’t surprised when she comes upon a scene of chaos, an Immortal Guardian taking on eight vampires.  What does surprise her is the awestruck brilliance of the man himself; long dark hair, vibrant amber eyes, and full sensual lips.  She is left speechless.  Too bad it won’t be the first or the last time in one night for her.  She is shocked again later that night when she is assigned to be his Second, a human personal assistant and guard for an individual immortal.  Wow, she didn’t see that coming!

Toni's Review of Darkness Dawns by Dianne Duvall ***5 Stars*** & BOOK GIVEAWAY

In this dazzling, sensual novel, Dianne Duvall beckons readers into a world of vampires, immortals, and humans with extraordinary gifts. . .where passion can last forever, if you're willing to pay the price. . .

Once, Sarah Bingham's biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she's landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control. . .

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible--when it means forfeiting the world she's always known, and the life he would do anything to protect. . .

*****************

Vampires are real!!

You may not know this, but it is true.  It is actually a rare virus that once contracted causes an intense craving for blood and will eventually lead to madness.  There is the extreme rarity that if you are one of the lucky ones that have “special gifts”, the virus mutates.  If that is the case then your “gifts” will improve and as a whole you become more than expected, basically immortal. 

So there are things that DO go bump in the night and you need to be careful out there.  On the plus side, the “special” individuals are out there to protect us.  They call themselves Immortal Guardians.  Be very thankful that the Guardians are out there because something sinister is in the air.  The vampires are changing their patterns and things are not looking so good for us humans.

Toni's Review of Devil's Kiss by Zoe Archer ***3.5 Stars***

Amazon Link: Devil's Kiss
Author:  Zoe Archer
Length:  355 Pages
Publisher:  Zebra
Date Published:  December 1, 2011
Rating:  3.5 Stars
Content:  Historical, Adult Content, Demons, Spirits, Magic, M/F


A HANDSOME DEVIL 

1762. James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney, is a gambling man. Not for the money. But for the thrill, the danger—and the company: Whit has become one of the infamous Hellraisers, losing himself in the chase for adventure and pleasure with his four closest friends.

Which was how Whit found himself in a gypsy encampment, betting against a lovely Romani girl. Zora Grey’s smoky voice and sharp tongue entrance Whit nearly as much as her clever hands—watching them handle cards inspires thoughts of another kind...

Zora can’t explain her attraction to the careless blue-eyed Whit. She also can’t stop him and his Hellraisers from a fiendish curse: the power to grant their own hearts’ desires, to chase their pleasures from the merely debauched to the truly diabolical. And if Zora can’t save Whit, she still has to escape him…

********************

Watch out London!!! The Hellraisers are in town. 

The Hellraisers are five friends hell bent on NOT conforming to societies rules. Each fierce in their own right, but together they will be unstoppable. 

This is the beginning of what promises to be a great series. I love the originality of the plot. I personally have not read anything like this, but that really doesn't say much.

This series begins with the story of James “Whit” Sherbourne, Earl of Whiney. His vice in life is gambling. He lives for it day in and day out. No time for romance, parliament or even his vast estate. The thrill of winning and losing is everything. Lately, even gambling has become mundane. Whit has to take larger risks to get the same feeling of elation that he used to get with simple bets. He may not know it, but he just wagered his largest pot ever, his soul.

Dianne Duvall - Darkness Dawns - BOOK GIVEAWAY!

AUTHOR INFO & BOOK AWARDS

Dianne Duvall earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, where she studied fiction writing, playwriting and poetry writing. Darkness Dawns, the first book in her Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, was released on February 1, 2011, courtesy of Kensington (Zebra Imprint). It has received many 5-star reviews and was deemed a Top Pick by The Romance Reviews and a Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Darkness Dawns also won first place in the 2009 Indiana Golden Opportunity contest, then was chosen as the Best of the Best. Night Reigns, the second book in the series, is scheduled to be released on December 6, 2011.












Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control . . .

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible -- when it mean forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect.






One very lucky person will win a paperback copy of Darkness Dawns!

Just leave a comment for the author, Dianne Duvall below! Good luck!!

AND WAIT THERE IS MORE....

Dianne is also giving away two Kindles!!

Head on over to her website to find out the rules and to enter:

WIN A KINDLE

ONE MORE THING!!!

You have yet another chance to win this very fine book. Head on over to

Books Read 'n' Makeup Done to enter there too.

CONTEST RULES:

Contest ends: Sunday, December 18th at Midnight Pacific time. Winner will be picked Monday.  Winner will be notified by email.

This contest is open to US and Canada only.

You must be a follower of this blog to qualify. If GFC is not working please just let us know in the comments.  Also you need to leave a comment for the author along with your email address. Additional entries are available, just take a look below.  ONLY MANDATORY ITEM IS THE BLOG POST.  Following would be appreciated, though if you can.

**This blog has full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this giveaway is subject to these rules.

Please check out the complete Immortal Guardians series on Amazon:

Special thank you to Kensington Books for sponsoring this giveaway.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Giveaway for Toys for Tots and other charities :)

http://paperbackdolls.com/?p=8426 If you go there, they are doing a giveaway where for each new follower they are donating to toys for tots and also doing a giveaway to their followers for a Kindle Fire :) Just wanted to give you guys a heads up! Have fun!

Toni's Review of Heart Over Mind by Sara Trimble ***3.5 Stars***

Author: Sara Trimble
Length: 199 Pages
Publisher: Self Published via Smashwords
Date Published: September 14, 2011
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Content: Contemporary, Adult Content, Vampires, Shape Shifters, Ghosts, Fae, Magic, M/F

Nala gets life-altering news. She has a family, and more than one secret power. Even worse is that she also has a mad man seeking to kill her. Gabriel arrives and promises to protect her. With him around, she may be safe from Broncestan, but her heart is in danger of breaking.

Gabriel makes it clear from day one that he's not interested in a relationship. Despite the fact that sparks fly whenever he and Nala touch, he wants to focus on the one thing that matters to him. His job. It's too bad that Nala's determined not to let that happen. And when multiple signs point to their being together as Fate deems right, Gabriel wonders if he's fighting a losing battle.

********************

Nala Arpaia had a feeling her life was about to change and she was right. Gabriel Ricardo blew into her world and from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same.

Nala lost her parents at a very young age. Growing up in foster homes then eventually an orphanage has made Nala a strong person. She has always known she had some powers, but she never had any idea of the extent. Becoming a psychiatrist is a perfect profession for her. With her ability to control minds, she is able to help people with their problems. Now that her life has changed, she will be able to do more with her abilities and learn more about herself. She is about to journey into a whole new world filled with magical creatures and new adventures.

Win an ARC Copy of Awkward by Marni Bates here! (Young adult) :)

You can enter to win a copy of Awkward by Marni Bates here! Here's the description found on Amazon

I'm Mackenzie Wellesley, and I've spent my life avoiding the spotlight. But that was four million hits ago. . .
Blame it on that grade school ballet recital, when I tripped and pulled the curtain down, only to reveal my father kissing my dance instructor. At Smith High, I'm doing a pretty good job of being the awkward freshman people only notice when they need help with homework. Until I send a burly football player flying with my massive backpack, and make a disastrous--not to mention unwelcome--attempt at CPR. Just when I think it's time for home schooling, the whole fiasco explodes on Youtube. And then the strangest thing happens. Suddenly, I'm the latest sensation, sucked into a whirlwind of rock stars, paparazzi, and free designer clothes. I even catch the eye of the most popular guy at school. That's when life gets really interesting. . ..

"Fans of Meg Cabot will find Marni's voice equally charming and endearing."--Julie Kagawa, New York Times bestselling author

Marni Bates alternates her time between her home in Ashland, Oregon, and Lewis & Clark College. When not studying or writing, she can be found rollerblading, bargaining at garage sales, and watching copious amounts of TV--strictly for artistic inspiration, of course.

ARC Giveaway Kill Switch Thriller by Neal and Jonathan

hi guys! Another giveaway from Kensington Books, not quite paranormal, this one looks more Thriller but I'm sure some of you like multiple genres so here you go ;) Here's what Amazon says about this book.

"Claire Waters is a dedicated forensic psychiatrist with unnervingly personal insights into the criminal mind. Haunted by a disturbing childhood incident, Claire has always been drawn to those rare "untreatable" patients who seem to have no conscience or fear. But one shocking case could make or break her career - and it's waiting for her in the psychiatric wing of New York City's Rikers Island. Quimby is a deranged inmate whose boyish good looks hide a sordid history of dysfunction and abuse, and he triggers something in Claire she'd rather not face. As she tries to unlock Quimby's past, she leaves herself dangerously vulnerable. When the case propels her into the mind of another killer - a homicidal maniac who's watching her every move - it could only end in madness, or murder, or both...Brilliantly constructed and breathtakingly suspenseful, "Kill Switch" is a masterful combination of murder, mystery, and modern forensics - and a stunning debut from a spectacular writing team."

Kill Switch by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene

You guys have 8 days to enter and once again the only mandatory thing is tweeting ;) The rest is optional! Have fun and don't forget you can tweet once a day for extra points :)