GUEST BLOG - April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland

Paranormal Addicts welcomes Authors April & Danielle!!

Author Bio’s


Danielle Hylton-Outland was raised in Virginia. She grew up having a huge appetite for daydreaming; always wanting to live in the spectacular worlds she created in her mind. She now lives with her husband and dog where she is pursuing a degree in literature. Danielle is a strong animal activist. She is currently co-writing the second book in the Flesh Series, "Flesh and Flames".

April Fifer grew up in a small town in Virginia, where it was common practice believing that dreams could only be found in stories. At the age of seven she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was told that she would struggle through life and would never pick up a book to read for pleasure. Although school was hard, she was able to find her way with the help of two teachers who taught her self-discovery. Ignoring what she was taught growing up, she turned it around and found that your dreams could become stories.

Contact Information:

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Buy "Flesh and Feathers" Today

RELEASE DATE:  March 31st 


Azaleigh's life is simple until, by chance, she meets Kale.  Charming and handsome Az is immediately drawn to him. But long kept secrets lurk in the hearts of those Az holds most dear, and dangerous plans are unfolding around her.  As her life begins to crumble and Kale disappears, Gage, charismatic and striking, arrives, providing a calm port in an increasingly violent storm.  But with every narrow escape from a far from human bounty hunter after her life, Az begins to unravel a secret with the power to change her forever.  In an increasingly hostile world of Angel and Fallen, Azaleigh must navigate her own path, chose her own side, and ultimately protect her heart.  Faced with two gorgeous men, an enemy she doesn’t know, and a future she cannot understand, Az must make the choice: the man she loves, or the man she cannot live without.

Excerpt

We arrived at the lounge, which was tucked away and hidden from the city. It was easily the most romantic and seductive place I had ever been. A live band played a soft, slow ballad as we were seated.

We ate dinner, and the conversations were short; neither of us divulged too much information. Yet, it was an intriguing encounter I didn't want to end.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked. I assumed the hardwood square in the center of the room was set up as a dance floor, but no one was on it.

"No one's really dancing," I said, hoping this would discourage him from asking again.

He pulled me to my feet, and in that instant an alluring sound began to play, and the words crooned were so tempting I gave in. Kale led me to the floor and pressed his body to mine. My head barely met the middle of his chest, and I gazed up at him, transfixed by his eyes. The words of the song overwhelmed me with each provocative verse, as though they were meant for only me. Kale emanated an essence that threatened to consume my body. I closed my eyes.  His left hand, pressed against the small of my back moving me slowly and gently in sync with him. He used his right hand to trail a finger from the corner of my eye and down my cheek to my chin and then my collarbone, expanding his whole palm over my shoulder. I felt tiny and fragile but safe and secure. "You're beautiful," he said, astonishing me.

I opened my eyes, and saw all of the shades of blue that made his eyes so brilliant. They twisted and interlocked, creating the most vibrant color. He leaned towards me, and my legs grew weak. He held my gaze, and I wanted so badly to look away; this was not something I was ready for.

Finally, his lips were within an inch of mine. I forced my eyes closed as he whispered, "Azaleigh." He pressed his lips zealously to mine. With each supple kiss a surge of heat rushed through me. His hands reached up, cupping my jaw on each side, holding me in place. His last kiss gently pulled at my top lip and softly let go. He lingered inches from my face. I stood there with my eyes closed, too petrified to open them. His thumb brush across my cheek reassuringly. I couldn't speak. I was afraid my words would dissolve the moment and I would never get the magic back. But like all great things, the end was inevitable.

"It's getting late. I should take you home." His words broke the silence I had dared not to break myself.

Paranormal Addicts would like to thank April and Danielle for stopping by. 

  

GUEST AUTHOR POST & GIVEAWAY- Dakota Banks

PNA welcomes Author Dakota Banks! 

Thank you for stopping by and to get this started, here is a clip of her new release, Deliverance scheduled for release on March 27th!

  

I want to thank Chelsea for inviting me to Paranormal Addicts to chat with all of her fabulous followers. Much appreciated, Chelsea, and I thought I’d mention that every time I visit your blog, I have trouble pulling my eyes away from the shiny hottie in your banner. Where on Earth did you find him?

I write urban fantasy, a sub-genre that barely existed twenty-five years ago. The most common and highly used definition of it is found in John Clute and John Grant’s Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997): “Texts where fantasy and the mundane world interact, intersect, and interweave throughout a tale which is significantly about a real city.”

 In the late 1980s, some fantasy authors began to set their stories of magic and supernatural beings in big cities in contemporary times. Mercedes Lackey (Witchworld and Diana Tregarde Investigations series) and Charles de Lint (Jack, the Giant Killer, Drink Down the Moon) were pioneers of this type of fiction, where fairies and magic interacted with the real world, like fairytales being told for a modern audience.

A decade later, a new, grittier type of urban fantasy began to show up, not based on fairy tales as much as on horror or mystery stories. What happened then? Buffy happened! Buffy the Vampire Slayer was on TV showing that strong women and the supernatural are a great mix. In books, Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake novels took readers where they wanted to go. Urban fantasy has exploded in popularity since then—TV and movies are feeding the frenzy, and vice versa. Then, as bright as a solar flare, YA urban fantasy lit up the sky, and is now extremely popular with teens.

Why? What’s so addictive about urban fantasy? Here are a dozen ideas.

1. The feeling that the characters in the books could be walking around among us, unrecognized. Our imaginations love this one. That man who moved into 4C—who’s to say he’s not a werewolf? I've had some bosses I suspected were witches. Really. More than other types of fantasy, urban fantasy lets us generalize the world in the book to the world around us—because it is our world, just with a twist or two. 
2. Sex. 
3. Good and evil loom large. The good characters may have faults and the bad characters may have some redeeming qualities, but generally the contrast between good and evil is stronger than we see in real life. That means things can be less confusing than all the moral question marks that swirl around us daily. 
4. Many of the lead characters are alpha females, doing things aggressively and physically, options that may not be available to us in our real lives. It’s nice to see someone carrying the baton, if only between the pages of a book. 
5. Sex. 
6. A mystery or problem to be solved on a large scale, something that affects the whole world or a good part of it. This is one of the things that puts the thrill in thrillers, and urban fantasy has it. 
7. In YA stories, the lead character usually discovers she can find romance and friends along with her supernatural power. What’s more enticing to teens? 
8. Romance, perhaps a forbidden romance with someone who isn't human. 
9. Many urban fantasies are written in first person, giving the reader an eye-to-eye view of the good, the bad, and the ugly—no arm’s length between the reader and all the good stuff. 
10. In UF, a character can be part human, part supernatural. It’s exciting for the reader to think he or she might have a supernatural part that hasn't revealed itself yet. 
11. Sex. 
12. In some cases, the main character’s love interest is what we’d call a “bad boy,” who is walking the line between good and evil. This is a safe way to walk on the wild side and have a dangerous bad boy in your life without the down side that comes in reality. 

What are some reasons that you think UF is popular? 

Thank you Dakota for sharing this post.  Please take a few moments and check out her site, friend her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.  She has a blog, a newsletter, great mythology information and looks like additional contests from time to time.  We all LOVE contests.  So check her out today.





Website 
Blog 
Goodreads 

Here is what some people had to say about Mortal Path:

"As a heroine, Maliha is one of the best. She is intelligent and talented, has a great sense of humor, and knows how to take care of herself. Maliha is easy to sympathize with... To top it all off, Maliha faces the challenge of opening her heart to a man for the first time since her husband turned his back on her in the 17th century. Grade A."
- ECLECTIC BOOK LOVER 

"Dark Time ... is an inventive and engaging novel. The idea behind the book is clever and original."
- THE NOVEL BOOKWORM 

"Dark Time is an explosive combination of Dark Angel (James Cameron) and Xena, the Warrior Princess. I would recommend this book to sci-fi, paranormal, urban, or any other type of fan. Dark Time is a must read! ... Dakota Banks can bank on the fact that her books are going to go all the way to number one."
- CHERYLS BOOK NOOK

Growing up in a 19th-century funeral home might have set the tone for Dakota Banks's life. In her debut fiction, she proves the point by conjuring up an infernal tale about a burned-at-the-stake witch who refuses to let bygones be bygones. Two hundred years of savage carnage later, the demonically inclined Susannah Layton, now known as Maliha, decides that she wants to retire, but unless she can perform some good deeds quickly, she will be consigned to the very hottest parts of hell.













A demon's enslaved executioner—a ravager of lives and souls—Maliha Crayne has been reborn, willing to sacrifice her immortality for a chance at freedom . . . and salvation. Now she has an opportunity to prevent the death of thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—to make up for the countless lives she has obliterated over the centuries. To do so, she must locate and destroy an evil cabal of madmen in possession of a weapon of unspeakable power—and survive the immortal assassins who are now after her blood. But it means reverting to the old ways and surrendering once more to the darkness. And if Maliha dies before the mission is accomplished, the hell she once knew will seem like a picnic compared to the eternal torments awaiting her.

RELEASE DATE:  March 27th

A demon's assassin for centuries, Maliha Crayne has gone rogue, determined to save a life for every one she's destroyed in order to free herself from an eternity of enslavement, damnation, and excruciating torment. But as the powers that sustained her in the past fade, she is wary of trusting those closest to her-especially her lover, Jake. Should Maliha listen to her heart or the alarms going off in her head? Then her closest friends begin to disappear, one by one. Amid her anger, suspicion, and sorrow, she feels her life spiraling out of control.


Worse still, a beautiful, Renaissance murderess is recruiting Maliha as her new assassin. Maliha is turning into a lethal puppet with an evil Immortal pulling the strings, forced to kill innocents or see her missing friends die horribly. Suddenly trapped in a moral no-man's land, Maliha is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't…and time is rapidly running out.

Paranormal Addicts would like to thank Dakota again for stopping by.  She is most graciously offering a wonderful giveaway package.

The giveaway is a Mortal Path Swag Bag (shown below) containing a tote bag, 3 signed books, pens, bookmarks, magnets, and a calculator.

It’s open internationally.  Yes, you read that right.  The whole world can enter, MWAHAHAHA!!

WOW!!!

A few easy steps and this amazing package might be yours!

It sure would be spectacular if you checked out her website, liked her Facebook page, etc.  Since we can't really track them, it won't be required.  From the reviews alone this woman is HAWT!!  You may want to keep track of what she has going on!

To enter:  Answer Dakota's question she asked:  What are some reasons that you think UF is popular?

To earn additional entries:  These are not mandatory, but do increase your odds of winning.

• Become a Fan on Dakota's Goodread page
• Follow Paranormal Addicts Facebook Page
• Follow Paranormal Addicts on Twitter
• "Like" this blog post
• Twitter about this contest daily

Now how can you beat that!!!

~* 5 Stars for Hunted by Rebecca Zanetti *~

Ready Or Not Moira Dunne is a witch--the quantum physics kind. Time and space are her playthings. Which might explain why her one-night stand from a hundred years ago has turned up to "claim" her--and request her family's assistance with the war he's brewing. But the more she learns about Connlan Kayrs, the more she comes to think this is normal behavior for him. . . There's Nowhere To Hide When Conn and Moira tumbled on the moonlit grass, Conn hadn't meant to mark her as his mate for all time. She was only twenty! But it wasn't easy to wait for her. It was even harder to forget her. So when he finally returns for his wicked-hot witch, he's ready to let the sparks flying. Even if he burns up in flames. . .  




Let me start by saying this is the first book I’ve ever read by Rebecca Zanetti, though I believe this is book number 3 in the series.


I’ll admit in the first third of this book, I was a little bit lost because I hadn’t read any of the previous books, but that’s my fault and not the authors. There’s a lot of info to take in about this paranormal world Rebecca has created. If this is your first book and you’re a bit lost, don’t give up because it gets really good. In this book we've got Conn and Moira as our main characters.

Moira is a feisty redheaded witch who’s the Seventh (seventh daughter of a seventh witch). Because of that, she’s got a lot of power, more than a regular witch and she will one day rule the Council of the Coven Nine because of that power. In a night of passion, one hundred years ago, Moira shares an electric night with Conn. During sex Conn ends up marking her with the mating mark, not on purpose but just the way things work. Considering how powerful Moira is meant to be, her family is more than a little bit upset and her dad wants Conn’s head on a nice spike, adorning the front yard. Conn signs a treaty with her family, promising to stay away from her for a century, so that she can train to be the Seventh. It also takes a century for a witch to come into her power and learn how to use that power.

Conn stayed away from her for the full century and then flies to Ireland because he wants to take her home with him now. Moira doesn’t want to leave and Conn is suspicious that there is more things going on than Moira is telling. In the beginning, when Moria can’t get Conn to leave, she throws a plasma ball at him. This plasma ball is formed by her and her magic and can only be controlled by her since she’s the one who created it. Conn catches this plasma ball in the air and while Moira gapes at him, he throws it back at her. It seems that the mating mark did more than give them matching tattoos. The mark also gives them each other’s abilities. Conn can now work magic and Moira is adapt at hand to hand combat, knives, guns, etc. just like Conn is. 


There are several other factions going on in this book. We’ve got witches, vampires, demons, shifters and Kurjans (<~~~pasty-white bloodsucking monsters). Besides all the factions, there are a lot of things happening and it’s a pretty fast paced book. We've got things like the Virus-27, created by the Kurjans to attack vampire mates and change them back to human form. Council members are getting sucked into violent traveling portals and no one knows how these portals are even possible.


Rebecca takes you on an action-packed journey, that will leave your head spinning and wondering how you could have been so oblivious to what’s really going on. When you find out about a certain murder in this book, you’ll be just as shocked as I was. Hunted is a scrumptious paranormal fantasy that will keep you up all night.


5 Stars by Paranormal Addicts

~* 5 Stars for King of the Isles by Debbie Mazzuca *~

She'll find him a bride if it's the last thing she does. And it very well might be. Evangeline may be powerfully persuasive in her way, but convincing the notoriously wild Highland king Lachlan MacLeod to strengthen his alliances with a strategic marriage seems to be asking the impossible.


Stubborn and proud, Lachlan seems determined to go against her will, even if it means endangering the people he's sworn to protect and the enchanted isle that has already seen so much discord. Yet the battle-scarred Highlander cannot ignore his sultry advisor for long. When his mentor is kidnapped, forcing him to ride into combat alongside the beautiful Evangeline, he must choose between her safety and his own independence. It's a choice he makes in an instant. . .but once wed to the woman he could not resist, he'll soon find that his heart is in even greater danger than his kingdom. . .


This is the 2nd book I’ve picked up by Debbie, though it’s the third book in the series. I started with book 2, and then read this one and even though I haven’t read the first book, I didn’t get lost in the story at all, so they can be read as stand-alone books as well.


In this book we learn more about Evangeline and the new Highland King Lachlan MacLeod. Evangeline is the advisor to the new King, but trying to get him to stop his drinking and womanizing ways is almost impossible. Evageline is pretty pissed because she’s trying to keep her people safe and he’s off doing whatever he wants, when he should be focused on the protection of his people. She feels he doesn’t care about his people at all, and he thinks she nags and worries too much.


Lachlan’s mentor gets kidnapped and Evageline and Lachlan, with a few trusted others, go to save him. Lachlan and Evagline butt heads the entire way, but neither can ignore the passion that ignites in them, when they are together.


I really enjoy this series because its historical, have Fae in it, magic of all kinds and Debbie gives excellent descriptions where you feel like you’re part of the story. Another favorite of mine is the details she gives some of the side characters, I’m hoping she’ll either include some of them in this series, or do a spin-off of this series at some point.


If you love Highlanders, Fae, Magic, and dynamic explosions between the main characters, then you’ll love this entire series. I’m a huge fan of Paranormal books, but sometimes I need a break from the typical vampire/werewolf book and this series definitely does that for me.


Book 1: Lord of the Isles
Book 2: Warrior of the Isles
Book 3: King of the Isles

My review for Warrior of the Isles:

 Rated 5 Stars by Paranormal Addicts

~*4 Stars for Nightshift by Kate Douglas, Crystal Jordan, and Lynn LaFleur *~

 “Dream Catcher" by Kate Douglas

She comes to him at night in dreams of carnal pleasure. Real or imagined, Mac doesn't know and doesn't care. For his body throbs with a need that only his mystery lover can satisfy. . .

“Taken Between" by Crystal Jordan

Kira lives to protect her queen, but the king's brother is the one who commands her desire. She longs for him with a feral sexuality and ferocious passion she can barely control. . .

“The Right Number" by Lynn LaFleur

Jay may have dialed the wrong number but the right woman answers. She is the mate he's been looking for all his life. And when he hears the sexy purr of her voice, it arouses the hungry wolf inside. .


I haven’t read an anthology in a while because most of the time the short stories feel rushed and the characters are thrown together without any story. I’m happy to say that was not the case with any of the 3 stories included in this book.

Dream Catcher by Kate Douglas

The first story is Dream Catcher by Kate Douglas. In this story we meet Mac Dugan and Zianne. Mac is a gorgeous guy who’s also a bit nerdy and writes software. He was a grad student, writing software, going for a grant when all his research goes missing and his nemesis Phil Bennett turned in Mac’s work, but with his own handwriting. Bennette lies and says the work is his and basically gets Mac kicked out of the program, grant, and scholarship. Mac wants to fight it since there are some suspicious circumstances, like the girl he slept with a few nights ago, now hanging out with Phil. Then there’s Phil’s uncle being the Dean of the department. Along for the ride in this story, is Mac’s best gay guy friend Dink, who’s quite the character himself.

Zianne basically appears out of Mac’s fantasy/dream and gives him a hand in the shower but Mac is drunk during that shower and thinks he imagined her. So, what happens in this tale of a nerdy gorgeous dude, his gay friend, and a gorgeous fantasy woman?

Taken Between by Crystal Jordan

In this story we are introduced to Kira and Max Delacourt.

Kirea is a fox-shifter, a Between (shape-shifter). Kira is the daughter of a Butler and works for the Between King and his fiancée. Kira is the second in command for the King’s guards and soon to be head of the future Queen’s Guard. Kira protects the King and Queen from death threats, because before the former King died, he told the humans in the world about the Betweens. That left his son King Elan to try and protect the rights of Between all around the world.

Max is the King’s brother and also the head of the King’s Guard. Max is under the impression that Kira is in love with his King (brother), something Kira hasn’t bothered to correct in years.

Kira has never bothered going for Max because he outranks her, not only in the Guard, but also as her Prince. Max has never gone for Kira because he’s always believed Kira wanted his brother. Kira decides to seduce him and inform him, it’s never been about his brother. They have a steamy one night stand, which makes things a bit awkward for them later on.

I wonder, what will happen with this forbidden fruit story? Will Kira and Max find happiness or will their romance come crashing apart?

The Right Number by Lynn LaFleur

Jamieson aka Jay owns a company JEMATAR with his cousin Troy. Troy has left out of town on a planned vacation and Jay is left trying to figure things out, since this is normally Troy’s job.

Part of Jay and Troy’s business is buying investment properties. Jay starts calling around Dallas instead of San Francisco and he ends up coming across a wrong number. When he talks to this woman, his wolf sits up and pays attention and even though its over the phone, he’s convinced she’s his mate. Problem is even though she flirts with him a little, she refuses to give him her name or “correct” number and hangs up on him.

The woman, whose name is Veronica St. James has the same reaction as Jay, because she’s a wolf too. She works with her brothers in their own family business St. James Security.

They both start looking for the other one and Jay manages to find her number. The two start talking on the phone and then decide to meet later on. When they meet, its explosive, and their wolves really like each other.

There are some questionable circumstances later on, where someone is trying to kill Jay and Troy suspects the St. James Security and thinks Roni is a spy. The question is, is she really a spy from her company trying to hack Jay’s company? Or is something more sinister going on?

Rated 4 Stars by Paranormal Addicts

~*5 Stars for Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston *~

He's big, burly, and way smarter than your average shapeshifting bear. He's also about to get trapped by own his game. . . 


Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down--and bringing his passion out of hibernation. . .


As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways. . .

This is the 2^nd book I’ve read by Shelly Laurenston and I really enjoyed this one more than the last one I read by Shelly.


In this book we get to know Marcella Malone better. She goes by Cella to her friends and family. In the other book I read with Cella in it, she seemed to be a pretty mean character who just liked to start trouble. In this book we get to see another side of Cella, where she has an incredible sense of humor, is somewhat softer when not on the ice, and has more friends and family than you would think.


We are introduced to Lou Crushek at the same time. He’s a bear and he’s a pretty easy going guy until he wakes up naked in bed with Cella. He swears off parties and jello-shots since he has no idea how he landed naked in a bed with Cella. Basically Cella was drunk too and there was nowhere to sleep at her friend’s house and she didn’t want to sleep with the yippy coyote shape-shifters so she crawled into bed with Crush.

Cella is one busy girl. She’s a mom, has a job at KZS and is a full time hockey player for the Carnivores. She’s got a beautiful, smart daughter on a good path. She enjoys her job at KZS and she’s scary and vicious as the enforcer for the Carnivores.


Lou aka “Crush” is an easygoing cop. He’s getting moved out of his current job to another one. Even though he’ll make more money and get better benefits, he’s not happy with all the changes. His Polar bear tendencies make any change a really big deal to him. Between KZS and the crazy Cella, his world is being rocked and he doesn’t know top from bottom.


Cella aks Crush to play her pretend boyfriend because her crazy aunts are trying to hook her up with one of her cousins. Crush gets talked into it, even though he doesn’t really want to pretend to be her boyfriend, since he thinks she’s a bit insane. But, by the time he thinks of backing out of it, its too late and her entire family thinks he’s her boyfriend. After sitting in the box seat during one of Cella’s games with her dad, and hearing about how he basically used to bust people’s kneecaps and hurting them majorly because he was good at, Crush decides he’ll stick with the story, since he obviously doesn’t want to be one of those with the broken kneecaps.


I’ve really enjoyed the two books I’ve read by Shelly and I’m going to go find the other books in the series and start over from the beginning. If you like Paranormal Shifter Romance books with some unexpected humor you’ll really love Bear Meets Girl.

Please check out my other review I did from the series:

Rated 5 Stars by Paranormal Addicts 

~* 3.5 Stars for To Walk the Night by E.S. Moore *~

Kat Redding is the very thing she hunts: a vampire, thirsting for blood, capable of killing any creature unlucky enough to get in her path. The difference is, Kat kills her own kind in order to protect human Purebloods. She's good at what she does. Good enough to earn the nickname Lady Death--and the enmity of every bloodthirsty being around. But now a vampire Count is intent on merging his House with a werewolf cult to create a force of terrifying power. Kat can't allow that to happen. Even if it means taking on a den of weres and a vampire more ruthless than any she's encountered before. She has the weapons, the skill, and a few allies. But that may not be enough to eliminate the Count before her own dark nature rises to the surface--and costs her whatever is left of her humanity. . .

This is not my typical read as its Urban Fantasy, but it looked Paranormal as well, which is my normal flavor, so I decided to give it a try.

Kat Redding is a vampire, who kills her own kind to keep Pureblood humans safe. She’s so good at killing them that she’s earned the nickname Lady Death. Of course the other vampires aren't too fond of her, but she doesn’t really care what they think and she tries to hold onto her humanity as best as any vampire can.

Along the journey she gets forced into a meeting with the Luna Cult. The Luna Cult is a group that collects rogue werewolves and they want her to help them on a case, even though Kat’s been known to kill werewolves too. They have word of a Vampire Count who’s trying to merge his House with a werewolf cult to become more powerful than they have the right to be.

There are vampire houses that keep Pureblood humans basically as a food source and Kat relishes destroying those houses and the Count of the house in order to save them. For a vampire Kat has a lot of compassion and love for the Purebloods. Even though she has the nickname Lady Death, she still risks death every time she fights the vampires.

Kat of course is against the Vampire Count who wants to merge his house to become more powerful and agrees to help the Luna Cult, even though this Vampire Count is pretty powerful and might actually kill her for real this time.

If you like take-no prisoners’ ballsy women, you’ll love Kat. She reminds me of the ruthlessness of Anita Blake in the earlier Anita Blake novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. There was no real romance or sexual tension, which I normally like in my books. Even if it takes my characters 5 books to actually get together, in any shape or form, so I was a bit disappointed in the lack of that in this book. But, if you like strictly action packed ladies, I suggest you give Kat a call. 

Rated 3.5 Stars by Paranormal Addicts

~* 5 Stars for Changeling Dawn by Dani Harper *~

Run 
Shadow and moonlight merge beneath her bare feet, the forest floor blurring as she flees the dogs and torches. Werewolf, monster--those are the names given her kind by the humans who hate them.


Hunt
Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding what she is, and she's not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska.


Mate 
An isolated archeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a shadowy research facility--as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his own. . .


This is the third book in the Changeling Series. If you haven’t read this series yet you should start with book 1 “Changeling Moon” and book 2 “Changeling Dream”. If you like werewolf paranormal romances, you’ll love Dani’s “Changeling” world. We see some of our old favorite characters in this book. Connor and his wife Zoey, James and his wife Jillian, Birkie, the one who has some psychic powers.This story mainly focuses on Kenzie though, who’s an awesome archaeologist and anthropologist and who spends a lot of time away from home. She has her own personal reasons for staying away from home so much, even though she loves her family.


Kenzie meets Josh when he jumps out in the road on her way to a dig site. She almost runs him over but he takes the risk since he’s in backcountry Alaska, with nowhere to go and his cell service not working so far out in the boonies. Kenzie gives him a ride to a nearby town and they chat along the way, especially about families and expectations from them. Something Kenzie doesn’t realize on the way is that Josh has always been able to see aura’s and knows exactly what her blue aura means, because she’s not the first Changeling he’s come across.


While Kenzie is getting her dig site up, she runs across an old friend/lover who’s also an archaeologist. He’s still crushing on her from several years ago, but Kenzie isn’t interested in Nate as a mate. Nate is also a changeling, but he doesn’t stir her inner wolf. Nate is also pretty bitter because he has to work hard to get grants in order to find new digs, where Kenzie comes from a rich family and she basically can dig wherever she wants, whenever she wants and Nate is a bit jealous of that fact.


Kenzie and Josh run into each other later on, especially since Kenzie has found a young wolf. The wolf is very skittish and it takes a bit of time but Kenzie realizes that it’s not a wolf in the wild, but a little changeling, less than a 10 year old girl. Things are not always what they seem. Kenzie and Josh work with the changeling, trying to get her to trust them so they can figure out what’s going on with her and where her mother is.


There is a lot going on in this book with mystery, romance, betrayal, and love. I’ve read all of Dani’s books and this is my favorite one so far in the series. Dani brings new life to the paranormal romance genre, that will keep you on your toes and wondering what else she’s going to throw at you. I read a lot of paranormal books and I really appreciate when I can find a unique voice in the paranormal realm that doesn’t sound like everyone else.


 Rated 5 Stars by Paranormal Addicts

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY - Kymberlee Burks-Miller

Paranormal Addicts welcomes
Kymberlee Burks-Miller!!

My name is Kymberlee Burks-Miller and I am the author of the YA Paranormal Romance, Compulsion.  I am originally from Baltimore, Maryland (Go RAVENS!), but now reside in Pennsylvania.  I am also a wife and a mother.  I would love to be able to tell you all that my days are filled with glamorous outings, dressed to the nines and non stop writing, but...the reality of the situation is that on any given day my hair is usually in pigtails or a ponytail, I hardly EVER wear makeup, and my favorite clothes (Ask anyone in my town) are sweats, or jammies. And before you even ask, YEP that's a big 10-4 that I do go shopping in said jammies!  I try to write as often as I can.  Translation, when the hubby, kid, fur-babies, and my bi-polar parrot are around NOTHING gets done. I enjoy spending time with my family, and lets face it, kids are only young once!

Okay, on to more interesting things! I have written all of my life and find great joy and solice in my work.  I have to say that I HAD been only writing YA until recently.  However I love to jump out of the box and my comfort zone. So I have adult paranormal series in the works titled Supernatural Society. I'm not sure that I would call it a paranormal romance. It's more along the lines of anything goes paranormal. I am also getting ready to release the much anticipated Enchantment, which can be found on my authors fanpage or my blog.

I also have a true life book, Ghostly Encounters that will be released VERY soon.  All of my work can be found on any of my pages. So have fun and enjoy the ride~ Kymberlee xoxo

Stop by and visit Kymberlee at:

Compulsion Series on Facebook

Kymberlee Burks-Miller Author's Facebook page

Kymberlee's Blogspot

Twitter

Goodreads

Kymberlee's Website

Join Kymberlee's Fan Email!!

Compulsion

After Lilyann Moons' grandmother dies under suspicious circumstances, she and her eleven young family members are thrown into the world of witchcraft and the paranormal. A world they know nothing about and need to learn fast! Lily is the most powerful witch in over five centuries, but she's untrained and uninitiated.

Now the vampires have found out that the Moon line didn't end with her grandmother and they're coming to claim their prize, her blood. The only bright spot in this nightmare was meeting Mason, but is she in love with the enemy? She’s in a race against time to save her coven. Will Lily survive with her heart and neck intact?

Be sure to pickup your ebook copy of Compulsion

at the following locations:

Amazon

Smashwords

Sony eBook Store

itunes

Barnes & Noble

kobo

GIVEAWAY!!

Kymberlee has graciously donated three (3) eBook copies of Compulsion to our loyal readers!  

To enter:  Answer this question:  What paranormal creature would you like to read about?

To earn additional entries:  These are not mandatory, but do increase your odds of winning.

• Become a Fan on Kymberlee's Goodread page
• Follow Paranormal Addicts Facebook Page
• Follow Paranormal Addicts on Twitter
• "Like" this blog post
• Twitter about this contest daily

Toni's Review of Night Games by Crystal Jordan ***4.5 Stars***

Over time, the Magickals have learned to live in the company of humans and keep their extraordinary abilities a secret. But despite their vigilance, one lurks among them who will stop at nothing to obtain his dark desire. . .


A cop with the Seattle P.D., Selina Grayson is committed to both her job and her privacy. Few know that she's a centuries' old elf with a tragic past that continues to haunt her. Yet her body still craves the exquisite ecstasy of sex that is her birthright--and a night of complete sensual abandon is just what she needs. . .


A Special Agent with the FBI Magickal Crimes Unit, Jack Laramie is one of the few Normals who know Magickals exist. He's wary of their power, but one touch from Selina ignites a fire within his blood. Hot with desire, he's ready to succumb to her erotic spell. But working a serial killer case together isn't quite as pleasurable--especially when the killer has a taste for humans like Jack. Now one wrong move could put out their heat for eternity. . .


Read an excerpt from Night Games.

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


Selina Grayson is an elf and she is over four hundred years old.  She has done everything she has ever wanted to do in her long life.  She has been married, widowed, had several careers and has seen the world.  For a year now, she has known that her death is impending.  All Magickals have a life span of approximately five hundred years, but that is not why her time is up. Selina’s ex partner, Merek, has seen her death in a premonition.  It is really too bad she has finally started to live again.

From the moment Selina agreed to have a one night stand with Jack Laramie, her very existence started to change.  He is a human in the same boat as Selina; neither of them wants to form a bond with the other.  Their attitude to keep it “friends with benefits” goes well beyond them being partners to solve a crime.  They both have tragic pasts that are painful and better left buried.

Someone is killing Magickals and Normals.  Selina and Jack are in a race to find the killer before he/she strikes again.  As the case they are working on heats up so does their passion.  The secrets they have kept buried begin to surface and they must work through their problems to solve the crime and their inevitable infatuation with each other.  Can they change fate or is Selina’s death going to ruin their future?

First off let me say Night Games can be read as a standalone but is also considered book two in the Night series.  You will find the first “couple” of the series mentioned in this story.  If you are interested in Chloe and Merek’s story, be sure to pick up book one, Embrace the Night.

I have warm and fuzzy feelings about Night Games.  I had the same outlook when I read Embrace the Night.  There is just something about the series that was delightfully natural.  I know it’s an odd word to use for an erotic romance novel, but it just works.  The writing is smooth and easy to follow.  The story is well told and the characters are fun to interact with.  Ms. Jordan wrote a captivating novel that is relaxing, sexy, and engaging.  She did a remarkable job not revealing any of the plot secrets.  I was on pins and needles and had some suspicions about the identity of the killer, but I was wrong.  Perfect execution!

Though Night Games is considered an Erotic Romance, I didn’t find it too erotic.  It is a very hot romance with well placed and steamy scenes, but not overly explicit.  If you are looking for blush worthy scenes I think you may be disappointed, but I do have to say this couple sizzled and burned up the pages.

Night Games has it all; an amazing plot, enjoyable characters, a bewildering mystery, a touch of action and scorching sex scenes.  Her world building is believable and very consistent.  She makes you wish you were a part of their universe.  So grab this great effortless read and take a breather from the craziness of life.

Don't forget to check out my review of the first book in the series.

Thanks for reading!! - Toni 

Book Giveaway & Toni's Review of Changeling Dawn by Dani Harper ***5 Stars***

RUN

Shadow and moonlight merge beneath her bare feet, the forest floor blurring as she flees the dogs and torches. Werewolf, monster -- those are the names given her kind by the humans who hate them.

HUNT

Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding what she is, and she’s not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska.

MATE

An isolated archeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a secretive research center -- as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his own . . .

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

This series has grabbed me from the very beginning.  Changeling Dawn is book three.  I’m not sure what it is; the wolves, the history of the changelings, the intriguing storylines, the feeling of family or even that the author is from Alaska.  I’m not sure, but Ms. Harper has sunk her claws in me and won’t let go!

Kenzie Macleod is a Changeling.  It is all she has ever known.  During her long life, she has lived in fear though.  As a child she had a life altering event and to this day, it still forms her life, love and dreams. 

Josh Talarkoteen has been to war and back.  He survived an awful tragedy in Afghanistan, but returned to the states a broken man.  Though years have passed and the memories have seemed to subside, he is still not over the pain. 

A scared and abandoned little girl forces their buried memories to resurface.  They must work through their pasts to help Anya and possibly each other.  They will do everything in their power to protect Anya, even die for her. 

Ummm WOW!!!  Each of the novels in this series has been unique and Changeling Dawn is simply great.  They all can be read alone, but why do that when you can enjoy the other two in the series too?  As a whole the series is a breath of fresh air; they almost have a calming effect for me.  There is action, love, sex and history, but there is much more to these books.  They are well thought out and the characters are personable.  Nothing is too over the top, just well written stories with heart.

Changeling Dawn tells the story of the remaining unmated daughter of the Macleod clan.  She is a strong woman and very independent.  From the moment she meets Josh she knows there is heat between them, but she refuses to have a relationship with a human.  This barrier plagues them through the book and I have to give it to Josh and his tenacity while pursuing her.

Josh is a wonderful match for Kenzie and I loved his personality and determination.  You could see the strength in him, but he was never a pushy alpha like some heroes in romance novels.  He was not afraid to put himself out there for her or even Anya.  He is definitely a man of great worth.

Ms. Harper really delivers with this story.  The action was tense and the love scenes between Kenzie and Josh were sweet.  I also enjoyed that we learned a bit more about Changelings.  She has done a wonderful job with the world building in this series.  I give two thumbs way up for this book and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the twins’ stories.  These two men are going to need some feisty women to tame them and I can’t wait.

Thanks for Reading! - Toni


Check out my other reviews for the series:

Book Giveaway!!

I personally have an extra copy and I'm going to give it away to a lucky poster.

I mentioned that Dani is from Alaska.  Well I used to live there too and I miss it every day.  So to qualify for the giveaway please answer one of the following questions, along with your email address so I can contact the winner:

• Have you ever been to Alaska and if so, what did you think about it?
• If you have never been to Alaska, would you want to ever go and why?

This giveaway will close on March 18th at 11:59pm.  Open to US & Canada only. 

Good luck and I can't wait to see your responses!


Random Sequence Generator
Here is your sequence: 

29

And the Winner is.....Laurie!

Toni's Review of Revealed by Evangeline Anderson ***4.5 Stars***

Book 5 in the Brides of the Kindred series

Nadiah has the Sight—the ability to see into the future. But the one thing she can’t see is how she’s ever going to be free of the blood bond her parents forced her into when she was only six. Her fiancée is an evil bastard who delights in torturing her and her only way out of a loveless marriage is for a Kindred warrior to challenge the hated bond. But Nadiah has no warrior to challenge for her—she just has Rast.

Adam Rast doesn’t know why he feels so protective and possessive of Nadiah, only that he’s willing to kill or die to protect her. When the chance to set her free arises, he takes it without hesitation, even though his lack of Kindred blood could mean his defeat or even his death. But Rast has a secret, one even he doesn’t know he possesses. When he undertakes Nadiah’s quest, the truth comes out in a strange and provocative way.

Can Nadiah and Rast live through their ordeal? Will the truth about Rast set them free…or kill them? You’ll have to read Revealed to find out.

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

This series has been exciting, sexy and refreshing from the very beginning.  While I do like my series to have an ending in sight, this one seems to be going strong for the time being.  I couldn’t be more thrilled!

Revealed is book five in the Brides of the Kindred series.  In the first four books we enjoyed how each of the different Kindred and then the Scourge found their mates.  In this new book, we are introduced to a new being.  I’m not going to give anything away, so I’ll just stop there.

We met Adam a few books ago, but he really started to shine in the last book, Found.  He is a detective searching for missing women.  This stems from a past hurt, when he lost his beloved sister to a hateful crime.  His past and present are well described in Found, so I have to say with most certainty, this series should be enjoyed in its entirety.  Revealed is not a stand alone.  To completely enjoy the series, please begin with book one, Claimed.

In Found, Adam’s and Nadiah’s relationship begins to blossom.  While it has been a rocky road, it is a road that they needed to take.  Both have sorted pasts and hurts that will be healed by their joining.  Revealed begins immediately where Found left off.  Nadiah is in danger and must return to her home planet.  Even though it is the last thing she wants to do.  She is blood bound to a tyrant of a man and the only way to break the bond is in a challenge that must be accomplished by a Kindred male.  Adam may not be a Kindred male, but he can’t ignore his feelings for Nadiah.  She is in danger and he will battle all her monsters to protect her.

Their journey takes them from one end of the universe to another.  There are battles of strength, will, blood and eventually love.  I will have to say this very well could be my favorite of the series.  There was so much to enjoy and was put together so well, I was staying up late at night to enjoy it.  The only reason I’m not giving it a five rating is because of some editing issues.  They in no way take away from the story and in truth they are extremely minor.  If I could give it a 4.95 I would.

I think what I enjoyed the most, is how all the characters from prior novels are still so integrated into the storyline, but they are not intrusive.  It is seamless and doesn’t take away from the protagonists of this book.  This whole series is like that.  Ms. Anderson has kept my love for every couple strong and I feel completely vested in their lives.

Ms. Anderson has ended this story with so much to look forward to.  The couple for the next story is really a no brainer and I can’t wait.  So in that regards, I’m disappointed that I have to wait for next in the series, but I know with Ms. Anderson’s caliber of writing, she won’t fail me.  She has consistently engaged me, left me wanting more, but feeling stated at the conclusion of every one of her stories.  She is a gifted author and one that is always top on my list of “Must Read Authors”.

If you want to immerse yourself in a whole new universe, pick up this series.  Nothing beats seductive aliens coming to Earth to claim their mates, original sexual encounters, heart pounding action and journeys to strange new worlds.  Let your imagination soar.  Revealed will take you on an amazing trip.

Check out my other review from the series:

Thanks for reading! - Toni