I love vampire books so when Blood Song came up for review, described as Game of Thrones crossed with Twilight, I jumped at the chance to read it. What I found was a new twist on vampires in a dark fantasy world, but I don’t think it can be compared to either book.

Blood Song opened in a typical fairy story fashion: widowed mother, Queen Renata, who had used up the family fortune, desired that her two daughters, Lillith and Fina, married well, enabling her to keep their estate and position in life.

The grounds of the Amentine palace were once the most magnificent in all southern Brivora. Now, they have fallen into repair. As the wealth of the house of Amentia trickled away over many generations, so too did the magnificence of the palace.

The book is written from main protagonist Fina’s point of view. Fina is the youngest daughter, and something happened to her when she was a baby, saving her life. This caused Fina to change and now looks quite different from her mother and older sister - whereas they have fair colouring, Fina is dark with striking ice blue eyes. Fina also keeps a secret, she dreams about blood!

Not knowing what has caused these differences gives the basis of the plot, as Fina has feelings and desires that she doesn’t understand, knowing that her mother is keeping secrets about what happened while she was a baby, and she seeks to find the answers and find out who she is.

When Lillith, Fina’s older sister, receives the devastating news that her fiancé has died, Renata needs to find a replacement rich husband for her daughter quickly. The pickings are quite slim and the family travel north to meet with a royal family in Pergamia.

Fina is inexplicably drawn north and feels a connection there that she doesn’t understand. She feels the pull of the blood song, and this is where the plot became interesting and where she discovers more about herself.

Fina is quite a feisty girl, and her mother is underhand at times but always seems to get her way. The clash of these two characters was enjoyable and we see Fina grow in strength as she stands up to her mother. There is also another whom Fina seems to get into some banter with, and I liked the development of this relationship between her and Rodden.

Rodden is an important person within Pergamia, although not royalty and definitely someone of whom Renata disapproves of. He becomes someone whom Fina can trust, and he also knows some answers to help her understand who she is. With his help Fina discovers the truth and when things get tough they strengthen each other, especially as they find themselves in enemy territory.

As the story unfolded, I found myself more engrossed. I liked the little twists, the romance, the different type of vampire creature and the dark fantasy world, which came across a little medieval and was rounded off nicely with action, gore and violence.

A simple, easy read that was enjoyable and just what I needed to get me out of a little reading slump.

VERDICT:

Blood Song is a light, quick, yet enjoyable read with a new twist on vampires, some gore and a brewing romance. The writing is simple and flows well, making it easy to turn the pages. It’s not a book that will stay with you though, as I found recalling it to write a review difficult. However, it is a good book to get you out of a reading slump, as not a lot of thought is required, yet I still found it entertaining. I would recommend this one for under 16’s, especially as Fina’s experience reflects that age and maturity.

RATING: 

RHIANNON HART ONLINE
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BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER

1. Blood Song
2. Blood Storm
3. Blood Queen

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Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1)

Release Date: June 2013 | Publisher: Penguin | Genre: Urban Fantasy

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America. Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders and soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

RICHELLE MEAD ONLINE
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The Reluctant Amazon by Sandy James

When it comes to Urban Fantasy or even Paranormal Romance, it is becoming ever more difficult to find a book with a truly unique hook. For me, Sandy James’ series Alliance of the Amazons is one of those rare gems. Instead of the usual Vampires, Werewolves and Fae (along with those that hunt them), this series is all about a group of four women taking on the mantle of “Amazon” and serving their respective Goddesses element (Earth, Fire, Air, Water) in the fight against Zombies (or revenants as they are called).

The first book in the series, The Reluctant Amazon, is all about Rebecca Matthews, a school teacher and her personal journey in picking up the mantle of being the Earth Amazon. We find that in every generation there is woman who is born with the potential to becoming an Amazon. They will only be called upon if the balance between good and evil is thrown off.

On her wedding day, Rebecca not only gets jilted at the alter by her mamma’s boy fiancé, she also ends up finding out her destiny from the sexy Sentinal/Trainer/300 year-old Highland Warrior, Artair and the Amazons’ guardian, Sparks, who is the previous generation’s Fire Amazon. It seems that along with the previous Air Amazon, Maria, dying during battle, a number of blonde girls have gone missing and the other two Amazons, Heather (Earth) and Trishna (Water), can’t be found. It is up to Artair, Sparks and the new recruits to get to the bottom of who is causing this balance shift and stop them.

This was a book that I couldn’t put down. With each chapter I grew more and more engrossed in the universe that James had created. True, some of the themes and plots (such as the empowering of seemingly normal women) have been covered and explored before in many other formats as well as books, but this was inconsequential. At the heart of this book still remains its vast and different characters.

Since this is effectively Artair and Rebecca’s book, the focus is firmly on them and their story. However, that doesn’t mean that the other characters such as Rebecca’s sister Amazons Megan, Trishna and Gina are not changed, and by the end you do see that they have been evolved by the events in this book.

The overall story arc of some off screen Super-villain is cleverly constructed and for most part of the book you are under the impression that it is in fact one of a number of disgruntled Demigods or ancient powers that is behind this latest attack. In fact, in true Super-villain fashion the prime suspect makes themselves known in a very public way, almost taunting the Amazons with their brilliance. I admit, I did believe that it was this person who was the true mastermind behind this scheme, but when the curtain is thrown back to show the true puppet master and more to the point the motivations for this play for power… Well let’s just say it did take me by surprise. This person was on my suspect list as helping the fake villain and I didn’t expect them to be the head honcho of devilish plans.

This plotline is simmering in the background, while the majority of the book is concentrated on the training of Rebecca and Megan. The difference in personalities is evident, but the bond that is often talked about in books like this is very clear to see, with the little things that each woman does for the other. It is a pleasure to watch these two strangers form a very strong sisterly bond, right from their first meeting in the bar that Megan worked at. They are not rivals for the affections of some male (Though it is very evident from the time that Artair crashed Rebecca’s wedding that these two would end up together). This is the sisterhood that we all dream of having. Yes, you may fall out and there are the inevitable conflicts of personalities, but this group proves that you can transcend all that for the greater good.

Rebecca travels the furthest in this book personally. Since she is the Earth Amazon, she seems the most maternal of the others in the group. Rebecca is always concerned for Megan and the two changelings Beagan and Dolan, who take care of the Amazons’ every need. She makes sure that each of them, especially the Changelings, feel her appreciation for all the help they give her. Rebecca takes her role in the grand scheme of things very seriously, especially as her own Goddess, Rhiannon, doesn’t rate her very highly compared to the previous Earth Amazons (Each Amazon has their own designated Goddess. Earth has Rhiannon, Fire has Freya, Water has Ganga and Air has Ix Chel). This lack of confidence just makes Rebecca try harder to not be a failure to those before her. In the end Rebecca more than proves that she deserves her place as an Amazon.

As for her love interest, Artair, he is definitely the fish out of water when he isn’t within the sanctuary of the Amazon’s training grounds, Avalon (Yup, that Avalon!). Artair has been training the Amazons for over three hundred years and, although he is still doing an excellent job with all the physical aspects of being an Amazon such as fighting and physical endurance, when he is tasked with calling up the next generation of Amazons he has effectively just handed in his notice.

However, he begins to question how he could settle into the modern world since it has changed so much from when he lived there. This is partly down to the new Sentinel/trainer, Johann, showing how much their enemy had adapted to the modern world. Artair’s growing attraction and feelings for Rebecca also make it much more difficult for him to return to the mortal world. The fact that Rhiannon has a major crush on Artair as he reminds her of her Arthur (Yes, King Arthur of Camelot), means that he has to tread carefully. The more time he spends with her, the more he realises he is falling in love with her.

As this is a PNR, it is a sure thing that both Artair and Rebecca will manage to overcome these, along with other obstacles, along the way. Their mutual attraction just jumps off the page and you can’t help but root for these two. They just seem so well matched that when it looks like they are about to be ripped apart, you do scream “NO!” (OK, that was me!).

As I said earlier, there is some character development for the other Amazons, but I expect that they will be explored more intently in their own books. With Megan, the Fire Amazon, being next, it’s sure to be a scorching read, especially given the chemistry she has with the new Sentinel, Johann.

VERDICT:

Though part of the overall plot was solved and partially resolved, there is still plenty of fuel for this to continue in the next books. James has constructed a world that is complex and rich in its own mythology. The idea of feuding Gods and Goddesses isn’t new, but James has made it her own. Having Hindi, Pagan, Roman, Greek and many other cultures’ Deities makes it interesting. You can tell that though they are allied for the common good, it doesn’t mean that they like each other.

The Reluctant Amazon is a great start to a promising series, especially for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Vicki Peterson’s Signs of the Zodiac series. There is the perfect balance of action-packed fights and romance between the star-crossed lovers.

RATING:

SANDY JAMES ONLINE
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER

1. The Reluctant Amazon
2. The Impetuous Amazon
3. The Brazen Amazon
4. The Volatile Amazon

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Rachael Hamilton is a post-grad living in Brooklyn, New York. She is an unpaid intern for Mapel&Co publishing and she scrapes together her rent money by working for an agency doing exhilarating tasks such as photocopying. On a night out with her flatmate Eva (theatre buff and star of Pride and Prejudice – The Musical! We all have on of those eccentric friends), she ends up loosing her group and gate crashing the Leopards start of the season party and catching Ryan Carter in a very awkward situation indeed.

Ryan Carter is the golden boy of the Leopards. The quarter back makes women and teens squeal all across the states. However, he doesn’t seem to have the same affect on Rachael as she hasn’t even got a clue about who he is. Even though he initially comes across as your typical jock, there is more to him than meets the eye. Definitely an aspect that I like to see in a character.

Rush Me is a new adult romance which follows the most unlikely couple that is Ryan and Rachael  Out of our two main characters Ryan is definitely the one I favour the most. Initially, I did get on with Rachael. I found her hilarious with her sarcasm, whit and sass. After a while though she started to grind on me. She came across as quite judgemental at some points especially when it came to Ryan, she sees him as a dumb jock until quite late on in the novel. She also talks about barriers when it comes to relationships and how she finds it difficult to lower them. The only reason I found that she had barrier was down to the fact that her ex had joined the church and become a priest after he split up with her. I was hoping for something a little deeper when it came to a justification, however, I did find it hilarious so it didn’t take away from the read too much.

I adored Ryan as our male main character. He did initially come across as a your typical jock, but there is so much more to him. I was as surprised as Rachael when we found out that he did Military History at college. He has a tragic past which has put to good use which makes him more endearing as a character. Together they make a fabulous couple. There is definitely a huge case of opposites attract. They may be from opposite ends of the spectrum but when it comes down to it they both have the same morals and values which define them as people and characters.

The romance in general was very well executed. There is nothing worst when it comes to reading a novel and two characters practically hate each other (like Ryan and Rachael do/did) and then all of a sudden they are in love. There was a gradual build up with every aspect. We as readers, also got to see the ending they deserved.

We had a few sub plots and characters to keep up with. Malcolm and Bri being one of them. I loved how Bri aids Rachael when it comes to her relationship with Ryan and how Rachael helps Bri when it comes to Malcolm. Even though they weren’t the main couple of the novel I genuinely did care for them, their happiness and their ending. We then have Abe. The person from the team who attaches to Rachael.  When I read the synopsis I thought he was going to be the third piece in a love triangle *eye roll!*. This is definitely not the case. The reason they become such good friends is down to the fact that they are both Jewish. It is more a brother-sister relationship that was formed. Abe was one one of my favourite characters. He is so young, innocent and puppy like. I found his attachment to Rachael so sweet and adorable.

One of the conflicts I enjoyed the most in the novel was that between Sophie and Rachael. Straight from the off I wanted to despise her. Upon reading the synopsis I thought that she must be vile. A high school bully dating my brother was my worst nightmare came true. When the pair confronted each other the outcome intrigued me. As people, I think our memories have a nasty tendency of being very selective. Things are never as they seem and the wrong doings that people do to us tend to make the fact that you may have done something wrong in the first place disappear.

VERDICT:

Overall this is a fabulously written novel. Everything flowed so well and there was no part that I found boring or that dragged. There is a great mix of characters and relationships. This is one of the best New Adult novels I have read so far. I will definitely be picking up more of Allison Parr’s work. I would recommend this to fans of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire.

RATING: 

ALLISON PARR ONLINE
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A different, rather grittier tale based on casinos was the fictionalized account of Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi. Casino was written in the 1970s and is based on the rather warped memoirs of an actual Vegas casino operator who ran with the mob. The twisted tale of the Stardust casino is the backdrop for this book and it shows a different side to the glitz and glamour associated with gaming. The book is unputdownable and the story of skimmed cash, betrayals, robberies and government investigations gone awry is captivating.

Oscar and Lucinda is possibly one of the best works of fiction that combines a sort of love affair with casino-style mystery and intrigue. For games of a similar calibre only top sites like www.bookofraspiel.de offer the same kind of entertainment as this great book. Written by Australian Peter Carey, the novel won the 1988 Booker Prize and it tells the story of two gamblers who meet on a ship and take a bet that will change their lives forever. It’s the diverse backgrounds of the gamblers that make the book so intriguing and show how a simple bet can change everything.

Cindy Blake enters the gambling arena with a charming novel called It’s My Party that features a hard and fast look at the competitive worlds of gambling, love and business. The main character is a successful businesswoman by day, and a ruthless poker player at night, but her bets on love have always been a flop. The novel is a light-hearted, riotous look at gambling and how keeping your cards close to your chest isn’t always better.

There are hundreds of great casino stories out there but these are definitely the best novels of all time. Classic or contemporary, they offer gripping reading and are unputdownable .

Nina Douglas – Senior Publicity Manager

Hello! My name is Nina Douglas and I head up the PR for Indigo (Orion’s YA list) and Orion Children’s Books. I work with another publicist – to date this has been a press officer, but I’m thrilled that I’m now in the process of recruiting someone with more experience to work for me! We sit within the Orion Group General Division PR team, which is seven publicists in total and also as a part of the Orion Children’s/ Indigo team, which is also around seven people covering editorial and rights working exclusively on those lists. Marketing, sales, export, production and design are all part of the main group departments and cover more than just children’s and YA books within their roles. In short, we’re a small dedicated team, within a larger dedicated team at Orion on Upper St Martin’s Lane.

My job changes every day; I’ve been working in books PR almost since I left university (UEA) and have just about reached my ten year anniversary in the industry, which is a frightening thought. Both everything and nothing has changed in that time – we work hard at ensuring that we find the opportunities to get our authors, and their work out there and in front of the right audiences in as many ways as possible. The digital world has really opened up the possibilities for a children’s/ YA books publicist. We work hard at talking to readers where they like to spend time and are constantly looking at new ways to engage. This is especially key as traditional media space – which could be tough to crack for a children’s or YA author anyway –for books seems to shrink away before our eyes (though thankfully there are many outlets that buck that trend). Alongside marketing, and in particular the brilliant Jen who looks after the Indigo list, we currently are building our YA communities alongside our sister list at Gollancz. We have just started a new Tumblr and Pinterest to add to our communities on Facebook has been established for quite some time and we have a growing and enthusiastic army of readers and reviewers there) and Twitter (@the_orionstar, @fiercefiction, @ninadouglas).

If I could wish for something, it would be a time turner (Hermione-style) as there never seems to be enough time to do all that we would want to do. Any random day could see us working away (either literally at an event, or for an event) at festivals, launch readings, awards, conferences, special events, press and media pitching, blog tour creation, writing materials, blog posts (I’ve just started guest posting on the Gollancz blog too – www.gollancz.co.uk), planning, budgeting, reporting back, in journalist meetings… the list could go on and on. So if anyone happens to have a time-tuner contact… you know where to find me.

2013 has an amazing list of books to tempt readers. Here are my Indigo (and a Gollancz) picks through to the early summer and one or two later titles to look out for…

HALF LIVES – Sara Grant

Dystopian settings allow for discussion of big issues wrapped in fast paced adventures, in this highly original second novel from Sara Grant including communication to the future and faith. (May)

@authorsaragrant

SHADOW & BONE and SIEGE & STORM – Leigh Bardugo

Optioned for film by DREAMWORKS and DAVID HEYMAN (say no more!) this epic, Russian inspired fantasy has already captured the hearts, minds and creative instincts of an army of fans. A New York Times bestseller, a coming of age adventure, a wonderful and complete other world, and one of the most compelling villains you will have read in a long time.  Shadow & Bone was previously The Gathering Dark in the UK, but from the paperback will have a global identity (one of my books of 2012) (June) @lbardugo

POISON, CHARM and BEAUTY – Sarah Pinborough

I truly cannot think of anyone better to twist and subvert a reader’s expectations of fairy tales. Just wait til you read Poison… Sarah Pinborough kept me entirely enthralled; I raced through the first story in one ‘over-far-too-soon’ sitting – brilliantly done.  (April onwards)

@SarahPinborough

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH – Bethany Griffin

The second part of the adventure that began in MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH – the Edgar Allan Poe inspired dark and debauched dystopian tale. Araby Worth has some very difficult decisions to make and I can’t wait to find out where they take her…

@bethanygriffin

IF YOU FIND ME – Emily Murdoch

Three words: just read it. Powerful, heartbreaking, real – not a genre book, but an incredible read and stunning debut. (May)

@leftywritey

Brief mentions also must go out to KETCHUP CLOUDS (out in paperback in July) by Annabel Pitcher (@apitcherauthor) – a wonderful tale of secrets, lies, guilt and murder. To SOUL STORM (August) by Kate Harrison(@katewritesbooks) – the brilliant Black-Mirror-esque take on our current obsession with social media and celebrity, and a murder mystery sustained over three books! To CRUEL SUMMER (August)– the new novel inspired by Point Horror by the first ever male Queen of Teen nominee, James Dawson (@_jamesdawson). To HAZE, the second book in the wonderful REPHAIM series by Australian YA author Paula Weston (@paulaweston). To the highly anticipated new YA, THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN (September) by Holly Black (@hollyblack). And finally to SHE IS NOT INVISIBLE (October) – something really quite different from the master of gothic, Marcus Sedgwick (@marcusedgwick).

Thanks for indulging my super long list of recommends – and hope to meet some of you on twitter, facebook, tumblr…

GIVEAWAY

We have TWO (2) sets of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and If You Find me by Emily Murdoch to give away. This giveaway is open to UK Residents only and ends 31st May 2013. Please leave a comment to enter.

PLEASE NOTE: Before entering the giveaway please take the time to read our Giveaway Policy. We do not contact giveaway winner/s. Winner/s are announced in our Weekly Roundup post, which is published on Sunday’s, with instructions on how to claim your prize. Failure to claim your prize within SEVEN (7) days of the announcement post means you will forfeit your prize/s. So as to not miss these announcement posts, as well as future giveaways, subscribe via RSS or Email.

When I heard that Richelle Mead was releasing a new series, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, even though I had no idea what it was about. Gameboard of the Gods is a sexy and violent adult dystopian novel, with an undercurrent of paranormal activity and mythology, lots of action and a slow-revealed mystery that didn’t disappoint.

Written from the point of view of three characters: Mae, a Praetorian super soldier; Justin, an exiled servitor; and Tessa, a teenage prodigy, giving very different and entertaining perspectives of this new world based in a divided America, where religion along with genetic deformation and class division brought about a dystopian society, or the Decline.

The RUNA held three things responsible for the Decline: biological manipulation, religion and cultural separatism. All of the early genetic mixing had gone a long way to stamp out group solidarity, and the loose Greco-Roman models the country had adopted had provided a new, all-encompassing culture that everyone could be a part of.

I have to admit that I was uncertain of this book at first. Mae is a volatile super soldier, cold and deadly; Justin is a drunk and drugged-up womanizer who hears voices in his head. These voices were distracting at first, me being me, thought it was a person he was having a conversation with, until he was alone and still talking to the voices, Horatio and Magnus, often referring to them as the ravens.

However, timing is everything, and just as I was thinking ‘what did I miss, I need to start again’, Mead introduced a hot sex scene quite early on in the book. This was great for a couple of reasons: one, I instantly forgot about the voices and why they were there; two, once they realized who each other were the story became interesting and the sexual tension became intense. I spent the rest of the book waiting for another sexual encounter, whilst trying to work out the mysterious plot.

Justin is given a chance to return to the capital despite his exile so he can investigate murders, which may have something to do with a cult or religion. The investigation is dangerous and violent, and his bodyguard Mae may be more linked to the investigation than she ever realized.

Mead’s writing is full of humor, excitement, well-timed information release and amazing sexual tension that had me hooked from the off. If you enjoy Mead’s work and a fascinating mystery then this book is for you. With religion banned, the Gods are looking for humans to do their bidding, giving them powers, bringing many old and unknown Norse, Roman and Greek God myths to light.

Mead is fantastic at keeping you hooked, one more chapter is never just one more chapter. Each time a chapter comes to a close Mead adds more excitement, making my inquisitiveness get the better of me until my curiosity was piqued so much that I found myself at the end of a 464 page book at 5am, forgoing sleep. After reading Gameboard of the Gods, I’ve again remembered why Mead is one of my favourite authors and, as I have a long wait until the next book in her Age of X series, I will be picking up my TBR copy of The Indigo Spell from Mead’s Bloodlines series to keep me going.

VERDICT:

I was unable to put Gameboard of the Gods down, Mead sucked me in making me incapable of only reading one more chapter. As each chapter ended my curiosity got the better of me, demanding that I continued on until I found myself at 5am turning the last page. I can’t put my finger on why I felt that way, but mostly I think it’s Mead’s writing. In some ways her style is slow-burning, but it’s the intensity of the burn that grips me - just as you think you can put down her book she gives a slither of information that ignites the flame once again. A wonderful start to her new Age of X series, and I wish it wasn’t such a long wait until the next book is released.

RATING: 

RICHELLE MEAD ONLINE
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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‘Thoughtful Ramblings’ is where we discuss bookish topics. One’s that have us all hot and bothered and we need a good rant to air our grievances or topics that have us all thoughtful and we just need to have a bit of a ramble…

Bookish Fandoms: The Pros & Cons

Fan bases or “fandoms” are becoming a more and more stickier subject. Comparing the book industry and the music industry, they have Directioners (One Direction fans) or Belibers (Justin Bieber Fans) and the book industry has the equivalent. Here are a few to get the idea:

“Nerdfighters”: John and Hank Green and John’s books
“Potterheads”: The Harry Potter Series
“Twi-hards”: Twilight
“Demigods”: Percy Jackson Series
“Tributes”: The Hunger Games
“Brotherhood Without Banners”: Game of Thrones
“The Shadowhunters”: Cassandra Clare’s works

I am personally on the fence when it comes to this topic or being part of a fan base in general. I dip my toes in and get a feel for everyone there and jump straight back out again. Due to this happening constantly, I have decided to compile a list of of pros and cons when it comes to fan bases. If I can’t make my mind up, I might as well try and help you form an opinion on the matter.

PROS

Being part of a fan base is like having thousands of friends at once. It is like in life when you meet someone who enjoys the same books as you and you instantly make friends with them based on that mutual interest. Imagine doing this with thousands of people. There is a certain loyalty around it. This is something that may appeal to many.

Imagine having the same taste in books as thousands of others in a fan base. The likelihood is that one fellow fan may have read something that you may have not read. You know what that means? Ready made recommendations and even more reads that you will probably love. Which can’t be a bad thing (except for your piggy bank…)

If you look at the corporate side of things, it is no lie that the book industry is shrinking. Last year book sales fell over £70 million. If you take a fan base such as “The Shadow Hunters” who religiously buy each new edition of Cassie Clare’s works, think about how much money that must be generating. Whether you like fan bases or not, they have a huge impact on the book industry and sales.

My final pro is that fan bases can do good. Take “Nerdfighteria” for example. Every year they do Project for Awesome and this year they raised nearly $500,000 for chosen charities round the world. This is power in numbers used in the best way.

CONS

Power in numbers can be a great thing for society. But what if someone sparks a conflict with all those numbers. Some fan bases are just too powerful and this is quite a frightening concept. Take the “Beautiful Creatures” fan base, you would think that they would love the fact that their favourite series was getting made in to a movie? Wrong. They were the reason it didn’t work. Some fans blatantly refused to see it simply because of how different it was from the book. In short they helped destroy a franchise that was “set to be the next Twilight”

Have you ever said anything bad about a book series? I sure have. Percy Jackson is one of my least favourite series of all time. I thought this would make a good tweet and the next thing I knew I had a pair of “Demigods” openly firing abuse at me. In short some fans’ fierce loyalty to their author knows no bounds and this means that people get insulted for merely stating their opinion. Who wants to be associated with that?

With the example above comes generalisation… People saying that all fan bases are the same and that the people within the fan base are the same. This is when insults are thrown around and “Twitter wars” commence. The obsessives within the group come out to play and the people who are there to have fun and share a mutual interest sit there watching and hanging their heads in shame.

My final point regarding the cons of fan bases is the fact that having such a deep obsession with something may be unhealthy. Think of being part of a bookish fan base and having to wait a year for the next instalment. All the speculation, all the complaining. Personally, it would drive me up the wall.

After weighing up all of the pros and cons, I am still unable to decide. Do you identify yourself with a fan base? If so, what elements do you enjoy the most about it? Do you think it is just a phase that people go through? Or, do you prefer to not associate yourself with fan bases, like me? I would love to hear your thoughts.

*Warning: Contains spoilers for book one*

At the end of my review for Between Two Thorns I said that most of the characters were harbouring secrets, and boy, was I proved right in Emma Newman’s sequel, Any Other Name.

Kicking off immediately after book one, Cathy Rhoeas-Papaver is awaiting her wedding day to William Reticulata-Iris with a sense of dread, hating the old-fashioned and compressing society of the Nether. She longs to return to Mundanus and is prepared to go to any lengths to escape her family’s clutches and avoid the wedding of the year. However, after the events of book one and the downfall of the Rosa family, the wedding date is brought forward and Cathy detained by her family via highly immoral means to ensure the wedding goes ahead as planned.

Will is not as hard-hearted in this as he may appear, as he thinks by holding the wedding early he can protect Cathy from her family’s iron control, despite secretly wishing he was marrying Amelia Alba-Rosa instead. He is as much forced into the marriage as Cathy, with his family seeking a secure alliance to groom Will as the next Duke of Londinium (London in the Nether world). After the fall of the Rosas, his wish to marry Amelia is no longer possible, but having saved her and her brother, Cornelius, he is confident that he can one day restore them to the societal position they deserve.

After Cathy becomes an Iris and is under Will’s protection there is an increasing pressure upon her to become a perfect society wife and to conceive their first child. Needless to say she is scandalised at the prospect, and refuses to consummate their marriage just because it is supposedly her ‘duty’ as a wife. Angered by this, Will points out that if he was a different sort of man she wouldn’t have a choice in the matter, before seeking solace in the arms of Amelia. Cathy is thrown into the societal world and forced to put on a good show of running the household whilst secretly planning her escape, working together with Max the arbiter to achieve her goal.

I did get a little confused with Max’s aims in this novel, as I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what he was trying to achieve besides uncovering a fresh scandal from the Nether. With the help of his gargoyle (resulting in some amusing conflicts of interest), Max follows the orders of Ekland in discovering a wave of suspicious activity in Mundanus resulting from those in the Nether called The Agency. He is particularly interested in the missing Rosas and is convinced that their family still maintains some level of power despite their social relegation.

Elsewhere we have our third protagonist, Sam, the human in Mundanus who was introduced to the world of the Nether in book one. Still struggling with the conflict between him and his wife, the beginning of the book sees him return to the world of Exilium in order to rescue five humans from the clutches of Lord Poppy. Poppy tricks him into becoming his slave and to deliver a message to Cathy, who is still his favourite descendant, revelling in his mischievous control over their lives. However, despite his naivety about the Nether and Exilium, there is still something unique about Sam that results from his wedding ring and his protection from the mysterious Lord Iron – a figure no-one seems to know anything about.

Even more exciting than book one, with the different worlds now firmly established there was much more scope to hand the story over to the characters rather than the setting. We do still learn a lot more about the Nether, as we get to see how Cathy navigates the strict social avenues in her attempts to appease Will and aid his attempts to become the new Duke of Londinium. Its patriarchal ways are very similar to those of Edwardian or Victorian England, with it being easy to empathise with Cathy as she struggles to hold her tongue when difficult conversation topics arise. She is under fire from all sides, with Will pressurising her to be a good wife and consummate their marriage, both Lord Poppy and Iris hoping for a child and the Iris family wanting her to uphold their good name.

As with the first book, the passages from Cathy’s perspective were my favourites as she is such an easy character to relate to and understand. She is almost suffocated by the multitude of tasks placed upon her shoulders, especially when all she wants is to lead a normal life in Mundanus. Married life was never on her agenda, especially not to a socialite like Will, but her responses to him do change throughout the novel. She starts off determined to repel him in the hopes of annulling their marriage, as she is well aware of his attraction to Amelia and the potential for him to keep her as a mistress. However, she does warm to him as she realises that Will has been forced into this just as much as she has, realising that he does care for her and endeavouring to maintain their outward appearance of domestic bliss. I liked how much she grew as a character in this book, as her steel resolve to liberate herself is expanded to incorporate all those other women in the Nether who might be unhappy with their condition.

I found myself enjoying Will’s perspective as well, because we get to see both sides of their marriage and the pressures that the Iris family have placed upon his shoulders to claim Londinium on behalf of their family. He has gone to great lengths to impress upon Cathy the importance of their marriage, and does genuinely care for her, which is one of his redeeming features. However, I had such conflicting emotions over him as I liked him in book one and liked him for the majority of book two, but had issues surrounding his treatment of the marital consummation. When Cathy fails to comply with his wishes he runs straight into Amelia’s arms, and I had genuine concerns that he was going to force her into sleeping with him in order to produce an Iris heir. This isn’t to say that this was a bad thing, as it definitely added to the drama of the book and pulled me in even further.

The one area in which I would say the book was slightly let down was again in Max’s perspective, as I didn’t feel that his goals were clearly enough defined. However, regardless of this he was still pivotal in uncovering several shifty goings-on, and I’m intrigued to see how the backlash from this affects the characters in book three, and how The Agency might respond. His story was closely linked to Sam’s, who is slowly discovering more about himself and the connection he appears to have to Lord Iron, as well as a potential conspiracy plot surrounding his wife’s too-good-to-be-true boss.

Another fantastic instalment to The Split Worlds series, I loved book two even more than book one and think this series is definitely one to watch. The ending of the novel had me completely on edge and closed with such a big bang that I was completely in shock. I definitely didn’t see some of the twists coming and the level of treachery from several of the characters is unbelievable, even from those characters I’d grown to love. This series is fantastically written, with Newman knowing just how to grab the reader’s interest before delivering one hell of an emotional punch. I am excitedly awaiting book three, and luckily I won’t have too long to wait.

VERDICT:

This series is definitely one that has piqued my interest recently, and this book pulled me even further into Cathy’s desperation, Will’s social climb and Sam’s emotional upheaval from his Mundane life. Again I was a little unsure about the sections from Max’s perspective as they often felt a little confused, but I am slowly growing to like him as a character and am hooked by the strong levels of treachery in Nether society. Several questions were left open at the conclusion and I can’t wait to see how these pan out in book three.

RATING:

EMMA NEWMAN ONLINE
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BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER

1. Between Two Thorns
2. Any Other Name
3. All Is Fair

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*Warning: Contains minor spoilers*

Lady of Light and Shadows in the second book in C.L. Wilson’s Tairen Soul series and takes off pretty much where Lord of the Fading Lands left us. It follows the aftermath of the psychic assault on Ellie, and Ellie’s accidental amorous spell on the court (much to her embarrassment). Both of which have had larger implications than either she or Rain could have realised.

This novel is much more political than the last one, as the Fey manoeuvre through the Celierian Lords in an attempt to prevent them from opening the border to the Eld Mages. With most of Celieria skeptical about whether they are still dark, and the long-lived Fey with no doubt as to their danger.

I found the first half of the book quite slow going. I love Rain and Ellie, but I found some of the scenes between them too slow and saccharine. Perhaps it was the fact I was listening to this as an audiobook, but the dream sequence sex scenes weren’t to my taste. All a little bit too much 1970s Mills and Boon for my liking.

But, then came the second half of the book, and I was reminded why I loved the first so very much. The pace of the story jumped immensely, the political games and deadly intent of the Eld began to unfold. You had a hint of where things were going to go, but not quite how and it was like you were on a roller-coaster, knowing that deadly descent was looming in the distance.

Things were helped greatly by the introduction of a new character – Gaelen, also known as The Dark Lord and I have to say he kind of stole the show. His redemption via Ellie, the darkness in his soul, the fact that he’s willing to do things the other Fey refuse to do. Quite frankly he scored pretty high on both the sexy and cool-o-meter.

There’s an unexpected twist in terms of Ellie’s parentage. But I can’t really say anymore on that subject! But I do hope that it gets resolved as the series progresses. Up until now Rain has been the unflappable Knight in shining armour, but in Lady of Light and Shadows I felt that he really let Ellie down. My heart broke for her, and I wanted to give him a serious slap. Of course every romance needs that scary moment when you think everything is going to unravel, but I do believe that Ellie should have made him grovel rather more!

I think it would fair to say the theme of this novel appeared to be betrayal. And poor Ellie certainly sees a lot of it in this book as corruption seeps into the very heart of the city. Rain, her mother, her best friend. The poor woman faces it on all sides, all from people she loves. It’s hard because Ellie is just so innocent, she’s not a natural fighter, but I did like it that she began to grow some teeth in this book. I suspect after the end of the book she’s going to need it.

VERDICT:

A slow start, but a great ending which meant that by the end of the book I was already looking forward to getting my hands on the next one. Lady of Light and Shadows mixes a rich fantasy setting, with a lovely romance, some interesting fae magic, political intrigue and I have to give a particular mention to the Dark Lord himself, can I see more of him please?

RATING:

C. L. WILSON ONLINE
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

BOOKS IN SERIES ORDER

1. Lord of the Fading Lands
2. Lady of Light and Shadows
3. King of Sword and Sky
4. Queen of Song and Soul
5. Crown of Crystal Flame

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Hi Guys! Hope you’re having a great weekend. Here’s the low down on what happened at BCC this week…

CAROLYN’S ROUNDUP

The last couple of weeks have been pretty slow for me with regards to reading. I was hoping to get a few books I had on the go finished, but alas time was not good to me and went by too quickly. I only manage to finish one and that was Plague Nation, a great zombie novel, by Dana Fredsti. I still have Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson, but I’ve only got about 50 pages left.

Once Hot Blooded is done I’m going to read two e-novella’s: Bite Me by PJ Schnyder and Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies by Avery Flynn, both are Zombie-Apocalyptic Romances and sound really fun. Reviews of all will be up in the next few weeks.

LAURA’S ROUNDUP

This week, I have finished reading On The Edge by Ilona Andrews and now I can’t wait to chat with you all about it in May’s Book Club discussion. I am now reading River Road by Suzanne Johnson. Carolyn and I joint reviewed the first book in the series Royal Street last year to mixed views. I loved it, but Carolyn was more on the fence. You can read our review here. I have been eagerly anticipating picking up this book. It’s slightly strange as the story takes off five years after the end of River Road, but so far so good.

I’m afraid I’m still listening to The Daylight War by Peter V Brett, and it’s still epic and three weeks in I’m only half way through! I don’t mind long books so much on audiobook though for some reason. Whereas a giant book often does put me off. Enjoy your week

GEMMA’S ROUNDUP 

This week I managed to finish two books. The first was the fantastic Down London Road by the incredibly talented Samantha Young. This is the second in the On Dublin Street series, of which I recently read and reviewed the first book, with the same name. (Review here). Down London Road was just as brilliant as the first and I’ll be reviewing this very soon.

The second book I finished was A Cutthroat Business by Jenna Bennett. This was also really good and reminded me of the Stephanie Plum series of books. They were a nice mix of mystery and romance, with bad boy Rafe Collier. I mean, who doesn’t like a guy with a motorbike?

This week, I also started Fifty Shades of Grey. Carolyn and Laura have challenged me to read this book, especially with the recent bout of books I have read. I’m just under-half way through. I won’t go into too much detail as I am saving my thoughts for my review, but to be honest I am neither loving nor hating the book. That can be even worse!

At work, I am still reading London Falling by Paul Cornell. This London based Urban Fantasy is very much hit and miss. I am really struggling to read through this book as it seems more Crime than Urban Fantasy. I’m not a Crime fan so this is proving to be a bit of a struggle. Right now I am just under half way, but determined to finish the book.

Next up, I have a number of books I am mulling over. I have Dead Mans’ Deal by Jocelyn Drake, The Naughty Girls Book Club by Sophie Hart and Vigilant by Angel Lawson. I am going to see which book strikes my fancy next.

This week has been a very busy cinema week for me. Last Friday (and Sunday) I went to see Star Trek: Into Darkness. This was really good and you can read my review here. Then on Thursday, I went to see The Great Gatsby. This was a bit of a strange film because when I came out I felt very indifferent about it. However, the more I have been discussing this film, the more I am coming to realise that I really did like it quite a bit. My review for this will be up soon. Lastly, on Friday, I went to see Fast and Furious 6. This was a high octane, action movie. It was really good fun and I enjoyed it a lot, even though I haven’t seen any of the other films.

I’m signing off this week with a bit of a cryptic note. By the time you read this post, I will have interviewed an author I adore. I hope you will all look out for this as I am really excited and nervous for this interview as it is my first face to face interview. Till next week….. Toodles!

BOBBY’S ROUNDUP

This week I finished Sealed With a Curse by Cecy Robson, which I really enjoyed and intend to review soon. Although I didn’t manage to actually finish any others, I did start reading both Heart of Iron by Bec Macmaster and Black Dawn by Rachel Caine. Rachel Caine is actually in my home city on Monday to do a signing for the latest book in the Morganville Vampires series, but alas, I will be at work and unable to attend (stupid responsibilities). Anyway, both books are really good so far, I just don’t seem to have found as much time this week – although that might be because I have watched Les Miserables three times since I got the DVD on Wednesday.

Next week I intend to finish the books I’ve already started and then get on with some review reading and writing. I do want to read On Dublin Street by Samantha Young, as I have heard nothing but good things about it, and I believe that the next book in the series is out now so I won’t have to wait so long if I do like it.

I don’t actually think I bought any books this week – which is a weird feeling, although I have had to get quite strict with myself lately as I have to climb over piles of books in my room. I also seem to have accumulated quite a few on my kindle – it’s like I’m stockpiling them for some reason.

Anyway, just a short and sweet roundup this week. Hope everyone’s enjoying their weekend.

REBECCA’S ROUNDUP

So I haven’t been doing too much reading this week, what with the amount of revision I’m having to do, but last week I received Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. I absolutely loved the first book in the Grisha Trilogy, and this book has been sitting there tempting me to read it for the past few days. Needless to say, I caved in, but am trying to limit myself to only a few pages each day, which is proving really difficult as the book has completely gripped me! I can’t wait to review this book for BCC, as I have a feeling it could be another 5 Star read…

I am also dying to see the new film of The Great Gatsby, but as yet I have no cinema plans. Hopefully I will make it there before the end of the week!

STEPHANIE’S ROUNDUP

What a crazy past couple of weeks, no time to read a lot but what I did read was pretty darn good. Alaskan Fire (Guardians of the First Realm #1) by Sara King, was a pretty decent read. Blaze MacKenzie buys herself a fishing lodge in the Alaskan bush and finds herself face to face with Jack, the resident wereverine. The book started off a bit slow in the character building but the story was great. I had a hard time putting it down and was bleary eyed one morning at work.

The other book I read was The Oak Leaves (The Oak Leaves #1) by Maureen Lang. This book was an emotional experience for me, so much so that I actually emailed the author after I finished it. Talie Ingram finds a journal written by an ancestor that describes a curse that has struck the family. A curse that leaves children feeble-minded. Disturbed she puts the journal away until she starts to see some delays in her son. Initially, I picked this book up because I love genetics and genealogy. I can only dream of finding an artifact like this journal. However, It was not the genetics, nor the genealogy that got to me. I found myself relating to the Talia’s struggle as she comes to accept that her beautiful perfect son is not like everybody else.

A mother wants to see her children happy and healthy and perfect. It is hard to accept when they begin to show signs of not being “perfect”. My own son, has some delays that could fall into the autism spectrum. He has yet to be formally diagnosed because he is so young but we have begun speech and occupational therapies to help him try to catch up. The struggle to accept the fact that your child has special needs is not easy. I love my son and he is perfect in my eyes but knowing he might have some struggles in the world around us is hard. I can not remember being touched by a book like I was this one.

OTHER NEWS & REVIEWS

REVIEWS

• 5 Star Review - On Dublin Street by Samantha Young (Erotic Contemp-Rom)
• 5 Star Review - Seal of Surrender by Traci Douglass (Paranormal Romance)
• 4.5 Star Review - Star Trek: Into Darkness (Friday Film Review)
• 4 Star Review - Pretty When They Collide by Rhiannon Frater (UF)
• 3.5 Star Review - The Silver Rose by Rowena May O’Sullivan (PNR)
• 3.5 Star Review - Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas (Paranormal/Contemp-Rom)
• 3 Star Review - Esperanza by Trish J. MacGregor (Urban Fantasy)

GUEST AUTHORS & FEATURE POSTS

• Bookish News: Attempt to Ban Anne Frank, Library Smashes Closure Threat, Horror: Science vs Supernatural, Bookish Deals & More!
• Debut Author Spotlight: Elle Field “Kept” (Contemporary Romance)
• Cover Art: After the Kiss by Lauren Layne
• UK Publisher Month 2013: Meet Brid Enright from Headline Books
• New Series Alert: Reviver by Seth Patrick
• Guest Author - Fantasy Author Freda Warrington: The Past is a Foreign Country?
• UK Publisher Month 2013: Meet Julie Crisp from Tor UK
• Discussion – Cliffhangers: Love Them or Hate Them?

CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• One of three ARCs of The String Diaries by Stephen Lloyd Jones (ends 31/5/13)
• One of two signed ARCs each of Reviver by Seth Patrick and House of Small Shadows by Adam Nevill (ends 31/5/13)
• What Have I Done? by Amanda Prowse (ends 31/5/13)
• A Stitch in Time by Amanda James (ends 31/5/13)
• The Mystery Woman by Jayne Anne Krentz (ends 31/5/13)
• 6 Sets of Orbit Titles Up for Grabs (ends 31/5/13)

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

• Lush by Lauren Dane - Victoria Zumbrum

Congratulations to the winner/s! Please claim your prize/s Here. Before claiming your prize/s please take the time to read our Giveaway Policy. We do not contact winners due to time constraints. Winner/s will be announced on the blog every Sunday in our Weekly Roundup post (see above). Failure to claim your prize within SEVEN (7) days of the giveaway announcement post means you forfeit your prize/s. So as to not miss these announcement posts, as well as future giveaways, subscribe via RSS or Email.

Welcome to Sunday Love-in! This is a new feature where an author shares one of their favourite smexy-time scenes from their latest book, tells us the reason for their choice and then shares the scene with us with a delicious excerpt. Enjoy.

Flesh is about a guy and a girl and a guy surviving post-zombie apocalypse together. First, just, you know, together. And then really together. This scene takes place before all three of them have explored that togetherness, however. It’s one of my favourite sex scenes because it happens after the heroine, Ali, has spent the day not knowing if her new lover, Dan, is dead or not. When he does turn up safe and sound, she’s forced to face the fact that her feelings for him run deeper than she intended.

This scene also gives you a healthy dose of Dan’s sense of humour. Because when everything is doom and gloom, and your very survival is on the line, the ability to still find some joy in life is a beautiful thing.

“Right, that’s it. On your back, buddy.” Ali eased him over with careful hands, abandoning the hardness and heat of his cock for now. She hustled up his white t-shirt, revealing a spectacular black bruise the size of her hand. Her throat shut tight. The mark covered the entire right side of his ribcage.

“You said you were fine. Holy shit, Daniel. This is not fine. This is a really long way from fine.”

And whoa, there went her voice. She screeched at him by the end of it.

“Shh. Don’t go ballistic. I can explain …” He lifted up, flinching all the while. Hands gripped her hips and rearranged her till she sat atop him, aligned with his groin. She stared down at him, careful to keep her knees back from the damage. Where was it even safe to touch him?

Daniel sighed. “Actually, you know, it’s not worth explaining. But, okay, don’t get mad. There was all sorts of crap in the water. I hit something when I went in. I lived to tell the tale. End of explaining. Feel free to rub yourself against me in a show of sympathy. Hang on. Up.”

His hands urged her to rise up sufficient to drag down his boxers. Going skin to skin with Daniel sent her out of her mind. The contact hot, hard, and soft, and wet. He hissed as she let out a sharp, shock of a breath.

“Babe, you are so wet. Fuck, but that’s good.” Daniel’s hips pressed up, his hands on her pressed down. “Oh, yeah.”

“Dan. Shit. Stop.”

The grip on her shifted, moved up till her breasts were back in his hands. Her own hovered, uncertain where to land. Oh whoa, that bruise. And who knew how to tell if he had cracked or broken something. Then again, surely a man with cracked or broken ribs didn’t go around lifting women and positioning them where he wished. Surely.

For the four-hundredth time in twenty-four hours, she thought she might burst into tears.

“I’m not hurt. Touch me,” he implored. Fingers lightly pinched her nipples, and he toyed with her while his hard cock slid against her pussy. She became dizzy. The combination set her senses to reeling, so much sweet sensation. Her body rocked against his of its own volition, out of control.

It was so good, so right. She wanted to cling to him, rub herself against him till they both got off in a spectacular fashion, spectacular but without hurting him. The thought of him in pain undid her. Poured cold water on the rocking and rolling and grinding herself against his cock.

“Wait. How bad are your ribs? Are you hurt anywhere else?” Ali covered his hands with her own, stopped the action going on with her boobs. Necessary for straight thought, hard as it was. “We need to talk. I thought you wanted to talk.”

Daniel scoffed, drew her fingers down to his mouth and kissed them. He rubbed his lips over her knuckles, the palms of her hands, making her feel treasured.

“Please,” he said. “With you sitting on top of me bare ass naked? Are you kidding? Nah. No way. Come here. Let me get my mouth on you.”

Hands slid back down to her hips, tried to lift her, move her up his body. She swatted at his arms which were unblemished, therefore a fair target. “Stop. Dan, I’m serious. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

He groaned and rolled his hips against her, sliding his cock against the seam of her pussy, nudging her sensitive bits and getting her even slicker. Her insides squeezed tight. The cheat. “Oh, I’m hurting, babe. But it has nothing to do with any bumps or bruises. That much I can promise you.”

“Dan.” Ali scowled, wrestled back her hands and set them by his head. She bent over him, careful not to let her knees nudge his sides. “Why can’t you give me a straight answer?”

“Why can’t you ride me like a pony?” He scowled straight back at her, unrepentant. “Don’t pretty girls like ponies? I thought they did.”

“Daniel. Tell me if you’re hurt anywhere else. Please.”

Dan licked his lips, studied the ceiling above her head. Talk about avoidance?

He blatantly hated any hint of weakness. Bad luck. She cared about him a lot. Possibly more.

“No. I’m not hurt anywhere else. The ribs are bruised but I’m pretty sure they’re not broken. Okay?”

“Thank you.”

A huff was all she got in reply. Then, eventually, a pout from the man between her thighs. The bastard. It was hard not to smile at the disgruntled moue. “Whatever.”

“I’m sorry if I killed the mood. I am, however, positive I can revive it.”

“Like to see you try,” he grumbled, keeping a firm hold on her hands beside his head.

“Okay.” Ali took him at his word, pressing her lips to his, soft, firm and perfect.

And closed.

They did not open to her again until she nipped at his bottom lip, sunk her teeth in sufficient to get his attention. When his mouth opened, it was to bite back, teeth snapping. “Careful, baby, two can play at that.”

“Decided to get back in the game have you? Let me have my hands.”

“Why should I?”

“Because, with my hands trapped I’m not sure I can reach your cock with my mouth.”

Daniel stopped and stared at her with open fascination, blue eyes darkening. “That might just be the best reason I’ve ever heard.”

Kylie Scott is a long time fan of erotic love stories and B-grade horror films. She demands a happy ending and if blood and carnage occur along the way then all the better.

Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and one delightful husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

To find out more about Kylie and her books, visit her website, www.kylie-scott.com. You can also connect with her on Twitter (@kyliescottbooks) and Facebook.