Knight of Wands by S.M. Blooding - Review

by SM Blooding

Book 2 of the Devices of War Trilogy

Genre: New Adult Fantasy Steampunk Adventure Publisher: Blooding Books Book Description: (Can be read as stand-alone) Return to a world of mind blowing visuals, heart stopping action, and ships that sail the skies. Nix, Queen of Wands, has exactly what she wants—Synn El’Asim, the greatest Mark the world has ever seen. Even though she bound his soul to hers, he is not easily controlled. If she wants him, she must do the one thing that pains her most. Let him go, and give him what he desires. Peace. Armed with a treaty bearing Nix’s seal, Synn sets off to bridge the gap between the world’s two reigning tyrants—the Hands of Tarot and the Great Families. He struggles to trust Nix as he fights for control of his soul. He’s going to need every ounce of restraint when dealing with his mother, leader of the Great Families. She will not give up her power without a fight. Nix will honor her treaty only if Synn agrees to become her knight. His mother refuses to sign the peace agreement if he falls into the queen’s control. Frustrated, Synn does the one thing neither woman saw coming. He invites all the tribes, currently voiceless in the war between these two ruling tyrants, to partake in the treaty negotiations. All they have to do is prove their worth in his Peace Games. As Synn’s influence and subsequent power grows, a new fight begins. Who will control Synn’s League of Cities? Can he protect more people as a leader of the Great Families, or as the Knight of Wands?

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My Thought:  Knight of Wands is the second book in the Devices of War Trilogy. I loved the first book, Fall of Sky City, and I was so excited to get to read book two. It was amazing to see what was happening in this beautiful world and to all the interesting characters. While this book wasn’t all about showing their Marks, or abilities, it was more political, it didn’t lose any of its appeal. The action was still there, but now interspersed with trying to gain peace in an unstable world.

The book centers on Synn as he struggles to gain peace for all the people in his world. His struggle with not only the Families, but with the Queens is brave and exciting. For every inch he gave, they took a mile. I loved Synn’s journey. Synn is still unsure of his leadership capabilities, so he tests himself constantly. He may not want to lead, but with the world looking at him, he proves a great deal about himself in this book. I love his story, and I have hope yet that he will find someone to love who isn’t a psycho that stole part of his soul.

Once again, I loved the secondary characters. I always enjoy a book that can make me just as interest in the secondary characters as I am the main character. I loved reading about all the people from the first book. Not all of their stories were as prevalent as the first book, but their personalities still shined through. The new characters and the ones that were explored more in this book were so fun to read about. I loved Aiyanna in the book. Her part wasn’t constant, but I hope to read more about her in the third book. I really enjoyed the introduction of the Kowka Clan, too.

I loved every part of this book, even the parts that broke my heart a little. The world S.M. Blooding created sounds amazing and frightening. I read it in a day because I just couldn’t put it down, and once I was finished I wished it hadn’t ended. This is a beautifully written fantasy that I think could appeal to anyone. Knight of Wands is full of political upheaval, adventure, deception, and danger. I cannot wait to read the third book, Menagerie. 

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Praise for Fall of Sky City

Wow! What did I just read?? The story was deliciously complex, full of fear, wonder, magic, gadgets, gizmos, one heck of a psycho Queen and wonderful friends. Every character brought something to the story, each with a unique personality that came to life through the book, each with their own fears to overcome. Victoria Limbert I love the world Blooding has created. She managed to create it in a way that it combines specs of all my favorite movies, books, etc. It’s a mixture of young adult fantasy, steam punk, dystopia, sci-fi, paranormal and even some tiny bit of romance. Fall of Sky City is a diverse book that is intense, a little bit violent, and a whole lot of awesome! I look forward to reading the next book of the series! Unputdownable Books SM Blooding is a new author to me, but this is definitely not the last book I’ll read by her. Synn El’Asim is a powerful character–the reader sees him grow from a young man who has not yet come into his power to a strong man who is courageous enough to fight for what he believes in–his family and his people. The world building Ms. Blooding does is nothing short of remarkable. A world composed of flying ships, ice worlds, danger, and intrigue. My World of Dreams This book is action-packed and intense. You feel like you’re part of the drama. This story is intense. The action is perfectly paced. I had trouble putting the book down. I really felt for Synn from the very beginning. He goes through so much. As soon as he gets his mark, he is plunged into one situation after another. Queen Nix, who is horrifying by the way, pushes Synn to new levels, in more and more diabolical ways. With the help of friends and family, Synn becomes a strong leader. Waiting on Sunday to Drown I’m amazed of the world Blooding has created and built. It has Sky, Land, and Water Cities. These cities each has its own technologies, language, and a whole different way of life. These worlds remind me a lot of Avatar the Last Airbender and Star Wars, which I both loved wholeheartedly. Bahrain Newspaper Article Review!

Meet the Author:

SM “Frankie” Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Jack the Bird. Jack has refused to let her to take up the piano again, but is warming to the guitar. It might help that Frankie has learned more than two strings. She’s added a few more Arabic words to her vocabulary, but don’t invite her into conversation yet—unless, of course, you’re willing to have a very . . . slow . . . conversation. She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Fighting to Forgive by JB Salsbury - Review

Fighting to Forgive

by JB Salsbury

What do you do when everything you avoid, turns out to be exactly what you need? Easy and predictable, just the way he likes it, Blake Daniels flies through life the way he burns through women: on his terms, no regrets. With his fighting career in full swing, he's on the threshold of title contention. But when his training is compromised by injury, the stakes grow impossibly higher. The rage that fuels his punches also chips away at his focus, and he risks losing everything he cares about. He won’t let that happen. Not again. Layla’s through with men. After a marriage that never should’ve happened, she hopes to reclaim the pieces of the woman she lost years ago. Emotional abuse has left her insecure and terrified. A master at faking what she’s not feeling, she masks her self-doubt in false confidence. She’ll never let another man hurt her. Not again. Chased by shadows of the past, Blake and Layla know what they don’t want, but their hearts have a different plan. As a web of lies and betrayal threatens to destroy them, they’re forced to make a choice. Is love enough to heal even the deepest wounds?

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My Thoughts: Fighting to Forgive is a love story wrapped up in a whole bunch of secrets and danger. I had no idea what would happen at times. The story was fast, and the amazing characters made it fun and interesting. I loved the many tough issues that were tackled in the story.

My favorite part in the book was the characters. I know Blake was a cocky fighter who was a major womanizer, but he was a sexy cocky womanizing fighter. Add in his secret soft spot, and you get an amazing male character. I loved seeing his different layers peeled away. Layla was so brave. She was so determined to be independent, and I loved that about her. She was pretty straight forward from the start, but I still liked her story of recovery.

The secondary characters were no less interesting. I loved Layla’s daughter (especially her name). She is a total brat, but she loves her mom, and it shows. I loved the other fighters. They were often funny, and they stuck by each other.

I loved the setting of Las Vegas, but I loved even more how JB Salsbury made it seem down to earth. It wasn’t just an overwhelming talk of lights, casinos, and showgirls. It was their home, and Salsbury made it feel that way. I absolutely loved this book. I loved the surprising twists and the excitement. I cannot wait to read more of this series. 

Rating:

Author Bio:

Bestselling author JB Salsbury lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day as a domestic engineer. But while she works through her daily chores, a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles claws away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page. Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to sink her free time into novel writing. Fighting for Flight is her first novel in the MMA romance series.

For more information on the series or just to say hello, visit JB on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads.

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Wanted Vampire by Lisa Rayns - Book Blast

Wanted: Vampire - Free Blood

 

Book 1 in the Wanted: Vampire Trilogy

Released: Aug 24, 2012 Genre: Paranormal Romance Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Three years ago, death blew out the candle in Alexis Hall’s life and left her devastated. Nothing could replace what she’d lost, not even the sexy stranger she awoke married to. Still, she finds it hard to ignore the dangerous sparks he triggers within her. She knows Bradley Cox took advantage of her. What she doesn’t know is he holds a secret that will change everything.

 

But Bradley isn’t her only concern. In a moment of desperation to somehow reclaim what she had lost, Alexis made an offer to a vampire––free blood. Her blood.

 

In a story of heartbreak and obsession, a simple ad changed Alexis' life forever and on one fateful night her dreams and her nightmares will collide. Can she trust Bradley? Or is he her worst mistake? Can she retract her offer to the vampire? Or will she fall under his deceptive spell?

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Wanted: Vampire - Bad Blood

 

Book 2 in the Wanted: Vampire Trilogy

Released: Feb 24, 2013

 

Joel’s back.

 

Determined to return her sexy ex to his former vampire self, Tara Callister does what she has to do: She exposes three evil witches in order to enlist her coven’s help. Unfortunately for her, things don’t always work out as planned.

 

Targeted by her enemies, betrayed by her coven, she must figure out how to save herself and those she loves from the evil entwining itself in her life. But when her journey of self discovery leads her down an even darker path, will she stand behind her white witch promise or become one of them? And more importantly, are Joel’s feelings for her strong enough to survive it all?

 

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Book 3 in the Wanted: Vampire Trilogy: Coming in February 2014

 

About the Author

 

Lisa Rayns, author of the paranormal romance, "Wanted: Vampire – Free Blood," lives in a small town in South Dakota. She studied Composition/Literature in college and worked with explosives and as a blackjack dealer before beginning her writing career. An avid reader, she weaves romantic stories rich with action, suspense, and her own personal flavor of the paranormal. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and Siamese cat. For more information about Lisa and her books, visit her website at www.lisarayns.com.

 

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The Grinding by Matt Dinniman - Promo and Tour Schedule

by Matt Dinniman

Genre: Horror Six months ago, the world watched in horror as we lost an American city. The Grinder. That's what the survivors of Tucson called the monster. Just one touch, and they became a part of it. It used their bodies as limbs and as weapons. In just a matter of hours, it became huge, a towering monstrosity made entirely out of tens of thousands of people and animals. This isn’t behind-the-scenes bulls**t from the point of view of the military. This isn’t yet another conspiracy theory about what really happened to Air Force One that night, or about the decision to nuke Tucson. This is a rare, eyewitness account from someone who was there, in the midst of the destruction. But most importantly, this is the terrifying truth.

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About the Author:

Matt Dinniman is an artist and writer from Seattle, Washington. He is the author of The Shivered Sky, Trailer Park Fairy Tales, and The Grinding. When he isn't writing, he is the owner of Collage-O-rama, LLC, a company dedicated to bringing cats with mustaches to the general public.

 

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Best Served Cold by Tawdra Kandle - Release Day Blast

Sometimes, revenge is your only choice. . .

Julia worked for weeks planning the perfect surprise birthday party for her boyfriend, Liam, but that night, she was the one who got the biggest shock. He broke up with her in front of all their friends, humiliating her in the process. Clearly revenge was in order. The plan is simple. Make him jealous, win him back, and then crush his heart. Fair is fair. However, there is one little hiccup and he has curly brown hair and dimples. Jesse is everything she wants. With him, she could almost forget her bruised heart. Almost. Julia has one choice: let Liam walk away after everything he did, or lose a chance at love in pursuit of payback.       Available TODAY at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords Only 99 cents for a limited time!   Follow Tawdra on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Newsletter, Website                        

Legends of Amun Ra: The Soul of the World by Joshua Silverman - Review

by Joshua Silverman

The ancient powers lost to Potara have returned. The Brotherhood of the Black Rose rises to bring Thoth into disorder. And, while the Brotherhood reclaims their power, chaos reigns among the survivors. Six individuals have emerged from the aftermath struggling for control over their lives and a divided land. Kem and Shirin, who abolished the five thousand year reign of the Amun Priests, rule from the golden throne of the Oracle’s Chair in the Hall of the Nine. Dio and Axios struggle to piece together a resistance worthy to challenge the ancient magic which resides in the Great Temple of Amun, and Leoros and Atlantia try to remain true to their hearts and their cause despite tragedy. But when the Book of Breathings is discovered, the path to immortality is revealed. Leoros and Kem race to capture the Soul of the World unaware of the challenges awaiting them. This time, the gods themselves will intervene. In a tale where boys become men and girls become women, where treachery and deception are around every corner, and where primeval mysticism finds its way back from the grave, victory is reserved for neither the good nor the evil, but the powerful.

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My Thoughts: I reviewed the first book in this series and had some issues with it. I enjoyed it but struggled with certain elements. I think, because of that, I started The Soul of the World with caution. Now I cannot remember what I struggled with in the first book. The Soul of the World blew it out of the water. I was immediately interested and hungry to find out more. The story line flowed wonderfully, the descriptions were vivid, and the characters were still amazing.

I found the characters easier to follow in this book. Each chapter was designated to a character. That was one of the greatest parts. I loved reading what each character was going through at the time. The characters followed the paths it seems they should naturally take. Joshua Silverman didn’t try to force them into unrealistic situations. There was an easy flow to the progression in their lives. I loved every bit of the growth they showed, and I could understand every set back as well.

This book may have lacked the constant training from the first book, but it did not take anything away from it. The adventure and the battle were still there. A new element for me that I loved was the mythological animals. They had their own personality and getting to know them was just as interesting as getting to know the human characters. This new evil may be more frightening than the first. The Brotherhood of the Black Rose is terrifying in their abilities to create so much chaos in the world. 

I am still a bit astounded at how this whole series works. I love how intermingled the mythology is. I love that it is another planet. I love the abilities that the characters possess. I especially loved the dynamic between characters in this book. I now want to go back and re-read the first book. Maybe I missed some things, or maybe just reading it that second time will make it work better for me. Either way, I absolutely loved The Soul of the World, and I would suggest it to everyone. I can’t wait to read the next book!

Rating:

About the Author:

Joshua Silverman was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Orange County, California. While attending California State University, Fullerton and studying Criminal Justice, Joshua was introduced to a creative writing class where he wrote a series of paranormal stories. As a child, he has always been an amateur historian, focusing on ancient Egypt, Greece, and Roman civilizations. Since working in the legal environment, he has combined his passion for creative writing with his love of ancient history by penning his debut novel, The Emerald Tablet, the first of seven in the Legends of Amun Ra series.

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven by Todd Coopee - Promo and Tour Schedule

This first definitive retrospective of the Easy Bake® Oven celebrates its journey from children's toy to pop culture icon and inductee to The National Toy Hall of Fame. The book explores the innovation, history, economics, commerce, advertising, and marketing behind the toy’s 50 year history. This book is a must read for vintage toy collectors, nostalgia buffs, foodies, and anyone who has ever peered through the oven's watch it bake window, eagerly anticipating the moment they will be able to serve and enjoy their very own culinary concoction.

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About the Author:

Todd Coopee is a writer, award-winning business owner, toy historian, and pop-culture enthusiast. His affinity for nostalgia, vintage toys, and baking fed his passion for the Easy-Bake Oven, which led to his 2013 retrospective, Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake® Oven. Todd lives in Ottawa, Ontario and has been known to bake tiny treats for his friends and family.

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