{ARC Review} CHARRED HEART by Lizzy Ford ***AVAILABLE NOW****

Charred Heart
Lizzy Ford

For a thousand years, Chace has searched for a way to break the curse placed on him by a jilted lover. He’s a dragon shifter, one who can’t control when the magic will force him into a different form. He’s already lost everyone he ever cared about a few times over and doesn’t know how much longer he’s meant to suffer.

At his wit’s end, he makes a deal with a mysterious figure that offers him what he wants most – an end to his misery – in exchange for everything that’s his: His life, his power. His heart.

The next day, he meets Skylar, a modern day dragon slayer whose mission is to cage him – or kill him. Sexy, witty and brave, she is the yin to his yang, the woman destined to break the curse, balance his magic and make his broken heart whole. 

Except it’s too late. Not only has he sealed his fate, but an innocent one-night-stand with Skylar has dragged her into the middle of a deal with the devil, one she won’t escape, if he can’t convince her that dragon shifters aren’t her enemies

*fans face* Whoa, baby. This is Lizzy Ford's steamiest novel yet and very apropos given it's a paranormal romance about a dragon shifter. *licks lips* Say it with me...dragon hotness! And in true Lizzy fashion...this ends with a cliffhanger, but I hear that CHARRED TEARS isn't far behind, --thankfully--.

Chace is a thousand years old and tired of watching his loved ones die around him - humans and shifters alike, no one quite has the lifespan of a dragon. Ready to call it a day, he strikes a deal with Mr Nothing to become human. Shortly thereafter, Skylar crashes onto the scene, convinced she's a dragon slayer, and she's ready to slay Chace.

Passion and instant chemistry, these two rip one another's clothes off and sexy time commences. When things don't add up, Chace decides to take his end of the deal further and tells Sky to take him into the rehab center so he discover where the heck all the shifters are disappearing to. He insists to Sky that she's been brainwashed, but Sky is having difficulty believing her entire life could be a lie...

Tons of action, twisty motives from evil parties, a shocking ex-boyfriend, and a long lost father crash into the scene and keep you stabbing at your kindle. Another "kindle bruiser"...if Lizzy Ford keeps this up, I'm gonna need a new kindle and fast!

****Disclaimer: My copy was an ARC copy given to me by the author with no obligation. I'm writing this review because I feel like it.*****

Do NOT miss out on Lizzy Ford's

TWELVE KINDLES OF XMAS giveaways!

CLICK HERE and go enter! 

Blog Tour: Day 6 of 6 D.N. Simmons The Knights of the Darkness Chronicles: UNHOLY ALLIANCE

Congratulations! And thank you for following me along on this journey of reading the entire series in one week! If you couldn't tell already, I TOTALLY enjoyed this paranormal series. It was sexy, it was gritty, it was horrifying, it was gory, it was heart-warming, and I think that Simmons did a fabulous job of capturing different aspects of "humanity." 

The giveaway will be listed at the bottom of course, per usual, and before I get into the book's synopsis and my review, I've neglected to tell you in all of these posts about D.N. Simmons. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in the little, but big bustling city of Chicago, Illinois. I still live there today and I’m loving every second of it ... Except for those harsh cold winters. I started writing short horror stories when I was eleven years old. It wasn't until 2004 that I decided to take the plunge into the professional literary world when I wrote Desires Unleashed.

I love the supernatural world; I've always found it fascinating, especially vampires and shape-shifters. It was my love of the genre that motivated me to create the story I had always wanted to read. I published it, hoping there were other people out there who would be entertained by that same story. I love to entertain people, to offer them that fantasy world they can escape into filled with wonders and good times. I know I appreciate the escapism I've delved into when reading a good book.

Some of the accolades I've won for my writing are: "New Voice of Today" by A Romance Review, "Rising Star" by Love Romance and "Author of the Month" by Warrior of Words. I've been nominated two years in a row in several categories, including "best vampire novel" and "best urban-fantasy" at Love Romance and More. My third novel; The Royal Flush did win honorable mention in 2006.

Some of the accolades I've won for my writing are: "New Voice of Today" by A Romance Review, "Rising Star" by Love Romance and "Author of the Month" by Warrior of Words. I've been nominated two years in a row in several categories, including "best vampire novel" and "best urban-fantasy" at Love Romance and More. My third novel; The Royal Flush did win honorable mention in 2006.

To find out even more about me, please click on the links below.

D.N.’s Website | D.N.'s Blog | D.N. on Facebook

 D.N. on Twitter | D.N. on Goodreads

Also, here is the list of the other AMAZING bloggers on this tour! Stop by, say hello, see what they have to say about this incredibly sexy, visceral series:

5/31 - Cocktails and Books

http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/blog-tour-series-spotlight-giveaway-knights-of-the-darkness-d-n-simmons/

6/02- Mad Hatter Reads (interview & review book 1)

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com/

 6/05- Bookin' It Reviews (guest post & series spotlight)

http://www.bookinitreviews.com/

6/05- Lily Pond Reads

http://lilypondreads.blogspot.com/

6/07- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 1)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

6/14- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 2)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

6/20- Larissa's Bookish Life (guest post & review of series)

http://www.larissaslife.com/

6/21- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 3)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

6/22- GraveTells (guest post)

http://gravetells.com/

6/28- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 4)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

7/01- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 1)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/02- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 2)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/03- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 3)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/04- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 4)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/05- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 5)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

7/05- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 5)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/06- Tiffy-Fit  (spotlight & review - book 6)

http://tiffyfit.blogspot.com/

7/07- I Smell Sheep (Series spotlight & review - book 1)

http://www.ismellsheep.com/

7/08- Wicked Readings by Tawania (series spotlight & review - all 6 books)

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/

7/09- Froggarita's Bookcase (interview & review - book 1)

http://www.froggaritasbookcase.com/

7/10- Crystals Random Thoughts 

http://www.crystalsrandomthoughts.com/

7/11- Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

7/12- My Reading Obsession (spotlight & review - book 6)

http://4myreadingobsession.blogspot.com/

7/15- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book 1)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

7/16- Book Lovin' Mamas (interview, series spotlight and reviews - all 6 books)

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com/

7/16- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book 2)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

7/17- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book 3)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

7/18- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book 4)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

7/19- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book 5)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

7/20- Close Encounters (spotlight & review - book6)

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

And now, book six UNHOLY ALLIANCE and what I thought of it! :) 

The Final Chapter of the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will leave you breathless!

Picking up the chaos from where The Lion's Den left off, Unholy Alliance unleashes a whole new threat to everyone’s existence. It’s the calm before the storm and once the storm hits, you’ll have to pray and hope you survive. New alliances will be formed that will reshape the world with the blood of the innocent. There will be nowhere to hide, there will be no sanctuary. Who will stop them? Can they be stop? Hold on to your seats and prepare for one hell of a ride!

Original, sexy and gritty, the Knights of the Darkness

Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget!

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N

A_TiffyFit's Review: Picking up right where we left off in THE LION'S DEN, I think that this was the most emotionally charged book of the series. It's the final chapter, it's a culmination of all of our favorite characters. It's about protecting those you love. We meet the most powerful vampires in existence, the Founts, the original seven and hear their origination story as they are gathering to fight against one another to save the human race. Natasha is kidnapped again, infected with the virus killing off the human race, molested, and then returned ill. Xavier will do anything to save Darian. Darian will do anything to save Xavier, his Chosen One. Kysen will do anything to protect the heart of his Chosen One, Darian, and so forth as we meet stronger and stronger vampires. 

The Founts, with the exception of one, are annoying, arrogant, and everything you expect from a being as old as they each are. I suppose after so many millenia of watching petty human jealousies work their way out, you, too, would be selfish, jaded, and cynical. And then to be the ONLY female Fount? Yeah, Irikara is a bitch alright! I like the wake up call for humans, especially as their general attitudes are ones that we would encounter on a day to day basis in our own lives: arrogant, asinine, petty, and disingenuous. That is our reality, unfortunately, and only a handful are like Natasha: genuine, cares for fellow man, demonstrates integrity, etc. 

There are only a few glitches throughout the series that readers may "trip" over: a handful of spelling/grammar errors (wretched vs retched, son vs sun, etc). and then colloquallisms and speech patterns that are regional based. Natasha and Devin's "voices" and slang made me stumble a few times. These errors over the course of six books can be counted on your hands without using all of your fingers, so they are easily overlooked. 

This was a very satisfying series, focusing on different players while keeping a central theme. I really loved it and totally loved having all the books at once to read consecutively. Fight sequences as well as every conversation are written so vividly without bogging you down with minutia that it was like watching a movie play in my head. In fact, this would make a brilliant television drama series, appealing to vampire junkies and shifter junkies alike.  

If this isn't on your TBR yet, it should be! 

GIVEAWAY

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BLOG TOUR: Day 5 of 6, D.N. Simmons Knights of the Darkness Chronicles: THE LION'S DEN

The Lion's Den (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles #5)

Darian, Elise and Xander have been through very rough times in the past, but nothing has prepared them for the menace that is causing all kinds of havoc in their territory this time around. Chicago is at the mercy, or lack thereof, of a ruthless gang of supernaturals who seem to take extreme pleasure in other people's pain. In this game of cat and mouse, there's no way to tell who's the predator and who's the prey.

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N

A_TiffyFit's Review:

I think this is the most action packed of the 5 I have read so far! This one has a vicious, ancient vampire named Marcus and his coven, including a shifter lover. As we know now from the previous novels, drinking a master’s blood imbues some of his strength into you, enhancing whatever powers you may already have, whether shifter, vampire, or human. It worked to strengthen Natasha’s visions, it worked to strengthen Darian’s will so he could now see sunrise and sunset despite his “younger” age (compared to the ancients, younger).

Warning: There are horrific crimes in this novel. If you can’t stand watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, you will have a hard time with some scenes in this book. It is, unfortunately, true to life with the horrors that monsters force upon others, and some of it was really hard to read. Mutilation, rape, & murder of both adults and children.

The book starts off with Natasha’s pregnancy cravings and her asking Xavier and Darian to get her a juicy burger. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is baby numero dos! I love how we get to see the every day lives of these characters: from Natasha’s nesting and cravings to how the two vamps spoil her to Christopher, the newest vamp, working in the club and learning about being a vampire, to Warren & Matthew’s daily job. Warren’s shock as Marshall asks if he was the one to turn Matthew was adorable! “No! Wait…you knew about me?!”

This one starts off with the crime and it is horrific. A shifter is murdered, flayed, and dumped on the door step of Desires Unleashed. From there, more and more crimes pop up faster and faster, forcing the captain of the S.U.I.T. unit to bring in reinforcements much to the dismay, and then later relief, of Warren.

The new coven on the scene is terrifying and terrorizing the citizens of Darian’s territory. Wickedly strong, horrific, evil, and smart, Marcus’s coven and Marcus himself are wreaking havoc. Lives are lost, not just the victims of the murders, but also during the fights: coven, pride, and pack lose members. We have a new shifter pack alliance, and really they are the reason why the coven is here, not that it makes it solely their fight alone.

It’s intense! D.N. Simmons kept me up late at night, turning my pages, wanting resolution, cheering them on during the fight, and finally…when it’s finished, there is another problem. And how does the book end? With this:

To Be Continued.
Oh yeah! … I ended this on a cliffhanger, baby!
Love ya!
D.N.

*jaw drops* GEEEEZ. Okay! I get it! Onto the final book in the series! UNHOLY ALLIANCE

Tune in tomorrow to see how this story ends...well as much as I'm willing to give away anyway ;) 

GIVEAWAY

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BLOG TOUR: Day 3 of 6: D.N. Simmons THE KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS CHRONICLES Book 3: The Royal Flush

Welcome back! So have you started reading yet? The series is getting better and better! Book 1, DESIRES UNLEASHED, sets the stage and then it's nothing but action action action. Sexy action, battle action, fights, kidnapping, torture, etc.

The Royal Flush is the third novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.In the third installment of this tale, the hunt is on! The coven, Pack and Pride must join forces to stop a group of big game hunters by any means necessary! Hold on to your seat as the Knights take you on yet another wild ride that will not let you go until the last word is read and the book is closed!

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N


A_TiffyFit's Review:
This series certainly isn’t losing any momentum! Usually in a longer series, book 3 is the flop where things are starting to drag or become redundant. That is NOT the case here. This time, the pride, the coven, and the pack are each missing one member, one of their younger ones. Our main characters soon find out that it’s a rich man’s hunt: the prey is the supernaturals that were kidnapped. 

Lots of action and a plot that keeps rolling forward, the only blips were one or two grammatical/spelling issues (his versus he’s, vain versus vein). I’m used to spelling kidnapped with double Ps, but kidnaped is an acceptable spelling.

Natasha’s visions are increased in power although we only see a few of them. This increase is thanks to Darian’s decision to have her drink more blood to strengthen them, to help track down the missing members. 

I love how this book is bringing together pride, pack, and coven as they work together more and more, all because of Natasha. She is one special character as they keep stressing. She genuinely cares for others, more than herself, is incredibly feisty, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. 

The most exciting development in this series is WE GET TO MEET DARIAN’S MASTER, KYSEN! Ohhhhh yes you do! =) So you have kidnapping, strategizing, banter between the pack/pride/coven, relationship development between Warren & Matthew & Adrian as well as Natasha & Xavier & Darian. The former is not what you think; the latter IS. The sex is still hot and still present in the books and again, as an extension of the characters and their personalities instead of gratuitous. It’s for comfort, for demonstrations of love, for celebration of living through something that ought to have killed them etc.


Natasha’s surprise for Darian’s birthday is awesome and I’m hoping that by the end of the series…we see this to completion! ON TO BOOK FOUR! 

Giveaway

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BLOG TOUR Day 2 of 6: D.N. Simmons KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS CHRONICLES Book Two: The Guilty Innocent

Hi, welcome back! :) Are you ready for more? Now that we've gotten the info-laying book one out of the way, the action SURE DOES HEAT UP in this second novel!

The Guilty Innocent is the second novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.

In this installment, Darian, the gorgeous, charismatic and charming master vampire of Chicago is framed for a crime he didn't commit, but why? His lover, Xavier, Natasha and a few others must travel halfway across the world to find out who and why before time runs out and all hell breaks loose!

Original, sexy and gritty, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget!

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N

A_TiffyFit's Review: 

This series is HEATING UP. Sadly, this one starts with the murder of Tasha’s best friend and roommate, Annette. Her body is found in the trunk of Darian’s car, framing him for the murder. Tasha, Xavier, Warren, Matthew, Elise, Sergio, and their supernatural allies together have only 7 days to prove his innocence before Darian will be executed per law. (Supernaturals are not privy to the same rights as humans, even though humans can be more monstrous. :( )

Now that we have all the players from book one and their backgrounds, there is much more action in this book. I think many would call this world hedonistic, and it is. I mean…if you have lived for hundreds of years, wouldn’t you revel in pleasures as you can take them, too? 

I’m already hoping that something happens to Tasha to make her live a longer/immortal life. Human lives are just too short. She nearly died in the first book while helping out on an investigation! In this book, she is in harm’s way lots of times, but so is everybody else. 

Back to the hedonism: this book is a guilty pleasure filled with Tasha’s curiosity, her honest questions, her blatant interest in how sexual a vampire’s kiss can be, etc. It’s very human in that it’s so focused on sex: so many humans are focused on sex. 

Now here’s the strange part: despite many scenes of sexual nature, it does NOT take over the book. Once again, it’s seamlessly woven in so that it isn’t the main focal point. The main point is tracking down the bastards who are framing Darian. And it gets worse…shifters are turning on their own kind all for the sake of…Ah. No spoilers for you. 

Natasha and Xavier’s relationship develops further, and her experiences in Russia seem to help her open up to other possibilities. I’m enjoying reading and seeing these developments. 

Favorite passages from this book: 

“In reality, there was no more danger from shape-shifter children than there was from other, fully human children. I thought it would be good for the schools to be integrated. It would allow the human and shape-shifter children to interact with each other. Kids weren’t born with prejudices; they were learned from their parents. If you enlightened both the children and their parents, then the world would grow to be a better place.” Pg 9

Didn’t I say how I felt it was disgusting how quickly humans slam others and one another into second-class citizenship roles? 

“Being five-feet-two has its disadvantages as well as its perks. I’ve never had to reach for high things. I just looked for a tall person then acted helpless; it never failed.” Pg 71

I liked this one because this is my mom (she’s Korean and 4’10”. She has perfected the “look helpless” way of getting people to do things for her)

“Well, I hold the act of making love in high regards. I don’t think you should just screw anybody just because you’re hot for them. People should treat themselves with more respect than that, especially women. I know some people may call me a prude, but that’s how I feel about it. A lot of heartache in this world is due to people giving themselves away far too easily. …people put so much emphasis on sex, like it’s the end of the world if they don’t get any. And it’s the actions of the irresponsible people engaging in these shallow sex acts that cause so much trouble. The vast spread of AIDS, herpes, and other STDs, not to mention unwanted pregnancies and abortions, can be contributed [sic] to some people who just wanted to have sex simply to have sex. People kill people over sex, people betray others over sex, and it’s ugly.” Pg 170-171
I couldn’t agree more. In my opinion, this is why people break up so often, why there’s so much divorce, disease, and that feeling of unfulfillment no matter what. There’s no connection. It’s just fucking. 

Well, I’ll let you read. I gotta get onto book 3, THE ROYAL FLUSH. 

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COVER RELEASE! Mary Lynn Bast's A CORPORATE AFFAIR!

Title: Corporate Affair (#1)

Author: MaryLynn Bast

Series: Panther Pride Saga

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Shifters

Publisher: Werewolf Tails Publishing

Release Date: Mar 17 2013

Editions/Formats It Will Be Available In: E-book & Print

Blurb/Synopsis:

Harper Malone is the owner of a large construction and architectural firm. He knows how to negotiate and be patient.  The Panther prowling inside of him is not quite so patient. The moment she walks into the room his heart races and his senses go on high alert. Harper knows immediately he has to have her.

After going through a nasty divorce and moving to a new city Emily Tatum immerses herself into her new job. She has sworn off men, yet finds herself in bed with her boss.

Can Harper make her forget the feelings of betrayal and let her guard down? Can she trust the man, the panther, and really love again?

About the Author: 

MaryLynn Bast moved to Las Vegas in 2010. As a consultant with a contractor for the US Military, she travels from base to base across the country and around the world. MaryLynn enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. In her free time she writes paranormal fantasies and erotica.

Find MaryLynn on the 'net at the following places! 

Amazon Author Page

Mary Lynn's Blog

Facebook

FB Heart of Wolf Series page

Heart of a Wolf FB Group

Goodreads.com

On Twitter

And now...the cover of A CORPORATE AFFAIR! 

Releases on March 17th! Bookmark her amazon page!