{COYER Winter 2014-2015} IAM HER by Sarah Ann Walker

I Am Her... by Sarah Ann Walker

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Okay. I really really really wanted to read this book based on the buzz I was hearing. It sounded so amazing. My Secret Santa/Elfster got it for me for Xmas and I just dove in, so excited to start. And it was intense from the get-go. You're nodding along like yeah, I get that.

And then...the twists come. And seriously...it's effed up. Which would make for an excellent book, except...

It was very repetitive. I get why; the attempt to stress how heinous this was, how mentally fucked up she is, etc., but it got to the point where, as the reader, I kept wanting to say, "I'M DONE!" and DNF it.

And then there's the grammar and punctuation. I could forgive here and there, but not every single page, not the inconsistencies from one paragraph to another, etc.

This book was torture to get through. I could barely sympathize with the main character because of her internal monologues. Her childhood was horrifying and utterly disgusting, and I understand what it did to her. In that way, this book was fairly good: The horror is palpable when she begins to remember what happened, when her triggers are recognized, etc.

I think a healthy dose of edits to get rid of the extreme repetition, to strengthen word choice and sentence structure, and this would easily hit 3.5/4 stars. For me, it was a miss, and about 1.5 Rounded up to 2.



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{Book Tour} ELEANOR by Jason Gurley -- with review and giveaway!

Blog Tour Page & Schedule

{Blog Tour} THE DAY THE WORDS WENT AWAY by Christina Escamilla -- with giveaway!

Title: The Day the Words Went Away

Author: Christina Escamilla

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Publisher:  Christina Escamilla Publishing

Release Date: June 27 2014

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Have you ever wondered why popular books keep giving us the same tired plot lines over and over again?

Peter sure does.

He has a theory that there are simply no more original ideas left in the world. To prove his hunch right, he makes a bet with his best friend, Andy. Together, along with the girl of his dreams and his best friend’s wife, they set out on a zany adventure that includes escaping the clutches of an illegal street racing crew, a terrorist attempt, one creepy morgue attendant, and a near death experience at the wheel of a well-known celebrity.

Will Peter find out why all of the words went away or will this unlikely foursome just prove he is a terrible writer?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble |Goodreads

  

Author Information

Christina Escamilla is an author, illustrator, and lover of all things books. When she doesn't have her nose stuck in one, she can be found watching a documentary about theoretical science or exploring the vast reaches of the internet. Currently, she lives in Houston, Texas with her bow-tie wearing dog, Murphy.

  

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*waves hi madly* I really, really, really wanted to write a review for this book to let you know how much I loved it, but I was one of the team of copy-editors and that kinda skirts the line of what is ethically appropriate. So no review. But I couldn't just shut my mouth and had to say something little. Since you know I was part of the copyediting (and paid for it), I will continue briefly to say: This book made me laugh, I connected with it with my little nerd/gamer/reader heart, there is one particular scene where I was laughing so hard I could not do my job, and I found the characters endearing. I am SO eager to read more and hope this turns into a series. It is funny, romantic, human, and hilarious, and something I could easily see becoming a series or a movie! ~Tiffany

“You could never bore me…,” I say dreamily, still in somewhat of a daze.

Don’t be creepy.

Don’t be creepy.

“’Cause I love science,” I add quickly.

Good save.

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{Book Review} Unwell by Marie Chow

Book Title: Unwell
Author: Marie Chow
Publisher: Career Student Productions
Publishing Date: January 2014
Length: 258 pages
Source: Author for honest review

How do you tell your child that you won’t be there when they grow up? UNWELL is the raw, honest story of a mother who writes to her unborn child, sharing her decision of choosing not to be a mother. She doesn’t take the road to abortion. She decides to give her child a fighting chance in life, without the angst and drama that’s shaped her own bittersweet life.

With a poignant lack of emotion, the young mother shares her life story. As the child of Asian parents who moved to America early in her life, the mother shares how her life disintegrated after her parents’ divorce. From upper middle class suburban to sharing her mean aunt’s house to a one bedroom apartment in a shabby neighborhood, this mother endures the indignity that comes with the change of status. From her father’s absence to her mother becoming a married man’s mistress, her story reads like a tragic Victorian novel set in the 21st century, but that’s where the similarity ends—she is definitely not a shy country miss and she certainly did not take the easy way out.

This amazing story chronicles the life of a woman who fought for everything she got, faced her demons and made the hard choices. Her fortitude and candor are disarming, her avant-garde views strangely endearing. You’ve never read a book like this and probably never will again. Get your copy today and take the literary journey of a lifetime. Through this glimpse into the life of a woman of integrity, sacrifice and love, you’ll feel her pain, live her failures and cheer for the meager joys that come her way. But the one thing you’ll never do… is forget her. Or her story.

Goodreads | Amazon

I am not quite sure where I stand on this book. It left me unsettled even after I spent a night totally engrossed in reading it. I agreed to read and review when approached by the author because it appealed to me on a variety of levels. It is about an asian american young woman talking/writing to her unborn child. I liked the asian aspect as I myself am half-asian and thought it'd be interesting to read a story about an american raised asian child. The main character is also about my age, so there is that appealing factor as well. And then I liked the idea of writing a letter to her unborn child.

What I did not expect was the kind of letter she was writing to her unborn child.

For such an emotional event such as pregnancy, the protagonist is very removed from her pregnancy. And yet there is some poignancy as she remarks about how excited the baby's father is for the impending arrival. The mother gives her history to her baby, writing it in a journal, and it isn't a sweet story. It's a story about divorce, and her parents' failures, and her mother's choices, and ultimately how those events shaped the mother's life.

It's an emotional book. I don't think you'll cry, but you'll probably comment on the mother's words and choices and actions and think, "what a jerk!" and you'll pity the protagonist as you see this emotional disconnect that she has. She wishes for a great love for her unborn baby, but wants nothing to do with being a mother herself.

I am truly uncertain as to how this ends. Is she writing a long suicide note? Does she plan on just leaving? With her history of mental illness and distress, I leaned towards suicide as the implication. She is giving her baby life, but taking her own in the process. Very sad, very moving, very very unsettling. I've never read anything like this before. I am not sure if I liked it because it was just so incredibly realistic, especially as I think about conversations with friends and coworkers. But I didn't hate it. I'm unsure how to categorize something like this. It's moving. It's unsettling. Is it a favorite fiction novel I will reread over and over? No. Am I glad I read it? Yes. It makes you think and imagine what it might be like with you in that woman's shoes. 

{Blog Tour} GUNS by J.A. Huss --- with giveaway, review, and guest post!

This is the end of it, my friends. The finale. The big boom. The last book in the series. /sadface Before you venture further, before you click "Read More", you should know that THIS is not a standalone novel. This brings it all together. This connects the dots. This is where it ends. You need to read up on the team, which means you need to read the novels previous.

The Whole Series:

(99 CENTS) ROOK AND RONIN OMNIBUS: TRAGIC - MANIC - PANIC
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1oufHcj
B&N: http://bit.ly/1gWoHGI

FORD NOVELLA: SLACK: A Day in the Life of Ford Aston
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/J3neRC
B&N: http://bit.ly/1eYQdSN

FORD NOVEL: TAUT: The Ford book
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1dNTjse
B&N: http://bit.ly/1eb1yhl

BOMB NOVELLA: A Day in the Life of Spencer Shrike
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1gRv6AH
B&N: http://bit.ly/1bWf59t

If you think you're ready, here's the video trailer. And then you can make the jump for more teasers, a review, JA Huss talking about how she designs her covers, and...a giveaway! 

{Blog Tour} TO TUSCANY WITH LOVE by GAIL MENCINI --with review and author interview!

{Book Blitz} I AM JUST JUNCO Omnibus by J.A. Huss with giveaway!

I Am Just Junco Omnibus by J.A. Huss

(I Am Just Junco Books 1-3)
Publication date: November 4th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult, Science Fiction



Clutch * Fledge * Flight (1,152 pages) ---- the first three books in the epic science fiction fantasy saga that spans five full length novels and one novella. The final book, RETURN, will be released on December 2, 2013.

Nineteen year old Rural Republic sniper, Junco Coot, has been lied to. Not once or twice, but pretty much everyone she ever trusted is totally full of sh*t. And now her father is dead, she’s on the run, and everyone wants a piece of her ---- including one winged alien warrior named Tier.

But the truth always catches up and Junco has to choose who she should trust. The people who have lied and trained her to kill since she was a small child? Or the warriors who want to steal her away and use her as the catalyst in a plot to fight the final battle in an ancient war?

It’s a choice that will change her fate forever. And once it’s made —there’s no turning back. Life becomes nothing but brutal killing in the name of vengeance. But everything requires sacrifice ---- everything has a price. And Junco is about to find out what it means to dedicate herself to saving someone else.

Junco is not young adult. She has a foul mouth and violent tendencies.

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really! --- Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links:
Website ** Goodreads ** Facebook ** Twitter

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BLOG TOUR! Virtue by Allison Bassen, presented by Mrs. Potter! with review and giveaway!

Candice and Susan thought they had it all, but they were dead wrong. Their lives were in jeopardy the day they learned the daunting truth about one formidable man.

Candice, incognito, now occupies the penthouse suite as the in-house call girl at Manhattan's swankiest hotel. She rises to the top of her profession paying more attention to the psychological longings of her clients. After all, sex is so much more than just sex. Even though she has powerful men under her influence, Candice still glances over her shoulder.

Susan, once a wealthy Atlanta socialite, played by the rules only to be confronted with an unimaginable ultimatum. She snaps out of her charm school coma realizing the last twenty-three years played like a sinister joke at her expense. Now she has one goal. Stay alive.

One will survive.

VIRTUE takes you on a ride of sultry suspense. Buckle up.

Book Link:
Goodreads

Purchase Links:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paperback
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords

A_TiffyFit's Review: I had to flip back and forth from the first paragraph a time or two while reading this novel. It was one of those "ohhhhh...DUH!" moments for me. I was impressed with Susan's confidence and glad that she was not going to be a victim, that she was pro-active, and took steps to halt Jeff's manipulative efforts. There is no way to pity Jeff at all; he is just a monster. A selfish, self-serving son of a bitch who thinks nothing of degrading his wife, smacking her around, threatening her family, and really those are paltry compared to his true crime. (I won't say what it is so that the review remains as spoiler free as possible!)

There were two instances of character name mix ups late in the novel, but those were the only typos. This book flowed smoothly and was intriguing and suspenseful.  The narrative bounced between Susan and Candice, but I felt it flowed smoothly. I liked Candice's "entries". She wasn't writing a journal, but that's how it read, reminding me of the Call Girl Diaries. Her nicknames for clients and story telling added nice bits of levity as we are learning about Susan's life: what she was groomed for, the stuff hidden in the closet for the sake of "face", about her family and her selfish father, etc. This was an enjoyable read with a satisfying ending: no cliffhanger and a little fistpump of joy! 

About Allison Bassen!
My first word was "cookie." That tells you just about everything you need to know about me.

I was born in Columbia, South Carolina weighing a meager three pounds, which was tenuous back in those days. As usual, I was early for my own birthday by three months. My theory is everyone's punctuality is innate. I'm early for almost everything.

My folks moved to Atlanta when I was nine months old and I stayed there until I was twenty-four. My itch was Manhattan. I can still remember signaling my first taxi and when that checker cab pulled over for me, I became Audrey Hepburn. Even though I understand the whys, I miss those over sized cabs and their character. There's nothing glamorous in putting your hand out for a yellow Prius.

I fell for a "Yankee" and never made it back to Atlanta. We tied the knot and made three beautiful children. Funny, my youngest son read the first few pages of VIRTUE, and his only comment was, "This is fiction, right?"

My friends and family have been telling me to write for years. The challenge was coming up with the story. VIRTUE was inspired by scandalous newspaper headlines. A Governor got caught with an escort. That had me scratching my head. Why would a powerful man risk his career? And what about the escort? She looked like a pretty girl and came from a nice family. Then I researched the history of prostitution and came to understand why it is referred to as "the oldest profession." Yes, prostitution is in The Bible.

My second novel, MY FATHER'S AFFAIR, which should be published by June of 2013, was inspired by a true story. I took that story and raised the proverbial stakes. I changed the era and the setting. Things were much different in the early sixties. Small towns are like Cheers where everybody knows your name. But I think the most important aspect of writing this novel was the narrator. The reader sees the story through Ellie's eyes, the thirteen year old daughter, which intensifies the emotions.

Writing gets me out of bed every morning. Okay, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are equally motivating. If I'm not writing, I'm reading. There is nothing better than a great read. My biggest hope is that you find pleasure reading my novels.

Amazon * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter * Website

Tour Wide Giveaway:
$50 amazon.com giveaway!

To enter: leave a comment on as many blog stops as you can!
To follow the Virtue Tour Schedule

Book Review: SEA CREATURES by Susanna Daniel

Click to go to Amazon.com

Sea Creatures
by Susanna Daniel
Publisher: Harper
Publishing Date: July 30, 2013
Length: 320 pages
Edition: print & ebook
Source: ARC from publisher


Synopsis:
A mother must make the unthinkable choice between her husband and her son in this riveting domestic drama, the follow up to the author's "exquisite debut" (Publishers Weekly), Stiltsville

When Georgia returns to her hometown of Miami, her toddler son and husband in tow, she is hoping for a fresh start. They have left Illinois trailing scandal and disappointment in their wake: Graham's sleep disorder has cost him his tenure at Northwestern; Georgia's college advising business has gone belly up; and three-year old Frankie is no longer speaking. Miami feels emptier without Georgia's mother, who died five years earlier, but her father and stepmother offer a warm welcome-as well as a slip for the dilapidated houseboat Georgia and Graham have chosen to call home. And a position studying extreme weather patterns at a prestigious marine research facility offers Graham a professional second chance.

When Georgia takes a job as an errand runner for an artist who lives alone in the middle of Biscayne Bay, she's surprised to find her life changes dramatically. Time spent with the intense hermit at his isolated home might help Frankie gain the courage to speak, it seems. And it might help Georgia reconcile the woman she was with the woman she has become.

But when Graham leaves to work on a ship in Hurricane Alley and the truth behind Frankie's mutism is uncovered, the family's challenges return, more complicated than before. Late that summer, as a hurricane bears down on South Florida, Georgia must face the fact that her choices have put her only child in grave danger.

Sea Creatures is a mesmerizing exploration of the high stakes of marriage and parenthood, the story of a woman coming into her own as a mother, forced to choose between her marriage, her child, and the possibility of new love.

A_TiffyFit's Review: I received this ARC from the publisher. The following is my unsolicited, honest opinion.
According to the blurb, this is the follow up to the author's debut novel, Stiltsville, which I have not read. You do not need to read the first in order to read this book. Warning: Re-reading my review, it occurs to me that I may have spoiled some plot points. Proceed with caution! :)

Perhaps I should start with something simple: the cover is different from my ARC copy and I truly love the deep blue sea color of the cover above as opposed to the cover I am holding. While it seems like such a small thing, especially seeing as how both covers are essentially a background color with print on it, the above gives quite a different impression from the cover I have which has octopus legs emerging from simplistic waves. This novel has nothing to do with that octopus, but instead encapsulates the deeper spectrum of human emotions, and I think that deep blue with a misty shape lurking and the bright blue paint drops echo the heart of this book better. I know I know..opinions! That's just my 2 cents. =)

Okay, I apologize for the wonkiness. That doesn't seem to work correctly, but that's what the cover of my ARC looks like! lol It's a nice cover, I just prefer the new one more! Now, down to the book. It took me a little bit to get into this book. I found Georgia to be whiny in the first few pages, notably she was bitching about the problem of living at someone else's house...the moment she arrives. She promptly contradicts herself with noting that her stepmother, Lidia, is generous and eager to be grandmother to Frankie, Georgia & Graham's mute 3 year old toddler, but I was kinda making a face still while reading Georgia's thoughts and reminiscences. The author has Georgia tell us that the year is 1992, she's 36 years old, husband Graham is 44, dad is 61, stepmother is 58, and Charlie Hicks is 61. It was an interesting way to get a little background on ages, etc., before Georgia starts to talk about her family and loved ones.

While it took me a little while to get into the book, it didn't take me long to start interacting with it, if that makes any sense. My notes are full of comments on these eccentric, vibrant characters. Notes such as how I think Georgia is whiny and deals with things through avoidance; that her mother was vivacious with these secret desires she acted out when her musician husband, Georgia's father, was away; that Graham is a selfish bastard and I cannot sympathize with him despite his sleep disorder. It's those interactions that kept pulling me back until I was utterly captivated and engrossed. Ms. Daniel's writing is poetic without being flowery, engaging, and paints a very clear picture.

As deep as page 130, I was still having trouble relating to Georgia, but the story unfolding kept me turning the pages. I wrote: "I'm having a hard time sympathizing with Georgia. Perhaps it's because I do not yet have the life experience, despite age, to know how to react? I'm of the opinion that her husband, Graham, is an absolute selfish bastard." And I did! Georgia admits that she wanted to have a baby, not Graham. When she approaches Graham (in a flashback) his attitude was, "damned if I do and damned if I don't." And then she's constantly questioning his crappiness at connecting with his son. Before Georgia even gets to a new speech therapist and doctor for Frankie, her toddler, I had already decided that it was Graham's fault the baby was mute.

This makes me seem cold-hearted and unsympathetic towards Graham. It's not as if he can control what he does with his parasomnia. And...well, actually I am unsympathetic and miffed at Georgia. This is obviously not a safe environment for your child and it doesn't occur to her until the therapist makes a remark. You see...Georgia also has sleep issues. She takes sleeping pills to help combat her insomnia and only loud noises wake her up, so if Graham is unaware on one of his rare sleeps and walking around, who is to say what happened to Frankie?

I digress. As you can see...it's easy to do! This book yanked at my emotions, bringing up questions of ethics, emotions, whether I would handle something differently, etc. I began to like Georgia more and more as she starts to realize that not only is there a sleep issue, but she's been sleeping through life and not paying attention to everything in detail like she should.

"I abhor cheating so I don't want her to cheat, but I do want her to dump Gr for Ch. But Ch's wife is still alive, albeit with Alzheim., and I don't want HIM to cheat on her or dump her either, even though she's not living with him. Emotionally messy. Just like real life!" Another status update as I was reading...and I must say that I was really pleased at how emotionally messy this book was and yet how the characters demonstrated integrity. I was railing at the book and scribbling furiously as I grew annoyed at how instantly forgiving Georgia is in some instances regarding Graham, and then cheering her on as she steels herself to do what is right for her and her child.

I seriously could go on and on in discussion with this book. In such a short time, from 1992 to present day, we've come so far in technology and this disconnect and distance between husband and wife wouldn't happen while a spouse is away on a business trip. Cell phones, emails, etc., keep us in contact constantly despite the miles. But Georgia needed this distance and disconnect to evaluate her life and her son's life. And ultimately, she no longer has to worry, sad though it is.

TL;DR? Emotionally messy with characters that seem true to life, this book sets its hooks into you until you find yourself reading on to find out what Georgia discovers about herself, her husband, her marriage, and what the future holds for her and her child.

Blog Tour: DAWN OF THE APOCALYPSE by E.S.P. - spotlight & giveaway

Click to add to your Goodreads TBR

January 1, 2000.

May 21, 2011.

December 21, 2012

These are just a few of the days humans prophesied as bringing catastrophic events that would end the world. We predicted nuclear warfare. Drastic climate change. A call from God.
We were wrong.

Cue the gargoyle invasion—laboratory bred mutants designed to slaughter humans. When the government goes AWOL and gargoyles are swarming by the hundreds, it's up to the citizens of the United States to regroup and save themselves.

Meet Cliff Matthews, a teenage boy separated from his entire family with the exception of his younger sister, whom he is desperate to keep alive. Along the quest to save their lives, he encounters people who aren't all that they seem. Everyday's a battle, but if he can't trust his own species, where does that leave his family?
And we can't forget the man who may be willing to sacrifice Cliff's life, if it means world domination.

In terms of doomsday, no one could have seen this coming.

Release date: August 9th 2013
Publisher: Mind Candy Media

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
E.S.P.
Being the daughter of an accomplished author, E.S.P. grew up listening to stories and telling her own to classmates. After writing for several years and even publishing some short works, she finally decided to take the plunge to write (plus finish!)a full length novel. Thus, Dawn of the Apocalypse was born. When she's not writing, she's either reading books, blogging at whoistheserialreader.blogspot.com, or watching eighties movies
twitter.com/bloggerESP






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EXCERPT

SATURDAY 11:49PM 8/3/13

MEXICO

It was always hot, but never as hot as this. Analis shielded her eyes with her tanned hand in an attempt to block the sun’s scorching waves. The thick dirty smog was a threshold for heat, pulling all its spectators into a fortress of warmth.

She ran her tongue over her thick, cracked lips. When her village heard El Presidente was finally coming waist deep in the thick of Mexican poverty, almost everyone she knew began planning ahead for his visit. Mama even splurged ten dollars to have one of her old cocktail dresses altered to fit Analis in all the right places. She looked perfect, maybe good enough for the President’s house.

Now, she wondered if this was a good idea. Makeup was running down her face like tears. Her armpits stuck to her clammy body. The heat was pressing down on her head.  She swallowed dryly, her parched palate craving water. Now that she thought about it, there was a little lemonade left in the fridge. Not a lot, but enough for a nice, cold drink. If she got there before her brothers.

It smelled like people. Hot, unwashed people, packed together like sardines in a can. Analis wasn’t used to this smell, but it still stung her nostrils every time.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the people in front of her jumped upwards, singing praises to the commotion ahead. "¿Lo que es, es el presidente aquí?" Analis jumped on the pads of her feet, straining to see the president in the flesh for the first time. "¿Por favor, no puedo ver?" she said softly. The tall crowd flanking her vision was a blockade between her and the view of the most famous person in all the country. This was something she might never see again.

What would she tell Mama? That she didn’t see the president at all? She wiped the sides of her face just as the screech from the microphone ripped through the air. The President’s voice echoed through the crowd. "¿Cómo es la gente de México?" the leader began. People ignited in cheers yet again as Analis pushed her way through perspiring bodies packed together. There was no notice of the young girl in the cocktail dress squeezing through the cluster of citizens. Her eyes were set on the edge of the stage and she was determined to get there, no matter how stubborn some people were against moving.

"Perdon," she said to a large stocky man standing in front of her. The only thing between her and the stage.

He cocked his head to the right, as if listening to something, then he slowly turned around to face her. "Are you sure you want to get that close to the stage?" he asked her in English.

Analis was going to answer him, but she was almost sure that it was one of those rhetorical questions. After all, the answer would never be no. The man sidestepped to the right, inching his way around her. The sharp scent of his cologne cut through her nostrils.

Cologne. No one could afford such a luxury on this side of Mexico. And she was almost positive he wasn’t sweating. As a matter of fact, she couldn’t see a single drop of sweat on him at all. And it was so hot, her hair was beginning to perspire.

Analis shook the strange thoughts out of her mind and focused her blurry eyes on the President. She could barely understand what he was saying. But she was there, witnessing a historic event. And that was all that mattered.

The heat was like a fist on her body. Her breath was heavy and her eyes seemed unable to focus. She looked at her watch; only twenty more minutes.

She focused her eyes on El Presidente again. She wasn’t seeing correctly. His body looked longer than the usual person. And there was something green behind him.

She rubbed her eyes, squeezing them together, than opened them again. It was still there. Something olive green, scaly, big, and hunched. And it was coming right towards the president.

Analis’s mouth erupted into a blood-curdling scream as the monster grabbed hold of the president’s neck.

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! 

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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 ;) 

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