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29 February 2012

Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway with Ros Clarke

Welcome to our stop on the Table For One Blog Tour. Table For One is a new romance release from Entangled Publishing. We love food and we love romance, so this sounds like a match made in heaven. Head below and you'll find our interview with author Ros Clark. And stick around to the end of the post where we'll be hosting a giveaway for an ebook copy of Table For One!

Ros is a writer, a student, a church worker, a crafter, a blogger, a twitterer, a lazy gardener, and an appalling housekeeper. She lives in a sixteenth century shed in England and is very glad that it has twenty-first century plumbing. She is interested in almost everything except cricket and football (US and UK) and mostly she likes happy endings in fiction and in real life. 

Ros has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, never dreaming that other people would be interested in reading them. A few years ago, she discovered a writing forum on the internet, and has never looked back. Her head—and her hard drive—are full of ideas for fresh, fun, contemporary romances that she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

Author Interview

Hi, Ros! Thank you so much for stopping by Nite Lite today and letting us interview you. Let's start off with a brief intro. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and when you started writing?

Thanks for having me! I’ve always written stories, but for most of my life I never dreamed that anyone else would be interested in reading what I’d written. I’m a PhD student at the moment so writing romance is what I do for fun in my spare time.

Have you always written romance or books with a romantic element to them?

Yes, I think so. I read a lot of detective fiction but I know I don’t have the kind of mind you need for that sort of plotting. I’m much more interested in writing about people and their relationships. And I love a happy ending.

You did some self-publishing before and now you've signed with Entangled Publishing, which is awesome so congrats. What do you think are the main differences between self publishing and having a a publishing deal?

Editing! I know some self-publishers pay professional editors but I didn’t have any spare cash to spend on that. My self-published books have been through two or three rewrites based on feedback from my writing group and other test readers, but nothing like the kind of editing that my Entangled stories have been through. The other huge difference with Entangled is the support they give authors with publicity. I do enjoy having the freedom and the control of self-publishing, but there’s no question in my mind that the weight of a publishing company behind an author makes a huge difference. I’m really happy to be with Entangled.

Your new book, Table For One, is about a food critic who ends up alone at a restaurant on Valentine's Day and finds herself tempted by the restaurant's chef. What inspired you to write this particular story? Did you or someone you know end up alone of Valentine's Day or is this just something that you made up?

The Valentine’s Day setting is one that I made up, but I knew I wanted to write a story about food. I love eating! And I enjoy cooking, too. I think there’s something incredible sensual and emotional about food, so I wanted to use that to convey the romance in this story.

Tell us a little bit about the two main characters in Table For One.

Ward is an instinctive chef. He’s always known what to cook for someone according to their mood, so when he meets Claudia he sets out to create a menu for seduction. But Ward’s also someone with a very specific insecurity – which Claudia inadvertently cracks wide open. He’s the one who has to learn to let go and learn to trust. Oh, and did I mention, he’s the Seventh Sexiest Man in London? Claudia’s a restaurant critic, which is the perfect job for someone who loves eating but can’t cook. She knows what she likes, or thinks she does…

Did you have to do any restaurant research to write this book? (meaning did you go eat at a lot of yummy restaurants while you were writing this book and count it as research - because it totally counts).

I wish! Sadly my research budget didn’t stretch to lots of expensive restaurant meals. Instead I did a lot of googling and drooling.

What would you order for your last meal?

Great question! To be honest, the answer probably changes every day as I discover new favourite foods. I’d definitely have yorkshire puddings, probably with rare roast beef, roast potatoes and no green vegetables (because what’s the point of being healthy if it’s your last meal?) And then something chocolately and gooey and utterly decadent for dessert.

What's the strangest food you've ever eaten? Any food that you would never eat? (I would list some of mine but I've eaten a lot of strange foods)

I haven’t eaten all that many strange foods, though I do like trying new things. I’ve eaten and enjoyed snails. Is that strange? There’s nothing that I wouldn’t eat on principle, if it looked tasty. I’m allergic to mussels, which is sad because I do love them.

OK now we're going to play the OR game where we throw two things at you and you let us know which you like better (and why if you're inclined). We may also throw in some short questions at the end.

Vampire Diaries or True Blood?

Never read either, I’m afraid.

Chocolate or peanut butter?

Chocolate but it’s a close-run things.

Historical romance or paranormal romance?

Historical. I started reading romances when I discovered Georgette Heyer and I still love that genre best.

Burger with cheese or without?

With, but only if it’s really good cheese.

Night owl or early bird?

Night owl.

Cake or pie and what kind?

Cake. Um, chocolate fudge.

Last book read?

Mary Jo Putney’s Thunder and Roses. It has penguins!

Favorite movie?

Lady Jane.

You live in the UK. What are some of your favorite UK snacks/candies that the rest of the world should be jealous of? Any snacks from the US or other places that you wish you could get in the UK but can't?

UK snacks: Proper fish and chips. Maltesers. Rhubarb and custard (these are boiled sweets). UK biscuits (cookies), especially Hobnobs. (Note that I totally agree with the fish and chips, and biscuits. So good.)
I lived in the US for a couple of years. I don’t miss very much from there but I do miss cheese popcorn. Weird, I know.

One last thing - what's next for you/what are you currently working on?

I’m working on an Indulgence title for Entangled. It’s their category romance line and my book features an oil tycoon and a sheikh. And lots of lovely angst and sexy banter. It’ll be coming out in a few months.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Ros. We can't wait to read your new book and wish you all the best!

Thank you, it’s been fun!

And now for a GIVEAWAY! One lucky person will win an ebook copy of Table For One. This is an international giveaway as well, so good luck to everyone!


About the book

Table For One is a short, contemporary romance from Entangled Publishing's exciting new Flirts line.

When food critic Claudia Thomas gets dumped on Valentine’s Day, she finds herself occupying a table for one at London’s hottest new restaurant. If her job wasn’t on the line, she’d skip the whole affair, but her editor’s waiting for a review—and with luck, an interview with sexy chef Ward Nicholls.

Ward, intrigued by the single woman in a restaurant full of couples, sets out to tease her palate. Claudia has never tasted anything so luscious as the special meal Ward prepares for her, but when the seduction moves from the restaurant to his bedroom, Claudia discovers the only thing more tempting than his food is the chef himself.

Their connection is instantaneous, sizzling, and spicy—until Claudia comes clean about her job, reopening a wound Ward had thought long-healed. Could one accidental lie of omission end a delicious relationship before it even has a chance to start?

More details and an excerpt are available here.
Buy it at Amazon (US)B&NAmazon (UK)
  a Rafflecopter giveaway



You can also find Ros on twitter, at Goodreads, and at her own blog.

27 February 2012

You Slay Me - Review


Publication date: 07 September 2004 by Onyx
ISBN 10/13: 0451411528 | 9780451411525
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, dragons, witches, Paris
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook


Thuy's synopsis:

Aisling Grey is a down on her luck 30-something working for her uncle as a courier. Unfortunately while on a job delivering a prized artifact in Paris, Aisling finds her client murdered and herself as the main suspect. She also loses the artifact to a mysterious and sexy stranger who claims that she is a Guardian (more on that later). Suddenly thrust into a new and frightening world filled with witches, demons, dragons, and talking dogs, she must prove her innocence and get the heck out of Dodge (or Paris as the case may be) and hopefully not lose her job or get killed in the process.

Thuy's Review:

I knew I was going to have a problem with this book when, a few pages in, an airline clerk read the contents of Aisling’s passport back to her and we conveniently get her physical description. This book is definitely a case of telling, not showing, the reader what is happening. Instead of letting events unfold naturally, there are long passages where characters are explaining things to each other. Aisling also talks to herself in long, rambling monologues to explain either what’s happening in front of her or what she’s thinking. And I know this isn’t the author’s fault but my copy of the book was also riddled with typos, which made for a distracting read.

My biggest problem with the book is the main character. Aisling Grey is a Guardian. Don’t know what that is? Don’t worry - Aisling doesn’t either. In fact, she doesn’t know much of anything. She’s a total ditz who has no clue what’s going on most of the time. I don’t love dumb characters but I don’t mind them as long as they have some redeeming qualities. Unfortunately, there’s nothing endearing about Aisling and she’s more annoying that anything. As I mentioned before, she has a habit of babbling incoherently to herself and others. She is always asking questions but then either doesn’t believe or doesn’t understand the answers. She’s totally clueless most of the time and does and says many dumb things. It’s really a miracle that she manages to survive at all.

There is also a lot of very awkward dialogue in the book. I think the author was trying to go for funny and clever, but it comes across as forced and unnatural. Not everything has to be a joke, but if it is, it should at least be a good one. I also found the author’s depiction of France to be cliche and outdated. Do Americans still think that all French people are rude and snobby? Judging by this book that still seems to be the popular opinion. And the ones who weren’t cliche tourist haters were unrealistically friendly, offering to chauffeur Aisling around for cheap while telling her about Paris’ underground occult scene, and helping her with dangerous breaking and entering missions.

There were a couple of bright spots in the book. I liked Aisling’s demon dog, Jim. He probably had the funniest lines in the whole book. It was weird that everyone kept referring to Jim as “it” though. He’s clearly a male but everyone refers to him as “it” instead of “him.” Maybe all demons are supposed to be referred to as “it” but it just sounded wrong. My favorite part of the book, though, was Drake. Dark, mysterious and predatory, Drake is a real live dragon housed in a gorgeous male body. I was really intrigued by the idea of a dragon that also has a human body. I wish we could have learned a little bit more about the history of the dragon clans. Drake’s also very attracted to Aisling, for reasons I cannot fathom, and they have great chemistry. I really enjoyed the scenes that they had together, especially the sexy ones. Aisling’s dreams were h-o-t. I just wish the rest of the book had been as captivating.

As you can see, this book was not for me. I was actually quite relieved when I finished the book and was happy to be done with it. While I want to see where the relationship between Aisling and Drake goes, I will not be picking up the next book in the series.

Visit the author online at katiemacalister.com and follow her on Twitter @katiemacalister

26 February 2012

In My Mailbox (22)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives book bloggers the chance to share what they’ve bought/borrowed/received! 


This week was a light week for me. Still trying to stick with books I own or have borrowed from friends. I returned a bunch of library books I never got to and resisted the urge to go in and look at new books. I even went to two three author events this week in bookstores and manged to only purchase a couple of things. So far, so good. :) On to the books!
My haul this week


Bought/Received

Fever by Lauren DeStefano - I was going to wait a little while to buy this but Alethea went and bought it while we were at an event, and I had a coupon. I couldn't resist.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer - Went to the Breathless Tour stop at Once Upon A Time last. It was super crowded but super fun. I restrained myself and only bought one book.

All I Want Is You by Sherrill Bodine - My friend Kimberly gave this to me. We often pass books back and forth and she just read this one. I don't think she loved it but I guess we'll see how I feel about it.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - I won this from Book Goonie last week! Really been wanting to read this one. It's got zombies!


Gluten Free Cookies by Roben Ryberg - I've been meaning to try some more gluten free recipes since I have a lot of friends who can't eat it now. I think of it as a baking challenge. This book had some pretty good reviews.

Borrowed


Fool Moon (Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher (audiobook) - I just finished Storm Front and I really like the audio. James Marsters is a great Harry Dresden.

For Review (Netgalley)


Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep - Excited that I got approved for this one. It looks good!

That's all I have for this week? What's in your mailbox?

Follow Thuy on Twitter @fishgirl182

24 February 2012

Uncovered (2): Angel's Flight

Uncovered is a new thing we're doing here on Nite Lite where we share our love of book covers because, let's face it, I will totally judge a book by its cover. :)


Thoughts: I really like this cover. Love the purple theme and the font for the title. I think the wings are beautifully done as well. I do wish there was a bit more movement in the wings. Right now she kind of looks like she's just hovering in the air vs. actually flying. I am not sure what's going on with the circles of dust (clouds?) around her. It might be air movement from her wings or it might be something else that will make more sense after I read the book. This is a collection of short stories based on characters from the Guild Hunter series which I love so I am very excited about this one. All in all, I give this cover a thumb's up.

Angel's Flight releases Feb 28, 2012.

Visit the author online at nalinisingh.com and follow her on Twitter @NaliniSingh

23 February 2012

Seduce Me At Sunrise - Review


Publication date: 30 September 2008 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 10/13: 0312949812 | 9780312949815
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Historical Romance
Keywords: Romance, historical, family, Gypsies
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook, audiobook


From goodreads:

Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.

Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

Thuy's Review:

I adored the first book in this series and was afraid that the second book would not live up to my expectations. I am happy to report that Seduce Me At Sunrise did not disappointed and I fell in love with the Hathaways all over again.

My heart went out to Merripen in the first book. Haunted by a dark and violent past, he’s resigned himself to never having the one thing he wants most in life - Win. He’s afraid to hurt her, afraid that the violence he did in his youth will come out one day and harm her. He’s the very definition of a tortured hero. He is intense and moody but also extremely loyal with a great capacity for love. He’s also the most infuriatingly stubborn man I've ever met! He kisses Win passionately one moment and pushes her away the next. His mixed signals were enough to drive any girl a little batty.

Luckily, Win is a persistent woman who knows what she wants. I like that she isn’t cowed by Merripen and stands up to him. Even when Merripen made me want to throw up my hands and give up, Win holds her ground. She has a quiet inner strength that anchors the entire family.

I am also happy to say that we see more of Cam and Amelia in this one. They are one of my favorite couples and seeing them as a married couple only solidifies my love for them. Cam and Merripen also find answers to the mysterious origins of their tattoos. I won’t spoil it but let’s just say that the revelation is a big one that has great significance for both of them.

I really can’t say enough about this series. I thought I was fully invested after the first book but now I am totally addicted. These characters are so well developed that I feel like I actually know them. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!



Visit the author online at www.larissaione.com and follow her on Twitter @LarissaIone

21 February 2012

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Review


The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Publication date: 01 June 2010 by Doubleday
ISBN 10/13: 0385501129 | 9780385501125

Category: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Keywords: Contemporary, fiction, family, magical realism
Format: Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, eBook


From goodreads:

On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the slice. To her horror, she finds that her cheerful mother tastes of despair. Soon, she’s privy to the secret knowledge that most families keep hidden: her father’s detachment, her mother’s transgression, her brother’s increasing retreat from the world. But there are some family secrets that even her cursed taste buds can’t discern.

**Please note that this review does contain SPOILERS. Normally we try to keep things fairly spoiler free but in this case, I couldn't avoid it. Read at your own risk**

Thuy's review:

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I mean, it has lemon cake in the title. Automatic win, right? Unfortunately the author starts out with an interesting premise but doesn't do much with it.

When Rose turns 9, she suddenly finds herself with the ability to taste the emotions of the person who made the food. Her first discovery is the unbearable loneliness of her mother. Young Rose doesn't know what to make of her new skill and takes to eating processed junk food. As time goes on, she shares her ability with her brother and his friend George. After a few experiments with her new power, the author largely leaves it behind and delves into other aspects of Rose's family dynamic.

The issue of her abilities emerges again some years later when Rose tastes in her mother's cooking, the beginnings of an affair. Instead of it being some kind of traumatic or emotional discovery, Rose takes it calmly and is, in fact, glad that her mother now has someone else to lavish her baked goods on as it saves her from having to taste her mother's emotions. This part bothered me because I just felt like she should have had a bigger reaction to her mother having an affair. Even years later, when she tells her mother she's known all along, it's with a cold calmness and air of indifference.

Then there's her brother, Joe, who has a special ability of his own. This part is a bit creepy. After years of odd behavior, Rose finally figures out what Joe has been up to. In the end, she’s the only one who knows and she decides to keep his secret. We never find out much more about his abilities or what they mean. The fact that it’s left open ended is frustrating. We also find out that Rose's grandfather had an amazing ability as well. Seems like these weird powers run in the family. Because of her grandfather, Rose's dad barely bats an eye when he finds out about her food tasting ability. He doesn't seem to make the connection with her fit at the hospital years before or her affinity for processed foods. He understands that it makes her life difficult but he doesn't probe too much. And then we find out that he thinks he might have a skill, too, but that it has to take place in a hospital. So he has avoided hospitals all his life, even going so far as to stand in the parking lot during his children's births and illnesses. While I understand his position, seeing how hard his father's life with his skill was, I also find it extremely selfish that he might be able to help people and consciously chose not to even try.

Unfortunately I found The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake to be an unsatisfying read.Though there were some interesting parts, the characters and premise were never fully developed and left too much unresolved. 



Visit the author online at www.flammableskirt.com

19 February 2012

In My Mailbox (21)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives book bloggers the chance to share what they’ve bought/borrowed/received! 

I hope everyone had a good week. It was really dragging for me and I am so happy that we have Monday off. I am going to try to get a lot of reading done this weekend. I have some catching up to do before a couple of book tours come to town next week. This week was pretty light for me. I am still trying to read books I own and have cut back on the library and buying. Edited: Um, so I went to the used bookstore and B&N on Sat and came home with a bunch of books. Guess this week wasn't so light. :)




Bought
Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Yes, I am one of the few people who have not read Delirium yet. I want to read it soon since Pandemonium is coming out.

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent (audiobook) - I had at least 4 Audible credits doing nothing in my account and decided to download some audiobooks. A friend said that this was a good one on audio and I've been meaning to read it anyway.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (audiobook) - Another audiobook that a friend highly recommended. Jason Isaacs reads.

The Mediator #1 & #2 by Meg Cabot - Found the first two books in this series for $0.50 each at the used bookstore. We'll see if I like it enough to get the rest.

Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises #3) by Lisa Kleypas - $1 at the used bookstore. I haven't started this series yet but, when I do, I will have book 3 all ready for me.

Devil In Winter (Wallflowers #3) by Lisa Kleypas - Can you sense a theme? Yes, I may be obsessed with Lisa Kleypas. I am dying to read book #1 of the Wallflowers series. I will probably get it on my kindle.

Stray by Rachel Vincent - Another series I've been meaning to start and only $3.50 at the store.

River Marked by Patricia Briggs - I love the Mercy Thompson series! This just came out in paperback and I had to get it for my collection.

After The Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn - I totally bought this just because of the cover. I mean the synopsis sounds good, too, but I picked it up based solely on the cover.

Borrowed (library ebooks)
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong - I've been wanting to start this series for awhile now. Thank you, library!

Fire by Kristen Cashore - I know. I know. I haven't even read Graceling yet but this became available in my library's ebook database and I had to snatch it up. Hopefully I will start Graceling soon.

For Review
Pride and Popularity by Jenni James - I really have no idea why this came to me. I don't think I signed up for it or entered any giveaways for it. Came from the publisher to my house. Sounds kind of interesting but I am not sure if it's really my thing. We'll see if I get a chance to read it.


Follow Thuy on Twitter @fishgirl182

17 February 2012

Corsets, Kisses & Kleypas Blog Hop



Hi and welcome to the Corsets, Kisses & Kleypas Blog Hop! This giveaway is all about Lisa Kleypas so I am giving away a book of your choice from Lisa's back catalog up to $10 from Book Depository. This giveaway is international. As long as BD ships to your country, then it's fair game. You're welcome to choose whichever Kleypas book you'd like but below are a few of my faves.  Please see below for rules and to enter the giveaway and thanks to Under The Covers for hosting.

     

 

The Rules:

1. You must have 13 years or older to enter this giveaway.
2. Please don't leave any personal information in the blog comments. All the info we need will be collected by Rafflecopter.
3. Winner will be picked via Rafflecopter and random.org.
4. Giveaway is international as long as Book Depository delivers to your country.
5. You do not have to follow our blog to win, but it's always appreciated.

Thanks for visiting! Please visit the other blogs that are participating in the blog hop. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




16 February 2012

Firelight - Review


Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Callihan
Publication date: 31 January 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN 10/13: 1455508594 | 9781455508594
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Historical Romance/Paranormal Supsense
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, suspense, gothic, London, fire
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: e-ARC received from Netgalley


From goodreads:

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . . 
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . . 
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Thuy's Review:

Firelight is the thrilling and passionate debut novel from Kristen Callihan. The first book in her Darkest London series, Firelight is what would happen if a historical romance and paranormal mystery got together and had a book baby. An exciting, romantic, sensual and captivating (so many adjectives!) story that you won’t want to put down.

Set in Gothic London in the 1800s, Callihan does a great job of creating an atmospheric and mysterious setting for her story. Born with a gift of fire, Miranda has hidden her true self her entire life, afraid of what might happen if her secret is revealed or the devastation that could occur if she ever lost control of her power. Archer comes across Miranda in an alley one dark evening and witnesses her boldness in the face of danger. Taken by her beauty and strength, he vows to come back for her. When her returns to London years later, Archer makes Miranda’s father an offer he cannot refuse and she becomes his wife.

I fell in love with Archer and Miranda! They are both fantastically well drawn and complex characters. Both cursed in their own ways, they are forced to hide their true selves from society. However, they each find a counterpoint in the other, a person who understands them and accepts them for who they are. With Archer, Miranda’s power becomes her strength and she is able to see past Archer’s curse to the man inside.

Arch is perfect as the devilishly mysterious Duke. A cross between the perfect English gentleman and the marauding bandit, he’s charming but also moody and arrogant. There’s also an inherent sadness to him, brought on by years of isolation. I loved the vulnerable moments he had with Miranda. At first, Archer thinks he’ll be able to marry but also keep his wife at arm’s length. But Miranda is no wilting wallflower and won’t stand for a husband who keeps too many secrets. I loved how fearless and brave Miranda was. Even without her power, she is formidable fighter. With it, she’s a force of nature. Her red hair matches her fiery personality and she is also extremely loyal and clever.

The chemistry between Archer and Miranda was red hot! Their heated arguments and playful exchanges had me blushing and wanting more. But their connection is more than just a physical attraction and I loved watching them get to know each other and start to trust each other with their secrets. The weakest part of the book for me was the murder mystery/serial killer. I actually figured out who the killer was pretty early on, but I did like how everything ends up coming full circle.

It’s hard to categorize this book. Historical romance, suspense, fantasy, mystery - it’s all of those things and more. A truly original and surprising story, I fell in love with this world and the characters in it. This is one of my favorite reads so far this year. I am dying to read Book 2, Moonglow, which comes out in August. To tide myself over, I bought the short prequel to Firelight, Ember, available as an ebook. Do yourself a favor and pick yourself up a copy of Firelight NOW. You won’t be sorry. :)

P.S. - Keep an eye out for a giveaway of this book soon. We love it and want to share it with our readers. :)

Also available


I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.



Visit the author online at kristencallihan.com, follow her on Twitter @Kris10Callihan, or on Facebook

14 February 2012

Hearts & Hugs


I know a lot of people don't like Valentine's Day. They argue that it's a manufactured holiday with no real purpose. But, to me, it's the best kind of holiday. It's a holiday with no real reason for existing except to remind us to tell our friends and family that they are loved and appreciated. Instead of letting it remind me of what I don't have, I think Valentine's Day is a great day to remind me of all of the wonderful people in my life.  It also has great candy (second only to Easter) and I love red and pink together. This holiday is a win all around.

So today, on Valentine's Day, I just wanted to tell all of my readers out there that you are awesome. Thank you for coming by and reading and commenting. You make my day brighter and more fun and I hope that today is a great day for you.  I am giving you all a big cyber hug (Can you feel it? I am squeezing pretty hard.) I hope your day is filled with cupcakes and sweet things that make you smile. Happy Valentine's Day!


If you want to see how many cupcakes Thuy ate on Valentine's Day, ask her on twitter @fishgirl182 and ask her.

13 February 2012

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter - Trailer







To tell you the truth, this movie hasn't really been on my radar. I knew it was in production and all but I wasn't really that interested in it. I liked Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies but Abe Lincolin as a vampire hunter just didn't pique my interest. But given the pedigree of this film, it looks like it could be really fun. What do you guys think? Are you going to see it this summer?

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter hits theaters on June 22, 2012.


Official Websites: Twitter, Facebook

12 February 2012

In My Mailbox (20)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives book bloggers the chance to share what they’ve bought/borrowed/received! 

I don't have too much to show this week. My Feb goals are to really try and read the books I have at home instead of going out and buying/borrowing more books. We'll see how I do, as I really can't resist a good kindle deal or the library. We'll see...



Bought
Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne (SIGNED) - I was so so excited to be able to go to Sara's book signing at Children's Book World last weekend and picked up a signed copy of Harbinger. Gorgeous cover with pretty pictures inside.

Forever Mine (The Rumor #0.5) by Delilah Marville (ebook) - Haven't heard of this series but it was FREE on kindle so I am giving it a go. It has some very good positive reviews and who doesn't love a duke?


Borrowed
Swoon by Nina Malkin - Alethea was kind enough to let me borrow a couple of books from her vast collection. This one is supposed to be quite steamy.

Looking for Alaska by John Green - I have to get up to date on my John Green. Love the title of this one.

Received
Cinder by Marissa Meyer - YESSSSS! I won a copy of the awesome Cinder from the Almost Grown Up blog. It came with this nifty little mirror. Thank you Jennifer and MacMillan for this.

But this thing I am most excited for that I got this week? Ready for it? TA DA!



Yes, it is Nite Lite swag! My partner in crime, Alethea, designed these gorgeous bookmarks and made the buttons for the blogs. The bookmarks came our really nice and are double sided to boot. One side is for Nite Lite and the other is for Read Now Sleep Later. I am just in love with them. We''ll probably do some kind of giveaway soon where you can win some of this swag. Or if you happen to read this post and want a bookmark, email me at the address in our Contact page and I'll send you one. :) 

Does anyone have big plans for the weekend? I may go see Haywire. Yes, it looks like it could be bad, but I love a woman who can kick some butt and Michael Fassbender is easy on the eyes. :) 


Follow Thuy on Twitter @fishgirl182

10 February 2012

January NetGalley Month Recap


NetGalley January Month hosted by Red House Books ended last week and I think I did OK. I still have a large queue of NG books but I did manage to read some that I've been wanting to get to and have whittled the list down a little. A lot of the reviews are not up yet (still working on my resolution to write reviews in a more timely manner). Below is my list of NG books read last month. If you're interested, Red House is hosting a year long NetGalley Reading Challenge. I am not going to sign up just because I don't think I will be able to keep track very well but I think it's a great challenge and a good way to read those NG books. I know just being more conscious of the effort in Jan led me to read way more from my NG queue than I think I would have on my own. Alright, here's my Jan list.



 Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton
Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey (reviewed)
Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey (reviewed)
Firelight by Kristen Callihan (awesome!)
Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout (love) (reviewed)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (also love)

Thanks for reading and come by again soon and I promise I'll have some of these reviews up either here or on Read Now Sleep Later for YA reviews. :)