3 July 2009 - Jackie
I’ll have the July edition of the Escapist Newsletter up today, but until then, here’s the winners for the May’s newsletter, Prey and Salt and Silver contests.
The for the Prey contest, I asked what kind of a pet most of you want. I ended up with a lot of the normal choices, but I have to say, I was impressed with some of the responses I did get. Here’s a couple that I received:
- Jennifer K. wanted a Tame Displacer Beast. I’m a DnD wife, so I totally got that and I have to say, that would be kind of cool to have.
- Dawn M. wanted a Fire Lizard/Dragonet from Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonrider’s of Pern novels. I haven’t read those novels yet, but the animal sounds fun.
- Maya M. wanted a the snow leopard who tagged along with Lord Asriel in The Golden Compass or Professor Dumbledore’s phoenix.
Amazing. Prey is my biggest contest to date with over 80 entries. Now on to the winner. Congratulations…NICOLE, who wanted a talking cat!! Congratulations Cheryl. If I haven’t already emailed you, then email me. I have your copy of Prey sitting on my desk and it can be out today. 
For Anna Katherine’s Salt and Silver contest, I’ll be honest, I thought I already announced this. However, I can’t find any record of it, so here’s a the winner. And here I thought I was all caught up. Congratulations…BRIDGET3420!
For the May Edition of the Escapist Newsletter, I was looking for some input on my monthly newsletters. At the end of the month, I found out that a lot more people read them than I thought. So I’ve added a few new author sites to my roundup and I’ve tweaked it a little. I’m sure I’ll continue tweaking it, so keep the suggestions coming. However, the contest was for a $15 gift card to Amazon and the lucky person to get it is…KARA!
Congratulations everyone!
And to make it up to everyone for being so scatterbrained lately, I’m planning a contest that will be announced soon. At the moment, its going to include a copy of Gena Showalters new novel, Seduce the Darkness, but I think I’m going to entice everyone more by adding something else. I just haven’t figured out what yet. So keep a lookout for that.
Posted in Contests, News 
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2 July 2009 - Jackie
I was pleasantly surprised when I received a copy of Good Things Come in Threes in the mail the other day. I’ll be honest, I kind of forgot it was coming out on July 14th. Since all three of these novellas have been published before, I wasn’t keeping track of it, but I have to say I’m glad I got my hands on this collection.
Tempted by Two by Anya Bast
From the publisher: Not only did Miranda just learn that she’s a half-blood fae, but she’s also got two — two! — deliciously muscular mates. she’d better adjust to all the sexy attention before a vengeful goblin tries to get in on the threesome….
Tempted by Two happens to be one of my favorite short stories and I was excited to see it reprinted in Good Things Come in Threes. I first came across it in Magical Seduction and it has stayed in my mind ever since. Quite honestly, I’m always drawn back to this story whenever I want a really good erotic romance.
This story itself is pretty fabulous. It’s longer than most novellas, but it has such great chemistry between the three main characters that to do it shorter would be an injustice. We have a courtship between two bonded males going after their third member, Miranda; and even though they felt it the first moment they saw her, they don’t take a relationship with her as a given. Plus, we also have a psychotic goblin who wants his wife back that’s residing in Miranda’s womans shelter and Miranda is so getting in the way. Between these two events, we’re given some exceptional character development with our heroine Miranda that also helped her figure out what to do. Quite honestly, I didn’t feel like there was more to be explored between Miranda, Theo, and Marco; that I was missing something great or needed more. If there are novels set in their world, I wouldn’t hesitate to go out and buy them; and I’m really curious to know if there’s a story for Olivia, Mason & Will.
Edible Delights by Jan Springer
From the publisher: Now that red-hot redhead Allie Masters makes her own line of deliciously sexy thongs, Max and Nick — partners at erotic apparel distributor impulse — want exclusive rights to the edible intimates she designs…and to her luscious body.
Mmm….I liked it, but it ended too soon for me. There was a lot of potential for Edible Delights, but it didn’t get to shine as well as I would have liked in the novella format. I understand that novellas are meant to focus on one circumstance or one event between the romantic couple, but Springer didn’t do her characters justice by publishing them in this fashion. There was a setup for some great sexual tension, but it fell flat when Allie caved way too soon. She should have made Nick and Max work for her attention, especially considering the back history we were given. Seriously, this would have been awesome as a full length novel and probably would have had me devouring it in one night. As is, it’s basically one night of spectacular sex and that’s it. There’s a little dialog, but it’s mainly the same conversation in different forms. I truly did enjoy Edible Delights, but if you like a little more story with your erotica, then you may not like this one as much. However, if you like nonstop sexual tension/action, then you’re going to love it.
Voyeur by Shiloh Walker
From the publisher: To fulfill his wife Ashlyn’s fantasies, Kye invites his best friend Connor, a brawny Irish stallion, into their bed. When a car accident changes all of their lives forever, Connor and Ashlyn find comfort in each other…until a hot, arousing night leads to much more than they ever imagined.
I disliked it. Emotionally speaking. Now if I was being realistic, I have to say that Voyeur was spectacular. It only bothered me because it brings to life one of my worst fears right now – that when you die, you can still hear, see and smell. Don’t ask me why, but this whole idea pops up in my head from time to time and when it does, I get really melancholy. I’ve never had this fear before my son was born, but since having Ian, the fact that I’m going to die eventually has really been bugging me. The worst part, dying early and leaving Ian and Jesse behind. To see this fear written out as a story, it’s really distracting for me. If I was to ignore this part, I would have to say that the story is fabulously written and the characters are great. I did have a slight problem with Kye at the beginning, but that was mainly because I felt that Kye was pushing his fantasies on Ashlyn, not fulfilling hers. Honestly, the story is great, but I’ve been crying since chapter three and I haven’t really been able to concentrate on the story. Really, the story is good, so don’t mistake this for a negative opinion, but I coudln’t finish it. I am/was so emotionally charged, that if I didn’t put it down, I probably wouldn’t have slept well. For those without this fear, it’s still going to be a tear-jerker, but an enjoyable one.
Overall, Good Things Come in Threes is a great collection of stories. Amazing sex, great conflict, and definitely emotional ties. On top of all this, all the stories were quick reads and I easily finished it in one day. If you’re definitely looking for a great selection of erotica novellas, then you need to get your hands on this.
Posted in Anthology, Anya Bast, Erotica, Fae/Sidhe, Para-Romance, Reviews, Romance, Shiloh Walker 1 Comment »
1 July 2009 - Rayna
I really had a hard time trying to read Chosen by C.A. Milson.
In the sleepy little town of Winmont, an ancient evil has awakened, intent on enslaving humanity. The fate of the world is in the hands of one man, but can he overcome the forces that dare to challenge the bloodline of the gods?
I am not usually this blunt but there it is. I have been trying to read it for the better part of a month now and I really can’t get into it. In the beginning, I felt lost. I was thrown into the story with characters that had no meaning to me and was given no sense of a conflict (besides one of professional suicide) from the characters that were telling there story. I became confused with whether or not the other interviewer was a girl or a boy. And then it cut back and forth between other characters that I didn’t know. There was some needless death also; from what I could gather it was needed for a sacrifice. There was a lot of dialog going on in the characters head, but not much to each other.
You get some background with the telling of their story at the conference, but again, it did not instill the importance of actually remembering any on it. I am half way through it, I am hoping it gets better. I will not give up and I will not surrender to my immense need to delete the book. If I can read Crime and Punishment I should be able to read this. But I couldn’t finish it.
Also reviewed by:
Amberkatze Reviews
Dark Scribe Magazine
Bitten By Books
Alternative Read.com
Posted in Horror, Reviews 11 Comments »
1 July 2009 - Jackie
I’ve been slacking on the News posts lately, but I don’t do them on the weekends anyway and today is the first of the month. I’m currently working on the newsletter, so you’ll have a bunch of news soon. I’m trying to get it out tonight, but with Ian at grandma’s for a few days, the hubby and I are taking advantage of some alone time and heading out for a date tonight. So if I don’t get it out tonight, it’ll be posted sometime tomorrow for sure.
Also, did I ever announce a winner for the Anna Katherine guest post? I thought I was all caught up on posting winners (aside from Prey), but I’m not seeing anything. I totally admit, I’ve been a little scatterbrained lately, so I’m going to be offering up a couple of contests to make up for it. But that’s after the newsletter goes live.
However, I’ll be posting a few winners in the newsletter as well. I know I haven’t announced the winner from May’s newsletter contest, some lucky person will get their hands on Prey for free and I’ll draw another name for Salt and Silver. So make sure you read the newsletter when it comes out.
Alright, back to the web and finding all the goodies.
Posted in News 3 Comments »
1 July 2009 - Rayna
Jaz Parks, an uber assassin and vampire companion with a hottie vampire as a partner – what is not to love about that? I have been reading about Jaz Parks for a while now and I absolutely love her. There are five books in the series: Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Another One Bites the Dust, Biting the Bullet, Bitten to Death, and One More Bite. For those who haven’t had a chance to read this series, here’s the blurb for Once Bitten, Twice Shy, the first novel in the Jaz Parks series…
I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best–assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But then I’d have to kick your ass.
Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he’s meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing’s ever as easy as it seems?
One More Bite is the latest release. (I love the cover art, where do they get the gear?) As a matter of fact, all the previous books by Jennifer Rardin in this series all sported some rockin’ sportswear and a really great story line. Another One Bites the Dust is another good book, but it does leave you hanging at the end. Granted, each novel leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next one and the next novel in the series, Biting the Bullet, is no exception.
Bitten to Death did bite at me though, I must admit. With her brother in the mix and so much information being tossed around, it made it so I had to read it a few time to actually get it.
One More Bite seemed to sum up all of my frustrations as to why the two protagonists, Val and Jaz, have not gotten together. I don’t think Jennifer is into writing sex scenes, although I would like to read it. I also think she is trying to keep within her own “not to much nookie” boundary. Loads of killing and bad words but no sex. Hmm…go figure. I hope that I won’t be disappointed when I read about what is happening with her in the other realm, outside of working with the government. I guess I will have to wait and see.
Its a good thing that she has them coming out starting in July in mass paperback, I almost went broke buying ever single one in trade paperback. So if your looking for a good urban fantasy without a bunch of erotica to it, this is your girl. If not, its still good reading. The next installment of this series, Bite Marks, comes out in October of this year and all of her other releases as they come out in paperback starting in July 2009. So there’s plenty of reasons to hit the bookstore relatively soon.
Read Order:
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Another One Bites the Dust
Biting the Bullet
Bitten to Death
One More Bite
Bite Marks (10/29/09)
Posted in Jennifer Rardin, Para-Romance, Reviews, Urban Fantasy, Vampires No Comments »
