Review of Bethany Aan's Hearts of Ishira

Title: Hearts of Ishira

Author: Bethany Aan

Genre: Science fiction/fantasy, romance, erotica

Published: September 15, 2012

Description from Amazon.com: “Arianna was always a bit of an empath, but when she wakes, broken and disoriented, on a strange planet, she is the only human able to communicate psychically with the big, sexy Thorsani warrior who rides in with his men to rescue the Earth women from their crashed space transport.

The Thorsani, humanoid but descended from sentient cats eons ago, are also marooned on this planet they have named 'Ishira'. Hunter and his brother Jace are Commander and lead physician of the Ishira colony. When the captured women tumble into their lives, the small Earthlings turn the men's world upside down. The girls bring drama and heartache, laughter and light...not to mention the first opportunity for sex in more than ten years. 

Ri, the oldest of her group, is drawn to both Hunter and Jace. Aside from being strong and capable warriors, they are also brilliant, sensitive men who delight in her abilities and her curvy form. Her power as a Reader gives her an instant, deep connection to Hunter, but Jace's playful curiosity about her species and his tendency to geek out about various things endear them both to her. 

Ri doesn't know what to do with the two beautiful, wonderful men who seem to think she's something they both want to keep. But for Ri and her ladies, their tumultuous new life takes a very interesting turn when they discover that the Thorsani way is to marry in teams of men...

The question is... who brought them to this planet, and why? And why in the world would someone be out to kill Ri?

But most important of all... Why do the insectoid Solvari mean to destroy every Thorsani in existence... and those who mate with them?”

Brief Summary: Hearts of Ishira starts off just the way I think a novel should begin. It begins with a mystery. Arianna awakens in a strange forest with no memory of how she arrived. She soon sees other women who are similarly injured and with no memory. Through a special power that Ri possesses she is able to feel the other inhabitants of the plant and knows that they only wish to help the women. Through advanced technology and the charming [ ;) ] nature of the Thorsani men the women must adjust to their new home and figure out how and why they are there.

My Review: I absolutely loved Hearts of Ishira so much in fact that I have already semi-stalked/admired the author on her blog and Facebook. This novel has everything I love: romance, science fiction/fantasy, and a mystery. Ri has become possibly my favorite heroine of all time because she is determined and strong enough to want to contribute and be productive in her new society despite her various injuries while still being feminine and warm enough to welcome the love of not one but two men. The planet of Ishira is so well described that I felt like I could accurately see everything that the characters saw. The opening scene reminded me a little of Lord of the Flies where one person takes control (Ri) and someone tries to take over. In this analogy one girl, Amy, can only be connected to Roger. Not even Jack, but Roger. The hatred and complete insanity that is Amy increased the action and mystery of the novel for me because she is so determined to bring Ri down. Some things that might be a caution or deterrent for some people is the women to men ratio and the custom of the Thorsani that results in menage and the catlike qualities of the men. Also the book is quite lengthy.

My Rating: Hearts of Ishira is definitely on my top five books of the year, possibly top ten ever. I give Hearts of Ishira a (5/5) only because my rating system prevents me from giving it a higher score. I literally stayed up until 3 am to finish this book.

I received this novel through Lovers of Paranormal on Goodreads.com 

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Marie Coulson's Diary of a Dieter Cover Reveal

The cover of Marie Coulson's Diary of a Dieter is here...

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ British Romantic Comedy
Expected Release: August 2013

Excerpt:

And then it dawned on me. If Brad wasn’t getting off on my jelly parts, then whose jelly mould was he filling instead? 

“Oh. My. God. Who is she?”

Adam had taken a seat on my pastel pink sofa and his eyes were burning into me as I held my breath, waiting for the reply. 

“What? What do you mean who is she?”

I snorted a laugh.  

“Now who needs to be honest? I’m not an idiot Brad. You’re not fucking me and I know you aren’t self-pleasuring. We both know how you hate the mess and all. So don’t bother pretending like you’re not screwing some skank. I should probably get fucking tested. Do you keep your clothes on with her to avoid all the icky sex sweat too?”

That seemed to just make him angry. 

“She is not a skank!”

I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! Oh the arsehole-ism knows no bounds! Not only was I jilted, dumped and fat, but I was also cheated! Merry Christmas Charlene!

“You dick! You complete and total dick! How long!? Who is she? I have a right to know!”

He sighed deeply in a self-pitying way as though it were hard for him to speak. Pfft. He’d get no sympathy from me. He’d given me a ring and now I would give him the finger. Metaphorically speaking of course. 

“Uh, Charlie?” 

I turned around and held my hand over the receiver as I snapped at Adam. 

“Shhh. Can’t you see I’m in the middle of being crushed? Can’t a girl get dumped in peace anymore?”

He made a gesture as though he were zipping his mouth shut and leaned back in his seat. 

“She’s a woman from work. We went out for drinks one evening after work. We were celebrating a huge win on a case. One thing led to another and…”

“And you had a minor memory lapse in which you forgot you were engaged!? You are such an asshole!”

“I never meant for it to happen, Charlene. It just did. I’m sorry and I would have preferred you to have never found out but I couldn’t marry you when I’m in love with Aneska.”

The skank had a name. Aneska. Sounded like some sort of medicinal cream you rubbed on a bad nappy rash or irritation. Right now, that’s exactly what she was. A pain in my arse! 

“I hate you. I hate you so fucking much.”

“Please try to understand, Charlene. I’m doing this for both of us.”

I laughed. 

“Oh, how silly of me. I should have thanked you for shagging your colleague. It was such a wonderful and sweet gesture for you to make. It’s the best Christmas gift I could ever have asked for. Truly. But next year, I’d love for you to stick your dick in a live plug socket! It’ll leave you just as shocked and burning as I am right now! It would be the best gift ever.”

I cast my eye at Adam who had crossed his legs and cleared his throat a little. He was clearly imaging how that sort of connection might feel. Shame Brad couldn’t have done the same. If he’d have kept his fucking legs crossed, I wouldn’t currently want to hack his dick off with a rusty kitchen knife. Meat and two veg, coming right up! 

About The Author

Born and bred in England, Marie discovered her love for writing when she was a mere child. Beginning with poetry and short stories, she soon discovered her flare and passion for the written word.

After pursuing a career in childcare, education and the care of the elderly, she left her job in the summer of 2012. Embarking on a new career as a therapist, it was at this point that she finally sat down to write a novel that had been plotted for nearly three years. Only three months later…Bound Together was born.

Feature & Follow Friday (On Saturday :) )

Feature &

 Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Q: What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, eBooks, paperback etc?

A: I have always loved paperback books but they do take up room and ever since Borders went out of business I have turned to ebooks. I love my Kindle and think that it is much easier for me to carry all of my favorite books with me.

Rebecca Ethington's Scorched Treachery Cover Reveal (It's Here!!!!)

The wait is over...the cover of Rebecca Ethington's Scorched Treachery is finally here. Scorched Treachery is the third of the Imdalind Series.

Expected Release Date: July 12, 2013
Genre: Paranormal
This cover reveal was organized by AToMR Tours

Description: Book Description:

While Joclyn is trapped in the tormenting hell of Cail’s mind, the battle around her only continues to grow and spread.

*

Edmund has infiltrated the underground hallways of Prague, guiding the massacre that would end the lives of the last of the great magical race. In her attempts to stop him, Wynifred has been captured and her magic restrained. Chained up in the ancient dungeons of Prague, her fate is left in the hands of her father, who has tried to kill her before.

With Ryland’s screams and Sain’s fragmented sights as her only company, Wyn must rely on something that has been hidden deep inside of her for centuries to help them break free.

 *

Ilyan’s whole life has been building up to one purpose. Protect the Silnỳ. He knows what he must do, and he has no doubt in his ability to do so.

But when his father’s magic removes Joclyn’s mind from her body, he is left protecting the shell of the one person he loves. Desperate to find a way to break her free of her prison, he makes a choice. And that one choice changes everything.

Now, Ilyan finds himself bound to Joclyn in a way that he never knew to be possible. They say that blood is thicker than water, but Black Water burns, and Ilyan’s heart may not be strong enough to keep the water pumping through his veins and give the girl he loves back into his brother’s care.

Even if he can, it may not be safe to do so.

The first of the series Kiss of Fire is available on Amazon now for $0.99

"Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn't know why the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn't want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won't let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it."

Eyes of Ember is also available

"Joclyn is in hiding, hunted by the man she still desperately loves. Ryland is gone, his mind erased; no memory of Joclyn remains, but Joclyn's heart desperately begs her to hold out hope. 

Meanwhile the black-eyed monster that possesses him attempts to kill her over and over again. If it wasn't for Ilyan, Joclyn would be dead by now. 

Ilyan, the man who once stalked her, is now Joclyn's protector, the only person she has left. He protects Joclyn from the men who seek to end her life, and all the while, she is haunted by dreams where Ryland begs her to break the bond between them. 

Ilyan is there. Always there. 

Ilyan trains and prepares her, teaching her everything she needs to know in the hope that one day she can avenge Ryland, if not protect herself from him. 

And then, there is her father. The man who has never been there is suddenly responsible for everything. And who he is has made Joclyn into something she never wanted to be: 

The Silny."

My Review of Sarah Daltry's Bitter Fruits

Title: Bitter Fruits
Series: Bitter Fruits #1
Author: Sarah Daltry
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Description from Goodreads.com: "Attending a vampire-themed masquerade party seems like a strange way to spend a night, but Nora is sick of frat parties and bars. Meeting Alec was just a bonus. Despite their immediate attraction, however, Alec is wary of involving himself with Nora, and when she pushes it, she discovers that Alec has secrets that could destroy them both. Is she willing to risk everything for a man she hardly knows? How far into darkness will he take her?

When Nora attempts to follow, however, things grow more complicated. Someone is hunting her - someone tied to a secret that goes back to the beginning of man. Soon, Nora finds herself drawn to two men, each with his own agenda. Can she save them both     when one is destined to die?"

My Review: Bitter Fruits is one of those novels that I wanted to read again right after I turned the last page. I became invested in the story and wanted to be in the action(if we suspend disbelief for a bit). The story begins with Nora going to a party in a church with a vampire theme. I love vampires and would definitely want to go to this party. Nora meets a strange but absolutely gorgeous guy named Alec. Shortly after meeting him they bump into Caleb and Nora realizes that Alec and Caleb know each other. I really enjoyed the fact that Alec and Caleb are brothers. It made the relationship between the three main characters  more interesting and engaging. Bitter Fruits delves far into the book of Genesis and the Bible. The story of Caine and Abel plays a crucial role in the dynamic of the brothers and their purpose in Nora's time. Bitter Fruits made me think about love and how you cannot control who you love. This came through in all the relationships in the novel from the main to the secondary characters. 

Pro: The new take on "vampires but not really" was refreshing.

Pro: The feud between the brothers is incredibly well fleshed out and developed from the biblical story.

Con: Alec seemed completely unforgiving and a bit jerky.

Pro: There was a love triangle without being obvious or annoying.

Con: There was a love triangle. :)

Pro: The scenes between Nora and Alec. And then Nora and Caleb. ;)

Pro/Con: Nora goes with her feelings which I loved but she completely ignored her guilt which I was unsure about.

My Rating: (5/5) I loved Bitter Fruits and I will definitely be reading this again soon.

Get Bitter Fruits Now

On Amazon

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On Goodreads

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Lovers of Paranormal on Goodreads.com

My Review of Linda Cajio's Double Dealing

Title: Double Dealing

Author: Linda Cajio

Publisher: Loveswept

Description from Goodreads.com:

"HOW COULD SHE NOT SURRENDER TO HER WILLING PRISONER? — When Jed Waters saw Rachel Barkeley, he knew he was in big trouble. She was all grown up and owner of the manor whose land he was determined to acquire for his company's marina. Seeing Jed again filled Rae with a kind of delicious fear -- the gardener's son had become the ... more »roguish hero of her girlhood dreams! Rae knew she was tempting fate by kidnapping Jed, but once he'd taken her in his arms, she knew who'd really captured whom.

Would her handsome pirate try to romance the house from under her, or could she trust him with her heart?"

My Review: Linda Cajio's Double Dealing is an amazing book about love and determination. The novel opens with Jed attempting to convince Rachel to sell her family's estate as it was previously arranged by her uncle. Her uncle tentatively agreed to sell the estate before abruptly fleeing the country to a monastery. The resulting plot ensues with Jed working to purchase the estate and Rachel frantically attempting to keep it. I liked this novel in that the plot and characters were well developed. I also appreciated that the setting was in the Philadelphia/ Delaware River area as I am from the area. The resulting romance aspect is driven by Rachel not fully trusting Jed's motives and Jed oblivious as to why. Double Dealing definitely is humorous. The secondary characters of the nephews and the butler contribute to making the novel three dimensional and fun. I also thought Jed's relationship with the dogs, Samson and Delilah were hilarious. This novel is a definite must read because the ending was satisfying but not in a predictable manner.   

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

*I received this book from Netgalley and Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.  

Double Dealing on Goodreads.com

Teaser Tuesday: J.D. Robb's Calculated in Death

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Author: J.D. Robb
Title: Calculated in Death
Series #: 36th novel; 45th if novellas are included

Teaser: "She woke to the scent of coffee and a quietly simmering fire–and to Roarke in one of his slick dark suits monitoring the stock reports from the sofa of the sitting area."

Links: On Amazon
On Barnes & Noble
On Goodreads