Monday, August 31, 2015

Don’t Stake My Life on It by Bailey Bradford


Stakes, kilts and holy water—Andrew Meyer is in for the time of his life!

Radney’s tired of being the coven oddball. He had his reasons for being the way he was, and he let those reasons rule his life for centuries. Another mistake—almost harming a human he’d been sent to keep an eye on—has sent Radney on a mission of self-improvement. He’s going to conquer his issues and be the best damned vamp ever!

Maybe.

Andrew Meyers has the term paper from hell to write. It needs to be original and intriguing. What could be more so than people with a vampire fetish?

But when that fetish turns out to be one he has, for a very sexy, kilt-wearing, neurotic vampire, the tables are turned. Andrew isn’t prepared to find out that vampires are real, but he learns it anyway. With help from his twin brother, Erin, he just might be able to find a happy ending—or an ecstatic beginning—for him and his hot as hell red-headed vamp. If he’s careful, and patient, he might even find the vamp for him.

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Book 2
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Pride Publishing



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela☆☆☆☆☆
I know this is only the second book but I am so loving this series. After Tony and Augustin's unconventional romance in My Life Without Garlic I was excited to see what Ms. Bradford had in store for Claude's coven. Don't Stake My Life on It does not disappoint as Radney sets out to prove that he's not the loser or psychotic vampire his stunt with Augustin would indicate. And if along the way he happens to meet someone that captures his attention, well that's all for the better.

Truth be told I really didn't remember who Rad was until mention was made of his encounter with Augustin, which still only left me with a vague recollection of him. As the details of Rad's past are hinted at and revealed I realized that there was far more to him than previously known. While it's pointed out in the book that few vampires had a good experience when turned, we learn that Rad's was worse than most and that his early years were particularly traumatic due to a sadistic sire. Because of this he is squeamish about biting humans and avoids it whenever possible. Yeah, you read that right! A vampire who doesn't like to bite humans. Can you understand why I love this series? Ms. Bradford's characters do not fit the usual vampire romance stereotype. In the same vein (no pun intended), Andrew is not a super sexy human whose body is cut beyond belief. No, he's a slightly nerdy college student with a "soft" body, a big heart, and a double-dog dare from his twin brother to sex it up with the next attractive gay man he meets. It turns out that the attraction is mutual and that makes for one seriously hot make-out session.

While not fraught with the same level of snark as book one, Ms. Bradford insures that there are plenty of amusing moments to lighten the mood when needed. I like the new element she has added with the introduction of the hunters as they present a danger for both the vampires and the humans who love them. The relationship that develops between Rad and Andrew is sweet because they don't jump right in – at least not emotionally – preferring to get to know one another better before making an eternal commitment. I loved their chemistry and how well their personalities complemented one another. The end was great as Claude showed in no uncertain terms why he's the head of their coven. Don't Stake My Life on It was a great combination of humor, sexy fun times, romance, action, and a KILT and I enjoyed every page of it. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to find out who finds their mate next.


Also Available in The Vamp for Me Series

Book 1
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Pride Publishing



A native Texan, Bailey spends her days spinning stories around in her head, which has contributed to more than one incident of tripping over her own feet. Evenings are reserved for pounding away at the keyboard, as are early morning hours. Sleep? Doesn't happen much. Writing is too much fun, and there are too many characters bouncing about, tapping on Bailey's brain demanding to be let out.

Caffeine and chocolate are permanent fixtures in Bailey's office and are never far from hand at any given time. Removing either of those necessities from Bailey's presence can result in what is known as A Very, Very Scary Bailey and is not advised under any circumstances.

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https://www.pride-publishing.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Don’t Stake My Life on It (The Vamp for Me #2) by Bailey Bradford to read and review.

Valan’s Bondmate by Mardi Maxwell


A Warrior with a Grudge…

At thirty-one Valan Erikson is a fierce and relentless warrior. He's never lost a battle but he's losing the war with the mating fever raging in his body. He's accepted that his death is imminent until he's told a compatible race of females has been found. When he discovers they're Wrothian he refuses to take one as a mate until the Council threatens to strip him of his warrior status and let him die in dishonor.

A Female Who Wants to Escape Her Fate…

Lia ad-San's Wrothian sire has arranged to trade her to, Gorm ad-Jai, a man she despises. Before she can escape she's abducted by a fierce warrior. Unaware that her sire caused the deaths of the Zarronian females, including Valan's mother and twin sister, she reveals her identity and demands to be freed.

A Complication They Didn't Expect…

Enraged to be bonded to the daughter of his most hated enemy, Valan treats Lia as a prisoner rather than a beloved bondmate. When the Zarronians learn her identity they demand she be punished for her sire's war crimes. Valan realizes too late that he's endangered his mate's life. The fever they share will keep them together but only love can make them want each other.

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Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela☆☆☆☆
Valan's Bondmate is the first in Ms. Maxwell's sci-fi romance series and it has the Zarronian Warriors off to a pretty good start. The author provides just the right amount of world building as she introduces us to Lia, Valan, and other characters important to the book. Lia's life is not a happy one, but then again none of the women we meet from Zhang in the beginning seem happy. On Lia's world women are viewed as merchandise and are owned by either their sire or their master. In Lia's case, her sire has agreed to sell her to the cruelest of the warriors, one who has promised a most painful death after much torture. This disturbed me quite a bit as I could not understand how a father could want for his child's death, but as the book progresses and we learn more about their society it becomes clear just how insignificant woman are to the Wrothians. As bad as her situation is you would understand if she were relieved when she was abducted, but this is not the case as Lia feels as though she's merely traded a sadist for a barbarian. Considering how Valan treats her in the beginning, she's not too far off the mark. But can she find happiness with a man who hates her because of where she was born? More importantly, should she want to?

I have to say that there were several times throughout the course of the book that I really didn't like Valan. I understood that he was unhappy with the Council's order to take a mate, but his choice (conscious or not) to direct his anger at Lia was not very honorable, especially from a warrior whose people value honor. I hate to say it, but I was glad that it hurt him emotionally to impose the Council's judgement on Lia. Although Valan seemed to be coming around at this point in the book, this incident was the wake-up call he needed and it put him in the position of having to prove himself to her. Considering his position in their society, I wasn't surprised by the way he ordered Lia about; however, I was surprised by just how amusing their mutual “law enacting” became as their relationship developed. The sex is hot and not just because of the mating heat. Even when their minds are fighting it, the physical attraction between Lia and Valan is obvious and intense. The second raid on Zhang proved to be far more exciting than I expected and I was very happy with how that turned out. I have to say that I was surprised more did not come out of the situation involving Valan's former kourtisan; I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and was mildly disappointed it never did. Valan's Bondmate was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in the series to see how the next generation of Zarronian warriors fare. Earth too based on the direction the series seems to be going.



I love the quirky and the unique. I believe in UFOs, ghosts, and that we have a moon station on the dark side of the moon. lol I have a wonderful son and DIL who have been kind enough (after much badgering and hinting around) to give me three lovely grandchildren. I'm a very young grandma ;-)

I've loved reading since I was a little girl although just about every book I ever read I rewrote in my mind. After a while I decided to just start writing my own books. My best friend dared me to send one in, so I did and to my surprise it was accepted.

I love books that make you laugh, cry, sit on the edge of your chair in fear that the couple won't work it out, and then finally cheer for them when they do. I'm a true believer in a happy ending and won't read a book or watch a movie that ends any other way.

I write every day but I always find time to spend with my family and friends as well as my hobbies (cooking, gardening, traveling, and ceramics).

My personal motto is “Regret is a wasted emotion.” Live well and happy reading.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Valan’s Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors #1) by Mardi Maxwell to read and review.

Turn of the Moon by L.P. Dover Blog Tour


One girl.
Two wolves.
Promised to one.
Destined for the other.

To escape the cruel, overbearing, Kade, the Yukon Pack alpha she’s been promised to, Bailey Whitehill flees her home in search of a new life, one of freedom where she can make her own choices. However, Kade will stop at nothing to make her his and begins the hunt.

As Bailey starts her new life, everything she’s known to be true, is not. Time is of the essence and choices have to be made or consequences suffered. Not only does Bailey fear Kade, but another danger lurks deep in the recesses of the forest. Unbeknownst to her, that danger is what she’s been searching for all along. At the turn of the moon, her fate hangs in the balance . . . and it’s up to her to make the right choice

*~* A seductively hot, shifter romantic suspense novel by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, L.P. Dover. If you want sexy, alpha wolves you'll love Ryker and Sebastian. NO CLIFFHANGER *~*

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Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie☆☆☆☆
Having enjoyed all of Ms. Dover's MMA stories, I had no hesitation in reading this as soon as it arrived on my Kindle. Her transition to writing paranormal is most definitely a success.

We know that this is the beginning of a series, but it does not suffer from excessive world building. It is set up throughout the whole book in different and interesting ways. The plot here is tight and gives a satisfying conclusion, and a definite desire for more (soon, I am hoping!). The story is told from both Bailey and Ryker's POV, which ensures that we can see both sides of both the plot and the romance develop. There are some lovely touches of humour, and plenty of bonding too.

I was lucky enough to be on holiday and it was raining, so I could devote my day to escaping to the Ms. Dover's new world. I hope you get a chance to do the same soon.




New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.

Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.

L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Turn of the Moon (Royal Shifters #1) by L.P. Dover to read and review for this tour.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Newly Exposed by Meghan Quinn Blog Tour


Adam James is a corn-fed, Nebraska raised, piece of man meat with a chiseled body and baby face. He is in desperate need of a paycheck and will do just about anything to get one, including stripping down to his skivvies and lathering up in baby oil.

Solo Cohan is a quirky hipster with a strong work ethic,raised by two gay dads who are head over heels in love with Harrison Ford and Star Wars, hence the name, Solo. She works for Teeg Model Management, the same modeling agency that decides to book Adam as their next up and coming model. Sparks ignite between her and Adam the minute her baby oil soaked hand connects with his practically naked body.

Even though Solo can't stop thinking about Adam during photo shoots, she quickly and awkwardly, shows Adam her distaste for male models and her inability to engage romantically with them. Adam is captivated by her nerdy talk and peculiar tendencies and sets out to make it his mission to turn the Star Wars loving hipster to the dark side, where mingling with models is widely arousing.

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B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo





Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan☆☆☆☆
This was my first read from this author and I really enjoyed it. Newly Exposed is a fun read. The nerdy conversations between the two main characters are right up my alley. I found myself laughing out loud at certain points.

Adam dropped out of college to help take care of his mom, who is sick and waiting for a new heart. The medical bills are piling up and Adam needs money. He doesn't know if he'll make it as a fitness model but it's he's only option at this point.

Solo is the "model handler" making sure the guys at Teeg Models are where they need to be. She's a social media pimper, chest greaser and all around handler. When Solo lays eyes on Adam she knows he's not the typical cocky model, he's different. When sparks fly between them will she break her strict no model rule?

I LOVED Solo's dads. They were hysterical. They added to the fun of this read. I look forward to more from this author.




Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if “It’s Raining Men” starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped.

Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing… enter her first novel, Caught Looking.

Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Newly Exposed by Meghan Quinn to read and review for this tour.

Evangeline of Dark Haven by Belinda McBride


This isn’t what she came here for!

Pursued by a group of mysterious hunters, Evangeline Jones is desperate for sanctuary when she ducks into the doorway of Dark Haven. Instead of safety, she discovers a decadent, sensual world that challenges her entire outlook on life. (And sex.)

Harte Sommers is charmed by the little wolf with the pink streak in her ebony hair. As Alpha of the Napa pack, he sometimes feels that he's alone at the top and he can't indulge his deepest needs. When he meets Eva, he knows he might not be able to keep this wild little wolf at his side, but his heart tells him that his lonely days might be at an end.

Note: Evangeline of Dark Haven was previously published in the Doms of Dark Haven anthology.

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Book 2
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Loose Id



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This novella is a quick, hot and very enjoyable read. I love all things Dark Haven, and this is no exception. A mixture of BDSM and paranormal makes for an interesting combination – and the chemistry between Evangeline and Harte is exploited very effectively, giving the reader a hot and steamy ride, as well as a dramatic and romantic tale.

Perfect evening's reading; thank you Ms. McBride.



Belinda was born in Inglewood, California, but grew up far to the north in the shadow of Mt. Shasta. While her upbringing seemed pretty normal to her, she was surrounded by a fascinating array of friends and family, including a polyamorous grandmother, a grandfather who is a Native American icon, and various cowboys, hippies, scoundrels and saints.

She has a degree in history and cultural anthropology, but in 2006 made the life-changing decision to quit her job as a public health paraprofessional and stay at home fulltime to care for her severely disabled, autistic niece. This difficult decision gave Belinda the gift of time, which allowed her to return to writing fiction, which she’d abandoned years before.

Belinda’s hobbies include soap making, collecting gemstones, travel, and martial arts. She has two daughters, six Siberian Huskies and an array of wild birds that visit the feeders in the front yard.

She supports no-kill animal shelters, and donates platelets twice monthly at her local blood center.

As an author, Belinda loves crossing genres, kicking taboos to the curb, and pulling from world mythology and folklore for inspiration. She is committed to taking her readers on an emotional journey and never forgets that at the end of the day, she’s writing about love.

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http://www.loose-id.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Evangeline of Dark Haven (Truckee Wolves #2) by Belinda McBride to read and review.

Violent Delights by Helena Maeve


Buried secrets surface when least expected.

With one parent in prison and the other cold in the ground, Laure desperately wants to blend in. She’s worked hard constructing the pretense of a well-adjusted, sophisticated Parisian woman. But hiding in plain sight is only feasible as long as her father’s victims allow it.

As the anniversary of her father’s conviction draws near, Laure finds herself in the cross hairs of one last cold case with an unlikely ally. The only man she can depend on was never meant to be more than a rebound fling, a distraction from her luckless love life. Now, his fate may well rest in Laure’s hands.

Ashley is fifteen years her senior and should know better. Yet something about his neurotic neighbor draws him in. Moth to flame, he will follow Laure to the ends of the world if he must. If not, he’ll go as far as Kansas on the trail of a killer’s last unsolved murder and help unravel a mystery steeped in bloody family history.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of BDSM, violent imagery and some anal play.

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Totally Bound



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael☆☆☆☆
I've read a few other stories by Helena Maeve and sadly, this one wasn't my favorite. While the plotline was interesting and good, I found the story itself dithered a bit. There were points where I forgot what the story was about because there was so much going on and side stories that distracted.

I also found that Ashley wasn't as sexy as most men normally are in books with thinning hair and being described to look like a dentist. However, I LOVED his personality and the way he took control of situations and just about everything else about him.

There is a lot that goes on in the story and I felt like it could've been separated into two parts or even a novella just so we could get to know her brother and Mel better.

At the end I have to say that the writing was as good as I've come to expect from Helena Maeve and the sex scenes were just as hot, if not more so with the spin Ashley put on them.



Helena Maeve has always been globe trotter with a fondness for adventure, but only recently has she started putting to paper the many stories she's collected in her excursions. When she isn't writing erotic romance novels, she can usually be found in an airport or on a plane, furiously penning in her trusty little notebook.

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https://www.totallybound.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Violent Delights by Helena Maeve to read and review.

The Veil by Megan Chance


Great stones crack and split. Storms will tell and the world is changed...

Seventeen-year-old Grace has found the archdruid who can teach her to use her power as the veleda—the priestess prophesied to save Ireland. But nothing is as it should be. The archdruid is a dangerous fairy, and Grace can’t learn the spells, no matter how hard she tries. Something is wrong...but what?

Meanwhile, gentleman Patrick Devlin and warrior Diarmid Ua Duibhne both struggle with their love for Grace, their duty to their warring brotherhoods, and their support of Ireland. And New York City is in chaos with protests, immigrant gangs, and police crackdowns. The only hope for the future is the ancient ritual, just weeks away, in which Diarmid must take the life of the girl he loves.

Secrets, legends, and prophecies collide in an explosive finale that will save the world—or destroy it.

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Book 3
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Christy☆☆☆☆
At last it all will make sense…or wait will it (EVIL LAUGH). No really, this story has taken us down a twisty path I did not see coming. I love the author for it. This story at last gives us the real Grace and her powers and why she is the chosen one. I can honestly say that the end had me in tears and that I did not know who she would chose until she made the choice. For sure this is an author to watch out for other series for. Great series.


Also Available in The Fianna Trilogy

Book 1
Buy Links

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For reviews & info, check out The Shadows blog post.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & info, check out The Web blog post.



Megan Chance is the critically acclaimed, award-winning and bestselling author of several novels. The Best Reviews has said she writes “Fascinating historical fiction.” Her books have been chosen for the Borders Original Voices program and IndieBound’s Booksense. A former television news photographer with a BA from Western Washington University, Megan Chance lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters.

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https://www.netgalley.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Veil (The Fianna Trilogy #3) by Megan Chance to read and review.