Review and Giveaway: Immortalis Carpe Nocetem by Katie Salidas

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Summary:  Immortalis Carpe Noctem by Katie Salidas

• Pub. Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Rising Sign Books
• Format: Paperback , 346pp

Synopsis:

Explore the emotional upheaval that is the transformation from human to vampire.

Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: An unyielding thirst for blood as well as the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity.

As if having her humanity stripped away was not enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her “turning”, did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.

Only by accepting her new-found immortality, seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander must fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them both.

Sample Chapter:

Click For Sample Chapter

My Thoughts:


This was a different take on the vampire world and what happens in it.  Alyssa after being stood up by her best friend is walking alone home to her apartment when she is brutally attacked by two men who mean to rape and kill her.  When out of nowhere come a third man to her rescue.  When Alyssa come to she asks for her savior’s name, Lysander.  He first apologizes to her for what he has done.  He has turned her into a vampire going again the rules of the coven he is not technically a part of.  Alyssa immediately struggles with the fact that she is going to have to kill in order to survive.  Lysander takes time to teach her how to hunt and even gives her the opportunity to try blood from the butcher however this does not go well and Alyssa continues to struggle.  They are visited one day by Edmond, a messenger from Kallisto, Lysander’s maker and previous mate.  Lysander has broken the rules and Kallisto wants him to resolve this, he is given 30 days to resolve but the Saints arrive in town prior to this and all bets are off.  Will Alyssa and Lysander make it through alive?


First, I am going to start with what didn’t work well for me in this book just to get it out of the way.  Alyssa is so whining and her inner monologue just drove me crazy through sections of the book.  I know that she did not want to drink blood and kill people because it make her feel like a monster but it was rehashed over and over again.  For me it just got old and whinny.   

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, I really enjoyed the story.  There was a great dynamic between all of the characters in this book and it was very different to view the vampire world broken down into covens and the different politics that this creates.  I give Katie Salidas kudos for creating this diverse world and making the rules work.  The most interesting for me was the Saints. Vampires created by the Roman Catholic church to go out and kill the evil in the world, even though they are evil themselves.  


I enjoyed the romance and frustration around romance in this book.  Alyssa and Lysander have an unique relationship full of give and take that is put to the test when a friendly coven of travelers shows up on Lysander’s doorsteps and he invites them to stay.  Alyssa does not feel safe but must learn to trust Lysander.  


My favorite part of the book is watching Alyssa grow into her new talents and as a person.  Overall, this was a great story and put together well.


My Rating:

4 Penguins!  Good story!

Giveaway:

Please leave a comment with a way to contact if you win. 1 entry per person.  Contest ends 6/30.  Prize will be provided by author.  

*I was provided with an ecopy of this book for review, no other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

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Review: Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner Molaski

About the book:
Title: Stilettos and Scoundrels
Author: Laina Turner-Molaski
Genre: Fiction – Mystery/Romance
Published by: Five Seas Ink
Age Restriction: NONE
Recommended Age: 18+
Format(s): Trade Paperback & eBook
ISBN: 0-578-03407-7 2010
Number of pages: 302

Author Bio:
Who am I? It kind of depends on the day. I am a human compendium of unrelated things. I used to think I was just weird, had shiny ball syndrome and couldn’t focus, scattered, you name it. Then I decided it was OK to be all over the place as long as each avenue I wanted to explore had meaning and purpose or was fun. So I embrace the fact I am a college professor (Go Capella), a writer of fiction and non-fiction,
promoter of other authors, human resource professional, business consultant, and all around interesting person (according to my closest friends).
There is so much I want to accomplish before I die and it isn’t going to happen if I do things one at a time. In 2011 it’s my goal is to accomplish the following things:
1.My official iPhone app launch (that in itself has raised my coolness factor at least 20 points according to my kids)
2. Official release of Chiczofrenia – crazy is an art form
3. Release of But It’s my Business iPhone app and website
4. Get in shape and look hot for when I turn 40 in June
5. Go to Europe or Australia or Rio de Janeiro for my 40th birthday
6. Release of Fragments by Tracy Bull, the first book published by my publishing company, Five Seas Ink, that’s not mine.
7. Release of the Multiple Sclerosis awareness iPhone app, website, and book
8. Release of the novel, Don’t Write in my Notebook
9. Release of the 2nd Presley Thurman novel – title TBD
….and that’s just to name a few. It’s going to keep me busy and hopefully out of trouble. Well, maybe.
When I’m not working toward my goals I like, ok fine, LOVE wine, coffee, shopping, and books. I enjoy my kids, they are awesome. I hate the cold but yet live in the mid-west. Vegas is one of my favorite spots as I love to people watch and if I ever get married again it will definitely be in a drive through chapel by a fake Elvis.
Author’s Website: www.lainaturner.com
Author’s email address: laina@lainaturner.com

Synopsis:
Presley Thurman, a sassy, thirty-something red head, was looking to reinvent herself. She didn’t allow the fact she was recently fired to bother her – she was ready to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Presley was a lover of shopping and Starbucks, and even though she sometimes had bad taste in men, she always had great taste in clothes.
However, the new writing job turned into something unexpected when the U.S. Senator she was slated to write about was murdered – in her home town! Presley was excited – she hadn’t seen so much buzz since the spring sample sale at Saks. She was ready for this adventure, even if it didn’t seem to fit neatly into her life. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in the middle of the buzz.
Presley was determined (not to mention curious) to find the killer and write her story. After all, she couldn’t afford her shoe habit without a job and she was certainly not one to shy away from danger. The only thing standing in her way was an old high school fling, Cooper Sands, head of the Senator’s security. He was not actually standing in her way, but because of his good looks, he was the biggest distraction and one she was having the hardest time overcoming. In spite of that, Presley was able to discover the Senator’s wife, Helen, had been having an affair… with her best friend’s boyfriend! Did Helen kill the Senator? Or was it the Senator’s love of gambling that got him killed? And what was Cooper’s secret tie to the mob boss Garrison Palazzo?


My Thoughts:


I was drawn to this book by its interesting title and cover.  I figured that this would be a bit of chick lit meets mystery by what the blurb had to say.  My gut was right in this fun loving romance/mystery.  The book starts as Presley is walking home down Chicago streets after being fired from her HR job.  She has spent the last several years dedicating herself to a job it turns out she hates to climb the corporate ladder.  She suddenly feels as though she wasted a lot of time.  Pres remembers that a friend had offered her a part-time gig doing some writing so she end up giving him a call and he hires her to write an article on a local Senator, who happens to be in her home town.  She is now headed back home to her annoying mother and people she has left behind.  She is looking forward to catching up with her old best friend, Katy.  Pres is less than thrilled when she arrives home to find her mother is trying to set her up with her old high school boyfriend.  


Everyone she went to school with seems to be involved in some major in town,  everything from town Sheriff to the Senator’s security.  Pres arrives at her scheduled interview time with the Senator only to be denied by a old classmate to see him, but Pres catches him coming out of his office and he agrees to meet with her.  Before he does, she overheads him arguing with someone on the phone.  The next day the Senator ends up murdered and it is all a bit of a mystery.  Pres digs right in and tries to help solve the murder but she keeps getting in the way of her old classmates that are in charge.  Will she be able to figure out the murder without getting hurt or accusing someone who is not at fault?


I love Presley’s character, she is a fiery hot red head and trouble just seems to find her.  I enjoyed getting to know her through her old friends and her currently life and the mistakes she had made.  I can totally relate to her home town because it seems to be just like the town I grew up in and moved back to in order to raise my family.  A town where it seems like everything has two sides and it never really seems to be what you expect.  Pres runs into this with all of her old classmates.  It seems as though they  all fall back into their old roles for the most part and town gossip is running like crazy.  


Pres and Katy both have some love interests in this story, okay maybe love is a strong word at this point but for sure lust!  And they are not the only ones, but I won’t share anymore about that because I don’t want to give away the story!  I think that it was interesting to watch both of these strong women deal with their feels and the ups and downs that go along with romance.  It was also nice that the romance didn’t get in the way of the murder investigation in this book.  


Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a FUN-Loving mystery that has more twists and turns that you would expect.


My rating is 4 star – a really good read!

Visit the secret Nurturz Tour Book Special page to get your paperback copy of Stilettos & Scoundrels for $5.00 or your Kindle copy for $1.90.

Don’t miss out on these fantastic savings!

Be sure to use secret access/key code: 134438

I was provided a copy of this book by the author and Nurture Virtual Book Tourz to read and review for my honest review.  There was no compensation provided for my review.

Review: Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker

 

From Smashwords

Extended Description

Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered “dogless sled” in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father’s alchemical masterpiece.

With a hand-modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn’t normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won’t assist her–they’re too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she’s sure he has ulterior motives, but he’s the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?

Details:

An 18,000-word steampunk novella set in the Klondike Gold Rush era. 

My Thoughts

This was my second attempt at a Steampunk book and I was impressed with this quick witted story.  And interesting mix of machinery and dog sledding in the Yukon.  The interactions between Khai and Cedar who seemly appears at her door from nowhere is both humorous to their lack of trust in each other and witty because they seem to play off each other very well.  I felt the the read was over before I even started it.  I got sucked in and wanted to know so much more about what there two could accomplish together.  Lindsay Buroker caught my attention with this novella and I will be check out more of what she has written.

My Rating

4 stars – I want to know more!  It was over before it was really started which made me kind of sad.

About the Author

From Lindsay Buroker’s website 

I’ve been publishing web content and blogging for a living since 2004. Before that I worked for other people. It wasn’t nearly as fun. I was even an enlisted soldier in the army for a few years, which had it’s fun moments but was mostly about getting up way earlier than I like and doing grunt work (they liked it if you actually grunted while doing it…).

As I was saying before I distracted myself, I’m working for myself these days. My main hobby, and the reason for this blog, is writing fantasy.

I’ve had short stories published here and there, but I never had much interest in

stalking

 querying agents (too much like applying for a job with ten thousand applicants). I did want to get my work out there for anyone who might enjoy reading it. Thanks to the e-publishing revolution, I’m now able to make this happen, and, as with my day job, I can do it on my own terms. More fun that way. Really.

>Review: Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker

>

 

From Smashwords

Extended Description

Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered “dogless sled” in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father’s alchemical masterpiece.

With a hand-modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn’t normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won’t assist her–they’re too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she’s sure he has ulterior motives, but he’s the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?

Details:

An 18,000-word steampunk novella set in the Klondike Gold Rush era. 

My Thoughts

This was my second attempt at a Steampunk book and I was impressed with this quick witted story.  And interesting mix of machinery and dog sledding in the Yukon.  The interactions between Khai and Cedar who seemly appears at her door from nowhere is both humorous to their lack of trust in each other and witty because they seem to play off each other very well.  I felt the the read was over before I even started it.  I got sucked in and wanted to know so much more about what there two could accomplish together.  Lindsay Buroker caught my attention with this novella and I will be check out more of what she has written.

My Rating

4 stars – I want to know more!  It was over before it was really started which made me kind of sad.

About the Author

From Lindsay Buroker’s website 

I’ve been publishing web content and blogging for a living since 2004. Before that I worked for other people. It wasn’t nearly as fun. I was even an enlisted soldier in the army for a few years, which had it’s fun moments but was mostly about getting up way earlier than I like and doing grunt work (they liked it if you actually grunted while doing it…).

As I was saying before I distracted myself, I’m working for myself these days. My main hobby, and the reason for this blog, is writing fantasy.

I’ve had short stories published here and there, but I never had much interest in

stalking

 querying agents (too much like applying for a job with ten thousand applicants). I did want to get my work out there for anyone who might enjoy reading it. Thanks to the e-publishing revolution, I’m now able to make this happen, and, as with my day job, I can do it on my own terms. More fun that way. Really.

Diversion Press Blog Tour

 

 

I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER that LISA’S WORLD OF BOOKS has decided to host my book, Dakota: A Work In Progress on the first Dakota: A Work In Progress blog tour on April 28^th, 2011. Join in on the fun. I will be available throughout the day to answer any questions you may have. You may reach me at Dakotathebook@gmail.com or at wrosencr@nycap.rr.com

 

 

About Me

Bill Rosencrans

Dakota: A Work in Progress is a very funny book about the world’s most neurotic dog and it is appropriate for all ages. You will be laughing out loud as you read each short story about this one of a kind golden retriever named Dakota. Stanley Coren – author of How Dogs Think and The Intelligence of Dogs wrote Dakota: A Work in Progress is a cheerful and amusing romp through the life of a manic but sweet and endearing dog. If you love dogs and need a smile this book is for you. Sonny Brewer – author of Cormac, The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing wrote – Bill Rosencrans’ book about his wonder dog Dakota is a long love letter, really. It’s a treat for the rest of us that we get to read of Dakota’s doings over Bill’s shoulder, reminded on every page why we ourselves love our own doggies. This book has been published by Diversion Press and you can order it through any bookstore. The price is $14.95

View my complete profile

 

Blurb from Amazon:

Diversion Press presents “Dakota: A Work in Progress” by Bill Rosencrans (ISBN 9781935290018) available December 2008 for $14.95. Read about Dakota–the Golden Retriever with spunk and a “popcorn toe”. He will steal your heart and your sandwich, if you aren’t careful. Don’t miss reading about the adventures of Dakota and his owner and author of the book, Bill Rosencrans. Whether you are a dog owner or just love dogs, this book will keep you laughing.

My Thoughts:

This was a fun loving book that demonstrates the love and frustrations and being a dog owner and lover.  It was an interesting format written in a collection of short stories.  All in all, reminded me why I miss having a dog and all of the struggles that pet owners go through each and every day.  The funny antics of Dakota are great and I can just picture them in my head when reading the words.  The books seems to jump off the page.

 

*Disc louse – I was provided a copy of this book from Diversion Press for my honest opinion of the book.

>Diversion Press Blog Tour

>

 

 

I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER that LISA’S WORLD OF BOOKS has decided to host my book, Dakota: A Work In Progress on the first Dakota: A Work In Progress blog tour on April 28^th, 2011. Join in on the fun. I will be available throughout the day to answer any questions you may have. You may reach me at Dakotathebook@gmail.com or at wrosencr@nycap.rr.com

 

 

About Me

Bill Rosencrans

Dakota: A Work in Progress is a very funny book about the world’s most neurotic dog and it is appropriate for all ages. You will be laughing out loud as you read each short story about this one of a kind golden retriever named Dakota. Stanley Coren – author of How Dogs Think and The Intelligence of Dogs wrote Dakota: A Work in Progress is a cheerful and amusing romp through the life of a manic but sweet and endearing dog. If you love dogs and need a smile this book is for you. Sonny Brewer – author of Cormac, The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing wrote – Bill Rosencrans’ book about his wonder dog Dakota is a long love letter, really. It’s a treat for the rest of us that we get to read of Dakota’s doings over Bill’s shoulder, reminded on every page why we ourselves love our own doggies. This book has been published by Diversion Press and you can order it through any bookstore. The price is $14.95

View my complete profile

 

Blurb from Amazon:

Diversion Press presents “Dakota: A Work in Progress” by Bill Rosencrans (ISBN 9781935290018) available December 2008 for $14.95. Read about Dakota–the Golden Retriever with spunk and a “popcorn toe”. He will steal your heart and your sandwich, if you aren’t careful. Don’t miss reading about the adventures of Dakota and his owner and author of the book, Bill Rosencrans. Whether you are a dog owner or just love dogs, this book will keep you laughing.

My Thoughts:

This was a fun loving book that demonstrates the love and frustrations and being a dog owner and lover.  It was an interesting format written in a collection of short stories.  All in all, reminded me why I miss having a dog and all of the struggles that pet owners go through each and every day.  The funny antics of Dakota are great and I can just picture them in my head when reading the words.  The books seems to jump off the page.

 

*Disc louse – I was provided a copy of this book from Diversion Press for my honest opinion of the book.

Diversion Press Celebrates their 3rd Anniversary: Blog Stop: I Can Make-out With Any Girl Here

About Diversion Press:

Diversion Press has been in business since 2008.  We are a small publisher looking for quality books.  We are a traditional publisher and DO NOT accept pay from authors to publish their works. We review all proposals, approximately 125 per month, and select books that seem to have the best fit with our goals and interests. Currently we have published 15 books ranging from children’s, young adult, history, non-fiction, and poetry. We are always happy to hear from authors and customers, and bloggers and reviewers.

Our Mission Statement:

We will maintain high standards in the books that we publish to ensure that our readers receive a quality product and that our authors and press are respected for their efforts. 

I Can Make Out With Any Girl Here
By:  Ryan Nemeth 
Yellow Snow Books, an imprint of Diversion Press 
Fiction, Humor 
Distributed by Ingram and returnable 
$12.95 
ISBN:  978-1-935290-03-2 
Paper, 188 pages 
Release Date:  November 15, 2010


Blurb From Diversion Press:



Donny Blake spends his first semester as a college student at Kulhman University doing the 
typical college student activities–partying, picking up girls, studying, and trying to avoid Ugly 
Jen. When the bank starts giving Donny free money and his French teacher expresses interest in 
him, Donny comes to the realization “I can make out with any girl here”. Will it all far apart 
when ants move into Donny’s room and stolen fetal pigs attract the administration’s attention or 
will he make it through his first semester of college? Find out through diary entries, text 
messages, e-mails, and police reports. I Can Make Out with Any Girl Here–the story of Donny 
Blake’s first semester at Kulhman University. A must read for all students about to enter college, 
college freshman, current college students, or those just wanting to remember what it was like.


My Take:


This was a very funny if not exaggerated take on a college student’s first semester on campus away from the rules and regulations of parents.  The book is written as somewhat like a journal – at least for most of the book there are a few newspaper articles and transcripts from various events.  It touches on everything from making new friends (or not), to relationships, money management, and just getting into trouble that you never would expect.  I used this book as my teaser for teaser Tuesday this week and was amused at the hypothesis people had for what was going on in the book.  I did not share that it was a humorous story so it got to be very interesting. Overall, I think that the book was funny but is probably better suited for a man looking back at his college days instead of a women reading it.  The connections to how the character feels would be easier for a man to understand.   There were times during the story that I just had to shake my head at what Donny thought or was doing.  I still enjoyed the funny commentary.


My Rating:


I would give this book 3.5 stars.  While it was funny and amusing, it is not something that I would pick up and read again in the future.  A one time story for me.  Now this opinion might be different from different readers.  

From the Author:

I am pleased to announce that the author of I Can Make-out with Any Girl Here, Ryan Nemeth has agreed to join us today to help Diversion Press celebrate.  Here is a picture he had to share, along with a quick comment to go along with it.

Hannah and Holly Blossom, “The Blossom Twins” — professional wrestlers from Manchester, England, who have both read and loved the book!

Please leave either Ryan or Diversion Press a comment here.  

>Diversion Press Celebrates their 3rd Anniversary: Blog Stop: I Can Make-out With Any Girl Here

>About Diversion Press:

Diversion Press has been in business since 2008.  We are a small publisher looking for quality books.  We are a traditional publisher and DO NOT accept pay from authors to publish their works. We review all proposals, approximately 125 per month, and select books that seem to have the best fit with our goals and interests. Currently we have published 15 books ranging from children’s, young adult, history, non-fiction, and poetry. We are always happy to hear from authors and customers, and bloggers and reviewers.

Our Mission Statement:

We will maintain high standards in the books that we publish to ensure that our readers receive a quality product and that our authors and press are respected for their efforts. 

I Can Make Out With Any Girl Here
By:  Ryan Nemeth 
Yellow Snow Books, an imprint of Diversion Press 
Fiction, Humor 
Distributed by Ingram and returnable 
$12.95 
ISBN:  978-1-935290-03-2 
Paper, 188 pages 
Release Date:  November 15, 2010


Blurb From Diversion Press:



Donny Blake spends his first semester as a college student at Kulhman University doing the 
typical college student activities–partying, picking up girls, studying, and trying to avoid Ugly 
Jen. When the bank starts giving Donny free money and his French teacher expresses interest in 
him, Donny comes to the realization “I can make out with any girl here”. Will it all far apart 
when ants move into Donny’s room and stolen fetal pigs attract the administration’s attention or 
will he make it through his first semester of college? Find out through diary entries, text 
messages, e-mails, and police reports. I Can Make Out with Any Girl Here–the story of Donny 
Blake’s first semester at Kulhman University. A must read for all students about to enter college, 
college freshman, current college students, or those just wanting to remember what it was like.


My Take:


This was a very funny if not exaggerated take on a college student’s first semester on campus away from the rules and regulations of parents.  The book is written as somewhat like a journal – at least for most of the book there are a few newspaper articles and transcripts from various events.  It touches on everything from making new friends (or not), to relationships, money management, and just getting into trouble that you never would expect.  I used this book as my teaser for teaser Tuesday this week and was amused at the hypothesis people had for what was going on in the book.  I did not share that it was a humorous story so it got to be very interesting. Overall, I think that the book was funny but is probably better suited for a man looking back at his college days instead of a women reading it.  The connections to how the character feels would be easier for a man to understand.   There were times during the story that I just had to shake my head at what Donny thought or was doing.  I still enjoyed the funny commentary.


My Rating:


I would give this book 3.5 stars.  While it was funny and amusing, it is not something that I would pick up and read again in the future.  A one time story for me.  Now this opinion might be different from different readers.  

From the Author:

I am pleased to announce that the author of I Can Make-out with Any Girl Here, Ryan Nemeth has agreed to join us today to help Diversion Press celebrate.  Here is a picture he had to share, along with a quick comment to go along with it.

Hannah and Holly Blossom, “The Blossom Twins” — professional wrestlers from Manchester, England, who have both read and loved the book!

Please leave either Ryan or Diversion Press a comment here.