Monthly Archives: February 2012

THE ROYAL ASSASSIN by Shireen Nemnich-a review

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The Royal Assassin by Shireen Nemnich

THE ROYAL ASSASSIN (Shadows of Myst Book #1) by Shireen Nemnich

ONE OF THE BEST NEW SERIES I HAVE READ

THE ROYAL ASSASSIN is the premiere release for Shireen Nemnich’s Shadows of Myst series.. The Royal Assassin novella introduces the people of the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow in the magical land of Myst—a group of beings bathed in the power of magic and shadows.

Reis, part Nightelf, part Mystic, and the Royal Assassin for the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow, must bestow congratulations onto Essence-the Heir to the Chalica, and the woman who should have been his consort. But 4 years after the birth of her twins, and marriage to Phantom, he is still reluctant to acknowledge their union. And to complicate matters, one of their children was offered as a consort and/or apprentice in training, as compensation for his loss of a consort. With great reluctance, Reis bestows his blessing upon the couple’s children, but not before, he is enthralled by their 4year old daughter–a child, so innocent and sweet, that he loses his heart and soul, when he realizes that she will be his consort and mate. But Reis senses an evil presence within the shadows surrounding the couple, especially when their young boy is offered into servitude without consideration or thought.

Shadowen and her twin Shade, have a connection, unlike anything Reis has ever seen, in children so young. They seem to communicate without talking, and feel without touching. The power of their magic engulfs Reis with a feeling of both wonder and awe, but there is also darkness within the House of the Royal Chalice. When it becomes apparent that something evil lives within the family, Reis is determined to claim his consort, before further injury is dealt.

For eight years, Reis must hide in the shadows, in order to protect his young consort. He must sit back and watch as she grows into a young woman, and begins to fall for Darken, the young neighbor boy. But when Shadowen’s pain overtakes Reis, he knows it is time free her from her parent’s care. The cruelty and abuse inflicted by her father, are more than either can bear. Their connection already strong, Reis rescues the 12 year old, but not without threat to his life and family. But sadness pales the young child, when she must leave her twin brother behind and at the mercy of their twisted parents. Shadowen’s magic and her use of the shadows in the land of Myst, both surprise and scare Reis. There are time when she literally disappears into herself. Is she communicating with another?

In the land of Myst, the citizens travel using the shadows and darkness, and it is these shadows, that also encompass the very essence of their being. The shadows surrounding the individual vibrate with sensuality, anger, love or anxiety, depending on the action of the moment, and it is among these shadows, that magic proceeds. When an attempted abduction by her own father, sends Shadowen into the darkness, Reis is lost, in the knowledge, that he was unable to protect his future mate, as well as his grandmother. But a call from the Royal Magistrates’s office, to answer to charges of neglect, for the disappearance of the young woman, only reinforces their love for one another. Her parents are refused visitation and contact, but this also brings the realization to Shadowen, on the loss of her twin-no contact with her parents, also means no contact with her brother.

Over the next 5 years, Reis and Shadowen’s relationship grows, as does the woman. Shortly after her 17th birthday, Reis claims Shadowen’s heart as well as her body, but her connection to her brother and family is so strong, that they sense what has happened, and her father is outraged and seeks to destroy their lives. He is determined that she is his property and wants her back.

Several forces of magic play into the lives of the people of Myst, including dark, light, life and death magic, as well as different planes of existence. Many different levels of the Royal House involve political allies and enemies-all will converge in this storyline, to defend and protect the young couple, as well as fight for dominance in the world of political intrigue. The Royal Seer, Reis’ father, has been long absent from his son’s life, and has only recently renewed a relationship with his only child. The Royal Conjurer takes it upon herself to mentor and teach Shade, the ways of a skilled warrior, and ,a heritage of shadows from family long gone, seem to embody the spirits that drive the current generation of the people of Myst.

When Reis is called away , to fulfill his duty as the Royal Assassin, Shadowen reveals that she is with child. But when Reis is captured and held prisoner, Shadowen and the child suffer from the loss, but not before Darken lays claim and wishes to be her new consort. Once again, Reis is overcome with guilt, at his own actions, leaving his pregnant mate behind, but when Shade affects his escape, Reis is determined never to leave her side again.

There are heartbreaking losses that affect the young couple, as well as the duty Reis must perform for his father, that will wrench one’s soul. The death of a child or parent, can be one of the most devastating losses, and it is within the pages of this books, that love will heal the broken and shattered heart.  The Royal Assassin is my first peak into one of Shireen Nemnich’s novels. It was an easy read, but the premise is new and unusual. I liked The Royal Assassin, and I am hoping to continue the series, as soon as possible.

Read our interview with the author:  Monday February 28, 2012 and look for our giveaway of 2 signed copies of The Royal Assassin by Shireen Nemnich

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shireen Nemnich was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona, but now calls Virginia her home. She is the mother of 3, and the grandmother of 2. As well as a registered practical nurse, Shireen follows her dreams of writing, and published her first book of poetry on lulu.com, but has since entered the world of self-publication. Her writing genre is romance, whether it is fantasy or science fiction.

Reviewed by Sandy

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CHRISTINA DODD: Wilder-The Chosen

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Christina Dodd: WILDER-The Chosen

Christina Dodd: WILDER-The Chosen

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION from Amazon: Only beloved author Christina Dodd could bring you the explosive paranormal excitement of the Chosen Ones combined with Aleksandr Wilder’s story … and redemption…

As a young man, Aleksandr Wilder abandoned his duty–and for that lapse, he was tortured, tormented … and transformed. Now he prowls the tunnels beneath the city, fighting on the frontline against the forces of hell, never daring to dream that he can live as a man again.
After seven years fighting the world’s ultimate evil, Chosen One Charisma Fangorn has become a tough, strong warrior without illusions or joy…even her gift of hearing the earthsong has faded. Deaf to her own instincts, she never suspects that a monster lurks in the dark underneath the streets.
When Aleksandr finds Charisma under attack, he rescues and cares for her, and hope stirs once more in his heart…and in the world. But in the secret recesses of his soul, he knows the truth. A woman so exceptional could never love a beast…could she?

FROM Christina’s Facebook page:
Christina Dodd
“It doesn’t matter whether we tell the truth to each other. It doesn’t matter if we believe each other. We can enjoy each others’ bodies—“
“Without trust?” Charisma smacked him hard across the side of his head.
He rubbed his ringing ear. Apparently, she did not like being called a liar. “That’s just my opinion,” he said.
“Opinions are like assholes. Everybody’s got one.”
She just called him an asshole! — WILDER, August 2012

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Karen Ranney-Giveaway Winners and a Thank You

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The Reading Cafe would like to take this opportunity to extend a very ‘warm fuzzie’ thank you to Karen Ranney.

 

Our recent interview with Karen was amazing and the response of her many fans was a pure delight.

 

As part of our giveaway promotion and interview with the author, Karen has offered 2 signed copies of her novel “A Scottish Love”.

Congratulations to :  Connie Fischer and April Renn.

 

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In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster-A review

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In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster by Stephanie Laurens-a review

IN PURSUIT OF ELIZA CYNSTER by Stephanie Laurens

In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster is the second book in Stephanie Laurens’ Cynster Sisters trilogy and the 17th novel in the Cynster series of books. Like the previous Cynster sister book, In Pursuit focuses on the abduction, rescue and eventual HEA of a Cynster female. Including an adventure through two countries and countless little towns and villages, In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster will leave you breathless and longing for a glass of wine and the comfort of your own bed.

 

Eliza Cynster is tired of the constant presence of her over-protective brothers and cousins. Well aware of Heather Cynster’s kidnapping some weeks before, the Cynster males are taking no chance that the remaining eligible females are put into the precarious position of another potential abduction. But when a note , requesting her presence elsewhere, away from Heather and Breckenridge’s celebration, Eliza is more than ready for a change of scenery. But a mysterious man and a drugged induced stupor quickly force Eliza to realize, that she is the next target of a man named McKinsey.

 

Jeremy Carling is a scholar, a man who spends most of his time, reading, researching and studying ancient tomes and books. But, when a carriage carrying, what looks like a screaming Eliza Cynster, rumbles by, he remembers the threat against the famous Cynster sister’s and realizes, that he may be Eliza’s only hope for a rescue.

 

Following the carriage through rural England, he soon realizes that Eliza and her abductors are heading for Scotland. Not wanting to waste time, and possibly losing track of the carriage, Jeremy enlists the help of his brother in law and a couple of boyhood friends, to aid in the rescue of Eliza Cynster. But Eliza’s captives have already made preparations, and quickly escort Eliza out of town, but not before, Jeremy is able to get word to Eliza, that she is not alone.

 

Eliza’s abductors are hired by the mysterious Laird, known only as McKinsey, to the readers.—an aristocratic man intent on finding a woman of eligible marriage potential- so that he is able to procure the ‘golden chalice’ from his mother. Without the chalice, ‘McKinsey’ will lose everything—his castle, his land and his honor. Therefore, he gives warning to the hirees, that no harm must befall Eliza Cynster-she is to be treated with the utmost respect and care. But Victor Stropes is a hired gun; a man used to getting the job done at all costs. And McKinsey, knowing that Stropes and the others, are only doing their job, takes on the added burden of tailing the trio of kidnappers, wherever they go with Eliza, to ensure her safety.

 

Jeremy soon enlists the aid of his family, in the rescue of Eliza. When Eliza is hidden in the basement of a newly renovated townhouse by her captors, Jeremy is forced to execute her escape-but he soon finds out that each housing unit is outfitted with an alternate escape, buried deep under foundation. When Stropes and the others finally realize that their captive has alluded them, panic sets in, as McKinsey arrives to handle the exchange. Angered that Stropes and the others have not been able to protect Eliza from rescue, McKinsey releases Stropes from his contract, and declares their partnership ended. Stropes is so incensed that he is now perceived as a failure, sets out on his own, to re-capture Eliza and make good on the deal.

 

Jeremy Carling senses there is something different about Eliza Cynster. She is not like her sisters. She is quiet, unassuming and seemingly more fragile. When they set out, on their trek homeward, across the harsh Scottish countryside on horseback, he soon realizes, that she is unable to handle the pressures and nuances involved with riding a horse, and they are forced to set out on foot. But the knowledge that both Stropes and McKinsey have not stopped in their hunt to reclaim Eliza, have the young couple running for their lives.

 

Eliza is comforted to know, that the bookish Jeremy has taken it upon himself, to map out their route, ensuring their safety along the way. But even disguised as a young boy in britches, Eliza and Jeremy’s escape route, is soon discovered and Stropes, as well as a determined McKinsey, pursue them relentlessly. McKinsey’s dogged pursuit is now one of a guardianship over Eliza, fearing Stropes will capture at any cost. And McKinsey, the aristocratic gentleman that he is, is steeped in the knowledge, that Jeremy Carling, is better suited as a potential husband for Eliza Cynster, than he ever will be.

 

As the story unfolds, Eliza and Jeremy soon recognize that their relationship is more than just one of a search and rescue. Their feelings towards one another blossom, as each day unfolds, and they are forced to stay together each night, for their own safety and protection. But as their trek takes them closer to the Scotland/England border, Stropes disdain for Jeremy and his overwhelming need to re-capture Eliza at all cost, puts the couple at risk for injury and possible death. When Jeremy is shot and wounded by Stropes, McKinsey’s fury at the attempted killing, sparks a fight between the two men, and their resulting plunge off a cliff, force Jeremy and Eliza to the realization how much of a mad-man, Stropes had become. Presuming, both men had died from the fall, Eliza and Jeremy continue on their journey home, crossing the border between England and Scotland, into the welcoming arms of family and friends.

 

As with all romance storylines, Eliza and Jeremy’s happily ever after, is arguably predictable. During his recovery, the couple, question their love for each other, if only because, their respective families, are completely oblivious to the connection between the couple or play the fools, allowing the young couple to realize on their own- the destiny that awaits. But love conquers all and in the end, another Cynster sister, is betrothed to the man, her hero and friend. The final book in the trilogy is The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae..I do believe we meet the real Mr. McKinsey.

Reviewed by Sandy

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OVERCOMING WRITER’S BLOCK

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We found an article last week about the craziness of writers.  But the more I read through the article, the more I thought…”yes, this writer is crazy.”

The fact that many of us are bloggers ( and there are those of you who do not realize you are bloggers) I found a few suggestions to overcome the dreaded–“Writer’s Block”.

 

From an article written by David Risley

Even with all the time I spend helping bloggers, there is one problem that has always stumped me: writer’s block.

I have the ability to pump out posts pretty quickly and it obviously comes in handy for me. However, many others that I work with get completely stumped when it comes to actually writing for their blog.

What do I write about? Will people care? Is it any good?

What happens is that you sit down to write a post and you spend more time in introspective thought than actually writing.

Another issue I see a lot is that some bloggers are writing, but from their audience’s standpoint. So, the entire time they’re writing, they’re constantly self-judging and nit-picking at the post from somebody else’s standpoint.

In other words, you’re doing everything except ACTUAL WRITING. The result is that you either don’t write at all, or it takes you FOREVER to produce a blog post.

Ironically, many times, the evidence of this is obvious to me. I’ll get LONG emails from people, yet they’ll tell me they have a hard time writing. :) Obviously not. I got this uber-long email to prove it. The problem is that they tense up when they know others will be reading it.

Successful bloggers write, they don’t think about writing.

At the core of the solution here, I believe you need to be yourself (not your reader) when you produce a blog post. This is a matter of mindset. You need to make the conscious decision NOT to self-judge.

Do what you’re doing while you’re doing it, in other words. Writing and editing are two different jobs and you cannot and should not be wearing both hats at the same time.

So, here’s a little trick you might want to try. It is a little crazy. :)

Turn off your monitor.

Have an idea, a thought, a concept that you want to communicate to your reader. Go to the screen where you will begin typing the post. Then, simply hit the power button on your monitor in order to turn it off. Then, just start typing blindly. Type as if you were talking out the concept to a friend sitting there in the room. Just type what you would say. Don’t worry about formatting, typos, grammar – anything.

When you’re done, turn the monitor back on. At this point, you’ll change hats. Stop being the writer and start being the editor. Fix typos, grammar and just generally ensure the post reads well.

If my description of writing above is pretty much you, you might want to give this little trick a try and see if it works for you.

http://www.davidrisley.com/writers-block/

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Hunger Games Movie Premiere Sweepstakes

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Hunger Games Movie Premiere Sweepstakes now at Amazon Facebook

For those of you who loved reading The Hunger Games Trilogy….do you want to win a trip for two to L.A. for the World premiere? Amazon Facebook is running the sweepstakes for some lucky winners.   Click on the link below and give yourself a chance to be in on what promises to be one of the major events this year.

 The Hunger Games will premiere on March 12, 2012 at the Nokia Theatre in L.A.  

Click the link below, which will take you direct to Amazon’s facebook page to enter the sweepstakes.  

 

Amazon’s Hunger Games Movie Premiere Sweepstakes

 

 

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MIDNIGHT BREEDS series by Lara Adrian Exclusive

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Midnight Breeds by Lara Adrian exclusive.

For the fans of Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breeds series, it was announced today on Facebook, who is the next heroine.

Book 11 in the series will be…Mira’s book! Sweet little Mira, all grown up! Thanks for all the guesses! Lara’s busy writing her story and pairing her with the perfect love interest. What kind of mate do you think she deserves?

 

Check out Facebook today and read what everyone is saying about Mira’s story.

Vickie

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Karen Moning Teaser

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Karen Moning Teaser

ICED: Teaser 2 by Karen Moning  February 17th 8:34am

Keeping this one short and sweet as I’m heading up to MegaCon this morning!  Have I told you guys lately how much I love writing ICED?  Dani is hands-down the most unpredictable character I’ve ever written. There’s a undiluted, bouyant joy in telling her story. No rules apply.  I just follow her flamboyant heart and watch all hell break loose. My goal is to make you forget about wanting more of Mac & Barrons by the time you finish reading ICED because you can’t wait for more of Dani. I bet you think I can’t.

He isn’t what he’s pretending to be with her. I watch him all the time. I’m going to be there when he stops pretending.  I’m going to be her bulletproof vest, her shield, her fallen fucking angel, whether she wants one or not. He’s pretending he’s almost human. He’s no more human than me.

TRC:  sigh….She is killing us with these teasers, and we have to wait for October for ICED and Dani.


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