*Promo & Giveaway* CHRISTMAS MEMORIES by Karyn Gerrard!

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES by Karyn Gerrard

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Release Date: Dec 18th
Genre: Contemporary/Holiday
Word count: 8700

Jimmy is at the top of his game, but his life is empty. Karin has resigned herself to a Christmas alone in her wilderness lodge. A spur-of-the-moment holiday trip brings Jimmy to her doorstep on Christmas Eve. Will these new Christmas memories be enough to heal a painful past?

Excerpt:

Jimmy stepped in, and his senses were immediately
assaulted by Christmas. He could hear the television and
recognized Charlie Brown and the gang singing. In the
corner of the small cottage stood a seven-foot pine tree,
completely decorated, or drowned with all manner of
ornaments.

The tree overwhelmed the tiny room and every
branch had an adornment. He took a few steps closer and
looked the decorations over. Older, fragile glass balls were
mixed with an assortment of those card shop ornaments.
Classic movie stars, super heroes, and sports stars
precariously hung from the branches. A fire blazed in the
hearth, and the odour of the pine Christmas tree
intermingled with the wood smoke from the fireplace.
Bayberry candles burned on the mantle, and he noticed the
throw on the couch under which she had obviously been
cuddling. From the surface of the fabric, another stupid
snowman stared up at him vapidly. Christmas
overload. He could smell chocolate and cinnamon and hot
buttered popcorn. He had the overwhelming desire to run
the hell out of there, but his feet wouldn't move.
Karin closed the door. Jimmy finally noticed what
she wore.

Earlier the Arctic Circle parka had obviously
hidden a luscious body. Now, covering her curves were
skin-tight leggings, red slouch socks, and a long T-shirt
with still another snowman on it. Her hair hung loose about
her shoulders, and her face was scrubbed clean, like a little
girl waiting for bedtime because Santa would soon be there.

The little girl image soon shattered when she bent over for
the remote. Oh Jesus, her ass. Her rear was shapely, high,
and gorgeous.

He closed his coat and held it tight
hoping to hide his reaction.

Giveaway Details:

In my Christmas Short, Jimmy, my hero, hears a Christmas album he hadn't heard for years and he is immediately pulled back into Christmas memories of his childhood.

QUESTION: What Christmas music or movie or TV show pulls you back to your childhood?

I have a PDF copy of CHRISTMAS MEMORIES up for grabs! Open internationally

And Happy Holidays~

Here's how to enter:

*Comment with an answer to Karyn's Question as well as a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL**

***Contest Closes Monday, January 2nd at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Tuesday, January 3rd***

*Guest Review* ALL YOU DESIRE by Kirsten Miller

Review: ALL YOU DESIRE by Kirsten Miller

It’s been over a year since Haven Moore fled to Rome, leaving behind the Ouroboros Society and its diabolical leader, Adam Rosier. But as Haven knows all too well, her past has a habit of repeating itself. When her best friend, Beau Decker, disappears, Haven and her beloved Iain secretly return to New York City. Beau’s life rests in Haven’s hands—but so does Iain’s. If Adam discovers that Iain is still alive, he’ll use his power to ruin the two people Haven loves most.

The Horae, a group of beautiful, mystical sisters, hold the key to Beau’s fate. They want to destroy Adam, and only Haven can expose his vulnerabilities. But giving the Horae what they want could mean handing over her soul.

In order to save Beau, Haven must seduce Adam. And the more she manipulates Adam, the more she realizes that love has always had a funny way of manipulating her…because Adam has never seemed so beguiling.

Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Genre: Young Adult
432 Pages

Single Title/Series: ALL YOU DESIRE is book two in the Eternal Ones series.

Cover Thoughts: Although this cover is very pretty, it embodies the same lack of depth as the main character. Perhaps that was intentional? If so, well done on tying the image together with the substance of the book. This cover does nothing but conflict with the internal image of Haven I developed reading Book #1, and it makes me wonder why a teenager who works with her hands has perfect nails. Never mind that the title is only weakly tied to the plot, reflecting an element of character development that seems completely forced and artificial.

Origin: VampFanGirl received a published release copy of ALL YOU DESIRE from the publisher.

Guest Review by Jennifer Donohue:

The Plot:

**SPOILER ALERT!! ALL YOU DESIRE is book TWO in the Eternal Ones Series and it would be impossible to review this novel without spoiling its predecessor, The Eternal Ones. If you haven’t read the first book yet and you’re planning to, DO NOT read any further!**

Haven Moore and her lover, Iain, spent the last year hiding out in Rome after the rest of the world believed Iain died in a fire. They were even free of Adam Rosier, the leader of the corrupt Ouroboros Society, who has stalked Haven across centuries, imprisoning her in a number of past lives when she wouldn’t willingly stay with him on her own.

When Haven’s best friend goes missing, she and Iain return to New York to find Beau, and are quickly wrapped up in the mystery of the Horae—a small group of women determined to imprison Adam for the rest of eternity. The Horae agree to help Haven find Beau in exchange for her help with Adam. Haven carefully pushes herself into Adam’s arms to win his trust and take advantage of his obsession with her, but as she spends more time with her ancient enemy, she begins to see changes he’s made in himself, and in the Ouroboros Society. Are the changes a reflection of the new and improved Adam? Or has he merely shifted the focus of his evil to the children of the Ouroboros and the school built to train them as tomorrow’s world leaders?

Haven must discover the secrets behind Adam’s transformation, the Horae’s strange behavior, and the mysterious school if she wants to save Beau and prevent haunting visions of the future from becoming reality.

The Heroine:

Haven is amazing at designing and sewing dresses. Beyond that, she isn’t particularly intelligent or likeable. She’s fickle to such a degree that it can’t be written off to teenage angst. Her constant flipping back and forth between Iain and Adam makes her seem weak of character and disloyal. The evolution of her relationship with Adam I can buy, because it’s actually done quite well. What I can’t understand is her often sudden anger and frustration at Iain. Haven doesn’t appear to truly love Iain, and even while they’re still in Europe she seems more interested in everything but her supposed soulmate.

The Heroes:

We’re told that Iain and Haven have this incredibly deep, passionate connection, but at no point in this book do I actually see the connection. Sure, they seem like a couple of teenagers who are into each other, and at times they act like they’ll die without the other, but how is that different from any other teen romance? I know I fell desperately in love at least three times in high school. Teenagers are hormonal, it happens. What I’m not seeing between Iain and Haven is a love that has survived centuries as they lose and find each other again in each incarnation.

Beyond their lackluster connection, Iain isn’t all that interesting on his own. I honestly found myself rooting for Adam who I felt really showed some growth in this book. Can’t say too much about Adam without spoiling the story, but I’ll say that even though we’re supposed to believe he’s evil incarnate, I actually sympathize with him much more than Iain.

Jennifer's Final Thoughts:

The beginning of this novel is just flat out challenging to read. I didn’t care about the characters in this book until around page 100, and I wasn’t interested in the plot until well after page 200. The pace is a lumbering gait that limps through page after page as you hope and pray for the author to introduce even a tiny bit of tension to make it worth reading. Fortunately, somewhere past page 200 there’s finally some action and the story takes off.

What’s so incredibly disappointing about this book is that there is a great story in here and I imagine very few readers will hang in there long enough to enjoy it. The underlying plot is interesting and contains creative elements that are unique and fun. The villain is creepy and mysterious, providing a great source of intrigue, and the dynamic between the characters supplies a lot to work with. Unfortunately, the author doesn’t capitalize on any of this potential and leaves all of these great aspects to linger in the land of unfulfilled promise.

This story shouldn’t have been turned into a series. Book #1 was great and should have been left alone. I suspect someone other than the author decided the story should continue, and the author was left scrambling to continue a story that was expertly concluded in the first book. If you’re looking for something good to read, go read The Eternal Ones and forget there’s a sequel.

2 Stars

The Series:

THE ETERNAL ONES
ALL YOU DESIRE

About Jennifer Donohue: Traversing Corporate America by day, I write young adult paranormal novels by night. What better way to escape than by slipping into an alternate world and playing there for a while? Although for me it’s not just escape--the paranormal is my normal. Whether it’s falling into a ghost hunting group or finding myself living in a haunted house (thankfully past, not present), somehow the mystical world always finds me and lures me back into the fold. I live the paranormal, why not write there? You can friend Jennifer Donohue at Facebook.

Amanda Bonilla's SHAEDES OF GRAY Winner!

And the winner is...

Barbara E.

Congratulations!

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SHAEDES IF GRAY by Amanda Bonilla

Publisher: Signet
Release Date: December 6th
Genre: Paranormal
336 Pages

In the shadows of the night, Darian has lived alone for almost a century. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind-an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.

When Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she's taken on more than her conscience will allow. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished...

*Guest Post & Giveaway* with Amanda Bonilla

SHAEDES IF GRAY by Amanda Bonilla

Publisher: Signet
Release Date: December 6th
Genre: Paranormal
336 Pages

In the shadows of the night, Darian has lived alone for almost a century. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind-an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.

When Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she's taken on more than her conscience will allow. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished...

************************************************************

About the Author: (from Amazon) Amanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her husband and two kids. She's a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. When she's not writing she's either reading or talking about her favorite books.

Guest Post:

Three’s Company, or Three’s a Crowd?

First of all, I’d like to thank VampFanGirl and Lovin’ Me Some Romance for hosting me today!

I’ve noticed that when it comes to love triangles, readers are very opinionated. They either love them or hate them. Period. There doesn’t seem to be much leeway, not a luke-warm feeling anywhere. I suppose that to those who despise the love triangle, they only see a spoiled, inconstant character who gets off on stringing her love interests along, making them pine after her in agony until she decides she’s finally ready to make a decision. For the lovers, well, they’re drawn to the fantasy of being a woman with multiple suitors. It can be exciting to feel pursued, and the excitement levels only rise when multiple men throw their hats into the ring.

I happen to be on the side of the lovers. That’s not to say that I want to see a love triangle where someone is inevitably hurt, or see characters needlessly strung along. But when a love triangle lends to the character arc, count me in!

What is a love triangle, anyway? Does the heroine have to be involved with both love interests at the same time? Or can a love triangle occur when the heroine has separate relationships with two different men over the course of a few books. Let’s start by breaking it down by the different types of love triangles out there:

The “But I Love You BOTH” Syndrome:

This is the one that I think bothers most readers. Done wrong, the heroine comes across as heartless. There’s some level of relationship, be it physical or emotional or both with the two love interests simultaneously. One of the main plot lines of the book usually centers around the heroine deciding between the two guys. Both love interests are generally good guys, and by choosing, the heroine almost always leaves one of the guys broken hearted.

The “Complication”:

I owe this one to my sister. She pointed out that a love triangle doesn’t always have to involve a romantic entanglement between three characters, but rather, can involve a third wheel who inadvertently thwarts the coming together of the heroine and her love interest. A good example of the third wheel is Garrett in the Charley Davidson series. He hasn’t exactly put the moves on Charley, but there’s tension there. He seems to show up just at just the right moment and Reyes isn’t exactly a card carrying member of the Garrett Swopes fan club. My brilliant sister also pointed out that a character doesn’t necessarily have to be alive to fit into this category. Take Welsie in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Tohr’s memory of his late wife will more than likely throw a monkey wrench or two in his future romantic entanglements.

The Shoulder to Lean On:

This triangle could also be considered a sub-category of the “Complication”. The third wheel in this triangle is usually a close friend, or potential romantic interest, and though there is no romantic entanglement between the MC and her friend, it adds another dimension to the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine, making it difficult for them to truly be happy. A good example of the shoulder to lean on would be the Annika, Devlin, Creed relationship from the Syndey Croft ACRO series. Even though Annika and Devlin aren’t involved romantically, Devlin takes care of Annika’s emotional needs, while Creek takes care of her physical needs. This is a plot point that causes friction in Annika and Creed’s relationship, as he wants to be that emotional outlet for her as well. Another example of this triangle is Rhevenge from J.R. Wards BDB series. Though he’s not necessarily in love with Marissa, their friendship causes tension in Marissa’s blossoming relationship with Butch.

The “This is My Life and I’m Going to Live It”:

Okay, this one is my favorite and in my opinion is more realistic than the “I love you both syndrome”. Over the course of a series, the MC is going through one big character arc. She’s changing, learning, growing as a person, just like people do in real life. And just like in real life, relationships suffer ups and downs. People break up and get back together. And in the course of that character arc, the heroine might form a relationship with a second love interest. The relationships don’t happen simultaneously, the heroine usually becomes romantically entangled with guy #2 after a breakup or separation from guy #1. Like the, “I love you both syndrome,” the heroine must ultimately decide between the two guys, but it happens after growth and reflection, with the heroine coming to the conclusion that one of these guys is the best match for the person she has become.

If it’s written the right way, a love triangle can be more about the heroine growing into who she is rather than being about “choosing a guy”. Romance is about so much more than who’s got the tighter abs or who makes your stomach flip for whatever reason. I admit to being a little turned off when a heroine can’t identify why she’s falling for someone. That’s when a love triangle can become tiresome. It’s possible to have chemistry with more than one person. But readers can get a bit frustrated when the heroine can’t seem to make up her mind.

Whether you love them or hate them, love triangles can add another layer to the storyline. A sometimes steamy sub-plot to entice readers or cause them to add the book to their DNF pile. How do you feel about love triangles? Are you a lover or a hater? Do you have a favorite love triangle?

Thanks again to Lovin’ Me Some Romance for hosting me today!

Giveaway Details:

Amanda Bonilla is giving one copy of SHAEDES OF GRAY to one lucky winner. Here's how to enter:

*Comment with an answer to Amanda's Question: How do you feel about love triangles? Are you a lover or a hater? Do you have a favorite love triangle?*


**Comment a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)**

***Contest Open to US and Canada Only***

****Contest Closes Sunday, December 18th at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Monday, December 19th****