Book Review and Tour GIveaway: Hallowed Eve by Suza Kates

This is page turning romantic suspense perfect to read in October!

Hallowed Eve

by Suza Kates

• File Size: 1543 KB
• Print Length: 216 pages
• Publisher: Icasm Press (September 18, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0043M4RP0

Genre: Thriller, Romantic Suspense
My rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

Book Description
Publication Date: September 18, 2010
Something terrible happened in Pine Creek.

Eve Taylor must return home for her grandmother’s funeral but has every intention of making it a short visit. Too many memories live in the small town where she grew up, memories of a Halloween best forgotten.

Trey Rainwater has been waiting for Eve. He knows she’ll be staying for longer than she’d planned and has every intention of making sure she does. He has a promise to keep.

Eve and Trey find themselves thrown into a deadly combination of riddles, murder, and a love that won’t be denied. As the moon hovers in the October sky and Halloween grows closer, Eve must fight her own personal demons while learning to trust the man who protects her.

The past has come back to life, and a killer is stalking the small town of Pine Creek. He’s waiting for his Hallowed Eve.

Review:
Eve had a traumatic experience as a child that has left her frightened of basements and reluctant to join in Halloween events. Because of the terrible association she has stayed away from her childhood home for years. She has returned to town for a short visit upon the death of her grandmother only to learn that to inherit her grandmother’s home she must live there for a year. She realizes that she cannot let the property pass from her family so she determines to stay and begin a catering business from the house.

Eve is surprised and pleased to meet her new neighbor, a very handsome and fit young man, Trey. He quickly becomes a friend she can rely on as he commits to keeping her safe. But Eve doesn’t know that Trey has made a promise to watch over her.

As soon as Eve begins to settle in she begins to get letters with cryptic poems and riddles. At first she hopes they are for someone else but soon she accepts that they are for her and to her dismay she and Trey realize that they are connected to murders that are taking place. But the killer is obsessed with the one who got away - Eve. Eve has to face her greatest nightmares while Trey tries to protect her from the stalking killer of her past and now present.

I was quickly absorbed by the clear, crisp writing and the mystery of the story. Although we know that Eve suffered a terrible trauma as a child, Ms. Kates pulls the reader along in the suspense as the full nature of the attack is not revealed until well into the book.  Trey is a wonderful hero and the attraction and growing relationship between them is very nicely handled - very sensual without being too graphic. There are  secrets, honesty and trust issues that create good conflict and tension along with the danger that stalks Eve. I really appreciated how Eve finally decided to claim her life by throwing her own Halloween party.

The cover looks spooky and although there is a horrible killer, this is not horror. The action and pacing are good. The characters are strong and likeable and the suspense carries through to the end. I highly recommend this to readers who like good romantic suspense and mystery thrillers.

I received this eBook from the author for an honest review and to participate in a blog tour promoting her upcoming release.

Suza Kates is the author of The Savannah Coven series. She currently has 6 books published in the series with Book 7, "Suffering of a Witch”, due to be released on October 20th.

You can check out my review of the 1st book in the series: Whisper of a Witch.

Learn more about Suza Kates and her books at these links.
Website

https://www.facebook.com/authorsuzakates

https://twitter.com/SuzaKates

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4094825.Suza_Kates

COMMENT TO BE ENTERED IN GIVEAWAY

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On each blog, one commenter will be chosen at random and will receive a prize package containing two signed books. One book will be from another romance author who signed at this year’s RWA conference and one from me. Each package will also contain some swag from various authors.

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• Giveaway Ends October 31, 2013.

Audible Book Review: Second Grave on the Left: Charley Davidson, Book 2 by Darynda Jones

This is another fun listen with more romantic conflict and paranormal danger.
Second Grave on the Left: Charley Davidson, Book 2
    UNABRIDGED
    by Darynda Jones
    Narrated by Lorelei King
        Series: Charley Davidson, Book 2
    LENGTH    9 hrs and 30 mins
    RELEASE DATE    08-16-11
    PUBLISHER    Macmillan Audio
Genre: Paranormal, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire, is back in this sexy, suspenseful novel of supernatural shenanigans.

When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously?
Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. Mimi’s husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven… well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

Here is your signpost for the most hilarious listen of the summer: Second Grave on the Left.
©2011 Darynda Jones (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Review:
Charley is once again addressing two mysteries in this second book.  One mystery involves the disappearance of one of Cookie’s good friends, Mimi. It appears that Mimi was acting strangely before disappearing and now the investigation reveals that many of her high school friends have recently died. Charley and Cookie are in a desperate race to find Mimi before she turns up dead too.

However, Charley is also caught up in trying to save her dream lover, Reyes, aka the Son of Satan. We learn much more about Reyes, his history and connections to Charley. All of her life Reyes has secretly been protecting her through an astral connection. But now he is in danger of leading demons to find Charley which would be a very bad thing, allowing them to use her as a portal to heaven. Charley found Reyes in prison, actually in a hospital in a coma, but now he has escaped and gone into hiding. Charley is intent on finding Reyes before he allows his corporeal body to die while he continues to hide from her in an effort to keep her safe.

The conflict between Charley and Reyes creates great tension. Also, Charley is learning that she has more powers than even she realizes and she is beginning to let her family in on some of her secrets with some heartbreaking and encouraging moments. If you enjoy sass, humor and romantic conflict I highly recommend this series.

Audio Notes: Again, Ms. King does a great job of narrating and making the characters come more alive than a print book might. This listen moved quickly and I am ready to purchase book three from Audible!

This download was from my Audible Library.

Audible Book Review: First Grave on The Right: Charley Davidson, Book 1 by Darynda Jones

This is sassy and full of action and sensual relationship. Great, fun listening!

First Grave on the Right: Charley Davidson, Book 1

    UNABRIDGED

    by Darynda Jones

    Narrated by Lorelei King

        Series: Charley Davidson, Book 1
    LENGTH    9 hrs and 4 mins
    RELEASE DATE    02-09-11
    PUBLISHER    Macmillan Audio
Genre: Paranormal, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light”. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice.
Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life... and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.
This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense. The audio includes a sneak peak of Second Grave on the Left.
Keep chilled: spend some more time with Charley Davidson.
©2010 Darynda Jones (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

Review:
Charley Davidson has known for a long time that she was different from most folks. As a child she didn’t understand but over the years she learned to hide her abilities -- she sees dead people. Not only does she see them but she apparently is THE Grim Reaper and she helps people pass through into "the light." Sometimes the dead want Charley to help them with unresolved issues before they will move along. That is how she became invovled in fighting the bad guys and solving murders.

Charley has worked as a Private Investigator helping the Albuquerque police, first her father, who has retired, and now Uncle Bob. No one, not even her family, really know the extent of her secrets. They just know that somehow she gets the right clues to solve the cases. Additionally, they have observed that, although sometimes clumsy, Charley always seems to manage to “dodge the bullet” so to speak. Actually, when she has been really in danger the bad guys seem to end up with very severe injuries, like broken spinal columns.

Charley struggles with being ‘a freak’ especially as she is scorned by her step mother and seems to have lost the friendship of her beautiful, talented sister. And of course having a normal dating life is pretty much out of the question. Lately though Charley has had a great night life- even if it is just in her dreams. She doesn’t know who her secret, sexy dream lover is, or quite ‘what’ he is and that begins to concern her when he starts appearing during her working hours too.

This first book of the series introduces Charley, her family, her work nemesis, Garrett, her assistant/best friend/neighbor, Cookie, and several other secondary characters. The reader also begins to experience Charley’s rather crazy world and life. It seems each of the books has Charley involved in helping a couple of cases. In this story she has arranged an escape for an abused wife and she is pulled in to help solve a killing of three local attorneys, who are conveniently providing her mixed messages.

There is great action, mystery, tension and humor in these stories! I love Charley’s sass and determination. Initially it isn’t clear if her dream lover, Reyes, is a good guy or not, but it is clear he has a protective streak and strong attraction for Charley. I also enjoyed Charley’s struggles as she slowly begins to reveal more of herself to her circle of family and friends. The plot is full and fast paced and I was eager to get and listen to the second book in the series.

Audio Notes: Lorelei King does a wonderful job carrying the craziness of Charley’s life and her somewhat vulnerable but irrepressible personality. Ms. King does a good job with the other characters and portraying the emotions as the story moves along. The narration definitely added to my enjoyment of this title.

I read this from my own Audible library.

Book Review and Giveaway: Sisterhood by Deleyna Marr

This is a unique and exciting read.
Sisterhood 
by Deleyna Marr

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Heart Ally Books (June 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983513392
• ISBN-13: 978-0983513391

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: June 30, 2012
A single gunshot shattered Dana's perfect life. Now she's starting over with a new life, new rules and an old flame to chase all her demons away. But Dana’s demons have other ideas. They want her—and her sisters—at any cost.

Fans of Dean Koontz will delight in Deleyna Marr’s first novel which takes the reader on an around the world adventure filled with industrial espionage, human trafficking and three very powerful sisters.

Marie works for SciTech, an international mega corporation that battles terrorists and industrial espionage. She loves the risk and adventure, the private jet, and the whirlwind her life has become. At least she did, until someone decides the world would be much better off without her.

Lara hides behind a smoke screen of witchcraft to disguise the strength of her enhanced psychic abilities. Working with the man who once tortured her to develop those abilities, she is developing the next generation of psionics, and keeping a close eye on her sisters.

Dana lives a seemingly quiet life, protected from outside stress, until an assassination attempt on Marie triggers her dormant psionic abilities. Now she'll have to escape her marriage and find her sisters in order to unravel the mystery of the corporation that claims to own them.

Kevin has finally escaped SciTech’s control and there is nothing that would make him return to that nightmare. Nothing except his love for the woman who was created to be his soul mate.

Review:
This story follows three young women who have extraordinary powers - not quite psychic but enhanced senses. They are known as psionics and knew each other in college where they were able to connect through telepathy. They also knew two young men, Leonard and Kevin, who seemed connected with similar, but not as powerful senses. In college Leonard tortured Lara trying to force the improvement of her sensory skills. Kevin stepped in to protect Lara, destroying Leonard’s senses and creating a bitter enemy. Kevin was growing close to Dana but those who secretly manipulated the girls wanted them separated.

Dana was wooed away by a man whom she believed “got” her and accepted her. It took years of betrayal, infidelity and mental abuse for her to realize that he was not the man she thought he was. Even then she didn’t realize the full extent of his manipulations until she broke free of the drug haze he kept her in and escaped to find her friend Marie.

Marie went to work for the company SciTech which uses her skills to help fight criminal activity. Recently Dana sensed that Marie was in danger so Dana escapes her home and flies to Paris to find Marie. Marie wants to convince Dana to come to work with her at SciTech, under the big boss, Thomas.

Dana is shocked to discover that Kevin is alive as she thought he had died. The more she learns of the manipulations that directed her live since college the more betrayal and anger she experiences. Dana and Marie face danger as someone seeks to kidnap them to experiment further with their powers. Although Kevin swore he would never work for SciTech again he is committed to protecting the girls. That includes trying to rescue Lara from her situation.

Marie, Dana and Kevin are sent on assignment to use their skills to locate pockets of humans held by a slave trafficking ring. The undercover efforts are almost discovered but they still help the authorities to save many lives and round up some of the criminal leaders.

Finally a confrontation brings all three women together as they learn more of their twisted past. As their powers increase they are exposed to a shadowy world of grigori, fallen angels, many of whom are demon-like creatures who relish pain and occasionally a few gentler ones who give comfort.

I really liked the psionic personalities and loved the protective nature of Kevin. It was good to watch Dana recover her strengths after being pushed down by her husband. I found the story premise interesting and enjoyed the action. I also liked the efforts against the sex trafficking which I find to be an important and timely subject. Unfortunately, the story had a little bit of a choppy, disfointed flow for me and I was left with a feeling that some facts were unclear. Still the overall effect was really engaging and I do recommend this to those who like romantic suspense with paranormal elements.

This is another book I received from Heart Ally Books at EPICon 2013 in March.

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Mailbox Monday September 30, 2013

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) but is now hosted at Mailbox Monday and through various blog hosts.
For SEPTEMBER: the Mailbox Monday Tour host is MIA so look for the links at Beauty in the Ruins.
[Starting September, Bob of Beauty in Ruins will be the new back-up host for Mailbox Monday.]

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received five titles this week.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received one eBook for review:
Received for blog tour review through BookBlast:

Just Ella

by Annette K. Larson

I received two more Audio books from Audiobook Jukebox for review:



Helper 12

• UNABRIDGED
• by Jack Blaine
• Narrated by Renee Chambliss

and

Audiobook (CDs)
The Time Fetch
by Amy Herrick; read by Luci Christian
Unabridged   7.75 hour(s)
Publication date: 08/27/2013
A Kids’ Indie Next List Pick!

Won

NONE

Purchased

I used the balance of my $5.00 credit at my Audible Subscription to purchase this Daily Deal special for $2.95. 

Brave New World

• UNABRIDGED
• by Aldous Huxley
• Narrated by Michael York

Free

A free book on my Audible Subscription:



We Like You So Much and Want to Know You Better

• UNABRIDGED
• by Dave Eggers
• Narrated by Dion Graham

I also downloaded a handful or two of free Kindle Titles linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.