The Keepers: Ethan – Romance, Witches And Action – A Powerful Fantasy Novel With Heart

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Title: The Keepers: Ethan (The Keepers #3)

Author: Rae Rivers

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: April 7th, 2016

Rating: 5/5 Stars

It is no secret that I am a Rae River’s fan. And her latest novel of the Keeper’s series: Ethan, only cemented that fact even further. Filled with action, romance, and emotional turmoil, this well-crafted novel grabbed me from the first page and never let me go. Check out the following blurb, courtesy of Amazon:

“Going to Ameera to find Hazel. Stealing the spell … You think you can pull it off?” he asked.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
Just as she thought he’d kiss her, he reached for her jacket and said, “Then let’s go.”

A portal to another world has opened, unleashing dangerous creatures on earth. A dark witch is out for revenge. The stakes are high, a war inevitable.

One person can stop the madness. Jenna. She’s a Keeper to a powerful hybrid witch but she harbors a secret and if Jenna steps through the portal – seduced by the whispers of her hidden past – she may never return.

Fortunately, she has company… infamous Bennett brother and fiercely protective Keeper, Ethan. Their whip-cracking banter makes them perfect sparring partners in training, but how will they manage when their lives and everything they were born to defend are on the line?

When the battle lines are drawn, will Jenna and Ethan stand side by side – as friends, protectors, lovers … or as traitors?”

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Not being a fan of the whole vampire story obsession of the last few years, but longing for a good paranormal story, this book (just like every novel in this great series), satisfied my hunger for this genre. Yes, it has plenty of romance, but also plenty of action, with the main female character, Jenna, being as fierce as any Warrior out there. It is an emotional story, that had me all shook up at more than one point, only to be left breathless and with a great sense of relief at the end, for which I am very grateful for to Rae ( you will know what I mean, once you read the book – no spoilers here!) . I just wish the story did not have to  end  because I did not want to leave this world, these characters just yet.

If you love paranormal fiction and romance, with plenty of action that does not just happen in the bedroom, this book, actually this entire series is for you.Thanks to this series, Rae Rivers has become one of my absolute favorite Authors. The Keepers: Ethan is available on Amazon right now.

The Keepers: Ethan is available on Amazon right now.

 

Disclaimer: I was given this book for free via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Billionaire’s Touch by J.S. Scott – A Book Review

Book Title: The Billionaire’s Touch (The Sinclairs Book 3)
Author: J.S. Scott
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22nd, 2016
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Premise: 

After a troubling childhood, wealthy Evan Sinclair likes his life orderly and controlled. He rarely gives in to spontaneous urges—until he begins a chance correspondence with a mystery woman who sounds like his complete opposite. She intrigues and amuses him, and the interest seems mutual…which is more than he can say for his current obsession, Miranda Tyler, the tough-as-nails, sexy schoolteacher who’s made it clear she’s not impressed—or interested.

Miranda finally has it all: a good job, friends, and the security of living in the quaint coastal town of Amesport, Maine. She even has an anonymous pen pal—a man she’s never met yet has bonded with almost effortlessly. The only thing unsettling her life is Evan Sinclair. The handsome billionaire is arrogant, pompous, and far too used to getting his way. Miranda tries her best to avoid him, until Evan’s steamy kiss turns her world upside down.

Soon their red-hot desire is scorching the sheets and has them both spinning out of control. But when secrets are revealed, will their insatiable attraction keep them together or force them apart? In J.S. Scott’s The Billionaire’s Touch, the eldest Sinclair just might have met his match.

 

My Thoughts:

 

After having read a few books which included billionaires in their plot, I thought way too many Authors trying to copy the success of 50 Shades Of Grey, by copying the style – which is not a good idea, because, in my humble opinion, the book was one of the worst once I have ever read, and I have read a lot of romance novels over the years. This book, on the other hand, was refreshingly not trying to be what should not have been, even though it had plenty of sex scenes hidden within. Nothing wrong with lovemaking and even though, I thought they could have used a few less scenes of the horizontal kind in this book, I was still smitten with the well-developed character and interesting, warm, and sometimes truly charming plot. I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed

I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed toward the last third of the book. J.S. Scott managed to make her male lead noble, without being unbelievable, his self-sacrifice a reason for his personality, and his  need for control, which gave him depth, likeability, and make for an interesting, emotional read.  Like I said earlier, the only thing that could have done better was the fact that there were almost too much sex too soon. Yet, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the overall story. Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

 

 

The Billionaire’s Touch is available on Amazon now.

The above post contains affiliate links. I have received this book free via Kindle Unlimited, an Amazon service.

 

 

Book Review: Girl Gone London – An American Girl’s Guide To Studying Abroad In London

(Disclaimer: A copy of this book was given to me by the Author free of charge, in return for an honest review. Opinions and experiences are completely my own)

Title: Girl Gone London – An American Girl’s Guide To Studying Abroad In London

Author: Girl Gone London

Publishing Date: available now

Available at: PayHip.com to download

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

The reason I was interested in a book about studying abroad is because of my daughter. As a young person who is about to go to College, and with a European Mother ( I was born in Germany), she is very aware of the possibilities and opportunities of studying abroad.

Still, I was not informed enough about the details to help her make a well-researched decision if  she would decide to study out of the country, and help her to decide where that would be.

This guide is a great place to start getting the information needed to make these decisions.

Very well written, in a light conversational and entertaining tone, Girl Gone London’s book  is a quick and comfortable read filled with plenty of detailed information. For example, I did not know that it was difficult for a student from the US to open a bank account in the UK, a very important point that needs to be kept in mind when you are planning on staying for more than 6 months in the UK.

I am glad that I was given a copy of this book to review, and I handed it as soon as I was done reading it, to my daughter, convinced that she will be able to make a more informed decision about what her educational future will look like, and what possibilities​ she has from here on out.

I thank the Author for giving me this peace of mind.

 

Blessings

Claudia

5 Things I Am Grateful For Right Now – A Celebrate The Small Things Blog Post

Simple Beauty – Fall Leaf Small Square Tile

available on Zazzle

After missing a week of posting a “Celebrate The Small Things Post”, I am glad to be back participating in the wonderful blog hop, hosted by Lexa Cain. I hope you will join us, which you can, by simply following this link.

What am I grateful for this week?

1. I just found out that they are making a second installment of  the movie John Wick. Surprisingly the first movie was pretty good, and my son really enjoyed it as well, especially considering that the main character makes an appearance in on of his video games. And if you like action movies, you can not go wrong with a Keanu Reeves movie.And I do like action movies.
2. It is only a few more days until my favorite Author – Kay Hooper releases her new book “Fear The Dark. It is a part of her series around a special FBI unit, who’s members have special paranormal skills. If you like suspense and the paranormal I highly recommend her books (not her romance novels though).
3. It is supposed to get cooler soon – yay! It had been 10 degrees above normal in the already too hot Las Vegas, so I am looking forward to days in the 80’s rather than the 100’s. Until then, I am staying indoors – well mostly.
4. The cute little noises my dog is making in her sleep right now. She is dreaming and as usual, she  dream-barks. Sounds more like a little puppy, than a full grown dog, which makes it even cuter.
5. I have been working on my Fall collection of designs on Zazzle and they are turning out to be actually pretty cute! I love Fall colors, and I think I managed to capture some of that beauty. I am proud of those designs.

Now it is your turn – join our blog hop and tell us what you are grateful for. And do not forget to visit all of the other beautiful peeps who are participating in this group of Gratitude!

Blessings!

Claudia

Quick, Fun And Entertaining – “His Stubborn Lover” by Leslie North

Title: His Stubborn Lover

Author: Leslie North

Publisher: CreateSpace

Publication Date: Sept. 24, 2015

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Rating: 4/5 Stars

A very quick, fun read, that could have been turned into a little longer novel, but it was perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon (while I was waiting for my computer to be fixed). The characters – Brock and Keira are charming, and their connection steamy. I would not recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something rated PG 13, but if you don’t mind the physical, is cute.

I am surprised to have not found this to be a Harlequin book, considering that it fits perfectly into what that publisher offers, so if you read their books, you will like this one.
I am planning on reading the next installment of what is promising an action filled, quick entertaining read.

The only downfall of this book was that the title does not fit it very well. It makes it sound a lot cheaper and less thought-through than it actually is.  I almost did not read it,  because of that,  but like I stated above, I was unable to work and needed something to read, so I gave this book a shot and was glad I did.

 

P.S. This book was provided to me free via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.

Want to be a book reviewer? Need a website? Go to SiteRubix right now for two free websites! What are you waiting for? 

Warmth – A Haiku

your touch warms the soul
my heart sings in your presence
every day a gift

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

I recently wrote about the Royal Holiday collection, a set of four romance novels from publisher Tule Publishing, but not about the last three books of the series. A sense of warmth is the overall emotion one should take from this series, books that feature strong women, and caring men. If you are looking to lose yourself in short romance novels, you should read the entire series, they are really worth it.

The titles in the series are:
The Cinderella Princess (Royal Holiday Book 1)

Her Secret Prince (Royal Holiday Book 2)

His Defiant Princess (Royal Holiday Book 3)

His Forbidden Princess (Royal Holiday Book 4)

A must have series for the fan of contemporary romance

Book Review: Coffee Gives Me Superpowers

Title: Coffee Gives Me Superpowers: An Illustrated Book about the Most Awesome Beverage on Earth

Author: Ryoko Iwata
Publisher: Andrew McMeel Publishing
Genre: Non-fiction
Release Date: April 7th, 2015
Rating: 5/5 Stars

I am a coffee addict, so it is not a surprise that I could not resist a book with the title “Coffee Gives Me Superpowers”. A caffeine fueled book, laced with info-graphics and drawings by The Oatmeal, this book is a must have conversation piece for anyone who enjoys coffee! Containing a mixture of interesting information and fun facts from around the world, as well as humorous insights in the stranger side of loving coffee – what has an elephant to do with coffee? – I can hardly wait to hand a copy of it to friends and family. This is not just a dry trivia book about one of the worlds favorite beverages, it is a fun little treasure. Perfect hostess gift!

(Disclaimer: This book was given to me for free from the publisher via NetGalley, in return for an honest review)

 

Nettle – An A to Z Challenge Post

N is for Nettle:

This herb is a powerhouse both culinary as well as medicinal, that is often overlooked by the general public. Nettles, or stinging nettles should be pre-cooked, unless you use them as a tea, and be handled with gloves at all times. The younger the leaves, the more tender the result, which will be similar to that of spinach.

Matches well with: cheese, cream, tomatoes, eggs and onions

Healing Properties: In Germany, this herb is valued highly for its healing powers, sold there as an herbal drug to aid in the relief of rheumatoid arthritis. Its power lies also in relieving symptoms of allergies, without all of the side effects that standard medication brings with it. External uses include skin problems, gout, neuralgia, and hair problems. I drink this tea personally to prevent symptoms of my chronic anemia.

Magical properties: strengthens willpower. If sprinkled around the home, it wards off negativity.

If you enjoyed this post on Nettle, why not check out my book

“Mixing Spices: A Flavorful Guide to Creating Awesome Herb and Spice Mixes”

on Amazon Kindle today! 

Dill – An A To Z Challenge Blog Post

D is for Dill

Very popular in Mediterranean and European cuisine, magnifies the flavor intensity of vegetables and chicken, also used in sauces. Dill pickles are, of course, one of the first things, many will  think of when hearing dill, but the herb is actually a much more versatile than that. Do not use in too large quantities, as it has a rather intense flavor and will overpower any other herb or spice you add to your dish.

Matches well with: Fish, cucumbers, yogurt and dairy in general.

Healing properties: can reduce headaches, and aids in the production of breast milk, calms irritability

Magical Properties: money (seeds), protection and luck. Also used in love charms.

Here is a little video on how to make a dill dip for vegetables

If you enjoy my little insights into the world of Herb and Spices, why not check out my book “Mixing Spices: A Flavorful Guide To Creating Awesome Herb and Spice Mixes” now available on Amazon Kindle!

Bay Leaf – An A to Z Challenge Blog Post

B – Bay Leaf

There are two different types of bay leaves, the more narrow-leaved California, and the broader, more oval shaped Turkish version of the plant, the latter being the stronger one in flavor.

Matches well with: beans, lentils tomatoes, soups, risotto and shellfish

Healing properties: Infusions of this herb  can soothe the stomach, relieve flatulence as well as colic pain.

Magical uses: used  to enhance psychic ability, often added to a dream pillow. Also used in exorcism and for banishing, as well as for getting people out of your life, that you need to let go off.

Happy Release Day Everyone! 

Today, “Mixing Spices – A Flavorful Guide to Creating Awesome Herb and Spice Mixes” is available on Amazon Kindle for only 2.99 US$

>>>>>> Check it out here! <<<<<<