Guest Post and Giveaway: Jasmine Haynes

Please join me in welcoming Jasmine Haynes to Debbie's Book Bag today. Jasmine is here to promote the final book in her DeKnight Trilogy, The Principal's Office. This is an erotic romance that will have your heart racing and your body on overdrive! The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Jasmine's book, see the giveaway details at the end of the post.

Thanks so much for having me!

For those of you who haven’t read my books, I write classy contemporary erotic romance as Jasmine Haynes. My latest trilogy for Berkley Heat begins with Past Midnight, continues with What Happens After Dark, and just released is the third book in the DeKnight Tales, The Principal’s Office. I’m also the author of the popular Max Starr paranormal mystery/romance series and as Jennifer Skully, I write laugh-out-loud romantic suspense, including Baby, I’ll Find You.

Since I’m doing a blog tour, I’m trying to give readers a little something different about The Principal’s Office with every blog. So let me tell you about my vacations! While vacations are supposed to be fun, I never waste them either. After a family reunion in Tahoe, I used the setting in my novella Kinky Neighbors. My Palm Springs trip was put to use in Mine Until Morning. Sedona showed up in Hers for the Evening. Revenge Sex and Submitting to the Boss, the first two books in my West Coast series, don’t feature any of my vacations! How can that be!? So I’m going to have to take a trip for the third book in the series, The Boss’s Daughter. Hmm, where should I go!? For The Principal’s Office, I went to Vegas with my mom and sister (a girls’ weekend!). We stayed at the Luxor, did the whole touristy thing, The Bellagio water show, the gondolas in Venice, the Eiffel Tower, watched a show—Menopause, and you really shouldn’t miss it if you’re there. But here’s what gave me an idea for The Principal’s Office: in the middle of the Luxor, they have a couple’s club called The Cathouse. Oh my God, I thought, this has to be perfect for my story! Upon closer inspection, though, the couple’s club was actually a sports bar with scantily clad waitress’s. A bit of a disappointment, but my imagination was sparked, and I created a couple’s club that was completely perfect. So you see, for a writer, nothing gets wasted, not even my vacations!

Here’s a little teaser for The Principal’s Office:

Single mother of two teenage boys, Rachel Delaney is happy with her life and her job, except for the lack of a strong male body to help her make it through the occasional lonely night, no strings attached. Enter Rand, a mysterious stranger, who’s absolutely perfect, until Rachel finds their lives intersect in the principal’s office.

I’d like to invite you to read the full book blurb and the excerpt on my website at http://bit.ly/An2gHh!

To learn more about my books, readers can visit my website, www.jasminehaynes.com and my blog, www.jasminehaynes.blogspot.com, where I offer free reads and excerpts. It’s been fun sharing with you!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Principal's Office by Jasmine Haynes.
 
~ You must be a GFC follower or E-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US and Canadian Addresses only!
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST March 8th.

1. Please leave a comment for Jasmine on THIS post.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Interview and Giveaway: Nancy Bilyeau

Please join me in welcoming Nancy Bilyeau to Debbie's Book Bag today. Nancy is here promoting her debut novel, The Crown, a book I am sure many of you will enjoy. The is also a giveaway for one copy of Nancy's book, see details at the end of the post.

DEB: Nancy, this is the first time you've been with us here at Debbie's Book Bag. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
NB: Hi, I'm a Midwesterner moved east. I live in New York City with my husband and two children. I worked in the magazine business for years--I was deputy editor of InStyle magazine when I sold this book. I've been in love with Tudor history since I was about 11 years old, and decided to write a thriller based in the 16th century.
 
DEB: Tell us about your latest release, The Crown. Is this a single title, a part of a series, etc.
NB: The Crown is my debut novel, the first one I've ever written. It's in the first person, from the point of view of a young Dominican novice named Sister Joanna Stafford. She leaves her priory without permission to stand by the side of her rebel cousin who is being executed at Smithfield. There Sister Joanna is arrested, imprisoned in the Tower of London, and forced into a conspiracy around finding an object of mystical importance. I've already written the second book in the series, The Chalice.
 
DEB: Has historical fiction always been a genre that interested you, or is it something more recent?
NB: Historical fiction is my first love: Norah Lofts, Jean Plaidy and Mary Stewart. Through the years I'd come back to it, from Mary Renault to A.S. Byatt. I also love thrillers, so I decided to write a historical thriller.
 
DEB: What kind of research did you do for this novel? Were there specific aspects of the book that you needed more information for?
NB: I started with my own library of more than 20 books about Tudor England, mostly biographies and studies of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the Pilgrimage of Grace. I then read more books and doctoral dissertations on live in late-medieval monasteries. I also corresponded with curators and researchers in England, specifically at Dartford Borough Museum, Malmesbury Abbey and the Tower of London.
 
DEB: Do you have to have specific things in place to write comfortably? A quiet house, a certain drink etc.
NB: I wish I had a quiet house! That would be fantastic. I usually get up very early and make Earl Gray tea. Music can help me get in the mood, like Beethoven or Thomas Tallis.
 
DEB: How did you feel when you got the word that your first book would be published? What was your reaction...
NB: I was ecstatic and could hardly believe it. I danced around my apartment.
 
DEB: Do you have advice for new writers?
NB: Join a workshop and have others read your work so you know you close you're coming to your goal in writing. You have to find out if it's clear and dramatic and affecting before you submit to an agent.
 
DEB: What are you working on right now? Or what are your plans for the future as far as writing goes?
NB: I have a third book in the series planned. I'm also interested in writing historical fiction in other periods--and other countries.
 
DEB: Do you have a favorite author or genre? What do you read when you have the opportunity?
NB: I love so many, many writers, but if pushed into a corner I'd have to say Daphne du Maurier. I read suspense fiction and biographies when I have the chance. Right now I am loving Robert K. Massie's "Catherine the Great."
 
DEB: Tell us one thing about you that readers may not know?
NB: I went through an intense horse phase at the same time I fell in love with Tudor England and taught myself to draw horses. I can still sketch a horse with skill, though nothing else. 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

~ You must be a GFC follower or an e-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only!
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST March 7th.


1. Please leave a comment for Nancy and tell us why you like historical fiction?
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: Buried in a Book

Buried in a Book (Novel Idea - Book 1 by Lucy Arlington 

  
Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 298pp
ISBN-13: 978-0425246191

ISBN: 0425246191

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Lucy Arlington on the WEB: website, facebook


Excerpt from Buried in a Book (Amazon Look Inside Feature)


Synopsis:


"My first day as an intern at the Novel Idea Literary Agency began with a caramel latte, a stack of five hundred query letters, and a dead man. I don't know which was worse: the queries or the corpse."


After receiving her first pink slip at the age of forty-five, former newspaper journalist Lila Wilkins is desperate for work, even if it means taking a pay cut. After combing through the classifieds, Lila accepts an internship at A Novel Idea, a thriving literary agency in the utopian town of Inspiration Valley, North Carolina.


Lila can't imagine anything better than being paid to read, but with a crew of quirky coworkers and a sky-high stack of query letters, she doesn't exactly have time to discover the next great bestseller - especially when a penniless aspiring author drops dead in the agency's waiting room.


No one else seems too concerned about the man's demise, but when Lila uncovers a series of threatening letters, she's determined to uncover who killed the man's dreams of literary stardom...


Thoughts:


Buried in a Book is the terrific debut cozy by Lucy Arlington. This is whodunit set against the backdrop of a picturesque North Carolina town, gives the reader a behind the scenes look at the first part of the publishing process. Queries and stories, and murders... oh my! Arlington shows a knack for character and relationship development in this novel and readers will see the potential for a fantastic new series in every word. 

There were so many things that I liked about this book. As a freelance journalist myself, I have sent a gazillion query letters in my time and I really felt for Lila, Arlington's protagonist in this one. On her first day of work at the literary agency she is completely covered up in query letters. I loved the background that Arlington gives on the publishing process and I am really looking forward to the many different directions she could take this aspect of the series in subsequent books. I see a great deal of potential in this whole idea.

The characters were shining stars in this whodunit. Lila is an amazing woman who's been a bit down on her luck. She loses a job she loves due to budget cuts and has to take what she can get in order to finance her son's education. But I don't think amateur sleuthing was part of the bargain. When a man ends up dead in the waiting and the police are less than cooperative, Lila takes it upon herself to see why someone would want a homeless writer dead. It's a great premise and Lucy is a perfect protagonist. 

The secondary characters are also well thought out and written. From Lila's fortune telling mother, Althea to her son Trey, Lila's family is a real trip. I also enjoyed the budding relationship between Lila and Officer Sean. I thought Arlington balanced Lila's sleuthing and her personal life, very well. She kept both aspects of the story lively and full of surprises. I found myself really intrigued by Lila's co-workers and especially by the town itself. Inspiration Valley isn't what you might expect.

The town almost takes on the persona of a character itself. Arlington describes it and it's townspeople with flair and fun. From the shop names to the cobblestones, this is town readers will want to visit again and again. I'm glad this is the first book in a new series, because I want to go back and I think readers will too. This is fantastic cozy debut and book buffs not only a good whodunit, but a great literary background. This one has oodles of potential.

Buried in a Book is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Buried in a Book by Lucy Arlington.


~ You must be a GFC follower or an e-mail subscriber to participate. 
~ US addresses only!
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST March 7th. 


1. Please leave a comment in appreciation of the author on THIS post.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: The Lord of Illusion

The Lord of Illusion (Elven Lords - Book 3) by Kathryne Kennedy


Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc.
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Pages: Paperback, 425pp
ISBN-13: 978-1402236549

ISBN: 1402236549

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Kathryne Kennedy on the WEB: website, blog, facebook, twitter


Books in the series: The Fire Lord's Lover (2010), The Lady of the Storm (2011), The Lord of Illusion (2012)


CoverArt: Click on the picture for a larger, clearer image of the books in this series.

Excerpt from The Lord of Illusion


Synopsis:


HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE HER...


Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from the palace of Lord Roden, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom...


FOR THE FATE OF HUMANKIND LIES WITH CAMILLE...


Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan, a man different from any she's ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the elven lords from the world forever...


Thoughts:


The final book in the Elven Lord's series, The Lord of Illusion is everything readers want in the conclusion of a series. Kathryne Kennedy ties up all the loose ends and brings every story thread together for a climatic battle that will free England form the tyranny of the Elven Lords. Kennedy's world-building is unparalleled in the fantasy genre and her plotting is amazing. This is a book any romantic fantasy fan would be thrilled to read. Don't miss it!


I have loved this series from the beginning. Kathryne Kennedy has taken England as we know it and turned it on it's ear. It's a world under the control of some very maniacal and somewhat terrifying Fey. I loved the fact that Kennedy plays on the legends of the Sidhe, but also puts her own spin on it to give readers a very unique and interesting world. The seven realms were the stuff of legends themselves. It takes a keen intellect and a unfettered imagination to come up with something like that and Kennedy proves she has both. 

The last book in the series, The Lord of Illusion is the culmination of everything the Rebellion has worked for. The overall story arc throughout the series has been the freedom of England from the Elven Lord's and Kennedy certainly doesn't disappoint. The action in this book alone is enough to make it worth the read, but the author adds so much more than just a final battle between good and evil. Though that is a great premise, the relationship between hero and heroine in The Lord of Illusion is just as powerful as the battles that take place. 


Drystan Hawkes is a very unexpected hero. He is bookish, an academic and tends to be the odd man out when it comes to friends and acquaintances. He just doesn't fit in. He gives off a quiet confidence, but he certainly isn't one most people would consider a hero. That's what makes Kennedy writing about him so amazing. She can turn even the most ordinary of people into something more and she does that masterfully in this book with both Drystan and Camille.

Camille is every bit the tortured heroine. She is wise beyond her years and shows a strength that is profound. She has had a life riddled with abuse in just about every form imaginable. She has learned that she can't trust anyone and she only has herself to rely on, but she survives and she continues to press on. Her resilience was amazing and I loved seeing her character develop. She is almost like a flower that slowly begins to bloom. Tentative and scared almost, but still willing to risk. Not only is she seeking freedom for herself, but she may well be the key to the freedom of England itself.

This was such an amazing book. I admit that the Fire Lord's Lover is still my favorite, but I think that's because it introduced me to this magical world. But The Lord of Illusion is absolutely amazing. It wraps up the series in a good fashion. It leaves readers on a hopeful note and proves that good can outwit and win against evil. In a word is was superb and if you love romantic fantasy, you can't afford to miss this book or this series!

The Lord of Illusion is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Kathryne Kennedy is an award-winning author acclaimed for her world building and known for blending genres to create groundbreaking stories. The Lord of Illusion is the third book in her magical new series, The Elven Lords, following The Fire Lord's Lover and The Lady of the Storm. She's lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the United States, and currently lives in Arizona with her wonderful family - which includes two very tiny Chihuahuas. She loves to hear from readers, and welcomes you to visit her website.

Interview and Giveaway: Kathryne Kennedy

Please join me in welcoming Kathryne Kennedy to Debbie's Book Bag today! Kathryne is here today to promote the release of her book, The Lord of Illusion. Many of you participated in the Elven Lord blog hop recently here on the blog and got a chance to win copies of all three books in the Elven Lord series, today two winners will get another chance to win a copy of the latest book in the series, see details at the end of the post.
 
DEB: Kathryne, it's been awhile since you've been with us here at Debbie's Book Bag, what have you been up to?
KK: I was finishing up the fourth book in my Relics of Merlin series, Everlasting Enchantment. In other words, I was having some magical fun. :}
 
DEB: Tell us a little bit about The Lord of Illusion and the Elven Lord's series.
KK: In The Elven Lords series, seven mad elven broke the barrier between worlds and conquered England, enslaving the people in their war games and playing chess on a bloody scale. They passed their beauty and magic down to their half-human children, and these half-breeds became the only hope of freeing England.

The Lord of Illusion is about a scholar, Drystan Hawkes, who has been searching for years to find the one woman who might hold the key to freeing England from its slavery to the elven lords. It’s about Camille Ashton, a girl enslaved in Dreamhame palace by the elven lord of glamour and illusion. It’s about healing hearts, and finding true love, and ultimately using that strength to conquer a great evil.
 
DEB: You obviously have a fantastic imagination, when did you start writing or dreaming about other worlds and fantasy type themes?
KK: I had my first story published in the school paper in second grade—I think it was about witches. I can remember telling my little sister stories at night before we fell asleep. The first book I remember reading was a book of fairy tales, so maybe that’s why my imagination always went in that direction.
 
DEB: Have you always been interested in elves? There are so many wonderful legends and stories about them, what was your inspiration for this story in particular?
KK: I fell in love with the concept of the Sidhe years ago. But when I saw Legolas in The Lord of the Rings movies, I knew I had to write my own world around these beautiful, captivating beings.
 
DEB: Do you have go-to fantasy writers that you like to read yourself or writers in general that inspire you?
KK: I have a long list of fantasy writers, as I’ve been devouring fantasy (or more broadly, speculative fiction) for a long time, before it became so generally popular. My husband introduced me to Michael Moorcock, and then I discovered Andre Norton, and Isaac Asimov. A few other authors off the top of my head are Robin Hobb, Dave Duncan, Sharon Shinn, Patricia McKillip, Robin McKinley, Patricia Briggs…so many great writers!
 
DEB: Will the series continue or is three books the limit with this one?
KK: As you could probably tell, I left it open. There are a few adventures (and love stories) with the theft of the scepters, and Malcolm’s story…and years later if that seal in the doorway doesn’t stay closed. :}
 
DEB: What are you working on right now or what's coming up you can tell us about?
KK: Sourcebooks is re-releasing the first three books in the Relics of Merlin series, and I just finished a brand new fourth book, Everlasting Enchantment. But I have this new world in my head taking shape, about four sisters cursed with fractured magic…I’ll have to see if my publisher likes it. 

DEB: Do you have any advice for new writers?
KK: I seem to have a new answer to that question every time I’m asked. So today it will be to focus on your unique voice and stories. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, don’t compare your journey to others. I have yet to meet any authors whose experiences are the same in their path to publication.
 
DEB: What about pet peeves with writing or the industry in general?
KK: I don’t really have any. This is a business, like any other. Maybe with more unknowns, I guess. Sometimes you just have to be able to think two ways, with the creative side of your brain when it comes to the writing, and the logical side of the brain when it comes to the publishing and marketing.
 
DEB: Tell us one thing the readers may not know about you?
KK: I love fuzzy slipper socks. And collecting fairies. And reality shows and anything in 3D.

Thank you so much for the interesting questions, Debbie, and for having me here today! I look forward to talking to your readers. I sure would like to ask readers what I may not know about them. Favorite foods, flowers, books, candy? All my favorite subjects. :} And good luck to everyone in the giveaway!

My Magical Best,
Kathryne

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for two copies of The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy.

~ You must be a GFC follower or E-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US and Canadian Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST March 6th. 

1. Kathryne wants to know some of your favorite things... foods, flowers, books, candy! Give her some answers in your comment.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Control Point

Control Point (Shadow Ops - Book 1) by Myke Cole


Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Military Fantasy
Pages: Paperback, 440pp
ISBN-13: 978-1937007249

ISBN: 1937007243

(Received for an honest review from Ace)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Myke Cole on the WEB: website, blog, facebook, twitter


Excerpt from Control Point


Synopsis: 


Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with magical talents. Untrained and panicked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set everything they touch ablaze.


Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. As a lieutenant attached to the military's Supernatural Operations Corps, his mission is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly manifests a rare and prohibited magical power and is transformed overnight from government agent to public enemy number one.


The SOC knows how to handle this kind of situation: hunt him down - and take him out. Driven into an underground shadow world, Britton is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he's ever known, and that his life isn't the only thing he's fighting for.


Thoughts:


Control Point is Myke Cole's debut novel and the first book in the Shadow Ops series. This book is a cross between military fantasy and urban fantasy. Cole uses a unique blend of world-building that straddles the line between the two sub-genres and will appeal to many types of readers. Cole uses his own experiences with the military to write a very taunt, gripping novel that is hard to put down and full of action.

I have to admit that this book was a little out of my comfort zone. I like romantic suspense. I like paranormal and fantasy writing in just about every aspect but military fantasy is not normally my thing. However, this book really appealed to me for some reason and after reading it, I'm glad I decided to give it a try. Myke Cole is an excellent writer with a very matter of fact kind of style. He doesn't sugar coat and he lays it on the line, exactly what I expected from a writer who who has served in Iraq. Cole uses his experiences to bring the hero Oscar Britton to life.

Oscar is a hard-nosed military man. But he is being asked to do something that goes against his grain. When normal everyday people start coming down with magical abilities, the government gets scared and starts taking them out. But Oscar isn't too fond of the idea. I liked the fact that he was a somewhat flawed hero. He did some things he wasn't proud of even before he started manifesting abilities of his own. This book is all about choices and those decisions that not always black and white. It was very interesting.

The world building alone in this book was incredible and Myke Cole does an excellent job of putting the reader right in the middle of the action. His descriptions are vivid and full of emotion. The fight scenes are detailed and certainly get the blood pumping. Oscar is a kick-ass hero and he knows how to throw down. I enjoyed his attitude and thought Cole did a a great job of getting his point across.

The whole paranormal aspect of the book, with the magical abilities, was a really interesting premise and made for an interesting book. There were a lot of things I liked about this book and not very much that I didn't. So, that was a big plus. I will definitely read more from this author and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I am really glad I broadened my horizons a bit and tried this kind of book and I think you will too!

Control Point is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

As a security contractor, government civilian and military officer, Myke Cole's career has run the gamut from Counterterrorism to Cyber Warfare to Federal Law Enforcement. He's done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. All that conflict can wear a guy out. Thank goodness for fantasy novels, comic books, late night games of Dungeons and Dragons and lots of angst fueled writing.

Review: Inked Magic

Inked Magic by Jory Strong

Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Pages: Paperback, 373pp
ISBN-13: 978-0425245378

ISBN: 0425245373

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Heat)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Jory Strong on the WEB: website, twitter

Excerpt from Inked Magic

Synopsis:


Skin didn't lie to her. It was her gift, sometimes her curse. To feel what others felt. To see the things held in their memories...

With the touch of her palms to the skin of a crime victim, San Francisco tattoo artist Etain can see the faces of the guilty and draw them. She's a changeling elf but unaware of it, at odds with her police captain father and FBI agent brother. Magic and her gift have put her in the path of two compelling men.

Cathal Dunne, the son of an Irish mob boss, needs Etain's help finding the rapists who left his cousin for dead. Eamon, a powerful Elven lord, is determined to make her his consort - wife.

Her gift once made permanence impossible when it came to having a lover. Now, as Etain approaches the transition to fully Elven, her survival depends on keeping two. One of the men is willing to her her. The other isn't - until the search for a sexual predator turns deadly, and only by paying magic's price will there be any future at all.

Thoughts:


Jory Strong's latest novel, Inked Magic is an erotic pleaser. Inked Magic is a cross between an erotic romance and a police procedural. The blend works well for Strong and shows off her character development skills and her smooth style. The menage storyline isn't a new one, but Strong puts her own spin on it by making her two alpha males a mobster's son and an Elven lord and her heroine an tattoo artist with a very special gift.

This was my first foray into Jory Strong's writing and I was excited to see how her style fit with what appeals to me as far as erotica goes. It appears that we are one the same wave-length. Menage stories are among my favorites when it comes to fantasies and I thought Strong did an exceptional job of showing the pro's and con's of this sort of relationship and sheer amount of hard work it takes to make it work. It's a very erotic idea to have two men vying for your affections, but the day to day workings aren't easy.

I loved Etain, she was a wonderful character. Strong gives readers a heroine that is independent, driven and not afraid to take what she wants. Etain has no idea that her "gift" is a part of her Elven heritage. She lives among humans and tries to fit in, but every time she touches someone, she can see their memories. A blessing or a curse? I liked the fact that Etain realizes that she needs both Cathal and Eamon. She is strong, but in being strong she see's her faults, her desires, and her needs clearly. A really strong woman knows what she needs and how to get it. 

Both of the men in Etain's life are very much alpha male. They have their own strengths and their own faults. Cathal is a mobster's son and he needs Etain's help to find a rapist who nearly destroyed his family. Eamon, an Elven lord knows exactly what he wants... Etain, but he's willing to share if need be. Both men are handsome, sexy and very sexually dominant. I loved the fact that Etain could handle herself well with these two. She held her own and even took a bit of control. A very sexy situation to be sure. 

Given that this book is an erotic romance, there is a lot of it here. For some that might be a good thing, for others it might be a bit much. Personally, I thought it was just the right balance between sex and story. The language is very frank and the sexual situations are described in graphic detail. Both of which, I tend to enjoy, but you should use a little caution if you don't. I recommend this book to erotic romance and paranormal readers. It will probably hit the spot for both types of readers. 

The ending was a bit of a surprise. One could call it a cliffhanger or it could be the build up to a second book. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but I hope we get to explore Jory Strong's new world further. It was interesting and full of potential as a series starter. One can hope!

Inked Magic is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Jory Strong has been writing since childhood and has never outgrown being a daydreamer. When she's not hunched over her computer, lost in the muse and conjuring up new heroes and heroines, she can usually be found reading, riding horses, or walking dogs.

She has won numerous awards for her writing. She lives in California with her husband and a menagerie of pets.