Sneaky Peek! An Outlaw in Wonderland by Lori Austin

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Title: An Outlaw in Wonderland (Once Upon a Time in the West, book 2)
Author: Lori Austin
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Signet (June 4, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0451239525

As a SUPERFAN of Lori Austin (Handeland), it is both an honor and a privilege to present you with the cover and synopsis for the second installment in the Once Upon a Time in the West series. Book one, Beauty and the Bounty Hunter, was an awesome read. It is also a 2013 RITA Historical Romance Finalist!  So, if you haven't read it, you can check out my review for it -----> Beauty and the Bounty Hunter Review. And, here's the promised sneaky peek of the next installment. This series is a great read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.



Synopsis:

In a time of war, love has its own rewards…
Saving soldiers’ lives at the Confederate army hospital Chimborazo, Annabeth Phelan is no ordinary Southern belle. She’s never known work more exhausting or rewarding. And she’s never known a man like Dr. Ethan Walsh, with his disarming gray eyes and peculiar ways. But now the Confederacy is charging her with another service: find the Union spy at Chimborazo.

Ethan’s one passion is saving lives, and if he can do that by helping to end the war, he will—even if it means spying for the North. He’s gotten used to fooling Confederates, but he can’t bear lying to Annabeth. And together, they are about to discover a new passion—one that could even transcend the chaos of war.
And as always.....

Happy reading!

 

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Book review - Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin

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Title: Beauty and the Bounty Hunter
Author: Lori Austin
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-23827-6
Available: October 2, 2012

(Received paperback edition from author)

Synopsis:

Cathleen Chase is no killer - but as Cat O'Banyon, she is a ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man. Catching one lowlife after another, she continues her search for the only man she really cares to locate. The one whose voice she will never forget: the man who murdered her husband. She'll stop at nothing to find him.

Con artist Alexi Romanov taught Cat every trick she knows. He is a master of deceit, disguise, and desire. He's difficult to trust and even  more difficult to resist, but he has news she can't ignore: The man she's after has placed a bounty on her head. To get him before he gets her, she'll have to team up with Alexi again...and just like before, the two of them together are nothing but trouble.


My Review:

As a longtime fan of Lori Austin (Handeland), I must say I was very excited to get in on her new series Once Upon a Time in the West from the beginning. I've all but devoured every title in the Nightcreature Series and couldn't wait to get my claws into this one.

Boy, was I ever so surprised. I love westerns. Whether they're movies or books, doesn't matter to me, it's the air of rustic wilderness that draws me and this title was rustically wild! I loved Cat from the beginning and soon my affection for Alexi followed. How can a woman not fall for a sexy rogue cowboy? And with the bounty-hunting element thrown in? It was a book from Heaven above for me.

I love the way Lori has of telling a story within a story. It never ceases to amaze me. As the story progressed and Alexi finally come clean about his past, he became more than just a main character, he became real in every sense of the word. And that's when you know you've gotten your hands on an awesome read and talented author.

Lori does her job well in gifting us with this superb, nail-bitin', loveable adventure. I know I can't wait for the next installment in this series, An Outlaw in Wonderland due out on June 4, 2013. (My husband on the other hand might not be too excited. I disappear when I get ahold of a good read.)

About the author:

Lori Austin is the pseudonym of two-time RITA Award–winning romance author Lori Handeland. She sold her first novel in 1993 and has written many since. Lori lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her two grown sons.

 

 

Happy reading,

 

Leslie Nash

Two book reviews! A Conspiracy of Alchemists and A Vampire's Salvation.

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Title: A Conspiracy of Alchemists
 Author: Liesel Scharwz
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (March 5, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345545079



 

I received this title from NetGalley.
 

Synopsis:

 

 In a Golden Age where spark reactors power the airways, and creatures of Light and Shadow walk openly among us, a deadly game of Alchemists and Warlocks has begun.

When an unusual cargo drags airship-pilot Elle Chance into the affairs of the mysterious Mr. Marsh, she must confront her destiny and do everything in her power to stop the Alchemists from unleashing a magical apocalypse.
My Review:

While I'm not normally a fan of Steam-Punk, I immensely enjoyed this title. I did feel that the ending was drawn out a little too much and must confess I skimmed through the last few chapters. I might have missed something very important, but the story was dragging too much for my taste.

I loved the characters. The romance element could have been elaborated on a bit more but all-in-all, it was a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this to fans of the Steam-Punk genre as well as Sci-Fi lovers too! It was full of adventure, mystery and lots of quirky attitude (which, I love).

I give this a 4/5 star rating.

About the author:

Liesel Schwarz is a lifelong fan of nineteenth-century Gothic literature and a hopeless romantic who loves Victorians, steampunk, fairies, fantasy monsters, the fin de siècle, and the correct way to drink absinthe. She also likes medieval things, pirates, zombies, space operas, and all subjects in between.

 Title: A Vampire's Salvation  

Author: Virna DePaul

Publisher: Loveswept (April 22, 2013)

Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.

Language: English
ASIN: B00BABTBWQ

 

I received this title from NetGalley.com

 

Synopsis:

 

Francesca Marie Stewart has never wanted any man as much as she wants Jake Rios. His chiseled body and dark, intensely masculine energy draw her like a moth to a flame. But Frankie has been burned before, and now a mysterious figure from her troubled past has resurfaced with a terrifying new threat. Can she trust Jake not only with her heart but with her very life?

Jake’s hunger to possess this beautiful redhead goes beyond searing desire. He’s a vampire, and his very existence depends on bonding with a mate. He aches to ravish Frankie, but he must take it slow—for what he will ask of her will require profound sacrifice even as it gives her unimaginable pleasure. And once he has claimed her—body and soul—Jake will go to any lengths to protect her.

A Vampire’s Salvation is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

 

My Review:

 

This novella was a wonderful read. The pace was perfect for a quick read and the story flow was easy to keep up with. It contained the right about of sweet and spice and I recommend this title to all lovers of paranormal, erotic and novellas.

 

I give this title a 5/5 rating!

 

 

 

 

Book review - Branded (Fall of Angels) by Keary Taylor

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Title: Branded (Fall of Angels)
Author: Keary Taylor
ISBN: 978-1450572378
Pub. Date: 2010

Downloaded free from Amazon.com

Synopsis:
 

Jessica's had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she's a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.
But when two men she can't ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn't be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will puller her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.

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My Review:

Let me start by saying the idea for this series is brilliant. Of course with everything under the sun being told already, it’s hard to come up with something original, but I believe Ms. Taylor has done just that. My only suggestion is that it needed to have been “fleshed” out a lot. Most of the story happened in the beginning and ending of the title, the middle was simply filler. It served no purpose other than to occupy the pages.

The story moved forward, but nothing real happened. I was lost throughout most of it because things weren’t explained as they should have been. And I had one large question that never received an answer…

 Why would any living person have to endure the trials of judgement for a recently deceased stranger?

 Not that this idea isn’t appealing, it is…very. It just doesn’t stand to reason why. And that’s why this title disappointed me. I never received an answer to this question. The author never explained why Jessica and even Emily had been sentenced to suffer these excruciating nightmares which showed them standing before the council of Angels to receive judgement for a dying soul. It was hinted at by Emily that ‘she’d done something to bring the nightmares on.’ But that was it.

I wondered if there were other people out there who suffered these experiences as well. But why?

Jessica and Alex’s romance was very dry and abrupt. They fell in love very quickly and this experience wasn’t as explained as I would have liked. There was no “journey” like most lovers endure. Both characters were awesome and even Cole was interesting. The story just needed more.

I’ll go on to read the rest of the series in hopes that maybe I’ll get an answer. I loved Taylor’s writing, it flowed very well and drew me in. Branded was just missing that very important foundation that all novels teeter on.

I’d give this title 2 out of 5. Had some answers actually been provided, it would have been a solid 5.

If you read it or have read it, let me know what you think.