Review of Old Dog, New Tricks by Vivienne Savage

This is my new favorite Wild Operatives book - I love a good redemption story, and Lyle is very deserving of his own happy ending. You don't have to have read any of the other books in the series, but it helps to get a bead on some of the other characters in the town of Quickdraw.

There is a great plot here, with new starts and second chances, promises kept and boundaries crossed in the name of love. It is fun to see Lyle develop into a sexy beast when his character before was anything but - and his transformation was (for me, anyway) totally believable. I had always loved and admired his loyalty even as a dirtbag criminal, and I love that Vivienne decided to give him his own book. Dr. Julia is a no nonsense genius. She knows what she wants, from creating cutting edge artificial limbs to giving in to temptation with her patient. Their struggle to reconcile their romance across the wrong side of the tracks is sweet to witness.

As always, the characters are well drawn, the plot engaging, and the happy-ever-after is sweet. If you like a sweet but super sexy paranormal romance, you'll love Old Dog, New Tricks. I'd give it an R rating for sexual situations and some profanity.

Review of Curses, by Calvin Dean

Lovable retiree seeks girlfriend with a pulse. Fun ensues.

What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality in my book. It's like Inspector Cluseau or Barney Fife meets the Ghost Whisperer. Martin is a retiree with a haunting problem, and he is bound and determined to deal with it...as long as his girlfriend - the living and breathing one, anyway - doesn't have him committed first.

I found the story to be more of a comedy, although there were a couple eerie scenes, and even some touching scenes. Martin's bumbling efforts to conceal his "it's complicated" status from his neighbor (who he just so happens to believe is the love of his life) are enjoyably comical. I got the greatest visual of the man going about his days, dealing with some truly trying ghosts.

Not sure how you would categorize Curses. Maybe a cozy horror mystery? It was a definite fun break, for Halloween or any time. 

Review of Crush by Vivienne Savage

This book in the Dawn of the Dragons series is such a fun story. Yes, there's some heavy stuff, with the whole idea that Nate must choose between his reincarnated brothers and his growing attracting to Chloe, and another event that I'm not going to spoil. But I wasn't prepared for the excellent injections of humor. Nate's internal dialog had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.

Did I mention that I loved Nate? In the first scene, when he shows up in his Navy whites I pictured a young Jon Bon Jovi - I think "Pete Emmett" was his character in the movie U-571. And I must say the vision got my heart rate up.

Astrid was wonderful, too. Strong and caring, and so confident even when she was treading into new territory. I loved how she pretty much wore her heart on her sleeve, and how they both were so honest with each other about their feelings. I liked some of the very endearing scenes between her and her family. Chloe and Saul seem like fun parents. I also loved the dynamic relationships of all the dragons. And Nate's brotherhood was multi-layered and fascinating.

The plot was both deep and lighthearted, if it is a nod to Romeo and Juliette, just know it is NOT a tragedy - although there was at least one... Well. No spoilers. You'll have to read it. It was layered enough that I did not figure out what was really going on until right before the reveal, and it's safe to say it kept me guessing much of the way.

And yes, there is some classic Savage spice to this story. One scene was told from a particular POV that I just loved. I can't say more without it being a spoiler, but just be prepared to sit back and enjoy.

So, let me sum up: Fun read with a great plot, totally worth reading - but in my opinion, you will want to have read the other books in the series, first. They just keep getting better and better. (The world building has grown so much since the first book - which was originally intended to be a one-off. If you have even the slightest enjoyment of Loved by the Dragon, know that these books get better with each story. Every one that comes out I think, no THIS ONE is my favorite...) 

Interview with Contemporary YA and PNR author Carrigan Richards

Today we’re sharing our interview with Carrigan Richards, author of YA Contemporary Paranormal Romance and Psychological Romance. I just spent several hours getting to know her via Facebook chats and over at the Beach Reads Bonanza, which has been so fun. She is a great human being, and was kind enough to answer some interview questions for me.

Kristi Cramer Books: Thanks for joining me, Carrigan! Tell us about you in a nutshell. What makes you tick as a writer?

Carrigan Richards: I’m a Southern girl who loves to read, write, garden, listen to music, hang out with family, play with my furbabies, and eat, particularly cheese. I love creating worlds, people, events. I watch people (even though I’m sure they think it’s creepy). I read stories and empathize with people and when I try to imagine myself in their shoes, I get stories brewing. I try to take what they experience and put it into words for others. I also use real life experiences. As for my paranormal series, while most of it is fantasy, I do include real-life elements. I try to make the stories as realistic as possible.

KCB: What pets do you have?

CR: 4 dogs: Marley (German Shepherd), Elsa (Collie/Shepherd mix), Eli (lab/boxer mix), Beckett (Pit/lab mix)

KCB: Which is your favorite?

CR: I love them all, but honestly, I have to say Eli, since he was mine before I met my husband. He’s my baby and even though he’s rather skittish, he’s always there to comfort me.

KCB: If you could have any pet on the planet, which would you have? 

CR: Well, since I have dogs, I’d say panda. They’re so cute and cuddly. They’d have to be well trained not to eat me though. Or I’d have a gorilla.

KCB: What inspires you to write strong female characters? 

CR: The fact that I am one, and that I want others to be inspired by a strong female voice. They’re becoming more and more popular, but there could be more. I want women to know their strength and to know it’s okay to be strong and independent.

KCB: What is your favorite season – why? 

CR: Because I’m a weirdo, I love all seasons equally. Winter for some reason makes me reflect and it also means family time for me. I spend more time inside, so I’m writing more. Spring because it’s beautiful. I love the warmth, the fresh flowers, and the sense of renewing. Summer because longer days. Hanging out more outside and enjoying the sunshine. Fall for its beauty, the foliage and the crisp fall air with the gorgeous blue skies.

KCB: How many books have you written? 

CR: I have written a total of twelve books, most of them are YA, but I have a detective series I wrote a while ago.

KCB: How many have you published? In what genres? 

CR: I have published 6 books and 1 novella. All are young adult.

KCB: Do you have any favorite elements you like to put in your books? How do you come up with the ideas? 

CR: I love astronomy and celestial themes. I included these pretty heavily in my paranormal series and a little in my contemporary. I also like to push my characters as far as they’ll go. As for ideas…this is sometimes a hard question for me to answer. Sometimes I really don’t know where they come from. I get a lot of inspiration from reading, music, TV, movies, real life. As for Pieces of Me, my contemporary, psychological romance, the idea came to me after reading several psychological books. I also studied psychology and am fascinated with how humans react to events and what makes them do what they do. As for the Elemental Enchanters Series, I have always been fascinated with witches, magic, super powers, so I combined all of them to make the series. It’s kinda like X-Men meets The Craft..haha.

KCB: If you could take one of your characters with you to a nice night out, say dinner and a movie, which one would it be? Where would you eat, and what movie would you see? 

CR: Gabriel. Hands down. Well, because he’s such a gentleman and takes care of his woman, we would go to a fancy Italian restaurant, since that’s my favorite. He’d have something fancy because he has rich tastes, but I would go with the old standard: chicken parmesan. We would go see an action movie – along the super hero lines. Because those are one of my favorites and I wouldn’t want to torture him through a romance. J

KCB: For someone who is new to your work, where should they start? 

CR: If they want adventure, action, romance, I’d start with Under a Blood Moon. I love the series and I’m so proud of it. If they want something  emotional that will make them cry, Pieces of Me.

Thanks so much for joining us today! Isn't she fun? Be sure to check out her stalker links, and order one or more of her books today. 

Stalker links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarriganrichards

TWITTER: @carrigan34

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Carrigan-Richards/e/B00EDLIKRM

INSTAGRAM: @authorcarriganrichards

WEBSITE: https://carriganrichards.com/

Books by Carrigan Richards:

Elemental Enchanters Series:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012XYQ08G

Pieces of Me: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EDCELY2

January Dreams: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018W2DX7E

Review of Smitten (Dawn of the Dragons Book 2) by Vivienne Savage

A great installment in Vivienne Savage's dragon-universe. There was a great story here, with good character development, and a few twists that I didn't see coming.

I love how these books and characters have evolved from the early stories that were more about the sex, to these deeper, highly engaging and entertaining dramatic stories that still have some steamy sex in them.

If you like a good PNR, don't hesitate to try Vivienne's books. If you start at the beginning, know that they just keep getting better and better.

Review of Bait, by Kasi Blake

This wasn't a perfect 5 ***** for me, but it was pretty darn close. The first 3/4 was amazing. I was especially impressed with the opening scene. Then somewhere in there things got a little fuzzy. Not a lot, and I can't out my finger on what, exactly. Just stopped being amazing for a minute and became just really good. Then the unexpected happened - and that felt a little contrived - but things got back on track. I am definitely curious to know what happens in the second book, so it goes on my TBR, although I don't know when I'll get to it. 

Review of "The Wild Operatives Collection" by Vivienne Savage

The Wild Operatives Collection (on Goodreads)
A 5 Star Collection - ☻☻☻☻☻

#1 - The Right to Bear Arms
Vivienne Savage delivers my favorite shifter romance stories. Hot, sexy, and well drawn characters.

Read this and all her books. You won't be sorry.
(Or, if you are sorry, then I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do for you.)

Yeah, this is kind of a cheeky review, but what the hey. Finishing this book put me in a good mood. So read it already.

#2 - Let Us Prey
I like that Vivienne Savage's characters have problems, like Leigh, but they find people who help them by having faith in them, like Ian. I like that the men are Alphas in that they are strong and kick ass, but they aren't jerks who like to boss women around. I like that the women are stronger than they know, until their men help them realize their strength.

Let Us Prey is a story of redemption, of having faith in love and each other, loving people where they are, and fighting back against injustice in the world. Oh, and some hot, steamy sex.

I can't wait to see what the Wild Operatives have in store for the drug dealers in the town of Quickdraw. I just gobble these books up!

#3 - The Purr-fect Soldier
These books keep getting better and better. They're not deep, meaty plots that keep me guessing whether everything is going to work or okay, but this one, I like very much HOW things got resolved. There was just the right amount of angst. When the inevitable happened, and I knew it was coming, I really didn't want to see it go down--in that good dread where you know it's got to happen or it wouldn't be much of a story. Then it did, and just as I'm thinking 'there's the rest of the book blown to angst,' things changed, and took me by surprise.

The external conflict was exciting, and I won't spoil anything, so you'll just have to read and see. If you already read these books, you will love The Purr-fect Soldier. If you're new to Vivienne Savage, this is a great introduction. (You won't have had to read the others first, but it does help as many characters are repeats.) 

Review of the Spellbound Consortium series by A. Payne & N.D. Taylor

I'm going to post my reviews of all the Spellbound Consortium Books in one blog entry.

The series so far consists of 3 full length novels, one novella and one short story collection. There is one remaining full length novel to come.

The Regent's Gamble - Book 1
What a delightful romp. I read the original, unabridged version, which was a mouthful, but the underlying story was very intriguing, compelling, and kept me guessing all the way. It is an introduction into a fabulous world, full of great characters and great creatures.

The abridged version should be more focused and easier to follow. I look forward to reading the next book in the Spellbound Consortium series. 

ETA - I listened to the audio version of the updated, abridged version and it was fantastic! Will Watt is perfect for the job, and my hopes for the streamlined story were realized. 
5 Stars for the updated edition. ☻☻☻☻☻

Primal Legacy (Spellbound Tales #1) 

This was actually the first story in the Consortium I completed, and it was a little rough to enter at this point, as many of the secondary characters were already well established from other books, but Dahlia and Felipe were a cute couple, well suited to handling the crisis that occurred in the rain forest. I liked that Dahlia was a strong character who could kick ass as well as deal with Felipe and his people with compassion and even passion. Felipe was also strong and I could believe in his innocence of the ways of the world - due to the limited exposure his tribe had with the outside world.

I did like the story, but it fell short of *really like it*, so the rating would be 3.5 stars. ☻☻☻?

The Collector's Treasure (Book 2)

This took some time to process, but WOW.
Definitely my favorite Spellbound Consortium book so far.

I was right there with Griffin and Aisling and all their trials and beastly things the writers put them through. I don't want to give spoilers, but prepare to ride a hell of roller coaster with these two. I felt so bad for Griffin, and Aisling too, though more for Griffin.

It has been a long time since I read a book and actually fretted for a character as though he was a real person, thinking about him when I wasn't reading and trying to justify reading when I should be doing something else, and that says a lot about the quality of this story.

I was also very impressed with the way this story dovetails with Book 1 and Tales 1, which speaks to the authors' dedication to plotting and executing some complex story lines. I look forward to reading The Gatekeeper's Key, and any future Spellbound books to come.

There were a couple things I thought could be explained a little better, but nothing to take away from giving it a 5 star review. And these days a 5 star is saying a lot from me here on goodreads.

Well done, Taylor & Payne! ☻☻☻☻☻

A Spellbound Christmas

Cute shorts. Sweet shorts. Sexy shorts. Exciting shorts.

These three short stories pack a pretty good punch for Christmas stories. The first story is a sweet first Christmas for a newly forming family that is just figuring out what a family Christmas should look like. The second story is about a lonely hell hound who finds connection and discovers he is needed by a special friend. That one is something of a tear-jerker.

Then there is the third story. It's not every Christmas story that features society balls where sizzling tangos are disrupted by gun-toting fanatics and chaos and magic abound.

Yep, they're not your typical smarmy Christmas tales. If you are wondering whether you'd like to read the Spellbound Consortium books, but you're not sure you want to commit, this trio of tales will give you a good idea of the series, and by the time you're done, you'll know if they are something you'll like or not.

4 Stars ☻☻☻☻

The Gatekeeper's Key (Book 3)

4.5 stars ☻☻☻☻/
These books keep getting better. The skill of the authors has grown so much. The storytelling remains rich and vivid, while the verbiage gets more concise - and therefore packs a more powerful punch.

The story of Jean-Luc and Krystine is a great love story as well as a great adventure. We're taken on the run from gargoyles at Notre Dame in Paris, through tunnels full of demons in a Labyrinth in Greece, and defending civilians from possessed gunmen across Central Park.

The battle against an organization of occultists is growing more heated with every book, and I find myself rooting more and more for the company of young mages and their fae and sylvan friends who put their lives on the line time and again.

The characters are so well drawn and the story so seamless that I felt like I was inserted into their lives, a passerby, or a close friend, who is asked to participate in the action. The drawback to that is sometimes I felt like important things had happened that I wasn't privy to, and I occasionally got lost. However, as I read on, things became clear again.

These books are supposed to be standalone, and the first two both contain a story arc that is complete by the end, however The Gatekeeper's Key has a story arc that is not complete, though I understand the next book will wrap up the entire series, including the overarching storyline. I do recommend that readers start with The Regent's Gamble, and follow the stories in order, if only to help you avoid spoilers, because the stories are intertwined, and the books do reference things that happened in a previous book.