Sherri's FIK*TISH*UHS Reviews

Thursday, July 19, 2012

FOREVER MAN TOUR STOP: Book Excerpt

Thursday, July 19, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

Hi! I'm so excited today that I have the pleasure of promoting Author January Bain's, Forever Man. A paranormal romance, published by Champagne Books. This tour runs from July 14th to August 14th.

About the Author

January Bain hails from Ashern, Manitoba, Canada. Married to the love of her life, her husband Don, she has combined her love of romance with her interest in the paranormal and vampires to produce the FOREVER SERIES of books. She teaches English and Computer courses during the day, and writes at night and in very spare moment she has. She hopes to touch your heart with this first book in the series, Forever Man and would very much enjoy hearing from her readers. www.januarybain.ca

Synopsis

What if you had been given the gift of healing and could save those you loved? And furthermore, discovered you could save the one you love from a vampire’s kiss. There is a catch; of course, the cost of such a healing could mean your own death…

Ellie Hightower is discovering such gifts in the novel, Forever Man by January Bain. She is telepathic, young and bright and has been running from these new found gifts all the way to Nome, Alaska where she encounters the man of her dreams, Mike Stone and an ancient evil force out to take him away from her. Will having goodness and light on her side be enough to save them from Katrianna, a newly resurrected vampire that looks to enslave Mike in her nefarious web?

To find out the truth you will need to read, Forever Man, the first in the FOREVER SERIES by January Bain.

BOOK EXCERPT:

While I waited for her to return I looked out the window, admiring the view of snow-peaked mountains when I heard the screeching of brakes and a thud, then realized someone had hit a dog with a half ton truck right in front of the restaurant. The driver, a young woman in obvious distress, jumped out and cradled the animal’s head in her lap. In an instant I turned and rushed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

As I reached the woman she looked up at me with stark pleading in her eyes. “I didn’t see him! Please, I need help!”

Crouching down beside them, I carefully laid my hands on the whimpering dog. It looked like a husky, probably a sled dog. He or she was still breathing, but it was labored and loud. I could also see blood on its soft white fur. My heart instantly melted and reached out to the poor creature with its pain-filled, whiskey-brown eyes that seemed to beg me to do something. Despite the gut-wrenching plea, I felt helpless, sheer happenstance had brought this poor animal to this end and I had no power to save it from its fate.

Hesitantly, I reached my hands out and laid them on the poor dog’s head and its eyes seemed to tell me that it knew its fate. Tears flowed and the image of the dog blurred. I felt its pain as my own as I closed my eyes in sheer anguish.

Please God, let this beautiful creature be okay. Suddenly, something came alive inside me like a dam bursting its banks, and a great tidal wave of energy flowed through me from my very core. It was so strong it made me shake and my legs, cramping in the crouch, almost gave way.

A surge of pure power seemed to drive through my hands into the dog as I concentrated my thoughts on it and then all I could see and feel was hot, white light surrounding me for a few brief incredibly thrilling seconds. The light blinded me, its power as strong as the noonday sun. A sense of pure aliveness electrified me, as if I was at the pinnacle of my strength and could rise up and fill the world with goodness and healing. Then, just as suddenly, the floodgates in my mind closed and the white hot energy retreated back into my hands that began to shake violently with the excess energy.

The sensation left as abruptly as it had come and I fell back exhausted from the effort. The dog whimpered, shook itself and sat up. It looked at the two of us as if nothing had happened, its brown eyes shining and its tail wagging as if it didn’t even remember the last few minutes of its life.

The woman, her eyes huge in her round face, looked at me with complete wonder. “How could this be? One minute I thought it was dying, then you came along and now it’s up and fine? It doesn’t make any sense.” The woman shook her head, unwilling to believe her own eyes.

I knew exactly what she meant. Under the sense of complete exhaustion I was now aware of lurked the feeling that the world had slid sideways and then realigned itself in a new configuration.

Standing up, I felt immediately light-headed and woozy and stumbled forward from severe vertigo, catching myself from falling just in time.

“I don’t know—I guess it wasn’t—as hurt as you thought—it must have just been stunned.” I tried to put a sensible spin on recent events, my tongue feeling wooden and clumsy in my mouth. My slurred words made me sound drunk or slow I realized from a muddled distance, my voice echoing in my head.

“But didn’t you see the bright light just before the dog got up?” The woman was not to be deterred from her new sense of wonder.

I knew I had to get away, but an overwhelming sense of fatigue was slowing down my reaction time and was it was like being forced to move in deep, heavy water.

“Who are you?” The woman asked, her tone blunted by suspicion now.

If you liked the book excerpt, and want to follow her or get more information, try the links below:

www.januarybain.ca

www.ChampagneBooks.com

http://thewritersvineyard.com/

http://january-bain-science-fiction-musings.blogspot.com/2012/03/planet.html

januarybain@twitter

Labels:Book Excerpt,Tour | 10 comments

GET ME OFF THE SHELF

Thursday, July 19, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

Get Me Off The Shelf! is inspired by *From the Review Pile from*Stepping Out of the Page*hosted by Stephanie. This will be a weekly meme on Thursdays.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you own, but just haven't got around to reading yet. It could be a book you bought yesterday or years ago. Maybe you even have a few books on your eReader just waiting to be swiped to open the pages.

1. Give a synopsis of the book with image.
2. Tell us why you haven't read the book yet, including when you got the book (if you remember).
3. Link the post in the linky below.
4. Visit other blogs and post!

This week I'm spotlighting:
Need(Need#1)
By Carrie Jones
Paperback
Pages: 306
Published: December 8, 2009
Publisher: by Bloomsbury USA

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Zara collects phobias the way other girls collect Facebook friends. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has readers rapidly turning the pages

A few years ago, I had went to my area bookstore(at that time it was Borders), and started chatting with a younger girl who swore I should get this book. So I did, because I have a book buying problem :) I was already to read it, but for some reason just did not. I can't remember exactly why, but I would bet all the pennies I have that it was because I had decided to read another book that I had purchased the same day.

Like I always say ... Oh well, I'll get to it one day ... maybe.

So share what's you need to 'Get off your shelf', or floor, or box . . . I love comments! And if you don't, I'll stalk you :)

Labels:Get me off the shelf,meme | 5 comments

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

STILL ON MY MIND: SLEEPLESS

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

'Still on my Mind' is a meme inspired by Haley at YA-Aholic

Every Thursday you will feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

Please include in your post:

1. The summary of the book (off of goodreads or amazon or whatever!)

2. Make sure you tell us why it is still on your mind, was it super amazing? Super Unique? Super Scary?

Sleepless by Cyn Balog
Hardcover, 215 pages
Published July 13th 2010

Publisher: by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

*image and Synopsis via Goodreads*

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.

But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .

Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?

I fell in love with the Sandman.This was a nice quick story. It was almost like a Fairy Tale type story. I wouldn't mind reading again.

| 0 comments

WAITING, WAITING, WAITING ON: WAKE

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

This meme Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by *Breaking the Spine* "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I'm anticipating the following upcoming books!!!

Wake (Watersong, #1)by Amanda Hocking

Hardcover, 320 pages
Published: August 7, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

This will be my first time reading Amanda Hocking's novels. I've heard so much about her due to her self-published success. And since I'm currently in the baby stages of writing my first novel (clapping), this success has got my adrenaline going! Write Sherri, write!

Anyway, back to this awesome book. I always fall in love with paranormal romance genres and from the synopsis, it seems a good fit for me. And the cover is beautiful! Hocking's other books seem to have good ratings, and I'll get to those eventually. My freakin' TBR List just keeps growing! I need to go to a support group to help me to stop buying books even when I know I can't read it at that moment.

Share your WoW! I love comments and if you don't, I'll stalk you. Wait, that may be in your favor if I do that :)

Thanks for reading <3

*Images and Synopsis via Goodreads*

Labels:meme,Wednesday,WoW | 20 comments

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

TEASER TUESDAY

Tuesday, July 17, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by MizB
of *Should Be Reading*

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to ruin the book for others)
4. Share the title & amp, author too, so that other Tuesday Teaser participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser.

Okay, it's been a week and I haven't finished Predestined. You know, life gets in the way at times. So here's the book from last week, but with different teasers.

Predestined by Abbi Glines
Kindle Edition
Published March 29th 2012

You would think after helping save her boyfriend from an eternity in Hell that things would go back to normal. Well, as normal as life can be when you can see souls and your boyfriend is Death. But for Pagan Moore, things are just getting weirder.

The high school quarterback and reigning heartthrob, Leif Montgomery, is missing. While the town is in a frenzy of worry, Pagan is a nervous wreck for other reasons. Apparently good ‘ol Leif isn’t your average teenage boy. He isn’t even human. According to Death, Leif doesn’t have a soul. The quarterback may have skipped town but he’s still showing up in Pagan’s dreams... uninvited.

Dank has known from the beginning Leif wasn’t human. But he hadn’t worried about a simple soulless creature. Now, he realizes he made a grave mistake. Pagan’s soul has been marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him too, then bring it on.

Here's my teasers! :

"Before Pagan, I hadn't understood love. Before Pagan, taking souls had been easy. Now, I knew emotion. I knew pain and the feeling of loss and it made my purpose harder."

Kindle Edition, Location 330, 62%

I love comments! Please share your teasers . . .

*image and synopsis via Goodreads*

Labels:meme,Tuesday Teaser | 14 comments

Monday, July 16, 2012

MUSING MONDAY

Monday, July 16, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

MUSING MONDAYS… is a weekly meme hosted by MizB from I Should Be Reading, she will ask a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic.

This week’s musing asks…

What are you currently reading? Is it any good? Would you recommend it?

I'm currently reading Predestined by Abbi Glines. It's the second book in the series of Existence. Very good story line! Nothing like a mix of suspense, mystery, and of course forbidden romance. Oh, and a lot of hot characters! I would recommend it to everyone because of the hot guys! Did I mention the hot guys?! Ha!

Labels:Musing Monday | 3 comments

CRAZY FOR COVERS

Monday, July 16, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

My meme, Crazy about Covers, was inspired by The Bookworms 'Cover Crazy'.

Each week I will reveal a book(s) that I put on my TBR List just because I was Craazzy about the Cover! . . .Creepy or Beautiful.

My cover pick(s) this week is:

After Obsession
by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
Hardcover, 305 pages
Published September 13th 2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

*Synopsis via Goodreads*

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

This cover is wicked! What the heck is she doing? Is she walking up a wall or just walking sideways in the air? It looks as though she's possessed.

I adore her dress. This year has been filled with female models wearing gorgeous gowns.

So tell me, did you pick some books this week that was solely based on it's cover?

Please share, I love comments!

Labels:book covers,crazy for covers,meme | 0 comments

Saturday, July 14, 2012

STACKING THE SHELVES

Saturday, July 14, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

This is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. I think this is so much fun! Join in and meet other bloggers too.

What is Stacking The Shelves all about?

We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you’re anything like me, you are probably hoarding books and even though you are excited about your latest book arrival, it might be a while before you get to review it and Stacking The Shelves is a good way to express your undying enthusiasm for those titles!

This is what I've stacked on my shelves this week:

Awakening (The Watchers Trilogy)
by Kendall Greyebook, 220 pages
Published September 28th 2011 by Purely Persistent

Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream.
On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she’s just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him.

Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana’s world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she’s been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all.
It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds.

I got this book for free on Kindle! Yippee, I was so surprised that it was free.

Leif (Existence, 2.5)
ByAbbi Glinesebook
Published July 3rd 2012

"She was mine. I owned her soul…until Death stole her heart."

LEIF is a novella from the Existence series. It is glimpses into Leif's point-of-view during both Existence and Predestined.

Hot as hell, isn't he?! I bought this on my Kindle Fire. I haven't even finished Predestined (Existence Trilogy, #2), but I had to get my hands on this one.

What's new on your shelf? Please share I love to read!

*Image and Synopsis via Goodreads*

Labels:meme,Stacking the Shelves | 6 comments

Friday, July 13, 2012

TGIF

Friday, July 13, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

TGIF is a fun meme hosted by Ginger of GReads! Every week is an awesome new question, here's this weeks:

This Friday's Question:

Quotes That Make You Swoon: What are some of the most swoon-worthy quotes you've experienced in a book?

MY ANSWER:

“When he watched her sleeping, he often thought, My heart lies vulnerable outside my chest.”― A Hunger Like No Other, by Kresley Cole

"I find you thoroughly, deeply interesting. I want to open you like a book and read every page." A smile curved the corners of his lips as he added huskily, "Footnotes included.”

- Mine Till Midnight, by Lisa Kleypas

“I want you sore, baby,” he murmurs, and he continues his sweet, leisurely torment, backward, forward. “Every time you move tomorrow, I want you to be reminded that I’ve been here. Only me. You are mine.”

― Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James

So what's your answer? I love reading comments!

| 4 comments

Thursday, July 12, 2012

STILL ON MY MIND

Thursday, July 12, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

'Still on my Mind' is a meme inspired by Haley at YA-Aholic

Every Thursday you will feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

Please include in your post:

1. The summary of the book (off of goodreads or amazon or whatever!)

2. Make sure you tell us why it is still on your mind, was it super amazing? Super Unique? Super Scary?

MY PICK:
The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks
*image and Synopsis via Goodreads*

The Vampire and the Virgin (Love at Stake, #8)

"New York Times"-bestselling author Sparks continues her popular Love at Stake series with battle-weary vampire Robby MacKay, who finds love while on vacation. Original

MY THOUGHTS ON 'STILL ON MY MIND':

I enjoyed this book immensly! I read this book during the Twilight hype and had finished all those books. So I needed a Vampire fix and found this one. It is totally awesome! Suspense, Mystery, forbidden romance, and great sex scenes!!!

Labels:Still on my mind | 0 comments

GET ME OFF THE SHELF!

Thursday, July 12, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

Get Me Off The Shelf! is my edition of From the Review Pile from*Stepping Out of the Page*hosted by Stephanie. This will be a weekly meme on Thursdays

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you own but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity. I thought it'd be helpful to readers/reviewers as well as publishers/authors to try and showcase books that you own but haven't had time to get around to.

This week I'm spotlighting:

Blue Moon
(The immortals, book 2)
By Alyson Noel
Paperback

Pages: 289
Published: July 7th 2009

Publisher: by St. Martin's Press

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Alyson’s Noël’s bestselling Immortals series has been hailed as “addictive” “beautiful” “haunting” and “mesmerizing.” In the second installment, Ever can bring her family back from the dead—but only if she’s willing to sacrifice the guy she loves more than life itself.

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

MY THOUGHTS:

I liked the first book in the series, Evermore. I had to get the second book, but then I went astray and started reading Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

Oh well, I'll get to it one day ... maybe.

So share what's you need to get off your bookshelf, or floor, or box . . . I love comments!

Labels:Get me off the shelf | 5 comments

FIKTISHUHS REVIEWS

Thursday, July 12, 2012 | Posted by Unknown |

RATING!!!

Existence
by Abbi Glines
Publisher Date: December 13, 2011
Publisher: eBook
Pages: 194

Well let me start out by saying . . Not one, but TWO male candy. Dank and Leif are so hot!!!

SYNOPISIS

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course. Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.

Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.

He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

COVER:

I think the cover portrays Dank being protective of Pagan. His eyes are brilliant blue with a glowing effect which is what I imagined him looking like in the story. A few times throughout reading this book, I had to go back to the cover and see this iCandy.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a new Abbi Glines fan! This is the first book that I've read of her's and now downloading more of her books on my Kindle. I read this book in two days, but could have done so in a half-day. But you know, I was on vacation with the family, so couldn't escape to read. This was just such a great read! You have romance, suspense, twists and turns throughout the story. I loved the love triangle that Abbi Glines created. Both guys, Dank and Leif had mystery, sex appeal, and made you feel safe. From beginning to end it was a page turner. I never lost interest or wanted to "skip over a few pages". This fantastic paranormal romance held my attention throughout the whole story and had me craving for more!

The forbidden love story between Dank and Pagan was awesome! They had many obstacles to overcome, which I felt made it all the sweeter for the two; the closeness even when apart was still there. Dank is so dark and mysterious. I love that he is not only Death, but a rock start too! Pagan at times could be a bit dramatic, but she sees souls so I'll give her a break, she can be as dramatic as she wants. Pagan was sweet and unselfish.

Leif and Pagan's relationship (unknown to Leif) was based on security and only that. I think at first Pagan seemed to see Leif as a possible boyfriend, but the closer her and Dank got the less she thought Leif as boyfriend material. Leif was just that guy you could always count on; just so lovable. I was actually rooting for Leif during most of the story, but at the ending is a shocker cliffhanger and now I'm wondering who or what Leif is.

The other characters in the story were well developed and believable. Fun, quirky, stand by your side, type of friends. I really enjoyed the character Gee. What a twist on her character! I was fooled. I hope she is in the second book.

SUM IT ALL UP ... If you haven't read any of Abbi Gline's novels, you've got to start now! My next read is Predestined which is the sequel of Existence.