Interview with Alex Hughes + Giveaway

Today I am excited to introduce you to science fiction and fantasy newcomer author Alex Hughes, whose debut novel Clean is a unique blend of urban fantasy, dystopian thriller and sci-fi, a sort of dark and gritty dystopian version of Castle if you will 😉 Alex was kind enough to answer all my questions so give Alex a warm welcome and read on to discover more about this new series and the inspiration behind it! (and you could also win a fantastic prize 😉 ) 

Atlanta

Stella: Hi Alex, welcome to Book Lovers Inc! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Alex: I was born in Savannah, GA and moved to the metro Atlanta area when I was eight. I’ve moved around within Atlanta since, but never left 🙂 – It’s home. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool foodie, and I love cooking, the Food Network, and eating out at amazing restaurants. …

Bookish Rant: A Feast for the Eyes…and Ears

Music affects on a visceral level. Sometimes, all it takes is a few notes of a song to be shaken to your emotional core, or struck by a long-lost memory. Of course, a reading book can have a profound effect, as well–albeit less immediately, perhaps. It may take several hours to read through a book, but that story can take a reader on an emotional roller coaster to rival many live-altering events. That’s why it’s rather natural to perceive a relationship between the two, whether or not it’s immediately obvious.

Some authors make the connection crystal clear for readers, supplying a list of songs that were playing whilst writing a certain story, or perhaps songs that inspired a later idea for a story. Some simply have to have music playing in the background when creating the threads of their characters and literary universes.

Such information, from authors, may make certain connections …

Dual Review: A Vengeful Affair by Carmen Falcone

Format read: e-ARC provided by publisher
Release Date: 14 July 2012
Number of pages: 230 pages
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Read an excerpt

Blurb:

Rich people get away with murder every day, but Vivian Foster intends to make billionaire Javier Rivera pay for what he did to her best friend—and how better to destroy a money-grubbing bastard than to sabotage the merger that means everything to him.

Javier Rivera would never hurt a woman much less kill one. But when he catches a gorgeous corporate spy in his office, he knows he can’t let her go—not when even a hint of scandal could ruin his career. Until the merger is signed, he’ll keep her close, even if he has to shackle her to his wrist. Literally.

But the closer Javier gets to Vivian, the more he wants …

The Night Beat Blog Tour with Gini Koch + Giveaway

Are you ready for some action? Here is your chance to jump on  The Night Beat  Blog Tour bandwagon  and read a exclusive excerpt of Gini Koch’s new book! You can also win a copy of the Night Beat! Check it out! 

Thanks for stopping by on the Necropolis Enforcement Blog Tour of 2012! If you haven’t read the first chapter of The Night Beat, hit Deathless Prose over at my website  and check it out. Then, hit each stop along the way to get more of the story. Missed a stop? Check the website for the Tour Page and get caught up.
And don’t forget to get entered to win a copy of The Night Beat at EVERY blog tour stop along the way! Plus, follow the Tour ’til the end and get entered for a mega-prize! So, grab your badge — it’s time to …

Romance and Me: Historical Romances – The Foreign Edition

Hey Everyone!

We have discussed different aspects of historical romances: our favourite eras, what we like the most about this genre, why we read HR novels, we have even discussed gladiators, HR pet peeves and erotic historical romances but there is something we haven’t talked about yet, and that is foreign or exotic historical romances.

About 99% of historical romance novels are set in England, in smaller part France or Scotland, a couple are even set in North America (and one or two in Ancient Egypt), but historical romances set outside of these usual locations are few and far and between. Can you think of any which take place in South America? Africa? Asia? Australia? Oceania? Or we don’t even have to go that far, any historical romances set in other European countries …

Review: An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin

Format read: ebook
Release Date: 1 September 2012
Series: Book #3.5 in the Tang Dynasty series (Sequel to My Fair Concubine)
Number of pages: 52 pages
Publisher: Harlequin
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Read an excerpt

Blurb:

Dao is a house servant masquerading as a princess on her way to marry a powerful chieftain. As a lowly commoner with no prospects, she is content to be an alliance bride until an encounter with Kwan-Li, her enigmatic escort, tempts her with the promise of forbidden love. On their adventure through the wild Khitan steppe, Dao discovers Kwan-Li has secrets of his own…

My Thoughts: You might remember how much I enjoyed My Fair Concubine, the 3rd book in Jeannie Lin’s Tang Dynasty series (though no need to worry if you haven’t read the previous books, …

Guest post by C.C. Humphreys + Giveaway

Today we’re here to welcome historical novelist C.C. Humphreys to Book Lovers Inc. His guest post is on a topic that has always fascinated me, the line between realistic historical fiction and something I guess you might call historical fantasy. Not totally made up history, but history where magic sometimes happens, alongside verifiable historic events.

As it does in C.C. Humphreys’ story of war with a little magic, A Place Called Armageddon. It’s about the 1453 siege of Constantinople, a place that has always been more than a bit magical, all by itself. 

Fantasy? In historical fiction?
by C.C. Humphreys

Interesting questions. It is something I have considered. And I think it comes down to what I call ‘a hammock moment’.

I was lying in my hammock – a rare and so especially wonderful laziness – and this sentence popped into my head:

“Magic happens to people who believe in magic.”

I think that is absolutely …

Review: The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

Format Read: print ARC from the author
Number of Pages: 416 pages
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Walker & Company
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Young Adult
Formats Available: Hardcover, ebook
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK) | Author’s website | Publisher’s website | Goodreads

Book Blurb:

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher’s daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman’s son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances …

Guest post by Suzanne Selfors + Giveaway

Today we are very excited to welcome Suzanne Selfors to Book Lovers Inc! Of course we’re excited, we’re all hyped up on lots of yummy chocolate after reading her delightfully delicious chocolate-covered fairy tale, The Sweetest Spell (review later today). But before the review, Suzanne is here to share with us how her desperate search for a midnight chocolate fix (can’t we all relate?) led to this scrumptious story.

And if you’re craving a little chocolate fairy tale of your own, just answer Suzanne’s question for a chance at to win your very own copy of The Sweetest Spell!

Love + Chocolate = The Sweetest Spell

By Suzanne Selfors

How to take the fairy-tale formula of peasant girl meets prince and make it even more romantic? In my opinion, you add chocolate.

There are few things in life that stir such passion as a square of dark chocolate. I crave it. I LOVE it.

I’d …

The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me? Cover Quiz + Giveaway

Welcome to our new edition of The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me? This week we have a Game for you! Since you enjoyed the last game we played, we thought we could come up with something fun but different. Last time there was only 1 good answer for each question, but this time we’ll give room to YOUR knowledge of covers. You can answer with the covers YOU know, in whichever genre you want. The game is simple… We tell you a requirement (a thing, an animal, an object, a word in the title…) and you have to come up with a book cover that fits the bill. Of course that alone would be too easy 😉 So you can earn more points depending on the level of difficulty.

What can you Win?
Prize is a 15$ book depo shopping spree.

How to play?
Below you can find 17 challenges. Each …