Interview with Heather Massey + Giveaway

Good morning, lovely book lovers! We here at BLI are pleased to start this week of right with a blog visit by author Heather Massey. She stops by today to answer questions on a range of topics, including some of her favorite cult films, the different between clockpunk and steampunk, and the growing popularity of science fiction romance. Lots to learn, so check out the interview below (then read on for giveaway goodness!).

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Marlene: Heather can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Heather: Would you believe that 90% of my genetic makeup is coffee? I know! And I might be able to reach 100% capacity by the year 2086. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, I’m a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. I’ve been blogging about SF-romance blends in books, films, and television shows at The Galaxy Express since 2008.

Flash-forward to 2010: I expanded my …

Bookish Rants or Raves: ARC-gate at ALA

Last week, and it is difficult to believe it was already more than a week ago, the American Library Association held its Annual Conference in the land of Mickey Mouse, Anaheim, California.

And there was a kerfuffle on YouTube about ARCs and who should be able to pick up how many on the exhibit hall floor.

Two bloggers at The Lost Lola posted a 22-minute video, since retracted, detailing their incredibly awesome book haul at ALA. They scored, and I think scored is a fair assessment, two copies of everything possible, including a lot of books they had no personal interest in.

A librarian who blogs at Stackedbooks questioned on Twitter how authors would feel “knowing a librarian couldn’t get an arc of their book at ALA, but a blogger picked up multiple copies.”

The Lost Lolas have printed an impressive and well-thought out response and clarification, but …

Review: The Fallen Queen by Jane Kindred

Format Read: ebook from publisher
Number of Pages: 330 p.
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Series: The House of Arkhangel’sk #1
Genre: Paranormal romance / Fantasy romance / Angels and Demons
Formats Available: ebook, trade paperback
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Publisher’s Website, Book Depository

Book Blurb:

Heaven can go to hell.

Until her cousin slaughtered the supernal family, Anazakia’s father ruled the Heavens, governing noble Host and Fallen peasants alike. Now Anazakia is the last grand duchess of the House of Arkhangel’sk, and all she wants is to stay alive.

Hunted by Seraph assassins, Anazakia flees Heaven with two Fallen thieves–fire demon Vasily and air demon Belphagor, each with their own nefarious agenda–who hide her in the world of Man. The line between vice and virtue soon blurs, and when Belphagor is imprisoned, the unexpected passion of Vasily warms her through the Russian winter.

Heaven seems a distant …

Guest Post: “A Few Select Shades of Black and Blue” by Jane Kindred + Giveaway

Today we are very happy to welcome Jane Kindred to Book Lovers Inc! Jane is here to celebrate the upcoming paperback release of The Fallen Queen, the first novel in her chilling, fascinating trilogy of angels, demons and parallel possibilities, The House of Arkhangel’s. If you like paranormal or fantasy romance, you won’t want to miss this one. Be on the lookout for my review later this week. Meanwhile, keep reading for a taste of what’s in store, and enter for a chance to win a copy of The Fallen Queen!

A Few Select Shades of Black and Blue

With the sudden popularity of BDSM in fiction due to a certain best-selling book, one of the more subversive elements in my House of Arkhangel’sk series has gained an unexpected—well, if not exactly respectability, a definite fashionability. All the cool kids are doing it.

One of my characters, the demon Belphagor, is a …

Review: The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine by Jayne Fresina

Format Read: ebook from NetGalley
Number of Pages: 384 p.
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Regency Romance
Formats Available: Mass market paperback, ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Book Depository

Book Blurb:

“Wanted: one husband, not too particular. Small dowry, several books, sundry furnishings, and elderly aunt included. Idlers, time-wasters, and gentlemen with other attachments need not apply.”

Scarred in a childhood accident, Sophia Valentine doesn’t expect any takers on her ad for a husband in the Farmer’s Gazette, until the mysterious Lazarus Kane shows up at her door. To Sophia, he is an exciting, enigmatic stranger. But Lazarus has known Sophia for years and has come a long way to find her. Things are about to get complicated for the mischievous Miss Valentine.

My Thoughts:

Once upon a time, Miss Sophie Valentine did something very, very improper. She and her fiancé, the …

Review: Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies by Cynthia Cooke

Format Read: ebook from NetGalley
Number of Pages: 169 p.
Release Date: May 13, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Formats Available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website

Book Blurb:

Family secrets must be kept, and painful wounds must be ignored.
After an all-out assault by a vicious terrorist bent on destroying her entire family, a former government agent must break the strict rules she has always lived by when she emerges from hiding to reluctantly accept the help of her all-too-sexy ex-lover. Running a deadly race against time, they rush to rescue her kidnapped sister, find her missing father, and bring the notorious villain to justice. But nothing ever goes as planned. Bullets fly, danger abounds, and their
passion reignites even faster than the lies are flowing. But their stubbornly held secrets just might spell the end of their rekindled love and hopes for the …

Review: The Magician of Wall Street by Minta Hall + Giveaway

Format Read: ebook from publisher
Number of Pages: 138 p.
Release Date: April 23, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Formats Available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website

Book Blurb:

Oliver Pendragon’s days as the Magician of Wall Street are legendary. When he finds a way to get everything he’s ever wanted—including Abby Daltry—of course he can’t refuse, even though there will be hell to pay if ever Abby found out. But when he discovers his old business partner is out for Abby’s blood, Oliver will do anything to protect her…and win her heart.

New Age bookstore owner Abby is perfectly happy with her life the way it is—the independence, the quirky clientele, and even the occasional tarot card reading—are all part of the charm. But when the cards reveal Oliver is back and bringing danger along with him, she refuses to heed the warning …

Interview with Cynthia Cooke + Giveaway

Happy Monday morning, Book Lovers! And on this Monday, we welcome romantic suspense author Cynthia Cooke to Book Lovers Inc. Her latest book, Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies, starred as the Mothers’ Day opening title for Entangled Press’ new Dead Sexy imprint. We had the opportunity to sip some virtual iced tea (you’ll understand later) with Cynthia and ask her a few questions about her chilling new book. Join us now, and you’ll have a chance to win a copy of Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies of your very own!

About Cynthia: 

Cynthia Cooke is an award-winning, multi-published author who has published 11 books and short stories for Harlequin/Silhouette and Steeple Hill. Her latest book, Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies will be one of the launch books for Nina Bruhn’s Dead Sexy Romantic Suspense line at Entangled Publishing. Cynthia lives in North Carolina with her husband and three teenage …

Review: The Cinderella Blues by Obren Bokich

Format Read: ebook from author
Number of Pages: 294 p.
Release Date: April 12, 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Formats Available: paperback, ebook
Purchasing Info: : Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

Book Blurb:

The Cinderella Blues (Thuh Sin’-dur-rel’-uh Bluze)
n.
1.
The phenomena whereby otherwise intelligent, capable, successful professional women are convinced they need rescuing by a prince.

My Thoughts:

The Cinderella Blues starts out in the middle of some of the cheesiest, I swear, the most cliché-ridden, bodice-ripping drivel ever written.

And I could have sworn this was supposed to be a contemporary romance. It said so right there on the label.  A couple of pages later the heroine dropped out of her daydream and into an auto body shop. She was daydreaming this stuff.

That made way more sense. Haven’t you done that? I’ve done that. Drifted off in my head to fanfic-land. My fantasies aren’t half that cliché-full. At least, I hope not.

Kat, …

Review: A Wild Night’s Bride by Victoria Vane

Format Read:ebook from author
Number of Pages:105 p.
Release Date:April 27, 2012
Publisher:Breathless Press
Series: The Devil DeVere #1
Formats Available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, All Romance Ebooks

Book Blurb:

WITH THE DEVIL IN CHARGE…THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY… What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?

She’s a lonely lady down on her luck…
Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.

He’s steadfast and eminently respectable
Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife’s death and avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life … of celibacy.

With the devil in charge — there will surely be hell to pay.Devil in disguise, Viscount Ludovic DeVere, is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of …