You guys know I rarely do reviews. There are many reasons, most of them deal with how difficult it is to break down exactly what it was about a book I liked, loved, or hated. There are those books, however, that stand out and take my attention like nothing else. Shadowlight is one of those books. Lynn Viehl does it again.

She was kind enough to provide an ARC of Shadowlight for me to read. And before we begin…if I didn’t like the book, I’d return the ARC and not review it on my blog. So with that out of the way…

I was immediately sucked into the story and transported to the humid beauty of Georgia. She has a way with words and description that make you feel as though you’re breathing the same air and living the adventure.

This is the first book in a new series that involve the Kyn. You don’t have to read the previous Darkyn series to understand what’s going on. So trust me, this is definitely a great start to the world.

There may be a few moments that leaves the reader scratching their head, but it made me curious to move on to the next book…

I don’t want to give spoilers so I’m just going to say this… It takes a helluva writer to make me fall in love with a hero and heroine from the very beginning. Shadowlight does that in spades. From a realistic heroine stuck in hell, to a hero with an incredible story of his own, and finally a villain you love to hate… Shadowlight was one wild ride that never let up.

Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl

With a single touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets. She’s tried to hide her psychic ability from everyone, but a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent, and intends to take her, kill her and harvest her priceless DNA to sell it to the highest bidder.

A mysterious photographer named Gaven Matthias is also interested in Jessa; he’s been trying to find her for months. When GenHance makes their move, Gaven has no choice but to kidnap Jessa himself so he can protect her and convince her to join him in helping protect others like her.

Jessa discovers that she can’t see any of Gaven’s secrets, so she doesn’t know if he’s telling the truth, but as a monstrous assassin created by GenHance’s experiments closes in on them, she must decide if the strong attraction they share is proof enough that Gaven is her greatest ally — or is a smokescreen hiding a terrible secret.

Shadowlight atBarnes and Noble
Shadowlight atAmazon.com

I am a huge Lynn Viehl fan, as most of you know. She’s got a new series launching and I can’t *WAIT* to read it!

Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl

With a single touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets. She’s tried to hide her psychic ability from everyone, but a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent, and intends to take her, kill her and harvest her priceless DNA to sell it to the highest bidder.

A mysterious photographer named Gaven Matthias is also interested in Jessa; he’s been trying to find her for months. When GenHance makes their move, Gaven has no choice but to kidnap Jessa himself so he can protect her and convince her to join him in helping protect others like her.

Jessa discovers that she can’t see any of Gaven’s secrets, so she doesn’t know if he’s telling the truth, but as a monstrous assassin created by GenHance’s experiments closes in on them, she must decide if the strong attraction they share is proof enough that Gaven is her greatest ally — or is a smokescreen hiding a terrible secret.

Shadowlight atBarnes and Noble
Shadowlight atAmazon.com

The wonderfully talented Hailey Edwards made a fangirl button for Kim Knox. We were chatting up our luv of her wickedly delicious heroes and sizzling sexual tension throughout her books at the Romance Divas forum. Someone suggested a fanclub and Hailey delivered! So without further ado: Give Knox some LUV.

And while you’re at it…check out her first evah Exotica release with Ellora’s Cave: Demonic Attraction. I promise you’ll find it wicked and delightful.

Ah, gang, ’tis the season. I’ve got too many projects to name and very little time to do it in. So I’ll be entering…

So here’s a list of fantastic places I visit when I’m stressed!

Take a look at this list from Michelle Hasker. I adore her Leandros and Bodyguard Series. Le Sigh. I want a Sorin all my own.

Did you know Changeling Press has a monthly ezine packed full of fun trivia, free stories to take your breath away, and some awesome author interviews? Check it out HERE.

Speaking of free stories, Maura Anderson’s amazing flash fiction pieces really get my brain working again. She’s brilliant and I’ve been a huge fangirrl forever!

Lynn Viehl is a woman after my own heart. I read her Unemployment Fantasies and cried I was laughing so hard. There are so many things I would love to do/say if it was my last day at my day job. So many. LOL.

Remember when I showed you the pic of my writing CAVE? I gushed all over about my Asus eee and how much I loved it. Alison Kent has an ASUS eee laptop!!! She’s started a new writing journey and I check in every couple of days to see how she’s doing. It’s *really* working for her and I’m super excited! Especially since I want to run out and buy her next Blaze!

Have a good week, all.

*hugs*

Happy Birthday Aspen Mountain Press.

For all the love you’ve given me, and all the support you’ve brought…

For the long days and nights when you were there pushing me to succeed and become the best writer I could be…

For taking a chance on this crazy girl’s writing…

I can never thank you enough. May you have many *many* more wonderful birthdays.

AJ Hampton, gorgeously wonderful lady…has some amazing news I’m going to share. *WEG*

She and two others were selected for Liquid Silver Books’ Halloween anthology!

Halloween Treats - October 2008
It’s a Wonderful Fright - Veronica Wilde
Familiar Magic - AJ Hampton
Zombies Are People Too - Tiffany Aaron

So please stop by her yahoo group and celebrate! There’s a party going on. *WEG* And while you’re there…her most recent cover is absolutely amazing!

Hope to see you there!

Author Jo Leigh is one of my favorite Harlequin authors. Her blazes are an inspiration and I’ve never seen anyone write as tightly as she does. During 70 days of sweat she was an amazingly supportive lady, full of fun and really pushing us all to succeed. It breaks my heart to know that her husband passed on Friday.  She is struggling due to the cost of medical bills. It’s heartbreaking. I found this information via Lynn Viehl’s Paperback Writer blog. So I’m forwarding this message, in its entirety, from  Stephanie Tyler’s weblog:

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“One of our own, author Jo Leigh (aka Jolie Kramer) lost her husband on June 13 after he courageously battled cancer. If you don’t know their story which is the stuff romance novels are made of, you can read it here and see their wedding picture here.

In addition to being a fabulous friend to so many and a mulit-RITA nominated author who has written for Harlequin Blaze, Temptation, Intrigue, Special Projects, Silhouette Intimate Moments and Meteor Kismet, Jo is known across the country for the amazing writing classes she teaches, including one on plotting that is incomparable. She has been incredibly generous to so many in sharing her knowledge and expertise.

Unfortunately, Jo has been left with a lot of medical expenses she will be struggling to cover as they had no health insurance, and we would like to help her out by holding several fundraising auctions. If you have items to donate - books or book baskets/collections, critiques, ARCs of upcoming releases, mentoring opportunities, web or promotional material design work etc., please email the item description to the following email address: forjoleigh@gmail.com. This is the address we’re using to organize the items.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Alison Kent, HelenKay Dimon, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Tyler

**edited to add - We’ve been asked about monetary donations - please email me via my contact page and I’ll email you the paypal address, if this is how you wish to help Jo.

We’ve already covered a lot of loops and groups, but if you’d like to post it where you haven’t seen it, or put it up on your blog, that would be wonderful.”
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I don’t know what I’m going to do to help. The cost of shipping is so outrageous right now. I’ve got a quilt I could finish and send in. Perhaps a service I could offer. I have several print books I’d love to throw in. What about you?  Anyone else wanting to give? Or do you know another website, author, individual who’s donating something? If so, I’ll be happy to add their links to the bottom of this post.

Lynn is donating a gorgeous quilt as well as some signed Darkyn and StarDoc novels.

This week I’m happy to chat with Emma Ray Garrett. The lady and I go way back. She’s an amazing woman with an incredible talent at spinning tales of the action adventure persuasion. Her characters’ relationships are nothing short of explosive in their intensity and she rocks it consistently. I am proud to call her friend and am squee-ing at the fact that she was willing to talk to me about one of my favorite series to date…Pret Ops.

Identity is your newest release with Changeling Press. Let me tell you, it’s SMOKIN’ hot. I’m completely in lust with both of the men. *WEG* So tell me, what was it like revisiting your Pret Ops world?

I had a blast falling back in love with the Recondite Corp. One of my fav genres is military fiction, so being able to mix elements of that with erotica, and some thriller tossed in for good measure, was absolutely fantastic

All the Pret Ops books are novellas, have you thought about doing a full length book?

I have, yes. Short books can be a lot of fun, but I know this world has so much more detail to share with readers. I’m not making any promises, LOL, but I do hope one day to write a full length Pret Ops story.

What made you choose Cole and John, after all they share the same last name and were foster brothers for a time?

LOL, true. They were as close as any brothers could be after Cole came to live with the Marshall’s. But much like Nat and Stas - from “Familiar” - there was never any familial feeling between the two men. Cole took the Marshall last name when he turned 18 as much out of honor and thanks to the Marshall’s, as to signify starting out adult life a new man. He was putting aside the really, really bad things from his childhood and embracing the healed, strengthened man he’d become with the Marshall’s.

I adore polar bears (secret weakness…shhh don’t tell anyone). What was the most challenging part about writing a polar bear and seal combination?

Pondering the mechanics. The Pret Ops world follows certain scientific principles of our own world, so I had to figure out a way to make a polar bear shifter happen AND understand how the combination would pan out. I had a ton of fun with it, btw, and I love the added tension between Cole and Lucia. Mortal enemies and all, LOL!

In Identity you introduced us to a new division. Would you like to tell us more about it?

Sure. Cyber Operations is the unit John and Cole Marshall have put all their spare time into for the last decade plus. Cy Ops specializes in computer/internet crime involving preternaturals - whether as victims or perpetrators. I am such a tech freak, I’ve been thinking about this branch of the Corp nearly from the beginning of the series. I mean, super men and women kick ass and take names, but they’re just as vulnerable to cyber wars - perhaps more so because they have more to protect - as the rest of us. I really wanted to know about the people in the Corp who ride the line of exposure more than any of the rest of the Pret Ops world and that’s where Cy Ops began. The first book in the Cy Ops series should be out later this year

Would you be willing to share a juicy excerpt with us?

It would be my pleasure!

Due to the nature of the incredibly lusty and deliciously decadent excerpt, I have to ask you to please click to read more. All content is © Emma Ray Garrett. Click for more at your own risk…*WEG* (more…)

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to the series Leandros.  My fellow Phenomena sister and Daughter of Circe, Michelle Hasker, did an awesome job with this fun and yummy launch title for her new series…Leandros: Sairah’s Salvation.   I got the opportunity to read it and let me tell you, I loved it!  Here’s the pertinent info:

ISBN (13): 978-1-59596-946-0

Genre(s): Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Erotic Romance

Theme(s): Shapeshifters

Series: Leandros

Length: Novella

Blurb:

Sairah Mellon hungers for an all-consuming love, just like the one in her dreams. When she comes face to face with him will she believe his fantastic tale of aliens and shape shifters and agree to travel to her dream lover’s home planet to become his mate?

Cade knows Sairah is his mate, but she’s been raised on Earth. He doesn’t know how he’ll be able to convince her she’s not only an alien, but a shape shifter as well. When another creature tries to kill her, he shifts to his lion form and risks everything to save her. It lands him in a heap of trouble that only she can save him from — if she can stop being angry at him long enough to help him.

Thank you for giving me a chance to interview you, Michelle.  Welcome to my neck of the dire woods.  Let’s see what naughtiness we can uncover!

1. What was your favorite part about writing Leandros: Sairah’s Salvation?  Killing the werewolf (LOL)

2. What plans do you have for the series, Leandros? Basically I just plan to have fun with that world. See what kooky, kinky things I can come up with.

3. Alien shapeshifters are just yummy, especially those that turn into lions.  How much fun was it to research about the big cats?  And can you give us a cool factoid?  I have tons of factoids hehehe. Hmmm. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. In the United States, approximately 1.5 to 3 percent of healthy cats are infected with FIV. Rates rise significantly-15 percent or more-in cats that are sick or at high risk of infection.

4. If you were on a deserted island and could bring only three things, what would they be and why?  books/laptop/my muse lol

  I’m a huge fan of your muse…can I borrow him when I have to go to the deserted island?  Or anytime?  LOL. 

5. I would LOVE a steamy excerpt from your HOT new release! 

Sairah moaned and rolled on her back as hands slid over her. Questing hands that had explored every inch of her body for the past few months. Hands that brought her to the pinnacle of desire and thrust her into orgasms so intense she woke entangled in drenched sheets.

But she wasn’t asleep. Not yet. She’d just closed her eyes when the sweet scent of magnolias drifted into her bedroom. How is this possible? Can he be real? Is tonight the night he fulfills my fantasy? God, I wish!  

Opening her eyes was out of the question. He might vanish and she’d be left alone. Again.

Sairah gasped as nimble fingers pinched her nipples until they hardened. Tingles raced through her body as her lover worked his magic. He brought her to the edge, then changed tactics and drew her back to that edge time and again, not letting her crest. All coherent thought fled.

With a moan, she arched into his touch, praying this time she’d find release. Her mouth opened wordlessly as shivers raced up her spine. Sairah fisted her hands in her sheets and turned her face, burying it against her pillow. The urge to demand he fuck her was almost overwhelming.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Michelle.  *WEG*  If you’d like to find more about this awesome read, click here.  

Michelle’s Website

Michelle’s Blog 

Phenomena-Authors

I spent the weekend enjoying delicious colcannon, corned beef, and taters. Man, I don’t want it to end! Since I was determined to continue in my celebration I bought six Irish-inspired erotic romances from some of my favorite authors.

Kate Hill, Michelle Hasker, Aline de Chevigny, Elizabeth Jewell and Jeanne Barrack

As I read them I’ll give individual reviews. They’ll be short, but fun! Have a great week everyone! I’ll be back to writing tomorrow evening! YAY!