Review: Tiger Lily by Wende Dikec

So while my life has been one disaster after another, my reading life hasn't followed suit. I've read two great books in a row, and I'm pleased to share my review of the latest, Tiger Lily, with you!

Tiger Lily

Wende Dikec

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance 

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing 

Date of Publication: January 13, 2016

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Lily Madison thought dying because of a bad manicure was the worst thing that could happen. She was wrong.

Waking up in the hospital and realizing she's being stalked by an entire herd of naughty little ghosts turns her entire world upside down. She begins to doubt her own sanity until she realizes she isn't alone. A Goth girl, named Zoe, can see the ghosts, too.

Most of the ghosts look like fuzzy blobs, but one is not blobby at all. He's a very hot, very annoying dead guy named Nick. Although they dislike each other on sight, Nick soon realizes Lily is his only hope. With the help of Zoe and Mr. Wan, the manicurist who almost killed her, she has only days to get Nick and the other ghosts back where they belong or the whole world will be in terrible danger.

But sending the ghosts back means saying goodbye to Nick forever, and Lily isn't sure she'll ever be able to let him go.

Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

I started reading Tiger Lily when I was having a horrendously bad day. Best decision I could've made. I laughed and was left with the warm fuzzies by the end of the novel.

Top 5 Reasons You Should Read Tiger Lily Right Now

5. The Voice- Love, love, love Lily's voice. It's written in 1st person POV, and the main character's voice is so full of life, animated, and fun.

4. The Characters- Lily, Zoe, Nick, and Josh. LOVE them all. I loved the interactions, the movement past stereotypes to the real people within. The secondary characters were also fun and full of life and characterization.

3. The Plot- Ghosts needing help- appearing as blobby things floating around. So much fun!

2. The Romance- Talk about star-crossed or impossible relationships! Imagine falling for a ghost. I don't normally read books if one of the romantic duo is a ghost, but this was different. I wanted Nick and Lily to be together more than most couples I've read about in recent reads.

1. Everything Put Together- This was a fast-paced, adorable story with snark and attitude. Great plot, great characters, perfect length. Well done!

About the Author

Wende Dikec has spent her life traveling the world, and collecting stories wherever she visited. She writes in several romance genres, and her books are quirky, light, and fun. Fluent in several languages and married to a man from Istanbul, Wende is a trekkie, a book hoarder, master of the Nespresso machine, and mother of three boys. A puppy named Capone is the most recent addition to her family, and she blogs about him as a way of maintaining what little sanity she has left.

http://www.wendedikec.com 

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 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14735786.Wende_Dikec 

https://www.pinterest.com/wendedikec/ 

http://wendewrites.tumblr.com 

https://www.instagram.com/wendedikec/

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The Changelings by Elle Casey - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Changelings
War of the Fae #1

Elle Casey

Publication date: February 5th 2012
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 in the YA Urban Fantasy WAR OF THE FAE Series.

Jayne Sparks, a potty-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old and her best friend, shy and bookish Tony Green, have a pretty typical high school existence, until several seemingly unrelated incidents converge, causing a cascade of events that change their lives forever. Jayne and Tony, together with a group of runaway teens, are hijacked and sent into a forest, where nothing and no one are as they seem. Who will emerge triumphant? And what will they be when they do?

Content Warning: Mild violence and significant foul language within. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+).

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—

EXCERPT:

I couldn’t take much more of the high school nonsense. I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there. Where would I be if I weren’t there? … I don’t know. All I did know was I was in the middle of all that crap, going to class, taking tests – but I was on autopilot, going through the motions, waiting for life to start happening.

Sitting in World History and bored out of my mind, I was looking at a girl one row over who was the polar opposite of me. She was staring attentively at the teacher, her pen poised above an already nearly full page of notes, eager to write down every nugget of educational wisdom he was throwing our way. She loved high school, and she had big plans for moving on to college next year. She had cheer practice after school and a boyfriend named Mike who played wide receiver on the football team. Ugh.

I owned a pen. I probably had some paper somewhere in my backpack too. That day, however, I was using my pen to draw symbols all over my right hand – temporary tattoos. I write and eat with my left hand but do just about everything else with my right. My own body was confused with what it was supposed to do.

I was in the minority in that school. It seemed like just about everyone else knew exactly what they were doing now and what they were going to be doing until the day they died. Me? I didn’t have a clue. All I knew was this wasn’t it.

Author Bio:

Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

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Top Ten Favorite Paranormal Series by Ally Shields, Author of The Guardian Witch Series + Giveaway

Welcome to Ally Shields, author of the Guardian Witch series! Today she's sharing her top 10 favorite paranormal series. Be sure to jot these down and add them & the Guardian Witch series to your TBR list!

Top Ten Favorite Paranormal Series

 Yes, I've ranked them from ten down to one—because I was supposed to—but on any given day the order could be jumbled a dozen different ways. They all have awesome main characters and intriguing plots. The links are to Goodreads.

#10  The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. Start with Hounded. If you like your paranormal with a dose of humor, don't miss this one.

      

#9  Greywalker series by Kat Richardson. Book #1, Greywalker, is not the best of her books but the series grows, and you'll want the background.

#8  Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow. Working for the Devil might be a bit predictable but a definite thumbs up for me.

#7  Southern Vampires series (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris. Who doesn't like this series that became a major hit on HBO as True Blood? Immerse yourself, beginning with Dead Until Dark.

#6  Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Magic Bites introduce a fantastic world and a feisty heroine.

#5  Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. While some of the later books wind down some very strange paths, the first book, Guilty Pleasures, is my all-time favorite paranormal read.

#4  Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost. No list would be complete without Cat and Bones. Meet them in Halfway to the Grave.

#3  Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Storm Front is the first, but his charming wizard sleuth only gets better.

#2  Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Her shapeshifting mechanic made her debut  in Moon Called.

And my very first choice…

#1 The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. This fantastic and well sustained series featuring Rachel Morgan has certainly earned its first place position. Begin with Dead Witch Walking.

  

If you haven't read all of these wonderful books, I envy you. You have many wonderful hours of reading ahead! Tell me, have I missed any of your favorites?

Some of my favorite series are on this list. But I'm also excited because I have several new authors to try :)

Description:

A hidden evil stalks the city…

Ari Calin refuses to believe her human friend Eddie murdered a vampire—in spite of his confession. Her human partner Ryan thinks the case is a slam dunk, even though there’s no weapon and no witnesses, but Ari’s not about to let her friend take the rap without finding out more.

 When Ari attends a charity event on the arm of a handsome werewolf, she finds someone she never expected to see again—Andreas De Luca, the charismatic vampire she used to date. When their eyes meet across the room, memories come rushing back. His kiss, his touch, a savage death…and a terrifying magical bond. A reconnection is the last thing she wants. Only by staying away and forgetting Andreas can she hope to avoid the Legend of Ramora.

 But when vampires keep dying, one thing becomes clear: Riverdale has a serial killer on its hands, and Andreas could be next. Ari begins to fear there’s more to it, though. Something truly evil is stalking the city, waiting to take control…

Excerpt:

The auditorium of the Arts Center was packed. The annual Charity Auction always drew a large crowd, not only of bidders but those who came to see and be seen. It was one of the biggest community events of the year. For an exorbitant entrance price, each person earned the right to free appetizers and wine and the opportunity to bid on a lot of things he didn’t need. Ari ran a cynical eye over the merchandise. And, in her case, many items she couldn’t afford. Like the perfectly ordinary-looking granny vase with a starting bid of $3,000. Of course, she could just ogle at all the rich and famous of Riverdale. It was expected. Looking around at the crowd, Ari estimated there were more oglers than bidders, but the auction always met its goal.

The two couples dutifully filed past the tables and viewed the choices in the silent auction. Brando kept up a running commentary on the city officials and wealthy patrons he recognized. Steffan placed a bid on a case of wine but was immediately out-bid by the couple behind them in line. He grinned at Ari, shrugged, and they moved on.

Ari paused when she spied a champagne dinner for two from Club Dintero. She wouldn’t be bidding on that. Claris’s attempt to hurry them past, to skip that particular auction item, brought a frown to Ari’s face. Like she wouldn’t notice. Apparently, Claris wasn’t convinced the past was in the past.

Ari’s frown deepened. She knew she had been a little touchy on the subject of Andreas and his club. Unbidden, a series of scenes flashed through her head: strong arms holding a grief-stricken young witch; a dark figure singing on stage, the crowd captivated; the same sexy figure sipping Chianti; a forbidden kiss. Ari determinedly brushed aside such highly selective memories. Those were only the good things—and there were some not so good. She flashed a reassuring smile at Claris and turned her attention to the next item, a spa package.

As if Ari’s traitorous thoughts had conjured it, a surge of Otherworld power touched her. Vampire. And not just any vampire. Sensation raced across her skin, her witch magic singing in recognition as the air shimmered with his dark, slightly wicked energy. She whipped her head around, focused on the front entry, and there he was.

Andreas’s dark eyes captured hers from across the room. Her breath caught, and like always, that compelling swirl of power wrapped itself around her, beguiling, irresistible. She barely registered the presence of the other vampires with him. Seconds, perhaps hours or years, passed with her caught in his gaze. As suddenly as it came, the magic withdrew, leaving a void. Andreas turned away and said something to the woman at his side. His companion laid a possessive hand on his arm.

Shaken, Ari took a shallow breath. After eight months she’d thought her reaction to him would be diminished. She’d be the last one to deny Andreas De Luca was heartbreakingly attractive, despite being one of the undead. That still didn’t explain his almost paralyzing effect on her.

Bio:

Ally Shields was born and raised in the Midwest, along the Mississippi River, the setting for the Guardian Witch urban fantasy series. After  earlier careers as a teacher, lawyer and Juvenile Court Officer, she turned to full-time writing in 2009. She still lives near Des Moines with her Miniature Pinscher, Ranger. When not writing or reading, she loves traveling in the US and abroad. Way too often she can be found on Twitter.

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Interview with Helen Harper, Author of Gifted Thief + Giveaway

Please help me welcome Helen Harper to the blog! She's here to talk a bit about her new novel, Gifted Thief.

Tell us about the main characters in Gifted Thief.

The main character is a young Sidhe woman called Integrity who, ironically enough, is a career thief! She should have been living a life of wealth and privilege but her father slaughtered her Clan when she was just a baby and she was dumped as an orphan on someone else’s doorstep.  All Sidhe are Gifted with magical abilities when they are thirteen years old but Integrity ran away before that could happen.  She’s perfectly happy to stay as far away from that world as possible … but circumstances conspire against her. 

Despite her lack of family, Integrity is fortunate enough to have a strong group of friends about her: a merman who’s afraid of the sea, a blue-haired pixie, a warlock and a human.  She also comes into contact with rather smart-arsed genie called Bob who becomes her side-kick.  And then there’s Byron, the Sidhe lordling who was horrid to her when she was a child, but who is very, very sexy!

What was your inspiration while writing?

I’ve always been fascinated by the phrase ‘honour amongst thieves’.  A lot of Integrity’s character is drawn from that idea – that you can have someone who might break the law and live in the shadows but when it comes to their own has more integrity than anyone else more law-abiding.  Equally, as a Scottish lass myself, I’ve long wanted to write a book which uses the old clan system.  Instead of Scotland being annexed by England in the eighteenth century, I’ve created a world where demons took over half of the country instead.

Will this be an ongoing series?

It will! The second book, Honour Bound, is being released on February 29^th and book three is already in the works.  It’s currently slated for publication in May.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what type of music in on this novel’s playlist?

Nope.  I block out any sounds when I’m writing so music wouldn’t work for me!

If you could visit any fictional place, where would you go?

I always wanted to visit Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree. I strongly suspect it’s one of those stories that wouldn’t hold up to the test of time but the thought of being able to climb up into the branches and end up somewhere different and wholly magical is just wonderful.  Blyton had a truly terrific imagination.

What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

I’ll always go back to Buffy the Vampire Slayer! I’m definitely on Team Spike.  Angel was always far too brooding and depressing for me but Spike knew how to have fun.  It was so ridiculously exciting when he and Buffy got together!

What’s your go to comfort food?

Hmmm.  I live abroad in Malaysia so my comfort food is often that which I can’t get - pork pies, pickled onion crisps, that kind of thing.  When it comes down to it though, it’s probably beans on toast, covered in grated cheese and with a dollop of Worcestershire sauce for good measure!

Where can readers find you online?

My website is http://helenharper.co.uk and I’m on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HarperFire

Gifted Thief

The Highland Magic Series, Book One

Helen Harper

Urban Fantasy

January 29, 2016

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Orphan. Runaway. Thief.

Since the moment I was ripped from my mother's womb, I've been an outcast amongst my own kind. The Sidhe might possess magical Gifts, unbelievable wealth and unfathomable power but I don't want a thing to do with them. I ran away from their lands in the Highlands of Scotland when I was eleven years old and I've never looked back. I don't need a Clan. I've got my own family of highly skilled thieves who mean more to me than any Sidhe ever could.

Unfortunately for me, the playboy heir to the Moncrieffe Clan has something I desperately need. To get it back, I'm going to have to plunge myself back into that world, no matter what the consequences may be. I suppose it's just as well I have sense of humour. I think I'm going to need it.

By bestselling author Helen Harper, Gifted Thief is the first book in the Highland Magic series.

About the Author

After teaching English literature in the UK, Japan and Malaysia, Helen Harper left behind the world of education following the worldwide success of her Blood Destiny series of books. She is a professional member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and writes full time although she still fits in creative writing workshops with schools along with volunteering to teach reading to a group of young Myanmar refugees. That's not to mention the procession of stray cats which seem to find their way to her door!

Helen has always been a book lover, devouring science fiction and fantasy tales when she was a child growing up in Scotland.

Helen currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with far too many cats - not to mention the dragons, fairies, demons, wizards and vampires that seem to keep appearing from nowhere.

You can find out more - and learn how to get a FREE copy of Corrigan Fire - by visiting Helen's website: helenharper.co.uk

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