BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Author John F. Allen Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest

In The God Killers, the First Book of The God Killers Legacy, former professional art thief Ivory Blaque is hired to procure a pair of antique pistols and gets much more than she bargained for when several attempts are made on her life. Her client turns out to be a shadowy government agent who reveals that she is descended from a race of immortals, and that the pistols are linked to her unique heritage and the special psychic gifts she possesses. He uses the memory of her father to guilt her into working for him. Ivory eventually gives in to his request, and in return, he presents her with her father's journal, which was written in an unbreakable code. Bishop believes that she is the only one capable of breaking the code and unlocking the plans of the vampire hierarchy. But when the city's top vampire is a sexy incubus with an attraction for her and she's assigned a hot new lycan enforcer to protect her, she finds herself caught between two sets of rock hard abs. To regain her autonomy, clear her name, unlock the secrets of her past, and protect the lives of those closest to her, Ivory must play along with the forces trying to manipulate her. Ivory's life is rapidly spiraling out of control and headed for an explosive conclusion which she just might not survive.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Author Alexa Egan Interview and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest

Will their desire conquer evil ’s wrath?

Major Gray de Coursy, Earl of Halvossa and exiled heir to the five clans of the Imnada shapechangers, must regain his throne in order to save his people from a deadly war with the Feybloods. First, however, he must break the curse he has lived under since the final chaos of Waterloo. Desperate, he resolves to steal the Imnada’s most sacred relic—the mysterious crystal of Jai Idrish—to help him. When he receives a visit from his childhood companion Meeryn Munro, Gray is surprised by her offer of help . . . and by how the girl of his memories has grown to become the woman of his dreams. 

None of Meeryn’s powers as anointed keeper of Jai Idrish have prepared her for the threat of battle, but it’s the passion Gray arouses in her that she finds herself fighting. In a perilous quest spanning two realms, Gray and Meeryn must outwit and outrun a cunning enemy. And only the strength of the warrior, the magic of the priestess, and a love greater than death can reclaim a crown and win them a future together.


Author Tiffany Allee Interview and $60.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest

Rachel Davis will do anything to get her sister out of a bad relationship with her fiancé. Even if it involves a few fibs, a little breaking-and-entering, and blackmailing the fiancé's potential boss, Charles, for his help. So what if the handsome Charles happens to be a vampire?
 
Charles Wright has found the perfect way to trap the man threatening his brother's wife: cozy up to him, get invited along on the skiing trip, and then search for incriminating evidence. How much better that audacious but gorgeous Rachel is just as eager to nail the bastard. As far as he's concerned, there's nothing wrong with a little blackmail between two consenting adults. Especially when it's time for Rachel to pay up.

Monday, April 28, 2014

What is Urban Fantasy? With Author Missy Jane Plus a Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS!

Stop by BittenByBooks and read Missy Jane's take on Urban Fantasy.
Questions for Readers:
When reading UF, does it bother you to have any level of sex scenes in them?
Of the various paranormal creatures, inhuman elements, or fantasy elements, which do you prefer to read in an UF book?
Would you keep reading a series if it changed genres from one book to the next? Why?

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Author Violet Patterson Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest 4/22 at BITTENBYBOOKS

“It began with tragedy.
Continued with rebirth.
Faithful friends…with secrets of their own.
Intensified with an uncovered past.
How will it all END?
Storm Sullivan’s life is a mystical mine field following the death of her Aunt Trin and it only gets worse. Thrown into the battle of the ages, Storm finds herself surrounded by Immortals, Seraphs, Fairies, Vampires, Witches and a Phoenix! Can she unravel the mysteries of her family’s past in time to save them all?”
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize 1: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: A basket of Emerald Seer Swag

Author Iris Anthony Interview and Gift Card Contest 4/22 at BITTENBYBOOKS

“Do you believe in miracles?
Sister Juliana does. She’s seen miracles happen as she tends Saint Catherine’s altar and guards her relic. Yet she doesn’t quite dare to believe that even Saint Catherine could help her atone for her wicked past.
Anna does. And she so desperately needs one. In a time when a deformity is interpreted as evidence of a grievous sin, in a place where community is vital to existence, Anna has no family, no home, and no master.
Princess Gisele wants to. A miracle is the only thing that can save her from being given to a brutal, pagan chieftain in marriage.
For those who come in faith, saints offer the answer to almost any prayer. But other forces are plotting to steal Saint Catherine’s relic, to bend the saint’s power to their own use. Penitent, pilgrim, princess — all will be drawn into an epic struggle where only faith can survive. But in a quest for divine blessing, only the most ruthless of souls may win the prize.”
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize: A $37.00 Gift Card to Litographs.com

Author Jamie Wyman Character Interview/Vlog and Contest 4/24 at BITTENBYBOOKS

“It was bad enough that gods gambled with human souls, but Catherine Sharp’s soul just had to be won by the Greek goddess of Discord, Eris. As if working a dead-end tech support job didn’t suck the life out of her as it was. Now, Cat finds herself performing random tasks for the goddess in her free time.
But when Coyote, the Native American trickster himself, claims to have won her own soul in Mayhem’s weekly poker game, Cat wants in on the action. With five sneaky gods upping the ante, Cat needs to find a way to collect the winning chips that could save her soul.
Marius, a handsome yet irritating satyr with his own debt to Eris, might finally come in handy for something. If they play their cards right and work together, Cat and Marius may just get their freedom back. If they don’t kill each other—or fall in love—first.”
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize 1: 2 Ebook copies of Wild Card
Prize 2: 5 Limited Edition Poker chips

Author AnnMarie Stone Interview/Vlog and $30.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest 4/24 at BITTENBYBOOKS

All Anastasia has ever wanted was to start a new life, a normal life, a life without her parents. As soon as Anastasia gets that chance however, she discovers quickly that a normal life was never a possibility for someone like her. 

Anastasia has always known that she was different, but she has never understood why. Two mysterious strangers, identical twins, offer answers that she desperately seeks, but can she trust what they tell her? One is evil and a creature of Chaos, the other is Light and a being filled with a Pure soul. Unfortunately for Anastasia, its no longer clear which is which. 

Chaos had already separated Anastasia from her soul mate, weakening her own purity. With her defenses down, she is a perfect target for Chaos to seep in and take control. Chaos has already corrupted her father, could she be next? Or will her determination to save her true love from the same fate be enough to protect her from corruption? 

When Chaos threatens to extinguish Light once and for all, Anastasia will have to decide which side to fight on. The unique abilities that have always made Anastasia different from everyone else are the very same abilities that may save or condemn her.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize 1: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: 2 each $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards

Author G. Doucette Interview and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS

Mara Cantor's life is boring and uncomplicated, and she likes it that way. She has her internship at the museum-a job she shares with her roommate, Davis-and while it is low-paying and occasionally mind-numbing, it gives her all the free time she needs to finish her thesis. And that is just fine. But when Argent Leeds, the internationally famous playboy and raconteur, visits Mara's museum, he brings with him the most exciting archeological discovery in decades: the Pazuzu gemstones. Long assumed to be nothing more than a myth by most scholars, the gemstones are rumored to possess mystical powers. Between Argent, his gemstones, and Davis, Mara's boring life has suddenly gotten very complicated. Now she is caught up in a sexual adventure that is either the most exciting time of her life . . . or the most terrifying.
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

Authors Lisa Fender and Toni Burns Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest 4/23 at BITTENBYBOOKS

Stevie Barrett lives an ordinary life in Golden, Colorado, where nothing remarkable ever happens. That is until right before her high school graduation, when Stevie’s life takes a bizarre turn. Her best friends, Jack and Alyssa, want to be supportive, but are confused by the events plaguing Stevie. Stevie’s mom is attacked by men with glowing gold eyes. A strange being spies on Stevie, hidden in shadow. She has waking visions of a people called the Djen and their archaic world. And when her and her BFFs don’t think it can get any weirder, Stevie heals a stranger with a touch. The abilities build until they are a tidal wave awakening within her and threaten her sense of reality. Her efforts to understand what is happening lead her and her friends to discover a group known as the Rebellion. These warriors from another dimension are hunting her. Their leader is a man bent on destroying Stevie and possessing her legacy. In order to stop him and save everyone she loves, Stevie and her friends must embark on a quest to find and return Tecton, one of the five Orbs—relics—of the other plane she comes to know as Djenrye. The journey will alter everything she believes, propelling her into another world and another life.
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Ultimate Steampunk Giveaway: Books, Movie, Jewelry, Cards and More at BITTENBYBOOKS!

Hi Everybody!
We are excited to to offer you all a chance to win the ULTIMATE Steampunk Giveaway. This prize package includes one copy each of the following books: Fiddlehead by Cherie Priest, ARC’s of The Clockwork Wolf and Disenchanted & Co. by Lynn Viehl, His Clockwork Canary by Beth Ciottaa DVD copy of The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box, plus a Steampunk hat Hat from Nitty Gritty Threads, Steampunk Kitty Necklace from A Charming Time Jewelry, Mustache note cards, A Steampunk journal, Mini Steampunk Key bookmarks and a bunch of swag! Everything you see in this picture and then some!

The contest is open to readers WORLDWIDE. You just enter using the Giveaway Tools widget at the bottom of this post. The contest runs from 4/20/14-4/25/14 at Midnight Central. We will chose a winner next weekend!
Check back throughout the week for more ways to enter!
Enter our other contests and be sure to RSVP for events by clicking here for chances to win tons more prizes and meet cool authors this week.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Author Mark Henry Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS


“Zombie socialite, Amanda Feral, and her undead friends, Wendy and Gil, descend on an idyllic seaside village for some rest, relaxation and the consumption of cute coastal townsfolk. Their plans are derailed when they become embroiled in a mystery at the Miss Sand Flea Pageant involving overtly perky go-go dancers, the inevitable wereshark attack and an annoying octogenarian sleuth/writer.
After a few years away from the Urban Fantasy genre, the dark and dementedly funny Mark Henry is back with the first installment in a new trilogy of hilariously gruesome novellas featuring everyone’s favorite undead socialite, Amanda Feral.”
Read a 5 star review of Beach Blanket Bloodbath by clicking here.
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide

Prize 1 : 3 – $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards
Prize 2: An ebook copy of Parts & Wreck 

Author Charlie Daye Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS

I am a seeker of vengeance; 
A mender of broken hearts. 
I respond to the siren call of loneliness and despair. 
I was once a human woman; 
Very much like you; 
Until my heart was destroyed by the man I loved. 
My only purpose now is to avenge those that have been betrayed. 
I am Fury… 
And hell has nothing on me. 


Warning - Adult content, violent subject matter

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide except where noted
Prize: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Author Mina Khan Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS

Lynn Hana Alexander is a 25-year-old Japanese American shape shifter haunted by guilt. She’s been questioning herself and her dragon abilities ever since she failed to save her grandmother. When her best friend is threatened by mysterious fires burning up acres of West Texas, Lynn rushes to the rescue, determined not to fail again. However, with a tempting firefighter, a flirty city developer and dragon pheromones distracting her, how is she going to find the arsonist? And worse: is her primary suspect a malicious rogue dragon or the love of her life?






CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize 1: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: $15.00 Amazon Gift Card
Prize 2: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Author Christine Amsden Release Party and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS

Beware your heart and soul. 

Evan broke Cassie's heart two months ago, and she still doesn't know why. She throws herself into family, friends and her new job at the sheriff's department, but nothing helps. The only thing that finally allows her to heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds him... irresistable. 

Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the non-magical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor's wife. It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze.

 Book 3 in the Cassie Scot series. 
Read a 4 star review of  Mind Games by clicking here.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide

Prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Author Rose Pressey Release Party and $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest ay BITTENBYBOOKS

Lost on the Bayou is the first book in the Bayou Series. 

Grant Kenner’s life is the bayou. As game warden in Belle Grove, Louisiana, Grant spends his time along the water. He lives for his work and doesn’t waste much time on anything else. For years that’s the way he liked it. That all changes when Chloe comes back. 

Chloe Beaumont left Belle Grove years ago. As a full-time novelist, she spends her days writing romance and living in a make-believe world. Romance is for her characters, not for real-life. When her uncle suddenly disappears, Chloe returns to Belle Grove to find him. As much as things have changed in Belle Grove, they’ve also stayed the same. 

Chloe never thought she’d have to spend time with Grant Kenner again. He was one of the reasons she left the small town in the first place. But Grant may be the only person who can help her unravel the deceit, blackmail, and revenge along the bayou. Without his support, Chloe could be lost on the bayou in more ways than one.

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize: $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

Author Ashley Rose Sullivan Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest At BITTENBYBOOKS

The only thing Awesome Jones wants is to be a super hero. Until he falls in love. 
Despite his colorful name, Awesome Jones is a painfully average man who dreams of being a super hero, just like the ones who patrol his city. It’s been that way since he was a little boy, raised by his grandfather after his parents’ death. 
The day Jones starts his new job as a file clerk at Akai Printing Company he meets secretary Lona Chang and everything changes. Lona sees something in Jones that no one ever has and the two quickly become inseparable. But when the perfect pair’s domestic bliss is threatened by a super-powered secret from the past, Awesome Jones has to make a choice. He must decide whether he should play it safe or find the strength to live up to his name and risk everything he’s come to love to save the day like he always dreamed. 


This super hero novel is more than just a comic book in prose—it’s a fairytale for adults. 
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide
Prize : $35.00 Amazon Gift Card

Monday, April 14, 2014

Author Jimmy Gillentine Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest

Angela started to work at Aces High to earn money, not to lose her heart. Andrew Bane, the bar's bouncer, is everything she is looking for in a man: tall, strong, handsome, and fearless. But he can act so distant and cold.

When a local drug ring goes after Andrew for revenge, she finds out who and what he really is. He is hiding the Beast within. And when it is unleashed, there is a price.

A price of blood and flesh.





Read a review of The Beast Within by clicking here.
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide

Prize: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Author M.J. Rose Release Party and Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS!

From the internationally bestselling author, a lush and imaginative novel that crisscrosses time as passion and obsessions collideFlorence, Italy—1533: 
An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fra­grances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the poten­tial to reanimate the dead. 
In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country, but also the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, René doesn’t begin to imag­ine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.
Paris, France—The Present:
A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile—trying to recover from personal heartache by throw­ing herself into her work—learns of the sixteenth-century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomesobsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breaths he had collected during his lifetime.
Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Flo­rentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection, a woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir . . . for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means.
This mesmerizing gothic tale zigzags from the violent days of Catherine de Medici’s court to twenty-first-century France. Fiery and lush, set against deep, wild forests and dimly lit cha­teaus, The Collector of Dying Breaths illuminates the true path to immortality: the legacies we leave behind.

Books in the series in the order they should be read:

Author Jennifer Malone Wright Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS

This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets. Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her. Experience the world of vampires hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.

Books in the Vampire Hunter’s Daughter series in the 
order they should be read:

Author A.C. Arthur Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest at BITTENBYBOOKS !

Shadow Shifters: Damaged Hearts—a deeply emotional, unforgettable New Adult paranormal romance series by A.C. Arthur about the men who are sworn to protect the females—human or otherwise—from the savage fury of his own nature…
In Mine to Claim by A.C. Arthur, Grace Kincaid has been trapped her whole life. Controlled in every way by her domineering parents, she has never had any moment of excitement or passion in all her eighteen years. When a rare night out with a friend ends in violence, Grace believes that perhaps her parents are right to keep her under lock and key. There’s just one problem—she can’t get the irresistibly sexy, mysterious man who saved her from danger out of her head. She knows she should go back to her safe world, but her newfound passion for life—and for her enigmatic protector—are making that impossible…
Despite his strength and power, Aidan Sanchez cannot escape. Bound by his Shifter bloodline, he is repulsed by the very attributes his family wishes him to embrace. His main goal is to keep his more dangerous…hungers… under wraps. But when a fight at a club forces Aidan to protect the most alluring woman he’s ever seen, there’s no turning back. He knows he shouldn’t drag her into his world, but she’s awakened a fire within him, and for once, he’s willing to lose control if it means having Grace… Don't miss Part of Me coming in May 13, 2014 and Hunger for You coming June 10, 2014.

Books in the Shadow Shifters: Damaged Hearts series in the order they should be read:


Book Contest – Win Four Books and Some Swag

Devil May Care (Speak of the Devil)“Weddings are hell…
After a month of planning not one, but two, demonic weddings, all Faith Bettincourt—the youngest Crown Princess of Hell—wants is to spend some quality time with her angelic boyfriend, Matt. But when a ghost from Matt’s past walks through Faith’s apartment door, her preoccupation with the weddings from Hell is all that’s keeping her from turning his ex, in all her devious angelic glory, into a down throw pillow.
Which is about when Matt’s zealous mother declares war on Faith’s family.
Now Faith will stop at nothing to stop the craziness and make sure the impending nuptials go off without a hitch. All she’s got to do is rescue one of the grooms and go up against an army of so-called do-gooders, and everything will go back to normal. Or as normal as it can be where the Devil’s spawn is concerned. With any luck, she might just be able to resuscitate her love life while she’s at it.”
Kiss of the Betrayer (A Bringer and the Bane Novel)“For fifteen years Luc Le Daun has blamed himself for the death of the woman he loved. His secret guilt has led him into a life of danger, risking all and committing to none. Killing Luc Le Daun has been all Jade Kendell has thought about for years. But when her plan goes awry and she’s brought into the Bringers’ fold, her own dark secret threatens to be revealed. Desire for a better life wars with a promise made long before she understood the ramifications. In a deadly mission, Jade and Luc embark on a journey into the Shadow World. As they attempt the impossible, ignoring the attraction growing between them becomes harder to deny. The slightest misstep could mean the loss of their souls and give the Demon King exactly what he needs to open the Abyss of Souls and annihilate the Bringers.”
About Hellsbane:
Hellsbane (A Hellsbane Book)“Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human—or, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.
Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.
No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.”
Cinderella Screwed Me Over (Entangled Select)“Darby Quinn has a bone to pick with Cinderella. Burned one too many times by ex-boyfriends, Darby has lost all belief in the happily-ever-after that the fairy-tale princess promised her. She’s sworn off love, Prince Charmings, and happy endings and she’s happy about it. Really. Or at least she was…until she met Jake, her gorgeous neighbor and the manager of her favorite restaurant. But Darby has rules about dating, ones she’s culled from her years spent with so-called “princes,” and starting something with Jake would break all of them.
Charming, fun, and unwilling to give up on her, Jake doesn’t fit any of the profiles Darby has created from her case studies of ex-princes-gone-bad. Finally presented with her own Prince Charming, can Darby take a chance on a happily-ever-after?
Full of wit and sarcastic humor, Cinderella Screwed Me Over proves that sometimes the perfect love, like a perfect pair of shoes, is just within your grasp.”