Destined by Jessie Harrell

Destined
Jessie Harrell

Synopsis: When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Psst... Do you feel that? It's the long, calming sigh of satisfaction you get once you read the last sentence in a truly heart-wrenching novel. You immediately say Aww and your heart warms a little. Sigh... And then disappointment cause you realize you've left that spectacular fantasy world containing the totally yummy, scrumpdidlyumptious hottie that you've been drooling over the past 200 pages and you're suddenly stuck back in reality without him. [Uh, no offense babe! I totally love you! heh heh...eh] Oh, well. The fantasy was good while it lasted.

So Psyche has been dubbed the new mortal daughter of Aphrodite by the goddess herself. Happy dance, right? Except it didn't work out too well for Aphrodite's first mortal daughter, Helen of Troy, did it? Uh...no. Psyche is blindsided but she goes with the flow - until Aphrodite brings her son Eros (aka Cupid) over and tells them she wants them to marry. Shocker, neither take to the news too well and end up throwing a few inappropriate comments. Eros is an immortal and gets to storm off to has his hissyfit but Aphrodite wants revenge against the mere human that dared to defy her wishes and reject her immortal son. She decides Psyche's destiny is to spend her remaining days in love with a despicable creature and declares that Eros must pierce her with one of his arrows to force this love upon her. But when the time comes to shoot Psyche, he finds he just can't do it and ends up nicking himself with the arrow. Now in love with Psyche himself, he must find a way to keep her safe and fulfill his mother's wishes all at the same time. Not an easy feat...

Now I will say that I know nothing about the myth involving Cupid and Psyche so I don't know how this compares, but I think any author deserves a little latitude when it comes to making it their own. I'm not one to criticize if it isn't an exact retelling - quite frankly I would find that boring (had I known it). I can say that I enjoyed watching these two characters grow to love one another once they put their pride aside and let their guards down long enough to do so. Sorta like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Sigh...

Anyways, Destiny offers reluctant lovers, lots of mythical characters (my fave being the dead man that ferries the dead, or shades, into the Underworld), swoon-worthy heartthrob, and some of those horrible 'tests' the Gods like to throw at you to see if you're worthy of their time.

Novel provided by author for honest review.

Cover Reveal for Falling Away (Falling #2)

Synopsis: Jenna’s first two years of community college are almost over and it’s time to decide where to finish her degree. Should she stay near Harvard to be with Robert, or off to Rutgers, where she really wants to go? Their life together seems perfect but she can't help thinking that maybe there's something more out there. As Sophie and Jhett’s wedding nears and Jenna is swamped with Maid of Honor duties, she begins to question if she and Robert will live happily ever after too. Right on cue with her doubts, a familiar dream boy pops up in her dreams again. But Chance’s entrance is as abrupt as his exit and Jenna’s left wondering about his safety. Concern and curiosity get the best of her and a trip back home puts her within arm’s reach of a man that still adores her. Only question is, are Jenna's nerves just playing with her over Robert, or is she suddenly realizing she should've chosen Chance?

Expected publication for Falling Away is still 2013 and I can tell you that Jenna's final choice is still up in the air. :)

So who do you guys think Jenna should end up with? Robert or Chance? Neither?

Haven't read Falling In Between yet? Enter to win a copy at GoodReads.

March Winners and Previously Loved Book Giveaway - April

Happy March everyone! I've got a few quick winners to announce before jumping into the giveaway for April. First, winners of the Writer's Block featuring Augusta Blythe is

Thilde - winner of Winterborne

Atheena - winner of Ravenstoke

In celebration of Ordained being awarded 2011 Best Fantasy novel by Reader Views, I offered up a few books to give away in March. The winners are:

Kelly Fox - book winner

Helen Bush and Alecia Stone - ebook winners

And finally, March's winner of the ARC of The Calling by Alison Bruce is....

Lisa Richards!

All winners have 72 hours to respond to their winning emails or new winners will be chosen. And now,

April's Book Giveaway

A nearly perfect paperback of Fallen by Lauren Kate.
Wanna enter to win? Head over to my giveaway page.

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Schultz (ARC)

Spellcaster
Cara Lynn Schultz
Pub:March 27, 2012

Synopsis: Finding your eternal soulmate - easy. Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

Spellcaster picks up a few months after Spellbound and Emma and Brendan's scandal is still talk of the town. They try to go about their merry way but it doesn't take long for trouble to find them again. The fact that both of them had something stolen from them should have raised a red flag (it certainly did for me - even after the first thing was stolen). Turns out the two have ticked off a really nasty witch hellbent on draining and using their 'true love' blood to make her uber-powerful, and she has zero scruples over the things she'll do to them to get it. Sucks to be them...

For the most part I enjoyed Spellcaster more than its predecessor Spellbound. I felt a little disappointed but that's mostly because I'm used to reading novels that have more than just one type of supernatural being in it. I had hopes that this series would develop into than a girl coming into magical powers, but all its really done is increase the number of witches present. Still, my disappointment is due to personal preferences, not necessarily the novel. Spellcaster was still a good novel and worth checking out.

 

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

eBooks Now Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords

As some of you already know, my ebooks have been exclusively on Amazon for the last few months. As of today they are available on other sites, like Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. Below are the links for you. Thanks for being so patient!

Paperbacks available on Amazon US, UK, DE and FR, and my E-Store.

eBooks available on Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, Nook and Smashwords.

Paperbacks available on Amazon US and my E-store.

eBooks available on Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, Nook and Smashwords.

Paperbacks available on Amazon US and my E-store.

eBooks available on Kindle US, UK, DE, FR, IT and ES, Nook and Smashwords(coming soon).