Teaser Tuesday - October 4

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

It was almost seven in the morning and Trish had slept the whole night beside her, silent and curled in a ball, her hand resting on Archer's arm. Rory had been in and out of the other double bed, into the bathroom, gathering things, stomping through the room, periodically talking about Duffy and someone named Clark who, as far as Archer could tell, was the hotel janitor. She had been too tired to complain and Rory wasn't really looking for dialog. He seemed satisfied with his frenetic monologue. He was finally asleep, sprawled on top of the covers, buds still attached to his ears.

From Wicked Good by Joanne Lewis and Amy Faircloth Lewis

About Wicked Good


Wicked Good is a different kind of love story. Rory is not defined by his diagnoses of Aspergers Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder and lives life to the fullest. Archer, his mother, is Rory’s biggest fan. We get a peek at the challenges they face as they are on their journey. Experience the unconditional love of a mother for her child and the many different ways Rory shows his love to those around him. 

Book Review: Radiant Desire by Inara Scott @inarascott

Radiant Desire by Inara Scott

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Publish Date: October 4, 2011

Paperback, 304 pages 
Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
 ISBN: 978-1937044305

My Review:
My thoughts:  The cover is what first caught my eye of this book, the beauty of the colors and the Faerie on the cover.  I admit to falling for covers and having to read the books.  Sometimes the books live up to the covers and sometimes they don't.  Radiant Desire is an example of the book being so much more than the cover.

I have read two of Ms. Scott's young adult novels and really enjoyed them so I was wondering how her adult novel would be.  She makes a very natural transition over to the adult romance realm taking with her the paranormal that she already uses in young adult, but instead of humans with magical powers she moves into the Fey realm. 

In the beginning we meet Kaia Verde the Faerie Handmaid and seductress of the Queen of the Fey, Zafira.  Kaia is pretty much used to go out and seduce men and then leave them embarrassed and wanting.  Kaia truly has no use for men and thinks they are all cheaters and liars so she doesn't think twice when her Queen sends her out to seduce Garrett Jameson.  But then there is something different about Garrett. When Kaia finds pleasure with Garrett and is sentenced to make Garrett fall in love with her as a human without magic, we get to know a very different Kaia.

This is when I started liking Kaia.  The Kaia at the beginning of the book is very unfeeling and cruel and hard to like.  But as a human she starts to like people and develop emotions and become real.  I loved watching Kaia develop and here is where the story really begins to flourish is with the relationships between Kaia and Rachel who is her boss and Garrett's best friend's fiancee.  What started as a way to use someone to get near Garrett becomes so much more.  And when Garrett comes back into her life, that relationship is different too.  So much happens and it was so interesting to watch, I just about could not be pulled away from the book for family movie night.  But alas I had to be.  I did keep sneaking pages in though because I wanted to know what would happen next.  Garrett was fascinating too.  He did not get close to people either and slowly through Kaia's touch and talking, the reader learns why he is the way he is and he begins to grow and change as well.

Ms. Scott beautifully crafted this romance and relationship novel so that the relationships bloom in front of your eyes.  The fun part is even though the people involved don't see it, the reader does and of course you get to finally witness that a-ha moment but will it be too late for Kaia and Garrett?  You'll just have to find out.  And I dare say you will be quite surprised by the little story that Ms. Scott has created for the climax.  It fits well and it surprised me - I really never saw it coming!  The other great thing.  Kaia is one of four sisters and handmaids of the Queen Zafira, so this is just the start of what looks to be a great series.  I can't wait to see what happens with the next handmaid and hopefully get another glimpse of Kaia and Garrett.

Great romance, stellar relationship building, interesting world building, great future tie-in for other books, and just an all-around fun book with a beautiful cover.  Radiant Desire is a book you should run out and get this week!


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
Kaia Verde is one of the four Faerie Handmaids of Zafira, Queen of the Fey. To redress an ancient wrong done to Zafira by a human king, the Handmaids make sport of mortal men, seducing and humiliating them. When Kaia sets out to seduce Garrett Jameson, but ends up being the one surrendering to pleasure, Zafira is furious. Kaia's punishment is simple: make Garrett fall in love with her by the summer solstice, then break his heart, or face eternity without her wings—or her soul. To make the task harder, Zafira tells Kaia she cannot use her faerie magic or charm to lure Garrett into her bed.

About the Author: 

Inara grew up in winter wonderland of Buffalo, NY. Consequently, she spent much of her childhood complaining about being cold. To spare the world her whining, she fled the cold climate and eventually wound up in the Pacific NW, where she practiced law for ten years before getting up the courage to quit her day job and write full time. A proud author of fantasy and romance for adults and young adults, Inara firmly believes that great literature doesn't have to be depressing, true love does exist, and everyone deserves a happily ever after.

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FTC Information: I received this book through Netgalley for an honest review. 

Giveaway: Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman (Book #1 in The Vineart War Trilogy)

Thanks to the wonderful Publicity Manager at Gallery Books, Melissa Gramstad I have three weeks of giveaways leading up to the release of The Shattered Vine by Laura Anne Gilman on October 18th.  I will also have reviews coming up as well as I get my copies of the book.  This week I have the first book in the Vineart War series, Flesh and Fire up for grabs, so if you haven't started this series, here's your chance, or if you have read it and want a brand new copy, here you go.

Here's a little more about the book:

From acclaimed bestselling author Laura Anne Gilman comes a unique and enthralling new story of fantasy and adventure, wine and magic, danger and hope....

Once, all power in the Vin Lands was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft spellwines, and selfishly used them to increase their own wealth and influence. But their abuse of power caused a demigod to break the Vine, shattering the power of the mages. Now, fourteen centuries later, it is the humble Vinearts who hold the secret of crafting spells from wines, the source of magic, and they are prohibited from holding power.

But now rumors come of a new darkness rising in the vineyards. Strange, terrifying creatures, sudden plagues, and mysterious disappearances threaten the land. Only one Vineart senses the danger, and he has only one weapon to use against it: a young slave. His name is Jerzy, and his origins are unknown, even to him. Yet his uncanny sense of the Vinearts' craft offers a hint of greater magics within — magics that his Master, the Vineart Malech, must cultivate and grow. But time is running out. If Malech cannot teach his new apprentice the secrets of the spellwines, and if Jerzy cannot master his own untapped powers, the Vin Lands shall surely be destroyed.

In Flesh and Fire, first in a spellbinding new trilogy, Laura Anne Gilman conjures a story as powerful as magic itself, as intoxicating as the finest of wines, and as timeless as the greatest legends ever told.

So do you want to win it?  It's simple, enter through the Rafflecopter below, all that is required is your name and email.  Open to the US only, the book will come straight from the publisher.  Ends 10/8 at 11:59pm EDT.  Thanks!