REVIEW - Sweet Thursday & Book Give Away!

In high school, Lily was too shy to do anything about her feelings for her best friends, Justin and Killian. Now she’s ready to put to rest her regrets with a proposal that might shock even her oversexed friends—the three of them, together, one night, multiple positions.

K and J are more than a little surprised to see Lily at their ten-year reunion. The plain Jane they remember is now a stunning woman—who wants to have sex with both of them. Who are they to deny her? Even if Killian suspects they might be treading on dangerous emotional territory.

The night stretches into the weekend and, as K suspected, none of them want it to end. But he and Lily know people live in pairs, not trios, and they call a halt now, before it’s too late.

Justin, however, knows a good thing when he sees it. He’s ready to fight for what he wants…what they all need. He just has to convince Lilly and Killian that unconventional can also be extraordinary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahhhh Sweet Thursday!  Fourth in the Wild Irish series by Mari Carr, Sweet Thursday is the much anticipated story of Killian Collins (hawt and tempting twin to the wicked Tristan).  I'm not quite sure what to say about this book at present.  I mean don't get me wrong, it was a great read....but it did end a bit abruptly for me.  I had this whole long idea in my head and it spanned a bit more time than the actual book did.

Here I was, eagerly anticipating some hot guy-guy action and pfffttt...nothing.  But what smexen menage action!  *pants and reaches for more water* Talk about steamy! I think my knickers even fainted once or twice and let me tell you girls...I NEVER knew that a recliner could be used in such a way. 

I don't even know what else to say other than, the only disappointment I felt was in the ending...I would have enjoyed having an epilogue just to see how they're coping with the living arrangements. But I suspect that we'll see more of them in the next books. (hint hint Mari!)

Overall...a very smexen and satisfying 4 out of 5 stars.  As I've said before, if you haven't read this series, you truly do not know what you're missing and I demand that you add ALL of Mari's works to your TBR piles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

In honor of Sweet Thursday and because I'm a totally rocking Tassi...I've decided to have a give away of ALL FOUR books that are currently available.  Here's how to win your very own copy of the Wild Irish books:

1) Follow my blog

2) Email me at: tasoula.m1@gmail.com and put in the subject line: "Wild Irish Contest"

3) Comment here on my review

See...easy-peasy right? I'll announce the winner(s) in a few weeks. Until then...happy reading!

xoxo

Tassi

Author Interview--Mari Carr

Welcome to Tassi's Talk Shop, where I'm excited to introduce and welcome Mari Carr!  Check out my blog to read reviews of the first three books in the Wild Irish series.

Hello and welcome Mari, I'm so glad that you can join me today...

Hey Tassi, thanks so much for the invite!

So your newest release is Sweet Thursday, can you tell us more about it?

Sweet Thursday is the fourth book in my Wild Irish series that's available at Ellora's Cave. (link) Each of the stories revolves around the love and life of one of the Collins clan--seven siblings who live and work at the family pub in Baltimore, Maryland.  In this book, we meet Tristan's (the hero in Waiting for Wednesday) twin brother, Killian.  It was a bit of a challenge to write Killian's story because up until this part of the series, he'd been absent, serving in the military and stationed in Iraq. As the story begins, he and his best friend, Justin are attending their ten-year class reunion when they run into Lily, their best friend from high school.  It turns out she's harbored some regrets in regards to her friends in the decade they've been away and decides it's time to make up for lost time.  Her proposal: one wild night of red-hot menage sex.

What was your inspiration for the Wild Irish series? 

I knew I wanted to try my hand at writing a series, so I spent some time trying to determine an angle.  I love Madison Hayes' Calendar Girls (each book revolves around a month).  Once that idea hit, I thought wouldn't it be cool to do a series based on the days of the week.  From there, I recalled the nursery rhyme, Monday's Child and well, from there--a series was born!

Do you think you'll ever write Pat and Sunday's story? (For those that haven't read the series, Pat and Sunday are the parents to the smoking hawt Collins siblings)

I've actually thought about this A LOT.  And I've had more than a few readers asking for it.  I actually have come up with an idea for the plot of a short story.  I know I won't write it until after I've finished the series of seven and I'm debating on whether or not it will be a Naughty Nooner or a Quickie. Preference? (MY personal preference would be a Quickie...the Nooner's a great as a short, free read from EC...but I think Pat and Sunday deserve at little more)

You're always writing contemporaries, is there any other genre you'd love to give a try? (Not that I'm complaining...but sometimes a smexen vamp or shapeshifter can be HAWT!)

Oh my. I hope none of my writing buddies see this.  I love contemporaries and they are definitely what I'm most comfortable writing.  That said, I sort of started (only briefly) a shifter book.  My friends are pestering me to finish the story and I know I will.  The problem is I have A LOT of stories I want to write right now and no time.

What do you like/dislike in a heroine/hero?

In case you couldn't tell, I like my men strong.  Sort of super alphas.  I don't like weak men and I abhor women who are too stupid to live. (pardon me while I choke on my coffee from laughing so hard!) I want my heroines to be women I'd be proud to call friends.  I also like all my characters - male and female - to have a sense of humor.

Can you give us a heads up on what you're working on now?

I just finished two short stories that I've submitted to Samhain.  Happy Hour has been accepted and should release some time this fall.  It will be the fourth book in my Black & White COllection.  I've also submitted another story that's just a little bit different for me, but I don't want to say too much because it's still in the to-be-read pile and I don't want to jinx myself!  Right now, I'm going to finish Riley's story, Saturday Night Special.  It's a romantic comedy set in Las Vegas (ala The Hangover).  I've been laughing my ass off while writing it.

When you're not writing, what do you enjoy doing with your spare time?

READING, watching Glee, hanging out with my two teenagers, drinking wine (hee hee).

What books/authors would we find on your bookshelf?

Loads!  I love Jayne Rylon, Lora Leigh, Diana Gabaldon, and I'm ashamed to admit this, but I'm a huge fan of the bodice ripper romances of the 80's.  Ultimate guilty pleasure--early Catherine Coulter and Iris Johanssen books--love them!

Ok Mari, time for the quick-fire round:

Boxers or Briefs? (on your heroes of course) ~~ Boxers (probably because that's what my hubby wears)

Gerard Butler (in 300) or Orlando Bloom (in the Pirate movies) ~~ Gerry!  He and I are running away together next week.

Coffee or Tea? ~~ Tea, iced, no sugar--drink a gallon of it a day!

Movies or Plays? ~~ Plays.  I go to New York once a year with my daughter and we always hit the old Broadway.

Summer or Winter? ~~ Summer...I'm a school teacher so the reason should be obvious.

Morning or Night? ~~   Morning.  I'm up with the birds.  That's also when 99.9% of my books have been written.

Wow! Thank you for stopping by to chat with me Mari!

It was fun, really enjoyed the questions!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out Mari's website for news and latest releases HERE

xoxo

Tassi

The Download Dante Party!!!

You Burn Me: A Tale of the Eververse
Released Today!


A priestess of The Morrigan, Xxieda Rolla is a woman who has known success in her business, fulfillment in her family life and is only missing one thing: the love of the man that would have her for always.  Sent to Shadow Heights New York by her goddess to find him, she meets the ever tasty, ever surly, Dante Barratt. Sparks fly, and so does Amaretto Latte.


Dante, a dealer of rare and illegal commodoties, and a very tepestuous fire demon might want the woman who's brown eyes haunt him, but knows better than to get involved with someone who just screams purity. She's hot, and successful inn ways he never could be, and knows a man that just gave away his sould like he did doesn't deserve a woman like that.


After a chance encounter on a dark street corner, and an earth shattering kiss, both are powerless to deny the chemistry between them...untill Xxieda tells him her secret: she's a virgin.


Caught between his head and his heart, can Dante accept the fact that Fate sometimes gives us exactly what we really need, not what we think we want?


Author's Note: This is a novella and answer to the question several readers have had of "What happened to Dante?" after his little cameo in Sugar and Sin.


And guess what? the book is Amazingly priced at 99 cents! that's right, a full 45k novella for only 99 cents! You know you wanna read about Dante and the woman that turns his world upside down, and now you can, for CHEAP!


And how would YOU like to win 3 E-Books from our backlist, YOUR CHOICE?  It's simple! You have three chances to win:


1. Send you snail mail address to: stella@stellaandaudra.com with "Dante's Contest" in the subject.


2. Follow our Blog (http://stellaandaudra.blogspot.com) and let us know you have


3. Buy "You Burn Me" and answer the question: "Who do we thank first and foremost in the dedication?" Send your answer to stella@stellaandaudra.com with "Dante's Book Answer" in the subject.


Winner will receive three (3) books from our back list in e-book form.

REVIEW - Lover Mine

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. Long divided as a terrifying battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Oh I'm sooooo catching shit for this one!  


John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, while I did title this as a review this is more my honest feelings towards Lover Mine and the BDB in general.


ATTENTION:  POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR LOVER MINE.  stop now if you don't have the ballz to proceed.




Okay girls, now you know I love you but I have to say, I've read Lover Mine...and while I really enjoyed it overall...there were some parts that annoyed the shit outta me.  *ducks flying heels* Oi! Bear that's just not nice!  wench thinks she's getting these babies back she's got another thing coming


Lash for instance...he so could not have been more effing lame! And yes even some of the Darius parts annoyed me and I sped through them.  I liked seeing more of Payne, but when the first scene with her came in, I was all WTF...where did this shit come from? And don't even effing get me started on that ghost shit.  It really just jumped back and forth so much for me that I had to go back and re-read parts to make sure I hadn't missed a transition somewhere. 


I know all the BDB books are like this, but really? REALLY? Come on J.R. Ward! Just where the fork was your mind when you wrote some of this? hell pass me some of those drugs! 

Okay...now before Bear and Jay go all psycho on me I'll squee for a bit.

Xhex and JM - OMG!!!  How frigging HAWT are those two!?!?  The heat between those two burned my knickers right off!  I found myself looking forward to their scenes more than anything and had to hold myself back from skipping ahead to get more.

Qhuay - I will totally agree with Bear here and say that I am totally Team Qhuay all the way!  Those two made me cry!  I wanted to beat the hell out of Qhuinn several times for being such an idiot and the same goes for Blay for being so quiet about his feelings!  On another low point, I have to say that Q standing outside the door while B lost his "virginity" really pissed me off.  I mean come on Ward!  We want man love and we want it NOW!!! 

Okay...gushing and rant aside...I'm honestly overall disappointed with Lover Mine.  I don't feel that it was worth my $25.  That money could have gone to buying me those smexen heels that I've been eyeing! 

I'd have to give LM a disappointing 3 out of 5 smexen stars and the only reason it gets that much is because of John Matthew and Xhex. 

Bottom Line?  Wait for the paperback release or borrow it from your local library.

Hugs and love,

Tassi

Review - Waiting for Wednesday

Tristan Collings knows Lany Bryce is strictly hands-off.  She's smart, funny, kind...and married.  But he still looks forward to her once-a-week visits to the family pub where he tends bar.  When she fails to arrive one Wednesday, Tris is concerned.  When he learns she's in the hospital, brutally beaten after attempting to leave her unhappy marriage, he's enraged.  Tris vows to protect her, but doesn't get the chance--Lane checks out of the hospital and disappears without a trace.

A year later, newly divorced Lane is back, and enjoying her independence too much to embark on a relationship.  Tris intends to prove she can have freedom and love, and he's not above using seduction to do it.  The more she resists, the more he sets her body ablaze with pleasure the likes of which she's never known.

After a lifetime of disappointment, trust doesn't come easily for Lane.  But when her ex-husband reenters her life, threatening her independence, her happiness, she could discover too late that Tristan is the one man worthy of not only her love, but her trust also.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Third in the Wild Irish series by Mari Carr is Tristan's story, Waiting for Wednesday.  While classified by Ellora's Cave a "Moderne" (contemporary) title, this book is actually kind of a modern, suspensefull book as well.  A fast and easy read, Wednesday will keep you on the edge of your seat and your knickers around your knees! 

The book opens with Lane running from her ex-husband after he puts her in the hospital and Tris finding out too late that she's gone.  A year later, Tris is still trying to get Lane out of his heart and off his mind.  Lo and behold, Lane appears at the pub on a Wednesday evening and tells Tris she's sorry for leaving, but she had to find herself, yada yada yada.

Now, all this is in the first chapter!  Lots of stuff huh?  And it only gets better from here....

James, the rat bastard ex-husband runs into Lane and wants her back where he thinks she belongs - with him.  Lane's not keen on that idea...and let's face it...who the hell would be if your asshole ex showed up out of the blue?

As Tris and Lane discover just how many different positions they can get into deep their feelings are for each other, the suspense begins to build. 

I really want to gush and go into loads of detail here...but I'm just not sure how to do that without giving away the whole book.  I mean duh the bad guy is James, and the hero and heroine get together in the end, but it's the journey that counts right?  And oh what a journey this one is!

Overall?? A steamy 4.5  out of 5 smexen stars.  I urge you all to grab all three e-books in this series and read them before the next book comes out in a few weeks.  You won't be disappointed!

REVIEWER'S NOTE:  I know that I've given good reviews to both of the previous books, and don't think that I'm just gushing about this author to seduce Book 4 from her (though if it works then WHOOO HOOO!) this series and especially this author really knows how to make her characters jump off the page and come screaming and panting to life!  You can find her list of books at http://www.maricarr.com/

Much love and hugs,

Sassy Tassi

The seductiveness of the bookstore...

So while running errands this afternoon, I decided to stop by my local bookstore.  *coughs* Not only do they know me by NAME...but they know exactly what books I already have and which ones I'd probably enjoy reading.

That said...$75 later, I've enriched my collection of books by adding in the Nightwalker series by Jacquelyn Frank (I know...I know...I have no clue as to WHY they weren't already in my collection!) and Nora Roberts' newest Bride Quartet Series (and YES...I actually already had these...but they mysteriously disappeared from my shelves.)

*Smacks forhead* My wallet hates me now and I can't really blame it.  I think there should totally be a support group for this, maybe "Wallet Offenders Anonymous" or "Bookstore Crack Monkees"?

*deep breath* okay...psycho-babble is over now...thanks for listening..or reading...or whatever. ^_^

much hugs and love,

Tassi

Review - Ruby Tuesday

Sky Mitchell is hiding out in Baltimore, seeking peace and solitude while he struggles with a career decision. Lead singer of popular rock group The Universe, he’s thinking of going it alone. Wandering into an Irish pub, he’s ecstatic to discover the breakout single for his solo album—but the songwriter doesn’t want to sell. He challenges the woman to a contest. Not only does he win the song, but also a songwriting partner to complete the rest of the album.



Teagan Collins is sure of her talent but she’s never aspired to fame and fortune. She’s content singing folk tunes in her family’s pub. Working on an album with Sky tests her patience…and her libido. The hot rocker plays her body like a fine instrument, their desire deepening with each song they write.

But someone doesn’t want Sky to go solo, and will stop at nothing to sabotage the couple’s efforts. Undaunted, Sky wants Teagan to join him onstage at his farewell concert to sing her original, “Maybe Tomorrow”…
If they make it through today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second in the Wild Irish series by Mari Carr, Ruby Tuesday is the story of Pat and Sunday's middle daughter, Teagan and smexi rock star heartthrob, Sky Mitchell.

Sky, who's the lead singer of rock band, The Universe, is restless and wants more than what the band has to offer.  Taking some personal time, he heads to Baltimore to hide out and write songs for his upcoming solo album.  He winds up at Pat's Irish Pub where Teagan performs and the sparks begin to fly!

Teagan, an eloquent songwriter who's afraid to take that leap of faith and thinks that Sky is a "use 'em and lose 'em" rock star type.  Sky cajoles her into a bet and when she loses, she's now honor-bound to help him write new songs for his solo career. 

But someone doesn't want Teagan and Sky to finish that album....and they'll do anything to stop them.

This was such a fun read!  I haven't really been into a lot of the whole mystery/who-done-it books, but I'm starting to get a feel for them.  Especially if they're well written and don't give away the ending in the first chapter!  While on my second read through Ruby Tuesday, I saw all the little hints that Ms. Carr drops about the "bad guy."  Though the culprit wasn't that shocking, it was still a bit twisted at the end. (and that's all I'll say because you really need to read it to know how it turns out!) 

I will say this though:  at times I really wanted to smack the shit outta Sky, but I think that's what made him "real" to me (come on girls...I dare you to name one male that you haven't wanted to thwack a time or two because of their pigheadedness!) 

Teagan on the other hand was quite a refreshing heroine and a study in contrasts.  She's strong-willed and stubborn, yet quite shy and unassuming and at the same time.  She knows the talent that she has for song-writing, but is afraid to take that shot in the dark towards fame and fortune.

Over all a great read and totally worth 4 out of 5 smexen stars.