Cover Reveal: Silent Echoes by Aimee Laine (@aimeelaine) #coverreveal #PNR

As an author and as a reader, I have always been a huge fan of cover reveals. Nothing gets me jazzed about an upcoming release more than the cover reveal.

Today I have the new cover for my fellow Sisterhood member, Aimee Laine and her new release in the Games of Zeus series, Silent Echoes.

Silent Echoes
Games of Zeus #2
by Aimee Laine
Release Date: March 11, 2013
Target Reader: Adult
Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Romance,
Thriller/Suspense

Back of the Book

For years, Ian Sands has enjoyed his life as a bachelor, taking advantage of singlehood and exploring his own definition of passion—whoever she may be. Blonde. Brunette. Tall. Short. Hot. Not. Five months ago, all that changed.

Ian’s been celibate, frustrated and desperately seeking answers to why one woman, who doesn’t play by girls’ rules, haunts his every waking moment.

As a renovations specialist, Taylor Marsh lives, works and breathes construction—a profession her southern belle of a mother would rather Taylor not touch. The same goes for Ian; Mama Marsh would never approve of him.

Like Ian, though, each time he and Taylor draw near, something compels her to get closer.

Something else tells her to run away.

Fast.

As much as their histories suggest they shouldn’t be together, neither Taylor nor Ian can deny the pull, and the two succumb, indulging in a relationship that brings pleasure to body, mind and soul.

Doing so, though, also ushers in a series of events both should have foreseen as well as one final outcome neither expected.

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/26

Other Books in this series include:
Hide & Seek

Personally, I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and am anxious to have a peek at the next. The cover only adds to my interest. I am especially curious as to the significance of the haunted look to the house and the noose hanging from the eaves… quite curious!

What do you think about the cover? Does it fit the book description? Looking forward to hearing what some of you think.

Congratulations to the Winner of the Hide and Seek Greek Myth Giveaway! #winner

While the participation numbers for the giveaway were not quite what I had hoped for, the blog traffic for this week was quite high, so that is a positive sign.

You are reading, you just aren’t commenting as much as I would like. But, we will get there 🙂 I blame myself for the long winded post with the contest information. I still haven’t quite learned the “short and sweet” lesson. I blame the Irish in me.

Anyway, after a random drawing of the qualified entries, the winner of the signed bookmark and free eBook copy of Hide and Seek by Aimee Laine is…

 

Cathy Geloso!

 

Congratulations, Cathy!

Expect an email from me within the week to get your information so I can mail you the bookmark.

To everyone else out there, if you haven’t already, make sure you all go out and order your copy of Aimee Laine’s first novel in the Games of Zeus series, HIDE AND SEEK.

See you all next time 🙂

~Bex

My Own Games of Zeus Giveaway and an Interview with Aimee Laine #giveaway #free #ebook

I have always had a rather keen interest in the Greek Myths, so I was super excited when I had the opportunity to read the publisher’s ARC copy of HIDE AND SEEK, a new paranormal romance series by author of LITTLE WHITE LIES, Aimee Laine. You can see my review of HIDE AND SEEK HERE. (I gave it 4.5 of 5 stars)

Ms. Laine also graciously agreed to allow me to host a little contest and giveaway to promote the release of the first novel in the Games of Zeus series. (Enter the Greek Myths)

 She also agreed to swing by the blog today and answer a few of my probing questions. (Yay me! – and by extension, you :P)

As you may have guessed by now, Ms. Laine’s new novel plays off the infamous Greek Myths, starting with Zeus’ ultimate paradox, the story of the fox and the hound. (If you’re not familiar with this particular myth, you can find out more from Wikipedia here: Fox, Hound)

I have a fair knowledge of some of the more popular greek myths and mythical creatures. Reading the novel got me thinking about my own favorites, and wondering which ones were the most popular with others. Would I be surprised to know how many others agreed with my choice, or what others were held in high regard? would someone have a favorite I may not have even heard of before?

And so, my contest idea was born. This is what you need to do to win a free eBook copy of HIDE AND SEEK, and a bookmark autographed by Aimee Laine.

1. Comment below naming your favorite greek myth and why it’s your favorite.

2. Provide and email address where I can contact you should you be the winner.

That’s it!

Yup, I will select one lucky commenter at random to receive both prizes. Because, I am really interested in giving you all time to give this some thought before answering, I will leave the contest open for one week. All qualifying replies made before midnight EST on 3/30 will be eligible for the random drawing.

I have a hard time chosing my own favorite myth, though I guess it would have to be the story if Sisyphus (destined to push the giant boulder uphill for eternity).

My reasoning would simply be the beauty of poetic justice. Karma can be a real… well, you know.

While, not a myth, but more a creature, Medusa comes a close second for me.

Along this same vein, *shifts focus to Aimee*

Bex: Of all the greek myths you could have chosen to play with for this story, why the fox and the hound?

Aimee: So this may sound like it’s cheating, but it’s a made-for-story plot. It’s the perfect, the ultimate, an ideal conflict and that’s exactly what readers want, right? Conflict? 🙂

Bex: I noticed this is Games of Zeus #1 — leading me to believe there will be others. Will future novels each play on their own greek myths?

Aimee: Yes. Book two is called Silent Echoes and it features Ian and Taylor who have a game of their own to play. This one’s a love triangle across the ages that isn’t gonna end well … ever. Zeus was KNOWN for his love triangles — all the gods were. Apparently, gods didn’t find monogamy important. Um, hello? People? IT IS! But hey, it does make for a great ‘game’ … and of course, I’ve put my own twists and turns on it. NO idea when this one will come out, but I have plans for Emma, too. Can’t tell you anything about her game yet.

Bex: Will Games of Zeus series work like your Mimics of Rune series does, with the supporting characters in the previous books taking center stage (when it is their turn) in the series novels?

Aimee: Yup. Kinda answered this one above, but it will. Each key character will have their own story. In the Mimics of Rune, we have Cael and Lily (Surrender, September 2012) and Maggie & James (sometimes in the future). There’s also Stuart, if I wanted to write for him. Which I may. In Games of Zeus, there really are three main stories. However (and this is kinda key) … I have plans to write a few novellas (maybe novels) for Tripp and Lexi using their gifts. That’ll be fun. Maybe. 😉

I for one, can’t wait to read some of these new stories, as well. If they are anything like the first two, we are in for a real treat. Thanks so much for letting me pick your brain a bit.

Ok, folks. That’s it for now.

Make sure you remember to comment below (and leave a way to contact you)for your chance to win!

Thanks for stopping by.
~Bex

Book Review: Hide and Seek by Aimee Laine

Hide & Seek by Aimee Laine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 of 5 Stars! A fantastic, romantic paranormal read.

Having always been interested in mythologies and lore, I was keen to get my hands on this new novel by Aimee Laine. Games of Zeus? What could that be all about? The mind boggled. So when the review copy arrived in my inbox, I jumped in with both feet. Easy to do with the way Ms. Laine sets the stage at the outset. We start on an intriguing high and the story never lets go.

Hide and Seek takes established Greek mythology, sprinkles it with a dash of paranormal, and then shakes it all up with a healthy dose of passionate romance. Tasty vittles!

Based on the legend of the cunning fox who never gets caught and the always successful seeker, the hound, Hide and Seek features the most hunky male lead this reviewer has come across to date. Tripp Fox is exactly the kind of man who gets my attention–sweet and sexy with a dash of dangerous. I bet you can’t guess which side of Zeus’ paradox he plays? His counterpart, Lexi Shepherd, is of course, the hound, the seeker who can find whatever she looks for.

Our star-crossed (literally) soul mates are set at opposing sides of the ultimate paradox, and must figure out a way to best the game to be together.

I absolutely loved this story. It held enough tension and drama to keep me turning the pages and the romance balanced just the right amounts of sweet and steamy passion.

The secondary characters were absolutely wonderful. They really jumped off the page, and their presence added to the beautifully described, intricate details of the story, as well as the fictional paranormal town, Rune, N.C. which was also featured in Ms. Laine’s debut novel, Little White Lies.

The only thing that stopped me from giving this novel a full 5 star rating was Lexi Shepherd’s character. True to her nature, Lexi is good–almost to the point of prude. Throughout the story she questioned Tripp’s morals and intentions, despite his behaving quite well throughout the novel (considering he knows no matter what he can’t get caught if he doesn’t want to). About halfway through the novel, I found myself annoyed when she continually refused to trust Tripp or sometimes even give him the benefit of the doubt. For all we see him doing for her when in his POV, it was difficult to switch back and be “okay” with her distrust of his intentions. That being said, I did like her overall, and was rooting for her and Tripp to “make it”. I just needed to remind myself she was only being true to who she is — the upstanding and morally solid hound.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys paranormal romances, and would consider it a MUST READ for anyone with an interest in the Greek myths.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Into The Unknown by Jocelyn Adams, J.A. Belfield and Aimee Laine

Into The Unknown by Jocelyn Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was quite looking forward to getting a chance to read this collection being I had read the three debut novels associated with the characters in each of the tales. Curious to get a feel for what the common thread would be, I dove in. The tales were short enough, that I managed to complete the collection in one evening of reading, which was actually nice with the hectic schedule I seem to have going of late.

In an effort to be fair to each of the included shorts, I thought it best to visit each individually.

Marked by J. A. Belfield:

In this short, we get a chance to see the relationship between Darkness and Light main characters, Sean and Jem from Sean’s perspective. The story finds them at the conclusion of the novel with Sean trying in his werewolf chic way to propose to Jem. I really enjoyed getting a deeper look into Sean’s psyche in this short and I found the plot issues really believable in an urban fairy tale sort of way, which only added to the authenticity of the storytelling. This was a sweet and romantic winner for me.

Misguided by Aimee Laine:

This tale gives us a chance to check in with Wyatt Moreland and Charley Randall where Ms. Laine’s novel, Little White Lies leaves off. While the novel is written from Charley’s perspective, here we get a chance to sit inside Wyatt’s head. All of the other characters who brought the novel to life are also present in Misguided. A bonus for me, as it was one of the high points of the book for me. The story reads as a precursor to the second book in the Mimics of Rune series by giving the reader a glimpse at the troubles to come for the shape shifters and their FBI cohorts. Once again, I just loved the interplay between all the characters, and focus on the friendships in this story. Ms. Laine left enough teasers to get me drooling for the next book, which looks to focus on two of the shape shifters in their clan, Lily and Cael. Looking forward to that one for sure.

Tempted by Jocelyn Adams

I absolutely loved The Glass Man, so was anxiously looking forward to another visit with Lily and Liam. I wasn’t the least bit disappointed. Like the other two tales, the story picks up the main characters of the authors novel at the close, and comes from the perspective of the leading man in the romantic relationship. Since Tempted is presented from Liam’s perspective, the story gives us a nice deep glimpse into the Unseelie side of the fae. Liam has to deal with some internal strife that summons forth his darker nature. Everyone knows I love a leading man with a dark side, and like in the novel, Liam delivers. Suffice to say I’d let him stare me down any day. I found myself disappointed when this short came to an end.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Little White Lies by Aimee Laine

Little White Lies by Aimee Laine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I took this one with me to Cape Cod this August and have to say that I wasn’t disappointed. I found the writer’s style easy to read and the characters three dimensional and endearing.

I have to admit, I did have some trouble in the early going with this one — I had trouble following what was happening from a backstory perspective. I felt for the first quarter of the book that I had missed something or that sunstroke had attacked me on the beach and that was why I wasn’t following the plot as easily as I would have expected. I think some of the secrets in the book were a little more vague than I would have preferred. Coupled with not understanding the mechanics of what living as a mimic is like, well, I felt a little lost.

The author’s voice and the personality of the characters I was introduced to is what kept me reading. By the time I hit the halfway point in the book, I was completely hooked. Charley is spunky and sweet, while Wyatt is just perfectly dreamy 😛 (dating myself with that reference). The secondary characters really fill the plot out nicely.

When we get to it, the romance isn’t corny, but feels genuine, and I found myself rooting for love in a way a cynic like me hasn’t for some time. The covert operations kept me reading and turning the page, and while I had an idea who the bad guy was earlier in the story, I didn’t quite have the full story. The plot twists and surprises were a nice bonus.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Little White Lies by Aimee Laine

Little White Lies by Aimee Laine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I took this one with me to Cape Cod this month and have to say that I wasn’t disappointed. I found the writer’s style easy to read and the characters three dimensional and endearing.

I have to admit, I did have some trouble in the early going — I had trouble following what was happening from a backstory perspective. I felt for the first quarter of the book that I had missed something or that sunstroke had attacked me on the beach and that was why I wasn’t following the plot. I think some of the secrets in the book were a little more vague than I would have preferred. Coupled with not understanding the mechanics of what living as a mimic is like, well, I felt a little lost.

The author’s voice and the personality of the characters I was introduced to is what kept me reading. By the time I hit the halfway point in the book, I was hooked. Charley is spunky and sweet, while Wyatt is just perfectly dreamy 😛 (dating myself with that reference). The secondary characters really fill the plot out nicely.

When we get to it, the romance isn’t corny, but feels genuine, and I found myself rooting for love in a way a cynic like me hasn’t for some time. The covert operations kept me reading and turning the page, and while I had an idea who the bad guy was earlier in the story, I didn’t quite have the full story. The surprises were a nice bonus.

An enjoyable summer read.

View all my reviews

Three Great Authors Signed – J. Taylor Publishing – Congrats Ladies!

I enjoying sharing good news.

Especially when the good news happens to writers that I am “close” to. Not in locational proximity, but the three authors debuting with J. Taylor publishing per this most recent blog post: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/blog/ are all part of my favorite critique circle and people I consider friends, at the very least, colleagues.

Please join me in offering congratulations to Aimee Laine, JA Belfield and Jocelyn Adams.  Way to go ladies — I am so proud and happy for each of you. It is well deserved and about time, too.

Can’t wait to pick up copies of the books when they are out in print or e-book.

I have links to each of their websites on My Favorite Authors page on my website, or there are links to each on the blog posted at the link above.