"Make Me a Wish" Book Review

Title: Make Me a Wish
Series: The Conduit #1
Authors: K.B. Ladnier & Anita Maxwell
Review: 4 out of 5 stars
Blurb:
"Ever made a wish and had it come true? Well lucky you, because I have never had any of my wishes come true." 

Arsyn Henley has had a rough life growing up. All the universe has ever done, is take every loved one she has ever had and give deep rooted scars—both on the inside and out—in return. When a relative she never knew about dies and leaves her a cabin in the mountains, she's eager to start over with a new life. She could never have guessed her new life would be riddled with secrets about her family, new people to love and most of all magic beyond her wildest dreams. 

Enter the four dashing Kismet brothers who take this broken girl on a metaphorical magic carpet ride through the world of Jinn—beings who grant the wishes of the human race—and slowly put back together her soul with pieces of their own. 

But where there's light, dark is soon to follow. Can she find the strength to accept her new reality and the people who come with it bringing all the beauty of love and light to her? Or will she falter and beckon the darkness to take her away as it's own? 

*This is a 400+ page Reverse-Harem series with some disturbing sequences of events, mild language and is recommended for ages 17+* 

***
Make Me a Wish is a new fantasy RH book featuring wish granting Jinn and their Conduits that fans of RH won't want to miss! 

In addition to creating a unique and magical world, the authors have developed an interesting cast of characters that are easy to love (or hate) and connect to. The main character is Arsyn Henley whose difficult past is etched into her skin in the form of scars. (Readers who may be triggered by scenes of violence should know that Arsyn's abuse is described towards the beginning of the book.) Her silver hair and clearly visible scars across her face set her apart and she's had difficulty growing close to others. She is a brave character who hasn't lost her hope or strength despite numerous hardships. Her luck changes though with the entrance of the Kismet brothers. They are Jinn who have almost given up hope of finding their Conduit. The eldest, Killian, is the protector of the group. Next is Elijah, the voice of reason. Last are the twins, Zach, the calm healer, and Talan, the loving goofball. Each character is great on their own, but the five together as a group is really amazing. There are a lot of fun and sweet moments between Arsyn and the guys, though the romance is slow to build. 

In addition to this main group of characters, there are several important side characters who are not lacking in development either. Through the Kismet brothers, Arsyn gains friends and the family she never had. Adie and Nova are twins and cousins to the Kismet brothers, and they become fast friends of Arsyn. These two girls are hilarious, loyal, and kick-butt. Of course, there's also the required bad guys in the story but I won't go too much into them to avoid giving away spoilers.

The plot centers mostly around Arsyn's discovery of the Jinn and Conduit world as well as the development of her relationship with the Kismet brothers. As Arsyn is drawn more into this new and magical world, she learns that there is danger too in the form of the Sihr Jinn, who are the evil counterparts of their benevolent brethren. While at first these Sihr Jinn don't seem to be an immediate threat, Arsyn and the guys soon learn it is a mistake to underestimate the enemy. The book ends dramatically and on a cliff-hanger, which may upset some readers. Hopefully the sequel will come soon to put us all at ease!

K.B. Ladnier and Anita Maxwell have done a terrific job writing their first book and I look forward to reading the next book in The Conduit series. I would recommend Make Me a Wish to fans of fantasy and RH. 

*Full disclosure: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

What I'm Reading: May

It's hard to believe that another month has passed already! I'm enjoying the change from Winter to Spring though and the chance to read outdoors and soak up the sunshine. I was travelling this month and wasn't able to read quite as often, but I've still got a few book recommendations for the May "What I'm Reading" post.

Title: The Jaguar King
Series: Wild Rites Saga #1
Author: Anna McIlwraith
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
For fans of: shapeshifters, strong heroine, lots of swoon-worthy guys, ancient prophecies
Book Blurb:
Magic is real? Big deal. Bills still gotta be paid. 

Especially when you’re heading into vet med. Emma Chase is nothing special – if anything, with a roomie who turns into a jaguar on a regular basis, she’s the sidekick, not the heroine. Her superpowers have more to do with acing her finals and overworking herself. Knowing her best friend’s secret makes it easier to justify her own inclination to keep people at a distance, but it doesn’t change her life. 

Until others like him show up on her doorstep, convinced she’s the fated savior of their race, telling her she’s destined to command the magic of – well, Emma doesn’t quite catch that part, she’s too busy getting her ass the hell out of there. 

What she does know? The Jaguar King is after her, his rivals want her dead, and she doesn’t have to believe in prophecy to believe they’ll stop at nothing to catch her. 

Violence. Magic. Inappropriate humor. Step into a world of wonder and savagery in a gritty urban fantasy with an unlikely heroine, sizzling heroes, and complicated villains. The Jaguar King is a full-length read and the first in a series, and all the books have satisfying resolutions as well as a series-spanning story arc. Definitely no cliff-hangers – just bad-ass shifters with one goal: claim the prize. Claim the Caller of the Blood.

Title: Magnificent Bastard (Don't judge a book by its title!)
Series: Sexy Flirty Dirty #1
Author: Lili Valente
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
For fans of: explicit romance, friends to lovers, teaching the ex a lesson
Book Blurb:
F*ck Prince Charming. Sometimes, you need a Magnificent Bastard.

Face it, ladies: love sucks and then you cry…while your ex rides off into the sunset banging your best friend.

But why let a break-up end in tears when it can end with sweet revenge? Enter Magnificent Bastard Consulting and me, chief executive bastard. I’ve got it all—looks, brains, a heart of gold, and the killer instinct guaran-damn-teed to make your ex regret the day he said goodbye.

With the help of my virtual assistant, I’ve built an empire giving broken-hearted women the vengeance they deserve, while keeping myself far from the front lines of the heart. Life is a bowl of cherries, until my virtual assistant shows up on my real doorstep for the first time, begging for a Magnificent Bastard intervention of her own. 

Damn... She’s a bona fide sex kitten.

I pride myself on being a true pro, but pretending to be her lover soon leads to giving it to her good, hard, fast, and up against the wall. And somewhere between getting balls deep in my sweet and sexy assistant and watching her ex beg for a second chance, I break every last one of my damn rules—professional and personal.

So what’s my next move? Fight for the girl who makes me want to get up on a white horse and ride to her rescue, or stay a Magnificent Bastard to the end?

Warning: MAGNIFICENT BASTARD is a stand-alone erotic romance told from the
hero’s point of view. No cliffhanger. Lots of dirty talk.

Title: Persuasion
Series: Curse of the Gods #2
Authors: Jane Washington & Jaymin Eve
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
For fans of: RH, clumsy but lovable heroines, Gods/mythology
Book Blurb:
Willa Knight: Dweller? Bad-ass? Notorious pet to five magical beings?

In Blesswood, there are rules, and someone is trying to teach her how to follow them. The only problem is Willa. Which shouldn't be anything new, since she has been a problem since birth - something her pseudo-sister Emmy would agree on.

So it definitely shouldn't be new ... but it is.

Because things are starting to happen that have never happened before.

Things are starting to get ... chaotic.

Writing Practice Prompt #5

It's time for another writing prompt! This prompt will help you to focus on showing character traits rather than telling them to readers. Rather than tell your readers Jane was caring, show Jane taking care of others to highlight that trait. Or instead of telling your readers that Max is socially awkward, show Max fumbling what to say in dialogue or thinking about not knowing how to respond appropriately in situations.

Below I've listed a four different made-up characters and three traits for each of them. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a scene with two or more of the characters together that highlights the characters' different traits. Be purposeful in deciding the setting of the scene, the actions that each character are doing, and what each character says in dialogue to really show the characters' traits.

Good luck!

Characters:
Adam - nerdy, outgoing, loyal
Clarissa - social-butterfly, a bit self-absorbed, hopeless romantic
Sam - shy, artistic, practical
Alex - flirtatious, athletic, family comes first

So, how did you do? Was this challenge easy or difficult? Feel free to share your scene in the comments! And go ahead and try this with your own characters to see if you can improve showing characterization rather than telling it in your own stories.

Author Interview: Camilla Monk

I had the fabulous honor of (virtually) sitting down with Camilla Monk, author of the Spotless series, for an interview.

This author is as interesting as her characters. The following bio on the"Self-glorification" page of her website features the same humor that's found in her novels:
"Camilla Monk is a virtually unknown author who somehow tricked a bunch of people into publishing books about ostriches and killer platypuses.
A French native who grew up in a Franco-American family, she taught English and French in Tokyo before returning to France to work in advertising. Today, she builds rickety websites for financial companies and lives in Montreal, where she keeps a close watch on the squirrels and complains on a daily basis about the egregious number of Tim Hortons.
Her writing credits include the English resumes and cover letters of a great many French friends, and some essays as well. She’s also the critically acclaimed author of a few passive-aggressive notes pasted in her building’s elevator."

I've read all of the books and am a big fan of Island and March, the two main characters in the series. If you've perused my blog, you might have already seen my reviews for the books: Spotless, Beating Ruby, Crystal Whisperer, and, finally, Butterfly in Amber. If you haven't, you can go ahead and check out my reviews by clicking on the book titles. I highly recommend this series for readers who love action, quirky characters, romance, and lots of humor.

Now, let's get to the good stuff!

What inspired you to write the Spotless series?

My love of spy movies (James Bond!) and trashy novels. Island is probably inspired by Bridget Jones, but also by the stereotypical "Anime girl", a gentle and innocent character. She became a prism through which I could explore your typical spy thriller in a completely different way. I can really say that she came to life, and it was her who gave the other characters their humanity. They can only shine because she shows them to us with an open-mind and a naive kindness.


What is your favorite scene that you've written in the Spotless series so far?

My favorite line is Island squeaking in Spotless #1 that "Antonio will change!". My favorite scene, I'm not sure. I like writing Dries, as a general rule, I love his scenes. I'm also fond of March and Island's last moments together in Spotless #1, and of a scene that you'll discover in Butterfly in Amber, where they reflect on their love story so far, in typical Spotless fashion...

If you could make one character from your books exist in real life, who would you choose and why?

Dries or Stiles? I'd love to sit down with them for a chat.

The fourth book, Butterfly in Amber, recently released this month; will this be the end of the Spotless series or will there be more books to follow?

The big arc ends here, that's for sure, but seeing how readers wanted more, and because it's a bit difficult to part with March and Island after having spent 3 years writing them, I decided to do a fifth book that would be a lighter adventure, something to give closure to the many characters we encountered throughout the series and summon the wacky spirit of the first Spotless. It will also serve as a bridge to my next series, Acies, which is set in Ancient Rome. 

Do you have any other writing projects in the works?

As mentioned above, my next series will be a spin-off of sorts: Acies takes place in Spotless's universe, two thousand years earlier, during Emperor Hadrian's reign...

What is your writing process like?

Thinking, thinking, thinking, writing bits here and there, thinking, listening to music, researching various places, weapons, scientific topics, thinking. OMFG the deadline is near. Writing. 
More seriously, I do write isolated scenes at first, generally over a 3 months period during which the story comes together as an outline with key scenes. Then I order everything with chapters--the number of which I systematically underestimate--and start writing. Often, as I write, I'll get taken in a different direction than the one I had intended, but starting and ending points usually remain the same, what will change is the way I reach that ending (add a new scene, change the order in which some events take place).
I think it's important to have a general idea of where you're going, and I can't stress enough the importance of research: it gives me inspiration, provides a level of detail that makes scenes feel more visceral, and sometimes it can influence the story altogether.

What do you do when you get writer's block? 

I take a bath, and I think while I'm soaking, or I go out and take a long walk, listening to music. As a result, I'm never cleaner than when I'm on a deadline: 3 baths a day! :) Joke aside (but it's true), I think the trick is to take your mind off of the manuscript, breathe some fresh air. Another approach is to write something different: another scene of the book, one that inspires you, or another book altogether.

Do you have any advice for writers and aspiring authors?

I sometimes get asked for advice from writers who are working on their first manuscript. I have to admit that there's not much I can say to help them, except maybe this: find a critic partner early on, to motivate you into writing regularly and actually wrap that book. 
Once you do have a draft, my best advice is to hire a developmental editor. It won't come cheap, and the first editorial letter you'll get will shatter your self-esteem, but you need to that professional eye to gauge your story and make the most of it. Supposing that you have a decent draft, try to query: the process itself is a learning experience, regardless of the outcome. You'll need to be able to pitch your story: if you can't sum up in 3 lines what makes it good or different, then the manuscript isn't ready. It means that it lacks a "spine", a strong concept or narrative choice that you can use to introduce the agent or publisher to your world. For example, if I remember, well, Spotless's early pitch was: "An OCD-ridden hit man, a romance books obsessed nerd, a 2 billion dollars diamond: it cannot end well." There's a lot more to Spotless, and as you see, I didn't even mention Island's virginity, in order not to clutter the pitch with adjectives. But it was enough for several agents to think "okay, this is intriguing."
Lastly, if you go for self-publishing: stay away from vanity publishers offering to edit and produce your books. All you'll get is a crappy, hasty job done by people who are here to make a profit. Find your own editor, cover artist, formatting expert and hire them yourself. Join a community of fellow self-pubbed authors (you have many on Facebook, and forums too, all over the internet). You'll learn more by working directly with professionals, and your money will be better spent.

A big thank you to Camilla Monk for taking the time to answer my questions! And for all of you reading this interview, I hope you've already picked up your own copies of the books to enjoy. But if not, all of the books are available in ebook and paperback format, and the first three are also available as audiobooks, so you can start reading (or listening) to the books in whichever format you prefer today!

What I'm Reading: April

Oops! This post is a little bit late. I've been slacking on the blog because I'm in the middle of starting up an editing business (there will be more news about it in the future, I promise!). Anyways, here are the books I really enjoyed reading in April but didn't have time to write a full review for:

Title: Rose and Thorn
Series: Black Rose Sorceress #2
Author: Connie Suttle
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
For fans of: Fantasy, YA/NA/Adult, Multiple POVs, Strategy/Political Intrigue
Book Blurb:
Crown Prince Thorn: 

I felt defeated. Helpless. If Sherra were alive, why didn't she mindspeak to tell me so? Every day, I floundered against that notion—that if she were alive, she'd have contacted me by now. 

"Don't give up, Thorn," Hunter said softly. "We don't know everything there is to know." 

"Hunter, every day reminds me of how little we actually do know." 

Sherra has not returned to the King. 

Seven months have passed and Kaakos, Ny-nes' leader, is rebuilding his army. His plan is to unleash an onslaught against Az-ca—in retaliation for the destruction of his troops and weapons. 

In Az-ca, the King's health is failing, the enemy is on the march and Merrin and his rogues have forged an alliance with enemy infiltrators. Will the Crown Prince be forced to deal with attacks from both sides, without Sherra's help? 

Will Az-ca survive if Sherra is dead, as so many believe? 

Title: Managed
Series: VIP #2
Author: Kristen Callihan
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
For fans of: NA/Adult, Rock Stars (and their manager), Opposites Attract
Book Blurb:
It started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big...ego.

I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London.

That is until HE sat next to me. Gabriel Scott: handsome as sin, cold as ice. Nothing and no one gets to him. Ever. He’s a legend in his own right, the manager of the biggest rock band in the world, and an arrogant ass who looks down his nose at me.

I thought I’d give him hell for one, long flight. I didn’t expect to like him. I didn’t expect to want him. But the biggest surprise? He wants me too. Only in a way I didn’t see coming.

If I accept his proposal, I leave myself open to falling for the one man I can’t manage. But I’m tempted to say yes. Because the real man beneath those perfect suits and that cool façade just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I just might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.

Let the battle begin…

Title: Beastly Lights
Series: Standalone
Author: Theresa Jane
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
For fans of: NA/Adult, Rock Stars, Modern Beauty & the Beast Retellings
Book Blurb:
Gambled away by her brother, Freya is now bound to the music world's resident bad boy Liam Henderson as his live-in maid.

Freya Coleman is a struggling artist who can hardly get by. With a past she would rather not revisit and a future that didn't extend past her next cup of coffee, something had to change. Freya just didn't know how much.

Liam Henderson lives in the spotlight. His wild nights and latest conquests make every woman want him, and every man want to be him. The rockstar has a carefully constructed persona to keep everyone out. That is, until a drunken night gets out of hand and he finds himself with the winning hand in a poker game, and the prize is a feisty redhead. A prize who just might break down the walls he has been so desperately hiding behind. 

Thrown together, these two are a disaster waiting to happen. A disaster the world is eager to watch and comment on until their fingers drop off. What starts off as a fake relationship to improve Liam’s image, blossoms into so much more, and Freya is swept up into the world of bright lights and illusions. Everyone has an opinion when the lights are shining on their beloved rock god Liam Henderson, and they are eagerly waiting to tear down anyone who is bathed in the famous glow. 

Can happily ever after exist when the whole world is watching?

"Butterfly in Amber" Book Review

Book Title: Butterfly in Amber
Series: Spotless #4
Author: Camilla Monk
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
Book Blurb:
He's waiting for you...

Under a blanket of snow, surrounded by dark woods and a frozen sea, lies an ogre's castle. There lives a little princess, trapped in the maze of her own mind.
On a battlefield where the past meets the present stand a fairy godmother and a pirate, an old ice cream man and a knight in shining clean armor... 
The clock is ticking fast, and to pierce the ogre's secrets and defeat him, Island Chaptal will have to fight to remember...and stay alive.

Can the Lions and the Roomba cats be stopped before it's too late?

***

What a perfect ending to an amazing series! The only disappointment I really had was that the series is over. 

The fourth and final book in the Spotless series finds Island (who is still a virgin btw) isolated in a winter castle. Island is recovering from her injuries that occurred at the end of "Crystal Whisperer" and the biggest issue is her persisting amnesia. While her "father," doctor, and caretaker, Stiles, try to help Island fill in the blanks in her memory, she has the unsettling feeling that not everything is alright. After months inside the castle, Island is starting to feel stifled and her rebellion leads to some pretty scary consequences. Luckily, before the dastardly plan can be carried out, some returning cast members, including my favorite hit man, come to the rescue! The rest of the novel follows Island, March, and Island's real father trying to fix Island's memory and take down the bad guys. 

As with the previous books in the series, "Butterfly in Amber" features lots of action, cool weaponry, hilarious dialogue, and characters with heart. Readers will experience the full range of emotions. There will be no shortage of laughs or tears in this book! While the ending of the book isn't 100% happy, it is satisfying and Ms. Monk doesn't leave any threads dangling. Not to mention, many fans are sure to be happy that Island FINALLY has sex.

While I'm sad that one of my favorite series is now at an end, I look forward to whatever project Ms. Monk works on next. I suppose I'll have to bide my time waiting for her next book by re-reading the Spotless series!

*Full disclosure: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.