Maryse's Book Blog

Happy Christmas-Eve everyone!

Okay so… not a huge release day today (I think there are more bargain finds than new ones). After all, everyone is in fabulous Holiday mode right now, visiting with loved ones, eating ’til they bulge and snuggling in awesome new jammies. I too, have not gotten a ton of reading in over the last two weeks. My husband (or as I called him yesterday, the “Christmas-fiend shopaholic”) has been keeping me super busy, shopping his heart out until the stores close, while I trudge along behind him bemoaning my desperate need (and by need, I mean WANT) to read. And by the time we get home and we put everything away, I end up crashing after a few paragraphs in bed.

But I get him (after all, this is both our favorite time of the year!), and we’ve been having plenty of fun together with his own “Christmas Countdown”. And anyway, I’ll be able to over-indulge in my books again, soon enough. 😉

So Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all of my wonderful reading friends (that is each and every one of you!!) and all of the fabulous author out there. I hope you guys have the best day ever, and I hope you’re all having a blast preparing for it, right now. 😀

P.S. Let me know if I’m missing any or if you loved any (from this list or elsewhere).

BARGAINS (NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order).

• Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye <— one of my favorite short stories in the world (thanks Jami). And she loved it like crazy, too! “This is the best novella I have read!” (here’s my review)
• Exquisite Betrayal by A.M. Hargrove <— This is the book blogger that goes to signing to meet male romance author one… Louise recommends it saying: “I just finished exquisite betrayal thanks to your recommandation. There were no surprises or big twists but I liked it anyway.“
• Uncockblockable (Evan Arden) by Shay Savag <— This one is from one of my favorite “bad ass” series –> Evan Arden Series Reading Order
• Santa Wore Spurs by Desiree Holt, Sable Hunter, Becky McGraw, Sandy Sullivan <— Sexy looking Christmas anthology.
• Break Me (Shattered, #1) by Jo-Anna Walker <— Aimee found us these dark-looking reads (both book #1 & #2) “Sebastian Chelios, a hard-as-nails enforcer, is a new-in-town loner. He has to have her. Control her. Possess her. But he can’t–won’t–lose control, even though Tori’s innocence fascinates him. The last thing he’s going to do is love her, even after he gets her in his bed.” Yep. It’s got bad guys!
• Always Me (Shattered, #2) by Jo-Anna Walker <— and here’s book #2 but don’t read the synopsis if you haven’t read #1 yet.
• Jade Calhoun Series Boxed Set (Books 1-3) by Deanna Chase <— oh this paranormal bundle looks like fun!! Aimee found it for us  “Jade loves her new apartment–until a ghost joins her in the shower. When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn’t count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord.”
• Kissing Fire (Edge Series) by A.M. Hargrove <— Aimee found us this one, too! Undercover DEA agent, and a girl that stumbles into his path (I’m thinking at a bad time…)
• Venice Vampyr – The Beginning by Tina Folsom <— first three books bundled. (thanks again Aimee!)
• Reckless (Renegades, Book 1) by Skye Jordan <— (thanks Nancy) and book #2 was just released (see it below in the new releases). Bobbi says: ” This book was good and now I need to grab the next one!!” — “A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix’s image means everything. Raised on the wrong side of the tracks, her years of polish and hard work are finally about to pay off. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker who makes her realize how much living she’s sacrificed for her success, one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life.“
• Reason To Breathe (The Breathing Series, #1) by Rebecca Donovan <—  YAY!! This is a FANTASTIC, dramatic, heartbreaking story, and the series is complete. Cliffhangers yep, but you don’t have to wait! Here is the The Breathing Series Reading Order. Lisa says: “This is one of my ALL TIME FAV SERIES EVER EVER EVER, I have already listened to them twice and book three is my absolute favorite book of all time, no it is not heavy in sex but it is deep, a long relationship that has extreme depth, and will make you feel every emotion possible. I loved this and cried at the end.” and Kandace agrees: “One of my favorite series.”
• Pieces of Me by Erica Cope <— Kat found us this deal, too!! “Heartbroken and confused, Aria starts college a completely different person. She hardly recognizes the broken girl she’s become, but she can’t seem to find the strength to put back together the pieces either. Enter Holden Whitmore. He’s charming, considerate, and he’s making it his mission to make her smile.” Elizabeth says: “I got an advanced copy of this book and read it in one day. It was so good, and right up our alley.” and Jenny says: “I loved it, fantastic read”
• PLAUSIBILITY by  Jettie Woodruff <— And for those of you in the mood for a taboo read… Jackie recommends this one (in the “Dark Reads” sections): “Plausibility by jettie woodruff  *** taboo*** couldn’t help but to read in 1 sitting”. Yep, I just read the synopsis and while I have a feeling I know what the taboo aspect is, I have no clue where this one is going…

         

PARANORMAL

• Beloved Purgatory (Fallen Angels) by Katherine Pine
• Rapture (Elfin Series) by Quinn Loftis
• The Spider (Elemental Assassin) by Jennifer Estep
• Freedom in the Smokies (Durham Wolves) by Becca Jameson

   

CONTEMPORARY

• Somebody’s Angel (#5 in a Military Romance / BDSM Romance series) (Rescue Me) by Kallypso Masters (Plus! Here is the Rescue Me Series Reading Order)
• Beck (Corps Security) by Harper Sloan <— book #3 is out! (Here’s the Series Reading Order)
• Rebel (Renegades, Book 2) by Skye Turner <— Book #2 (#1 is up there in the bargains)
• Always You by Missy Johnson <— fairly new release (from just a few days ago) that I received a bunch of new recommendations for, and er… it’s a student-teacher romance (and I’m thinking it leans more to the taboo version of ’em due to her 17-year old status). He’s 23, and gets a teaching job at an all girls high-school. “You can’t even imagine the hell of trying to teach thirty, hormonal driven seventeen year olds who have been cooped up, away from any male contact. I could handle the whispers every time I entered the room. I could even handle the obvious attempts at gaining my attention. What I couldn’t handle was her…” <— Eeeeep!
• Bells Will Be Ringing: A Holiday Romance Collection (Crimson Romance) by Monica Tillery, Carolynn Carey
• Always Rescuing Me (Always #2) by Sara Rae
• Arresting Holli by Lissa Matthews
• A January Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella) by Deborah Raney
• Naughty Before Christmas (Decadent Delight Series #3) by Angie Daniels
• No Turning Back (Man-Maid) by Anne Rainey <— Hot men and a cleaning service. Blurb says: “Warning: Contains a sweet-talkin’, tattooed hero, a heroine with a chip on her shoulder, and the creative use of a feather duster.” <— 
• Three Ways to Wicked (Wicked Shores) by Jodi Redford <— excuse me while I make my bug-eyes again.  “Two weeks of solitude in the Florida sun thanks to some friends’ generous offer to house-sit their place on the beach. She didn’t count on having roommates—or on getting the sexiest peepshow of her life.” Tee hee!! The two roommates are guys. So… you know. Stuff. *waggles eyebrows* 😉
• His to Possess #1: The Seduction by Opal Carew
• His to Possess #2: The Morning After by Opal Carew
• The Sweetest Game (The Game Series, Book Three) by J. Sterling <— coming out tomorrow (Christmas Day!!)