This book is part of the Wasteland series released from Samhain this summer. I think The Wanderer and The Priestess are my two favorites, though the entire four-book series was pretty good.
This is a classy novella. Yes, it’s hot as hell, but the love scenes are done in such a manner that the book doesn’t feel bawdy, sex-for-sex-sake or raunchy. It’s absolutely beautiful. You get into the emotional and psychological ‘bits’ of the main characters without any unnecessary dialog or ‘dry’ parts. The world building is nicely done without being overdone. I do, however, think it’s best read after reading at least one or two of the others.There were a couple of spots where I would have said, “Huh?” if I hadn’t already been at least a little familiar with the world.
I would have liked to have learned more about Siraj. He felt asif his story is deep and should have been told in greater detail, perhaps in a separate book or something. But I still loved the character. Given his position in the story (literally and figuratively) he didn’t feel like a third wheel, just hanging on to our main couple. The author did an awesome job of integrating a man into the relationship who shouldn’t have fit yet in the end, he felt like he was supposed to be there.
In addition, this book told us how the world and its customs/beliefs came into being. And it was quite a surprise. All of the characters mentioned in the previous three books were brought around (not physically, but a mention was all it took to explain where they fit into our characters’ lives). At the end of the book there were no loose ends, everything was tidy and very nicely wrapped up.
Hi all! I love Snippet Saturdays, a time where fabulous authors share snippets from their books. Unfortunately my computer, you know the one with all my books on it, took a coffee bath last weekend so I can’t post anything.
But enjoy the rest of the awesome authors’ snippets and I’ll be back next week!
I just got the cover for this new novel and I’m an squeeeing all over the place. I know some folks are thinking, what the heck does death have to do with roses? Well, it all starts with Scharsi, and it will end with her. She has no last name, no family. Why? Because she is a Generation 8 Super Soldier, bred for destruction and oh, she’s so good at it!
So here’s the blurby bit for this new sci-fi romance coming on September 24th from Ellora’s Cave. I am so thrilled about this Hunters for Hire book!
Death—so skilled, grown men cry at her approach. Roses—so sweet she enchants your senses. Scharsi—for one man, an unbelievably sexy combination of the two.
The Amalgamation is the definition of evil in her world. Scharsi has spent years hiding from them. Now she must hunt the agent who killed the only man who ever loved her. No one will stop her.
Tanil, an Amalgamation officer left for dead by his own crew, must avoid capture. On the run, wounded and weak, he comes upon the one woman in the ‘Verse he should be running from. But Scharsi isn’t what the government claims she is–a born and bred killer. Deadly? Absolutely…but addictive, hot. She makes his skin sizzle and sends his blood racing with a look. Her touch? Devastating. He wants her, needs her.
Scharsi doesn’t have time for distractions while on a hunt, but Tanil won’t hesitate to prove that a bit of delicious distraction is exactly what she needs.
I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than an awesome meal. I’m uber-blessed in that we have culinary goddesses at our house and we cook everything from fresh bread to Italian food to Cajun fare to Japanese food. Everything! *nom nom nom!!* So now meet my girl, the heroine in Hatsept Heat. She’s a bonafide chef without a restaurant who teaches high school in the swanky Shibuya district in Tokyo. She also teaches martial arts after school, has a brother that leads a Yakuza clan, and half her family is old fashioned and country-fied from Atlanta, Georgia (though we aren’t talking about her whacked out, wild and crazy cousin who just returned from hanging out with some really bad vamps in London).
Enjoy our culinary genius as she prepares some sweet dishes for her beau, a kick-butt gorgeous (pronounced ‘go-jus’) Seeker for the Vampire Council of Ethics…only she doesn’t know he’s a vampire. Not yet…
“Fill me in on the rogue who threatened you the other day. I received your message but you and I obviously haven’t had a chance to talk until now. Very smart of you to leave the guy’s description. I called it in to V.C.O.E. headquarters. We should have something by the time we get there.”
“Look, Kenoe, before we get to that, I need to talk to you about what happened in London. I don’t have an excuse, but I am sorry. I was so caught up in the excitement of running with vampires, living my ultimate fantasy, I didn’t consider anything past that. Not to mention I didn’t expect to ever see you again in my life.”
“Your point?” Kenoe grumbled around a mouthful of some swanky hors d’oeuvres that tasted like smoked salmon and some kind of spicy peppers. Mmm, good.
“No point. I’m sorry is all. And…” She hesitated. “I’m concerned about my cousin. I don’t want her hurt. Not by you or the asshole who was bold enough to step right into her backyard and threaten me.”
Unable to keep his brows from knitting together, Kenoe scowled across the table. “I would never hurt Shinju. She’s my mate.”
“Mate? As in mate-for-life kinda mate?”
“More than that. She’s my bondmate too.”
“Bond…?! Hooo!”
“Keep it down, woman.”
“Are you telling me she doesn’t know she’s the one? Doesn’t know about your so-called family or the Council? Or those badassed vamps that took me out of Lowan’s place? Wait a minute!” Her voice cracked as it rose. “She doesn’t know anything? Not even that you’re a vam—?”
“No, damn it, so keep your voice down. But I have to tell her before we get off this plane.”
Kimora burst out laughing like Kenoe had just been caught telling the funniest, raunchiest joke ever. “Well, good luck with that, my man. I think I’ll eat in my room.”
With that, she unfolded her muscular frame out of her chair and snickered all the way out of the dining room and down the hall. What the hell was that about? But Kimora’s parting shot reminded Kenoe of the last time Shinju had been pissed off at him. His balls tingled, bringing to mind a way uncomfortable moment after the woman had been less than kind to them. In fact, the little firecracker had sent him and Sasuke to their knees. Perhaps he should have followed Kimora out of the room rather than tell Shinju he was a vampire who happened to be investigating her brother.
“Where’s Kimora?”
Kenoe’s neck snapped a hard right as he turned to watch Shinju enter the room unbuttoning a double-breasted white chef’s coat. It had a myriad of stains down the front and looked a size too big.
“She said she wants to eat in her room.”
“Huh. Okay, I’ll ask the chef to take a tray. You ready to eat?”
Boy was he ever, but his stomach and his heart didn’t agree on what that meal should be. In truth Kenoe didn’t give a damn about food right now. Shinju looked utterly adorable with a smudge of flour across her cheek, and a few loose curls stuck to the side of her face. The smudges on her borrowed clothes told part of the story of what she’d been up to.
Obviously catching wind of his curiosity, she motioned toward the sumptuous spread on the table and said, “Well, you said your boss sent this jet for you and we’re the first to travel on it, right? So I thought we could christen it, so to speak.”
The image of her spread-eagle on top of the large and thankfully bolted-down table flashed into his head. Dragging his mind out of the gutter kicking and screaming, he forced himself to sit still while Shinju directed the wait staff to clear the hors d’oeuvres and bring out the main course. Shinju took a plate up to Randall in the cockpit while Kenoe sat and watched in awe as two impeccably dressed chefs brought the main course.
Even over the wonderful smells of the various dishes, he still scented Shinju before she reentered the room. Rising, he pulled out a chair and dropped a kiss on the top of her head as she settled into it.
“Go ahead. Taste it,” she urged with a big, proud smile on her face.
The woman was a wonder. The first meal she’d ever prepared for him in her neat little kitchen had made his stomach sing. This meal might just make his whole body break into a chorus of “One Singular Sensation”. And hallelujah, none of it was Japanese food!
Instead his plate was piled with seafood lasagna with a sauce so savory and light, the scent alone made his mouth water. The pasta was accompanied by a simple green salad garnished with fresh green peppers and tomatoes tossed in a sweet ginger vinaigrette. The spices were unique, far from the typical basil and parsley in Italian-style cuisine. No, this was a culinary orgasm going off in his mouth. Simply delicious.
They chatted amicably but Kenoe didn’t miss the occasional frown whenever he let his guard down long enough for his anxiety, though slight, to creep down the bond. Bottom line—he had no desire to see the you’re-crazy-as-a-loon skepticism in her eyes when he told her what he was. God knew she wouldn’t believe him.
And he was less than enthusiastic about her reaction to the fact that he, Mr. Law Enforcement, as she called him, was investigating her closest relative for something that had nothing to do with honest vamps, and everything to do with Dr. Jekyll humans.
Not to mention the possibility of her flat-out rejecting him.
Ruthlessly squashing down all concern, he filled his mind with lighter thoughts. Actually just thinking on what a fabulous dinner she’d prepared for him, what a kind and considerate woman she was, a woman so sweet yet with an edge sharp enough to cut himself on. The perfect alpha. His perfect alpha.
And she’d prepared a dessert of strawberries covered with brown sugar syrup, laced with lemon zest. Oh yeah, she was a keeper. He only hoped she would feel the same when he told her…
When had she moved from her chair?
Shinju grinned and pushed his empty dishes off to the side. She held her hand out to him.
“What?”
“Up, handsome.”
Wondering what she was on about, he didn’t move but cocked his head to the side and waited instead.
Entwined Hearts, the 5th and final book in the HEARTS OF FIRE SERIES
featuring TJ Michaels, Ciana Stone, Nicole Austin and NJ Walters
Is coming soon…
Books 1 through 4 in the series are: Memory’s Eye by Ciana Stone Book 1 in the Hearts of Fire series
My name’s Memory and I have a slight problem. I walked out on a business I poured my heart and soul into and took off across country to “find myself”. No luck on finding me yet, but I found something I wasn’t expecting. Marco Redwing. Sexy? Hell, that doesn’t even come close. Oh, the things I long to do to him. The kicker? He has a crystal pendant that’s an exact match to the one I’ve worn since I was eighteen.
It’s almost too good to be true. Problem is, every time I’m around the man my crystal pendant goes crazy. Damn thing sends off energy spikes I’m afraid are going to electrocute me.
Could I really find the man of my dreams in this charming southern city? And that’s the real problem. The crystal is supposed to lead me to the man I’m destined to mate with. Which sounds damn fine to me. But it also lets me know there’s something not so good getting closer.
And that’s the rub. There’s a demon after me.
Shards of Ecstasy by TJ Michaels Book 2 in the Hearts of Fire series
De’alla Isaacs is a typical executive business woman in Seattle, but away from the day job this sexy elemental has serious work to do—carry and protect a precious jewel. Each Piece of Eight is part of a key, the only thing standing between this world and complete demonic devastation.
Just when Dee has finally come to grips with her task, the one person in the whole wide world she never expected or wanted to meet walks into her life, into her office actually. Faison Dow. Celebrity. Playboy. All-out dog. Yet her stone calls to him. Why? Because he carries the other half.
Seeking Charlotte by NJ Walters Book 3 in the Hearts of Fire Series
Creed Lawson knows Charlotte Jones is trouble from the moment she presses her lithe body to his and kisses him. But that doesn’t stop him from taking what she’s offering-a night of hot, uninhibited sex. But Creed hasn’t bargained for the feelings she stirs in him, nor the talk of crystals, demons and destiny.
Charlotte is an empath. The ability to feel peoples’ emotions has made it difficult for her to lead a normal life. At eighteen, she received one of the eight pieces of the Heart of Fire, a crystal that contains untold power. She was told there was a male who held the other half of her stone as well as a demon that coveted all the pieces of the crystal.
The demon has finally found her. But she’s knows that Creed is the special man she’s been waiting for. Charlotte is facing the fight of her life. Will Creed will fight beside her or walk away?
Kenna’s Cowboy by Nicole Austin Book 4 in the Hearts of Fire series
Cursed with unusual abilities, orphan McKenna Fulton has always been different-an outcast. But she’s been Chosen. More accurately, she is one of the Chosen. Eight individuals-four women and four men-selected at birth to guard slices of crystal. The Heart of Fire.
The whole thing is more than a little farfetched. Kenna can handle the part of getting down and dirty with the bad dude. She’s even okay with guarding a crystal. But losing her free will and being stuck with some guy, her destined mate, uh-uh. Not happening.
Local mechanic Ryker Thomas is more than he appears and has his own set of abilities. Kenna wants nothing to do with the southern charmer. So what if he has a matching crystal and the damn thing hums and vibrates whenever they’re close together. That doesn’t mean she’ll toe the line.
He can’t be the one she’s supposed to be with. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to send her a cowboy when what she wants is a bad boy.
Some people may wonder, what the heck is a black moment. Well, it sounds ominous and couldn’t possibly be good, right? Right!
A boring, somewhat clinical definition is: At a certain plot point, the hero/heroine appears beaten or lost but something happens to turn the situation around. Right before the unexpected story turn, the hero reaches the Black Moment—the point at which all is lost and the goal looks out of reach.
My definition is, when all hell breaks loose and it looks like the hero and heroine are doomed! Doomed, I say!
Enjoy this snippet from Spirit of the Pryde when our hero is about to literally get his head taken off. If you have trouble viewing the widget use full-screen view. If you can’t see the widget at all (for example, sometimes Amazon’s blog doesn’t display properly), please visit me here at www.tjmichaels.com .
This week’s theme is, “Is this a date?” I guess sometimes we wonder, don’t we? And in the case of successful executive, Sydni Cannes, she’s not sure what to make of this first, er, second meeting with a man hot enough to burn butter. The problem is…that same man just got her out of jail after a case of very mistaken identity. So, what’s he doing here?
Enjoy a snippet from Caramel Kisses, available for Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and directly from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave ;D (links are in the snippet)
NOTE: Some sites, like Amazon, won’t display the book flipper. If you have trouble viewing the pages, please visit my site directly at TJ Michaels dot com
There comes a time in every hero or heroine’s life that their mate does something stupid. And stupid requires an apology…well, unless you’re just a jerk, right? Luckily, our guy, Kenoe Hatsept, isn’t a jerk. And eventhough his sweetheart is angry and upset, he’s so good at making up, she may just decide to pick fights on purpose ;D
Enjoy this Snippet from Hatsept Heat – Vampire Council of Ethics Bk 2
This week’s Snippet Saturday theme is secondary characters. I must admit, I love secondary characters, whether they are friends or family. They make a story feel ‘big’ and well-rounded. I’ve picked a snippet from Caramel Kisses (forgive me for the cover – I know it looks like our leading man can’t even grow a beard yet ;D but I promise he’s in his 30′s and, er, nicely proportioned). Here, Syndi has just gotten out of jail (total case of mistaken identity) and it’s all her sister’s fault, of course.
Click the Full Screen option to enjoy this ‘flippable’ excerpt from Caramel Kisses (if you have trouble viewing the excerpt from Amazon or other sites, visit my site directly, ‘kay? ;D
This week’s Snippet Saturday theme is a hard one. There are some books I like more than others in regard to novels I’ve penned, but I must admit that they ALL have a favorite scene.
The following scene is from Egyptian Voyage, a book with two snarky spirit guides who are responsible for two bone-headed human undercover agents. The story takes place mostly on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Enjoy the banter!
With a smile at the light banter going on in her head, Chrys followed an immaculately clean waiter through the restaurant. Rice paper lanterns sent a gentle glow from the center of each large circular table. Japanese kanji symbols strategically placed along the walls and the rich red cinnabar ornaments here and there, gave a feeling of “rightness” to the atmosphere. She wasn’t really into Feng Shui, and doubted the decorators of this Japanese restaurant were either, considering the art was of Chinese origins. Either way, her spirit guides seemed to love the energy of the place.
Chrys settled down in her chair, sat back and allowed a sense of peace and relaxation to envelop her—something she hadn’t felt since she learned of the case Rahn was working.
The Mastersens were seated and already sipping on frozen, delicious-looking green cocktails. Several couples Chrys didn’t recognize were in the middle of ordering the same thing when Mrs. Mastersen spoke to her.
“Chrysalyn, dear,” Mrs. Matersen beamed. “I’m so glad you could join us for dinner. You must try one of these. It’s a Midori Sunrise and tastes like tropical paradise.”
Mrs. Mastersen was an all-out chatterbox. On the way back aboard ship on Ibiza, the woman had amused Chrys when she’d spotted the bag of specialty cigars she’d purchased. She’d introduced herself and her husband, then asked to try one without an ounce of shame. Gray-haired, feisty and carefree, the two were enjoying their retired years sailing around the world. Chrys had loved them on sight.
“Your dress is downright sexy, young lady. Now where is that delightfully handsome beau of yours? And he let you out looking like that? He’d better be careful or Harold here might put the moves on you. Mr. Mastersen was quite the rake in his day. Still has great skill…”
Chrys wondered if the woman had taken a single breath.
“And even after all these years, he still makes sure I come before he does.”
Chrys coughed on the iced water she’d been sipping. Way more information than she needed to know. Clearing her throat, a quiet giggle escaped between words.
“Thank you for the compliment on my dress, ma’am. As for Rahn, an earlier outing took a bit longer than he thought.”
Captain Laurens sat down at the head of the table and said, “That would be my fault, I’m afraid. Hope we didn’t put too much of a dent in your plans.”
Chrys smiled and said, “When I left, Rahn was getting ready. He sends his apologies and should be walking in the door any minute now. So, I think I’ll order his drink for him. Waiter?” Chrys called, and another smartly dressed young man headed her way. “I’d like a glass of your best chilled rice wine for my, er, friend. And I’ll have one of those green things, please.”
“Friend, eh?” Mrs. Mastersen gawked excitedly. “How fabulous for you, my dear. You’ve dated a while, have you?”
“We’ve worked together for more than six years and know each other well.” The rest of it was none of anyone’s business. Out of nowhere, the image of Rahn in the shower burst into her thoughts.
*I am sure my charge would blush if he knew what you were thinking just now. Can you think of nothing but his cock?* Mahpiya whispered to Chrys, her tongue lolling to the side.
‘Oh, hush up, you. You’re not supposed to tell all my secrets, and I can tell from the way the bond feels that Adonei is listening in.’
*Of course I am listening in. It is my job, is it not?* Adonei sniffed indignantly, then turned to Mah, fussing. *And do you have to speak so boldly regarding your charge’s private parts?*
Chrys almost laughed out loud. Didn’t the big cat know by now not to set himself up like that? Before she could form a single smart-assed response, Mah was all over him.
*My dear Adonei, I believe you are in need of schooling, and given your old age,* Mah paused for dramatic effect, *you know I certainly do not have to use the word cock. I have been a spirit guide for eons. There are many other ways to express myself, mate.*
Chrys clamped her lips together, picked up her water and sipped, trying to hide the smile at the corner of her lips. Oh, boy, here it comes.
*I could have called it by some of the other words I have heard over the years, like bacon bazooka…*
*Bacon what?* Adonei queried, his brow pulled down in a confused frown.
*Do you not like that word? ‘Tis much better than cock, don’t you think? No? Perhaps pork sword?*
*What is it with you and pig meat?* Adonei groaned, clearly wishing he hadn’t said anything.
*Fine. No more pork. So what about tally whacker? Tickle-gizzard? Wanker? Tube steak?*
Chrys’ own eyebrows flew up at that last one. Tube steak? Eww. Adonei swiped a huge paw at Mah, but the lioness dodged it with a laugh and simply kept right on.
*Maypole? Meat whistle? Milk bone? Mr. Happy?*
Adonei rolled his eyes and grumbled something about the Great Spirit’s sense of humor and boneheaded mates.
The Priestess by R.G. Alexander My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I just got the cover for this new novel and I’m an squeeeing all over the place. I know some folks are thinking, what the heck does death have to do with roses? Well, it all starts with Scharsi, and it will end with her. She has no last name, no family. Why? Because she is a Generation 8 Super Soldier, bred for destruction and oh, she’s so good at it!
