The Dangers of Dating A Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper

In the next book in Molly Harper’s beloved Half Moon Hollow paranormal romance series, Gigi starts her first job (at Vampire Headquarters), gets over her first love, and may even fall for her first vampire!

 

Gigi is no longer an innocent teen. All grown up and looking for love, her family and friends worry she’ll go for the sexy, alluring vampire instead of a nice, safe human. But sexy and alluring, with a penchant for biting, could be just what Gigi wants...

If you pick up The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire, I strongly suggest that you read I’m Dreaming of an Undead Christmas so that you are on track with the meeting of Gigi and her mysterious vampire.

 

Yay!!! Another snarky romantic comedy from the wickedly talented Molly Harper.

Gigi’s starting to wonder if she’s made up the mysterious vampire she was sort of seeing until he goes all bat crap crazy and attacks her in a parking lot. Now her brother-in-law Cal has hired a bodyguard for her, which turns out to be the vamp that attacked her. Although Nikolai Dragomirov has no recollection of kissing Gigi or attacking her but he does have the stake wound she inflicted. They are determined to forge on with their newbie relationship but first they have to figure out why he’s attacking her.

 

Every time I get a Molly Harper novel I do a happy little Snoopy dance then stay up until the wee hours of the morning devouring it.

 

I have been waiting to discover the identity of Gigi’s mystery vamp since listening to I’m Dreaming of an Undead Christmas and I have to say, I was not disappointed.

 

Gigi is strong, snarky, and all grown up. Having loved this series from the start, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing an adult Gigi. Nik had me constantly turning the pages. I wanted to know his story and find out why he was flipping his lid.

 

While parts of the novel were predictable, there was a twist I didn’t see coming.

 

Overall, it was so much fun revisiting the quirky characters of Half-Moon Hallow in this wickedly entertaining and fast-paced read.

 

Book Details

Title: The Dangers of Dating  A Rebound Vampire
Half-Moon Hallow #3

Author: Molly Harper

Publisher: Pocket Books

ISBN:9781476706016

Release Date: 3/24/2015

Source: Publisher

Rating: 4 Cups

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Tiger by the Tail: A Midnight Liaisons Novella by Jessica Sims

Were-tiger Adrian Merino is determined to see the newest shifter on the block, Mandy, become his mate. But it’s got to be her idea first… Can he convince her that what he wants is what she wants, too? Or is Mandy too stubborn to see what's before her whiskered nose?

 

This 15,000 word Midnight Liaisons novella was originally published in ON THE GROWL.

I’m completely and utterly addicted to the Midnight Liaison Series by Jessica Sims.

 

Mandy’s story—or at least how she was turned and then exiled— first appeared in Must Love Fangs (book 3 of the Midnight Liaisons Series) and since then I’ve been wondering what happened to her. Now I finally have my answer.

 

Mandy’s returned from exile and broken up with her ex (who was the one who turned her) but she feels as though her life is being control by the tiger clan. All she wants is a normal life, so she’s refusing to shift which Vic, the alpha, knows is only going to cause more trouble. So, to get her under control, he agrees to allow his brother, Adrian, to act as her guide into the were-tiger world.

 

Adrian has been attracted to Mandy since his younger brother, Johnny, turned her. Now that she’s no longer with his brother, Adrian can now make his move. He decides to enter into a deal with Mandy: Spend three days with him. If he can’t convince her to shift in three days, then she’s free to go. If she does shift, then she agrees to become his mate.

 

He knows it’s a bet he can’t lose, but now that he’s fallen for Mandy, he’s not sure if he can hold her to a life she doesn’t want.

 

I loved this novella.

 

Mandy was a determined little newbie were-tiger. She wanted to hold on to her human side for as long as she could and she put up quite the fight.

 

I thought that Adrian was going to come on as strong as Vic but he has this quiet strength that made him so bloody sexy. He was determined to make Mandy bend to his will but once he realized she felt as though the walls were closing in around her, he decided to offer his support instead.

 

Although she was trying to fight it, they had amazing chemistry. And the romance was steamy.

 

Overall, Tiger by the Tail was a fast-paced read. While the ending felt a little abrupt, I thought the book was brilliant.

 

Series Alert: Tiger by the Tail does standalone, but if you want a bit more understanding of what came before with Mandy, I recommend that you read book 3, Must Love Fangs.

Book Details

Title: Tiger by the Tail
A Midnight Liaisons Novella

Author: Jessica Sims

Publisher: Jill Myles

ASIN: B00RWFQLZ4

Release Date: 1/2015

Format: E-book

$0.99

Source: Purchased

Rating: 4 Cups

Midnight Liaison Series 

1.     BEAUTY DATES THE BEAST

2.     DESPERATELY SEEKING SHAPESHIFTER

3.      VIXEN (novella)

4.      OUT WITH A FANG (novellain the UNDEAD IN MY BED anthology)

5.      SPEED MATING (novella)

6.      SINGLE WOLF FEMALE (novella)

7.     MUST LOVE FANGS

8.      BEAR NAKED (novella)

9.      CLAWS & EFFECT (novella)

10.       WANTED: WILD THING

 11. Tiger by the Tail (novella)
 

 

One Night With Her Bachelor by Kat Latham

Bid on a date with this wounded warrior for an unforgettable night of adventure. Aim high—and bid higher!—because no one comes close to local hero Gabriel Morales.

 

Molly Dekker hates being the town charity case, but when her son Josh is seriously injured she has no choice. She lets her best friend organize a bachelor auction to help pay her massive bills and make Josh’s life more comfortable. She can’t bid on any of the men, but a surprise bidder gives her a gift she never expected: a date with the man who saved her son’s life—the only one she’s in danger of losing her heart to.

 

Former Air Force pararescueman Gabriel Morales made a career of flying to the rescue, until a tragic helicopter crash stole more than his livelihood. Being auctioned off like a slab of beef isn’t in his recovery plan. But one look, one touch and one night unlocking Molly’s pent-up passion make him realize how badly he needs to be rescued…and how badly he wants to rescue Molly right back.

 

Will Molly and Gabriel’s never-quit attitude have them rushing head-first into love? Or will Gabriel’s secret pain stall their relationship before it can get off the ground?  

Series: Bachelor's Auction #6 | Publisher: Montana Born | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups

I’ve been waiting to hear Molly’s story and I have to say I am over the moon with how it turned out.

 

 

Growing more serious but keeping his voice gentle, he asked, “What are you looking for, Molly?”

 

She swallowed again, but at least she didn’t look away. “Orgasms. At least three.”

 

When single-mother Molly Decker has an encounter with her brother’s best friend in the local shop, she decides to pay him a visit at his remote cabin. Although their tryst is interrupted by the news that Molly’s son, Josh, has been involved in an accident.

 

Former Air Force pararescueman Gabriel Morales survived the helicopter crash that killed Molly’s brother but he returned home wounded and stripped of his identity. Feeling useless, he’s decided to hole up in a remote cabin in the woods and go off the grid until Josh’s accident forces him to return to the job he left behind.

 

Agreeing to be one of the bachelors auctioned in a benefit to aid with the debt Molly accumulated due to Josh’s accident, Gabriel never imagined that a surprise bidder would gift his date to Molly. Undeniably attracted to her, Gabriel will have to overcome the obstacles in his way. And with Molly refusing to let him falter, neither can lose.

 

This is my favorite novel in the Bachelors Auction series. I could not put it down until I read the last page.

 

Both Gabriel and Molly have suffered and are still suffering because of the events that have happened in their lives. They were the perfect couple. They knew what the other had been through and what they were grieving for. They also knew what they wanted to fight for.

 

I was annoyed with Gabriel for not revealing some information a bit sooner, but I could see why he kept it hidden. Molly has this amazing ‘can do’ attitude, but she’s also fragile so it was nice to see her strength shine through.

 

The plot and flow of this book was simply brilliant. Out of all the books in this series, One Night with her Bachelor had the best backstory and character development.

It also had the best chemistry between the characters and I think that had to do with the fact both characters had suffered because of the same tragedy. This book was also steamy. I swear I heard my Kindle sizzle a few times.

 

The only problem I had with this book was the fact it was way too short. Given what the characters were up against, this plot could have been developed into a full-length novel. Not that it was lacking in anything, there just could have been more to their story.

 

Overall, I’m sad to see this series end but it went out with a bang.

 

Bachelor Auction Series

Book 1: Bound to the Bachelor

Book 2: Bachelor at her Bidding

Book 3: The Bachelor's Baby
Book 4: What a Bachelor Needs
Book 5: In Bed with the Bachelor

Book 6: One Night with her Bachelor

Echo Lake by Carla Neggers

In snowy Swift River Valley, unexpected romance is just around the corner…

 

Heather Sloan has landed her dream job—the renovation of Vic Scarlatti’s stately 1912 country home overlooking the icy waters of Echo Lake in Knights Bridge, Massachusetts. It’s the perfect project for the family business, but for once, Heather is in charge.

 

Diplomatic Security Service agent Brody Hancock left Knights Bridge at eighteen, a few steps ahead of arrest and the wrath of Heather’s older brothers. Though Brody had never planned to return, Vic, a retired diplomat and friend, needs his help.

 

Staying at Vic’s guest house makes it impossible to avoid running into a Sloan at every turn—especially Heather. Seeing her again has affected Brody more than he wants to admit. But Heather is wary of Brody’s sudden interest in her, and she suspects there’s more to his homecoming than he’s letting on….

 

Set against the scenic backdrop of a New England winter, Echo Lake is a captivating tale of family, friends and the possibility of new love.

 

Series: Swift River Valley #4 |  Author: Carla Neggers | Publisher: Harlequin MIRA | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

I’m always excited to see what’s going on in Knights Bridge, so I knew I had to get my hands on Echo Lake, the latest Swift River Valley novel. 

 

Brody left Knights Bridge at the age of eighteen after a fight with the Sloan brothers. Now he’s returned as a DSS agent looking into the strange events going on at Vic Scarlatti’s home that is being renovated by none other than Sloan and Sons.

 

 

Heather Sloan is in charge of renovating Vic’s house. It’s the job she’s dreamed about and for the first time since working for her father’s company, she’s in charge. She’s attracted to Brody, but she fears that the feud with her brothers will get in the way.

 

 

I’m on the fence about this one. I liked the book—the pacing was great, the characters were interesting, there was a cute puppy named Rohan—but I felt that it was slightly lacking.

 

 

Heather is the youngest Sloan and the only girl. By taking on the renovations of Vic’s home, she’s proving that she can do the same job as her brothers but she’s also going through a self-discovery stage.

 

 

Brody left town because of his feud with the Sloan brothers, so now that he’s back and interested in Heather, he’s worried that his actions as a teenager will have a negative impact on his relationship.

 

I don’t feel as though I got to see enough about Brody. What I did see, I liked but more of him would have been nice

 

 

While the attraction between Heather and Brody was there from the start, the two shared little page time together. I would have liked to have seen more of them together.

 

 

Mixed in with Heather and Brody’s plotline is the mystery of what’s going on with Vic. I was hoping that this was going to go a bit deeper and be just a tad bit more complex but sadly, I had it figured out from the start.

Overall, I enjoyed Echo Lake—I read it from start to finish in a few hours—but I felt that it was a little weaker than the previous books in the series.

 

The Swift River Valley Series

Secrets of the Lost Summer

That Night On Thistle Lane

Cider Brook

Christmas at Carriage Hill (novella)

Echo Lake

A Knights Bridge Christmas (novella)

The Spring at Moss Hill

Red Clover Inn

 

 

   

In Bed with the Bachelor by Megan Crane

Our latest bachelor has enough family in Marietta to qualify as an honorary native, but hails instead from Seattle, WA, which is where he’ll fly you for a glamorous weekend on the shores of the sparkling Puget Sound. Jesse Grey will treat you the way a local boy turned construction tycoon should: five star accommodations, gourmet dinners, and celebrated Washington wines. We just can’t promise he’ll smile much. Or at all.

 

Sold to the highest bidder!

 

Jesse Grey, notorious bachelor and one of Seattle’s foremost construction tycoons, has been roped into participating in the Marietta Bachelor Auction thanks to an expertly executed guilt trip laid out by his family.

 

Michaela Townsend already has a fiancé and certainly doesn’t need another man in her life. So when her family buys her surly, sexy Jesse at the auction and wrangles him into driving her from Montana to Seattle, she’s appalled yet disturbingly attracted.

 

As far as Jesse is concerned, Michaela is forbidden fruit. Even though he knows her fiancé isn’t all he seems, Jesse would never take what didn’t belong to him. But how long can he resist the one woman he shouldn’t touch?  

Series: Bachelor's Auction # 5 | Publisher: Montana Born | Source: Publisher | Rating: 2.5 Cups

 

Michaela Townsend’s family buys Jesse Grey’s date as part of her bachelorette party but rather than going on the date, Michaela’s family ropes him into driving her from Montana to Seattle, where hail both are from.

Due to the snowstorm, they end up trapped at a hotel. While both are attracted to each other, Jesse refuses to act on his attraction because Michaela—even though she claims she’s in an open relationship—is engaged.

I’ve loved this series, but I just couldn’t get into this book. It was a little weak and I found Michaela to be a bit annoying with her constant babbling.

I’ve always had a soft spot for broody guys—they’re my weakness—so Jesse was right up my alley. He’s gruff, broody, and barely cracks a smile. There’s a reason why he’s broody, but I won’t tell you what it is. It’s also the reason he refuses to act on his feelings for Michaela.

The chemistry between Michaela and Jesse occasionally popped up but there was so much internal dialogue that it bogged it down. Don’t get me wrong, I like to know what the characters are thinking but page after page of internal ramblings pulls me out of a book and makes the characters feel disconnected.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of Michaela’s view on relationships. She seemed like she was a smart cookie but, blimey, the fact that she allowed herself to believe what her fiancé was spewing about relationships just to justify his cheating done my head in. Seriously, if I hadn’t been reading this on my Kindle, I so would have chucked the book at the wall.

Overall, I think I would have liked this book so much more if the heroine would have been different and more external dialogue would have been added.

Bachelor Auction Series

Book 1: Bound to the Bachelor

Book 2: Bachelor at Her Bidding

Book 3: The Bachelor's Baby
Book 4: What a Bachelor Needs
Book 5: In Bed with the Bachelor

Book 6: One Night with Her Bachelor

 

Perdita by Hilary Scharper

Marged Brice is 134 years old. She’d be ready to go, if it weren’t for Perdita . . .

 

The Georgian Bay lighthouse’s single eye keeps watch over storm and calm, and Marged grew up in its shadow, learning the language of the wind and the trees. There’s blustery beauty there, where sea and sky incite each other to mischief… or worse…

 

Garth Hellyer of the Longevity Project doesn’t believe Marged was a girl coming of age in the 1890s, but reading her diaries in the same wild and unpredictable location where she wrote them might be enough to cast doubt on his common sense.

 

Everyone knows about death. It’s life that’s much more mysterious…

After a tragic accident, Garth Hellyer throws himself into conducting research for the Longevity Project where he discovers Marged Brice. She’s claiming to be 134 years old and while she’s ready to die, she can’t for fear of leaving Perdita, a mysterious presence that can only be revealed through her journals.

 

Although he’s skeptic, he elects to take home Marged’s journals and with the help of his childhood friend Clare, they slowly uncover the mystery of Marged and Perdita.

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading Perdita. As a fan of gothics, I knew I had to give this novel a go. I was intrigued by the mystery of whom or what Perdita was, so I was a slightly disappointed by the fact that she’s mentioned early on in chapter 1 then disappears until page 349.

 

The novel drew me in but occasionally the journal entries bogged down the pacing and gave it a sluggish feel. And while Marged’s story, through her journal entries, is fleshed-out the modern day story of Garth and Clare needed to be equally developed to round out the novel.

 

If you’re looking for a novel that ties up the ending in a neat little bow, this isn’t one of those novels. Several loose ends are left at the end and questions are answered with more questions.

 

The gothic aspect of this book was interesting. Inflections of Emily Brontë are found throughout Scharper’s prose. Although whereas Brontë’s use of nature was through an atmospheric approach used to heighten the readers senses, Scharper elected to bring forth nature as another character in a literary style her husband coined as ‘eco-gothic’. While the styles of Brontë and Scharper both draw heavily upon nature, Scharper, while brilliantly painting a rugged wilderness, loses the atmosphere that I associate with the gothic style. 

 

Overall, Perdita was an engaging read. The beginning was slow, but it’s well worth sticking it out.

 

 

Book Details

Title: Perdita
Author: Hilary Scharper
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 9781492602446   
Release Date: 1/20/2015
Formats: E-book & Trade Paperback
$16.99
Source: Printed Arc from Publisher
Rating: 3.5 Cups

Review also featured on Royal Reviews

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DYI: Dragonfly Necklace

Hello lovelies, I have something a bit new for you today and I’m so excited!

 

When I was writing down my blogging goals for 2015, one of the most important things for me to focus on this year for Simply Angela was incorporating more of what I do and who I am into the blog.

 

Since a huge part of my free time is devoted to designing and creating jewelry, which I absolutely love, I thought a DIY Jewelry Tutorial would be a fun post to start with. As this is my first jewelry post, I’m going to start with something simple that doesn’t require a lot of steps, materials, or knowledge of jewelry making. Future posts will vary in skill level.

 

So. Today I will be showing you how to create a lovely little Dragonfly Necklace. The steps are fairly simple, although if you have any questions feel free to pop me an email angela.simmons86@yahoo.com or leave them in the comments.

Skill Level: Beginner, Time: 40 minutes

 

Supplies:

1—2 inch Silver Head Pin

1—2 inch Silver Eye Pin

1—4 inch piece of gold wire

3—4 mm jump rings

2—11 inch pieces of chain

1—Spring Clasp and tab

4—3 or 4 mm round gemstone beads (I used turquoise)

5—3 or 4 mm round silver beads (I used Bali Silver)

2—Teardrop-shaped gemstone beads (I used 13x10 mm blue magnesite)

Tools:

3-in-1 Pliers (contains wire cutters, flat pliers, and round nose pliers in one tool)

2 pairs of Needle Nose or Round Nose Pliers to open the jump rings

 

First, we’re going to start with the chain.

For this, you’ll be using 2 pairs of Needle Nose Pliers, 2 11-inch pieces of Chain, 1 Jump Ring, 1 Spring Closure with tab.

 

Step1—Open the eyehook of the Spring Clasp with a pair of needle nose pliers

Step 2—Add 1 chain and close the eyehook

Step 3—Open the jump ring and slide on the tab (make sure you use the small hole)

Step 4—Add the second chain and close the jump ring

Step 5—Connect the tab to the Spring Clasp as you would when fastening a necklace and set aside

 

 

Now were going to assemble the body of the dragonfly.

 

For this, you’ll be using the 3-in-1 Pliers, the Head Pin, 5 Round Silver Beads, and 4 Round Turquoise Beads.

Step 1—Make sure your head pin has a circular flat head

Step 2—Start adding your beads starting with a Silver bead (S) then add a Turquoise bead (T). Your pattern should be STSTSTSTS

Step 3—With your finger, bend the remaining wire in a 90° angle

Step 4—With your round nose pliers bend the tail of the wire into a loop. Set aside.

 

Now we’re going to build the wings.

For this you’ll need 1 Eye pin, 2 Magnesite Teardrop beads, the beaded body from the previous step, and round nose pliers.

 

Step 1—Make sure that the loop of the eye pin is closed

Step 2—Add 1 of the Magnesite Teardrop beads. Make sure you have the rounded bottom of the bead flush with the loop of the eye pin

Step 3—Slide the eye pin through the loop of the beaded body

Step 4—Add the last Magnesite Teardrop bead. This time make sure the ‘point’ of the teardrop faces inward. With your finger, bend the remaining wire in a 90° angle then form a loop with the round nose pliers. Set aside.

 

At this point, your Dragonfly should look like this. To get the look of the curved tail, slightly bend the tail between your thumb and forefinger.

 

 

We’re going to make the antenna’s now.

If you have a pile of scrap wire (or a box, in my case), this is the perfect time to dig into it. What you’ll need for the next few steps is a 4 inch piece of Gold Wire and Wire Cutters.

 

Step 1—Cut a 4 inch length of Gold Wire

Step 2—Bend the wire into a V-Shape

Step 3—Open the wire slightly

 

Okay, lovelies, we’re nearly finished. We just have to attach the antenna to this wee beauty. What you’ll need for this is a pair of Wire Cutters and Needle Nose Pliers.

Step 1—Hold the ‘V’ of the antenna against the middle of the wings

Step 2—Wrap the wire twice between the loop of the eye hook and the teardrop bead. Do the same with the left side

Step 3—Trim the wire to 1/2 inch in length
Step 4—Using the round nose pliers, curl the ends of the wire, then twist the wire together at the base

 

So, your wee lovely should look like this. Isn’t it darling?

 

 

Now we’re going to attach the dragonfly to the necklace.

You’ll need 2 Jump Rings, the Chain, and Needle Nose Pliers.

 

Step 1—Open the Jump Ring—NEVER open the loops of the eye pin, it will make the beads too loose—and add the loop on the side of the wing, the bottom of the chain, then close.

Step 2—Repeat step 1 on the opposite side

 

Now your wee dragonfly is ready to wear!