Review: Rampant (Condemned #2) By Gemma James @CJMichaels80 @DarkWorldBooks #Giveaway

Rampant
Condemned #2
By Gemma James

Blurb-

Life is twisted. Cruel. After being ripped from the safe haven of Rafe's arms, my new kidnapper is waging a sick game. Unable to make my body do his bidding, he's resorting to psychological warfare. He'll bend my mind until I break, and when I do, that just might be my saving grace.

I'll forge through hell to get back to Rafe, body and spirit broken and bleeding, but I'm unprepared for what I find. He's done what I can't: he's erased eight years of pain and betrayal. I don't know how to bring him back to me, because bringing him back means ripping him to shreds all over again.

RAMPANT is a new adult dark romance with disturbing themes and explicit content, including sexual scenes and violence that may offend some. Intended for mature audiences. Part two of the CONDEMNED series. I recommend beginning with TORRENT first. This is not a stand-alone read.

My Review-

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Poor, poor Alex has been through so much pain in her sweet young life. More pain than anyone human should ever have to endure. It has made her a very strong person because of it even though she doesn't know it. She thinks she is weak and doesn't deserve to live. She has also caused the only man she has ever truly loved so much pain too. She sent him to prison for a crime he didn't comment. Rafe lost eight years of his life by being sent to prison for this crime and he also suffered through a lot himself while he was behind bars. He had a lot of time to think and come up with a plan to make Alex pay for what she did. When he was released he kidnapped Alex to punish her for what she did to him.

But what Rafe didn't know was that being with him made her feel safe. He had no idea that she was in love with him and was right where she want to be. But her safe place was taken from her quicker than she wanted. Her brother Zack who had put Alex through a lot that pain in her life came and took her away against her will. He took her to a place where he could hurt her over and over and nobody would ever know. She could make all the noise she wanted and no one would ever hear her. Alex pleaded with him to let her go and to stop hurting her but he wouldn't listen. Zack is one deranged human being. All Alex wanted was to escape to get away from him and go back to Rafe. But Zack had every intention of making Alex love him no matter what he had to do to her. He was determined to break her. Alex just wanted to escape from him from life itself in any way she could.

Rampant is the second book in the Condemned series and I love it just as much if not better than I did the first book Torrent. My heart ached for Alex with all of the hurt and pain just has been through but it also ached for Rafe as well. How would anybody feel with having eight years of their life ripped from them? I don't know but Gemma did a great job describing how he felt. And there is no way on earth I could ever know how Alex felt either. But Gemma really does a wonderful job writing both of their stories. Let me tell you I did a lot of crying while reading Rampant. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book Fervent expected to be published in March of 2015. I want to more about Alex and Rafe. Can they or will they ever be able to put their lives back together? Can they or will they be a couple? What about Zack what will happen to him? Can he turn his life around? Dang four months is a long time to have to wait for all of the answers.

If you have not read Rampant then I highly suggest you do but if you haven't read Torrent then you need to start with it first. Torrent and Rampant is not for the faint of heart. Torrent and Rampant is filled with dark violent and mind twisting evil and is not for everybody. Although Torrent and Rampant has a lot of painful and dark evil in it; it also has so much more too.

Torrent
Condemned #1
By Gemma James

Blurb-

I've been obsessed with Rafe Mason since I was thirteen. The twisted part of this story is that I still want him, even now.

Now that he's holding me captive on an island.

Rafe has his reasons for doing what he's doing, and if I'm honest, I can't blame him. I'm the girl who sent him to prison for a heinous crime he didn't commit.

But now he's free and the tables have turned…now he's the one driven by obsession.

TORRENT is a new adult dark romance with disturbing themes and explicit content that includes sexual situations and violence. Intended for adult readers 18+ only. Part one of the CONDEMNED series. This is not a stand-alone read.

Read my review of Torrent!

About the Author-

Gemma James is the multi-genre author of several novels and novellas, from new adult suspense to dark erotic romance. She loves to explore the darker side of human nature in her fiction. She's morbidly curious about anything dark and edgy, from deviant sex to serial killers. Readers have described her stories as being "not for the faint of heart." She lives in Oregon with her husband and their four children-three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone's attention.

Giveaway-

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Book Blitz: Blood Chained by Eden Ashley @Eden_byNite @XpressoReads #XpressoBookTours #Giveaway

Blood Chained
by Eden Ashley
Publication date:
November 18th 2014
Genres:
Paranormal Romance,
Young Adult

Synopsis:

Sometimes great evil is necessary to keep what you love most. After centuries on the run, Rhane can avoid justice no longer. Primes have called him home and now he must finally answer for the sins of his past. But the situation in Rhane's homeland is far worse than anyone could have imagined, and the judgment Rhane faces is a brutal one. Even relying on the strength of the immortal Banewolf, the man he has become may not survive.

Kali and the other kin work tirelessly to secure Rhane's freedom, but many obstacles stand in their way. Wesley offers a solution that hinges upon resuming a dangerous search for the Siren's Heart. Trusting him, she and the kin set out once again to find the elusive artifact, believing Rhane and Warren's freedom can be bartered in exchange for the statue. But other creatures are searching for the Heart. And with greater resources and a head start, their enemies may reach it first.

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Excerpt:

When another presence entered the locker room, Kali halted her pacing. "You're late," she said without turning around. He hadn't made a sound, but somehow she felt him. That was happening a lot lately.

"Sorry. But I seem to have my own classes to attend. And they're across town, at the university." Callan's blue eyes seemed happy to see her. His voice was light and teasing, a stark contrast to the sharpness in hers. Scowling, he glanced around the small space that smelled of female hormones and sweat. "Tell me again why you insist on meeting here."

She folded her arms. "You know I can't sneak away from the boys. It wouldn't be fair to them. And it could be dangerous."

"Okay. I accept that." He took a step closer. "But you can at least stop being so uptight." He fingered a stray curl, only making her heart ache even more for Rhane.

"Everyone is working together to keep you safe."

She didn't move away. "I know."

"It's always good to see you." He came even closer, invading her intimate space as if it were his to claim. She could tell he was hungry to touch her, to be touched. To be used.

She hated it when he got like this. He was a tool, an object of convenience. Nothing more could ever evolve of their situation. But sometimes, it was like Cal had forgotten the terms of their arrangement.

Taking a seat on the bench put more distance between them. She hoped the move would help remove some of the heat from Cal's eyes. Unfortunately, it also meant he now towered over her. The position of dominance only elevated the tension.

She needed to change the subject. "Why are you attending classes? Surely, Gabriel the mastermind has better things to do than study English 101. Scheming for world conquest sounds more up his alley."

Cal smiled. "Oh he's scheming alright." He took a seat next to her, watching her face earnestly. "I still have a life of my own."

"No." She closed her eyes. "You forfeited your life to Gabriel."

"I'm here now."

"And so is he. His fate is your fate. You can never be without him." She didn't understand how Cal failed to understand that.

"We'll have to agree to disagree, babe." He reached for her, stopping when she pulled away. His brow wrinkled. "Are we doing this or not?"

"You know I have to."

"Then stop being so cold."

"I don't enjoy this."

"I think you do, sometimes."

A knife of pain stabbed into Kali's chest and twisted. Was it guilt? Did Cal's words hold some truth? She bit her lip. The hurt it brought grounded her thoughts to the task at hand. "Let's get it over with."

Cal rolled his eyes. "That's better."

She frowned. "This is strictly business."

"Right," he agreed, but didn't sound convinced.

Kali didn't care if he agreed. She only needed him for one thing. Still, his hands were eager as they beckoned her closer, held her so tenderly against him. His lips closed around her mouth, cool to the touch. He remembered well and sought to please her, stroking everywhere she liked. Her ears, the back of her neck, the swell of her breast-his gentle caresses found the most sensitive parts of her, coaxing Kali into heightened arousal. She had felt more with him than with any other before Rhane. But with Cal there was always darkness. Feeding from him left her with angry thoughts and violent urges almost too compelling to resist. Daily matches against the kin helped channel those powerful inclinations, giving her rage an outlet.

But when Kali reached for his spark…this time things were different.

Threads of light had woven into the darker pitch of his aura. Intense purples and royal blues replaced black and gray emptiness. Something had tempered the savage coldness, cultured his humanity.

Cal was different.

Nearly losing the moment when his hands slipped beneath her blouse, Kali redirected her focus. She had to take the necessary energy hard and fast. The more he touched her, the deeper he fell. The more things got confusing. She needed to get this over quickly for both their sakes.

Pressing her hands on either side of his face, Kali drank deeply, urgently. Cal's lips grew colder. His fingers chilled against her skin. Still, she drank. His spark dimmed and darkened, almost recoiling from her touch. But she pulled it back, sating her thirst. His fingers tightened, dug painfully into her skin. A tremor rippled through his body. Cal shuddered, sagged against her. Then she released him.

Cal sat dazed for several long moments. Then his eyes cleared and he jerked as if suddenly emerging from deep sleep. He was panting as he stood up, wobbling unsteadily on his feet. "Shit, Kal." He moved away from her, to the corner of the room. "Did you have to take so much?"

"Sorry. The hunger is getting worse."

"I can't say I haven't noticed. What are we up to, twice a week now?"

"Sometimes three." Her reply was absent. She straightened her clothes, busy considering something weighing on her mind for a while now. "I need to figure out how to do this without making out with you. I've fed without intimacy once before. I know it's possible."

"You don't have to." Though he still sounded a tad breathless, Cal moved close to her again. "I prefer things this way."

"And you know I don't." Hurt written plainly in his expression, she regretted her words. There was no sign of the arrogant and selfish boy she dated a year ago.

"He left you, Kali."

"He's coming back."

His fingers squeezed her wrist, and those piercing blue eyes locked onto hers. "But what if he doesn't?"

"Callan, don't." Fearing what holding that gaze would to do him, she pulled away to gather her things. It was time to go.

But Cal wasn't ready to leave yet. "If things were different…we could have a chance." His face was hopeful, imploring for something Kali couldn't give. "I can make you happy this time. I know it."

"I appreciate all you've done for me…everything you keep doing." She averted her eyes, unable to look at him. It seemed that she was destined to hurt him. Her very design made it unavoidable. "But Rhane is my soul mate. I will find him. And I will bring him home."

An Interview with Eden Ashley:

Is this your first book? How many books have you written?

Blood Chained is not my first book. It's actually the third book in a planned four-part series. Rhane and Kali's journey begins in Dark Siren where they first find each other and try to figure the many secrets standing between them. Banewolf was released last year and continues their story. I'm extremely happy with how the second book turned out. It's getting a lot of great reviews right now.

What does your writing process look like?

It involves lots of post-its and scratch paper for random flashes of inspiration that I really, really, really don't want to forget. With the Dark Siren series, as things got more complex, I had to make a reference chart of characters, their relationships and motivations-I also ended up crossing them off as they died, so they didn't accidentally make it into future scenes!

Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others?

Action scenes take the longest. And this series has a lot of action. I like to keep things interesting, so it's worth the struggle.

What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I'm currently finishing up the final book in the Dark Siren series. It's tentatively titled Primed Son and will be released next year. At the same time, I'm working on another paranormal romance. It's a separate book that follows entirely different characters. I've put some excerpts online and have gotten some really good feedback, so I'm pretty excited about it. Look for it next year as well.

If you had a super power, what would it be?

I would have to say telekinesis, but on a Dark Phoenix level. Being able to move things with my mind would be invaluable during my morning commute to work.

About the Author:

I'm Eden Ashley and I was born and raised in a small, sunny town in South Carolina. However, it's the thunderstorms that inspire my best ideas. There are few things I love more than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, (except maybe chocolate cake. I love cake.) often reading into the wee hours of morning when something really grabs me. I pretty much love anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal romance and fantasy romance seems to be a natural fit.

My first novel, Dark Siren, is best described as paranormal romance artfully wrapped within a plot chock-full of action, adventure, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, while the series has evolved to become a journey of redemption and second chances as two characters understand that sometimes committing evil is necessary to protect what is loved most. I took the siren from Greek mythology (and borrowed a little from mermaid lore), creating an entirely different creature, with its own mythology, and one that Publisher's Weekly praised for its passion and complexity. This is not just another werewolf/shapeshifter romance or vampire romance. I think this is a story that both adults and teens can enjoy, full of characters to fall in love with!

I love getting feedback! For the latest news on upcoming sequels and other novels, find me on my website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter - @Eden_byNite for writing tips, publishing help, and daily updates.

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Release Day Blast: Clandestine Trysts By C.L. Foster @CLFoster1 @GHBTours

Clandestine Trysts

By- C.L. Foster

Genre- Erotic Short Story Collection

Publication Date- November 18th, 2014

Explore your hidden fantasies with this collection of erotic fiction including tales to titillate, tantalize, and tempt.

A sexy stranger in the dark...

A librarian who's more naughty than nice...

Text to tantalize...

The unrequited crush at work...

Clandestine Trysts are fantasies that satisfy the deepest cravings (even the secret ones).

Come inside... and enjoy the ride.

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Cover Reveal: Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman @DanielleYUllman @entangledteen @NereydaG1003 #YABOUNDBOOKTOURS

Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance

by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Release Date: 05/05/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend Sydney calls to rave about the fun she's having at a luxurious Malibu rehab (it's basically a spa!) and reveals that the love of Lola's life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, Lola knows what she has to do. Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola fakes her way into Sunrise Rehab, only to discover she's actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive intake advisor, Adam, who's determined to thwart her at every turn. Worst of all is the strictly enforced NO ROMANCE rule.

Oh, and Sydney? Is gone.

Turns out Sunrise is more jail-like than spa-like, and it's going to take more than Lola bargained for just to get through the program.

About the Author

Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright and freelance writer. She studied English and Theater at  McGill University, then returned to her hometown of Toronto to work as professional actor for ten  years. Danielle's short story, Reconciliation, was published in MODERN MORSELS-a McGraw-Hill  Anthology for young adults-in 2012, her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto's SummerWorks Festival in 2005, and her adult novel, FALLING UNDER, was published by Penguin in 2008.  Danielle lives in Toronto with her husband and two daughters.

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