Challenging Myself...

My reading record of late has been a bit dismal and so I'm setting myself a little reading challenge.

I've chosen a book by a New Zealand author that I've seen popping up on all my social media feeds recently - Spark by Rachael Craw.

I've had a copy of this book on my tbr pile for quite some time but the third book in the series just released earlier this month and my feeds have been flooded with lots of beautiful cover art and I'm hearing fabulous things - so its time to dust my copy off and take the plunge!

The challenge is... I want to get this book read within a week - considering the reading funk I've been in of late it may be harder than it sounds - however, I've only heard great feedback so I'm hoping to finish it much sooner!

Here's the cover and blurb for those that might like to take a look...

Evie doesn’t have a choice.

One day she’s an ordinary seventeen year old, grieving for her mother. The next, she’s a Shield, the result of a decades-old experiment gone wrong, bound by DNA to defend her best friend from an unknown killer.

The threat could come at home, at school, anywhere. All Evie knows is that it will be a fight to the death.

And then there’s Jamie. irresistible. off-limits.

Goodreads Link

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Galia Ryan

As you may know, I've been attempting to become more familiar with New Zealand authors since attending the NZIBF. Last week I featured author Hilary Murray who it turns out, has an alter ego, erotica writer pen name!
Let me introduce you to Galia Ryan...

Meet the Author

Convent educated from the age of four, Galia Ryan was brought up not to question. Perhaps because of this, she has always been fascinated by all things esoteric and ‘outside the square.’ Originally from Sussex, England and now living in New Zealand with her soul-mate husband and grown-up family, Galia tries to find time between her passions for writing and reading for her other love—travel. There is always a growing list of must-see places.

Galia is the author of the Luxuria Triology: CHOICES, her first novel, SECRETS, and DESIRES. Published by Fanny Press, they are available at online bookstores as well as Amazon, and other major retailers. She has also published two novellas, PERFECT STRANGER and FORSAKING ALL OTHERS, currently available only as Kindle Singles.

CHOICES is also available in audio.

Facebook as Galia Ryan
Amazon Author Page
Website

Books by the Author

She needed the money, then she needed the sex. Whatever will she do now?

Anna is broke. Really broke. Credit cards maxed out. Store cards, too. She can’t make her repayments and there’s nowhere to turn. Educated, intelligent, and—until recently—upwardly mobile, Anna is forced to make a choice. Sink or swim. And swimming means finding a part-time job to complement her full-time career. One that would pay enough to get her head above water. Except that part-time jobs don’t pay. Usually. Drawn into the sordid world of private escorts, Anna discovers there is little she won’t do for money, lots and lots of money. She even starts to enjoy the sex. Until she meets an unusually seductive client who introduces her to the world of Dominance and submission. Then everything changes.
Purchase Link

Stephanie is a wild child, abandoned by her mother, spoiled by her father. Nothing is off-limits—even her father’s business partner—and bargaining her virginity for a summer on the Côte d’Azur is only the beginning.

But Stephanie is smart, too.

Through her lover Charles she meets Olivia, who ushers her into another world. One of wealth, opportunity, and sex. Lots of sex. Gaining entrance to society via the beds of the elite, Stephanie is on the brink of having it all.

What could possibly change?

SECRETS, Book 2 in the Luxuria Trilogy, is the prequel to the first book in the series, CHOICES. 
Puchase Link

Anna is one of Elite Escort Agency's most popular call girls. She is quite comfortable living in the lap of luxury and pleasing a variety of wealthy men on her own terms; however, she longs to return to respectability. Only now she is accustomed to the best of everything. So Anna embarks on a quest to discover what else she is good for, other than dazzling every man who crosses her path.

Anna's calm is shattered when a former client resurfaces. A few years earlier Adam introduced Anna to bondage and submission. But although he held her in his thrall, Adam overestimated his power. When he demanded total surrender, she cut herself off from him forever. Now Adam is asking to see her again. Initially she refuses, but what can she do? She can't stop thinking about him.

The owner of Elite, Stephanie, is also haunted by memories of a former lover--Giancarlo, now married and dedicated to charitable work. When, after ten years, they come together once more, neither can resist the pull of their unresolved past, despite the possible consequences to Giancarlo's career.

Desires is Book 3 of the Luxuria Trilogy. It completes the cycle that began with Anna's story in Choices and Stephanie's in Secrets.
Purchase Link

Alice once believed in love, but after her fiancé left her at the altar, she swore off commitment. Now she lives for work and casual flings, the less complicated the better, and she must be in charge. One evening Alice stumbles across an Internet chat room inhabited by submissives and dominants—women who believe that true fulfillment lies in total surrender and men eager to dictate the terms.
Archangel enters the chat room and lures Alice into a private conversation, one that throws her beliefs about female empowerment into doubt. In person he is even more enticing, inviting her to his home, but only if she is willing to put her fate in his hands. If Alice agrees to follow him down the rabbit hole, everything must proceed according to Archangel’s rules. At first she resists, but curiosity gets the better of her and soon she is at the point of no return. Will this strange adventure lead to misery, or happiness beyond her wildest dreams? 
Purchase Link

Cassie Jonsson is a pretty blonde police officer in the small town of Winslow. She has never traveled and has given up on love, settling for an affair with a married co-worker. As the only woman, she is often given the odd jobs, in this case checking out an old house the locals believe is haunted because the owner hung himself in the barn. The McAllister house is indeed haunted, but not by a ghost. Prophet is a living, breathing, ruggedly handsome former vet, a drifter whose life is in limbo. He awakens something primal in Cassie, a boundless desire that blinds her to the dangers both psychological and physical of bedding a stranger, even one as beautiful as Prophet.
Purchase Link 

When Jonathon confesses to having an affair, Remy thinks it is the end of her world. But then she decides to fight back. No one is going to take her enviable lifestyle away from her, nor will she let another woman steal her husband. But how can she satisfy Jonathon’s demanding libido without learning to tolerate his indiscretions? Perhaps there is a way, after all, to save her marriage and ensure he never strays again ….
Purchase Link

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Whether you are an author, publisher, editor, blogger, or you just love to read and you're interested in learning more about the 2016 NZ Book Festival please check out their website or facebook page.

Previous Post Links

NZ Independent Book Festival
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Leigh K. Hunt
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ J.C. Hart
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Hilary Murray

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Hilary Murray

Today's featured author in my Getting to Know Kiwi Authors series is Hilary Murray, whom I met and at the 2015 NZIBF. She is absolutely lovely and we had a great time talking about the many facets of romance writing and where the inspiration comes from.  

Her book The Bordello Girl sounds terribly fascinating and I've added it to my tbr pile and hope to read it soon.
So, let me introduce you to Hilary Murray...
 

Meet the Author

Originally from the south coast of England, Hilary Murray moved to New Zealand in 1995 with her soul mate husband and children, and now lives by the water overlooking the beautiful Auckland harbour. Writing full time, as well as publishing contemporary romance novels under her own name she also a successful writer of erotica under the pen name *Galia Ryan.

Website

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads

About the Book

Auckland bordello owner Kitty Malloy understands men. But even she is taken aback when Silas Crawford asks her help with his young, naive wife.
 
Twenty-three year old Thea Crawford has come to realise getting married was a terrible mistake and yearns to be free of her middle-aged over-bearing husband - and his constant demands.
 
Darius is a playboy and adventurer. A favored customer at the bordello, when Thea is blackmailed into becoming one of Kitty’s girls he sweeps her off her feet. But should she listen to the others when they tell her of his reputation? Or are his feelings for her real?
 
From New Zealand to Australia’s tropical Far North, The Bordello Girl is a story of the 1920's. Flappers and jazz. High spirits and hedonism. Friendships and betrayal.
And a love that would last forever.

Amazon US Purchase Link

*Galia Ryan will be featured in the next few weeks

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Whether you are an author, publisher, editor, blogger, or you just love to read and you're interested in learning more about the 2016 NZ Book Festival please check out their website or facebook page.

Previous Post Links

NZ Independent Book Festival
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Leigh K. Hunt
Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ J.C. Hart

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ J.C. Hart

I was really surprised at how many Kiwi authors I had never heard of when I attended the 2015 NZ Independent Book Festival earlier this month, so I am making it my mission to learn more about them with a series of blog posts I'm calling 'Getting to Know Kiwi Authors'. Today is the latest installment so if you'd like to follow along I'll put a link list of the previous posts at the bottom of the page.

I had the pleasure of meeting J.C. Hart at the book fest and she was absolutely lovely. I haven't read any of her books yet (I did just make a one-click purchase though!) but I've heard some great things.

Let me introduce you to J.C. Hart...

Meet the Author

Writer. Mother. Wife. Editor.

There are days when I consider myself a master of everything, and an expert in nothing.

Mother…

Being a mother to three children keeps me on my toes, constantly exposes me to new ways of looking at the world and ensures that I never lose sight of the magic and fantasy present in life. Kids see the world in a different way than we do, and I’m never quite sure what the next day will bring.

Writer…

Writing and editing though—now those are things I feel like I know something about. I write in a whole range of genres from science fiction, dark fiction, fantasy of all kinds, to those stories with a slightly lighter take on life. You might find that a sliver of creepiness infests them all though. My characters are all pieces of me, invested with sparks from life and my overactive imagination.

Previously I’ve been published in a number of award winning anthologies, and now I am finally releasing my longer works as an Independent author. I’ve been an Australian Shadows finalist for Best Short Story, and am a Sir Julius Vogel award winning editor, both things I am very proud of. I’m hoping to add more accolades to the list in the near future.

If you want to check out a post about why I write Speculative Fiction, you can find that here. And also a post including some random things you might not know about me.

Editor…

Alongside my writing, I’m also an editor over at Hart & Stenhouse. Check us out if you’re interested in my services.

Website 

Facebook Page

Blog

Twitter

Goodreads

Books by J.C. Hart

In The Spirit: A Kotahi Bay Novella

Welcome to Kotahi Bay!

When Alyssa returns to the Bay for her Gran’s funeral, she finds herself in possession of the house of her dreams and, apparently, a centuries old ghost itching to escape its bonds.

Still, the house has given her an escape route from a dead end job and a nasty break-up, so perhaps dealing with a ghost might be worth it.

But between the residents who think she should step into her Gran's role as the town witch, a suspiciously nosy neighbour, and increasingly threatening occurrences around the house, Alyssa must decide whether this new home is worth it, or whether it's safer to leave the Bay for good.

Purchase Link: Amazon US

The Way the Sky Curves (Kotahi Bay Book 1)

 

Melody fled Kotahi Bay after the death of her abusive father. Years later, confined by the city and her controlling boyfriend, Robbie, she lifts her face to the wind and realizes that she has power, and that the wind is key to it all.
 
But Robbie is not happy with her awakening, and she finds herself running for her life, but this time, back to the bay, and her estranged family. There she meets the alluring Noah. He seems to want to help her, but can she trust him?
 
Then Robbie comes to the bay to claim her, and she discovers Noah's true nature. Betrayed and isolated, Melody must find a way to reclaim her power before Robbie destroys her family, and her life.

Purchase Link: Amazon US

Burn (Maiden, Mother, Crone Book 1)

 

No parent should outlive their children. But what if you do? What if your son’s dying wish is to be burnt in the manner of his people — a people he was taken from as a child?

Carmel must gather her orphaned grandson and her son’s corpse, and ease her aching bones into the long walk that takes her where she needs to be. The footsteps of the past nag at her heels as she journeys to once again look upon the face of the Goddess.

Purchase Link: Amazon US

Sun Touched (Diamara Book 1)

 

Madea knows the price that must be paid when Diamara’s harsh sun leaves you Touched: you are Hollowed, your inner self stripped away, leaving a mindless shell. As aide to the brilliant Sullivan, Madea has assisted at a few of these procedures, but it’s not until she witnesses the Hollowing of a young woman much like herself that Madea begins to question the ethics of their work.

Caught in a struggle she didn’t know existed, Madea finds herself pregnant and over-exposed. She doesn’t know how long until the madness sets in, but she does know what it will mean for her and her unborn child. No life at all.

Madea must turn from those who would Hollow her—friends, family, lover—as well as the protective rules she has clung to her whole life, to the enigmatic stranger, Garrett. He is the only one who can help her now, but he might also be the one who made her Touched to begin with.
Purchase Link: Amazon US 

*****

Whether you are an author, publisher, editor, blogger, or you just love to read and you're interested in learning more about the 2016 NZ Book Festival please check out their website or facebook page.

Previous Post Links

NZ Independent Book Festival 

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors 

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Leigh K. Hunt 

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors ~ Leigh K. Hunt

Carrying on from my shameful admission of not knowing many Kiwi authors, today's blog post will feature a lovely lady I met for the first time at the 2015 NZ Independent Book Festival.

I first heard of Leigh K. Hunt through a mutual friend and I have read the novella in her The Nights series (but I really need to get with it and read the two other books she has written!). Let me introduce you to Kiwi author Leigh K. Hunt...

Meet The Author

Leigh K. Hunt is a reader, writer, mother, and wife from the Land of the Long White Cloud, otherwise known as Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has a weird obsession with books like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Pride & Prejudice, and adores Thrillers and Dystopian novels. To say that she lives in her own dreamy wonderland is an understatement.

As a child, her whole world was fantasy-based reality of tree huts, artistic endeavours, musical creations, and story inventions. She would only come back to the 'real world' to do the mundane things like feed the dog her broccoli or brussel-sprouts under the dining table.

If Leigh could have one superpower in the whole wide world, it would be to have the ability to fold space and time, so that she could be anywhere, at any time. Leigh loves traveling with a fiery passion, and exploring foreign countries, delving into different cultures, and immersing herself with the people.

In her adult life, she works full time, is a mother to a gorgeous but very lively two-year-old, and is married to her rock, Michael. She also has numerous mothers, fathers, and a couple of very special siblings who keep her grounded, despite her desire to permanently live inside her head.

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Amazon Author Page
Twitter: @leighkhunt
Email: leighkhunt.author@gmail.com

You can also subscribe to Leigh K. Hunt's Book Updates Newsletter. You will be the first to know about any book news, new releases and giveaways.
Sign Up Here

Books by Leigh K. Hunt 

Tijuana Nights & London Dusk (The Nights Series, #0.5 & #1)

** LONDON DUSK NOVELLA NOW INCLUDED! **

TIJUANA NIGHTS:
Getting shot at was never on McKenna Carmichael's bucket list, but then neither was being hunted by a Mexican Cartel.

After missing her flight, and then watching it blow up mid-air, Mack is stuck in Mexico and the only people she can trust are the ones that put her in this position in the first place.

River, Chase, and Gabriel offer Mack protection while they bring the El Diablo Cartel to its knees, and only by assisting them with yet another job will she gain the skills she needs to save her own life.

Her trip to Tijuana began as a simple game of distraction. Now it's a game of survival.

Enter Mack’s world in this action packed thriller, the first book of Leigh K. Hunt’s new Night’s Series.

LONDON DUSK:
McKenna Carmichael thought things couldn't get worse - not after catching her boyfriend with another woman. That is, until Luke demands she pay him back for every expense he made in her name, and half the house.

The problem is, McKenna is already struggling to make ends meet, let alone raise the money Luke's harassing her for. A friend offers a solution...if she's game enough.

Become a high-end escort.

Can McKenna turn from a reclusive historian to sex-pot, or will it end up being more trouble than it's worth?

Meet Mack in this exciting novella which leads into Leigh K. Hunt's thrilling new Night's series.

Purchase: Amazon US 

Venice Nights (Nights Series #2)

McKenna Carmichael has a new job in the beautiful country of Italy. This isn't a pleasure trip: she must eliminate her mark and get out.

Her target Luigi Donati is rich and handsome, and his fashion house leads charity work. But his dossier shows that’s a front, hiding ties to where his real money comes from: slave labour.

Mack realises that not only is Luigi innocent, but someone else is intent on killing him. Thrown by doubt, Mack must choose her role in this Italian job — predator or protector.

Join Mack on her next thrilling adventure in Leigh K. Hunt’s new Night’s series.

Purchase: Amazon US


Whether you are an author, publisher, editor, blogger, or you just love to read and you're interested in learning more about the 2016 NZ Book Festival please check out their website or facebook page.

Getting to Know Kiwi Authors

While attending the 2015 NZ Independent Book Festival earlier this month I discovered just how many authors there are who I have never heard of (and it's utterly shameful!)

So to solve my obvious lack of Kiwi author knowledge I have decided to do a bit of online stalking research and post a few mini features on the ones I can find - starting with the ones that did attend the book fair.

First off, I'm going to give a shout out to a friend of mine who was at the book festival - author T.G. Ayer (if you read my blog you probably know our history already).

Tee is an author who I've followed for about four and a half years and she now has approximately 15 books under her belt! We have worked fairly closely over the years and she has been featured on my blog numerous times so I'm just going to leave a link for her Amazon page, website etc for you to look up if you want to check out her work.

Tee has a number of *free* Amazon reads at the moment so make sure you snag a copy and give her work a try.

About T.G. Ayer

I have been a writer since I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse and am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It's a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each others loves - it works wonderfully...

My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. The other half of me has been transplanted to the island of New Zealand. A land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands - I shall forever remain crosseyed.

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*Currently Free*
(at time of original post)
 

*Dead Radiance (A Valkyrie Novel - Book 1) (The Valkyrie Series)

 

 

*Skin Deep (A SkinWalker Novel #1) (DarkWorld: SkinWalker)

 

*Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More

 

Whether you are an author, publisher, editor, blogger, or you just love to read and you're interested in learning more about the 2016 NZ Book Festival please check out their website or facebook page.