Novel Chats - Debut Authors- Contest

I'm going to be doing a few Novel Chats within the next few posts. I was quiet for quite some time and I didn't quit reading, so I have a lot to talk about! Plus, I really kinda like the NCs. They're fun to write.

Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle
(BCC)

REAL PLEASURE CAN'T BE TAKEN... Granddaughter of a renowned courtesan, Maybelle de Maitenon has no interest in her grandmother's school in London where gentlemen receive instruction - in the art of seduction. Her only desire in life is to remain independent, free from men and the shackles of marriage. But when Maybelle lays eyes on Edmund Worthington, the Duke of Rutherford, at a soiree, and hears of his scandalous reputation, she decides he's the perfect person for her to have a tryst with no strings attached... IT MUST BE GIVEN... Unbridled passion has again muddied Edmund Worthington's family name. After his very public dalliance with the strikingly beautiful and sensual Maybelle, his mother insists he marry her. But much to the Duke's surprise, Maybelle scoffs at his proposal. Never has he encountered such a brazen - and maddeningly irresistible - woman. But when Maybelle's grandmother falls ill, forcing Maybelle to take over the operation of her school, Edmund devises a plan to make her his. He enrolls in the school, where no one other than Maybelle must give him expert lessons in carnal pleasure...

Cold in your neck of the woods? Well, save on heating bills by picking up this book, trust me, Marvelle's debut is sizzling hot. Maybelle de Maitenon has no intentions of marrying, nor does she have any intention of going into the family business of teaching gentleman the fine art of seduction. However, it's up to Maybelle to instruct the first group of students when her grandmother falls ill. Much to her irritation, one of the students just so happens to be the man she had a scandalous fling with, Oh, yes, I'll bed that one please. Worthington has enrolled in the school strictly to gain Maybelle's hand in marriage, since his father has already disgraced their family name, he doesn't want his very public encounter with Maybelle finish what little honor they have left.

I've always enjoyed the few Historical's I've picked up, but never enough to really follow a particular series or author, Marvelle has changed that. I don't plan on missing a single semester of The School of Gallantry and neither will you once you've read this one. I have to give this one an A+.

Wages of Sin by Jenna Maclaine
(BCC)

She is a warrior of extraordinary power - the ultimate creature of the night. Her story is one that spans the ages, from historical England to modern-day America and beyond. Welcome to eternity...welcome to the night.

Dulcinea Craven descends from a long line of witches, and she has just inherited wild, untrained magical powers that she has no idea how to control. now a ruthless vampire and an age-old demon are determined to enslave Cin and steal her power for their own. Her only hope is the Righteous, a band of warrior vampires who slay the rogue undead. Among them is Michael, a fierce swordsman who inflames Cin's most primal hungers. Showing her a sensual pleasure beyond anything in the mortal realm, she must choose between the human existence she has always known, and immortality as a vampire - a new life filled with forbidden urges, dark yearnings, and unearthly passions...


I cannot express how much I love to hit a series with book 1. Sure it's fun to find a good series like The Southern Vampire series or The Plum Series, in the middle and have tons of books to read to catch up, but there is just something amazing at catching a series from hello. I bought this book shortly after it was released and read it during my silent time and I feel bad that it has taken me this long to stand up and say - GO GET THIS BOOK!

Maclaine had me engrossed in her world of witchcraft and vampires from the first page. Wages had me turning pages so fast I didn't realize I had stayed up half the night reading until I hit The End. The Righteous are the boogeymans boogeyman, and when Dulcinea is hunted by an unspeakably evil and powerful vampire, she summons The Righteous to her, but they can only do so much, and soon Dulcinea has choices to make and finds herself in a fight for more than just her life. Maclaine successfully weaves together the best elements of the Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, and Historical genres and gives readers a suspenseful thrill ride that will have them craving more, more, MORE Craven! Another A+.

For the next two weeks I'll be running a contest here on Novel Reads. Baby it's cold outside, and I want you to stay nice and toasty, so I'm offering up winners choice of one of these four flavors of Folgers Coffee (I'm totally digging the Hazelnut and French Vanilla right now). But wait! That's not all! I'm also going to give away a copy of each of today's books from the Novel Chat and at least two more books that will be announced throughout the next two weeks, because let's face it, books these good will warm ya right up (and I'm all about pimpin' a new author esepecially when they write this good!) :). Plus I'll throw in a tee shirt. Not sure what it'll say, I may even let the winner choose the saying.

There will be several chances to enter, and you may enter more than once. Simply visit each of the author's websites and tell me something you found there (please actually go look, don't just state the same fact as the person before you). There will be a new way to enter on each post until the contest deadline of February 4, 2009. Extra entries for blogging it and pointing people my way. Just let me know so I can make sure to link back to you.

Authors, if you're interested in offering up a prize for this contest, drop me a line at novelreads at gmail dot com (ya know, with the symbols and no spaces) and we'll see what we can do!

Take Care

Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena

As I've stated, any book talk on this site is long over-due, most especially though, is book talk on this book. You see, I had planned to talk about his book a few days before I officially left d&D, but that just didn't work out as planned, and then I planned on writing it up over here, and well, I went brain dead with work. So, I thought it only fitting that this be the first book I discussed. As a quick reminder before hand though, don't forget I've got a contest going on right now, just click here for the details.

Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena
(BCC)

In twelfth century France, King Henry II of England has just finished quashing a rebellion by his power-hungry sons and now seeks to tame the lawless barons who supported them in this corner of this "Angevin empire." To this end, the king has sent the Earl of Gunthar as his royal representative to ensure that Prince Richard and his former cohorts faithfully adhere to the terms of the peace treaty.

Far from being welcomed with open arms. Gunthar no sooner steps foot in the county of Poitou than he is greeted by a series of assassination attempts. All appear to be linked to the former rebellious prince through the agents of the family and friends of young Helene de Laurant. A clever, intrepid young woman, she realizes that the only way to prove her loved ones' innocence is by exposing the true assassin. Helene races against time - and dark secrets of the past - to unmask the killer before the kingdom plunges back into war.

Fierce determination gives way to mutual attraction as Helene and Gunthar spar over the identity of the traitor. But their blinding magnetism almost causes them to overlook an even deadlier threat from an entirely unexpected direction.

I have to say, that for the most part this BCC does a great job. There is actually a bit more Romance within the pages than the BCC leads a person to think, and while that's not a big leave-out, it may just miss a few sales because that aspect is not targeted.

Since the BCC does such a stellar job of letting you know about the main conflict in the book, let me talk a bit about the Romance. Gunthar comes to Helene's family estate on the King's orders to see that all of his post-war demands are being met. Also, the King figures a marriage between Gunthar and Helene's older sister, Clothilde, will be just the thing to keep this part of the country in line. However, it is Helene herself that catches Gunthar's eye. But duty before love is Gunthar's motto, and his plan is to carry out his King's wishes and marry Clothilde. But it seems Clothilde is about as interested in Gunthar as he is her. With a fierce mother that will stop at nothing (and has proven exactly that) to see her families good name restored, Helene and Gunthar have more than just an assassin to worry about. Suddenly their hearts are every bit as on the lines as their lives.

Let me tell ya a little something I'm not too proud of - I almost didn't read this book. I had liked the way the author described it when sending it to me and was really looking forward to reading it, and then I got the book and saw that it was self-published. I'll admit, hearing self-pubbed had always given me an immediate negative feeling. I'm ashamed of this, especially when I started the book and COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I was hooked!

The pacing of this book is wonderful. The mixing of genres expertly done. I was amazed that such a book was self published. With only a few parts giving me pause (and in all honesty, I have read many a big house book that falls way short of the quality of this one), I have to say that Loyalty's Web has given me a new appreciation for the self-published and has added one mighty good author to my Watch List.

Apparently, I'm not the only person that saw the wonderfulness of this book, because DiPastena has signed with a publisher and LW will be re-released with a new cover. Congrats, Joyce! What a true Cinderella of publishing story!

To learn more about Joyce and enter fun contests, visit her web site and head on over to Author Island for more great contests!

Take Care