Mirror of Shadows Review & Giveaway

Mirror of Shadows

T. Lynne Tolles

Release Date:

September 1, 2012

Source:

Review Copy Provided*

Reading Level:

New Adult







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Description:

Ella McKaye returns home for her grandmother's funeral to find she's inherited a ton of money and a run down mansion she never knew existed, called Grey Manor. Her greedy mother is appalled when the will stipulates specifically that Ella can't give her any of the inheritance. She quickly throws Ella out of her home forcing her to take up immediate residence in the spooky old mansion.

Within minutes of entering her new home she has a strange interaction with a creepy old mirror in the main hallway and the ghostly inhabitants of the past get more and more agitated the longer Ella's there. Nearly fatal back to back accidents make Ella start to wonder if she's angered some ghost or if there is something more sinister at work. Will Ella unravel the deadly mystery before she becomes a ghost herself? Or will fate take

another one of the Grey ancestors to the grave.

Teaser Sentence(s):

He looked absolutely mortified as he grabbed a dishtowel and held it in front of him as if to hide the fact he was in his underwear. Of Course the boxers could be seen from all edges of the dishtowel, making Ella want to giggle at his sudden realization of his lack of pants.

My Thoughts:

Mirror of Shadows was a nice paranormal mystery.

Elle was a very independent protagonist. She wasn't dependent on a man to come in and save the day, even though that did keep happening. I was happy she didn't come off as being perfect. She even made herself look a little crazy at the beginning when she first met Jeremy. I hated Matt straight from the beginning, but I love Jeremy. He was the silent, keep-to-himself type, and that drove me crazy wanting to get to know him. Jeremy was another character who wasn't perfect. He was handsome and, obviously, likes cats, but he was far from flawless and had a somewhat bad background. There was not any insta-love or hooking up, so I have my fingers crossed for a follow up book with more on Elle and Jeremy's relationship.

Jeremy and Elle were well written and, to me, felt like they could be real people. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story. It was fun (and creepy) trying to figure out the secrets of Willow along with Elle. Who was she? Why did she die? Is she good or bad? What the heck is up with that mirror in the hallway? The ending was good, and I would recommend this to anyone who wanted a clean, paranormal romance.

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T. Lynne Tolles

T. Lynne Tolles is a lifelong avid reader of all things paranormal and now is a writer of new adult paranormal romances for readers 15 to 115. She grew up in the sunny California San Francisco bay area. She's the mother of two, wife to one and pet mom to three cats and Newfoundland dog. 

Blood of a Werewolf is the first of five books in a series called, the Blood Series. Other titles include Somber Island and Mirror of Shadows - both unrelated to the series.

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*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for my opinion.

Grave Bound BOOK RELEASE EVENT/GIVEAWAY

Title: Grave Bound (Secrets, #1)

Author: T. R. Graves

Release date: March 1, 2013

Genre: Adult Contemporary

Age Group: Adult (17+ - profanity and sexual situations)

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

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Book Description: 
Some secrets follow you to the grave. Others send you there.

Emily Riddle has lived her entire life inside a patriarchal commune led by her father. There are many rules, but the most important one, 'keep it in the commune', is the most difficult for her to follow... especially since the only people willing to champion her cause live on the outside. When Emily learns her father has promised her to Lorenzo, a perverted man who has plans for her that extend well beyond marriage and kids, she rebels. Regardless of the consequences, she refuses to marry someone who'd rather beat her than caress her. A day of hooky that starts out as a tiny act of defiance - sneaking out of the commune for a swim - turns into a day filled with hope. After spending time with Levi, a man camping near the lake, she finds what true romance looks like and catches a glimpse into a future that's filled with love and admiration rather than hate and submission. That tiny peek is enough to change the course of Emily's existence and makes it nearly impossible for her to go back to the commune and pretend she'll ever be able to tolerate the life chosen for her instead of the life she longs for. One that includes Levi. Fighting to escape the commune, its leaders, and her fiancé proves to be more dangerous than Emily expected. The secrets she knows, as the leader's daughter, will either follow her to the grave or send her - and Levi - there.

About the Author

The author of The Warrior and the Secret series—currently available—and the Moral Dilemma and the Underwater series—to be released in 2013/2014.
She lives in Texas with her husband, their nineteen-year-old daughter, and nine-year-old son. Besides being blessed with a supportive family, she counts her career as an administrator and registered nurse in not-for-profit hospitals among her most fulfilling accomplishments.

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Excerpt:

Levi

God dammit!
I fling the sleeping bag off. Then, I snatch the tent's zipper open and run as fast as I can toward the forest in the same direction Emily went earlier. I have no idea where the fence's hole is or the exact location of her house, but I'm determined to find it and her.

Emily
I hear Levi as he jerks the tent flap open, the twigs breaking under the weight of his all-out run, and his breath as it comes faster and faster. He meant what he said earlier, and he's running to save me.
"Em… there's no way for me to get there quick enough… I want you to tuck my cellphone… somewhere no one will know about it… I want to hear what's going on… Do you understand me?" he says between breaths. The desperation in his voice frightens me more than I am already.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The newest round of beating on the front door causes my hands to shake, but I'm determined not to let that or my racing heart prevent me from doing what I need to do.
"Listen, Levi. You stay put. The last thing I need is for you to make your way into the fence and for Alex or Bobbi to catch you."
"I'm coming, Emily. I don't give a shit what they do to me."
It's my job to make him see reason. It's my job to protect him. From himself.
"Just wait. I'll have the phone with me. You'll know if I need anything. If I do, you can call whoever you want. Okay?"
I can almost hear him as he slows. "All right, Em. I want you to talk loud enough for me to know what's going on… Please."
"I will. I promise."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
This round of knocks is so powerful I think the door's hinges might actually break.

Giveaway: 
(1) eBook copy of GRAVE BOUND - mobi and epub formats available. Open International. If you do not have an e-reader you can download the Kindle app for your computer or mobile device. All winners will be sent to the author at one time after March 19th. Winners should expect the book by March 25th.

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T.R. Graves's Books: 

Warriors of the Cross (Warrior, #1)     

Guardians of the Cross (Warrior, #2) 

Enemies of the Cross (Warrior, #3) 

Underground (Secrets, #2) - Late Summer 2013 

Dark Angels of the Cross (Warrior, #4) - Fall 2013 

Worth Dying For (Underwater, #1) - 2013/2014 

Worth Living For (Underwater, #2) - 2013/2014

Fatal Intent

Readers of Sandra Brown and Laura Griffin are going to embrace the novels of hot new romantic suspense writer Ryshia Kennie.

An expedition into the Borneo rain forest is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for entomologist Garrett Cole. It’s this trip that could finally make her a star in her field. But when her team’s guide is found dead and headless on the banks of the river, Garrett’s dream trek suddenly becomes a nightmare. Lost in the heart of the jungle, she must fight to maintain her composure while leading a panicked team of scientists to safety.
When sexy and rugged Aidan arrives in the jungle looking as if he belongs, Garrett has no choice but to accept his help. But Aidan is more than she bargained for—a man of few words and fewer answers, as comfortable in the jungle as the mysterious native tribesmen. And as the days pass and passion flares between them, Garrett wonders if Aidan’s good intentions are just another of the jungle’s illusions.
In a land rife with predators and a killer still on the loose, can she trust the one man who claims to be their rescuer?

Title: Fatal Intent

Author: Ryshia Kennie

Release date: January 15, 2013

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Age Group: Adult

Publisher: Beyond The Page Publishing

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                                      About the Author

Ryshia Kennie is the author of three published romances. From the Dust, is a romance set during the Great Depression. Her second book, Ring of Desire, was set against a backdrop of magic and mystery, in medieval England. With her third book she settled into a genre that piqued her interest and fed her love for travel, romantic suspense. Fatal Intent is a romantic suspense set in the heart of the Borneo jungle. An award winning author, her recent novels focus on women’s fiction as well as suspense – always with a hint or even a dollop, of romance. The Canadian prairies are home where she lives with her husband and one opinionated Irish Terrier.

www.ryshiakennie.com

www.ryshia.blogspot.com

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My Thoughts: I really like the setting. From the descriptions given it was very easy to imagine the Borneo rain forest. The scenery, wild-life and native people were described wonderfully, and left me wanting to go to the jungle. The murder mystery part of the story was also very intriguing and kept my attention.

 What I didn't like was the relationship between Aiden and Garrett. I didn't feel any spark between the two. Separately, I liked the characters. Garrett is a strong female, leading an expedition through the dangerous jungle. For the most part, she keeps her act together, and keeps more people from being killed while they are stranded in the jungle. Aiden is not native to the tribe, but he really fits into the jungle. He seems to belong more than some of the ones who were born there. He is jungle-smart, and when you first meet him he is wearing a loin-cloth. But when considering the two together as a couple they were dull and their relationship was really lacking romance and a good connection. The cover to the book is probably the hottest thing that happens between Aiden and Garrett. And they knew each other for a total of 2 weeks? Maybe 3 before he was talking marriage? 

 I would recommend this book to someone looking for the mystery aspect in a read, not someone who looking for a romance novel. 

My Rating:

*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my opinion*