Top Off Tuesday - Dirty dude alert!

I've decided to join Felicia, Christi and Amanda for their gratuitous shirtless covers on Tuesdays. Because nothing says Tuesday like flashing some skin! Hop over to Felicia's blog to see who else is participating!

I am smitten with this cover. I can't even explain why, except it has an edgy vibe that I dig.

Perfect Mate (Project Rebellion #1) by Mina Carter

Monsters do exist...and they’re the good guys.

Lillian Rosewood leads an ordinary, boring life working as the manager of a psychiatric hospital. The highlights of her day, other than her skinny hot chocolate, are the hunky guards who work in the secure section. Until a late-night emergency is wheeled in.

Captain Jack Harper is insane, drop-dead gorgeous...and just had his abdomen shredded. Despite the fact they're not an emergency room, Lillian can't turn him away and risk a death on her hands. Unable to get the handsome soldier out of her mind, Lillian sneaks into the restricted area to check on him. What she finds is beyond belief. Somehow Jack has managed to heal himself from a near-fatal wound in mere hours.

When one of the doctors, Walker, attempts to rape her, things go from bad to worse. In the blink of an eye, Jack is loose and Walker is dead... and Lillian must accept a truth about her rescuer that will change her world forever. What if the patients aren't insane? What if their stories of secret government experiments and monsters are true?

Warning: Contains blood, mayhem and nude werewolves operating heavy weaponry. Large amounts of sarcasm and smart-ass vampires may offend some readers. No civilian hospital staff were harmed in the making of this story.

The Kraken King Part II: The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm by Meljean Brook [Review]

The Kraken King Part II: The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm (Iron Seas #4.2) by Meljean Brook
Format: ebook
Source: provided by Penguin through NetGalley
Date read: April 9, 2014

Iron Seas
1. The Iron Duke
2. Heart of Steel
3. Riveted
4.1. The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster
4.2. The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm - Kindle
4.3. The Kraken King and the Fox's Den
4.4. The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction
4.5. The Kraken King and the Iron Heart
4.6. The Kraken King and the Crumbling Walls
4.7. The Kraken King and the Empress's Eyes
4.8. The Kraken King and the Greatest Adventure

Meljean Brook
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

As they continue their expedition across Australia, Ariq is determined to stay close to Zenobia and figure out what kind of game she’s playing—even as his admiration for the enigmatic woman starts to override his suspicion.

For Zenobia, revealing her identity to a man who once made his living outside of the law is out of the question—even though Ariq’s dashing looks and blunt manner are distractingly appealing.

But before anyone’s secrets or desires can be exposed, an unexpected attack threatens to destroy them all…

Thoughts on The Kraken King and The Abominable Worm: Good gravy, this story is enticing. So much so that I'm saddened when the installment ends and I have to wait for the next part. But, BUT... it's so much fun while it lasts. SO.MUCH. *makes grabby hands all over the other installments*

I honestly adore the Ariq/Zenobia interactions. Zenobia has a smart mouth and a quick mind and the two of them score some zingers off one another. Throw in all the secrets Zenobia's trying to keep and how the very act of her trying to stay off Ariq's radar clues him in that something's up and we get some very fun times as they're forced into close-ish quarters.

While I'm not adverse to serialized novels, I think this is one I would have LOVED to read in one sitting. Just dive on in and get my read on. I'm not much on delayed gratification (can you tell?) and having to wait to see what's going to happen next is killing me.

No worries, though. I'll hold on until the next installment makes its way into my hot little hands. I hope.

The Kraken King Part I: The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster by Meljean Brook [Review]

The Kraken King Part I: The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster (Iron Seas #4.1) by Meljean Brook
Format: ebook
Source: provided by Penguin through NetGalley
Date read: March 25, 2014

Iron Seas
1. The Iron Duke
2. Heart of Steel
3. Riveted
4.1. The Kraken King and the Scribbling Spinster - Kindle
4.2. The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm
4.3. The Kraken King and the Fox's Den
4.4. The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction
4.5. The Kraken King and the Iron Heart
4.6. The Kraken King and the Crumbling Walls
4.7. The Kraken King and the Empress's Eyes
4.8. The Kraken King and the Greatest Adventure

Meljean Brook
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A former smuggler and thief, Ariq—better known as the Kraken King—doesn’t know what to make of the clever, mysterious woman he rescues from an airship besieged by marauders. Unsure if she’s a spy or a pawn in someone else’s game, Ariq isn’t about to let her out of his sight until he finds out…

After escaping her fourth kidnapping attempt in a year, Zenobia Fox has learned to vigilantly guard her identity. While her brother Archimedes is notorious for his exploits, Zenobia has had no adventures to call her own—besides the stories she writes. But when she jumps at the chance to escape to the wilds of Australia and acquire research for her next story, Zenobia quickly discovers that the voyage will be far more adventurous than any fiction she could put to paper…

Thoughts on The Kraken King Part I: The most gut wrenching thing about this book is that I don't have part 2 in my hands right now. That sound you hear? That would be the quiet sound of my despair. Yep, rocking and crying in the corner. That's me. Because it's really, really, REALLY hard to tear myself away from a Meljean Brook book with KRAKENS and AIRSHIPS and PLANS OF AN UNKNOWN NATURE.

But I must.

So. Zenobia. She just wants to have a little adventure. You know, like the ones she writes about in her books. The ones her brother has. Methinks Zenobia is going to have all the adventure she can handle with this trip. Especially with the way Ariq is eyeballing her. I like that guy. He shoots straight and doesn't pull his punches.

Now, I can't say I'm terribly keen on Zenobia's traveling companion, Helene. Or, at least I wasn't. She sort of grew on me when she had her heart to heart with Z about the trouble she's in. Or maybe it was Zenobia's compassion for her friend that got me. I don't know. I do know that I can't imagine this trip is going to go smoothly with someone like her around. She seems like one of those that speaks without thinking and never realizes how careless words can cut.

I'm so smitten with the Iron Seas world it's crazy. In fact, I'm eying all the novellas and making frightening cackling noises as I realize I have a few to catch up on. Time to go roll around in this dangerous, steampunk world.

RtP Week in Review (05/11/14)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Sweet Sizzle by Jodi Redford [Review] - Hot firemen. 'Nuff said.
• Top Off Tuesday - One tattooed werewolf for you!
• Beyond Solitude by Kit Rocha [Review] - Good gravy, I adore this series!
• Gifted by Liz Long [Review] - I read a book with clowns and liked it. I don't even know myself anymore.
• Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong [Review] - I (still) <3 Lucas!
• The Elemental Detective by Kirsten Weiss [Review] - Fun and fast-paced with a little ghostly goodness thrown in for good measure.
• Blog Housekeeping [36] - Clean 'em up!
  

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile - 1
• NONE!
• Freebies - Check the prices before you buy!
• Lady Justice and the Organ Traders (Lady Justice #16) by Robert Thornhill (Mystery)
• Books read - 7
• Currently reading 
• Salvation by Stephanie Tyler

Globetrotting...

• On Tuesday, I announced that The Wicked Gargoyle is out now at KellyApple.com. This series is winding down! Wheeee!
• Free Books Need Love, Too! weekly reviews:
• Monday - Until the End by Tracey Ward
• Tuesday - GLA: Debbie Does Monsterland by Emma Steele
• Wednesday - Mounted by the Minotaur by Persephone Parsons

Check it out!

• Seriously Series weekly update: *rubs hands together with wild glee*
• Series started in 2014: 15/18 (+1 since last week)
• Series started before 2014: 10/18 (+3 since last week)
• Series rereads: 4/7 (+0 since last week)

Blog Housekeeping [36]

It's that time again! Time to polish up your blog until it shines!

*Every post I remind you to backup your blog. DO YOU DO IT?

Update:

• review archive - are you responsible for sites other than your own? Don't forget about those
• sidebar - check for buttons or links for events that have ended. Have any new events coming up? Now's the time to add them.
• reading challenges - update your progress, add links to challenges where you can link up. If you're a challenge host, do you try to comment on linked reviews? Now's your chance!
• blogrolls -  clean 'em up!
• crosspost - do you crosspost to Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Library Thing? Don't forget to add your reviews to Netgalley or Edelwiess for those ARCs.
• check your subscription and social media links - if this isn't something that you normally check, now's an excellent time to make sure it's doing what it should be doing. (check out Felicia's Tech Tips for ideas on what to do if you're getting errors on your subscription link)
• check your static pages (About, Review Policy, etc) for outdated information, broken links, etc.
• review your profiles - when was the last time you updated your Goodreads or Facebook profiles? Is everything up to date?

Get ahead:

• May is here! Have you drafted your weekly wrap-up posts and/or reoccurring memes? Do you prepare review posts for upcoming books so you can simply write up the review once you've finished reading?

Misc:

• respond to review requests and other bloggy emails
• check your spam folder - legitimate emails can sometimes slip through, catch them now.
• check the spam filter on the blog - get rid of the spam! save the legits!
• make the rounds - check back on blogs where you left comments, maybe spread a few new comments around like candy.

Did you do everything that applies to you? Well done! Now...

BACK UP YOUR BLOG!

| Blogger tutorial | Wordpress tutorial |

The next Blog Housekeeping is scheduled for May 24th! I hope to see you there!

The Elemental Detective by Kirsten Weiss [Review]

The Elemental Detective (Riga Hayworth #5) by Kirsten Weiss
Format: ebook
Source: provided by the author for an honest review
Date read: January 19, 2014

Riga Hayworth
1. The Metaphysical Detective
2. The Alchemical Detective
3. The Shamanic Detective
4. The Infernal Detective
5. The Elemental Detective - Paperback | Kindle

Kirsten Weiss
| Website | Twitter | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Mermaids, menehunes, and murder.

Riga Hayworth just wants to relax with her new husband on their Hawaiian honeymoon. But a body on a Kauai beach pulls them into a murder investigation, sending the supernatural world into an uproar.

When Riga detects traces of magic at a murder scene, she knows she can’t ignore the call. There’s necromancy afoot, and she must prepare for the battle to come. But can Riga fight the forces of nature? Or will they destroy her and everyone she loves?

Book five in the Riga Hayworth series of paranormal mystery novels, The Elemental Detective is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy blending romance with the supernatural, and exploring the magic of Hawaii.

Thoughts on The Elemental Detective: You can take the lady away from her usual haunts, but you can't keep danger from finding her. Riga's like a metaphysical magnet, pulling all the unusual things around her into her orbit. Including Donovan, come to think of it. Which (and keep in mind, I stepped into this series at book 4 so I might have missed this in the earlier books) (and now I've lost my train of thought after that aside. DANGIT!)... *looks around* I guess I was trying to say that it feels like there's more to Donovan than what we see. Based on some of the things that happen here, I am SO intrigued by him and the way he complements Riga.

This time around, Riga is drawn into something big. She still doesn't have a handle on her power... or, it's more like she's still trying to figure out what works for her since what she found out in the last book. She's floundering in some ways and she's unsure of herself, which strikes me as something that's not normal for her.

The ebb and flow of magic on the islands fascinates her but she hasn't quite found her rhythm within it. I liked watching her sort through the threads of the case and (sometimes grudgingly) step back to let Donovan take the lead. I just... like those two together. They're like puzzle pieces that fit.

Fun and fast-paced with a little ghostly goodness thrown in for good measure. *thumbs up*

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong [Review]

Industrial Magic (Women of the Otherworld #4) by Kelley Armstrong
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Date read: January 25, 2014

Women of the Otherworld
1. Bitten
2. Stolen
3. Dime Store Magic
4. Industrial Magic - Paperback | Kindle
5. Haunted
6. Broken
7. No Humans Involved
8. Personal Demon
9. Living with the Dead
10. Frostbitten
11. Waking the Witch
12. Spellbound
13. Thirteen

Kelley Armstrong
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld. This is not your mother’s coven...

Kelley Armstrong returns with the eagerly awaited follow-up to Dime Store Magic. Paige Winterbourne, a headstrong young woman haunted by a dark legacy, is now put to the ultimate test as she fights to save innocents from the most insidious evil of all.. . .

In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.

Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.

Thoughts on Industrial Magic: Yep, I still adore Lucas. With all the crazy he has to put up with in his family, his zeal to do the right thing and help those who need it is downright fantastic. Plus, he's so endearingly formal. He obviously loves Paige and yet he's so careful around her and so quick to believe she's going to want out of their relationship as soon as she gets involved with his family.

Oh, Lucas.

Beyond the relationshippy stuff (which I LOVE!), the case Paige and Lucas find themselves trying to unravel is intriguing. Added bonus, we get to meet up with some old favorites -- Elena, Clay, and Jeremy -- and get introduced to the over-the-top Jaime Vegas, the necromancer who puts her foot in her mouth often and has a totally understandable crush on Jeremy. Which, let's face it, is TEN KINDS OF ADORABLE when she goes all high school giggly over him. Maybe that's just me.

As is the case with the previous books, even more of the supernatural world is revealed. Seriously more. Like, more to the power of ten. We see the cutthroat side of the cabals and the somewhat creepy side of the necromancers. Frankly, the way the cabals are run is scary in itself because it's so darn normal. Well, if you ignore the shamans and sorcerers wandering the halls of the corporate building, that is.

Bottom line, while I adore the werewolves, I love how much bigger the world feels with every book. The women (and men) of the otherworld stand up for what they believe in, no matter how hard it might be.

In other words, this reread ROCKS!