Raining Love and Murder - Edie Ramer

An abandoned dog. A homeless veteran. A woman on the run. Her life in jeopardy. Sisters Dawn and Sunny stood together through the trauma of their childhoods and the fame they gained from Dawn's songwriting and Sunny's magical voice. But when Sunny marries the son of a cult leader, Dawn's life is in jeopardy. Taking on the identity of Raine, she goes to ground in a small Wisconsin town with a handsome innkeeper whose upbeat temperament is the antidote to her pain. Chuck's always been a good-time guy, and now that he's come up with a plan to help the town, no one in Trouble Bay thinks he's up to the hard work. Just as well that he has a new guest to deal with. A woman with secrets. A woman who who makes his heart beat faster. A woman in danger.

My thoughts:

Did I remember Chuck from that previous book I read? Hmm, dunno, BUT, I feel like I did and wanted his story. Lol, I sure hope I did like him if he made a fast appearance earlier then.

Edit!
You do not have to have read the previous books to read this one. It takes place in the same town, but different stories.

Chuck was a sweetie. He had been the easy going flirt, and the town did only see him as that. Which was a shame cos he is trying to change in this one (well not the flirting, but other things.) And even if everyone is protective of him, they were so holding him back.

Raine is on the run. Her sister married an ass, and with ass, I mean he, I just wanted to hit him and his dad. What a bunch of creeps. No wonder Raine, or Dawn as her name was, runs away to this little town. There lies the suspense. Will someone come after her and why? She is also a famous song writer, in the shadow of her singing sister.

There is also a second shorter story that pulled on the heart strings. A veteran called Todd lives on the street and he befriends a dog. It is as much the dog's story and I was so happy that these two met cos they healed each other. Todd needed something to live for, and so did the dog. It all comes together in the end too, the stories do connect.

Conclusion:
It was a romantic story, with bits of suspense and happy endings all around.

Cover
Not a sunny happy cover, and it fits

ebook, 284 pages
Published 2016 by Edie Ramer
Romantic suspense
For review

Where to find it:
Amazon - Amazon UK - AmazonCA - AmazonAU - BN - Google Play - iBooks

A Love and Murder Christmas - Edie Ramer

Adam Donahue lives in the perfect vacation place – Door County, Wisconsin. But his life isn't perfect. His wife was killed by a drunk driver three years ago, and his twelve-year-old daughter has type one diabetes. Now his daughter claims a mythical pooka, in the shape of a giant cat only she can see, is living in her bedroom. It scares him enough to do something he hates – ask for help from his late wife's best friend. 

Lauren Finney's insurance agent husband disappeared four and a half years ago. Good riddance. Her Irish wolfhound is better company than he ever was. And she misses her best friend more than the missing husband, though Adam – her best friend 's widower – makes her heart beat faster. Now it's time to initiate divorce proceedings against her husband, before the prenup restrictions expire and he comes back to claim half her considerable assets. 

As soon as she starts the proceedings, bad things happen. Very bad things. 

Then Adam asks her help with his daughter, and good things happen. Very good things. 

It might be their very best Christmas ... or it might be their very last. 

My thoughts:

A bit of romance, a bit of suspense, a bit of paranormal.

Adam is a widower with a tween daughter. He is not out there, he is not looking. But hey being alone is not good either, and I liked him, and he so needed someone.

His daughter realises she wants that too, for him to find someone. But first there is the pooka in her room. What does a mythical beast want?

Then there is Lauren, Adan's wife's BFF. Duh, the love interest. That is obvious. She was perfect for him. But here the suspense comes in. Someone wants her dead. Why? And what is it about that missing husband of hers?

The pooka helps out. Lauren's dog helps out. Adam and her gets closer. The suspense builds ( I liked that part). I also liked how this guy was introduced, and I was all, I'd read about him, and tadaa, his book is up next.

Conclusion:

Romance, paranormal and romance all in time for xmas

Cover

Nope

Kindle Edition, 221 pages

Published November 9th 2015 by Blue Walrus Books

Love & Murder #3

Romantic suspense

For review

Joint Interview and giveaway: Edie Ramer and Lori Brighton

Today I have something different on my blog. Lis and I interviewed Edie Ramer and Lori Brighton. There are also 4 books to win :D

First up is Lori:

1. Do you plan to write more books with heroines from this family?

There will be a full length book 2 and 3 which will star two secondary characters from my first full length in this series, A Night of Secrets. So yes, more books, but not necessarily family members. And who knows, maybe some more short stories too. I have plenty of secondary characters to pick from!  

2. In this novella some will fight for their life. And you left some poor bastards at a gladiator arena. Do you have any plans to go back and free them?

Lol, yes, poor bastards. In the next full length book, A Night of Redemption, I’ll discuss these “fight clubs” (as another reviewer called them) in more detail. Will we go back and save any of the werewolves Aidan fights in the novella? Sadly, no. They’ve been left in the dungeon to rot.

3. We also got to see werewolves in this story, and since I do love my weres my question would be if you plan to have a were find love?

Yes! The next book, A Night of Redemption, will star Beth (Meg’s friend from A Night of Secrets), and the hero will be a werewolf! This will be out probably late spring 2012.

4. What made you write a historical with vampires in it?

I always set out to write straight historical romances, but somehow the paranormal always slips in. It’s what happened with my first book, Wild Heart, and what happened with A Night of Secrets. There are so many vampire books out there, I thought to make mine a little unique by placing a vampire in the past. And by the way, I have managed to finally write a full length historical romance without paranormal, To Seduce an Earl!

And now Edie Ramer:

How did your story The Fat Cat came to be?

Misty Evans suggested a Halloween theme to unify the stories. I immediately thought of the two traditional symbols of Halloween – a black cat and a witch. I knew it would be fun to play around with the elements. 

Cats have a prominent feature in your stories. In Cattitude the main lead also goes to a cat. How come there are so many cats in your stories?

I’ve tried to put dogs in books, but they don’t work as well. They’re needier than cats. I have two dogs, and they can’t be left alone for hours like cats. They pick inconvenient times to go outside and then inside. They eat anything. (My beagle ate rat poison last Friday, and we had to rush her to the vet’s. She’s okay now, but she didn’t have a good evening.) 

Besides, I love my cat’s personality in a different way than my dogs’. She’s confident and independent. She doesn’t ask me to pet her, she jumps on my lap and demands it. If I’m busy, she meows at me, letting me know that it’s time to give her attention. When she’s had enough, she gives me a little nip. How can I resist a character like that?

Tory is such a fun witty character. She made me laugh with her comments. What was the inspiration that made you create Tory?

Tory was the hero’s sister in Cattitude. She was fun and positive, kind of girlie but with a backbone. She’d hooked up with a boyfriend, and it looked like they would have an HEA. Readers have asked for another book on the characters from Cattitude, but I thought Belle made the book fun, and there was only one Belle. But what I didn’t realize was that there are other cats. Since I wanted the story to have a witch, Tory immediately came to my mind. It fit her character.

As for being witty, all my characters are wittier than I am. And taller. And braver. No way would I drive up to a mini-castle and fight a warlock for women’s souls. I’m way too chicken for that.

The proceeds for this anthology go to the breast cancer foundation, how did you come to be a part of this anthology?

I’d mentioned to Misty Evans that I’d like to do an anthology of short stories and give the proceeds to charity. She emailed me back and said “Let’s do it!” I’m a breast cancer survivor and my critique partner and good friend has been fighting cancer for 15 years. So that was an easy pick. We started sending out emails, and writers agreed to come on. It’s been a wonderful experience.

In the foreword Stacia Kane talks about the use of condoms in romance stories. What is your view on that?

I loved Stacia’s foreword. The best foreword ever. I’ve mentioned condoms in my books but don’t make a big thing about it. In Galaxy Girls, though, it was a plot point in a scene with my heroine, who’s been bred to be a broodmare. When they’re ovulating, they can’t stop themselves from wanting to have children. It’s a primal need. Kind of the way my beagle feels for any kind of food. Even if it will kill her.

Thanks so much for having me and Lori here today and helping to get the word out about ENTANGLED. My critique partner found out a couple weeks ago that her tumor markers are up. That means the cancer cells are cooking again. It feels good to be doing something to help stop the disease. 

And now on to the Giveaways!

4 winners, 3 different books!

1. Open to all, worldwide

2. Ends October 3rd

3. Just enter, that is it.

But be free to ask questions if you want to :) since Edie will stop today.

2 e-copies of Entangled

Check our review here

1 e-copy of To Seduce an Earl by Lori Brighton

1 ecopy of Galaxy Girl by Edie Ramer

Joint Review: Entangled (anthology)

Genre: Paranormal romance/historical romance/paranormal suspense etc

Pages: 335 Ebook

Published: September 7, 2011

Source: for review

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

Lis: Alrighty, I’m not a big fan of anthologies. The stories are always too short, underdeveloped and usually focused on one thing. In short, they are not as fleshed out as I like to be and for me to read an anthology there have to be some damn good authors in it who know what they are doing. 

Blodeuedd: I am with Lis on this one. I am not a big fan of anthologies, because I always want more and everything is so rushed. But lately I they have surprised me and I have found myself liking short stories.

Lis: I was pleasantly surprised by Entangled. Not only does it revolve around my favorite themes: ghosts, werewolves, vampires and other creepy crawlies, the stories were well written. (yes I ate my hat!). To top it off, the proceeds for this anthology go to the breast cancer foundation. 

Blodeuedd: Some of the stories I liked and some clearly suffered cos I was in a hurry. All in all it was a  nice little anthology with many authors to choose from, and many different subgenres. I do think everyone would find something to choose from.

Lis: The foreword is a tear jerker and very fitting for this anthology. 

So without further ado: the reviews:

Halloween Frost by Jennifer Estep

It’s Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

Lis: This story is set in the Mythos world. Since I’m not familiar with this world as I have not read any other work by this author, I felt a little left out. Yet, it wasn’t so bad. It’s about Gwen Frost and her friends. They are in some trouble when they encounter a mythological monster hell bent on killing them. It was a good YA story and I’m now intruiged by this world

Blodeuedd: This story is a short from her Mythos Academy world. I have not read book 1 and this story took place after that, but I still could read and enjoy this story (perhaps it came from reading tons of reviews). I liked Gwen who is the heroine, we got to see her fight and we got to hear about her doomed crush. All which made me interested in this world.

The Fat Cat by Edie Ramer

In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

Lis: Edie Ramer never manages to disappoint me and she sure didn’t with this wiyty, fun story about a witch, a talking male cat and a pretty but rotten warlock. I really loved Tory and her comments. It’s an awesome story with a surprising ending. 

Blodeuedd: A witch adopts a fat cat and together they try to bring down a warlock. What a cute story about Tory and her adopted cat Samson. He is really old and ugly looking, but he talks to her so she had to adopt him. And as a catlover I approve. And the end was the best thing about this story.

Medium Rare by Nancy Haddock

What’s spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.

Lis: Even ghost gets therapists in this story. As well a team of ghost hunters as there is something up in the city of St. Augustine. The ghosts are spooked (pun intended) and it’s up to Colleen Cotton to find out what as she teams up with a ghost hunter. Very enjoyable story with a sweet story. One of my favorites in this anthology!

Blodeuedd: I liked this one. It had a good heroine, a good story and there was some tension between her and Brock. All in all making it an interesting story. Freaky ghosts too and it worked really well as just a short story. 

Sweet Demon by Misty Evans

When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.

Lis : What are exes for if not to help you out? Kali Sweet is in a bind when a big bad vampire asks her to join his empire. She must rely on her ex, the half chaos demon, who left her at the alter some 300 years ago, to help her out. Very nice story that felt like a prelude to so much more. It’s filled with intriguing characters. 

Blodeuedd: I like the setting of this one. A demon named Kali who has her own practice and who also runs errands for a council. She deals in vengeance and her she has to deliver it to an evil vampire and she also meets an old lover. I did like the evil vampire, but then I always like the baddies.

Sian‘s Solution by Dale Mayer

When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

Lis: Love conquers all, even between a vampire and a human. She’s willing to do anything to get her human lover back, even if it means exposing herself. Not my favorite story, but not bad either. 

Blodeuedd: I liked this one too, I think it was the world that made it so. Vampires and humans share the earth but stay on their sides. I do think I’d like more of this world, yes I would. I always like the dark ones.

A Bit of a Bite by Cynthia Eden

A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

Lis: Wooooweeeee, this story was hot!! And one of which I would have loved to see more of. Note to self: see to more of author’s work. It’s a world in which the supernaturals are known to humans. Now a killer prowls the street and it’s up to sheriff Ava to catch him. Things become complicated when suspicion falls on her never forgotten one night stand, the werewolf alpha Julian. 

Blodeuedd: I do like a good werewolf story. I was not blown away, but then I was kind of tired when reading it. At least you got Lis' happy thoughts on it ;)

Sinfully Sweet by Michelle Miles

When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

Lis: Be careful who you bake what for, you might get a hell of a lot more than you bargained for. That’s what happens when Chloe bakes some goodies for sunfully hot Edward. Nice story, loved the set up!

Blodeuedd: A nice little story about a witch and the incubus that show up. A little passion, a little fighting, and a story that made me crave cupcakes!

A Night of Forever by Lori Brighton

Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

Lis: Some things are better left deep in the closet. Of course, Mary Ellen doesn’t listen and sets out to find out who Aiden Callaghan is. He is definitely not the quiet, boring man she thought he was. Dayaaaam this story was hot and I found myself like this one despite the setting. 

Blodeuedd; A nice little love story set in the 1800s in England and dealing with, oh yes vampires.  Lori has previously also written a story about Mary’s sister and this story was just as good. Enjoyable. Lol, I like how I said it was sweet and Lis said it was hot, I better mentioned passion too then ;) 

Feel the Magic by Liz Kreger

Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

Lis: Some mistakes come back to bite you in the ass. This is what happens to the witch Jenna. Funny little story that never quite managed to catch my attention. 

Blodeuedd: This one was fun. Jessica wants to become a cat, yes you heard me. And Jenna is the witch to do it.

Breaking Out by Michelle Diener

Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other ‘special’ inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

Lis: This story reminded me very much of Christine Feehan, but didn’t make it any less bad. A powerful telekinetic and two other special ability inmates make a daring escape from the facility they are held in. All the while something is brewing between them!

Blodeuedd: I am afraid this one and the last were the ones I read quickly since I was pressed for time. It did make it hard to focus and to know if I liked it or not.

Ghostly Justice by Allison Brennan

Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

Lis: Time to get justices in this short story that is set in a series I’m not familiar with. Moira and Rafe try to get justice for a virgin sacrificed to a blood demon. That justice doesn’t come easy of course and there are many obstacles to overcome. Good story, hot too with lots going on. Very black and white too!

Blodeuedd: It was ok, but this one was another one that I was not blown away by.

Come back tomorrow when Lis and I interview Lori Brighton and Edie Ramer and give away several books :D Open to all too.

Joint review: Galaxy Girls - Edie Ramer

Genre: Sci-fi romance
Pages: 304, ebook
Published:  2011
Source: For review

Review by Blodeuedd & Lis 

Genetically created to be broodmares, Phyrne Galaxy and her mother, aunt and cousin don't need men, they need freedom. They escaped from the warring planet of Kergeron to Earth, where they run into crooks  with guns. But Phyrne has her own weapon, more powerful than bullets. She's ovulating.  Phyrne turns up the heat, taking out more than the crooks in her wave of sexual torture. FBI Special Agent Hawk Higgens, running to protect the women, is brought to his knees, too.  Being seduced by an alien changes Hawk's life. He joins the Foundation, a privately funded agency that hunts aliens. Six years later, the reason for his career change pops back on the radar in a tea shop in Kentucky. The woman whose face still haunts his dreams has an addition to her family – a five-year-four-month-old daughter.

At the same time, two Kergeron warriors are sent to Earth bring the women back to their home planet. With an ex-FBI agent and two alien warriors on her trail, Phyrne's calm life running the Tea & Comfort shop is about to get shaken, stirred and screwed.

The review is done interview style each answering up to five questions about the story.

Questions:
1.    So this is an unusual book. Can you tell us what this story is about?

They are from one hellish planet where men are warriors and women are only breeders. If the children are defected (not fertile or warrior enough they are aborted, or if they man just do not want a girl child.) The men are brutal. There is no love so you can understand why our four heroines travel across space and comes to earth. But Phyrne gets pregnant trying to save them (you just have to read that to get it) and 6 years later the hunky FBI agent has not forgotten her and neither has their home world. This book is about them trying to live heir life but secret agents and warriors from home does not want that. And it also about love since not all men are as creepy as those back home.

2.    What did you did think of the romance setting in Galaxy Girls?

Well, it’s most definitely not your everyday boy meets girl romance. I mean how many heroes do you come across who can use pheromones and ovulation as a weapon? Apart from that, there is definitely a spark between our two heroes, but as I said it’s not your typical romance. Phyrne and Hawk spend a great deal apart from each other, both after they first meet and later on in the story. While it worked for the story, I would have loved to see them together more. However, that wasn’t the main goal of this story. There are several other men in the story that would do for a good romance too. Yum!

3.    Galaxy Girls is quite the funny story, which scene had you doubling over in your seat?

Owh hell, I have to choose? Hmmm, alright…well. I guess it would be the start of the book. Reading about Phyrne using her –erh – weapon to take down the nasties was just hilarious. I was actually sitting in the train while reading that and my face must have been very comical to my fellow travellers: wide eyes, open mouth and then laughing like a loon! I can most definitely say that while I’ve read a lot, I never read anything quite like that before! 

4.    Out of the four gals who did you like best and why?

That would be Phyrne. I just loved her from the get go. Hard not to. I like her strong, independent and caring nature.

5.    Did you think this story has depth or is it a comical airy romance?

There is nothing airy about Edie Ramer’s stories, though while this story is definitely not a Donna Tart novel (thank the gods of books for that) it’s also not a fluffy bodice ripper. There is some depth too it, but more it’s just a fun adventurous story with strong independent women. 

6.    What are your thoughts on Galaxy Girls, did you like the story?

I liked the story because I am fascinated with new worlds. Sure we did not get much of their home world but we got enough for me to know that I would never want to visit. It was also fun to see these aliens settle on earth, which they had only seen on tv. It was also hard, ok not hard, but to know who to trust. Did Hawk really want the best for them? What about the rest? We all know that when agents and aliens meet it does not end well and I would not want my new favourite family dissected. And of course there was a bit of romance/passion and I never say no to that.

7.    Are there any underlying themes or (romance) tropes in this story?

This is one of Lis' questions and I am trying to wrap my head around it. Let's see if I can figure it out. Ok, there are the damsels in distress theme, but these damsels wants to take care of themselves, but it is still there. And sometimes you just have to ask a man for help (or a woman for that matter). It does not matter who you are if you got the skills.

I can pull out the lost lover card, ok so it was just a one quick heated session but he sure never forgot her. There is also a bit of a beauty and beast theme, and I can't say more about that either. And how about the secret baby trope! Oh yes I almost forgot about that. And a bit of enemies turned into lovers. All in all making it one fun ride.

 8.    How are the men/man in this story? Do they actually partake in the story or are they just there for decorations?

The men, who to start with? I liked the creeps from Kergeron the best. Why? Well cos they were scary! The only thing that is on their mind is war and getting good babies out of their women. Even the sex is quick and no fun. I can't say too much about the pursuers but they do give an insight into the mind of the baddies.

Hawk, our good guy, oh he is just good. Filled with feelings of sex and revenge. But when he sees the kid, awwww. Still sure he could be a part of the decoration, but in a good way. He have to be there, but at the same time it is Phyrne's story.

9.    What is your overall conclusion of Galaxy Girls?

My overall conclusion would be that you’d be crazy not to want to read this book! Even if the title sounds a bit tacky, it draws you straight into the story from the first chapter!

10.    Who was the writing style of this book?

As always, Edie Ramer’s writing is solid, strong and inventive. She doesn’t just tell a story, she spins it. With her writing she manages to draw you right into a story.

Guest review: Dead People - Edie Ramer

Genre: Paranormal romance

Pages: 193

Published: 2010

Review by Lis

When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen. She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth. Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his recently found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude. His ghost whisperer has an attitude too — even before someone tries to kill her. So why does he have the hots for her? And why does she lust after him? He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and dead people are easy.

“No wonder you're stuck here on earth. God wouldn't let you into heaven.”

After reading that sentence on the first page of Dead People by Edie Ramer, I was sold. It wouldn’t have mattered if the rest of the book sucked, that sentence made my day. It showed me that like Cattitude this book also possessed a healthy quantity of 'tude!

It got only better after that. The story also made me a little jealous and with a definite longing to see ghosts as well, especially if they are all as hot as Joe. Yes, I have a thing for bad boys from the fifties *hides Elvis collection*

On the story! Dead People is about Cassie and Luke. Cassie is a sassy, opinionated ghost-councilor. She has the ability to see and interact with ghosts. Some of them are nicer than others. Luke is a songwriter and single father who recently found out his ex’s daughter is his as well and not his band mate’s. He recently moved his traumatized daughter to this great big mansion; a mansion which comes complete with the dead previous owner. That’s where Cassie and Luke meet and that’s where their story starts. They really don’t want to like each other, but there’s a definite attraction between the two.

Cassie becomes involved in the mystery as she finds out that the previous owner, a hell cat of a woman, was murdered. She also becomes involved with Luke’s daughter who has some troubles of her own.

The story is entertaining, eye-widening, edge-your-seat thrilling and belly-laugh funny. Not that I expected anything less from Edie Ramer!

The characters are well defined and have their flaws. At times I wanted to kick Luke’s ass and admire him (and said fine ass) at the same time. The same for Cassie, except for the ass admiring part. It can’t be easy having to defend yourself all the time and make a life for yourself at the same time. It was also a lot of fun to see Joe and how he keeps Cassie on her toes and be her soundboard at the same time.

Dead People is one fine romance read and I certainly wouldn’t leave it lying on the digital shelf for long!

Review: Dragon Blues - Edie Ramer

Genre: Paranormal romance (with a hint of suspense)
Pages: 274
Published: February 15th 2011

Once a dragon
Saxophone player Noah Long shifted from dragon to human 2500 years ago, but the dragon blood still coursing through his veins has kept him healthy and virile. Now his secret is out, and the man who discovered it will do anything to make Noah's blood his own. Noah's only ally is martial arts expert Lila Fox, who heats up the fire in his belly and his heart.

Twice a killer
Lila Fox's first kill was at age sixteen after her stepfather put her mother in a wheelchair. Fourteen years later, she kills another abuser to save a woman's life. When her sister is in trouble and ends up at Noah's place, Lily comes to help. She teams up with the strangely compelling Noah, and discovers he's not all man and has a few tricks of his own.

My thoughts:

I have read reviews of her books and now I finally got a chance to read one of Edie's books, and it did live up to the good things I have heard.

In this book we meet Noah who once was a dragon but then turned human to pursue a woman, but he never shifted back to dragon after that. He has lived alone for long, and he only lives for his music and his treasures (cos he is a dragon and he lives the bling). He is strong, but also vulnerable, he is lonely, and saddened by the all the years on his own. But he is also protective and sweet, and I liked him (of course it did help that he had a cat he loved too).

.

Then there is Lila, she is also a broken by things from the past. An abusive stepfather used to hit her mum and Lila was left on her own raising her little sister. She also did something she can't forget to protect her mother. She is very protective, strong, can kick ass, but she also finds it hard to trust people and let go. And when these two meet there is that passion simmering beneath the surface wanting to break out. Together they could be so great.

Which brings me to the rest of the book. First there is Lila's sister who Noah calls Beauty and this is because of a certain beauty and the beast fairytale, an aspect to the story I truly liked. But this Beauty is a drug-addict, beaten down and with a scumbag boyfriend. She only causes trouble. The other aspect is the suspense part. Someone thinks that Noah's blood will make him live forever and the hunt is on and that person does not care who he kills to get Noah. Blood will flow.

I am coming to the end then. Edie is a great writer and pens a wonderful story.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

It's a good paranormal romance, and it does feel original. There is this sadness to Noah that I really enjoyed, and it made me wonder if there are any other dragons left in the world. A good suspense part and some nice passion. Plus, the story about him in Wales was good ( I will say no more.)

Reason for reading:

Lis had reviewed one Edie book and I sure wanted to do the same :)

Cover:

Ok so not the best, but do not let the cover fool you. There is a great story beneath it.

Review: Cattitude - Edie Ramer

Genre: Paranormal romance
Pages: 170
Published: August 2010
Reviewed by Lis

It's all in the Cattitude...After Belle the cat switches bodies with a psychic on the run from a murderer, she wants her perfect cat body back instead of this furless human one. But she doesn't count on falling in love with her former owner. Or that a CEO and a beauty queen want to use up her nine lives. Now is her chance to prove anything a human can do, a cat can do better.

When B asked me to review this book and read the blurb I was already mentally shaking my head and saying: ‘Nooooooooooooooooo way!’ A cat that changes bodies with her ‘assailant’ and falls in love with her owner and a mysterie to boot? Nuh uh. I might read a lot, but this is not my cup of tea.

Of course, B. can be very persistent and she sent me the book anyway, just so I could take a look and of course, I could not resist.

Edie Ramer’s Cattitude is a typical case where you don’t judge the book by its blurb. Cattitude pleasantly surprised me from the first page. Belle is a fiery character, both as a cat and as a person. All secondary characters are solid, three-dimensional characters and they make for a funny, attention-grabbing story.

My thoughts

Ms. Ramer definitely knows her cats, because her portrayal of Belle is reminiscent of any cat I know. Cats got attitude and Belle’s got ‘tude enough. Her views of humans are hilarious (and definitely true from a cat’s point of view) and it is fun to see how she adjusts to being human just as Sorcha adjust to being a cat.

I also liked the introduction of Sorcha. Just as I was wrong about the book, I was also wrong about this character. I thought she might be a third wheel in the story and yes, in a way she is, but a very good third wheel. I liked how “her” story ends. It was surprising. Sorcha carried just as much story as Max & Belle did.

The mystery part of the story was a hoot. It was both serious and comical and very fitting in the story.

Conclusion

Cattitude is a surprising book that I can definitely recommend. It’s a refreshing read with an original, funny and suspenseful plot, complete with a host of witty and funny characters. It is a well written story that has you on the edge of your seat and rolling on the floor in front of it and maybe pinking a way a stray tear as well. 

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Let me introduce you all to the new girl, Lis, who was kind enough to review Cattitude for me :) Thanks again, you rock! Hopefully I can tempt her to come back too.

Hi my name is Lis, an incredibly chaotic, sword wielding cowgirl from Holland  who lives and breathes books of the supernatural & paranormal variety stirred with some romantic, erotic and mystery and or historic ingredients. Hell, who am I kidding. I'll read anything if it's interesting enough. A very long time ago (think centuries) I read the great works from Homer to Shakespeare. Nowadays it ranges from Katie MacAlister to M.L. Rhodes from Lilith St. Crow to Stephani Hecht. Ocassionally I even review the books I read, just so long as it doesn't take me away from them for too long!

Interview: Edie Ramer, and Cattitude Contest (open to all)

Today I have Edie Ramer, over, the author of Cattitude.

At the end of the interview there is a contest for the book. And it's open to everyone one the planet.

And as always don't be shy to ask Edie questions.

Hi Edie, and welcome to my blog :)

Since I only know you recently from Lori Brighton’s blog, could you tell me something about yourself?

I live in southeastern Wisconsin with my husband, two dogs, and one important cat, where I write paranormal romance and women's fiction.  My short stories have been published in national print magazines.  I'm also published in non-fiction articles and greeting card verses. Because of the latter, I possess a drawer filled with cards for any occasion.

I’m also a huge reader, but you probably guessed that. I volunteer too much and need to say no more often.  I’m the co-founder of an inspirational site for writers, WriteAttitude.net, and of a group blog, Magical Musings (magicalmusing.com).  We recently added bloggers and changed our focus from writers to readers.  We often have giveaways.

Your newest book is called Cattitude; can you tell me what it is about?

It’s all in the Cattitude . . .

After Belle the cat switches bodies with a psychic on the run from a murderer, she wants her perfect cat body back instead of this furless human one. But she doesn’t count on falling in love with her former owner. Or that a CEO and a beauty queen want to use up her nine lives. Now is her chance to prove anything a human can do, a cat can do better.

If you could change body with an animal, which one would you choose? 

A bird.  I’d love to fly.

How come you chose the road of self-publishing? 

My dream was always to sell my books in print.  I seemed to be on the right road.  My short stories were published in numerous print magazines in the 90s.  I’ve won RWA (Romance Writers of America) contests with my books.  I was an American Title V finalist, and I’ve come close to selling many times.  But my books don’t fit well into slots, and when I try to write for the market, it doesn’t work. 

My option is to make my own slots.  A friend, Zoe Winters, is doing better with her digital novellas than some NY published friends do with their print books.  When J.A. Konrath blogged about Karen McQuestion (who wasn’t published before she put her e-books on Amazon) outselling him on Amazon, I knew it was time for me to put my books on Amazon and other digital markets.

Since I’ve published, I’ve felt empowered.  It’s an exciting time for me and for many writers.

You have an upcoming book called Dead People, could you tell about that? 

When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen. She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth. Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his recently found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude. His ghost whisperer has an attitude too — even before someone tries to kill her. So why does he have the hots for her? And why does she lust after him?

He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and dead people are easy.

Thanks for asking! Dead People should be online in a few weeks.

I am sensing a cat theme when I looked at your blog. Aren’t cats just the best? ;) 

Yes!  It’s because I love my cat so much that I wrote a book about a cat who changes bodies with a woman. She’s the queen of the house, yet she’s a cuddler and a sweetheart.  When she wants to be sweet, of course.  Belle the cat in Cattitude has a lot of the character of the cat in my house.

I already mentioned my two dogs.  I plan on putting the 17-year-old beagle we inherited early this year in a future book.  She has arthritis, she’s flatulent, and she snores.  Yet she has the best personality, and she takes joy in life and any attention we give her.  Her character will be the loveable comic relief.

What kinds of books do you read? Any fav authors? 

I read across the genres and non-fiction, too.   Karin Tabke, aka Karin Harlow, Cynthia Eden, Lori Brighton, P.J. Alderman, Liz Kreger, Zoe Winters and Loretta Chase are some of my favorite writers.  And a new author: Michelle Diener.  She’s my critique partner.  Her debut book, Illuminations, a historical, will be out late spring 2011, published by Gallery (a Pocket Books imprint).  It’s brilliant, and so is she!  She’s going to be huge.   

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Trust your voice.  Put your energy in your writing; it shines through.  You’ll make mistakes, and that’s why it’s important to find a great critique partner.  Look for one who’s on the same level as you or higher.  You want to grow as a writer.  Write, write, write, and then write some more.

It’s not an easy road, but if it’s your passion and you believe in yourself and you aren’t a quitter, you can make it.  Everyone says it’s the worst time for publishing, but it can be the best time for authors.  We have more opportunities than ever before.

(B: Since I like to mix it up, here are some shorter ones).

Fav ice-cream flavor?

Mint chocolate chip.

(Blodeuedd: I love that, even had it yesterday ;)

Fav tv-show? 

Memphis Beat.  I love the main cop character Dwight.  He wants to fix everyone, even his mother, his lieutenant, his ex-wife.  Every episode ends at a blues club with him singing with the band.  It makes me want to swoon.

Name 3 things you would take to a desert island.  

Hugh Jackman.  A knife for cutting fish and slicing open coconuts.  KY jelly. 

Are there aliens out there? 

Absolutely.  To think we’re the only intelligent beings in this world is the height of arrogance.  And maybe our dogs and cats are aliens sent to see how we treat them.  That’s a scary thought, isn’t it? 

(B: Looks around, you mean my beloved cutie is an alien, scary, I must look him in the eye and ask him)

Thanks!

Thank you for inviting me to be your guest.  The questions were fun, and I love being here.

(B: And I enjoyed reading your answers.)

Like I said, if there is anything you want to ask Edie then go ahead :)

GIVEAWAY:

2 winners, 2 e-copies of Cattitude 

1. Open to all, hey, even aliens.

2. Ends October 7th

3. Please leave an email if it's not in your profile, if you do not want to leave it then email it to me.

4. Not a must, but it's always more fun if you write something about the book, author, interview or ask a question.

THE CONTEST PART IS NOW CLOSED