Sunday, March 15, 2015

SARA News - The Audio Edition

Ever wondered if Carla Caruso is a schmexy in real life as she is is print?  *

Well, beloved readers, wonder no more!

Here's an interview Carla did recently with the South Australian Writers Centre...



Find out Carla's favourite authors and Rom Coms, what she's working on now, and bonus points if you can pick the well-timed drop of other SARA stars' names!

And don't forget to check out The Un-Italian Wife.

Until next time,

Emmeline.

* Answer:  HELLS, YEAH.  :)

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Reading Adventures during the month of lurrrrv....

Welcome to the latest Reading Adventures where the SARA members let us know what they are or have been reading...Get ready to write add some titles to your TBR pile.


Liana Skrzpczak

My February reading has consisted of White Fang by Jack London and The Road to Ruin by SARA's very own Bronwyn Stuart, both of which I'm absolutely loving! Although White Fang isn't a typical 'romance', I guess it could be considered a romance about the relationship between master and companion. :)





Fear for Hire by Natalie S Ellis.


Wow! I highly recommend this fast-paced, unique romantic suspense. Jack is a born protector who is struggling to keep his head above the water of failure. Molly is feisty and tenacious and doesn’t take kindly to being accidentally kidnapped, even if her assailant is gorgeous. She’s convinced he’s the perfect big break story, until she’s embroiled in a mess of falsehoods and terrifyingly twisted minds. But who is pulling the strings in this perverted puppet show? Jack vows to protect Molly until he finds out the truth, but the forces conspiring against them may prove too powerful.









Rated 5 stars to The Perfect Match by Kristin Higgins, and 4 stars to Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair




Gave 4 stars to Be My Baby by Laura Greaves



Gave 5 stars to Viper Game (Ghost Walkers #11) by Christine Feehan



5 stars to Fake by Beck Nicholas

"Although I read books in every genre, Fake is the first Teen Romance I’ve read. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I got a beautifully written, gorgeous story about a girl who isn’t tattooed, doesn’t smoke or drink, and isn’t trying to have sex with the school’s best male athlete. She’s smart, thoughtful, and a loyal friend. 

I loved Kath. That’s right. She doesn’t have a clever name, or a nickname like Bones or Skull. Just Kath. She has a nice mother whom she doesn’t resent and she has a horrible background, like most of us. Well, some of us. She rises above her background and she chooses her friends for the right reasons. 

This is in a closing scene with her mother. ‘Her hands cup my cheek. “If you have to, you will. And with class.”’ That’s Kath – a heroine with class. I loved Kath’s sincerity, her social conscience, and her problems and solutions touched my heart in a very special way.

Fake’s author, Beck Nicholas, is one of those authors who has latched onto the ‘craft’ of writing. Her voice is light and smooth. She doesn’t use clichés or done to death prose. However, my advice is not to begin the book when you should be doing something else, because you’ll forget and end up with no bread for lunch". (review on Goodreads)

and now for moi, Eleni Konstantine



For sweet romance, I read our very own Claire Baxter's  More Than Just One Night. It's a lovely read about second chances at love and allowing them into your life.  

I also love the cover - Disclaimer: My alter ego designed the cover. ;)

4 stars!


For paranormal romance, I read (and chuckled) Dressed to Slay by Harper Allen. This is the first book in a series about the stunning & sarcastic Crosse triplets. The Russian heritage comes to the forefront as Grandpa 'Darkheart' visits and confides that the family business is vampire slaying. Normally they would have confined him to the looney bin, but they'd just been attacked by their Vampire fiances. Throw in a prophecy or two, a club called the Hot Boss, and a very sexy werewolf - oh and the sister who is the Daughter of Lilith (THE vampire slayer of this generation) and there you have it. Fun, adventure, sex, love, family - the works.

I had read book two of this a while back so some of this was familiar but it had been long enough ago, and from another triplets perspective to still make it an enjoyable read. I'll be rereading book 2 before moving to book 3. Helps the little neural pathways connect the dots.

4 stars!


Shifting to my audio - I listened to Shakespeare's Champion (Lily Bard #2) by Charlaine Harris

Lily Bard seems to attract trouble which finds infuriating as she tries to have a quiet normal life. Her past precludes her from that, and so does the town she now lives in. It's a small southern town with ingrained ideas about the social structure - though most people are nice enough, there are those few who want to stir trouble by picking on others. This book looks at racism, sexism, and violence used against others. It's a thinker though having it seen through the eyes of Lily who has been touched by violence and who protects herself by putting up walls. Though the walls have started breaking down. A good story. 

4 stars!



That's it for this time around. I hope we've given you some ideas of books to read - and don't forget our SARA books!

~Happy Reading~