Tag: Tessa Adams

Review: Soulbound by Tessa Adams

Posted April 15, 2013 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Holly‘s review of Soulbound (Lone Star Witch, Book 1) by Tessa Adams

As the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter—and a member of Ipswitch’s Royal family—Xandra Morgan should be a witch of incredible power. But things don’t always turn out like you expect…

While she hasn’t lived up to her family’s expectations, Xandra has come to terms with her latent magic and made a life for herself in Austin, Texas, running a coffee shop where she makes potions of a non-magical nature. While things aren’t perfect, Xandra is happy—until she runs into powerful warlock Declan Chumomisto.

Xandra hasn’t seen Declan in years, and though she’s still overwhelmed by his power, she doesn’t trust him. And when her own powers awaken one night and lead her to the body of a woman in the woods bearing the symbol of Isis—the same one that has marked Xandra since the day she met Declan—she’s filled with a terrible suspicion, soon confirmed: the woman is connected to him.

Xandra doesn’t want to believe that Declan is capable of murder, but as the body count mounts, and Xandra’s own powers spiral out of control, she’s not sure she can trust her own instincts…

I have to admit, I’m not really a fan of witches. I’m not sure why, exactly, but something about them always turns me off. I decided to give this one a go because the blurb intrigued me. Though I had some problems with the story, the fact that it featured witches didn’t really factor into that.

Xandra is a hard character to pin down. At times she seems strong and capable, but at others she was weak and wishy-washy. While I understand her past shaped who she eventually became, the woman featured in the first couple chapters was not the woman we saw through the rest of the book. Rather than demanding answers about the things going on in her life, she chose to ignore them or let them go. There are times to pick your battles, but when it comes to life and death matters that directly effect you, I believe that’s a battle worth fighting. Sadly that wasn’t the case with Xandra.

Declan really frustrated me in the beginning of the book. He comes off as pompous and a little smarmy. He’s constantly smirking at Xandra and withholding information from her. As the story developed, however, I came to understand him a bit better and felt he grew considerably. While he was secretive and quite smug in the beginning, it was almost like a mask he wore. The man underneath was intriguing. His treatment of Xandra in the beginning (and through the middle) of the book did affect my overall feelings for him, however. I couldn’t quite get past his early behavior.

I also struggled with Xandra’s family. Her mother in particular left me feeling confused and angry. At times she was a loving mother who cared for the well-being of her daughter, but mostly she was a crazed witch who wanted only for her daughter to have extreme power. The lengths she went to to bring Xandra’s powers out were completely over-the-top. Why Xandra didn’t completely wash her hands of her mother is a complete mystery to me.

Having said that, I can’t deny I was pulled in. Even though the characters frustrated me, I couldn’t wait for all the secrets to be unveiled. I think I’ll read the next book in the series before making a final judgement.

3 out of 5

This book is available from Signet. You can buy it here or here in e-format.  This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Hidden Embers by Tessa Adams

Posted May 17, 2011 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Tracy’s review of Hidden Embers (Dragon’s Heat #2) by Tessa Adams

In the New Mexico desert there is a secret race on the brink of extinction-the pure-blood shapeshifters of the Dragonstar clan. Their last hope for survival lies in the hands of Quinn Maguire, the desperate clan healer lost in love with a human female.

There is a horrible virus that is spreading through the Dragonstar clan. Quinn has been working for years to try to find a cure but so far hasn’t had any luck. When his brother dies from the virus he can’t take it any more and heads off a flight that ends up taking him to Texas and a one night stand with an incredible woman.

The incredible woman is Jasmine Kane, a friend of Phoebe’s (from book 1) who works for the CDC but is currently on medical leave. She’s on her way to New Mexico to help the Dragonstar clan – at Phoebe and Dylan’s behest – when she gets a flat and heads to a bar to wait for the repair truck. When she meets Quinn she’s instantly attracted and they decide to take their attraction to the next level…and the motel next to the bar.

Quinn’s not happy, at all, when he wakes up and Jazz is gone but is shocked and thrilled when he finds her walking in to his lab. He wants to keep matters professional but finds that he just can’t do that – especially when he discovers that Jazz is his mate.

Jazz, Phoebe and Quinn work together to try and discover an antidote and/or immunization to the man-made virus that is wreaking havoc on the Dragonstar’s. While they do discover some interesting properties about the virus and know that they are on the right track they realize they can’t do anything until they find the one traitor in the clan who has been dosing the clan members in the first place.

I’ll start off by saying that I had very mixed feelings about this book. It was definitely much darker than book 1 which was ok to a point because the virus itself is getting worse so I understood that in order to show that the author had to have some events happen to prove it. Unfortunately those events (and I can’t tell you what they are without spoilers) just didn’t sit well with me. I think it was an issue with what I personally find acceptable in my romance novels so others might feel differently about the darker occurrences in the book.

While I liked Quinn quite a bit I really didn’t care for Jazz all that much. Don’t get me wrong – I admired who she’d become from where she had grown up and she was brilliant, but her stubbornness and independence really rubbed me the wrong way. I will say that she did think about her actions after the fact and find that maybe she overreacted but she wouldn’t think first and act later she would fly off the handle and then have to apologize. Once is fine but several times was getting annoying. I just wanted to shake her and say, “Think before you speak!”

There were also some incidences that weren’t dealt with, imho. After the traitor was discovered and unveiled very little was mentioned about it. It was almost like it was decided that they were glad they found the person but they weren’t going to talk about it. I also didn’t care for the way that Jazz was saved near the end of the book – it just seemed that while very emotional it was remedied too easily.

Besides Quinn I loved seeing Phoebe and Dylan again from book 1. Also, the other sentries, Logan, Ty, and Gabe and enjoyed seeing their continued loyalty to their king and the clan. Their easy camaraderie was fun to read about – treating each other like family and enjoying every minute of it.

It may not seemed that I liked the book all that much but I did – I just didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

The Series:

Dark Embers: A Dragon's Heat NovelHidden Embers: A Dragon's Heat Novel

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

This book is available from NAL Books. You can buy it here in e-format.

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Guest Author: Tessa Adams – Changes

Posted April 27, 2011 by Holly in Giveaways, Promotions | 13 Comments

Today author Tessa Adams is here to celebrate her latest release, Hidden Embers, book 2 in her Dragon Heat series.

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Yesterday, I spent much of the morning doing something that I absolutely love: hanging with a few of my very good writing friends. We were supposed to be working on our latest WIPs, but I think the most prolific of us got about seven sentences written (just so you know, I only got two sentences done the entire time I was there). But that didn’t matter, even though I’ll have to make the time up later this evening—after all, we are involved in a weekly challenge here. We each decide on our word counts at the beginning of the week and then make a mad dash for the finish line. It’s lots of fun and the competition (and support) makes writing a book so much easier.

So as I was sitting here, trying to come up with a blog for today, it occurred to me that one of the few (very few) things I haven’t blogged about lately is how much my life has changed in the past few years since my first book came out. I mean, the heavens didn’t open, angels didn’t sing, but I’m still pretty thrilled with how things have ended up. So, with no further ado, I thought I’d do a top ten list of things I love about being a romance writer.

10. Reading romances is now part of my job description.

9. I get to spend a lot more time at home with my boys (which is a mixed blessing, especially when I’m on a deadline 😉

8. I get to spend my days thinking about mermaids, dragons, computer viruses, Greek myths and kissing clubs!!!!!

7. I spend hours, days, weeks, researching stuff that absolutely fascinates me 

6. I get to travel all over the country, speaking about romance novels to people who love them as much as I do.

5. My books are now tax-deductible (thank God! My husband has finally stopped hassling me about my little … addiction)

4. I no longer have to teach high school English every day (which I loved, but believe me when I say I don’t miss getting up at five a.m. to make sure that everything was ready for the day for both my boys and myself)

3. I get pretty, pretty covers like these for my April Dragon’s Heat novel, Hidden Embers, and my May YA mermaid novel, Tempest Rising.

2. I have some of the best, most talented friends in the world, not to mention guaranteed roommates to the RWA national conference every year (within twelve hours it looks like a bomb went off in our room, but that’s half the fun—along with the scavenger hunt we have to go on to get dressed by the time the third day rolls around)

1. And the perk that can not be overrated, the number one reason I love my job–I get to work in my pajamas (although I’m sure my sons’ teachers think all kinds of terrible things when I drop them off— and sometimes pick them up– at school in my robe and gorilla slippers)

So, how about you? What’s one thing you are particularly grateful for/happy about in your daily life? Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of Dark Embers, the first in my Dragon’s Heat series and Unguarded, my December Superromance.

Tracy Wolff/Tessa Adams/Tracy Deebs collects books, English degrees and lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. At six she wrote her first short story—something with a rainbow and a prince—and at seven she forayed into the wonderful world of girls lit with her first Judy Blume novel. By ten she’d read everything in the young adult and classics sections of her local bookstore, so in desperation her mom started her on romance novels. And from the first page of the first book, Tracy knew she’d found her life-long love. Her first novel, A Christmas Wedding, appeared on the scene in November of 2008 and since then she has sold eighteen novels—including Erotic Suspense and Paranormal to New American Library, Contemporary Superromance to Harlequin, and Paranormal Young Adult Romance and Contemporary Young Adult Romance to Walker Books. Now a part time English professor at her local community college,she lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and three sons. She was a 2010 Rita nominee.
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Dark Embers: A Dragon's Heat NovelHidden Embers: A Dragon's Heat Novel

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What I Read Last Week

Posted March 28, 2011 by Tracy in Features | 13 Comments

Good morning!
How was everyone’s weekend? Hopefully it was all good. Mine was pretty quiet. My hubby’s b-day was yesterday and we had a lovely lunch with his parents on Saturday and then another wonderful dinner with my family yesterday.
Since there’s not much going on around here I’ll get right to the books I read this past week.
My first read was One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland. This one doesn’t release until early May but I really loved Kurland’s time travel novel’s. This one was good but it almost felt like 2 different books to me. The first was the meeting of the couple and it was so sweet and I was loving where the romance was heading. Then the couple time traveled and the tone of the book changed. Still good but not as good as the first part of the book, imho. I read this one for The Book Binge so I’ll let you know when my review posts. 3.5 out of 5
Next up was another book for The Book Binge, Hidden Embers by Tessa Adams. (This one also releases at the beginning of May.) In this book we meet Jasmine who is going to New Mexico to help try to find something that will help the Dragonstar clan with the virus that is killing their people (the same virus we learned about in book 1). Quinn and Jasmine hit it off but there are roadblocks in their way. This was a good story but I did have some issues with it. I’ll let you know when my review posts. 3.25 out of 5
Delivered with Love by Sherry Kyle was my next read. This was an inspirational book about a twenty-something girl who is trying to find out more about her deceased mother’s past. She heads out on a road trip and the info that she discovers was nothing like she expected. A good book but more than a few parts of it, I felt, were really unrealistic. My review of this one will go up on Friday. 3 out of 5
When Holly was down last weekend she talked me into buying What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long. I’d heard good things about the book and had planned on reading it but maybe not too soon. When I really looked though I discovered that it was a revenge story and I hesitated. I’ve discovered that I really don’t like revenge plots all that much any more so what to do? In steps Holly and said DO IT! I caved and read it and it was SO good! I loved it. It’s definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I loved the duke – his character was entertaining as well as so heart wrenching. I loved Genevieve even though she was a bit wishy-washy at times. I adored how Long (this was my first read by her) didn’t pull any punches with the fact that the duke is almost 40 and in fact even had Genevieve make mention of the lines on his face. Just a great book. If you like historicals then you won’t want to miss this one. 5 out of 5
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh Lanyon. This was another of Josh’s great mystery stories. Perry comes home early from a vacation and finds a dead body in his bathtub. He goes to get help but when the person goes to check it out the body is gone. His neighbor, ex Navy SEAL, Nick, decides to help out and not only do they work together to solve the mystery but they end up having a relationship as well. A really good mystery and romance mix. 4 out of 5
Last on the list was A Love Rekindled by Myne Whitman. This was the story of Efe who has returned to Nigeria after 7 years when she runs into her ex-fiance who broke her heart. The fiancé, Kevwe, however, believes that Efe broke his heart all those years ago. Can they get to the bottom of the issue and rekindle their love? I’ll be reviewing this on Wednesday so I’ll tell you more then. 3 out of 5
My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:

Happy Reading!

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Guest Review: Dark Ember by Tessa Adams

Posted September 3, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 1 Comment

Genres: Paranormal Romance


Kris’ review of Dark Embers (Dragons Heat Book 1) by Tessa Adams.

King Dylan MacLeod is one of the last pure-bred dragon shapeshifters in existence—and ruler of a dying race, the Dragonstar clan. It falls to him to protect his people—and their ancient magic. He has one more duty: to provide an heir.

Like all dragons, Dylan can only procreate with his destined mate—for whom he’s searched for five hundred years. His dark, rampant sexual appetite has earned him quite the reputation, all in the pursuit of his one true match.

But his search is delayed when a deadly disease sweeps through the Dragonstars, and Dylan must venture to the human world to find a cure. He tracks down renowned biochemist Phoebe Quillum, never imagining the beautiful scientist will be the mate he’s been seeking for centuries. But no sooner do they meet then Phoebe and Dylan are besieged by an obsessive, overpowering sexual desire.

Their passion turns to something truer—and they know in their souls and bodies that they’re in too deep to get out. And when Phoebe is kidnapped by Dylan’s oldest enemy, he must risk everything to reclaim the only woman he’s ever loved, or his clan will be wiped out forever.

The book starts out with Dylan out searching for his mate and then returning home to find sister dying. Such a harsh beginning for him. He is mourning for his beloved sister but still trying to be strong and save his people. there is a terrible disease that is spreading through his clan and is killing off these immortal dragon shifters one horrible death at a time. it is fast acting and fatal once you start showing symptoms the person is dead in 24 hours. After watching his sister die, Dylan has decided to seek outside help, from humans.

So then we meet brilliant and beautiful Phoebe who is a research doctor trying to discover a cure for Lupus. But she has just lost her funding. Then this strange man shows up and offers her all the money she needs to complete her work if she will go with him and save his people. After a lot of sweet talking and cajoling that included a blood sample, she agreed to go. When they get there they are faced with his dying niece and the last of his family.

Dylan just cannot catch a break. I imagine if characters could actually talk to their authors this one would have been very mad at Ms Adams. He has been searching fruitlessly for his mate for the last couple hundred years, all of his family is now dead and his people are looking to him to save them. He is a little stressed, and handles it very well, it made me respect him a lot.

Pheobe is a scientist that has been given a puzzle so of course she has to try to figure it out. And that puzzle is Dylan and his weird blood and multitude of secrets. She is a strong character who knows what she wants and is not afraid to work to get it. She is a dedicated scientist with secrets from her past as well. Knows her limits so does not have any major TSTL moments.

I sooo liked this book. It was fast paced, good storyline and great characters. I had a very hard time putting it down. I wish that the climax of the book had been a little bit longer, but it was still very good the way it was. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

4.5 out of 5

This book is available from NAL Trade. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

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