My Picks of the Week! (November 27th-30th)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving, my Muses!

I'm still trying to get myself together, so I apologize yet again for disappearing. I have so many books that have been read but need to be reviewed-- I'm definitely feeling overwhelmed! But I am anxious to get back in the groove, so thanks for your patience!

The only thing I should mention is that there are a couple movies coming out on Friday, November 30th instead of today (27th). So just be aware of the release dates listed below.

Hope all is well and I wish everyone a belated Thanksgiving! Reviews to come soon!

Best Wishes,

BOOKS (November 27th)

ADULT BOOKS

Angel in Chains (The Fallen, #3)
by: Cynthia Eden

As a fallen Angel of Death, Azrael is cursed to walk the earth alone in search of redemption. One night, as he wanders the streets of New Orleans, he discovers a woman surrounded by panther shifters. No longer able to contain the anger simmering within, Az summons his dark powers and attacks, determined to protect this innocent human from certain death.

Only Jade Pierce is no delicate flower. She’s spent years learning to survive and fight the evil forces sent by her ex-lover who refuses to let her go. But after seeing Az in action, she figures she could use a little supernatural help. And so she plans a course of seduction guaranteed to arouse his interest and his angelic passions…

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

City of Refuge
by: Kenzo Kitakata

He killed 2 gangsters for the woman he loves, for Makiko. The sensation of the murder on Koji's hands is still fresh. Now he's running from the police as well as the mob.

Unlike your ordinary hero, Koji kidnaps a boy during his getaway. On his trail is "the Old Dog" Detective Takagi.

Another unique gem from the master stylist!

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback

Kept (Coveted, #2)
by: Shawntelle Madison

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.

Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

King of the Damned (League of Guardians, #2)
by: Juliana Stone

For millennia the struggle between light and dark, between the upper and lower realms, has been policed by a secret group of warriors culled from every fabric of existence. They are both otherworld and human, male and female. They are light and dark themselves and known to each other as the League of Guardians. Their pledge, to protect the line between dominions and make sure neither side grows too powerful. If they fall, so shall the earth, the heavens and hell. And there will be no more.

With darkness all around him, The League of Guardians is his only means of redemption…

Azaiel, the fallen, has been given a second chance to atone for the sins of his past. With demons gathering and threatening the league, he must find out if their circle has been breached. What he doesn’t foresee is a woman—a fierce warrior—who will turn his world upside down and awaken his tortured soul.

Rowan James is a powerful witch out to avenge the death of her beloved grandmother, but she needs an ally. Will she be able to trust a man with secrets as dark as the sorrow in his eyes? Loving Rowan means risking salvation and yet Azaiel cannot ignore the hunger burning hot between them—his one last chance at happiness. With danger all around them, will these two desperate souls finally find love in each other? Or be forever damned…

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Kiss of Surrender (Deadly Angels, #2)
by: Sandra Hill

It’s not easy being a Vampire Angel

No one knows that better than Trond Sigurdsson. In the centuries since he last went out drinking and wenching with his Viking buds, Trond has been a gladiator, a cowboy, a ditch digger...even a sheik. But now he’s the baddest of them all: a kick-butt Navy SEAL kicking butts of terrorist immortals with the help of his hotter-than-Hades female partner, police officer-turned-Special Forces operative Nicole Tasso—whom Trond dearly hopes to “partner” with very shortly in a whole different way.

It’s not easy being a Vangel’s lover

The “cop” part of Nicole tells her there’s something bizarre about her gorgeous godlike teammate. But her “all-woman” side can’t help wondering how great it would be to have a virile Viking in her bed. Trond has secrets galore, but Nicole feels certain she can dig them out—and really get to the heart of this powerful, unnerving stranger whom she may be risking her soul to love.
 

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Secret Sins (The Callahan's, #3)
by: Lora Leigh

Sheriff Archer Tobias has watched the Callahan family struggle to find peace and acceptance in the community—despite the murders that continue to haunt them. But his darkest suspicions grow worse when Anna Corbin, a member of one of the country's most influential families, becomes the next target…

Anna knows she’s in danger. She knows she’s on a trail of secrets and lies that could lead to a dead end. But no matter what, she’s determined to learn the identity of the killer—even if it’s someone she loves…

Torn between duty and desire, Sheriff Tobias cannot allow Anna to put herself in the path of a deranged murderer. But as the investigation pulls them closer together—and deeper into the nightmare—he realizes that he cannot save her from this legacy of blood and vengeance…without putting his own life on the line.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Shadow's Claim (The Dacians, #1)
by: Kresley Cole

#1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole introduces The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist, a new paranormal series following the royal bloodline of Dacia, a vampire kingdom hidden within the Lore of the Immortals After Dark. Shadow’s Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament— to the death.

HE WON’T BE DENIED

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch. . .

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Slow Heat (Bounty Hunter, #5)
by: Lorie O'Clare

MUSCLE FOR HIRE
As a new trainee at the King family’s bounty-hunting agency, Micah Jones is trying to keep his cool. But his latest assignment—to bring in a night-club owner suspected of money-laundering—heats up fast when he meets the “brains” of the outfit: an irresistibly beautiful bookkeeper who’s resisting arrest. So Micah takes her into custody—by taking her into his powerful arms and not letting go…

LOVERS ON FIRE
Held for questioning but released by police, Maggie O’Malley is still a person of interest—to Micah. And Maggie is interested, too—in his services. With his iron-hard muscles and tough-guy exterior, the Harley-riding bounty hunter is just the man Maggie needs to track down the real crook at the club. A slow-burning attraction ignites a firestorm of insatiable desire—until the secrets of Micah’s past are exposed. Explosive passion now must prove stronger than a history so terrifying it might haunt them forever…

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Tears in Rain
by: Rosa Montero, Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (Translator)

United States of Earth, Madrid, 2109, the number of replicant (or techno-human) deaths is rapidly growing. Detective Bruna Husky is hired to discover what's behind this wave of collective insanity. Bruna is thrown into a terrifying conspiracy that could change the very history of the world. She must trust no one as those who call themselves her allies are poised to betray her. A novel of survival, love, memory and identity, Tears in Rain is consistent and powerful, and full of dark humor and fast-paced action.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

Trapped (Iron Druid Chronicles, #5)
by: Kevin Hearne

After twelve years of secret training, Atticus O’Sullivan is finally ready to bind his apprentice, Granuaile, to the earth and double the number of Druids in the world. But on the eve of the ritual, the world that thought he was dead abruptly discovers that he’s still alive, and they would much rather he return to the grave.

Having no other choice, Atticus, his trusted Irish wolfhound, Oberon, and Granuaile travel to the base of Mount Olympus, where the Roman god Bacchus is anxious to take his sworn revenge—but he’ll have to get in line behind an ancient vampire, a band of dark elves, and an old god of mischief, who all seem to have KILL THE DRUID at the top of their to-do lists.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

YOUNG ADULT

Fragile Darkness (Midnight Dragonfly, #3)
by: Ellie James

Mystery, suspense, romance and a touch of the paranormal, makes Fragile Darkness a strong, unique entry into the YA market!   How do you stop someone you can’t see? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old psychic Trinity Monsour has seen things before they happen. But now, in the wake of tragedy, her visions have gone dark. She can still feel, though, and the danger she senses swirling around a new friend sends her into the New Orleans party scene, where nothing is as it seems, surprises wait at every turn, and the last guy she wants to see is the one she needs the most: the mercurial Dylan Fourcade, part stranger, part friend, part so much more.

It’s the so much more that confuses her. How can she be drawn to someone she barely knows?

But whether she wants him there or not, he’s by her side, shadowing her every step of the way, until the darkness clears, and a shocking truth emerges—a truth that changes everything.   

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

King of the Dead (Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles, #2)
by: Joseph Nassise

Joseph Nassise shook up the urban fantasy genre with Eyes to See, a novel New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry called “heartbreaking, deeply insightful, powerful and genuinely thrilling.” In a devil’s deal, Jeremiah Hunt sacrificed his human sight in exchange for the power to see the hidden world of ghosts and all of the darker spirits that prowl the streets. Hunt uncovered a world of murder and magic that took his daughter from him and nearly cost him his life, but that was only the beginning....

Now Hunt is on the run from the FBI, who have pegged him as a mass-murdering dark sorcerer. His flight from the law is diverted to New Orleans when his companion, a potent witch, has a horrific vision of the city under magical siege. When they arrive, they realize that the situation is more dire than they could have imagined: the world of the living faces a terrifying attack by forces from beyond the grave. King of the Dead, the second book in this groundbreaking series, promises more of Nassise’s electrifying writing that will enthrall readers looking for a supercharged, supernatural thrill.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Hardcover | E-book

Lullaby (Watersong, #2)
by: Amanda Hocking

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Hardcover | E-book

Touched (Sense Thieves, #1)
by: Corrine Jackson

Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Paperback | E-book

MOVIES & TV SERIES (November 27th-30th)

MOVIES

Apparition, The
Directed by: Todd Lincoln

Starring: Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan

When frightening events start to occur in their home, young couple Kelly (Ashley Greene) and Ben (Sebastian Stan) discover they are being haunted by a presence that was accidentally conjured during a university parapsychology experiment. The horrifying apparition feeds on their fear and torments them no matter where they try to run. Their last hope is an expert in the supernatural, Patrick (Tom Felton), but even with his help they may already be too late to save themselves from this terrifying force.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray-DVD Combo | DVD

Day, The
Directed by: Doug Aarniokoski

Starring: Dominic Monaghan, Ashley Bell

A group of five survivors, armed with shotguns, axes and machetes, wander the back roads of a ravaged landscape looking for refuge in The Day, a terrifying look into a post-apocalyptic future. As war ravages humanity, destroying civilization and most of life on earth, the survivors realize they must do whatever it takes to stay alive. Lost, starving, and exhausted, they seek shelter in a seemingly safe abandoned farmhouse. However, while searching for food and resources, they unwittingly set off a trap signaling to their ruthless predators lying in wait to begin their deadly attack. With food and ammunition dwindling, the group must make a desperate final stand-over a 24 hour period-battling for their ultimate survival.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray-DVD Combo | DVD

Elliot Loves
Directed by: Gary Terracino

Starring: Fabio Costaprado, Robin de Jesus

The story of Dominican-American Elliot Ayende at two stages of his life: as a 9-year-old who is side-kick and confidant to his barely-keeping-it-together single mom; and as a 21-year-old looking for love in New York City. A comedy-drama that shows you can survive anything life throws at you -- just "keep it cute, papi."

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | DVD

Lawless
Directed by: John Hillcoat

Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain

Director John Hillcoat and writer-musician Nick Cave made a brutal, brilliant splash with The Proposition, a revisionist Outback Western that quickly tore away any lingering notions of frontier romanticism. Lawless, the duo's take on another turbulent period of history--namely, the bloodiest years of America's Prohibition--eases up on the unrelenting grimness a bit, but the hard edges still shine through. Adapted from the historical novel The Wettest County in the World, by Matt Bondurant, Cave's script follows three Virginia brothers determined to continue their family's legacy of providing quality moonshine to their faithful customers (including members of local law enforcement) during the Great Depression. While the youngest brother (Shia LaBeouf) attempts to gain the business of a feared local mobster (Gary Oldman), the three find themselves under assault from a ruthless federal agent (Guy Pearce) with a sadistic agenda of his own. Hillcoat, working with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, delivers a fantastically realized period piece, one where the folksy, lived-in atmosphere is randomly dispelled by moments of shockingly raw savagery. Unfortunately, the attention to detail doesn't quite extend itself to LaBeouf's character, whose motivations and actions feel strangely half-baked throughout. Still, even if the main storyline occasionally falters, the film offers plenty to recommend itself, including Cave's ominously cheery score, small but vivid turns by Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, and the gloriously weird Pearce, who starts his performance somewhere in the outer stratosphere and just keeps heading upwards. The main draw of Lawless, however, ultimately comes from Tom Hardy, who goes all out and then some as the enforcer and reluctant father figure of the family. Clad in incongruously mellow cardigans and mumbling like a cartoon sailor man, he's a Terminator for the ages. When it comes to his performance, White Lightning hardly covers it.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray-DVD Combo | DVD

Men In Black
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld

Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin

In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back...in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.

Release Date: 30 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray-DVD Combo | DVD

Paranorman
Directed by: Chris Butler (XII)

Starring: n/a

The new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA, reteaming the company with Focus Features after the groundbreaking Academy Award-nominated Coraline. ParaNorman is, following Coraline, the company's second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. In ParaNorman, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray-DVD Combo | DVD

Sparkle
Directed by: Salim Akil

Starring: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston

Musical prodigy, Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) struggles to become a star while overcoming issues that are tearing her family apart. From an affluent Detroit area and daughter to a single mother (Whitney Houston), she tries to balance a new romance with music manager, Stix (Derek Luke) while dealing with the unexpected challenges her new life will bring as she and her two sisters (Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter) strive to become a dynamic singing group during the Motown-era.

Release Date: 30 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray | DVD

Step Up Revolution
Directed by: Scott Speer

Starring: Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman

Step Up Revolution is the next installment in the worldwide smash Step Up franchise, which sets the dancing against the vibrant backdrop of Miami. Emily (Kathryn McCormick) arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean (Ryan Guzman), a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called "The Mob." When a wealthy business man threatens to develop The Mob's historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | 3D Blu-ray Combo | DVD

TV SERIES

Hot in Cleveland: Season 3

Starring: Valerie Bertinelli Betty White

They're back and hotter than ever! The Emmy Winning, highest-rated series in the history of TV Land is back with the third season. Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White return for more laughs, more loves, and more misadventures in the Midwest. Whether they're taking a gay cruise, modeling tracksuits, or setting each other up on disastrous blind dates, these four fabulous women make Cleveland the hottest destination on DVD!

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | DVD

Luck: Season 1

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte

Chester "Ace" Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), a career mobster, has just been released from a three-year prison sentence. Gus, his long-time friend and driver, has become the owner of "Pint of Plain," a promising Irish racehorse. Ace immediately begins making plans to take control of the Santa Maria racetrack in Los Angeles, while simultaneously plotting revenge against the ones he holds responsible for sending him to prison.

Release Date: 27 November 2012

Website | Blu-ray | DVD