Welcome to my stop on the Hart Attack book tour. Brought to you by Innovative Online Tours. Here you
can read a synopsis of the book, my review, and some teasers and an Expert. I also have a bio of author
Elle Chardou. Don’t forget to visit the other blogs on this tour for more information and other reviews about this book and author (Warning, this book is for mature readers only, some explicit sexual scenes)
Hart Attack (The Hart Family Saga #1)
Published August 6th 2012 by CreateSpace
ISBN
1478377461 (ISBN13: 9781478377467)
Saints and Sinners Beautiful, independent Angelika “Angie” Hart never needs a hand up. A skilled computer hacker, Angelika believes in making her own way. But when Angelika’s sister Lena invites her to vacation in New Orleans’ romantic, deadly French Quarter, Angelika descends into a dangerous new reality. In this decadent supernatural world, all that glitters is not gold. Among the gardens and graves, supernaturals reign supreme and even the worst sinner may wear a saint’s face. Vampires and Werewolves Inside her sumptuous antebellum mansion, Lena introduces Angelika to Andreas, the most powerful vampire in Louisiana, and Sebastiaan, the Lycan King of the North America. Handsome, rich and deadly, each man tempts Angelika in his own way. But when Lena is drawn into mortal peril, not even a vampire or a lycan can save the day. It’s up to Angelika to rescue her sister. And to do so, she must face up to family secrets, seizing the long-denied power that is her birthright. If you are a fan of the HBO series, True Blood, you will love Hart Attack.
Teasers:
Description of Andreas told from the 3rd person:He wasn’t quite sure what the best outfit was to wear, but as they were going out after “dinner”, he chose a beautiful silver-gray Dolce and Gabbana suit which fit him like a glove.Not only was he a good looking man, he dripped sex appeal with his ash blond hair, blue-gray eyes, perfect features and fairer than fair skin.Thanks to his Sidhe heritage, he didn’t possess that white vampire pallor; instead his skin was a pale ivory but still appeared warm and ethereal. There were definite advantages to being only half-vampire, though both his parents possessed pure Sidhe heritage. Though his mother had decided to mimic Scandinavians—as had the rest of her family, he came from a Danish background and knew the customs and various forms the language fluently. His father, on the other hand, had chosen to mimic the ancient Teutons, and therefore his body was lithe yet cut with solid muscle, and he was tall, just shy of 6’5”. On many males, this height would have seemed quite awkward but he carried himself with such power and stature, any shorter height would have seemed grossly inappropriate for him. Description of Sebastion from Angelika’s first person point of view: Sebastiaan de Vries stood and walked toward me as if I needed to get a better look at all of his smoldering hotness. He was sexuality personified at well over six feet and a little over two hundred pounds. His body was pure lean muscle mass and his face was that of a kind I recognized because it was my own.I could smell the Sidhe coming out of his pores and his face spoke of his Faerie lineage with its perfect bone structure, sculpted cheek bones, perfectly aquiline nose and luscious pink lips. His eyes, a glorious cerulean blue with that silver tint which marked one as a Faerie with the gift of controlling the weather, were enough for me to get lost in forever.If I happened to be that kind of woman. Angelika describing herself in first person POV: I’m assuming men looked at me and saw a rather pretty woman with skin the color of honey, amber-brown eyes which could grow lighter or darker depending upon my moods, with a slight frame at barely 5’3” and one hundred pounds. I had no wish to be this thin but with an overactive metabolism, it promised me a lifetime of slim thighs, a tight ass, a hand-span waist and barely B-cup boobs.I wore my usual staple which was a pair of designer form-fitting jeans and a short-sleeved lilac baby doll top which emphasized the breasts I did have paired with killer Christian Louboutin jean-pattern wedge-heels that raised my natural height by four inches.
About the Author (as Elle Chardou)
Elle Chardou is the alter-ego of Danielle Blanchard. As Ms. Chardou, she has written The Supernaturals, a paranormal erotic romance series, and Hart Attack, the first full length novel in The Hart Family Saga. She is currently working on The Cloak of Darkness, book four in The Supernaturals novella series, Lara & the City of Angels in the Superstar Marriages series andLove Voodoo: Book I from the DeGeneration two-part series and Change of Hart, book two in The Hart Family Saga. About The Author (As Danielle Blanchard Bendon) Danielle Blanchard Benson is a world traveler and author of several different series.Ms. Blanchard Benson is the author of Beginnings: Book I (The Plague), Death Wish: Book I, Better off Dead: Book II and Death Lair: A Novella (all from The Vamp Saga), The Catalyst: Book One (The Pop Stars) and The Beautiful People series.She is currently working on Love Voodoo: Book I (DeGeneration), Apocalypse 2012: Book II (The Plague), Hart Attack: Book I (The Hart Family Saga), The Making of a Star: Book Two (The Pop Stars) and Queen of the Undead: Book III (The Vamp Saga).Ms. Blanchard Benson has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Goodreads: Danielle Blanchard Benson aka Elle Chardou
Email Me: mzdanibee007@gmail.com
Ten Things About Danielle
1. Your genre(s)? My genre will always be romance or some form thereof though I have been known to do contemporary, erotic (not erotica as there is a difference), paranormal, dystopian and even -- grasp! -- horror. I am an artist so I don't limit myself and as a reader you don't have to buy everything I write. I assume most of y'all will cherry-pick anyway. 2. How many books have you completed? I love serials and series so I have completed one long damn serial, The Beautiful People (which consisted of eight novellas), Death Wish and Better Off Dead in The Vamp Saga (and a novella, Death Lair), Beginnings inThe Plague series, Love Voodoo in the DeGeneration series, The Catalyst in my other serial, The Pop Stars, and Forever 27, a novelette in The 27 Club series. 3. How many books are you working on now? *Breathe* Okay, I am almost finished writing Queen of the Undead in The Vamp Saga (72k and counting),Hart Attack, the first novel in The Hart Family Saga (another paranormal series), Apocalypse 2012 in The Plague series, The Making of a Star in The Pop Stars serial and Love Game in the DeGeneration series. Plus, I am co-writing a novel with a writer friend of mine, a horror-thriller, Ties That Unbind. I'm tired just thinking about my year... 4. Are you a linear or chunk writer? I try to work on one project at a time so it makes it easier for me to maintain consistency. That list above, that is the order of the books with the exception of the one I am co-writing. I write that one when I get it back from my co-author, write my part and then send it to him via email and Drop Box. 5. The POV (= Point of View) you’re most partial to?I'm not. I love first person though it can definitely have its limitations. I usually stick with third person though. The HUGE exception to this rule is The Vamp Saga. The first novel is written in first person but the rest are a mix of first and third person. There are some people out there this irks but what can I say? I love Manon and I *can't* write her in third but I also love some of the other characters and thought they should get a word in too. Hence the bastard project it has become involving both POVs. 6. The themes that keep cropping up in your books? Female empowerment, strength, change and staying true to one's self. None of these are ever easy but nothing in life worth fighting for ever is so there you have it. 7. How many days a week do you write? Everyday. There is no such thing as writer's block for me. I began Apocalypse 2012 but my Vamp Saga muse didn't want to let go so I began the third novel. Due to my schedule, I write at least 2k each day and can finish a first draft in anywhere between four and six weeks. 8. What time of day do you get your best writing done?The evening. I have two children under the age of ten so when they are sleeping or are about to go down, I find myself most creative. Plus, I can have a glass of wine while I write... yes, I sometimes write toasted but I do all my revisions dead sober and I have an editor just to make sure she catches all the mistakes I don't. Plus, I have some great writers who act as beta readers and guinea pigs for those other pesky mistakes neither of us catch. I will upload and re-do a book that isn't perfect countless times. I do it all the time as it is a bit easier with the e-books than print but there is no such thing as "done" for me if mistakes are found. 9. What kind of music do you listen to when you write? I'm a child of Generation X and I listen to everything but when I write paranormal/horror, I need some hard rocking music. My favorites: Deftones (Diamond Eyes and Best Of albums are classics), Marilyn Manson (Mechanical Animals, and Eat Me, Drink Me are two of my faves but I have every album ever made), Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein...I also listen to a lot of French hip-hop (Sinik, Diam's, MC Solaar) and French music in general (too many artists to count!). And I love some good pop music so Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Britney Spears, and Madonna are never far away...neither is Mylene Farmer for the matter, my favorite French pop star. 10. What the hell is up with your love affair with France? Yeah, la Belle France gets mentioned a lot in a myriad of my novels. Better Off Dead and Queen of the Undead take place there as does most of Beginnings and Apocalypse 2012 will be a revisit (yet again). TheDeGeneration series takes place almost entirely in France. My other love affair is French influenced even if it is in the States. Hart Attack takes place in New Orleans. I just love France, French culture, the language and desperately can't wait until I can live there for a couple of years and write. I have lots of French friends and am partial to the Ile-de-France area of the country (though it is often cold, rainy and overcast). Plus, who wouldn't want their children to be bi-lingual? And did I mention the wine and the cheese and the food? Everything is better with a French accent! ;-)
My Review: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars
I was very happy to say I love this book! I love how well the characters were developed, and got to care about them, part of the reason we got to know them so well, is its written a little different than most book. You have the main character Lizzie, she tells it from the first person point of view, BUT then in another chapter we would hop to 3rd person from any of the other characters, so that took some getting used to, the different POV was great, I love that, but the change from first person, to third person writing is what took getting used too. But I found it fine, once I knew it was like this. It was done well, I was able to catch on quickly to who was narrating.
This book borders on paranormal romance/erotic with graphic violence and is absolutely not suitable for young adults, and has rape scenes too, so anyone who is sensitive to that (like me) needs to know this beforehand.
I will say, True Blood fans, will love this book.(as long as the more explicit sexual violence doesn't get to you) Its right up there with it. Not in the story or anything, more the gore and sex of it. It does actually have some similarities, but not too much.
There is an enticing flow as the story unfolds, very smoothly from one chapter to the next. It’s a very easy book to read and the author did a great job with character development. One of the most tantalizing, fun books I have read in awhile, and easy to get into. Now the guys , they are swoon worthy in a big way, Sebastian and Andreas are hotties. Yep, gotta love those men. It took me awhile to warm up to Lizzie’s sister Lena, she was so self destructive, BUT after I got to know her, and find out the reasons behind her attitude, I was able to relate in a big way with her. She has her reasons, trust me, then I found myself really liking her, she is one tough girl, will tell you that, for what she has had to endure. Will say no more on that.
I loved Angelika, aka Lizzie aka Angel aka Angie. She is just one of those amazing kind hearted people, the kind you would love to have as a best friend. Andreas, I liked for the most part, he reminded me of Eric in True Blood, in the sexy looks, brutal when needed to be, but also charming and loving too. Yes, he is a swoon worthy Vampire/Fey Sebastian, Andreas younger half brother who is half Fey and Lycan is also a hunk. I liked him just as much as Andreas. Now Sebastian’s other brother (not related to Andreas) is a full lycan, and he is a brutal, piece of crap, I really am on the fence with what goes down toward the end, but will leave all that for you to find out. No spoilers here. Overall, loved all the characters, the story-line was like 3 mini ones in one book, which kept it very interesting.
The only thing I didn't like, and this is little, and its more just me not caring about this stuff, is all the name dropping. Like why do I care what expensive high end name brand heels she wears (and when a guy is describing what BRAND shoes and type a women is wearing, I think he is gay, sorry, but normal guys do not know or care about that stuff, lol) This happens throughout the whole book, almost gives the snobbish feel of the narrator, and just didn't like that part. Too much information when it came to that. But that’s about all I didn't like.
Overall, was really good read, easy, and fast paced with action happening around every turn. If you like this kind of book, and do not mind the above mentioned warnings, you must get this book, you won’t regret it.
Prologue
**Summer**
Lena picked up the pen and began to write. There wasn’t much time, but she had to get these thoughts out on paper while she was lucid enough to actually recall them.
Angie:
On the humid evening of June 29th, I slaughtered a young woman with my bare hands. I was in full capacity of my mental thought processes, but you know that. You also know that I had planned to be out of town the following night, so perhaps I thought I could get away with it.
I didn’t leave a clue as to who did it and there will be no suspects, least of all me. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how I did it as I can scarcely believe it myself.
I know he will eventually come after you and you must reassure him that no action shall be taken against him. I know I sound crazy right now but I actually forgive him for what he did to me.
Yeah, I know I should hold him in the same regard as I do that other bastard who violated me and whose name shall go unmentioned, but I don’t. I feel sorry for him.
Tell him I hope he is able to find love again because what he had with Kandace wasn’t it, and tell him if he wants what he so viciously forced upon me, he can come and get it because neither of us want what I am stuck with. Otherwise, it gets left there in the Seelie Kingdom and good luck with him ever finding what he wants if I leave it there.
This is just for your eyes only so you are to show it to no one (and that includes Andreas or Sebastiaan).
You know why I am being so glib about everything, because I know as much as I can trust you, if this letter were to fall into the wrong hands, you can manipulate the truth as you see fit.
I love you so much and hopefully, I will see you soon enough.
Love, Lena
She folded the piece of paper with slightly shaky hands and tucked it into an envelope. The postage was already applied.
Quickly and with stealth, she proceeded to do what she had to, which included walking downstairs to make sure the letter went out in the next day’s pile of mail. Then she walked back upstairs to their shared suite. The last thing she needed was for him to awake and find she wasn’t there. Tonight was their last night together for a while. How long, she only wished she knew, but she instinctively felt in her heart of hearts that she would be a better person once she returned, and that was what truly mattered.
9/17 Lisset E Manning http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning/
9/18 Close Encounter of the Night Kind (18 and over site)
http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/
9/18 Book Lover’s Hideaway (18 and over site) http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/
9/19 Books, Books, and More Books http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/
9/19 Naomi’s Paranormal Palace http://nomisparanormalpalace.blogspot.com.au/
9/20 Oopsi, Poopie the Bibliomaniac (18 and over site)http://oopiepoopiethebibliomaniac.blogspot.com
9/20 My Cozie Corner http://coziecorner.blogspot.com/
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