Fall Books I Am Dying to Read

Now that DARK SECRETS: A Paranormal Noir Anthology is out in the world, I can happily get lost in my TBR pile and indulge in some wonderful reading. Just in time too, because Oct. 1 is the release day for 

Beneath A Waning Moon
I'm dying to read this because I really enjoy the writing of both the authors, Elizabeth Hunter and Grace Draven, and the blurbs sound just the right mix of chills and sweetness:


In A VERY PROPER MONSTER, Josephine Shaw spends long nights filling the pages of her Gothic stories with the fantastic and the macabre, unaware that the suitor her father has arranged is one of the dark creatures she’s always dreamed. For Tom Dargin, courting an ailing spinster was only one duty in a long life of service to his sire. But after he meets the curious Miss Shaw, will Tom become the seducer or the seduced? Can a love fated to end in tragedy survive a looming grave? 

In GASLIGHT HADES, Nathaniel Gordon walks two worlds—that of the living and the dead. Barely human, he's earned the reputation of a Bonekeeper, the scourge of grave robbers. He believes his old life over, until one dreary burial he meets the woman he once loved and almost married. Lenore Kenward stands at her father’s grave, begging the protection of the mysterious guardian, not knowing he is her lost love. Resolved to keep his distance, Nathaniel is forced to abandon his plan and accompany Lenore on a journey into the mouth of Hell where sea meets sky, and the abominations that exist beyond its barrier wait to destroy them. 

And The Bollywood Bride released on the 29th also and is so on my TBR list.

 My Sari Sister Sonali Dev writes a wonderful mix of romance and women's fiction, East and West, the role of the individual along with an extensive family unit. I know this will make me laugh, cry and cheer.

Ria and Vikram spent childhood summers together, a world away from Ria's exclusive boarding school in Mumbai. Their friendship grew seamlessly into love--until Ria made a shattering decision. As far as Vikram is concerned, Ria sold her soul for Bollywood stardom and it's taken him years to rebuild his life. But beneath his pent-up anger, their bond remains unchanged. And now, among those who know her best, Ria may find the courage to face the secrets she's been guarding for everyone else's benefit--and a chance to stop acting and start living. 


A Taste of Heaven just looks delicious. Yummy, right? 

It's a foodie romance between a 47-year-old widow and a 49-year-old Scottish chef and they meet on a reality cooking contest.

Food, older couple, a Scot, and romance...what's not to hook? Yup, I'm so looking forward to reading this!


A Tiger's Bride (A Lion's Pride) (Volume 4) Life often gets serious enough, that I adore books that make me laugh out loud. I enjoy Eve's stories for the humor and sexiness, but her Kitty Kats have definitely got their claws in me. Besides, I just finished reading the previous book in the series, and Dimitri, the Russian tiger, is HOT. Rowwrrr!

When at first you don’t succeed—turn to abduction. 
It’s all in a day’s work when this Siberian tiger meets the woman he wants. 
An accidental kidnapping? Check. 
A forced marriage? Check. 
A virgin bride? Damn. There go his plans for seduction and here comes the pressure into making her first time perfect. Because everyone knows that's the one she'll remember, forever. Gulp. Add in a plane crash as well as hunters out to capture them and the heat is truly on. 

I recently lost a dear family member who was grappling with Alzheimers, so this last book hits close to my heart --

 Forget Me Not: Charity Anthology Supporting Alzheimers and Brain Health

10 artists auditioning for a shot at working with the Reed Brothers 
10 skins, each with a story to tell 
10 perfect tattoos so they'll never forget 
A little bit of healing 
A whole lot of heart 

An anthology of ten short stories by ten different authors who are donating 100% of the proceeds to benefit Alzheimer's and brain health. Join Tammy Falkner, Jane Charles, Ava Stone, Marquita Valentine, Lexi Eddings, Lj Charles, Andris Bear, Jerrica Knight-Catania, Caren Crane and Diane Franks to help combat this terrible disease. 

I'm a pretty eclectic reader and read across the board and in different genres. So here's a few more that snagged my attention:

Breaking Boundaries (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 5) (The only military romance series I read faithfully.)

Harvest Moon (Book 4 in one of my favorite shifters series)

Protect and Serve: Soldiers, SEALs and Cops: Contemporary Heroes from NY Times and USA Today and other bestselling authors  (Hawtness in Uniform...yum!)

And, in case you want to add DARK SECRETS to your reading list: Click Here for more info!

Happy Reading!

Mina

DARK SECRETS is OUT! #Book Release #giveaways

Woot! DARK SECRETS: A Paranormal Noir Anthology is out in the world today. Releasing a new book is like birthing a child -- awesome, scary, joyful. Thank you to all my readers, I couldn't write my stories without your love and support.



Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.

Google Play Link: https://goo.gl/nWqUXc

Thanks to all the bloggers who are supporting us with reviews and posts. I greatly appreciate you and y'all ROCK!

Review from I Smell Sheep
A Bookish Foodie Post at The Mysterious Ink Spot
Review in the Dungeons of La Crimson Femme
Scary Movie Recs with Booked and Loaded
Review with Booked and Loaded
Interview with the Book Gatherer
Review from Red Roses for Authors
13 Halloween Reads from Writing While Distracted
Review at Butterfly-O-Meter

(I'll add more as they come in!)

Check out the cool Dark Secrets video Rachel Caine made!



To celebrate the release we're giving away a $120 Amazon Gift Card and a lovely Gothic Choker Set.


OMG, Just 1 More Day for DARK SECRETS


Oh wow, just 1 more day until DARK SECRETS is out and finally, FINALLY, B&N has approved the title and it's live. I thought I'd have a nervous breakdown because they were taking so long and the clock kept ticking...sigh. Any how,

Dark Secrets is live and on BandN!!!


But speaking of nerves...I feel sick -- unable to sleep, gut churning, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, brain sort of caught in the headlights type of sick. 


This doesn't make sense, because I know this is a solid collection (we have some rather decent reviews on Goodreads and I have read each and every story), but I'm still having an attack of the nerves.

So why, why am I dealing with a case of nerves along with everything else? Does anyone else get inexplicable anxiety? What's the best way to deal with them?



Psst! The Reviews For Dark Secrets Are Rolling In...

Eeep! The reviews have started rolling in...and I'm a nervous wreck. You see this anthology is my special baby. Some people like to create fantasy football teams, I like to dream up fantasy author collections. So DARK SECRETS brings together some of my auto-buy authors. I love their words and I hope all of you out there will love them too...I know, that's impossible because reading is so individual...but, it's my baby....

Anyhow, here are some reviews I'm thrilled about:

"At $.99 you would be a fool not to grab this one. Whether you love urban fantasy or PNR, you will find something to love in each story." ~ I SMELL SHEEP

To read the rest of the review, visit I SMELL SHEEP

Then there's:

"Provocative, refreshing, melancholy and reminiscent of Grimm Fairy Tales. I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories. Usually in an anthology I read it for one author. I generally hope that I like that author's story. It's always iffy with anthologies because the more authors, the more chances one of the stories could disappoint and the overall rating drop. After reading this book, I'm still loving the authors who made me want to read this book. In addition, I've found new authors I must explore."

But my favorite part of this review is: "Who is this Mina Khan?"

To read the rest of this review, visit the Dungeon...




Release Date: September 29, 2015

But we do have it on preorder:





Reading Words Out Loud

"Poetry is a call to action and it also is action. Sometimes we say, "This tragedy, it happened far away. I don't know what to do. I'm concerned but I'm just dangling in space." A poem can lead you through that, and it is made of action because you're giving your whole life to it in that moment. And then the poem — you give it to everyone." 
~ Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate

Because I share the same belief in the power of words as Mr. Herrera, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone this evening and sharing my poem "Peace Is A Cat" at the Peace, Poetry and Prose event at out local university.

Usually, I prefer to pour my words out into a food column, an essay or a story and let those words speak for themselves. Readers are an important part of the process. They choose to pick up some words and not others, and in reading they imbue those words with their own perspective and interpretation. And thus a work is translated from one heart to another.

However, sometimes words need to be claimed by the author and spoken aloud. When the world seems to be breaking apart all around you and your heart aches because you feel helpless, "just dangling in space."  In those moments, it's important to capture our take on reality into words and then release those written visions to fly free among other hearts.

So today, though my voice will tremble and I'll be shaking, though I'm mostly a very shy person and want to crawl into the shelter of a tent/fort/cave built from printed pages of my words, I will stand in front of an audience and read my poem to them.

Please send me positive thoughts, vibes and chocolate as moral support!

Love,

Mina

P.S. Here's a wonderful interview of Herrera!

Want A Sneak Peek at The Djinn In The Mirror?

Ashmael, the hero, in my story The Djinn in the Mirror (part of the DARK SECRETS: A PARANORMAL NOIR ANTHOLOGY) looks a lot like my favorite Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan. Here check him out:


Want to read an excerpt from The Djinn In The Mirror? You're in luck! Jeffe Kennedy is hosting an excerpt on her blog!




Release Date: September 29, 2015

But we do have it on preorder:







(More links coming soon!)

Teasing You on #TeaserTuesday....



Release Date: September 29, 2015

But we do have it on preorder:





(More links coming soon!)

Initially, it's digital, but we are working on getting print copies done...so stay tuned!

Also...the signup for review copies of DARK SECRETS is now open! We'd really appreciate your help getting the word out, so check out the review request form.

Blurb:

Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.

MARION, MISSING by Rachel Caine (detective, ghost)
FEMME FATALE by Cynthia Eden (detective, vampire)
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Megan Hart (deal with the devil)
THE CONSORT by Suzanne Johnson (fae in contemporary New Orleans)
HEART’S BLOOD by Jeffe Kennedy (a Twelve Kingdoms novella, fairy tale retelling)
THE DJINN IN THE MIRROR by Mina Khan (a Djinn World novella, djinn, witches, ghosts)

Hello September!



Release Date: September 29, 2015

But we do have it on preorder:





(More links coming soon!)

Initially, it's digital, but we are working on getting print copies done...so stay tuned!

Also...the signup for review copies of DARK SECRETS is now open! We'd really appreciate your help getting the word out, so check out the review request form.

Blurb:

Six award-winning authors bring you this spellbinding collection of stories about dark desires, mysterious worlds, and danger that lurks in the shadows of the night. Where nothing is black and white; where things might not be as they seem; where magic and mayhem rule.

MARION, MISSING by Rachel Caine (detective, ghost)
FEMME FATALE by Cynthia Eden (detective, vampire)
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Megan Hart (deal with the devil)
THE CONSORT by Suzanne Johnson (fae in contemporary New Orleans)
HEART’S BLOOD by Jeffe Kennedy (a Twelve Kingdoms novella, fairy tale retelling)
THE DJINN IN THE MIRROR by Mina Khan (a Djinn World novella, djinn, witches, ghosts)