Review: Soeis by Rosalind Scarlett

Title: Soeis (Anam Ceile Chronicles #2)
Author: Rosalind Scarlett
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Historical
Length: Novel
Release Date: June 21, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Do I deserve love again when I have done nothing but murder?  And when again I do find him, will there be anything of me left to give?

Though she treasures her homeland of Ireland, Aislinn only knows she must find escape from the painful memories.  Not knowing where she is heading, her intuition beckons her to Italy.  Perhaps, she will resume her long ago dreams of becoming a famous violinist - such a thing would be possible there.  But that was before her existence had been altered by her love for Donovan.  How can those old dreams possibly even matter anymore - when she has lost everything that did matter?

Barely sustaining herself in the underground of Florence, Aislinn is found by a couple of stunning seasoned vampires who offer to take her under their wing and demonstrate to her how a vampiress should be conducting herself.  While relieved to be taken from her dreary homeless existence and be living in their beautiful old villa, she finds acclimating to their regime of seducing their helpless male prey with the lure of sexual promises to be inflicting moral turmoil on her conscience.

There is one catch.  Aislinn is truly enticed by Katja, the angelic Hungarian golden-haired vampire.  When Katja seduces her, Aislinn is awakened to pleasures she never imagined existed before.

And she wants more.  Much more...

Even as she battles against everything that they are - and in turn, everything she is becoming - Aislinn cannot help but be overcome with the intense sexual lust, as well as the bloodlust of their realm.  Determined to find her love reincarnate once again - as she avowed to him as he lay dying in her arms - she is struggling against losing herself and preserving her virginity in the midst of these increasingly overwhelming desires.

Then, one day, Aislinn is certain she glimpses and catches the scent of her love.  With this new driving force, she is desperate to be with him again.  But she knows she must be vigilant in safeguarding her secret.  It is vital that she finds him before they do an relish turning him into their next victim.

When her cohorts imprison Aislinn in the dungeon, she sinks into despair.  Now, how will she ever find him? Worse yet, trapped there, how will she protect her love from them?

What Aislinn does not know is that she possesses powers of which she is unaware.  Will she discover them in time to save herself - and her one true love?

Warning: Contains steamy sensuality & explicit sexuality.  Not intended for readers below the age of eighteen!

Author Interview with Rosalind Scarlett - Author of The Anam Ceile Chronicles

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you started writing.

I am ecstatically married to my college sweetheart and am a mother to two wonderful little boys.  Writing is an excellent way to channel my creativity, as well as a valid emotional outlet.  In fact, I have never felt so sane as since I started writing!  One day after finished an especially moving book, I remembered how I wanted to be an author when I was a little girl.  I used to write all sorts of stories, mostly about little girls and horses or other animals.  And then for a time when I was eighteen & nineteen, I did a monthly column in an independent magazine on animal rights,, vegetarianism, etc.  But when it comes down to it, my children are the reason that ultimately motivated me to start writing this time around, and to really be driven to make it happen as a career.  More than anything, I desire to be able to be there for them as much as possible, to not be the absent parent rushing about, too busy with work to pay attention to the kids and such.  And writings is quite a viable path to allow me such a thing.  So, when it comes down to it, I write for the love of my family.

2. You write pretty much the entire story of the Anam Ceile Chronicles in a Gaelic accent.  What made you decide to take this approach to the writing.

It just felt like the right way to do it.  I like the setting and characters to all be consistent.  It is appropriate to the time and setting.  Then it is easier to become fully submerged in that world, get a feel for the character.  I mean, have ever seen those old movies where even if it is set in Arabia or Thailand or somewhere, all the actors have British or American accents?  That always drove me crazy!

3. How do you plan your stories?  Do you just "go with the flow" or do you have a more structured approach?

Well, I always start with a structured outline, though there are always changes and additions along the way.  It's great when the story just grabs me and tells itself, when awesome material I never even planned on or knew was coming just channels itself through me.  That is when a story feels as though it really comes to life!

4. After Aislinn's transformation, she has the ability to turn into a horse.  What made you decide on this animal instead of the traditional wolf or bat?

The most comprehensive answer for that has to remain a secret, at it is something which will play out in the next few books as Aislinn discovers the true reality of her existence.  Also, I do not like to be too cliche.  Wolves and bats has nothing to do with my story, it would be totally out of place.  And most basically, the horse is her spirit animal, so that is what she becomes.  The concept of a spirit animal is something with is common in ancient cultures such as Celtic and Native American.

5. Is there a special place that you prefer to go, or mood you have to set before you can write?

When the weather is nice, I love to sit on my deck with my laptop to write.  It relaxes and rejuvenates me to be able to breathe the fresh air and hear the birds and feel the breeze blowing past me.  When I am stuck indoors, will light scented oil (my favourite of late is lavender-vanilla) and turn on some music to set the mood.

Just for fun - which to you prefer:

Cats or dogs:

It was once dogs, but just recently I have come to realise I am not really as much of a dog person anymore, and the thought of having a calm quiet cat to stroke next to me while working is more appealing.  Perhaps I will have to adopt one!

Wake up early or stay up late?

Both!  I tend to stay up until eleven or midnight and wake up about six am.  The only way I can make the most of my time without the noise of small children about me.

Blonds, brunettes, red-heads?

Um really?  Redheads, of course!

Hot weather or cold?

Oh, cold, without question!  I cannot stand the heat!  Ugh!  But the cold, it is so invigourating!  I doesn't drain me as the heat does.  But, my husband says I am just hot blooded.  So, perhaps I just need cooler temps to cool me down.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for us!  I think definitely need to go adopt a cat, just make sure it isn't one like mine - she's 4 years old and still acts like a kitten - no sitting calmly for that one!

If you want to learn more about Rosalind or follow what she's up to, then check her out online:

Rosalind's Website:  Here

Rosalind's Amazon Page: Here

Rosalind's FaceBook: Here

Rosalind's Blog: Here

Review: Cailin by Rosalind Scarlett

Title: Cailin (Anam Ceile Chronicles #1)
Author: Rosalind Scarlett
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 17, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

It is the year 1702.  Aislinn, the daughter of a sheep farmer in western Ireland, is a tenacious redheaded lass who has NO intention of ever settling into the dutiful roles marriage and motherhood demanded of her by her father.  The only thing she has ever wanted is to pursue her dreams of being a professional fiddler, and that is fully what she intends to do - with or without the blessing of her family.

Nevertheless, all that, and so much more, is about to change when she is unwillingly persuaded into participating in her older cousin's girlish, traditional Celtic love spell to see the face of the lad she will be destined to marry.  Aislinn doesn't take it at all seriously, until that night when she dreams of a handsome dark-haired lad - just as she was told would happen.

Falling for some charming lad was never part of her plans.  Only now, Aislinn cannot seem to shake her obsession with him - nor does she want to!  And though she never looks back after he comes into her life, things seems to do anything but fall beautifully into place.

The vision of Donovan was not the only vision that Aislinn had ever experienced.  She had always felt out of the ordinary somehow.  She just didn't know why - yet.

Her father never misses an opportunity to rebuke Aislinn for her peculiarities.  He accuses her of being a changeling of the sidhe, the dreaded faerie folk of Ireland that delight in causing mischief for decent folk like him.

Perhaps she is.

Fact is, for most of her life, Aislinn has been tormented by strange visions.  And now, every one of them is about to manifest themselves to her.

Just when all Aislinn believes she wanted is right within her grasp, she awakes in a strange bed in a castle surrounded by Vampires and the commanding presence of a striking man with an otherworldly attraction.

She has no idea of his intentions, but from the shivers surging down her spine she is certain she's about to find out.

Everything is about to change...

She finds herself heaved into a world of secrets, violence and lust so powerful - it will either consume her or destroy her.

The thing is, Aislinn has no earthly idea of who or what she actually is.  To discover the secret for herself, she will embark on a quest which will test her strength and devotion more than she could ever have imagined.

But first, she'll have to lose everything!