Thursday, October 13, 2011

Review: The Lost by: Caridad Pineiro with Interview & Giveaway


Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Published August 1st 2011 by Forever
ISBN 13: 9780446584616
Source: Author for the purpose of an honest review
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Sin Hunters #1, SINS #3
Stars: 4
Flames: 4

                This is another book that falls into the why did I wait so long to read it category. I know the answer this time though. I knew that The Lost was connected to another series even though it is the first book in its own series. I was scared to read it, scared I would have missed something in the other books, something that would have left me confused while read this book. That didn’t happen. This is the first (but not last) book that I’ve from this author. The Lost is a perfect place to dive into Pineiro’s writing.


                 I loved the uniqueness of the paranormal beings in this world. Pineiro has written a very interesting being’s existence. It’s an existence where an ancient race of people feed off of natural energies. They take power for sustenance (food too) and they can share it with their kith, they can heal with it, these energies can be used to shape shift and form incredible connections with others like them. I loved this idea. This world of Light Hunters and Shadow Hunters, and Anaru’s and Quinchus was absolutely fascinating and refreshingly different.
                
                 Adam has grown up knowing he is very different from others. He can do things with energy that no one he knows of can do. Being adopted he can’t look to his father for the answers to these questions. I liked that Adam was researching his abilities while trying to use them for advancements for his company. He is the owner of an alternative energy company. The fact that he is trying to better the worlds resources just makes him even more of an incredible guy.


                Bobbie was an amazing heroine. She has recently returned from Iraq. She’s not physically the same woman that left with the Marines. She’s been injured in battle. Bobbie is still a warrior at heart. While waiting for her little brother to get off of work she sees this man being attacked in what looks like an attempted kidnapping. She reacts as any warrior would, she fights back to help the innocent. The moment Adam touches Bobbie she realizes he’s different. The tingly zing of his touch leaves her scarred arm feeling less afflicted by its wound. Adam can tell by Bobbie’s aura that she is also different.


                Adam and Bobbie have a remarkable and immediate connection. They both realize that there is something amazingly different about the other. The differences that they share pave the way for an intense bond. They complemented each other well. Adam is playful and kind while Bobbie caring and tough and stands for what she feels is right and just. The changes that Adam is experiencing due to his race allow for a believably fast paced romance. The sexual connection with Bobbie and Adam is explosively hot. These two make such a great pair to read about.


                I am still confused about Adam’s biological parents reasoning in their methods for approaching him. I can completely understand wanting to reunite with you son that has been missing from your life for 20 years. They just went about it in all the wrongs ways, repeatedly. I had a few issues with Adam’s adoptive father as well. All in all though my few dislikes flow with the story and make for an exciting page turner of a book. After all stories have to have drama and happenings to kick up the anxiety.

Amazon.com buy link
The Lost YouTube video
Caridad is giving away a Lost t-shirt and ebook copy of Rookie of the Year. The t-shirt giveaway is US only. Comment with email address to enter to win. I will announce the winners on Thursday October 20.


Vanessa: Would you like to start off by telling us a little bit about yourself? 
Caridad: I’m a mom, wife, attorney and writer!  I’ve published over 27 novels/novellas, mostly romantic suspense and paranormals.  Writing is my passion and I can’t imagine not doing it.
Vanessa: I know you that you write several different series. Would you like to tell us a bit about each of them?   
Caridad: THE CALLING is my vampire series from Harlequin.  It’s actually paranormal romantic suspense and I love the world and all the different characters in the mythology.  There will be at least two more book in THE CALLING coming in December 2012 and early 2013.  Right now, I have a brand new paranormal romance series from Grand Central Publishing.  THE LOST is the first book in the SIN HUNTER series which is all about a race of energy gatherers who are hiding in plain sight along the Jersey Shore.  It’s an exciting new mythology as the Hunters have all kinds of unique abilities and are capable of shapeshifting in addition to a number of other powers.
Vanessa: Of the above mentioned series do you have a favorite or perhaps a favorite world that you enjoy writing? 
Caridad: The worlds of THE CALLING and the SIN HUNTERS are radically different, but I love each of them.  THE CALLING is set in Manhattan and so it has a very city kind of feel.  The vampire’s playground are the streets and skyscrapers of New York.  The SIN HUNTERS stories happen along the Jersey Shore.  That’s perfect for the Hunters so they can gather energy from the nature all around them.  It’s also just right for the civil war and battles that will erupt in THE CLAIMED (May 2012), the second book in the series.
Vanessa:  Can you tell us about your current work in progress, perhaps you could share a favorite fact or piece of fascinating information it? 
Caridad: I just finished up THE CLAIMED and as I mentioned, it’s very action-packed and exciting.  The most interesting thing in it is how Light and Shadow Hunters will come together to try and end their civil war.  I’ve also worked up some proposals for future books in the SIN HUNTER series, as well as a reboot of THE CALLING.  The new version of THE CALLING will launch first with another Diana and Ryder book because fans have been asking for another story with them for some time.
Vanessa:  I loved the uniqueness of your Light Hunters and Shadow Hunters. They are a very different type of paranormal species. Where did this idea come from? 
Caridad: There are so many cultures that believe in life forces and auras,  that I decided to explore what would happen if there was a race of people that could actually tap into those life forces.  For the differences between the Light and Shadow Hunters, I tapped into the history of the Americas, borrowing from what happened to the native people when the Conquistadors brought illnesses to which they had no immunity.
Vanessa: Your characters include shifters, vampires, Shadow Hunters, Light Hunters, heroes and heroines of romantic suspense and your South Beach Chicas. Do any of these characters come to more easily than the other or was one more difficult to write?
Caridad: I think the characters that come easiest to me are the strong female ones, like Diana Reyes from THE CALLING, Bobbie and Liliana Carerra from the SINS/SIN HUNTER Series and Tori from the Chicas series.  I love strong empowered women who know what they want and go for it.
Vanessa: What is one thing about you that your readers would find surprising or never guess about you? 
Caridad: I’m basically shy.  It’s taken me a very long time to be more open with people and not so quiet.
Vanessa: If you were to write yourself into one of your books or series which would it be, what role would you pick and why? 
Caridad: That’s a tough one.  I’d have to say either Diana Reyes from THE CALLING or Bobbie Carerra from THE LOST.  Both are strong women, but tortured.  Very deep and intriguing.  Both loved by amazing men.  Sigh.  What could be better?
Vanessa: If you could have a romantic dinner with one of your heroes which one would it be and why? 
Caridad: Without a doubt, Ryder Latimer from THE CALLING.  He is sexy, strong, loving and just amazing.
Vanessa: How do you spend your down time between edits, deadlines, writing and creating new and fascinating books? Do you have a favorite pastime to fill you spare time with? 
Caridad: Down time?  What’s down time?  LOL!  Seriously, I have very little free time and I spend that time with family and friends and have recently started reading more at night.  The reading is relaxing and inspires me to write better.
Vanessa: Who is your hero, fictitious or real? 
Caridad: My husband.  He’s not perfect, but he has always supported my daughter and me, and he makes me laugh. Not an easy thing to do.
Vanessa: What are 3 of your guilty pleasures?  Chocolate, anything Buffy and long strolls along the boardwalk.

About Sin Hunters Series
I want to thank all of you who have been writing to tell me how much you’ve been loving the Carrera family, as well as enjoying the towns along the Jersey Shore where the SINS series was set.
With THE LOST, I’m introducing a much darker paranormal series I’m calling SIN HUNTERS. The stories are still set along the Jersey Shore and you’ll have the beloved Carreras, but now you’ll also get to meet an exciting new race of people: The Light and Shadow Hunters.
Why the change? There was something about Bobbie Carrera, the heroine in THE LOST, that needed something different and something very special. Someone very special. Bobbie is an Iraq war veteran and she’s home from battle, but wounded both physically and emotionally. She’s busy trying to put her world back together and the last thing she needs is more conflict in her life.
But I’m a bad girl, you know. I love to challenge my characters into facing their most extreme hurts because that only makes their happiness that much sweeter. I think you love that as well because there is nothing more uplifting than seeing how love can truly conquer all.
Bobbie’s challenge comes in the form of sexy millionaire Adam Bruno. Adam is different from any man she has ever met and Bobbie feels an immediate connection to him. There’s just one problem: Adam has no idea who he really is and why he possesses the ability to gather energy. That ability allows him to do a myriad of things, shapeshifting, to traveling at super speed, to wielding energy and light like weapons. But those powers are challenging Adam, because as they become more powerful, the also grow harder to control and deadly.
Enter Bobbie Carrera. Bobbie brings peace to Adam’s soul. Adam feels lost in the human world, but in Bobbie’s arms he finds love, acceptance and the possibility for a future he had never imagined.
But before he can reach that future, he must deal with the present, and that means battling the evil Shadow Hunters and facing the shocking truth about his real identity.
I hope you will enjoy the Sin Hunters series. Look for THE CLAIMED in May 2012 which will feature someone you meet in THE LOST. Not going to spill as to who it is just yet, but keep in mind I just love stories of redemption….
Thank you all for your continued support.
Also, many thanks to our military men, women and their families for safeguarding our Liberty and our country.
THE LOST is dedicated to you for all the sacrifices you make on our behalf. God bless you and keep you safe.
Reviews:
"Pineiro's new series will excite readers, new and old...Her characters and red-hot writing had me looking for the nearest cold shower.  THE LOST is an excellent beginning to a new series that will have readers counting the days until the second Sin Hunters book is released."~ 4 Stars RT BookReviews
An excellent romance story and the paranormal aspects really held me captive. I truly loved that the heroine was a war veteran and she gets a excellent HEA. If you’re one for danger, betrayal, adventure and romance this maybe a book for you.”~Laurie Bitten by Paranormal Romance
ABOUT AUTHOR
Caridad PiƱeiro® is a multi-published and award-winning author whose love of the written word developed when her fifth grade teacher assigned a project – to write a book that would be placed in a class lending library. She has been hooked on writing ever since.
From the start, Caridad’s novels have received acclaim and have helped redefine the landscape of modern romance novels. In 1999, Caridad was published by Kensington as part of Encanto, the first line of bilingual Latino romance novels. In 2000, Caridad was one of the first Latino authors featured at the launch of BookExpo America’s Spanish Pavillion. In December 2006, Caridad helped Silhouette launch its successful Nocturne paranormal line with DEATH CALLS, one of the novels in the award-winning THE CALLING Vampire series. In addition, Caridad has appeared at BookExpo America on numerous occasions and has captained both the multicultural and vampire genre panels at the RT BookClub Conventions.
Caridad’s CHICAS novels, including her seventeenth release, SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN from Simon & Schuster’s Downtown Press, have garnered praise from both fellow authors and reviewers and are helping to make Latina fiction a vital part of the publishing mainstream.
In recognition of her work, Caridad has received various awards and honors. In 2007, a year marked by the debut of six novels from Harlequin and Pocket Books, Caridad received the Golden Apple Award Author of the Year Award from the New York City Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Other honors that Caridad has received include the selection of DANGER CALLS and DEATH CALLS as the Top Fantasy Books of 2005 and 2006 by CATALINA magazine, the Cataromance Reviewers Choice Award for Best Nocturne in 2006 and the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf award in 2001 for Best Short Contemporary. Her other titles have received a number of nominations, such as the Harlequin Readers Choice Awards and RIO Reviewers Choice Awards. Both DANGER CALLS and SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICAS have been book club selections.
Caridad’s eighteenth novel, MOON FEVER, a paranormal anthology with Maggie Shayne, Susan Sizemore and Lori Handeland, debuted in late September 2007 as #32 on the New York Times Extended Bestseller list and #123 on the USA TODAY Bestseller List. HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE, a paranormal anthology with Maureen Child, made the BookScan Top 100 Adult Fiction list.
In 2009, Caridad will debut a new paranormal romantic suspense series with Grand Central Publishing. The first novel in the series, SINS OF THE FLESH, will be released in November 2009.
Caridad has appeared on Romance Novel Television, Fox Television’s Good Day New York Early Edition , New Jersey News’ Jersey’s Talking with Lee Leonard and WGN-TV’s Adelante Chicago. Articles featuring Caridad’s works have appeared in the New York Daily News, Catalina, RT BookClub, NJ Monthly, Star Ledger, Home Tribune News, Sun Sentinel, Variety Yahoo! Online News, Latina and the Waterbury Republican-American.
When not writing, Caridad teaches workshops on various topics related to writing and heads a writing group. Caridad is also an attorney, wife and mother.
Also about the Author:
Caridad was born in Havana, Cuba, and settled in the New York Metropolitan area. She attended Villanova University on a Presidential Scholarship and graduated magna cum laude. Caridad earned her juris doctor from St. John’s University and became the first female partner of Abelman, Frayne & Schwab, an intellectual property firm in midtown Manhattan.


15 comments:

  1. Hey Diva,
    What a wonderful interview with Caridad! Terrific review of the Lost, too. I had the pleasure of reading it and thought it was so interesting. I can't wait for the next book. Have a great week!
    See ya,
    Dana

    Readaholics Anonymous

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  2. Thanks, Dana! I'm so glad you liked it. I think readers will love the action in THE CLAIMED (May 2012)

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  3. Wonderful Interview1 I am excited to read this book! <3

    kristinaparmenter51(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to read this book. It sounds really good. Tore923@aol.com

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  5. This book sounds really interesting. Good luck with it!

    Julianne
    grailmaiden08-at-yahoo.com

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  6. oops! I'm an fool.screwed up my email. grailmaiden08-at-gmail.com

    *sheepish grin* again, best wishes to Caridad with the new series!

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  7. After reading that I feel like I'm missing out on something. I will definitely have to check this book out.

    romancebookjunkiesdanielle at yahoo dot com

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  8. Really enjoy Caridad's work. I can believe she is shy and quiet, the characters I have read are too! SHe does a lot of research too. Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust
    email: steph@fangswandsandfairydust.com
    Twitter: @fangswandsfairy

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  9. Wow! What a terrific endorsement! I really, really have to read this book after reading your post :)

    jwitt33 at live dot com

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  10. I am very interested in reading the new Sin Hunters series. I have several of Caridad's titles on my to read list. I was first introduced to her work in some short story anthologies.

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  11. Terrific interview! The Sin Hunter series sounds really amazing. I'll add The Lost to my TBR list for sure. :)

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  12. Wonderful review and interview. I am in awe of how much the author has written. Thank you for introducing me to Caridad and her books. I now have more books to add to my TBR continent.

    Happy Reading,
    Laurielu
    Bona Fide Reflections

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  13. i heard about Caridad and her work from my buddy bloggers and her book The Lost piqued my curiosity! would love to win a copy. thanks for the great review, interview and for hosting! c",)

    aobibliophile(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. What a great interview! I am definitely adding The Lost to my reading list! I can't wait to read it! :D Thanks!!

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  15. I want to partiipate in the Rookie of the year e-book giveaway!

    Cool interview!

    elvenspirit(at)gmail(dot)com

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