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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (14)


This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: First Drop of Crimson
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release date: 02/09/10
Summary:
The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together...

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Teaser Tuesday (14)


This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Three Days to Dead
Author: Kelly Meding
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 11/24/09

Fear traced lines across my back with icy fingers as I realized which door I had been drawn to. I had died in this room. -- pg. 185

Monday, December 28, 2009

Anthology Review: The Eternal Kiss (Part 3)

Title: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
Edited by: Trisha Telep
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 07/28/09
Summary:
Supernatural forces and desires come alive in these thirteen vampire tales. Like love, the adventures are never safe and hungers never die. And chances are taken. If you are seduced by the mystery of the heart, beating for a destiny unknown, you will helplessly follow the characters' in this collection - longing for one to call their own.


Title: Wet Teeth
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Rating: 1.5 Stars
I found this story quite lackluster. Although I wanted to like the characters there was absolutely no development. And the plot seemed almost non-existant. When I finished the last paragraph, I was stuck wondering exactly what the point was since there didn't seem to be a conflict and resolution.

Title: Other Boys
Author: Cassandra Clare
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Although it was a quick read (it felt much shorter than it actually was), the crazy twist at the end was amazing. I wish we could've gotten a little more information about the characters, but it wasn't a complete necessity.

Title: Passing
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This story involved a war between humans and vampires, seeming to span the globe. Student of the Universidad were studying/training to become vampire hunters. I really like the twists and turns of this story, but I wish there had been a little more description during the fighting. It seemed like the specifics of the combat were kind of glossed over.

Title: Ambition
Author: Lili St. Crow
Rating: 3 Stars
I liked the mystery of Johnny and thought main character (I don't think her name was mentioned) was very likeable. But the ending of this story left me completely confused. I'm not entirely sure what actually happens at the end, but everything leading up to it was a good story.

Title: All Wounds
Author: Kina James
Rating: 4 Stars
First Becca gets into detention, then she finds out that creatures like healers and vampires and hellhounds exist. In one afternoon, her whole world is turned upside-down. I liked all of the information given about the paranormal creatures in this story's world. I just wish we could've learned why Becca was in detention, since it was alluded to a couple times.

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Author Interview: Nancy Holzner

First off, I'd like to thank Nancy Holzner for taking the time to answer my questions. Here new Urban Fantasy novel, Deadtown, releases tomorrow (12/29)! Everyone should go run out and get a copy. It's an awesome book, as you can see from my review of Deadtown, which can be found here.




Sara: How would you describe your novel, Deadtown, in three sentences or less, for readers who haven’t heard of it before?

Nancy: Deadtown is Boston’s paranormal-only district, home to vampires, werewolves, a couple thousand zombies, assorted other creatures—and Vicky Vaughn, Boston’s only active Cerddorion shapeshifter. Vicky exterminates people’s personal demons for a living, dealing with demon-plagued clients, putting up with a pain-in-the-neck teenage zombie apprentice, and trying to squeeze in an occasional date with her maybe/maybe-not boyfriend, workaholic werewolf lawyer Alexander Kane. When one of her clients is murdered by a Hellion whose only purpose is to destroy, Vicky must face the demons of her own past—before the Hellion annihilates the city and everyone in it.

Sara: What sets your novel apart from the rest of the Urban Fantasy genre?

Nancy: I tried to play a little bit with urban fantasy conventions while expanding on them. One example is how Vicky’s roommate Juliet takes the “sexy vampire” convention and exaggerates it. Another is that Deadtown offers a different take on zombies from what I’ve seen in other urban fantasy novels—they’re also way different from what you’d find in the horror genre. In Deadtown, zombies aren’t props or plot devices; they’re characters. Their condition was caused by a fast-acting virus that swept through downtown Boston, causing almost immediate death. At the time, there was panic and chaos, and the area became a quarantine zone. Three days after the plague hit, the victims came back to life. (Of course, no human had willingly gone near the plague zone, so no doctor ever certified the victims as dead.) Deadtown’s zombies can think and talk. They have personalities. They also have spongy greenish-gray skin, blood-red eyes, superhuman strength, and near-insatiable hunger. My zombies play off convention, but they develop in their own direction.

I also spent a lot of time thinking about how society would respond if suddenly forced to confront the existence of paranormal beings in their midst. Before the start of Deadtown, Kane had been trying to organize paranormals to “come out” and lobby for their rights. But the zombie plague forced humans to recognize the existence of nonhuman creatures and to do it NOW—and they reacted with fear and a desire to control. Readers have told me they like Deadtown’s political dimension. Some have also been surprised and pleased to find humor in the book.

Sara: How would you describe your main character in one sentence?

Nancy: Vicky is a shapeshifter who’s proud of her Welsh heritage and committed to her demon-slaying calling, despite the sacrifices it demands; marked by the Hellion that killed her father, she struggles to control her own destructive urges and do what’s right in a city filled with demons, dark magic, and unholy ambitions. (That was kind of a long sentence. Thank the grammar gods for semicolons! :))

Sara: What made you choose Boston as the setting for your novel?

Nancy: I’ve lived in Boston, so I know the city pretty well. It was easy for me to visualize scenes from Deadtown happening in Boston. In some ways, though, I feel like Boston chose me more than I chose it. From the moment I started spinning out the story in my head, Boston was the place where everything played out.

Sara: Can we look forward to more books in Victory Vaughn’s world?

Nancy: There’s a sequel coming out in a year, and I’m currently working on the third book. The sequel begins a couple of months after the end of Deadtown, and in it Vicky has to deal with the consequences of an action she took at that time. She travels to Wales to get the training she needs to fight a kind of demon she’d never encountered before. While she’s there, she learns some troubling things about her family history and meets a distant relative with evil intentions.

Sara: Who are your greatest influences, both in and out of the Urban Fantasy genre?

Nancy: That’s a tough question to answer, because I spent a lot of years studying (and later teaching) literature. When writers read a lot, they absorb a great many influences through sheer osmosis. I used to be a medievalist, and the literature of that period still has a strong influence on me, even though what I write is very different. I also went through a period when I was reading a couple of mysteries each week. A grad-school friend was writing her doctoral dissertation on the origins and development of British detective fiction, and she got me hooked on Agatha Christie—and my interest took off from there. My favorite mystery author is Donald E. Westlake; his Dortmunder series of crime caper novels are endlessly entertaining. I got interested in urban fantasy when a friend recommended Kim Harrison’s Hollows series. I still love Harrison’s world, and some of my other favorite authors in the genre are Ilona Andrews, Devon Monk, and Patricia Briggs. I also love it when urban fantasy authors sprinkle in humor; Mark Henry, Jaye Wells, and Anton Strout are some of the authors who make me laugh out loud.

Sara: I know this is a very overdone question, but how did the idea for Deadtown come about?

Nancy: The background mythology come from the Mabinogi, a group of medieval Welsh stories and legends written down during the 12th and 13th centuries. There’s a great shapeshifting story in which Ceridwen (a goddess or a witch, depending on whom you ask) chases a boy who stole a potion she created, each of them changing shapes multiple times until she finally catches him. I used that story as the basis of the Cerddorion, Vicky’s species. Being able to shapeshift at will seemed like a handy quality for a race of demon fighters to have. :) The seed for the novel came from reading a complaint on an agent’s blog about too many authors who described characters as “wrestling with their own personal demons.” The agent wondered who else could wrestle with your own personal demons besides you—which led to my idea of a character whose job was to kill those demons for other people.

Thanks so much for inviting me to stop by, Sara. It’s been fun talking about Deadtown with you!




Thank you, Nancy, for taking the time to answer my questions! And feel free to post any comments or questions for Nancy.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

In My Mailbox (15)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

Books bought:

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Turned by Julie Kenner
Darklight by Lesley Livingston
Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn

Christmas gifts:

From my dad:

Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis
Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn
Changeling by Yasmine Galenorn
Dragon Wytch by Yasmine Galenorn
Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn
Demon Mistress by Yasmine Galenorn
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn
Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn
Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn
(He also got me a huge bookcase so my TBR pile is more under control!)

From my mom:

Secret Society by Tom Dolby
Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles
Unbound (anthology) by Jocelynn Drake, Jeaniene Frost, Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, and Vicki Pettersson

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Anthology Review: The Eternal Kiss (Part 2)

Title: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
Edited by: Trisha Telep
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 07/28/09
Summary:
Supernatural forces and desires come alive in these thirteen vampire tales. Like love, the adventures are never safe and hungers never die. And chances are taken. If you are seduced by the mystery of the heart, beating for a destiny unknown, you will helplessly follow the characters' in this collection - longing for one to call their own.


Title: Undead is Very Hot Right Now
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Rating: 3.5 Stars
The idea of using vampires as a gimick to make a band popular is kinda lame, but definitely silly. I liked how Christian just wanted to be normal. The other members of the band were kind of annoying though. I liked this story, but the ending was a bit lackluster for me.

Title: Kat
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Rating: 4 Stars
I loved how this story vaguely tied into Armstrong's YA Darkest Powers series without having many spoilers. I liked the relationship between Kat and Marguerite, I just wish there had been a touch more background. I feel like I didn't get to know them as well as I would've liked.

Title: The Thirteenth Step
Author: Libba Bray
Rating: 2 Stars
For thirty pages, it didn't feel like much happened in this story. There was a little too much filler and not enough action. The characters came across flat, and the relationships were either non-existant or not quite believeable.

Title: All Hallows
Author: Rachel Caine
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I enjoyed how this story tied into the Morganville Vampire series. Although I was confused about a couple characters (because I've only read books #1-3), there were no spoilers. I also liked that the story was from Eve's point of view because she's always been my favorite.

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Anthology Review: The Eternal Kiss (Part 1)

Title: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
Edited by: Trisha Telep
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 07/28/09
Summary:
Supernatural forces and desires come alive in these thirteen vampire tales. Like love, the adventures are never safe and hungers never die. And chances are taken. If you are seduced by the mystery of the heart, beating for a destiny unknown, you will helplessly follow the characters' in this collection - longing for one to call their own.


Title: Falling to Ash
Author: Karen Mahoney
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Moth was a very likeable character. Although she gets herself into trouble, she was resourceful enough to get herself out of the situation. Her relationship with her family is in shambles, and I hope to see more of Moth in the future to see if they work things out.

Title: Shelter Island
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Rating: 1 Star
This story was very short, only sixteen pages, and it didn't really seem to be much of a story. Although Dylan, a character from her Blue Bloods series is in the story, it could've been anyone visiting Hannah at night. This story seemed like something the author put together in a couple hours to fulfill an obligation.

Title: Sword Point
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Rating: 3 Stars
I really liked the way fencing, martial arts, and vampires mixed in this story. I just wished we could've seen more of the fencing and not just be told that Ava was practicing. Ava was a strong and likeable character, but I find myself wanting to know more about Jarett, the martial arts instructor next door to the fencing studio.

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Rating: 4 Stars
Although some parts of the story passed by in a blur, it was a very engaging read. I enjoyed that Matilda was trying to fight off the change through the use of alcohol, while most people were dying to be turned into vampires.

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Review: Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Hearts at Stake
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/09
Summary:
On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black — agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy — who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life — Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black — in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.


Plot: 2 Stars
While the story kept me engaged, it seemed a little far-fetched. Every time something went wrong, the Drake's couldn't catch a break. Before they could make any sort of progress, something else went against them. This group defect, that group went rogue, this treaty was broken, that alliance just formed... It seemed like the author tried to throw in as much politics as possible, but it practically made my head spin.

Pace: 3 Stars
There was never a time when the story started to lag, but the alternating points of didn't always work for me. They worked when Solange and Lucy were in different locations or if one was unconscious. But there were times when the jump seemed too abrupt, like there were two separate story lines we were jumping between. I also didn't feel as engaged with each character since we only got about 110 pages with each.

Characters: 2 Stars
I felt like there were too many characters and not enough time to get to know them. Solange had seven older brothers and I only remember the names of four of them. Nicholas was the only one that spoke more than two or three times. I also thought that the relationships that blossomed throughout the book came right out of left field. One second they hate each other, and the next they're making out. There were too many races of vampires. They're all introduced in the beginning, but when a couple races come into play at the end, I had completely forgotten about them.

Cover: 3 Stars
I bought the paperback version (the hardcover was not available at the bookstore). From what I've seen from pictures on the internet, I like colors of the hardcover's cover better. The blues were dull and the model wasn't that pale on the paperback. For those that understand photoshop lingo, it looked like someone set a navy blue layer to exclusion (meaning the blacks turn navy blue and the whites turn light tan).

Overall: 2.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (13)


This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Wicked Enchantment
Author: Anya Bast
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release date: 01/05/10
Summary:
When the Summer Queen of the fae orders Aislinn Finvarra to act as a guide for a half-incubus who is known to possess dark magick and sexual power, she must protect not only her heart, but her very life.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Teaser Tuesday (13)


This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Hearts at Stake
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/09

I woke up late the next day, smothered by my very own vampire blanket. I shifted experimentally but Nicholas didn't budge. His arms were wrapped around me, pinning me ruthlessly to his chest. That might sound passionate in romance novels, but in real life, it was uncomfortable. -- pg. 164

Monday, December 21, 2009

Cover Art: Inhuman Resources by Jes Battis

I stumbled across the cover art for Inhuman Resources while browsing Amazon to add to my wish list. It's book number three in Jes Battis' OSI series. I'm very excited because I love this series.



I really like how each cover has a specific color (book one was orange and book two was green) and I really enjoy the detail in the background. The crime scene tape going across the cover to is also a nice touch.

Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Title: The Dark Divine
Author: Bree Despain
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/09
Summary:
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.


Plot: 5 Stars
By reading the summary for this book, I never would've guessed half of what happened in this novel was going to happen, and I love that. I wasn't expecting paranormal creatures at all, but they crept up on me (I won't share what kind). This book was surprise after surprise and I just couldn't put it down.

Pace: 5 Stars
This was one of those books I didn't put down much (just for food, work, and sleep). Instead of there just being breaks in the chapters like most books, they were labelled to clarify the time that had elapsed (example, "later that day" or "Wednesday night"). I didn't think I'd like the labels, but I actually found them very helpful to keep track of the timing of events.

Characters: 4 Stars
I loved that the "bad boy" wasn't some mysterious boy who takes an interest in Grace. Daniel was her brother's best friend and practically a brother to her. I also like how despite the "bad boy" image, he really does want to do good. I thought Grace was a very strong character and I liked how she stuck up for people. She follows her gut instinct even if that path is harder or goes against her brother's wishes.

Cover: 4 Stars
The color and composition of the cover is gorgeous in it's simplicity, but doesn't really portray anything specifically from the story. The dark feel of the novel lends it's feel to the cover, but I can't remember any scene that involved Grace's feet.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received my ARC from Random House.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

In My Mailbox (14)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

Books bought:

Title: The Seven Rays
Author: Jessica Bendinger
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 11/24/09
Summary:
You are more than you think you are.

That is the anonymous message that Beth Michaels receives right before she starts seeing things. Not just a slept-through my-alarm-clock, late-for-homeroom, haven't had-my-caffeine-fix kind of seeing things. It all starts with some dots, annoying pink dots that pop up on and over her mom and her best friend's face. But then things get out of control and Beth is seeing people's pasts, their fears, their secrets, their desires. The images are coming at Beth in hi-def streaming video and she can't stop it. Everyone thinks she's crazy and she's pretty sure she agrees with them. But crazy doesn't explain the gold envelopes that have started arriving, containing seeing keys and mysterious tarot cards. To Beth, it all seems too weird to be true. You are more than you think you are? But here's the thing: What if she is?


Title: Hearts at Stake (paperback)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/09
Summary:
On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

Even fans of the genre who’ve seen it all will find a fresh read with kick-butt characters and family dynamics that ring true for all brothers and sisters—vampire or otherwise.


Books won:

Title: Spider's Bite (ARC)
Author: Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 01/26/10
Summary:
My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

Thanks to Jennifer Estep!

Title: Three Days to Dead
Author: Kelly Meding
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 11/24/09
Summary:
She’s young, deadly, and hunted—with only three days to solve her own murder...

When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue – in a stranger’s body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there – her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night, she and the other two members of her Triad were star bounty hunters — mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives, but also convinced the city’s other Hunters that Evy was a traitor... and she can’t even remember what it was.

Now she’s a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice – and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days, Evy will die again – but this time, there’s no second chance...

Thanks to Angela at Dark Faerie Tales, and of course, Kelly Meding!

Other:

Title: The Dark Divine (ARC)
Author: Bree Despain
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/29/09
Summary:
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

When this came in the mail on Friday, it was a complete surprise. I hadn't given my mailing information out to anyone for the ARC, so I have to assume I got this through an ad on the Publisher's Weekly website. I vaguely remember filling a form out for it. Anyway, thanks to Random House!

Giveaway Winner!

There were 21 participants with a total of 61 total entries. Using random.org, the winner of an ARC of The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay is...

Mardel of RabidReader!

You have 72 hours to respond to my e-mail with your mailing information. Congratulations!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Review: Deadtown by Nancy Holzner

Title: Deadtown
Author: Nancy Holzner
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/29/09
Summary:
They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders - but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human...

Vicky's demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious, demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that's taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky's love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown's citizens.

But now Vicky's got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston's magical protections. This ruthless force of destruction has a personal grudge against Vicky, and she's the only one who can stop it before it destroys the city.


Plot: 5 Stars
Paranormal Americans are fighting for citizenship around the country, and specifically in Boston, home of Deadtown, a part of the city where zombies and all other PAs are forced to live. I really liked the political aspect to the story, even though it took a slight backseat to the mayhem of Victory Vaughn's life. As the only demon hunter in Boston, Vicky running around town slaying the personal demons of others. Deadtown is a fresh and entertaining addition to the genre that has a little bit of everything.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
There was a point in the middle where I started to wonder how everything going on was related, but the lull didn't last long. Everything pulled together and sucked me in. It was almost too hard to put the book down after my lunch break and go back to work because I had to keep reading so I could finish.

Characters: 5 Stars
All of the characters felt real. They were fleshed out and unique, and no one seemed flat. I liked Holzner's take on shapeshifters and how Victory could only shift a certain number of times per lunar cycle. The different kinds of demons and hellions were interesting. And I loved her zombies! I've started and got bored with many zombie books, but these zombies were fantastic! They weren't mindless corpses that just wanted to eat "BRAINS!!" but "previously deceased humans," real people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tina was still a snarky teen even as a zombie.

Cover: 5 Stars
Two words: Flaming sword. And the best part is, it's not a random prop to make the cover pretty, Vicky actually has a sword that bursts into flames in the presence of demons. I also like that the cover model doesn't have any tattoos, like many urban fantasy cover models, because Vicky didn't have any. Plus, I like the "from behind" pose because it allowed me to picture the character as she was described and not how she looked on the cover.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I received my copy for review from Penguin.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (12)


This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Hearts at Stake
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Genre: Young Adult
Release date: 12/22/09
Summary:
On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Teaser Tuesday (12)


This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Deadtown
Author: Nancy Holzner
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/29/09

The Goon Squad? What the hell was the Goon Squad doing in my apartment? I squinted toward the doorway. Pointing two guns at my head, that was what. -- pg. 35

Sunday, December 13, 2009

In My Mailbox (13)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

Books bought:

Title: Scorched
Author: Sharon Ashwood
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 12/01/09
Summary:
Ex-detective Macmillan has a taste for bad girls, but his last lover really took the cake-and his humanity. Now a half-demon, Mac's lost his friends, his family, and his job. Then a beguiling vampire asks for his help to find her son. Suddenly, Mac has a case to work-one that leads him deeps into the supernatural prison where Mac learns that cracking the case will cost him his last scrap of humanity.


Only one book this week. But I've got a lot in shipping limbo, so next week (and possibly the week after) should be huge!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Friday Finds (5)

Friday finds was started by Misb at Should be Reading.

"The idea is to share, every Friday, about books that you’ve recently discovered (never heard of before) that sound really good!"

Title: Shadow Marked
Author: Anna J. Evans
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 05/04/10
Summary:
The Devil and Miss Quinn

Samantha Quinn has been in the dark since age six, when her parents sacrificed her sight in a satanic ritual. She is trying to get over her demonic past, but horrific lifelike visions haunt her. Her intuition gets stronger and clearer with a wild, adrenaline-fueled sexual encounter with Jace, her brother’s childhood friend. And now Samantha is more tormented than ever by what she can “see”—and by what she felt in that forbidden encounter…

Samantha must now prevent the deaths she sees in her premonitions and protect her body from the same demon from her twisted childhood. Her dark curse reveals that Jace will be the next victim, and it is crystal clear that she must destroy the demon to protect her love.


Title: Blood Song
Author: Cat Adams
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 06/08/10
Summary:
Bodyguard Celia Graves plies her trade in a world where vampires roam the alleys of Tinseltown and movie stars openly practice witchcraft., where streetcorner psychics have real powers and cops use memory enhancement spells on witnesses. Though she’s an ordinary human, Celia uses street smarts and charmed weapons to protect the rich and famous from mortal and supernatural threats.

She’s landed a plum job, protecting the Prince of a small but politically vital nation while he tours Los Angeles’s least savory hot spots. What should be a routine assignment goes badly wrong. Attacked by a master vampire, Celia knows she is about to die.

She’s startled to awaken on a cold metal table in a university lab. Celia Graves has become an Abomination, neither fully mortal nor fully vampire. Her “master” is hunting her, to destroy her or finish what his bite began. She’s accused of murder and the cops aren’t sure whether she should be locked up or staked. And then there’s the demon she glimpsed during the vampire attack . . . .

Struggling to cope with her new powers and trying not to terrify everyone she meets with a flash of fang, Celia reaches out for help from her once (and future?) lover, who is a powerful mage; his warrior-priest brother; a handsome werewolf who keeps his lupine nature concealed from the world; an elderly clairvoyant, and one trustworthy cop.

Celia Graves has three days to save the world, her sanity, and her soul.


Title: Dreamveil
Author: Lynn Viehl
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 06/01/10
Summary: No information available.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (11)


This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release date: 03/30/10
Summary:
mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge - and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Author Interview and Giveaway: Kelly Gay

First off, I'd like to thank Kelly Gay for taking the time to answer my questions. I'm very excited to be posting my first author interview, and I hope everyone enjoys! Plus, I'm giving away my ARC of The Better Part of Darkness. Information is at the bottom of the post. And my review of TBPD can be found here.




Sara: How would you describe your novel, The Better Part of Darkness, in three sentences or less, for readers who haven’t heard of it before?

Kelly: Hi Sara! Thanks for having me over to talk shop! :) The story takes place in Atlanta about a decade after the discovery of two alternate dimensions: heaven-like Elysia and hellish Charbydon. Atlanta has become a crossroads of sorts, a thriving melting pot of human and off-world races, and it’s Charlie Madigan’s job to keep the peace between all factions. But when an off-world drug is released in Underground and her ex makes a terrible bargain to win her back, there’s nothing Charlie won’t do to set things right.

Sara: How do you pronounce Elysia and Charbydon? And where did the idea for these alternate dimensions come from?

Kelly: Elysia is pronounced: Eh-LEE-see-ah. And Charbydon is pronounced: Char-bih-don. It’s a short i vowel sound, not the long as in ‘bye’.

Elysia is a take on the Elysian fields, the final resting place for heroes and the virtuous in Greek mythology. And Charbydon is a combination of Greek myth words: Charybdis, the sea monster and daughter of Poseidon and/or whirlpool depending on which myths you read, and Charon, the being who ferried souls across the river Styx to the side of the underworld.

Sara: How would you describe your main character in one sentence?

Kelly: Charlie is a single mom and law enforcement officer who doesn’t have all the answers, all the strength, or all the beauty, but she does have an intense protective instinct and would fight to the end for her loved ones and her city.

Sara: Not many main characters within the Urban Fantasy genre have kids or have started families. Did you intend for Charlie to be a single parent from the beginning, or was it a surprise?

Kelly: No, not a surprise. The character of Charlie came to me as a full-fledged woman and mom with a lot of history and baggage. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to write about a character with those kinds of complexities and conflicts. It wasn’t sure at first how old her child would be, what gender, or what the circumstances were behind the birth, but I always thought of her in that role of mother, protector, and hero.

Sara: Without giving away any spoilers, can you us a little bit of information about the sequel, The Darkest Edge of Dawn?

Kelly: Hmm. Well, I can tell you that things between Elysians and Charbydons are pretty tense, more so than they’ve ever been since their truce over a decade ago. Anything can tip the scales and send them back into waging war and using our planet as a battleground. And with a killer on the loose, and the elite of Elysia going missing, Charlie’s going to have one hell of a job keeping the peace this time around.

Sara: Who are your greatest influences, both in and out of the Urban Fantasy genre?

Kelly: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mary Stewart, Anne Rice, Margaret George, Alexandre Dumas, Mary Shelley… All have a way with conflict, characters, and worlds that is just amazing and inspiring. In urban fantasy I was really inspired by Emma Bull and Laurel K. Hamilton and then by Kim Harrison.

Sara: What are you currently reading?

Kelly: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld.




And now onto the giveaway. I'll be giving away my ARC of The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay since I've bought myself a final copy. It's already been read, but I kept really good care of it.

Summary:
Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil...

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim -- but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?


Answer the following question: Which alternate dimension would you rather visit, heaven-like Elysia and hellish Charbydon?

Giveaway Rules:

You must leave a vaild e-mail address.
This contest is open to the US and Canada only.

Here are ways to accumulate bonus entries:
+1 Being a follower
+1 Tweeting about the contest @ sara_UFblog (please leave your Twitter id in comment)
+3 Post about the contest on your blog (leave link in comment)

Please, only one comment per person. (Edit: Two comments max, in case you forget something. Basically, don't post a different comment for each entry. Thanks.)

** This giveaway will end at midnight EST on Saturday 12/19 and the winner will be announced Sunday 12/20. Winners will be chosen using Random.org.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Teaser Tuesday (11)


This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: Ravenous
Author: Sharon Ashwood
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 02/03/09

Mac looked down at himself. He liked clothes and tried to dress well, so outside of the possible bloodstains, he was presentable. -- pg. 96

In My Mailbox (12)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

Books for review:

(This is my first book for review! Thanks Nancy!)
Title: Deadtown
Author: Nancy Holzner
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 12/29/09
Summary:
They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders - but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human...

Vicky's demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious, demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that's taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky's love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown's citizens.

But now Vicky's got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston's magical protections. This ruthless force of destruction has a personal grudge against Vicky, and she's the only one who can stop it before it destroys the city.


Books bought:

Title: Ravenous
Author: Sharon Ashwood
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 02/03/09
Summary:
One kiss is all it takes to lost your soul...

Holly Carver is a small-time witch who busts ghosts for tuition money, but she ends up wrangling a demon when a haunted house job goes bad. Her Undead business associate, Alessandro Caravelli, suspects the demon is somebody's not-so-secret weapon. The supernatural community is at war, and Holly's unpredictable magic holds the key to the doorway to the demon realms. Soon Holly is on everyone's must-have list, and not in a good way.

Alessandro wants Holly for more than magic. A lover with six centuries of experience, the vampire is walking seduction, but he's also a predator. Every moment he spends guarding Holly, every second he spends falling under her witch's spell, he becomes more and more of a threat himself. As Holly's grandma says, vampires are like a box of chocolates: They seem tempting, but overindulgence can be killer...


Title: The Better Part of Darkness
Author: Kelly Gay
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 11/24/03
Summary:
Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil...

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim -- but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?


Title: Once Bitten
Author: Clare Willis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 12/01/09
Summary:
Is it more than just a one-bite stand?

Angie McCaffrey has endured her share of liquid lunches and boardroom shmoozefests to win new advertising clients. But her latest account a cosmetics line for wannabe vampires involves some unusual customer research at San Francisco's hippest private nightclub. The "undead" patrons are about as genuine as Macabre Factor's press-on fangs, but one thing is very real the skin-tingling connection Angie feels with her clients' mysterious friend, Eric Taylor.

Still, there are a few problems with this hot new romance. 1) Eric is rumored to have dated Angie's scheming boss, Lucy. 2) Lucy, missing for days, just turned up dead and bloodless. And, oh yeah, 3) Angie has suddenly developed a teeny aversion to sunlight. Is Eric a real vampire, a killer, or both? Angie's got a lot riding on the answer her heart, her life, and maybe even her soul...


Library:

Title: Deadly Little Secret
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 12/22/08
Summary:
Some secrets shouldn't be kept...

Until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades, an okay relationship with her parents, and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when a mysterious boy named Ben starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. Instead, she's inexplicably drawn to Ben.and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help-but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.


Monday, December 7, 2009

Review: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Title: Blue Moon
Author: Alyson Noel
Genre: Young Adult
Release date: 07/07/09
Summary:
Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading — stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past — the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...


Plot: 3 Stars
I enjoyed finding out more information involving Damen's past, and I hope we continue to get more in future books. It was also fun to see more of the Immortal powers and Summerland. But other than that, the plot seemed a little basic. Girl and boy are in love, something happens and now boy is unavailable, girl must save the day. It's a common theme in YA, and I wish the author could've had a slightly more unique spin.

Pace: 2 Stars
There was a large chunk of the middle of this book where it seemed like nothing was happening to further the plot. And then the conflict and resolution at the end was a whirlwind that lasted only a few pages. I wanted to love this book after enjoying Evermore so much, but there were points where I had to force myself to keep reading.

Characters: 2 Stars
There wasn't much character growth in this novel. Every student in school except Ever is under mind-control, so they all act exactly the same. Damen is ill for the majority of the book, so he's basically absent. And I felt like Ever was still a little too stuck in the past. All the progress she had made seemed the fly out the window the moment Damen was ill, and I wanted her to be stronger than that.

Cover: 3 Stars
I know this is gonna sound kinda picky, but I wish the fingers holding the glass orb was blue like the rest of the cover. I also thought the way the top of the image was chopped off right through the cover model's nostrils was an odd choice.

Overall: 2.5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Review: The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay

Title: The Better Part of Darkness
Author: Kelly Gay
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release date: 11/24/09
Summary:
Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil...

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim -- but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?


Plot: 4.5 Stars
I loved the idea of the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. It was a very fresh take on the genre. There were many paranormal creatures that are often forgotten about: jinn, sirens, mages, gargoyles. I enjoyed how the nobles from Elysia and Charbydon tried to integrate themselves into the politics of Earth. I hope we see more of these alternate dimensions in future books.

Pace: 5 Stars
There was never a time when I wanted to put this book down and take a break. I was even a couple minutes over on my lunch break because I had to finish the chapter I was reading. There was never a lull in the action. I fell right into the story from the first page and really felt like I was there with Charlie throughout the mayhem. There was never a lull in the action.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
An urban fantasy main character with a preteen daughter? Although I'm barely an adult myself and nowhere near ready for children, I loved the idea of Charlie being a mother. It brought a whole new range of emotions to the genre and really helped kept Charlie vulnerable and real.

Cover: 4 Stars
The cover is a little dark. Even though that goes along with the title, I feel it takes away from the cover model. The placement of the text over the cover model is also a bit awkward. But I definitely like the splashes of color and the fact that the cover model looks tough without any tattoos.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received my ARC of The Better Part of Darkness through a giveaway at Literary Escapism. I have also purchased my own copy of BPD.

Check back on Wednesday, December 9th because Kelly Gay will be here for a quick interview and I'll be giving away my ARC of BPD!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

This book blog meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Blood of the Demon
Author: Diana Rowland
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release date: 02/23/10
Summary:
BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL, MAN AND DEMON, SHE’S ABOUT TO FACE THE ONE THING SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

Welcome to the world of Kara Gillian, a cop with a gift. Not only does she have the power of “othersight” to see what most people can’t even imagine, but she’s become the exclusive summoner of a demon lord. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The fact is, with two troublesome cases on her docket and a handsome FBI agent under her skin, Kara needs the help of sexy, insatiable Lord Rhyzkahl more than he needs her. Because these two victims, linked by suspicious coincidence, haven’t just been murdered. Something has eaten their souls.

It’s a case with roots in the arcane, but whose evil has flowered among the rich, powerful, and corrupt in Beaulac, Louisiana. And as the killings continue, Kara soon realizes how much there’s still to learn about demons, men, and things that kill in the night—and how little time she has to learn it.

Holiday Book Blowout @ Dark Faerie Tales Blog

Angela of Dark Faeie Tales is having a great holiday contest, the Happy Holidays Book Blowout.

Here's a list of all the books winners can selest from:
[ Death’s Mistress ][ Firespell ][ Bone Magic ][ Wicked Enchantment ][ Lips Touch ][ Inked ][ Ash ][ Rampant ][ Leviathan ][ The Maze Runner ][ Kitty’s House of Horrors ][ Deadtown ][ Spellbent ][ Bitter Night ][ Blood Cross ][ My Soul to Save ][ Darklight ][ Shades of Midnight ][ Beneath the Skin ][ Hallowed Circle ][ Bleeding Violet ][ Captivate ][ Fade Out ][ Finding the Lost ][ Boneshaker ][ Scorched ][ Tempted ][ Demon Bound ][ Confessions of a Demon ][ Tainted ][ Torn ][ The Seven Rays ][ Betrayals ][ Shadowland ][ The Tear Collector ][ The Everafter ][ Ruined ][ The Midnight Guardian ]

There will be four winners:
1 Grand Prize Winner -- wins 4 Books
1 First Place Winner -- wins 3 Books
1 Second Place Winner -- wins 2 Books
1 Third Place Winner -- wins 1 Book

Giveaway rules:
1. Each winner will get to choose which books you want in the following order: Grand Prize Winner, 1st Place Winner, 2nd Place Winner, 3rd Place Winner.
2. Giveaway is open to everyone.
3. Please include your email address in your comment.
4. Giveaway ends Tuesday, January 5th at 11:59 PM EST.
5. +10 for promoting this giveaway on your blog, MUST be a Post.
6. +8 if you add me or have already added me to your blog roll.
7. +6 if you are already a follower of this blog and Dark Faerie Tales on Twitter.
8. +4 for becoming a follower of this blog and Dark Faerie Tales on Twitter.
9. +2 for tweeting about this contest, linking via your sidebar etc...(please tell me where!).

LINK TO THE GIVEAWAY

Teaser Tuesday (10)

This weekly book blog meme is hosted by Misb at Should be Reading.

Here are the rules:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
- Share the title & author too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Title: The Better Part of Darkness
Author: Kelly Gay
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release date: 11/24/09

As I rounded the corner, the guards were down on their knees in front of the gate, their semis pointed straight at my windshield. Adrenaline surging, I hit the brakes, sliding to a screeching hault. -- pg. 226

Sunday, November 29, 2009

In My Mailbox (11)

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week.

Books bought:

Title: Kiss of Fury
Author: Deborah Cooke
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 08/05/08
Summary:
Alexandra Madison has discovered an invention that could change the world. When her partner is murdered and their lab destroyed, Alex knows she has to rebuild her prototype in time...

Donovan Shea knows the Madison project is of dire importance to the ongoing Pyr/Slayer war. So when he sees Alex being followed by a Slayer, he reacts and defends her, never imagining that she’s his destined mate...

As Slayers close in on their prey, Donovan knows he’ll surrender his life to protect Alex — and lose his heart to possess her...


Title: Ghost of a Chance
Author: Yasmine Galenorn
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: 08/05/03
Summary:
Emerald O'Brien is the owner of the Chintz 'n China Tea Room where guests are served the perfect blend of tea and tarot reading. She never set out to be a detective, but once word gets out that she can communicate with the dead, there's no turning back...

When the ghost of Susan Mitchell asks for Emerald's help in convicting her own murderer, Emerald can't refuse. Along with her friends-an ex-supermodel and a cop-and her new love interest, Emerald must search for clues to put the killer behind bars-and this tortured soul to rest.


Title: Pleasure Unbound
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 06/20/08
Summary:
In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life...

She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure - but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable - and let Tayla possess him, body and soul...


Title: Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 05/31/07
Summary:
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty — especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.


Title: The Darkest Night
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 05/01/08
Summary:
His powers -- Inhuman
His passion -- Beyond immortal...


All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments... and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...


Title: The Darkest Kiss
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 06/01/08
Summary:
She has tempted many men… but never found her equal.

Until now.

Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death — a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining...


Title: If Angels Burn
Author: Lynn Viehl
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date:
Summary:
Alexandra Keller is Chicago's most brilliant reconstructive surgeon. Michael Cyprien is New Orleans' most reclusive millionaire-and in desperate need of Dr. Keller's skills. In the heart of the Garden District, Alex encounters the extraordinary Cyprien, uncovering a love Alex is willing to embrace, even if she must sacrifice her heart and soul to do so.


Books won:

Title: The Better Part of Darkness (ARC)
Author: Kelly Gay
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 11/27/09
Summary:
Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil...

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim -- but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?

(I won this ARC through Literary Escapism. Thanks Jackie!)