Review: Halfway to the Grave- Jeaniene Frost

Catherine Crawfield is a half-vampire determined to find her vampire father, and kill him. All the vampires that she finds and kills in the process are just a bonus. Using herself as bait she tracks them down and takes them out. Then, she finds one that completely throws her off her game and captures her. Bones is unlike any of the vampires she's met before and he's stronger. What he wants is also much different. Surprisingly he doesn't want her for a snack. He wants her help. Can she put away her hate for vampires to learn from him?
Through their combined skills they are quite a team, but they attract the attention of a group of vampires that are unlike anything Cat has faced before. Now, because of Bones she is in the most danger she has ever been. Something else she did not plan on...the danger of Bones himself, but not in the way she thought. Bones is strong, sexy, seductive, and one of my favorite characters that I've read. Personally, I'm in love, how will Cat fair?
To read the first chapter or see the book trailer go to Jeaniene Frost's website HERE.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is enjoying whatever holidays you all celebrate. As for me, it is just after midnight on Christmas day! With my family, we open all of our presents on Christmas Eve. Now I have a nice new pile of books to read through while I curl up in my new robe and pajamas. So, soon be looking for reviews on books by Jeaniene Frost, Mari Mancusi and Chris Marie Green. I'm off to read before I get a good nights sleep so that I can spend another day with family tomorrow. Wishing you all the best during the holidays!

Mari Mancusi's Christmas Gift Giveaway!

Head on over to Mari's blog where she is giving away a bunch of young adult books!

Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
Blue Bloods (complete 4 book series) - Melissa De La Cruz
Morganville Vampires (complete 8 book series) - Rachel Caine
Morganville new trade paperback (containing first two books in the series)
Shadowland AUDIO BOOK (Immortals series) - Alyson Noel
Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier
Gentlemen - Michael Northrop
Ransom my Heart (Princess Diaries) - Meg Cabot
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (book 2 of Ally Carter's Galagher Girls series)
Rampant - Diana Peterfreund

Head on over to her blog to find out how to win!
http://marimancusi.blogspot.com/



Don't forget that Bad Blood goes on sale January 5, 2010!

Anya Bast and Lauren Dane Contest! Win a Nook!

Curl Up with a Book…and a Nook Contest end January 5, 2010. The contest is being hosted by Anya Bast and Lauren Dane. Click here for details on how to enter. They are also both giving away a book of each others every day until January 5th. So be sure to check out both of their blogs daily to enter!
Anya Bast's blog: http://www.anyabast.com/blog/
Lauren Dane's blog: http://www.laurendane.com/blog/

Review: Dark Lover- by J.R. Ward

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There also exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Among them, none relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood...

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both...
(blurb from J.R. Ward's website)

Dark Lover is the first novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. I must sheepishly admit that I've had this sitting on my shelf for months. The whole time I've heard nothing but wonderful things about this series, yet I still didn't pick it up. Stupid. I LOVED this book. All of the characters in it have me totally smitten. I want to be as wonderfully strong as Beth, and I would be happy having any of the the Brothers...well probably, since I have only read book one, I reserve the right to change my mind. This was a steamy read, without going overboard at all. Mystery, fighting, sex, love, leather. I'm sold!

I know I know, I haven't posted in almost a week...

Ok, it's holiday crunch time and that has gotten me no where with my reading. I really should have waited until after the holidays to start this blog, but I was just excited to get it started. Please bear with me for a few more days while I try to get things settled a little for the holidays. Then I can get back to my reading that I enjoy oh so much and start writing my reviews again! I'll be reviewing Dark Lover, book 1 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, as soon as I get a chance.

Amanda Leigh

Bloody Bookaholic- Christmas/Hanukkah/ Whatever you believe in Blowout!

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It's a combination of celebrations for both the holidays and for Bloody Bookaholic reaching 500+ followers! Look at these amazing prizes!

- ARC Eyes Like Stars
- Signed ARC Hush Hush
- ARC Ash
- ARC The Demon's Lexicon
- ARC Betraying Season
- The Black Tatto + poster
- I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
- Candle Man, Book One
- Deadtown
- Lenore Noogies
- The anticipated sequel of The Nanny Diaries, The Nanny Returns
- Never After by Dan Elconsin
- Secret Society signed book and an Ambassador Kit
- a 2010 book called The Mark by Jen Nadol
- gift cards for Ninja T Shirts

Check out Bloody Bookaholic for more info and to enter! Please leave Amanda Leigh in the comment as your referral, I would really appreciate it!
http://bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com/2009/11/christmashanukkah-whatever-you-believe.html

Dark Fairy Tales- Happy Holiday Book Blowout!

Head on over to Dark Fairy Tales for a chance to win a great selection of books. Contest has already begun and ends January 5th.

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

1 Grand Prize Winner (4 Books)
1 First Place Winner ( 3 Books)
1 Second Place Winner (2 Books)
1 Third Place Winner (1 Book)

For more information, check out:
http://darkfaerietales.com/happy-holidays-book-blowout.html#comments

Review: Circus of the Damned- by Laurell K Hamilton

Adventures continue with Anita Blake, zombie-queen, police paranormal expert, and possible human servant to the Master of the City. It seems Anita will never be safe as long as she knows Jean Claude's identity. Radical human groups, police, vampire hunters, and rogue master vampires are all out to get him. How better to find the mysterious master than through such a well known human. Besides, humans are the easier target, right?
Also, thrown into the mix is the mysterious Richard Zeeman. He is under the control of Jean Claude, but why? For the first time in a long time Anita is drawn to a man, but it is possible that whatever secret hold Jean Claude has on him could be detrimental to their relationship. Then there is the ever confusing relationship between Anita and Jean Claude. Though she is drawn to him, she refuses to give in to him. Perhaps it is finally time for Anita to decide where her loyalties truly lie.
I think that so far I'm enjoying these books more and more as I get to know the characters. The murder mysteries, near death experiences, and continuing experiences with Jean Claude have me really enjoying this series. Plus, its always great when there is a woman that can take care of herself and kick some paranormal or human butt in the process!

Laurell K. Hamilton's website is HERE
Read the First 2 Chapters
Buy the book at Amazon HERE

Review: Swallowing Darkness- by Laurell K. Hamilton

Meredith Gentry is a princess of faerie, she is also heir to the Unseelie thrown. Finally pregnant with twins, it looks as if her future in faerie will be set as long as she can stay safe from her Uncle Taranis and cousin Cel. What happens, though, if there are more plots than they ever imagined? Will they ever be safe? How can the men protect Merry and her child, while she tries to protect them all?
I have been a follower of the Merry Gentry series, and it is a series that I both love and tire of sometimes. I must say I was very happy with Swallowing Darkness. It would not be a good book in the series to start with, as it picks up right where A Lick of Frost ended. This book did a much better job than some of the others in the series of continuing to move forward with the plot while keeping a balance with the love scenes that Laurell K. Hamilton likes to put in her books. Some of the books have been way to full of them to where it takes away from the story, but as I said before I found there to be much more of a balance in this one.
I am interested to know what others think about this book. It had an ending to it, like none of the others did. Really, I would have been happy enough with the series ending with this book. There is plenty more to be told, don't get me wrong, but the book did rather wrap up the story. Now, that I have said that, Divine Misdemeanors is out now, so hopefully soon I can read for myself exactly where next Laurell K. Hamilton is going to take us in Merry's world.

Review: The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton

Paranormal murder mysteries continue with Anita Blake. Someone or something is leaving bits of bodies behind, but very few clues to follow. Anita must help the police get in touch with a voodoo priestess, avoid killer zombies, and avoid a millionaire's attempts for paying her for a raising involving a human sacrifice. As if all that is not one large mess of trouble she has a run in with Jean Claude at The Laughing Corpse that may just leave her with more questions than answers and tempt her farther into his world.

I found this follow up to Guilty Pleasures to be fascinatingly, disturbing just like the first and loved it from beginning to end! Anita's strong sense of self is wonderful and her ability to take care of herself and just plan scare the guys is wonderful! Jean Claude's character begins to change a little bit from the previous book, but he is still a guy I can't wait to find out more and more about in books to come. So, you will definitely be seeing more of the Anita Blake series on this blog. It is one of my favorites!

For more information go check out Laurell K. Hamilton's SITE!
And go HERE to purchase the book.

Happy Birthday Book Junkie Giveaway!

You can win up to 35 books! That's right, 35 books! Go check out Book Junkie's blog for more details and the entry form. You even get to pick out a several books! Still not interested. Some authors have given some of the items themselves...did that help. Ok, go check it out!

12 days Giveways!!

Now is the time to go ahead and RSVP for JoJosBookCorner 12 Days of Blogness Giveaway. There will be prizes everyday with an extra giveaway for those attending everyday! And if the follower goal is met, there just might be more prizes to be had. So, go on over and check it out!!

Hello All!

Oh wait...There's no one here....Well. In case someone eventually reads this. Welcome to my blog. I have never done this before. I also never really thought that I would. Pouring out my thoughts to the world never seemed like something I wanted to do before. Really, it still doesn't. So, instead I will focus it elsewhere. Reading. Books have become and escape and a sort of therapy in themselves for me. I love them. Mostly paranormal romance, urban fantasy, some other fantasy, and young adult books. What will this blog transform into? I have no idea. But here is the beginning.