Review: Awakened by Ednah Walters

Awakened by Ednah Walters 
The Guardian Legacy 
Publisher: Pill Hill Press
Published: Sept 2, 2010 
Genre: Young Adult 
paperback-272 pages

Summary:

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons.

Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers.

But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice. (From author’s website)

 

My Review:

Awakened by Ednah Walters is book one of the Guardian Legacy, a new young adult series. Lil Falcon is like any ordinary teenage girl. She just is part gypsy and hears voices in her head. Wait. What? No, wrong, well sort of, she’s part Nephilim, and it is her duty to protect humanity from demons. She thought her new high school would be tough, now she has to deal with demons too.

The cool thing about being Nephilim is that right away she’s part of a group and gets to know others of her kind and start training. The bad news, other than the mortal danger of demons of course, is that there has to be that spoiled perfect brat of a girl at her high school who hates her immediately and of course is also Nephilim, named Kim. Let the good times and hair pulling begin! Lol. ;)

Oops I skipped the introduction of my favorite person, the male interest Bran. Yumminess. He leapt off the page from the get go, and I was always waiting for him to pop up next, literally. Him and Lil have instant chemistry, but there are questions as to who Bran really is and it could be very dangerous for Lil.

As for Lil herself, she’s not the only one that’s amazed at what she’s capable of doing. Jealousy never helps situations. Having her grandfather in charge of everyone and knowing nothing about it for 16 years doesn’t help either. There’s so much she doesn’t know, and it’s obvious that most people in her life her keeping things from her still. But what?

The world Ednah Walters created is fabulous! I was sucked in from the first chapter and could barely put the book down. The histories of two worlds and all the people and races are amazing. All the characters are unique and stand on their own so well. Lil and Bran are different than a lot of the characters I read about, and it was refreshing. The biggest problem I had was not having the next book to read when I finished this one!

It was great! Go get it!

*I recieved an ARC for an honest review from the author.*

 

Find Ednah Walters around the web:

Website I Blog I Twitter I Facebook I Myspace I Goodreads

 

~~Win my ARC of Awakened here!~~

Book Tour: The Missing by Shiloh Walker

The Missing by Shiloh Walker
Re-released: July 6, 2010 
Genre: paranormal romance
paperback-313 pages

Summary:

LOVE LOST

As a teenager, Taige Branch was able to do things with her psychic gift that others couldn’t understand—except for Cullen Morgan, the boy who stole her heart. He did his best to accept her abilities, until his mother was brutally murdered—and he couldn’t forgive Taige for not preventing her death.

PASSION FOUND

Now a widowed father, Cullen Morgan has never forgotten Taige. But what brings her back into his life is another tragic event. His beloved little girl has been kidnapped, and Taige is his only hope of finding her.

A LOVE THAT NEVER DIED

Working together against the clock, Cullen and Taige can’t help but wonder whether—if they find his daughter in time—it isn’t too late for the overpowering love that still burns between them… (Summary from author’s website)

My thoughts:

The Missing is a re-release from Shiloh Walker. It’s about a psychic named Taige Branch and the boy that fell for her, Cullen Morgan. Cullen is on a family vacation for the summer when he meets a 15-year-old Taige and is quickly infatuated with her. It soon becomes apparent that there is more to her than just her gorgeous looks, and Cullen handles Taige’s abilities very well. The two continue to become closer to each other over the next four years, until Cullen’s mother is killed and Taige doesn’t see it until it’s too late. This tears the two apart.

Twelve years later, Taige has spent her life trying to help people, and Cullen has never forgotten about her. So, when his daughter is kidnapped, he knows that Taige is the best person for him to turn to for help. Can they overcome their past to find his daughter?

Taige is a wonderful main character that I felt for from the beginning, and I got completely caught up in her story. She has had some horrible things to deal with in her past, from the death of her parents to living with her awful Bible-spouting uncle who thinks she’s evil. Still, she strives to help others above all else and puts others before herself.

Cullen is a very likable character as well. He’s a nice guy as a teenager that grows into a great man. Though he has his faults, and once or twice I wanted to smack him, overall he’s caring, observant, and will do anything to find his daughter.

This is the first book I’ve read by Shiloh Walker, and I was so looking forward to it because I’ve heard such great things about her work. I wasn’t disappointed. The chemistry between Cullen and Taige radiates from the page and always left me wanting more. Also, I loved the way the book was set up, split off along years so we got to follow along. You can bet I’ll be reading plenty more of Shiloh Walker’s books from here on out!

 

*received copy for review from The Book Vixen as part of The Missing Book Tour*

 

Website I Twitter I Facebook

 

Make sure you visit the other stops on The Missing tour:

6/28 - The Book Vixen http://thebookvixen.com
6/29 - The Fiction Enthusiast http://thefictionenthusiast.blogspot.com/
6/30 - Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick http://not-really-southernvampchick.blogspot.com/
7/1 - The Bibliophilic Book Blog http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
7/2 - Sit and Read http://www.sithereandread.com/

 

Excerpt Three-The Missing

Shaking her head, she flung up a hand and rasped, “Stay back. Oh, God . . .” It was a harsh, tormented moan. Slowly, she sank to her knees and doubled over, her arms wrapped around her middle like she’d been punched right in the gut.

Frustrated, helpless, Cullen stood by watching until she fell over in the sand, and then he couldn’t hold still any­more. A weak whimper escaped her throat as he scooped her into his arms and sat there, holding her in his lap. Stroking a hand up and down her back, he murmured to her and brooded. Prayed. He kissed her temple and rocked her back and forth, and all the while, she curled into him. She didn’t speak. Occasionally, there was a soft little mewling sound, but that was it.

Cullen didn’t know how much time passed. He lost count of the waves that crashed into the sand. The tide moved out, and water that had been lapping just inches away from his feet was a good five or six feet away. The clear, flawless blue sky slowly started to deepen and darken, the moon making its ascent while the sun still burned, sinking closer and closer to the horizon.

The setting sun had started to paint the sky with a pal­ette of orange, gold, and pink when Taige finally moved. Deep in her throat, she made a harsh, guttural moan, and her spine bowed, her neck arching back. For the first time, he saw her face.

An icy chill ran through him when he saw her eyes. They were black. The pupil was so huge, it had all but eclipsed the iris, and he couldn’t see the soft gray at all. In a matter of heartbeats, her icy skin started to warm, and by the time the sun had completely set, she was burning hot in his arms. Her skin was dry, although he had broken out into a sweat from the heat she was throwing off.

Terrified no longer described what he felt. There was only one time in his life he’d felt like this, and that had been in the hours after he’d learned that Jillian had been abducted. His fingers trembled minutely as he went to push her hair back. Fisting his hand in her soft thick curls, he said, “Taige. Come on, baby. Talk to me.”

“It’s him.” Her lashes drooped low over her eyes. Her voice was dreamy and oddly disconnected. “He’s there. Burning . . .”  

 

Make sure you stop by The Bibliophilic Book Blog tomorrow for another review and excerpt as the next stop on The Missing Book Tour!

Review: Embers by Laura Bickle

Embers by Laura Bickle
An Anya Kalinczyk Novel
Publisher: Pocket
Pub. Date: March 30, 2010
Genre: Urban Fantasy
368 pages

Unemployment, despair, anger--visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya--who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern--suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya--with the help of her salamander familiar and the paranormal investigating team --can stop it.

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced. (Summary from author's website)

Embers is the debut urban fantasy novel from Laura Bickle. Anya Kalinczyk is an arson investigator in Detroit, a ghost hunter, and most importantly a Lantern, the rarest kind of psychic medium. She also always wears a torque necklace around her neck that contains her familiar and guardian, Sparky, who is a Salamander, a fire elemental.

The book starts out with Anya helping out the Detroit Area Ghost Researchers (DAGR) where she must deal with a spirit in an old soda machine. Yes, you read that right a soda machine. As a Lantern she can destroy spirits, though it isn't something she likes to do. She helps out DAGR when they need her, but her day job is with the Detroit Fire Department as an arson investigator. She is currently dealing with a serial arsonist, who is leaving strange symbols at the scenes and causing impossible fires.

This case will bring her in to things she never expected, and make her face things about herself that she never wanted to face. Yet she may be able to learn more about what a Lantern is capable of and what really matters to her. You never know what you love until it could be destroyed.

I loved this book! Anya starts out trying so hard to keep herself so separate from everything so that she doesn't hurt anyone, yet she doesn't realize how many attachments to the world she really has. This book can be dark and gritty and show the darker sides to Detroit, but there're also lighter parts and beauty and hope.

Anya is a great heroine that goes through a huge transformation, and I loved taking that journey with her. The DAGR gang is fantastic, and I loved the whole dynamic of their little family. Brian, I want to know more about because he's my kind of guy, brainy, brave, and handsome. Drake is someone I ended up liking a lot too, though there were only so many ways that could end.

Then there's Sparky, the elemental familiar. My favorite familiar of all now. I absolutely adore Sparky! His Gloworm was awesome, I had one of those too! LOL His tendency to blow up things electronic was hilarious! He was fiercely protective of Anya and worried about her. I don't think I can explain how much Sparky had me laughing and smiling while I was reading this. Truly one of my favorite characters!

All in all this book is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! There are mediums, ghosts, demons, witches, people, and Sparky! It's urban fantasy through and through, and I can't wait to delve farther into this world Bickle has created. It's fantastic!

Anya Kalinczyk books:
1. Embers (available now)
2. Sparks (available August 31, 2010)

Writing as Alayna Williams
Dark Oracle (available May 25, 2010)

She will be here June 10th as a part of her Blog Tour for Dark Oracle, so make sure you check that out!




Discussion Questions for Blog w/ Bite:
1. So if you had the chance would you have a pet elemental, even with the inconvenience of broken microwaves?
Absolutely! I love Sparky! Of course, you probably already figured that out. LOL
2. What did you think about the relationship between, Brian, Anya and Drake?
I understood Anya's pull towards Drake, but I really like Brian and hope that thing escalate for them in the next book!
3. Did the book make you want to visit Detroit or steer clear?
I've been to Detroit before, and I really didn't feel a need to go back.
4. A big part of Embers surrounds paranormal activity and the whole Scooby style system....What do you think of shows like Ghost Hunter, Paranormal State and the such?
I really enjoy them, though I tend to forget about watching them unless someone reminds me. I don't think much of what is shown is real, but the entertainment is fun.
5. Do you believe in the paranormal world around us or chalk it up to complete fantasy and make believe?
I believe that there is plenty out there that we haven't discovered yet, and I'm open to things paranormal being out there, though I am a bit of a skeptic a lot of times.



*I purchased this book on my own.*

Review: The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Title: The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: May 4, 2010
Genre: Young Adult
224 pages

It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist — a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden — an adventure that will change their lives forever. (Summary from publisher's website)

The Prince of Mist was originally written in Spanish, and it has now been translated in English. It takes place in the 1940's during the war, and Maximilian Carver moves his family out of the city to a beach town for their safety. As soon as they arrive, his son Max feels that things in this new town are a little strange, and once they arrive at their new home that feeling increases.

Next thing you know, there're weird sounds, strange occurrences, odd dreams, and a mysterious garden. Once accidents start to occur it's apparent that something is definitely going on. It's up to Max, his sister Alicia, and their friend Roland to figure out what, and if it could all possibly be tied to the mysterious Prince of Mist, whoever he is.

This story was a fast read for me. It's a pretty short book anyway, but I flew through it. It ended up being a bit scarier than I thought it would be. I caught myself looking over my shoulder a few times while I was reading, and kept thinking I should pick it back up when it wasn't the middle of the night, but then that's just no fun!

For the most part I loved the characters. Max, Alicia, and Roland are the only characters that we really get to know enough about, though at times I still felt a bit disconnected from them. The other characters were great, but they weren't really around long enough for me to establish any type of connection with them.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book, and enjoyed getting creeped out by it. With that said, the ending was a bit shocking and abrupt. Oh, and if clowns really creep you out...hehe. Let's just say that they don't creep me out, and I was creeped out. Just giving you a heads up!


*I received an ARC copy for review through Book It Forward Tours from Dark Faerie Tales*

April Challenge & 2 New 2010 Challenges

April NAC Mini-Challenge
Deadline Dames vs. Fangs, Fur & Fey
Hosted by: Literary Escapism
Dates: April 1, 2010-April 30, 2010
Goal: Read up to 5 new and different authers from either list.

I'm planning on reading:
1. Ilona Andrews
2. Jeri Smith-Ready
3. Maggie Stiefvater
4. Jill Myles
5. Nalini Singh



Debut Urban Fantasy Challenge 2010
Hosted by: Dark Faerie Tales
Dates: January 2010-December 2010
Goal: To read 15 debut urban fantasy novels in 2010

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Debut Paranormal Romance Challenge 2010
Hosted by: Dark Faerie Tales
Dates: January 2010-December 2010
Goal: To read 10 debut paranormal romance novels in 2010

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Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Title: Sisters Red
Author: Jackson Pearce
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: June 7, 2010
Genre: Young Adult
336 pages

Scarlet March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?
(Summary from amazon)

Sisters Red is a young adult fairy tale remake by Jackson Pearce. The prologue starts off right in the action and you quickly learn this to be a Little Red Riding Hood tale. Skip to the main story seven years later with Scarlet and Rosie March hunting Fenris. Fenris, werewolves, attacked them when they were younger, taking Scarlet's eye, and killing their grandmother. The girls also have help in the form of Silas Reynolds, who grew up in a family of woodsmen, and has became Scarlet's hunting partner until he left for a year to get away from it all.

Scarlet lives and breaths for the hunt. Nothing else matters for her, and she can't imagine how it could for anyone else. Rosie loves her sister above all else, so she hunts for her, though it isn't really what she wishes she could do. Part of her wants to live a somewhat normal life. Silas feels the same way. So it's no wonder that the two of them quickly form a bond, that's a new dynamic to the group.

This was my first fairy tale remake, and I'm happy with my choice of books. Though Scarlet's jealousy and refusal to understand others really irritated me several times, overall I enjoyed her character. Rosie was fabulous, and it was great seeing her realize how strong she was. Silas is my teenage self's kind of guy. The plot was rather predictable for the most part, but that didn't hinder the story. It just left me wondering how exactly things would unfold.

Overall, I really enjoyed this, and all the Little Red Riding Hood references were fabulous! There were red capes, baskets, a cottage, a grandmother, woodsmen, axes, and wolves of course. These two girls in red, however, are not two girls I would recommend messing with unless you want a knife or dagger lodged in your chest.

Sisters Red comes out June 7, 2010. It can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

To learn more about Sister Red or Jackson Pearce, you can go here.

There are two companion books to Sisters Red in the works:
-Sweetly is a modernization of Hansel and Gretel. More details here.
-Fathomless is a modernization of The Little Mermaid.

*Received this ARC as a part of Book It Forward Tours.

Review: Sing Me to Sleep- by Angela Morrison

THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.
(Blurb from publisher's website)

Sing Me To Sleep is a young adult novel written by Angela Morrison. It's a bit different than what I usually review on here, because it is in no way paranormal, but I read it and thought I'd share it with you.

Beth is an outcast at school in Port, Michigan. She's grown up being the ugly duckling and always picked on, especially by a select group of jocks. Now she has the lovely nickname of "The Beast". The only friend she has is Scott, her nerdy, but turning handsome best friend. He constantly flirts with her, but she thinks he only does it to be nice, which hurts her even worse.

There's one escape for Beth, and that is singing. Her high school has a choir, but that isn't where her heart is. She drives a hundred miles twice a week to be in an all girls choir named Bliss. Due to the previous soloist's horrid stage fright, Beth ends up singing a solo in a song, and the girls get to compete in Switzerland in the Choral Olympics. Before they can do that though, it's decided that Beth needs a makeover so that her looks match her angelic voice.

In Lausanne, Switzerland, Beth and her new friends in Bliss meet some guys from Amabile Boys' Choir in London, Canada, including the gorgeous star soloist Derek, who is in love with Beth's voice. There's a group of them that do everything together, and Beth starts falling hard for Derek. The only thing is that there is something Derek is hiding, but is it what Beth thinks, or could it be even worse?

When their time is up in Switzerland, Derek and Beth decide they want things to continue between them, since really they don't live that far from each other. Beth just wasn't expecting Scott to be waiting for her and declaring how he's always felt about her. What is a girl to do?

I really had a hard time liking Beth off and on throughout this book. Well, that is until I figured out what the problem was. She reminded me of all my worst insecurities from my teenage self and my first serious relationship. So, I guess that would be an author nailing things pretty good for me. LOL.

This book was a great coming of age book about Beth. She grows up a lot, learns about life, and learns about love. Mostly she just learns to love herself. It's a pretty emotional book, but it's a great read. All the characters are wonderful. I don't think there's anyone I don't like, well other than the school bullies, but can I get a duh there. So, as a great break from my usual paranormal, this was wonderful, and I just might have to start featuring a non-paranormal book every week or so!

*I received this ARC copy of Sing Me to Sleep through a contest at The Story Siren.

To learn more about Sing Me to Sleep and to hear Beth's Song, which you can read about in the book, check out Angela Morrison's website.

Review: Red-Headed Stepchild- by Jaye Wells

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin – the only profession fit for an outcast – doesn’t help matters. But she’s never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she’s on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal...
(Blurb from the back of the book)

Red-Headed Stepchild is the debut novel in the Sabina Kane series by Jaye Wells. Sabina is half-vampire and half-mage, which is a forbidden mixture of bloodlines. Due to this, and her job as an assassin, she is an outcast among the vampires. Raised by her grandmother, one of the leaders of the vampires known as the Dominae, after being orphaned at birth, Sabina was raised to hate all other beings but vampires.

The book starts out with Sabina burying her latest meal, right before she assassinates her latest target for the Dominae, who also happens to be a friend of hers. Orders are orders though, and the Dominae know what's best, right? So she does what she must, then does a few things she doesn't quite have to do. This helps lead to a great cover story for the Dominae's next plan for her. They want her to go undercover and infiltrate a rival group that is trying to unite supernaturals together. She is to find out who their spies are and assassinate their leader Clovis. Easier said than done, especially since she's never been any kind of spy. In the process she wants to find out who this strange mage is who keeps following her.

I was quickly caught up in this world and was done with the book before I wished I was. While a lot of the supernatural creatures are ones that have been seen a lot, this take is a fresh one. Vampires are the descendants of Liliath and Cain, and a lot of the other mythology spins off from there. It was wonderful!

Sabina is an interesting character. She was raised by vampires, but was hurt by them her whole life, and seems confused at times when her conscience seems to speak up a little. Her journey through this book is a big one, but there is a lot more to find out, so I can't wait to continue on in The Mage in Black.

Secondary characters were also great. Sabina gets a surprise roommate, Giguhl, who is hilarious! Vinca is full of surprises. Adam, is... well, he's just Adam, and I want to know more! Clovis is scary, but still draws you in, which makes him that much worse.

So, overall... loved it! This was an urban fantasy book that gave me everything I wanted: action, humor, sexual undertones, and a very promising beginning to a series I can't wait to continue!

Sabina Kane series:
1. Red-Headed Stepchild
2. The Mage in Black (release date: April 1, 2010)
Also, the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, vol. 2 contains a story ”Vampsploitation”, that is a prequel short story to Red-Headed Stepchild. It also sets up backstory for The Mage in Black.

Review: Tempest Rising- by Nicole Peeler

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society.

During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures that are terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never- ever- rub the genie's lamp.
(Blurb from the back of the book)

Tempest Rising is the debut novel in the Jane True series by Nicole Peeler. Jane True is a book store clerk in Rockabill, Maine. She has never fit in with the rest of the town, mostly due to her outcast of a mother and her own strange ways. Now, she keeps herself secluded because she, along with everyone in the town blame her for the death of her boyfriend Jason.

The book starts off seeming to go through a normal day with Jane. She takes out dinner to defrost for her and her father, who she takes care of, and then she goes to work. Her co-workers and only friends Tracy and Grizzie are a blast! Grizzie especially. Tracy and Grizzie are a couple, but that doesn't stop Grizzie from flirting with just about everyone especially Jane, though what she wants most is for Jane to find someone and be happy.

After a run in with one of the nastier people in town, Jane turns to what calms her the most after she gets off work, swimming. That's when we see that things with Jane aren't quite so normal. Not everyone can go jump in freezing water, naked, and swim near a whirlpool that should be way to strong for her. Then things start to get even worse. Jane finds a body in the water and rescues it from the whirlpool. Not knowing what to do with it she leaves it on the beach to hopefully be found by an old man that lives there.

From there things get really strange. Jane ends up meeting a group of supernatural beings who inform her that she is half-selkie and that an investigator will be coming to ask her some questions about the murder, because it was related to the supernatural. The investigator's name is Ryu who is incredibly good looking and powerful, oh and a vampire. He wants Jane's help with the murder investigation, and the farther they get into the investigation, the more Jane goes into that world and the more dangers she finds.

This book was a very fast read for me, and I didn't want to put it down. The world was very intriguing with a list of all different types of supernatural beings apart from the usual ones. Even those had a bit of a different twist to them. There was a lot of humor and a lot of sex, but it still balanced out enough for me. The fighting in it was a bit light compared to some other urban fantasies, but that was a nice change. Most of the struggle was within Jane herself.

The characters are awesome! I absolutely adored Jane from beginning to end! Ryu was a lot of fun and can make a scene hot, but I don't think I want him with Jane. Jane's human friends are hilarious with strong personalities. Her supernatural friends are people I can't wait to find out more about in the next book, one in particular!! Overall, this book was fabulous and I can't wait for the next one, Tracking the Tempest!

Jane True series:
1. Tempest Rising
2. Tracking the Tempest (release date: July 1, 2010)
3. Tempest's Legacy (release date: January 1, 2011)

Review: Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry

THE THING NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT DYING IS JUST HOW MUCH FUN IT CAN BE.

Alive, ad exec Amanda Feral worked hard to wring enjoyment out of her days. Now that she's a zombie, it's a different story. Turns out, Seattle is home to glamorous undead of every description, and Amanda- stylish and impeccably groomed even in the afterlife- is swinging cocktails and living large (so to speak) among its elite. But there are downsides. Not being able to stomach anything except alcohol and human flesh, for instance. And the fact that someone is targeting Seattle's otherworldly inhabitants for their own sinister reasons.

Preying on the undead is seriously uncool. The only option is for Amanda and her zombie BFF Wendy and gorgeous gay vampire pal Gil to unearth the culprit among the legions of Seattle's bloodsuckers, shapeshifters, reapers, succubi, and demons- before they meet a fate a lot worse than death...
(Blurb from the back of the mass market paperback)

Happy Hour of the Damned is the first book in the Amanda Feral series by Mark Henry. Amanda is a newly created zombie, a fashionista, and possibly the snarkiest character I've come across. The book starts out while Amanda is out with her friends for drinks, and boy do they drink a lot, but they have few choices. Being a zombie gives Amanda the choice of drinking alcohol and eating people. If she has anything else, the results are not pretty, and yes you get to find out what they are. Lucky you.

Anyway, when one of their friends is later than usual for drinks, Amanda finally receives a text asking for help. When they go to her house there's no trace of her. The search is on. Unfortunately for the lost friend, she's got the most self-centered group of people looking for her. Amanda doesn't even like taking the time out in the story to tell the background of the other characters because that takes the focus off of her, and the other ones are about the same really.

This is one twisted tale that gets Amanda in deeper and deeper trouble. She might have to rethink her plans because she doesn't want to mess up her unhealable zombie flesh. That just would not do!

It took me a while to get my thoughts in order about what to say about this book. It's unique that's for sure, and I loved it! As someone who uses LOL probably too much, I don't actually laugh out loud a whole lot. I usually chuckle quietly to myself. While I read this book, I LOL, then LOL, then LOL, I think you get the point. However, I kind of hate Amanda... but I like reading about her and her friends. She's bitchy and self-centered and that's even before she became a zombie, so now you add in eating people. With that said, she's perverted, foul-mouthed, and absolutely hilarious! Also, the girl can dress!

As for her friends, Wendy is also a zombie, and a lot like Amanda, which is why they get along so wonderfully. Gil is the gorgeous gay vampire of the group who fits right in as well. Ricardo is the hunk of a zombie bartender who also helps out the gang from time to time. Other creatures are thrown in here and there, and then there's the search for their friend Liesl.

The world is fabulous, and by fabulous I mean dark, gritty, stylish, and funny. Mark Henry takes us to the dirty underside of the city while trying to figure out who dunnit. If you get grossed out easily, are offended by bad language, or are looking for some romance, this is not the book for you. But if you like a book that can make fun of everyday pop culture from Starbucks to music, while being filled with snark and paranormal creatures galore, then here ya go! I loved it and hope to soon read the next two books in the series!

Amanda Feral series:
1. Happy Hour of the Damned
2. Road Trip of the Living Dead
3. Battle of the Network Zombies (just released February 23rd)

Review: Vintage Soul- by David Niall Wilson

Vintage Soul is the first book in the DeChance series by David Niall Wilson. Donovan DeChance is a practicing mage, sometimes private investigator, and always collector of ancient manuscripts, but wait I'm already getting ahead of myself. The book starts out at a party full of vampires. Security is both the best technologically speaking that money can buy, and under the best supernatural supervision. This still does not prevent the kidnapping of the host's lover, Vanessa, one of the sexist women ever apparently from the way people react to her. The vampires know they are no match for someone who has magical talents that could breech their security, so they enlist the help of DeChance, who they have gone to in the past.

DeChance meanwhile gets a nasty surprise of his own when he's attacked at home and a journal that he has acquired is taken. When he finds out about Vanessa's kidnapping, he realizes the two things are connected, which is a very, very bad thing, especially for Vanessa. The journal contains all the parts needed for an outlawed ritual, that includes Vanessa's blood. Now, it is a race against time. Can Donovan keep this mysterious bad guy from getting all the ingredients needed and flush him out before the ritual can be completed?

It might take a little bit of help from some others to figure all this out. Thankfully, Donovan has a familiar, Cleo who is downright helpful and able to get in touch with Amethyst for him. What is Amethyst and Donovan's past? No idea. They are involved though, and they also help each other out magically when needed. Oh boy is it needed, and Amethyst has impeccable timing because Donovan did not think to prepare for everything.

In this book, the POV jumps around a bit. It's nice being able to see things from all the different sides, the vampires, Donovan, Amethyst, even our villain every now and then. This did, however, let you know who the villain was a lot sooner than Donovan did, but that's okay. It happens a lot and doesn't take anything away from the story.

Now, at first I had a bit of trouble getting into the book. It starts with the vampires, and that's all fine and well. Then we switch to Donovan, and the magic and all begins without any sort of major back story or world building or anything. So color me a little confused for a bit. The thing is, I was wanting to like it because I liked Donovan, but I didn't know enough to like it. Well, the magical world is still never explained in as much detail as I would like, but this is going to be a series, so there's still room for that in other books I can hope. As far as me liking the book... oh yeah! Once I got more into the world and the characters I was set. Oh, and the action really started to pull me in somewhere in the middle.

Donovan is a great and likable character. He's powerful and intelligent, and I like the undercurrent of romance going on with him and Amethyst. I love her as well. A woman that can take care of herself for the most part with different magical strengths than Donovan. The vampires are all great in there own ways, and I wouldn't mind seeing all of them again. Cleo, the cat, is a helpful familiar, and I wished we had gotten to see a bit more of her. There's also a certain crow, that I ended up really liking, but I don't want to give anything else away. :)

So, to sum it all up. This is kind of an urban fantasy noir starring book-hoarder/mage/investigator extraordinaire Donovan DeChance. Also featuring Amethyst, several powerful vampires who don't do much, several less powerful vampires who like to get in the way, and some awesome animals! Can't wait to read more about Donovan and learn more about this world, because I need to know more!!

David Niall Wilson's Website is HERE.



*I received this .PDF review copy book by David Niall Wilson.

Review: Freaksville- by Kitty Keswick

High school is hard enough when you’re normal. There’s peer pressure, book reports, the in crowd and the enormous zit that has a life of its own. Having a family whose skeletons in the closet lean toward the paranormal is not a topper on anyone’s list. Sophomore Kasey Maxwell is busy juggling the typical teen angst. Add visions, ghosts and hairy four-legged monsters into the mix and you get FREAKSVILLE. It’s a wonder Kasey has survived.

Every woman in the Maxwell family has the gift of sight. A talent sixteen-year-old Kasey would gladly give up. All she wants is a normal life. Shopping and talking about boys with her best friend and long-time sidekick Gillie Godshall consume her days. Until Kasey has a vision about Josh Johnstone, the foreign exchange student from England. The vision leads her into new waters, a lead in a play, a haunted theater…and into the arms of the Josh. Yet, both Kasey and Josh have secrets lurking in dark corners. Can Kasey’s new romance survive FREAKSVILLE?

Kasey’s Blog:

Ack! I’m in Freaksville! On my sixteenth birthday what did I get? A car? A pony? No. I got the gift of sight. Soooo not fair! It’s a gift I totally wish I had a receipt for…I’d return to sender. I didn’t ask to be freak girl. The kicker is if I touch something I get visions. Now why couldn’t I turn invisible? That’s a gift I could use. Sheesh. If it wasn’t for my BFF Gillie I’d go insane. That was until I touched a pencil belonging to Josh-Hottie-Foreign-Exchange-Student-from-England. He’s sooo cute, jet-black hair, bright blue eyes…whenever I’m around him my stomach does backflips.

Kasey’s Fab Five Favs
1. The British accent…and snogging. It sounds gross, but believe me it isn’t.
2. Cute guy in English class. (Josh)
3. Snogging…again, believe me, it rocks!
4. Shopping ’til I melt into the mall. (A given.)
5. Oh yes and snogging, smooching, kissing Josh!
XOXOX - Kasey
(Blurb from Kitty Keswick's website.)

Freaksville is the debut novel in the Young Adult Paranormal Romance series by Kitty Keswick. Kasey Maxwell is a sixteen year old who has the gift of sight or visions. It is these visions that kick things of in the beginning of the book. Kasey has a vision of Josh Johnstone, the gorgeous English exchange student, on the ground and in pain. She ends up following him around. This leads to her talking to him, accidentally trying out for the school play, kissing him, and finding a ghost.

From there things just get a bit more freaky. Kasey and her best friend Gillie try to figure out what is going on with the ghosts, while Kasey tries to start a relationship with Josh. As it turns out, Josh comes from a family in a long ongoing feud with her family, so Kasey's dad is just thrilled about them spending time together (voice dripping with sarcasm there people). All the while, Kasey knows that there is more supernatural stuff going on in her family than people are telling her, but what could it possibly be?

This book is written from Kasey's POV in blog format. I normally can't stand books written like this, with very few exceptions. This is an exception. I really enjoyed this book! It does seem strange, and unsafe for anyone who might want to divulge every bit of their personal life in a blog, that she seems to put a lot of information out on the internet. You can tell in the comments at the end of some of the chapters that some of the people know who she is and what she's talking about. That also isn't the most secretive way to go about recording your paranormal existence, but whatever, it isn't overly important to the storyline, so that's okay I guess.

I really liked all the characters over all. Kasey and Gillie's friendship was great. It did start to get slightly overshadowed by boys when they both have their first guys, but like most people learn to do, they learn to balance a little and remember their friends. Josh was a wonderful character. Teenage me would have been totally in love! His friend Gunter was adorable, and I laughed out loud when Kasey said Thumper.

The plot was somewhat predictable at times, but it still flowed really well. I did want to shake Kasey once or twice when she would have a vision and rationalize why she was seeing something instead of paying attention to what she was seeing. I'm also very curious as to the motivations behind one villain and hope to learn more about that in coming books.

So, if you want a new author and a new YA series to read, I say you check out this one, I enjoyed it immensely, and it was a fast easy read. Great characters, great plot, and such a wonderful base to this world that can be built upon in future books! There is so much room for growth in this series! I can't wait to learn more!

Review: Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.
(Blurb from Penguin Group website.)

Blood Bound is the second book in the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Mercedes, Mercy for short, is a mechanic in the Tri-Cities . That's not what makes her so special, though. Mercy is a coyote shapeshifter or a "Walker". She was raised by a pack of werewolves, though was always on the outside of the pack. In the first book Moon Called, we learned that most vampire powers do not seem to work on Mercy. It is for that very reason that her friend Stefan, who is also a vampire, calls her and asks her for assistance when he goes to speak with another vampire, but this vampire is not all that he appears.

Some evils simply exist on their own. Others are made even worse. Still others seek more power and in this quest destroy everything in their path. Vampires and demons are not supposed to co-exist. Most know it, but someone apparently did not. Now it isn't only the vampires that have an enemy to worry about, but everyone.

A murdering demon-possessed, vampire is on the loose and no one is happy, especially not the vampires. The fae and the werewolves have shown themselves to the public. Well, they've shown their good sides to the public. The vampires are still in the shadows. Now there is someone causing complete chaos and rousing some suspicions, which no one really wants, the vampire seethe especially, and they will do what they must to cover their tracks.

This is one of my favorite series so far. Mercy is a heroine that is sassy and strong even though surrounded by alpha guys (literally). It does bother me that everyone close to her tells her that she's the weakest and needs to stay out of things, when all the really scary and powerful creatures are either afraid or respectful of her. I would take a hint from them personally, but maybe that's just me. At least the guys usually make up for the overprotective stuff by listening to her and taking her advice when things matter.

Speaking of alpha type guys. Mercy's next door neighbor Adam Hauptman is the alpha of the local werewolf pack. The chemistry between him and Mercy is sizzling, and I can't wait to see what all develops there. I don't think this could be a good urban fantasy series without a love triangle though, so there's also Dr. Sam Cornick, son of the head werewolf in the US. He and Mercy have an interesting past, and now he's her roommate. I'm sure that won't get at all complicated. Oh, not to mention all the hints that were given in even the first book that Mercy's vampire friend might think of her as a bit more. So, what do we have now, a square? I love all the guys sadly, so it makes it so hard, but Mercy and Adam fit the best together.

Blood Bound is a fast paced read, with one of my favorite main characters and a slew of lovable secondary characters. There was plenty of action and enough romance to keep me satisfied without taking away from the pace of the story. I'm hooked on this series and can't wait to read Iron Kissed!!

Mercedes Thompson series in the order it should be read:
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne (March 30, 2010)
6. Mercy #6 (Spring 2011)

For more information check out Patricia Briggs's Website.

Review: Storm Front- by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things -- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever.

There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get... interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.
(Summary from Jim Butcher's website.)

Storm Front is the first novel in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a wizard. Just look him up in the yellow pages under "Wizard". In this alternative universe, magic is out in the open and the paranormal exist alongside humans. Most just don't exist quite as openly as Harry has chosen to do. Being the only open practicing wizard in the country, Harry sometimes consults for the police.

When a double homicide occurs, Harry is called in to help. He realizes right away that terrible black magic is at work and a strong practitioner is at the route of these murders. Not only that, but there is a mob boss that doesn't want him getting involved in this case. Let's not forget a vampiress who Harry quickly lands on the very bad side of. Still adding more trouble is the White Council, which supervises wizards use of magic. They already don't like Harry from things in his past. His involvement in this case could raise eyebrows and make him be watched even more closely. There is also another case that he takes, which just seems a little strange all around. From the terrified of magic wife, to her "missing" husband, Harry isn't sure what to make of it all except for some more cash.

I'll admit, I had a little bit of trouble getting into this book. Harry and the other characters didn't pull me in at first. Also, there is so much that isn't explained at first that I just kept waiting to be given more information. A little further into the book, I was much happier. I began to enjoy Harry and his paranoia and little quirks. Lieutenant Karrin Murphy is a great secondary character. There's also Susan Rodriguez, a reporter who's always looking for a story, but also has great chemistry with Harry. There's a few hilarious scenes with the two of them as well.

So if murder-mysteries involving wizards, potions, death, faeries, humans, vampires, demons, flirty women, spirits, and other strange creatures sounds like something for you, then definitely check this book out. After finishing it I do intend to continue on with the series and look forward to getting to know Harry better and finding out more about the whole world Butcher has created!

The Dresden Files in the order they should be read:
1. Storm Front
2. Fool Moon
3. Grave Peril
4. Summer Knight
5. Death Masks
6. Blood Rites
7. Dead Beat
8. Proven Guilty
9. White Night
10. Small Favor
11. Turn Coat
12. Changes (released in hardcover on April 6, 2010)

Harry Dresden also appears in several short stories. You can see a list of them here.

A February Challenge and a new 2010 Challenge to go along with it!

Literary Escapism is hosting their annual New Authors Challenge (see more below) and to go along with it this month there will be a mini challenge featuring The League of Reluctant Adults.  I’ve followed their blog and read a few of them, but have been meaning to read more.  Looks like now is the perfect time!  Here is a list of all the members in the League:

 

Mario Acevedo	Stacia Kane	Kate Richardson
Michele Bardsley	Caitlin Kittredge	Michelle Rowen
Dakota Cassidy	Kelly Meding	Diana Rowland
Carolyn Crane	Richelle Mead	Jeanne Stein
Molly Harper	Nicole Peeler	Anton Strout
Mark Henry	Cherie Priest	Jaye Wells
Jackie Kessler	Jennifer Rardin	Rob Thurman

Here are the details for the challenge:

1. You do not have to be a participant of the New Authors Challenge, but if you’re not, why not?
2. The Challenge will run from February 1st through the 28th.   All reviews must have a February 2010 date.
3. The goal is to read up to 5 different authors from the above list.  There are 20 different authors, so finding three shouldn’t be too hard.
4. The idea is to try a new author (it is a New Author mini-challenge), however, if you’ve already read all 20 of them, you can still participant, but don’t re-read a novel.  Try something new.  Not only is this an excuse to try a certain group of authors, but it’s also a great chance to help promote them.

An AMAZING list of prizes are being offered up by the League members, so check it out!

I intend to at least read:

1. Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry (February 27, 2010)
2. Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler (February 28, 2010)
3. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (February 28, 2010)

 

Literary Escapism is once again hosting the 2010 New Author Reading Challenge.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Runs from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels.  Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors.  It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be.  For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors.  If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop.  Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky.  We all want to know about your new experience.
4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky.  Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome.

 

I’m positive that I can read 15 new authors this year, so I will try for 25.

1. Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi (January 6, 2010)
2. Firespell by Chloe Neill (January 10, 2010)
3. Soulless by Gail Carriger (January 15, 2010)
4. Night Rising by Chris Marie Green (January 16, 2010)
5. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (February 10, 2010)
6. Freaksville by Kitty Keswick(February 14, 2010)
7. Vintage Soul by David Niall Wilson (February 18, 2010)
8. Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry (February 27, 2010)
9. Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler (February 28, 2010)
10. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (February 28, 2010)
11.Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison (March 5, 2010)
12.Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (March 29, 2010)
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Review: Darkling- by Yasmine Galenorn

We’re the D’Artigo sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we’re savvy – and sexy – operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch whose magic is as unpredictable as the weather. My sister Delilah transforms into a tabby cat when she’s under stress. And Me? I’m Menolly, acrobat-extraordinaire-turned-vampire. And I’d give my right fang to make my sire pay for killing me. That is, if he doesn’t find me first….

All over Seattle, humans have been going missing, only to turn up as newborn vampires - the sure sign of a rogue vamp on the loose. It looks like Dredge is to blame. The same sadistic Dredge who gave me my scars, and who may well be in cahoots with the demon Shadow Wing. If so, Otherworld and Earth are screwed. The only way we can hope to defeat Dredge is for me to travel home to Otherworld, where I must face my own demons. Because unless I sever the ties that bind me to Dredge, all hell is going to break loose....
(Summary from Yasmine Galenorn's website.)

Darkling is the third book in Yasmine Galenorn's Sisters of the Moon series, otherwise known as The Otherworld series. This series is about the D'Artigo sisters, and each book has been told by a different narrator so far. The first book, Witchling, was from Camille's point of view. Changeling was from Delilah's point of view. Now, with Darkling, we finally get to see into the mind of Menolly, the youngest and most reclusive of the sisters. She has been like this for good reason. Twelve years ago, she was tortured and raped by Dredge, leader of the rogue Elwing Clan, when she was found spying on them. He then turned her and sent her home to feed on her family. Luckily, she managed to not harm any of her family members, but her transition into vampirism was not easy.

Now, the sisters are living Earthside in Seattle where sudden murders are going down, and it looks like vampires are to blame. The only thing is that Menolly knows a lot of the vampires in the area thanks to Vampires Annonymous (yes you read that right) and none of them would do something like that. So is there a new player in the area. Oh, did I mention that there was word that the Elwing clan teamed up with a former enemy of the sisters that had escaped from prison, and that they might be headed Earthside.... coincidence? Probably not.

As it turns out, the murders, aren't even murders. Confused? Someone is making a nice big batch of new vampires in Seattle. Could it be Dredge? Menolly has spent most of the past twelve years trying to forget and repress what happened when she was with him, but to be able to face him, she must first face the past. To do this, she'll need a little help, and maybe also a trip to Aladril (the city of seers) back in Otherworld.

Characters returning in this book are of course the D'Artigo sisters, and some of Delilah and Camille's harem (*snicker*). Then there's their Earthside friends who might just have larger rolls to play in the grand scheme of things. Finally Menolly gets some of her own love'n care in this book. Enter Nerissa, a member of the Rainier Puma Pride. She and Menolly seem to have instant chemistry, though some of the things that she brings out in Menolly could be very bad for Nerissa. Then, there's Roz, an incubus and one man armory, sent to help the sisters. He's also on a personal crusade against Dredge, who killed his whole family 700 years ago. Did I mention he's an incubus, just what the girls need, yeah right.

This book has a much darker edge to it than the previous two did, but what would you expect when it's from a vampire's perspective. Not only do we have to deal with the details of how Menolly was turned, but there is her constant bloodlust that she has to struggle with. Getting to know her is fascinating, and she goes through so much growth. The plot is also fast paced and keeps you wanting more. This is my favorite book in the series so far, too bad I'll have to wait for a few more until I'm back in Menolly's head, but that's ok because I do like all of the sisters. One thing I do know is that whatever that mystery thing that was lacking in the first to books for me was, it was in this book and I couldn't be more thrilled! Can't wait for the next!

The Otherworld Series in order in which it should be read:
Witchling
Changeling
Darkling
Dragon Wytch
Night Huntress
Demon Mistress
The Shadow of Mist in Never After
Bone Magic
Etched in Silver in Inked

Review: Playing with Fire- by Gena Showalter

Twenty-four-year old barista Belle Jamison dreams of a better job and a decent love life. Until a crazy scientist spikes her mocha latte! Suddenly Belle can wield the four elements- earth, wind, fire and water- with only a thought. Coffee too hot? No problem. Hair in need of a blow-dry? Done.

Gorgeous government agent Rome Masters has been sent to neutralize Belle. But he's not the only one after her. Together they must outrun the rogue agents on their trail and find a way to control her powers. There's just one problem: the sparks Belle and Rome generate are even hotter than the ones flying from her eyes- and with her future on the line, now is the worst possible time to fall in love....
(Summary from the back of the book.)

Playing with Fire by Gena Showalter is the first book in her Tales of an Extra Ordinary Girl series. It is about Belle Jamison. She is a "coffee wench" at Utopia Cafe and does any other jobs she can get her hands on, while trying not to get fired. She's not very good at the not getting fired part unfortunately. She supports herself and her father who is in an assisted living center due to heart problems. She finds her life to be very unsatisfying and wants something exciting to happen...be careful what you wish for.

On the same day that she manages to talk her way out or losing her job, yet again, a man in a lab coat comes rushing out from the building across the street. Next thing you know her latte has been spiked with a mystery fluid which proceeds to make Belle ridiculously sick. She ends up passing out on her floor going in and out of conscienceness. When she wakes up there is a man standing there in her apartment.

He tells her that she drank a formula that was made to give someone control over the elements. Also, that his name is Rome, yummy! He is majorly sexy, but very menacing when he wants to be, luckily Belle does indeed have some nice new superpowers. Even though he was sent to neutralize her, he decides he want her help instead, and in return he'll help her. It's not only his boss after her, there are a lot worse people in the world that want to experiment on those with powers, and Belle now has some major power. So, Rome will help her control it so that she doesn't kill herself or anyone else, but as she learns to control her powers more, her and Rome get closer, and he is one sexy man!

Then, there's all the secondary characters. Tanner, who comes into the story in a very entertaining way, is awesome. He had me laughing so many times throughout the book. There are also some people from Rome's life who make things interesting, but I don't want to spoil anything for you.

I really wasn't sure if I would like this book when I first started it. I usually love Gena Showalter. Her The Lords of the Underworld series is wonderful so I figured I'd give something else of hers a try. At the beginning of the book, Belle got on my freaking nerves! I really wasn't sure if I would be able to finish it. Once Rome came into the picture, though, everything changed. Their interaction was awesome. The dialogue was hilarious and then all of the physical chemistry...Rome is just damn yummy ok, I can't think of another word. Gena sure can right some hotness into her books!

So, read this book, and I would read it soon because on February 1st the sequel Twice as Hot will be released and I can't wait to check it out!

Well, I take that back, I just looked on amazon.com and the mass market paperback will be available on January 26!

Tales of an Extra Ordinary Girl series:
1. Playing with Fire
2. Twice as Hot

Review: Midnight Reign- by Chris Marie Green

"Night Rising" was only the beginning... Dawn Madison reluctantly came to Los Angeles in search of her missing father and found instead a world of murder and the living dead she never imagined existed. When a new vampire slaying lures Dawn deeper into the underground, her alliances in the sunlit world shift. Now she has only herself to trust and her newfound skills as "a spunky vampire slayer" ("Publishers Weekly").
(Summary from Chris Marie Green's Vampire Babylon website.)

Midnight Reign picks up about a month after Night Rising left off. Dawn Madison is still in L.A. looking for her father, who disappeared while on a case for a P.I. firm. This firm is more than meets the eye as Dawn soon found out. She had been thrust into the world of the supernatural. Now that she has learned to cope with the fact that vampires and other supernatural beings are real, she is training hard to best prepare herself to take them all on, especially the vampires.

Dawn isn't alone. She has help in the form of a now injured psychic Kiko Daniels, a latino techno-wiz Breisi Montoya, and the still mysterious Jonah Limpet, aka the Voice, the never seen boss of the P.I. firm. There is also now her friend Jacqueline Ashley, an up-and-coming actress who has an incredibly eerie resemblance to Dawn's deceased mother Eva Claremont. Oh, and don't forget the other mysterious P.I. Matt Lonigan, who still pops up at strange times and tries to get closer to Dawn. The real question for Dawn is, in this new world where anything is possible, who do you trust?

Now, a P.I. firm novel would not be complete without something for them to investigate....enter the Vampire Killer. Is it a vampire? Who knows. But someone in LA is killing people, and no one is sure why, other than it might have something to do with Lee Tomlinsin and the Underground. Any information on the Underground is important and could also lead to Dawn's father, so the team investigates.

Also, throughout this novel are several chapters that go into the back story of the Master of the Underground and Sorin, his second in command. We get to see how their relationship formed, and how the Underground itself came about.

Oh, and don't worry this book is filled with a few surprises too.

This book was a little different than the first book. Dawn is now fully immersed in the supernatural world and honing her skills, but she is starting to lose some of her self control. Then there is the backstory to the Underground that is thrown in every few chapters that changed the pace of this book quite a bit. Now that I am taken with this world though, I care for the characters and found myself much more emotionally involved in the story and actually teared up a time or two. So, this book is different, but it still has the same great characters, plus a few more, the plot over all was good, and the emotional ride was a lot better. I can't wait until the mass market addition comes out for Break of Dawn on January 26, 2010! Then I can finish the first trilogy of the series.

Vampire Babylon series in order it should be read:
1. Night Rising
2. Midnight Reign
3. Break of Dawn
4. A Drop of Red
5. Path of Razors
6. Deep in the Woods(March 2010)
Check out the Vampire Babylon website to learn more.

Review: Night Rising- by Chris Marie Green

Welcome to Hollywood—after dark…

Stuntwoman Dawn Madison is a girl with a lot of attitude—and a lot of issues, mostly about living up to the legacy of her mother, a world famous movie star/sex symbol, whose death left Dawn to be raised by her dad Frank, nobody’s notion of single-father-of-the-year. Now that she’s all grown up, she and Frank aren’t on the best of terms, to say the least.

Still, he is her dad, and when he vanishes while investigating the bizarre sighting—caught on film—of a supposedly long-dead child star, she comes home to Tinseltown to join the search for him. Working with his colleagues—a psychic short in stature but big in dreams of stardom, a beautiful Latina techno-geek, and the P. I. firm’s never-seen boss—she discovers an erotic and bloody underground society made up of creatures she thought existed only on the screen.

They are devious. They are deadly. And some of them are dangerously attractive…
(Summary from Chris Marie Green's Vampire Babylon website.)

This is the first book in the Vampire Babylon series by Chris Marie Green(aka Crystal Green). Dawn Madison is a bad-girl stuntwoman who had gotten herself into some trouble on her last film, so she was taking a break doing construction. That is until she got a call from one of her father's co-workers, Kiko, telling her that he was missing and that they wanted her help finding him. So now Dawn finds herself in L.A. with Kiko(a little person who is not at all sensitive about his height, just his psychic ability), Breisi(ex-Latin soup-star and tech-wiz), and the mysterious Limpet.

Oh, there's also the mysterious Matt Lonigan, another P.I. who says he's also trying to find her dad. He seems to pop up at the strangest times. Now if Dawn could only focus on trying to figure out more about him instead of how to get him out of his clothes, things might go a little bit better.

As she sets out to find her dad, she takes a job with his strange P.I. agency and involves herself in the last case he was working on. A child star was caught on film even though he died years ago. But how could that be? Next thing Dawn knows she's being attacked by vampires. No, there must be a rational explanation. There's also her boss, who can get into her head, and her body....yet Dawn refuses to face the truth of what's going on. How long can a girl live in denial? You'd be surprised.

While investigating both her dad and the child star, they start to find that there might be more going on here than meets the eye. Though, the reader already knows this because the book goes to another point of view every now and then Below ground where the vampires are and get to find out a little bit more about what's going on. There's a whole other world in the Underground, and it has it's own social structure and rules and everything.

I found this book to be a fairly quick read, with the action pretty evenly spaced throughout the book. Dawn is rather sex-crazed which was very entertaining at times, though this was all fueled by her insecurities about her deceased sex-goddess of a film star mother. She doesn't get along with women at all, though her and Breisi are rather funny together, and she gets along with men a little to well most of the time and ends up wanting to jump them for sex. LOL.

I loved the characters, loved the plot, loved the vampires that you get to read about in the Underground and the whole world that's been built there. All in all, from book one I'm hooked on this series and can't wait to read more! Oh, and I wanna know more about their boss! *swoon*

Vampire Babylon series in order it should be read:
1. Night Rising
2. Midnight Reign
3. Break of Dawn
4. A Drop of Red
5. Path of Razors
6. Deep in the Woods(March 2010)
Check out the Vampire Babylon website to learn more.

Review: Soulless- by Gail Carriger

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced! Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?
(Summary from Gail Carriger's website.)

Soulless is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series and the debut novel by Gail Carriger. It is set in Victorian England, but in an England that the supernatural are known about and live freely. In fact, two of Queen Victoria's most trusted advisers are a vampire and a werewolf. There is also an agency called BUR(Bureau of Unnatural Registry) that keeps tabs on and investigates all of the goings on of the supernatural and reports to the Queen's advisers.

Then, there is Alexia Tarabotti. She is not supernatural, but a preternatural. She has no soul and has the ability to temporarily make supernatural beings immortal while she is in physical contact with them. This is something that was passed down from her deceased father, though we learn very little more about it or him in this book.

All the trouble begins when Miss Tarabotti goes into the library at a ball to have some tea and eat and runs into a vampire who attacks her. It just goes downhill from there. First of all, she can not figure out why he doesn't know about what she is. Oh, and he lisps around his fangs! Oh, goodness me! Well, wouldn't you know it, she killed him with her parasol! Next, thing you know Lord Maccon from BUR is investigating and getting on her last nerves, the vampires want to meet with her, and her family is just kind of ridiculous.

I'll admit that it actually took me a little bit to get into this book. Even though it started out making me laugh with a parasol death scene, I still couldn't quite get into the dialogue or Miss Tarabotti's character at first. Though, that's really only probably because it's been awhile since I've read anything from the Victorian Era. When all I've been reading is urban and contemporary, Victorian is rather a switch.

After several chapters, though, I was hooked! Miss Tarabotti, is very prim and proper for the most part, but she is also a very learned woman, which was looked down on at that time. She also had some great sarcasm that would leak out at the most wonderful times. Not to mention keeping her trusty, silver tipped parasol on hand in case some vampire needed to be smacked in the head. She is a spinster, since her mother did not want to go to the trouble of trying to marry her off. Also, since she doesn't have any kind of classic London beauty, thanks to her father's Italian heritage, her mother just didn't think it likely anyone would want to marry her, and that mentality has been passed on to Alexia. Though that at least could be changing with the arrival of an intelligent American scientist into town.

Now, as for this being a steampunk novel, it does have elements of it, but that is not the main driving force. Actually that seems to be how everything regarding this book is, it's very hard to describe. It's paranormal, Victorian Era, with steampunk elements, comedy, mystery, and romance. I found it to be a very nice mixture of everything. There was only one small thing that I didn't like about this book and that was that every now and then the author got a bit too descriptive, but that is really the only bad thing I can think of to say. So, what do I recommend...this book!! Wonderful!

Oh, and don't forget to check out the blurb for Gail's next book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Changeless.






Blog With Bite Discussion Questions
1. With the rise in popularity of steampunk trends, do you think the dialog and environment created in Soulless fitting within the paranormal genre?
It didn't go really hard core into steampunk, but it did have enough elements of it mixed in with the paranormal that made for its own unique world. I always like it when I run across something that's a little different.
2. For better or worse, Soulless throws together a lot of unconventional story elements. What ones worked for you? What ones didn't? Will you be reading the next book in the series, Changeless?
I did really enjoy this book. It took awhile for me to get used to the dialogue, but once I did I thought it was great. The proper Victorian woman, who made sarcastic comments and killed vamps with a parasol, what's not to love? I also enjoyed her budding romantic experience throughout the book.
3. The comedic tone of the novel was ever present even when the novel was at it's darkest plot-threads. Do you think this added to the depth of the novel and characters or did it trivialize the plot?
I think it added to the depth. I could see where people that like really dark stories might not like it, but that's not what this novel what about. Personally, I tend to be one of those people that make sarcastic comments or jokes or just laugh at very inappropriate times, so I loved the constant comedic undertone!