A Great Book Is The Cheapest Vacation

Cover Reveal: Ghost of Memories by Barb Hendee

2012-01-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

Release Date: October 2012

Synopsis:N/A

Previous Novels in series:
My thoughts:I like it. It keeps the same theme, but it now has a male and a female on the front. It fits well, but although I love them all, I still think the second was the most beautiful cover.

Source: The Bookaholic Zone

Review: Vittorio: The Vampire by Anne Rice - + A Questions I'd love to know your answer to!!!

2012-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Vittorio: The Vampire by Anne RiceMy rating: Frigging Amazing! Why did it have to end?!
Synopsis:Tired of the same old vampires? Check out Anne Rice's new race of undead bloodsuckers, independent of the Lestat series. Her alterna-vamp books began with Pandora, but the second of her New Tales of the Vampires, Vittorio, is truly a new beginning--a more controlled story and probably the best of her last half-dozen books.Rice has called Vittorio her vampire version of Romeo and Juliet. The hunky Vittorio is sweet 16 and "incalculably rich" in 15th-century Italy, the epoch of the Medicis and Vittorio's favorite painter, madly passionate Filippo Lippi. Florence is to Vittorio what New Orleans is toInterview with the Vampire.
One night, Vittorio's family is butchered by vampires. The gorgeous Ursula spares Vittorio to make him her reluctant undying sweetheart. Ursula's ravishing of Vittorio recall the erotica Rice wrote under her own name and the pen names Anne Rampling and A.N. Roquelaure.Vittorio flees to the creepy town of Santa Maddalana, which has made a pact to sacrifice its young to Lord Florian's vampire horde. Vittorio is bent on revenge as he invades the eerie Court of the Ruby Grail (i.e. blood), as angry with the child-sacrificing humans as he is with Florian's fang gangsters. Torn between lust, murderous rage, and vampire thirst, Vittorio is one interestingly troubled soul.

Review:
Vittorio: The Vampire is the second novel in the New Tales of the Vampires series by the legendary Anne Rice. Honestly, I first read this novel a few years ago, but I fell in love with this story so much that I had to read it again. I've read some love and some hate reviews on this novel and honestly, I don't see why their would be any hate. Sure, everyone's opinions are welcome, but I personally think this novel turned me into a vampire lover. Yes, I know many will say, "Not her Vampire Chronicles novels?? Come on!" Well, I admit, her Vampire Chronicles are fantastic and they truly are the heart of vampires. Although, I read Interview with the Vampire/Queen of the Damned much to young to appreciate it's greatness. Yes, I loved them, but what made me beg for more vampires and horror was Vittorio. I got this novel on a whim from my friend and boy am I glad he lent me this novel. Who knows how long it would have taken me to get into the amazing novels I so in love with now.

Anyway, onto my thoughts on this novel. I truly believe there are many novels you can fall in love with. The characters, storyline and especially, the world that is created. I have so many novels I love for so many reasons, but honestly, I remember everything about this novel. The spot I read it, which was my bed and on the couch. (Take it in mind this was over 5 years ago) I remember being entranced in the world Anne Rice has created. Vittorio's pain was my pain, his joy was my joy and his interest was my own.

Anne, as always describes this world in detail. I feel as if I'm right there next to Vittorio. Battling with him, crying with him and feeling the seduction he feels. It's truly a beautifully written novel.

This is one of those novels I know I'll read for a third, or many even a fourth time, just to get involved in this world again. I really am disappointed there wasn't more novels in this series, but since I haven't read the first, I think I'll go back to finally read it. Why haven't I read it if I loev this one so much, you might ask? honestly, I loved this one so much, I don't want to be disappointed. I don't believe it will be a bad book, none of her vampire novels I've read are even close to being disappointing. I just love Vittorio so much, he's always going to be "my first". Everyone has their first. Who's yours???

View all my reviews

Grammar Girl - Is Everyone the same as Everybody?

2012-01-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

I'm really loving Grammar girl. She gives knowledge and tips on all things grammar and I always learn something new when reading her posts. If you don't know who grammar girl is, then you have to check out her website.
Facts, tips and the history of Grammar is covered with Grammar girls posts. I've learned some easily fixable grammar errors from just reading her posts. I highly recommend you follow her posts to learn something new each day. It's worth it!

Her latest post is:

Everybody: Singular or Plural
Explore the mysteries of indefinite pronouns. Is "everyone" the same as "everybody?

Check it out!

Guest Post (+ Expert) with Gregory Marshall Smith

2012-01-29T17:12:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to have a guest post today. Gregory Marshall Smith is stopping by to talk about his top 5 horror movies and novels! I can't wait! He's also giving us an expert to his novel below, Hunters, so stay tuned!

My Top Fives

Interested in knowing what makes me tick when I write horror? Wondering how Creature Double Feature influenced me as a youth? Then, check out my top horror movies and novels.

Top Horror Movies

1. The Night Stalker -- Carl Kolchak vs. the vampire. If only he hadn’t tried to take on that TV show.

2. X, the Man With the X-Ray Eyes -- Ray Milland goes where Man is not supposed to and sees what he isn’t supposed to see. Nifty horror/sci-fi from the legendary Roger Corman, with a nice dramatic turn from Don Rickles.

3. The Birds -- When animals attack. The attack on the town was very unsettling.

4. Godzilla/Gojira -- The Toho original. As a kid, I still remember Godzilla’s first real appearance, peeking over that hilltop on Odo Island. And that 13-minute rampage of sheer destruction through Tokyo has yet to be matched by any other monster movie.

5. Ringu -- I’m going with the Japanese original. That finale when Sadako comes out of the television set? Talk about reality TV.

6. Kingdom of the Spiders -- Predictable at times and it does have William Shatner’s hammy acting but who can sit still seeing tarantulas crawling all over a human body? And that whopper of an ending still chills today.

7. Poltergeist -- Combined scares with the absolute gross-out.

Top Horror Novels

I got into writing horror a little later in my career, but that didn’t mean I would not stop by the West Medford and Medford public libraries for a quick read.

1. Night Shift -- My intro to fellow New Englander Stephen King. These stories had me up all night, especially “The Mangler.” I still don’t look at my washer and dryer the same when they start acting up.

2. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus -- Mary Shelley’s book was nothing like Boris Karloff’s Universal classic. My intro to the fact that movies are rarely faithful to the source. It gets long-winded at times, but Shelley’s tale still holds up well.

3. 1984 -- Who doesn’t look at the political turmoil today and not think of this book?

4. The Birds -- Daphne du Maurier’s original, it’s as bleak and terrifying as Hitchcock’s far different film version

5. I Am Legend -- A classic horror/sci-fi tale from Richard Matheson.

6. The Legend of Hell House -- Matheson scores again.

7. The Other -- Good twin/bad twin. Maybe because I’m an identical twin, I identify with this classic novel from former actor Thomas Tryon (who, by the way, has an absolutely unnerving scene in I Married A Monster from Outer Space where he is about to bed his bride on their wedding night but a flash of lightning reveals him to be a hideous alien in disguise).

* * * * * *

Maybe one day, one or more of my novels will make someone’s top lists. One can hope.

Expert:

Hunters

By Gregory Marshall Smith

Once, Lin Tang was a naive teenager, keeper of an ancient mystical art on an isolated mountain in China. In one rebellious moment, she left her home for the bright lights of Shanghai. Just as quickly, her naïveté turned her into a creature of the night, concubine for one master after another until she fell into the hands of Louis Riordan. Then, after many painful hours of training with sensei Lo Chang, she transformed herself into Riordan’s lethal enforcer and one of the most feared vampires in North America. Her old life lost to her, she has made the most of her new one, building a mini empire of power and respect. But, it is all about to end. A band of humans has dared to challenge her master, Riordan. Even worse, unbeknownst to her, one of those humans is Cantrell Ryker, her most hated enemy, literally returned from the grave. Soon, Lin Tang will be in the most important fight of her life, for these humans, these Hunters won’t stop until they’ve taken her very soul.

Excerpt

Lin Tang’s sword never connected with Jessie’s head. A sharp sound coming out of the darkness stopped her mid-strike. The sound repeated at regular intervals and echoed throughout the cavernous warehouse. A perplexed Lin could only make out a silhouette stepping into the light, clapping its hands in a way that was more sarcastic than congratulatory.

“I can’t believe they wanted to leave me behind for this mission,” Cantrell Ryker said as he stepped fully into the light. “Clearly, they needed all the help they could get, right, Lin? You should know because, obviously, the half-deads weren’t all you trained them to be, either. Apparently, man cannot live by undead alone.

“Your half-deads look pretty tranquilized. Of course, my people don’t look so good either. I’m guessing those swords give you the edge. Thank you very much. I’ll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitresses.”

Lin stepped away from Jessie, swinging her sword menacingly as she sized up her newest opponent. Clearly, she didn’t recognize him. She also wasn’t laughing at his humor.

“Not in the mood to laugh, eh?” Ryker teased. “Well, it’s not like you paid to get in here. Of course, your half-deads did, though I’m guessing they didn’t get the two-drink minimum. Before I forget, Diane, would you please take that cattle prod away from my teammate’s head?”

“Ah, we have someone with a sharp wit,” Lin noted. “Perhaps I can do something to cut you down to size.”

“Yeah, Lin, I’m going to recommend you keep your day job,” Ryker said. “And Diane, didn’t I say to get the cattle prod away from Kelly’s head? It’s attached to her shoulders and we need them to cry on.”

Kelly gasped, eyes wide, caught off-guard by the remark despite the dire situation.

Ryker took a few steps toward Diane, who realized he meant business and moved away from Kelly. No doubt, she was intimidated by his imposing appearance. He had battle dress black on, and wore a heavy blue and black leather biker jacket. Strangely enough, the sleeves of the jacket’s forearms were bulkier than normal. He also wore thick black gloves with extra padding on the knuckles.

“Hey, I’m over here,” Lin warned. “My chief half-dead is off-limits, whatever your name is.”

“Oh, Lin, I am so disappointed,” Ryker replied, facetiously. “Don’t tell me you never bothered to put a face to the name? That’s really unprofessional. Especially, since I’ve been after you for such a long time.”

Lin stepped away from the downed Hunters and angled her way under a lamp to get a better look at her new foe. He had clearly piqued her interest with his cockiness in the face of long, if not impossible, odds. By the way she furrowed her eye brows, she was clearly trying to place his face.

“I kept a low profile while I searched,” Ryker continued. “Now, it turns out the woman who hated me the most, never knew what I really looked like. That’s like a shot to the heart. Or two in the kneecaps.”

Lin’s face lit up.

“Cantrell Ryker,” she remarked, barely holding back long-buried tensions. “You bastard.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ryker said, with alarming casualness. “In my case, an accident of…no, actually, my parents were married. Anyway, you, ma’am, you’re a – well, no you’re not because you’re female. You know, I really don’t know where I’m going with this.”

Lin reached back and whipped out her other sword. She glared at Ryker with an animalistic intensity that seemed completely out of character to her normal demeanor. If Ryker saw it, he didn’t let on that it affected him in any way.

“Let me tell you where you are going,” she snarled. “To the ninth circle of hell.”

Lin lifted her swords and inched closer to Ryker. He responded by snapping his left arm downward. Almost on cue, a long piece of cylindrical, but solid metal slid down into his gloved hand. He gripped the rod, snaking his fingers through the handle guard that enclosed the rubber grips at the end of it.

“You were hiding from me,” Lin stated. “You deprived me of revenge for my sensei, Lo Chang, for three years. I will make you wish you stayed dead.”

With his right hand, Ryker reached behind his back, going up under his heavy jacket and pulled out a long, rather wicked-looking knife. It was curved and gleamed in the light, from tip to the hand grip. The thing was slightly less than half the length of Lin’s blades, making both Diane’s and Kelly’s jaws drop. Even Lin had to take a second look at a blade that looked solid enough to parry her own.

“Okay, Lin,” Ryker stated, simply. “Only one of us is walking out of here. And it’s not going to be you.”

“You really think you can take me, Ryker?” she asked, in a voice that dripped with pure venom. “Fat chance.”

“You, of all people, should know not to underestimate an opponent, Lin,” Ryker countered. “I might not be as strong as Miss Morales. Or, as experienced in combat as Mr. Van Niekerk. Or, as tough as Mr. Wesley. But, I survived for three years in hiding, taking out every vampire whose path I crossed. Single-handed.”

“Enough!” Lin screamed. “It’s time to die!”

“Well, we should all have a dream.”

*************************************

Above Kane’s body, the two silhouettes stopped. One stepped forward, into the moonlight, pulling something long and shiny from somewhere on his person. He raised it and, with one swing, made sure Kane would never take the blood of anyone again.

“God, I hate it when you do that, Ryker,” said the woman next to him.

“Show some backbone,” the man called Ryker snorted. “For a change.”

The woman glared at him, but stopped when she heard a moan nearby. She played her flashlight back into the shadows. Cursing, she moved over to Heidi’s body.

She didn’t pay attention as Kane’s corpse suddenly flared up like a match, dying out almost as quickly. Caring only about Kane’s victim, she called Ryker over to her.

“What about her?” she queried, sounding forlorn and sad. “She’s lost a lot of blood. She’s well into the turn. You know we can’t let that happen.”

“No, we can’t,” Ryker agreed. “But she might be one for the doc.”

“Always the pretty ones, right Cantrell?” the female commented, with disgust.

“Au contraire. I saved you, didn’t I?”

Glaring at him, the woman fought the urge to hit him with her flashlight.

“Very funny,” she said finally. “Okay, check her out then. If you think she’s worth salvaging, we’ll take her. But, if she can’t be helped, you’re the one who has to finish her.”

“So I have to do all the work, eh?” Ryker commented. “What else is new?”

Ryker looked down into Heidi’s eyes, feeling pity instantly. He knew she was yet another innocent victim, in a war she didn’t know had been declared. He saw her eyes darting wildly side to side, as if the brain behind them could not handle what was happening to it. Shaking his head, he checked her throat, touched her carotid artery, and looked at her skin pallor.

“I’m truly sorry about this, Miss,” Ryker said. “I really am. But, it’s war and everybody dies.”

As he lifted his obscenely long knife into her field of vision, her eyes stopped darting and grew wide in stark fear. Breaking contact with her almost pleading eyes, he lifted the knife and brought it down toward Heidi’s head.

***********************************

Ryker frowned.

“Come on, Marcus,” he cajoled. “You, of all people, should be on my side. Or least, able to see things from my viewpoint. We might never get another chance like this. Sixteen – count ‘em, sixteen clan masters in one place. We can't let a golden opportunity like this slip away.”

“Doesn’t matter, my friend,” Marcus shot back. “The decision has been made and we will all abide by it. Cantrell, we asked you into this group because we needed you. We need your expertise, but we need to know if you can stick with us, even when things don't go your way. Can we count on you?”

Ryker said nothing. He turned away and walked up to one of the windows on the garage door. Looking out through the dirty glass, he saw the traffic on Jacksboro Highway whizzing by. All those innocent people, he thought.

He abruptly moved to his right, aiming for a red button on the wall that would make the door lift.

"I can't let you do that, Cantrell," Marcus blurted.

"Oh, so I don't like a decision – I'm an ungrateful jackass," Ryker sniped, without turning to look back. "But, if you don't like a decision, it's okay? You know what, Marcus? I'd tell you to fuck yourself, but you've got Angelica for that."

"Why, you ungrateful piece of crap," Angelica snapped.

"Now, now, Angelica, I'm sure that's just the steroids talking," Ryker said, mockingly, as he went back to trying to open the garage door. "You guys can keep my stuff. I'd rather leave it than spend another minute with a bunch of cowards."

"That is enough!"

Marcus' words boomed throughout the garage. Ryker stopped reaching for the red button, instead, let his hand drop. He was no fool and his hearing was still as good as ever. He mentally sifted out Marcus' booming voice and keyed on a sound so slight anyone without his experience would easily have missed it.

"You'd better pull that freakin' trigger now, Marcus," Ryker snorted, after taking a deep breath. "If it's come to that, this group is completely finished."

No sound came. Turning around slowly, Ryker saw Marcus pointing a large ominous black revolver right at his head. He recognized it as a .454 Casull, normally a hunting pistol. The bullet wouldn't even leave enough of his head for identification.

"Always the mercenary, eh, Marcus?" Ryker said rather calmly. "Nothing or nobody interferes with the mission. Not even a colleague. I guess the vampires win. Again."

Next to Marcus, Angelica was freaking out, unsure of what to say or do. Behind Marcus, Manuel had the phone receiver in hand, no doubt calling everybody up to the garage. Soon, a half dozen, or so, guns might be pointed at heads in this Mexican standoff.

If that were to be the case, he wouldn't go down alone. When he'd turned, he'd snuck his right hand up inside his jacket and onto the Czech Skorpion submachine pistol in his other shoulder holster. He'd already decided that his regular nine-millimeter Browning was too small to compete with a .454. He pointed the Skorpion right at Marcus, knowing if he fired, the spray pattern would undoubtedly take out Angelica and Manuel as well.

For what seemed like an eternity, but was actually just a minute, the two men stood opposite one another, perhaps seconds away from tragedy. Neither was willing to so much as blink. Next to Marcus, Angelica was frozen with fear. Nothing in her days as a bodyguard ever prepped her for such a situation.

"You bloody, conceited, arrogant bastard," Marcus finally said, after a bead of sweat rolled off his forehead and into his eyes. "I will not let you jeopardize this mission, put the gun down – right fucking now!"

"Make me!"

A different sound suddenly entered the garage and Angelica stepped forward, even as a look of utter fear spread across her face.

"No, don't!"

A loud boom echoed through the garage and out into the once silent night.

About the Author

Gregory Marshall Smith, raised in Medford, Massachusetts is a decorated Navy veteran and 30-plus year journalism vet. He is the author of the novellas Crawl, Slow Boat to China, The 11th Hour and They Call the Wind Muryah, along with two anthologies. His short stories have appeared in Farspace 2, Ikiryō, Starlight, Yokosuka Nights, Writer’s Bump, Far Side of Midnight, True Horror, Separate Worlds, Mini-World and SFH Dominion, among others. Hunters is his latest novel.
Never married, he currently resides in South Carolina where he hosts a radio show, acts in movies and television, volunteers and covers black college sports.
Gregory welcomes email and you may contact him at greg@redhotpub.com.
You can also find him online at the following places:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gregory-Marshall-Smith/235156183217900 Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/futrboy Writing.com: http://Writing.Com/authors/futrboy

The best Book Shelf ever! The nerd in you will crave it.

2012-01-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

I was just searching random movie trailers, then book trailers and happened to come across the best book shelf ever. I. want. this. now. Since it's home made, I'll be making one myself one day. Hopefully someday soon.

Who else thinks this is amazing?

Check out the post here.

ARC Review: Revenge is Sweet by Misty Evans

2012-01-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

Revenge Is Sweet, A Kali Sweet Urban Fantasy Story by Misty Evans

My rating:

This book is one you don`t want to miss!

Synopsis:
Payback is a bitch and her name is Kali Sweet...
I’m Kali Sweet, the best damn vengeance demon on Earth. I work for the supernatural world’s Justice Department and protect innocent humans from otherworldly creatures like me. While I can’t take revenge for myself, I make sure justice is done for others.
But when my latest run-in with Chicago’s vampire king backfires, the fallout leaves me with three big problems: a powerful Undead enemy who wants my head, my boss looking over my shoulder, and three personal blood slaves jeopardizing my reputation.
One of those slaves happens to be sexy rock star Radison Beaumont – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left me at the altar three hundred years ago. Even if he does need my blood now to survive, Rad and I will always be enemies.
Especially since he’s joined an ancient society of demon killers—and I’m the number one demon on their most wanted list.

Review:
'Revenge is Sweet' is the first in a brand new series that will grab and keep your attention. Everything I read by Misty is a hit for me. The novels I've read by her are usually short and sweet, but this time we get a bit more juice with a File size of 874 KB, where as Witches Anonymous has a file size of 495 KB. So that's a bonus.

One thing I love about this series is that it blends into the same world as Witches Anonymous and it shares characters that cross over in each series. I was first and always a Witches Anonymous fan, but Kali Sweet is giving her a run for her money.

Lots of action and fun. The characters were great and even the secondary characters stood out and made me love them. I love that we got another take on a bad-ass chick in the world of Witches Anonymous. I also love that we got to see Luc in a different setting and from a different point of view. I may love Rad the man who stood her up years before, Damon her boss and her pal Cole, but it's always been Luc for me. okay, Damon and the guys are getting close, but it's still Lucifer.

Over all, the storyline was exciting and fast paced, the characters were very likeable and I'm now left begging for the next instalment. I'd say that's exactly what we look for in a novel, yes?

If you haven't checked out this series, check it out. If you also haven't checked out her previous series that shares this world, check out her Witches Anonymous series. You won't regret it!

Oh.. I'm going to do a little boasting now. I won a part in Misty's novels where I get to name a character. She named the character Natasha Anayas after me and I'm proud to say I was a kick ass fire assassin who I like to call "The Fire Starter" You can check that out in her novel, Dark Lilith Moon here.

View all my reviews

One day left to enter!!

2012-01-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! I hope you've all had a great week and are enjoying the start of your weekend. I think I'm going to take a bit of time today to update my blog and get back into the groove.

I want to remind everyone that there's still one day left to enter my Jenn Bennet giveaway! (Open to Can/US Residents)

Click here to enter!

Sorry for the hold up!

2012-01-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

Hi guys. I want to apologize for my touch and go past week. Besides work and appointments, I've been rather drained. I can barely finish typing this without passing out. I feel like it's been forever since I did a good post, but I promise I will as soon as possible. Maybe even before work tomorrow. :)

As for updates... I can say that this week, I've read and completely loved Revenge is Sweet by Misty Evans, picked up a few novels second hand and went to see Underworld 3D in the theatres. I'll be doing a review on Underworld and Revenge is Sweet shorty. So stay tuned!

I hope you all have a great week!
Tasha

Interview & Giveaway with Jaye Wells WINNER

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yay! It's winner time!

My interview with Jaye Wells can be found here. Check it out!

The winner of a copy of Red-Headed Stepchild IS:

Asleep by Dawn!

Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Also, there's a few more days left to enter my Jenn Bennet giveaway.. click here to check it out!

3 days left to enter!!!

2012-01-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! I hope all is well with everyone. I just wanted to remind you all that there's still a few days left to enter!

Want to win a copy of Red-Headed Step Child by Jaye Wells? Click HERE.- Ends January 22nd

You can also enter for a change to win a copy of KINDLING THE MOON by Jenn Bennett? ClickHERE. Open to US/Canada. - Ends January 28th

Teaser Tuesday- January 17th, 2012

2012-01-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* 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 TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from:

Revenge is Sweet by Misty Evans

Finally, Damon glanced up. His eyes skimmed me from head to toe. My hair was scraped back in a high ponytail. I was wearing my best black pencil skirt, white shirt and a jaunty red and yellow scarf around my neck. Italian flair, check.
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze landing first on my badge which I’d hung on my skirt’s high waistband and then on my four-inch red platforms. The shoes were a little over the top for business attire, but conservative black pumps didn’t exist in my wardrobe at home or at work.
Plus, the red matched the scarf.
“Let your hair down,” he said. “You look like a child playing dress up.” - Page 34

What's your teaser this week?

Cover Comparison - This is way too close...

2012-01-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, before I post the covers, I want to say that I'm not bashing either. Both are beautiful, and it doesn't take away from the authors obvious talent. I just get annoyed when an obvious prop is used in the exact same position as it was previously. I also get annoyed that it looks as if the model was just photo-shopped in and then they just changed the color of the bike. Oh, and the model is posing exactly the same way as the previous cover. It's a bit much, right?

... What do you think??

Published: February 1st, 2011

Published: February 2012

It's pretty close, am I right?

Check this out as well...

Another beautiful cover.. but look closer? The BIKE! It's a different color, but the position is the same.. as is the thread marks!

Cover Art: 5 New Titles

2012-01-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Release Date: July 3rd, 2012

Synopsis: She needed a bargaining chip and this was it. Raif’s daughter’s life for hers. And he knew damn good and well I was right. Just like he’d assured me the night I’d killed Azriel, this was far from over. His daughter was alive, I knew it. And I was going to find her.”For months Darian and her Shaede guardian Raif have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they’ve finally found the half-crazed Oracle, for their efforts they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine, and too enticing for Darian to ignore.Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover Tyler is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother, and the man whose love she can’t live without…

Previous Novels in series:

My Thoughts:I like it. It's not spectacular, but it's eye catching. I prefer the first cover though.
Source: Rabid Reads

Release Date: July 9th, 2012

Synopsis:
Homeless, broke, and hungry, seventeen-year-old Birdie Orin is running out of options. That is, until a chance meeting with a bearded stranger in a trench coat changes everything. He promises more money than she's ever dreamed of and an amulet of power once owned by Viking lords. Cool, but there's a catch. He informs her she's the last descendant of a Nordic tribe, and the necklace that grants her supernatural abilities is cursed. Only she can free the souls of hundreds of Viking warriors trapped in a spell cast by one of two rival kings.
Her mysterious benefactor warns the spell chunking king still seeks the amulet, and she must choose a Guardian to assist in her quest. Wary of dependence on anyone, she makes a hesitant alliance with handsome new friend, Grey Matthews. Though she's got no desire to see him skewered on the end of a Viking sword, he's determined to help. Passionate and caring, Grey breaks down the walls Birdie's built around her heart. She would do almost anything for the peace and love that's eluded her until now, but first, they've got a mission. Together, they must travel back in time to find the means of destroying the amulet, before those who would use its power for evil find them.
Previous Novels in series:NoneMy Thoughts: It's different and I like that. I really enjoy animated covers, so this is a nice one for me.
Source: .Xpresso Reads

Release Date: October 12, 2012

Synopsis:About a girl whose obesity and negative thoughts stand in the way of her dreams of becoming a singer and finding love, until she begins a long, hard journey of self-discovery and reinvention culminating in gastric-bypass surgery, only to find that love was never dependent on her size.
Previous Novels in series:None
My Thoughts:It's not my usual type of favorite cover, but it's cute. It fits a YA novel.
Source: Once Upon a Twilight

Release Date: June 7th, 2012

Synopsis:Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.
After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

Previous Novels in series:None

My Thoughts:I love it. I love forest and fall themes, so this is a winner for me. I love the burst of red from the dress as well.
Source: Once Upon a Twilight

Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Synopsis: Maggie Windham, oldest of the Windham sisters and a by-blow from His Grace’s pre-marital wild oats, finds herself in desperate needs of an investigator to help her retrieve a missing reticule. Benjamin Hazlit knows the Windham family secrets, and can be trusted to keep them to himself, so Maggie turns to Benjamin, though it means ignoring his too-broad shoulders, his too-knowing smile… and his too-skilled kisses.
As Benjamin starts the search for Maggie’s missing purse, he realizes two things: First, whatever was in that purse, its loss has Maggie not just rattled, but terrified. Second, Benjamin will go to any lengths to see Maggie’s peace of mind restored, even if it means he must keep himself in very close proximity to the shy, secretive lady who says she wants nothing to do with him.
Previous Novels in series:
My Thoughts:It's a typical historical romance cover, but it does have it's attraction. the colors are beautiful and the model is intriguing.
Source: Anna's Book Blog

Top 5 Sunday! January 15th, 2012

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Top 5 Sundays is a weekly blog meme created by Larissa at Larissa's Bookish Life.

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my left sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

4 - After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

This week's topic is: Hero & Heroine That Should NOT Have Ended Up Together!

This one makes me think. I know I have many, but I'm going to have to rethink them again...

Okay!

Okay, I admit.. I like Ben, but Cormac was my number one from the start. They had a chemistry together that I preferred.

Pritkin!!! I like Mircea, but I'm team Pritkin all the way. I still think there's a chance for it to happen, but we'll see!

Again, I like Noah, but it was always Zane for me. I want more!

I'm reading this series right now and I'm loving it. Both of the male characters are great and Lucian is a fun character, but I really think she should be with Azriel. I can't wait to see what happens!

During this whole series Rachel has had her share of male admirers, but my two favorites have yet to have their chance. I loved Kisten, but since he's out of the picture, I want her to be with either Trent or Al, although Trent is more of a possibility. I know there are many who are team Trent as well.

Special mentions:

Daniel instead of Kane

Lucifer instead of Adam

Dorian instead of Kiyo

Roman instead of Seth(I still like Seth, but it should be Roman I think)

Death instead of Falin Andrews.. although, I like both.

It should have always been Jean-Claude only. No offence to the others, I love them all, but I'd rather for only Jean-Claude...or Richard. ;)

Okay, I know there's more.. but I'll stop before I go over board! Lol

So what's your top 5?!?

2 Giveaways going on!!

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Hi everyone! I hope your all having a great week so far. To make things better, I thought I'd remind you all of two fun giveaways that are going on right now.

Want to win a copy of Red-Headed Step Child by Jaye Wells? Click HERE.- Ends January 22nd

Want to win a copy of KINDLING THE MOON by Jenn Bennett? Click HERE. Open to US/Canada. - Ends January 28th

Good luck!

Interview & Giveaway with Jenn Bennett

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Jenn Bennett is an award-winning visual artist-turned-urban fantasy author. Born in Germany, she’s lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the U.S., and the Far East. She believes rebellion is an under-appreciated art form, has conjured more demons than you’ve had hot lunches, and likes her fairy tales like she likes her coffee: dark. She currently lives near Atlanta with her film-geek husband and two very bad pugs.Her literary influences include: Edgar Allan Poe, Anaïs Nin, Grimm Brothers, Philip Pullman, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mary Shelley, Diana Gabaldon, Roald Dahl, and Oscar Wilde.Get weekly Facebook updates from Jenn by liking her fan page, or follow her on Twitter for daily dribbles about her current writing projects, the book industry, and miscellaneous obsessions, which include: all things foodie and cooking; early to mid-20th-century art and culture; mythology & fairy tales; games, board and video; music (from indie to Ella Fitzgerald to metal); movies (from foreign to horror to fantastical); hermetic and arcane studies; world travel; vintage flea market finds . . . and the occasional picture of her dogs behaving badly.

Welcome Jenn! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hey, thanks for having me!

First off, how's your new year going?

It's going well! I'm in the middle of writing a new project—a historical paranormal romance. It's a little different for me, and I'm having fun stretching boundaries and playing inside a new world.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions?

I write full time while my husband works outside the home. Since I'm stuck in the house, I usually end up with the domestic duty short-straw by default. Every year I resolve to be a better housekeeper, and every year I fail. This year I resolved not to care anymore. So far, it's working brilliantly!

I couldn't believe how quickly Kindling the Moon became one of my favorite new books. I know I'm going to love the whole series. How many novels are planned for this series?

I'm contracted for two, and my publisher is reviewing an option proposal for two more. Four books will complete a major story arc centered on Arcadia's blossoming powers and identity. If it does well, I have a radical idea for a second major arc.

Where did you get the inspiration for Lon's son, Jupe's character?

I'm not sure what inspired Jupe, but he was a character that came to me fully formed. Sometimes it's hard to a get a fix on a character, and you discover them as you write the book. Not Jupe. I knew exactly how I wanted him to look, sound, and act before I wrote the first word of KINDLING—from his mass of curly hair, to his chattiness and geeky love of movies. He has a larger role in the second book, SUMMONING THE NIGHT, and readers will see his character growing and maturing as he does.

I have to say, the relationship between Arcadia and Lon is the most real I've ever read. The connection between them, the way the proceed with their relationship, it's all real. No impossibly supernatural attraction or quick to the sheets action. I loved it. Did you ever think of writing any other way?

Thank you! A lot of readers have told me this, and I couldn't be more pleased. Though I've written a world that's full of demons and magic, I was more interested in exploring the relationships between the characters than fighting an apocalyptic magical war. Cady and Lon were always the core of the world, and they'll continue to be. I wanted to set up a conflict between them that was real—their ages, backgrounds, past relationships—instead of relying solely on the common paranormal trope of Me Demon Hunter, You Demon. And they're both flawed: he's struggling with the ghost of his failed marriage and raising a teenager alone, while Cady's closed-off and unaware of the emotional baggage she's toting around from her unconventional childhood. It won't always be easy for them, but I'm eager to explore their relationship.

As always, I'm a sucker for good cover art. I love both your covers, especially Kindling the Moon. Who's your cover designer?

The artist is Tony Mauro (Dark Day Productions), and I'm lucky that my publisher chose him, because he's incredibly talented. He's done covers for a lot of bestselling paranormal authors like Nalini Singh, Yasmin Galenorn, and Jennifer Estep.

Do you plan on starting another series any time soon?

The historical paranormal romance I mentioned is my baby right now, but I have other ideas for another urban fantasy and a young adult horror series. Now if I could just find the time to write them all . . . I'm hoping my new I-don't-do-dishes New Year's resolution will help with that!

Which series are you currently obsessed with?

Carolyn Crane's Disillusionists series just ended, but that was a huge obsession for me. Stacia Kane's Downside series is brilliant. I'm also really excited about new UF writers like Sandy Williams (her new Fae series, starting with THE SHADOW READER, is utterly charming) and Kevin Hearne—because how can you not love Atticus?

What's you favorite television series?

Of all time? Jeez, that's a tough one. Currently, I'm loving BOARDWALK EMPIRE, MAD MEN, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, PARKS AND RECREATION, ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, TOP CHEF. TRUE BLOOD is a guilty pleasure, though it sometimes infuriates me. And I just started watching SUPERNATURAL last year (I guess I was under a rock, or something). THE KILLING was riveting, and even though I hated the final episode, I'm curious to see where they'll take it next season.

If you could visit one time period, which would you choose?

Probably the period I'm currently writing: the 1920s.

Thanks so much for stopping by Jenn! You rock!

Aww, it was my pleasure! Thanks so much for reading and having me on your blog!

Now, on to the giveaway! Jenn has offered a a copy KINDLING THE MOON and is open to readers in US/Canada!
To enter: You must be a follower through GFC - Leave your name You also must leave a comment answering this question:If you could visit one time period, which would you choose?
For extra entries: *Extra entries are optional*
+2 Follow me through Google++2 Follow me on twitter+2 Follow Jenn on twitter+1 Follow my blog through networked blogs - Left side bar+3 Enter to win a copy of RHSC by Jaye Wells +2 Spread the word through twitter/facebook/google+, etc. +3 Make a post about this giveaway +2 Comment on my review of KINDLING THE MOON
Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK! :) Giveaway ends January 28th! Check out my interview & giveaway with Jaye Wells !