February 29, 2012

Leap into Books Giveaway Hop


Giveaway time! Don't you love those moments? I know I do! Besides, I have something very exciting to share with you this time: I hinted at it last week, in this post, and now I'm telling you that I have...

February 28, 2012

Review: Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta


Author: Melina Marchetta
Title: Finnikin of the Rock
Series: Lumatere Chronicles (#1)
ISBN: 9780670072811
Publisher: Candlewick Press (first published September 29th 2008)

Buy your copy: Paperback | Hardcover | Audiobook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock—to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

In a bold departure from her acclaimed contemporary novels, Printz Medalist Melina Marchetta has crafted an epic fantasy of ancient magic, feudal intrigue, romance, and bloodshed that will rivet you from the first page GoodReads’ blurb

In all fantasy circles, Finnikin of the Rock is quite well known, and its upcoming sequel is very anticipated. Well, I completely understand why!

Finnikin of the Rock feels, in many ways, a classic for the genre. Genre being secondary world fantasy, not the urban kind, by the way. But, instead of presenting the classic concept of an epic fight between good and evil, where the heroes do... heroic things to prevail in the end, Marchetta presents us a conflict of people.

February 27, 2012

Review: Death Masks, by Jim Butcher

Author: Jim Butcher
Title: Death Masks
Series: Dresden Files (#5)
ISBN: 9780451459404
Publisher: Roc (1st published August 1st 2003)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback | Hardcover | Audiobook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he’s getting more than he bargained for.

A duel with the Red Court of Vampires’ champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards…    

Professional hit men using Harry for target practice…   

The missing Shroud of Turin…   

A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified…   

Not to mention the return of Harry’s ex-girlfriend Susan, who’s still struggling with her semivampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.    

Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you’re charging” GoodReads’ blurb

And yet another great performance by James Marsters as Harry Dresden!

I really liked this instalment. There was Susan, who I didn’t like. There’s Michael, whose impromptu appearance on book 3 I didn’t like. And I kept falling asleep through some chapters (I think this part is due to my being exhausted because of work, though). And there wasn’t enough Murphy. Sounds like a bad recommendation, right?

Actually, this has to be one of my favorite titles in the series yet.

February 25, 2012

TBR Intervention #15





It's TBR Intervention Challenge time! My favorite challenge ever! We get to organize our huge To Be Read piles and actually read those books we've been wanting to (or been supposed to) for the longest time! The challenge is hosted by April @ Books4Juliet, Dani @ Refracted Light and Ayanami @ Whatever You Can Still Betray, and it's hosted every Saturday, though you're free to join every two weeks if that's more convenient for you. As always, do join us! Here's the rules:


1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one). 
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers. 
And here's how I did this week:

February 24, 2012

Transcend Time Saga: Title Hunt!

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.) 

Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available).

My letter is... 

February 23, 2012

Guest post: Novel Research by John Barlow

Today I'm really, really excited because I'm hosting John Barlow! He's recently published Hope Road, and kindly agreed to share a little about his writing experience with us. And how he shared! I dare you to read about how he approached Hope Road, and about the book itself, and not be tempted to read it! Read on, because if you like what you see, there's an upcoming surprise!

Author: John Barlow
Title: Hope Road
Series: LS9 (#1)
ASIN: B006LWJ75K
Publisher: John Barlow (December 13th 2011)

"You can't change your past. But what about your future?

John Ray, son of crime boss Antonio 'Tony' Ray, is the straight one of the family. With a successful business and a lifestyle to match, he wants nothing to do with his father's criminal world. But what does that world want with him?

A young prostitute is found dead in John's car, and Freddy Metcalfe, his best friend and employee, is framed for her death. Freddy denies everything but it's an open and shut case: he's going down for murder. John sets out to find the real killer.

But things get complicated. A stash of counterfeit money was also found in John's car, and the police seem more interested in that than in the dead girl. Then Lanny Bride turns up; one of the north's most ruthless criminals (and an old friend of the Ray family), Lanny is desperate to know who killed the girl. But why? Meanwhile, Freddy is too scared to talk to anyone, even his lawyer.

John's police detective girlfriend, Denise Danson, has been warned off the case by her boss. But she doesn't believe Freddy is guilty, and secretly helps John look for the murderer. The problem, though, is that uncovering the shocking truth about the girl's death will force John to confront his own criminal past and risk destroying his future, as well as losing the only woman he's ever loved." GoodReads' Blurb


Crime fiction: the fictional and the real.

by John Barlow
author of HOPE ROAD

February 22, 2012

I've been Tagged! (And I loved it)


So, it’s National Get to Know Ron Day! How cool is that?

The fact is, I’ve been tagged this past week. Thanks so much, girls! You’re the best, and I love you all! (And I love to talk about myself) So, I’ve decided to make a post with all the questions I got from my tagging, for your reading pleasure.

I believe there were rules involved. I’m probably going to break them, therefore I won’t list them – so perhaps you won’t notice!

Anyway, ready? Here we go!

February 21, 2012

Review: Katana, by Cole Gibsen

Author: Cole Gibsen
Title: Katana
ISBN: 9780738730400
Publisher: Flux (March 8th 2012)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy:  Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai tale.    

Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn’t explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she’s going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she’s harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that’s also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she’s always been and embracing the warrior inside her.” GoodReads’ blurb

Katana is an enjoyable read, fast paced and full of action.

Rileigh as a character was easy to understand and simpathize with: her reactions to the high-tension situation, her denial of the craziness that’s taken hold of her life, the way she still manages to worry about things like a love life or her reputation. I think I’d freak out more than she does... and yet she has enough troubles adjusting to her situation that I can believe it.

February 20, 2012

Review: Matchbox Girls, by Chrysoula Tzavelas


Author: Chrysoula Tzavelas
Title: Matchbox Girls
Series: Senyaza Cycle (#1)
ISBN: 9781936460205
Publisher: Candlemar & Gleam (February 21st 2012)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle Edition

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marley Claviger is just trying to get her life together. Stumbling into an ancient conflict between celestial forces is going to make that a whole lot harder...

When Marley wakes up to a phone call from a pair of terrified children, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into a secret war. She rescues them from an empty house and promises to find their missing uncle. She even manages to feed them dinner. But she barely feels competent to manage her own life, let alone care for small children with strange, ominous powers...


And when a mysterious angelic figure shows up and tries to claim the girls, it all falls apart...


Plagued by visions of disaster, Marley has no idea what she's gotten herself into, but she knows one thing: magical or not, the kids need her.

* * *

“Lovely worldbuilding and an unusual heroine surrounded by strong relationships and good intrigue kept me reading Matchbox Girls until well past my bedtime. Tzavelas has created a winning story universe and I’m impatient for the next book!”

- CE Murphy, author of The Walker Papers series

"An intriguing debut urban fantasy with intricate and deep wordbuilding and engaging characters in the heroine and two young girls. Children who are pawns in a game of power and the keys to the future...."

- Robin D. Owens, author of Enchanted Again.

"You want to read Matchbox Girls because it will devour you. It will consume you. It will wrap around you and it will colonize your world with its shapes and symbols and its faces."

--Jenna Moran, creator of Nobilis GoodReads’ blurb

It’s early in the year. So what? I already know that Matchbox Girls is going to make my list of “bests of”.

This title is a perfect score in characters – and, as you know, that’s one of the most important things for me. I need to be able not to sympathize with them, not to like them... but to believe them. If you make me take that step, the rest is almost done, because in order to make a character believable an author needs to make it understandable and genuine, which takes care of the sympathy and the liking, respectively.

February 18, 2012

TBR Intervention #15





It's TBR Intervention Challenge time! My favorite challenge ever! We get to organize our huge To Be Read piles and actually read those books we've been wanting to (or been supposed to) for the longest time! The challenge is hosted by April @ Books4Juliet, Dani @ Refracted Light and Ayanami @ Whatever You Can Still Betray, and it's hosted every Saturday, though you're free to join every two weeks if that's more convenient for you. As always, do join us! Here's the rules:


1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one). 
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers. 
And here's how I did this week:

February 17, 2012

Review. Fire Baptized, by Kenya Wright

Author: Kenya Wright
Title: Fire Baptized
Series: Habitat (#1)
ISBN: 9780985023003
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press (January 28th 2012)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.
Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Since the 1970s humans have forced supernaturals to live in caged cities. Silver brands embedded in their foreheads identify them by species: a full moon for Vampires, a crescent moon for Shifters, a pair of wings for Fairies, and the list goes on, for each supernatural species has been tagged and categorized by humans.

Lanore Vesta is marked with a silver X, the brand of Mixbreeds, second-class citizens shunned by society. She stays to herself, revealing her ability to create fire only during emergencies. All she wants to do is graduate college and stop having to steal to survive. But when she stumbles upon a murder in progress, she catches the attention of a supernatural killer. Now all she wants is to stop finding dead bodies in her apartment.

Enlisting help from her Were-cheetah ex-boyfriend MeShack and a new mysterious friend named Zulu, she is steered through the habitat’s raunchy nightlife. But their presence sometimes proves to be more burden than help, as they fight for her attention.

While the corpses pile up, and the scent of blood fills the air, Lanore is left wondering: will she find the psycho or die trying?” GoodReads’ blurb

This was very, very good, and very, very different from what I usually read. Can’t say I was too surprised, because when I received the request and read the sample chapters I knew I had something quite outstanding coming my way, but... yes. Wow.

The world built by Kenya Wright here is fascinating. I find the whole Habitat concept both fascinating and horrifying – fascinating because it’s so plausible, and horrifying because that’s the only way I can feel when faced with the dilapidated lifestyle, extreme poverty, absolute racism and total despair that bring the pages to life in Fire Baptized.

Is this for dystopian fans, then? Fantasy? Alternate history? Well, a bit of everything, I say. And I think that as long as you have the stomach to face the grim reality of the Habitat, you’ll like the book no matter your favorite genre.

Lanore, the main character, had some qualities that I admire, like the ability to kick butt, and none of the faults I’ve come to expect with the package of female lead. I’ll explain:

By this point, you might have figured out that I dislike it when characters become self-proclaimed heroes. When they take the weight of the world upon their shoulders. When they go all “woe is me” and then proceed to be the best at everything anyway. Well, Lanore does not fit that bill.

She falls so far from it, that she’s approaching the lead character concept from the other side. This means, in simple terms, that I was able to relate to her. Okay, not to all aspects of her life, perhaps, but definitely to her motivations. To her protective streak, when it does surface. To her love uncertainties, even.

There was no way for me to guess the solving of the mystery that drives forward the book, in that key information is disclosed so that the characters will talk us through realization. Oddly, I didn’t mind this at all, even though I usually like to wonder and ponder the possible solutions. I think this situation sat so well with me because it felt natural. It allowed me to further appreciate the world, its balance, and the characters. It gave a feeling of flailing around in the dark, of not knowing where to go next, that simply fit with the story and the situation.

I have to say that I suspected about three people, and was wrong each time. That my dawning realization left me with a good kind of “oooh” moment. And that I’m officially awaiting the sequel with eager puppy eyes, because while the plotline closes nicely, there’s still many answers to be had.

February 16, 2012

Review: Hickey of the Beast, by Isabel Kunkle

Author: Isabel Kunkle
Title: Hickey of the Beast
ISBN: 9781936460229
Publisher: Candlemark & Gleam (March 14th 2011)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.
Buy your copy: Kindle 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Connie thought freshman year might suck. She never thought it'd be literal.

Bad dreams? No big deal. After all, Connie Perez is starting her first year in the prep school her mom runs. Anyone would be a little stressed, right? When she starts dreaming about strange creatures and places that don't make sense, she doesn't think much about it: there's other stuff on her mind. Then she starts noticing that the people she dreams about get sick right afterwards.   

Then everything gets weird.    

There's something bad on the campus of Springden Academy. Something that feeds on students and warps their minds. And, as Connie and her friends try to figure out what's going on, it starts to look like she's the only one who can stop it.    

Freshman year was hard enough without having to fight evil after class.    

Hickey of the Beast is a hilarious look at coming of age in a school where there are no secrets, but plenty of mysteries, and where supernatural studies take on a whole new meaning. It's a story about all the things that make growing up hell: boys, history class, annoying little brothers, and saving the world from evil. When the supernatural comes to school, it's no field day - and that's before you factor in homework” GoodReads’ blurb

I’d been looking forward to this ARC for a while, and when I got it in my e-mail I went positively crazy with excitement. Of course, I squeezed it in my TBR as soon as I could and... it was such fun!

There are two things that are very unique in this book. The one that will jump out at you first is the tone, the voice. The whole novel is written as a super long letter from Connie to a friend, and that’s exactly the way it felt when I read it.

February 13, 2012

Book Tour: Promising Light




I know you wanted to see this one! The Promising Light Book Tour finally made its way to Stories of my life, and I'm super excited about it! There's going to be prizes (check them out at the end of the post) and a lot of other hosts, and I'm having Emily Ann Ward herself over as a guest to share something very special with you! But wait, first you want a reminder of the awesome book we're talking about, right? Here it is!


Grace began a secret courtship with Dar for the thrill of doing something against her father, the king’s general. She hadn’t planned on falling in love with him. When Dar suddenly leaves her, she searches for answers, reluctant to let him go.

Everyone seems determined to keep the truth from her—until she’s kidnapped by Dar’s family. They’re shape changers who claim she can break a curse set on them ten years ago by the Protectors, a group of noblemen determined to stifle magic in the name of safety.

Torn between two worlds, Grace isn’t sure who to trust. If the curse endures, Dar’s family could die out forever. But to help them, she’ll have to leave behind everything she knows.

And now, without further ado, I'll leave you with the author!

February 12, 2012

In My Mailbox #21

In My Mailbox time! Thanks go to The Story Siren for hosting this great meme - I must add, it's to blame for more than half of my purchases... Dang.

Anyway, ready to see what I got? Here it is!

February 11, 2012

TBR Intervention #14


It's TBR Intervention Challenge time! My favorite challenge ever! We get to organize our huge To Be Read piles and actually read those books we've been wanting to (or been supposed to) for the longest time! The challenge is hosted by April @ Books4Juliet, Dani @ Refracted Light and Ayanami @ Whatever You Can Still Betray, and it's hosted every Saturday, though you're free to join every two weeks if that's more convenient for you. As always, do join us! Here's the rules:

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one). 
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers. 
And here's how I did this week:

February 10, 2012

Review: Enthralled, by Kim Drollinger

Author: Kim Drollinger
Title: Enthralled
ASIN: B005XR9TFW
Publisher:  (October, 7th 2011)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle

My rating: 2  of 5 stars

“Annette has had nightmares for as long as she can remember. However, it was not until a strange encounter that Annette realizes her dreams have a deeper meaning than she could have imagined. In her search for answers, Annette is drawn into a world of dangerous creatures that human kind forgot exists. Once drawn in, Annette can never return to the life she knew.” Amazon blurb

I loved the premise for this book. I’m such a sucker for this kind of stories, that I was sure I was going to love it!

For some reason, though, it didn’t really work for me, which is a pity.

I think partly it was because it took so long to get the plot moving along. There’s a prologue that sets the scene up for mystery and scary things and then... We spend the next hundred pages or so going through the main character’s life.

February 9, 2012

Review: My Soul to Take, by Rachel Vincent

Author: Rachel Vincent
Title: My Soul To Take
Series: Soul Screamers (#1)
ISBN: 9780373210039
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (July 29th 2009)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.    

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.” GoodReads’ blurb

And now I understand where all the riot was coming from! Now I see the why behind the excitement, behind the wild cheering with each new title!

Soul Screamers rocks, to put it simply.

Since I like to put it complicately, I’ll elaborate on that.

February 8, 2012

Review: The Ghost and the Goth, by Stacey Kade

Author: Stacey Kade
Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Series: The Ghost and the Goth (#1)
ISBN: 9781423121978
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (June 29th 2010)

Buy your copy: Paperback | Hardcover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?“ GoodReads’ blurb

Why did I take this long to get into this series?! I knew it’d be good, I’d been wanting to get into it for a while, but it kept being pushed back... Well, good thing I finally read it, because I loved it!

February 7, 2012

Review: My Soul to Lose, by Rachel Vincent

Author: Rachel Vincent
Title: My Soul to Lose
Series: Soul Screamers (#0.5)
ISBN: 9781426838675
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (July 1st 2009)

Buy your copy: Kindle 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....” GoodReads’ blurb

Super short review, since this is a super short book to begin with!

I got into Soul Screamers thanks to Nicole, from over at The More the Merrier, because she started a series of reviews and I kept thinking, well, I need to get into this – I say the same thing about Mortal Instruments, I know. But then there was the Soul Screamers reading challenge, which seemed like the perfect excuse, so... Yeah.

I’m glad I did begin reading, anyway. I didn’t know it when I finished this novella, but the series is amazing – I’m halfway into My Soul to Take now.

February 6, 2012

Review: That Voodoo you do, by Jodi Redford

Author: Jodi Redford
Title: That Voodoo You Do
Series: That Old Black Magic (#1)
ISBN: B0042P5I9W
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd (September 13th 2012)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“-Something dead this way comes-

That Old Black Magic, Book 1

For ten long years Griffin Trudeau has managed to keep his paws off Jemma Finnegan, best friend and leading star of his kinkiest fantasies. As her appointed cat familiar, indulging those fantasies with the delectable witch is strictly forbidden. But when Jemma shows up at his door with seduction in mind, control goes right out the window.

Too late he realizes making love to Jemma is the trigger that launches a zombie apocalypse.

Jemma's been dealt a double whammy: she's just discovered she's a witch. And Griff has been hiding whiskers and a tail. Oh, and if her life wasn't crazy enough, a dead voodoo queen needs her blood to raise a legion of zombies.

There's one plan that might work to increase Jemma's powers so she can put an end to the looming holocaust. A sexy threesome with Griff and Logan Scott, a werewolf familiar with a history of rubbing Griff's fur the wrong way. A cat and a wolf playing nice, much less sharing? It'll take a miracle.

Warning: A witch, tiger and wolf doing naughty things. A dead voodoo queen doing evil things. And zombies doing zombie things. Get your shovels ready.” GoodReads’ blurb

How good do you think the sex needs to be to trigger a zombie apocalypse?

Well, the sex needed to save the world is even better.

I’d not call this safe reading for work or for your commute... There are some hot moments! But it wasn’t just hot moments, either.

Well, okay, they were important – but they had a reason! See the blurb above? Save the world!

Still, I spent a great deal of the book mentally ogling at Logan.

But anyway, There’s some mystery unravelling too – who was the evil Voodoo queen? Will they be able to stop her? Why Jemma’s blood, of all things? Between one thing and the next, the pages just keep turning.

And, of course, the action inherent to a zombie book is there. Lots of tearing apart, cutting, and butt-kicking. Some characters did it in a very likeable way – like the shotgun toting granny. Others take it really seriously, like Griff – who should take it seriously, since it’s his girlfriend on the line. And others are all around cool - like Logan.

If you enjoy steamy books with a plot and action both inside and outside the room, you really should pick this series up.

By the way, I usually review “cleaner” books (which is why I'm keeping this short today), so please read the above sentence, remark upon the “steamy” word, and don’t blame me later if your boss, mom, or significant other embarrasses the heck out of you, okay? *grins* Enjoy!

February 5, 2012

In My Mailbox #20


IMM time! It's hosted over at The Story Siren. I might have overdone it a little this week. Then again, that's nothing new for me, so I'm sure you're not surprised. Ready to see what I got?

February 4, 2012

TBR Intervention #13



It's TBR Intervention Challenge time! My favorite challenge ever! We get to organize our huge To Be Read piles and actually read those books we've been wanting to (or been supposed to) for the longest time! The challenge is hosted by April @ Books4Juliet, Dani @ Refracted Light and Ayanami @ Whatever You Can Still Betray, and it's hosted every Saturday, though you're free to join every two weeks if that's more convenient for you. As always, do join us! Here's the rules:

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one). 
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers. 
And here's how I did this week:

February 3, 2012

Review: The Shadow Seer, by Fran Jacobs

Author: Fran Jacobs
Title: The Shadow Seer
Series: Ellenessia’s Curse (#1)
ISBN: 9781921636127
Publisher: Writers Exhange E-Publishing (April 2nd 2009)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.
Buy your copy: Kindle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“For generations prophets have foreseen the birth of the Shadow Seer, the oracle of dark visions and fallen kingdoms. But by the time of Sorron, King of Carnia, their warnings have mostly been forgotten and his name is known only to a handful of scholars. When Sorron's grandson, Prince Candale, falls deathly ill, the Seer's legends are brought to light once again by his saviour, a witch named Mayrila. She believes that Candale is the fulfilment of those long forgotten prophecies. She believes that he is the Shadow Seer... “ GoodReads’ blurb

The thing is... I loved, loved, loved The Shadow Seer.

Not only the concept is intriguing, but the main character, Candale, was a breath of fresh air. He was not only weak, but also naive – so naive that his little sister knows more about the world than him! It was very enjoyable to read a story about a prince who didn’t ride off a white horse waving his sword... but that was seized by fits if over-exerted and was liable to trip himself if you gave him a sword.

Okay, the tripping part is not so bad but you get my meaning.

The funny part, though, is that there is a certain flavor of white horsing around. Candale loves tale and old stories, so much so that half the Court think him silly for it, so we do see them... as opposed to the hard truth.

February 2, 2012

Review: Hellhound on my trail, by D.J. Butler

Author: D.J. Butler
Title: Hellhound on my Trail 
Series: Rock Band Fights Evil (#1)   
ISBN: 9781466132
Publisher: Smashwords (December 30th 2011)
Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“Heaven doesn't want them. Do they stand a chance in Hell?

Bass player Mike Archuleta is down on his luck in a major way. The shattered survivor of a misspent youth, he is haunted by the ghost of his dead brother, and is now driven to planning his suicide. Halfway through the show that's supposed to be his last, a hellhound bursts into the club and attacks the band. The band members pull out karate moves, guns, and even a sword... and then things start to get strange.

Can Mike survive the show? What can he do about his brother's ghost? And what kind of band is this, anyway?   

Hellhound on My Trail is the first installment of Rock Band Fights Evil, a pulp fiction serial by D.J. Butler “ GoodReads’ blurb

Super short review, since this is a super short story. As a matter of fact, it’s part of a serial!

This is my second encounter with Pulp Fiction. To this point, I’m still not terribly sure that I can give a proper definition of the genre, but I find that I like it.

Hellhound on my trail had a couple of things going for me – one of them was the non-stop action. From the opening scene on, it was fast and super easy to read. Granted, there were moments when I got a bit lost, specially at first. Sometimes we jumped from the thoughts of our lead character into the action and back, and this made me blink on occasion. In general, though, if you just sit back and don’t worry too much, it was highly enjoyable.

February 1, 2012

New services offered

When the past year closed, I spent a while going over the reviews I had written, the books I had read and so on. While doing this, I realized that there was a single reason behind the vast majority of my two-star ratings – and that reason is editing.

Cover Reveal: Lucid, by P.T. Michelle

Guys! I'm so very, very excited about this! It's the 1st of February and the time has come to reveal the cover for Lucid. In case you didn't know, Lucid's the follow-up to Brightest Kind of Darkness, a truly wonderful discovery of this past year - you can check out my review here

Anyway, back on track. The important thing here is that today we're going to get our first look at the sequel cover... and I'm sharing it with you! Ready for it? Okay, here it comes!




Tadaaaa!!! Isn't it gorgeous? I love the red scarf in contrast to the golden tones, I love the feathers and I really wish we'll know more about them. What do you think? 

Lucid's hitting the shelves sometime in spring 2012, though the official date hasn't been released yet. Looking forward to it!