a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations to Shanese L. for winning a copy of Shadow Sight + Swag!
Be sure to contact me at shadowhunters_jace_clary@hotmail.com with your email and I'll pass it along to the tour host!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Giveaway Winner: Shadow Sight eBook + Swag
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to contact me at shadowhunters_jace_clary@hotmail.com with your email and I'll pass it along to the tour host!
Trailer Tour: The Progeny Series by Ashlynne Laynne (Giveaway)
I'd like to thank Holly @ FMB Blog Tours for giving me this opportunity to participate in the THE PROGENY SERIES Book Trailer Tour. There is a TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY at the end of the post. Be sure to thank Ashlynne!
Title: The Progeny
Series: The Progeny Series, #1
Author: Ashlynne Laynne
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal,
Romance, Erotica, Vampire/Wiccan
Publisher: Novel Concept Publishing
Paperback/Ebook
Pages: 364
Purchase:
Amazon
Kindle | Amazon
Paperback | Amazon
Kindle UK | Barnes
and Noble Nook | Smashwords
| All
Romance E-books | Sony
e-book
Book Description:
“No fate
other than the one I choose.”
The timeless
creed, and tattoo, bore by the Rousseau’s— a vampire clan with the purest
bloodline of any vampire family. Out of this clandestine group came one who was
different, yet the same: Ascher-a half-bloodling— half- human, half vampire.
Ascher
questions the purpose for his existence and which world he truly belongs to:
the human world or the vampire world. Two months from sealing to Ursula— a
prearranged union to a woman he abhors — he’s at his wit’s end. He knows if he
calls off the sealing, the Romanian clan will strike with deadly force, but he
cannot see eternity with a cold empty shell of a woman like Ursula.
Just when he
thought life was complicated enough, he meets Shauna— a beautiful, bi-racial
human Wiccan — and immediately develops an unshakable attraction to her. She
makes him feel alive and vital despite his origins and Ascher makes a decision
that turns his immortal world upside down.
Title: Blood Bonds
Series: The Progeny Series, #2
Author: Ashlynne Laynne
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal,
Romance, Erotica, Vampire/Wiccan
Publisher: Novel Concept Publishing
Release Date: July 2012
Paperback/Ebook
Pages: 320
Purchase:
Book Description:
“Forever. For
always. For eternity.”
The ties that
bind two hearts are powerful. For Ascher Rousseau and Shauna McCutchin, it’s
more than just a blood bond. Their union is that of vampire legend. Their love
is a predestined prophecy foretold centuries ago.
It’s a week
before Ascher and Shauna's sealing and the couple is making final preparations
for their eternity, but Ascher's ex has other plans. Ursula is hell-bent on
revenge—revenge fueled by lover's scorn and her father's death—and she begins
breeding a fresh army of newborn darklings to do her bidding.
When Ursula
finds a new weapon—an ally with the capability to dismantle the Rousseau clan—
Ascher and Shauna's bond is tested and they must stand together against Ursula
or lose each other for eternity.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GIVEAWAY:
Tour: Blood and Whiskey by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall (Review Bk.2)
I'd like to thank Roxanne @ Bewitching Book Tours for giving me this opportunity to participate in the BLOOD AND WHISKEY blog tour and providing me a copy of the book to review.
Series: The Cowboy and the Vampire #2
Author(s): Clark Hays, Kathleen McFall
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Elements:
Publisher: Pumpjack Press
Format: PDF, 362 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-9838200-1-7
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: Wanted:
Lizzie Vaughan, Dead or Alive
Relationships
are always hard, but for a broke cowboy and a newly turned Vampire, true love
may be lethal.
After
barely surviving an undead apocalypse in The Cowboy and the Vampire,
Tucker and Lizzie hightail it back to quirky LonePine, Wyoming (population
438), to start a family. But she’s got a growing thirst for blood and he’s
realizing that mortality ain’t all it’s cracked up to be when your girlfriend
may live forever. With a scheming Vampire nation hot on their boot heels and a
price on her head, how far will Lizzie and Tucker go to protect their unlikely
love?
Blending
evolution, religion and an overly sensitive cow dog named Rex, Blood and
Whiskey drags the Vampire myth into the modern west, delivering double-barreled
action, heart-pounding passion and wicked humor.
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATER. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
Clark
Hays grew up in Montana in the shadow of the Tobacco Root Mountains. In
addition to his fiction work, he is a cowboy, a published poet and occasional
food critic. Recently, he was nominated for Pushcart Prize for short fiction
and not so recently for a Rhysling award for poetry. Clark brings a deep
knowledge about the modern west, weaponry, country music and existentialism to
his writing.
Kathleen
McFall grew up in the heart of Washington, D.C. She worked as a petroleum
geologist and, later, as a journalist, and has published hundreds of articles
about scientific research, energy and natural resources. An interest in the
overlap of science and mysticism are an essential aspect of her fiction
writing. She received an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship for fiction writing.
Learn more at http://cowboyandvampire.com/
and www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire
ADVANCE
PRAISE FOR BLOOD AND WHISKEY
“Riveting,
existentialist underpinnings give it depth, the book is a thriller, upping the
ante in every chapter, as bullets fly and relationships strain under the weight
of old loyalties and new revelations …”
“It’s
more than just the details that set this series apart. Rather, it’s the way the
authors utilize those details to create meaningful conflicts and world-altering
choices for the characters.”
“Those
who missed out on the first book will really have to hang on if they want to
follow what’s happening, but it’s worth it for this tale of love and blood in
the modern West.”
Kirkus
Reviews
Tour: The Cowboy and the Vampire by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall (Review Bk.1)
I'd like to thank Roxanne @ Bewitching Book Tours for giving me this opportunity to participate in the BLOOD AND WHISKEY blog tour and providing me a copy of the book to review.
Series: The Cowboy and the Vampire #1
Author(s): Clark Hays, Kathleen McFall
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Elements:
Publisher: Midnight Inc.
Format: PDF, 394 Pages
ISBN: 9780738721613
Release Date: October 8, 2010
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating:
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: Reporter Lizzie Vaughan doesn’t realize it, but she has 2,000 years of royal Vampiric blood coursing through her veins. Neither she nor Tucker, her cowboy lover, has any idea that Julius, the leader of the undead, has a diabolical plan to reign over darkness for all eternity—with Lizzie at his side.
Lizzie battles for her life—and her soul—as she and Tucker find themselves caught up in a vampire war, pursued by hordes of Julius’ maniacal, bloodthirsty followers.
Who will be left standing when the sun rises?
Review:
REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATER. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
About these Authors:
Clark
Hays grew up in Montana in the shadow of the Tobacco Root Mountains. In
addition to his fiction work, he is a cowboy, a published poet and occasional
food critic. Recently, he was nominated for Pushcart Prize for short fiction
and not so recently for a Rhysling award for poetry. Clark brings a deep
knowledge about the modern west, weaponry, country music and existentialism to
his writing.
Kathleen
McFall grew up in the heart of Washington, D.C. She worked as a petroleum
geologist and, later, as a journalist, and has published hundreds of articles
about scientific research, energy and natural resources. An interest in the
overlap of science and mysticism are an essential aspect of her fiction
writing. She received an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship for fiction writing.
Learn more at http://cowboyandvampire.com/
and www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire
PRAISE FOR THE COWBOY AND THE VAMPIRE
“Deliciously
dark, witty.” Booklist
“A
must read for fans of vampire fiction. It’s one of the best in the genre that I
have read this year.” A Chick Who Reads Book Blog
“Rawhide
romance with bloody fangs. The Cowboy and the Vampire delivers unremitting fun, and a damn good read.” Diana Troldahl, Freshfiction.com
“Writing
duo Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall has succeeded in writing a unique story
among all the vampire books that are out there today.” Bertena Varney,
examiner.com
“Back
from the dead!” Jeff Baker, The Oregonian
“Sexy,
dark, witty, and nothing less.” Erin Cole, author of Grave Echoes
Release Day Blitz: Darklands by Nancy Holzner (Promo+Giveaway)
I'd like to thank Roxanne @ Bewitching Book Tours for giving me this opportunity to participate in the DARKLANDS Release Day Blitz.
DARKLANDS
By
Nancy Holzner
Book
#4 in the Deadtown series
They call it Deadtown: the city’s
quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far
from its border—but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer,
isn’t exactly human…
Boston’s demons have been disappearing, and Vicky’s clients are canceling left and right. While fewer demons might seem like a good thing, Vicky suspects foul play. A missing Celtic cauldron from Harvard’s Peabody museum leads her to an unwelcome conclusion: Pryce, her demi-demon cousin and bitter enemy, is trying to regain his full powers.
But Pryce isn’t alone. He’s conjured another, darker villain from Vicky’s past. To stop them from destroying everything she loves, she’ll have to face her own worst fear—in the realm of the dead itself.
Boston’s demons have been disappearing, and Vicky’s clients are canceling left and right. While fewer demons might seem like a good thing, Vicky suspects foul play. A missing Celtic cauldron from Harvard’s Peabody museum leads her to an unwelcome conclusion: Pryce, her demi-demon cousin and bitter enemy, is trying to regain his full powers.
But Pryce isn’t alone. He’s conjured another, darker villain from Vicky’s past. To stop them from destroying everything she loves, she’ll have to face her own worst fear—in the realm of the dead itself.
They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders — but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…
About this Author:
Nancy Holzner grew up in western
Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk
into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced
her parents to institute a “no reading at the dinner table” rule. It was
probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because
there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long
enough to earn a master’s degree and a PhD.
She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she’s worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. As Nancy Conner, she writes how-to and reference books on topics ranging from classical mythology to using Office 2010.
Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each other’s nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.
She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she’s worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. As Nancy Conner, she writes how-to and reference books on topics ranging from classical mythology to using Office 2010.
Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each other’s nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.
Website: nancyholzner.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NancyHolzner
Short Excerpt:
Calling a spirit is tricky
business. To do it right, you need a ritual dagger, along with candles,
incense, salt, and an altar loaded up with all kinds of magical paraphernalia.
Except for the kitchen salt shaker, I didn’t have any of that. What I had was
my intention.
I stood in the center of the
living room, having pushed its few pieces of furniture against the walls. I
took a couple of minutes to get centered, breathing deeply and going inside
myself. Breathe in . . . breathe out. Breathe in . . . breathe out. No
thinking, no guilt, just a steady focus on each breath. When the world seemed
to pulse in time with my heartbeat, I opened my eyes. I pointed at the cabin
floor and moved in a slow, clockwise circle. I concentrated on my intention:
protection. I projected my will from my brain, my heart, down my arm and
through my pointing finger, creating a sphere of protection around me. Nothing
could enter the circle unless I allowed it.
Let it be so.
Then, I called the Night Hag. I
pulled up everything I knew about her legend. I remembered the terror I’d felt
as a child—lying in bed, sure she was coming for me, pulling my pillow over my
head to block out the sound of galloping hooves. I could see the pages of a
book of Welsh folktales, one from Mab’s library, where I’d read her story. I
felt the uncanny shiver that had tingled through me when, walking alone at
night in a dark Welsh lane, I’d felt something pass by. My pulse pounded like
those galloping hooves. My whole body trembled with the desire to run, to flee,
to stay out of range of the hag and her pack of hellhounds. But I stood my
ground.
And I called her to me.
“Mallt-y-Nos!” My voice rang out
with a confidence I didn’t feel, pushing past the cabin’s walls. “Matilda of
the Night! Lady of the hunt! Mistress of Hounds! Night Hag, who drives lost
souls to the Darklands! I, Victory Vaughn, do invoke thee!”
The words echoed back to me, then
faded. My intention cut through the silence, as I held the image of Mallt-y-Nos
in my mind. A silhouette on horseback, shadowy against the moon, long hair
flying behind her as she rode. She reined in her horse and cocked her head,
listening. I called out again: “Mallt-y-Nos, come to me!”
In my imagination, the hag
wheeled her horse around. She whistled to her hellhounds. Shrieking a
bloodcurdling hunting cry, she raced toward me.
“Come!” I shouted, shrieking too,
raising the volume to blot out the horrible sound of the hag’s approach. “I
command thee!”
Hounds bayed and howled in the
distance. The sound grew closer. The ground shook as thundering hooves pounded
closer, closer. I clamped my hands over my ears and kept shouting. I wasn’t
saying anything now; I was just making noise. Anything to fight the terror of
her approach.
An explosion jolted the cabin as
the wall collapsed. I staggered back a step, almost falling, covering my face
with both arms. A tingle in my shoulder told me I’d bumped into my protective
magical barrier, and I jerked forward. I had to stay inside the sphere.
I dropped my arms to see what I’d
called
I stared into the fiery, red eyes
of a massive steed. Flames shot from its nostrils, but they broke to the left
and right before they reached me. Hounds leapt forward, jaws snapping, but they
couldn’t reach me. My protection held.
“Quiet!” shouted a woman’s voice.
The hounds fell back, milling around the cabin. The wall they’d burst through
remained intact. The half-dozen hounds that crowded the place didn’t look like
any dogs I’d ever seen. Each was the size of a small horse. Their eyes glowed
red and orange, lit by inner fire. Saliva dripped from their fangs; it sizzled
when it hit the floor.
The horse turned sideways, and
Mallt-y-Nos came into view. I blinked. This was the Night Hag? The woman
astride the horse was young and beautiful, with blue-green eyes and golden
blonde hair that flowed, shining, to her waist. She looked nothing like the
nightmare hag that had terrorized my childhood imagination. “Why have you
summoned me?” she demanded, regarding me imperiously from her demonic steed.
Before I could answer, her face
changed. Wrinkles formed around her eyes, on her forehead, between her nose and
mouth. Her blonde hair faded to gray, then bleached white. Her skin went from
creamy to blotchy red to jaundiced. I gaped, unable to look away, as the
beautiful young woman sagged and faded into an ancient crone. Finally, the hair
thinned to a few wiry strands. The skin shriveled and peeled away, baring the
skull beneath. Flames consumed the eyes, leaving only a red glow.
I looked into the face of death.
The cycle began again. In the
course of a few minutes, Mallt-y-Nos flowed from youth to middle age to
decrepitude and death. And back again. And then again. I stared, fascinated,
almost forgetting the terror of her presence.
In her death’s-head form, she
pointed a skeletal finger at me. “Why did you call me?” she asked again, her
voice impatient. Youthful flesh covered her skull. Her cheeks turned pink; her
eyes sparkled. Thick, shining hair cascaded down her back. “Do not suppose,
mortal, that you can command me. I came because I was curious. Mortals run from
me; they do not request my presence.”
That I could believe. Even in her
youthful form, she was terrifying.
“I called you to ask you a
favor.”
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cover Reveal: Options by Abbi Glines
OPTIONS by Abbi Glines
Expected Release Date: February 5, 2013
Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15776693-options
Two paths.
Two completely different roads.
Each one standing before me.
Each one holding a different destiny.
In life you're just supposed to choose one path.
In life you're not given the chance at choosing one specific future.
Until now.
Until me.
Why am I different? I
don't know. But I'm going to see those roads and walk down each one.
When it's over I'll know which one to choose because I'll know my -
options.
About this Author:
www.abbiglines.com
Cover Reveal: Rua by Miranda Kavi
Rua by Miranda Kavi
Expected Pub: September 3, 2012
A girl with an unknown destiny.
A boy from a hidden world.
When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices, has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets.
The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window.
He knows what she is . . .
Intriguing and deeply romantic, RUA is page-turning YA novel with a supernatural twist.
Author Bio:
Miranda Kavi
Miranda Kavi
is a YA and Urban Fantasy author. She has worked as an attorney, an
executive recruiter, and an assistant in a biological anthropology lab.
She loves scary movies, museums, and is hopelessly addicted to
chocolate. She lives in the Houston area with her husband and daughter.
Author Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miranda00writes
Monday, July 30, 2012
Challenge Review: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent
The Before I Wake Mini-Reading Challenge is hosted by Rachel @ Fiktshun!
Series: Soul Screamers #6
Author(s): Rachel Vincent
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Elements: Demons, Necromancers, Reapers, Bean sidhes
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN, Harlequin Books
Format: Paperback, 346 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-373-21061-9
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Source: Bought from Book Depository
Rating: 5/5
Tagline(s): The last thing you hear before you die.
Summary: I died on a Thursday--killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn't get it.
The bad news?
Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...
Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.
But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….
Review:
Kaylee Cavanaugh's death was inevitable, but no one expected her life to end the way it did. It was a Thursday when Kaylee's life ended and her afterlife began. It has now been a month since that fateful day and Kaylee's going back to school. But pretending to be alive is harder than it looks. Then when Kaylee goes on a practice soul retrieval, she comes face-to-face with an old family enemy. The stakes have risen and it's not only Kaylee's soul at risk.
Where If I Die had an air of hopelessness, inevitability, and soul-crushing heartache; Before I Wake has an air of being left adrift, but has undercurrents of power and heart wrenching beauty. Fan, myself included, wondered if Rachel Vincent could out-do If I Die, and she blew it out of the water with Before I Wake.
I think we see Kaylee's true strength in Before I Wake. She has always been strong, no one will contest that, but in Before I Wake we see her at perhaps her weakest and still she manages to pull herself together. Kaylee is like the heart of the group--when she died, the group crumbled, they are only strong as long as Kaylee is. Kaylee's experience with death and her subsequent afterlife have made her stronger and has made her value life even more than she did when she was alive.
Kaylee's selflessness is epic. There really is something "intriguing" and "rare" about it. And that is why Avari wants her. I liked the way Thane described the differences between Kaylee and Avari: "You protect people with lies, and he manipulates people with the truth. You keep saving those who've hurt you, and he hurts people who've done him no harm." Kaylee's unrelenting selflessness is what makes her one of my favorite heroines. I'm glad that she didn't lose it when she died. But there are consequences that come with that selflessness; some are good, some are bad, and some are lasting and can never be taken back.
The addition of Luca to the gang was refreshing. We met him in Never to Sleep, and it was great to learn a bit more about him. Luca's abilities as a necromancer are pretty creepy, though. He's like an undead radar--he can tell you where the reinstated (i.e. Tod, Kaylee) are located, where a corpse can be found, AND he can reanimate the dead. It just makes you shiver in revulsion. But aside from his creepy abilities, Luca seems like a pretty great guy, and to be able to handle Sophie he must have unlimited patience. I don't know how he does it.
I absolutely LOVED the developments in Tod and Kaylee's relationship. Their relationship seems more natural and effortless than Kaylee's relationship with Nash did. Kaylee and Tod started out as friends, grew to care and love each other, and now they are facing forever together. Their hearts literally beat for each other, and they are the only thing that makes the other feel truly alive. I couldn't help but swoon. I love how well they compliment each other. Tod refers to Kaylee as being the strongest person he's ever met, but I loved how when Kaylee was weak or vulnerable, Tod was her strength. I am so very happy that Kaylee chose Tod. I don't know how she withstood his charms for so long.
Here are some of my favorite Tod/Kaylee quotes:
"Forever used to feel like a curse. Now it feels like a promise." (Page 65)
"You make me feel alive. Every time I touch you, I feel like there's some kind of charge flowing between us. Like tiny little bolts of lightning, setting me on fire." (Page 67)
"You don't make me feel normal. You make me feel amazing, like I'm more alive now than I was back when my heart beat on its own." (Page 118)
"How is it possible that every time you open your mouth, I--" fall more in love with you "--melt a little more? Seriously. There's nothing in here but mush." (Page 129)
"Not much scare me anymore, but I'm terrified of losing you, Kaylee. I don't want to let you go long enough for that to happen." (Page 188)
And these are only in the first half of the book. There's a lot more mushiness to enjoy and swoon over.
We wondered if Rachel Vincent could out-do If I Die and she more than did so with Before I Wake. Now with the series finale coming in With All My Soul, Kaylee's out for revenge and I can't wait to see how Rachel Vincent will bring this series to a close. I have a feeling it will be one of the best finales I've ever read and I'll be sad to see it end.
About this Author:
'City of Bones' News: Aidan Turner is Luke Garroway
Aidan Turner is playing the part of Luke Garroway in 'City of Bones'!
Cassandra Clare on Aidan Turner as Luke:
Luke — Clary’s surrogate father figure, he has a hell of a dark past despite his current mild-mannered, bookstore-owning ways. The scars he bears belie his gentle heart — but he could tear you apart with his teeth if you threatened something he cared about.
He was terrific in Being Human and there’s massive buzz about his upcoming role in the Hobbit. He’s Irish so perhaps he and Robert Sheehan can sit around and talk about Irish things.
Looking more the flannel-shirt wearing Luke we know and love. Harald was so excited to work with him he was hopping around. I’m pretty excited about him playing Luke myself! Welcome Aidan!
The Cast So Far:
Lily Collins as Clary Fray
Jamie Campbell
Bower as Jace Wayland
Robert Sheehan as Simon Lewis
Jemima West as Isabelle Lightwood
Kevin
Durand as Pangborn
Robert Maillet as Blackwell
Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane
Jared Harris as Hodge Starkweather
Leah Headey as Jocelyn Fray
CCH Pounder as Madame Dorothea
'City of Bones' News: CCH Pounder is Madame Dorothea
CCH Pounder is playing the part of Madame Dorothea in 'City of Bones'!
Cassandra Clare on CCH Pounder as Madame Dorothea:
Madame Dorothea was a lot of fun to write. She’s Clary’s downstairs neighbor and a “witch” — the kind with crystal balls and Tarot cards. Her secret is that none of that magic is at all real: it’s a cover for the powerful position she actually does hold in the secret society of Downworlders.
You may know her from The Shield. Or The X-Files. Or Warehouse 13. Or ER. Or The West Wing. Or pretty much every cool show in the known universe. Our director’s wanted to work with her for ages and I think she will be amazing. Welcome, CCH!
The Cast So Far:
Lily Collins as Clary Fray
Jamie Campbell
Bower as Jace Wayland
Robert Sheehan as Simon Lewis
Jemima West as Isabelle Lightwood
Kevin
Durand as Pangborn
Robert Maillet as Blackwell
Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane
Jared Harris as Hodge Starkweather
Leah Headey as Jocelyn Fray
Leah Headey as Jocelyn Fray
Challenge Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
Title: Iron KissedSeries: Mercy Thompson #3
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Werewolves, Fae, Shapeshifters, Ghosts
Publisher: Ace Books, Penguin Group
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 287 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-441-01566-5
Release Date: January 2, 2008
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled me upper lip so she could get a good look as my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...
Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape--but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.
Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...
Review:
In Iron Kissed, Uncle Mike and Zee call in the debt Mercy owes them for borrowing fae objects to kill two vampires. Someone has been murdering fae on the reservation, and with Mercy's nose she may be able to sniff out who did it. BFA agent O'Donnell was present in each of the victim's homes, but when Uncle Mike and Zee pay the guard a little visit, they find him dead in his home. Now Zee is being framed for the murder of O'Donnell. Mercy, great and loyal friend that she is, will not let Zee go down for something he didn't do. At least not without a fight.
Mercy couldn't have gotten herself in a more dangerous situation than sticking her nose (literally) into fae business. Though she was asked to help, she has gained the attention of some very powerful fae, ones who aren't very happy with her knowing their secrets.
First, there is the Great Carrion Crow, who goes by the name Nemane, who also happens to be blind. She finds Mercy sniffing around O'Donnell's place and having possession of one of their treasures. Then there is The Fideal, who catches Mercy sniffing around the local Citizens for a Bright Future chapter. He decides that since he hasn't had a good meal in a while, Mercy will make a great snack. It's amazing that Mercy is still alive considering how much trouble that nose of hers gets her into.
The treasure that I mentioned Mercy being in possession of is a walking stick that is supposed to cause its owner's sheep to bear twins. For some reason the walking stick has grown attached to Mercy and will show up wherever she is. I thought it important to mention the walking stick because it appears in future books and sometimes plays a key role in saving Mercy's life.
We learn about a couple anti-fae groups in Iron Kissed. The first is the one O'Donnell was a member of, Citizens for a Bright Future. This anti-fae group is more for the common, blue-collar person. Whereas the John Lauren Society, which is the largest anti-fae group, is geared toward those of the high class variety. Coincidentally, the lawyer Mercy hired to represent Zee is a member of this group.
Another cool thing that is revealed to us is what Zee really looks like beneath his glamour. By my mental image, he looks pretty awesome!
The side story in Iron Kissed centers around Mercy's indecision concerning Adam and Samuel. Warren warns her that she needs to choose one or neither of them before one of them loses control. They both have been in pretty good control of themselves, but Adam is more restless and his temper more volatile.
We learn the reason for this lies in Adam's mate claim being unfulfilled. When Adam claimed Mercy, a spot was opened for her in the pack, and that opening (which has not been filled) is a weakness within the pack. Adam is absorbing the effects and that leaves him constantly on edge. So there is a lot more to Adam's claim than Mercy thought, so she needs to really think about her choice.
Ben was a character that I had a love-hate relationship with. But when Ben had a one-on-one talk with Adam it really made it easier to understand him. His hatred of women and his feelings about the rape he was accused of really make sense after this. Ben even seems to soften toward Mercy after this point. Ben is probably one of my favorite characters in thise series now.
Mercy shows great strength in the face of a terrible circumstance. But it will take time for her to heal completely and I can't wait to see how she grows after this point.
About this Author:
Iron Kissed was read during the High Summer Read-A-Thon
Review was written during the Sit Down and Write Write-A-Thon
Challenge Review: Haunted by Kelley Armstrong
CHALLENGE: MONTH FOUR
HAUNTED BY KELLEY ARMSTRONG
Series: Women of the Otherworld #5
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Angels, Deities, Witches, Sorcerers, Ghosts, Necromancers, Demons, Wraiths, Nymphs, Magicians
Publisher: Bantam Books, Random House Inc.
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 495 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-553-58708-1
Release Date: May 31, 2005
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s): The afterlife isn't all it's cracked up to be....
Summary: Former supernatural superpower Eve Levine has broken all the rules. But she's never broken a promise--not even during the three years she's spent in the afterworld. So when the Fates call in a debt she gave her word she'd pay, she has no choice but to comply.
For centuries one of the ghost world's wickedest creatures has been loosed on humanity, thwarting every attempt to retrieve her. Now it has fallen to Eve to capture this demi-demon known as the Nix, who inhabits the bodies of would be killers, compelling them to complete their deadly acts. It's a mission that becomes all too personal when the Nix targets those Eve loves the most--including Savannah, the daughter she left on earth. But can a renegade witch succeed where a host of angels have failed?
Review:
Eve Levine is used to breaking the rules, but she has never broken a promise once she's given it. The Fates are calling in the favor Eve promised in return for them returning Lucas and Paige to the living world. The demi-demon known as the Nix escaped her prison and has been roaming the world for about 100 years. After a number of failed attempts, the Fates are asking Eve to capture the Nix so she can be placed in an even stronger prison. The hunt becomes personal, though, when the Nix begins targeting those Eve loves the most--her daughter Savannah, and her guardians Lucas and Paige.
With the help of Kristof Nast, Jaime Vegas, and the angel Trsiel, Eve sets out to capture the Nix and protect her daughter. But with this mission being Eve's inaugural quest to angel-hood, Eve will need to choose between accepting angel status to better protect Savannah, or refuse and stay in the ghost world with Kristof. Whatever she chooses, it is forever and there will be no going back.
To be honest, I wasn't sure I would like Eve's story, or Eve herself. But I really liked Eve after reading Haunted. Eve really is a great mother and I can understand Savannah's love for her mother better now. Eve's dedication to Savannah, even in death, is so powerful, and her rage and frustration at not being about to protect and comfort her anymore is so heartbreaking.
Eve also brings out the better part of Kristof, Savannah's father. I even grew to like him a little. We get to see how Kristof really feels about Eve and Savannah, and his regret over missing so much in Savannah's life and what he missed out on with Eve before they both died shows a more caring side of Kristof that we didn't get to see when he was alive. I feel that if he had been given the chance, he would have made a pretty great father.
There were two tension breaking moments that I was really entertained by. The first was when Eve and Kristof scare Jaime's stalker ghost and the other haunters away. They definitely won't be bothering Jaime again. The second was when Jaime called Stonehaven to speak to Elena, but gets Jeremy on the line instead. Jaime is just too cute with how flustered she becomes just from talking to Jeremy over the phone.
If I hadn't been watching The Untouchables on MeTV for the past few months, I never would have noticed the reference to Eliot Ness in the Cleveland 1938 chapter when the Nix inhabits Agnes Miller. It's awesome when I notice references like that that others may overlook.
Anyway, I was glad that my first impression of Eve ended up being wrong. After reading Haunted, Eve has become one of my favorite characters in the Women of the Otherworld series. The next book, Broken, brings us back to Elena and the Pack where Elena has her own favor to uphold.
About this Author:
Kelley
Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her
earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about
girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil
dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce
"normal" stories failed. 
Haunted was read during the Once Upon a Read-A-Thon
Cover Ogle (#21): Power by Kristie Cook
Power by Kristie Cook
Soul Savers #4
Expected publication:
August 24th 2012
Sneak Peek:
I sighed. “I guess we’re going by ourselves?”
He took my hands and pulled me to him. “We don’t have a choice. Which is why we’re only getting close enough to listen.
We’re not starting anything with them. Not even if we see Vanessa.” He
lifted my chin with his thumb and forefinger and pierced me with his
gaze. “Understand?”
I nodded.
“No fighting,” he said. “Promise?”
Sheesh. Was I really so compulsive that everyone required my sworn word?
“Promise,” I mumbled under his stare.
“And I promise, if we do find Vanessa, you will
get to fight her—just not when we’re by ourselves and outnumbered.” He
leaned forward and planted his lips on mine, sealing our promises with a
luscious kiss.
Along with sharing the cover to the fourth book in the Soul Savers series, I'd also like to wish Kristie Cook a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!
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