Darklands Release Day Blitz - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today it's the release day of Darklands, book 4 in the Deadtown series by Nancy Holzner.

I very much enjoyed reading the first two books and have book three lined up to be read as soon as possible, so I'm very excited that after book three I can immediately pick up Darklands. Because believe me: This is a cool series.

Today I bring you an excerpt from Darklands and you can enter a giveaway for a chance to win any book in this series!


Darklands (Deadtown #4)
by Nancy Holzner

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.

Buy from Bookdepository
Buy from Amazon

---------------

Darklands 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.”

---------------

Not familiar with this series, but got curious after this excerpt:


Deadtown (Deadtown #1)
by Nancy Holzner

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…
Vicky’s demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that’s taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky’s love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown’s citizens.

But now Vicky’s got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston’s magical protections. The Hellion is a ruthless force of destruction with a personal grudge against Vicky, and she’s the only one who can stop the demon before it destroys the city and everyone in it.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Troll or Derby - Book Review

Troll Or Derby
by Red Tash

What is it about:
In Troll Or Derby, fifteen-year-old Roller Deb is singled out by town bullies for both her skates, and her sexual orientation. When her popular homecoming queen of a sister is kidnapped by a scuzzy drug dealer, Deb must flee the trailer park in which she's grown up, and rescue her. Along the way, Deb becomes enmeshed in the magical realm of trolls and fairies, and the blood-thirsty version of roller derby at which these beings excel. But spending too much time among the fairies comes with a price. Will Deb choose to save her sister, with the aid of a mysterious troll? Or will she be lost to the lures of roller derby, and the blonde temptress April, forever?

What did I think of it:
This is a cool story.

Deb is suddenly thrown into a world she doesn't understand and even with the help of a troll she makes some rookie mistakes that might cost her her life.

The book is told from both the perspective of Deb and that of Harlow, the troll who tries to help her. I really liked Harlow. He's a proper troll: Big, strong and with some intimidating tusks. Luckily he can glamour himself so he can move among humans without causing whole populations to run in fear.

I also really liked how Red Tash had used troll and fairy mythology. She does a great job at making the trolls and fairies look and act otherwordly. They're among the creepiest trolls and fairies I've come across lately.

The story is fast paced and full of action. At times it felt a bit chaotic, but it fits the bewilderment Deb feels while the world she knew if falling apart around her.

All in all this is a cool and entertaining read. I hope Red Tash will write more books in this setting and I will certainly check out what else she has written.

Why should you read it:
It's got trolls and roller derby!


Buy the ebook here
Buy the paperback here

Rogue's Pawn - Winner

And the winner of the Rogue's Pawn giveaway is:
Aurian

Congrats!
I send your info to Jeffe Kennedy and you should receive an epub version of Rogue's Pawn soon.

Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues - Book Review

Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues (White Trash Zombie #2)
by Diana Rowland

What is it about:
Angel Crawford is finally starting to get used to life as a brain-eating zombie, but her problems are far from over. Her felony record is coming back to haunt her, more zombie hunters are popping up, and she's beginning to wonder if her hunky cop-boyfriend is involved with the zombie mafia. Yeah, that's right--the zombie mafia.
Throw in a secret lab and a lot of conspiracy, and Angel's going to need all of her brainpower--and maybe a brain smoothie as well--in order to get through it without falling apart.

What did I think of it:
I thought the first book in this series was a pleasant read, but I probably wouldn't have picked up the second book if it wasn't for Daniel dos Santos' amazing cover.

And I'm very happy I did because this book was so much better than the first book.

The story is much more in balance than the first: no slow parts that made me lose interest in this book! There's lots of intrigue, action and even zombie mayhem! The plot itself was a bit predictable at times, but cool enough that I didn't think this was a bad thing.

The romantic storyline was also fleshed out much more than in the previous book and felt much more realistic. I could really understand Angel's feelings for Marcus.

All in all I'm glad I gave this book a try (even if it was mostly because I wanted the book for its cover) and I will give the next book a try for sure, no matter what cover it will have.

Why should you read it:
It's got a zombie who works at a morgue and zombie mayhem!

Lightborn - Book Review

Lightborn
by Tricia Sullivan

What is it about:
Lightborn, better known as 'shine', is a mind-altering technology that has revolutionised the modern world. It is the ultimate in education, self-improvement and entertainment - beamed directly into the brain of anyone who can meet the asking price.

But in the city of Los Sombres, renegade shine has attacked the adult population, resulting in social chaos and widespread insanity in everyone past the age of puberty. The only solution has been to turn off the Field and isolate the city.

Trapped within the quarantine perimeter, fourteen-year-old Xavier just wants to find the drug that can keep his own physical maturity at bay until the army shuts down the shine. That's how he meets Roksana, mysteriously impervious to shine and devoted to helping the stricken.

As the military invades street by street, Xavier and Roksana discover that there could be hope for Los Sombres - but only if Xavier will allow a lightborn cure to enter his mind.

What he doesn't know is that the shine in question has a mind of its own ...

What did I think of it:
This was a very cool and intriguing read.

I will confess that I was a bit annoyed about the beginning of this book. It immediately starts at the point where things go wrong. Now this shouldn't have to be a problem if the author manages to work in the backstory of how things were before things went wrong pretty quickly. She doesn't however and I had a hard time picturing how the world had been before the fall.

That annoyance aside this was an amazing story. The setting was disturbing and grim: Sullivan manages to describe the ruined city so well I felt trapped in that dark, desolate world while reading and I couldn't help but feel sorry for those affected by the Shine. The lead characters were really cool. I did feel like kicking Xavier from time to time, because he was acting like a brat at the most inappropriate moments.

Things get a bit chaotic near the end of the book: you really have to pay attention to understand what is happening and why. I had to reread some passages to make sense of some things.

I very much enjoyed this dark view of the future and I will certainly check out other works by Sullivan.

Why should you read it:
It's a dark, futuristic YA read.

Wishlist Wednesday - So Close To You

This sounds like a really intriguing read.


So Close to You
by Rachel Carter

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices--and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them . . . and herself.

Published July 10th 2012 by HarperTeen

Teaser Tuesdays - Troll or Derby

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, 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!


Whatever she was, Coach's glamour worked on her. She appeared to be seeing a burning passenger van, although since Coach had glamoured over top of other spells, there were also flickers of his wooden gypsy cabin spiraling up through the smoke, as well. I wondered how she was interpreting that.
(page 42-43 (ebook version), Troll or Derby by Red Tash)

Influences - Guest Post by Christi Goddard and Giveaway

Today I have a guest: Christi Goddard, author of Four In The Morning will tell you about her greatest influences.

Four In The Morning by Christi Goddard
Kathleen Hayson thinks her biggest problem is her mother. The only runner up—her mouth. With a wit sharper than her mother's perfectly manicured nails, her clever remarks create more problems than they solve. But it's not her clever remarks landing her knee-deep in trouble. This time, Josh Colby is to blame. Kathleen's former childhood friend has become the school's most stuck up jerk. Before, she'd have told him to piss off and write his own stupid letter to the town slut/minister's daughter. Now Kathleen's escalating problems at home force her to reevaluate how flexible her principles are. She agrees to write the controversial letter Josh has requested. Enter Rigel, a smartass magical creature who invades her room one night, promises he has come to help her. When a boy Kathleen hates turns up dead and her mother goes missing, the letter becomes a key piece of police evidence – implicating Kathleen. As she fights her way out of a web of lies, the trust she has in those closest to her shatters. In the end, she's pushed to a terrible choice: who lives, and who else dies.

Where to purchase Four In The Morning

-----------------------------

Infuences

I have two teenage daughters. As I watch them go about their lives in their own little universes, it inevitably leads to flashbacks of my own teenage years. My high school career was at the very end of the 80s and very beginning of the 90s, so I have two of our most warped decades to thank for my personality. I also blame a lot of it on my dad.



When I get an idea for a story I want to tell, I write it down. But as I read back through it once it’s done, I can see the influences from my teenage years. It’s all there, glaringly obvious to me. I think it might come as no surprise to my readers to discover who my major media influences were (and in many cases, still are).



The Far Side – I have six books of Gary Larson’s collections, and they are left out and read through daily when I have a few minutes of ‘me’ time. This current sentence was going to be TMI, but I removed it. You’re welcome.



Pictured: How I Plot My Character's Life, Part I.









Sci-Fi – I was going to list out specifics, but really it needs to be lumped into one. X-Files, Star Wars, Star Trek, the Terminator, Sliders, X-Men comics, etc.



Pictured: OMG Heaven.









Monty Python’s Flying Circus – They used to show re-runs late at night on MTV, as well as Britain’s The Young Ones. These were happy, happy times for me, my friend. The offbeat and unexpected plots have heavily influenced my own plotting.



Pictured: How I Plot My Character's Life, Part II. You might notice a running theme...









Dean Koontz – Yes, I mention him on occasion. I read my first Koontz book when I was 12. Lightning. It was about time travel, fighting Nazis, redemption, and being a writer. It’s been a huge influence on me, and most likely why my first three series I wrote dealt with time travel, and why I suck up all things time travel like a sponge. A lot of people dismiss Koontz as a horror writer and never try him, but he’s written some of the most amazing characters I’ve ever read.



Pictured: OMG Heaven cubed. Aka: Dean Koontz AT a comic convention.







Darlene Conner – Played by Sara Gilbert on Roseanne. I was (and in many ways still am) a version of this character, so much so my dad called me ‘Darlene’ half the time. I think it reflects in my narrative voice when I write.



Pictured: Me and my nerdy boyfriend. Funny how I look more like Roseanne now. OMG. WE DO TURN INTO OUR MOTHERS.









So, there’s my list of greatest influences. What’s yours?



-----------------------------

Christi was born in Arlington, Texas in the early seventies. Her earliest memories are of seeing Jaws and Star Trek: The Motion Picture in the theater. The first was a bit much for a pre-K kid to take, and the second has much to do with what has inspired her imagination. Her father is a bit of nomad, and they moved a lot when she was a kid. She inherited this trait, and has lived many places and been just about everywhere in America. She hit puberty in Colorado, got married in Las Vegas, had her first child in Kansas, her second in Illinois. She returned to Texas just shy of turning thirty and has been there ever since. Books are Christi's first love, followed closely by movies. She loves to be told stories, and for most of her literate life, she's been a storyteller as well. Christi is in her thirties, a mother of two awesome teenage girls, and a geek on many levels. Comic books, Victorian manga, science fiction, fantasy, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars, and renaissance festivals are her greatest loves. She lives in Waco, Texas (keep Waco Whacko) with her family and lovable dog, Nelly. She has a cat named Snape who is black, full of bad attitude, and thinks he runs the place. He was deftly named.

Where to find Christi:
website
twitter

----------------

And now for a giveaway!
Christi was kind enough to offer one e-copy of Four In The Morning to a commenter.
So if you want a chance to win this book:
- Leave a comment for Christi
- Make sure to leave a way to contact you
- Last day to enter is August 3rd
- open internationally and you don't have to be a follower to enter

Be sure to check out the other stops on this tour. And if you live in the US, don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed printed copy of Four In The Morning.

Rogue's Pawn - Giveaway

As last post of this Jeffe Kennedy week we have something special:

Jeffe has been kind enough to offer one copy of Rogue's Pawn (epub or PDF) for giveaway!

So what do you have to do to have a chance at winning Rogue's Pawn:

- Leave a comment + a way to contact you
- Make sure to say if you prefer epub or pdf
- Do this before July 28th

The random number generator will tell me who the winner is shortly after that date and the winner will be announced on this blog.

No need to be a follower and the giveaway is open internationally.

Rogue's Pawn - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Rogue's Pawn (Covenant of Thorns #1)
by Jeffe Kennedy

What is it about:
This is no fairy tale…

Haunted by nightmares of a black dog, sick to death of my mind-numbing career and heart-numbing fiancé, I impulsively walked out of my life—and fell into Faerie. Terrified, fascinated, I discover I possess a power I can't control: my wishes come true. After an all-too-real attack by the animal from my dreams, I wake to find myself the captive of the seductive and ruthless fae lord Rogue. In return for my rescue, he demands an extravagant price—my firstborn child, which he intends to sire himself…

With no hope of escaping this world, I must learn to harness my magic and build a new life despite the perils—including my own inexplicable and debilitating desire for Rogue. I swear I will never submit to his demands, no matter what erotic torment he subjects me to…

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I love this book!

Kennedy creates a wonderful, yet dark world where wishes come true, but also might destroy you.

Jennifer/Gwynne is a heroine I really could relate to. She's practical and rational and I loved seeing her adapt to a world full of magic. She doesn't give up even when things get really tough and keeps looking for possibilities to turn the tables on those who wrong her.

Rogue on the other hand is dark and mysterious with a ruthlessness to him that makes him both sexy and a bit scary. I could totally understand why Jennifer/Gwynne can't make up her mind about Rogue. The relationship that builds between them is intense and believable and I can't wait to see how things between them will develop in the next two books.

Kennedy also did a really good job at characterizing the minor characters in this book. I especially fell in love with Blackbird and her daughter Starling and hope they will be in the next book as well.

The story itself was very different from what I expected when I started the book. There was lots more action and intrigue than I thought there would be and this was a pleasant surprise. Most Paranormal/Fantasy Romances focus just on the romance and are a bit sloppy on the story around that romance, but Rogue's Pawn luckily didn't have this flaw and instead delivers on both romance and story.

All in all this is a delightful read and I'm already longing for the next book in this trilogy to see what's next for Jennifer/Gwynne and the people close to her.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and dark Fantasy Romance




Buy it here

Wishlist Wednesday - Hunting the Siren

With Rogue's Pawn released this Monday and already read by us (review to come later this week) we're looking forward to Jeffe's next releases. Here's one that Voodoo Bride is dying to read:

Hunting the Siren
by Jeffe Kennedy

There's no official cover blurb yet, but this is what Jeffe said about it on her blog:
... this is officially the second book in the Blood Currency series, led off by Feeding the Vampire. In this one, Imogen is my vampire queen, living on the Russian steppes with her Nightriders. That ripped Mongol dude? That’s Kasar, who hiked out of Moscow after the earthquakes devastated that, too, and Europe sank. He thinks he’s going to go all VanHelsing and hunt Imogen down, to avenge his sister. But Imogen is no pussy cat.

At the moment the release of Hunting the Siren is scheduled for early 2013.

Rogue's Pawn - Excerpt

This whole week is about Jeffe Kennedy, who's newest release Rogue's Pawn was released yesterday.

Today an excerpt from Rogue's Pawn:

Rogue's Pawn (Covenant of Thorns #1)
by Jeffe Kennedy

This is no fairy tale…

Haunted by nightmares of a black dog, sick to death of my mind-numbing career and heart-numbing fiancé, I impulsively walked out of my life—and fell into Faerie. Terrified, fascinated, I discover I possess a power I can't control: my wishes come true. After an all-too-real attack by the animal from my dreams, I wake to find myself the captive of the seductive and ruthless fae lord Rogue. In return for my rescue, he demands an extravagant price—my firstborn child, which he intends to sire himself…

With no hope of escaping this world, I must learn to harness my magic and build a new life despite the perils—including my own inexplicable and debilitating desire for Rogue. I swear I will never submit to his demands, no matter what erotic torment he subjects me to…

----------------------------

Rogue’s Pawn Excerpt

“Enough,” a male voice said.

As if I’d ceased to exist, Tinker Bell blinked her eyes and regained her lovely self, face smoothing, shining once again in sunny elegance. Reboot and resume program. She gracefully stood and glided to the tray, set the bowl precisely in the center, lifted the tray and left the room without hesitation.

Booted footsteps crossed the room toward me. Act II, scene ii. Exit Nasty Tinker Bell, Enter God-Only-Knows-What-Now. My face was sticky with whatever the brothy stuff had been, my hair wet and fouled. I stank. I hurt. I was chained to a bed in a place so completely unknown I couldn’t begin to understand it. I tried to squeeze my legs closer together, but the chains seemed at the limit of their reach. The energy of my brief triumph evaporated, allowing tears to well up again.

Oh, please, please, please, do not cry. The threatening sting worsened. I closed my eyes and one tear leaked out. He stopped next to me, surveying me.

“You’re certainly a mess.” His wry voice was rich and smooth.

My eyes snapped open to glare at him through the blur. Fifty different smart remarks flew across my tongue, most along the lines that any failures of appearance on my part could be laid on the doorstep of someone besides myself. But even the buzz of the first word on my vocal chords brought searing agony. Relieved to have a legitimate reason for the tears, I almost welcomed the searing sensation.

“No, don’t try to talk—no one needs to hear what you have to say, anyway. Not that we can help it, since you think so loudly. And you have a decision to make. We have a quandary.” He began pacing, boots echoing against stone. “No one can heal you while you’re bound in silver and we can’t release you from the silver until you have yourself under control. Which will take a considerably long time—perhaps years of training—if you’re even able to accomplish it at all.”

I thought of the birds crashing in increasing cacophony with a small shudder.

“Exactly,” he confirmed. “And yes,” he said from the window behind my head where he seemed to be gazing out, “I can hear most of your thoughts—another reason to save trying to speak aloud.”

My stomach congealed in panic. Had he heard my secret thoughts? Don’t think of them, bury them deep, deep. Think of other things…like what? Think of home, think of Isabel. Isabel, my cat—Clive hated her. What would happen to her now? How could I not have thought of her until this moment? Abandoned, wondering why I never came home for her… And my mother—she’d be frantic. How long had I been gone? They could be all dead and buried, lost to me forever. The anguish racked me.

“Shh.” The man sat on the side of my bed now, heavier than Nasty Tinker Bell. He brushed the hair back from my forehead, then placed his long fingers over my brow and, with his thumbs, rhythmically smoothed along my cheekbones, wiping away the tears that now flowed freely.

I stifled a sob. I had cried more in the past day than I had in years. The sweeping along my cheekbones soothed me, melting warmth through my skull. The rhythm became part of my breathing. Deep breaths. Smooth, easy. The awful tightness in my chest gave a little sigh and released.

“Let’s try again, shall we?” The man pulled his hands away. I could hear him brush them against his thighs. Soup, tears and blood. Yuck.

My eyes cleared enough for me to see him. Ebony-blue climbed over half his face. The winding pattern of angular spirals and toothy spikes swirled out of his black hair on the left side of his face, placing sharp fingers along his cheekbone, jaw and brow. For a moment, the tattoo-like pattern dominated everything about him. Ferocious and alien.

Once I adjusted, I could see past the lines. His face echoed Tinker Bell’s golden coloring. He could be her fraternal twin, with those same arched cheekbones. But where she was golden dawn, he was darkest night. Midnight-blue eyes, that deep blue just before all light was gone from the sky, when the stars have emerged, but you could see the black shadows of trees against the night. He shared Tinker Bell’s rose-petal mouth, but with a curious edge to it. I suppose a man’s mouth shouldn’t remind one of a flower, and there was nothing feminine about this man. Where she wore the pink sugar roses of debutantes and bridal showers, his lips made me think of the blooms of late summer, the sharp-ruffled dianthus, edges darkening to blood in the heat. His bone structure was broader than hers but still seemed somehow differently proportioned, his arms hanging a bit too long from shoulders not quite balanced to his height. Inky hair pulled back from his face fell in a tail down his back. One strand had escaped to fall over his shoulder and I could see a blue shimmer in its silk sheen.

He arched his left eyebrow, blueness in the elegant arch, repeating the deep shades of the fanged lines around it.

“Shall we?” he repeated.

I stared at him. What was the question?



Buy it here

Rogue's Pawn - Interview with Jeffe Kennedy

This week in all about Jeffe Kennedy!
Today is the release day of her newest book Rogue's Pawn.
To celebrate this newest release we'll be posting an excerpt and review of the book this week, but today we bring you Jeffe herself!


Sullivan: Jeffe, welcome back to Pearls Cast Before A McPig. It’s good to have you here.

Jeffe: I love to be here! Sullivan’s and Voodoo Bride’s reviews are some of my favorites on the web.

Voodoo Bride: Aawww, thanks.
What can you tell us about Rogue’s Pawn?

Jeffe: It’s the story of a neuroscientist who accidentally falls into Faerie. Instead of the old Irish tale of falling drunkenly asleep on a hillside, she’s transported through a gate at Devils Tower. When she arrives, she discovers that all her wishes come true. Because she has a sharp and organized mind, her ideas manifest very well. But because she’s also passionate, emotional and untrained, disasters occur!

Voodoo Bride: Where did the idea for Rogue’s Pawn come from?

Jeffe: In the book, the heroine is haunted by dreams of a Black Dog. Near the beginning, she recounts the dream. And that’s the dream I had, only me facing that dog. It was a powerful, resonant moment and I wondered for a long time who the dog was and what it represented. After that, I had other dreams about being that woman, the sorceress. They all formed different scenes, both in this book and in the next ones.

Voodoo Bride: Rogue’s Pawn is the first book in a trilogy. When can we expect book 2 and 3? Is there a release date for those yet?

No release dates yet since I haven’t written them yet! What can you expect? The next two will continue to follow Rogue and Gwynn – I saw one reader ask about that and, yes, the trilogy is absolutely about them at the core. The other characters will follow their paths, too. Starling has a lot of growing up to do and there’s the matter of Darling and his fate. And Gwynn is really feeling like she needs to rescue Dragonfly…

Sullivan: I'm looking forward to read more about Darling.
Any chance there will be zombies in one of the next 2 books?

Jeffe: Just for you, Sullivan, I hereby promise at least one zombie, somewhere in the next two books. Solemnly sworn.

Sullivan: *does happy dance*


Voodoo Bride: I’ve heard you’re trying your hand at self publishing. How is that working out so far?

Jeffe: So far I haven’t done much, so it’s been easy! I’m waiting for my rights to revert on Petals and Thorns and for Loose Id to take it down. I suspect that will happen July 13, since that’s the book’s two-year anniversary. I have a new cover ready, so then all I have to do is format it and put it up again. And yes, I use “all” with a note of uncertainty…

Voodoo Bride: What do you like the most about being a published author?

Jeffe: Getting to legitimately stalk other authors, talk shop with them and get previews of their next books. It’s absolutely the most fun part!

Sullivan: And what do you like the least?

Jeffe: Hmm. Maybe the constant struggle of it? There’s always something more to do, another form of rejection to face, an author or book that’s doing better, seems shinier. A lot of that can be combated by keeping your head on straight, however.

Voodoo Bride: And lastly:
How are your other projects coming along? Any other releases coming up soon?

Jeffe: Yes! Hunting the Siren, a follow-up to Feeding the Vampire, comes out soon – though I don’t have an exact date, though I’d guess by August or September. And then Platinum, a follow-up to Sapphire, comes out in February. I’m working away on Rogue’s Pawn 2 (still mulling that title) and am about halfway done. I hope to have that done by the end of August!

Voodoo Bride: Sounds like a busy schedule. Thanks from dropping by and good luck with all your projects. We'll keep an eye out for more of your amazing books.
Sullivan: And zombies ;-)


****

Don't forget to drop by tomorrow for a excerpt from Rogue's Pawn!

Cowgirls Don't Cry - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Cowgirls Don't Cry (Rough Riders #10)
by Lorelei James

What is it about:
Jessie McKay has accepted her marriage to Luke McKay wasn’t perfect. After two years of widowhood, she’s ready to kick up her bootheels—until Luke’s younger brother shows up to spoil her fun. But if Brandt thinks she’ll ever take orders from another McKay male, he’s got manure for brains.

Brandt McKay has avoided his sweet, sexy sister-in-law ever since the night he confessed his feelings for her weren’t the brotherly type. Unexpectedly faced with proof of Luke’s infidelity, Brandt is forced to ask for Jessie’s help in taking care of Luke’s young son. Jessie agrees on one condition—she wants Brandt’s boots exclusively under her bed for the duration.

The sexual heat that’s always simmered between them ignites. Brandt is determined to make the temporary situation permanent, proving to Jessie he’s a one-woman man. And Jessie is shaken by feelings she’s sworn never to have again for any man…especially not a McKay.

Warning: Contains branding-iron-hot sex , the one McKay on earth who wants to be tamed, and a woman who’s decided tame is for nice girls who finish last.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
First of all:
Remember how I told you I disliked the use of the word suckle? After reading this book there's now another word I never want to see again in a romantic context: nekkid.

The word nekkid is not sexy! It's a horrible word even.
Talk about a mood killer!

Ok... On to the rest of the story.

I'm not much for contemporary romance, but I got this book as a present and decided to give it a try.

And it's quite a nice romance I must say.

The building relationship between Brandt and Jessie is nicely written and sweet. There's also lots of really steamy scenes as well.

I did have problems with the kid I will confess. I don't have experience with having children in the house, so it might be just me, but I couldn't really get into the scenes where Brandt and Jessie were getting hot and heavy with the kid sleeping in the next room. I kept worrying they'd wake up the kid.

I ended up liking, but not loving this book and I don't think I will read any of the other books in this series, especially as I suspect there will be lots more uses of the word nekkid in those books.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice cowboy romance


Buy it here

Stalking The Others Blog Tour - The H&W Gang Discuss Zombies

Today we have a very special guest post!
Shiarra from The H&W Investigations series is here to discuss my favorite topic!

So say hello to Shiarra and the gang and to their creator Jess Haines:

-------------------

STALKING THE OTHERS BLOG TOUR
Guest Post Stop 19: The H&W Gang Discuss Zombies
 
By Jess Haines
 
Hello there!  Jess Haines here.  I’m the author of the urban fantasy H&W Investigations series (HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, TAKEN BY THE OTHERS, DECEIVED BY THE OTHERS, and STALKING THE OTHERS). 
 
Shiarra has been having a pretty bad time of things lately. She’s here with some of her friends (and otherwise) to tell you about it. In honor of my host’s love of all things zombie, that’s what the gang is going to discuss—even though Shia hasn’t encountered any in the books just yet. Over to you, Shia!
 
____________________

Shiarra: Um… what? Why are we talking about zombies? It’s not like I know anything about them.

Chaz: I get the feeling that’s going to change.

Arnold: Are we sure there are going to be zombies? ‘Cause that’s really bad news.

Royce: Where there are zombies, there is a necromancer. If there is a necromancer in my territory, I want to know about it now so that I can dispose of it properly.

Arnold: Hold your horses, dead man. That’s The Circle’s purview, not yours.

Royce: My city. My territory. My rules.

Shiarra: Somebody is grumpy tonight.

Royce: Consider my condition, Ms. Waynest. What do necromancers do?

Shiarra: I dunno. I thought they were a type of mage.

Arnold: I don’t want to be classified with necros.

Sara: No one said you were, dear.

Shiarra: Wait, don’t they do magic, too? What’s the difference?

Arnold: Necros deal with the dead. They use the energy from living things to animate dead flesh. That usually means sacrifices, blood, guts, and other unpleasant things.

Chaz: They smell funny, too.

Everyone Else: …

Chaz: What? They do.

Shiarra: I’m afraid to ask, but how do you know that?

Chaz: Ran across one, once. He was pretty strange. Smelled like formaldehyde and blood. Thought he was a vamp until I realized he had a pulse.

Royce: I take exception to that.

Chaz: Like I care.

Arnold: I’m not surprised the vamp doesn’t like them. Most of us don’t. They give magery a bad name.

Sara: No one here thinks any less of you.

Arnold: Maybe not now, but if anyone knew there were necromancers actively practicing in the U.S., all of the magi would be in trouble. All of those bad movies you see with magic and devil worship? Summoning ghosts and demons and zombies? That’s the sort of stuff necros are into.

Shiarra: Lovely. What makes you—regular magi—different, then?

Royce: Regular magi don’t have the power or know-how to control the dead.

Arnold: Or the undead.

Royce: Precisely. And it better stay that way.

Sara: You leave my boyfriend alone! He hasn’t done anything to you.

Shiarra: I’m sure Arnold can take care of himself.

Arnold: I can, but I’m not really interested in going toe-to-toe with a vampire as old and powerful as he is. Aside from that, I’m not walking down the dark path anytime soon. Even if they do have cookies.

Chaz: Vampires aren’t so tough.

Royce: You’d best pray I never get the urge to prove you wrong, dog.

Chaz: Just try me, leech.

Shiarra: For God’s sake, will you two knock it off? We’re right at the tail end of this blog tour thing, I don’t want to scare everyone away!

Sara: Others. You can’t take them anywhere.

Arnold: I behaved myself.

Sara: Yeah, but you don’t have a vampire or a werewolf’s bad temper.

Shiarra: What about zombies? Are they like in the movies? All “braaaaains” and bite-y and stuff?

Royce: Somewhat. They are automatons driven to follow the directions of their maker. They have no sense of self, as a vampire does, and no drive for survival.

Arnold: Except to feed if their maker is destroyed. They can keep going for a while without direction, but after a short time they start acting like zombies in the movies. When their maker stops feeding them energy from his blood spells, they start looking for it elsewhere.

Shiarra: That is super creepy.

Sara: I’m afraid to ask how you found all that out.

Arnold: All magi have to study up on our potential enemies, and all forms of magic—including the types we don’t use.

Chaz: So you can counter it?

Arnold: Exactly.

Chaz: Sounds boring. I’d like to see them try to cast something with their throat ripped out.

Arnold: That might work with a regular mage, but I wouldn’t try it on a necromancer.

Royce: Indeed. Considering their occupation, they might not stay dead. They are best avoided altogether.

Shiarra: Great. I’ll keep that in mind. Just like I do with all the other kinds of Others, for all the good it’s done me.

Sara: For someone who seems to hate them so much, you sure seem to do a good job of surrounding yourself by them.

Shiarra: Gee, thanks.
 
____________________
 
 
You can learn more about Shiarra and the rest of her friends in HUNTED BY THE OTHERS (link: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=16761). And keep an eye out for some creepy-crawlies to make an appearance in the next book, FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS…  

This is the last stop on the blog tour, but you can visit the official STALKING THE OTHERS blog tour calendar (link: http://jesshaines.com/blog/2012/05/07/stalking-the-others-official-blog-tour-calendar) to see where to find the other guest posts, interviews, and get in an extra entry for the giveaway! 

You can also visit me on the web:

www.JessHaines.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JessHainesAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#%21/Jess_Haines
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jesshaines

Thanks again for having me and the gang over, Sullie and Voodoo Bride!

Thanks for dropping by and for letting the gang talk about zombies! You're always welcome at Pearls Cast Before a McPig.

---------------

Don't forget to enter Jess' amazing giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Before I Fall - Book Review

Before I Fall
by Lauren Oliver

What is it about:
What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

What did I think of it:
This was a nice read.

I will confess I disliked Samantha immensely at the start of the book. She's petty, selfish and shallow. The writing was very pleasant however and there were lots of hints as to what was to happen later in the book, so I kept reading.

And it turned out to be exactly the kind of story I thought it would be. It even felt a bit formulaic, but not enough to really annoy me. Instead I just sat back and enjoyed seeing the story unfold like I knew it would.

I will confess reading this book felt much like watching a teen movie. Both are predictable, but fun and give you this sense of having seen the story somewhere before. This might sound negative, but it's not meant like that at all. This book is like candy for your brain: it's an easy, relaxing and fun read.*

*I know: I should feel all weepy and emotional because this story does involve the death of the lead character, but to be honest there was just one moment in this book that touched me and it had nothing to do with dying. This might have been because I didn't much like Samantha and her friends, so maybe other people will find this book highly emotional.

All in all I very much enjoyed this book and I can easily see this turned into a Blockbuster movie. I might try other books by Lauren Oliver in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice, uncomplicated YA read.

Wishlist Wednesday - PODs

This one sounds very cool!


PODs
by Michelle K. Pickett

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it’s in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it’s a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That’s the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Where Do I Get My Ideas? - Guest Post by Eric Griffith

Today I have a guest:
Eric Griffith

First I'll tell you about his book Beta Test
(Don't you just love that cover?!)
Then Eric Griffith will tell you about where he gets his story ideas and he even has an excerpt from Beta Test for us.

Thanks for dropping by Eric!

Beta Test
by Eric Griffith

Sam Terra is having a bad week. He lost Molly, the woman he secretly loves, when she vanished before his eyes at the exact same time that ten percent of the inhabitants of Earth disappeared.

Naturally upset, Sam follows clues about the global vanishing with questionable help from his friends including a misanthropic co-worker and a childhood pal. When Molly reappears in the body of a man during a night of monster-laden devastation, Sam finally learns the truth. Not just about her, but about the planet Earth and the entire cosmos surrounding it.

What we consider mundane reality, others consider a game...and not a very good one. The whole thing is about to be shut down.

------------------

Where Do I Get My Ideas?

I'll answer this now, because apparently all fiction writers get asked this.

(Secretly I'm dying to be asked so I'll know I'm a real writer. So feel free. Please.)

The answers I've heard range from "Pougkeepsie" (Harlan Ellison) to "out of my head" (Neil Gaiman) to "from the skulls of small children." (I don't know who said that last one, maybe I dreamed it, but I like it.) My answer is, like most writers, "I have no idea." It's an answer Gaiman says people hate, and I know why they do: people want the magic bullet. They want to know how you can do something they admire, like tell a cool story, when really writing just looks so damn easy except for the ideas part. That's where they stumble.

The thing is, ideas are the easy part. The people who worry about their ideas being "stolen" and how do they copyright things immediately, they are the ones who probably won't write anything. They have a high opinion of themselves that hampers even the best idea. What you copyright and protect is the execution of the idea. And that is the story. If you don't write it down, you've got f&$k-all to worry about.

Ideas come any time, anywhere, sometimes you just need room to think. For example, not long ago, in the shower, I had almost an entire sequel proposal for my novel BETA TEST pop almost fully formed into my head. All I had going in was the term "multi-verse" stuck in my head. I walked out having nixed most of the "multi-verse" stuff when my brain gave me a different word to work with. All I had to do was get on the road in my think-meat and travel down it while I absently rubbed a bar of Irish Spring on my chest until it was little more than a bluish-green nub.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it.

Write it? That sounds like MADNESS.

------------------

Excerpt from BETA TEST
By Eric Griffith


Sam didn’t bother calling her. He sprinted down the stairs, taking some two at a time, occasionally by accident, carefully gripping the inside railing at each landing to spin his large body to the next set of stairs. He concentrated on the steady rhythm of his sneakers slapping each step, preparing for the next spin, knowing one miscalculated stride, or worse, a trip, might prevent him from ever seeing Molly again. He knew that was true, deep in his deep gut.

It was a surprise when he almost ran right into her on the landing between the second and third floor.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Molly stood, arms crossed over her chest.

“I. . .” Sam had to huff a couple of times to catch his breath. “Worried . . . about you.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, let her arms drop. “I know, big guy. Thanks.”

“Are you . . . quitting? Cuz if you are. . .” He wanted to say, I’ll go with you, but settled for, “Then I quit, too.”

“Oh, Sam.” She reached up and put a hand on his hairy jowl.

“This place wouldn’t be . . . right without you.”

“What’s right about it now?” Molly grinned.

“I mean it.”

“I know you mean it. That’s part of what makes it all so hard.”

“What’s hard? Quitting? Seemed pretty easy when you mushed Melvin’s face.”

“That part was just plain fun.” Her smile dropped and her face darkened. “I’m leaving, Sam.”

“The company?”

“Not only the company.”

“The industry?”

“Stop being dense,” Molly said.

Sam put a hand self-consciously on his abdomen.

“I’m leaving . . . the city. California. The country.”

“Why? How? When?”

“All great questions, Sammer. I’ll answer the last one and say, ‘soon.’” Molly looked again at the vintage Mickey Mouse watch on her wrist.

“You’re leaving for good?”

She didn’t say anything.

“Is someone coming to pick you up?” A boyfriend? She’d never mentioned one before. “Are you moving away with someone?” Sam didn’t even know he’d backed up, staggered really, until his back hit the wall of the grey stairwell, next to a coiled fire hose in a glassed-in cabinet.

“Sam.” She went to him, put her hand on his chest. “It’s nothing like that.”

Sam clasped her hand, his fingers swallowing hers whole. He leaned down and she stood on her tip toes. Their lips met in the middle. It was a kiss Sam wanted to last the rest of his lifetime.

It didn’t. Molly took back her hand and said, “I’m all out of time.”

“What are you talking about? Are you sick? I can help. I mean . . . I can take care of you.”

Molly bit her lip in a way he found utterly adorable. She wiped at her eye with a sleeve. “That, right there, is why I don’t want to go. But it’s out of my hands.” Another glance at the watch. “As it is, I’m breaking the biggest rule there is, letting you see this. But you know what? Fuck it. I don’t care.”

“What are you talking about? See what? You make it sound like you’re being forced out.”

Molly tapped the side of her nose a couple of times, and pointed at him, Charades-speak for, You got it, big guy.

She did something that really scared him—for a moment her eyes rolled into the back of her head. He thought she was having some kind of pre-predicted stroke. A moment later, she was fine. She said, “I left you something.”

“Left me what?”

She took another look at her watch. Perfect woman or not, that was starting to annoy him. But it was contagious. He looked at his own: 9:45am.

“Good-bye, Sam. Take care of yourself.” Molly turned away.

Sam moved to grab her arm, to hold her and not let her go. He touched her shirt for a split second and then—nothing.

She didn’t step. She didn’t jump. She never moved. There was no sound.

Molly flickered like a bad TV screen and ceased to exist.

------------------
Click here for the tour schedule.

Buy Beta Test in hardcover here
Buy the ebook here

Huntress - Book Review

Huntress
by Malinda Lo

What is it about:
Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.
To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

What did I think of it:
This is a very nice read.

I liked Lo's writing, it's a bit stilted, but that fits the Fantasy feel of this story perfectly.

Kaede is a very cool character and I liked her from the start. She's headstrong, but in a way that I could totally relate to. I had some difficulties with liking Taisin, but eventually she grew on me.

The story is interesting and full of action and suspense. I did think the climax of the story was a bit too easy though and that took away from the overall enjoyment of this story.

I also would have liked to learn a bit more of the history of the world this story is set in. The few glimpses into the past were intriguing, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity.

All in all I enjoyed this book and I might pick up Ash, which is set in the same world as this story.

Why should you read it:
It's an action packed Fantasy adventure

Abandon - Book Review

Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1)
by Meg Cabot

What is it about:
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone... because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

What did I think of it:
I'm totally reading this trilogy out of order, because the first book I read was Underworld, which is book two. But I liked that book enough to want to read Abandon to see how everything started.

And I must say:
I'm glad I picked up this book, because it's not only a great read, it also makes Underworld a better read.

While I'm still wondering why Pierce and John are attracted to each other, I now understand and like Pierce better. Abandon does a great job to characterize Pierce and make her actions understandable even if they're not always very wise actions.

There's a lot going on this book and while these events do lead up to a sort of cliffhanger ending, it wasn't such a frustrating cliffhanger as the one in Underworld. And yes: I know, I already know what happens after the end of Abandon, but even if you wouldn't know what happens next, the ending of Abandon is of the kind that I could accept if I did have to wait for the next book.

All in all Cabot doesn't disappoint with this trilogy and I'm going to put book three on my 'must order once available for pre-order' list.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable YA take on the Hades and Persephone myth.

Kiss of the Goblin Prince - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Kiss of the Goblin Prince (Shadowlands #2)
by Shona Husk

What is it about:
Trapped for centuries in the bleak Shadowlands, Dai clings to his humanity with a thirst for knowledge. But now he's free of the goblin curse, and some would say he knows too much—he can make nature bend to his will, influence the minds of others, and command magic. Yet love eludes him. Then he meets Amanda, a single mother with a sick daughter whom he feels compelled to protect. But could she possibly place her trust in the kiss of a goblin prince?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
The first book in this series -The Goblin King- was one of my favorite reads of last year, so I had to read this book as well.

And to be honest:
I almost gave up on this one at the 25% mark*

But I kept reading as I was hoping it would turn out to be just as cool as The Goblin King.

Alas, although a nice read, Kiss of the Goblin Prince didn't capture my heart. Partly it was because I probably had my expectations set too high, but mostly it was because it was practically a contemporary romance for most part of the book.

Yes: there was some magic, but it was all too little, too late to satisfy me. I must confess that in my opinion the small parts about Meryn (who will be lead character in the next book) were the best parts of the whole story.

So in the end this was a nice read, but a bit disappointing after the magic that was The Goblin King. I will pick up the next book in this series though, because I want to know Meryn's story.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice paranormal romance




* I read at least 25% of a book.
When at the 25% mark I'm not convinced the book is worth finishing I stop reading.

Wishlist Wednesday - The Last Romanov

I've always been fascinated by the last Tsar of Russia and his family, so when I saw this book I just had to add it to my wishlist.


The Last Romanov
by Dora Levy Mossanen

For almost a century, Imperial Russia has captivated the imagination- the ruthless execution of the royal family, the disputed survival of the heir: it's a cinematic chaos that the masterful Dora Levy Mossanen unravels for her readers. Taking readers deep into tarnished grandeur, The Last Romanov follows Darya, a wise old beauty whose time spent with the Imperial family has haunted her entire life. When the murderous events unfold, Darya is plagued by the prophecy made by the Empress's advisor, Rasputin. She must find the missing Tsarevich Alexis Romanov and restore the monarchy or risk losing her own life.

Stalking The Others - Book Review

Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations #4)
by Jess Haines

What is it about:
Vampires, werewolves, mages–the Others are very real, and wreaking havoc in Shiarra Waynest’s life. But now, she’s returning the favor…

Once, she was one of the good guys–or as close as a New York P.I. can get. Then Shiarra Waynest was drawn into the world of the Others. Every faction has its own loyalties and agenda. And Shia’s recent betrayal by her ex-boyfriend means that she may be on the verge of becoming a rogue werewolf at the next full moon.

Of course, with all the threats against her, Shia’s not sure she’ll live long enough to find out. The enigmatic vampire Royce wants her back in his clutches, as do two powerful werewolf packs, along with the police. Instead of going into hiding, Shia is enlisting the aid of her enchanted hunter’s belt and every dirty P.I. trick she knows. If she’s going down, she’ll take out as many of her enemies as she can–and hope that in the process, she keeps whatever humanity she has left…

What did I think of it:
If you haven't read Haines' other books in the H&W Investigations series yet you should go out now to buy them because this series is awesome and gets more awesome with each book.

As you might have guessed from the above statement:
I totally love this book!

It's the most emotionally tense book in this series so far and I have both cursed and cheered while reading it. I really felt for Shia and was completely drawn into the story.

Next to this being a very emotional and psychological story, there's also lots of cool action and Shia gets to kick some serious ass. I will confess I totally cheered her on at several occasions.

All in all this is an awesome, thrilling roller coaster ride of a story that keeps you reading. The only reason I didn't finish it in one sitting is that my boss would have fired me if I didn't show up for work. So my advice: start this book when you have plenty of time to read.

And do I even have to tell you I will most certainly read the next book in this series? (It will have zombies!)

Why should you read it:
It's action-packed and awesome Urban Fantasy