Wednesday, August 31, 2011

August RAK Wrap-Up


RAK is brought to us by Book Soulmates. 

I have finally found a draw back to the RAK program - my wish list has tripled!  :)

This month I mailed out three books:






To Jen @ At Random 








I also received a book this month.

From Alexa @ Pages of Forbidden Love

 
How was your RAK month?  I'm looking forward to participating in September - hope to see you then.  :)  



WoW: Midnight by Ellen Connor




Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we are patiently awaiting.
 
My WoW for the week:
 


Second in a stunning post-apocalyptic paranormal romance trilogy. 

Book Blurb:

Three years of wandering the postapocalyptic wasteland has stripped Dr. Chris Welsh of hope. A harrowing loss drove him from his home, and he hasn't stopped moving-until he encounters Valle de Bravo, a haven of civilization amid the chaos of the Change. Soldiers take their orders from Rosa Cortez-the iron hand within a velvet glove.

The last thing Rosa needs is a feral loner upsetting the town's tentative balance. However, for the good of her people, she lets Chris stay, and as bloodthirsty raiders strike again and again, Chris and Rosa battle hellhounds and dust pirates while also fighting desperate attraction. To save them, love must overcome the pain of the past-and build a future in this brutal Dark Age...

Release Date:  09-06-11
 

August Review ReCap :)


August was a pretty good reading month for me.  The kids went back to school, giving me a little more free time to feed my reading addiction.  :)

Here is a recap of the books I reviewed for August.

5 Stars

My Life As a White Trash Zombie - Diana Rowland
All You Desire - Kirsten Miller
Gone - Michael Grant

4 Stars

Paradise 21 - Aubrie Dionne
The Immortality Virus - Christine Amsden
Blood of the Wicked - Karina Cooper
CrossRoads - Jeanne C Stein
Fallen - Traci L Slatton
Dark Parties - Sara Grant
Memento Nora - Angie Smibert
Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggari

3 Stars

Working Stiff - Rachel Caine
Bloodlands - Christine Cody
Catriona - Jeanette Baker
Red's Hot Cowboy - Carolyn Brown
Tout Sweet - Karen Wheeler
Where Demons Fear to Tread - Stephanie Chong
Ghost of a Smile - Simon R Green
Guardian of the Dead - Karen Healey

2 Stars

The Vampire Next Door - Ashlyn Chase
The Magicians - Lev Grossman

A somewhat eclectic mix for August.  :)  How was your reading month?

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Review: Paradise 21 by Aubrie Dionne

Paradise 21 is the first book in the series A New Dawn by Aubrie Dionne and a Sci/Fi Romance from Entangled Publishing.

Book Blurb:

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

 
My thoughts:

Aries Ryder resides aboard the New Dawn - a spaceship traveling towards Paradise 21, a planet that is to be colonized by the descendants of a no longer habitable Earth.

The journey to Paradise 21 will take hundreds of years, Aries will not live to reach her destination - but it is her job to provide her genetic DNA for those that will.

Her genetic match has already been chosen, Lt. Astor Barliss - but Aries is tired of having everything chosen for her.  She wants to perform a job of her choosing and marry a man she desires and loves - not one that matches her genetically.

So she plans a daring escape from the New Dawn.

Crashing her escape pod on Sahara 354, Aries plans to fake her death and make her way on her own.  But things don’t work out the way she planned when she is confronted by the local inhabitants.

Striker is a space pirate who has been stranded on Sahara 354 for five years.  His crew mutinied, decided they were better off without him, and left him.  He has spent the last five years trying to find a way off planet - and with Aries help, he may have finally found the way.

But Lt. Barliss is not one to give up on something he considers his - and he considers Aries to be his.  He is determined to find her..dead or alive.  And if she is alive, she is going back to the New Dawn - and to the life he has planned for her.

Paradise 21 is a very enjoyable read and I am looking forward to the rest of the books in this series.

I give Paradise 21, 4 out of 5 stars.



Title: Paradise 21
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Length: Novel – 247 pages
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-02-2
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-03-9


Monday, August 29, 2011

Review: Fallen by Traci L. Slatton


Fallen is the first book in a romantic post apocalyptic trilogy by Traci L. Slatton from Telemachus Press.

Book Blurb:

In a time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test . . .

Lethal mists have scourged the planet, killing billions of people. As chaos and madness descend, one woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her and her wards a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. At the moment of their sweetest love, he reveals his devastating secret, and they are lost to each other.

My thoughts:

Emma and her young daughter are in France on a work related trip, her husband and older daughter are in Canada visiting his mother - they plan to meet up for the holidays - when the unthinkable happens.

Out of nowhere mists envelope the world.  Rising up from the ocean, seeping from crevices in the earth, dropping out of a cloudless sky.  These mists are deadly - destroying everything that contains metals or minerals; buildings, vehicles, weapons - people.

Now survivors are on the move, trying to outrun the mists.  Emma and her daughter have picked up several survivors in their escape through France - but one woman and several young children are not safe from the rogue bands of refugees scattered throughout the countryside.

When Emma and the children are saved from the mists by a group of men on horse back, Emma decides it would be in their best interest to join them at their camp.  Their leader, Arthur offers shelter in exchange for Emma’s company.

Despite their intentions, Arthur and Emma develop feelings for one another.  But Arthur holds a terrible secret about the mists.  And Emma holds a secret of her own.

Fallen is the first book I have read by Traci L. Slatton and I enjoyed it very much.  I am a huge fan of the post apocalyptic read and Fallen is a wonderful addition to the genre.

I can’t wait to read more in this trilogy.

I give Fallen 4 out of 5 stars.


Product Details

    Paperback: 242 pages
    Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC (7-27-11)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 1935670891
    ISBN-13: 978-1935670896


Saturday, August 27, 2011

On My Wishlist: The Zombie Edition :)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

I am a huge zombie nerd, so I can't wait to get my hands on the As The World Dies series. 

Book Blurb:

The morning that the world ends, Katie is getting ready for court and housewife Jenni is taking care of her family. Less than two hours later, they are fleeing for their lives from a zombie horde.

Thrown together by circumstance, Jenni and Katie become a powerful zombie-killing partnership, mowing down zombies as they rescue Jenni’s stepson, Jason, from an infected campground.

They find sanctuary in a tiny, roughly fortified Texas town.  There Jenni and Katie find they are both attracted to Travis, leader of the survivors; and the refugees must slaughter people they know, who have returned in zombie form.  


Product Details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Tor Books (July 5, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0765331268
  • ISBN-13: 978-0765331267
And continuing the zombie theme, I'm also looking forward to this book:

 Book Blurb:

They Rise... Out of the flooded streets of Houston, they emerge from plague-ridden waters. Dead. Rotting. Hungry. And as human survivors scramble to their rooftops for safety, the zombie hordes circle like sharks. The ultimate killing machines.

They Feed...Houston is quarantined to halt the spread of the zombie plague. Anyone trying to escape is shot on sight - living and dead. Emergency Ops sergeant Eleanor Norton has her work cut out for her. Salvaging boats and gathering explosives, Eleanor and her team struggle to maintain order. But when civilization finally breaks down, the feeding frenzy begins.

They Multiply...Biting, gnawing, feasting - but always craving more - the flesheaters increase their ranks every hour. With doomsday looming, Eleanor must focus on the people she loves - her husband and daughter - and a band of other survivors adrift in zombie-infested waters. If she can't bring them into the quarantine zone, they're all dead meat.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 364 pages
  • Publisher: Pinnacle (April 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0786023600
  • ISBN-13: 978-0786023608
And this one sounds like it might be a little lighter - for zombie fare.  :)

 Book Blurb:

One woman's story as she blogs - and fights back - the zombie apocalypse

Allison Hewitt and her five colleagues at the Brooks and Peabody Bookstore are trapped together when the zombie outbreak hits. Allison reaches out for help through her blog, writing on her laptop and utilizing the military's emergency wireless network (SNET).  It may also be her only chance to reach her mother.

But as the reality of their situation sinks in, Allison’s blog becomes a harrowing account of her edge-of-the-seat adventures (with some witty sarcasm thrown in) as she and her companions fight their way through ravenous zombies and sometimes even more dangerous humans.



Product Details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 18, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312658907
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312658908
If you've read these - or any other zombie book - I'd love to hear your thoughts.  I'm always on the lookout for a great zombie read.  :)



Friday, August 26, 2011

Early Review: Crossroads by Jeanne C Stein


CrossRoads is the seventh book in the Anna Strong series by Jeanne C Stein and an ACE Fantasy.

Book Blurb:

As a bounty hunter, Anna Strong knew how to find trouble.  But now that she’s vampire, trouble seems to have a knack for finding her...

The death of Anna’s old vampire mentor is causing ripples in the mortal world.  His forensic report has brought up some anomalies, and people are asking questions - questions that no vampire wants to answer.

Anna needs to lie low, but with the sudden discovery of a slew of drained bodies near the Mexican border, and some stunning news from an unexpected source, she soon finds herself on a journey that may threaten her existence - and that of all vampires.

My thoughts:

Anna Strong is now the Chosen One, leader of the Vampire race - no one knows who is responsible for choosing the Chosen One - nor do they know how one becomes a candidate for the Chosen.  And a few vampires are unhappy that Anna was Chosen.

But nothing can be done about that - the choice can not be unmade...or can it?

Anna receives an unexpected visit from Chael, the Head of the Middle Eastern Vampire Tribe.  The two tolerate one another - but Anna would easily kill him under the right provocation.   

Chael would like nothing better than being the Chosen and he has planted a thought in Anna’s head.  What if she could regain her mortality?  What if she could walk away from the vampires and vampire politics - become human again.  


Would she?  

Anna heads to the Navajo nation searching for a shaman called Sani in the hopes of regaining her humanity.  But there she comes to a crossroads and must make the hardest decision of her life.

CrossRoads is another great addition to the Anna Strong series.  

I give CrossRoads 4 out of 5 stars.

 
    Product Details

    Paperback: 304 pages
    Publisher: Ace (August 30, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 0441020771
    ISBN-13: 978-0441020775



Thursday, August 25, 2011

Early Review: Ghost of a Smile by Simon R. Green

Ghost of a Smile is the second book in the Ghost Finders series by Simon R. Green and an Urban Fantasy from ACE.

Book Blurb:

A distress call was received from the private research centre of one of the biggest drug companies in the world.  The police went in - and never came out.  A national security team stormed the place.  No-one’s heard anything further from them, either.

Now it’s in the hands of the Carnacki Institute’s rising stars.  They have the wrong equipment.  They have no idea what awaits.  And they have the clock ticking in the background.  But they also have a secret weapon: JC’s very lovely-and very dead- girlfriend.

My thoughts:

The members of the Carnacki Institute are JC Chance, Melody Chambers and Happy Jack Palmer.

JC is the team leader and babysitter, urging his team forward with praise or sarcasm - whatever works at the time.

Melody is the equipment geek, always there to poke holes in the supernatural using Science and sound reasoning.  

Happy Jack is not so happy.  He is a telepath and relies heavily on pills to block out the voices he constantly hears.

Together the threesome, along with JC’s ghost girlfriend - Kim, work to solve the unsolvable cases by putting the spirits to rest.  But this new case is different, something they have never seen - possibly man made and more than likely intentional - and they may have a traitor in their midst.  

Ghost of a Smile is a unique read.  I enjoyed the banter between the threesome which was often sarcastic and snarky.

I give Ghost of a Smile 3 out of 5 stars.

 
Product Details

    Paperback: 288 pages
    Publisher: Ace (August 30, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 0441020755
    ISBN-13: 978-0441020751


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

WoW: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

 
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we are patiently awaiting.
 
My WoW for the week:
 
Succubus Revealed is the sixth book in the Georgina Kincaid series.

Book Blurb:
 
Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations...to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—-and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it--no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won’t include the one man she’s risking everything for...

Release Date:  08-30-11 



Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Review: Where Demons Fear to Tread by Stephanie Chong


Where Demons Fear To Tread is a novel by Stephanie Chong from Mira Books.

Book Blurb:

Fledgling guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission - to retrieve the wayward Hollywood  It Boy  she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure-seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager.

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy-sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries-old feelings. Now, their high-stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell - or a deliciously hot heaven.

My thoughts:

Serena St. Clair lived her life selflessly.  She lost her father when she was young and never quite recovered from that loss - instead becoming very serious and determined to help those in need.

That determination cost her her life.

Now Serena is a guardian angel.  Her first big assignment is Nick Ramirez - the hottest thing going in Hollywood.  Hoping to help him with his addictions, Serena is teaching him Yoga and encouraging a clean life style.

But habits are hard to break and Nick ends up at Devil’s Paradise - where no excess is denied.

Serena wants to save Nick - as well as pass her first assignment - so she follows Nick into the club, determined to bring him out before he can slide and undo all the progress he’s made.

Bad idea.

Serena has no idea that Devil’s Paradise is owned by an arch demon - Julian Ascher to be precise.  The most powerful demon in LA.  And now she’s caught his attention.  And no one wants to have Julian’s attention focused on them - especially a fledgling angel.  

 
He eats them for breakfast.

Where Demons Fear To Tread is a pretty good read.  I have to say that I am very interested in a secondary character, Luciana, and hope she gets her own book.

I give Where Demons Fear To Tread 3 out of 5 stars.

Product Details

    Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
    Publisher: Mira (August 23, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 077831247X
    ISBN-13: 978-0778312475

Monday, August 22, 2011

Review: Tout Sweet by Karen Wheeler


Tout Sweet (Hanging Up My High Heels for a New Life in France) is a Memoir by Karen Wheeler from SourceBooks.

Book Blurb:

Thirtysomething fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fabulous flat in west London, and an array of gorgeous shoes.  But when her boyfriend leaves, she makes an unexpected decision: to hang up her Manolos and wave good-bye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France.

Acquiring a host of new friends and unsuitable suitors, she learns that true happiness might be found in the simplest of things - a bike ride through the countryside on a summer evening, or a glass of wine or three in her neighbors courtyard.

My thoughts:

Karen is at the point in her life when she needs a change.  A change from the hustle and bustle of work, her social circle and the memories of the boyfriend who left her.  She is ready for a different outlook on life.

Deciding that leaving London is the best and quickest way to make that change, Karen packs up and heads to France.

What follows is the unexpected finding of ‘the house’ and the long and expensive renovations of said house.

During the months of renovations, Karen meets several quirky neighbors and friends who teach her what it means to live, laugh and love in rural France.

Tout Sweet is the first book I have read by Karen Wheeler and it was an okay read.  I think of Tout Sweet as being Chick-Lit, and that is not my genre at all - we all know I prefer that touch of paranormal in my reads.


But I thought I would branch out a little and give it a try.  If Chick-Lit is your thing, you're going to enjoy Tout Sweet. 

 I give Tout Sweet 3 out of 5 stars.


    Product Details

    Paperback: 320 pages
    Publisher: Sourcebooks (8-1-11)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 1402261187
    ISBN-13: 978-1402261183


Winners: The Magician King by Lev Grossman


Good morning everyone.  It is time to choose the winners of The Magician King giveaway.

Using Random dot Org, the winning numbers are #2, Dottie and #4, Lieder Madchen.  






Emails are on the way!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

In My Mailbox: 08-20-11

In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what we bought, borrowed from the library or received in the mail.



Here is what I received this last week: 


For Review:

Embrace the Highland Warrior - Anita Clenney
Where Demons Fear to Tread - Stephanie Chong
The Paladin - Ken Newman
Paradise 21 - Aubrie Dionne
Fallen - Traci L. Slatton
A Bitter Truth - Charles Todd
The Most Dangerous Thing - Laura Lippman

Thanks to SourceBooks, Mira & PTA Reviewer Rewards, Entangled Publishing, William Morrow, FSB Media, and author Ken Newman.

Bought:

Ghosts & Echoes - Lyn Benedict

I am so excited to read these books.  I now call the UPS truck the Book Mobile and I love when it pulls in the drive.  :)

Friday, August 19, 2011

M.M.F.F. Challenge: Week #54

Amy C over at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take. 

And here is picture prompt #54:
 
Lost..and Found
By Michelle Greathouse

Elenora looked around her and was appalled at what she saw.  Why had Philip allowed the beautiful garden to fall into such a state?

She wanted everything to be ready for the arrival of the baby.  After several years of marriage and dozens of disappointments, Elenora was ecstatic with the pending birth.

Gathering the skirt of her dressing gown, Elenora turned to head back into the manor and stopped, hand flying to her chest, a gasp lodged in her throat.  The manor was in disrepair.

What madness was this?

“Philip.  Philip, where are you?”  Elenora stepped gingerly around the overgrown weeds and gave a wide berth to the cracked and crumbling cement of the patio.

She reached the french doors only to find them locked, she banged on the doors and yelled until her voice was a harsh whisper - but still, no one came to the door.

Placing a protective hand on her protruding stomach, Elenora eased herself onto the bench beside the unyielding door and sobbed.

Elenora startled at the clearing of a throat, “Excuse me ma’am, are you Elenora?”

“Yes, oh yes.”  She blotted her face.  “Philip.  Is that you?”  The man looked so much like her Philip - but he was older.

The man approached cautiously.  “No ma’am.  I am Charles, Philip is my father.  May I sit?”  He indicated the bench Elenora perched upon.

“Yes, please.  Where are my manners?  I would offer you refreshment, but I seem to be locked out of the house.”

Charles sat, a sad smile upon his face.  “You are more beautiful than your pictures.”  He cleared his throat.  “Tonight is my birth day.”  He checked his watch.  “According to my father, I was born four hours from now.”

He began his story.  A story about a man and woman who loved each other very much.  A woman who was so happy to be expecting her first child.  And then the sadness of her death in childbirth.

“My mother never had the chance to hold me and my father was so distraught, he left our home, taking me away and never returning.  The thought of living in the home without her - was too much for him to bear.”     

Elenora once again wiped tears from her face.  “You poor boy.  My heart breaks for you and your father.  He must have loved your mother very much.”

“He did.  He never re-married.  He is older now, almost seventy and his health is declining.  He has lived a full life and is looking forward to being reunited with my mother.”

Elenora thought for a moment.  “I do not wish to seem uncaring, but what has this to do with me?”

Charles reached for her hand.  “The story is about you.  You are my mother.  For years I have heard tales of a woman walking the garden one night a year - the night of my birth - and tonight, on my forty-fifth birthday, I wanted to see if it were true.”

“You mean I am dead.  I have been a ghost for forty-five years?”  She paused.  “I wanted - no, I needed to meet you.  To know that you are alright.”

The two spent the next four hours talking and laughing and yes, crying.  Charles showed Elenora pictures of his family.  His wife, Constance and his children, Hank and Nora.  Yes, Elenora after his mother.

As the dawn came and the sky began to lighten Elenora placed her hands on Charles’ face, one on each side and gently tilted his face down.  She placed a kiss on his forehead and smoothed his hair back.  

“Thank you my son.  I have been lost for so many years and you have found me.  I can rest easy now and need not return.  Promise me one thing.”

“If it is within my power, Mother, it is yours.”

“This house was meant to be lived in - to hear the ringing of children’s laughter echo in the hallways.  Come back.  Make this your home.  Be happy.”

As the first rays of sun streaked the sky pink, Elenora smiled at her son one last time.  “I love you Charles.”

“I love you Mother.  Be at peace.”

Elenora faded.

Six months later Charles and his family moved into the manor, four months after that his father passed away.

It has been several years now and Elenora has not been seen.  Charles is sure that his parents have finally found peace.

The End
Word Count: 760

I hope you enjoyed this one.  It was a little sad.  Have a great weekend.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Review: Blood of the Wicked by Karina Cooper

Blood of the Wicked is the first book in the Dark Mission series by Karina Cooper and a Paranormal Romance from Avon.

Book Blurb:

When the world went straight to hell, humanity needed a scapegoat to judge, to blame...to burn.

As an independent witch living off the grid, Jessie Leigh has spent her life running, trying to blend in among the faceless drudges in the rebuilt city.  She thought she was finally safe, but now she’s been found in a New Seattle strip club - by a hard-eyed man on a mission to destroy her kind.

A soldier of the Holy Order, Silas Smith believes in the cause: trawling the fringes of society for the murderous witches who threaten what’s left of the world.  Forced into a twisting web of half-truths and lies, he has to stay close to the most sensuous and electrifying woman he has ever seen and manipulate her into leading him to the witch he has to kill: her brother.

Silas doesn’t know that Jessie’s his enemy, only that he wants her, needs her, even as he lies to her...and must protect her until his final breath.

My thoughts:

Jessie Leigh and her brother, Caleb, lost their mother at a very early age.  Jessie did her best to raise her brother in a way that would make her mother proud.  And she thought she was doing a pretty good job - until one morning she woke up and Caleb was gone.  No note, no calls - nothing.

Making her way alone, Jessie is constantly on the move in the underbelly of New Seattle, staying away from the check points and those in authority.  

 
Those that hunt her kind.

Silas Smith is a witch hunter for the Holy Order.  He believes that all witches are evil - there is only black and white - no shades of gray.  All witches must die - painfully.

His latest mission is to find Caleb Leigh - and the best way to do that is by finding his sister, Jessie.  Silas has no idea that Jessie is a witch - and Jessie has no plans to tell him.  

But secrets have a way of slipping out - and this secret could mean Jessie’s death - despite what Silas feels...

Blood of the Wicked is a pretty good read.  I love just about anything that is post-apocalyptic, and Blood of the Wicked fits the bill for me.  The world Ms. Cooper has created is unique and I look forward to reading more.

I give Blood of the Wicked 4 out of 5 stars.



Wednesday, August 17, 2011

WoW: One Grave At A Time by Jeaniene Frost

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we are patiently awaiting.
 
 Book Blurb:

The grave is one wrong step away.

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.

Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?


Release Date:  08-30-11

Winner: Paradise 21 by Aubrie Dionne


It is time to choose the winner of the Paradise 21 E-Book giveaway.  

Using Random dot Org the winning number is #2, Kara-Karina from Nocturnal Book Reviews.

Congrats!  An e-mail is on the way.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway and a big Thank You to author Aubrie Dionne for stopping by and providing a copy of Paradise 21.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Review: The Immortality Virus by Christine Amsden


The Immortality Virus is a Science Fiction novel by Christine Amsden from Twilight Times Books.

Book Blurb:

In the mid-21st century, the human race stopped aging. Those who know why aren't talking, and the few who are brave enough to ask questions tend to disappear. To an elite few, The Change means long life and health, but to the increasing masses, it means starvation, desperation, and violence.

Four centuries after The Change, Grace Harper, a blacklisted P.I., sets off on a mission to find the man responsible for it all and solicit his help to undo The Change - if he's still alive. To complicate matters, Grace's employer is suspected of murdering his father, and when the police learn of their connection, they give her a choice - help them find the evidence they need to convict Matthew Stanton, or die.

But if they discover Grace's true mission, they won't hesitate to kill her in order to protect their shot at immortality.

My thoughts:

Grace Harper is one hundred and thirty years old in the year 2451 - still a baby to some of the old timers, who were around four hundred years ago when everyone stopped aging.

Working as a private investigator who has been blacklisted by The Establishment, Grace tries her best to stay off the radar - a plan that goes right out the window when Grace takes a meeting with one of Kansas City’s wealthiest men.

Matt Stanton own’s Medicorp now that his father has been murdered.  Most feel that Matt is responsible for his father’s death, though Matt vehemently denies any wrong doing.

Matt claims, in secret, to be ‘pro natural-death’.  A feeling that could get him and any other sympathizer killed should The Establishment catch wind of it.  He thinks he has found the person responsible for making everyone immortal, and he wants to hire Grace to find him.

But not everyone wants to go back to natural death.  The wealthy like living forever - and why not?  They live in comfort, with none of the worries that plague the huddled masses.

In the process of her investigation, Grace draws attention to herself - the wrong kind of attention - and now she has a target on her back.

The Immortality Virus is the first book I have read by Christine Amsden and I truly enjoyed it.  I am a huge Dystopian fan and this book is a winner for me.


Sadly, the cover does not do the story justice.  So many of us (especially me) pick up a book based on the cover - the cover is what draws the eye.  This is not the best cover - but the story inside more than makes up for it.  

I give The Immortality Virus 4 out of 5 stars.



   Product Details

    Paperback: 272 pages
    Publisher: Timeless Books (6-15-11)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 1606190032
    ISBN-13: 978-1606190036