Vicki Lewis Thompson - A Babes On Brooms Series Look

I just heart Vicki Lewis Thompson. I first fell in love with her "Nerds" books and gobbled them up as quickly as I possibly could. When she came out with her Hex series I was double excited. I do loves me some Paranormal Romance. Unfortunately, they were okay books, well worth my read for a lazy day, but not books that were "Must Buy" for me. With that thought in mind, when I saw Blonde With A Wand on the store shelf I couldn't help myself from grabbing it up. It was after all a VLT book! I really enjoyed the book, where the matchmaking witch and wizard from the Hex books played minor roles. I was most excited to see that there would be a second book, Chick With A Charm and now that I've had a chance to read both, I thought I'd do a double post.

Blonde With A Wand by Vicki Lewis Thompson

From the Author's Website:

Sexy witch Anica Revere has one absolutely unwavering rule: never, under any circumstances, get involved with a man before telling him she’s a witch. Still, what’s one silly rule? Especially when the guy in question is as cute as Jasper Danes. But when Anica and Jasper have a spat, she breaks an even bigger rule of witchcraft and turns him into a cat. Bad news for him. Worse for her.

With Anica stripped of her powers for the witchy infraction, it’s up to Jasper to undo the hex—but he never expected the hardest part of the bargain would be resisting Anica. The stakes are high, and the chemistry is off the charts. But what’ll happen if Anica and Jasper both fall under the strongest spell of all—love?

Anica is what most would call a control freak. The oldest of two sisters, owner of her own coffee shop, Wicked Brew, and witch extraordinare, Anica likes to keep things under control, trying very hard to never act impulsively. That is, until she meets Jasper Danes. Jasper has been coming into Anica's coffee shop and there have definitely been sparks. After Jasper comes in devastated over a break-up with his latest girlfriend, he and Anica begin to connect and make a date for dinner. But, while at dinner Jasper is mortified to see his ex-girlfriend walk through the door. While Jasper hopes that her arrival is strictly a coincidence, when Anica goes to the restroom and she follows he really starts to sweat.

Anica talks with the ex only to find out that perhaps Jasper hadn't told her the truth. You see, Jasper wasn't dumped, quite the opposite--he broke up with the woman. What's worse, Anica finds out that he had given the ex the same story about being dumped by his previous girlfriend. Anica doesn't like to be played and when Jasper doesn't exactly come clean she leaves the date. Only Jasper isn't going to let her get away that easily and follows. A move he and Anica both end up regretting, becasue in her anger, Anica does the one thing she never thought she would--she transforms Jasper into a cat.

The thing is, magic of this sort is strictly forbidden, and Anica soon realizes that she's lost all ability to do magic. In her hour of need, not wanting to get her parents or the Wizard Council involved, Anica turns to her care-free, not entirely reliable sister, Lily for help. But when even Lily seems to have problems transforming Jasper back, the sisters turn to Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell, the quirky matchmaking witch and wizard, also a part of the Wizard Council, but it can't be helped, Anica has to find a way to turn Jasper back into a man, before the guilt and lack of magic do her in.

I have to say, I enjoyed BWAW much more than I did any of the other Hex books. I found that Jasper as a cat, using his paws to painfully type out notes to Anica was endearing, and the "cure" for the spell made it all feel real and believable. I also enjoyed the fact that the spell wasn't reversed immediately but Jasper did get to revert back to his human form for short spurts.

Chick With A Charm

From the Author's website:

Lily Revere is free-spirited and fun loving—two dangerous qualities in a witch. Especially while planning her sister Anica’s engagement party, and she needs a date! She’s determined to bring hot Griffin Taylor, but he’s a divorce lawyer who claims his job has warned him off romance. He may pretend he's just not into her, but she knows better—he only needs a nudge in the right direction.

Slipping a love elixir into Griffin’s drink may not be the noble thing to do—but it sure works! Lily’s dreamboat drops all defenses and the two discover they’re perfectly matched—in every way. There’s just one problem: Are Griffin’s feelings the result of some truly good witchcraft—or is he really in love?

In CWAC Thompson gives readers a dose of Anica's sister Lily. I truly enjoyed Lily in BWAW, I liked that she was a quirky bartender in a wizard owned bar, and I liked that when she did magic she got hopped up like she'd just downed five Red Bulls. In short, Lily was fun and the type of sister I think most of us love to hate.

Since Anica is now getting married, Lily finds herself in the awkward position of being dateless for the wedding. What's worse, is her parents, who she loves dearly, will be in town and Lily was really hoping to be able to impress them with how much she's grown up by having a lovely and stable man for them to meet. Griffin Taylor, divorce lawyer, would be the perfect man.

Griffin and his work buddies have been coming into The Bubbling Cauldron, for happy hour for several weeks now. There is some definite chemistry between him and Lily, but Lily was not the type of girl Griffin always envisioned ending up with. Since his parents had married with little more in common than great sex, and then divorced, Griffin knew exactly what he wanted from a woman--goal oriented and down to earth--Lily is the exact opposite, so while Griffin may be attracted, he's not stupid enough to get involved with her.

When Lily decides Griffin needs a push, like yesterday, in her direction, she mixes an adoration elixir using her newly acquired dog and the adoration she has for Lily as the focus point, she drops the potion in his drink and waits for the sparks to fly. And fly they do, with some steamy scenes that are sure to have beach goers heading to the water for a dip in the water to cool down.

But as the feelings Lily has for Griffin begin to deepen, along with his dependence on her, she'll never be sure if it's the spell or if Griffin's feelings are as real as hers. What's worse, Griffin and his friends seem to have figured out that he's under a spell. What will happen when/if they break it, is the ultimate question both Lily and Griffin have. The feelings of love seem so real but are they strong enough to hold?

Chick was such a good book! I fell in love with Lily and Griffin. And while Lily ocassionally irritated me with her selfish behavior, I can honestly say I could understand. Filled with scenes sure to leave a reader panting, and an ending that had me crying-twice-once from heartache and once for joy, Chick is one book you don't want to miss.

If you're heading to the beach, lake, or even just a lazy day in the backyard by the pool, you'll for sure want to have these two books with you, they're a must buy for any fan of Thompson or any Romance Reader.

Take Care

Win WILD RIDE by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Before I begin with my post let me say CONGRATS to Chirstina Collins. Miss Beautiful drew your name and you've won your choice of TWO Kristan Higgins books. Please e-mail me at novelreads at gmail dot com with your choice of books and the address to send them!

Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Crusie/Mayer joint site

(JCC)

Mary Alice Brannigan doesn’t believe in the supernatural. Nor does she expect to find that Dreamland, the decaying amusement park she’s been hired to restore, is a prison for the five Untouchables, the most powerful demons in the history of the world. Plus, there’s a guy she’s falling hard for, and there’s something about him that’s not quite right.

But rocky romances and demented demons aren’t the only problems in Dreamland: Mab’s also coping with a crooked politician, a supernatural raven, a secret government agency, an inexperienced sorceress, an unsettling inheritance, and some mind-boggling revelations from her past. As her personal demons wreck her newfound relationship and real demons wreck the park, Mab faces down immortal evil and discovers what everybody who’s ever been to an amusement park knows: The end of the ride is always the wildest.

This isn't going to be a typical review (in fact, it's not going to really be a review at all), and if you've read this blog you'll know it's because that's not how I roll (if I ever get my FAQ's up and running I'll explain that). So let me start by saying I'm a HUGE Crusie fan. BET ME brought me back to reading after a long hiatus and I'll always, always love her for that. Yep, she's just one of the authors that I totally crush on. So, when Crusie joined forces with Mayer it was a no brainer that their books would be first on a TBB list. I loved their first release Don't Look Down and I fell even harder for Agnes and the Hitman. I think I've read AATH almost as many times as I've read Bet Me and I've loaned it out just as many. Hell, my father-in-law is now hooked on not only Mayer but Crusie because of me. At first, he was a bit embarrassed to check out Crusie books from the library, and figured he could he would just say it's for me, but at 75 years of age, he decided he could read anything he damn well pleased and the librarians could judge all they wanted. So, again, you get it right? Fan Girl alert coming right up.

I knew going into the book that this was not going to be the typical Crusie/Mayer, just like going into DLD I knew it would not be a typical Crusie, and that was just fine with me. Seriously, my favorite tag team doing Paranormal? SQUEE! And I was right, this wasn't the type of book we normally see from the two partners--it was better.

Dreamland Amusement Park is actually a holding place for the five Untouchables- demons that cannot be killed only contained. The Untouchables are kept in chalices, locked away in certain rides or attractions throughout the park. The Untouchables are kept in these chalices by the Guardia. Five people chosen and given special gifts to capture and hold the Untouchables as they escape.

Mab has been brought back to her home town by her uncle to restore the park and get it ready for the big Halloween event. Mab hated living near Dreamland as a child. Never allowed to go, she was part of the Batty Brannigan family, her mother always picketing the park and trying to get it shut down. Mab loses herself in her work. Never fitting in as a child has left her with no desire to connect with people. Two weeks left on the job and she's out of there.

Ethan has returned to his home at Dreamland after a bullet lodges itself near his heart and cannot be removed without killing him. It's only a matter of time, of course, before the bullet does move and penetrate his heart, but until then he has come home to drink away his sorrows and wait for death.

But when the demons start to escape and the old Guardia begin to die, new Guardia must be chosen and it's suddenly up to Ethan and Mab to bring them together and defeat the Untouchables before they break free of their chalices and destroy the human race. But, it's not just the demons Ethan and Mab have to deal with, a secret government agency has been staking out the park and Ethan and Mab will either find a way to bring them to their side or get rid of them.

When the Guardia are betrayed all hell breaks loose, not only are the demons going to get out, but Mab and Ethan find themselves fighting personal demons that will either bring them all together or tear them all apart.

WILD RIDE delivers exactly what the title promises, a fast paced page turner. And while this book is not the typical book readers of Crusie and Mayer have come to expect, it still has all the traits that this reader has come to love--family, wit, action, and an ending that left me smiling and hungry for more from two of my favorite authors. You can read the prequel to Wild Ride - Wild Night by clicking here.

And so, since I was a bad, bad reader and bought WILD RIDE before the actual release date of today, and I still want to do my part in the whole first week or two of sales I am going to give away a copy of the book. That's right, one lucky reader will have the chance to win a copy of WILD RIDE. Winners choice of Hardcover or eBook. Already own it? That's okay, you can give it as a gift and share the love.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. You can earn extra entries by spreading the word. FaceBook, Yahoo! Groups, your own blog, MySpace, Twitter, you name it, just let me know where you've posted and for each place you do, you name will be thrown in the hat. You can also friend me Novel Reads on FaceBook and let me know it's because you wanted an extra entry and I'll make sure that is counted as well.

Now, go forth and enter, you have until Saturday, March 20 to enter.

Take Care

Don't forget to also enter for a chance to win a Hardcover Copy of Angelology by Danielle Trussoni while you're here. Click on the Current Contest link at the top for the details.

Bound By Sin by Jenna Maclaine

Her story spans the ages, across centuries and continents. Her powers are immortal, her struggles eternal, her battles legendary. She is the vampire warrior Cin Craven, and this is her story--a breathtaking saga of blood, magic, and desire that is bound to live forever...

Bound By Sin by Jenna Maclaine

(BCC)

As the Civil War rages among mortal men, Cin Craven is locked in an epic battle of her own—fighting the renegade vampires whose unquenchable appetites she knows all too well. At her side are the immortal warriors of The Righteous- among them her husband, her lover, her soul-mate Michael. With a passion bordering on possession, Cin’s love for Michael knows no bounds. But when a ruthless plantation owner kidnaps Cin’s cousin the most terrifying battle of all awaits. Cin is drawn to the irresistible lure of dark magic to stop their enemies, while Michael staunchly opposes it- putting their love and loyalty to the ultimate test.

I know I complain a lot about not having a book store in town but it's just so infuriating, not just because I can't get some of the books I want faster, but also because I find that when I actually make it to a book store and am browsing around I find some really great reads. The first book in this series, Wages of Sin was one such book I found by browsing a book store. The cover drew my attention and so did the fact that it was a new author. I didn't read the BCC, I just grabbed and am so very glad I did.

Cin Craven is a witch turned vampire. But Cin isn't just any witch, she is one of the Macgregor witches, a long and proud line of very gifted witches. In order to save herself and the ones left in her life she loves, Cin must give up her mortal life and become vampire. However, Cin doesn't just become any vampire, she becomes the Red Witch of the Righteous. The Righteous are a small group of vampires, before Cin joined them there were only three. Devlin and his wife Justine and Michael. They are the boogeymen of the boogeymen. Whenever vampires get out of hand The Righteous deal out justice and keep them in line.

Fifty years has passed since Cin became a vampire. After a summoning spell returns Cin to her old home Ravenworth, Cin finds that the last ties she had to her mortal life are gone. All but the children of her dearest friends remain. Cin had been expecting this day to come she just had no idea it would hurt so bad. But she was summoned to Ravenworth for a reason. Her cousin, the current Macgregor witch needs her. It seems that Claire, Cin's cousin has been abducted. The mother does not know exactly why only the who and the fact that he seemed mighty interested in an urn that had been given to Claire.

Claire has been taken to America, somewhere in Savannah, Georgia where the Civil War is in full force. What Cin and Michael find when they arrive is that the man, Adrien Boucher, who has taken Claire is an evil man. He knows what is in that urn and he wants it so that he can win the war for the South. So out to Devil's Island Cin and Michael head. The island has on it a large plantation. One that Boucher married to procure and one that he cannot maintain. The island is also heavily dosed in Black Magic. Cin is no stranger to Black Magic, ever since drinking from a user of those arts she has had it in herself. She fights constantly to keep it at bay, but this island, and one slave Pandora, in particular, calls to that magic hidden deep within her and she fears she may never survive the struggle to keep it hidden.

When Boucher refuses to let them take Claire, Michael and Cin buy the island, which has been heavily mortgaged and kick Boucher out. But Pandora, heavily into the dark arts, is loyal to Boucher, and though she does not leave with him, can they trust that she will not harm Claire in his absence? Also, to Cin's great horror, she realizes she is now the not so proud owner of slaves, and simply setting them free will not be an option that helps anyone.

Bound is a fast paced story, filled with struggles, both internal and external that threaten to tear Cin and the life she has come to love apart at the seams. Maclaine has built a world so incredibly rich and real with people a reader can route for. The struggles they face are common in the most pleasantly uncommon of ways and the way they face them will have readers on the edge of their seats with bated breath.

Vampires, witches, and gods, Oh My! Run, don't walk to your nearest bookseller and pick up a copy today!

Bound by Sin is the third novel in the Cin Craven series, and while it stands alone just fine, trust me, if you haven't yet read the other two you are missing out and once you read Bound, you'll be rushing to get your hands on them.

Take Care

Please don't forget my contest for Kristan Higgins books. Click here for the WordPress post or here for the Blogger one.

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Before I start I wanted to let you know that Novel Reads is on FaceBook now. Click here to add me as a friend (I can't embed it for some reason), I'll be doing some contests over there that are specific to the page.

Firespell by Chloe Neill ( A Dark Elite Novel: Book 1)

(BCC)

As the new girl at St. Sophia's Boarding School, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she'll have to face - but oh, how wrong she is.

When Lily's parents decide to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she is not happy. Lily's classmates are the ultrarich brat-pack type - and if that isn't enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophia's creepy campus.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout's a little weird - she keeps disappearing late at night. When a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout, who's running from a real-life monster. Scout is part of a splinter group of rebel teens who protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and the gone-to-the-dark-side magic users called Reapers. She lets Lily in on her secret, even though Lily has no powers of her own...or at least none she's discovered yet.

* This review is done from a copy supplied to Novel Reads by the publisher.

I've made it clear that I have no love for YA books about spoiled poor me rich girls away at a fancy schamncy boarding school. So when this book came I was more than a tad reluctant. What got me though, is my love of YA/Paranormal, the really cool cover, and the fact that I'd never read this author before. Things I very much love in a book.

Lily Parker, not quite sixteen year old, finds out just after her sophomore year that her parents, philosophy professors, will be going to Germany for a two year academic sabbatical, and she will be leaving her New York town for Chicago where she will go to school at St. Sophia's Boarding School. To say the least, Lily is not happy. She'd much rather stay with her friends and her comfort zone. But when St. Sophia's accepts her into the school, her future is set.

Lily hates St. Sophia's. There are the typical cliques and she's just not fitting in. Thankfully, one of her new roommates, Scout, is most definitely nice and true friend material. But, as the BCC says, Scout keeps skipping out late at night, and she seems more than a little tired after these outings. What Lily doesn't know about Scout and her secrets really piques her curiosity and she begins to follow her one night, that is after all, what a new BFF would do. But it isn't until Lily is on the receiving end of a fairly nasty prank that Lily truly finds out what Scout's been up to.

But Scout's mystery isn't the only one Lily is faced with - could it be her parent's had lied to her all of her life? Made a whole identity to cover up what they were really working on? As clues begin coming Lily's way about this, and evil magic users attempting to suck the souls of young magic users start to attack the school, Lily realizes she just may be in over her head. Or, does she have a bit of latent magic of her own?

Firespell is a refreshing addition to a YA Paranormal genre that is quickly filling up with shifters and vamps. Neill's writing is spot on, with great dialogue and the action packed scenes have the reader turning the pages and spellbound from the get go. I'm eager to read more from Neill and have added her Chicagoland Vampires Series to my wish list.

Take Care

Don't forget about the current contest I'm running, scroll down to yesterday's post or click here to see the details.

Bad Blood by Mari Mancusi

BAD BLOOD by Mari Mancusi

BCC:

Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend, Magnus, is a vampire—and the leader of the Blood Coven. Their differences have never been an issue, until now…

When the Blood Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny’s humanity puts her out of the running. The chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, an Oxford University graduate, who just happens to look like a vampiric supermodel.

Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes scholar who can’t answer the most basic poli-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention—where Magnus and Jane’s bonding ceremony will be the main event—Sunny and her twin sister, Rayne, secretly tag along. And Sunny’s not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas—especially bad blood…

*This review is done from a book sent to Novel Reads by the publisher.

I’d never read Mari Mancusi before this book showed up at my door, and I’ll admit I was a tad bit reluctant to read this one. Not because it’s YA, but because it’s book four in an already established series. You see, I have this thing about series books. I don’t like to pick one up in the middle of a series, because I’m always afraid I’ll be lost and not able to follow along. You’d think I’d’ve learned my lesson by now, but alas, I haven’t and I’m always so pleasantly surprised when I find myself not only able to follow along but so engrossed in the story that I can’t put the book down.

The BCC does a very good job at explaining the basics of the plot but the actual story is so much more than the Sunny trying to prove Jane is an imposter bit. First of all, the girls estranged father lives in Vegas, so the little trip stands to be a twofer. Snoop around about Jane (the soon to be blood mate) and spend some time with their dad. Only dad isn’t there and the step family proves to be a bit more complicated than the girls could possibly imagine.

When Rayne, Sunny’s twin takes some major news about their new family badly and all but bails on Sunny, it’s up to Sunny to do all the detective work herself. But, when dealing with vampires (evil ones at that), it would be nice to have a girl’s sister around; especially when said sister is an actual vampire and a vampire slayer.

Bad Blood had me hooked from page one. The plot was fast paced and the writing solid. Sunny was a character I could get behind and bond with immediately. Told from a First Person perspective, I found myself turning the pages faster and faster, unwilling to say goodbye at the end.

I did have a few issues though, but they can only be a testament to a well written protagonist. First of all, Magnus just pissed me off. I understand that he’s a thousand year old vampire, but his condescending attitude when it came to Sunny and her suspicions of Jane made me simply want to stake him myself. I also wasn’t very impressed with Rayne and the way she completely ignored her sister when she needed her most. But I adored Sunny and her complete unwillingness to let down the people she loved and especially loved the end when she realized that things had to change if she and Magnus would be able to have a relationship.

The cliffhanger ending was a bit much, but sets it up nicely for a next book, and I’m more than a little excited to get my hands on it. I’ve also added the first three books in the series to my online book order, and can’t wait to read them. After some reading on the author’s site, I see that the books alternate protagonists between Rayne and Sunny, and I hope that this will help me understand Rayne a bit more, because as it stands, I’m really not a fan.

All in all, the Blood Coven Vampire Novel’s have been added to my must read list. Mancusi writes with a wicked sense of humor and keeps readers turning the pages eager for more.

Take Care

You can still enter for one of two $10 egift certificate to the online book seller of your choice, just leave a comment here or here. Winners will be drawn tomorrow, January 3.

Q&A With Angie Fox - Enter to WIN!!!

This post on WordPress
One of the funnest parts of hosting authors on here is getting to get a sneak peak, as it were, behind the scenes to their books, writing process, and other fun details that make up the life of an author and then sharing them with all of you. So, grab a cuppa and sit back and read this Q&A I have with Angie. Make sure to post any questions for her in the comments and earn entries into this weeks GREAT contest!

Tell us about The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers.

The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers is the story of what happens when you take a bunch of biker witches to Las Vegas. Well, it’s more than that, I suppose. Lizzie and the gang head to Las Vegas to save her uncle from marrying a succubus.

As she experiences all kinds of new (and weird) things in Vegas, Lizzie is determined, once and for all, to master her powers. In fact, she’s going to write the book on demon slaying. So she begins a journal, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, where she records what she’s learning, starting with newfound discoveries about demons, gargoyles and a particularly mischievous live spell named Beanie who likes to fill Lizzie’s boots with pumpkin spice latte.

Things get dangerous when the demons get their hooks in Dimitri. He’s much darker and sexier in this book. And we introduce a new character, Max, who is half demon and 100% yummy.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book?

Loads, actually. First off, the biker witches ride Harleys, and I’d never been on a motorcycle before. Second, I had to figure out how to get Pirate the dog onto a bike.

I went online and learned about the Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club, made up exclusively of Harley riders and their dogs. I ended up meeting some of them, along with a few other bikers along the way. These bikers were so great to me. They hoisted me onto the back of their Harleys (with dogs in tow). They took me to biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink). And they laughed at me when I tried to put my helmet on backwards (I still say I was distracted by the Pomeranian wearing a tiny pair of motorcycle glasses). After a few outings with my new biker friends, I was able to make my geriatric biker witch characters a lot more realistic. And I took home some great pictures, too.

My second favorite it of research was the behind-the-scenes tour of Hoover Dam. The climax of The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers takes place down there, and I was lucky enough to be invited to see first-hand what I’d be writing about. A guide took me far down into the inspection tunnels they used in the 1930’s and 40’s, when the cement was still curing. It was amazing to see the notes these inspectors made on the walls, to hear the stories of those that didn’t quite make it out and to walk the same old metal steps that they did. All of that made it into The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, along with lots of things I had a blast making up (this is fiction after all).

What was your reaction when you learned The Accidental Demon Slayer was a New York Times bestseller?

Complete shock. The phone rang on a Friday afternoon, as I was writing the climax of The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers. I almost didn’t answer the phone. After all, who would call in smack dab in the middle of a demon invasion?

Luckily, I picked up because it was my agent, saying that The Accidental Demon Slayer would be #34 on the New York Times list the next day. I didn’t know what to think. Heck, I’d just wanted to sell enough books so that I could keep writing about biker witches, demon slayers and talking terriers. I had to ask my agent to please email me too, just to make sure I wasn’t phone-hallucinating.

What comes first: the plot or the characters?

For me, it’s both. For example, when I sat down to write these books, I had no notes about a sidekick for my heroine. But in the second chapter, when she’d learned she was a demon slayer and all hell was after her, she took comfort in her dog. As I was writing, I thought, ‘This is a sweet moment. Now how do I throw her off?’ Simple. I made the dog say something to her. Nothing big. After all, he’s only after the fettuccine from last week. And he knows exactly where my heroine can find it (back of the fridge, to the left of the lettuce crisper, behind the mustard).

It amused me, so I did it. Thanks to her unholy powers, my heroine can now understand her smart-mouthed Jack Russell Terrier. So did plot influence character? Maybe there it did. But I can tell you that as the book evolves, Pirate the dog does his share of influencing the plot too. Bottom line? I think the most important thing when you sit down to the keyboard is to be willing to follow your story in new directions, because if you’re enjoying the surprise, chances are your readers will too.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Reading…way too much. Oh wait, I do that anyway.

How does your family feel about your career as a romance author?

Well I admit I had these fantasies of my husband saying things like, “Oh let me fix dinner. You look like you’re really focused on getting that dialogue right.” Or my kids saying, “Wow. Mom is a published author. We’d better not use her laptop cord as a jump rope.” Alas, my home life hasn’t changed at all. Well, other than the fact that it might be a bit strange that my four-year-old knows what an editor is. She gets calls from her “editor” on her Tinkerbell play phone.

What do we have to look forward next?

Right now, I’m writing book 3 in the Accidental Demon Slayer series, tentatively titled A Tale of Two Demon Slayers. In it, Lizzie and the gang travel to Greece where they learn more about Dimitri’s past and a threat that could destroy them all. I’m having a ball with it because it’s so much fun to explore Dimitri’s home, his family and his juicy past.

I also have a story in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2, which comes out on Halloween. And then I’m working on a voodoo novella for this amazing anthology that I’m not allowed to announce yet. But when it is out, and when I do have copies, I’ll be sure to give some out right here because, let’s face it, Charity rocks.

Awe! Thanks Angie! I think YOU ROCK! I've always wondered though, on those anthologies? How do those come to be? Do you the authors get together and decide to pitch it or is it something the editors do? I've just always been curious!

Thanks so much for joining me over here again, Angie. I know you're at RT right now, and what a great time to for it in the ways of promoting, but I know it's tough trying to keep up with us over here! And speaking of RT, how's that going? Has Dimitri been on your heels all night yet?

Take Care

WIN Signed Galley Pages And More with Angie Fox!

*Click here for Novel Reads on Word Press, as with yesterday,double entries when comments are left over there.


As you know, my guest this week is the uber talented Angie Fox, author of The Accidental Demon Slayer and the soon to be released The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers. In fact, this entire week is just one great big celebration in honor of the release of second book in this great series! Why? Because I love the series, that's why. And I'm sure that once you've had a chance to read it (if you haven't already, which I'm sure you have) you will too!

Anyway, as I mentioned yesterday their would be prizes, and whoo boy do we have prizes! Signed books! Kiss My Asphalt Tee Shirts! Cover Flats, anyone? Oh, and SIGNED GALLEY PAGES from The Dangerous Book For Demon Slayers! So, what do I have to do? you may ask, to win such Novel prizes? Well, first, since we're talking Demons, you must make a virgin sacrifice and your first born, never mind, I require no such thing. Simply help us spread the word about Angie and her new book. We have widgets you can post, click here to get one. You can use your Facebook or MySpace status to send people our way. You can use your own blog. You can use e-mail, chat rooms, or any other form you so choose. If you do blog it, please leave me a link in the comments so I can link to you. All they have to do is leave a comment here (http://novelreads.wordpress.com/)saying you sent them. Easy Peasy, no? The comment can be on any post this week that is about Angie and her books or contest rules. There is no limit to how many people you can send our way, the more the merrier in fact, since we want to spread the word far and wide about this great series. Double entries if the person you send our way also gives us their Biker Witch Name, which today my name BWN is Mantrap Marcie Fancy Pants ! I'm definitely digging that one!

This is a pic of the front of the tee shirts up for grabs, and don't forget all the other loot Angie has graciously agreed to give out. For another chance to enter, simply leave a question in the comments for Angie to answer, as she's going to be doing a little Q&A with us this week. I have tell you, she's one busy lady this week, she's also, as I type this, on a plane to Orlando, FL for the RT Convention, where she'll be shadowed by Dimitri on night, and yes, I have requested pictures.

So, what are you waiting for? Get to entering! And for some reason, some comments are getting sent to me for moderation, I'm trying to catch them as quickly as possible, I don't know how to change that yet, but promise I am working on it. This is definitely a work in progress kind of site right now!

Take Care

Welcome Back Angie Fox!!! CONTEST TIME!

*Quick Note: I'm trying to move over to Word Press, so if you click over to that site http://novelreads.wordpress.com/ and comment, I'll give you extra entries today!*

I love debut authors. I always have. So last year, when I had the chance to inteview Angie Fox, the chance to give a way cool prizes with Angie Fox, and the chance to read and celebrate Angie's debut novel The Accidental Demon Slayer, I jumped at it and spent an entire week with the wonderfully funny and talented author. (Note, some of these links are to this blog not my blogger one. As soon as I figure out how to import the comments, those'll go up too!). BUT, you wanna know what's even cooler about introducing a debut author? Having that author back the next year to celebrate their SECOND release AND the fact that they are now a NYT Best selling author!!!!! CONGRATS Angie, you so deserve it!

And the best part? Angie not only agreed to come back this year to celebrate the release of the next book in the series, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, she's also agreed to host a contest... right here on this blog! I can't tell you all the prizes just yet, but I can tell you there will be tee shirts are more! So, let's just kick it off today with an easy way to start entering. First, click here and tell me your Biker Witch Name, mine is Mosquito Bite Marcie No Pants, I imagine I'll choose a different one for every day of this Week O' Demon Slayin'. Just leave your name in the comments.

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Then, click here to find out How Much of a Demon Slayer You Are, and leave me a comment telling me your percentage. Want even more entries? Use the widget on your own blog, MySpace, or FaceBook page and leave me a linkyloo in the comments and you'll get FIVE extra entries into the contest, and please be sure to link back to this post in yours.

Check back tomorrow for more Angie Fox fun! This is gonna be one WILD week!

Take Care

Grave Sins by Jenna Maclaine

Before I start in I want to let you know that I'm teaming up with Author Island again and will kick off the contest tomorrow. Also, thanks for the well wishes for Miss Beautiful. She's doing somewhat better, but her teacher requested she not return to school yet. Apparently, there have been a lot of absences in her class, and most of them are because of a different ailment. So, in an attempt to keep her already weakened immune system safe we're keeping her home one more day. Though, nothing gets done when she's home but a whole lot of cuddling!

Grave Sins by Jenna Maclaine
(BCC)

In the arms of her lover Michael, Cin Craven has found satisfaction for her most primal longings, reaching heights of pleasure no mere human could ever imagine. She has also found a purpose for her unearthly powers. Cin is a member of the Righteous, a band of slayers that hunts down vampires who inflict evil upon the world. With Michael by her side, Cin's latest mission brings her face-to face with Marrakesh, a beautiful, half-mad vampire queen charged with slaughtering humans. If she's found guilty, Marrakesh will pay with her life. But Cin is convinced that someone - or something - far more ruthless is trying to steal the queen's throne. It's a mission that will put Michael and Cin against each other for the first time, awakening their darkest instincts and testing their love like never before...

I've talked about the first book in this series and you can see that here. As you can see, I enjoyed it very much. I just love it when a debut author is this good. Love it!

In Grave, it's been thirteen years since Cin has joined the Righteous and she has had no regrets with her life or her mate in all of this time. But when Drake, the Sentinel of the Dark Council shows up at Cin's old homestead (her yearly vacation spot) to tell the Righteous they have been called to investigate the disappearance of, and death of, humans in Marrakesh. While this is what the Righteous do, this particular assignment has them all a bit nervous. The suspect is none other than the Queen of the area, Marrakesh, who can see the truth of a persons soul by touch. The "gift" has turned the Queen to bouts of madness and it has long been thought that Marrakesh, not her King is the person that metes out the punishment and truly does the ruling.

But Cin has her doubts about the Queen's guilt and the Righteous find more questions than answers and danger at every turn and no one can be trusted. Aside from the question of who is out to get the queen, Drake and Michael have a past and that threatens to tear apart the loving and trusting relationship that Cin and Michael have cultivated over the past years. Cin's aunt is after them, and plans to stop Cin from practicing magic. And it seems that no one truly is what they seem.

All fingers seem to point at magic, a magic that Cin can sense, but has no idea what it is or from where it came. A dark magic that may once and for all destroy the Righteous before they can destroy it.

In a page turning tale, Maclaine had me on the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down until the end, but I wasn't satisfied, I wanted more and I wanted it NOW! The unique blend of witch and vampire that is Cin, has this reader hooked and I can't wait to find out what's in store for us next!

If you haven't read Maclaine yet, I strongly suggest you get out there and pick up these two books, they are a definite must have for any shelf of fans of the Paranormal genre. You can also send me a quote for the quote of the day in my sidebar and be entered to win a copy of any book I talk about this month, that includes this one! Send quotes to novelreads @ gmail . com (ya know, without the spaces!).

Take Care

MacGowan's Ghost by Cindy Miles

Don't forget to send me your favorite book quotes, they can be from any genre. I don't care, just so long as they're from a book. If you're name is drawn at the end of each contest month (25-24 of each month) then I'll send you some coffee and a book!

MacGowan's Ghost by Cindy Miles
(BCC)

It's Hard to leave the past behind when it keeps coming back to haunt you...

Odin's Thumb Inn and Pub may be owned by brooding Highlander Gabe MacGowan, but it is actually run by a crew of ornery ghosts, who aren't eager for their home to undergo a change in management. Gabe intends to sell the pub not only to give his son a more stable environment but to escape what really haunts him - his wife's death.

Leave it to fun-loving American Allie Morgan to come to Gabe's rescue. Hired to oust the sneaky spirits, who are chasing away potential buyers of the inn, Allie winds up winning the hearts of everyone in the Scottish seaside village, including those of the ghost of a sea captain and Gabe himself. Now all she has to do is find a way to help the sexy Highlander chase away his own ghosts.

I had dished the first two books Miles published while at d&D, click here for Spirited Away and here for Into Thin Air . As you can tell, I really enjoyed Spirited but had a few problems with Into. I never did pick up the third book Highland Knight, but only because it never was stocked at my local Wally World or the out of town bookstore I frequent, or else I probably would have read it. Anyway...

MacGowan's was a bit different from the previous two Miles books I had read, as it's not actually a ghost or other supernatural entity that is the hero, rather Gabe, the hero is haunted by the ghost of his late wife and also has a group of ghosties that have been a part of his life and that of the towns for as long as they can remember. As he's wanting to sale his pub, and the local ghosties don't want him and his son to leave, he hires Allie to get them to leave, or at least behave until he can find a buyer.

But as soon as Allie arrives she is immediately charmed by the lot of ghosties as well as the pub, the town and Gabe. Soon though, Allie understands that it isn't any undead soul that may need mending as much as it is Gabe's.

I have to say, that I really did enjoy the story, as Miles is a strong storyteller, and she weaves her stories well. BUT, I missed the medieval aspect. I missed the ghost getting the girl and becoming real. While I hate to discourage an author from going out and trying something different, I was fairly disappointed that the ghosts seemed to be mere ghosts in getting Gabe and Allie together.

Am I sorry I read it? Absolutely not. I found myself once again transported by Miles' strong characters and realistic dialogue. Miles is skilled with the written word and a great addition to any Romance readers shelves.

Am I glad that the next book out will be more of the Miles I had come to enjoy? You bet! If only we could go back to the cutesie covers!

For a chuckle or two, and some down right heartwarming moments, I say grab MacGowan's Ghost. I think you'll be glad you did!

Take Care

Novel Chats Paranormal Style - Part the First

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes going out to Miss Beautiful. We were pretty scared for a while. She has pneumonia, strep poisoning and scarlet fever. Thanks to a shot of Rocephin at the hospital and heavy doses of twice daily antibiotic she's on the mend. And although we had a note saying she could return to school today, the school thought it best that she rest one more day before trying it. I agree. She's still very congested and she tires very easily. And now, on with it!

Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland
From The Author's Website:

Darkness will summon her…

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department's fight against injustice. But when Liz's foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?

To places she's never been before…

While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz's eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.…

I received this book quite some time ago, and truth be told, I almost didn’t read it. I had seen that Handeland was a NYT Bestseller and that it was part of a series from the cover, and just assumed (I have to learn to quit that!) that it was a mid-series novel. Plus, I had never read Handeland before and the touting of bestseller always makes me nervous when I haven’t read the author before. Anyway, with a tip from a Yahoo! Group I belong to from a fellow reviewer, I went ahead and read it. They had enjoyed the book, plus I was seeing a lot of reviews – all good – all over the net. That, coupled with the fact that this was the FIRST book in a series had me cracking the spine.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. The concept is exceptional, but the writing I found to merely mediocre. While enjoyed the actual plot, the characters left me somewhat cold. I did, eventually warm up somewhat to the people of this fantastic world, but unfortunately, it didn’t last long. I’ll definitely give the second book a try, but it’s not one I will be rushing to the stores to own. I give this one a C.

Blood Bargain by Maria Lima

(BCC)

Keira Kelly has settled in at Wild Moon Ranch with handsome Adam Walker, her vampire lover, but her life is not so hot. Not only is Keira still struggling with the Change that will bring her an as of yet unknown paranormal power, but Adam’s avoiding intimacy and mysteriously growing weak. At least she has Tucker, her 1200-year-old shapeshiting ex-Viking brother, around to help. When a ranch hand is reported missing and some teens disappear, Keira and Tucker have a heap of unexpected trouble piled on ‘em. There’s a lot of weird doing down around Rio Seco, Texas, and after Keira and Tucker stumbled across some dangerous clues in an abandoned cemetery, things get even stranger…

Bargain is the second book in the Blood Lines series, and I had talked about he first book, Matters of the Blood here. I can’t link to a purchase button right now, as Bargain and Matters were both Juno releases and as you know, they’ve partnered with Pocket Books, According to Lima’s blog though, it looks like they should get re-printed from Pocket later in the year.

When I read Matters it was a dark tale. Terrifying yet witty. Scary yet Romancy. I had expected Bargain to be the same and was eager to delve into this richly written world with its complex characters yet again. I quickly noticed one thing – this wasn’t the world and the character I had left when Matters closed. Keira seemed more fluff in this book. She had apparently gotten used to the good life with Adam, and lost all of her edge. Even when the mystery starts, the lack of characteristics that made Keira so complex and fantastic in the first book left a huge gaping hole in this fictional world. The tone was far lighter even when the plot would have left much room for some dark, kick ass Keira moments. All in all, the tone was entirely too different from the first book and left this reader feeling betrayed. The third book will be released in November and I’ll eagerly crack the spine in anticipation that the dark and twisted world, balanced perfectly with wit and humor has been restored, and the light, trying too hard to be comical Keira is gone. If this were the first book in a series, I would grade it much higher, but since the feel of the book and overall character assassination was too much for me to handle, I have to give this one a D. Lima can do better, she’s already proved that.

Don’t forget to enter the contest! You have two more days.

Take Care

At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

Let me just get this over with, SQUEEEEEEE!! I won a signed copy of this book on Frost's MySpace contest! I tell you this not to rub it in, but to let you know that since I won a signed copy, my copy is going into the prize package for the current contest. I've read it, but you'd be hard pressed to prove that, so I feel good about including it as a give away!

At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost
(BCC)
Some Things Won't Stay Buried...
At Grave's End

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to lean the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself-and Bones-from a fate worse than the grave.

I posted a dish on the first book in this series while at d&D, you can see it by clicking here. I'm not sure why I never posted on the second book, but suspect it was during my quiet time. But trust me, I totally dug it. And now that the third book has been released, I'm not really gonna bother with a "review."

I will say that I LOVE this series. I was hooked with book one. This world that Frost has created is one I look forward to visiting and one I hate to say good-bye to at the end of the books. Cat is a hell of a kick ass heroine. Bones is my favorite vampire and I have a serious case of literary lust. Every book thus far has taken me on a roller coaster ride that has me turning the pages faster and faster. In a time when vampire fiction is around every corner and growing old to some, Frost has staked a claim in my MUST buy category.

So, if you wanna win this book and the other prizes mentioned so far, help me out! In the flap of the book is a picture of Cat with a man whom I'm assuming to be Bones. This is not my idea of Bones. In fact, he looks kind of like Lewis Smith in The Heavenly Kid. So, all you have to do to be entered is point me in the direction of someone hot enough to be Bones. I don't even have to agree with your idea of hotness!

Take Care

Novel Chats - Debut Authors- Contest

I'm going to be doing a few Novel Chats within the next few posts. I was quiet for quite some time and I didn't quit reading, so I have a lot to talk about! Plus, I really kinda like the NCs. They're fun to write.

Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle
(BCC)

REAL PLEASURE CAN'T BE TAKEN... Granddaughter of a renowned courtesan, Maybelle de Maitenon has no interest in her grandmother's school in London where gentlemen receive instruction - in the art of seduction. Her only desire in life is to remain independent, free from men and the shackles of marriage. But when Maybelle lays eyes on Edmund Worthington, the Duke of Rutherford, at a soiree, and hears of his scandalous reputation, she decides he's the perfect person for her to have a tryst with no strings attached... IT MUST BE GIVEN... Unbridled passion has again muddied Edmund Worthington's family name. After his very public dalliance with the strikingly beautiful and sensual Maybelle, his mother insists he marry her. But much to the Duke's surprise, Maybelle scoffs at his proposal. Never has he encountered such a brazen - and maddeningly irresistible - woman. But when Maybelle's grandmother falls ill, forcing Maybelle to take over the operation of her school, Edmund devises a plan to make her his. He enrolls in the school, where no one other than Maybelle must give him expert lessons in carnal pleasure...

Cold in your neck of the woods? Well, save on heating bills by picking up this book, trust me, Marvelle's debut is sizzling hot. Maybelle de Maitenon has no intentions of marrying, nor does she have any intention of going into the family business of teaching gentleman the fine art of seduction. However, it's up to Maybelle to instruct the first group of students when her grandmother falls ill. Much to her irritation, one of the students just so happens to be the man she had a scandalous fling with, Oh, yes, I'll bed that one please. Worthington has enrolled in the school strictly to gain Maybelle's hand in marriage, since his father has already disgraced their family name, he doesn't want his very public encounter with Maybelle finish what little honor they have left.

I've always enjoyed the few Historical's I've picked up, but never enough to really follow a particular series or author, Marvelle has changed that. I don't plan on missing a single semester of The School of Gallantry and neither will you once you've read this one. I have to give this one an A+.

Wages of Sin by Jenna Maclaine
(BCC)

She is a warrior of extraordinary power - the ultimate creature of the night. Her story is one that spans the ages, from historical England to modern-day America and beyond. Welcome to eternity...welcome to the night.

Dulcinea Craven descends from a long line of witches, and she has just inherited wild, untrained magical powers that she has no idea how to control. now a ruthless vampire and an age-old demon are determined to enslave Cin and steal her power for their own. Her only hope is the Righteous, a band of warrior vampires who slay the rogue undead. Among them is Michael, a fierce swordsman who inflames Cin's most primal hungers. Showing her a sensual pleasure beyond anything in the mortal realm, she must choose between the human existence she has always known, and immortality as a vampire - a new life filled with forbidden urges, dark yearnings, and unearthly passions...


I cannot express how much I love to hit a series with book 1. Sure it's fun to find a good series like The Southern Vampire series or The Plum Series, in the middle and have tons of books to read to catch up, but there is just something amazing at catching a series from hello. I bought this book shortly after it was released and read it during my silent time and I feel bad that it has taken me this long to stand up and say - GO GET THIS BOOK!

Maclaine had me engrossed in her world of witchcraft and vampires from the first page. Wages had me turning pages so fast I didn't realize I had stayed up half the night reading until I hit The End. The Righteous are the boogeymans boogeyman, and when Dulcinea is hunted by an unspeakably evil and powerful vampire, she summons The Righteous to her, but they can only do so much, and soon Dulcinea has choices to make and finds herself in a fight for more than just her life. Maclaine successfully weaves together the best elements of the Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, and Historical genres and gives readers a suspenseful thrill ride that will have them craving more, more, MORE Craven! Another A+.

For the next two weeks I'll be running a contest here on Novel Reads. Baby it's cold outside, and I want you to stay nice and toasty, so I'm offering up winners choice of one of these four flavors of Folgers Coffee (I'm totally digging the Hazelnut and French Vanilla right now). But wait! That's not all! I'm also going to give away a copy of each of today's books from the Novel Chat and at least two more books that will be announced throughout the next two weeks, because let's face it, books these good will warm ya right up (and I'm all about pimpin' a new author esepecially when they write this good!) :). Plus I'll throw in a tee shirt. Not sure what it'll say, I may even let the winner choose the saying.

There will be several chances to enter, and you may enter more than once. Simply visit each of the author's websites and tell me something you found there (please actually go look, don't just state the same fact as the person before you). There will be a new way to enter on each post until the contest deadline of February 4, 2009. Extra entries for blogging it and pointing people my way. Just let me know so I can make sure to link back to you.

Authors, if you're interested in offering up a prize for this contest, drop me a line at novelreads at gmail dot com (ya know, with the symbols and no spaces) and we'll see what we can do!

Take Care

Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine

I must admit that I had my doubts about this book when it arrived in my mailbox early last week. It's not that it's YA as I lurve me some YA. It's not that it's Paranormal, anyone who has ever read this blog or my posts from d&D knows that. What gave me pause was the whole Book Five thing. Now again, don't get me wrong, I love series, but I was leery about starting this one on the fifth book, especially in a series that so many friends of mine have already raved about. Crazy I know, I started Evanovich with TO THE NINES and I didn't come to Charlaine Harris until CLUB DEAD, of course I immediately ran out and bought the earlier books in those series and haven't missed one since, but I wasn't sure that could happen again, I mean, hello, did you read yesterdays posts, remember me? The newly cynical reader? But alas, it would seem that my bank account is going to be missing the exact dollar amount it would take to buy four books. Sigh. I think the publisher may be on to something - wanna sell lots of books? Give away one in the middle of a series, trust me if it's as good as this one, the rest of the books in the series will be bought up at lightening pace.

Lord of Misrule The Morganville Vampires-Book Five by Rachel Caine
(BCC)

MORGANVILLE TEXAS. JUST SOUTH OF NORMAL.
In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans have coexisted in (relatively) bloodless harmony...until the arrival of Bishop, a master vampire who threatens to put the evil back in evil undead and smash the fragile peace. But Bishop isn't the only threat...

Violent black clouds promise a storm of devastating proportions. As student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against the elements- both natural and unnatural - the unexpected happens: Morganville's vampires begin to vanish one by one. Discovering why leads Claire to one last choice: Swear allegiance to Bishop ...or die.

Sounds good, right? Well, that would be because it is. Now, since the author is obviously a doll, there is a THE STORY SO FAR... chapter, which does a fairly good job of giving a quick rundown so that the "new to the series" reader (me) can follow along. Of course this pre-book rundown is only a couple of pages, so I was still lost on a bunch of points.

Basically, from what I could gather, there was a vampire that founded the town of Morganville, Amelie. Now, in Morganville vampires and humans co-exist. It's a safe haven sort of town for vampires, and some or most of the humans there pledge their allegiance to certain vampires and are then under their protection (? - if you've read the series and I'm botching this up but good let me know). Bishop, Amelie's dad has come to Morganville and now wants to take it over and make sure that vampires really do rule and only humans who are a walking vending machine (they actually use this term in the book) will be allowed.

Of course, Amelie is not going to go down easily, and Claire along with her best friends Eve and Michael, as well as her boyfriend Shane are all willing (if not so calmly) to help stop Bishop from taking over.

Also from what I can ascertain is that Claire, though in college, is actually only 16 or 17. It was also clear that Claire was vital to the vampires, but I was never really sure why they needed her alive and protected so badly. There is some sort of disease floating through the vampire community, and Claire seems to be helping to find the cure, and by her age and the fact that she's in college it's obvious she's extremely gifted. However, I also got the impression it was more than just her mind that had the vampires so keen to keep her around. It also seemed hinted at that her boyfriend Shane may have more to him than even Claire knows. Hence me gonna go buy the other books in the series.

Anyway, we follow Claire as she and her friends race against time to save Morganville from total destruction. But all Hell's breaking loose, some of the humans have decided they think it would be a good thing if the fighting vampires killed each other off, and they're more than happy to help speed that along any way they can, and a monster of a storm is heading right towards Morganville with more than enough power to destroy the town on its own. Before long it's clear that Claire can't really trust anyone, because friends could turn out to be enemies and enemies may very well turn into, if not friends, allies.

When storm meets war the end result is so terrifyingly fantastic, that I was sitting on the edge of my seat unable to tear myself away until the very end where I was left panting for more. Caine has crafted a universe that is so well built that while reading there is no doubt in your mind that this place and these people really do exists. Caine has found a new fan and cheerleader in this reader, and I look forward to catching up with this series and continuing to follow it until the end. I expect I'll also be buying Caine's other series, but I think I'll start that on Book 1 (unless of course, some one *hint, hint* wanted to send me, oh I don't know, and autographed complete set *BG*).

Go get the book if you're a fan of the series, I really think this is one book you'll not want to miss. For those of you who have yet to start the series, I really do suggest starting with Book 1 (Glass Houses) just so you don't have as many questions as I did/do. Plus, we can go on that particular reading journey together!

But just in case you have any doubts, let me share with you a small bit of one of my favorite scenes from the book:

Shane said, "Some of those same people killed your son."

Theo looked at him with calm, unflinching eyes. "And without forgiveness, there is never any peace. I tell you this from the distance of many centuries. My son gave his life. I won't reply to his gift with anger, not even for those who took him from me. Those same poor, sad people will wake up tomorrow grieving their own losses, I think, if they survive at all. How can hating them heal me?

Take Care

Novel Chats - A Series

Before I begin, can I just say now that I highly doubt that I am the reason Jenny Crusie is considering leaving the blog-o-sphere behind? Yes, I linked her blog post in my rant. Yes, I JCF was one of the Yahoo! Groups I posed the question to. No, I don't think it caused the incredible Ms. Crusie to re-think her entire position on blogging. Thank you to the few of you that have e-mailed me to let me know that you consider me so influential. I appreciate it. I also respect that perhaps you were trying to teach me the lesson of just how hurtful those nasty e-mails can be and believe me when I tell you, I already learned that lesson after my review of Fearless Fourteen. However, I do believe I will keep my collection of Crusie books on the book shelf - because yes, I truly do consider myself a fan of the writer, Bet Me has seen my through many a reading slumps. I also believe that I will continue to blog, as I don't think that I am the heart of evil and malice that has spread across the blog world causing innocent "authors with more talent in their pinky finger than I have in my entire body" to give up their on-line presence. If you have read any of my blog posts, you would see that I may not always like a book (and if you don't like those less than glowing reviews skip the following post), however I don't think I've written anything especially nasty and even while I was ranting about an author I believed was behaving in an incredibly ridiculous manner, I never publicly announced the authors name, not until the story "broke" out on a much more popular blog than my own. But again, I am flattered you think that I have such influence over some one I've never met and so very much admire. And you know what? I'm not even going to post your e-mails. I'm not even gonna let a soul other than my family see them. And God willing, should I ever be published, you will NOT see an antagonist with a name closely resembling yours. Instead, those e-mails will be printed out and stuck in my "I HAVE ARRIVED" folder that The Hubs suggest I start when I received my first nasty e-mail. And now, on with it...


I read the first two books in this series when they first came out. I was still at d&D at the time, and had seriously considered dishing them, had talked to dee about how I felt about them, but just couldn't bring myself to do so. It seemed like so many people were just in love with these books. Thought they were great. I have to say, that while I enjoy the mythology behind the books, I didn't particularly like the "forced seduction" in them. In fact, I didn't feel like it was so much forced seduction as I felt like the "hero" was raping his woman. But truth be told, I don't see much of a difference. No, in my opinion has always meant NO. It means STOP! It does not mean, oh I really do want this, I want to be terrified of you and what you are doing, because if you just keep it up I know I'll get over myself and LOVE it.

That said, the premise of this series is unique and if you can skip the hero forcing sex on his soon to be wife to gain her love, then they are damn fine reads. An amazingly evil man makes a deal with the devil. In return for his soul, the soul of his descendants and their eternal loyalty, the devil will give them the ability to change into fierce warriors. They will be long lived, will only be able to be killed by another of their kind, and they will have the ability to change at will into a fierce predatory animal. They will only bear sons. However, one day, a descendant falls in love. Not any descendant mind you, but the current ruler of the fierce clan. He runs away with his gypsy bride, has children and loves them all dearly. However, one day his wife has a vision, a vision that tells his doom. He will burn forever in hell unless the family can find the family icon and restore it to break the curse. The prophecy his wife has seems impossible to the family. For one, it states that the true loves of his four sons will bring the icons back together - but he only has three sons and one daughter.

I continued to read the series this summer when the final two books were released. I enjoyed them, because I wanted to see the curse lifted. I wanted to see how Dodd worked around the four sons thing. All in all, I think the series was worth the read. The premise is fascinating. There were, however, several lose ends. For instance, in the first book Ann (the true love of son #1) is found out to have something "other" herself, and I had seriously thought that this would come into play later. It didn't. I have no idea why it was such a big deal in the first book, if it has no real bearing on the overall story-line.

So, if you like forced seduction you'll be able to read these books without discomfort. However, if like me, you don't care for it, then either skip this series all together or skip pretty much all of the sex, because most of it read like rape to me.

Since this is a Novel Chat of a post the series gets a grade, I give it a C-. Probably would have been an A, but ya know, that whole forced thing.

Take Care