A Journey of Books

UnderCover...Wednesday?

2013-01-02T11:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know - this is normally my Friday feature. Let's change it up a bit!

What is it that I love about this? Honestly...I'm not sure.

Normally I'm a cute girl with cute hair and a cute dress on a cover sort of chick. Or eyes - give me some gorgeous eyes on a cover and I'm yours. Obviously this is neither of those, but there's something about the colors and the complexity of the artwork that does it for me. Maybe it's all the swirls. Yep, that could be it. I love swirls (probably why my tattoos are all swirled).

Leave a comment below with your thoughts and/or your favorite cover art/artist(s) for a chance to win a copy of A TRAIN THROUGH TIME by Bess McBride, cover by Tamra Westberry.

College teacher Ellie Standish thinks she's on a sleek modern train heading to a conference on women's studies in Seattle, but she awakens from a night's doze to find herself on a bizarre historical train full of late Victorian era reenactors who refuse to come out of character. When the leader of the group—one handsome, green-eyed Robert Chamberlain—finally convinces her the date is indeed 1901, a skeptical Ellie rejects any eccentric theories of time travel and presumes she is smack dab in the middle of a very interesting historical dream. She turns the directorial reins of her dream over to one smitten and willing Robert, only to realize that dreams cannot last forever. Someday, she must wake up to reality, though Ellie no longer has any idea what reality is. She only knows that Robert must play an important part in her future. But how can he...if he's only a figment of her imagination or worse yet...a man who belongs to an era long past?

JENNY'S FIRST ADVENTURE - A Free Short Story!

2012-12-11T09:31:00.001-08:00

Doesn't this just look cute?

From Goodreads:

Fairy tales do come true. Unfortunately.

Jenny the Adventurer is back, and this time she's off to the Land of Tales: the crazy place that all fairy tales come from. If she can defeat an evil witch and complete three impossible tasks--all without getting eaten by blood-thirsty monsters--Jenny might finally get some answers about what happened to her parents.

This is one adventure Jenny can't afford to fail.

My Epic Fairy Tale Fail is expected to be released March 2013 from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. Can't wait to experience the story? Author Anna Staniszewski has a free short story up as a nice appetizer. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Pocket Books Shindig - BLOOD WINTER by Diana Pharaoh

2012-12-10T16:56:00.001-08:00

Pocket Books has an upcoming event!

On Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 at 6:00 pm ET, join fantasy novelist Diana Pharaoh Francis in an online video chat book event! Diana will deliver a live reading from her new book, Blood Winter, the latest in her Horngate Witches series releasing December 26, 2012. The reading will be followed by an interactive audience Q&A, so come armed with questions about any of her books, or writing, or how she wrangles kids and corgis in order to write.

To RSVP and attend, please visit http://shindig.com/event/blood-winter.

Anyone can join in this event individually. Attendees can talk with each other. You can text or type questions. No download necessary.

From Goodreads:

Set in apocalyptic America and featuring a magically enslaved heroine who is “a riveting mixture of guts, compassion, and furious anger as she struggles with a world coming apart at the seams” (Romantic Times), the fourth in a dynamic dark urban fantasy series unlike anything you’ve ever read before.

DRINK DEEP Review - Chloe Neill

2012-12-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

DRINK DEEP by Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 352
ISBN#: 0451234863
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: November 1, 2011
Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway
Other work: Some Girls Bite (CV 1), Friday Night Bites (CV 2), Twice Bitten (CV 3), Hard Bitten (CV 4), Drink Deep (CV 5), Biting Cold (CV 6), House Rules (CV 7), Biting Bad (CV 8)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and Merit the vampire can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn, or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times have never been more precarious for the vampires. If only they could lay low for a bit...

Then magic rears its ugly head when Lake Michigan turns black. The mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows a panic is coming. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for both the vampires and humans.

My thoughts:

These books are going to get me a speeding ticket.

Some series I have in paperback (or hardback) and some I have solely in Audible form. Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires are ones that I have only experience via Audible. That being said, it's hard for me to determine if the heart-stopping suspense or the adrenaline soaked action translates as well off the page as it does from Cynthia Holloway, the fabulous narrator of these books. My guess is that Ms. Neill's words translate well in any media form, the "reader" of one of her books will just be less likely to get a speeding ticket than a "listener."

I can't help it! One scene in particular involving four poles, and four vampires (not going into more detail than that) had me freaking out, leaning forward in my seat and putting the gas petal down before I realized what was happening. Thank goodness for cruise control during this one, otherwise I'd be travelling at warp speed, leaving the State Troopers eating my dust.

Just when you thought you understood the world that Chloe Neill had built up for us in this series she tosses it all up in the air and we get to watch in fascination as the pieces fall in new and interesting ways. I love the direction the series is headed. The added suspense, increased action, and crazy romantic tension makes this series, and DRINK DEEP in particular a book that's practically impossible to put down (or turn off in my case) for fear that you'll miss something absolutely vital on the next page.

As with any later book in a series, it's difficult to get into plot specifics without providing spoilers for the early books, but let's just say that Merit definitely has her work cut out for her. If it's even possible, I became more attached to Merit in DRINK DEEP and really felt for her at various points in the book. Both tugging on your heart strings and making you want to turn homicidal toward some of the characters, Neill continues to keep us actually caring about the story and its characters - not always an easy thing to do in a longer series.

Overall - A+. Instead of getting old and musty, Chloe Neill continues to inject new elements into this series that keeps us interested. The addition of new world elements and the constant building of the world should keep Urban Fantasy readers entertained from the first page throughout the last.

Win a $10 Amazon GC!

2012-12-07T09:54:00.002-08:00

What do you think, time for our monthly giveaway?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading DRINK DEEP by Chloe Neill

2012-12-07T09:27:00.003-08:00

I'm currently reading DRINK DEEP (Chicagoland Vampires 5) by Chloe Neill.

What are you reading?

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and Merit the vampire can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn, or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times have never been more precarious for the vampires. If only they could lay low for a bit...

Then magic rears its ugly head when Lake Michigan turns black. The mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows a panic is coming. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for both the vampires and humans.

Win A Train Through Time by Bess McBride

2012-12-06T15:50:00.002-08:00

Did you download your free copy of JENNY CUSSLER'S LAST STAND by Bess McBride? If so, comment below to win a copy of A Train through Time, my favorite of her time-travels.

JENNY CUSSLER'S LAST STAND

JENNY CUSSLER'S LAST STAND - Free!

2012-12-05T15:04:00.001-08:00

Ooo, JENNY CUSSLER'S LAST STAND is absolutely free on Amazon right now! Downloading time!

From Bess McBride's website:

Social worker Jenny Cussler has a number of Native American veterans in her caseload and is attracted to their culture. When given the opportunity to attend a week-long awareness camp on a reservation high in the mountains, she is eager despite the distance from her established city life.

Clint Hastings, a presenter at the camp, has no intention of straying outside his race for a relationship. But this perky redhead captivates his attention and constantly needs rescuing — when she’s not rescuing him from the clutches of the woman he managed to evade a year ago and who’s back stalking him again.

Clint soon loses his heart, while Jenny is charmed but realizes how little they have in common. In the real world away from the mountain, there might not be a happy-ever-after ending. Is she ready to trade her pavement-bound existence for the reservation? Or would he be willing to give up his chosen lifestyle?

Bess McBride is the same author of :

A Train Through Time (favorite #1)
Across the Winds of Time
A Penny for Your Thoughts
On a Warm Sea of Love
Love of My Heart
A Trail of Love
Caribbean Dreams of Love
A Sigh of Love (favorite #2)

TWICE BITTEN Review - Chloe Neill

2012-12-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

TWICE BITTEN by Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
ISBN#: 0451230647
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: July 6, 2010
Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway
Series: Some Girls Bite (CV 1), Friday Night Bites (CV 2), Twice Bitten (CV 3), Hard Bitten (CV 4), Drink Deep (CV 5), Biting Cold (CV 6), House Rules (CV 7), Biting Bad (CV 8)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

My thoughts:

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Merit as a heroine? I decided that I liked her in Some Girls Bite, liked her even more in Friday Night Bites, and now in TWICE BITTEN, I've completely fallen in love with her. Neill does such an amazing job of adding depth to this character continuously through the series. Instead of just giving us the same heroine thrown into new and different situations, we get to see Merit constantly evolve throughout the books. Just like an old friend, you can actually think back to the first book and see how much Merit has grown.

That's probably the number one reason why I like this series. It's more than just a collection of new plots. So far, the series has shown quite an evolution in overall story arc, character arc, and within each book as well. It's easy to stay hooked on a series when you know that there's always going to be something new to pique your interest on the next page.

I love that we get to learn more about the shifters in TWICE BITTEN. We all know me - I'm a shifter fan - and Neill's shifters are no exception. Pair that with the sexual tension and romantic drama between Merit and our lead hottie and we've got quite an addictive read.

If you're a fan of Urban Fantasy, I think you'll love this series. If you're already a reader of the Chicagoland Vampires series, I think you'll really enjoy this latest installment. Chloe Neill keeps her world and characters fresh while still keeping that edge to these books that keeps us coming back for more.

Redesign

2012-12-03T14:19:00.001-08:00

Pardon our mess while we redesign.

FRIDAY NIGHT BITES Review - Chloe Neill

2012-11-30T09:51:00.003-08:00

FRIDAY NIGHT BITES by Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
ISBN#: 045122793X
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: October 6, 2009
Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway
Series: Some Girls Bite (CV 1), Friday Night Bites (CV 2), Twice Bitten (CV 3), Hard Bitten (CV 4), Drink Deep (CV 5), Biting Cold (CV 6), House Rules (CV 7), Biting Bad (CV 8)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they're enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But should people learn about the Raves-mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle-the citizens will start sharpening their stakes.

So now it's up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire -lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn't want peace between them?someone with an ancient grudge?

My thoughts:

I love world expansion! Merit returns to us with the rest of the Chicago vampires and yet brings so much more. Let's see, how much can we say without giving away spoilers. In the case of FRIDAY NIGHT BITES, not a whole lot actually.

The best parts of FRIDAY NIGHT BITES were the romance and action scenes. Another round of sexual tension pulls Merit and a certain male vampire closer together while the two rush to try and save the house from ending up on the front page of the local news. Vampires in the news - never good. The addition of some new characters amps up the interest level of this installment and does a fairly decent job keeping readers hooked to the series.

We also see the situations Merit is faced with turn much more real this time around. We had our grace period in Some Girls Bite of learning about the world, vampires in general, and Merit's new role in it all, but FRIDAY NIGHT BITES quits sparing us in this second book and throws us right into the action. Ms. Neill does a great job of keeping the story suspenseful and even though you might think you know what's going on, the story constantly turns around and proves you wrong.

Urban Fantasy readers - if you haven't already started this series, you're missing out. Everyone else, give it a try! Good suspense, a fun world, budding romance, and some serious kick-butt fighting scenes. Some Girls Bite and now FRIDAY NIGHT BITES is an exciting escapade that provides a nice respite from reality.

SOME GIRLS BITE Review - Chloe Neill

2012-11-29T10:24:00.001-08:00

SOME GIRLS BITE by Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 352
ISBN#: 0451226259
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: April 7, 2009
Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway
Other work: Some Girls Bite, Friday Night Bites (CV 2), Twice Bitten (CV 3), Hard Bitten (CV 4), Drink Deep (CV 5), Biting Cold (CV 6), House Rules (CV 7), Biting Bad (CV 8)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she's traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan - Lord of the Manor - Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude, and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan's attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood.

My thoughts:

I took the plunge and after a while of contemplating (months maybe) I purchased the first in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires on Audible, SOME GIRLS BITE. Quick conclusion? Quite a refreshing read.

I really love Merit. There is something about her character that just makes her so fun to ready. She, for the most part, seems like a very normal girl that many readers can picture themselves knowing. Aside from the eventual fanged part, she's just another normal person. Don't get me wrong, I do love a strong heroine with kick-butt superpowers, but sometimes it's nice to find a heroine that isn't better than everyone else. Of course, being the heroine of the book, Merit is a bit special, but we won't begrudge her that.

A graduate student bit by a vampire and unwillingly turned into one. Okay, starting out pretty interesting. Insert hot master vampire, mega hot sexual tension, and a super suspenseful plot and you've got yourself a winner. Usually, the first in a series is a pretty easy one for me to like. We get to learn about the characters, the world, and the beginning of the drama that will carry through the rest of the books. Typically most of the first book is new and therefore inherently interesting. That's certainly the case here. I won't say yet whether the next few books continue the trend of dragging us into the story and holding us fast, but I will say that SOME GIRLS BITE is an interesting and semi-addictive read.

If you're looking for a good Urban Fantasy, you really have to try this one. Chloe Neill, has made it to my top-ten gotta-read-it UF list. With delicious writing and robust characters, there is quite a bit to love in SOME GIRLS BITE.

Blog Design

2012-11-29T09:04:00.004-08:00

I am looking at maybe redesigning. Recommendations for blog designs/designers?

HARD BITTEN Review - Chloe Neill

2012-11-28T11:54:00.001-08:00

HARD BITTEN by Chloe Neill
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
ISBN#: 0451233328
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: May 3, 2011
Narrated by: Cynthia Holloway
Other work: Some Girls Bite, Friday Night Bites (CV 2), Twice Bitten (CV 3), Hard Bitten (CV 4), Drink Deep (CV 5), Biting Cold (CV 6), House Rules (CV 7), Biting Bad (CV 8)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals - and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan, are tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of an underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society - a world full of vampires who seem to be ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands.

My thoughts:

I told myself that I wasn't going to put this up today. I mean, I haven't put the reviews for the first three books up yet so I definitely shouldn't be putting a review of the fourth book in the series up yet. As I spent all morning going back and forth with my thoughts about HARD BITTEN, just trying to get them out of my mind so I can get on to the other things I have to do today, I realized that my lengthy thoughts after just having finished this book might as well come in the form of a review.

Does any of that make sense? Yes? Good. No? Well - I'm conflicted!

I am in love with Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires. Serious love. Like, the kind of love that has me sitting in my car five minutes after I was supposed to be in my desk at work because I just have to listen to a few more minutes (this series is one of my Audible acquisitions). Is it Cynthia Holloway, the narrator? Maybe. Is it the fabulous characters, colorful setting, and suspenseful plots of Chloe Neill? Oh yeah!

Merit. I love Merit. I'm not even sure why I love Merit so much. Is there one thing that I can pinpoint about her? Not really. She's not whiny she's strong and capable without being overly so, she's not uber special, and yet she is so special. She is just a really fun character to read and relate to. And let's not forget that romance with a certain male vampire. Can we say sexual tension? If I had this in paperback form, I'm fairly certain the pages would have burst into flames at some points. Instead, I think it was just me that got a little toasty.

HARD BITTEN follows up on the previous drama of Twice Bitten and takes it to a whole new level. We get some new characters, get to see some new locations, and get to basically delve deeper into Merit's world. And then we're thrown a curve-ball And then that curve-ball smacks us in the head and says, "Psst - you might want to duck to avoid that giant curve-ball of-doom that's about to crash into you." And then the giant curve-ball of-doom crashes into us and I sit contemplating for a few hours before hopping on here to whine that the giant curve-ball-of-doom hurt me. Seriously - the pain is right there, deep down where it counts.

I need to find some ice for my heart. In the meantime, let me summarize by saying that you should definitely pick up the Chicagoland Vampires series and when you finish HARD BITTEN, you'll see what all the fuss is about. Great world, great book, great series.

Now, if you've read HARD BITTEN, leave me your thoughts below because you probably know what I'm going through right now. Remember, no spoilers!

Release Day!

2012-11-27T13:33:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited for two releases that I have anxiously been waiting for! They are out today!

Lust for Life by Jeri Smith-Ready

Steel's Edge by Ilona Andrews

BRING ON THE NIGHT Review - Jeri Smith-Ready

2012-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

BRING ON THE NIGHT (WVMP 3) by Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 416
ISBN#: 1439163480
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: July 27, 2010
Series: Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone (WVMP 2), Bring on the Night (WVMP 3), Let it Bleed (WVMP 3.5), Lust for Life (WVMP 4)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin seems to finally have it all. A steady job at WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll. A loving relationship with the idiosyncratic but eternally hot DJ Shane McAllister. A vampire dog who never needs shots or a pooper-scooper. And after nine years, it looks as if she might actually finish her bachelor’s degree!

But fate has other plans for Ciara. First she must fulfill her Faustian bargain with the Control, the paranormal paramilitary agency that does its best to keep vampires in line. Turns out the Control wants her for something other than her (nonexistent) ability to kick undead ass. Her anti-holy blood, perhaps? Ciara’s suspicions are confirmed when she’s assigned to a special-ops division known as the Immanence Corps, run by the Control’s oldest vampire and filled with humans who claim to have special powers. To a confirmed skeptic like Ciara, it sounds like a freak fest. But when a mysterious fatal virus spreads through Sherwood—and corpses begin to rise from their graves—Ciara will not only get a crash course in zombie-killing, but will be forced to put her faith, and her life itself, in the hands of magic.

My thoughts:

Ciara! What have you got yourself into!

Why is it that we can't smack our favorite characters around and shake some sense into them. At the end of Bad to the Bone, I wanted to this with Ciara, but oh well. Turns out, Ciara and her decisions actually makes for a pretty interesting story.

At the beginning of Wicked Game I was prepared for vampires. By the end of Bad to the Bone, I'd come to terms (and fell in love with) vampire dogs. Now on to BRING ON THE NIGHT and...wait, zombies?

Ha ha - YES!

Okay, this book was pretty epic and that seems to be the way Jeri Smith-Ready works. Give us a good book, then an awesome book, and the follow up with one that knocks our socks off. I love me a good Urban Fantasy and when you keep throwing more fantasy in there while still keeping it urban, thereby jam-packing it like a tubful of awesomeness and joy - well, I couldn't be happier!

The only downside to BRING ON THE NIGHT was the crick in my neck I got from staying up late too many nights reading it well past the time I should have put the book down. With the introduction of the Immanence Corps, however, it was hard not to. From the first book, I fell in love with Ciara and now it's pretty impossible not to dive into the story with her both blushing, growling, or freaking out with her as the situation demands.

I'm not going to go into too much detail for fear of giving away spoilers for the first books, but suffice it to say that Smith-Ready takes the action and suspense to a whole new level with BRING ON THE NIGHT. Overall I give it five stars. I'm also not ashamed to admit that well after I've finished the book, to date of this review, it is still sitting on my night stand. I'm just not ready to file it away on the bookshelf quite yet. This books deserves to be out and present for a bit longer.

Due to be released November 27th, 2012 - Lust for Life, the fourth book in the WVMP world. Wahoo!

BAD TO THE BONE Review - Jeri Smith-Ready

2012-11-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

BAD TO THE BONE (WVMP 2) by Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 356
ISBN#: 1416551786
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: May 16, 2009
Series: Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone (WVMP 2), Bring on the Night (WVMP 3), Let it Bleed (WVMP 3.5), Lust for Life (WVMP 4)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Welcome to WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll,” where conartist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs—including new boyfriend Shane McAllister—who really sink their teeth into the music of their “Life Time” (the era in which they became vampires). Ciara keeps the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—without missing a beat.

For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash. With cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? To start, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be . . . a canine vampire? Behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it). Ciara must protect the station while struggling with her own complicated relationship, her best friend’s romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece,she’ll need to learn a few new tricks. . . .

My thoughts:

Okay, it's that tricky point where you pull out the second book in a series and have to decide, is it worth it? What if I hate it and then end up liking the first book less because my feelings on the series have been spoiled? Maybe I shouldn't read it...

Then you pick up the book and days later when you finally pull your nose back out of it, you wonder why it took you so long to start the book to begin with!

BAD TO THE BONE is just as good, if not better than Wicked Game. I'm not going to lie, Dexter was my favorite part of the book. Yes, the plot was compelling, and yes, just as the first, the characters were well rounded and totally drew me in, but Dexter was still my favorite part. I mean, come on, a vampire dog? Yes please!

Okay, enough gushing about Dexter. It's hard to go too much in detail about the story without spoiling the first for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Let's just saw that BAD TO THE BONE got a little more edgy, a wee bit more dark, and a bit more sensual. The characters bring the story to life and the twists and turns throughout the book keep the reader guessing right up to the last page.

Overall, I give BAD TO THE BONE five stars, and a big thumbs-up. The romance in the book was present enough to tug on those girly little heart-strings of mine, and yet that department has its own share of ups and downs that kept me flipping to the next page to figure out where it was headed. The action was superb and the mystery was just right. If you're looking for a good UF to pick up, I highly suggest BAD TO THE BONE. Next up in this series: Bring on the Night.

WICKED GAME Review - Jeri Smith-Ready

2012-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

WICKED GAME by Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 361
ISBN#: 141655176X
My Recommended Age Group: Adult
Released: May 13, 2008
Series: Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone (WVMP 2), Bring on the Night (WVMP 3), Let it Bleed (WVMP 3.5), Lust for Life (WVMP 4)
Our Rating:

From Goodreads:

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, '60s psychedelia, '80s goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers just how the DJs maintain their cred: they're vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara's first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WVMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station -- and the link it provides to their original Life Times -- the vampires would "fade," becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover is a matter of life and undeath.

My thoughts:

WICKED GAME by Jeri Smith-Ready was honestly not what I was expecting. I was thinking something more along the lines of Ilona Andrews, Chloe Neil, or the like. Instead, I got a great story with more of a raw edge to it than I have normally been acquainted with.

It was awesome!

I'm not normally one that likes such an edgy story. These vampires aren't your romantic, sweet creatures with a redeemable trait that we all come to love. Instead, these vampires are predators. Sure, they can love and be loved, but to the reader, they don't hide what they are. One of our first encounters with a character that we eventually grow to love is actually a fairly violent one (read violent, not gory). The edgier feel to the story really seems to give it that extra sense of realism. It gave me a different feel than I've had from many of the Urban Fantasy books I've ready lately.

Did I mention that I loved it? The darker feel, the stronger emotions? Of course, let's not forget the pretty fabulous plot that keeps you flipping pages from one to the next until you realize that you should have gone to bed quite a while ago.

Ciara is not your typical everything-is-perfect heroine. She has her own set of problems to work through while also attempting to work through the main problem of the book. Sometimes we actually wonder if she can redeem herself. To get the answer to that little mystery, you'll have to read the book yourself, but I'll just say that the road to redemption is a windy path and for Ciara. Ms. Smith-Ready does a great job of making her easy to relate to and a character that you want to follow.

Overall I give WICKED GAME a resounding five stars. It was a fabulous addition to my Urban Fantasy collection and I can't wait to see what's in store next!

UnderCover Friday - The Selection series by Kiera Cass

2012-10-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about these books. Perhaps the dresses? Maybe the beautiful text on the front?

You've heard it before so I won't even try to deny it - what draws me to the first book in a series is often the cover. Once I've read the first, the rest of the covers can be so-so but I'll continue to read them. The first cover, however, is always the most important to me.

Colors? Check.
Gorgeous dresses that I want to own now? Check.
Cute embellishments above the text? Check.
Awesome author with most likely an equally awesome story (I haven't read these yet)? Check.

Let's just sit and stare for a while, shall we?

From Goodreads:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

What are some of your favorite covers?

Audiobooks vs "Real" books

2012-10-02T18:15:00.001-07:00

Which do you prefer?

With two little ones, I'm finding that I actually have to strategize which paper books I take the time to read. Don't get me wrong, I love actually reading a book. An audiobook is something different and fabulous, however. Like everyone else I have my favorite narrators.

What are your thoughts on the two forms of media. Do you have a favorite author or narrator?
The picture is from my walk where I get to listen to my books everyday.

Currently I'm on Some Girls Bite: Chicagoland Vampires 1 by Chloe Neil.

BlogFest 2012, The Finale

2012-10-01T10:18:00.002-07:00

Congratulations BlogFest 2012 participants! Hope you all had fun and met some new blogs.

Let us know how you did! Did you meet some fun, new blogs? Tell us all about it!

BlogFest 2012 - Ready, Set, Go!

2012-09-28T07:32:00.001-07:00

It's that time! Now through September 30th at 11:59pm EST we will be participating in BlogFest 2012!

I know you've heard about it! I know you're anxious! I know you're overflowing with excitement!

What is BlogFest?

BlogFest is a massive carnival of giveaways with a great collection of participating blogs. Each blog has a giveaway and the idea is to hop from blog to blog, entering all the giveaways your little heart desires. Hopefully you might even come across a few blogs you might want to bookmark and continue visiting.

How do I enter to win?

Each blog has their own giveaway and their own rules. The giveaways will start at midnight EST on the morning of September 28th and run through 11:59pm on the night of the 30th. That's a whole 72 hours that you get to visit as many blogs as you want and enter their amazing giveaways.

What is this Tracking Site?

This is a site designed by me and developed by my live-in IT guru at http://blogfest.ajourneyofbooks.com. You simply need to register with a valid email (more about why it needs to be valid in a moment) and then start tracking your progress. You can click through to blogs from this site and once you've visited a site, you can come back and check off that you've visited the blog. Want to compete with your friends? When you register, click the option to make your list public and everyone will get to see how many blogs your display name has visited.

I heard something about a Grand Giveaway?

That's right! This is for anyone using the Tracking Site. For every blog you visit and mark off, this will give you one entry into the Grand Giveaway.

The winner of the Grand Giveaway will be notified via the email they used to register for the Tracking Site (see, that's why it needs to be valid). After BlogFest, every email in that database will be promptly deleted. I despise spam so be assured you won't be receiving any from me!

Okay, I'm ready! Let's do this!

The link to the Tracking Site is all over and the complete list of blogs is at the bottom of this post.

BLOGGERS: If you need further instructions, they are at the bottom of this page.

We are giving away one YA, Fantasy (your interpretation), or Romance book of your choice in addition to a signed copy of any one of Richelle Mead's books. In addition, for every additional 300 followers we receive, I will add another book to the stack. There are 1872 followers at posting time.

Open to residents of the U.S., Canada or International entrants as long as The Book Depository ships there.

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Now for the list! The following are blogs participating in BlogFest 2012. Each should have an amazing giveaway in store for you.

Wendi Zwaduk - Romance to Make Your Heart Race
Colloquium
Megan Slayer - Too Hot To Handle
Supernatural Snark
Confessions of a Bookaholic
Still Blonde after all these YEARS!
Good Choice Reading
Roof Beam Reader
Believing is Seeing
Desperado Penguin
A Dragon's Love
Patricia Leever
Author Killian McRae
Ruby @ Ruby's Reads :)
Lee's Musings
Love is a Many Flavored Thing
Elisa Dane
Kacey's Kreations
V.S. Morgan - All Shades of Love
Hannah Downing Author
CMash Reads
Therese Gilardi: Beneath The Sunglasses
Seductive Musings
Snarkymamma
Kiru Taye Writes
From the TBR Pile
Hesperia Loves Books
Feather Stone, Author
Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts
Malevolent Musings
Kelly's Lucky You
Obsession with Books
Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
Jessica E. Subject
Dianne Hartsock
Diva's Bookcase
Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
Jennifer Lane Books
Fierce Dolan's Writing Utopia, One Word at a Time
Oh! For the Love of Books
Coffee, books and me
Kay Dee Royal Paranormal & Erotica Romance Musings
Wicked Readings By Tawania
Booksnob
Amaterasu Reads
Ashlynn Monroe's Blog
Bewitched Bookworms
Another Author
Michelle Santiago
Sharon Hamilton Author
Jennifer DeLucy's Blog
Can We Talk About...
J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer
Leontine's Book Realm
The Enigmatic
EGC
Hott Books
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
Starla Kaye
Stacie Vaughan
Book Obsessed
Margay Leah Justice
Two Little Cavaliers
Cherie Colyer
Curling Up By The Fire
Jill of The O.W.L.
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
Lucidity
Letters Inside Out
noodleBubble nice Blog
Carol Oates
Christmas TV History
D.J. Kirkby
The Book Pushers
Into the Mystic
Ravishing Romances
Alexia Banks
I'd So Rather Be Reading
Havan's Heavenly Haven
MamaNYC
The Cozy Reader
Reviews By Molly
Nuts and Crisps
The Wormhole
The Enchanted Book
NOVELS ON THE RUN
Socrates Book Review Blog
Si, se puede
Cuzinlogic
Love To Read For Fun
Simply Ali
Crimson Romance
Librarian Mouse
Joyousreads
Tiffany's Bookshelf
The Tales of Dexter, Nora, and Chloe
Tall Tales from a Small Town
Midnight Thrillers
Notorious Spinks Talks Books
Mochas, Mysteries and More
My Little Pocketbooks
Mocha Girls Read
The Smiling Pains of Novelist Destiny Booze
KMN Books
Knitting and Sundries
Think Sincere
The Maiden's Court
Vanessa Morgan
With Our Best
Reading Romances
Ashley's Christian Book Reviews
Ashley's Bookshelf
JennReneeRead
Jaclyn's Musings
Parent Palace
Jamie Haden
Writing Is A Blessing
The Relentless Reader
Bookvisions
Jennifer Wells, Paranormal Romance Author
Hlidie McQueen - Writing by Moonlight
A Passion for Romance
Leeswammes' Blog
At Home With Books
Becky WIcks
Susan Frances
Gemma Parkes Living and Loving
Jade Kerrion: Where Science Transforms Art
Mom vs. the Boys
Tami Brothers ~ Live, Love, Write!
Randomness from Mommyville
Feather's World
Reading Angel
JennRenee
Girls Just Reading
Blessed In Homemaking
Doing Dewey
Pages Off Life
Full Moon Bites
Lena Sledge's Blog
Lille Punkin
1099 Mom
Lyn Styles
star shadow blog
Life on the edge...of Appalachia
Chopski's blog
Cherie Reads

Participant Instructions:

Now, the plan for BlogFest is for each blog to host a number of links to keep the hop going. Simply find your blog (ctrl-F or go to Edit-Find and type in your blog name to find yourself in the list) and copy the next five links AFTER yours into the bottom of your BlogFest post. This should keep the hop going. Blogs at the end of the list - copy the links below you and then move to the top of the list to complete your five.

In addition to the five (5) links you should be copying, please also link to http://www.ajourneyofbooks.com. This will hold the master list for BlogFest 2011. In addition, you can also link to the BlogFest 2011 tracking site to give your readers extra chances to win fun prizes. Each blog that they track as having visited earns them another entry into a special giveaway - http://blogfest.ajourneyofbooks.com.

Remember, at a minimum you should include six (6) links in your post, the five blogs after you in the list and http://www.ajourneyofbooks.com for the master list.

Example:

#1 posts the link to #2, 3, 4, 5, 6

#56 posts the link to #57, 58, 59, 60, 61

Last blog posts the link to #1, 2, 3, 4, 5

BlogFest 2012 Finalized Participants

2012-09-27T14:48:00.004-07:00

Below is the finalized list of BlogFest 2012 participants.

Are you ready? Let me know immediately if any changes need to be made.

Participants: Please link back here as your main BlogFest link. In addition, pick the five blogs under you and link to them as well.

Wendi Zwaduk - Romance to Make Your Heart Race
Colloquium
Megan Slayer - Too Hot To Handle
Supernatural Snark
Confessions of a Bookaholic
Still Blonde after all these YEARS!
Delaney Diamond (sweet & sensual romance)
Good Choice Reading

Roof Beam Reader
Believing is Seeing
Desperado Penguin
A Dragon's Love
Patricia Leever
Tanya & Diana
Author Killian McRae
Ruby @ Ruby's Reads :)
Lee's Musings
Love is a Many Flavored Thing
Elisa Dane
Kacey's Kreations
V.S. Morgan - All Shades of Love
Hannah Downing Author
CMash Reads
Therese Gilardi: Beneath The Sunglasses
Seductive Musings
Snarkymamma
Kiru Taye Writes
From the TBR Pile
Hesperia Loves Books
Feather Stone, Author
Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts
Malevolent Musings
Kelly's Lucky You
Felicia Rogers Authors
Obsession with Books
Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
Jessica E. Subject
Dianne Hartsock
Diva's Bookcase
Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
Jennifer Lane Books
Fierce Dolan's Writing Utopia, One Word at a Time
Oh! For the Love of Books
Coffee, books and me
Kay Dee Royal Paranormal & Erotica Romance Musings
Wicked Readings By Tawania
For Those About To Read
Booksnob
Amaterasu Reads
Keenly Kristin
Ashlynn Monroe's Blog
Bewitched Bookworms
Another Author
Michelle Santiago
Sharon Hamilton Author
Jennifer DeLucy's Blog
Can We Talk About...
J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer
Leontine's Book Realm
The Enigmatic
The Solitary Bookworm
EGC
Hott Books
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
Starla Kaye
Stacie Vaughan
Book Obsessed
Margay Leah Justice
Two Little Cavaliers
Cherie Colyer
Curling Up By The Fire
Jill of The O.W.L.
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
Lucidity
Letters Inside Out
noodleBubble nice Blog
Carol Oates
AsianCocoa's Secret Garden
Christmas TV History
D.J. Kirkby
Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust
The Book Pushers
Into the Mystic
Ravishing Romances
Alexia Banks
I'd So Rather Be Reading
Havan's Heavenly Haven
MamaNYC
The Cozy Reader
Reviews By Molly
Nuts and Crisps
The Wormhole
The Enchanted Book
NOVELS ON THE RUN
Socrates Book Review Blog
Si, se puede
Cuzinlogic
Love To Read For Fun
Simply Ali
Crimson Romance
Alaiel Kreuz
Ex Libris
Joyousreads
Tiffany's Bookshelf
The Tales of Dexter, Nora, and Chloe
Tall Tales from a Small Town
Midnight Thrillers
Notorious Spinks Talks Books
Mochas, Mysteries and More
My Little Pocketbooks
Mocha Girls Read
The Smiling Pains of Novelist Destiny Booze
KMN Books
Knitting and Sundries
Think Sincere
The Maiden's Court
Vanessa Morgan
With Our Best
Reading Romances
Wordshaping
Ashley's Christian Book Reviews
Ashley's Bookshelf
JennReneeRead
Jaclyn's Musings
Parent Palace
Double Crossing
Jamie Haden
Writing Is A Blessing
The Relentless Reader
Bookvisions
Jennifer Wells, Paranormal Romance Author
Hlidie McQueen - Writing by Moonlight
A Passion for Romance
Leeswammes' Blog
At Home With Books
Becky WIcks
Susan Frances
Gemma Parkes Living and Loving
Jade Kerrion: Where Science Transforms Art
Mom vs. the Boys
Tami Brothers ~ Live, Love, Write!
Randomness from Mommyville
Feather's World
Reading Angel
JennRenee
Girls Just Reading
Blessed In Homemaking
Doing Dewey
Pages Off Life
Full Moon Bites
Lena Sledge's Blog
Lille Punkin
1099 Mom
Lyn Styles
star shadow blog
Life on the edge...of Appalachia
Chopski's blog
Cherie Reads

BlogFest 2012

2012-09-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

Official link list is getting finalized and will be up by the end of the day. Who's getting excited!

Giveaway - THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC by Patricia Rice

2012-08-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with Casablanca Classics? Casablanca is releasing some favorite classics that have gone out of print. Their lates is Patricia Rice's THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC, the third book in her Magic series. Off the marked for over five years, this series is making a comeback in a big way! Mixing historical fiction with a lovely taste of magic, the Magic series is full of romance, mystery, and of course - gorgeous outfits!

Merely Magic, Book 1 - from Goodreads

In a lovely cottage there lives a beautiful woman called Ninian who yearns for a family of her own—but whose magical gifts make her too "strange" to be loved by any local lad.

In a castle tower there lives a dark aristocrat called Drogo who studies the stars, seeking rational explanations for perplexing mysteries—unaware that his life is about to be turned upside down by a bewitching enchantress.

From the moment they meet by chance in a moonlit forest, they are drawn inevitably together, compelled to act upon an attraction that defies all explanation and breaks every rule. And over the course of one magical, storm-tossed night they forge a bond that will utterly change the direction of their lives, challenge them to see each other with new eyes—and force them to redefine the very meaning of love...

Come on - just try to tell me that doesn't sound intriguing!

THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC, Book 2 - from Casablanca

Is Her Magic a Gift or a Curse...?

All the Malcolms have some magic, but Lady Felicity's ability to read people's emotions simply by touching them or their possessions overwhelms her. She's reached a marriageable age, but how can she ever wed when she can see so clearly a man's guilty secrets?

Only He Can Tell the Difference...

Ewen Ives, itinerant rake and adventurous inventor, knows better than to underestimate the mischief of the Malcolms. But sparks fly when he encounters Felicity, and Ewen can't seem to refuse her plea for assistance...

Want to win a copy? Enter below!

As part of your entry, you need to tell us what your one magical power would be. Mine would be the ability to generate a continuous magical field around myself that would repel any and all spiders. Yep, it's the simple things in life.

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Find Patricia Rice online