Amberkatze's Book Blog (original)

Don't forget to update your links! Amberkatze's Book Blog Moved!

2009-06-08T11:49:00.001-07:00

You can now find the reviews, interviews and contests over on the Revamped site!

Amberkatze's Book Blog - Revamped!

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Author Interview & Contest with M.R. Sellars

2009-05-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

Check it out Here!

You can now find the reviews, interviews and contests over on the Revamped site!

Amberkatze's Book Blog - Revamped!

Amberkatze's Book Blog has moved!

2009-04-27T06:49:00.001-07:00

Previous Author Interviews, Guest Blogs & Contests

2009-04-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the authors who have just popped in to comment, guest blogged or stayed around for an interview!

Here are all the previous and upcoming author interviews & Guest Blogs!
(All upcoming dates are subject to change)

Reading Soon!

2009-04-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

(in no particular order)

***Currently trying to read some of my older to be read books that have been gathering dust on my shelves!!

Made to Be Broken by Kelley Armstrong

Zen and the Art of Vampires by Katie MacAlister

The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance by Various Authors

Cape Storm by Rachel Caine

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Lover Avenged by J.R Ward

Vanished by Kat Richardson

Bite Me by Parker Blue

Redemption Alley by Lilith Saintcrow

Fade by Lisa McCann

My Pre-Order List

2009-04-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

Retribution by Jeanne C. Stein

Barely Bewitched by Kimberly Frost

Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge

Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

Doom With a View by Victoria Laurie

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Covet by J.R. Ward

Bound to Shadows by Keri Arthur

Interview & Contest with Marla Mason

2009-04-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Some of you may already know Marla Mason from the books written by T.A. Pratt where as some of you won't know anything about the sorceress of Felport. Here is your chance to find out a little bit about the bad ass and if you enter this weeks contest you could even win one of the books T.A. Pratt has written about her.

Enjoy!

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Amber - I am sure alot of my readers have already met you in the books written about your adventures by T.A. Pratt but maybe you could tell my blog readers a bit about yourself?

Marla - Not much to tell -- I'm a sorcerer, I punch things that get in my way,
I have a few loyal friends and a lot of fair-weather sycophants on my payroll, and my one single sacred duty is protecting my beloved city of Felport from whatever might threaten it. Mainly supernatural things.

Amber - There are alot of people out there who would love to be a sorcerer. Do you have any advice for them?

Marla - Keep your eyes open, your ears open, and your mind open. (But not too open, or something nasty might move in.) And just remember you're never as good as you think you are.

Amber - Being chief sorcerer of the city of Felport is, from what I have read, hard work. What do you like to do to relax?

Marla - Hard work *is* relaxing.

Amber - Have you heard anything from Pelham lately? How is Rondeau doing?

Marla - Pelly is still enjoying his world tour, disposing of a certain something for me. Last I heard he was in the Himalayas. He'll be back in a year or two or three, when his business is done.

As for Rondeau... Rondeau hasn't been himself lately. If you read what happened to us in Spell Games, you'll see what I mean.

Amber - How are you coping after your brush with death last year?

Marla - I like the occasional brush with death. It helps me keep my edge.

Amber - If you could change something in your past what would you change and why?

Marla - Not much in my distant past -- there were bad things in my childhood, sure, but they helped make me the person I am today, and that's a person I'm happy with, so I wouldn't risk altering it. I did, recently, have a very dear friend die, and if there were a way to save him... Well, let's just say I'm working on it. (Surely you realize your question isn't strictly hypothetical? There *are* ways to change the past -- they're just almost never worth the trouble they cause.)

Amber - How is it working with T.A. Pratt on the books? Do you feel he writes about your adventures well? Were there any disputes?

Marla - Ha, "working with." I don't have a collaborator; I have a stalker who digs through my trash and makes up motivations for what he observes of my behavior (which is never the whole truth anyway). And he's not above lying to make a better story. I'm just glad everyone assumes the things he writes are fiction. Makes my life impler when nobody believes I really exist.

Amber - As chief sorcerer of the city of Felport I am sure you have alot of stories to tell. How many more books would you like to see out on the shelves?

Marla - I could do without the books entirely, but things keep right on happening to me, so I guess this could go on indefinitely. Certainly I'm going to have to deal definitively with some of my more persistent enemies someday.... and more immediately, I've got that dead friend I want to bring back to life. That's probably enough for a couple more books right there.

Amber - Marla, I heard your brother is visiting. Is that going to be a new story? Or is he just passing through?

Marla - Yeah, my brother was in town, for a while, but he's gone now. It... wasn't a very successful visit. I don't want to talk about it. My stalker T.A. Pratt wrote a book about it, called Spell Games, if you want more details on our happy reunion.

Amber - If the books were going to be made into a TV series or film who would you like to see playing you and your friends?

Marla - I don't really watch TV. I'm sure if you asked Rondeau he'd have some opinion. He'd pick somebody more handsome than he is though.

Amber - You are stranded on a desert island. What 5 things would you both hope to have with you?

Marla - Sometimes I think it'd be a nice break to get stranded on a desert island. Maybe a few hundred books, a lot of rum and fruit juice, a couple of willing servant boys, a grass hut... Nah. I'm allergic to that much fresh air ans sunshine. I'd just teleport or fly back home in such a situation.

Follow Marla on Twitter

Read a short story featuring Marla

Read my interview with T. A. Pratt (with links to my reviews)

Amazon.com Widgets

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Contest Time

This week I am giving away one Marla Mason book to one lucky winner. If you win this weeks contest you get to choose which Marla book you would like. That means you can start at the beginning or get the book you are missing from the series.

To enter the contest post here saying who you would like to see playing you if your life was made into a movie or TV Show!

No actress or Actor = No entry!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday 3rd of May 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Have fun!

Angie Fox contest winner!

2009-04-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

Sunday is contest winner day and this week there is one winner to be annouced. If you entered Angie Fox's contest you had the chance to win a copy of The Dangerous Book of Demon Slayers. Did you win?

The randomiser has spoken and the winner is -

Catslady!!!

Congratulations to the winner! Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

Coming up there is an interview with Marla Mason from the books by T.A. Pratt.

Also tomorrow Amberkatze's Book Blog is getting a Revamp (which includes a some special guests and a contest) and will be moving! Make sure you pop by to find out more tomorrow!

88) White Night by Jim Butcher

2009-04-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Magic practitioners are being targeted and killed in Chicago and many more have disappeared. Harry Dresden is called in by his police friend to take a look at one of the murder scenes and he finds a very important clue. The murderer is leaving a calling card and it is a message for Harry. So he sets out to find the killer.

The list of suspects is short but one starts to stand out more than anyone else, Harry's half brother Thomas. Wanting to make sure justice is done and the real murderer is caught Harry goes about clearing his brothers name. All the while he is attracting the attention of the White Court of vampires and suddenly finds himself stuck in a power struggle.

This ninth book in the Harry Dresden series was, in my view, not the best yet. I really enjoyed the beginning of the series but as things progress I find myself not enjoying the stories as much as I used to. Less Bob, too much politics, an annoying apprentice and a lack of police support are just a few of the thoughts this book left me with.

Of course I will never give up on Harry. I do love this famous wizard and there is no way that I could not keep following his adventures. However when a series gets as long as this one there will always be certain books or aspects that every reader will like or not like. White Night is obviously my not like for the series but it isn't enough to put me off.

87) Poppy Done to Death by Charlaine Harris

2009-04-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Aurora Teagarden is on her way to a meeting when one of her sister-in-laws who should be going with her phones and says she will be late. This is not exactly what Roe expected to hear from Poppy but goes along to the meeting with her other sister-in-law and waits for Poppy to arrive. When the woman doesn't appear Roe and Melinda are annoyed and go to Poppy's house to give her a piece of their mind. Unfortunately all Roe gets to do is call 911.

Who could have killed Poppy? Afterall she was a nice normal mother and wife. Or was she? As Roe tries to get to the bottom of things she comes across alot of secrets she wished would have stayed secrets and it looks like Poppy could have been murdered by one of many people.

To keep Aurora on her toes her half-brother turns up out of the blue and the the guy she is dating brings his mother for Thanksgiving. With all that going on it is a wonder that Roe manages to keep going. Tired and worried Roe does what she does best and asks the right questions to the right people. Hopefully she will come up with the right answers without getting herself hurt.

This is the last book in the Aurora Teagarden series and I will miss it. Poppy Done to Death is due for re-release but I managed to get hold of this copy a while ago. With all that Roe has been through I have to say that Charlaine Harris gave her a perfect ending and one that I had dreamt she would get. I can only hope that the author will visit Roe again someday and let us see how things turn out for her.

Charlaine Harris is an amazing author and I love all of her books. Lily Bard, Sookie Stackhouse, Harper Connelly and Aurora Teagarden are all wonderful characters and should all get together for dinner sometime. If you are a fan of the Southern Vampire series and need a fix between books then it is well worth taking the edge off with some of the other lovely ladies Charlaine has written about.

86) Dying to Call You by Elaine Viets

2009-04-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Helen has found a new dead-end job. At least this one pays a bit more than her previous employers have but the abuse and working conditions are worse. If you thought being rung by a telemarketer was annoying you should try being one. Helen isn't really enjoying the work but she is selling enough to get by and save up for a car. That is until she hears a woman getting murdered when she phones someone up to conduct a phone survey.

Not able to let the event go, even though the police found nothing, she starts doing some detecting of her own. Before you know it Helen is getting into things she really shouldn't and taking off more clothes than she thought she would in public. Will Helen find out what happened to the woman she heard being murdered? Or will the murder catch up with her first?

Book three in the Dead-end job series was just as good as the first two books. I am really enjoying this series and I am liking Helen more and more with each book I read. She is strong and stubborn but also funny and feisty. I can't wait to read more in this cozy series and see what Helen gets herself into next.

Just as much fun as Stephanie Plum but with a more serious and grown up edge to it. If you are looking for something interesting but not too over the top this is worth giving a try.

Contest Reminder!

2009-04-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to enter the Angie Fox contest! See the sidebar for details or scroll down and read her guest blog post. The contest closes on Sunday so there are only a few days left to enter!

Also don't forget to enter the monthly draw! This month you could win the new Riley Jenson book by Keri Arthur. See the sidebar for more details or scroll down and read all about it!

Monday is the blog birthday party and we are having a Revamp!

Sunday we have a special guest coming by. Marla Mason from T.A. Pratt's wonderful books is stopping by. I hope you will all come by and meet her.

Have a nice weekend all!

85) The Werewolf's Kiss by Cheri Scotch

2009-04-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sylvie Marley is a rare creature drawn to the Moon with the urge to run wild in the night. She is also in love with the young, handsome werewolf Lucien Drago, son of the Duchess de Marais. She too could be a werewolf if she chose, called as she is by the spirit of the Moon and the family's werewolf curse.

Although her father, Andrew Marley managed to lift the curse, Sylvie still has the choice between the life she craves as a werewolf and the life of a normal young woman. However, that choice may be taken from her by a madman seeking power as the new king of the Voodoos. To prove himself, he intends to force Sylvie to become a werewolf with his magic, thereby sealing her fate, and her life, unless he is stopped.

This was my 'bag' book which meant when I was stuck somewhere for a while I ended up reaching for this to read. I am sure that if I hadn't have been stuck with this book as my only option, that I would have given up on it pretty quickly. Not bad, this was just not my thing. It was also very confusing and I couldn't keep up with all the various characters. Nice paranormal elements but lacking a main character, this story was all over the place.

The Werewolf's Kiss is the first book in "The Werewolf Trilogy," and I certainly won't be reading the other two books. Nothing about this one has left me wanting more.

April Monthly Giveaway!

2009-04-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

This month I am giving away my copy of Deadly Desire by Keri Arthur. This is the newest Riley Jenson book and I really enjoyed it (see my review below).

Usually to enter the giveaway all you have to do sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. However seeing as the blog will be going through a little birthday Revamp next Monday the newsletter address will be changing. So this time just comment here on this thread telling me who your favourite werewolf is!

If you already subscribed to the newsletter don't quit it yet! The new site and newsletter will change next Monday. I will make sure you all know about it!

This book is registered on Bookcrossing.com but you do not have to be a member to win this prize. I do not expect the winner to journal the book on bookcrossing or become a member of Bookcrossing. The book does have a sticker inside advertising Bookcrossing.

The winner will be picked on the 30th March.

84) The Vampire's Kiss by Cynthia Eden

2009-04-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Savannah's twin brother and wife were brutally murdered a year ago and ever since Savannah has been looking for vengeance. Looking for the beast that killed the only family she had left hasn't been easy and it is only the small clues she has found in a diary that has gotten her this close.

However there is a huge problem. Savannah doesn't have much time left to defeat the killer. To keep her promise to her dead brother she goes to the only person she hopes can help her. She goes to William and tries to convince him to turn her into a vampire so she will be strong enough to do what she must.

Getting the kiss of the vampire isn't that easy and Savannah isn't even sure if she can trust him. How far will Savannah go to get revenge, will William help her and who is stalking her and her friends. A race against time and evil is in the fate of a man who lost his soul a long time ago.

This early book by Cynthia Eden had a good balance of paranormal and romance. Not too over the top there was a great historical element to the story and alot of depth. I really liked the twist at the end of the book and it would be interesting to see how things progressed for the characters involved.

Another great read by a great writer. I am looking for more Cynthia Eden books and can't wait to delve into them.

Author Angie Fox Guest Blogs!

2009-04-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

Author Author Angie fox came by for an interview back in July to tell us all about her debut book The Accidental Demon Slayer. Now the second book in the series The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers is due out at the end of this month and Angie was nice enough to write a guest blog for Amberkatze's Book Blog! She also has a nice prize to give away so make sure you read the post all the way through!

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The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers: or, Magic and mayhem in Las Vegas

Thanks for having me here today. I’m excited as heck because the second Accidental Demon Slayer book, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, is releasing soon and I have an early copy to give away today.

This book was a blast to write, and I learned a valuable lesson too: be careful what you write…because it may just send you to some, ahem, unusual places. See, I write about a reluctant demon slayer forced to run off with a gang of geriatric biker witches. Add that to the fact that I tend to write what amuses me and you have a recipe for trouble.

When I was writing the end of my first book, The Accidental Demon Slayer, this joke about Las Vegas popped into my head and I thought, “why not?” Lizzie is just about to kiss her man when she’s interrupted and told she and the gang have to head to Las Vegas to save her long lost uncle from marrying a succubus. Kind of fun. At least it made me smile. I was an unpublished writer at the time.

But then the book sold. Better still, The Accidental Demon Slayer hit the New York Times bestseller list. My publisher wanted more. Heck, I wanted to write more. I remember being on the phone with my editor and she said, “so you’re going to Las Vegas, right?”

Oh yeah.

I admit it. I had these images of cool hotels and shows in my head. Then reality hit. I write about biker witches and a preschool teacher turned demon slayer. These folks don’t have a lot of spare cash lying around. This wasn’t my trip – it was theirs. Good thing I like odd adventures. And my friends do too.

One in particular – my friend Aileen – is a sucker for anything strange and unusual. So I talked her into a long weekend and we headed to Vegas to see and experience the biker witch version of Sin City. We stayed in the cheesiest hotels we could find. We ate at Bob’s Big Boy. We even visited a dude ranch with armadillos, a boar and several very old chickens.

We were able to talk our way into some behind-the-scenes places as well. The climax of The Accidental Demon Slayer takes place inside the Hoover Dam, and we were lucky enough to be invited to see first-hand what I’d be writing about. A guide took us 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).

And to celebrate the release of The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, I’d like to give away a copy on today’s blog. Just take the highly un-scientific Are You Part Demon Slayer? quiz. Post your score below and enter to win. Also, if you post your score on my blog at www.angiefox.com, you could win a walk-on role in the next Accidental Demon Slayer book.

Link

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Contest Rules

The usual contest rules apply. How do you enter? Post a comment letting us know what score you got on the Are You Part Demon Slayer? quiz

No score = No entry!

49%

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday April 26th 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Have fun!

Devon Monk Contest Winners!

2009-04-19T07:59:00.001-07:00

Sunday again and time to announce some winners!

There were alot of entries for the Devon Monk Contest and I am not surprised! Two cool prizes one of which I wish I could have won for myself.

So who are the winners? The randomiser helped me again and the first winner gets a signed copy of Devon's first book Magic to the Bone. So congrats to the first winner -

Maija P!!!

The second winner gets a signed ARC copy of Devon's upcoming new release Magic in the Blood. Congrats to the second winner -

Pissenlit!!!

Congratulations to both of the winners! Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

83) Murder Between the Covers by Elaine Viets

2009-04-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

Helen has a new job at Page Turners bookshop in Fort Lauderdale. It was the best job she could get where she can be paid in cash so she doesn't leave a paper trail for her ex-husband to pick up on. The shop is run by Page Turner III and it seems he doesn't really know much about books and isn't well liked. So it isn't much of a surprise to anyone when he turns up dead. The only surprise is where he is found.

Helen's neighbour and friend is the prime suspect in the murder and she knows that the parrot loving lottery player couldn't have done the deed. It is so obvious that her friend was set up but Helen has to prove it. So Helen once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and hopes that this time she will find the real killer before her friend ends up in prision for life.

Book two in the Dead End Jobs series has really made the decision on if I want to keep reading these books really easy. My decision is oh yeah! This series is fun and original with a main character that I really like. Helen is down to earth and strong with a knack for looking the right places for clues.

So I am glad I have the next two books in this cozy mystery series and have already put the others on my wishlist. If you are looking for a more grown up Stephanie Plum then look no further.

Devon Monk contest closes tomorrow!

2009-04-18T07:48:00.001-07:00

If you haven't already entered the Devon Monk contest then do so quickly! The closing time is tomorrow 4pm (Central European Time).

Two winners will be picked this week. One will win a signed copy of Devon's debut book 'Magic to the Bone' and the other will get a signed ARC of the upcoming release 'Magic in the Blood'.

My next guest is author Angie Fox. Make sure you pop during the next week to read her guest blog and enter her contest!

82) Deadly Desire by Keri Arthur

2009-04-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Riley Jenson is a Guardian and is the one who usually comes face to face with the worst villains. So it doesn't surprise her in the slightest when she comes up against a sorceress who can raise the dead. On the other side of things Riley is also helping solve a series of brutal slayings in the vampire community. Mixed in with the heat of the upcoming full moon her werewolf hormones are running wild and she finds it hard to keep them under control when she comes across Kye Murphy.

Riley threatens the bounty hunter with arrest if she finds him messing with her cases again but the rogue wolf doesn't seem to care. Her wolf side is curious about Kye while her vampire side is totally hot for Quinn. Could it be possible for her to have two souls? A friend mentioned it but she didn't take it seriously until now.

This seventh book in the Riley Jenson series wasn't as hot as the previous books. Things were steamy but not as wild. Now that Riley is with Quinn it seems she is trying to stick with one guy. However on saying that the book left things a little open in that respect. I wonder what will happen between Riley and Kye in the future.

Another great mystery in the paranormal world this series has been on my must read list since it all started with Full Moon Rising. I have followed Riley this far and I am not giving up on her. She is an amazing character, strong and self aware. I enjoy reading about her and hope that the time between now and book number eight passing quickly.

81) Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

2009-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this series and after watching the TV adaptation 'True Blood' I really wanted to listen to the audio books. With two of them, thanks to a friend, on my shelf I picked up this one to listen to a few weeks ago. Slowly everyday on my way to and back from work I have been enjoying this book again.

I was surprised at how well this book was read. The narrator captured Sookie better than the TV version and made this audio book more enjoyable to listen to. The format of this audio book also made it a pleasure to listen to. Tracks every few minutes instead of one track per chapter meant I wasn't forced to listen to long chapters all the way through or go searching for my place if my listening was interrupted.

It is amazing how much of the story I have forgotten about over the last few years. Listening to this story again was like coming across it for the first time. Sure there were parts that I remembered straight off but there were so many little pieces of information that I had totally forgotten about. It makes me realise that with every book I read, I am losing parts of books I have already read...if that makes sense.

Now I am starting From Dead to Worse in preparation of the new Sookie book coming out soon. If anyone has the chance to listen to these books in audio format then enjoy. I certainly did!

80) Once Bitten by Kalayna Price

2009-04-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

For five years Kita Nekai has hidden in the human world. In the city of Haven a rogue shifter is leaving bodies all over the place. When the Hunters finally find Kita in Haven her illegal status means she is high on the suspect list. Confronted by the Hunters she doesn't see a way out until the mysterious Nathanial Deaton comes to her rescue.

Kita thought being rescued meant you came out of something alive. However her rescuer has left her undead. With only two nights to prove her she is not the rogue shifter responsible for the spate of killings, she teams up with the only help she has. Stuck with her rescuer and someone from her past who would prefer to take her home, they go against the clock and some baddies to put things right.

No explanations, no easing the reader into things and certainly no introduction. This book gets straight into things and doesn't mess around. Action from the very first page this book is a non-stop paranormal mystery ride. Different from the genre norm in some aspects it also has some familiar elements as not to confuse the reader.

A strong, stubborn and feisty female main character and some gutsy helpers dominate this debut book. However I think Kita has more secrets to tell and I am definitely willing to read more about her and to find out what else this new paranormal series has to offer.

79) Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

2009-04-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

Everyone in the Glordano family has some kind of psychic ability. Everyone that is except Daisy. Her mother uses her powers to help the police and has asked her older sister to help on a new case that has her stumped. Daisy wants to help out but with no powers she is dismissed. Again.

Nightshade, the strange town when Daisy lives, is usually a quiet place but teenage girls are being attacked left, right and center. Nobody knows who is responsible but it becomes pretty clear to Daisy that the question should not be who but what is attacking the girls.

When Daisy's former best friend, Samantha, returns to school looking, well, dead. Daisy realises that all the victims have had contact with the head cheerleader. Starting a new trend in school is one thing but sucking the life out of people is another. Is Samantha really up to no good?

Meanwhile Daisy and her friend, or is it boyfriend, Ryan do some sleuthing and find out more about the town of Nightshade than they should know. However they will have to work fast to find the culprit before some of the girls in school literally have the life sucked out of them.

This book was on my wishlist for a while before I actually managed to find a copy. Now I feel annoyed that I didn't get a copy of this sooner. What an amazing start to a series and yet another unique young adult novel. It amazes that there are so many good paranormal YA books are out there and I seem to be missing out on the fun because there isn't as much call for the English versions in Europe...which means they are hard or expensive for me to get.

I love Daisy and can't wait to read the next two books in the series 'Dead is a State of Mind' and 'Dead is so Last Year'. Teenagers with teenage problems with a twist of paranormal and some cool characters make this a series I definitely want to spread the word about. So if you haven't tried this yet and enjoy a good YA then consider giving this a go.

Author Interview & Contest with Devon Monk

2009-04-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

This week my guest is author Devon Monk. Back in November I read her debut book Magic to the Bone and loved every minute of it. So I was really excited when Devon agreed to let me interview her and even more excited when I saw what prizes she is giving away (see below)! Although I can't win...boo hoo!

The second book in the series Magic in the Blood is due out on May 5th so if you haven't read Magic to the Bone yet here is your chance to get to know a little bit about the books and the author!

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Amber - Devon, Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! Magic To The Bone came out last year and Magic in the Blood is due out soon. Can you tell my readers a little but about the Allison Beckstrom series?

Devon - Sure! And thank you for having me here. The books are set in modern day Portland, Oregon where magic is the new technology that can be used by anyone who is willing to pay the price. The price for using magic is pain. You use magic, it uses you back. Simple as that. Allie Beckstrom is a Hound, a person who can track illegal spells to the caster. She pays the price of pain for using magic and sometimes magic makes her pay a little more--it takes away her memories. Still, she won't give up fighting for the people she loves, or the city she cares about. Plus, there's a sexy stranger, Zayvion Jones, who seems to be involved in secret dealings with magic, and who may or may not be the kind of man worth trusting with magic, her heart, or her life.

Amber - Magic to the Bone saw Allie going through alot, physically and mentally. Are things going to be easier for her in Magic in the Blood?

Devon - Some things are going to be easier for her, but her world is about to become much more complicated when she gets wrapped up in blood magic, old vendetas, and secret branches of the law and other hidden organizations who have their own idea and rules as to how magic should be used, and by whom.

Amber - Are you anything like Allie? Or maybe she is based on someone you know?

Devon - I guess I can be a little sarcastic, so maybe our senses of humor are similar. Mostly she's based off of all the women in my life who have shown me that strength doesn't always mean carrying a gun or chasing bad guys. It means doing what's right for others, and having the grace and stamina to hold your head up, and keep going no matter what the world throws at you.

Amber - Magic to the Bone really impressed me. You managed to give the reader of the paranormal genre something new and unique. How did you come up with the concept? Did you intend on making your series different to the books already out there?

Devon - Thank you! The first book was based off of a short story I'd written for an anthology that was looking for stories that blended "magic" with "business". The story was ultimately rejected, and I happily reworked it into the first chapter of the book. I say happily, because by the time I had finished the short story, I realized I wanted to know more about Allie and the world she lived in and knew it would take a book (or three) worth of words to do the idea justice.

Amber - What kind of research did you have to do for the books?

Devon - I drove around Portland taking a bunch of pictures so I wouldn't mess up my details and distances. I also reasearched a lot about the city's history. Not a lot of that ends up on the page, but it was useful for me to know.

Amber - How many books can we expect to see in the Allie Beckstrom series?

Devon - Right now, there are six books under contract. I've written three, and am currently writing book four. The story could easily go out another three books (nine in total) so there's always that possibility. Plus, the more I write in the world, the more I discover about it that I want to explore. So who knows? I guess some of how far the series goes is up to readers liking it enough to read it, and the publisher seeing that there is an audience who would like to see the series continue.

Amber - Do you have any other projects you are working on? Or are you just keeping to this series for now?

Devon - As far as novels go, I'm only working on this series right now. (well, I might have a project or two in my back pocket, but they're in the early planning stages and not ready for submission yet.) I also have a short story that will be out soon, "Skein of Sunlight" in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romace II. That was a real change for me since I've never written vampire fiction before.

Amber - Why did you pick the paranormal genre? Or did the paranormal genre pick you?

Devon - I think paranormal picked me, or rather Allie's story fit so nicely in the paranormal genre that I am very happy this is where we landed.

Amber - Did you always want to be a writer?

Devon - Yes. Always. Well, that or a teacher. I feel very lucky I am able to pursue a career I love.

Amber - What have been the good and bad times of being an author? Any advice to anyone to anybody out there thinking of writing a book?

Devon - I wrote short stories for fifteen plus years before my book ever sold. Even though I sold over fifty short stories, and wrote six books in that time, once a year, for fifteen years, I would give up writing. There is a lot of rejection that goes along with breaking into print. There are long, long spans when it feels like no one is ever going to like your work enough to publish it. But if you keep going, keep writing, and keep sending, it will happen. My advice to anybody out there writing a book is: don't give up. And if you do give up, get over it, and un-give up.

Amber - What did you do before you became an author? Do you still have a 'normal' job?

Devon - I did a lot of office type jobs, and am a mom of two great sons. The day I got my agent, I quit my "normal" job. Luckily, I also have a supportive spouse, because the paychecks didn't instantly pour in, Lol!

Amber - What books do you read when you have the chance? Any must have authors or series?

Devon - I love so many books, I couldn't list them all. When I'm writing, I hardly get the chance to read, so I am chronically behind in my TBR pile. But for urban fantasy, I have a total fan girl crush on Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series and Ilona Andrew's Magic series.

Amber - What music, TV series or films do you like and do any of them influence your work?

Devon - I love all kinds of music and like to listen to alternative rock when I write. (Shout out to my local alt-rock station, 94.7 FM. Stream it. Online.) As for movies/TV everything by Joss Whedon, especially Firefly and Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog. I wish I could write dialogue half as well as he can. I also love fantasy (Princess Bride, LotR trilogy) science fiction (Fifth Element, Serenity, original Star Wars) superhero movies (X-men 1 & 2, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight), comedies, romance, historicals, action adventure, indy films, and Pixar. I guess each of the shows I listed have a sense of longing or needfulness in them, a need to be loved, to be free, to be respected, to be equal, to be whole, to make a difference, those kind of stories, those kinds of emotions, probably influence the kind of stories I tell.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature. Which one would you be and why?

Devon - Huh. Any paranormal creature? Can I make something up? A werefaedezompire? Half animal, half fae, half demon-zombie umpire...er...I mean vampire. Is that three halves? Maybe I should have thought this through before answering....

Amber - You are stuck on a desert island. What 5 things do you hope to have with you?

Devon - Can I count my family as one thing? After that would be coffee, and a sand/wind powered computer/wifi connection. Oh, I'd have a boat, wait, that means I'm not stranded, right? Okay, so strike the boat, and give me water and shelter and food and unlimited yarn and knitting needles. Does that make five? Wait--I didn't say books. I'd have books too...so...oh, I know, make the shelter out of books, heck, make it a huge book castle! (see? smart.) and the coffee pot would also be a genie bottle complete with a java spirit who would grant my wishes to get off the island...maybe give me gills so I could swim home...except I said my family was with me, so maybe I'd be hittin' the waves for a little peace and quiet...although I could always use the yarn to knit earplugs...or gags...or a raft out of turtles so I could go find a new, quieter desert island without so many friggin' people around yammering and sunbathing, and training monkeys to act out their favorite Godzilla movies...hold on...what was the question?

Amber - Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again!

Devon - Thank you, Amber! It was great fun!

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Contest Time!

Devon has two amazing prizes to give away. One winner will get a signed copy of her first book Magic to the Bone while another winner will get an ARC signed copy of the second book Magic in the Blood (not due out till May!).

If you are entering and have a preference to which book you win please state so in your entry! Otherwise you could end up with the first or the second book.

So are you feeling lucky? How do you enter? Post a comment letting us know which book character you would like to be and why? (The why is just because I am nosey and want to know)

No character = No entry!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday April 19th 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Have fun!

Amberkatze's Book Blog is nearly 2 years old!!

2009-04-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was in shock for a while when I realised that Amberkatze's Book Blog will be turning 2 on the 27th of April! Yes two years ago the blog started with just me letting my friends know what books I was reading and what I thought of them. Now there are alot of newsletter subscribers, loads of regular visitors and also great author interviews!

So in two weeks time there will be a few changes! I decided that the blog should get a Birthday present. So there will be a new banner and the colouring on the site will change a little. Also the blog address will slowly change...I have finally got an easier and shorter one!

If possible I will get some amazing author to celebrate with me...if not we can celebrate by ourselves. However I hope that you will all celebrate with me!

So make sure you come by in two weeks time to help me blow out the candles ;)