J.R. After Dark

E-ARC Review ~ Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

2012-04-26T05:23:00.000-05:00

Lies Beneath by Anne Greewood Brown

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal/PNR/Urban Fantasy
Format Reviewed: E-Galley
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 12, 2012

Series: Lies Beneath #1

Source: Netgalley

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

What I liked?: I really enjoyed how well written this book was. Being that I have never read a book about mermaids before I was instantly sucked into the story and had to keep reading until I got to the last page. The overall plot of this book is something that really kept me interested in the story through to the end. I really enjoyed our main character Calder, he was one of those guys who follows his instincts rather than conforming to what everyone else is doing, which doesn't make him popular with his sisters. Lily was a very like able character and I got a little bit of a "James Dean" feel for her overall. No Insta-Love here peeps!

What I disliked?: Nothing really all that terrible but there were times where I felt that the relationship between Calder and Lily had a bit of a stalkerish feel to it. This is the main reason this book wasn't rated higher.

Overall Impression: I was beyond impressed with my first ever mermaid book. I will definitely be buying a finished copy when they are available to the public.

Rating: Break the Bank!

Recommendation: ?Why I read this book?: I saw the cover for this book on a blog that I frequent and thought that it looked really pretty. I've never read a book about mermaids before and I really wanted to check it out. Thank you Netgalley for approving my request!

I have made the switch!

2012-04-13T08:57:00.001-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen! I have made the switch from Blogger to Wordpress. I'm not a real big fan of the new blogger format. As a matter of fact it's driving me buggy to the point of hating it. I'm still blogging about the same stuff just at a different location that is more user friendly for my technologically challenged brain.

The new address is: http://jrafterdark.wordpress.com

There isn't GFC anymore on wordpress but there are still plenty of following options available.

WINNERS!!!!

2012-04-12T08:36:00.001-05:00

I've had some giveaways that ended a couple of weeks ago. I'm just now getting around to picking the winners. Life's been extra crazy lately with the addition of my Niece! She's EXTREMELY adorable and it's been killing me not to post about her.

The winner of the Guess the Arrival giveaway is.......

Krista R. with March 10th @ 7:42 pm.

The ACTUAL birthday and time is March 10th @ 6:04 am.

The winner of the 100 Follower (from the hacked blog) giveaway is....

Sarah K.!!!

The winner of the Charlie Madigan giveaway is.....

Denise Z.!!

WOW ~ The Iced Vamp and Iron Mask Edition

2012-04-11T03:04:00.001-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discover just how far she will go to become whole again.

Available October 2, 2012

She’s a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person’s darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude... until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world’s most infamous vampire...

He’s the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all — but whatever you do, don’t call him Dracula. Vlad’s ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him – a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Available June 26, 2012

"I'm currently working on a trilogy that features Dani, Christian MacKeltar, Ryodan, and the mysterious 'Dancer,' set primarily in Fever-Dublin. Each installment in the trilogy is a stand-alone mystery, however there are larger plot arcs unfolding in the background...

..For those of you who have been worrying—the trilogy is not YA. If I had to categorize it, I would say it straddles the line between YA and adult uneasily. ...Many of the questions I left unanswered in the FEVER series are addressed in this new series.

Exciting news: I’ve agreed to write two more books after that. Once the new trilogy is complete, I’m returning to the core story begun in the FEVER series, and will resume writing about Mac, Barrons, V’lane, Cruce, the Unseelie king, the concubine, the Song of Making.

All in all, there are five more books coming about the Fever World!"
Karen Marie Moning

Available October 30, 2012

Iron Crossed (Mercy Thompson #3) by Patricia Briggs

2012-04-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

Iron Crossed by Patricia Briggs

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy/PNR/Fantasy
Format Reviewed: Mass Market Paperback, 287 pages
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: January 2, 2008

Series: Mercy Thompson #3

Source: paperbackswap.com

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...
Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

Why I read this book?: I've read the last two books in this series back to back, which is an extremely rare occurrence, and I really wanted to keep up with what's going on in Mercy's life so I just kept going. I think I'm going to keep going until I run out of books:) 2013 you can't get here fast enough!

What I liked?: As usual, Mercy! She's got this almost obnoxious sense of loyalty and when Zee gets into deep trouble she just jumps in with both feet to clear his name. That is also the point when shit hits the fan as well. I really liked that in this book Mercy finally chose between Adam and Samuel. I really liked that in this book we learn more about the fae and their folklore, there were some pretty interesting stories that were mentioned in this book. The action and suspense were right up there with the last two books and I really liked how we were introduced to Adam's "vengeful" side and more of the pack behaviors. Like in the first book, the bad guy wasn't obvious until the very end and I was really surprised to see that Mercy was wrong about her suspicions.

What I disliked?: This book started off slower than I really liked. It took a fair amount of reading and setting the book down before I got to the point that things started happening and the book grabbed my attention. I also disliked that new characters and plot points were brought into the book but once introduced where never really expanded upon. Maybe they make appearances in upcoming books but I would have liked to see a little more detail.

Overall Impression: This book is considerably more gritty than the last two books. Even though it isn't my favorite in the series I think it's still a really good installment and I'm off to start Bone Crossed!

Rating: Wait Until Payday!

Recommendation: I recommend this series to anyone who loves a tough as nails heroine in their reading material.

Like This, Love That (Strong Female Heroines): The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce, Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

In My Mailbox ~ Reborn Lovers, The Undead, and Firefighters edition

2012-04-08T01:49:00.000-05:00

In my mailbox is hosted by the lovely Story Siren. In my mailbox is our chance to show off the books that we've purchased, downloaded, received for review, got from the library, swapped or however else you obtain your books.
The upside to this meme is there are always a TON of great books out there to be oggled through our computer screens. The downside of this meme is that your wishlist will grow 10 fold.

Don't forget to leave me a link to your IMM so I can drop by and check out your goodies!

NOTE: If you are a Nook owner and would like to be Nook Friends you can send me a request at jamiehanna84@gmail.com.

*E-Books*

#1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward’s “different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing”* Black Dagger Brotherhood continues as a vampire warrior crosses the line between life and death…into a world of dark dreams and darker desires.
Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment is a heartbroken shadow of the vampire leader he once was. Brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel, he fights again with ruthless vengeance- and is unprepared for a new tragedy. Seeing his beloved in dreams—trapped in a cold, desolate netherworld—he turns to the angel to save his former mate, only to despair at the path he himself must take to set her free. As war with the lessers rages, and a new clan of vampires vies for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between an unforgettable past, and a future that he doesn’t know he can live with… but can’t seem to turn away from.

He's a vampire from the big city . . .

Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents—evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.

She's a werewolf princess . . .

Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.

When sparks flare, stop, drop and roll with it.

When Eric Layton lunges for his ringing cell phone in the middle of the night, he’s halfway to the door before he realizes it’s not his chief summoning him to an out-of-control fire. It’s an out-of-control woman who’s too tipsy to figure out she’s dialed the wrong number. But the line goes dead before he can explain he’s not her brother.

His conscience won’t let him leave the woman to wait for a ride that’s never going to come. Yet nothing prepares him for the chemistry when he helps Joanne into his truck. She’s curvy, blonde, and vulnerable—a three-alarm warning to do the right thing and keep her at arm’s length.

Still keeping watch over her through the night sounds reasonable. Until she awakens, and desire burns reason to a crisp…

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2) by Patricia Briggs

2012-04-05T06:36:00.001-05:00

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy/PNR/Fantasy
Format Reviewed: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: January 30, 2007

Series: Mercy Thompson #2

Source: paperbackswap.com

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen...
Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.

Why I read this book?: I just recently read the first book in this series, Moon Called, and enjoyed it so much I immediately picked up the second book. Which is pretty amazing considering usually I have to read something different in between books in a series.

What I liked?: As always, Mercy Thompson is my heroine! What I really loved about her in this book is that she took her "devil may care" attitude and used it to kick even MORE ass in this book than she did in the first book. She's so "real" even though she is a shapeshifter. I feel I could be friends with her, if she existed in real life. In the first book the bad guys were bad but in this book the bad guy(s) were even badder than that! The action is fast-paced and the mystery is great too. Usually, I'm lukewarm on love triangles but I think in the case of this series it works really well. Though I'm growing increasingly lukewarm on Samuel. But at the same time I'm growing more in "book boyfriend lust" with Adam. I really like the road that Stefan is traveling down, storyline wise...I can hardly wait to see how it/if it plays out. A lot of the secondary characters are starting to grow on me, even Ben...maybe he isn't so bad after all.

What I disliked?: I'm really starting to dislike the whole vampire seethe, with the exception of Stefan of course. Other than that I really don't have much in the way of negatives for this book.

Overall Impression: I might just have to come up with a whole new rating for series/books like this! LOVE this series so much I'm going to go grab book three off of my shelf as soon as I post this review.

Rating: Hand over the Paycheck!

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a kick ass heroine who isn't afraid to get into harms way for the "people" that she cares about.

Like this, Love that: Charlie Madigan series by Kelly Gay, Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost

Teaser Tuesday ~ Blood Bound and Magic Bites Edition

2012-04-03T08:04:00.002-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I could not resist myself...I had to include the whole little "scene" that I thought was really funny.

“What happened to the alpha-wolf?" "LEGOs."
"Legos?" It sounded Greek but I couldn't recall anything mythological with that name. Wasn't it an island?
"He was carrying a load of laundry into the basement and tripped on the old set of LEGOs his kids left on the stairs. Broke two ribs and an ankle.”

“Adam wants to know what took you so long?
"Tell him I had wild, passionate sex with a complete stranger.”

Extreme Exposure (I-Team #1) by Pamela Clare

2012-04-02T04:24:00.000-05:00

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance
Format Reviewed: E-Book, 298 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 2, 2005

Series: I-Team #1

Source: Personal purchase

It's been years since her child's father dumped her, and since then investigative reporter Kara McMillan has kept men at bay—although every day she aches more for a lover's touch. But to get that, the hard-boiled journalist must become vulnerable—a feeling she vowed never to have again.

With his dangerous good looks, charm, and power, Senator Reece Sheridan could have just about any woman he sets his piercing eyes on. But he’s intrigued by only one. This Kara, this gutsy investigative reporter, has a sensuality that arouses him to no end. If she’s a firebrand in print, he guesses, she must be just as fiery in bed…

But this is no fling. A sudden political scandal—and attempts on Kara's life—could very well drive them apart. Or maybe, just maybe, adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces…

Why I read this book?: I downloaded this book onto my Nook many moons ago and I've decided that I'm going to try and read as many of my own books before I buy anymore. I had read it once when I first downloaded it but I re-read it just to see if my feelings changed or not.

What I liked?: I really liked that Kara McMillian is a strong independent woman who is raising her four year old son, Connor, by herself. She's worked her but off to earn the position that she's in on the I-Team at the Denver Independent. She also doesn't take any crap off of anyone, especially her piggish boss Tom. Then she meets Senator Reece Sheridan at the Rio bar and what turns out to be a pretty intense relationship starts to blossom. Reece is the exact opposite of ALL politicians these days, he's your PERFECT fictional politician. Then an employee at a local mining company blows the whistle on them to Kara and the story takes a dramatic turn. The deeper Kara digs the more trouble she seems to find herself in. Then she finds that the company that she is investigating has "bought" certain members of the state Senate. Is Reece included in those members? I don't know, you'll have to read the book to find out.

What I disliked?: At times I felt that Kara was her own worst nightmare, not only in her professional life but also in her personal life. Granted she's been abandoned by most of the men that have been in her life but I felt at times she lumped all men into the same category.

Overall Impression: I thought that this was a really good start to this series and I can hardly wait to read the other books that I have in this series. It's chock full of romance and suspense and the timing and writing style I was really happy with overall.

Rating: Break the Bank!

In My Mailbox ~ Werewolves, Vampires and Succubus...Oh My!

2012-03-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

NOTE: If you are a Nook owner and would like to be Nook Friends you can send me a request at jamiehanna84@gmail.com.

*Bought*

Anna Latham didn’t know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son — and enforcer — of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn’t know how dangerous it could be either...
Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran’s controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan — and it seems like someone else might be too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all — or risk losing everything...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

He never saw her coming…

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him. But as their plan--and their chemistry--shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero...

On medical leave from the Army, Mercy heads home to her family ranch after the recent death of her father, having been away for 20 years. It's her responsibility to decide whether to sell the ranch or not, and she gets little help from her sister and nephew. After a dead body is discovered on her land, Mercy butts heads with the sheriff, Mason Dawson.

When another body is discovered, Mercy starts her own investigation into the deaths. As she unearths buried secrets, her life--and the lives of family members--are put in jeopardy.

A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.

A body is found in a barrel of asphalt next to Lowes Motor Speedway near Charlotte just as 200,000 fans are pouring into town for race week. The next day, a NASCAR crew member shares with Tempe a devastating story. Twelve years earlier his sister, Cyndi Gamble, then a high school senior who wanted to be a professional racecar driver, disappeared along with her boyfriend, Cale Lovette. Lovette kept company with a group of right wing extremists known as the Patriot Posse. Is the body Cyndi’s? Or Cale’s?

At the time of their disappearance, the FBI joined the investigation, but the search was quickly terminated. As Tempe is considering multiple theories, including an FBI cover-up, a surprising, secret substance is found with the body, leaving Tempe to wonder what exactly the government was up to. . . .

*EPUB's*

(from Nook Lending group on Goodreads)

Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson)

Afterlight

The Maze Runner

Die For Me

Trial by Fire

Working Stiff

The Faerie Ring

A Beautiful Dark

Eve

Ripple

Everneath

The Chicagoland Vampire series

The Parasol Protectorate series books 2, 3, 4

Wildefire

Guilty Pleasure (Anita Blake)

Kindling the Moon

The Dark Swan series

Kate Daniels series

Georgina Kincaid series

Alpha Instinct

Angelfall

The Night Circus

Ditched A Love Story

A Need So Beautiful

Aftertime

Rebirth

Unleashed

Beauty Queens

The Savage Grace

Halflings

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1) by Patricia Briggs

2012-03-29T14:04:00.001-05:00

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.
Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Fantasy/PNR/Paranormal
Format Reviewed: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: January 31, 2006

Series: Mercy Thompson #1

Source: paperbackswap.com

Why I read this book?: I've had this book sitting on my bookcase waiting to be read FOREVER! I finally got around to it and I completely DEVOURED it.

What I liked?: Mercy herself is now an addition to my "favorite heroine" list. She's a walker, who shifts into a coyote. She was raised for the most part by a werewolf pack from Montana which explains why she knows so much about werewolves. I also LOVED Adam, he's the Alpha who has a "thing" for Mercy and routinely threatens to eat her cat. Then craziness runs rampant and bad things happen to good people/werewolves. I also loved the host of secondary characters that made this book chock full of AWESOME! My personal favorite was Warren, you'll have to check out this book to learn more about Warren. Even with all the high pressure situations that all the characters kept finding themselves in there was plenty of humor. I was very pleasantly surprised at how fast paced this book was. I really didn't want to put it down at all. It sucks when real life gets in the way of my reading!

What I disliked?: I got nothing!

Overall Impression: I am kicking myself that I have waited as long as I have to read this series! It is full of AWESOME!

Favorite Quotes:

“A werewolf tossed me against a giant packing crate while I was trying to rescue a frightened young girl who'd been kidnapped by an evil witch and a drug lord.”

“MS. THOMPSON, it said in heavy block letters, PLEASE KEEP YOUR FELINE OFF MY PROPERTY. IF I SEE IT AGAIN, I WILL EAT IT.”

“I don't like it when I outweigh my men.”

Rating: Hand Over The Paycheck!

WOW ~ The Series Edition

2012-03-27T08:28:00.001-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Title: Dragon Bound
Author: Thea Harrison
Series: The Elder Races #1
Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/PNR

Half-human and half-Wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the Wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the Wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they've ignited in each other.

Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul.

Title: Laid Bare
Author: Lauren Dane
Series: Brown Siblings #1
Genre: Romance/Contemporary/Erotica

Unexpected Desire...

It's been ten years since clean-cut, sexy-as-hell police officer Todd Keenan had a white-hot fling with Erin Brown, the provocative, wild rocker chick next door. Their power exchange in the bedroom got under his skin. But love wasn't in the cards just yet...

Now, life has thrown the pair back together. But picking up where they left off is tough, in light of a painful event from Erin's past. As Todd struggles to earn her trust, their relationship takes an unexpected and exciting turn when Todd's best friend, Ben, ends up in their bed--and all three are quite satisfied in this relationship without a name. As the passion they share transforms Erin, will it be enough to help her face the evil she thought she had left behind?

Title: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Genre: YA/PNR/Dystopia/Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Leave me a link to your WOW and I'll be sure to drop by and say Hi!

Top Ten Tuesday ~ 10 Books I'd LOVE to play hooky with!

2012-03-27T03:54:00.000-05:00

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books (On My Shelf) That I'd Play Hooky With...

1. The Mercy Thompson series...I'm reading the first book right now and I'm hopelessly hooked on this series. I can hardly wait to see what happens as the series progresses!

2. The Hero's of Olympus series...I've got the first 2 books in this series sitting on my bookcase waiting for me to read them. I've heard a lot of really great things about this author and I can hardly wait to start reading.

3. Lover Awakened... This is my absolute favorite book so far in the BDB series. I LOVE Z and Bella's story! I could keep reading it over and over and over again.

4. The Lightning Thief... I saw the movie when it first came out and really liked it a lot. I hadn't read the books and recently I downloaded the first book onto my Nook Tablet. I can hardly wait to play hooky with it!

5. The Hunger Games trilogy... My friend and I went and saw the movie yesterday. LOVED it! Now I want to re-read all the books.

6. The Night Huntress series... Cat and Bones! I've got the whole series I just need to sit down and read them all!

7. The Fever series.... Again, another series that after reading a TON of really good reviews for that I picked up on a whim.

8. Divergent .... I really want to re-read this book before Insurgent comes out in a few weeks!

I'm gong to stop there since I have WAY more than 10 books included in this list. Leave me a link to your Top 10 list and I'll be sure to drop by and say Hi!

Teaser Tuesday March 27, 2012

2012-03-27T02:41:00.003-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

Goodreads

"I nodded. 'I brought the Columbia Basin Alpha here. He's been badly wounded. I also brought the body of another wolf, hoping someone here could tell me how he died and who killed him.'" pg. 82

Goodreads

"Denis placed two cardboard boxes on the end of the table, one large and one small, each sealed and carefully labeled. I eased the lid from the larger box, selected portions of Isabelle Gagnon's skeleton, and laid them out on the right half of the table." pg. 129

Leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday and I'll be sure to drop by and say Hi!

Against the Wind (Raines of Wind Canyon #1) by Kat Martin

2012-03-26T04:06:00.000-05:00

Against the Wind by Kat Martin

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format Reviewed: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: December 28, 2010

Series: Raines of Wind Canyon #1

Source: Swap

They were known as the "no-account Raines boys" but they've grown into successful, honorable men and everything they have, they've fought for tooth and nail. Now each of the three brothers has one last obstacle to overcome to claim what's eluding them: love.

Secrets don't stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah Allen, the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldn't wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But, recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds herself on Jackson's ranch. And despite everything, Jackson's finding himself reluctant to get rid of her.

Why I read this book?: I got this book in a swap on the former bookswap on Goodreads. I wanted to read this series when it first came out and was able to get a copy of the first 3 books in the series.

What I liked?: I really liked all the suspense that was in this book. It starts right away, basically on the first page and continues on full speed ahead through the course of the book. I really liked Sarah and Jackson as a couple. They have history and it was nice to see them grow past their troubling pasts. I also really enjoyed Jackson's little brothers, while they don't play a huge part in the first book the little bit that they were in the book they made things interesting. Sarah's little girl Holly was so cute too. What I really liked about this book was that the REAL bad guy wasn't obvious. You think you know but then something happends that makes your assumption completely wrong. LOVED that part.

What I disliked?: At times I felt that some of the things that Jackson and Sarah took part in were borderline vigliante. I also disliked Detectiver Mercer AND Sarah's deceased husband Andrew.

Overall Impression: I think that this book was really good beginning to this series. I wish Jackson's brothers were in it a little more but they get their own stories, which I can hardly wait to read.

Rating: Break the Bank!

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense novel or anyone who enjoys a good Western romance.

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

2012-03-26T04:05:00.000-05:00

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Format Reviewed: Paperback
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: August 2, 2011

Series: N/A

Source: Personal purchase

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Why I read this book?: I saw the cover for this book while cruising Goodreads and thought that the idea for the book was very interesting. I was out last week at our local re-sale bookstore and found a copy that I purchased.

What I liked?: I really liked Elise and her sister Juliana. They have a really close relationship and not even boys can come between them. I also really liked that Elise had a pretty great sense of humor. I've been reading a lot of YA books lately that seem to have a considerable amount of Insta-Love in them...That was not the case in this book between Elise and Derek. Elise actually thought that Derek was a jerk for awhile even. Juliana and Chase started out as friends and their relationship grew from there but I wouldn't call that Insta-Love either. I think the best part of this book was that we all have "crazy" family members, you'll have to read the book to find out what I mean.

What I disliked?: Webster Grant! What a prick! I also thought that there was a fair amount of superficialness and stereotyping in the book as well.

Overall Impression: This was a quick fun read that I enjoyed a lot.

Rating: Wait for Payday!

Friday Follow The Tome Edition

2012-03-23T07:42:00.001-05:00

Q: What is the longest book you’ve read? What are your favorite 600+ page reads?

Currently, the longest book I've read since I've started book blogging is The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay, it's a total of 394 pages and it was possibly the best book I've read this year. I haven't read a lot of 600+ page books that fit on this blog but one that comes close in page count is Beautiful Creatures. I really liked this book a lot. All Southern Gothic and a touch of "creep" factor.

Leave me a link to your post and I'll be sure to drop by and say HI!

Kick Butt Characters Blog Hop

2012-03-23T04:03:00.002-05:00

Oh yeah! You know you want a shiney new The Hunger Games boxed set. I'm giving away 1 boxed set to 1 one lucky winner. This giveaway is open to the US only though.

Rules:

1. Leave a comment with your email address in it.

2. Open to US.

3. Following is NOT required.

URBAN FANTASY GIVEAWAY!

2012-03-21T09:25:00.000-05:00

I recently read and reviewed The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay and LOVED it so much that I gave it the first ever Hand Over The Paycheck! (5) rating here on the blog. I loved this book so much that I have decided that I am going to do a giveaway....1 lucky winner will have the opportunity to win a book from the Charlie Madigan series.

The "Booty:"

Goodreads

The Details:

1. Open Internationally, as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

2. Must fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

3. The giveaway ends on March 31 at 11:59 pm.

4. Be sure to leave me your email address if you are entering.

5. I hope you'll check out my review, it's not required though.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay

2012-03-19T06:31:00.002-05:00

The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay

Book Stats:

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format Reviewed: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: November 24, 2009

Series: Charlie Madigan #1

Source: Personal book purchase

Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil....
Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim -- but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?

Why I read this book?: I wanted to broaden my horizons and try reading Urban Fantasy. I saw the cover for this book on Goodreads and really liked it. Then I read the synopsis and I was hooked.

What I liked?: Charlie! Charlie Madigan is the epitome of kick-ass heroine! She's a single mom who doesn't take any crap off of anyone...including her partner Hank, who happens to be a siren. The world that the author created in The Better Part of Darkness in my opinion is just chock full of AWESOME. Since this is my first adult Urban Fantasy series ever, AWESOME is a good thing. I really thought that part of the storyline where Charlie was killed and then brought back to life was very interesting and worked well into the plot of the book. This book is so full of action that it was VERY difficult for me to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. Besides Charlie, there is a host of characters that bring a vibrancy to the book, even the bad guys, who knew!? I think the most interesting part of the whole book for me was that there was ABSOLUTELY NO romance what-so-ever. Since I've been reading a fair amount of romance lately this was a refreshing sight.

What I disliked?: The only thing that I can come up with at this time is that it took me forever to find this series much less become interested in this genre.

Overall Impression: CHOCK FULL OF AWESOME! Thank goodness I have the other 2 books in my possession as well.

Rating: Hand Over The Paycheck!

Recommendation: If you haven't read any Urban Fantasy and are looking to get into the genre I highly recommend this book. It's full of action, engaging characters and there is a fair amount of humor as well. READ THIS BOOK NOW!

TBR Challenge #1

2012-03-17T05:36:00.002-05:00

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by

Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray,

and April@Books4Juliet

Everyone is WELCOME to JOIN this meme. Just click the image TBR Intervention Button above to see the rules and read more about this feature.

This is my first week participating in this meme and I'm super excited. My TBR pile is BEYOND out of control and I think that this meme might be a helpful tool in bring it back under control again. Since I'm a pretty slow reader I think that I will only be participating every 2 weeks unless I have a REALLY good week. If your dropping by from the linky please feel free to leave me a link to your post and I'll be sure to drop by and say hi!

I'm currently reading:

add to Goodreads

So far I'm really enjoying this book. Charlie seems to be a pretty kick ass heroine for a lady who's been dead and brought back to life again. So far I'm really liking her partner Hank, who's a siren as well. He's pretty funny and yet he knows when to shut his trap too.

If I can get through The Better Part of Darkness in a reasonable amount of time, the next book up on my TBR pile is Wither. I just signed up a read-along for this book so it only makes sense to make it the next book on the list.

add to Goodreads

Catch Wither Fever Read-Along

2012-03-17T04:48:00.000-05:00

Hosted by Jessi of The Daily Bookmark and Andrea of The Overstuffed Bookcase

So starting on March 18th, Jessie and I will be hosting the "Catch Wither Fever" read-along event, and we encourage anyone to participate! It's okay if you've already read Wither and/or Fever, or if you haven't read either. Participants can simply read either Wither or Fever or both, and there will be a few different ways to enter the giveaway. Between March 18th and April 14th (4 weeks), participants can write new reviews of Wither, Fever, or both, OR they can write new discussion posts about the books. Each new post within that time period (review or discussion post) about Wither or Fever will count as an entry to the giveaway. Also, participants can earn an extra entry by posting about the event! Near the end of the four weeks, Jessie and I will both have a post where you can link up all your reviews, discussion posts, and posts about the event, and all you have to do to enter the giveaway is to write one or more of the above and link it up on one of our posts!

On My Wishlist March 17, 2012

2012-03-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

The electrifying sequel to the acclaimed urban fantasies The Better Part of Darkness, The Darkest Edge of Dawn, and The Hour of Dust and Ashes!After filling out mountains of paperwork, Detective Charlie Madigan sets out for a death-defying trip into heavenly Elysia to rescue her partner Hank and bring the siren home. Of course, she doesn’t expect to leave behind an all out siren revolution or return home to find that jinn crime boss, Grigori Tennin, has begun a massive search for the divine being, Ahkneri. Tennin’s tactics set off a chain reaction that puts Charlie in the crosshairs of the shadowy creature known as Death and awakens Ahkneri from her long sleep. And when Vengeance rises, Atlanta will never be the same.

THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

Friday Follow March 16, 2012

2012-03-16T02:56:00.000-05:00

Q: What is the best book you’ve read in the last month? What is the worst book you’ve read in the last month?

I would have to say the best book that I've read in the last month has got to be Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut. I'm one of those people who base a book purchase on how pretty the cover is. This is not a book that I would have normally picked up for myself. A friend of mine asked me to read it and I LOVED it. I guess I learned my lesson judging a book by it's cover!

I would have to say that for right now my least favorite book I've read in the last month is Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent. I don't know what it was about this book but I just could not connect with any part of the book at all. It seems that "everyone" loves this book but me. I may try again. I had a lot going on in my life at that point so it may have been me.

Don't forget to leave me a link to your FF so I drop by and say hi!

The Birth of 2 Blogs

2012-03-15T11:02:00.003-05:00

I've decided to break my book reviewing up into 2 blogs (ought to be interesting). I will continue to blog all things: Young Adult(Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopian, PNR), Romance (Paranormal, Paranormal Erotica), Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Steampunk and Dystopian here on J.R. After Dark. My new blog will contain reviews in the following genre's: Contemporary YA, Mysteries/Thrillers/Suspense, Romance (Contemporary, Suspense, Historical) and Westerns. That blog is called J.R.'s Bookcase.

Please forgive the mess. I'm in the process of moving all non "After Dark" genre's over to the new blog and removing them from this blog.

Have a great day!