Offbeat Vagabond

Amy Lignor's Until Next Time Blog Tour: Guest Blog + Giveaway

2012-02-21T13:13:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Here with me today is also author Amy Lignor. Her new book, Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) just came out and today she will be discussing how she became an writer. Lignor also has a giveaway set for you guys. One lucky winner will win a copy of Until Next Time that has been voted one of the most desired reads of 2012. So join us and see how you can win this incredible book.

Guest Post by Amy Lignor

My Journey

Believe it or not, my writing journey began at the age of twelve when my parents, sister and I went on vacation to Cape Cod and stayed with friends of my mom’s. This was one of those vacations where Folsom Prison would’ve seemed like paradise. The little ladies we stayed with had a house where, once their cat went “nightsie,” all lights, talking, TV - everything had to stop - so as not to disturb the kitty. These ladies would take us into town (driving three miles an hour the whole way, and blaring their horn at pedestrians in the crosswalk), while my sister and I were locked in the back of the station wagon with faces pressed up against the glass. Drivers going by must’ve thought we were puppies going to get fixed, considering the looks of pure desperation we had on our faces. Because TV was unavailable, I began to write. It was a fairly large book for a kid called, My Life: A Comedy and a Tragedy.

In my freshman year of high school, a writing assignment came along from our history teacher about Nicholas & Alexandra. I was the only one who wrote about Rasputin (who actually appears in one of my Tallent & Lowery adventure novels). The teacher loved it and told me to become a writer. She was so cute. Four-foot-two, hair that hung to the floor and a voice that was louder than Lady Ga Ga stuck in a blender.

I went on to write my first YA novel (Mind Made), after I brought a stunning little girl into the world named Shelby. One day we went to the ‘grand opening’ of an Inn located in my very small hometown. I picked up a coffee table book and pages began to fall out of it. Seeing as how this place looked like it would charge guests a million dollars to stay there, I figured I’d just destroyed some priceless work of art. When I reached down to pick up one of the photographs, it was of a girl standing outside the Inn back in the early 1900’s. The tagline read, The Connecticut Home for Imbeciles, and she was leaning against a road sign that read, ‘Dip.’ That girl looked up at me with eyes that literally said “Run!” and very soon after, my daughter and I fled.

I went back to my historical routes and delved into a subject that hadn’t been touched on before concerning a woman by the name of Paulita Maxwell who was said to have been the mother of Billy the Kid’s son. I moved to New Mexico to research the project and my book, Heart of a Legend, was born.

I love putting puzzles together from history with my Tallent & Lowery series. With the first book, 13, I had to find a way to link the NYPL with Jack the Ripper, Loch Ness, and the King Arthur legend - which was a whole lot of fun.

When my father was taken away from us far too soon I began thinking about angels, and what life was like ‘up there’ versus down here. Would an angel/warrior ‘team’ be able to survive humanity, fight for them, and stay together all at the same time? The Angel Chronicles answers that question.

So, in the end, I guess I owe my writing to a cat who had to go “nightsie.”

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Stalk Amy Lignor here:

Goodreads | Facebook | Official Blog | Official Website | Twitter

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

More information at Goodreads

One winner will win an ebook copy of Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) by Amy Lignor. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck!

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C.S. Splitter’s The Willing Blog Tour: Guest Blog + Blurb + Giveaway

2012-02-21T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I have two great authors here with me today. The first today is the very talented and funny, C.S. Splitter. He is on tour with book 2 in his Crayder Chronicles series, The Willing. Splitter has written an incredible post for you guys today and he is giving away two ebook copies of The Willing. So check this out and see how you can win this awesome book.

Guest Post by C.S. Splitter

My Take on Storytelling

Fiction writers are liars and manipulators.

Think about it: We are telling you this long, detailed story that NEVER REALLY HAPPENED.

I lived in Texas for a couple years and was surprised at how just tall some of the tales Texans told got to be. Most of their stories started out with, “So, there I was...” and just got more unlikely from there. And while they were usually entertaining stories, one day I got frustrated with a particularly colorful character I knew there who constantly told such outlandish stories. I looked him square in the eye and asked with all the accusation I could muster, “Did that really happen?”

He said in his drawl, “Well, if it didn't happen that way, it should have.” He even had the audacity to smile when he said it. Shortly thereafter, I learned that he was actually a successful writer (though I never did learn his pen name).

That's what writers do. We tell outlandish tales and if we do it well, we make the reader believe that if the things in our books did not happen, they should have because the story was so good.

But we cannot just come out and tell a straight forward story. Nope, that's no fun. Instead, we make you think the story is going one direction or that a character is a certain way, and then we delight in showing you how wrong your assumptions were. Of course, we gave you those assumptions to begin with so we were really just playing with your head the whole time.

That's what happens in the books I like to read too. I am like a dog who runs after the imaginary stick that my sadistic master never actually threw. I fall for it every time and that's part of the fun. Who cares if the author is being sadistic, I still get to run and wag my tail. So, that is sort of how I picture my readers when I write a book, too. They know I am going to try to manipulate their perceptions and they willingly go along with it anyway because that is how the game is played.

One of the best ways to have fun with the reader is to lead them in one direction and make them think that you are going to play the game the same old way. They are just waiting and anticipating the “plot twist” that they know is coming...and then you don't twist the plot.

It is like that scene out of Princess Bride: “I know that you know that I know that you know...”

At that point, you have used the reader's assumptions against them. When you see it written that way, it sounds mean. It sounds manipulative. However, that is what makes a good story. Have you ever watched the first five minutes of a movie and just KNEW how it would end? You sit through the whole thing without ever deviating from your original assumption and, in the end, discover you were right all along.

That's a bad movie and I bet you could name a few. The movie was not necessarily bad because the story was bad. The movie was bad because the story was TOLD poorly. You got no surprises along the way.

One of the oldest mechanical toys, that works to this day for kids, is the Jack in the Box. You turn the handle it it plays a tune. Sometimes, when the right note is struck, the lid flies open and Jack pops out. Other times, he stays hidden and, invariably, the child keeps turning the handle until he does appear...at which point they giggle with glee and clap their hands.

As humans, we love surprises even when the surprise is that there was no surprise. It's all in the delivery.

Maybe you, as readers, will like my stories and maybe you won't. But, I promise that you will get a surprise or two along the way. You may not like all the decisions my characters make and you likely will not agree with them all, but Jack will pop out at you once in the while. I promise.

Oh, and if you now have Pop Goes the Weasel stuck in your head...you see my point.

Splitter

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Stalk C.S. Splitter here:

Goodreads | Facebook | Official Blog | Twitter

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The Reluctant blurb:

Action, adventure, suspense, and thriller in one story told with a liberal dose of humor.

Tom’s problems are not unique. His business is failing and his wife has to work too many hours to make ends meet. He is under some rather large financial pressures and wants more from his marriage and his life.

He finds his respite in the air as a private pilot. Unfortunately for Tom, he is behind on payments for his plane and is forced to take odd jobs from a local crime boss. Tom is no criminal, but the errands he is running are just slightly on the wrong side of the law and the money is almost good enough to allow him to make his plane payments.

Just as things begin to come under some semblance of control, he meets a woman who just might represent the adventure he seeks. He soon discovers that appearances, and beautiful women, can sometimes be deceiving.

“The Reluctant” is the first in the Crayder Chronicles series and yet is a stand alone story with a satisfying conclusion of its own.

Buy The Reluctant (Crayder Chronicles #1) here:

Amazon (It’s FREE!)

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

More info at Goodreads

The Willing Blurb:

Book Two in "The Crayder Chronicles"

How far would you go to protect your friends and family?

Tom Crayder is the All-American guy next door with a business, a wife, a son, a mortgage, and an expensive hobby. He is also a politically incorrect, wisecracking operative working for a shadowy organization dedicated to administering justice outside of a broken system. Not even his wife knows of his other life when she finds herself unwittingly involved in a drug war.

Strap in with Tom as he navigates his way through the strata of a drug cartel. Lock and load with Lorena, a hard-hearted assassin, as she lends her deadly skills to Tom’s fight for his family. Sit back to watch Tom and Lorena figure out how to work together without killing each other.

Join the rest of the cast from "The Reluctant (Crayder Chronicles)" as they pitch in to track down the hitmen that threaten their associate.

Some mysteries are solved. Some questions are answered. Some live. Some die.

There will be 2 winners for this giveaway!

Two winners will each get an ebook copy of The Willing (Crayder Chronicles #2). Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner of the Banshee Charmer Giveaway!

2012-02-13T23:56:00.000-05:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to Frankiness Aligada! You won an ecopy of Banshee Charmer by Tiffany Allee. I have sent you an email. Please respond within 3 days to confirm or prize will go to runner-up. Big thasnk to all who participated and an even bigger thanks to Tiffany Allee for letting me interview her. I had a lot of fun. Also want to thank Stacey O'Neale for all her help and for introducing me to this amazing author. Thanks so much and congrats again hon. I hope to see you all again very soon.

BookWhore Book Club Week #2: Foolish Games by Leah Spiegel

2012-02-13T21:22:00.000-05:00

Discussion announcement and info here: BookWhore

Welcome to Week 2 of BookWhore's Book Club. This book has taken a turn I didn't see coming. If you have read this, I am dying to hear what you thought. Join us is this amazing discussion.

Schedule:

Mon 6th 1-3

Mon 13th 4-7

Mon 20th 8-11

Mon 27th 12-14

28th Linkz and review will be posted

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Chapters 4-7:

1. If you were in Joie's shoe's after reading the first article in the magazine would you have responded with a blog post?

As I have said before, I like a good argument LOL! Seriously though, I wouldn't sit around and have him calling me mental to the whole world and not say anything. I definitely would give him a piece of my mind.

2. During the story Riley is left out from backstage on a regular basis. Last week a lot of you respond favorably to Riley. How do you feel about Riley being left out constantly?

I don't like it, but he doesn't seem to want to be apart of the drama. But I don't like him being so left out though. It could have something to do with running into his crush. But yes, I would love more Riley. I love Riley!

3. What do you think about the route the story has started to take with the "Grimm Reaper"?

I don't read a lot of Contemporary Romance books, but I wanted to give this a try because it seemed really nice and fun. But the story of the Grimm Reaper is very interesting. This is a turn I didn't see coming at all. It is scary, but very exciting.

4. On last weeks post Tiffany, Diana, and myself had a great time posting links to the pictures of guys who we pictured Hawkins to be. I want you to post links to pictures of the guys you have pictured as Hawkins. If you don't have a "Hawkins" you can Google just comment on our pics/picks.

Okay, someone else I can see as Hawkins is Kit Harington. He plays Jon from Game of Thrones. He can pull off the rock star look for sure. Just give him blue eyes. What do you ladies think?

Excerpt + Giveaway with Jessica Subject!!!

2012-02-10T03:57:00.001-05:00

Please welcome back my good friend and author, Jessica Subject. She has two blog tours going on right now and today is the last for them both. I am the last stop on the Never Gonna Let You Go Tour. It is a sexy Science Fiction/Dystopian F/F and M/F romance novella. And the lovely Mrs. Subject is awesome enough to give you guys a trailer, an excerpt, and a giveaway for you guys! So please check it out and see how you can win this amazing book.

Never Gonna Let You Go Blurb

Caught in a tangle of lies, Calla Jacobs must sort through the truth to discover where she truly belongs. A biologist for Planet Core, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit. Sent to Airondelle, she must work with a team to prepare the newly discovered planet for colonists from Earth. But the mission does not go as she expected. Her former lover, Erik Edwards, shuns her, sending Calla into the arms of Melina Holloway, their commander, for the attention she craves and more. A confrontation among the trio leaves her with a broken heart, and fleeing from the two people she trusted most.

Attempting to break free from the lies that bind her, she discovers Planet Core has deceived everyone. And when she returns to Earth, Calla learns just how far Planet Core’s control reaches.

Excerpt

Calla needed a shower. No, something more. She needed to scrub herself clean of the situation. Her heart had just been massacred twice over. She needed to wash the hurt away, scour away the memories before she could move on and finish the mission.

Only one body of water had been found during their time on Airondelle—a large pond among a thick outcropping of crancait bushes. She hurried toward it, dropping Melina’s blanket along the way, desperate to shed the feelings she had for the woman along with it.

She didn’t care if one of those feline-like creatures came after her. Being ripped to shreds would hurt less than the ache from the double betrayal. After pushing through the bushes, she dove into the pond. Water pierced her bare skin. The cooler temperature only reinforced the cold callousness of those who’d just stomped all over her. Immersing herself over and over, she could only think of Melina’s words, I was the best you’ve ever had. How could Erik have said those words? Why did Erik and Melina both want to destroy her?

She fled the water. A cool breeze left goose bumps across her body. Nothing would fix the situation. Never again. Her career with Planet Core was over. She would never be able to return to this planet without remembering. Even back home, her apartment reminded her of Erik. That’s how she’d made it through training without him. And she couldn’t yet afford another place. Leaving the city meant returning to her parents, and she would never go home again.

Damn them all. She would offer herself to the predators of Airondelle. No one would miss her. No one loved her anyway—not the way she’d loved them because if they had, they wouldn’t have treated her like dirt. Thinking about her past experiences, she realized she’d only been a means to an end for everyone she’d ever cared about.

The bushes rustled behind her. Perfect. I won’t have to wait much longer. She sat down and hugged her knees, waiting for her worthless life to end.

Book Trailer

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About Jessica E. Subject

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.

Stalk Jessica Subject

Facebook | Goodreads | Google + | Official Blog | Twitter

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Read my review for Never Gonna Let You Go HERE

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Purchase links from Decadent Publishing and multiple publishers here:

http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=7889

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Giveaway Time!!


Winner will be announced on February 11th!

As part of the Never Gonna Let You Go blog tour, Jessica is giving away a $20 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or AllRomanceEbooks.com. Simply leave a comment with your email address for your chance to WIN! Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=8999

Indie Book Review: Never Gonna Let You Go (The Underground #1) by Jessica E. Subject

2012-02-10T03:53:00.001-05:00

Author: Jessica E. Subject
Series: The Underground
Number in Series: 1
Format: PDF
Pages: 54
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian/GLBT/Erotic Romance

Buy here:

All Romance Ebooks | Amazon | Decadent Publishing | Smashwords

Synopsis from Goodreads

Caught in a tangle of lies, Calla Jacobs must sort through the truth to discover where she truly belongs. A biologist for Planet Core, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit. Sent to Airondelle, she must work with a team to prepare the newly discovered planet for colonists from Earth. But the mission does not go as she expected. Her former lover, Erik Edwards, shuns her, sending Calla into the arms of Melina Holloway, their commander, for the attention she craves and more. A confrontation among the trio leaves her with a broken heart, and fleeing from the two people she trusted most.

Attempting to break free from the lies that bind her, she discovers Planet Core has deceived everyone. And when she returns to Earth, Calla learns just how far Planet Core’s control reaches.

Never Gonna Let You Go is about a woman named Calla. Calla and her crew have been sent to the planet Airondelle on a mission to prepare the planet for people from Earth. Their main rule: no sex with anyone unless you are married to that someone. This is easy for Calla since her team consists of the man who broke her heart and once loved, Erik and his ex-wife Melina who is also the team’s commander. Erik and Calla used to be the best of friends while on Earth, but after Erik’s brief marriage to Melina, he has been crude and distant. Melina then befriends Calla, she says Erik may be pissed, but that is now reason they can’t be friends. What seems like a simple friendship quickly becomes something more as Calla trusts Melina and her words despite the rule. But Calla soon finds out that not only is Melina hiding secrets, but the very company that sent them to Airondelle is not as respectful as they would like them to believe.

Now I love Jessica and her work. I have read everything she has done so far and love it all. Her stories are so beautiful and hard to put down. But I must admit, this was my favorite one. Being I am a sucker for a good conspiracy, I was foaming at the mouth with this story. It definitely took a turn I didn’t see coming. What at first looked like an evil slag getting between two people that have loved each other forever, quickly became a story about the very foundation that sent these people on a mission, ripping their lives apart. Not only is the planet Airondelle is trouble, but so is Earth and Planet Core is at the center of it all. Goodness, what an exciting plot. Just gives me chills thinking about it.

The characters were great. All of them face terrible torment that we discover later on in the story and makes the all more likeable because of their sacrifices. I felt so sorry for Calla. It seemed as though everyone used her and thrown her aside once they were done. We see that all that happened with Melina would have been it and it was very heartbreaking. Erik was such a jerk, but we learn why he was and you feel for him as well. His guilt was all he had to offer Calla really. Melina’s surprised me the most. I won’t reveal any of this because it is a bit of a spoiler, but you will understand it.

I really don’t want to spoil this for anyone, but trust me, this is a great short story that I know lots of people will enjoy. I can’t wait to see what is next in this series. Calla and Erik are hiding for their lives Underground (a place only rumored to exist) and they are planning something huge. I am desperate to find out what it is. For a short story, I got a little bit of all I could want. My only complaint is that I wish I got more of the worlds they were in, specifically what happened to Earth. But there is enough mystery here to keep me at the edge of my seat and like I said, I am very anxious for more. Check this out and thank you Jessica for once again gracing me with you awesomeness.

Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenges*

BCC's 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012

Dead Book Darling's 2012 Short Story Challenge

BookWhore Book Club Week #1: Foolish Games by Leah Spiegel

2012-02-06T19:05:00.001-05:00

Discussion announcement and info here: BookWhore

Blurb from BookWhore

Hello everyone, welcome to the first week of February Bookwhore Book Club!! I am excited and I hope you are to. Please answer the questions in the comments section. If you have some thoughts or questions or anything you want to add please also leave those in the comments section below, for discussion.

Schedule:

Mon 6th 1-3

Mon 13th 4-7

Mon 20th 8-11

Mon 27th 12-14

28th Linkz and review will be posted

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Chapters 1-3

1. Your thoughts on each character:

~Hawkins: I love Hawkins. He cracks me up. He is definitely mysterious and I think the reason he teases Joie so much is because she sees right through him. I can't wait to see where all this goes. I see some major book boyfriend potential coming on here. YAY!

~Lizzie: Um...yeah. Not a fan. This is the sort of girl that will stab you in the back if you are the center of attention. Her head is way too far up her own ass. I really don;t see how Joie and Riley put up with her. So far, I haven't seen any friend-like qualities at all.

~Riley: Oh I am definitely a Riley fan. He is hilarious and a great friend. I see why him and Joie are such good friends. He has her back. It also doesn't hurt that he is hot.

~Joie: I love Joie. She is a girl that will be who she is no matter. I like that she isn't someone like Lizzie that will do anything to get noticed. She is witty and I like that she doesn't take Hawkins crap. Definitely an interesting match.

2. What do you think about the friendship between Joie and Lizzie?

As I said before, I am not sure this is a "friendship" per se. They know each other well and hang out, but Lizzie really rubs me the wrong way. I don't trust her. At the end of chapter 3, we start to see some jealously coming from Lizzie. Hawkins is clearly showing some signs towards Joie and is getting the attention. This happens after Lizzie declares she wants him even though she is banging the drummer. I say, Joie run as fast as you can! Lizzie is trouble.

3. When Hawkins tells Joie that they are not safe around the band what do you think he was implying? Do you think Lizzie might be in danger?

I think there is something with the other guys in his band or the other band that Kosic manages. I definitely think Lizzie will get herself in trouble because all she sees is hot, rich and famous. I don't like Kosic, after the drinking incident, I found that so odd. And I know Joie did as well because she brought it up. I thought Kosic was nice at first, but now, I am very suspicious.

Movie Review: Hugo (2011)

2012-02-06T00:54:00.000-05:00

Synopsis from IMDB

Hugo is an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in the 1930s in Paris. He fixes clocks and other gadgets as he learned to from his father and uncle. The only thing that he has left that connects him to his father is an automaton that doesn't work; Hugo has to find its heart-shaped key. On his adventures, he meets with a cranky old man who works in the train station and his adventure-seeking god-daughter. Hugo finds that they have a surprising connection to his father and the automaton, and as he discovers it, the old man starts remembering his past and his significance to the world of film-making.

Hugo is about a little orphan boy named Hugo (Asa Butterfield) who lives in the walls of a train station in Paris. No one knows he is there of course. All Hugo does is steal and fixes the clocks that run in the station. It was Hugo’s father’s job before he died in a terrible accident. But before Hugo’s dad (Jude Law) died, Hugo and him were working on a man-shaped robot. Hugo continued to work on the robot after his dad died, stole the parts he needed from the old man, Georges (Ben Kingsley), that owned a fun little toy store in the station. The one thing missing though was a heart-shaped key to get it started. Sadly, Hugo can’t find it. The hunt for the key however reveals a connection between the old man and the robot and the past he tried to bury; his life in the film industry. His imagination and work buried because his passion diminished.

I want to ask Scorsese one question: Why the hell don’t you make more children’s movies? This was brilliant. I looooved this movie so much. The movie and the story was so beautiful, I was in tears in the end. I did not see any of that coming. I love how the plot progresses. Hugo goes from being a poor boy in danger of being sent to an orphanage by the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen). He is fighting to stay in the train station and keep his father’s work alive.

I love the characters in this movie. Hugo was a smart little boy fighting to keep his father’s livelihood alive. He wants to discover the secret behind the robot. I think he feels his dad’s spirit might be inside it. Instead, there is a connection between the robot and Georges. He befriends Georges’s granddaughter (or niece, honestly can’t remember), Isabella (Chloe Grace Moretz), and her adventurous mind starts the revelation Hugo needed. She was one of my favorites; she was a booklover that saw between the lines. I love that we see a change in the station inspector. He was such a huge jerk in this movie, taking every orphan child and sending them off to the orphanage.

But what makes this film truly incredible is the message. This film reminds you why you love film so much. It truly is magic and that is what is important. Georges finds his passion again for the art and seeing him share his love of film brought a tear to my eye. This is a movie lover’s dream come true. Again, there will be tears. Any movie lover would fall in love with this and I definitely did.

Watch this movie! It had everything I could want including the Martin Scorsese; one of my favorite directors in the world. Seeing this amount and love put into a film is too amazing. I am sure you know this movie has been nominated for eleven Oscars this year, including Best Picture. I will not be surprised if this wins Best Picture. It is so nice to see a kid’s movie not made by Pixar get a Best Picture nom. I loooooove Pixar, don’t get me wrong, but when it isn’t animated, family movies don’t make it anywhere. This will definitely be something new. Highly recommended!

Rating:

Book Review: Invincible (Chronicles of Nick #2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2012-02-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Chronicles of Nick
Number in Series: 2
Format: Audiobook
Time: 7 hrs. and 2 mins.
Narrator: Holter Graham
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre:Young Adult/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction

Buy here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse...

Nick Gautier’s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he’s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can’t even mention and the girl he’s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he’s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn’t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them...

Oh my goodness, Invincible was just as good as the first one. I finished this audiobook immediately after Infinity a month ago. This story is still stuck in my head and book 3, Infamous, comes out in March! Another book I know will be added to my favorites list.

Invincible picks up immediately where Infinity left off. Nicks has recently found out everyone he knows is some supernatural creature of some kind. He now also knows that his mom now works for and with a whole group of them. This, of course, has Nick a little on edge. If that wasn’t enough, he is becoming friends with Death. Things seem to be looking up though; Nick is finally back on the football team. But it seems his new coach has drafted him for far more than playing football. Just another day in New Orleans.

It is impossible not to love this series. It is just so frakking amazing. The characters are even more incredible this time around. Nick is still to die for. A great hero, who is strong, unsure, and has a tongue too sharp for his own good. We get deeper into Kody’s story and see what her role really is in all of this. It is pretty amazing and I like that it is more complicated than I thought. I love how she questions herself when it comes to Nick. It lets us know she will fight for him to become a better man and not what he is destined to be. Definitely can’t wait to see how this will pan out.

And we get more of Nick and his mom. Like I said about Infinity, one of the most beautiful things about the book is Nick’s love for his mother. He would do anything for her, it is just so nice. He gets her get a job (with Kyrian’s help) after she loses it (because of him), but she doesn’t know she is working with supernatural creatures yet. I am looking forward to seeing how long Nick can keep this a secret from her and what her reaction would be.

I love how the plot develops in this book. Nick’s school has a new coach that wants Nick to steal from his fellow classmates. If he doesn’t, Nick may or may not die “by accident”. The coach needs very specific items from these students, not copies that could be easily bought. When we find out what it is really all about and what this coach has done to get it, it is beyond anything I could have imagined. I love where this went and what we learn. Why the hell isn’t this a tv show already or something?

I love Invincible just as much as I loved Infinity. This book was a tad more serious than the first because we get more story not only from the main characters, but some of the very memorable side characters. My favorite was the story of why Bubba watches Oprah. I was listening to this part in my car driving home and I was in tears driving down the street. You literally go from crying one second to laughing the next. If you haven’t read anything from Kenyon, I urge you to. This is truly all I could ask for in a book and the fact that it is YA makes it even better. And as I said in my Infinity review, get the audiobook for the amazing narrator Holter Graham. If you are reading this, can you marry me?

Rating:

Interview and Giveaway with Tiffany Allee!!!

2012-02-02T01:33:00.000-05:00

Hello my fellow booklovers! I am so glad to have Tiffanny Alle here today. Allee is a brand new author and her debut book Banshee Charmer. Allee has been nice enough to stop by and to give you guys an ebook version of her great book. So if you are a fan of UF/PNR, love a kickass heroine and a gorgeous leading man; then you should check this out.

OBVB: Hello Tiffany, welcome to Offbeat Vagabond. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

TA: First of all, thank you so much for having me here! I am a corporate soldier turned author. While I have been a writer since I can remember, I only started writing for publication a couple of years ago. I am a cat lover (dogs too, but my cats would kill me if I adopted one), and am happily married. We live in the land of constant heat and sunshine (Arizona), and recently relocated here from Chicago. Where it is much, much colder.

OBVB: When did you discover writing was your passion?

TA: I have always loved reading and writing. As a kid I would write stories, and the habit carried into adulthood. I also loved to plan and worldbuild as a child. I can't tell you how many maps I drew out when I was really into epic fantasy, haha.

As for writing for publication, I've only been focusing on that for the last couple of years. But when I commit to something, I do it wholeheartedly. So I've spent many, many hours writing with that focus in mind during the last couple of years.

OBVB: Who are you currently reading right now?

TA: I am working my way through Rachel Firasek's Curse of the Phoenix series—great stories. I recently finished Regan Summer's Don't Bite the Messenger (wonderful novella), and I am finishing Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles. I also recently started Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

OBVB: Who are your favorite authors? Who are your influences?

TA: I love so many authors, but off the top of my head I would have to say that Stacia Kane is my favorite—her Downside Ghosts series is gut-wrenching and wonderful. I also love Ilona Andrews, Kim Harrison, and Karen Marie Moning. Also Patricia Briggs. Too many to list really, I could go on like this all day!

OBVB: Your debut book, Banshee Charmer, just released January 21^st. How do you feel now that it is out there for everyone to read?

TA: My emotions are all over the board to be honest. I'm bouncing off the walls excited that it's out, and deathly afraid of what people will think of it. I swing back and forth between extremes, and I'm looking forward to calming down about it so I can sleep again, haha.

OBVB: I just finished reading Banshee Charmer and I really enjoyed it. Where did the idea for it come from?

TA: Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it! The idea came from an amalgam of my love for paranormal romance and urban fantasy, which entwined with my many hours spent watching far too many cop shows.

OBVB: Can you give us some insight about Banshee Charmer? What is it about for those who have not read it yet?

TA: Well the official blurb probably explains it better than I can on the fly, but it's essentially about a half-banshee detective trying to solve her partner's murder with the help of a sexy, mysterious man—putting herself in danger in the process. It is a mixture of romance, mystery, police procedural, and fantasy.

OBVB: I really enjoyed your characters. Who did you have the most fun creating?

TA: Oh they were all pretty fun, but I really enjoyed Aidan. I love his sly sense of humor and of course his excessive hotness. *fans herself*

OBVB: Any models/actors you imagine as your characters specifically Aidan?

TA: Well after reading another blog post about Banshee Charmer, I'm specifically picturing Cole from Charmed. Haha. Really though, for Aidan I had more a picture in my head than a real actor in mind as I wrote him. But I think Julian McMahon would do a fine job in the role.

OBVB:Do you have any new projects coming up? A sequel perhaps *fingers crossed*?

TA: There are currently four novellas planned for the series (yay!). The second is slated for release in April. The next book will feature the succubus Marisol as the main character, as she tries to retrieve something very important to her that was stolen. Book three will be released in July with book four in October.

I also have another paranormal romance novelette coming out in June called Once Prey, Twice Forsaken. It features a newly made vampire on the run from a hunter trying to take her down—a hunter who proves to be her long lost love.

OBVB: If you can be any paranormal creature, what would it be?

TA: If I were a paranormal creature in world of Banshee Charmer, I think I would choose to be a witch. Their powers are fairly versatile. Although a vampire would be fun—lots of power there. Hmm…being a succubus could be really fun, too. Gosh, can I just be an amalgam of all three?

OBVB: Last but not least, since it is just a few weeks into the new year, what are your New Year’s Resolutions? Did you make any and how are they going?

TA: Oh boy, those things. You know, I actually try to avoid making them because it seems like it always jinxes me, haha. But I have resolved to exercise more this year, and write more than last year. So far, so good.

OBVB: Congratulations on your new and first book release. Thank you so much for visiting Offbeat Vagabond, I hope to have you back soon.

TA: Thank you so much for having me!

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Stalk Tiffany Allee here:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Info at Entangled Publishing

*1 winner will get the Ebook version of Banshee Charmer (From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #1)

*Must be a Follower to win
*One winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter
*Contest ends February 10th
*Open Internationally
*Book provided by Entangled Publishing

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners of the Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum Giveaway!!!

2012-02-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BIG Congratulations to Kathy Storey and Nora Weston! You lovely ladies have each won a copy of Stephen Prosapio's Ghost of Rosewood Asylum. I have sent you both an email. One of you will be receiving an ecopy, the other paperback. So please respond within 3 days with your information and for confirmation. If not, prize(s) got to runner-up(s). BIG thanks to all who participated. And bigger thanks to Mr. Stephen Prosapio and Jennifer from Other World Publications for having me be apart of this. Please make sure to follow the tour for more chances to win if you didn't. This book truly is a blast. You all have been amazing. I should have a giveaway up for you guys tomorrow, so I hope to see you all later. Thank you all so much and congrats again to our lovely winners.

Tell Me Something Tuesday

2012-01-31T22:29:00.000-05:00


Tell Me Something Tuesday presented by Cambria Hebert

Blurb courtesy of Cambria Hebert

Welcome to my weekly meme Tell Me Something Tuesday where I ask you something and you tell me the answer!! It’s as simple as that and I thought it would be a great way for all of us bloggers to get to know one another! So this is how it works: I post a question here on my blog and then i give my answer. I invite all the bloggers to take the question and post it on their blog with their answer and we can hop around and see what everyone says! If you are a blogger don’t forget to leave your link at the bottom of this post! If you aren’t a blogger – that’s okay too!! Leave your answer in the comments section!

Question this week:

What is the saddest book you have ever read?

This is a tough question for me given I stray from sad books simply because they are sad. And what is even sadder, the sad ones I know and remember are the ones I read in school. This is a clear sign schools want to depress the hell out us. Seriously though, the sad ones were my book assignments. Makes you wonder doesn't it. Nonetheless, here are a few books that I have read (no specific order), some many years ago, other more recent. I know it says one, but I can never do just one, it is so hard. Tell me if you guys have read any of these. Did they make you cry or am I a huge crybaby?

1. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins


Review HERE

After all the rave about this book, I had to get my hands on this book. Everyone kept talking about how intense and amazing it was. But I wish someone would have told me how sad this book was. If I had known, I wouldn't have read it in public. This book gave me a trembling lip for goodness sake. Not fun when you are alone and worse in front of strangers. What the hell Collins?! But honestly, this book is so well written and the emotions this book yanks out of you makes you love it more. But this definitely deserves to be on this list.

2. The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin by Adam Hochschild

Info at Goodreads

Example of school depressing the hell out of me. I had to read this for my Humanities class about three years ago in college. I usually don't read nonfiction/biography books, but this one stuck with me. Reading about the history of Russia and all that went on during the reign of the tyrant Stalin was mind-numbingly scary. One man's paranoia led to the death of over 20 million people. There were scenes in this book that are still in my head and I wish they weren't. This book had thing that were a little too much for me since they were so horrifying. But this was a great book and if you are a history nut, I would recommend this to you.

3. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Info at Goodreads

I read the book and watched the movie, which made me even more depressed. I understood it, but that did not mean I had to accept it. This book crushed me and again, for school. You are seeing a pattern aren't you? I did enjoy the book, but no way am I going to read this again.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Info at Goodreads

Another school project. This one I actually picked myself and was my best paper in my AP English class. A beautiful book and it may be "fiction", but it was no less real. A real classic and the film is just as good. I hope all of you had the chance to enjoy this book.

5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Info at Goodreads

This is another book I had to read for school. This is one of the few that I read again even after there was no assignment. I really enjoyed this. Now it is full of sad moments but it also has a lot of fun parts that are just as memorable. There is a lot of talk about God and religion, but trust me, this is not a religious book. You read this in church, you might get kicked out. A great book full of laughs and tears.

Read Along Tuesdays Discussion #4: Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neill

2012-01-24T19:50:00.000-05:00

Introductory post at Supernatural Snark HERE

Blurb courtesy of The Unread Reader

Welcome to week four of the Some Girls Bite Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Books in the Spotlight, The Unread Reader andSupernatural Snark are hosting a read-along of book one of Chloe Neill's outstanding Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series. Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! For all the details about the event and the grand prize giveaway, be sure and check out the introductory post HERE.

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)
January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and the grand prize giveaway!

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Chapters 13-15 + Epilogue Discussion:

1. Chapter 13 opens with Merit describing her new job routine as House Sentinel. Considering that every job Cadogan House is important in helping to make the house run efficiently, which job do you think you'd like to have (guard, cook, social director, gardener, etc.) and why?

Wow, that is a good question. If I have any job, it has to be something I am in charge of where I can help people. So I would go with social director. I am good at organizing everyone else’s life accept my own, so why not? LOL! Seriously, I would be great at it. I would choose to be a guard, but if someone pisses me off, I can’t promise I will be cordial about it.

2. In the supernatural world of Chicagoland Vampires, politics seem to play an important role in the way the Houses are run. Now that you've been introduced to the Rogues, do you think it's better for vampires to be a part of a House or to live outside of one?

I am going to be diplomatic; I see things from both sides. Given how things went down between the Houses and the Rogues, you can see how easily they do get left out of everything. I understood where they were coming from. If you aren’t in the House, you aren’t in the know. But then I see how the Houses feel. I wouldn’t have thought the Rogues would have cared on a usual day. But since this was about a murder investigation, I think the Houses should have included the Rogues in the discussion. I would rather be a part of a House, but I would make sure to let higher ups know about the Rogues.

3. After Morgan openly asks to court Merit, she feels betrayed when Ethan commands her to accept for the show of alliance it could bring to Cadogan House. Do you think her reaction was warranted?

This part was difficult for me. I do like Morgan and since Ethan is being an ass, why should Merit wait for him? We know Ethan feels something for her and instead of showing some emotion towards her and just kick the crap out of Morgan, he sells her off. I think her reaction was warranted, but again, they are both incredibly stubborn. So even if he did stick up for her, I still think she would have been pissed because it would give everyone a different impression.

4. When Ethan meets with the perpetrator of the murders, were you surprised to discover who it was? If you suspected someone, were your suspensions correct? What did you think of the perpetrator's motive?

I was surprised, I knew it had to be someone in one of the Houses, but I didn’t expect someone so high up. I really thought it was someone low on the totem pole, someone who wanted to take the leaders down so they can run things the way they want. The helper was a bit of a surprise as well. The motive made sense, but delusion. To be the ruler of all vampires just because you think you are the best is crap. And I thought Ethan had his head way too far up his ass.

5. What was your favorite/least favorite parts of Some Girls Bite?

Oooooh, lot of favorites. Let’s see:

- I loved sandwich making scene. It sounded like a great sandwich and I love the chemistry between Merit and Morgan

- I also loved when Morgan and Merit first met each other before the “incident”. Again, the chemistry.

- I loved when Ethan and Merit first met. Those are usually my favorite moments in a book, when there is that bam moment when our two main characters first meet.

- All of the Jeff moments. He was so adorable.

- All of Catcher’s moments *panting*

- And many more

Least favorite:

- I loved this book all round, but I do wish the person responsible was punished better. I actually thought the ending would be a little bigger. I liked it, but maybe it is just me, I wanted some blood dammit!

6. What do you think is coming up next for Merit, Sentinel of Cadogan House? Will you continue reading this series, and if so, what do you hope to see happen in the next book?

I think her test is yet to come. Things will only be more difficult, but I think she will be a leader soon. She will be unconventional, for sure, but that will make me love her even more. I will definitely continue reading this series; I am very much in love with it. I hope to see Ethan open his eyes and for Merit to grow more as a vampire. I would like to see her get more comfortable with her new life.

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This is the last discussion people. Next week there will be a special guest post by the amazing author herself, Chloe Neill! Along with her post, there will be a giveaway. So make sure to drop by all the hosting blogs to see if you have been chosen. All who have participated get a chance to win, for more check out the introductory post below the image.

Stephen Prosapio's Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum Blog Tour: Guest Blog + Giveaway

2012-01-22T03:42:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow OBVB viewers. I have with me here today author Stephen Prosapio. He is here on tour for his incredible novel, Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum (just in case you missed the big banner above LOL) Nonetheless, Prosapio wrote us an amazing post about a day in the life of Zach Kalusky, our protagionist. Then keep reading for a chance to win this amazing book and more from Prosapio himself. So please give Prosapio a warm welcome.

Guest Post by Stephen Prosapio

A Day on the Set of Xavier Paranormal Investigators – Journal of Zach Kalusky

Rosewood Asylum Investigation Day Two

9:30 AM – A busy morning! Ray woke me with good news (he and Turk had discovered video evidence of a full-bodied apparition) and better news (he’d bought me a Café Americano).

10:30 AM – Interview done with Tricia. I sure hope she doesn’t release it too early. We could end up on G’morning Chi-town.
See transcript of interview
http://triciakristufek.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/guest-interview-zach-kalusky/

11:15 – Something is not as it seems here at Rosewood and I don’t just mean in terms of the paranormal activity. My investigator Shelly just showed me something that really disturbs me. Combining that with what Ray discovered and other things I’ve observed, it’s clear someone/s on this case is/are actively trying to falsify evidence. OH how that angers me! Deep breaths. Deep breaths. It’s not time for an episode now. I could just see that.

Anyway, I need to get to the bottom of this. And fast.

11:35 – I’m not sure which annoys me more: having to lie to someone or being lied to. Being lied to hurts like being stabbed when you find out but heals faster. Lying, at least for me, is insidious.

12:15 – Ahhh back to being centered. Trips to St. Francis of Assisi always do that for me! :-)

12:55 – Arrived early to Muses and met a gorgeous girl. I’ll jot down what happened:
From behind me I hear, “Decaf at this hour?”
There stood a black lady with a slim figure but wide hips was smiling at me. She was short, about my age, maybe a couple of years younger.
“I thought that was you,” she said. “Zach?”
I hardly ever forget a face and I wouldn’t have forgotten this one.
“You don’t know me,” she verified, “but I’m one of your biggest fans. I hope that doesn’t sound too cliché.”
“No, not at all,” I lied. “What’s your name?”
“Oh, God. How rude of me!” She rolled her eyes, and her smile turned to one of embarrassment. She held out her hand. “My name’s Chelsea.”
I took her hand. Soft. Welcoming, but firm. She asked me for a couple of autographs, thanked me and then handed me a folded piece of paper that appeared to have been torn from a notebook.
“It’s my phone number,” she said boldly. Then her voice cracked a bit. “Ya know, in case you ever need a date to an awards show or something...”
Ebony skin or not, she was blushing. A thin layer of perspiration had formed on her forehead as well.
I thanked her, but I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say! Other fans and even clients had flirted with me. This was different—she was hot!

3:15 – I need to say this (but don’t make it part of the official record): Sara is clattering over every nerve I have!!!!!!!

4:25 – It looks as though I’ll need to induce an episode to solve this mystery. Not something I’d wanted to do. This will likely be my last journal entry for the day. I’m amazed at the amount of historical research our historian Wendy has done, but I’m deeply disturbed with the lack of focused results our investigation has thus far produced. There are a lot of experiences to classify and hopefully this thing all comes together soon. It hasn’t helped that the perpetrators of false evidence (which we most certainly did not need!) have diverted our attention away from true areas of exploration.

I hope this journal has given you a peek into Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum. See you soon!

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Check out my 5 star review of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum HERE

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

There will be 2 winners for this giveaway!

1st Prize Winner (US Only!):

*1 Signed copy of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum

*Signed Bookmark

*Signed Postcard

2nd Prize Winner (US/International):

*1 ebook of Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum

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Book Review: Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio

2012-01-22T02:45:00.000-05:00

Author: Stephen Prosapio
Format: ePub

Pages: 345

Publisher: Otherworld Publications
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Genre: Horror/Mystery/Paranormal

Buy here:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

Zach Kalusky, host of Sci-D TV's Xavier Paranormal Investigators, is ecstatic when he's given the opportunity to explore the most haunted site in Chicago for a Halloween Special: Rosewood Asylum, a place long made off-limits by the local government, plagued by decades of mysterious fires and unexplained events. It's Zach's dream investigation- but there's a catch: the network forces Xavier Paranormal Investigators to partner with the more dramatic-but less ethical-Demon Hunters. Now, Zach must fight for both his show's integrity and his team's loyalty while trying to protect his own secret: that he, himself, is possessed.

Thanks to my good friend Heidi (@RainyDayRamblings), she has introduced me to the Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum Tour which in turn made me get the book. I love a great ghost story, so I had to jump on this. The synopsis sounded so good, I had to check this out immediately. I am so glad I did and I can assure you will too.

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum is about a group of ghost hunters that work for Sci-D TV. The group, Xavier Paranormal Investigators, is a very popular show on the network. The founder and lead, Zach, has dreamed of investigating the old psychiatric hospital, Rosewood Asylum. The hospital has many stories and mysteries connected with it. Zach has been given the chance to uncover those secrets. Unfortunately, given how big the project is, he is forced to work alongside a rival ghost hunters show, Demon Hunters, a team known for sometimes doctoring their “paranormal” discoveries. Not only does Zach have to put up with an extra team that he doesn’t really trust, but he is fighting against time to get all the information he needs from the asylum. And the further they get into the investigation, the more secrets get revealed and Zach hopes it won’t be any of his.

I loooooved this story. It is so complex and intriguing. Prosapio really gives you all sides of the story. There I so much mystery, but we are never really left in the dark. You will really be along for the ride. I love the plot to this. We have a rival ghost hunting team at a very scary asylum that hasn’t been in operation for years, has mysterious fires and a couple of ghosts who may or may not be friendly. Then we have the intrigue of certain characters because we aren’t sure we can trust them or not. There is this lady who seemingly comes out of nowhere wanting to talk to Zach off the record. She knows something about the asylum because her mother used to work there, but there is something very fishy about her. Then we have the mystery of Amelia and Boy (their story is at the very beginning) and many more. I love this fresh look on the paranormal world. Being behind the scenes and getting a feel for reality television was definitely fun and exciting to read.

Now for a horror story, the atmosphere in this book is light at times. All the characters bring such interesting personalities; it makes the book more complex. Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum will have you laughing at one moment and being completely freaked out the next. The dialogue between some of the characters is so refreshing and will bring a smile to your face. I love the friendships between Zach and Hunter or Zach and Ray, they were a fun bunch to follow. There is even some romance in this which I was happy about because I was begging for it.

I honestly can’t think of anything bad to say about this. I must be careful, of course, with this. There are a lot of mysteries and each of them brings a whole new level to the book. The story flows so well and you never feel confused. This is just so well written. It is full of history, personality, horror, laughs, romance, twists and originality. I urge you all to check this out. I was so lucky to have this pretty much drop in my lap. I promise you will not be sorry. I am definitely going to keep my eyes on this author.

Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenges*

BCC's 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012

Babbling About Books and Stuff's Ghostly Reading Challenge 2012

BCC's Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2012

BCC's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2012

Read Along Tuesdays Discussion #3: Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neill

2012-01-17T15:20:00.000-05:00

Blurb courtesy of Books in the Spotlight

Welcome to week one of the Some Girls Bite Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Books in the Spotlight, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of book one of Chloe Neill's outstanding Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series. Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! For all the details about the event and our grand prize giveaway, be sure and check out the introductory post HERE.

Missie from The Unread Reader will be discussing the last section of the book so be sure to check her blog to find out next week's discussion questions. I am hosting next week and will be covering Chapters 9-12. Linky posted HERE

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)
January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

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Chapters 9-12 Discussion:

1. Catcher and Ethan share some personality traits. What makes Mallory, Merit, and even us readers attracted to these guys? Would you date/mate with someone like these guys in real life?

I won't lie, I have a tendency to argue just for the fun of it. I would need someone to keep up with me, I think they both would be a good fit. Also they are both sexy, mysterious, and complex. I like that they are strong, but there is a certain vulnerability to them. They are confident, but they don't necessarily act like they are better than the women they want. So if I had chance, oh absolutely.

2. In Chapter 9 we learn of another murder. Do you see any patterns with the previous murder and Merit's attack? Do you have any guesses as to who is responsible and the motive behind the murders?

As I said before, I found it odd that they all looked like Merit; brunette, tall and with blue eyes. She was also 27 years old, just as Merit was. But what is more, after every murder scene, there was some "evidence" to point to all the houses being guilty. In this recent one, this time it pointed blame to the Grey House. It definitely seems like someone is putting blame on all the houses, not just one.

3. The commendation is my favorite moment in the book and a significant event in Merit's life. She has finally come to terms that she is a Cadogan vampire. Were you surprised at all that Merit resisted Ethan's call and that he made her a Sentinel? Do you think she'll do well in this position? Why or why not?

This was one of my favorite scenes in this book as well. I knew Merit would find a way to make the commendation different and I knew her power would play a role for sure. But that was definitely a surprise and I was happy because I think this is the best way for her to prove herself to Ethan and to the rest of the house. I think she will prove herself and she will be great Sentinel.

4. Loyalty is a reoccurring theme throughout the book and much of this series. Why is it so important to Ethan that he needs Merit's allegiance? Is it solely a Master and Sentinel thing or does it imply something else?

I think it is more than a Master and Sentinel thing. Ethan isn't the only one that has discovered Merit's powers and he knows that others will be gunning for her. Also I think Ethan needs to know whether she cares for the house because it is important to him and all the vampires. I think he needs to know she is willing to protect him and her fellow vampires.

5. If you had the opportunity to sit down with Ethan, Merit, Mallory, and Catcher for a bite to eat like in the beginning of Chapter 12, what questions would you ask them at this point of the story?

I loved Chapter 12, but if I could get away with it and not get my head chopped off, this is what I would say:

Ethan - If you want to woo a girl, do you think banging the easy redhead is the best way to go about it? (I love you, but come on man!)

Merit - Can you make me one of those epic sandwiches? If so, do I have your permission to shove it down Ethan gullet for you? You know what, scratch that, I will shove it down both of your throats, you guys and your stubbornness is driving me crazy!

Mallory - Can you share your awesome-best-friendiness advice with me? (I know it isn't a word, but you get what I am saying)

Catcher - Do you have a twin or since you are a sorcerer, can you clone yourself?

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We are almost near the end guys. I have finished the book a week ago and I can't wait for the next set of questions. It will be a very interesting set of questions. Make sure to stop by The Unread Reader on the 24th for Chapters 13-Epilogue. Can't wait for to read everyone's reactions.

ARC Review + Book Trailer: Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross

2012-01-14T21:11:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Zeitghost Media and St. Martin's Press, they bring you the trailer to Tempest by Julie Cross. Tempest comes out next Tuesday and is already being buzzed about all over the place. Now as before, Zeitghost Media is going to give 25 blogs a chance to host a giveaway for this book. But while we impatiently wait, check out this great trailer (I want that song) and I also have an ARC review for you guys. So happy I actually won this.

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Read the first FOUR chapter here + check out the bonus short story here:

Facebook Fan Page

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Author: Julie Cross
Series: Tempest
Number in Series: 1
Format:Hardcover
Pages: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction/Young Adult/Fantasy/Romance

Buy here:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

I was so lucky (and surprised) to receive the ARC of Tempest by Julie Cross courtesy of Librarything in the mail. Again, being so excited about the book, my silly self didn’t bother to see what the book was about. But I can say now, I was very happy with the ending result. If you are looking for an exciting read to start off the New Year, put this at the top of your list.

I love this storyline. Jackson is a normal college student. Well as normal as he can be, he is rich and can time travel (only for 30 minutes or a few hours backward never forward), but other than that, he is normal. He has a girlfriend named Holly that he loves more than anything, but she doesn’t know his secret. Only his super genius best friend Adam knows his secret. He is the one who helps Jackson and actually understands time travel, like I said, he is a genius. Things are going good for Jackson until one day two men break into Holly’s dorm and shoot her and out of total terror, Jackson jumps 4 years into the past and he can’t jump forward. So now he is stuck in the past and he finds out he has been lied to his entire life. And that is only the beginning.

Jackson was a great lead character. He may have been a rich guy (well his family is), but he wasn’t snooty. He loves Holly a lot and protects her in the future and in the past. He fights for her and his best friend, Adam. I loved Adam, he helps Jackson every step of the way in this book. Without him, Jackson really wouldn’t get anywhere; he is indeed the brains behind it all. I loved Holly. I sympathized with her because she knew Jackson was hiding something, but she didn’t know what. You can tell she loved him as well. One thing I didn’t like about Jackson is that he was holding back by not revealing his secret to her. But despite that, she brought a certain lightness to this book and to Jackson. We find he has a lot of remorse over the death of his twin sister who died a few years back and that plays a big part in this book. It made me love Jackson more because along with Holly, he wanted to be near his sister and make up for things he regrets.

I loved this book. It was hard to put down. I love that despite the secrets coming to light, Jackson never loses it. He still respects his dad even after all he finds out. I love this take on time travel; the Enemies of Time. They are the bad guys who have Jackson’s ability and they want him apart of the team. They want to change history, we don’t really know why until the ending. The scene near the end really freaked me out and added a whole other element to this story. And we aren’t given the whole story yet, of course, but that does not mean you won’t enjoy this. Even if time travel and science fiction isn’t your thing, this book is full with likeable and believable characters. I like the fact that for all intents and purposes, it wasn’t as far-fetched. The world feels tangible.

This book was a rollercoaster ride. It had everything I could have wanted in a science fiction novel; time travel, mystery, suspense, conspiracies, tears (a lot of tears), romance, sacrifices, and many more. Tempest is a very well-written book. It isn’t even officially out yet and there is already movie buzz surrounding it, which makes sense. As some have said, this book is written like a movie and it felt that way. This was very action-packed and suspenseful; it begs to be in a film. I can’t wait. I hope they do the book justice. I won’t lie to you all though. If Hollywood trips (maybe that should say When they trip), this could easily become Jumper 2 *GAGS*. So my fingers and toes are crossed they won’t go down that route. Trust me, I will be able to tell once the movie trailer comes out. I knew Jumper would be crap from the beginning and I was right, boy was I right. Nonetheless, I absolutely recommend this book. Buy this on Tuesday because I said so. I am not kidding.

Review:

*This book belongs to the following challenge*

BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012

Winner of the Switched Giveaway!!!

2012-01-10T10:36:00.001-05:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to my new friend Heidi!!! You won the copy of Switched (Trylle Trilgoy #1) by Amanda Hocking courtesy of Zeitghost Media and St. Martin Press! I sent you an email about the prize, please respond within 2 days with your name and address. Big thank you to them and even bigger thanks to all who participated. I hope to have a giveaway by next week and the week after that. I am a part of a few blog tours, so I hope to see you guys back here very soon. Thank you all so much again.

Read Along Tuesdays Discussion #2: Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neill

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000-05:00

Blurb courtesy of Supernatural Snark

Welcome to week one of the Some Girls Bite Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Books in the Spotlight, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of book one of Chloe Neill's outstanding Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series. Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! For all the details about the event and our grand prize giveaway, be sure and check out the introductory post HERE.

I'm the lucky host this week, so if you're participating, please be sure to link up your discussion post for the first 4 chapters in the linky below and don't forget to check out Tina's blog for next week's questions for chapters 5-8.

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)
January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

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Chapters 5-8 Discussion:

1) In what is a make you blush, steamy scene in the book- Chapter 5 has Ethan and Merit sharing a few hot moments after Merit's hunger strikes...that is until Ethan becomes a total cad! What do you think of him so far? Strong, masterful vampire, conceited playboy.....lover boy in disguise?

I loved that scene between Ethan and Merit. He just had to be a douche afterward. I think he is a lover boy in disguise. He has moments where I want to punch him, but I think it makes him more interesting. If that makes sense. I must admit the scenes between Merit and Morgan were amazing. I am falling for him too. There was so much chemistry between them and the dialogue between made me smile. I honestly will be happy with either choice.

2. Merit and Mallory begin some major training in these next few chapters, resulting in cool Katana Sword facts and Ninja moves. What is the most physically challenging or adrenaline fueled event/activity you have participated in?

We use to have playground contest in elementary school. I was very competitive even though we were playing for silly little toys. Also in high school, our gym teacher had a thing if you can run a mile without stopping, you can skip dressup when you wanted. I did it twice, couldn't believe my legs and lungs held out that long Then again I hated gym, so I was looking for any excuse.

3. Mallory and Catcher have sparks so intense they almost fly off the page.....what do you think of this cozy couple? Did you like the insta-love between them? Do they add to the story?

I think it adds a lot to the story. I was hoping we get some love story between them. Catcher is amazing and hot as hell. I love the way how him and Mallory are always arguing. Their relationship is exactly what I expected from Merit and Ethan. Well, I mean it could be that way. Still, I like it. I want more from them as well.

4. Lets talk Bff's....Mallory is hands down a terrific friend to Merit, the girls relationship is real, down to earth and fun....not to mention hysterical. What is your favorite memory or favorite thing to do with your bff? Feel free to share pics!

I remember me and my friend Ashley going to Adventure Landing years ago. Only kids who were on honor roll got to go. We had such a blast, specifically during go cart. We weren't suppose to hit each other, but we still did any way. And don't get me started on laser tag. Oh I killed at that. I wish I had pictures, but I was in middle school and digital cameras weren't out quite yet.

5. Things are starting to heat up in the mystery department...the set up at Red, Morgan's flirty appearance.... Catchers vague answers......as correlation day gets closer for Merit do you think someone is out to get her...or maybe recruit her to another house? Or PS- feed her some more food...because goodnight this girl likes to eat!!!

I think someone is targeting girls like her. All the girls that have died all are tall, dark hair and blue eyes. But as I said, I really love Morgan. And yes, I do find it a little suspicious, but this is wishful thinking here. Don't ruin it for me. Catcher knows a lot and I don't know why he holds back information. But I have a feeling it is a test for her. Maybe something between him and Ethan to test out. I don't know about the recruiting though. After what happened at the club, they didn't seem like they wanted to be anywhere near Merit and her friends. She is always eating. Loved that epic sandwich her and Morgan made, that was good moment. But yes, the mystery is definitely building and I can't wait to see what is next. I have been thinking about it all day. I need to find out now.

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Please make sure you visit Books in the Spotlight next week for Discussion #3. We will cover chapters 9-12. If you still haven't joined this awesome read along visit Supernatural Snark to sign up now. Hope you guys enjoyed this, see you next week.

Book Review: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

2012-01-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games
Number in Series: 1
Format: Paperback
Pages: 374
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Release Date: July 1, 2008
Genre: Dystopian/Science Fiction/Young Adult/Fantasy

Buy here:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun...

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, the shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games is about a very brutal and sad dystopian world. Food has become very scarce in Panem (formerly North America). Panem is made up of 12 Districts and The Capitol (the government). After a major rebellion against The Capitol, they keep everyone in check. So The Capitol hosts a live TV show called The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games takes two tributes from all 12 Districts, a boy and a girl from ages 12-18. They dress them up, give them sponsors and televise them for the world to see. But most of all, they train them to fight. Twenty-four kids must go in and fight to the death. The last one standing gets money and food for the rest of their life. Unfortunately and fortunately, Katniss doesn’t make this easy.

I have finally started not one of the most talked about YA series, THE most talked about YA series. Now with all the buzz about the movie coming out, I knew I had to get on the ball and find out whether this movie will be worthy or not. It is, it soooooooooo is. This is one of the most amazing books I have read. Every time someone talked about it, they always have this look that said, “You don’t know just how good that is.” Now I get it. If you are not one of the millions of people that have read this already, I don’t know what the hell you are waiting for. I didn’t know what I was getting into with this book, but it exceeded my expectations and more.

Our main character, Katniss, is definitely going on my great heroines list. I absolutely loved Katniss. She was strong and smart. She lives with her mom and little sister Prim who she works hard to protect because her mother isn’t strong enough. Katniss sacrifices herself for her sister when she is called for the Games. She is scared out of her mind and hates everyone around her because they don’t care that soon, she will be dead. But she has been hunting and surviving for her family for so long, she might have a shot.

I loved all the other characters as well. I am definitely Team Peeta . Since we follow things from Katniss POV, there were times when you didn’t know when he was playing a game or not. But I have faith. I loved Cinna, Katniss stylist for the Games. He isn’t a main character, but he helped Katniss more in this book then I would have thought. I hope we get more from him in the future books. Same goes to Haymitch. He was a previous winner to the Hunger Games (the only surviving one from District 12) and they made him the mentor for District 12. Sadly, he is a rich drunk. I loved how when we dive a little deeper into the story, we can kind of get a taste as to why he is the way he is. It is truly depressing. And there are so many more, I wish I could talk about them all, but I’m afraid I won’t stop.

I love the way the story progresses. Once they are done with their training and getting sponsors, they are sent into the woods. It is from there this book really gets to you because from the second it starts, kids start dying. This book gets very intense the further it goes and I won’t even lie, I cried a couple of times. This book was a lot more graphic then I would have expected it to be and some people are against it, but I am not. It made it feel more realistic to me. They are not living in a nice world, they are fighting for their families and more so, their lives. Well, there were people like Katniss who had those noble reasons and there were kids that were just obsessed with winning. I love how Collins shows the difference between these characters when they are in the woods. Nonetheless, there were no rainbows and bunnies here people. This is a tough book.

Yet another awesome book that is hard to write about since it is so good. I have seen the trailer to the movie more times than I can count at this point. And I still get chills watching it. I pray Hollywood does this book justice. I hope it captures all the emotions I experienced when reading it. From the tears to that ending that had me screaming. The last few chapters will drive you over the edge, just didn’t expect that at all. The Hunger Games is so worth the hype even though the idea is very Battle Royale, I am not going to take anything away from this book. This is still a phenomenon that Hollywood should handle with care. And for those that must know, this is along the lines of Harry Potter, NOT Twilight. I need to let people know that, it is important. Seriously though, if this doesn’t end up as Movie of 2012, someone will pay.

Rating:

Book Review: Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Chronicles of Nick
Number in Series: 1
Format: Audiobook
Time: 7 hrs. and 53 mins.
Narrator: Holter Graham
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners
Genre:Young Adult/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction

Buy here:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he's next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Infinity is about a 14 year old teenager named Nick Gautier. Only due to Nick’s smarts is the reason he is going to a very prestigious and very expensive high school. Unfortunately, Nick and his mother are seen as the trash of the town by both the students and the teachers, all of who are trying their best to have Nick kicked out of school. But since times are tough for him, Nick goes out with his friends one night on a run. His friends go overboard and Nick tries to be a hero only to have his friends turn on him and send him to the hospital. And this is where everything changes for Nick. He finds out all those make-believe stories about vampires, demons, and zombies where actually true. As a matter of fact, the town soon gets taken over by zombies and it is up to Nick and his quirky friends to save everyone.

Oh my goodness, this is one of the best series I have ever read. Everything I could ever want in a Young Adult series was right here. Nick Gautier was one of the greatest leads I have come across. He is smart, witty, courageous, and downright hilarious. His love for his mom, Cherise, almost brought a tear to my eye. I love that he isn’t some bratty teenager, he is grateful for everything she does for him even if it doesn’t seem like much.

Besides Nick and his mom, the side characters in this book were so incredible. All of them were bursting with amazing personalities and it was hard not to love them. I am a huge Simi fan. She has to be the most adorable demon in the world with the world’s biggest stomach even though she looks like a model. But she will make you smile. I loved Bubba, he may be the very definition of a redneck (a redneck who loves to watch Oprah), but he is super smart and not as crazy as he may seem. Nekoda, the love interest, is definitely more than she seems and I like her. I am very curious of her story because she knows more than she is letting on. I really loved Kyrian as well. He respects Nick because he is so street smart and really is quite a godsend to him and his mom. Even if Kyrian is the one who has really brought Nick to the world of the Dark Hunters.

The plot of this book took me by surprise. Not only do we have a zombie invasion (that starts in the most insane way, you won’t believe it even though this is a fantasy book), but we also have another plot about Nick’s “other family”. Nick finds out he has an uncle named Ambrose, from his dad’s side (dad in jail for murder, by the way). But we soon find out Ambrose has a big secret and is working fast to fix things because if he doesn’t, Nick will destroy everyone he loves. I won’t spoil you, but it is a good one. Man, Kenyon how do you do it?!

Overall, this is an amazing read. Don’t really have any complaints at all. I will say though, if you are a fan of Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series and think this is a PNR series, you are mistaken. This is more of a spinoff from the eyes of a 14 year old. And I really like that because it can stand on its own. This is a YA series that is great for everyone especially boys. Kenyon really wrote this with a teenage boy’s brain involved and it made it feel very authentic, if that makes sense to anyone. And if you are a fan of audiobooks, get this one in audiobook format. Holter Graham did such an amazing job narrating this book, as I said before, I think I am in love. Infinity has its dark moments, but this book is full of exciting characters, action, and laughs. So if you want an incredible and fun read, I recommend this to you.

Rating:

Indie Book Review: Risking Eternity - A Vampire Romance Novella (Timeshifters #1) by Gwenan Haines

2012-01-07T22:49:00.000-05:00

Author: Gwenan Haines

Format: ePub

Release Date: November 23, 2011

Publisher: Self-published

Pages: 96

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Buy here (it's only $0.99)

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads

After a childhood spent watching her psychic mother struggle to make a living reading tarot cards in their shabby New Orleans apartment, Hayden Farrell isn't taken in by much. As far as she's concerned, the only thing extraordinary about this world is people's willingness to put their faith in things that don't exist. For the past decade she's believed in one thing: being a cop. But when teen-age prostitutes start turning up dead, the Boston homicide detective is forced to do something she hasn't done since she fled Louisiana. To catch the killer she's got to trust a stranger whose version of reality threatens to destroy her own.

Valentin Grigorievich has wanted revenge since London's most notorious serial killer betrayed him more than a century earlier. To get it, he needs Hayden's help--and maybe her life as well. While Valentin may be immune to her good looks he finds it increasingly difficult to resist the dark connection that binds them. Will the vampire's plan give him the satisfaction he craves or rob him of his soul mate?

This paranormal suspense novella is the first book in the Timeshifters series (forthcoming 2012)

I got a request to review this book a few weeks back and again I am so shocked that I get asked to do reviews. And even better, I come across some pretty amazing stuff and this was definitely one of them. This was a 96 page short story that was satisfying from beginning to end.

Risking Eternity follows a cop named Hayden. She is on the case of the murder of a teenage prostitute who was killed and left in front of a church. Thing is the girl was drained of blood and she had puncture holes in her neck. Hayden doesn’t believe in vampires (or anything supernatural because of her conning mother), but she has a feeling that is what killed the girl. Valentin needs Hayden to help him without her thinking he is the murderer of the young girls around town. She is suspicious of him, but can’t help but trust him. For some reason, they have a connection that goes beyond the physical, but they have no time to explore it because there is a serial killer on the loose and they both have an agenda.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and gave me a glimpse of everything. Now, as most short stories do, we don’t have a complete story of everyone and everything. We do get some backstory on our main characters, but not enough. I still liked them though. But as I said, I usually expect short backgrounds from short stories. The plot was interesting. Valentin offers Hayden his help and info on the killer, but he has his own plans for Hayden where the killer is concerned. I loved how Haines used some history in this book. It really added another level to the plot. I won’t spoil it, but I think you will like it. It definitely makes the villain more relatable is a weird sense. I really liked the villain; he really played quite the part near the end of the book and made things extra difficult for Valentin. The man was the very definition of cunning.

My biggest complaint was Valentin. Well not much of a complaint, but he made me a bit angry. When we learn what he wanted Hayden for, it sort of pissed me off. He has an attraction to her, but he still sort of treats her like nothing, all for the sake of revenge. But there is something more going on with him because after he accomplishes what he wants, he plans to sleep for 100 years. So something big is coming, but we don’t know what yet. I guess he had to be cold. Still, he isn’t the nicest vampire in the world (that is a weird statement). I can’t wait to read what his story is because he obviously knows something and it scares him.

Overall, this is a great start to a series. There is much more to this story, but it is a prequel. So remember, it is just getting your feet wet. It flowed well and Haines is a fantastic writer. I both love and hate how this ended. I understand because Hayden truly needs to clear things up with her mother, but I also wanted that HEA. But I know there will be more to come and I am very excited for the sequel.

Rating:

Sharing Book Blogger Love: Sparkling Reviews $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

2012-01-06T18:10:00.000-05:00

Now in case you didn't know because of the very popular FALALALA Giveaway, she has been hacked by a bunch of idiots. But she didn't let that stop her, Sparkling Reviews is back with a new look and a new giveaway. So I am sharing some book blogger love with you guys. Head on over to Sparkling Reviews right now and enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. What book lover couldn't use one of those? I know I could, I literally have 20 tabs open as we speak, all books on Amazon I want. Don't ask questions. Link is below :)

http://www.sparklingreviews.com/2012/01/50-amazon-gift-card-giveaway.html

Read Along Tuesdays Discussion #1: Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neill

2012-01-04T00:08:00.000-05:00

Blurb courtesy of Supernatural Snark

Welcome to week one of the Some Girls Bite Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Books in the Spotlight, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of book one of Chloe Neill's outstanding Chicagoland Vampires urban fantasy series. Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! For all the details about the event and our grand prize giveaway, be sure and check out the introductory post HERE.

I'm the lucky host this week, so if you're participating, please be sure to link up your discussion post for the first 4 chapters in the linky below and don't forget to check out Tina's blog for next week's questions for chapters 5-8.

January 3rd - Chapters 1-4 (Jenny at Supernatural Snark)
January 10th - Chapters 5-8 (Tina at Tina's Book Reviews)
January 17th - Chapters 9-12 (Rummanah at Books in the Spotlight)
January 24th - Chapters 13-15 + epilogue (Missie at The Unread Reader)
January 31st - Special guest post by Chloe Neill and our grand prize giveaway!

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Chapters 1-4 Discussion:

1) Let’s say tomorrow a “vampire manifesto” as Merit calls it runs in newspapers across the country announcing their existence. How do you think you would react? If you were hesitant to believe initially, what would it take to convince you they were real?

How would I react? Maybe a little shocked, but then I would get over it and become very curious. I would want to know how it all started, how they were able to keep it a secret for so long. I think given how popular vampires are now, I think they would be more accepted to be honest. I know I wouldn't be that hesitant.Then again, when faced with the reality of something people tend to freak out and that would be more scary to me than vampires making a real life appearance. People act stupid when they are scared. The real question is though; Would I try to create a PNR of my own? I think we know the answer to that.

2) Since being turned into a vampire means complete removal from your former life and a new job serving your House in some capacity, what do you think you would miss most about the life you live now?

Well I hope I would be like Merit, she still gets to be around her family. And as crazy as my family (including dog) drives me, I know I would miss them. I would miss them the most. But honestly, I would love a change. With the exception of my family, I would love a new life.

3) What are your first impressions of Merit and how she’s handling all the changes in her life?

I really love Merit. She sort of reminds me of myself (sorry, that sounded conceded). But she is a wise-ass. She always has a response to everything, even when she knows she shouldn't say something. But I also love that given what happened to her, she holds her chin up high. She was mad a little bit, but she toughed it out and didn't dwell on it. Breakdown for a second and then brush it off and do what you have to do. Really made me love and respect her.

4) When you first read the description of Ethan, what actor/model/person you know pops into your head as the perfect embodiment of him? Feel free to include pictures ;-)

Well once I saw Supernatural Snark choose Gabriel Aubry, I couldn't get the image out of my head. Aubry describes Ethan perfectly. Not to mention the book mentioning David Beckham, my brain bounced between the two. There are both sexy and just have a look about them that makes you want to stare. Also, they both look incredible in suits and that is basically Ethan's thing.

Tough choice, but I am a sucker for tattoos

5) Do you think Merit’s anger at Ethan himself, not the situation, is justified?

I think she is more angry at the fact that she is attracted to him. He made her who she is now and she feels like she should hate him for turning her life completely upside down. But she doesn't feel that way. She wants him. I don't think it is justified because as Ethan points out, he did save her life. She isn't that angry about the situation either. She just doesn't like rules and I think that has a lot to do with her God-awful father. Given how he is, I don't blame her for acting the way she does. She has been independent for so long since parenting was completely nonexistent in her house growing up. Now she is to be put under the wing of a master vampire who has turned her and she has known for only a couple of days? I really don't blame her at all. I would react the same way to be honest.

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Please be sure to visit Tina's Book Reviews next week for Chapters 5-8. I f you want to join the read along for this amazing book visit Supernatural Snark to sign up now. Hope to see you guys back here next week.

Book Trailer: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

Zeitghost Media is at it again. In case you have been leaving under a rock, Cinder by Marissa Meyer has become one of the most talked about books these past couple of months. And if you are like me and haven't been graced with an ARC, Zeitghost Media and Macmillan will be giving 25 blogs a chance to give booklovers a copy of this very popular book. So fingers crossed I am one of the blogs chosen. But until then, check out this amazing trailer and see what all the buzz is about.

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Blurb from Zeitghost Media

About Cinder:

Cinder: Book One in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…. Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

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Buy here:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Indiebound