Friday, July 29, 2011

Fresh Face Friday 7-29-11


Who: Angeline Kace

What: Descended by Blood

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. Thrown into a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it. 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

My 5 Rules of Reading

Lately I've noticed that it takes quiet a large amount of skill, and a particular set of rules, to read a book correctly.
Correctly? You might be asking. Well, let me put it this way, to truly be able to understand the characters, their emotions, and all that jazz, takes a considerable amount of concentration.

I've come up with these 5 reading rules to help maximize your reading experience:


#1. Make sure you know what you're reading

I can NOT tell you how many times I've picked up a book thinking it was a different one, then have become extremely disappointed when the hunky shirtless werewolf I was looking forward too turns out to be a pre-pubescent vampire with a high pitched voice. Very annoying...

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Dark Matter Heart (A Cor Griffin: Bloodsuckers Novel - #1) - By Nathan Wrann

Author: Nathan Wrann
Release Date:
Purchase Info: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

A new town.
A new school.
A new beginning.

Seventeen year-old Cordell Griffin and his mother move from Los Angeles to the Pacific Northwest to deal with his "allergies," and start a healthier new life. Cor has one goal: To blend in and be invisible. Unfortunately for him, no matter how far he goes, he can't run away from his secrets. Secrets about who he is. Secrets about why he's sick. And secrets about why so many people he meets end up dead, drained of blood.



 So, going into this book I was thinking that it might be a typical vampire read. Thankfully I was wrong.
Yes, Cor prefers to come out at night.
Yes, he has to drink blood to live.
But he's not 100% sure that he actually IS a vampire, and that's what I loved!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Artist Spotlight: Regina Wamba


Meet digital & cover artist, Regina Wamba!



Q: How long have you been doing photography & cover art?

AI have been doing photography for probably like 8 years now, but recently been it’s been taking off in more than just a hobby doing models, families, seniors and weddings. Cover art and graphic design.. well I have been doing graphic design for 5 years, and cover art and digital art is something I taught myself in 2011, originally it stems from being a traditional artist with paints, charcoal, pastels, etc. I wanted to find something similar to painting and drawing, and found that with digital art, which now is turning into a passion doing cover art for authors! J

(A glimpse of Regina's work is pictured above)

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Damned Book Tour is almost here!


Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie's book tour for, Damned, the second book in the Crusade Series, is about to kick off! EEEEKK!

I am beyond excited, and honored, to be able to host a stop in this tour as well. So I have attached a few links and extras to share with you all so you can properly prepare for this amazing event!

Fresh Face Friday 7-22-11


Who: K.A. Tucker

What: Anathema

Evangeline has spent her teenage years in obscurity. Her foster parents have the emotional aptitude of robots and her classmates barely acknowledge her existence. About to turn eighteen and feeling like a social pariah, she is desperate to connect with someone. Anyone.

When Evangeline meets Sofie after literally stumbling upon her cafĂ©, she believes she’s found that connection. Willing to do anything to keep it, she accepts a job as Sofie’s assistant and drops everything to fly to Manhattan, where she is thrust into a luxurious world of Prada, diamonds, and limitless cash.

With such generosity and kindness, it’s easy for Evangeline to dismiss certain oddities . . . like Sofie’s erratic and sometimes violent behavior, and the monstrous guard dogs. She’s even willing to dismiss her vivid dreams of mob-style murders, beautiful homeless people living in caves, and white-eyed demons that haunt her each night as figments of her imagination—especially when one of those figments is the gorgeous Caden.
When she wakes up with bite marks on her neck, the fairy tale quickly turns into a nightmare. She slowly unravels the mystery surrounding Sofie and friends, and the reality of the bites and the “dreams.” What she discovers is far more mysterious and terrible than anything she could have imagined.

In a world where everyone has motive to lie for personal gain, Evangeline must decide which deception is least likely to get her killed.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Cover Whore...ohhhhhhh, pretty....

It's that time again peeps!

You know, where I sit here and do exactly what I'm not suppose to do, judge a book by it's cover....

Oh well, here I go:


Eventide - By Elle Jasper
Falling in line with the rest of the series, book #3 in the Dark Ink
Chronicles is gorgeous!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Fresh Face Friday 7-15-11


Who: Nicholas Denmon

What: For Nothing: An Upstate New York Mafia Tale

Undercover cop Alex Vaughn goes deeper than ever into the organized crime family of Buffalo, NY. Motivated by justice and revenge, he seeks out the assassin that laid his friend Jack low.

Professional killer Rafael Rontego traverses the deadly politics of Buffalo’s mafia underbelly. In a city whose winter can be just as deadly as those wielding power, Rontego tries to stay ahead of the game.

Their two worlds collide in this epic thriller that takes the reader on a search for self, justice, and truth.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Anathema (The Casual Enchantments - Book #1) - K.A. Tucker

Author: K.A Tucker
Series Name: The Casual Enchantment
Release Date: 5/27/2011
Purchase Info: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Evangeline has spent her teenage years in obscurity. Her foster parents have the emotional aptitude of robots and her classmates barely acknowledge her existence. About to turn eighteen and feeling like a social pariah, she is desperate to connect with someone. Anyone.

When Evangeline meets Sofie after literally stumbling upon her cafĂ©, she believes she’s found that connection. Willing to do anything to keep it, she accepts a job as Sofie’s assistant and drops everything to fly to Manhattan, where she is thrust into a luxurious world of Prada, diamonds, and limitless cash.

With such generosity and kindness, it’s easy for Evangeline to dismiss certain oddities . . . like Sofie’s erratic and sometimes violent behavior, and the monstrous guard dogs. She’s even willing to dismiss her vivid dreams of mob-style murders, beautiful homeless people living in caves, and white-eyed demons that haunt her each night as figments of her imagination—especially when one of those figments is the gorgeous Caden. When she wakes up with bite marks on her neck, the fairy tale quickly turns into a nightmare. She slowly unravels the mystery surrounding Sofie and friends, and the reality of the bites and the “dreams.” What she discovers is far more mysterious and terrible than anything she could have imagined.

In a world where everyone has motive to lie for personal gain, Evangeline must decide which deception is least likely to get her killed.


Friday, July 8, 2011

Fresh Face Friday 7-8-11


Who: Karsten Knight

What: Wildefire

Ashline Wilde never received an instruction manual on how to be a 16-year-old Polynesian volcano goddess. If she had, it might have contained helpful warnings such as:

• Dreaming about your (thankfully) mortal boyfriend may cause your bed to spontaneously combust
• Oven mitts should be worn at all times during heavy make-out sessions

Instead, Ash has to learn these life lessons the hard way as her dormant powers erupt at the most awkward times. In the wake of a hometown tragedy, Ash transfers to Blackwood Academy, a boarding school nestled in California’s redwoods, where a group of fellow gods-on-earth have mysteriously convened. As if sophomore year couldn’t get any worse, her storm goddess older sister, the wild and unpredictable Eve, resurfaces to haunt Ashline. With a war between the gods looming over Blackwood, Ash must master the fire smoldering within her before she clashes with her sister one final time, which leads us to life-lesson #3:
 
• When warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.
 

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Dragon Bound - By Thea Harrison

Series Name: A Novel of the Elders
Release Date: 5/3/2011

A Fiery Temper is Not Easily Extinguished

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

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


I swear this book is the magical love child that came from a brief fling between J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood & Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series!! (and I'm completely smitten with it)

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Determined: Step #1

As I had said before, I want to start taking notes while I read. Just so I am able to stream line the review thought process a little better and remember some of the little things that I enjoyed.

Well here's a sneak peek of how it went with the last book I just finished, Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison......



 I read most of it at work and didn't have my note book so I wasn't able to take as many notes as I wanted, but these will still help me with the reviewing process!


Friday, July 1, 2011

Fresh Face Friday 7-1-11


Who: Jenn Bennett

What: Kindling the Moon

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sex magick and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.