Saturday, April 30, 2011

Book Review: Green-Eyed Demon

Green-Eyed Demon

By:  Jaye Wells

Publisher:  Orbit Books

Publish Date:  February 2011

Format:  Paperback, 376pgs pocketbook size

Genre:  Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Series:  Book 3 of Sabina Kane series:  Book 1 ~ Red-Headed Stepchild, Book 2 ~ The Mage in Black, Short Story (can be before bk 3) ~ Violet Tendencies

Recommendation:  Oh hell Yeah!!! On kick butt Vampire, and she has really come a long way from book one with her friends, and family. AMAZING plot, action, humor, and characters all in one place!

Book Synopsis:
Things To Do:
1.)  Rescue sister from kidnappers
2.)  Take on leader of entire vampire race
3.)  Survive

The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane.  With her sister taken by mysterious captors, the Dark Races on the brink of war and a sinister order manipulating everyone behind the scenes, she's really got her work cut out.

Using information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks - the sexy mage Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, the Mischief Demon - head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister.  Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and, perhaps most frightening of all, humans.

But before Sabina can save those she cares about, she's got to save herself from the ghosts of her former life.  Because the past is haunting her.  Literally.

First Sentence:
On my extensive list of enemies, the top two spots belonged to Lavinia Kane and time.

My Thoughts and Summary:
SPOILERS for previous 2 books present.

Three days after The Mage in Black where the big battle had taken place and Maisie is now missing, kidnapped, and only just a few short days after Violent Tendencies, we pick up with Sabina having her own kidnapping in mind.  We find out there is more than just saving Maisie involved.  There's politics mixed in between the different races due to the war coming and Sabina's not good with politics.  Will this affect the rescue of Maisie?  Will this stop the war from coming or plunge all the races head first into it?  Sabina works with Adam and Giguhl to find her sister but does she have to work with them to save her sister, or does she need to go it alone...

First off I'm going to start with saying I L-O-O-O-V-E-D this book.  I love the characters, Adam, Sabina, Giguhl, and the new ones we meet too.  I loved the action.  I loved the humor that made me laugh out loud and read sections two or three times to enjoy them again!  And the story has depth and perfect direction.  All great things, but when they are mixed together so perfectly... end result, a great book to enjoy and not be able to put down.  Jaye Wells has jumped to the top of my favorites list.

So, after that paragraph do you still need me to go on?  Okay, I will. :)

The plot had a depth to it to give us a story to read and get into where people could double cross each other with their own plans of their own regarding the issue of War between the races.  And you might be surprised who's on what side.  The story also has more going on with Cain and Lilith and the possibilities of so much more with them.  Things of future works, I hope. ;) We get to visit different places; Los Angels, the Seelie Court, and New Orleans.

The book starts right into the action and doesn't easy up.  If there is a moment of no action, we are learning something important to go with the plot, but then dive right back into the action again.  Every section takes advantage of the words used.  No section is dragged out but perfect lengths to give you the humor, action, and information and on to the next.  Jaye also does a great job of updating us with past events in the beginning of the book, so if there is a time between reading the last book you will have no troubles with being refreshed.

The characters... Sabina has grown so much for and through this book, as compared to where she started.  She still has a tough streak, which I hope she never losses, but she has started to let others in, and accept it.  We have Giguhl, Sabina's minion, and he shows a softer side at times in this book.  Then we have the hot and sexy, love potential for Sabina, Adam.  And we get a full book with him.  He is one great character.

I will definitely be looking for Silver-Tongued Devil January 2012!


I purchased this book for my own enjoyment

This book qualifies for the Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Flash Fiction Friday (4)


Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take.

I have to thank Blodeuedd at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell for introducing me to this fun meme. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with every week, but I'll give it a try from time to time.

The Image this week:


Zartha stood beside her newly gifted mount looking over the cliffs.  The mountainous steed stomped and the horn on his head sparkled in the minimal moon light as he thrashed his head.  With the small sliver of moon at its furthest point away from the world, the shadows stretched long and hard this night.  Zartha closed her eyes, turning her head sideways to hear, smell, and sense within what was around them.  She knew they where trapped at the edge of the cliffs but she wouldn't go without a fight.  Slowly letting her inner sight take over, they delicately slid back from the cliff.  Quietly Zartha pulled an arrow from her quiver over her shoulder and niched an arrow in her elegantly carved longbow, feeling them creeping closer to her.

Zartha felt a change in the energy next to her.  Pulling her senses back to her from the dreary and dying forest to feel what was happening.  Where they upon her already?  What was wrong with her loyal steed next to her?  Then she gasped and opened her eyes as she couldn't believe the feeling she felt.

There in front of her, he stood.  How could she have not known.  She was surprised when the elves gave her the unicorn freely.  Sure she had helped them fight in the deadly battle wondering if that was a price to pay for such a sacred creature, but nothing was ever free.  Zartha stood frozen, unbelieving of the sight before her.  He moved to her gracefully in just two steps.  He had caught her hand as if fell from the bow, turning it with her bruised and battered palm to his face.  His feather soft lips grazed across the sensitive inside of her wrist.  His other arm was around her waist pulling her in.  Her hips fell first as she melted into his embrace.

As she leaned against him they broke through the tree line behind her.  Jumping from her dreamy state Zartha couldn't move fast enough.  She had dropped her bow and arrow in her trance.  She tried to crotch low, to grab her knife and ready to lung at her attackers.  But, he pulled her close and turned to the attackers. 

They stumbled to a stop, "Lord Karneth, we are sorry. Sir"  And they where down on their knees as you would before your king.  "We did not know you."

He turned to them calmly and his deep voice vibrated through the air with knowing, "Yes.  Go start camp."

As the filthy men morphed back to their wolf forms to find a suitable camp for their ruler Karneth turned to Zartha drawing her in to him and leaning to kiss her with those soft ruby red lips, but she regained some realism in her mind and pushed back from him.

Karneth looking hurt and questioning.  He asked, "Did you not come to find me, my love."

Zartha answered with disbelieve and anger, "Yes, but you're with them!" pointing back toward the tree line the wolves vanished into.  "They tried to kill me..."

Before she could finish he pulled her close kissing her to quiet her before an outrage.  Then when he pulled away he whispered, "Shhh.  Follow me.  We can escape now."

Karneth turned, bent to pick up Zartha's bow and arrow, and off they went the opposite direction as the wolves into the dark shadows of the forest.

Looking Forward To...(50)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Another Kind of Dead
Dreg City #3
By:  Kelly Meding
Due Out:  July 26, 2011

I've read the first two books in this series and really enjoyed the world and characters created here.  And I'm really looking forward to the third one coming out!  This take on the main character, Evy, having died and coming back in a new body, with the help of her lover and handler.  I'm very curious to see what new fae or creatures we will meet and where the story will go from here. :)

If you are curious about the series I have reviews of the first two books:

And Kelly Meding has been posting snippets of the third book on her blog:

Are you convinced about getting into this series yet?  Well, here's the cover and description for the third one.  Hope it convinces you. :)

Goodreads Synopsis:
She can heal her own wounds. She can nail a monster to a wall. But there’s one danger Evangeline Stone never saw coming. 

Been there. Done that. Evy Stone is a former Dreg Bounty Hunter who died and came back to life with some extraordinary powers. Now all but five people in the world think she is dead again, this time for good—immolated in a factory fire set specifically for her. Evy and Wyatt, her partner/lover/friend, can no longer trust their former allies, or even the highest echelons of the Triads—the army of fighters holding back from an unsuspecting public a tide of quarreling, otherworldly creatures—they can trust only each other. Because when the Triads raided a macabre, monster-filled lab of science experiments and hauled away the remnants, they failed to capture their creator: a brilliant, vampire-obsessed scientist with a wealth of powerful, anti-Dreg weaponry to trade for what he desires most of all—Evy Stone: alive and well, and the key to his ultimate experiment in mad science.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Cover Release

So, I've read the first two books in the Dreg City series by Kelly Meding and have really enjoyed them.  Now here is some great news!  Kelly has a new series due out: Metawars.  And she just shared the cover on her blog today!

I have to say Kelly keeps winning the cover drawing with these amazing looking books she has!  Looks great and powerful!  And sounds oh so good!

If you would like to read Kelly's post on her blog, CLICK HERE.

Trance
By:  Kelly Meding
Due Out:  October 25, 2011
Book Description:
Kelly Meding’s war-ravaged Los Angeles is ground zero for the ultimate Meta human showdown in this sexy, action-packed new series. 

Fifteen years ago, Teresa “Trance” West was a skilled telepath and a proud member of the Ranger Corps. But ever since the Rangers were inexplicably rendered powerless at the climax of the devastating Meta War, she’s bounced from one dead-end job to another. Now her powers have reappeared just as mysteriously as they vanished— only they’re completely transformed and more potent than ever. And they’re threatening to destroy her.

Trance heads to Los Angeles to track down the surviving Rangers and discover who restored her powers—and why—but a phantom enemy is determined to kill them before they can reassemble. As they dodge his deadly attacks and come to terms with their new role as heroes, Trance and the rest of the team set out to annihilate the sinister madman . . . only to discover their own powers are his greatest weapons.

Summer's Crossing Description!

So, yesterday Julie Kagawa and Harlequin Teen shared the cover of Summer's Crossing, the next novella to become available June 1, 2011 in the Iron Fey Series.

Well, today the description is available!  And sounds wonderful!!!

A Midsummer's Nightmare?Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Blog Book Chat (12)...

Here we are! Are you feeling like a little Green?  Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells that is. ;) I hope many of you will join us in this chat.

I'm thrilled to finally be posting this post.  There is so much to talk about with this great book.  So many happenings, and thoughts for me.

If you have not read the book, please be warned there will be SPOILERS in the comments, and maybe considered so in the starting questions too.

Here are a few questions to get us started, but we will chat on just about anything you throw in the mix in the comments.

Robyn's Questions:
1.)  Did you keep waiting for Adam to find out the truth about Slade?
2.)  No more owl.  Are you disappointed?  We had gotten so use to seeing it and now it's no longer there.
3.)  Were you surprised to see David?  He seemed such a minor character and he comes back.  Do you think he'll be mentioned again?
4.)  Was I the only one who wanted to scream, NOOOOOOOOOOO, when Maisie killed Adam but let out a sigh of relief in the end?  Or maybe I was the only one who wanted to write Jay and go, why did you do that ???????? lol

Melissa's Questions:
1.)  There seems to be a threat of Cain coming back for Sabina.  Do you think he will?
2.)  What do you think of the evolution of Sabina's character from the beginning of the books until now?
3.)  How about Lilith herself sending David to help Sabina.  Did you see her being involved?  Your thoughts on her helping Sabina?

Throwback Thursday (13)

Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;
Looking Forward To...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves?
Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start? Lets go by Published Date on the books...

This Week:

This one I found on the sale table at Borders on one of my weekly visits.  And even though its a young adult book I thought it sounded interesting to me.  So, I had to get it for the low price it was.  But, then I really started taking off on the blog and haven't been able to get to it.

Goodreads Synopsis:
When his brother is exiled from the Nomana without any explanation, sixteen-year-old Seeker sets off on a journey to rescue him--and to find out what really happened. Along the way, he meets two other young people who are on quests of their own, and in a shocking turn of events, the three are soon caught up in a harrowing and bloody race to save the Nomana--and themselves--from destruction.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Cover Release

Many of you know I'm currently reading the Iron Fey series, starting with Iron King.  Well, I think I'm hooked on this quick YA read.  It's nice and refreshing on the fey side of things.  And I was always a big fan of Midsummer Night's Dream.  So, this is a little pleasure for me.

But, on to the main reason for this post.  I just saw on Twitter that Harlequin Teen has just released the cover of the ebook novella Summer's Crossing.  Keep in mind this book will be free in e-format starting June 11th.

Summer's Crossing
Due Out:  June 1, 2011

I have to say I love how these all keep a resemblance to them in a series.

I joined another Giveaway Hop!

Thank you both for hosting this one!

This Runs May 25th throu May 31st

I have an idea of what book to give away during this giveaway. :) I have a signed copy sitting here just waiting...

So, remember to stop back you in May for the Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop!

Who? What? Where? (16)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )
I'm moving this post from Thursdays to Wednesdays as I have another idea for Thursdays.

I'm with Elizabeth Larson, in an old retired theater for a meeting with humans who seem to be wanting to talk about buying and sharing land in the fey world.  But, somethings wrong with the look on these people's faces and now Stan knows our real name... which we never gave!

A Moth in Darkness
By Frances Pauli

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Book Review: Road Trip of the Living Dead

Road Trip of the Living Dead

By:  Mark Henry

Publisher:  Kensington Books

Publish Date:  March 2009

Format:  Paperback 307pgs, pocketbook size

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  2nd book in Amanda Feral series; Book 1~Happy Hour of the Damned

Recommendation:  If you enjoyed the snatchy humor of Amanda in Happy Hour of the Damned you should try this one as well!  All while on the road.
Book Synopsis:
With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy sidekick Gil, celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is ready to take a big bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife.  But what's a zombie chick to do when her "Mommie Dearest" gets sick?  If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it.

Packing their stiletto pumps and plasma into a sketchy rat-trap on wheels that used to be a Winebago, Amanda, Wendy, and Gil hit the highway.  Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop, and an unsightly horde of Kmart shoppers.  But for this glamorous gang of ghouls, this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning...

First Sentence:
Gil brought lawn chairs to the cemetery - not stylish Adirondacks, not even semi-comfortable camp chairs (the ones with those handy little cup holders).

My Thoughts and Summary:
We are six months after the end of Happy Hour of the Damned, and everyone has pretty much moved on since the zombie outbreaks.  Gil has started his own Resurrection business, making money turning people undead.  While waiting for a client of Gills, recently deceased wealthy-rich man, to rise from the grave Amanda mentions to Wendy and Gil she received a call from her mothers hospice care nurse saying her mother is in ending stages of stomach cancer.  With the rising of the new vampire things start to go seriously wrong.  A ghost who hates vampires does something to the newly birthing vampire as he is breaking from the earth.  Markham is now pissed (ha ha...) and wants a refund and threatens to kill Gil.  But Gil hopes a few days away will calm him to the point of talking and not killing.  Leaving town for a road trip to Amanda's mom's, the crew goes ~ some wanting and willing, and one dreading it.

Oh this road trip is a tragic comedy of events.  But we are with a group of meat eating undead here and there are crazy happenings with the crew as they are chased through the country to Amanda's dieing moms.  Fun.  As the trip starts off as a way to get away from troubles awaiting in town, the start to think they might be being followed.  But then when they think they've lost their stalkers other events take place and we meet new characters that being a new twist to the story and new destination stops in the road trip.  All stops end in a wild happening.  And the humor like in Happy Hour.

We learn more of Amanda's upbringing through her memories of her mom while meeting new characters that fit, and don't fit, into the group.  There are new men and women.  And each finds their own place here, if they have one.  Amanda is the great sassy character I remembered her to be.  Wendy seemed to be not as active for me in this book.  But we do meet some new characters which I enjoyed, Honey and Scott.  I love the connections the feel with a few of the characters.  Nice! But, there's a murder mystery too!  Not knowing who is doing the murders and working on the suspects.  So, who is killing these people?  Which ones will end up lunch meat?  You'll have to read to find out.


I purchased this book of my own accord for my reading pleasure.


This book qualifies for the Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Teaser Tuesday (72)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event
Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:
Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)
Open the book to any random page.
Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page
Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!
(Don't Give Too Much Away)
Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

He found her trail easily and followed it into the trees.  He approached the ring without her notice and stopped dead.  Liz knelt at the circle's edge holding some kind of handkerchief.  It looked used up, but she kept folding and unfolding it.

A Moth in Darkness
By:  Frances Pauli
92 pg

Monday, April 25, 2011

Monday's Beginnings (87)

Well, it's Monday...

How are you faring at the beginning of this week?  Are you starting a new book or finishing one up?

I'm working on trying to read for Spring's Serenity Read-a-thon this week, and well... it's not starting off to well.  I went to lunch with the boss, which was nice, except I didn't get any reading done on lunch hour and broke another tooth.  Yep, lovely.  But, I'm hoping the week will get better with reading.  At least over the weekend anyway.  We will be celebrating my son's 12th birthday, but I'm hoping if he has friends over they will keep each other occupied and leave me to my books.  Hoping!

Well, with Easter past I had a wonderful reading weekend ~ to my surprise!  Work was kind enough to give us half a day Friday, and I spent the rest of the day reading Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells.  I was surprised, but with the hour drive to visit one family member I was able to get my husband to drive both ways so I could read. :) I got lucky, usually I take one way and he the other.

Books I Finished:
   Violet Tendencies by Jaye Wells ~ This is a short story by Jaye Wells that fits right before Green-Eyed Demon.  I really enjoyed this one and it was a great lead into Green-Eyed Demon.
   Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells on Friday.  I'll be working on this review, and don't forget we will be chatting on this book starting April 28th!  You can see the post schedule HERE.

Currently Reading:
   Iron King by Julie Kagawa  for chat on Twitter with some book friends.
   A Moth in Darkness by Frances Pauli for review.

Reviews Posted this past week:  (click title to jump over to read)
   Violet Tendencies by Jaye Wells
   Billibub Baddings and the Case of The Singing Sword by Tee Morris

Reviews to Work on this week:
   Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry
   Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells

As for my WANT list... oh, that can't be.  Hold on. I think I must have been in another world.  I didn't add any books!  That is not right.  I don't know what I did last week.  I did add 1 book to the Curious About list but that just doesn't feel right.  I'm going to have to look into that.

And I'm sorry as I didn't get to do my Flash Fiction last week.  It seemed a little off with the Easter weekend coming up.  But I will try to do one this week. :)  I do hope you are enjoying them as I'm enjoying writing them.

Books Received:
For Review:
This is a novella and sounds like a nice read.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Jasmine Na’Darod lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm. She never strayed far from home until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a terrible, sickening drought. 

When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine’s life forever. 

With her former life shrouded and forgotten, Jasmine embraces a new path granted by an unlikely stranger, who, ironically, practices the Art of death and undeath. 

As Jasmine is drawn to this enigma of a man, she soon realizes there is more to him than what she initially perceived — his true motives are beyond anything she could ever imagine… 

Deeply compelling and morbidly intriguing, The Necromancer’s Apprentice is a beautifully-narrated gothic fantasy with memorable characters. 


Once again, I'm on a book buying hiatus.  I need to really watch the spending money, so I'm going to TRY and take it easy.  Although, these authors are blowing the pocket book with all these amazing books they are writing. :)

Well, I'm hoping for a great reading week this week.  Hoping...

How are you looking so far this week?  Does it look like a good reading week for you?

Here's to wishing you all the best in words and pages.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Spring's Serenity Read-A-Thon

I signed up for a Read-A-Thon that's happening this week. 
It runs from April 25, 2011 through May 1, 2011.
The Read-A-Thon is hosted by:

If you would like to join up you can do so at any time, and you only read what you can.  No requirements, just a week dedicated to reading. :)

I'm not sure how much I will get done this week as I do work full time and have to work all week.  But, I'm hoping (key word... hoping) that I might be able to have a reading weekend at least.  I know we will be celebrating my son's birthday and he will be having friends over.  But with doing this I'm hoping they will all be occupied with each other and playing games now that they are getting older, he will be twelve.  So while they are playing the playstation and such, I'm hoping to get lost in a book.  We shall see...

But I hope to finish The Iron King this week and start A Moth in Darkness.  Maybe even get through A Moth in Darkness, if all works out well for me. ;)

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Book Review: Billibub Baddings

Billibub Baddings
And The Case of the Singing Sword

By:  Tee Morris

Publisher:  Dragon Moon

Publish Date:  October 2004

Format:  Paperback, 297pgs, 5 1/2" by 8 1/2"

Genre:  Fiction with splash of Fantasy

Series:  1st book in Billibub Baddings series

Recommendation:  If you enjoy mobster reads, and the feel of fantasy.

Book Synopsis:
It is The Era of Prohibition, where crime runs rampant in the streets and a city divided into territories serves as the ultimate prize.  Somewhere in this Underworld of Chicago, an enchanted weapon holds the key to ending The Gangland Wars.  In the wake of The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, only one is man enough to stand up against Al Capone...

...a four-foot-one dwarf named Billibub Baddings.

First Sentence:
Chicago, 1929.  There are a thousand stories in the naked city; and when you're a dwarf at four-foot-one, they all look that much taller.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Billibub Baddings is an ax yielding dwarf of Gryfennos who finds himself accidentally dropped into a library of the human world...of Chicago after falling into a portal.  He teaches himself the language and catches up on current events.  Along with the reading in the library to get to know the world he is now in, he enjoyed the fiction stories of Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes.  Then trying to figure out what work to do, he figured with his military skills as a dwarf and what he loved he would be a private investigator.  He's been here for a few years and doing okay in the business.  But this month is a slow month, thinking on making the call to an old associate to make a few extra bucks as dressing up as a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz.  But as he was readying himself to make the humiliating call, a tall woman from the prominent family in Chicago walks through the door with a case ~ wondering why her boyfriend is now deceased from a hit by whom they suspect, Al Capone.

I enjoyed this book as it was a new blend for me.  Our setting here is the late 1920's in Chicago during the mobster era of the big names; Al "Scarface" Capone and George "Bugs" Moran.  With a mystery detective take on the story.  But the best part was the blend of the fantasy world Billibub comes from.  Not only does Tee create a great feel for the late 1920's with the accents and particular words popular then, but he creates a whole fantasy realm through Billibub's metaphors and similes to his home world from his memories. 

I was really surprised how great these two worlds blended together.  These are two places I would never have thought to blend.  I have to say as I don't get to visit Billibub's world much as he is living in Chicago, but I would liked what pieces I did get of it and wished I could see more of it.  But, Billibub has created himself here in Chicago in a great way.  And all the short jokes, he takes with stride (most of the time).

I enjoyed the mystery/detective side of the story as well as it ends up being blended with the fantasy world as well.  Very nice take on this.  I have to say I enjoyed the piece on his ax and weapons.  This did bring a smile to my face the first time it was really approached in the story with the visitors in his office.  I know there is one other book with Billibub, and I'm curious to see if Tee comes out with more.

This is a book to read if you enjoy the 1920's or 1930's feel, mystery/detective storyline, with a grace of fantasy through the book and mystery itself.

If anyone is interested in podcast, there is an audio of this book available for you, HERE.
You can visit Tee Morris at his blog with links to his books, HERE.


I read this book for review.


This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Looking Forward To...(49)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Spectyr
By:  Philippa Ballantine
Due Out:  June 28, 2011

I have to say Philippa is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors lately.  I enjoyed the first book in the Book of Order series, Geist, I really enjoyed the mixture of a fantasy feel and paranormal feel to it.  I liked the magical connection the pairs have and the ruins as well.  This is an interesting connection with the three major characters.  Then I read Chasing the Bard and just loved it.  I'm really enjoying her writing style and the stories she has to tell.

If your curious about Geist, you can read my review HERE.
And Philippa was wonderful in her blog post on Chicken or the Egg - What comes first, world building or character building, HERE.

But the next book is:
Goodreads Synopsis:
Though one of the most powerful Deacons, Sorcha Faris has a tarnished reputation to overcome, which is why she jumps at the chance to investigate a string of murders in the exotic city of Orithal. But it is there that her lover, the shapeshifting rival to the throne, is targeted by a cruel and vengeful goddess, unwittingly unleashed by the Emperor's sister.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Blog Book Chat (13)...Schedule

We have our next book all picked out and ready to go.  We have been sticking to the series we already have started in these chats, so this book was a given when it recently hit the shelves.  We have become a big fan of the author and the series and were greatly looking forward to this one.

So what book is it!?

Shady Lady
By Ann Aguirre
I'd spent my whole life settling, trying not to attract attention, and generally doing whatever it took to keep other people happy. I didn't want to do that again. Not when I was finally comfortable in my own skin. Sure, there were certain challenges, like a drug lord who wanted me dead, and the fact that I owed a demon a debt that he could call due at any moment. But everybody's got problems, right?

Whenever Corine Solomon touches an object, she immediately knows its history. But her own future concerns her more and more. Now back in Mexico, she's running her pawnshop and trying to get a handle on her strange new powers, for she might need them. And soon.

Then former ally Kel Ferguson walks through her door. Heavily muscled and tattooed, Kel looks like a convict but calls himself a holy warrior. This time, he carries a warning for Corine: the Montoya cartel is coming for her--but they don't just pack automatic weapons. The Montoyas use warlocks, shamans, voodoo priests--anything to terminate trouble. And Corine has become enemy number one...


Schedule:
From what we've heard of this book and the anticipation we have for this book, we have decided to read it in two weeks.  I'm thinking this is another one we wont want to stop reading...
Stop 1 ~ May 12, 2011 ~ page 154, end of Chapter: Where Fire Eats the Sky
Stop 2 ~ May 19, 2011 ~ end of Book

Blog Book Chat (11)...Final Stop!

We have come to the end of our Road Trip with Amanda Feral and her friends.  So, now that we have recouped from the trip come chat with us on the book as a whole.  Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry.

Just a warning there will be SPOILERS in the comments and possibly in the questions if you have not read the book yet.

Robyn is hosting the chat this week at her blog, The Bookoholic Zone.  Jump over there and start chatting!

Throwback Thursday (12)

Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;
Looking Forward To...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves?
Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start?  Lets go by Published Date on the books...

This Week:

I won this book and the second book of the series last year.  And they sound like great reads.  He is one y'ugly lookin' zombie man, but the book sounds like a great dark read.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Meet Matt Richter. Private eye. Zombie.

His mean streets are the city of the dead, the shadowy realm known as Nekropolis. And in this first case, Richter must help a delectable half-vampire named Devona recover a legendary artifact known as the Dawnstone, before it’s used to destroy Nekropolis itself. That is, if he can survive the myriad horrors that infest the city itself.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Disillusionist Novella...

I've just received a newsletter from the author of Carolyn Crane on many items.  What, you don't get her newsletter!?  Well, what are you waiting for?  You get the inside digs for her books and stories in these newsletters.  Okay, okay.  Go to Carolyn's site and sign up for it.  Where?  Geez. ;) Okay, HERE is the link.  The link to sign up for the newsletter is on the right side of the page, just scroll down.  And while you are there, check out all she has going on.

Now on to the meaning of the post...

So, we are all waiting for the third book to come out in the Disillusionist trilogy.  It's coming, just it'll take a little while as it will be out in ebook format first then print format in 2012.  Be nice now, these authors have a lot of shiet to deal with in getting the books published.

But to hold us over just a little bit, Carolyn has a Novella coming out set in this world.  The novella is in a book of three total authors.  Almost kind of like a small anthology, I guess you could say.  Each story is about 15k - 20k words.

Now this novella timeline wise fits between Double Cross and the final book.  But Carolyn says it can be read before or after Mind Games, and before or after Double Cross.  So you should be good to read it any time and not have any part of the series ruined for you. :)  Curious about it now?

Here are the descriptions for you:

Due Out:  June 2011

Kitten-tiger & the Monk by Carolyn Crane - A Disillusionists novella: Sophia Sidway, Midcity's most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption...but it turns out that the Monk is not all that pious, and the turnpike is no turnpike at all.

Mina Wentworth and the Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook - An Iron Seas novella: Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth isn't pleased when she discovers that her new assistant is the prudish Constable Newberry. With a brutal murder to solve, the last thing she needs is to be shadowed by a disapproving bounder. But while the search for the killer puts their lives in danger, Constable Newberry faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Vixen by Jill Myles - A Midnight Liaisons novella: Miko's denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn't want to choose between both men...it wants them both.

Who? What? Where? (15)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )
I'm moving this post from Thursdays to Wednesdays as I have another idea for Thursdays.

I'm in the Seelie Court on my way to the Autumn Garden with Sabina and Giguhl to wait for Adam and the others since we aren't aloud in the Queens presence.  She's still pretty pissed at Sabina.  But, I'm really curious what results will come with the discussion with our hostage...

Green-Eyed Demon
By Jaye Wells

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Book Review: Violet Tendencies

Violet Tendencies

By:  Jaye Wells

Publisher:  Orbit Short Stories

Publish Date:  April 2011

Format:  Ebook, short story

Genre:  Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Series:  3.5 of Sabina Kane series; Book 1 ~ Red-Headed Stepchild, Book 2 ~ The Mage in Black

Recommendation:  Oh YES!  This is a great lead into Green-Eyed Demon.  And a little information on demons as well.

Synopsis:
Former assassin Sabina Kane heads to Los Angeles to find her kidnapped sister.  Helping her on the mission are her hot mage partner, her Mischief demon minion, and a Vanity demon named Valva.  The problem?  She's got to figure out how to find her sister without letting her enemies know she's back in town.  But when Sabina seeks out an old ally -- a vampire strip club owner named Fang -- for help, Sabina learns the hard way that Vanity demons don't know the meaning of the phrase "low profile."

First Sentence:
The Tit Crypt hadn't changed much over the years.

My Thoughts and Summary:
The day after the mess in the end of The Mage in Black, Sabina travels back to L.A. with Adam, Giguhl, and Valva to look for her kidnapped sister.  Sabina goes to an old friend she feels she can trust, an owner of a local vampire strip bar ~ Fang, looking for a place to crash undetected.  Trying to stay under the Dominae radar while the Dominae are circulating flyers with a bounty on her head for the "safe" return home to her Grandmother.  Valva, the vanity demon, spices things up some...

Even in this short story that was a quick read for me, Jaye had my attention the whole time and now has me pumped and ready to dive into Green-Eyed Demon.  There is the sarcastic humor of the characters mixed with action.  I have to say I did learn a few things in this read as well; as there are two different types of demons and more on Valva the Vanity demon.  I really do enjoy reading about Sabina more too.  She seems to be softening up to her friends now that she has accepted them as such.

This short story is a great lead into Green-Eyed Demon.  It can be read after Green-Eyed Demon, but is the lead into the story from The Mage in Black.


I purchased this story for my own enjoyment.

This review qualifies for the Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.