Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings

I haven't had very much time to read this past week, much to my dismay but I have been skipping around in The Eternal Kiss when I can. So far, most of the stories I've read are pretty enjoyable, a couple I didn't care to much for. I still have several more to get through before I can form a opinion of the anthology as a whole.

Today, we'll be traveling to help take some stuff for my son to UNT for the fall semester, and I don't have to do any of the driving, so I'm going to throw myself into Retribution.

Retribution by Jeanne C. Stein
Book 5, Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Can you believe this, Borders had one copy of Retribution on it's shelves on Friday night!! I was going to cancel my pre-order to Amazon and order this from B&N since they were shipping early a week ago but I decided to wait because I knew I couldn't read it this past week. But when I seen this at Borders I couldn't resist. Temptation at it's finest.

Book Burb from Amazon.com

With her partner out of town, her family abroad, and her mentor estranged, newly-turned vampire Anna Strong is keeping a low profile.

But now young vampires are turning up dead, completely drained of their life force. And though Anna wants to say no when Williams, her former teacher and now leader of a supernatural enforcement squad, asks for her help, she can't. But soon, she'll wish she did.

Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
Book 2, Alpha and Omega Series
Release Date: August 25, 2009

While picking up some last minutes items for my son's dorm at Walmart I found Hunting Ground. I was very surprise to say the least about finding this book there this past Saturday.

Book Blurb from Amazon.com:

Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son -and enforcer -of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles's reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer -or Charles will take the fall.

Staked by J.F. Lewis
Book 1, Void City Series

I won this lovely book and Norse Code in the August Contest from Anna at Anna's Book Blog. Thank you Anna!!

Book Burb from Amazon.com

UNREPENTANT. UNIMPRESSED.AND TOTALLY UNDEAD.

Eric's got issues. He has short-term and long-term memory problems; he can't remember who he ate for dinner yesterday, much less how he became a vampire in the first place. His best friend, Roger, is souring on the strip club he and Eric own together. And his girlfriend, Tabitha, keeps pressuring him to turn her so she can join him in undeath. It's almost enough to put a Vlad off his appetite. Almost.

Eric tries to solve one problem, only to create another: he turns Tabitha into a vampire, but finds that once he does, his desire for her fades -- and her younger sister, Rachel, sure is cute. And when he kills a werewolf in self-defense, things really get out of hand. Now a pack of born-again lycanthropes is out for holy retribution, while Tabitha and Rachel have their own agendas -- which may or may not include helping Eric stay in one piece.

All Eric wants to do is run his strip club, drink a little blood, and be left alone. Instead, he must survive car crashes, enchanted bullets, sunlight, sex magic, and werewolves on ice -- not to mention his own nasty temper and forgetfulness.

Because being undead isn't easy, but it sure beats the alternative.

Norse Code by Greg van Eekhout

This looks to be a stand alone. I couldn't find any information on whether this book was part of a series or not.

Book Burb from Amazon.com

Is this Ragnarok, or just California?

The NorseCODE genome project was designed to identify descendants of Odin. What it found was Kathy Castillo, a murdered MBA student brought back from the dead to serve as a valkyrie in the Norse god’s army. Given a sword and a new name, Mist’s job is to recruit soldiers for the war between the gods at the end of the world—and to kill those who refuse to fight.

But as the twilight of the gods descends, Mist makes other plans.

Journeying across a chaotic American landscape already degenerating into violence and madness, Mist hopes to find her way to Helheim, the land of the dead, to rescue her murdered sister from death’s clutches. To do so, she’ll need the help of Hermod, a Norse god bumming around Los Angeles with troubles of his own. Together they find themselves drafted into a higher cause, trying to do what fate long ago deemed could not be done: save the world of man. For even if myths aren’t made to be broken, it can’t hurt to go down fighting…can it?

Demon Dreamer by Vivi Anna

I won this novella over at Lauren Dane's blog during her Laid Bare with Flair Contest. Isn't the cover just gorgeous?

Book Burb from Samhain Publishing

Submission is the only path to his salvation…

A Captive Souls story.

Born a seer, Kiara Brodie has always been feared for her power to see others’ fantasies. She’s fine with that—it keeps the men of her Irish Gypsy caravan at bay. She wants more than this transient life. A letter from her estranged father, summoning her to Louisiana, could be her long-awaited chance to put down roots.

She finds two half-sisters she never knew she had, and an old mansion haunted by a darkly sexy demon who inhabits her dreams. At night he whispers to her of carnal delight, enticing her on a journey of extreme pleasure—and pain.

Malvo knows just what to do with the curious woman who wandered into his lair behind the library bookcase—lock the door behind her and make her a lustful proposition she can’t refuse. He seeks to temporarily ease his lonely torment, but Kiara’s willing and wanton response opens his eyes to the possibility that she is his path to his own salvation.

If only she is willing to remain captive to his every sinful desire—forever…

Warning: Contains every sinful fantasy you have ever secretly entertained—including some of the deadly ones. Being bad was never oh, so good!