2010 Will be a Year of Milestones & Goals

GoalsThis will probably be my final post for 2009. I had thought about reflecting on 2009 but instead I'd rather spotlight what's coming for me in 2010.

In milestones, 2010 will mark for me (The OCD in me likes that the last 3 are divible by 5 *grins*):

  • 1 year of blogging
  • 10 years of marriage
  • 15 years working for the same company
  • 20 years being a mother

Goals. I want the year of 2010 to be a year of accomplishments and satifaction in my everyday life.

  • Find my own blogging pace and write more book reviews. I'll be aiming for quality and not quantity in my blog posts.
  • Get back into an exercise routine, it’s been nearly a year since I’ve been to the gym. <— So NOT good for my borderline high blood pressure. Also excercise ups the energy level, which means more can be done, not to mention the feeling of accomplishment. I'm actually looking forward to the excercise burn!
  • Spend more time in the real world and less time online. Okay, that statement sounds ominous but it isn't. I will still be online, surfing the wonderful blogs out there—only I'll be limiting my time. I think Colleen Lindsey sums up what I've been thinking best, check out her post reflecting on this past year and the coming year. Colleen's post was a HUGE motivator for me on deciding my goals for 2010 because her words just made so much sense to me.

Well, that's it in a nutshell! Short and simple. What are you planning for 2010?

Category: 19 comments

Murder One Film Club Event: Ring in the New Year with Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder

For all of you lucky UK readers, Trisha Telep would like tell you about a fun opportunity to meet and catch a movie with Maria V. Snyder:


Ring in the New Year with Murder One Film Club and the first great fantasy-romance film night of 2010!

Sea Glass (UK) by Maria V. Snyder

Murder One presents an evening with Maria V. Snyder on Monday, January 18th. The bestselling author of the fabulous Study series will be signing the UK edition of her latest book Sea Glass (the second installment in her Glass series)*, followed by a Q&A and screening of her film pick Hero (starring Jet Li)**.

Signing starts at 6:30pm (doors open at 6pm: refreshments and snacks available); film starts at approx. 7:45pm at our new venue (a REAL cinema this time!):

Shortwave Cinema
10 Bermondsey Square
London
SE1 3UN
0207 357 6845
www.shortwavefilms.co.uk
(They are located just over Tower Bridge in South London, not far from London Bridge [Northern line] or Bermondsey [Jubilee line: this is the closest] underground stations.

Sea Glass (US) by Maria V. Snyder

Ticket price is the copy of the book (available in the UK on January 8th), or if you already have the previously published US edition of Sea Glass, any book of your choice of equivalent cost. Please email trisha@murderone.co.uk for more information.

Hope to see you there!
Trisha
Murder One


*Sea Glass
Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound ability to steal a magician's powers makes her too powerful. Ordered to house arrest by the Council, Opal dares defy them, traveling to the Moon Clan's lands in search of Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because she is sure another man now her prisoner has switched souls with Ulrick.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. She can't forget Kade, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn't want to let her get close. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain....

Hero starring Jet Li

**Hero
A group of assassins: Flying Snow, Broken Sword, and Long Sky, have sworn to kill the King of Qin. Nameless (Jet Li) comes to the royal capital to claim the reward offered for their defeat.

New Releases for Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, YA Paranormal & Science Fiction for the week of December 29, 2009

The publishers are ending 2009 with a bang in new book releases! There is a smorgasbord of book choices this week -- Have at it!


December 29, 2009

Half Past Dead by Zoe Archer and Bianca D'Arc

Half Past Dead by Zoe Archer and Bianca D'Arc
Paranormal Romance / Anthology

Summary:
The Undying Heart by Zoe Archer - Samuel Reed had no idea magic existed, until it almost destroyed him. Thirsting for vengeance against the enemy who made him something less than human, Sam returns to England and crosses paths with Cassandra Fielding. His best friend's little sister has become a fearless woman on a dangerous mission of her own. And against all odds, she sees past what he's become, and stirs a desire he thought he'd lost forever...

Simon Says by Bianca D'Arc - Special Forces soldier Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels three years ago, but he hasn't stopped protecting her. Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her clinic, or of the mysterious powers that make Simon the only one who can defeat them. But soon he'll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never faded.

- Reviewed by


My Zombie Valentine

My Zombie Valentine by Katie Macalister, Angie Fox, Lisa Cach, and Marianne Mancusi
Paranormal Romance / Anthology

Summary From Dorchester Publishing:
FOUR WOMEN ARE ABOUT TO DIG UP THE TRUTH

Tired of boyfriends who drain you dry? Sick of guys who stay out all night howling at the moon? You can do better. Some men want you not only for your body, but your brains. Especially your brains.

It’s true! There are men out there who care—early-rising, down-to-earth, indefatigable men who’ll follow you for miles. They’ll take the time to surprise you, over and over. One sniff of that perfume, and you’ll have to use a shotgun to fight them off. And then, once you get together, all they want is to share a nice meal. And another. And another.

Romeo and Juliet, eat your hearts out.

- Reviewed by


Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Book 7, Midnight Breed Series
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
In a frozen wilderness steeped in darkness, the lines between good and evil, lover and enemy, are never black or white but drawn in Shades of Midnight.

Something inhuman is stalking the frigid Alaskan wilds, leaving unspeakable carnage in its wake. For bush pilot Alexandra Maguire, the killings stir memories of a horrific event she witnessed as a child and evoke in her the inexplicable sense of otherness she has long felt within herself but never fully understood . . . until a darkly seductive stranger with secrets of his own enters her world.

Sent from Boston on a mission to investigate the savage attacks and stop the slaughter, vampire warrior Kade has his own reasons for returning to the frigid, forbidding place of his birth. Haunted by a secret shame, Kade soon realizes the stunning truth of the threat he faces–a threat that will jeopardize the fragile bond he has formed with the courageous, determined young woman who arouses his deepest passions and most primal hungers. But in bringing Alex into his world of blood and darkness, Kade must confront both his own personal demons and the even greater evil that could destroy all he holds dear.

- Reviewed by


Angelic

Angelic by Kelley Armstrong
Novella, Women of the Otherworld Series

Summary From Goodreads:
As a half-demon master of the dark arts, Eve Levine isn’t what anyone would call angelic. That’s exactly why the Fates chose her for the job. She’s their secret weapon against the forces of evil. However after five years, Eve is tired of being the designated rebel of the angel corps, expected to break the rules, then penalized for it. When the leaderless djinn stage an uprising, Eve sees the perfect chance to get herself fired. As she plunges deeper into the demon world, though, she realizes she’s in danger of losing a lot more than her job.

- Reviewed by


Heart's Blood by Gail Dayton

Heart's Blood by Gail Dayton
Book 2, Blood Magic Universe
Paranormal Romance / Fantasy / Steampunk

Summary:
Master conjurer Grey Carteret comes to in a London gutter next to a hovering street urchin and not far from the body of a man murdered by magic. Arrested for the crime, Grey must rely on the street urchin for help. But the lad turns out to be a lass and she wants something in exchange. She wants to become the conjurer's apprentice. Pearl Parkin wasn't always poor, and she sees magic as her way out of the life she now finds herself trapped in. But blackmailing Grey into making her his apprentice has unexpected consequences. As they plunge into the hunt for the murderer, Pearl discovers that the things she once desperately wanted are not so important after all, and that she must risk her blood, her heart, and her very life to grasp the love she needs.

- Reviewed by


Eternal Hunter by Cynthia Eden

Eternal Hunter by Cynthia Eden
Book 1, Night Watch Series
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
Cynthia Eden delves into the dark realms of the Others, where desires and dangerous games await the unsuspecting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Assistant DA Erin Jerome has a secret. Make that two. One: She's not entirely human-she's Other, desperately trying to keep her supernatural strength under wraps. Two: she's got a killer stalking her-an Other rogue set on "gifting" her bloody corpses, not to mention nights lying awake in terror. Small wonder she's been having bad luck with men.

But the bounty hunter on her new case isn't worried about any of that. Jude Donovan is a shapeshifter himself, and the new DA's midnight hair and addictive scent tell him all he thinks he needs to know: She's gorgeous, she's definitely not human, and she's bringing out the animal in him in a really good way. He might have to track a psychotic Other stalker through half of Louisiana. But he might also get the chance to watch Erin's wild side come out and play.

- Reviewed by


Street Game by Christine Feehan

Street Game by Christine Feehan
Book 8, Ghostwalker Series
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
Years ago, GhostWalkers Mack McKinley and Jaimie Fielding were lovers. Now they've been reunited on the violent streets by a ruthless common enemy who could destroy them both.

- Reviewed by


Hunting Julian by Jacquelyn Frank

Hunting Julian by Jacquelyn Frank
Book 1, The Gatherers
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
As a guardian for his colony, Julian Sawyer travels to Earth to bring back the Chosen - women who possess energy potent enough to help revitalize his people. The stunning, silver-clad beauty who strides into his club one night radiates a sensual magnetism unlike any he's encountered, and Julian realizes that Asia Callahan is not just Chosen, she is his kindra: his one true mate. For months, Asia has tracked the beautiful and mysterious Julian across the country, convinced that he's behind the disappearance of her sister and a dozen other women. She's prepared to believe he's a ruthless killer, but when she presents herself as bait, she discovers that the truth is far more shocking. Taken to a strange, hazardous realm she never knew existed, Asia will face the ultimate choice - between abandoning the life she's always known, and forsaking a passion as dangerous as it is powerful.

- Reviewed by


Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper

Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper
Book 3, Jane Jameson Series
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
UNEXPECTED UNDEAD
BREAK-UP

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson's sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow -- alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children's-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby...or litter. Step Three: Figure out who's been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath....

- Reviewed by


Deadtown by Nancy Holzner

Deadtown by Nancy Holzner
Urban Fantasy

Summary From Nancy Holzner:
They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders — but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…

Vicky’s demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that’s taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky’s love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown’s citizens.

But now Vicky’s got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston’s magical protections. The Hellion is a ruthless force of destruction with a personal grudge against Vicky, and she’s the only one who can stop the demon before it destroys the city and everyone in it.

- Reviewed by


Turned-Kenner

Turned by Julie Kenner
Book 3, The Blood Lily Chronicles
Urban Fantasy

Summary:
When Lily Carlyle died in an act of vengeance, she came back as an assassin for the light. But when she discovered her masters' true darkness, she decided to choose the right side for once...

Her own.

With her cover as a double agent inside the forces of evil blown, Lily has no choice but to go underground. She takes along a cadre of warriors: humans, angels, demons, and other trusted creatures. Their only hope is to stop the forces who are attempting to use the Ninth gate as a wedge that will unleash the fury of Hell.

- Reviewed by


Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz

Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 1, The Dreamlight Trilogy
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsessionfueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones. Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man's decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.

Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts-just the beginning, he believes-of the manifestation of the Winters family curse. The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster. But he can't do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp's dreamlight.

Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman. Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both. Danger surrounds them, and it doesn't take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp. And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.

- Reviewed by


Bound By Sin by Jenna Maclaine

Bound By Sin by Jenna Maclaine
Book 3, The Cin Craven Series
Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

Summary:
As the Civil War rages among mortal men, Cin Craven is locked in an epic battle of her own—fighting the renegade vampires whose unquenchable appetites she knows all too well. At her side are the immortal warriors of The Righteous—among them her husband, her lover, her soul-mate Michael. With a passion bordering on possession, Cin’s love for Michael knows no bounds. But when a ruthless plantation owner kidnaps Cin’s cousin, the most terrifying battle of all awaits.  Cin is drawn to the irresistible lure of dark magic to stop their enemies, while Michael staunchly opposes it—putting their love and loyalty to the ultimate test.

- Reviewed by


Crimson & Steam by Liz Maverick

Crimson & Steam by Liz Maverick
Book 8, Crimson City Series
Paranormal Romance / Futuristic

Summary From Dorchester Publishing:
Named for the angels, Los Angeles is a city of demons, a crucible of souls. It is Crimson City. Here vampires and werewolves vie for dominion, humans build soldiers of flesh and steel who seethe with fury. But alongside strife can be love—a love that cares nothing for species or origin.

Yet, love doesn’t always conquer. Marius and Jill have long been kept apart. Bound by destiny yet forbidden true union, he is vampire; she, human. And a marriage alliance that promises peace for all others shall separate them forever.

As if peace might be achieved so easily. Darkness is rising: a mysterious plot shall force every inhabitant of Crimson City to take sides. Deliverance exists, but first must come a tale of impossible passion and discovery, of Marius and Jill in a race against time leading back to the city’s paranormal beginnings, to Victorian London, to an era of invention and a world of…Crimson & Steam

- Reviewed by


Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles
Book 1, The Succubus Diaries
Paranormal Romance

Summary:

Who Knew An Angel Could Get A Girl In So Much Devilish Trouble?

Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her fi rst one-night stand ever...with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah's oddly hypnotic blue eyes...and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch. With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle -- until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fi erce battle for an ancient halo with the queen's wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How's a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy's so hard to resist?

- Reviewed by


Beneath the Skin by Adrian Phoenix

Beneath the Skin by Adrian Phoenix
Book 3, The Maker's Song Series
Urban Fantasy

Summary:

CHAOS CONTROLS HIS FUTURE. ONE MORTAL WOMAN COULD BE HIS SALVATION. THE COUNTDOWN TO ANNIHILATION WILL BEGIN WITH DANTE'S CHOICE....

THE FATE OF THREE WORLDS...

The dark pieces of vampire rock star Dante Baptiste's past are violently emerging, and it is only a matter of time before the Fallen discover he is the creawdwr they have sought for thousands of years. The destruction he left behind in Oregon threatens to reveal his identity as Fallen Maker and True Blood, exposing the young nightkind to shadowy predators -- mortal and supernatural -- who will do whatever it takes to win his favor...or destroy him.

RESTS IN DANTE'S HANDS.

When beautiful FBI special agent Heather Wallace went AWOL on assignment, she chose irresistible Dante over the shady government forces that now stalk them both. Heather has her own secrets of the past to uncover, but she is also the only one who can hold her nightkind lover together when his dangerous quest for the truth threatens to send him over the edge. And as she and Dante fi ght for their survival, she realizes they must work together to protect their future -- before his mysterious destiny tears them apart....

- Reviewed by


HallowedCircle

Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson
Book 2, Persephone Alcmedi Series
Urban Fantasy

Summary:

And you think beauty pageants are scary?

Persephone Alcmedi has been persuaded to compete for the position of High Priestess of the Cleveland, Ohio, coven -- now that the former priestess, Vivian Diamond, has strangely gone missing. Unfortunately, there are a few small problems with the idea. Not only does Seph know rather more about Vivian's disappearance than the other witches realize, but the epic struggle she's just survived has left her with some highly unusual powers -- ones that could be dangerous to reveal. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to participate, if only to prevent snooty Hunter Hopewell, an obnoxious but talented witch, from ending up in the winner's circle. Can Seph hide her secrets -- including her connection to the master vampire-wizard Menessos -- from the terrifyingly wise judges? Plus, there's her rock 'n' roll werewolf boyfriend, Johnny, and some angry fairies to deal with....

Once the competition begins, a finalist turns up dead. It looks as if one of the contestants is willing to do anything -- including murder -- to win. Suddenly Seph has even more on her plate than she thought: from solving a murder to working out what her new powers really are...and exactly why they're creating so much havoc in her love life.

- Reviewed by


Spellbent by Lucy A. Snyder

Spellbent by Lucy A. Snyder
Book 1, Trilogy
Urban Fantasy

Summary:
In the heart of Ohio, Jessie Shimmer is caught up in hot, magic-drenched passion with her roguish lover, Cooper Marron, who is teaching her how to tap her supernatural powers. When they try to break a drought by calling down a rainstorm, a hellish portal opens and Cooper is ripped from this world, leaving Jessie fighting for her life against a vicious demon that's been unleashed.

In the aftermath, Jessie, who knows so little about her own true nature, is branded an outlaw. She must survive by her wits and with the help of her familiar, a ferret named Palimpsest. Stalked by malevolent enemies, Jessie is determined to find out what happened to Cooper. But when she moves heaven and earth to find her man, she'll be shocked by what she discovers—and by what she must ultimately do to save them all.

- Reviewed by


My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent
Book 2, Soul Screamers Series
YA Paranormal

Summary From Rachel Vincent's website:
“If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee.  That’s what we do.”

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test.  But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they  can’t possibly understand.  Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk....

SOUL SCREAMERS
The last thing you hear before you die...

- Reviewed by


December 31, 2009

The God Engines by John Scalzi

The God Engines by John Scalzi
Science Fiction Fantasy

Summary:
Captain Ean Tephe is a man of faith, whose allegiance to his lord and to his ship is uncontested. The Bishopry Militant knows this -- and so, when it needs a ship and crew to undertake a secret, sacred mission to a hidden land, Tephe is the captain to whom the task is given.

Tephe knows from that the start that his mission will be a test of his skill as a leader of men and as a devout follower of his god. It s what he doesn t know that matters: to what ends his faith and his ship will ultimately be put -- and that the tests he will face will come not only from his god and the Bishopry Militant, but from another, more malevolent source entirely...

Author John Scalzi has ascended to the top ranks of modern science fiction with the best-selling, Hugo-nominated novels Old Man's War and Zoe's Tale. Now he tries his hand at fantasy, with a dark and different novella that takes your expectations of what fantasy is and does, and sends them tumbling.

Say your prayers...and behold The God Engines.

- Reviewed by


January 1, 2010

Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness by Gena Showalter, Maggie Shayne and Susan Krinard
Anthology
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter

A Lords of the Underworld tale

An iron-willed demon assassin, the angel Lysander has never known lust—until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of Lucifer, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the pure-hearted Lysander into temptation….

Love Me to Death by Maggie Shayne

Twenty-two years ago four teenage boys were convicted of a young girl's murder. Now, in the form of a beautiful woman, the "victim" is seeking vengeance. And only one man dares to dig into the past to uncover its secrets… and set her free.

Lady of the Nile by Susan Krinard

Lady Tameri believes herself to be the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian princess, and Leo Erskine has set out to prove her wrong…never dreaming that the two of them are about to discover a prophecy that will bind them together forever.

- Reviewed by


Crux by Moira Rogers

Crux by Moira Rogers
Book 1, Southern Arcana
Paranormal Romance

Summary:
To find her destiny, she must trust him with her life…and her heart.

Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans, home of one of the largest underground supernatural populations in the United States. He and his partners have never met a case they couldn’t crack…until a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire.

New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn’t explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs.

When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating.

With time running out, she has no choice but to trust Jackson as he struggles to uncover the truth of her past—and her destiny.

Warning: This book contains devious schemes, epic battles, forbidden love between a shapeshifter and a spellcaster, nosy secondary characters, furniture-endangering sex and a woman fighting to choose her own destiny.

- Reviewed by


If you have a book review for any of the new releases listed here, link it in comments and I will be happy to add it to this post. Or if I missed a new book release, please let me know so I can add it also.

-- Summaries are from Amazon.com unless otherwise stated.

Feeding the Need to Read (2)

I love surprises! Sometimes Walmart can hold some big surprises, I found these books there last Monday:

ShadesOfMidnight

Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Release Date: December 29, 2009

In a frozen wilderness steeped in darkness, the lines between good and evil, lover and enemy, are never black or white but drawn in Shades of Midnight.

Something inhuman is stalking the frigid Alaskan wilds, leaving unspeakable carnage in its wake. For bush pilot Alexandra Maguire, the killings stir memories of a horrific event she witnessed as a child and evoke in her the inexplicable sense of otherness she has long felt within herself but never fully understood . . . until a darkly seductive stranger with secrets of his own enters her world.

Sent from Boston on a mission to investigate the savage attacks and stop the slaughter, vampire warrior Kade has his own reasons for returning to the frigid, forbidding place of his birth. Haunted by a secret shame, Kade soon realizes the stunning truth of the threat he faces–a threat that will jeopardize the fragile bond he has formed with the courageous, determined young woman who arouses his deepest passions and most primal hungers. But in bringing Alex into his world of blood and darkness, Kade must confront both his own personal demons and the even greater evil that could destroy all he holds dear.


GentlemenPreferSuccubi

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

Release Date: December 29, 2009

Who Knew An Angel Could Get A Girl In So Much Devilish Trouble?

Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her fi rst one-night stand ever...with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah's oddly hypnotic blue eyes...and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch. With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle -- until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fi erce battle for an ancient halo with the queen's wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How's a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy's so hard to resist?


HeartOfDarkness

Heart of Darkness by Gena Showalter, Maggie Shayne and Susan Krinard Anthology

Release Date: January 1, 2010

The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter

A Lords of the Underworld tale

An iron-willed demon assassin, the angel Lysander has never known lust—until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of Lucifer, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the pure-hearted Lysander into temptation….

Love Me to Death by Maggie Shayne

Twenty-two years ago four teenage boys were convicted of a young girl's murder. Now, in the form of a beautiful woman, the "victim" is seeking vengeance. And only one man dares to dig into the past to uncover its secrets… and set her free.

Lady of the Nile by Susan Krinard

Lady Tameri believes herself to be the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian princess, and Leo Erskine has set out to prove her wrong…never dreaming that the two of them are about to discover a prophecy that will bind them together forever.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Stay safe, warm and most of all – have fun!

~ Donna

Category: 22 comments

Where’s Donna? – And a Holiday Giveaway

~*~*~*~*~*~* This giveaway is now closed ~*~*~*~*~*~*


2 more days until Christmas!!!

With the holidays in full swing, my posts here at Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings will be sparse and my online time will be limited from now until the end of this year. The reason, I have family visiting from out of state and out of country. I’ll be hanging out with them at my parents’ place and they don’t have internet. But I’ll be popping in here and there around the blogosphere with some sporadic posts here, when I am at home.

bookswithabow Holiday Giveaway:

In celebration of the holidays, I’d like to giveaway to three (3) book peeps a book of their choice up to $20 in value each. Yep, that’s right – You pick the book you want as long as it has released by the end of this giveaway.

  1. Tell me in the comments of this post the title and author of the book you’d like to win.
  2. One entry per person.
  3. Open to anywhere The Book Depository ships.
  4. Leave your email in the comments if it is NOT a part of your profile.
  5. Deadline to enter is December 31st at midnight CST.

Giveaways Around the Virtual World:

  • Anna's Book Blog: Holiday Giveaway
    Anna is having a holiday giveaway by giving away 10 books to 10 lucky winners. Head over to see what books are being giving away. Open to the US and Canada. Winners will be announced on December 25th.
     
  • Anna's Book Blog: [Review & Giveaway] - Born of Ice
    Anna has reviewed Born of Ice by Sherrilyn Kenyon and she is giving away a set of The League books (Born of Night, Born of Fire & Born of Ice), courtesy of St. Martin Press. Open to the US and Canada. Winner will be announced on December 25th.
     
  • Shadowglass Erica Hayes: Six shady days of Christmas
    Erica Hayes is giving away a signed copy of Shadowfae for six days until December 25th and on the last day the winner also gets an ARC of Shadowglass, the second book in the Shadowfae Chronicles. Open to everyone.
     
  • AccessRomance: Holiday Giveaway
    AccessRomance is giving away two grab bag boxes of books, many of the novels are courtesy of Kensington Publishing. Open to the US. Deadline to enter is 6AM CST on December 28th.
     
  • Literary Escapism: Guest Author: Chloe Neill
    Chloe Neill is guest posting at Literary Escapism and she is giving away: a signed copy of Firespell, a Firespell bookmark, a Firespell magnet, and some other goodies. Open to everyone. Deadline to enter is December 29th.
     
  • Stumbling Over Chaos: Book Giveaway: Shattered by Joan Johnston
    Chris is giving away a copy of Shattered by Joan Johnston, courtesy of Planned Television Arts. Open to US. Deadline to enter is at 7 pm CST on December 29th.
     
  • GentlemenPreferSuccubi Jill Myles: Author copies! Win a free signed copy!
    Jill Myles is giving away two signed copies of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi and some matching bookmarks. Open to the continental US. Deadline to enter is at noon on December 29th.
     
  • Vampire Wire: Keri Arthur Interview & Two Riley Jensen Guardian Gift Packs
    Marta has interviewed Keri Arthur and Keri is giving away: two gift packs and each will include Australian chocolates, Tim Tams and a signed copy of one of her Riley Jensen novels. Deadline to enter is December 30th.
     
  • Patricia's Vampire Notes: The Better Part of Darkness - Tour and Contest
    Thanks to Pocket Books, Patricia has two copies of the fabulous urban fantasy The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay to giveaway. Open to the US. Deadline to enter is by 11:59 pm on Thursday, December 31st.
     
  • Literary Escapism: Happy Blogversary to LE!
    Happy Blogversay to Jackie at Literary Escapism! Jackie is celebrating two years of blogging by giving away two fabulous prize packages: The First prize package involves signed copies of Maria Snyder’s Glass series – Storm Glass and Sea Glass; and the Second prize package includes TA Pratt’s Marla Mason series – Blood Engines, Poison Sleep, Dead Reign and Spell Games. Deadline to enter is Thursday, December 31st.
     
  • Patricia's Vampire Notes: Deep Kiss of Winter - Blog Tour and Contest
    Patricia is giving away two copies of Deep Kiss of Winter By Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter, courtesy of Pocket Books. Open to the US. Deadline to enter is by 11:59 pm on January 8, 2010.
     
  • Book Whisperer: The Good and The Giveaway
    The Book Whisperer is giving away two books: Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey and Captivate by Carrie Jones. A book she absolutely loved and one she has some negative feelings about. Deadline to enter is January 22, 2010.
     

New Book Releases for YA Fantasy & Paranormal – December 22, 2009

3 more days until Christmas!!!

Is everyone ready for the big day? I’m almost there, just a couple of more presents to get, then I’m done. But of course when the shopping is done that’s the signal for the baking to begin…at least it is for me.


December 22, 2009

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
YA Paranormal Romance

RT Book Reviews has the first six chapters to The Dark Divine posted on their blog: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6

Summary:
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

- Reviewed by


Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
Book 1, The Drake Chronicles
YA Paranormal

Summary:
On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

- Reviewed by


Magic Under Glass by Jackie Dolamore

Magic Under Glass by Jackie Dolamore
YA Fantasy

Summary:
Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.

- Reviewed by


Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston
Book 2, Wondrous Strange Trilogy
YA Paranormal

Summary:
Faerie can't lie . . . or can they?

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt. Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power. Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with wondrous strange.

- Reviewed by


If you have a book review for any of the new releases listed here, link it in comments and I will be happy to add it to this post. Or if I missed a new book release, please let me know so I can add it also.

-- Summaries are from Amazon.com unless otherwise stated.

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding – Winners!

Surprise! I drew three winners instead of just two!

The Prize:

Giveaway Comment/Question: Tell me the title and author of the book you are currently reading.

Congratulations! 

The Winners:

Stacy (Wicked Walker) Said, “I am reading A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb.”

Natalie (Mindful Musings) Said, “I'm currently reading Intertwined by Gena Showalter.”

Erotic Horizon (Erotic Horizon) Said, “I am currently reading.. The Sheriff's Daughter - Susan Page Davis”

Thank you everyone for stopping by and entering the giveaway.

I will email the winners later today for their mailing addresses but if the winners want to email me first, please do so. My email address is at the top of this blog, click on the ‘CONTACT ME’ link.

Three Days to Dead: Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository US | The Book Depository UK

Places you can find Kelly Meding: Web Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

 

Category: 9 comments

New Cover: The Evil Within by Nancy Holder

Evil-Within

Nancy Holder posted the new cover to the second book in her Possessions Series, The Evil Within.  I’m glad to see that this cover represents the feel of the storyline in the Possession books much more accurately than the first book in Possessions Series. Yes, I definitely like this cover much better, it shows the eerie and creepy atmosphere that I felt with the first book Possessions.

Available June 10, 2010

POSSESSIONS: A haunted, super-exclusive boarding school high in the mountains of Northern California…faces in mirrors, statues that move…and Lindsay, who’s had a nervous breakdown, fighting for her sanity, her life…and her soul.

At the Movies during the Holidays

Now ShowingThis time of the year brings holiday cheer and greatly anticipated movies, at least as a movie buff, it does for me. This year, the movies I’m looking the most forward to seeing are Avatar and Sherlock Holmes. Both of these movies look well made and hopefully well directed.

Avatar calls to my Sci-Fi soul. The special effects look out of this world spectacular and breathtaking. I got a dazed and glazed-eye look on my face every time the movie trailer played on TV or during previews at the movie theater. I finally get to watch it this weekend – Avatar is here!

Sherlock Holmes speaks to my classic side and Robert Downey Jr. is a superb actor in my eyes. I’ll also admit that Jude Law is very easy on eyes. The previews make this movie look like it’s nonstop action and thrills. I can’t for Christmas day for several reasons: family, food, presents and Sherlock Holmes!

What movies are you looking forward to watching this holiday season?


Avatar - PG13 - December 18, 2009 (US) - 162 min.

James-Cameron-Avatar

 
Starring:

Sam Worthington as Jake Sully

Zoe Saldana as Neytiri

Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine

Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch

Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon

Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge

Joel Moore as Norm Spellman

 

Synopsis:
Avatar1 We enter the alien world through the eyes of Jake Sully, a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where corporations are mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth’s energy crisis. Because the atmosphere of Pandora is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human “drivers” have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora…the Na’vi.

Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na’vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na’vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake’s life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake’s relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na’vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide nothing less than the fate of an entire world. From the Official Movie Site

Click here for release dates in other countries plus additional movie information.

Leona Lewis "I See You" from the Avatar soundtrack:



Sherlock Holmes - PG13 - December 25, 2009 (US) - 128 min.

Starring:

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes Jude Law as Dr. John Watson Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes

Jude Law as Dr. John Watson

Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler

Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood

 

Sherlock Holmes

Synopsis:
After finally catching serial killer and occult "sorcerer" Lord Blackwood, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson can close yet another successful case. But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree, Holmes must take up the hunt once again. Contending with his partner's new fiancée and the dimwitted head of Scotland Yard, the dauntless detective must unravel the clues that will lead him into a twisted web of murder, deceit, and black magic - and the deadly embrace of temptress Irene Adler. Written by The Massie Twins

Click here for release dates in other countries plus additional movie information.

 
 


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