Cover Art--Kimberly Derting

Saw this in the blogosphere and wanted to post it here too! Can't wait to read this one! Really like this series, it's different and the mystery element is pretty good!

No other info to it yet, but will post once I know something.

Review--Deadworld by J.N. Duncan

She's as tough as anything haunting Chicago's streets. But to deal with an inhuman power that won't stay buried, this FBI agent needs help that comes at an immortal price. . .

Jackie Rutledge has seen her share of supernatural killers. But her latest murder case is what recurring nightmares are made of. Brutally exsanguinated human victims, vanishing-into-the-ether evidence, and a city on the edge of panic mean that she and her psychic partner, Laurel, are going to need more than just backup . . .

So Jackie is fine with any help rugged P.I. Nick Anderson can give--even if that includes the impish ghost and sexy vampire who make up his team. But Nick is hiding secrets of his own. And Jackie's investigation has plunged them both into a vengeful game reaching back centuries--and up against a malevolent force hungry for more than just victory...

J.N. Duncan's Deadworld was an okay sort of read. I've had it on my TBR pile for awhile now and managed to get to it recenty. Although unfortunately I wasn't very impressed. It just wasn't the book for me.

The pacing was a little too slow for me at times. It centered around the need to find the bad guy who was killing people, which was fine. You never knew who he was going after next. Jackie was determined to find him and ends up accepting outside help from Nick Anderson who had started out as a suspect, but was more involved in this "case" than she'd expected.

There was quite the shocking surprise in the book as well. One I really wasn't expecting, which made for interesting times and all, but still it took over 200 pages to get to that point. Then there was a sort of lapse in the plot where nothing really happens. It's the "down time".

I'm not really sure where everything fell flat for me. I kept reading because I wanted to finish the book. But in the end, it was just sort of meh. Jackie made an interesting character, she was flawed in some ways, but that made her more real I guess you could say. Although some of her actions and choices weren't always great. There was also a bit too much cussing in the book as well for me. I thought I was used to it, but man, this book really challenges me with the swearing. I didn't mind it too much, but at several points it seemed like there was swearing and dropping of the f-bomb on every page! And if a page happened to not have that word on it, it woud be there 2-3 times on the next. It just seemed unnecessary to have it used so many times.

With that and the rather slow pacing, this book just didn't go well for me. The characters were still pretty good. Very colorful and flavorful I guess you could say. But still this one just wasn't for me.

Overall rating 2/5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday

                     I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

Madeline Black is an Agent of death, meaning she escorts the souls of people who have died to the afterlife. Of course, not everyone is happy to see her...

If obstinate dead people were all that Maddy had to worry about, life would be much easier. But the best-laid plans of Agents and fallen angels often go awry. Deaths are occurring contrary to the natural order, Maddy's being stalked by foes inside and outside of her family, and her two loves-her bodyguard, Gabriel, and her doughnut-loving gargoyle, Beezle-have disappeared. But because Maddy is Lucifer's granddaughter, things are expected of her, things like delicate diplomatic missions to other realms.

TITLE: Black Night
AUTHOR: Christina Henry
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: July 26, 2011

Was totally blown away with Christina's Black Wings so I soooo cannot wait to read this one!!

Teaser Tuesday

Picked my teaser out early this week, did it last Thursday while I was just starting this one and thought to do the teaser ahead of time! So far Deadworld is all right. But then again I just started it so it's too soon to tell. I even have just 1 sentence!

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a page

3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE

4. Name the title, author, etc.

"A couple of strands of her hair floated in the water before her face, and Jackie had the sudden panicked feeling that her mother was creeping around the water just below the surface." p 72

TITLE: Deadworld
AUTHOR: J.N. Duncan
GENRE: Dark Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2011

Interview with Jeannie Holmes + GIVEAWAY

I am pleased to announce my visitor for today, Jeannie Holmes, author of the Alexandra Sabian series! Her newest installment in the series, Blood Secrets, is releasing July 5th, 2011! Jeannie was kind enough to answer some questions and giveaway a SIGNED copy of Blood Secrets! How awesome is Jeannie?!

Onto the interview!

JESS: On the cover blurb for Blood Secrets, you mention The Dollmaker, is he going to be like a voodoo priest with his dolls or something else? (if you can say)

JEANNIE: No, the Dollmaker isn’t a voodoo priest. He does use “black magic” but I make a clear distinction between what he does and the rituals of voodoo practitioners. Voodoo is a religion that many people don’t fully understand, and while I don’t fully understand it myself, I do respect its followers. So while the Dollmaker does use a form of magic, it’s something that’s completely a product of my own warped imagination.

JESS: What is the Shadowlands going to be like? Another world or dimension? (again, if you can say)

JEANNIE: Readers actually saw the Shadowlands in Blood Law. It’s where Alex encountered her father and learned of the Hall of Records, a metaphysical storehouse of knowledge and memories. The Shadowlands are essentially a “no man’s land” between the physical plane and the spirit realm similar to the idea of Purgatory. It’s the realm of ghosts, and information can be stored there within the Hall of Records, which can be accessed if someone has the correct psychic abilities.

JESS: Do you find writing in third person easier? What made you decide to go this route?

JEANNIE: I write both third person and first person. They each have their strengths and weaknesses for storytelling, but I wouldn’t say I find one easier than the other. As for why I chose to write Alex’s story in third person, I always knew there would be more than one side to the story. If you think of characters as being trapped in protective bubbles but viewing the same event, each character is going to see something different based on where they’re standing, what color bubble they have, or if they’ve blocked the view out completely. It’s the same in real life. You can have a dozen people witness an accident and you’ll get a dozen different versions of what happened. But if you take all of those accounts and start looking for the common threads then you can piece together something resembling the truth. If all you have is one person’s point of view, you constantly have to question their reliability. Did they really see what they say they saw? Are their judgments colored by their own biases? Of course you can do the same with multiple points of view. Regardless of whether the story is told by one character or several, hopefully the result is an entertaining story that readers enjoy.

JESS: How many books do you think you might have for the series?

JEANNIE: I have a total of six planned, and hopefully I will get the opportunity to write them all. I never meant for the series to drag out to infinity. I think Alex and Varik would eventually like for me to go away and leave them alone. Plus I have a ton of other ideas that I’d like to explore at some point.

JESS: What was your road to publication like?

JEANNIE: My road to publication as, in relative terms, short and charmed. I completely by-passed the query letter phase. My writing mentor, Carolyn Haines (author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series), asked her agent to look at the first 100 pages of my manuscript, and Marian (Young) agreed. A week later she asked for the remainder. A week after that, Marian called me and said she wanted to be my agent. I worked with her to make some corrections to the book. She shopped it around for about six months. It finally landed with Danielle Perez, who was a senior editor at Bantam at the time, and she thankfully bought it. So from the time I started working with my agent to the time I sold the book was only six or seven months. But it took another two years of rewrites, edits, editor swaps (Danielle left Bantam and I started working with my current editor Shauna Summers.), and cover changes to bring Blood Law to the market. I’ve been very fortunate and I try to repay that good fortune to others whenever possible.

JESS: What kinds of books did you like to read growing up? How about now?

JEANNIE: I read a lot of fantasy – Terry Brooks, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, David Eddings, Jennifer Roberson, Tolkien (naturally) – and classic literature like Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Mary Shelley, Oscar Wilde, and Bram Stoker. I also read a lot of comic books. Stephen King and Dean Koontz showed up in my teen years. I still love to read all of these authors, and actually read more non-fiction now than I did growing up because I’m researching ideas. But there are three authors who can publish a book and I’ll drop everything to read them: Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Lisa Gardner. I love their work.

JESS: What book are you currently reading or last read?

JEANNIE: If Charlaine, Kim, or Lisa have published a book recently, it was probably that one. Otherwise, my most recent read is most likely a forensic text in preparation for the next Alex Sabian book.

JESS: Thanks for stopping by Jeannie! Can't wait to read Blood Secrets!

JEANNIE: Thanks for having me!

Onto the giveaway! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the interview and that's it! Won't make it anymore difficult and following is NOT required, but GREATly appreciated!

Contest ends July 2nd 2011 at 11:59 PM (CST)

Open to International readers!!
Please leave your email address in your comment so I have a way to contact you as well! Thanks!

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Review to come in August)

Nocturne by Christine Johnson (Review to come in August)

Reviews Posted:

Dead Iron by Devon Monk

Feast: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano
Deceived by the Others by Jess Haines

Currently Reading:

Deadworld by J.N. Duncan

What I Plan to Read this Week:

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay

Other Post of Interest:

Interview with Jocelynn Drake
Cover Copy Reveal--Kelly Keaton

And the Winner is...

And the winner of the SIGNED copy of Burn the Night from Jocelynn Drake is....

FLEUR

Congrats, Fleur! 

The winner has been notified and has 48 hours to respond or else a new winner will be chosen! Thanks again to all who entered and to Jocelynn for doing the interview/giveaway!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly blog post hosted by Kirsti over at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Kind of a slow week. Which isn't too bad since it gives me time to work on my TBR pile since I do have awesome summer releases coming up!!

Also since I write this post early and may not have gotten all my books in the mail that I was expecting, I'm going to take a guess as to what came! 

This week I got one of the books I won recently at Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog, via the publisher:

Dead on the Delta

Then books that I ordered online and that likely came while I was away were:

Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell

Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Typical that book 2 in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles comes before book 1! When I check the tracking device Hexed was in my area while Hounded, had just left California! Oh brother. 

So that's what I got this week. Not likely buying anything while I'm away since the Borders closed in Wisconsin where I'm going!

Top 5 Sundays

Top 5 Sundays is a weekly blog meme created by Larissa at Larissa's Bookish Life.

Here's a little info about the meme taken from Larissa's blog:

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my left sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

4 - After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

This week's topic is: Favorite Genres NOT UF or PNR

*in no particular order

**Also note that I did this post early Friday, at that time this topic was the one with the most votes, think it will be the winner as well. If by chance it's not, the my apologies! I set this up early since I'm on vacation!

On another note...OMG! This is hard! I only read UF or PNR. And I highly doubt UF YA is going to count as not UF! :) But after some thinking I did chose some, mostly titles, that I read a a few years back that I really enjoyed. And 2-3 current ones that I love! So there are 5 (maybe 6) books/series, in some cases, that I read and loved and they aren't UF. But they did fall under the same genre at times!

Historical Fiction

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

Somehow I really did enjoy Dunant's books. Didn't read her third one in this series, but I really liked the time period in some ways that this took place. In Italy, possibly during or near the Renaissance.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This one so counts! Just because there is mentioning of vampires and whatnot doesn't really make it UF or PNR! This has a boatload of historical references in it! And really the "vampire" parts aren't really vampire-like that we're used to. So it counts! ;)

Classic Fiction

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Somehow a miracle happened! All throughout high school I didn't like a single book we had to read. Everyone had faves like To Kill a Mockingbird and others. I just didn't care for them. Remember I'm a paranormal reader. But for some reason I LOVED this book! I thought it was just incredible!

Steampunk

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

This was a steampunk novel that I really got into! Totally loved it! Although, it might be "cheating", because in some of the steampunk books that I read there are the occasional vampire or werewolf. I also like Gail Carriger's The Parsol Protectorate series!

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Not totally counting this in my Top 5, since there's vampires, werewolves, and parasols! Wasn't sure if it could count!

Fantasy

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

 (as well as the rest of the Study and Magic trilogies!)

I love-love-love-LOVE Maria's books, as you may know by now! Hers was the first and possibly still the only fantasy series that I read. One of the few that I read without vampires, werewolves, etc! There was still plenty of action, fight scenes in this one. And Janco! He's the best! Makes the whole series worth reading, even though he's not there all the time! Best secondary character ever!

MIA

Hey all! Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be MIA for awhile! Going on vacation so I won't be around in the blogging world for some time.

I already have my weekly posts set to go so you can still feel free to drop by for Top 5 Sundays, IMM, It's Monday..., Teaser Tuesday, and Waiting on Wednesday if you like! And if you leave links in your comments to yours, I'll visit when I get back. Also, I won't have any reviews up til I get back.

I do still plan to have the winner for my Jocelynn Drake contest announced, so be sure to stop by for that on Sunday as well to see if you won! You still have time to enter that too! Click on Jocelynn's book cover in the upper right corner of my blog!

See you everyone! I'll be back on Thursday!!

ARC Review--Deceived by the Others by Jess Haines

They’re here, and they’re real…werewolves, vampires, mages, and other creatures of the night. For New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest, taking care of Others business started out as a way to stay solvent. But now business is getting very, very complicated…

Shiarra’s relationship with sexy werewolf Chaz may be somewhat unconventional. Still, after a few bumps, Shia is finally ready to get serious. That means meeting family–or in this case, bringing Chaz’s entire werewolf pack along for a rollicking full-moon weekend in the Catskills.

Soon after they arrive, threatening notes appear, warning Chaz to go home. Then their cabin is ransacked. Shia starts digging to find out whether it’s the work of upstart teenaged werewolves or something more sinister. Yet as rumors about her vampire connections arouse the pack’s hostility, Shia has to contend with other dangers. Not just from an adversary about to make his fatal intentions known, but from a threat that’s even closer than she knows…

I received this ARC for review from Jess Haines (Thanks again, Jess!)

Jess Haines' Deceived by the Others was pure amazing! It never ceases to amaze me how much my emotions get pulled around in this series and I love it! Shiarra should be looking forward to a little mini vacation with her boyfriend Chaz to a werewolf getaway, seeing them change since it's the full moon. It should be a good trip and Shiarra has been agonizing over signing the contract that will allow her and Chaz to officially be a couple together, she hasn't told Chaz yet and is trying to work up the nerves to do both (the signing and telling Chaz).

The pacing was very good! First we have Shiarra and Chaz having some problems on their weekend getaway. Someone is sending threatening messages and other threats that can only lead to an attempt at murder. Someone at the resort obviously wants to kill Chaz or possibly Shiarra...

That was a good mystery right there and had shocking results! It also led to a few other discoveries that totally change everything.

There are several big shockers at the end of this novel which is only going to make the wait for Justice for the Others all the more agonizing! But overall this was a fabulous read! Shiarra's growth as a character is one of my all time favorites, for she does try to move past the prejudices regarding Others, and her struggles are very realistic. I love how she seems real!

I was slightly upset that Royce didn't show up til near the end, but there was still plenty of time with Chaz. The ever confusing love triangle...sort of. You know what I mean if you've read the previous H&W Investigations books! Which I highly recommend if you have not! You are in for a thrill!

Overall rating 5/5 stars!

Deceived by the Others releases July 5, 2011

Friday Hops

This blogger hop was created by Jennifer at Crazy for Books.

Here are the rules:

1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below (be sure to include how long you've been blogging and what genres you review!). If you post about the Hop on your blog, please link directly to your Hop post (don't forget to answer this week's question - see below!).

2. Visit other blogs in the Linky List! Make new friends! Follow new book bloggers! Talk about books! Rave about authors! (Please do not leave your link and not visit other blogs - it's just not cool and not in the spirit of the Hop!)

3. Post about the Hop on your blog! Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier!

4. In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!):

When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?

MY ANSWER: Probably around the time I was 13. I always liked reading as a kid, but I think it was when I was 12-13 that I remember really reading more and more. Always asking for Borders giftcards for Bdays and Holidays. Still do! It was also at 13 that I knew I wanted to write books as well. I wanted to read a book that had a character who would react to things in the way I would. Do things I would, while still being action packed with vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc! 

Reading has always been my fave pastime/hobby. It just really kicked into gear when I was 13. As a kid I had to wear a leg brace for a good long time due to medical problems and couldn't play sports and do all the running. So I turned to reading. Totally loved it! Loved the escape! I would always carry a book in my purse. Even have some big ones still that would hold the oversized hardbacks!

I love reading! I always want to be reading something if I'm not writing my own!

This is a weekly blog meme created by Parajunkee's View.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://annettesbookspot.blogspot.com/

3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

MY ANSWER: Ooh I'm all about fairy tales! The Brothers Grimm especially!! Have the complete collection in a really nice book too! I have too many faves! Love the original Cinderella and Snow White! Come on! The stepsisters cut off pieces of their foot to fit it in the shoe! The Queen tried to kill Snow White with a poisoned comb and a corset to crush her ribs before she did the apple!

I also enjoyed the The Princess in Disguise and The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes. Loved them! And tons of others!

Current bookwise I adore Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Chronicles! OMG! Totally love that series and really never thought I would enjoy it this much!

Cover Copy Reveal--Kelly Keaton

Saw this earlier and meant to post it! I totally LOVED Kelly Keaton's Darkness Becomes Her and I am eagerly and desperately awaiting the next installment A Beautiful Evil.

The cover has been out in the wild for a few days now, that I've seen it and I so can't wait to own it! I'll admit that I like the first cover a heck of a lot better and this one is just kind of meh, but still it's what's on the inside that counts, right?

A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

A Beautiful Evil releases February 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

                             I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

This week I picked a new debut release I can't wait to read! Don't remember how long ago I heard about it, but when I did I thought it sounded awesome! Your basic UF book, which you gotta love!

Cassandra Archer is the Huntress. She has faithfully served the Earth Mother for years, rescuing kidnapped children from monsters-both human and supernatural-dwelling in the ruins of the Barrows District. But when two children are kidnapped under similar circumstances, all clues point to a cataclysmic event on the next dark moon. Now Cass must race against the clock and prevent a sacrifice that could destroy the entire town...

TITLE: Viper Moon

AUTHOR: Lee Roland

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2011

Review--Insatiable by Meg Cabot

SICK OF HEARING ABOUT VAMPIRES? 

SO IS MEENA HARPER.

Meena Harper is familiar with the supernatural. After all, she knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.)

But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for Lucien Antonescu--whom she meets and then makes the mistake of falling in love with--modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side for which an ancient society of vampire hunters would prefer to see him dead.

The problem is Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met with whom she could imagine herself having a future. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's destiny, she's never been able to look into her own. Lucien seems to be everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, though he might turn out to be more of a nightmare.

SO NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR MEENA TO START LEARNING TO PREDICT HER OWN FUTURE...IF SHE HAS ONE.

Meg Cabot's Insatiable was quite the interesting read. I don't know if you want to call it Urban Fantasy though, since Meena isn't necessarily our regular UF heroine. She's more normal...except that she can see when people are about to die. Not the best psychic gift to have.

And when she meets Lucien and she doesn't see his death she assumes it mean he won't be dying anytime soon. Plus there was an immediate attraction to one another with these two. The romance wasn't hot and steamy either, like you might expect from UF or PNR. It was sedate, calm, yet still intense.

There's quite a bit of a storyline going on. Girls are turning up dead and it's suspected that it's a vampire's doing, yet vampires don't exist. And like the BOC says, Meena is sick of vampires. But then her world gets turned upside down as you can imagine. Vampires...a group of vampire hunters straight from the Vatican. Don't they always come from there? :)

But still it was a decent read. Kind of a calm sort of action, although the fate of humanity does lie in the balance!! ;)

Anyway...I had heard that not everyone liked this one, that it was sort of chick-lit and I guess in a way it was. I mean it's not even sold in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section, but in regular Fiction. But still the plot elements and characters were all very good. Meena was a fun heroine who literally detested vamps, especially when her show wanted to go in that direction to gain a "younger" audience.

There were a few vamp puns here and there. Definitely some sparkle comments, that made me laugh out loud! Also the fact that Meena's bro was named Jonathan, nickname Jon. And the last name Harper! Sound like Harker?! I enjoyed seeing these little Dracula references in small light. It was kind of funny.

The vampire hunter, Alaric (just like another vampire hunter we know from a TV show!) Wulf, was a snarky male lead. Kind of arrogant, but I loved his and Meena's interactions. Meena didn't take his attitude with stride like most women. She did the opposite of what he expected. Definitely can't wait to see what other Shenanigans--which was a restaurant in the book and is actually a real restaurant, I had thought it was just a fake one from Waiting starring Ryan Reynolds--these two get into together!

So this is definitely more a light-hearted UF kind of book. Or as I dubbed it in my Teaser, Paranormal Fiction--kind of a bland name, but hey it works since there's not a real "urban" setting. The setting is modern day NYC but Meena's life is pretty sedate, until she meets Lucien of course. Who happens to redefine the terms "family problems".

Overall rating 4/5 stars--like I said a pretty good read that I enjoyed more than I expected. And I definitely will be getting Overbite once it releases instead of waiting for the PB!

Teaser Tuesday

Reading Meg Cabot's Insatiable and enjoying pretty well! Heard some people weren't too "wowed" with it, but I'm really enjoying it!

In fact I have 2 teasers because both of them were just too good to pick between!

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a page

3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE

4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'What am I?'

'You're a...a...' Taylor glanced away, biting her luscious lower lip and throwing an arm dramatically over her forehead. 'No! I can't say it. It's just not possible!'

'Say it.' Maximillian Cabrera grabbed her by both shoulders. 'Just say it!'" p 192

**Sound familiar?! I was dying!!

"'And I've got my Beretta semiautomatic,' Sister Gertrude added cheerfully, patting her habit. 'right here with the silver bullets. That ought to take out a few of those dirtbags.'

Meena's eyes widened. No wonder she had such a bad feeling about all this.

These people were completely nuts." p 311-312

TITLE: Insatiable
AUTHOR: Meg Cabot
GENRE: Paranormal Fiction
RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2011 (paperback ed.)

Original release date: June 8, 2010

Definitely over the 2 lines, but it was too good to pass up!! :D

ARC Review-- Feast: Harvest of Dreams by Merrie Destefano

Halloween is a bad time to return to the woods . . .

Madeline MacFaddin ("Mad Mac" to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she's always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.

But Maddie doesn't remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area's terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the harvest . . . the time to feast.

Once again Maddie's dreams—and her soul—are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own . . .

I received this E-ARC from NetGalley for review

Merrie Destefano's Feast: Harvest of Dreams was an interesting read. To me it had a sort of fantasy flavor to it with these mythical creatures that I cannot ever remember reading about before. The feast off of our dreams and whatnot in order to survive, but they aren't necessarily good guys either. Except for Ash of course and his followers. Er...that gets complicated though.

The story is told in multiple first person p.o.vs so it was a little hard for me to keep the story straight. It just moved from one perspective to another, I found myself lost a time or two, but I was easily led back on track, so that was good.

Maddie is one of those different kinds of heroines, she's a divorcee mother and a writer, trying to find her inspiration by going out to a cabin in a small community that she visited with her parents as a child.

The pacing was decent, at least in some respects. The length of the book isn't super long, a day or two I think, Halloween lasts the longest since that is the night of the Harvest when chaos will reign unless something is done to stop it. But strange things keep happening in the town.

I find it hard to say much about the book. I have to admit that it was slightly hard for me to focus at times. I couldn't seem to stick with what was happening, yet I always managed to find my way back. I think it was because of the change in narrator. It made things slightly more complex for my frame of mind to process everything happening everywhere. Although the story lines did tend to connect together which helped.

Overall rating is 2.5/5 stars--I wanted to say 3, it's really close to 3, but my mind wandered a bit too much with the narrator changes. But other than that, the storyline was good and the characters were likable.

Releases June 28, 2011

ARC Review--Dead Iron by Devon Monk

IN STEAM AGE AMERICA, MEN, MONSTERS, MACHINES, AND MAGIC ALL BATTLE TO CLAIM THE SAME SCRAP OF EARTH AND SKY. IN THIS CHAOS, ONE MAN MUST FIGHT TO HOLD ON TO WHAT IS LEFT OF HIS HUMANITY...

Although the devisers have civilized the East with their contraptions, civilization hasn't tamed the frontier that bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides. Cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother's death, he's offered the possibility that his brother may yet survive. All he has to do is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers from the realm of the Strange.

The Holder is in the hands of Shard Lefel, a dandified railroad tycoon who's come to Hallelujah, Oregon, promising a civilized tomorrow. But what Cedar cannot know is that Lefel is an ancient Strange banished to walk this land for centuries. Now nearing the end of his sentence, Lefel is desperately searching for a way to fend off his own morality--and the Holder may be the key.

In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only things a man can count on are his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he's going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all.

I received this ARC for review from Devon Monk

Devon Monk's newest series is a steampunk thrill ride starting off with Dead Iron! I am still new to the steampunk genre, having really only read Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, so when she offered me an ARC to read for review I decided to give it a go!

I was surprised to find that there was still a good dose of supernatural going on in the book. Cedar is a werewolf, as was his brother. There's mystical fae about and other strange mechanical devices. Life isn't necessarily easier due to this strange technology, and Cedar, cursed as he is, still wants to do what he can to help people truly in need.

Then he makes a deal with a strange group of fellows to find the Holder, but he has other tasks to complete as well, such as finding a missing child before something bad happens to him. 

There's a variety of characters here too, it's told in multiple third person p.o.v. so we get to meet a lot of people and they are all very colorful in a sense. They are deep and each of them has their own secrets and pasts that are still somewhat unknown to us.

It's a decent paced book too! Not real fast, but not real slow. So much seems to happen, yet it's paced really well! And the ending was quite thrilling and shocking! Leaves you wondering with a few unresolved problems, but enough to make you want to come back for more when the second book comes out!

Overall rating 3.5/5 stars--since I'm still easing into the steampunk genre, some of the descriptions towards the "gears and cogs" was a little overwhelming, but the book was still enjoyable!

Dead Iron releases July 5, 2011

Interview with Jocelynn Drake + GIVEAWAY

Hey all! I have Jocelynn Drake over here today for a little Q&A! I asked her a few questions awhile back about the series and other whatnot! And don't forget that the FINAL Dark Days novel, Burn the Night, releases June 28, 2011! I can still remember when I first heard of Jocelynn's books at it was at RT 08, I had went just for the signing day and while I was at Rachel Vincent's table she gave me a postcard with Jocelynn's upcoming book on it! And thus I was sold!

JESS: How does it feel to be ending your first series? Besides the feeling of sadness for leaving familiar characters, do you feel it's necessary as some other authors have when they ended their own series?

JOCELYNN: I’m definitely sad to be closing the book on the series. I’ve known Mira & Co. for several years. They’ve been in my thoughts for so long that I feel as if they are my family and it’s hard to say good-bye to them. Every once in a while, I still think of something that I didn’t have time to accomplish with them or a character that I wish I had had a chance to spend more time with. I think that’s part of the danger of creating such a big, detailed world. There just isn’t enough time for everything.

But in the end, I think it was time to bring it all to a close. I had started the series to tell Mira’s story as she battled the demons from her past that were threatening to eclipse her future. I got the chance to see both her and Danaus grow into wonderful people and what parent couldn’t be more proud of that?

JESS: There has been a lot of tension growing between Mira and Jarbari throughout the series, so is there going to be a big fight, so to speak, between them?

JOCELYNN: Oh, yeah! There’s definitely a big fight between Mira and her former mentor Jabari. By the close of the fifth book, Wait For Dusk, Mira has accomplished what Jabari needed her to do and she has now become a liability that he can’t afford to let live. She’s threatening him and his desires. I have to admit that in the early books, I sometimes wondered if there can be some kind of reconciliation between them, but as he revealed more and more about himself, I knew that Jabari was only concerned with his own desires. While Mira and Jabari sometimes wanted the same thing, Jabari could only trust Mira so long as he could control her. His betrayal was something that Mira has struggled with for a long time.

JESS: In 5 words how would you describe your Dark Days series overall?

JOCELYNN: Dark, Dangerous, Deadly, Devious, and Delicious.

JESS: Would you ever consider writing a YA series alongside your adult one? Why or why not?

JOCELYNN: I have tossed the idea around and even tried to plot out a YA a time or two, but I’ve not succeeded. I don’t feel like it’s a good fit for me right now. I think part of it is that when I was trying to work on those YA stories, I was trying to force my mind back to memories of when I was a young teen and I couldn’t come up with any really good memories to draw off of. And right now, I feel like I still have a lot to say to adult readers through a number of genres.

However, I recently turned it on its head and wondered what I would say in a book if I were writing to my children (not that I have any, but I do have an over-active imagination which helps). I’ve gotten stronger, more positive feelings that way, so I’m not totally ready to close the door on YA yet. It just might be a while.

JESS: When not writing or working, what do you like to do in your free time?

JOCELYNN: I love to read, play video games, and watch movies. (As you can see, I don’t get out of the house much.) I also visit with my family frequently as they live close to me.

JESS: What's your next project going to be about?

JOCELYNN: I am also hard at work on the first book in a new series. This is a totally new and exciting world. After working in a closed/hidden world, where humans were in the dark, I decided to throw the doors open on this one. In this world, magical creatures live along side of humans, but they are all lorded over by powerful witches and warlocks. In an effort to get ahead in this world, many people will turn to the tattoo artists, who, for the right price, can give you love, luck, or revenge with the right tattoo and potion. The series centers on a skilled tattoo artist and his co-workers as they struggle with their hidden pasts and the interesting customers that come through the door.

JESS: What books are you currently reading or read last?

JOCELYNN: The last books I’ve read recently include: “Eat Prey Love”, “The Undead Next Door”, and “How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire” by Kerrelyn Sparks, as well as “Vampire Interrupted” by Lynsay Sands. I also fell in love with “Sins of the Heart” by Eve Silver. I have been searching for some lighter reading while still in the paranormal genre as it helps to keep my mood up. When I read dark, I tend to write dark, and I’m trying to keep my new series lighter than the Dark Days series.

JESS: What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you at a conference or signing? (if you care to share!)

JOCELYNN: Does sounding like a babbling idiot while surrounded by awesome writers on a panel count? No, I don’t think I sounded like an idiot, but I’m always afraid of making a fool of myself in front of a crowd. Give me time, I’m sure I will eventually. I’m not always good about censoring what I say.

Anywhoo… I’m always embarrassed when I misspell someone’s name when I’m signing books. I have spent my entire life correcting people when they say or spell my name incorrectly so I am very conscience of it when I misspell someone else’s name.

CONTEST TIME! Jocelynn has offered up a SIGNED copy of Burn the Night to 1 lucky reader! And this is open to International readers as well!

Contest is open now through Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 11:59 PM (CST) winner will be announced Sunday the 26th.

To enter leave a comment with your email address and tell me how you first found out about Jocelynn's books, or if you haven't started them yet, what led you to want to read them?

**Also just wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of town this weekend and into next week. I might not be around in the blogging world for a few days, but I will absolutely try to get the winner picked and emailed. Should be able to squeeze that much in!