Review: Inferno

Reviewed by Jen
 

I was thisclose to dropping out on this series. I'm not usually a YA reader, but I make a few exceptions with authors whose adult series I enjoy.  Reading the Nick books seemed like a no-brainer since it is so intimately entwined with Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter books.  But the early installments were just too young for me.  The characters, their thoughts, the dialogue, even the way they were treated by the adults seemed even younger than their chronological ages.  It alienated me. It felt like there just wasn't enough growth.

I'm glad I gave it one more shot.  While this is still nothing like the Dark Hunter books in the romance department, I finally feel like we're seeing the characters evolve and mature.  There is a minimum amount of Cherise (who I have grown to truly dislike reading,) far fewer "gah"s, and less ruminating from Nick in general about being a misfit kid.  Now before you do too much celebrating, there is still a big old message (not even a little bit subtle) about being true to yourself and fighting bullies.  But still... improvement.

As the book begins, Nick is dealing with the revelation that Kody is not who she appears.  She may be, in fact, an assassin sent to kill him.  Of course, we the readers are privy to who she really is and why she is there, but this is a tough pill for Nick to swallow. He breaks up with her, feeling heartbreak for the first time.  Thankfully, the teen angst is only a small part of the book.

The larger arc centers on someone targeting both Nick and his father, trying to get to the Malachai mojo.  It gets a little complicated with all of the players. But it's got a good amount of intrigue and momentum.  What I liked about it, is that the series arc actually moved forward in a big way.  I felt like as much actually happened towards moving along the series arc in this book --as in all the previous ones combined.

There are a lot of cameos and shout-outs to Dark Hunter characters and how they fit into the big picture. There are explanations and flash forwards.  It's a fun ride. And Nick is so much less annoying.

I think the Epilogue is going to garner some mixed reaction.  It's clearly the set-up for the next book, but I hope it's not the subject of the entire installment.  For me, that would be a complete throwaway.  I won't spoil it, but IMO, it equates right up there with an entire book that's a "dream" and will have no real impact on the series as a whole.  But I will give Kenyon the benefit of the doubt and give it a try. After all, she came through in this one.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by St Martin's 

Click to purchase: Amazon

Inferno

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Release Date: April 9, 2013

Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

It's Not Me -- It's You

Reflections from Jen

In any given year, I read somewhere between 350 and 400 books.  And every so often, I find a stand-alone that really rocks my world. But 9 times out of 10, the stories I love most are part of a series.  Over time, a series allows you to invest in characters. You learn their quirks and nuances.  You grow to love them, hate them, or lust after them... but whatever the emotion, they become yours.

I look forward to new installments in my favorite series like Star Trek fans count down the days to their conventions.  Like gadget-nerds camp out the night before an Apple product goes on sale.  Or like Harry Potter fans dress up for a movie premiere.  Hell, I reserved a vacation request months ago for the release of Lover At Last.

Unfortunately, every so often, one of my beloved series lets me down.   I'm not just talking about the random Phury book that stands out as an anomaly to an otherwise fabulous series.  I'm talking about multiple books that just make you ask yourself why the hell you just spent 10-bucks.  Books that make you decide once and for all to break up with a once beloved series.

I've got a few I've already said goodbye to, and others on a watch list.

Anita Blake.  This is kind of THE series that is almost everyone has asked at least once... what the hell happened here?  Granted, not everyone liked the series to start with and not everyone loathes it now, but no one can dispute that the Anita books of today are nothing like the first nine that came out.  It's my understanding that LKH thinks that people who complain about the change in her books are uptight about sex or something to that effect, but... um... I really like reading about sex in books. A lot.  So if that's not the issue, what is it?

It would be easy to say that my problem is that Anita has become a whore, but it's not that simple.  My problem is that the books have changed on a fundamental level.  They started as urban fantasy with no sex in them at all. Anita didn't believe in sex outside of marriage.  They then morphed into urban fantasy with a little sex, in the context of a love triangle. -- I was still down with that. Anita still struggled with her values and her real feelings for two very different men.  Whether you liked Richard (my favorite) or Jean Claude, most people could see the attraction on either side of the coin.

Then came Narcissus in Chains and the books became erotica.  Granted, they are erotica with paranormal elements, but you can't call a series "urban fantasy" when the main character has sex with 10 or more people in the book.  Orgies, BDSM, m/m, exhibitionism, you name it, Anita does it.   Or one of her harem does it.  And I kept reading for a long time, thinking "maybe it will change back." "Maybe Hamilton will fix what she did to Richard." "Maybe..." Hell, I don't know.  But then, Anita adopted a 17 year-old into her sex family. And there was a line in the book about how they'd have sex and he'd want to cuddle before doing his homework or something, and suddenly, I was done.  I haven't looked back.

Kitty Norville.  I really, really enjoyed the early books in this series.  If you're unfamiliar with the series, Kitty is a werewolf DJ, trying to find her way in the supernatural world.  For a time, every single book in the series wow'ed me. Carrie Vaughn gave me an unqualified oh-shit moment in every book. She killed people. She kidnapped people. She shocked me and excited me.  But what she also did was string me along with a love interest that never came to be.

From book one, we're introduced to Cormac, a werewolf killer who has a simmering mutual attraction with Kitty.  The author teases us with it for book after book.  Even after Kitty gets into a serious relationship with another man, we're reminded of what almost-was with Cormac. He's still around. There is still longing.  I've started wishing the other guy dead, even though I like him. Finally, after book nine, I realized, it's never gonna happen.  I feel seriously dicked around.  I'm done.

Chicagoland Vampires.  How I freaking loved this series in the beginning.  It was smart and funny and full of great action. I loved Merit and her friendship with Mallory. I loved her reluctance to be a vamp, how she finally came to love and defend Cadogen House.  And, of course, Ethan.  There was such a great push and pull with Ethan. The highs were so high and then the lows....  (**spoilers ahead**) When Ethan died, I was heartbroken. I cried and cried.  Then Ethan came back to life.. And while there was some WTF-ery there, I thought, "Finally! They will be together."  Only, the excuses continued.  They got more and more flimsy. Until I got to a point where I just didn't care anymore.  The new one came by mail and I gave it to my girlfriend to read for me.  She'll be guest reviewing it for the blog.

On the cusp:

Dark Hunter.  The early books in this series rocked my world. Sherrilyn Kenyon does tortured heroes like nobody's business.  Even when the catch phrases started to get a little predictable.. Even when all the heroines looked at their downtrodden heroes "like they mattered," I still swooned.  Probably all the way through Acheron's book.  (And Lord knows, that book put me through the wringer!)  Then, Kenyon started to go in a new direction. She introduced Thorn and the Hellchasers... she got into Jaden and Azura and Noir.  And I'll admit, I had a hard time following along. But I figured that was the next phase of the story... Then she started pulling in Native American mythology and sprinkling in some of the old characters and the Dream Hunters... with a pinch of the Hellchasers. And frankly, I'm not sure what the hell is going on anymore.

I liked Seth's book. It was kind of a throwback to the familiar favorites.  Plus, Styxx is coming, and it's taking us back into the Acheron world.  I will not miss that, folks.  But where will she go after that?  I'm a little concerned.  The series seems to have lost focus.  One more pantheon comes in, and I think I am out.

Carpathian/ Dark series.  Yes, I still read these. Don't judge me!! They are my guilty pleasure.  Though lately, the pleasure part is fading.  I love the over-the-top love scenes and super-alpha-alpha males.  I love all the interconnectedness of the Carpathians and the reunion books was fantabulous.  (Yes, spellcheck, that IS a word.)  But I started pulling away when we got into the de la Cruz men, none of whom I liked.  Once we got to Zacharias, though, it went to a bad place.  He was such a dick. He abused his heroine. It was too much.  And we've traveled so far away from the characters I love that I feel disconnected.  Feehan needs to get us back to the Carpathian mountains.  She needs to give us that Skylar and Dimitri story.  Or maybe I need to quit reading.

So what about you guys? What series have you broken up with? What killed them for you?

Still in love with some of the series above?  What makes you keep reading?

Share your thoughts, then visit Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at the Book Nympho to see their picks!

5 for Friday - October 19

It's my last day of working overnights and I have to tell you that I have really missed you guys.  Sleeping when everyone else is awake has seriously cut back on my Twitter time, and more changes at work are ahead.  A promotion (yay!) is moving me to a permanent 4am-1pm shift.  I'll be able to sleep close to human hours, but I am going to have to find a new time to troll my dirty Tumblr.  Don't worry! I won't abandon my sexy men.

5. I am crying on the inside as I tell you that the release of book three in the Crossfire series is delayed.  (*sobs*) That means we now have to wait an extra five months to see if Gideon and Eva can sort through their crazy-cakes and make it work between them. Reflected in You definitely left me wanting more.

Entwined With You (theoretically) ends my suffering May 7th.

4. My girl Amanda Bonilla has a new novella out, called The Sweetest Torture.

Thirty years ago, when the sultry and headstrong Cait left Logan Paige, the Alpha cougar shapeshifter of his Montana pride, his entire world came crashing down. He couldn’t explain where he’d been the previous night or why there was a strange woman in his bed…because he had no memory of the night before. Wounded and betrayed, Cait refused to listen to Logan’s excuses and walked straight out of his life…determined to exact her revenge on the sexy cougar who had crushed her heart. With a little help from her influential father, she made sure that Logan’s business, as well as his life, crumbled into ruins. Hell hath no fury, indeed.

But now it’s thirty years later and two of Montana’s most powerful cougar prides are on the brink of war. A tenuous peace is reached, but it’s dependent on Cait and Logan marrying on All Hallow’s Eve. Spitfire Cait has her own plans of revenge…using her feminine wiles to turn Logan into a purring kitty lapping cream at her feet. And Logan has his schemes to regain control and dominate like the Alpha he is…

When they realize that the erotic passion between them is still so intense, Logan and Cait will have to decide if dwelling in the past is worth sacrificing the future…

It's a freebie at ARe.

3. An update on the Chronicles of Nick movie.  Sherrilyn Kenyon now has the script for it in her hands and is working on it with the producers.

What I am really waiting for is info on the Dark Hunters series. Bring on Acheron!!!

2.  Charlaine Harris has released the cover for Dead Ever After, the next (and final) book in her Sookie Stackhouse series.

I will be shocked if Sookie ends up with anyone but Sam, but I suppose only time will tell. Dead Ever After is out May 7th.

1. Is there a Twilight tv-show in the works?  Maybe. There's talk of “TV show or film spin-off, merely set in the same world as the one in the movies but not featuring the main trio.”

Maybe they'll focus on the wolf pack. What do you guys think? Are you down for more Twilight or should the franchise call it quits?

Gotta run!

XOXO,
Jen

5 for Friday - September 21

A sick husband and a sick kid this week.  Plus the other kid had a birthday. Throw in a cheerleading/ football game event, various sports practices, cupcake making, and school projects --and I am desperately in need of some "me-time." I have no idea when it will happen, but I can dream.  Let's talk about fun stuff.

5. I have been stalking Sherrilyn Kenyon forever since I found she was planning this Styxx book.  Now she's got more deets about him on her website. She says, in part:

...(I)n many ways, it's another story of Acheron. You will see events that weren't in his book and I know Styxx will win you over. In all honesty, he was done wrong and it will break your heart.  Misjudged, condemned, betrayed and abandoned... There is a whole side of him that no one knows.

I am so anxious!! Only 11 months to go.

4. Shiloh Walker, aka JC Daniels, has revealed the cover for book two in her Colbana Files series.  Take a look at Night Blade:

Kit Colbana is always biting off more than she can chew. She has a knack for finding trouble. This time, though, trouble finds her. Someone from her past drops a case into her lap that she just can’t refuse…literally.

People on the Council are dying left and right and she’s been requested to investigate the deaths. The number one suspect? Her lover, Damon. If she doesn’t clear his name, he gets a death sentence. Even if she succeeds? They still might try to execute him. Oh, and she’s not allowed to tell him about the case, either.

The stakes are high this time around, higher than they’ve ever been. Kit may be forced to pay the ultimate price to save her lover’s life…a price that could destroy her and everything she loves.

I really enjoyed Blade Song so I have high hopes for this one.

3. JR Ward is sharing tidbits on the next Fallen Angel book, Rapture. Every day, she is releasing a new little video on her Facebook page, which is evil and refuses to allow me to embed her clips. However, you can click on the pretend video player below and it will take you to the clip where she is talking about the heroine.

Rapture is out Tuesday.  Please, JR, you must fix this Eddie thing.

2. I really loved the ARC of Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell. It's a Beauty & the Beast type of historical romance (also out Tuesday.)

Forever is giving away seven copies. You can win it before you can buy it. Check out the giveaway here.

1. And finally, Karen Marie Moning is answering some of the big questions about the next book in her Fever series, ICED.  If I wasn't nervous before, I definitely am now. (I was totally nervous before, but now it's worse.)

Here are some of the high points:

• The next three books will be Fever #6-8
• The titles are ICED, BURNED & FLAYED
• They will be Dani POV
• She will be 14 at the beginning of her 3 book arc and 17 when it's over
• Dani will have sex with one of the guys who is in ICED
• Books #9-10 will be Mac POV
• These are not teen fiction
• ICED will not end in a cliffhanger

Without crossing the line into too much information, I know all too well that teens Dani's age have sex.  But if it's with a being who is hundreds (or thousands) of years old, I'm out.

I loved the Fever books. Loved.  But I am scared. Somebody needs to read this for me and give me the all clear.

I've got big news coming next week!  I can't wait to share.  Until then... stay to the light!

XOXO,
Jen

 

Review: The Curse

Reviewed by Jen
 

I really enjoy the Belador series.  I think it's because the heroine, Evalle, is just so damn easy to root for. She has been kicked down, abused, and maligned her entire life. She is considered a monster, even by those she lives to protect. But she never wavers. She never acts dishonorably. She simply accepts those things about herself that she can not change and she soldiers on, always fighting the good fight.

As this third installment of her story begins, she is on the hunt for others of her kind.  The goddess who oversees the Beladors has agreed to recognize Alterants as a race within her pantheon. But only if Evalle can bring them forward and they swear their fealty.  First and foremost, she wants to find Tristan, but her search has been stymied by a rash of troll attacks in the Atlanta area.  She must work with her VIPER team-mates to protect the humans.

On top of that, Storm is missing. And as he slowly reenters the picture, she must continue to come to terms with her feelings for him. (And Isaak too.) There is strain in her friendship with Quinn... let's not forget that he led the Medb to her at the end of the last book.  He is trying to deal with his feeling for Kazira --while poor Tzader tries to honor his vow to let Brina go.

Plus... more trolls.  Giant, black-ops, demon-infused, bounty-hunter trolls.

It's all part of the Medb plan to breach Brina's sanctuary and vanquish the Beladors.  There's a lot of scheming, machinations and betrayals.  There's also much violence and bloodshed.  You won't find many dull moments.

However, I don't feel like we moved forward much here.  Don't get me wrong, I was never bored. I was invested in the characters and deeply ensconced in this very complicated world.  But in many ways this installment was almost like a placeholder.  There were no huge developments in any of the relationships --and there are a lot of relationships at play.  No big revelations about the Alterant race. No big movement in the war with Medb. I mean, stuff happens, it's just nothing game changing.

Did I enjoy the book? Absolutely.  I love Evalle. I love Storm. And I am dying for Brina and Tzader to have some happiness. Or at least get on the path to it.  It feels a little stalled, though. I wanted more. It all sort of seemed like baby steps. I'm ready for these characters to make some strides. 

If you're interested in the Belador series, I strongly urge you to start from the beginning with Blood Trinity. I just don't think this is a series where you want to jump in, mid-way through.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by Pocket Books

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Curse

by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love

Release Date: September 18, 2012

Publisher: Pocket Books

Review: Time Untime

Reviewed by Jen
 

Time Untime is sort-of a companion piece to Retribution.  If you enjoyed that one, you'll probably like this one.  The thing is, Retribution was one of my least favorite books in the Dark Hunter series.  I think I have reached maximum capacity on large-scale additional mythology in this already complicated universe.  I felt very disconnected to the Native American elements featured so heavily in that book and I knew that same thread would continue into this one.

Some of the problems I had with Retribution did pop up again here. But not all of them. The Native American mythology is central to the story, but the familiar Greek pantheon is woven in.  Add to that a healthy dose of familiar favorites, like Acheron, Nick, Uriel, Sundown and Sasha, and it made it much more palatable.

The hero of the story is Ren, who we got to know during Sundown's book.  He is one of those trademark Kenyon tortured heroes.  Descended from a goddess and thrust into the care of the father who never wanted him, Ren was an outcast among his people. He was ridiculed and ostracized for his lineage, his stutter, and anything else that made him different.  His back story was very reminiscent of Acheron's.  The degree of torture was nowhere near the same, but they were both rejected for the circumstances of their birth, while their over-entitled brothers were groomed as princes.

When a woman finally showed Ren some attention, she turned out to be an agent for evil, leading him down the wrong path.  He made Bad Choices and while possessed by The Grizzly Spirit, he was an evil and deadly weapon.  Now, thousands of years later, he is still trying to right the wrongs of his past. Made immortal by Artemis, he's had plenty of time to try, but he has lived a solitary existence focused on his duties as a Dark Hunter.  All of that changes when he meets Kateri.

The latest in a line of Native American women with mystical powers, Teri is tasked with keeping closed a portal between humanity and hell dimensions.  She never really believed the fanciful stories her grandmother told her as a child, but once a slew of bad guys started coming for her, she realized just how wrong she was to disbelieve.  Thankfully, Ren and a handful of other Dark Hunters come to her aid, both to protect her and help her with her mission.  That's when she recognizes Ren as the man she has had visions of since her childhood.

The visions of Ren continue as she gets to know him better, giving her a keen insight into his past and his true character.  She falls for him quickly, wanting to right the wrongs done to him his whole life.  This is where the story really gets that old, familiar feel.  The one where the hero is shocked that someone so good and pure and beautiful could ever love someone as wretched as him. Where he is stunned when she looks at him like he mattered.  Kenyon fans know what I'm talking about.  On one hand, it's a little overdone. On the other, it's what Kenyon does best.   It's hard not to root for such a underdog... to want to witness him learning his own worth.

In the end, it was a mixed bag of the old and the new.  I liked it better than Retribution.  It's kind of like an old, warm sweater you pull out of your closet every autumn.  Not pulse pounding or flashy, but familiar and comfortable.  

Rating: B-

*ARC Provided by St Martin's Press

Click to purchase: Amazon

Time Untime

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Release Date: August 7, 2012

Publisher: St Martin's Press

5 for Friday - July 27

An article from author & blogger Roni Loren is prompting big changes in the blogosphere.  Roni was sued over a copyrighted image she posted on her blog and her story has become a cautionary tale.  You've probably noticed the absence of Man Candy photos on many of your favorite sites... and this one is not immune.  The Man Candy slideshow is gone, along with my Free Pass List (which, by the way, was my most popular blog post of all time.) There will be no more Tumblr Photos of the Week, though you can still enjoy hot men on the Tumblr site any time you need your fix.  I will work to find creative solutions, nowhere more so than here at 5 for Friday. Let's see what we can do.

5. With all the excitement surrounding Lover At Last, I feel like I've been neglecting JR Ward's next Fallen Angel release, Rapture.  I'm really excited about this one, especially to see the aftermath of the Bad Thing that happened with Eddie in the last book. She has put up a little video teaser on her Facebook page, which I have tried valiantly --an unsuccessfully-- to embed for the past hour.  If you want to see, click the screen grab and it will link you out.

 

Rapture releases September 25.

P.S. Ward has now posted the first line of Lover At Last: "Now THAT is a motherf**kin' whip!" Be still my heart.

4. I know I have been bombarding you with squee about the upcoming Styxx book for weeks now --and I swear this is the last time I am going to talk about it (until I talk about it again.) The book blurb is out!!

Just when you thought doomsday was over…

Centuries ago Acheron protected the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life for Acheron’s.

Bethany was born to set right the wrong that left her family imprisoned for eternity. Now that she’s out, nothing will stop her from fulfilling the bargain that freed them. She must take the life of the last remaining Atlantean and she will not fail. But things are never what they seem and Acheron is no longer the last of his line.

Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it’s your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul? 

I love, love, love that Kenyon is writing this book. Even if I have to wait until next year.  In the meantime, for League fans, SK has posted an excerpt to Cloak & Silence on her website.  That's out in December.

3. I'm sad to say that I am late to the Moira Rogers party.  I just read my first book from them a few weeks ago, and now I must make up for lost time. I am almost finished with the Bloodhounds series and I have Impulse and Wild Card loaded on the Nook, ready to read.  If you, too, want to get your Moira Rogers fix, it's a great time.  Wild Card is free on Amazon! Anyone want to do a read-along?

Free + hot sex = Happiness  (Words to live by, my friends.)

2. NBC has ordered 10 episodes of a new Dracula drama, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Generally, this would be the time I would trot out one of those pictures I am not supposed to post.  Instead, let's watch Jonny-boy on YouTube together.

Now let's pretend he has fangs. It's being produced by Carnival Films & Television... the folks behind Downtown Abbey.  I am intrigued.  Which means it will no doubt be canceled in about five minutes.

1. For a minute, it looked like Matt Bomer was the man for the 50 Shades movie. At least, this Entertainment Weekly cover seemed to be the real deal.  (I am crying over the fact that I can't post it right here.) However, the photo has been debunked as a hoax.

I have to admit... they had me convinced. I am so easy.  I think I would watch it if Bomber were cast.

XOXO,
Jen

5 for Friday - July 20

Happy Friday!  Today's the day I go down in history as either the Best Mother in the World or the Worst.  For an early 7th birthday present, I bought my son tickets to go see WWE Raw.  I only bought two, so he can go with the hubs but they allegedly have some autograph signings or something for the kids first, so I am tagging along for that.  Some of these dudes are built like shit-brick-houses, so I'll let you know if I see anything worth reporting.

5. I am getting more and more excited about this upcoming Styxx book from Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Photo Source: Sherrilyn Kenyon's Facebook Page

2013 is so far away!!

4. Which brings me to that other book I am waiting for with baited breath... Lover At Last.  JR Ward posted the following on her Facebook page:

What does this MEAN?? Is he losing his heart? His sock? His cherry as a bottom?? (I could be down with that, by the way.)  Ward is trying to keeel me!

3. Speaking of hot m/m action, Jennifer at The Book Nympho tipped me off to this fabulous article on straight girls and gay porn. 

I know it doesn't wet everyone's whistle, but it's nice to see I'm in such good company!

2. We've all got our guilty pleasure reads, and mine are Christine Feehan's Carpathian books.  I can do no other than to keep reading them. (Only other Feehan readers will get that joke.)  Christine has posted the first chapter of Dark Storm on her website.  Here are the deets:

Return to the seductive world of Christine Feehan's New York Times bestselling Carpathian novels as roiling passions collide in a perfect storm of dangerous desire that only a precious few can hope to outrun . . .

Awakening after all this time in a world of absolute darkness and oppressive heat, Dax wonders in how many ways the world above must have changed. But it is how he has changed that fills him with dread and loathing. Buried alive for hundreds of years in a volcano in the Carpathian Mountains, Dax fears that he has become the full-fledged abomination that every Carpathian male fears, a victim of the insidious evil that has crept relentlessly into his mind and body over the centuries. But there are some things that never change.

His name is Mitro, the vampire Dax had hunted all these long centuries. Second in command to the prince of the Carpathian people he is the epitome of everything malevolent, and perpetrator of one of the most shocking killing sprees known to man - and beast. Even his friends and family weren't safe from Mitro's bloodlust. Neither was Mitro's lifemate, Arabejila, an extraordinary woman with extraordinary gifts. But now that Dax has re-emerged, so too has Mitro. The ultimate battle between good and evil has been re-engaged. Between Dax and Mitro, a violent game has begun - one that has marked Riley Parker, the last descendent of Arabejila, as the reward.

Who the hell are these people?  I want Skylar and Dmitri. (*whine font*) Feehan jumped ahead 50 years between the first two books. She can jump another 5 years for this one!!  Patience is not my greatest strength.

1. And finally, Penguin is giving away a copy of Fury's Kiss before you can buy it!  

   Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—half-human, half-vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. But so far, Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing... 

   Dory is used to fighting hard and nasty. So when she wakes up in a strange scientific lab with astrange man standing over her, her first instinct is to take his head off. Luckily, the man is actually the master vampire Louis-Cesare, so he’s not an easy kill.

   It turns out that Dory had been working with a Vampire Senate task force on the smuggling of magical items and weaponry out of Faerie when she was captured and brought to the lab. But when Louis-Cesare rescues her, she has no memory of what happened to her.

   To find out what was done to her—and who is behind it—Dory will have to face off with fallen angels, the maddest of mad scientists, and a new breed of vampires that are far worse than undead…

Fury's Kiss is out October 2nd. The contest runs through August 3rd.

XOXO,
Jen

5 for Friday - July 6

Happy Friday! I'm finally over my Magic Mike hangover and I have learned two very important lessons.  One: it's bad enough to drunk-dial or drunk-tweet, but it's even less of a good idea to pull out the camcorder and post your drunken monologue-slash-movie-review online... even if your enabler-friends say it is funny.  And two: if you are foolish enough to do this anyway, for the love of God, disable the comments on YouTube.  Days after my review posted, someone left the comment, "Lonely drunk older woman. Yuck."  I wanted to shout, "I'm not lonely!!" But I thought better of a flame war with some kid out in cyberspace. (I'm still crying on the inside and the comments are, indeed, now disabled.)

In other news, I decided to go ahead and start the Crossfire series and I really ended up enjoying Bared to You. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to give it a try!!

5. I read and Loved Elizabeth Hoyt's Thief of Shadows with a capital-L. Now she is spilling the deets on the next Maiden Lane book, Lord of Darkness, out in February.

WHEN STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT
He lives in the shadows. The mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, his only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless lady pointing a pistol at his head—and realizes she is his wife . . .

BECOME LOVERS...
Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles—the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and the man she hasn’t seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be—and so much more . . .

DESIRE IS THE ULTIMATE DANGER
When passion flares these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth—that the Ghost is her husband, Godric St. John—the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

4. A tidbit for fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series.  According to her Facebook page, her next Dark Hunter book may be about Acheron's brother Styxx.

This excites me. I'm ready to get back into the Acheron side of the DH world!!

3. Laura Wright's 4th book in her Mark of the Vampire series, Eternal Beast,  is coming soon.  Now she has released a book trailer.

I'm excited to read Gray & Dillon's story!  It's out August 7.

2. I love Kelly Meding's Dreg City books.  But I've never tried her MetaWars series.  There's no time like the present, though. Pocket After Dark is featuring book one, Trance, for free on their website this month!

Kelly Meding’s war-ravaged Los Angeles is ground zero for the ultimate Meta human showdown in this sexy, action-packed new series.

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

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

If you like it, book two, Changeling, just came out June 26.

1. Here's a big one for Guild Hunter fans. Nalini Singh is holding a giveaway for three ARCs of Archangel's Storm.

I love the Guild Hunter covers, don't you?? This is Jason's book, out September 4th. Scoot over to her blog to enter. The contest runs through July 20th.

*Bonus Items*
Thea Harrison has revealed the cover art for her next Elder Races novella. And Moira Rogers has a new one in the Last Call series.

What do we think?  Hunter's Season is out September 18th.  No release date yet for Firecracker.


Have a great weekend!

XOXO
Jen

P.S. The contest winner is JenM.  Jen, send me an email and I'll hook you up with your prize.

5 for Friday - June 29

Happy Friday, everybody! Or perhaps, a more appropriate salutation Happy Magic Mike Day!!  But I'll get back to that in a minute.  First, I have to say it's been a real hit and miss week for me in bookland. I read the first novella and full-length book in Jocelynn Drake's upcoming Asylum Tales series.  I liked those, but everything else I read just kind of fell flat. I guess it was because I was coming off the high from all of those fabulous June 26th releases.  Who knows?  Now I'm feeling a bit uninspired to pick up anything new.  Ever have one of those weeks?  Anyway... I know something that will cheer me up...

5. At long last, the wait for Magic Mike is over.

Believe it or not, I will not be going to see this tonight. One of my buds is working, so we can't go until tomorrow.  (*tears*) But Saturday night, we are hitting the theater, and I for one, am going with a blood alcohol content of at least .05.

And to show you my level of commitment to Joe, Matt and the boys, you should know that I am braving the displeasure of family members by missing an out-of-town birthday party on Saturday. Mr. Red Hot Books knows how much I've been looking forward to the movie and he has offered to take the kids for me! (That's love, people.)

4. Hot on the heels of her Once Burned release, Jeaniene Frost is already talking about the next Vlad book.  The second installment in the Night Prince series will be titled Twice Tempted.  It's scheduled for release March 19, 2013.  How am I going to wait that long?

3. Sherrilyn Kenyon has revealed the cover for her next League book. Check out the deets on Born of Fury:

Counted among the fiercest Andarion warriors ever born, Hauk is one of the five founding members of the Sentella- an organization that has declared war on the League that rules the Ichidian universe with an iron fist and terrifies it with an army of well-trained assassins. Hauk’s enemies are legion, but he fears nothing and no one. He will do whatever it takes to survive and protect his Sentella brethren.

Sumi Antaxas is one of the best assassins the League has ever trained. In her world, failure is not an option and she has never met a target she couldn’t execute. So when she’s assigned Hauk, she believes it’ll be a quick and easy mission.

But nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and Hauk is far better trained...

Born of Fury is out April 1. But if you don't want to wait until 2013 for your next dose of the Ichidan universe, remember Maris' story, Cloak & Silence, will be out December 15.

2. Everybody is talking about Sylvia Day's Bared to You these days. I've heard many people call it the better alternative to FSoG.  I haven't read it. Honestly, the 50 Shades comparison turned me off, but now I am wondering if that was a mistake.  (*sigh*)  Anyway, the cover for book two is out:

Reflected in You is out October 2.  The final book in the trilogy will be out in December.

1. Finally, with The Avengers and Magic Mike premieres moving into the rear-view, I'm wondering what I can look forward to next at the theater.  I'm leaning heavily toward the Total Recall redux.  I'm as sick of remakes as everyone else, but I have to admit, this looks pretty bad-ass.

After this, I will begin to fixate on Ryan Reynolds as Connor MacLeod in the Highlander reboot, FO' SHO!I am picturing him in the kilt already!!


Have a great week... remember AAD in NOLA is less than six weeks away!!! If any featured authors want a last-minute spotlight, just let me know and I'll be happy to host you here.

XOXO
Jen

5 for Friday - May 4

Happy Friday! If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I'm not much for memes.  However, I've given some thought to what I enjoy reading on other blogs and I realized that the only features I consistently seek out are the great weekly wrap ups like Smexy's Top 10 and Fiction Vixen's Random Friday.  How Mandi manages to come up with 10 things every week, I'll never know. But I do tend to find little tidbits here and there that I'd like to share with you... even if they aren't worthy of individual posts.  So with those things in mind --and the blessings of Mandi & Sophia-- I give you my top 5 for Friday.

5. Top Tumblr Photo of the Week.  If you've never experienced the joy that is my Tumblr page, consider yourself invited.  But be warned, many of the photos are decidedly NSFW.  I recommend opening the page when you are alone, maybe with a glass of wine and a little Barry White.  But for those disinclined to wade through a sea of muscled flesh and peen, I present you with the best of the best. Generally, I'll only post one of these, but since it's the first time, I'll give you two!

(**Photos removed to prevent copyright infringement**)

4. You probably know I'm one of the official bloggers for the Authors After Dark convention in New Orleans this summer.  Part of commitment I made when I signed up was to host 30 author spotlights on the blog. I've actually made my quota (though all of them haven't posted yet.)  But if you are an AAD author and you would like a feature here, I'd be happy to have you.  Drop me an email and help spread the word to other authors. Everyone is welcome!

3. I'm counting down to the release of Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost.  (53 days, by the way.)  Jeaniene has released a new snippet of Vlad's book on her blog. It's actually the third one she's put out. You can take a look here. She's also got links to the other two small excerpts she has posted.

2. A two-fer from the awesome Sherrilyn Kenyon.  If you didn't see my open letter to her earlier this week... She has announced plans for her first m/m story, Cloak & Silence! It's part of her League series and features Maris, a character I absolute loved in Born of Silence.  It's not clear if it will be a full length book or a novella, but either way, I am excited to see how she will approach it!  Deets on her website.

Also from La Kenyon, a cover reveal on the the next Chronicles of Nick book, Inferno.

It's different from the last two, no?

1. And finally, The Avengers hits theaters today! I rarely go to the movies, because I am cheap and few movies interest me.  But I am going to see this one.  Chris Hemsworth doesn't know it, but he and I are destined for a torrid affair.  My husband doesn't know this either, but why trifle with details? 

Not only does eye candy abound in this one but it looks like it's full of action and special effects. I'll take a blockbuster over something artistic and pretentious any day. 

That's it for now. We'll do it again next week! In the meantime, any feedback is much appreciated.

XOXO
Jen

An Open Letter to Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dear Sherrilyn,
   My faith in you is restored.  My opinion of you is, perhaps, is even greater than it was before.
   For the past year, I've felt anxious and more than a little betrayed over the announcement that Darling would have a book with a female HEA.  Obviously, I had not had the opportunity to read Born of Silence to discover what you had in store for the character.  But I felt like you were changing him to make him more palatable to the masses.  It was especially distressing because I have always seen you as such an inclusive writer.  I've always felt like you accepted and embraced all of the world's differences.   But when presented with the chance to write a book that could drive this home in a meaningful way, you didn't.  You made a gay man straight to sell a book.
   I want to say that I've never felt so happy to be wrong about an author.  First of all, I thought Born of Silence was amazing.  You told everyone to trust you, and I didn't. And I'm sorry.  After reading it, I told everyone that it was great and I felt good about the series again.  But now, you have taken it a step further and I truly applaud you.  I am absolutely elated that you are writing a book for Darling's gay friend, Maris.
   Maris was one of my favorite things about Born of Silence.  And I am so proud to see that you are giving him a love story with another man.   I know that not everyone is a fan of m/m romance. That is what makes it brave, though. Especially for a bestselling author who doesn't usually write in this genre.
   I know that I'm just one little reader in a sea of millions of fans. But when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. And I give credit where credit is due.  I can't wait to read Cloak & Silence.  Thank you for this.  You were right. I should have trusted you.
   
Love,
Jen

Note: I'm not sure if Cloak & Silence will be a full length book or a novella.  The release date is listed as December 15, 2012. I'll keep you informed. In the meantime, what do you guys think of a Maris book?

Giveaway: Born of Silence

The wait is almost over for the latest book in The League series by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Born of Silence gives us Darling's story and fans have been rumbling about this book for the past year.  If you've somehow missed the controversy, up until now, Darling has been presented as a gay character, but in the new book, his love interest is a woman.

I was one of the people complaining the loudest, but I thought the book was amazing. You can check out my spoiler-free review here and I've got the blurb below.

As the Resistance leader, Zarya Starska's only goal is to topple the government that destroyed her entire family and left her penniless. Her biggest asset is a mysterious man known only as Kere.

But Kere has a dark secret. Born into a world that is as privileged as it is corrupt, his real name is Darling Cruel-and he is heir to the government Zarya wants to overthrow. No one has ever seen the real man behind the legend. No one except Zarya. But when she allows a weapon he designed to be used against his beloved sister, all bets are off.

Betrayed by the Resistance, Darling's goal is not only to reign, but to kill every Resistance member he can find. Zarya must stop Darling's reign of terror, but can she reach past his insanity to restore the hero who once fought by her side?

If you've been waiting to get your hands on this one, let me help you out.  I'm giving away one hardback copy of the book, courtesy of Grand Central Publishing.  To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  US entries only on this one.

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