AARRGGHHH!

Okay this week totally sucks and I can't wait for it to be over. So the week (so far anyway) from hell in review:

Sunday: Migraine!

Monday: Flat tire, and didn't get into work and had to spend the day at COSTCO! No internet access to be found in the the total of six life sucking hours.

Tuesday: Flat tire! Again! Same tire! And yet again didn't make it to work, and now have intimate knowledge of COSTCO (more than any sane non-employee should have). And again another wasted day with no internet in sight.

Wednesday: Completely forgettable.

Thursday: Yelled at by employer for not making it into work Monday and Tuesday. Why did they tell me they were "OK" with me not coming in on Monday and Tuesday if they were just going to yell at me for not coming in? And didn't get to the Farmer's market so now have to eat icky store bought fruit for the next week.

Friday: It can only go up.

Saturday: The impeding doom of the parental visit. My mother can spot dust at 500 yards! Have no idea how she does it but then she can also spot the nearest mall and bathroom (two very important skills) so I guess the dust thing had to be balanced out somehow.

Okay... happy thoughts...
1.) Got books in the mail! (thanks sarai)
2.) Only one more morning before the weekend!
3.) Got paid!
4.) Home has been de-furred and cleaned due to the impeding parental visit.

Hostage to Pleasure Contest!

Nalini Singh is holding a contest to celebrate the upcoming (September 2nd!) release of Hostage to Pleasure the 5th full-length entry in the Psy/Changeling world.

What's up for grabs? US$75 gift certificate to the winner, chosen at random.


Goto Nalini Singh for the details.
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Which fictional hero (from books, TV, movie...) would you most like to hold hostage?H,,,, Hari (Marjoire M. Liu) Rand R'Ash from (Celta series by Bobin Owens,

Which fictional hero would you most like to be held hostage by? So many choices... Rainier Vel'En Daris aka Rain Tairen Soul (CL Wilson Tairen Souls book) or Deamon Sadi (Anne Bishop's Black Jewels books) or Colin Ames-Beaumont (Demon Moon by Meljean Brook)

Which fictional world would you most like to be held hostage in? The Pys-Changling world. Because is a cleaner, greener version were where I already live. (Nalini Singh's world)

Nancy Drew Week!

Make sure you all head over to the The Thrillionth Page for Nancy Drew week! It's all about our favorite tween sleuth extraordinaire.

It's the half way through the week, but well worth a visit since there is an interview with the one and only Nancy Drew!

Review: Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Bites

Author: Ilona Andrews

Published: March 2007

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Stand Alone/Series: Book 1, Kate Daniels

From the Author Site: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for magic...

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while the guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic receeds as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizzare killings - and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league - but she wouldn't have it any other way...

Review: This book grabbed you from the very beginning and didn't let go until the end. A definite page-turner with non-stop action and suspense throughout the story. It is told all in the first person and masterfully done.

The story starts with Kate relaxing at home when a vampire comes to visit and asks her when she saw her guardian last. This compels Kate to check on her guardian, Greg, only to find out that he has be murdered. So Kate leave her safe, comfortable home and heads to Atlanta to investigate the death of her guardian who also happens to be the knight-diviner for the Knights of the Order of Merciful Aid of the Atlanta Chapter. The knight-protector for the Atlanta Chapter of the Order allows Kate to investigate of Greg's murder. From there everything goes wild. She get drawn into a mystery dealing with the deaths of shapeshifters (the Pack) and vampires (controlled by the Masters of the Dead or the People) and their respective leaders in the Atlanta area (Beast Lord aka Curran and Master of the Dead Nataraja).

Kate Daniels is a completely kick ass heroine, quite literally. No nonsense, action inclines and smart mouthed, that gets her into a lot of trouble. With her trusty sword, Slayer, she takes each problem and challenge head on. I love that she is straight forward, do what needs to be done kind of heroine. Also there is a mystery of her origins and the mystery of her blood is quite interesting and I hope that the author will enlighten us on it in future book.

The world was fascinating. Apparently technology ruled the world at one point, like ours, but suddenly magic started strongly flux into the world the throwing the world into chaos. It was interesting to see the struggle between technological equipments (cars, building, lights, etc.) and the magically equipment (cars that run on magic, leylines, feylanterns, etc.). I also liked the concept of vampires as puppets and are controlled by necromancers. It was very colorful and mostly believable. The history is somewhat sparse but adequate for the intent of the story. I would have like to see more of how magic re-entered the world and the founding of all the different organizations, but that just me and it was not really required for the storyline.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Anyone who enjoys a good story will enjoy this book. Lots of action and adventure and sticky situations. Not for someone looking for a romance. Though there is some, it is not the center piece of the story. (I do hope that she ends up with Curran in the long run though).

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Review: Demon Night - Meljean Brook

Title: Demon Night

Author: Meljean Brook

Published: February 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: The Guardians, Book 5.
Book 1: Falling For Anthony, Hot Spell anthology
Book 2: Demon Angel
Book 3: Paradise, Wild Things anthology
Book 4: Demon Moon

From the Author Site: Charlie Newcomb worked hard to get her life back together. But all that is shaken when she’s set upon by three vampires desperate to transform her beauty into something evil. Because Charlie is the vital link to something they want—and need. It’s Charlie’s flesh and blood sister, a medical scientist whose knowledge could be invaluable to the predators.

But to get to her, they must first get to Charlie, now under the intimate protection of Ethan McCabe. As her Guardian, Ethan is attracted to her vulnerabilities—as well as her strengths. The closer he gets, the more protecting her becomes not just his duty, but his desire. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

Review: This could be read out of order, there is enough of the world and its history to keep a new reader from being confused. The story was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up after about 75 pages into the book. From that point on it was non-stop action and flip-the-pages riveting that I have come to expect from Meljean.

Charlie is the sister of a scientist, Jane, that the demons want to keep from their project. One way to control keep that control is to turn Charlie into a vampire. Ethan has been assigned to keep this from happening and to find out just what the demons are up to.

Charlie was not my favorite heroine material. I found her to be a bit whiny at times with the whole 'poor little old me' routine. But once she gets over that, she was a much more interesting character. In the beginning she is just getting but day to day, struggling to make a new life for herself. Then she notices the vampires and she finds out her mysterious neighbor Ethan's secret.

Ethan, aka Drifter, was definitely heroic even if he didn't think so. A bank robber in the late 1800s turned Guardian. It seems so appropriate that his talent is for unlocking locks. I loved how Meljean kept his 1800s idioms (the whole "Miss Charlie" and suspenders).

We get to see a lot of Guardian Jake since Ethan is his mentor. I found him to but a lot of fun. Kinda of the wise-cracking little brother most of the time, but with glimpses of what he will be once his powers develop. I can't wait for his story. Also the lines of good and evil is blurred with the Sammael-Jane relationship. It will be interesting to where this all goes.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Yes

Rating: 4.25

Review: Demon Moon - Meljean Brook

Title: Demon Moon

Author: Meljean Brook

Published: June 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: The Guardians, Book 4.
Book 1: Falling For Anthony, Hot Spell anthology
Book 2: Demon Angel
Book 3: Paradise, Wild Things anthology

From the Author Site: No one would call vampire Colin Ames-Beaumont kind, but they would call him unnaturally beautiful. For two centuries his tainted blood has kept him isolated from other vampires, sustained only by his beauty and vanity—bitter comforts, since a curse has erased his mirror reflection, replacing it with a terrifying glimpse of Chaos.

Savi Murray's insatiable curiosity had gotten her into trouble before, but she'd always escaped unscathed. Then came Colin. In the midst of Heaven, he gave her a taste of ecstasy—and of Chaos. Deadly creatures from that realm herald the return of an imprisoned nosferatu horde, and Colin and Savi’s bond is their only protection—and their only passion…

Review: This storyline follows closely after Demon Angel. I would highly recommend reading Demon Angel before reading this book. It continues the overall storyline from the end of Demon Angel. But you can definitely read this before the novellas (Falling for Anthony and Paradise). This is also the story of Savi Murray, Hugh's adopted sister, and Colin Ames-Beaumont (never forget the Ames), the ever so vain vampire.

In the process of saving herself and a plane full of humans from a nosferatu, Savi ingests hellhound vemon and nosferatu blood. This gives her some unusual abilities, one of which causes Colin no end of troubles since it causes him to lust after her even though he has promised Hugh and Lilith that he would not pursue her. Savi is also very attracted to Colin but is trying to resist due to something that happened while they were in Caelum. So it a fight of resistance to the irresistibles, Colin for Savi and Savi for Colin. Who will given in first! Great tension and lots of fun right up to the end.

Savi is super smart and very curious about everything. Which just gets her into a ton of trouble and definitely in the lines of 'curiosity killed the cat'. She either jumps right into action which usually creates more problems or over analyzes the situation into inaction. I really enjoyed the character. She is great heroine material, funny and smart, loves her family but is willing to do what it takes to keep them safe.

Colin is adorable. Wonderfully vain with very high standards for everything. We get to learn more about why he is so vain and loves to hear compliments about himself. In Demon Angel, I thought Colin was the adorable vain, funny, comic relief with an ego the size of Jupiter. But in Demon Moon, I found him to be more. He is the perfect match for Savi. Sure his vanity has no end, but it is wonderful part of what makes him so interesting. Instead of making him shallow, its highlights his plight and his need to be recognized.

Meljean continues to make her world interesting and fully of action. This was definitely a page turner. Didn't want to put it down, but alas that stuff that one has to do to make book money, aka work, keeps getting into the reading time.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Yes.

Rating: 4.5

Demon Angel - Meljean Brook

Finally got back into my TBR. It's still frighteningly large (adding faster than removing!). Thanks to RWA literacy signing I've added another 10+ books to it. But enough about the TBR. Here's something I finished over the weekend.

Title: Demon Angel

Author: Meljean Brook

Published: January 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: The Guardians, Book 2. Book 1 is the Novella in Hot Spell anthology with Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, and Shiloh Walker

From the Author Site: For two thousand years, Lilith wrought vengeance upon the evil and the damned, gathering souls for her father's armies Below and proving her fealty to her Underworld liege. Bound by a bargain with the devil and forbidden to feel pleasure, she draws upon her dark powers and serpentine grace to lead men into temptation. That is, until she faces her greatest temptation—Heaven's own Sir Hugh Castleford...

Once a knight and now a Guardian, Hugh spent centuries battling demons—and the cursed, blood-drinking nosferatu. His purpose has always been to thwart the demon Lilith, even as he battles his treacherous hunger for her. But when a deadly alliance unleashes a threat to both humans and Guardians in modern-day San Francisco, angel and demon must fight together against unholy evil—and against a desire that has been too long denied...

Review: Totally loved this story. Now I know what all those other people (DIK ladies) have been talking about. It is truly a wonderfully crafted and narrated tale. I was a bit wary of reading it since I read the short story in the Hot Spells anthology (Falling for Anthony) and didn't think much of it. But this was fantastic!

So there is Hugh Castleford - the adorable brooding hero. He is a fallen Guardian who spent the over 800 years of his Guardianship trying to figure out a way to free the Demon Lilith, whom he was in love with and used all his powers to resist, from the evil clutches of the Morning Star aka Lucifer. Once he is fallen he become a literature professor and believes Lilith to be out of his reach until his students start disappearing and she comes back in his life. He definitely has the brood part perfected, spending much of his time analyzing his feelings and plans of attack. But not overly brooding, he was also about action since he must save Lilith and his students and perhaps the world before Lucifer can win.

Lilith is so totally cool and kick-ass. Delightfully evil but in a good way. For a demon she certainly did a lot of good. Definitely not one of Lucifer's favorites since she has a habit of disappointing him and continuously failed in her attacks on Hugh as a Guardian and now also as a human. The demon with a heart of gold when it come to Hugh and a wicked sense of humor about her job. I am usually a cat person but after being introduced to Sir Pup, I want a hellhound too! It hard not to say too much so as not to give the story away.

The world was wonderfully crafted. Meljean didn't spend all her time building the world as some author's do, but instead made you see her world as a story that continually flows and grows. Loved the reference to real historical and literary facts/people. The shear amount of research that must have gone into writing this leaves me breathless.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Oh definitely. I've already pimp the book to a friend.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

RWA Literacy Signing

Whee! Went to the RWA "Readers for Life" book signing on Wednesday! What a blast!! I am so glad that it was in town and I was able to go. (Kinda wished that I signed up for the conference and all, but maybe next year!).

Everyone was so nice and it was GREAT to put names to faces of fellow bloggers. Ciara got into the Sherrilyn Kenyon Acheron party (lucky girl) and it sounded like it was a lot of fun (she got to meet the amazing Sherrilyn and had her picture taken with Acheron!). Jane did a wonderful job announcing the raffle (though I didn't win anything! *pout*). Katie was running around with raffle tickets and looked really tired (hope all rested). Alice had sore feet from running around all over SF with the bloggers. Lisa was so funny (she and sula went out to the Castro and bought "toys" *g*). Sarah had me in stitches with all her witty little stories. Wendy got so much swag I wish I was a librarian!

Oh the authors I got to meet! Oh the joy and the pain (in the pocket book)! Even though RWA said NO bringing in books, they allowed it! I wished I had known so I could have brought my books from home but now I have autographed copies that need to be kept out of the bathroom and bath-time (can't just go out and buy replacements). Kresley Cole is really funny (uh sorry about the misquote to Gena!) and so is Gena Showalter. Was so thrilled to meet Nalini Singh and CL Wilson. Beverly Jenkins (a new author for me) did a reading at a local Borders and it was so funny I had to get the book, of course Beverly signed it for me. It was so hard to keep to some sort of budget (not that I did, being newly employed and all)... all those books just begging to go home with me! It was probably a good thing that there weren't any advance copies otherwise I would have again had to decide between food and books. The authors I missed seeing could make a separate page but the one that stands out was Meljean Brook (since she didn't make it until after the book signing), so wanted to meet her!

So I'll wrap it up and bit. The book signing was fun. The authors were really great. The bloggers a ton of fun. Spent a ton of money and for a great cause. Now must start saving money for next year!