Author Interview & Constest with Marlene Perez
Sunday, May 31, 2009
This week I have a young adult author as a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! Marlene Perez surprised me with her first book in the 'Dead Is' series and I can't wait to read more.

Read my review for Dead is the New Black and then check out the interview and contest!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! Thank you so much for being a guest. Maybe you can start things off by telling my readers a bit about your paranormal teen trilogy?

Marlene - The DEAD IS trilogy is about Daisy Giordano and her two psychic sisters, who solve paranormal mysteries in Nightshade, California. It has a little romance, a little mystery, and a lot of humor.

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for the trilogy? Was it something that just happened or did it take alot of time to put together?

Marlene - The first line of DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK popped into my mind, fully formed. "Being dead became fashionable approximately forty-five minutes after Samantha "the Divine" Devereaux came back from summer break." And soon after, I thought of the title. I'd read that the actor Poppy Montgomery was from a family where all the girls were named after flowers and it kind of took off from there.

I knew right away that I wanted to write a series. I like that world and those characters so much, which is important. As a series writer, you end up spending a lot of time with your characters. You'd better like them. A series does take a bit of time to put together, especially when you have to create that world. I deliberately melded the high school world with the paranormal, but you have to think about what you want the rules of that world to be.

Amber - Did you have to do alot of research for the trilogy? Talk to alot of psychics? :)

Marlene - I didn't actually talk to a lot of psychics, but my mother used to read tea leaves when I was little, so I've always been a believer in at least the possibility of psychic abilities. I also read a lot of non-fiction about psychics.

Amber - Are you anything like the main character Daisy? Or any of the other characters?

Marlene - Like Daisy, I'm the youngest, but instead of two sisters, I have seven (and four brothers.) I think we always bring a little bit of ourselves into our characters. I can't cook nearly as well as Daisy, though. My husband is the chef in the family. I think I can be a little bit like Samantha, too.

Amber - The dead is books aren't your only novels. How did you end up writing Young Adult books? Is it a genre you enjoy reading yourself?

Marlene - I LOVE reading young adult books. Not only that, but some of my favorite television shows are geared for teens. I read pretty much everything though. I tried writing other things, but when I started writing my first young adult novel, I felt like something just clicked. I think more adults should read young adult novels.

Amber - Whats next? Are there going to be more than 3 Dead is books? Are you working on anything else?

Marlene - The DEAD IS trilogy is now officially a series! There will be two more books in the series, DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR and DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION. DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR will be out in the fall of 2010 and DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION will be out in the spring of 2011. I have a stand-alone contemporary young adult novel, THE COMEBACK, coming out in August. I'm also working on a teen paranormal romance, tentatively titled RIFT, and I'm very excited about that project.

Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Are there any must read authors or series that you have to have?

Marlene - Mysteries, romance, paranormal, urban fantasy, contemporary ya. I like Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt vampire detective novels, Charlaine Harris's SOUTHERN VAMPIRE series, and a long long list of teen authors like Holly Black, Libba Bray, Mary Pearson, Melissa Wyatt, Nancy Werlin, A.M. Jenkins. The list goes on and on. I also am a big fan of any writer who can make me laugh and cry in the same novel. My goodreads to read list is embarrassingly long, but it's the only way I can keep track of the books I want to read.

Amber - Some authors have playlists for their books. I noticed you have some on your website. Does music have alot of influence on your books?

Marlene - Music has a huge influence on me. I love finding the right song for the right moment. For the paranormal romance I'm working on, I've been listening to Robert Plant/Alison Krauss's album, particularly the song "Please Read the Letter." And the prophetic jukebox in the DEAD IS series is a fun way for me to mention some of my favorite songs and sneak in some clues at the same time.

Amber - How do you like to relax? Any hobbies? Favourite TV programmes you have to watch?

Marlene - I like to read, watch movies & TV (I love my dvr!) but all my favorite shows seem to get cancelled. I loved Veronica Mars, Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, and Reaper. Do you see a pattern here? I also enjoy hanging out and having coffee with friends, vacations with my family, and traveling, when I get the chance.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Marlene - That's a tough one. Maybe a psychic. I can't stand the sight of blood, so a vampire is out. And all that hair on a werewolf!

Amber - Thank you so much for answering my questions. I hope you will come back and be a guest again someday!



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Contest Time!


This week there are Three copies of DEAD IS SO LAST YEAR up for grabs!! (US only! Sorry!)

To enter the contest you have to comment here letting me know what music you are listening to lately?

No music = No Entry.

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Saturday 7th of June 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Enjoy!

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posted by Amberkatze at 6:53 PM | 28 comments
114) Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Prom wasn't such a great night for Madison Avery. First she found out her date was a set-up and then a dark reaper killed her. Waking up in a morgue was not the intended outcome of prom night. Then the reaper appears to finish the job and Madison grabs the glowing amulet it is wearing and finds herself in a while new world.

Stuck on Earth but dead, everyone thinks she is still alive and well. Somehow the amulet she stole has given her a body but the bad guys are now out to get her. With a little help from the good guys, Madison tries to see what she can really do with the amulet and maybe even get her life back...and her body.

After following Kim Harrison's 'Hollows' series since it started, it was a surprise to see something new coming out from the author and a shock to see it was a young adult novel. However it is what all the good authors are writing these days, leaving all us oldies getting back in touch with our teen years and being thankful that we don't have to wait for pocket money to buy all these amazing new books.

So was this new book worth my well earned cash? I am still undecided. Madison is nothing like Rachel Morgan (and shouldn't be!) and I found it hard to warm to the dead teen. The start left me slightly confused and I have to say that some of the reaper details were a little complicated to follow. However the story and plot were good and fans of the writer will be impressed with her ability to write something totally different and the change of style.

Once Dead, Twice Shy is a little like the TV series 'Dead Like Me' but more good versus evil. If this is going to be a series I am not sure if I would rush out to buy the next book. While I did enjoy this read it didn't grab me enough to make me want more of the same straight away. Although I am definitely interested to see where the author will take this character in the future.

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posted by Amberkatze at 10:30 PM | 1 comments
Vicki Pettersson Contest Winner!
So who won? Who gets to read City of Souls before it comes out? If you entered the Vicki Pettersson contest you had the chance of winning a signed ARC! Who did the randomiser pick? The winner is -


My Blog 2.0 (Dottie)!!


Congratulations to you!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

The next author interview and contest will be posted tomorrow! My guest is young adult author Marlene Perez! So make sure you stop by!

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posted by Amberkatze at 7:18 PM | 2 comments
113) Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead
Being bad should be good if you are a succubus. However Georgina Kincaid has been in a horrible mood since her break up with bestselling writer Seth Mortensen and her boss is not amused. So Jerome, Seattle's top demon sends Georgina to Canada to help another demon boss with some troubles he has been having.

Georgina isn't too happy about being lent out to someone else and is even more annoyed that she has to go to Canada. Then things take an interesting turn when Jerome goes missing and Georgina and her demon pals are left without their abilities. Finding Jerome before someone else is made boss is of up most importance but without her life-sucking succubus ways Georgina and Seth realise now is the only chance they will get to get down and dirty.

With the supernatural population of Seattle up against each other and vulnerable Georgina follows the clues she has to find Jerome while keeping her boyfriend Dante sweet and Seth at arms reach. While the sexy succubus manage to find her boss and set him free in time? or will she and Seth reunite?

This fourth book in the Georgina Kincaid series was the best yet. That isn't to say that the first three were bad, I wouldn't have kept up with the series if they were. However this fourth book had alot of feelings and action plus alot of twists and turns. It kept me hooked till the end and left me needing more. Who knew being a succubus could be so fun and interesting! Georgina has me looking at things in a new cool light. I think succubus could be this seasons new vampire...

The small cliffhanger ending has me dying for the next book but unfortunately it isn't out until April 2010!!! (Why do you make us wait so long oh evil book publishers!) Hopefully by then I won't forget about the feeling this book left me with. Georgina, although already so old, grew in this book. She got a little hope for the future and I can't wait to see how her future pans out.

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posted by Amberkatze at 12:57 PM | 2 comments
Don't forget!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Don't forget to enter the Vicki Pettersson Contest! The contest closes on Saturday so there are only a few days left to enter! You don't really want to miss out on the chance of a signed ARC? Do you???

Oh and to tickle your taste buds a little...

Nancy Haddock
Marlene Perez
Sunny
Kat Richardson

Are just a few of the authors who will be guests on Amberkatze's Book Blog in June and July! So make sure you stop by!

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posted by Amberkatze at 9:15 PM | 1 comments
112) Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Being a glassmaker and magician in training leaves Opal Cowen busy enough. Then she is called upon to help the Stormdancer clan. Someone has somehow managed to ruin the clan's glass orbs killing their most powerful magicians. Opal's special abilities in the area make her the perfect person to help solve the mystery. What nobody knows is that it will be the start of a long journey for Opal and her special talents.

Opal discovers new magic inside of her which leaves her intrigued but frightened. Her affinity to glass both helps and hinders her progress as much as the enemies she has gathered along her way. With lives hanging in the balance, Opal tries to control her powers and use them for good. But how can she control the new powers if she hasn't had time to try them out? But when her enemies challenge her there is nothing else she can do but use them and hope that disaster doesn't follow.

The long awaited new series by author Maria V. Snyder has finally hit the bookshelves and also my post box. After The Study series took me by surprise I have been calmly waiting to see what the author would deliver to us next. What arrived is a superb new story set in the world I grew to love in the Study series.

Opal has not yet grabbed me as much as Yelena did but she does have me ready to face the rest of her journey with her. Going back to Ixia and Sitia was like being on holiday and like any great holiday, it is always sad to leave. It was good to catch up with old friends if only for a while but the knowledge that there will be more holidays with Opal and the other friends I have made makes me smile.

Sea Glass is the next book in the series and I will calmly wait, again, until it is released. I never thought I could enjoy a fantasy adventure series but Maria V. Snyder is just magic.

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:29 PM | 3 comments
Author Interview & Contest with Vicki Pettersson
My guest this week on Amberkatze's Book Blog is the author of the Signs of the Zodiac series. Vicki Pettersson came on to the scene with an amazing new concept and book four in the series is due out in July.

Read the interview and find out more about the books, the writer behind them and the enter the contest!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you as a guest here and I hope you will enjoy your time here ;) Maybe you can start things off for us by telling my readers a bit about your Sign of the Zodiac books?

Vicki - Happy to! The Signs of the Zodiac series follows Joanna Archer, a woman caught in the crossfire between battling factions of Shadow and Light in a previously unrealized paranormal underworld. Lest this sound too gloomy, I set Joanna’s story in my bright, raucous hometown of Las Vegas.

Amber - How was the idea for the series born? Was it a long process or something that just came to you?

Vicki - A bit of both. The scene that spawned my interest in Joanna came to me in a dream, fully formed and full of attitude, fun, danger … and questions. In searching for the answers to these questions - Who is this woman? Why is this man trying to kill her? What will she risk to prevail? — I combined a few other elements that had taken hold of my imagination, and ended up unwittingly writing Urban Fantasy. Most surprisingly, the supernatural aspects - the realization that these people were contemporary superheroes and villains - mushroomed up out of nowhere. A character popped up in the third chapter and claimed to be a superhero. Playing along with that turned my burgeoning little series on its head.

Amber - How much research did you have to do for the books so far?

Vicki - The beauty of writing fantasy is that I get to make most everything up. I love that. The only thing I must be sure to do is remain consistent with the rules I’ve already created. I also do a bit of work with the astrological aspects since that element is so important to Joanna’s world. However, for the most part I’ll look things up as I need them. I’m often surprised at how well they dovetail with my imagination. For example, doppelgangers are precursors to tulpas in my books, something I was able to create a new explination for out of a story need. This strengthened my world’s mythology while giving the reader something familiar to mentally hang their hat upon. Doppelganger myths aren’t new, neither are tulpas, but by combining the two I think I’ve created something fresh. Ditto for my take on superheroes.

Amber - The fourth book in the series is due out in July. Did you know the series would go so far? How far do you want it to keep going?

Vicki - I knew from the first book that Joanna had a lot of story in her. I also knew pretty early on that there would be six books in the series. I see a couple more beyond that, but she’s being pushed so fast and hard that she’s having to make tough decisions with each book. To be honest, I’m not sure how much more she can take, and given her personality - facing something head on, guns blazing - I see her driving herself toward the ultimate showdown with the Tulpa. She wants resolution. I should have a better idea of how many books that will require by the time I’m done writing the fifth..

Amber - What other projects are you working on? Do you have any other ideas you want to see put on print in the future?

Vicki - I have two other series ideas that have taken hold, but it’s too early to talk about either. Both are fermenting in the back of my mind, waiting their turn, but I know they have legs because they won’t go away. (Please ignore the inherent irony of that statement.) I’m a one-project-at-a-time sort of writer though, real slow and methodical, and I find it unsettling to work on two things at once. So all my focus is on Joanna and her world, and will remain so for the next little bit.

Amber - How did you end up being a writer? Was it something you always wanted to do?

Vicki - I was a reader. I scribbled a bit as a teen, but writing seemed something magical and mystical … something other people did, and not at all attainable for a little girl from a dusty desert town. Still, I was a lover of the written word, and at some point in my twenty-sixth year the idea of writing a novel took hold. I haven’t been able to shake it since.

Amber - I read you used to be a showgirl? How was that?? And what other interesting jobs have you had?

Vicki - Honestly? Repetitive. I did the same step in the same place with the same people every night for a decade. Even the backstage movement was choreographed - I’d pass the same stagehands moving the same sets into the same places, and we’d share the same jokes. The good thing was this freed up mental energy for my imagination. (That’s a nice was of saying I was bored out of my skull.) The hours were great, the pay was good, and there was a bit of autonomy … important because I don’t really like to be told what to do. The best part of it was that I met and made the best friends of my life - I call them my Tribe - a group of women who are there for me no matter what. They don’t care what I do - or if I ever write another word - as long as I bring wine to our regular gatherings.

As for other interesting jobs … hm. Let’s just say that I rarely kept one long enough to consider it mine. I have a big mouth and strong opinions on what suits me and what doesn’t. Thank God the writing thing worked out. I’m really not suited for anything else.

Amber - What books do you like to read when you have time? Do you have any must read authors/series?

Vicki - Anything by Lehane, Gabaldon or J.D. Robb. All are consummate storytellers in their respective genres. I also sink into Janet Fitch’s work. She writes poetry as prose. Surprisingly, I don’t read much in the Urban Fantasy genre. That feels too insular to me, like a snake eating its own tail, and I’m also on guard against being overly influenced by genre “expectations.” My readers generally cite my originality as the number one reason for enjoying my series, and I don’t want to lose that. There are exceptions, of course, and two are Kim Harrison — because I was reading her before I was published - and Jeaniene Frost, because she’s so unapologetically fresh and edgy. She’s not afraid to Go There in terms of her sex and her violence and her voice in the paranormal romance genre, and I absolutely love that.

Amber - How do you relax?

Vicki - Family time. Playing with my toddler, going to the park. I love being a mother. Also hanging out with my aforementioned Tribe. As long as I have meaningful work, my family, and my friends, I’m a happy (non)camper. (Camping = Not Relaxing. Color me Urban. {Wry g})

Amber - Lots of authors have playlists for their books. What music or bands would find their place on a playlist for the Zodiac Series?

Vicki - The readers on my message board have actually set up a Zodiac channel on Pandora.com, so if you’re really interested, you could check that out. It’s pretty eclectic. Green Day, 3 Doors Down, Evanescence, Metallica, Linkin Park, Within Temptation, Poe… it goes on and on. I’m digging on Ani DiFranco (always), Sarah Bareilles, KT Tunstall, and Katie Melua right now. A bunch of chick rockers. {G}

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature what would you be and why?

Vicki - I’m sorry, but my answer has to be that I’ve created the paranormal people I’d like to be - superheroes, even with their sullied capes. I write them because they’re interesting to me. Vamps have the whole, you know, DEAD thing going against them. I can’t imagine how painful waxing would be if I were some sort of were. Just tranq me already. So superheroes it is. (Guess I’m writing the right thing for me, huh?)

Amber - You are stranded on a desert island. What 5 things do you hope to have with you?

Vicki - Food, shelter, my kid, my lover, my books.

Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog. I hope you will pop by again sometime!

Vicki - Thank you!



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Contest Time!

Vicki is holding on to an ARC of City of Souls for the winner of this weeks contest. This fourth book in the Zodiac Series isn't due out till July so you will be getting this a whole month before it is released and it will be signed!

To enter the contest you have to comment here letting me know what sign of the zodiac you are!

No zodiac sign = No Entry.

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Saturday 30th of May 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Enjoy!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:02 PM | 70 comments
Last weeks Contest Winner...
...is Morgan Mandel!!

The randomiser picked you from all the entrants in the Joan De La Haye contest.

The winner should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

Stay tuned for a new author interview and contest coming very soon!

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posted by Amberkatze at 3:57 PM | 2 comments
May Monthly Giveaway!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
This month I am giving away my copy of 'Strange Angels' by Lili St. Crow.

Read my review here!

To enter the giveaway all you have to do sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

If you already subscribed then you are also eligible to win this prize! Just make sure you confirmed your subscription and that the subscription is for this site and not for the old version!

This book is registered on Bookcrossing.com but you do not have to be a member to win this prize. I do not expect the winner to journal the book on bookcrossing or become a member of Bookcrossing. The book does have a sticker inside advertising Bookcrossing.

The winner will be picked on the 1st of June.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


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posted by Amberkatze at 2:46 PM | 0 comments
111) Ashes of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Claire Roth flees from her home when it is threaten only to find the threat is a vampire warrior she once knew. Andreas Reichen has been missing, presumed dead, and now he is a danger consumed by the revenge he feels he needs to take on Claire's husband. Claire was once close to this man but now she sees him as a stranger but she still wants to help him.

Nothing will stop Andreas from getting vengeance and even Claire finds it hard to stop him. Blood-bonded to a husband she realises she doesn't really know, Claire goes with Andreas in the hope that she can save him. What she doesn't expect is for their old feelings for each other to emerge and take over. Hopefully Andreas can control his fire and not burn the one he really does love.

Book six in the Midnight Breed series is certainly not the best yet but it was still a dramatic and romantic read. The whole Midnight Breed concept has always been enough to keep me returning to this series and I am still a follower. However something was missing from this book but it could have just been that it took me a little longer than usual to get back into this series.

Shades of Midnight, Book Seven in this amazing paranormal erotic series, is due out in the Spring of next year. Hopefully when it comes out I will remember all that happened in this book and will not need so much time to slip back into this wonderful world and interesting characters.

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posted by Amberkatze at 2:22 PM | 0 comments
110) Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
Friday, May 22, 2009
Chicago's vampires announced their existence to the world but it meant nothing to Merit. That is until she gets attacked and is turned into one of the above mentioned bloodsuckers. With no say in the decision she wakes up three days later to find her whole life has been changed for her and she isn't happy about it. Not one little bit!

Although it turns out that the vampire who saved her is the master of one of the local vampire houses, Merit still doesn't really care. Then she also finds out that they expect her to join them which isn't too appealing. And then to top things off Merit doesn't exactly get off on the right foot with the house master Ethan who would like nothing more than to punish her. However it then becomes clear that Merit has some abilities and powers that other vampires don't have and Ethan sees her in a different light. Unfortunately not the sunlight...

Between all the changes there is one thing that keeps coming up. Merit's attacker is still out on the loose and has claimed more victims, who weren't as lucky, or depending on how you look it, unlucky as Merit was. Now she has to help her new vampire family find the one responsible for the killings before a war breaks out between the vampire houses.

This first book in the Chicagoland Vampire series is certainly worth reading. At first I thought, due to the cover, that this was a young adult series but after reading a review somewhere I realised this indeed is aimed at adults. Of course being the first book in a series it had alot of ground work to do but by the end of the book I was hooked.

Merit is a stubborn but feisty character who obviously hasn't yet realised that she is actually having a better life now as a vampire. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the series after seeing how quick Merit got her vamp on and stepped in to the position she needed to fill.

Thankfully the wait till book two called Friday Night Bites is a short one. Due out in October I already put it on my pre-order list but obviously I would not be against an early copy if anyone is offering ;)

It is nice to find another new vampire series by another new author that isn't the same as every other vampire book before it. Some Girls Bite manages to be new and original as well as exciting. Kudos to another author pulling off something different for the genre!

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posted by Amberkatze at 7:33 PM | 0 comments
109) Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Real World is a scary place full of monsters that Dru Anderson knows way too much about. Sixteen-years-old and an orphan she is a tough girl who has taken down her fair share of bad guys. She maybe armed and dangerous but she needs someone to trust. Someone who can help her because she always had her dad but now she has nobody.

She has always been strange but now stranger things are happening. Always travelling from one place to another with her father to hunt the things that go bump in the night. Dru hasn't had a chance to fit in anywhere and it doesn't look like this new place is going to be any different.

Alone and frightened, Dru going to have to be strong and use all her training she learnt to hunt to get away from town and from the things that have decided to hunt her right back. What are the chances that Dru will survive to see her next birthday? Or even the next day? Not high.

We all know Lili St. Crow (nice new way of writing the name by the way!) and we all know that young adults novels are all the rage these days. Well thank god there is no age limit on reading the new rush of teen novels because they are all turning out to be amazing.

Strange Angels is the start of a new series and one that I am definitely following. This was an amazing start to the series and had me gripped from start to finish. If you like Zoey and The House of the Night series by P.C & Kristen Cast then you will love this dark young adult paranormal urban fantasy with the hunter Dru. Oh and if you like the TV show Supernatural you will see alot of similarities that will make the summer break from the show a little easier to handle.

Luckily the wait to the second book in this series isn't a long one. Betrayals is due out in November and I am off to add it to my pre-order wishlist so I don't forget!

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posted by Amberkatze at 12:24 PM | 1 comments
108) Magic in the Blood by Devon Monk
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Nothing is free when you use magic. Allie Beckstrom knows that better than anyone and has had to pay the price before. Migraines and memory loss is just a small payment but her job requires her to use magic so she suffers the consequences. Tracing illegal spells back to their maker is Allie's job as a Hound and it is something she doesn't want to give up.

So when the police ask for Allie's help she is happy about getting a pay check. On the other hand the person doing the asking has a bad reputation with Hounds so Allie is a little cautious. So when the trail she is following pulls her into a deeper world of magic and hounding that she hasn't seen before, she realises she will need more than magic to come back out of it alive.

Magic to the Bone was a spectacular read and this second part Magic in the Blood was just as special. One thing that stands out about these books is the new original angle. This series has only just begun but I can tell it is building up to something more. Little pieces of info here and there and the cliffhanger ending made sure that I will be following this series for as far as it goes and with the development Allie is making that could be a long time.

Dark and pure paranormal urban fantasy this is a series that is definitely not to be missed. With so many new great new releases out right now I am sure people will be fed up of my more than positive reviews. However right now it is Paranormal Urban Fantasy heaven as far as new releases are concerned and I am enjoying every page of it!

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posted by Amberkatze at 9:51 PM | 1 comments
107) Dead If I Do by Tate Hallaway
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The wedding day is approaching and everything seems to be on schedule. Garnet Lacey has introduced her husband-to-be to her parents, has sent out the invitations and is ready to marry the vampire of her dreams. Sebastian is amazing and nothing can go wrong. Everything will be perfect.

Then Garnet gets cursed and anything that can go wrong starts to go wrong. The band has cancelled, the dresses are all messed up and one of her bridesmaids can't make it. With all this going on around her Garnet is also trying to put up with Sebastian's ex-lover trying to kill her every chance she gets. Will the wedding actually take place? Will Garnet marry Sebastian after all? She is dead if she does and most likely dead if she doesn't.

Book four in the Garnet Lacey series is here and it is a wonderful read. No need to think back to what happened last time because this series stands out so much that there is no way you can forget. This newest addition to the series only makes it stand out more and I can't wait for the next installment.

A super blend of romance and Paranormal this series has witches, vampires and more. Tension builds all the way through the story and the ending just leaves you hoping there will be more. Another fun read from another talented writer.

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posted by Amberkatze at 8:19 PM | 2 comments
106) Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock
Sunday, May 17, 2009
St. Augustine is a peaceful sunny place in Florida. Definitely not a town you would expect a vampire to choose as its home. However for Francesca Marinelli it is the only place she wants to be and has been for over 200 hundred years. So Cesca is enjoying a quiet afterlife with some great friends, a lovely place to live and a sexy guy.

Then a stranger gatecrashes her housewarming party and has everyone on edge. The vampire stand-up comic called Jo-Jo doesn't have anyone laughing when he appears out of the blue. Although it turns out that the jester isn't out to harm Cesca but wants her help in getting his life back on track. Unfortunately without knowing it he has brought some trouble along with him.

A psychotic vampire has followed Jo-Jo to Florida and Cesca is in danger. With the help of her sexy boyfriend Sabre, a cat called Pandora and an old friend called Triton, Cesca tries to put a stop to the bad guy and an end to the threat against her quiet afterlife and that of the country's head vamps.

It is over a year since I read La Vida Vampire the first book in this series. So I have been waiting, not so patiently, for Last Vampire Standing to arrive at my door for a good 14 months. So when this arrived the other day my first urge was to read it straight away but I waited till today so I could read it all in one gulp and I am glad I did!

Last Vampire Standing is a wonderful second part to this great new vampire series. I think I will even go as far as to say this second part was better than the first. With vampires, ghosts and weres this is a series that captures alot of the paranormal and promises to show the reader even more in the future.

I am really looking forward to book number three. Last Vampire Standing revealed a few bits and pieces but there is still more for us readers to learn about Cesca, Triton, Pandora and company. Also I can't wait to see if Cesca manages to learn any new powers.

With a lovely leading lady, a well written plot and quirky characters this has all the ingredients of a great paranormal urban fantasy book. The fantastic balance of romance, humour and mystery makes this a pleasure to read. Last Vampire Standing is a little Lynsay Sands mixed with Charlaine Harris and if you haven't already had the luck to read this book or its predecessor then I suggest you make a trip to your local bookstore and have an enjoyable read!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:42 PM | 1 comments
Guest Blog & Contest with Author Joan De La Haye
This week my guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog is Author Joan De La Haye. I was lucky enough to read and review Joan's book 'Shadows' a few months ago and when she asked me if I would like to be a part of her Blog tour I couldn't refuse!

So enjoy Joan's guest blog and keep reading for your chance to win a copy of Shadows published by Rebel e Publishers.

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On Demons – Part two

The first part of this discussion can be found on Marcia Colette's blog

When I first started writing Shadows, I asked a friend and witch/ceremonial magician what he thought a Demon was. After telling me I’d asked an impossible question, I got a three-page document in answer.

He started off by stating that someone had asked Lon Milo DuQuette (a prolific occult writer - don’t worry I’d never heard of him either) if demons were an actual part of the mind or if they were real entities. He answered “Yes.”

My friend then explained that the Mental Realm is the highest of all realms. It is here that we find the Akashic records. These entities originate in these realms and are therefore of the mind.

The rest of the three pages he sent were an explanation of the different types of demons and their hierarchy, which I won’t go into today.

But as to the question, what is a demon? - I think the answer depends on you and your own personal beliefs. For some they are very real beings, who can interact and interfere in our lives. For others they are simply a figment of someone else’s over active imagination and belong in the realms of fiction.

So far I’ve discussed what others think Demons are - here’s what I think:

Demons are energetic entities or beings, that we can create with the force of our minds and then there are others who are simply just there and always have been. They feed on the energy that we give them from our belief system.

These entities cannot be stopped by physical limitations so they can take all the energy fed to them and become very powerful and, depending upon what they are created for, they will at some point turn into that and possess the person who created it.

The power of the mind is limitless and when we learn to harness our thoughts we’ll be able to create incredible things and do things we always thought impossible.
I find the theory that the gods of old are also what we now think of as demons rather fascinating. The theory goes, that because they are no longer worshipped as gods they’ve lost most of their power and are now trying to regain it by scaring people. Let's face it, we give off a lot of energy when we’re afraid - possessions etc. And also it's probably far more amusing to them to give us a fright. Read Terry Pratchet’s ‘Small Gods,’ you’ll get what I mean. He’s brilliant!

Now that you've heard what I and others think demons may be, what do you think a demon is?

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About Shadows -

Shadows will be on sale at 35% off for the duration of the tour.

Buy from Mobipocket or Buy Shadows from Amazon

Blurb for Shadows:

Sarah is forced to the edge of sanity by the ghosts of her family's past. Suffering from violent and bloody hallucinations, she seeks the help of psychiatrist and friend Michael Brink.

After being sent to an institution in a catatonic state covered in blood - from stabbing her unfaithful boyfriend - Sarah is forced to confront the truth about her father's death and the demon, Jack, who caused her father's suicide and is now the reason for her horrific hallucinations. Unlike her father, Sarah refuses to kill herself. She bargains for her life and succeeds.

In Sarah's struggle to regain her life and her sanity, she discovers more things to the world than she could ever have imagined and leaves her seeking the answer to the nagging question, "Who is really mad?

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Contest Time

Joan has nicely said she will give one lucky winner a Mobipocket version of Shadows. So if you would like to win a copy of this amazing read keep reading to find out how to enter!

To enter the contest you have to comment here letting me know what you think a Demon is!

No Demon = No Entry.

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday 24th of May 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Enjoy!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:15 PM | 12 comments
More winners!
Last week I announced the three winners of the M. R. Sellars contest. Well only one of the winners contacted me! So that means the 7 days are up and it is time to draw two new winners!

So the randomiser is busy today! Congrats to the new winners -

LuAnn

and

Ginnn7

All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Please make sure you send me your mailing address when you contact me and also which Rowan Gant book you would like to have.

I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:09 PM | 0 comments
Poll & Contest closed! Winners announced here!
So the poll and contest have closed and it is time to pick some winners! Seeing as there were 110 votes there will be two winners picked. The first winner will win the book with the most votes and the second winner will win the book that came second in the poll.

So first lets see how many votes the books got!

5th place -

Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby 13% (14 votes)

4th Place -

Spell Games by T.A. Pratt 14% (15 votes)

3rd Place -

Ghost of a Chance by Kate Marsh 17% (19 votes)

2nd Place -

Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton 23% (25 votes)

1st Place -

Doomsday Can Wait by Lori Handeland 34% (37 votes)

So the two winners of the contest will be getting either Doomsday Can Wait by Lori Handeland, which was the winner of the poll! Or Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton which came in second.

So who won?

The randomiser has spoken and the winner of Doomsday Can Wait is -

Pam P


And the winner of Surviving Demon Island (which is actually signed by the author - Lucky winner!) is -

Chris J


All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

Also I would like to say thank you to everyone who voted in the first poll here on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I think I will start adding a weekly poll to give you all something to have your say about ;)

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posted by Amberkatze at 3:58 PM | 2 comments
Toni V. Sweeney Triple Feature Special!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Today I have a triple feature special. All three of the following novellas were written by Toni V. Sweeney. I hope the reviews will tempt you to check the stories out for yourselves!

Demon in Blue Jeans

Blurb -

When Katy asked the Devil for a "Bad Boy" all her own, she didn't expect him to grant her wish. Then an underachieving incubus named Zel appears on the scene and she's severely tempted...only problem is, Zel has an agenda all his own!

What did I think? -

This was a nice novella which I actually think would have made a nice novel size story. The tension was short and the romance quick but this was still a nice read and well written. How Katy and Zel meet made me giggle and the ending made me smile. This was a feel good tale that alot of people will enjoy but I would still prefer something a little longer.

Love, Vampire Style

Blurb -

Val Andriescu likes living la vida American so when he's ordered to find a nice vampire girl and settle down, he does what any rebellious young vamp would do--he runs away from home--and straight into the arms of the woman he's destined to love...only problem is--she's human! What's a vampire to do?

What did I think? -

This first book in the "Clan Andriescu" series was amusing and romantic. I kind of guessed how this one would twist and turn but it was still a pleasure to read. The author really has a talent for short stories and writes them well. Although I have to get past my love of a nice novel sized story I did like the change and found it refreshing to read something smaller that doesn't mess around but gets right to the point.

Sometimes Love Returns

Blurb -

40 years ago, Marius Andresciu met Caitlin DuBarry in Paris; in 2008, he meets her again and finds he still loves her, but can Caity--now in her 60's--accept the attentions of a man who appears to be half her age?

What did I think? -

Published in Sounds of the Night magazine back in February this story is the second entry in the "Clan Andriescu" series. This had a different feel to it than the previous two novellas and at first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. Then as the story moved on I was quite impressed and thought it was all quite romantic if not a little sad.

All in all each of these novellas were nice romantic paranormal reads. I liked the style and the simplicity of the short stories and would love to know what the Andriescu clan get up to next. If you are looking for something new or maybe just something quick to read then look no further. These stories the feelgood kind of ones you need to perk you up on your way to work.

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posted by Amberkatze at 7:30 PM | 8 comments
102) The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
Every teenage girl would like to special and different but for Chloe Saunders it is a reality. She is a walking science experiment who was genetically altered at birth. Now she is being held by the Edison group and she doesn't want to stay around long enough to find out what they want to do with her. Especially now that her powers are starting to grow.

You see Chloe is a powerful necromancer. She has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and can also raise the dead. Her powers need to be trained but right now all she needs is freedom. So Chloe finds herself running for her life with three other supernatural teenagers she has met along the way. It isn't easy travelling with the sorcerer, witch and werewolf, but they need each other if they are going to survive. Hopefully Chloe can trust them and maybe together they can come up with a plan to save them from the Edison Group forever.

I love Kelley Armstrong's books and this one is no exception. This young adult version of her Women of the Otherworld series is just perfect. If you love Elena and Clay then you will adore Chloe and her friends. Set in the same world with the same rules I keep wanting to shout out 'Go to Jeremy he will help' or 'Try and find Paige'. Of course I am not sure if these youngsters will ever meet with their fellow older Otherworld characters. That could be interesting...

All in all this was brilliant. What else can you say about something so well written and action packed. If you love the paranormal genre and/or have visited the Otherworld before then this is a must read. Sure this is Young Adult but it isn't that young and it isn't that old either. It is perfect and I can't wait for more.

This is book two in the Darkest Powers trilogy. I didn't realise it was a trilogy until reading this book and thought it would be an on going series. However knowing that only one more book is coming actually sounds good. I just hope there won't be a long wait for the final part!

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posted by Amberkatze at 1:09 PM | 2 comments
101) Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
The activities of the supernatural community in and around Bon Temps has become vital news to Sookie Stackhouse. She is a friend of the local Were pack, Blood bound to the local vampire leader, her brother is a werepanther, her boss a shifter and her room mate is a witch. Then to make things all the more complicated her great-grandfather is fae

The humans know about the vampires, they came out years ago. However now the humans are going to find out about Weres. It has finally been decided that the time is right to show their exsistence. Things seem to have gone well until Sam, Sookie's boss gets a phone call from his family and then a body of a werepanther is found in the parking lot of Merlotte's.

Sookie wants to find out who could have done such a horrible thing but while she is busy concentrating on that she doesn't see the real danger she is in. A Fae war has started and she is the main target and the enemy will harm anyone who gets in their way. Human or Supe they don't care and they are mean.

I can hardly believe that this is book nine in the series. In some aspects I feel the story has been going on for much longer but in other ways it feels so fresh and new. There is no need for me to sing praises for this book because like all of the previous Sookie Stackhouse novels it was amazing. Twists and turns, Supernatural and Human, everything you come to expect from this great series and outstanding author.

Sookie looses alot in this book, some of the loss is worse than others but the title of the book 'Dead and Gone' really does have alot of meaning. I hope that Sookie will get over the losses and come out strong like she always does. Although I wouldn't be surprised if the events in this new release leaves behind some damage.

The only thing I hated about this book is the end. Why? Because now I know I have to wait another year before the next Sookie book comes out. The year wait is extremely annoying and I am very pleased that I had time to listen to the audio book of From Dead to Worse a few weeks ago. Otherwise I would have found it hard to get back into the series after such a long break.

However I have some relief while I am waiting. TrueBlood season two is due on the screens next month and I can't wait. Although I know what happens to Sookie next (the series does follow the books) there are other tangents in the show that are new and it is always interesting to see how they adapt the book onto TV. If you haven't already tried the show I suggest getting the first season on DVD asap and catching up.

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posted by Amberkatze at 10:13 AM | 0 comments
100) Wicked by Any Other Name by Linda Wisdom
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Stasi Romanov owns a lingerie shop and is a witch. A little love charm in the bags of her customers now and again has them coming back for more until one customer doesn't get what she expected. Being sued is bad enough but being sued in the magical world is worse and things don't look any better when she meets the attorney she is up against.

Wizards and witches aren't supposed to mix so both Trevor and Stasi are surprised to see cupid has other things in store for them. However Stasi and Trevor have more things to worry about. The town seems to be turning against Stasi and her friend Blair. Something magical and mysterious is ruining their home, business and reputation.

After reading two great books by Linda Wisdom based on her sexy hexy Jazz, I was looking forward to delving back into the witchy world again. I was slightly surprised to see that Jazz's friend Stasi had taken over the main role in this new book but my fears of no Fluff and Puff were tamed as the story picked up.

Stasi was a great character and I really enjoyed reading her and Trevor's story. It was also great to catch up with the other characters and even have Jazz come for a visit. The story builds up nicely and the tension and mystery grows all the way to the end. Romantic but fun this is another witchy tale by Linda Wisdom that I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I can't wait to see what happens next and to which witch!

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posted by Amberkatze at 8:13 PM | 1 comments
99) Being Familiar With a Witch by Sapphire Phelan
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Blurb

Tina doesn't know she's a witch. It will take Charun, her demon Familiar, to convince her to make love with him and let loose her witch powers. For if she doesn't, then with the demon army about to bring Armageddon to the Mortal Realm on Halloween, she won't stand a chance in Hell.

What did I think?

This book started as it meant to continue. Hot! This erotic paranormal romance was steamy and very very sexy. Definitely not for the weak hearted but will be loved by anyone who loves their erotic stories full of heat.

Tension builds up all the way through the story until finally all hell breaks loose. With a gorgeous demon and a cute witch this was well written and not too over the top. I really hope there will be a sequel or even a series for this one because I would really like to see what happens next.

Only just over 100 pages long this is enough to scratch any itch you may have and leave you wanting more.

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posted by Amberkatze at 5:47 PM | 0 comments
Vote and Win a book!
For some reason this week I haven't got an author interview and contest for you all! Maybe it was my oversight or just because nobody sent their interview questions back? Who knows! However I decided that whatever the reason there is no need for you guys to go without. So there is a contest this week with a little bit of a difference.

To enter the contest you have to vote in the poll (in the sidebar ---> ) and comment letting me know which new release you are looking forward to at the moment. You can post more than one book if you can't decide but to have a valid entry you must mention at least one book you are looking forward to.

No New Release = No Entry.

When you vote in the poll choose carefully!!! The book that gets the most votes will be the prize!!! So if you do win you may end up with a book you didn't vote for!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

If there are more than 100 votes (I have set the poll to allow one vote per person...and hope it works!) there will be a second winner who will win the book with the second highest vote. If there are more than 500 votes a third who will win the third highest voted book. So encourage your friends to come vote.

All three books have been read and reviewed on Amberkatze's Book Blog sometime over the last month. They are all registered on Bookcrossing.com. You do not need to be a Bookcrosser to enter the contest but please note that there will be an ID number inside the book. I don't expect anyone to sign up to Bookcrossing or journal the book to enter the contest. I register all my books.

The contest will stay open until Sunday 17th of May 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Have fun!

Go here to vote in the poll

The books you could win!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:24 PM | 43 comments
M.R. Sellars Contest Winners!
The M.R. Sellars contest is now closed for entries and it is time to announce the winners.

Three winners have been picked by the randomiser and each winner will get a signed copy of a Rowan Gant book of their choice.

So congratulations to -


BabygirlG

LadyVampire2u

&

Dee


All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter.

Also I would like to say a huge thank you to Murv! Not only did he give some great answers in the interview and offer three amazing prizes but he has been around all week answering readers questions! Thank you! I hope you will be come back again!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:03 PM | 4 comments
98) Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby
Mia is just a normal girl. Not popular or on the cheer leading squad she is quiet and has good grades. Then for no reason at all the super hot Rob asks her to the prom. Life is suddenly alot better for Mia but before she knows what has struck her the ever popular Samantha makes her life hell.

Samantha wants Rob and Mia isn't willing to be dumped just before prom. So her hypochondriac best friend Candice helps Mia get a love spell to make sure her boy doesn't go off with anyone else. Unfortunately the love spell isn't what it was supposed to be and Mia suddenly finds herself the Zombie Queen of Newbury High living through a prom night she will most certainly never forget.

This cute YA book was fabulously fun. Mia was a lovable character and her best friend Candice was a hoot. With the hot guys added into the mix of paranormal this made for great reading. The story flowed nicely and the plot was interesting and different. Definitely one to recommend to any YA readers you know or one to try yourself if you like YA.

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posted by Amberkatze at 3:41 PM | 0 comments
97) Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake
Mira is a master of fire and the last hope for the world. For centuries she has been helping the Triad enforce what she must. Now she is in Venice with the vampire hunter, Danaus. Venice is the home of the Nightwalker rulers but it isn't a safe place to be. Betrayal, conflict and strange alliances are everywhere Mira goes.

The banished naturi are ready to feed again and Mira has to stop them. The great battle that has been talked about for so long is finally coming and Mira's destiny is looming. With shocking revelations and obstacles in her way, Mira may survive to see the naturi dead.

The second Dark Days novel has taken its time in hitting in the shelves and for me that brings out a very negative view on this book. After a year of waiting and reading at least 300 books inbetween, I have to admit that alot of the story from the first book Nightwalker is not fresh in my mind. However I do remember enjoying it alot and couldn't wait to sit down with this sequel.

Unfortunately this new book didn't spark much recollection for me. Sure some parts of the Nightwalker story came back to me but I constantly felt I was missing something as I read this newest addition to the series. While I did enjoy reading Dayhunter I am left with the feeling that it would have made alot more sense to me if I had had time to the first book again.

So I am a little sad about this one. On the one side I liked it for what it was. Dark, descriptive and really good Paranormal Urban Fantasy. However on the other side of things I feel lost and confused about alot of the story. I like Mira but I am not sure if I will be rushing out for book three when it comes out. I think this is a series that I will leave alone and read all at once when it comes to an end. Something which I never do but in this case feel I need to.

For me a very positive aspect of this book was its location and setting. The majority of the books in this genre are based in America and this series diverts from that norm. The last book visited the UK and Egypt and this time the author treated us to Venice, Vienna and Crete. It is refreshing to have a series based in Europe and to be set in some places I have actually visited myself.

So in conclusion I would say that if you have read the first book and still have it fresh in you mind then enjoy this new cool author and story. Otherwise try and wait and read the books together. This is a definite must read for lovers of this genre but its depth needs alot of time and concentration.

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posted by Amberkatze at 2:32 PM | 0 comments
Free Lara Adrian E-book!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
I love this series and if you haven't already tried it then here is your chance to read the first book for Free!

From Lara Adrian’s Newsletter:

As a special promotion to celebrate the release of Ashes of Midnight, my publisher and I are offering a free e-book download of Book 1 in the series, Kiss of Midnight, from now until May 26th, the date when Ashes of Midnight officially goes on sale. This is not a contest or a chance to win, just a cool, no-strings giveaway that's open to one and all.

So, whether you're new to the world of the Midnight Breed or a fan who's been with me from the original May 2007 launch of the series, please feel free to grab an electronic copy of Lucan and Gabrielle's story while it's absolutely free for the taking. And if you know other readers or vampire fans who might like to sample the series, invite them to grab a copy too. Spread the word--the more, the merrier! Just our small way of saying thank you for all the wonderful support and enthusiasm.


Click here to go to the download page!

My interview with Lara Adrian

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posted by Amberkatze at 9:24 PM | 1 comments
96) Kiss and Hell by Dakota Cassidy
The Blurb

Delaney Markham doesn’t just see dead people, she hears them too. And FYI—communicating with tortured souls all day can really wreak havoc on your love life. Sans boyfriend, Delaney makes the best of her gift by holding séances to make ends meet—that is until one incredibly annoying ghost just won’t go away.

Besides being sinfully hot—in a college professor sort of way—all signs point to Clyde Atwell being much more than the ordinary spirit. In fact, he’s a newbie demon whose first assignment is to take Delaney back down to hell with him. Yeah, like that’s going to happen on the first date.

What did I think?

Dakota Cassidy always makes me laugh and this upcoming release was no exception. This novel has some great twists and turns and the whole concept is interesting and fresh. With the witty and fun dialogue that I have come to expect and love this was a worthwhile read. Just enough romance, a pinch of mystery, a little chick-lit and a sprig of paranormal and and as always the recipe was cooked together well and turned out to be a tasty treat.

The author always manages to make her books shine and while Kiss and Hell is, in my honest opinion, not as good as her Accidental series, it is still one not to be missed and a great addition to the paranormal romance genre. Dakota is one of the authors I keep a look out for because her books are just so damn unusual and funny. Make sure you check this one out when it comes out in June!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:13 PM | 0 comments
95) Doomsday Can Wait by Lori Handeland
Liz Phoenix has always had premonitions but she didn't know the real reason for them until recently. Liz is one of the few people on Earth who has psychic powers to fight the evil forces trying to wipe out the human race. There have been attempts since the beginning of time but now doomsday is closing in again and Liz is the new leader of the federation who can stop it.

Her only experience against the beings is her first and only battle a few months ago. Since then things have been quiet and Liz has been hoping to replenish her troops. Unfortunately most of them are dead or in hiding so she has to rely on he ex-lover Jimmy, a fairy called Summer and a skinwalker called Sawyer. With doomsday just around the corner, Liz is up against something alot darker and malicious than before. Is Doomsday too close for Liz to stop it? Or will Doomsday wait for Liz to be ready?

This is book two in the Phoenix Chronicles and another great read written by Lori Handeland. I loved Any Given Doomsday so I was extremely excited about this latest release. However now it is over I just want part three to come along, the sooner the better. This was a great read but it felt like it was just filling the gap before the next better book in this series comes along. While alot happened and more things became clear this book was just building things up and there is more amazing things to come and I want to know now!

Very dramatic with fantastic paranormal elements this is an action packed roller coaster reading experience. I love the characters, even though I feel I need to get to know some of them more, and the writing style is perfect. Hot in the places it is needed and fast and furious when demanded this is nothing like any other series out there and I can't wait to see what happens next.

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posted by Amberkatze at 3:04 PM | 1 comments
94) Ghost of a Chance by Kate Marsh
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
If you have any transmortis anomalies that you need to get rid of then Karma Marx if your gal. Exorcising haunted houses and sending troublesome spirits into the ever after if her thing even though she usually just takes the strays home with her. Spider her nasty cheating husband uses Karma and her skills to get him ahead in the real estate game. However Karma is ready to throw him out and makes a deal with him. One last house cleaning and she gets a divorce.

Although cleaning the house doesn't go as well as it should. Adam the ex-owner of the house still believes he owns the house and isn't happy about the current events. So when Spider turns up with his business partner and wife, Adam seals the house using his poltergeist powers, locking them in for twelve hours. Karma has her new foster child with her and also her dad. Without them she knows she would be in a lot of trouble. As things turn out it isn't Karma who gets into trouble when someone locked in the house is found dead.

Why this book says Katie MacAlister writing as Kate Marsh is beyond me. This is Katie's style and putting another name on it seems unnecessary. However getting beyond that this is most likely the best book by this author that I have read. I love her Aisling Grey series and have read alot of her other books but this one was something different and unusual.

I loved Karma from the word go and her life, while hectic, is very cool. The other characters were also great and I really hope that they will appear again sometime in another book. The twist at the end nearly took me by surprise but it was something I started to suspect. Wonderfully written this poltergeist fun filled book was action packed and made for exciting reading. I want more!

Yet another book that I have had on my bookshelf for far too long. I am sure I have some other gems there gathering dust but ther is always the same old problem. Too many books, too little time.

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posted by Amberkatze at 9:19 PM | 2 comments
93) Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton
Monday, May 4, 2009
Gina Bliss is America's top female action star and she isn't just a pretty face. She does all her own stunt scenes and loves every minute of the films she acts in. Then she gets an offer to do a reality show. Which of course is a far cry from her normal work. Then she finds out what the job will entail and she can't wait to start!

A game of survival on a demon infested island is just what Gina sees as the perfect holiday. When she sets eyes on Derek Marks she is even more happy she decided to take the gig. What Gina and the other contestants don't realise is that the demons they are trying to 'kill' are just target practice for the real thing. Soon all of the participants are going to find out what they are really doing on the island and then their lives won't be the same again.

This book (and the next two in the series) have been sitting on my bookshelf for at least a year. Always hidden behind other books I finally took this with me today as my bag book and found myself reading it in one day while travelling around to appointments.

From the beginning to end I was totally there on the island with Gina and Mark. I nearly didn't get off the bus in time at one point because I was so into the story. Action packed with alot of mystery and some twists this was different and refreshing. I really likes Gina from the word go and Mark is someone I can admire. With the passion flowing between the two I am surprised they managed to keep focused but of course the good guys won.

So now I can't wait to read more in this series. This is really one of those books where I have to say 'I wish I had read it earlier because it was so good'. So I won't be waiting around too long before picking up book number two in the series.

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posted by Amberkatze at 6:59 PM | 2 comments
Author Interview & Contest with M.R. Sellars
Sunday, May 3, 2009
This week my guest is author M.R. Sellars. A friend suggested I read his Rowan Gant series and I absolutely loved the first book and have been on the search for the rest ever since.

Next up for me is 'All Acts of Pleasure' which is the 7th book in the series. However I am sure some of you out there haven't even heard of the books at all. So I hope that this interview will get you all adding this amazing series to your wishlist. If you already know and love this series then I know you will enjoy this lovely in-depth interview.

Oh and keep on to till the bottom and enter the contest! You could win some Rowan Gant books! Plus if you have a question for the author please ask it in your contest entry. Murv has said he will pop by and answer as many as he can!

My Rowan Gant reviews


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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! You have written nine books in the Rowan Gant series so far. Maybe you can start things off by telling my readers a bit about Mr. Gant?

Murv – Thank you so much for inviting me! :)

Let’s see… I think the best way to describe Rowan is that he’s a real piece of work. (LOL)

But seriously, in a minor sense of the phrase, I think he could be considered a bit of an anti-hero. Really not so much like what you would think of with a traditional anti-hero who has conflicting motivations, but more along the line of the “reluctant” protagonist archetype. He’s a guy who has been thrust into a situation he’d rather not be in, but who deals with it as best he can and is passionate about seeing it through to a conclusion. Pretty much like John McClane (Bruce Willis) in the Die Hard movies. To steal a quote from the 4th flick in that franchise, “it’s what makes him that guy.”

To give folks a bit of background, in everyday life Rowan is a freelance computer consultant who just happens to also be a practicing Witch. He follows the basic tenants of Wicca, a fairly young religion, but one that has ties to traditional Witchcraft, and “Paganism”. Because of this, the stories actually deal with some of the trials, tribulations, and concepts associated with Paganism and the modern day practice of Witchcraft and “magick”. Rather than limit him to a particular “tradition,” however, I made his religious path a generic amalgam of the different paths and belief systems found within the various offshoots of Wicca, which makes him fairly eclectic in his faith. So, what it all comes down to is that he is a fairly average guy who practices a not quite mainstream religion, that even he is pressed to question at times, which allows for a pretty intense internal struggle on his part.

However, looking beyond his “averageness” he does have a couple of quirks, one of which is that he has a deep interest in all forms of spirituality and therefore is somewhat of an armchair scholar on several religions besides his own. He never claims to know it all and he’s always interested in learning more, but by the same token he is willing to share what he has learned thus far if asked, or if the situation warrants.

But, the quirk that gets Rowan into the most trouble is that he has unwittingly developed a sixth sense he’d rather not have – that being, he channels the spirits of murder victims without even trying. This unwanted ability often puts him into the middle of murder investigations, especially those that have some manner of occult element involved. Unfortunately, it also places him at odds with the a good portion of the local law enforcement agencies, even though he has a core group of cops and federal agents who are more than accepting of his bizarre facility and are perfectly willing to exploit it in order to solve a case.

Amber - Rowan isn't on his own in the books. He has an amazing, if not fiery, wife and a best friend who is a detective with the local police. How important are the two support characters in the books?

Murv – Incredibly important, or at least, I think they are. The truth is, without his wife, Felicity, Rowan would probably either be dead or living in an institution under heavy sedation. She is the force that grounds him and keeps him sane, for the most part. This is not to say that Felicity hasn’t been directly responsible for some of Rowan’s plague of problems, however, I don’t want to give away any major spoilers, so you’ll have to read the books to find out about that (LOL). Still, the simple fact of the matter is Rowan and Felicity are so in love with one another that their relationship is for all intents and purposes a character unto itself. Almost a force majeure in some ways. A little more about Felicity – She’s a much sought after freelance photographer, and she’s a petite, Irish-American with stereotypical red hair. Felicity is also a practicing Witch, and in many senses far more centered than Rowan. Still, since she “plays in the same ballpark” she has a deeper understanding of what he feels, what he sees, and how he copes with it, which makes her an anchor in this world, and the only person who truly “gets it”, so to speak.

Detective Benjamin Storm is Rowan’s reality check. He is also one of Rowan’s primary conduits into the law enforcement community. They have been friends practically forever, and purely by chance Ben was responsible for drawing Rowan into his first murder investigation. This not only awakened Rowan’s unwanted ability, but also opened Ben’s eyes to a world outside the physically tangible. Ben has his own personal and anti-religion skeletons in the closet, which can leave you wondering about him at times. Compounding that is the fact that he is Native American and has a history with alternative forms of spirituality, although for reasons yet unrevealed he eschews that portion of his heritage. Therefore, dealing with Rowan’s abilities has been an on again, off again struggle for him. Still, he is loyal and sticks by his friend in every possible way, going to bat for him against the higher ups and protecting him when necessary. This, however, doesn’t preclude them from having a bit of an adversarial relationship on occasion. After all, no one gets along 100% of the time, and there are instances where Ben is torn between protecting his friend, and pushing him to do more in order to stop a killer.

Amber - Serial Killers, Magick, Witchcraft, Voodoo and Sex are the words that jump out on your website. How did you end up writing about these terms? How did Rowan Gant come to life?

Murv – Serial Killers fascinate me. I suppose it is one of those train wreck sort of things. I’m repulsed by what they do, but by the same token I am fascinated by the psychopathology behind what makes them do it. So, I don’t really have one of those morbid fascinations where I want their autographs, or memorabilia, or anything like that. I have a curiosity about what makes them tick. I suppose, in a way, it is kind of like a big chess game – figuring out the psychology of the opponent or some such. I suppose if I’d chosen a different career path it might well have been psychology, and quite possibly the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis program if I could have made the cut.

Magick, Witchcraft, and even the Voodoo stem from my own fascination with different spiritual paths. Much like Rowan I have a tendency to devour knowledge on this subject, although I don’t even begin to consider myself a scholar, armchair or otherwise. I actually suffer from the proverbial, “knowing a little bit about a lot of things” syndrome. Of course, I also practiced Wicca for several years myself, I harbor a belief that magick really does work – whether it be something on a quantum level or in a more inexplicable sense – and at one time considered myself Pagan. While I certainly haven’t renounced Paganism by any stretch of the imagination, I actually self-identify more as a secular humanist than anything else. Still – and I think this probably addresses the question of “how Rowan came to be” – because of my long and extremely diverse background in Paganism and an offshoot tradition of Wicca, I thought it would be fun to have a Witch as the “good guy” for a change, but without the storyline being too terribly fantastic. I certainly push the envelope where the psychic abilities and practicality of magick are concerned, but that’s pretty much it. The stories themselves are rooted in reality as opposed to total urban fantasy. And please don’t misinterpret what I just said, (LOL)… Urban fantasy is great. It just isn’t the direction I took with my writing, even though the RGI books are classified as “dark fantasy”.

As to sex… Well, admittedly it’s one of my favorite activities. LOL. Still, it really didn’t blossom in the series until “The Miranda Trilogy” which was a sub-arc within the overall story arc.

Amber - All these terms are also not exactly things your average person comes across everyday. Did you have to do a lot of research for the books so far? Did you always know how to curse in Irish?

Murv – Research is one of my absolute loves. As I mentioned before I have the same affliction as Rowan where a thirst for knowledge is concerned – (fortunately, that’s the only affliction we share because I don’t have dead people using me as a conduit – LOL). So, I will get heavily into researching a subject, a religion, or procedure whenever I write a story. Therefore, I suppose the answer is a resounding YES. I’ve done quite a bit of research – in reality, much more than has ever been necessary for any given story, but I’m much the better for it because of all that I learned.

On the note of Irish Gaelic – the sad truth is that I cannot speak a word of it. I actually have a dear friend who speaks several languages, Irish Gaelic being one of them, and she does the translating for me. I do use a few traditional Irish curses that I have noted in my “Big Book of Felicity” (Each major character in the series has his or her own binder titled “Big Book of ____“ so that I can keep info about them organized.) – However, other than the few I pull from those notes I usually tend to contact Anastasia and say, “I need Felicity to say the following in Gaelic: ____“… Soon afterwards I receive a reply that gives me all of the possible options complete with Irish colloquialisms, translations, and her suggestions. If I try to do it on my own with an English to Gaelic dictionary – which I occasionally do – I only get it right about half the time, and she is quick to correct me. (LOL)… Of course, that’s a good thing. And, having her own Irish heritage, she advises me on some of Felicity’s speech patterns and references as well.

Amber - So far there have been nine books in the series. Are there going to be more Rowan Gant books? Do you see an end in sight?

Murv – Number ten, “Miranda” comes out later this year (2009)… At this point I have plans for more, but that will of course depend upon continued sales and whether or not the publisher continues to contract RGI books. I do actually have an ending in mind for the series, but where it is on the horizon I can’t really say, suffice it to say I don’t see it looming just yet. ;-)

Amber - The 'Miranda Trilogy' are three books in the series that got their own special name. What made them so special?

Murv - Basically, I had hatched an idea about a mentally unstable dominatrix turned serial killer. Not that I think doms are inherently serial killers, or anything of that sort, because I don’t. However, since I’m a bit dark in the brainpan, one day I was musing over some ideas and I thought to myself, “what better way for a woman to have physical control over a man than if he has already submitted to being trussed up?” Then, after doing some research about female serial killers, and discovering that “Sexual Predator” is an almost unheard of classification for the gender, the wheels started turning. In reality, Love Is The Bond (the first book in the trilogy) was intended as a single novel, however, as I started writing it the story grew to encompass a three-book arc. I went to the publisher and said, “Hey, I screwed up. I can’t end this story without two more books in which to do it.” Fortunately they liked the arc so much that it was dubbed “The Miranda Trilogy” and I was allowed to run with it. So, All Acts Of Pleasure and The End Of Desire were born. Of course, even though the arc reached a conclusion, it has some major leftover ripples – actually, more like waves – that are still causing Rowan and the gang much consternation, some of which was briefly addressed in Blood Moon, the most recent novel in the series. The upcoming book, aptly titled “Miranda”, is meant to smooth the waters so to speak. Whether or not it will… Well, I’m not really allowed to say since it doesn’t come out until later in 2009. (Evil Grin)

Amber - Are you working on any other projects? Or is Rowan enough to keep you busy?

Murv – Rowan keeps me pretty busy. Between all of my travel on tours, and desperately trying to maintain a normal home life, I am only able to crank out one novel per year. I suppose I’m just not as prolific as some of the other writers out there, either that or I have a time management problem (LOL). So, since the demand for RGI novels is high enough, I haven’t deviated from that course just yet.

That said, I do have some other ideas and irons in the fire. When I will be able to get to them remains to be seen. I do, however, have a short in an upcoming anthology. The short is a psychological horror piece using characters from the RGI series, but without deviating from canon. The anthology is titled, Courting Morpheus, and is due out late 2009.

Amber - What books do you like to read when you have time? Do you have any favourite authors or series that you enjoy?

Murv – These days I don’t have as much time to read as I would like – unfortunately, I have to fit sleep into my day somewhere (LOL)… But, we do family reads every evening – as in, reading aloud. Since our daughter is 9 we usually go with something she picks, although we have worked in a few classics such as To Kill A Mockingbird – That one raised a lot of questions, obviously, but it also allowed for some serious discourse. Since the munchkin is in the Gifted & Talented program, it worked out well. We’ve also ready Dewey, and a few others, but usually it is YA stuff such as the Children of the Lamp series, and quite a few Newberry winners.

When I get a chance to read for myself, it is usually a non-fiction book about psychology, police procedure, or serial killers as one might suspect… But, I do occasionally sneak in a pure pleasure read when time allows. Some of my favorite authors are John Sandford and Garrison Keillor. I know, pretty odd mix, but then, I’m a pretty odd guy (ROFL).

Amber - Alot of authors have playlists to accompany their books. If you had to choose some music for the Rowan Gant series what would you pick?

Murv – My playlists for writing have a tendency to vary depending upon the scene. I pretty much use the music as background noise when I’m at the keyboard. For quite a bit of the Miranda trilogy it was Ozzie Osbourne/Black Sabbath, Metallica, some Iron Butterfly, and even a dash of White Zombie. When I was writing Perfect Trust (book 3 in the series) since it was set during the holidays, I listened to Christmas music – kind of odd since it was May when I was writing the manuscript, but it helped me stay in the right frame of mind for the tone of the book.

Generally, I will listen to some soundtrack cuts from the movie Manhunter, the TV series Millennium, and a bit of classical.

I suspect if someone were to actually score the books, it would be a mix of the above – well… that’s how *I* would do it anyway (LOL).

Amber - If the Rowan Gant series was going to be made into a TV Series or film which actor/actress do you think would fit to the main characters?

Murv – Funny you should mention that. I was recently contacted by a website called storycasting.com, and they have my books listed there so that people can surf by and create their own “fantasy cast” for them. They asked me if I would be willing to create an “Authoritative” cast list – I thought that was pretty funny, but then I happen to like puns – so I picked:

Rowan Gant – John Corbett
Felicity O’Brien – Lea Thompson
Det. Ben Storm – Jimmy Smits
Agent Constance Mandalay – Sarah-Jane Redmond

That list certainly isn’t definitive on my part, and I could change my mind at any given moment. I’ve just always seen John Corbett as Rowan Gant for some reason. I picked Jimmy Smits as Ben for the simple fact that I am not really up on Native American actors, so I wouldn’t know who among them has the versatility to play the part. Smits, however, could probably pull it off given the right circumstances. I think Lea Thompson is just as cute as she can get, and she’s pretty versatile. But, many other actresses have been brought to my attention by fans, so to be honest, Felicity is probably the hardest for me to cast and would be one of the characters where I would go flitting from actress to actress very easily. Sarah-Jane Redmond is a fantastic actress in her own right, and I can really see her bringing a lot of depth to Agent Mandalay.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Murv – You know, I’ve never really given that much thought. But, given my bizarre sense of humor and tendency to go off on tangents (i.e. the “oh look, a chicken!” syndrome), I’d probably have to say Werechicken would be a good one. ;-)

Amber - Thank you so much for answering my questions. I hope you will come back and visit.

Murv – Thank you so much for having me. I’ll definitely be back to visit. :)





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Contest Time!

Murv has very kindly donated 3 autographed books for this weeks contest! That means there will be three winners picked and each one will get to choose one of the Rowan Gant books as their prize! So if you haven't read any of the books yet you can start off with Harm None or if you are missing one in your collection you can pick that!

How do you enter? This week all you have to do to enter the contest is leave a question for the author. There is no guarntee that all questions will be answered but you should try your best not to ask something that someone has already asked. The question you ask can be simple eg. What is your favourite colour? so you don't need to know anything about the series to think of something to ask!

No Question = No entry!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest or by using the Amberkatze's Book Blog Amazon links to buy some M.R. Sellars books. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

The contest will stay open until Sunday 10th of May 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.

Have fun!

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posted by Amberkatze at 4:19 PM | 73 comments