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Friday, December 31, 2010

Author Guests


Thank you to all the authors who have just popped in to comment, guest blogged or stayed around for an interview!

Look in the Sidebar ---> to see who my author guest is this week! Make sure you enter the contests!

Click here to see all the previous
Author Interviews, Guest Blogs & Contests from the old site!

Here are all the previous and upcoming author interviews & Guest Blogs!

(All upcoming dates are subject to change)
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Author Links


If you think you are missing from the list then please contact me!


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167) If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell

The Blurb -

Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line.

At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man-and not end up a construction casualty herself...

My Thoughts -

I have been enjoying Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries and was excited to find that the author was bringing out another cozy mystery series with a supernatural twist. If Walls Could Talk got right to the action when Melanie Turner and the victim literally run into each other. From then on the plot thickens and Melanie tries to discover who the murderer is and what they want from the house she is renovating.

As with any first book in a series there were the normal teething problems. Getting used to the new surroundings, characters and basic plot is always hard work but exciting. While I feel I did manage to get to know Melanie quite well I am not sure if I really like her that much. She seemed very naive in places and sometimes a little slow. However this was her first mystery. Maybe she just has to learn more about the amateur sleuth business.

The plot was good and the ghost element was interesting. I am sure there are some more developments to come in that aspect and that is one of the reasons I am looking forward to more from this series. Also I am intrigued by the possible romantic relationships Melanie could, should or would have. She certainly has some options and I wonder how she will deal with them.

All in all this was a good first in the series. I am sure there will be more to come and the series will expand on the foundations laid in out this book. Juliet Blackwell is a clever writer and I love her paranormal twists. The mixture is a delicious read for anyone who likes mysteries and the paranormal genres and want something easy and pleasing to curl up with.
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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Lori Pescatore Contest Winner & Other Info!

I am back from visiting my family in Wales and apologise for the lack of posts over the last week. There will be a special Monthly Giveaway starting sometime over the next week and I will be picking my favourite reads from 2010. Also there will be some book reviews as I hope to catch up with my reading seeing as I don't have to go back to work for another week.

A reminder to anyone who hasn't been around! Author Nancy Holzner is my author guest this week and she is giving away a copy of her new release, Hellforged. I started reading the book today in the plane and so far I am loving it! I hope to curl up in bed most of tomorrow and read the rest in one gulp. So make sure you head over aand read the Guest Blog and enter the contest!

Anyway, without any further delay! Here are the winners of the Lori Pescatore Contest! Congrats to -


Tlynnetolles!!!


You get a Kindle version of Human Blend from me!


Lingeorge!!!


You get a print copy of Human Blend from Lori!


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How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.

If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!

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. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!


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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Author Guest Blog & Contest with Nancy Holzner

Author Nancy Holzner came onto the scene last year with her debut book Deadtown. Now a year later it is time for the next part in the Deadtown series. Hellforged is due out this week and I already pre-ordered it to arrive on my Kindle.

One of the reasons I loved Deadtown was the links it had to Wales, the place where I was born and grew up. Fittingly I am spending Christmas in Wales this year! So I am looking forward to Hellforged even more as I intend to read most of it on Welsh land!

I hope you all enjoy Nancy's guest blog and make sure you enter the contest! You may win a copy of Hellforged!

Also feel free to read the interview with Nancy that I posted earlier on this year.

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"The shore of Llyn Tegid, where Ceridwen's shapeshifting contest began. Copyright Eirian Evans and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence."

I began my career as a medievalist, and one of my favorite courses to teach was “Legends of King Arthur.” I had two different versions of the course: one that stuck with literature of the Middle Ages and one that started with medieval texts and moved through time, ending with twentieth-century versions of the tales. During the time I was developing and teaching these courses, I fell in love with the tales of the Mabinogion.

If you’re not familiar with the Mabinogion, it’s a collection of early medieval Welsh legends that were gathered and translated into English by Lady Charlotte Guest in the 19th century. The stories draw upon pre-Christian Celtic mythology and early medieval oral traditions, including tales of Arthur and his court.

When I started writing Deadtown back in 2006, I wanted my protagonist to be a shapeshifter, yet different from the weres that populate much of urban fantasy. I remembered a story from the Mabinogion about the witch Ceridwen and Gwion Bach, a local boy. The story involves a shapeshifting contest in which Gwion, fleeing the angry Ceridwen, changes his shape several times, while she transforms herself to erase any advantage he might gain: he becomes a hare, she chases him as a greyhound; he becomes a fish, she chases him as an otter; and so on. (If you’ve ever seen the duel between Merlin and Madame Mim in the old Disney film The Sword in the Stone, you get the idea.) This legend seemed full of potential for my novel; I liked how the shapeshifters could change into any creature they wanted, and could do it at will. And so I started thinking about how I might use the story as background for my own race of shapeshifters—and Vicky’s line of demi-humans, the Cerddorion (sons of Ceridwen) was born. Cerddorion females can change into any sentient creature (or sometimes strong emotion will force a shift), up to three times per lunar cycle. They gain shapeshifting ability with puberty and lose it if they give birth.

Hellforged, the second novel in my Deadtown series, delves deeper into the history of Vicky’s race—and also of the demons the Cerddorion oppose. In Hellforged, Vicky travels to Wales for further training with her aunt, a formidable demon fighter. While there, Vicky must unlock hidden meanings in a book that tells the story of Ceridwen from the demons’ point of view. If she fails, she could be helping a demi-demon throw open the doors of Hell. Vicky’s adventures in Wales take her through the hills and mountains of north Wales, across fields and into haunted pubs, deep into an abandoned slate mine, and to the shore of the lake where Ceridwen’s shapeshifting contest began.

As I continue the series into books three and four, I keep returning to the Mabinogion for source material. Its legends, rich with myths, themes, and motifs, provide the perfect landscape and history for my own unfolding story.



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Contest Time

Nancy is giving away a signed copy of Hellforged, and she is willing to ship internationally.

How To Enter

Nancy came up with a good question!

What mythology do you think makes a good background for contemporary fantasy?

No answer = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

Amberkatze's Book Blog

↑ Grab this Headline Animator



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.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!

The Book Depository


The contest will stay open until Sunday 2nd of January 2011 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.
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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!


Just a short note to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a great day and get loads of books or book vouchers from Santa :)

Enjoy your day whatever you do but hopefully you will have time to read and relax.

Don't forget the Lori Pescatore Contest! You have till Sunday to enter!

My guest on Sunday will be Nancy Holzner. Make sure you stop by!
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Thursday, December 23, 2010

166) Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb -

The first rule of a supernatural fight club? Don't kill your opponent.

When the fighters come with lethal spells, werewolf strength and half-demon powers, that can be a lot tougher than it sounds. It's hard to attract talent if they know they might not leave the ring alive. So when fighters at a California club start dying -- it's bad for business.

Witch detectives Paige Winterbourne and Savannah Levine take the case. Going undercover in the power-heavy arena of the fight club is a welcome change of pace for Paige, relegated to the role of The Wife as her husband struggles to find his place in his family's Cabal--the corporate Mafia of the supernatural world.

As Paige is drawn deeper into new and dangerous corners of her world, she quickly discovers the greatest threat isn't the killer in her sights. It's something much, much closer to home. And this is one fight she can't afford to lose.

My Thoughts -

It is always nice to visit the Women of the Otherworld. Sure this is only a novella but it is another good story and it takes the edge off the wait for the next book in the series. Told from Paige's perspective this short story has the usual suspects around and I am loving the grown-up Savannah!

Counterfeit Magic gives us an insight into the marriage of Paige and Lucus and how their relationship is doing since joining the cabal. Of course there is a case to solve and naturally there are other supernaturals involved but the main focus is Paige, Lucas, Savannah and Adam. Just another story of mystery and the paranormal.

I listened to this audiobook because for a novella it is extremely expensive to buy in book form. So my audible.com credit was used wisely this month and I could finally get a hold of a copy of this small snippet from my favourite series. The narrator didn't really sound like I expected Paige to sound but I got used to her voice after a while.

For hard core fans this is a must read. Kelley Armstrong always tells a good story and it is always worth buying her books. However I am still annoyed that this novella costs so much. Maybe you all have it on your Christmas list already?
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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

165) Human Blend by Lori Pescatore

The Blurb -

Escaping from them had been difficult enough, now Laney needs to keep hidden. All she wanted was to be on her own. Laney is not like other girls... she has very special abilities that set her apart from others. How or why she came about these abilities is a mystery she has yet to unfold. Haunted by memories and flashbacks of the suffering she endured at the hands of her captors, she changes her appearance and hides out in a small town. Ignoring her own warnings, she begins a relationship with a local boy. The relationship turns dangerous when the boy begins developing similar abilities.

This development does not fall under the radar of the men who are trying to recapture her. A young doctor's interest is piqued when he witnesses her mysteriously curing a young child's illness. He befriends her due to his growing fascination with uncovering the true nature of her abilities, but not without harboring secrets of his own. Laney's new life falls apart when she meets a young intern that seems to have all the answers to her questions. The information sends her into a tail spin. Thoughts of going on the run once again are thwarted as those whom she was running from find her.

My Review -

This was a thrilling debut novel and there was lots of excitement and suspense. This wasn't your usual supernatural story and the plot had quite a lot of depth to it. As the story unfolded I found myself being surprised with every twist and turn. Nothing seemed to be as I thought it would be and by the time the end came along and everything was out in the open, well then I finally felt like I could stop holding my breath!

There were some really interesting characters in this book but mostly it was their abilities that made them worth reading about. I liked Julie right from the start and couldn't wait to find out more about her and her powers. I grew to like Austin and the Doctor but mostly it was the relationship they built up with Julie that had me reading faster and faster.

As with any debut there were of curse a few minor flaws. But to point out any in Human Blend would just be nit-picking. This was a self-published book and one I hope many will take the time to read because it really is worth checking out. I also hope that this will not be the last we here from Julie. There are still some unanswered questions and I really would like to see what happens next.


*** Lori Pescatore is my author guest this week!

Read the interview and enter the contest to win one of two copies of Human Blend! ***
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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Author Interview & Contest with Lori Pescatore

This week I have another new author as my guest. Lori Pescatore is a preschool teacher by day and a wife & mom by night and now she can also add published author to the list. Her self-published novel Human Blend is still waiting on my Kindle to be read but the reviews I have seen around the internet are very positive and I am hoping that I will find time to read it over Christmas.

Read the interview and find out more about the author and her debut book! Enter the contest for your chance to win a copy of Human Blend! There are two copies up for grabs!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your debut book, Human Blend?

Lori - First, thanks for having me! Human Blend is about a young girl who has very unique abilities. Abilities that she is unaware of how they came to be. She was taken a child by people who wanted to exploit her gifts. Escaping from them as a teenager, she changed her identity and hid out in a small town. She falls in love with a local boy and is befriended by a doctor at the hospital where she volunteers. The doctor is fascinated with her healing abilities and wants to help her but not without harboring secrets of his own. Things turn dangerous when the men she has ran from find her.

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for the Human Blend? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?

Lori - I've been writing a long time, although Human Blend is my first published work. I usually start at the beginning and then the story takes on a life of its own. Once the characters are fleshed out my mind sometimes jumps ahead to certain scenes that I know need to take place to make the story flow smoothly.

Amber - Did you always wanted to be an author? How did it finally become reality?

Lori - I'm not sure I realized that my love of writing could ever be something to aim for. I've always loved it but now with the industry in turmoil, it is actually easier to become a published author

Amber - What are the good times and bad times of being an author?

Lori - Good times are easy, holding your book in your hand in print has got to be the best experience of it all. Bad times I guess was not being able to make headway in securing an agent, no one is buying new unproven authors at this time. But it is a learning experience and I am taking the good with the bad, so in a way, its all good.

Amber - What is next? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Lori - I'm working on the 2nd in the Human Blend series. My goal was to have a Valentines day release, but because of time constraints that may get moved back.

Amber - What is like being a new author on the writing scene? Wild parties with other authors or sitting at home writing more books as fast as possible?

Lori - The wild party will be at my first Book Signing on December 14th of 2010. I have at least 50 people confirmed coming not including walk-ins so I am very excited about that. I will celebrate with my husband afterwords for sure.

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?

Lori - Watching, well I've been a follower of the TV series Supernatural and have added Vampire Diaries and Dexter to my list of faves. Music is a huge part of my life. I listen to everything from country to pop and rock and everything in between.

Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?

Lori - I was a big fan of the Twilight series and I enjoyed Maria Snyder's Poison Study series. I even got to meet her at a local signing. I mostly read what I write. Young adult, romance, fantasy novels

Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?

Lori - reading on my newly gifted Kindle is a big hobby of mine. I love how inexpensive the books are.

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

Lori - A mind control creature. LOL More like controlling my mind and objects, not other peoples. I would only use my abilities for good... unless I was written another way. :)

Amber - Thanks for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog!



If you would like to read Human Blend then please use the Amazon link above! The Kindle version is practically free :)

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Contest Time

Lori has kindly said she will send a print copy of Human Blend to one lucky winner this week!

Also I am giving away a copy of Human Blend to one lucky reader! However it will be the Kindle version. So if you don't have a Kindle you will have to read the book on your computer or some other device that can use Kindle.

How to Enter

Christmas is just around the corner. Where are you spending the holidays?

No Answer = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

Amberkatze's Book Blog

↑ Grab this Headline Animator



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.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!

The Book Depository


The contest will stay open until Sunday 26th of December 2010 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.
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164) Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells

The Blurb -

Things to do:

1. Rescue sister.
2. Murder grandmother.
3. Don't upset the voodoo priestess.

The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.

Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks--a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon--head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and--perhaps most frightening of all--humans.

But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.

My Review -

The full review for this book will be posted, as requested by the publishers, sometime closer to the date of release.

However I will tell you that this third part was well worth waiting for and this wasn't the end!!! More Sabine to come!!! Woooohoooo!

Green-Eyed Demon comes out on February 22nd. Make sure you pre-order if you have been following the series. If you haven't tried this series yet then you have time to catch up!

Book 1 - Red-Headed Stepchild Review

Book 2 - Mage in Black Review
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Christina Henry Contest Winner

My author guest last week was Christina Henry! She is a new author on the scene and her debut book, Black Wings, was released a few weeks ago. Christina was here telling us more about the book and she was also giving away a copy. Maybe you won?

The contest is now closed and it is time to see who the lucky person is who gets a copy of Black Wings!

Congrats to -


Lingeorge!!!


See below to find out how to claim your prize!

If you didn't win this time then keep trying! Another contest will be coming soon and there will be a special Monthly Giveaway to celebrate the end of the year!

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How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.

If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!

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. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!


Enter your email address:

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

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Saturday, December 18, 2010

163) Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

The Blurb -

Sixteen-year-old Evie learns that she is not quite the person she thought she was in this creature-feature mash-up. Possessing the unique ability to recognize paranormals beneath their glamour, Evie has lived most of her life under the protection of the International Paranormal Containment Agreement (IPCA), an organization dedicated to the cataloging and neutralizing of paranormal creatures. After a mysterious entity begins killing paranormals around the world, Evie discovers some startling truths about her own identity.

My Thoughts -

Paranormalcy was haunting me. Every time I looked at Amazon or Audible it seemed to be on my recommendations list or it would pop up when searching for something else. In the end I gave up trying to put off reading this book and decided to listen to it instead. I needed something new and paranormal to listen to and this looked like a good one to try out.

There are so many Paranormal and Fantasy genre books nowadays and the amount of Young Adult Paranormals since the 'Vampire' explosion is just amazing. So lately I seem to start each YA book wondering how long it will take to find some resemblance to Twilight or even worse another 'School' or 'Academy' full of paranormals. Paranormalcy surprised me by not living up to any of these expectations and actually did not do the typical storyline or plots. The writer managed to come up with something new, unusual and good. Kudos to her!

It was refreshing. I didn't know what would happen next. There was no use guessing because the author really did think about things and seemed to go out of her way to make this book non Twilight, non stupid teenage girl and not predictable. Yes, Evie makes mistakes but she doesn't go and follow the stereotypical path that all the girls in the majority of the YA books always seem to follow. I admired Evie and liked her a lot and hope that this book wasn't just a one off but the start of something I can really get my teeth into.

Yes this is Young Adult but it is still paranormal and the good kind of yummy paranormal. Full of vampires, weres, fae and many more supernaturals, this book really covers some ground and then some. Think of Paranormalcy as being a tamer version of your favourite Urban Fantasy series without the sex, drugs and rock and roll. Well worth reading or listening to. Although I have to say I did think the narrator sounded a little too 'cheerleader'.
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Friday, December 17, 2010

Become a character in a book & A contest Reminder!

Author HP Mallory is at it again! It wasn't long ago that she offered up a part in her next book but now that contest is over she is offering another part in another book!

Do you think you have what it takes to be a character in a book? Can you stand the pressure? Will you get stage fright? Check out the contest and try your luck!

Read my interview with HP Mallory!

Also make sure you have your name in the hat for the Christina Henry Contest! You have till Sunday 4pm CET (Central European Time) to enter and win a copy of her amazing debut book Black Wings!
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Thursday, December 16, 2010

162) Reaper by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb -

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

My Thoughts -

I am a huge Rachel Vincent fan and I have been enjoying this series a lot. So I couldn't pass up on this story about Tod even if it was only a novella. Only available on Kindle this is really only a short story about how Tod became, as the title of the book gives away, a Reaper.

Now some of the information we already know or can guess. However there are a few little points about the whole event that we never did find out before. This novella really does clear up a few loose ends but other than that there wasn't much going for this story.

It was nice to see things from another perspective but the story really only revolves around Tod and Nash and takes place before the whole Soul Screamers books began. As always great writing but unfortunately not extremely exciting and a very quick read.

If you are a fan, like myself, then this is worth downloading onto the Kindle PC if you don't own a Kindle yourself. There seems to be some free versions around so don't miss out on this little story but be prepared! You might be left feeling a little disappointed.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

161) Black Wings by Christina Henry

The Blurb -

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

My Review -

Black Wings has been on my radar for a while and I had this one on pre-order and it flew onto my Kindle when it was released. I finally got the chance to read it this week and I had a hard time putting it down. This superb debut took me by surprise because it was even better than I expected. There were a few little points that I may need to think about but all in all I really loved this one.

A new look on things, a great plot and a kick-ass heroine with attitude was a brilliant start. The gargoyle side-kick was a lovely touch and the hint of more supernaturals (they were mentioned) has left me curious. The potential relationship problems to come and the expansion on what has already begun has me hoping the second part comes out sooner rather than later.

The fresh and inventive start to what promises to be an excellent new series was seriously worth putting on pre-order. A strong start and another author to add to the Paranormal Urban Fantasy list of books to buy. If you are looking for a book to buy and read over Christmas then your book vouchers are going to be well spent on this one.

* Christina Henry is my author guest this week! Read the interview and enter the contest and you might win a copy of this book!!! *
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Monday, December 13, 2010

Monthly Giveaway Results & Winner

The November Monthly Giveaway is now over! It is time to see which book got the most votes and which lucky newsletter subscriber gets a copy of the winning book! Lets have a look at the poll results!


Night Of The Living Deed By E.J. Copperman came in last with a measly 4.49%! I loved this book but it was up against some big authors and completely understand why it didn't do better. Hopefully it was added to some wishlists though!


Past Midnight By Mara Purnhagen only got 14.61% of the votes. I really liked this one and hope some of you will give it a try!


Dead Beautiful By Yvonne Woon did very well and got 24.72% of the votes! If you haven't added this on to your wishlist yet then I recommend you do!


Hungry For You By Lynsay Sands came in at second place with 26.97% of the votes. I really thought this one would win but it was a close contest for first place this month.


Magic At The Gate By Devon Monk was the winner! With 29.21% of the vote this nearly lost out but managed to keep the lead!


So who is the lucky newsletter subscriber? Who gets a copy of Magic At the Gate by Devon Monk?

The winner is...the email beginning with -


chaarmedone1512!!!!


Congrats!!! Make sure you keep reading and find out how to claim your prize!

If you didn't win then maybe next month? If you are signed up for the newsletter then your name could be picked out any month without you even voting for a book. So make sure you check the winners name!

Want to win something this week and don't want to wait for the next Monthly Giveaway? Well check out this weeks author guest interview and contest with Christina Henry!





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How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.

If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!

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. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Author Interview & Contest with Christina Henry

My author guest this week is a new author to our blogs. Christina Henry is a new fish in an ever growing pond but I think she is making big ripples with her debut Black Wings.

Black Wings is one of the debut books on the Urban Paranormal scene that I have been eagerly awaiting for months. It arrived on my Kindle and I wished so much that I could hide somewhere and read it. As it is I am only 35% into Black Wings and well I would rather be reading it than blogging ;) Look out for my review because I am definitely going to be saying good things about it.

So here is your chance to get to know the author a little and maybe even win yourself a copy of Black Wings. It has debuted at #7 on the Barnes and Noble bestselling science fiction and fantasy paperback list! Enjoy the interview! I am off to see where those Black Wings are flying to next...

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your debut book, Black Wings?

Christina - Maddy Black is an Agent of death. It’s an inherited job with no pay. She’s broke, she’s stressed and she’s got to rent the apartment in her building if she wants to have some income. She takes on a new tenant who winds up bringing a whole host of new supernatural problems with him. She’s also got a very mouthy gargoyle with a bad popcorn habit who loves to express his opinion on everything.

Amber - Were you nervous about the release? What was it like reading the reviews?

Christina – I was more excited than nervous. The first time I saw the book in the bookstore I wanted to jump up and down! I restrained myself, though :)
The majority of the reviews for the book have been pretty good. Not everyone has loved the book but that’s OK – not every book is for every reader.

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for Black Wings? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?

Christina - I originally had an idea to write a story about the Grim Reaper. As I started writing and working out the mythology for the Agency I decided I could work in the Fallen – it seemed like a natural fit. Plus, at the time there weren’t really any fallen angel books out on the market and I wanted something to distinguish the book from all the vampires and werewolves (not that vampires and werewolves are bad – I just wanted to do something a little different).

Amber - What kind of research did you have to do for Black Wings? Anything interesting or is the research boring?

Christina – I didn’t really do too much research. I looked up the angelic hierarchy on Wikipedia and the definitions of the Grigori and the nephilim. I wanted the mythology of Black Wings to be my own so I tried to stay away from too much research – I didn’t want to be influenced by other sources.

Amber - How did you pick the names for your characters? Do the names have any special meanings?

Christina – Maddy was just a name that I liked. It seemed strong but also likeable. I picked Gabriel because it’s another of my favorite names. I wanted to name my son Gabriel but husband didn’t agree :)
Most of the other names were drawn from the angelic hierarchy list, but don’t necessarily match their biblical descriptions - I just picked the names that sounded the best or seemed like they fit the characters.

Amber - What is like being a new author on the writing scene? Wild parties with other authors or sitting at home writing more books as fast as possible?

Christina – There are definitely no wild parties unless you count the way we all comment on each other’s blog postings :) That’s about as wild as it gets.
Other than that, most of the time is spent on the business of writing – not just working on new books but also editing, proofreading, promoting and blogging. Most of my day is spent doing something writing-related.
The rest of the time I fetch snacks for my perpetually hungry four-year-old.

Amber - Why did you decide to start writing? And how long did it take to get published?

Christina – I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 12 years old, but never really put in the time to achieve that dream until a couple of years ago. Once I finally completed a manuscript (Black Wings) it took six months for me to get picked up by Ace.

Amber - What is next? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Christina – I’m working on the third book of the Madeline Black series right now. Once I finish this I’ve got an idea for another book but I’m trying not to think about it too hard about it right now – I don’t want to get distracted until I’m done writing Maddy’s book :)

Amber - Why did you pick the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre?

Christina – I picked urban fantasy because it’s a genre that I like to read. You have so many opportunities to play with this genre as a writer – with different creatures, different mythologies, different kinds of magic, different levels of action and romance – I think every urban fantasy out there really stands alone. There’s something for everyone!

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?

Christina – I always put together a playlist for each book that I write. I start off with an 8-10 song playlist and then I add to it as I get further into the novel until I’ve got about 20-25 songs that I listen to while I write. Every time I sit down at my laptop that playlist brings me right back into the story and the overall emotional arc of Maddy’s character. When I get to a point where the writing feels stuck or stale, I’ll put the playlist on my iPod and just listen to the music while I run errands or bake something in the kitchen. If I let my mind wander while still staying inside Maddy’s world through the music the next piece of the story will usually occur to me.

Right now I’m finally getting around to watching “The Walking Dead” – the whole six-episode season is in my DVR because I’m terrible about keeping up with TV shows. It’s a really fantastic series so I’m glad I get to watch the whole thing in one shot!

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

Christina – Definitely a werewolf. You get to look like an ordinary human being but transform into something incredibly fast and powerful…I’ve always had a soft spot for werewolf stories.

Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again ;)

Christina – Thanks so much for having me!





CHRISTINA HENRY is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies, and subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Visit her website!

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Contest Time

This week the contest is limited to US/Canada only. The winner will get a copy of Black Wings and you really do want it :)

How to Enter

What are you watching or listening to lately?

No Answer = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

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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.

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The contest will stay open until Sunday 19th of December 2010 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.
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