This week I have another guest from the author blog - Something Wicked.
Angie Fox deals with dogs, motorbikes and Demon Slayers. A strange combination but one that is worth reading about!
If you haven't already had the pleasure of reading one of Angie's books then make sure you enter the contest at the end of the guest blog. Enjoy!
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Hi, my name is Angie Fox and I write a series about a preschool teacher turned demon slayer who has to run off with her grandmother’s gang of geriatric biker witches. But what cracks me up is that nobody ever asks me about that.
Biker witches? Sure! Demon slaying preschool teachers? Why not? What readers most want to know is why the hero of the books, Dimitri, is a shapeshifting griffin.
My answer is always – why not? Don’t get me wrong – I love werewolves and vampires and all kinds of heroes. But frankly, I’m surprised we don’t see more griffins in paranormal books.
Aside from being sexy as all get out, griffins are known to be loyal, intense and strong. Griffins were even a symbol of marriage in the Medieval church because they mate for life. I can’t think of a better quality for a hero to have. And while griffins may not be your classic Alpha “my way or the highway” type of guys, they are tough and absolutely willing to leap tall mountains (literally) for the women they love.
In honor of Dimitri, and griffins everywhere, I’m giving away a copy of my latest book, A Tale of Two Demon Slayers. I’m also running a contest right now to win naming rights to a character in my next book. To enter, just go to www.angiefox.com
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Contest Time
As Angie mentioned in her guest blog...She is giving away a copy of A Tale of Two Demon Slayers!
To enter the contest all you have to do is take a little quiz ;) Angie has a few cool quizzes on her site but one stood out to me and I thought it would be nice to see what results you all got!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post of Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but 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.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 7th of February 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.
The contest is over! It is now time to announce the winners of the Shirley Damsgaard contest! Seven lucky people will get their choice of Ophelia & Abby mystery direct from the author herself! However before I announce the winners....
I want to say a huge thank you to Shirley! Not only did she agree to be a guest again on Amberkatze's Book Blog but she was amazing to interview, answered your questions and offered such a huge amount of prizes!
So make sure you check out the books! I just finished The Seventh Witch this morning (see review below) and I can't get enough of the series. I hope you will all enjoy the series as much as I do!
And now time for the winners! Congratulations to :
1 - Justpeachy36
2 - Elaing8
3 - Spav
4 - Shaunesay
5 - SuzyQ1955
6 - Rosie
7 - Mariska
Well done to you all!!
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 and which of the seven books in the Ophelia & Abby series you would like to recieve.
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 recieved 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.
More Author interviews, guest blogs & contests are coming up!
Angie Fox (31/1/10) Stephen Zimmer (6/2/10) Shelley Munro (7/2/10) Mark Henry (14/2/10) Yasmine Galenorn (21/2/10)
Ophelia Jensen is from a long line of wise and very gifted women. Her grandmother, Abby, is a talented witch and her great-aunts, Mary and Dot also have their own special abilities. With Great-aunt Mary about to reach the grand old age of 100, Abby, Ophelia and her daughter Tink, travel to North Carolina to celebrate with all the family. A simple trip to visit family should be an easy affair but as always trouble finds it way to the small-town librarian, Ophelia.
She didn't think there were any family secrets but as the days progress, Ophelia realises that there is alot she doesn't know about her relatives and the mountain where they live. Talk of curses, murder and revenge get Ophelia's inquisitive mind snooping where she shouldn't. Will she manage to solve the mystery and break the curse on her family? Or will more people have to die at the hands of the witch who has been scaring the locals for years?
The Seventh Witch is the seventh book in what has to be my favourite paranormal cozy mystery series. This newest installment may have had a change of scenery but it was not worse off for it. If anything finally getting to know the rest of the family and the mountain they live on was a long time coming and I enjoyed every word of it. The plot only made things better and a certain character showing his face again was the highlight.
I can't wait for more from this series. I absolutely adore the characters and the mystery that surrounds them in each adventure is always exciting. The paranormal angle makes the series even more interesting and I love the writing style. There is nothing I would change about the Ophelia & Abby mysteries except how often they come out. Maybe twice a year would satisfy me more than one a year ;)
For me this is a must buy and must read series. Light but not fluffy this is a lovely series to read if you need a break from the hard Urban Fantasy but want to stay in the paranormal genre. These books are also a nice series to suggest to anyone who wants to try out the genre but doesn't want anything too heavy. Make sure you read these in order though. I wouldn't want anyone to miss anything about this great series.
Jessica Packwood is just a normal teenager who goes to a normal high school. Very good at Maths she has earned a geeky reputation but she doesn't care. Then Lucius Vladescu appears in her school and starts to stalk her. Concerned about the new arrival in her life she talks to her adoptive mother about the strange boy. She finds out that she is really a vampire princess and has been 'engaged' to Lucius since her birth.
To say that all this information is a bit of shock for Jessica is an understatement. She knew she was adopted and Romanian but the whole vampire and engagement story is not something she can deal with very well. So Jessica attempts to ignore the vampire that her parents invite into the house as a guest. She tries to keep him out of reach by dating someone else. However back in Romania her family and Vladescu family are ready to go to war again if the couple don't marry.
I have been looking forward to reading this book ever since I came across it. However I found it hard to get hold of a copy here in Europe and any copy I found took me over my book budget. So this book was the first one I ordered with some book vouchers I got for Christmas. Now I have read it, I can see what all the fuss was about.
In the The first half of the story we get to know the characters. Lucius is from another world than the one Jessica lives in. She has grown up in America while he has had a totally different upbringing in Romania. His strange behaviour and ways are an instant problem with the pair who should be getting married and not fighting. Then Jessica makes things worse and before she realises the mistake she has made, it is too late.
The second half of the book focuses on Jessica trying to get Lucius interested in her again. A typical kind of love story that will not be new to the adults who read this young adult book. It was interesting to see what Jessica goes through in the fight to get Lucius back. The twists and turns keeping the story entertaining.
All in all this was a wonderful read and the letters Lucius writes to his uncle throughout the story made me giggle more than a few times. Well written and thought out, I am interested in seeing what else this author will bring out in the future. Well worth reading, especially if you are a fan of teenage vampire love stories.
The January Monthly Giveaway is now open! There are five books to choose from and vote for. So make sure you go to the poll <--- and vote for the one you want to win or the one you think deserves to win! Here is a little info about each book on offer. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -
Well in the sidebar <--- there is a poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. I pick a name from the subscibers list and that person wins the book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for! To subscribe to Amberkatze's Book Blog all you have to do is use the box in the sidebar <--- or at the bottom of this post. Everyone who is already subscribed will be entered in the contest as well as new subscribers. If you have not confirmed your email address then you will not be added to the draw!!! The poll will stay open for votes until Saturday 6th of February 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced later than day.
For more chances to win -
Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.
Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your extra entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu
For more prizes -
I will draw more than one winner if I have enough money in the Amberkatze's Book Blog Amazon account. You can help fill this account by using one of the following links below to make your purchases on Amazon.com or Amazon.de
This third book in the Sookie Stackhouse series was another enjoyable audiobook to listen to. Not only am I a huge fan of the books and TV series but now I am addicted to the audio books. The narrator sounds just like I expected Sookie to sound and she does amazing voices for the other characters. The only thing that bothered me a little about this book was the length. This audiobook was a little shorter than the previous ones I listened to in this series but I guess the book was just shorter than the others.
It was great to hear this story. I read it a long time ago and I am having a wonderful time re-visting the series through my iPod on the way to and from work each day. There are so many things I have forgotten about the characters and storyline over the years and it is a great way to hang out with one of my favourite book characters again.
I already started listening to Dead to the World, book four in the series. I am sure I will be finished with that pretty soon. I am finding it hard to turn off already!
I hope you will all join me in welcoming one of my favourite author guests back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! Shirley Damsgaard is an absolute star and I love her Abby & Ophelia Mysteries. This week the 7th book in the series is due out and I invited Shirley over to the blog to help celebrate.
So read the interview and make sure you enter the contest at the end! Shirley is giving away SEVEN books!
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Amber - Hello Shirley! Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! You have your seventh Abby and Ophelia book coming out! That must feel really good?
Shirley - Thanks for inviting me, Amber! It's always a pleasure to visit Amberkatze's Book Blog!
Yes, THE SEVENTH WITCH is coming out this week and I'm really excited! If someone would've told me eight years ago that I would not only write seven books, but be lucky enough to have them published, I never would've believed it! It's been a ride of a lifetime and it's been the support of blogs like yours and all those readers out there who've made it possible...I'll be forever grateful!
Amber - What can we expect from the new book? Can you tell us a little bit about The Seventh Witch?
Shirley - From the beginning of the series, I always knew that at some point I wanted to do a story in which Ophelia and Abby returned to Abby's birthplace. Since I'd never really spent much time in the South, I didn't know exactly how it would all happen, but then serendipity stepped in. About three years ago, I received an invitation to attend The Women's Expo in Kingsport, TN. Let me tell you...I jumped on that one! And thanks to the event's organizers, Sharon Robinson and Lydia Wiley, I had the opportunity to not only take a mini tour of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but interview women who practice folk magick. It was a terrific experience and I really hope I did justice to the wonderful people down there. But best of all, Amber, Lydia and Sharon are now two of my dearest friends. So I not only gained a story, but two friends!! *g* Doesn't get any better than that!
Now about the book...as I said, Ophelia, Abby, and Tink return to Abby's birthplace for the infamous Great-Aunt Mary's 100th birthday celebration and Great-Aunt Mary is just as prickly and difficult as Ophelia remembers! (Also Aunt Dot, one of the series' most popular characters, makes another appearance.) Ophelia is expecting a quiet family vacation, but it doesn't take long for the trip to turn sinister. And Abby is the target! It's going to take everything Ophelia has learned to get them out of this one!
This story line is a little darker than past Ophelia and Abby's, but I hope the readers will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!!
Amber - You mentioned last time you were here that the seventh book was the last one contracted. So is this the last we will see of Abby & Ophelia?
Shirley - Gosh, I hope not!! I've lived with these women for eight years and it would be sad to think they won't continue to be in my life!! However, it's always been my goal to expand as an author, and Avon has given me that opportunity with my next book, a stand alone. I really can't say too much about it at this time...we want to give THE SEVENTH WITCH a proper launch, but I'll give you a hint..."new concept...new name!" *g* I'll be sharing more about it with the readers via my website in a couple of months.
Amber - Something I have been asking authors lately is about the names of their characters. How do you come up with the names Abby & Ophelia? What about the other characters such as Tink?
Shirley - Good question, Amber!! Naming one's characters is really important!! For me, as a reader, certain names conjure up certain images, so I knew as an author that it's vital that the name "fit"! However when I was trying to come up with a name for my main character, I thought it would be fun for her to give her a name that actually works against type. To me, "Ophelia" always creates an image of someone wispy and a little vague, and that's not my Ophelia! As far as Abby, "Abigail" is a good, old fashioned name, plus it also goes back to the Salem Witch Trials.
And "Tink"...well, one thing just kind of led to another and she just kind of named herself! I came up with her real name "Tatiana", after the Queen of the Fairies in MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, one of my favorite plays. But that sounded like too "big" of a name for a kid. Then the idea of her late mother nick naming her as a baby "Tinkerbelle" (until she grew into her wings!) popped into my head. Plus I think naming her for a fairy plays in well with the folk magick theme of the series.
Amber - How much input do you get in the publication of your books? For example you have some great covers! Do you have a say in those kind of decisions?
Shirley – A lot of things are already decided when the contract is signed, such as publication date, length, what format (one question I get a lot...e-books. I don't have any input as to that at all.) etc. . Basically I feel that my job is to write the best book I can and my publisher takes it from there.
Concerning covers...they're really an important marketing tool, Amber. Every author wants a cover that says "buy me!" lol! And I do have some input on them...it was my idea to use the standing stones for this cover, but my favorite story is one concerning THE TROUBLE WITH WITCHES cover.
The way it works...my editor emails me the artist's rendition and I express my opinion. Well, THE TROUBLE WITH WITCHES takes place in Minnesota and when I saw its cover, although I thought it was great, it just didn't say "Minnesota" to me. I wrote my editor and told her my thoughts...Minnesota, land of blue skies, clear water, and pine trees. Her response was it didn't matter if it looked like Minnesota...the important thing was to grab the browser's attention. BUT...she would ask the artist to make the tree a pine tree! SO...if you look really, really close at the cover, you'll see these tiny grayish brown things on the tree. Those are MY pine cones! LOL!
All kidding aside, my publisher does a lot of research on what makes a great cover, so bottom line...who am I to argue??? They haven't let me down yet!
Amber - How do you build your Abby & Ophelia mysteries? Does the plot just come to you or is there a lot of trial and error to get things right?
Shirley - Seriously? Without trying to sound too blood thirsty, (I'm actually one of the most non-violent people that you'd ever want to meet!), but I always start out with a murder!!! Some poor, hapless fool meets an untimely end and then I decide how Ophelia and Abby would get pulled into the investigation and how their particular talents would either help or hinder that process. One of my friends happens to have worked for the State of Iowa's Medical Examiner's Office, so he's always good for some really nefarious ideas! *g*
And although, I'm trying to change my process and do more outlining, I've always been a "pantser", you know the type...flying by the seat of my pants???? Anyway, after I do in the poor character, the story just kind of flows from that point forward. That's not to say it's a smooth flow! *g* I always joke around that my two favorite keys on my keyboard are the "backspace" and "delete" keys! So, yeah, there's a lot of trial and error, a lot of time spent on the phone, whining to my friend and fellow author, Joanna Campbell Slan (The Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries) about how stymied I am!! (Btw...she's such a good friend that she always gives it to me straight! "Yeah, that scene works...Nope, don't think Ophelia would really do that." Her input is invaluable!)
Another person who's input in priceless is my editor. After I've completed the original manuscript, Emily goes through it with a fine tooth comb and her little editing pencil!! Then it's rewrite time!! And honestly, I always try and follow her suggestions...her goal is the same as mine...produce a product that the readers will enjoy!
Amber - Are you working on any other projects at the moment? Are there some ideas for future projects you can share with us?
Shirley - Right now I'm working on the stand alone that I mentioned, and I've been invited to contribute to two anthologies. One that author Anne Frasier is putting together, and another THE MAMMOUTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE-2 that Trisha Telep is doing. It's been along time since I've done anything less than a full novel, so I'm looking forward to getting back to my short story roots!
Beyond those projects?? Well this is the year I finally retire from my day job, so I'm going to have a lot more time to devote to writing! If I have anything to say about it, I can guarantee you haven't seen the last of me!!!
Amber - A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music that influenced your books?
Shirley - I always have music on in the background when I'm writing...usually the "oldie goodies"! And although, I really can't say the tune necessarily inspires me, lyrics certainly do. In fact the stand alone that I'm working on now is titled DIE STANDING, (whether or not that will be the published title is hard to say) and it was inspired by a song of Shania Twain's, BLUE TEARS. There's a line in there..."I'd rather die standing than live on my knees, begging please"...that really got me thinking about the importance of standing up for yourself, making your own choices, living your own life. It developed into the theme for this next book.
There's another idea kicking around in my head based on a line from the Gordon Lightfoot song, IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, too. At this time, I don't know where that one's headed, so I really can't give much info on it. It will be interesting to see what develops though!
Amber - There are so many online sites egg, Twitter, Face book, my space etc. to get in touch with fans. Which sites are you signed up with? Is it hard to keep up with them all? Do you think they are good?
Shirley - Keeping up and staying in contact with the fans is one of the biggest challenges that I have!! (You'd think it would be writing 70,000 to 80,000 words in a six month time frame, wouldn't you? *g*) All kidding aside, I love hearing from the readers and it means the world to me when I do! I wish I were better at responding to each and every email, but time just gets away from me. I do blog once a week (Thursdays) on "Something Wicked"; have a Yahoo group, a Face book page, a My Space page. Then there's my website. But on the last few, I don't post as often as I should. I hope after I retire, it's going to be easier for me to devote more time to them.
And do I think they're good?? Yes, I do. I live in the middle of Iowa, and thanks to sites like these, (and your site, Amber!) I can get in touch with people all over the world! I wouldn't have the time or the money that it would take to meet all these people in person! But I do think you can get too many going at once. And there is the fact that although I find writing an exciting job, there are days when there's just not much to tell!!! You know...I got up, ate, went to work, went home, watched TV! How boring is that!! And who would want to read about it!
Amber - What was the best book you read in 2009? And what was the best film you saw last year?
Shirley - Best movie in 2009?? Well, I don't get out to movies too often with my schedule...most of my viewing is done via DVD...but I can tell you my best movie experience. Last Valentine's Day, I wanted to see HOTEL FOR DOGS and one of the best things about having grandchildren...they're always a good excuse to go see "kid" movies! So I invited one of my grandsons (a seven year old) to be my "date." He of course agreed, and when I dropped by to pick him up, he'd dressed up for me. A white dress shirt, his favorite clip-on blue and green stripped tie, blue jeans, and his dress shoes! Lol! AND not only did he dress up, but he'd been to the florist and had three roses for me. Spending time with him was one of the best Valentine's Days ever, and when he grows up, he's going to make some lucky girl a very good boyfriend!! *g*
As far as best book in 2009? Just like everyone else, I have my list of favorite authors, so when I'm in the middle of reading one of those...it's the "best" book! Then there are all the new authors that I've discovered and loved. It's really hard to pinpoint just one! I can tell you two, non-fiction books that had an impact on me during 2009.
One was WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, by Donald Maass. Even though I'm working on my eighth book, it's always been important to me to continue to learn about the craft of writing and to try and improve my skill. Mr. Maass's book was terrific. He pointed out a lot of things that I hadn't considered. Also, thanks to Mr. Maass, I did an in-depth outline for this eighth book! Something that's strictly against my "pantser" tendencies! *g*
Now this next one may sound silly, but I bought Patti Stanger's BECOME YOUR OWN MATCHMAKER! (Yes, I am single.) I love her show on Bravo…she's such a no nonsense kind of a person and I like her style…anyway, I thought it would be fun to read her book. As a result, I realized that in the hustle and bustle of doing this, dong that, working full time, meeting deadlines, etc., that I've kind of lost sight of me in the process. I still need to get all those things done, but I also need to focus some of my attention on other aspects of my life, too.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Shirley - That one's easy…a shape shifter! And it would be an eagle. Why? Well, 1. They're a protected species, so while I'm zipping around in my eagle form, I wouldn't have to worry about some redneck with a gun shooting me. 2. They're on top of the food chain. (Again…safety!) And last, but most important, 3. They have the freedom of flight. And wouldn't that be marvelous…to ride the wind!!!
Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog again! I hope you will be back again soon! Shirley - Thank you, Amber!! As always, it's been a pleasure visiting your wonderful blog and meeting your readers!! I'll come back any time!!!
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Contest Time
If you haven't already tried the Abby & Ophelia Mysteries then you have alot of catching up to do! Shirley is ready to help though! However far into the series you are or even if you are new to the lovely witchy series you can enter this weeks contest and maybe you will win one of the seven! Yes seven! books Shirley is giving away.
If you are one of the seven winners picked you can choose which Abby & Ophelia book you would like to get from Shirley. That means you can pick the newest release, the first book or the book you have read up to!
To enter the contest you have to ask Shirley a question. Please make sure you don't ask a question somebody else has asked! If you are lucky Shirley will answer your question but if she doesn't get to it please don't be upset! You will still be entered into the contest!
No question = No entry!´
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post of Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but 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.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 31st of January 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.
Another week, another winner! This week my guest was author Stacey Kay! The prize the winner will recieve is still a surprise but I hope the lucky person will come back and let us know! In the meantime I hope you all go out and try Stacey's great series!
I enjoyed reading all your entries. It was nice to see some familiar wishlist books and upcoming releases named. I was surprised at a few people who still haven't read the Twilight books...and I looked up a few books that I hadn't heard of before. Thanks for your answers!
So who won?
Congratulations to -
Brooke!!!
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 and say which book your are claiming!
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 recieved 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.
More Author interviews, guest blogs & contests are coming up!
Shirley Damsgaard (24/1/10) Angie Fox (31/1/10) Stephen Zimmer (6/2/10) Shelley Munro (7/2/10) Mark Henry (14/2/10) Yasmine Galenorn (21/2/10)
When a plague hit downtown Boston three years ago only the humans suffered. The unique mutation didn't harm the werewolves, shapeshifters or vampires and the humans asking the paranormals to help them. To say Boston has never been the same since is an understatement. Especially when the dead started to rise as zombies three days after the horrific event.
Deadtown is the area of Boston where all the Paranormal Americans live. With not many, if any legal rights, those living in the area see themselves as lucky. Other states don't do anything for the Paranormals so Deadtown is somewhere they can live like humans do. Victory Vaughn is one of the paranormal.s A shapeshifter who can change up to three times per month. She is Boston's only demon slayer and her sometimes boyfriend is werewolf lawyer, Alexander Kane.
Kane is busy trying to get equal rights for the paranormals while Vicky is just trying to make enough money to get by. She is also trying to get some sleep. Most of the demons she slays are nocturnal so she prefers to sleep through the day. Somehow that plan isn't working out for her. It all starts when a blast from the past comes back into Vicky's life. An extremely powerful hellion that killed her father ten years ago. Now Vicky is trying to find out who is controlling the hellion before the legions waiting outside the city get in and destroy it completely.
I usually pick up on new reads when I see them advertised somewhere or reviewed on other blogs. I check out the blurb. I read what others have to say. I am always taking a chance when I order a book by a new author. Some times the blurb misled me, the reviews are just hype and I feel cheated. However with Deadtown I can only say thank you. Thank you to all the little pieces I read everywhere that led me to try out this book. Because with Deadtown I have found another must read series.
Well I hope this will be a series. Vicky is a kick-ass heroine that I definitely want to read more about. The world the author has developed in this new release is absolutely unique, dangerous and worth reading about. Just when I think that all the good plots must have been used up already, something like Deadtown comes along and wows me!
Deep, dark and edgy this could be one of my favourite reads this year. Sure we are only in January but I loved this one alot. New, captivating and not at all like any other series I know, Deadtown really impressed me. Being Welsh I appreciated the references to my home land. Being a lover of the genre I found the content exciting. As a reader I enjoyed the twists and turns.
There is nothing at fault with this book. Make sure you don't miss out on this new author on the block. Deadtown is a must read and if this doesn't turn into a series I will be more than disappointed.
When Sunny McDonald finds out that her vampire boyfriend Magnus is about to join with a mate, she is less than impressed. As leader of the Blood Coven he needs someone to help him co-rule but Sunny is a human and doesn't qualify to take the position. So when Sunny meets the chosen candidate Jane Johnson, of course she wants to find some kind of faults. However she finds more than a few faults and she begins to wonder if the supermodel graduate of Oxford university really is who she says she is.
Everyone thinks Sunny is more than a little suspicious of Jane after she fails to answers some easy questions. However Magnus thinks she is jealous and ignores her and jets off to Las Vegas for a Vampire convention. So Sunny and her twin Rayne follow the Blood Coven to the city of sin in the hope they will find out more about Jane and stop Magnus from making a very big mistake. Will Sunny find enough evidence in time? or will Jane get her claws into the Blood Coven and take over?
I have really enjoyed this series and was extremely happy to find there was a new book coming out. I really enjoyed the the change of scenery and the new characters in Bad Blood and the McDonald twins managed to make me giggle at least once in every chapter. This series is a little different to the other YA paranormals so it stands out and isn't hard to follow.
However I have to say that Bad Blood wasn't the best in the series so far. It was a fascinating read and I was finished pretty fast but all the best bits happened near the end and the book was over too soon. The cliffhanger ending has me dying to read the next in the series but I feel a little disappointed that I have to wait for another book to find out more.
All in all this is a great series and one I can recommend to any lovers of the YA Paranormal genre. You really have to start at the beginning of the series to completely enjoy it and all the books have just been re-released with some lovely new covers. So try them out and enjoy. Sunny and Rayne are the only paranormal twins worth reading about!
Syn was raised as a tech-thief which led to him uncovering a truth that put his life in danger. Destroying the evidence would have been a good solution but instead it has stayed hidden and Syn has been on the run ever since. Now older and wiser he is an assassin who doesn't let anyone threaten him.
Shahara Dagan is a bounty hunter and most likely one of the best in the universe. Syn is just another job, a way to make money to keep her siblings alive. Unfortunately there is a problem. It seems Syn is a close friend of her brother and sister. He is a friend who has helped out them out on many occasions. On one side she wants to bring the assassin in and have him pay for his crimes but on the other hand she knows she will be upsetting alot of people close to her.
So Shahara saves him and then both of their lives are on the line. The only hope Shahara and Syn have is to find the evidence he buried long ago. Running for their lives they both stick close together and try and save each other from being hunted down and killed.
This second book in The League series surprised me as much as Born of Night. After reading the first book I really thought it was a fluke. I don't usually read Sci-Fi type fantasy so this was just a one off? Now I believe it all lies in the wonderful way Sherrilyn Kenyon writes.
Born of Fire was as brilliant a story as Born of Night was. Great characters, good plot and nice twists that kept things exciting. Adventure with just the right amount of romance this story was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved it all.
Now I am looking forward to curling up with the third book, Born of Ice. Sherrilyn's Dark-Hunter series is certainly my favourite series by this amazing author but The League is better than the Dream-Hunters. Don't forget to check this series out if you are a Kenyon fan. You are missing out on something special if you haven't read The League!
This week author Stacey Jay is back on Amberkatze's Book Blog! Stacey already visited us last year when her first book YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME had just been released. Now her second book UNDEAD MUCH? is out this week. I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy a while back and I throughly enjoyed it!
So sit back and read Stacey's Guest Blog then enter the contest to win a surprise prize!
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WEIRD STUFF AND ZOMBIES ON ICE
Hey Amberkatze Readers!
When I’m asked to guest blog, I have to admit I get anxious. The inevitable “what to blog” about stressing hits hard. My glamorous mom-writer life is really very, very boring. I spend a lot of time changing diapers, feeding small people, cleaning up messes, and building elaborate block structures for my one year old to rip apart. Then there’s all the sitting on my butt typing with the roar of the never-ending laundry in the background. I mean, what could I possibly have to talk about that would be at all interesting to you—the blog reading audience? You with your fabulous lives that are no doubt much more interesting than anything happening in Stacey Jay land? By the time I sit down to actually write the blog, I’m drowning in a hot, sloppy mess of angst.
Like…right now, I’m a wreck. Really. This is what happens when you ask a fiction writer to write something that’s not pretend. (My own blog doesn’t count. You people who hang with me over there know it’s all weird pictures of me cooking zombie cupcakes in my candy corn pajamas and crap like that.)
So, I’m just going to pretend to interview myself and talk about some stuff. That sound okay? (If not, you don’t have to keep reading. That’s part of the beauty of blogging )
Q: So, self, what’s up with UNDEAD MUCH? Book 2 in the Megan Berry, Zombie Settler series?
A: I honestly think UNDEAD MUCH? (January 21st, 2010) is my best work to date (young adult or adult novel) and I’m so excited to share it with readers. It’s got everything I love in a book—romance, zombies, mystery, a love triangle, big secrets, hot sloppy angst (which I enjoy reading about more than experiencing it personally), and more zombies. On ice.
Q: Zombies on ice? For real?
A: Yes, zombies on ice. For real. I won’t give away plot points by telling you how the zombies get on the ice or what they do there (though I can assure you it does not in any way resemble ballroom dancing or an Olympic sport), but I had a blast writing that particular scene. Being a huge fan of mixing the silly and the scary, I dove into the slippery drama with both hands, fingers flying—I told you it was hard to make sitting on your butt typing sound exciting—chortling with glee to be creating a ridiculous and horrific literary combo never before read by man (or woman).
Q: Your glee was short-lived wasn’t it?
A: Yeah. It was. I found out that the Chicago Zombie people (http://chicagozombie.com/) do a Zombies on Ice event every year. The first one was in 2008—after I’d already written the scene in UNDEAD MUCH?—but that doesn’t matter. The book isn’t on the shelves yet, but those Chicago Zombies were on the ice in December 2008 and again in 2009. So they win. If this were a contest. Which it wasn’t…but yeah, if it had been, they would be the winners. I pass the figurative bloody, disembodied arm trophy over to them.
Q: Okay…anything else you’d like to share?
A: Um…no. I’ll just slink back over to the weirdness of my own blog and make some zombie cupcakes or something. (I’m also thinking of staging a pomegranate murder in my kitchen and taking pictures. Have you seen the way pomegranates splatter red juice everywhere when you cut into them? It’s crazy! Grizzly fruit murder. Perfect for a blog entry from a woman who has a new zombie book coming out.)
And…end weirdness. And ice zombies.
Without further ado, I say adieu. Thanks for having me Amber! And happy reading in 2010 Amberkatze readers!
Stacey Jay
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Contest Time!
It's a mystery give-away this week! Stacey is putting together a surprise prize for the winner of this weeks contest! Not even I know what the winner will get! All Stacey told me is that the prize will be cool and not suck too much :)
So to enter for a chance to win the surprise prize - tell us what books you are dying to read in 2010!
No book = No entry!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post of Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but 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.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 24th of January 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.
Kaylee Cavanaugh knows when someone is about to die and screams when it happens. As a banshee she must wail but she tries to control herself with the help of her boyfriend Nash. So when the pair are enjoying themselves at a pop concert, Kaylee is surprised when the star of the show falls down dead without any warning. The need to wail doesn't bubble up inside her and she realises that the singer didn't have a soul to scream for.
One thing leads to another and Kaylee finds herself skipping school, breaking curfew and sneaking out at night. Not usually a wild child, Kaylee isn't used to doing things to upset her dad. However if he finds out she is out trying to get souls back from a hellion he will be more than upset.
Book two in the Soul Screamers series was as every bit as good as the first. This unusual and unique new area of the paranormal that Rachel Vincent has tapped into makes for brilliant reading. With none of the typical supernatural creatures making an appearance this is totally fresh and unique. There is an expect the unexpected feeling to the series and I can't wait for more.
Rachel Vincent already has one amazing paranormal series to brag about and now she also clearly has a second. With nice characters and a suspense filled story this is a pure winner. Sure this is aimed at Young Adults but who cares when it comes to a great Urban Paranormal Fantasy read? This is another series to add to the must buy list and the third book, due out in June, is already on my pre-order wishlist.
Don't wait too long to try this series out. You may kick yourself otherwise!
Travelling around the world with your boyfriend should be the most amazing thing ever. For Jane Jameson it is turning out to be a nightmare. Anonymous notes await Gabriel at each hotel and he has yet to tell her exactly what is going on. Her excuse to leave comes to the rescue in Brussels and she goes back home not knowing if she she now single or not.
So the librarian and bookstore owner vampire settles back into life in Half Moon Hollow. Her days are busy with work, family, friends and the rather strange Chamber of Commerce. So when Jane also starts getting letters which are alot more hostile than the ones Gabriel was getting, she decides to arm herself. This may not be one of the better ideas Jane has had but Gabriel isn't around to protect anymore and she could be alone for the rest of her immortal life.
Are we only three books into this series? I feel like I have known Jane forever! This series is like reading a very long letter from a good friend. Enjoyable isn't the right word to describe how much I loved this new installment in the 'Nice Girls...' series. A long work day was forgotten when I picked up this book. The stress of the day disappeared as I giggled at the ongoing tale of Jane, her family and her friends.
Again, in this third book, I was impressed by the short quotes at the beginning of each chapter. A trademark in this series that I find amusing and clever. 'Love Bites : A Female Vampire's Guide To Less Destructive Relationships' guided me through this fun packed and well written read.
Original and different this chick-lit like series is one of my favourites right now and a definite must buy. Jane makes Betsy (Undead Series) look bland, old and worn out. I only hope that there are more books about Jane's misadventures to come. I can't wait to catch up with my gal pal vamp Jane again soon!
Anyone who has anything to do with the Paranormal genre knows about the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. The books have already been made into a TV series called Trueblood and I can't get enough of it. I wanted to visit the books again and decided to try the audio versions. I am not disappointed.
Listening to the series is turning out to be a real treat for me. The narrator reads clearly, does great voices and isn't hard on the ears. Also the reader manages to keep your attention. There is no chance of day dreaming while listening to this.
The last quarter of this particular book surprised me. I have read the whole series but for some reason I couldn't remember anything that happened after Sookie arrives back from Dallas. It was like I was hearing this part of the story for the first time. So I am really glad I went back and listened to this. Now I need to get hold of the next one. I wonder how much of that book I have forgotten...
The voting is over and the poll is closed! Which book did you all vote for? Who is the best of 2009?
Congratulations Jaye Wells! Your book was my personal favourite for 2009 and it seems that my readers want it more than the other books I offered! Well done ;)
I would have loved to give away more copies of this book but unfortunately I only have one to give away! So who wins a copy of Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells?
The winner is the email address starting with -
calvad!!!
Congrats!
If you didn't win this time then make sure you check in for the January Monthly Giveaway!
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 and say which book your are claiming!
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 recieved 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
So it is Sunday again and time to put you all out of your misery and tell you who won this weeks contest!
Author Kelly Meding was my guest this week and she was giving away a great prize! The winner will recieve a signed copy of "Three Days to Dead" as well as a pair of fun book-related buttons!
So who won?
Sue Brandes!!!
Congratulations to you! Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!
There won't be an author interview or guest blog this week! I gave myself the week off ;) However the schedule for the next month or so is filling up so make sure you stop by on the following dates* to meet some amazing authors and win some cool prizes!
Stacey Jay - 17/1/10 Shirley Damsgaard - 24/1/10 Angie Fox - 31/1/10 Shelley Munro - 24/1/10 Terry Spear - 16/2/10
*All dates are subject to change!
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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 and say which book your are claiming!
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 recieved 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.
After her parents drop the bombshell about moving to Munich for a two year sabbatical, Lily Parker's head is filled with a nice list of negative and positive things that could come from their working trip. Then Lily realises her positive and negative list is totally null and void. Her parents came up with, what they think, is the best solution. Boarding school.
So Lily is sent off to the fancy St. Sophie boarding school in Chicago. Filled with rich kids she is relieved when she meets Scout. Scout is weird but wonderful. Mysterious and mad. However she turns out to be a great friend and that is exactly what Lily needs as her first week in the school progresses.
Real life monsters with magic are also living in Chicago and Lily finds herself on their radar. It is too bad that she doesn't have any powers of her own so she can help the the good guys. Then again maybe she does have some and she doesn't know it yet?
This new series from the author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels is yet another series about a teenage girl in a school who finds herself suddenly in the world of the paranormal. There are enough of these books out there lately and while they all have their own unique twist which makes them special and extremely likable, I have to say I wondered if I had already seen it all. I haven't seen it all.
Firespell is the first, in what I hope, will be a long series. If this first book is anything to go by then Chloe Neill has another winning series on her hands. The characters are lovely and the story was fascinating. A fresh idea and nothing that felt remotely like any other series I have read before. I enjoyed every minute.
The only thing that I didn't like was when the book was over. I expected and wanted more but the end came too quickly. There are questions still unanswered and I need to find out what happens next. Unfortunately there was no note in the back of the book about when the next in the series is coming. I only hope it is soon.
If you like any of the other Young Adult series out there like House of the Night or the Vampire Academy then you will love this. If you enjoyed Chloe's other series then you don't want to miss this. Another must read, must buy to add to the ever growing list. The Young Adult Paranormal Genre is blooming nicely and I am a huge fan so far!
Both the Monthly Giveaway and the Kelly Meding contest close for entries on Sunday! If you don't enter by 4pm (Central European Time) you won't have the chance to win some great book prizes!
Werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV's first supernaturnal reality show. The talkshow radio host is used to being one of the most well known supernaturals but she isn't really one for being on screen. So her experience with reality shows has her expecting silly games, contests and alot of drama. What she doesn't expect is that the mixture of supernaturals taking part will all end up fighting for their lives.
Shapeshifters, vampires and psychics are just some of the people that make up the cast members. When they arrive at the remote mountain lodge, where the show will be filmed, they are all in awe of the lovely surroundings. However it doesn't take long for the atmosphere to get tense and Kitty starts to wonder if there is another reason for them all being here, in the same place, at the same time.
There is something strange happening but before Kitty and the other supernaturals realise what is going on, it is too late. Who will leave the house alive and which will leave the house injured or dead? There are no votes cast in this show to see who leaves. Strength, determination and a straight head will decide if you come out alive or not.
Kitty rocks! I am an avid reader of this series and Kitty is one of my favourite werewolves. I absolutely adore these books and House of Horrors was just another amazing edition to the Kitty Norville series. Away from her pack and from her husband Ben, this story just got better and better as the pages flew by. The suspense grew all the way through this newest installment and I could hardly keep myself from reading quicker, I was so eager to find out what happened next.
What a way to start the New Year! Kitty should come out to play more often! I didn't realise how much I had missed her until I picked up this book. I want more and I want it now. Kitty, what trouble will you get yourself into next? Whatever it is, I am so there! This is a series, that for me, is a must buy. I don't give Kitty away to friends. These books are staying with me and I am going to enjoy the books over and over again.
Bush pilot Alexandra Maguire is making her usual trip through the Alaskan wilds when she comes across something horrible. The massacre awakens the memories of what she witnessed as a child and starts to haunt her again. She once again tries to keep her claims to herself, knowing that no-one will believe her stories of fangs and footprints in the snow. Then a dark stranger appears in town and he opens her mind up to a whole new world.
Sent from Boston to investigate the attacks and put an end to the killings, vampire Breed warrior Kade is no stranger to the Alaskan weather. He isn't happy to be back and hopes the secrets he left behind are still unknown to the rest of his family. As he goes about his investigation he meets Alex and he soon realises that she is special. Then things start clicking into place and not only does Kade find himself fighting feelings he doesn't have time for. He also finds out that the killer he is searching for is one of the most deadly he will ever come across.
Shades of Midnight is the seventh book in the Midnight Breed series and one of the best yet. I have been following this series religiously since it started and I am happy it had picked up speed again. The last book Ashes of Midnight was certainly not the best yet and I was worried that the Midnight Breed series was going downhill. Well this new installment certainly showed me that there was nothing to be worried about. Shades of Midnight has left me wanting more. Now!
With twists and turns all the way through the well thought out story, this romantic paranormal delight is serious and fast-paced. I had a hard time putting this one down and loved the two main characters, their tale and the continuing Midnight Breed story. Erotic and exciting the author really out did herself this time around and I hope that the next in the series keeps the pace.
Anyone who enjoys the Black Dagger Brotherhood should pick up this series. If you are a Lynsay Sands or Cynthia Eden fan then you will also feel right at home with these books. However make sure you start at the beginning and savour the trip. This is a series that is not to be missed.
I am a huge Sherrilyn Kenyon fan and her Dark-Hunter series is one of the first series I read in the Paranormal genre. So when I saw there was going to be a graphic novel released featuring the Dark-Hunters, I knew I needed to check it out. Volume one starts off by telling the story you may have already read in Night Pleasures. We meet Amanda and Kyrian and get a full introduction to the world of the Dark-hunters. The story, like the full sized novel, is amazing. It reminded me of those few hours I spent with Night Pleasures and how I read as I walking down the street because I just couldn't stop!
As a graphic novel this was some what different to my previous experiences. Firstly this is in the traditional Japanese Manga format which means reading from the back to the front of the book and Right to Left. I was slightly confused at first and thought I would never get used to the back to front reading. However within pages I was too engrossed in the story to care.
The illustrations are lovely. I can't find any real fault with them at all. The pocket book size of the book makes this easier to carry around and read than the usual full A4 size graphic novels. The comic is only black and white but the lack of colour doesn't really matter to the content which was great all the way through.
Now I have added the next volume to my wishlist and hope I will get a copy as soon as it is released. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of Amanda and Kyrian's story again and love seeing it in pictures.
If you are a Dark-Hunter fan then this is definitely something you want to buy and treasure. If you haven't already read anything in the Dark-Hunter series then I feel sorry for you ;) Oh and maybe you want to rectify that and read one of the novels or try this Manga version.
My first author guest of 2010 is Kelly Meding. Her debut book 'Three Days To Dead' is definitely on my list of highly recommended reads from 2009. I am looking forward to her next release and her future contribution to the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre.
Kelly was nice enough to send me a guest post to start of the year. Her post talks about her non Paranormal Urban Fantasy reads. So enjoy the post and make sure you enter the contest at the end. I am looking forward, as always, to reading your entries ;)
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With 2009 behind me and 2010 looming brightly on the horizon, I took a look back at the things I read this year. I had set a goal for myself a year ago—read 100 novels/novellas in 2009. Thanks to the sage advice of my crit partner (who informed me that yes, my own books counted and so did the book I beta-read for her), I ended 2009 with 103 novels/novellas read. I'm very excited about this number, considering I also managed to write quite a bit, shepherd my debut novel through its release, and still work a part-time day job.
Reading is essential for a writer; reading widely even more so. With that in mind, I made a conscious effort this past year to expand my reading habits into other genres. The bulk of my reading these last few years was in urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Okay, so almost all of it. Branching out became very necessary, and I am so glad I did. I dabbled into historical romance for the first time, read a couple of biographies, and read YA for the first time in a long time. And many of these books were very, very good.
So here are my top 5 Non-UF/PNR Reads for 2009, in no particular order.
GOING TOO FAR, by Jennifer Echols. (YA) This is a contemporary YA about a troubled teenage girl and the unlikely (and unwanted) friendship she develops with a young police officer. The protagonist is sassy and snarky, without being unbearable, and I just wanted to take the hero home and cuddle him. This is a book that I thought about for days afterward. The characters were realistic and their problems not glossed over.
NEVER LET ME GO, by Kazuo Ishiguro. (Literary) Literary fantasy is the best I can do to describe this lovely and haunting tale of a very unusual boarding school. I saw a good review posted online and discovered it was being made into a movie, so I grabbed a copy. I couldn't put it down. From the lovely prose to the "what the hell is going on?" mystery, to the incredible use of flashbacks, it's a book I'm very glad to have read.
LUCKY, by Alice Sebold. (Memoir) To be fair, I started reading this in the summer of 2008. I don't know why I put it down for over a year, but I did. I suppose it was Sebold's frank and vivid depiction of her rape and its aftermath—she spared nothing and in retrospect, I'm grateful for that. I finally picked it up again in August '09 and read the last 2/3 in about a day. It's a rare book that makes me sob, but this one did. It was a good kind of sobbing, and I'm grateful Sebold had the strength to share such a heart-wrenching part of her life.
ONE WEEK AS LOVERS, by Victoria Dahl. (Historical Romance) It wasn't the first HR I read, but of the half-dozen so far, it's by and large my favorite. I like Alpha heroes, but I truly adore the Beta hero of this book and his interactions with the heroine. The story didn't get bogged down in lengthy descriptions of places or customs or how things were done "back then." Dahl tells a simple, exquisite tale of two childhood friends whose circumstances throw them together and the love that develops between them.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED LIFE, by K.A. Mitchell. (M/M) I stumbled onto Mitchell's work after reading a review for one of her other e-books, and the description of this one caught my eye. It's about the aftermath of a school shooting that leaves a student and the principal dead, and one heroic teacher wounded—a d a local hero for trying to stop the shooter. The twist—the wounded teacher, Sean, is gay, which thrusts him deeper into the media spotlight and makes the entire shooting about more than just school violence. Sean is also in a committed, six-year relationship with Kyle, and it's this relationship that's tested throughout the novel—by the media, by bigotry and hatred, and by his and Kyle's own methods of dealing with Sean's injury. Or not dealing with it. This tastefully and emotionally written tear-jerker made me an instant fan of Ms. Mitchell.
So that's my list. It was a great year for discovering new authors and new genres, and I can't wait to discover even more in 2010.
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Contest Time!
A huge thank you to Kelly who said she will send the winner of this weeks contest a signed copy of "Three Days to Dead" as well as a pair of fun book-related buttons!
All you have to do to enter is tell us about some of your favourite Non-UF/PNR Reads in 2009
No favourite = No entry!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post of Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but 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.
Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 10th of January 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.
She is only seventeen but Lucinda has already gone through so much. There was an incident or maybe it was an accident...all she knows is that a boy died and she can't explain what happened or remember what she did. The result is reform school. The dark, strange and grim Sword & Cross. Unusual and so much different to her old school but somehow interesting and frightening.
With some new friends in her new life, Lucinda tries to fit in as much as possible. However not everyone is new to her. She is sure that she has met Daniel before but he refuses to have anything to do with her. A little obsessed but trying not to be stalker like, Lucinda tries to find out more about the mysterious Daniel. What she finds out involves fallen angels and alot more that Lucinda will find hard to comprehend. Will good and evil keep the two apart or will they manage to stay together?
It seems like everyone read this book months ago! I can't believe I didn't find out about this one earlier but I am extremely glad that I finally got to read it. There is something Twilightish about this one but with a nicer main character and a much deeper plot. Once I started this one it was very hard to stop. With the holidays and guests taking up so much of my time I was sneaking time with this book until I hid and finished it off in one gulp.
I don't want to spoil this book for anyone by giving too much away so I will only say that this one is, for me, a keeper. I am going to be pushing this one onto friends and praising it for a long time to come. I can't wait for the next book in the series and hope that someone will send me a review copy (hint hint) because I suspect this will be more addictive that The House of the Night and The Morganville Vampires. I already feel a film coming...
Sunday again and that means it is time for a winner! This week Molly Harper was the author guest here on Amberkatze's Book Blog and saw us into 2010 with her contest!
So who has won the signed copy of Molly Harper's new release? Nice Girls Don't Live Forever has been delayed here in Europe (well at least my local Amazon has delayed it) so I envy the winner who is -
Heather!!!
Congrats to you!!! I hope you enjoy your prize when it arrives! Keep reading to find out how to claim your book.
Thank you to everyone who entered the contest and shared what they were planning on doing or did on New Years. I hope you all had a good one!
If you didn't win this time then make sure you stick around for the next author contest! Also make sure you enter the Monthly Giveaway!
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 and say which book your are claiming!
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 recieved 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.
I, like many other Paranormal Genre lovers, have read all about Anita Blake. The vampire hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton is very famous but I have to admit that I only got to book 8? maybe 9? and then lost interest. I have a few more books in the series on my to be read pile but they just don't appeal to me. So when I got given a couple of Anita Blake graphic novels I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them.
For Christmas I got volume 2 in the guilty pleasures graphic novels and I enjoyed it as much as the others I have read. The story keeps to the original Guilty Pleasures novel but isn't as long winded. The illustrations are absolutely amazing and I can only dream of being able to draw something as well done as this. All the characters look exactly like I expected and the details in the artwork are extremely good.
If you are a fan of the series this is definitely a lovely addition to the Anita Blake collection. If you are like me and enjoy a good graphic novel now and again then I can highly recommend these books. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for more in the series. Where as the full length novels didn't excite me that much, these graphic representations are hard to get hold of but worth it.
This week I have another guest from the author blog - Something Wicked. 
Hi, my name is Angie Fox and I write a series about a preschool teacher turned demon slayer who has to run off with her grandmother’s gang of geriatric biker witches. But what cracks me up is that nobody ever asks me about that. 
Aside from being sexy as all get out, griffins are known to be loyal, intense and strong. Griffins were even a symbol of marriage in the Medieval church because they mate for life. I can’t think of a better quality for a hero to have. And while griffins may not be your classic Alpha “my way or the highway” type of guys, they are tough and absolutely willing to leap tall mountains (literally) for the women they love.
To enter the contest all you have to do is take a little quiz ;) Angie has a few cool quizzes on her site but one stood out to me and I thought it would be nice to see what results you all got! 
