Ryu Valentine's present for Jane may be a little last minute but it is perfect. Going to Boston to spend the whole weekend with him is just what she needs. After all they don't get to see each other that often and Jane has never seen Ryu's place. Snooping time! However what should be a romantic weekend turns into a series of life threatening events that will not only test Jane's new found abilities to the full but her relationship with Ryu.
Jane finds herself pulled into an investigation by mistake, on the plus side she gets to spend some time with Ryu. On the negative side, someone is killing innocent people and nobody seems to be able to catch the killer. The gruesome killings are supposedly being committed by another Halfling but Jane thinks there is more to it than that. Caught up in the cross-fire Jane finds herself on the receiving end of a healer more than once and it isn't long before she is fighting for her life when the killer finally catches up with her.
Tempest Rising, the debut book in this series, really impressed me. So I have been waiting patiently for this second book to see if the series really did belong on my must read, must buy list. So when I started reading Tracking the Tempest I already had high expectations. This book really needed to pack a punch if it was going to meet the standards set by the debut. Within a few chapters I knew this book was going to be good. By the end of the book it had sealed its place on my must read, must buy list.
It took me a couple of pages to get back into the flow of the story. A few months have passed since the ending of Tempest Rising and I also had to remember how things worked in this delightful world of Selkies and Gnomes. Even though this is only the second book in the series I felt right at home with Jane and it was like visiting an old friend. She is such an easy character to like and is someone I can certainly relate to on many levels.
The plot this time was very dramatic and sometimes serious. However Tracking the Tempest has a few giggles to offer, steamy scenes to get your heart racing and some interesting developments that will insure that you want to read book three when it comes out at the end of the year. Totally paranormal, wonderfully urban and slightly cozy the author has found a great combination of genres and a new unique style.
Delicate Jane, my favourite Selkie, is testing her limits and learning how to use her new powers. I can't wait to be there for her next adventure and can only hope that she has a long life. I want to spend more time with her but also the many supernatural characters that reside in this fantastic world. The art work on the covers for this series may look so cool that you buy the book but it is definitely the contents that will leave an impression and leave you eager for more.
I am a huge fan of author Kelley Armstrong and was extremely overjoyed when she told me my quote was on the back of the new US versions of Stolen! Amberkatze's Book Blog is going places :)
Anyway, Kelley is giving away TWO copies of her new release Waking the Witch to two lucky Amberkatze's Book Blog readers. Just go here and add your entry before Sunday 4pm (Central European Time) and you may just win!
My second author guest this week is the lovely Lynsay Sands! Lynsay's books, just like Kelley's, were one of the first that got me into the Paranormal genre and gave me a reason to stay. I never miss a new Argeneau novel and this year we are being spoilt because two more are due out before 2010 ends! Yay us! Yay Lynsay!
Lynsay is also giving away something this week! If you head over here and add your entry you could win a copy of Love Bites. Now this isn't just any copy of Love Bites. It is an original copy with the cool comic cover that you can no longer buy! Definitely a collectors item and a must have for any fan!
So make sure you enter the contests before the deadline on Sunday! Who knows you could be a winner. Also keep a look out for the July Monthly Giveaway! The end of the month is nearly here and once I have picked five books from my reads in July you will all have the chance to vote for the best, and maybe even win, one of them.
I also intend on cleaning up my books/author goodies a little. I have a few things that need good homes. Keep an eye out for a special contest or two. Maybe this weekend...
The pain keeps coming back and hypochondriac Justine Jones is convinced it is a blood vessel that is about to burst in her brain. Her 'illness' has taken over her life and it is ruining any relationship she tries to build up. Then one evening she is approached by a man. A man who has a private crime fighting team. With his help, he is convinced, that Justine can push her neurosis on to criminals and feel free from her symptoms in return.
So she teams up with Packard, who has some problems of his own, and learns how to use her unique powers. Her first mission, taking down a nymphomaniac husband killer, goes well. However while working on her debut case she realises that her new job isn't what it seems and the consequences were not explained to her in detail. She finds herself drowning deeper and deeper into a strange world and even though she is managing to keep her head above water, it is only a matter of time before she has to deal with the reality that has become her life.
The blurb for this one sounded extremely good. I read the reviews and they were all positive. I ordered the book and it has sat on my shelf for a while. I finally got to it the other day and within a few chapters felt disappointed. I thought this was going to be Paranormal but in my view this was more science fiction. So I got with the plan and thought that this was going to turn into a great superhero story but it didn't quite reach that expectation.
This book has been described as edgy and having memorable supporting characters. Obviously I was reading this book all wrong or missed something because these are not the words that were popping into my head as I was struggling through this book. Sure the new angle was unique and different but that is about all that I thought was positive about this book. Usually I would have given up but the reviews and premise of this debut novel really made me hope that things would improve and I was just experiencing a slow start.
The main character was boring and showed hardly any emotions. She went through the book like a zombie and the supposed memorable characters meant nothing to me at all. I didn't feel any connection to anything in this book and even though it had so much potential there was only some small evidence of that potential actually being brought out into the light. It was only the last 80 pages or so that I really felt that this was the book I expected. It was a surprise but I did find a small reward for reading this to the end.
I hate writing negative reviews and know that there are other readers out there who have, or will, enjoy this book. So even though this wasn't what I expected it could be, that someone else, will enjoy this. While I am not going to be rushing out to buy the second book in this series, if a copy at some point appears in my hands, I will give it a try. There is something that makes me what to give this author and series a second chance.
This week I have a second author interview for you guys! Please give a warm welcome to author Lynsay Sands!
Lynsay is well know for her Argeneau and Rogue Hunter Vampire series and I know that a lot of you are looking forward to the new book, Born To Bite, which comes out at the end of August. Oh and we are lucky readers this year because in November we also get Hungry For You! Argeneau fans update your wishlists or better yet pre-order. I already have :)
So enjoy the interview and check back because Lynsay is going to try and stop by! Be sure to read till the end and enter the contest. Lynsay is giving away a special prize!
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Amber - Lynsay, welcome to Amberkatze's Book blog! You have a new Argeneau novel out! Born to Bite is the 13th book in the series and I am sure it isn't going to be unlucky for you. Can you tell us a little about what we can expect this time around?
Lynsay – Actually 13 is a lucky number for me. One of my parents was born on the 13th, and that was pretty darned lucky in my opinion, since if they hadn't been born, neither would I. As for what you can expect, Born to Bite clears up the question of what really happened fifty years ago with Nicholas and the poor woman he was accused of killing. Unfortunately, explaining it in Renegade Hunter would have given away all of Armand's story, so it had to wait until now. It was also too much to explain in just a couple paragraphs and they only give me so many words per story. It also clears things up about Armand's bad luck with wives and brings him back into the fold which is definitely a good thing.
Amber - How do you decide which Argeneau will be next and what is going to happen to them?
Lynsay – I don't really decide so much as they do. Now you’re thinking “what does she mean by that?!” LOL. What I mean is that ideas circulate inside my head all the time. Some stay just a possibility or scene that floats through once or twice, but others will grow and become more insistent or even whole stories. The one that squawks the most, or takes up more of my thoughts, ends up being the next story. It's kind of like the squeaky wheel getting the grease, and once I start writing I often hit a point where the characters start doing completely unexpected things, that's when I know it's working, because they've taken on a life of their own in a way. I know a lot of writers plot whole stories out and so on, but I can't work that way. I just can't force a story. Either it comes or it doesn’t. If I try to force it, which believe me I have tried in the past, it simply doesn't work. The story will be stiff and horrible and I suffer a great deal to produce it. So I've learned to listen more to the characters. Right now Christian, Jeanne Louise and Harper are making the most noise in my head, and Harper is in the lead with Mirabeau, Tiny and Stephanie backing him up on wanting us to visit Port Henry again, so-- at the moment--that's who I think the next book I write will be about. However, that could change by the time I sit down to hear their story.
Amber - The Argeneau books are one of my favourites reads. Will there be more?
Lynsay – Yes! As mentioned, Armand's story, Born To Bite is coming out in September and Alex Willan's story, Hungry For You is coming out in December. Also, I have just signed a contract for another 3 books in the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter series. But there are more than three stories floating around inside my head. There are so many characters to play with in this series that the ideas just keep rolling in.
Amber - With so many Argeneau books do you find it hard to keep track of who did what and when? Have there been mistakes? ;)
Lynsay – It does get to be a problem at times but generally I do pretty well at keeping it straight. The occasional thing has made it into the books but it’s only happened a couple of times and readers tend to enjoy pointing it out! LOL
Amber - Are you like any of your characters? Or are any of your characters based on people you know?
Lynsay – Many of my characters are based in part on people I know like family members, but no one character is entirely based on one person. As for whether I'm like any of my characters, I suppose there's a bit of me in every one of them. . . well, maybe not the bad guys . . . I mean, I hope not the bad guys, lol
Amber - How do you pick the names of your characters? Are they just names you like, people you know or do they have some other meaning?
Lynsay - Some names I choose because I like them. They could be names I’ve come across in my readings, daily life or people I know. However others have meaning like Argeneau and Argentus based on latin for silver because they have silvered blue eyes. And Leonius Livius, for example was named that because he's got a lion's mane of blond hair (Leonius), and because underneath all his madness, he envies the immortals. And then too, I often name characters after family members, many have shown up in the books in name at least.
Amber - What kind of research have you done for the Argeneau books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?
Lynsay – Research for the Argeneau books is interesting but then again I like doing research as I find history and science interesting. For the Argeneaus, I had to do some scientific research to find a logical reason for their immortality and what may or may not be plausible for them to do or get done to them physically. I looked up a lot of bio-engineering and nano research for that. Sometimes I also have to do historic research for the eras and areas they were living in in the past if it’s necessary for the story. And I sometimes do geographic research for areas they visit or reside in now. This research is fun though as it forces me to take a ‘vacation’ to wherever it is the characters going to go.
Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?
Lynsay – I have my favourite shows. I watch funny and scary and avoid depressing. I also do this in reading. I watch Supernatural, Big Bang Theory, and used to watch Ugly Betty though that's done now. And I tend to listen to all sorts of music, from dance to alternative to soft rock. It all depends on my mood.
Amber - There are a lot of online sites taking up people’s time lately. Are you on Facebook or any other sites? Do you think the sites are useful or do they just take up too much of your time?
Lynsay – Groan… well I am on many sites. Facebook, Myspace, Windows Live blog, Twitter, my forum and message board on my website, etc. Do I think it’s a waste of time? I think it can be very time consuming and though I love to chat with readers I feel sometimes it can be a bit much as it can go on 24/7, if you let it. I guess it’s like everything else… the key is moderation. But I have to say, instead of being the time saving device it was supposed to be when first created, the computer has instead become a time eater with a voracious appetite.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Lynsay – That’s easy… an immortal like my Argeneaus. You never age, you’re strong, you’re fast, can have as many careers as you like and you never get sick. Only downside would be having to drink bagged blood (ick) and the possibility of never finding your lifemate. That would suck. I’m sure living that long without someone you could relax around would get pretty lonely.
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Contest Time
Lynsay is giving away a special prize! One lucky person will get a copy of Love Bites with the old cartoon cover (see pic). These are now out of print and may actually be worth something in the future! While I think the new covers are nice and steamy, I loved the cute cartoon covers.
How To Enter
Who is your favourite Argeneau? and why?
No Character = 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!
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 contest will stay open until Sunday 1st of August 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.
Being a witch doesn't pay the bills so Persephone Alcmedi reads Tarot cards, writes a newspaper column and looks after werewolves on the full moon to make ends meet. The fact that witches aren't supposed to associate with witches isn't usually a problem for her until her grandmother gets kicked out of her nursing home and comes to live with Seph.
Then a werewolf friend is murdered and the high priestess of an important coven offers Seph some big money to take down the murderer. This isn't something Seph would usually even think twice about seeing as she isn't an assassin for hire. However the offer is too good to refuse and then she finds out more about the man she has been hired to kill.
Goliath Kline is a powerful vampire and just looking into his past and gets her and her friends into a lot of danger. Seph is a touch girl but this time she finds herself in big trouble and has to use powers she didn't realise she had to keep herself and everyone she holds dear to her, alive.
This has been on my to be read pile for a while and I finally pulled it out and decided it was high time I got around to reading it. Like many books on my bookshelf, this was recommended to me or had an interesting enough blurb for me to buy it. So when I started this I was a little confused. Had I picked up the second in the series by mistake? Did I miss the first book? I had to check...no this was the first. So why did I feel like I was missing something.
I wonder if anyone else who read this book has had the same feeling as me at the beginning. Maybe I am just used to authors spending at least the first few chapters of a book introducing me to the world they have created. Do I really need a chance to warm up to the characters in a book? Learn a little about them? Could it be that I just didn't notice the details that I thought were missing? I don't know but I really felt like I was missing some background and explanation of how things worked. I felt like I had been thrown in at the deep end with nothing to hang on to.
However this had a lot of potential. The plot and concept was good, maybe a little weak and erratic at times but it certainly gave me as a reader something to work with. It had moments of Oooo's and Ahhh's but at times I did feel confused and lost. The main character is someone I want to get to know better and the other characters made an impact. If it wasn't for the lack of depth this would have been a perfect read.
So you may think that I am going to say this is a series I am not going to bother with. You are wrong. I did like this and as a debut it inspires hope for the future. Finding out that book two, Hallowed Circle, and book three, Fatal Circle, are already on sale made me debate ordering the next book. Instead I have added it to my wish list and will be getting a copy as soon as my finances allow it. Vicious Circle if anything, made me curious. I need to see what happens next and find out more about this series.
I am very happy to welcome back, for her third visit to Amberkatze's Book Blog, author Kelley Armstrong!!! Waking the Witch the 11th book in the Women of the Otherworld series is due out on Tuesday and this time Savannah takes the reins and is all grown up! I was lucky enough to get a review copy to read and it was, as always, an amazing addition to the series.
Oh and not only does Kelley have a new book out but she has revamped her website! So make sure you take a look at her gorgeous new site after reading the interview and entering the contest. Kelley is giving away a couple of books and I know you want them!!!
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Amber - Hello Kelley! Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! You have been very busy lately. The third book in the Darkest powers book came out in April as well as Tales of the Otherworld. Now Waking the Witch is due out! How do you manage to find the time to write? ;)
Kelley - Very carefully! I like being busy, but sometimes lately it’s gotten busier than I like and I know I need to ease back. I have a general writing schedule plus daily schedules to keep me on track.
Amber - Now I my favourite series is The Women of the Otherworld. Is there anything you can tell us about Waking the Witch without giving too much away?
Kelley - The narrator is Savannah Levine, who has grown up over the course of the series, having first appeared in Stolen at the age of 12. In book 11 (Waking the Witch) she's 21 and gets her first investigation.
Amber - I thoroughly enjoyed Tales of the Otherworld. Will there be more short stories released in book form in the future?
Kelley – Tales and Men went through most of the stories I’ve piled up over the years, so there’s nothing new planned for a while. I need to write more first!
Amber - I don't want The Women of the Otherworld to come to an end. Do you actually see an end in sight? How many more books do you want to write in the series?
Kelley - I don't have an ending in mind. I’m contracted through 13. As for whether the series will go beyond that, it depends on readers and my publishers, and also on me—whether I feel I have more Otherworld stories to tell.
Amber - Your Darkest Powers books were great reads. Will we ever see these characters again? Will you start another series in the same world?
Kelley - I’m contracted for three more YA books after that. They take place in the same universe, with another group of Edison Group test subjects. So I’m doing something similar to what I do in my adult books by changing narrators and main characters, with the possibility of bringing back the original ones later if that’s what readers want.
Amber - What are you working on at the moment? Do you have any other projects?
Kelley – I just finished a book, so I’m in that “between-novels” time when I get everything else tidied up: short stories, guest blogs etc that I’ve promised in the last 6 months. I’m also working on an original graphic novella, starring Elena and Clay, with Dabel Brothers and Dynamite Entertainment.
Amber - How long on average does it take you to write a book? Do you have a process you follow? or do you just start at page one and see what happens?
Kelley - My process is constantly evolving. I've discovered I work best from an outline. My finished novel never completely follows the outline though. Better ideas arise during the first draft and I follow them wherever they lead. The first draft is a very intense process for me, and I’m writing very quickly, so it’s usually done in 3-4 months. When the first draft is finished, I ease back into a more relaxed editing mode.
Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?
Kelley - I go through list after list of names to come up with ones that fit the characters. The final choice is based on a combination of experience, such as “have I ever known someone with that name?” and a general feel of the name. I also have to be careful not to have major characters in the same book with similar sounding names (same first letter, rhyming etc)
Amber - How much say do you have in the publishing of your books? Do you get to pick the covers? Decide when they are released? etc
Kelley - The publishers handle cover art—getting the artist and choosing a design. They also set the schedule. My job is really just to provide what’s between the covers, which means lots of editing.
Amber - There has been quite a lot of Paranormal TV series and Films to hit the screens lately. Why do you think that is? Would you like to see and of your characters come to life in the same way?
Kelley – I have no idea! Something hits like Twilight or True Blood, and suddenly paranormal is very popular. While it would be nice to see a movie/TV version of my work, I’m not expecting it anytime soon!
Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately? Do you have any recommendations for us?
Kelley - Right now, I’m finally reading Stieg Larrson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I’m also reading Cindy Pon’s Silver Phoenix (a teen novel set in ancient China) For TV, this year I’ve been enjoying Glee and Mad Men. All of those come with my recommendation J
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Kelley - I would love to be a werewolf. What better thrill than to experience life in a different form? The secondary characteristics would be cool, too, but those "extras" also make it hard for werewolves to blend, so if I was being very practical, I'd go with spell-casters. Their powers take work to learn, but overall they have fewer drawbacks.
Amber - Thank you for stopping by again! I hope you will come back again in the future!
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Contest Time
Kelley is being very generous and is giving away TWO copies of Waking the Witch! So that means TWO lucky people will get a copy of the newest installment from Kelley herself!
How To Enter
What is your favourite Kelley Armstrong book and why?
No Book = 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!
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 contest will stay open until Sunday 1st of August 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.
My author guest last week was Kelly Gay. Her debut book 'The Better Part of Darkness' was a brilliant read and soon there will be more. The Darkest Edge of Dawn is the second book in the Charlie Madigan series and is due out on the 31st of August. So anyone who hasn't read the first book yet has just over a month to rectify the situation and be ready to read the new release :)
One lucky person has won a copy of The Darkest Edge of Dawn! Kelly was giving away a copy of the upcoming release and even though it won't be an ARC the winner should get the book before it hits the bookshops. So who is the lucky winner? Congrats to -
Patsy!!!
Thanks to everyone for entering and sharing your time travelling ideas! As always it was fun to read all the comments! If you didn't win this time then just keep entering the contests and hopefully it will be your name sometime soon!
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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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog where ever you can ;)
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Only a few people know Gin Blanco as the Spider and just as many know about her elemental abilities. She was once a feared assassin but now Gin is retired and is happy working away her days at the popular barbecue joint she owns. However trouble has a way of finding the her and it all starts off when two punks try to rob her restaurant. Things just go downhill from there.
Shots are fired at the Pork Pit and Gin is sure someone is after her. Then she realises that they were actually meant for one of her customers and feels the need to check on the young girl and make sure she is ok. Violet Fox turns out to be an old family friend in a lot of trouble. Trouble that Gin has no problem getting involved in. Unfortunately Detective Donavan Caine, the hottest cop in town, is having a hard time with his feelings for Gin and what she is about to do. However Gin has a job to do, it may be pro bono but she always takes out the bad guys.
I enjoyed Spider's Bite, book one in this series, so much that I had to order this second part as soon as possible. Gin rocks as a main character and I really like her feisty and confident attitude. She has no problem saying what she thinks and doing what she has to do. If it needs to be done, it gets done and she has the best friends anyone could want who help her when she does need help. All in all a great bunch of characters who just leap from the pages.
The combination of the paranormal elements that the author has mixed together in this series and the rough and ready story lines, really make this into an explosive read. A bomb could have gone off while I was reading this and I wouldn't have noticed. I wasn't able to put this down for more than a few minutes and was seriously hooked from the first page. The only bad thing about Web of Lies is the end and only because it is over and you have to wait for the next one.
There are always books and series that you really love and can't wait to read but now and again there is one that really stands out from the rest and leaves you ready to sell all your worldly belongings for more. The Elemental Assassin books are just those kind of books and I hope the author continues to produce such high quality paranormal urban fantasy. While the genre isn't lacking with new books and authors. lately it has been lacking that certain wow factor and Jennifer Estep has managed to wow me.
I am in the Netherlands this week and haven't had much time to read but when I get back home I am definitely going to be sitting down with a few books that really need my attention! Until then don't forget to check in and read the weekly author interviews and/or guest blogs.
Professional psychic Abigail Cooper is about to discover that some cold cases are better off dead...
As the FBI's newest Civilian Profiler, Abby Cooper is using her powers of intuition to help solve a backlog of the bureau's cold cases. But when she's the only one who's convinced that several separate cold cases are related, she'll have to call on every intuitive bone in her body before she's the one put on ice...
What Did I Think -
Abby is back on track and this time as part of an FBI team to solve cold cases. Although it is a little strange that all of Abby's friends seem to have moved to Texas as well it certainly wouldn't be a good read if they weren't all around to help her get into and out of trouble. The up and down relationship problems do get a little tedious at times but the psychic mystery solving shines through to make this an absolute must read.
I have been following Abby for quite a while now and this newest edition to the series is one of the best for a while. I am not sure what to think about the ending of this one though. With so much change already taking place in Abby's life I wonder why the author is taking her even further into the depths of the FBI. After all the poor girl has just got settled in her new job. Give her some more cases to work with and leave her be for a few months.
All in all this is a must read for any lovers of the series because this is one of the best Abby books yet. If you haven't already tried this series then you really need to give it a go. This is a Cozy mystery with a psychic who is like the best friend you always wanted. A must read because it is unusual and enjoyable read because of the situations Abby manages to get herself into. Give it a try!
This week on Amberkatze's Book Blog I am really happy to have author Kelly Gay as my guest. As soon as I read her debut book 'The Better Part of Darkness' (Book 1 in the Charlie Madigan Series) I didn't waste any time in e-mailing her and inviting her to be on the blog.
Finally it is time to share the interview with you all and I really hope it will get some of you adding the book to your wishlist! Or even better, putting it in your shopping basket!
The second book in the Charlie Madigan series, The Darkest Edge of Dawn, is due out later this Summer but if you are interested in getting hold of a copy before it comes out, then make sure you enter this weeks contest!
Enjoy!
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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 Charlie Madigan Series?
Kelly - Thanks, Amber. It's great to be here! The Charlie Madigan series is about a single mom law enforcement officer who works in the city of Atlanta. But this is not your ordinary city. Thirteen years earlier scientists discovered two alternate dimensions, Elysia and Charbydon, and quickly realized that the worlds and the beings in them inspired our myths of heaven and hell, angels, demons, gods, and monsters. Unable to visit our world in secret any longer, these beings came out of the closet and have slowly integrated into our society. Underground Atlanta has become one of the largest 'off-world' sectors in the country. And it's Charlie's job to keep tabs on the population and to keep the peace. Helping in this endeavor is her partner Hank, a siren from Elysia.
Amber - How did you come up with the idea for the series? Was it a long process or was it something that just happened?
Kelly - I think I've always wanted to explore the possibilities of real supernatural creatures being the basis for many of our myths. The main idea for the story, however, came with Charlie and wanting to write about a single mom, to put her in a position where she has to make a choice between her work and her city, and protecting those she loves. I kept thinking of the fierce nature of a mother protecting her young, and how cool this would be in an urban fantasy setting/world. It all kind of fell into place after that.
Amber - Are you anything like Charlie? Are any of your characters based on people you know?
Kelly - No question, I'm like Charlie when it comes to my kids. But I'm also like her when it comes to second guessing myself, wondering if I have made the right or the best decisions, and not always leaning on others even though the offers are there. It's hard for me to ask for help, and I often feel like I have to shoulder burdens on my own so no one else I care for has to. Charlie does this, too. I think that's an aspect of her character that makes her very real.
Amber - I know book two is due out in August. What can we expect from The Darkest Edge of Dawn?
Kelly - Yep. Book too is out August 31st. Readers can expect a lot more of Hank! I really fell in love with him in the first book (how could I resist the lure of a frustrated male siren?), some 'hold on to your seat' moments, creepy events, and some romantic encounters. Readers will also be introduced to the Druid King (who I also have fallen in love with. Sorry, Hank!). And we'll see more of Emma and Rex, too.
Amber - How many books have you planned for the series? Are you working on anything else?
Kelly - I have four planned, but would love to do more, especially some stand alone novels that feature characters in Charlie's world. I'm also writing Young Adult under the penname Kelly Keaton. The first book, DARKNESS BECOMES HER, debuts from Simon Pulse in Feb. 2011. It's dark urban fantasy set in a post apocalyptic-like New Orleans that has been abandoned by our government and is now a sanctuary for things of a darker nature...
Amber - What kind of kind of research have you done for for the series so far? Anything interesting or is the research boring?
Kelly - My research mostly takes place on my couch. :-) I do a lot of reading: history, mythology, folklore... I've fired a few weapons as well and am pleased to say I'm a pretty good shot.
Amber - Did you always wanted to be an author? Why did you pick the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre?
Kelly - I started telling tales when I was three years old. I wrote my first story in the 1st Grade. So, I guess you could say I've always, in some way, wanted to be a storyteller. It wasn't until I was in my teens that I decided I wanted to tell those stories via the written word. The fantasy/genre part of it was always there. I grew up on fairytales. My grandmother and my mother would take me for walks in the woods and point out fairy castles, playgrounds, and hiding spots, so my mind was open to the possibilities of the Unseen from an early age. I couldn't imagine writing without this aspect.
Amber - I am sure that being an author has its ups and downs. What experiences have you had so far?
Kelly - There have been really awesome 'ups' for sure. Seeing my book for the first time on the shelf at B&N . . . wow. I had great moments when I sold, when I held the book for the first time, but when I saw it there -- that really got me. Some of the best moments have been getting to know authors that I've been a fan of for a long time, and then being absolutely amazed when they've turned around and helped a newbie like myself. There are some really gracious people out there! The downside, would be the pressure to please every reader on earth (I know, not going to happen, but still...), trying to time manage myself, and to get to a point where I have a good balance between writing, real-life, and the business side of things like promoting, networking, etc...
Amber - Charlie was always a guys name for me. Why did you pick that name and how do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?
Kelly - Charlie is short for Charlene, which has a nice southern ring to it. And since my heroine is a southern girl, the name stood out. Only problem was that Charlene didn't exactly fit the character or personality of my heroine. But when I looked at nicknames, and Charlie came up, I was like "Yes! That's it!". I knew immediately that was her name, and that she'd always hated being called Charlene from a very early age. ;-)
I don't have a system for choosing names. It's really about the name fitting the personality that I see in my head.
Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?
Kelly - I love Castle, Merlin, Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth, a lot of SyFy stuff obviously! I'm inspired most by art. I love the fantasy creations over at Glitter Graphics, and works by artists such as Luis Royo, Ciruelo Cabral, Jessica Galbreth, Amy Brown, Victoria Frances, and Nene Thomas. Love Pre-Raphaelite painters J.W. Waterhouse and Edmund Leighton. I can't listen to music while I write because I always end up paying attention to the lyrics more than my writing, but I love to listen to music in the planning stages or before I write a scene.
Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?
Kelly - I'd want to be a goddess. Then, I'd have the power to do anything. Live forever. Shapeshift. Control the elements. Time travel. Because we all know goddesses can do all these things and more. :D
Amber - Thank you for being a guest! I hope you will come back again!
Kelly - Absolutely! Thanks so much for having me!
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Contest Time
Kelly is giving away a copy of her upcoming release, The Darkest Edge of Dawn. It won't be an ARC version but one of the final copies that Kelly will get at the beginning of August. So when she sends the book to the winner (depending on where they live and the speed of the postman/woman...) it should get to them well before the book is actually released at the end of August! Cool :)
How to Enter
If you could time travel. Which time would you travel to?
No Time = 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!
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 contest will stay open until Sunday 25th of July 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.
However before I tell you who is the winner is, I hope you have all read Chloe's books or at least have them on your wishlist. The Chicagoland Vampires is a series you don't want to miss out on! I just finished reading the third and newest installment, Twice Bitten, last night and highly recommend it! Make sure sure you check it out!
Now for the winner! Congrats to -
Marianna!!!!
Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and shared their 'numbers'. They all made for very interesting reading! Thank you!
Keep checking in! A new author guest will be arriving shortly and she has a book to 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.
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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Shape shifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.
What I Thought -
This is the third book in the Chicagoland Vampire series and I was eager to get started on this as soon as Amazon delivered it. However between jet-lag and a heatwave I didn't have much time or energy to read. This turned out to be quite frustrating because this was, like the previous two books, very good. I found myself right at home back in Cadogan House and it was like I never left.
Merit comes across as a little unsure about things but when the push comes to shove she is in the thick of things and holding her own like a pro. I admire her ability to blend in to each situation even though she is very new to the paranormal world she has been thrown into.
The story this time once again revolved more around the shape shifters. Now this plot was action packed and kept me guessing till the end but I wanted more vampire. Now don't get me wrong, I like shape shifters as well but the name of this series lead me to believe that this was a vampire thing and now the shifters seem to be taking all the limelight. Maybe this will change but to be honest it is only a small little observation I made and it is not really a bad thing.
Merit and Ethan's relationship was a big surprise in this book. I won't go into details as not to spoil it for others but be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster ride. I would have liked to see more of the other vampire characters and Cadogan House but it was nice to see Merit out and about.
All in all this is an amazing read and a good third book in the series. Chloe Neill has certainly given the genre something new and fresh to aspire to and I am looking forward to reading more about Merit and the Chicagoland Vampires. They are different, fun and I am sure we still don't know everything about them.
This week my author guest is Chloe Neill. Her newest release, Twice Bitten, was just released and I started reading it today.
Have you read Chloe's guest blog? Did you enter the contest? Share your numbers and you could win a TWICE BITTEN swag pack (including a pen and bookmarks).
I have been enjoying the entries so far and thought I would share some of my numbers with you guys.
Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor is having a tough time getting through the Book of the Dead. That is until she strikes a deal with the Devil. Now everyone knows that bargaining with Satan never ends well but Betsy can't pass up the chance of actually finishing the cursed thing. So what is the catch?
Betsy and her half-sister Laura have to go to Hell so Laura can embrace her dark heritage. It is finally time for Laura to make nice with her mother and learning all the cool, if somewhat devilish, abilities that the daughter of Satan possesses. What Betsy and Laura didn't realise is that they would actually be learning by doing. Messing with the past and future is dirty work in more ways than one but of course that's what Lucifer wanted all along. Damn her.
Book nine in the series and things started off weird. Not normal Betsy weird but 'I want to give up on the book' weird. Yes you read that right. I was going to give up on this new installment even though it is one of my favourite series and I have been following it since the start. Why? Well it was Betsy's fault. She was being extremely annoying, boring and just spoilt. Like a child who is seeking attention, I felt like I should ignore her. Luckily I have a lot of faith in the author and pushed through.
It took about half of the book before things got interesting. Very interesting. It was like the story was travelling the wrong way on a one way street and finally turned around and went the right way. Even though I had no idea why the author decided to trick me in this way I started to enjoy the book and couldn't wait to see what happened next. The second half of the book had little twists and turns which sometimes surprised me but at other times seemed logical. The second half was where all the action took place and it was worth the wait.
Getting to know Laura and her mother was a thrilling experience and made for great reading. Betsy still behaved like a brat (her words not mine) most of the time but I managed to get over it because of the content of the story that was unraveling itself. I did miss the other characters a little. Sure there were there in the background but they didn't have main parts this time around. A nice change but also a little unusual.
Fans will be left a little shocked and amazed by the ending of Undead and Unfinished. I am not sure if there will be another installment in this series or if that was the last we will see of Betsy. However I can say that if there is another Undead book there will definitely be some changes and things will surely go in a different direction than we all expected.
After a bumpy start this turned out to be a nice addition to the series and while it isn't my favourite one so far it certainly does make an impact. I am looking forward to more Betsy if it comes because there are some questions I still want to see answered. Although I am also happy to leave things how they ended or maybe I am just fed up of waiting a whole year for a new episode?
My author guest & contest are a day late but I hope it was worth the wait :)
This week author Chloe Neill is here and she is talking about her numbers! Chloe made a big entrance to the Urban Paranormal circuit with her debut book Some Girls Bite. The Chicagoland Vampires have a huge following and book three is out now! Here Young Adult series about the Dark Elite was also a hit and I am certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.
So check out Chloe's numbers and then enter the contest!
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The Stats of Chloe Neill
Hi, everyone. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of my numbers, so here goes!
1. Number of Chicagoland Vampires books under contract = 4
2. Number of Dark Elite books under contract = 3
3. Number of Chicagoland Vampires books I'd like to write = More than 4 :)
4. Number of North American Vampire Houses = 12
5. Number of Houses in Chicago = 3
6. Cadogan House's NAVR number = 4
7. Number of publishers to whom I sent the SOME GIRLS BITE manuscript = 1
8. Number of Greenwich Presidium members = 7
9. Rank of Amit Patel among vampires internationally = 1
10. Number of Merit's degrees = 2
11. Joshua Merit's approximate net worth = $35 million
12. Number of days required to transition from human to vampire = 3
13. Chloe's age = 35
14. Number of dogs owned by Chloe (or which own Chloe) = 2
15. Lily's Enclave Number = 3
16. Ethan's age = 396
17. Lily's age = 15 1/2
18. Merit's age = 28 (27 at the beginning of SGB)
19. Highest rank of TWICE BITTEN (paper) at Barnes&Noble.com = 87
20. Highest rank of TWICE BITTEN (paper) at Amazon.com = 226
21. Number of chapters in the Canon of the North American Houses = 9
22. Current number of Facebook friends = 1,118
23. Current number of released books = 4
24. Period of time in which above books were released = 14 months
25. Number of Lamy pens owned by Merit = 6
26. Number of Merit's siblings = 2
27. Number of Lily's siblings = 0
28. Number of Scout's siblings = 0
29. Number of Gabriel Keene's siblings = 6
30. Current word count of CV4 = 5,000
31. Average word count of a CV novel = 95,000
32. Average word count of a DE novel = 65,000
33. Rank of Diet Coke among Chloe's favorite "foods" = 1
34. Age of Chloe's dogs (Baxter and Scout) = 2 and 1
Well, I think that should give you a nice glimpse of the Chloe Neill numbers. Thanks so much for reading, and thanks to Amber for hosting me today!!
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Contest Time
Chloe is very kindly giving away a TWICE BITTEN swag pack (including a pen and bookmarks). This is only open to US/Canada mailing addresses so please don't enter if you are from any other part of the world!
How to Enter
Share some interesting numbers about yourself!
No Numbers = 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!
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 contest will stay open until Sunday 18th of July 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.
Ryu Valentine's present for Jane may be a little last minute but it is perfect. Going to Boston to spend the whole weekend with him is just what she needs. After all they don't get to see each other that often and Jane has never seen Ryu's place. Snooping time! However what should be a romantic weekend turns into a series of life threatening events that will not only test Jane's new found abilities to the full but her relationship with Ryu. 
