The Blurb -

Things to do:

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

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

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

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

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I read this book back in December and now that the release date is getting closer I am able to post the full review. Enjoy!

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My Review -

I have been with Sabine Kane all the way. Since Red-Headed Stepchild knocked my socks off I have been waiting patiently each year for a new addition to the series. Mage in Black came along last year and left me hoping that somehow I would get hold of an early copy of Green-Eyed Demon. It seems I was a very good girl because my wish came true and I enjoyed every single word!

The story continues where it left off in book number two and the action starts within a few paragraphs. I had no problems remembering what happened last time because the author did a wonderful job of reminding me of the points I needed to be reminded of. Things continued to be fast and furious from then on and I had a hard time taking my eyes off this one. Blink and you might miss something. Take a break and you will just dream about what could possibly happen next.

The plot in Green-Eyed Demon was worth waiting for. I am extremely happy with how things panned out and didn't see some of the twists and turns coming until they really happened. There were quite a few new characters this time around and I liked the way it made the story seem much bigger and fierce than in the previous books. Of course all the previous characters were around and my favourite Demon cat was in full swing as usual!

However Sabine is the star and one of those characters you want to be friends with. If you can't be friends with her then it would be ok just to be able to say you spent time with her. She kicks major butt and is not full of herself or cocky. Sabine is like you or me except for the paranormal abilities and if I ever get in a fight I want her by my side all the way.

Jaye Wells is a wonderful and talented author who, for me, has landed herself a place among my shelves with the likes Kim Harrison and Kelley Armstrong because she belongs there! The Urban Paranormal Fantasy genre is lucky to have this author and I can't wait to see what happens next. Yes there will be a fourth book! I nearly screamed for joy when I heard this. What delights the author has in store for us next time is yet to be seen but I really hope that the new characters we saw in this book also make an appearance.

Green-Eyed Demon comes out on February 22nd and it is a must buy, must read and must keep for me!

Book 1 - Red-Headed Stepchild Review

Book 2 - Mage in Black Review

Labels: ARC, Books Read, Jaye Wells, New Releases

Wow! January is just about over. Can you believe the first month of 2011 is coming to an end already? And what great books I read! Picking just five for this months giveaway wasn't easy.

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

I pick five of my favourite reads from the last month (sorry no ARCs are included!) then you guys go to the poll and vote for the book you want to win or the one you think deserves to win! Remember! You may not actually win the book you voted for.

Here is a little info about each book on offer this month. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -


Secrets Of The Demon By Diana Rowland


Hellforged By Nancy Holzner


Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls By Victoria Laurie


The Body Finder By Kimberly Derting


Hexbound By Chloe Neill






How does the monthly giveaway work?

Well in the sidebar <--- there is this 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 Monday 7th of February 2011 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced later than day.

Enter your email address:

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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 entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu





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

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Labels: Chloe Neill, Contests, Diana Rowland, Kimberly Derting, Monthly Giveaway, Nancy Holzner, Victoria Laurie

My author guest this week was Artist Arthur. I love her Mystyx series and hope you will all add the first two books in the series, Manifest and Mystify, to your wishlists! Better yet your shopping basket ;)

Anyway Artist was very kindly giving away a copy of Mystify and it is time to see who the lucky winner is! Congrats to :


Asylumgirl!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

If you didn't win this time then keep trying! Another author contest is coming up soon and the Monthly Giveaway will be starting within the hour!

----------------------

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! Do you have a Kindle? I can send your prize to you instantly if you are willingly to get a Kindle edition (if it works...)

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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.

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

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

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

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

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

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Labels: Artist Arthur, Contests, Winners

The Blurb -

Public defender Roz Wells moves into a Boston apartment building filled with odd inhabitants, including shapeshifters, a couple of witches who make a noisy living with their phone sex business, a vampire, a ghost, and other paranormal beings. Roz’s new neighbor, the tall and exquisitely built Konrad Wolfensen, who sports flowing golden locks, is friendly and kind, sympathizing with her over her disappointment in her career choice.

He claims to work in security, but they meet up again when he is assigned to her caseload for allegedly lifting a fully loaded commercial freezer, something beyond human capabilities. When Roz and Konrad start a steamy relationship, they decide to try out a series of possible careers, from bartending to jumping out of planes, but something always goes hilariously and catastrophically wrong. Then, when they try to help a neighbor witch and a ghost who is haunting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Konrad’s freedom and secrets are put in jeopardy.

My Review -

I really enjoyed Strange Neighbors, the first book in this new paranormal series. So I have been really looking forward to The Werewolf Upstairs to seeing how the paranormal tenants in the Boston house are doing. This time the main characters were Konrad and Roz and I immediately liked both of them. However they seemed to fall into a relationship with each other very quickly which at first put me off a little. Then as things progressed I was too interested in the plot to let it bother me.

Sometimes it is hard to keep up with the large cast in the house but the amount of characters really does give the story a family and friendly feel to it. This is like a Paranormal version of the TV series Friends and it is just as funny and lively. A good plot and well written this is really a nice chick-lit time Paranormal. Steamy moments and romantic words are also included and a little mystery.

I can't wait to see where the author goes next with this light and lovely series. With such a wide range of paranormals to choose from I just hope the series manages to continue to tell each story. If you like Lynsay Sands or Linda Wisdom you will adore these books. Well worth checking out and enjoying.

Labels: ARC, Ashlyn Chase, Book Read, Kindle

The Blurb -

Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her fi rst one-night stand ever...with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah's oddly hypnotic blue eyes...and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch.

With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle -- until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fi erce battle for an ancient halo with the queen's wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How's a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy's so hard to resist?

My Thoughts -

I really like a good Succubus story and miss Jackie Kessler's Jezebel and wait longingly for the next Richelle Mead story about Georgina. However on saying that, Gentlemen Prefer Succubi has been on my bookshelf, waiting to be read, for quite a while now. Why didn't I read this earlier? I have no excuses. What I can say is that now I have read it I can safely say I will be reading the others very soon because it seems the Succubus Diaries are going to scratch the itch when it comes to my love of Succubus stories.

This may not have had a lot of depth and seriousness as some Urban Fantasy novels but it was fun and exciting. Reading about Jackie's change into a Succubus had me giggling at times and the story was good enough to keep me reading till the end. Hot and steamy is something to expect when reading a Succubus based book and Jill Myles really got some fires burning in this first in the Succubus Diaries. Not too over the top I really did enjoy this one.

So I have added the next book in the series to my wishlist and hope to get hold of a copy soon. I really do find Succubi interesting for some reason and now I have Jackie to add to my list of favourites. If you like sexy and funny with your Paranormal then you may want to try this.

Labels: Book Read, Jill Myles

Don't forget to enter this weeks Author Contest!

Author Artist Arthur is my guest this week and she is giving away a copy of her new book, Mystify, and a chance of winning a Barnes & Noble gift certificate.

Make sure you enter by 4pm CET (Central European Time) on Sunday for your chance to win!

Good Luck!

Labels: Artist Arthur, Contests, General

The Blurb -

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the 16-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies or at least those that have been murdered.

Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

My Thoughts -

The blurb for this sounded amazing. I really liked the Charlaine Harris series about a 'Body Finder' and this seemed to be something similar and therefore something I was very interested in reading. I finally got hold of an Audible copy of this book to try and I couldn't wait to start it. Within minutes of starting the book I had goosebumps and I was hooked.

Sure this is YA and ok there is quite a bit of teenage love, problems and all around moaning. However the concept and plot is outstanding and is worth putting up with the young people chat and banter. A great main character with an unusual skill of finding the dead and being able to feel the imprints of the dead on their killers is just unique. The suspense was killing me towards the end and I couldn't stop listening.

Definitely one I can recommend and another must read series to add to the, very long, list. The second book, Desires of the Dead, comes out next month and I will be pre-ordering or getting the audible version. After all the narrator fit to the story and characters and it was well read. I think I might keep this to a series I must listen to.

Labels: Audiobooks, Book Read, Kimberly Derting

This week I welcome back author Artist Arthur as my guest. I came across her Mystyx series last year when the first book, Manifest, came up for review and set up an interview with the author. I loved the story in Manifest and couldn't wait for book two, Mystify, to come out and was really lucky and got hold of an early copy to review.

I hope you will try out the series and will enjoy it as much as I did. For now get to know the author a little better with this guest blog. Read till the end for your chance to win a copy of Artist's new release and maybe even a Barnes & Noble Gift Card!!

---------------------------


Thanks for the invite, I’m honored to be here today. Let me just say that I’m super excited about the release of the second book in the Mystyx series. Yes, I was over-the-top excited about Manifest’s release last August, this time it’s magnified. Why? Because Sasha’s definitely not Krystal.

When I first planned this series I took a couple of weeks to really think about the characters I wanted to portray. I’m an avid studier of people. I like to watch the way they move, talk, interact, and behave because it gives me an idea of the uniqueness of each personality. With young adults the variances are unlimited. For instance, I knew Krystal would be hard to cling to, but her personal situation and thoughts dictated that she be exactly what she was and not apologize for it. Because generally, people don’t apologize for acting the way they deem appropriate. It’s a thin line between what someone believes is appropriate behavior and how others perceive that behavior.

In Mystify, we visit Sasha, a stronger, feistier protagonist with issues of her own. While on the outside it appears Sasha has it all, on the inside she feels like there’s still so much lacking in her life. This too, I think is a general concept that a number of adults as well as young adults experience. So I was happy to get the chance to explore her life and emotions.
The Mystyx will always have their own personal journey melded into the journey they face together as a team.

I believe this is a crucial point to the story because you cannot effectively be a part of a team unless you’re sure of who you are and what you’re part is. So Sasha’s on her journey in Mystify while the Darkness is stepping up its game. I love delving deeper into the world of the Darkness and peeling back the layers that will ultimately culminate in a final kick-ass battle! The Mystyx are tested as a group as well, their friendship is pushed to the limits when lies and betrayals begin to surface.

To celebrate the release of Mystify I’m giving away a copy of the book! To enter the giveaway I’m asking the question: What do you think is the most important trait in a friend? Post your answers on this blog to be entered to win. Also, if you post your answers on my Facebook or Twitter Pages you’ll be eligible to win a book and a Barnes & Noble Gift Card!



----------------------

Contest Time

One lucky person will win a copy of Mystify!

How To Enter

What do you think is the most important trait in a friend?

Post your answers on this blog to be entered to win. Also, if you post your answers on Artist's Facebook or Twitter Pages you’ll be eligible to win a book and a Barnes & Noble Gift Card!

No answer = No Entry

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

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

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

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

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



The contest will stay open until Sunday 31st of January 2011 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

Labels: Artist Arthur, Contests, Guest Blog

The Looking To The Future Giveaway is now closed! Thank you so much for sharing all those books with me! I will have to spend some time going through all the ones I haven't heard of! Great to see quite a few I already on my own wishlist.

The lucky winner this week will get a pre-order of one of the books they mentioned in their comment! That means I will pre-order one of the books and they will get it when it is released.

So who won? Congrats to :


Bethany C!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

If you didn't win this time then don't worry! There will be a new giveaway at the end of the month and there are quite a few author guests and contests coming up in February. Keep trying and maybe it will be your name up here next time!

----------------------

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! Do you have a Kindle? I can send your prize to you instantly if you are willingly to get a Kindle edition (if it works...)

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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.

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

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

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

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

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

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Labels: Monthly Giveaway, Winners

The Blurb -

My name is Bonita Torres, and eight months ago I was an unemployed college graduate without a plan. Now I'm an investigator with the Private Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations team of New York. Pretty awesome, right?

The Cosa Nostradamus, the magical community, isn't quick to give up its secrets, though. Not even to fellow members. Not even when it's in their best interests. So we've been busting our tails, perfecting our forensic skills, working to gain acceptance. The team's tight… but we have our quirks, too. And our Big Dog, Benjamin Venec…well, he's a special case, all right.

But we can't give up. We're needed, especially when a case comes along that threatens to pit human against fatae. But one wrong move could cost us everything we've worked for….

My Review -

The Private Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations a.k.a PUPI came together in Hard Magic last year. Now just under a year later the second book in the series, Pack of Lies, hits the shelves and I was eager to see where the series would go. After all it has the paranormal and forensics all wrapped up together which is a must read mix for me.

I have to say I expected more from this sequel but in the end I was happy with what I got. With hardly any action or suspense this felt a little flat at times but I still wasn't put off. You see some authors try too hard to make everything special. I get fed up of characters names you can't pronounce and plots weaved into a tangled mess. This is where Pack of Lies stands out and becomes readable. It isn't trying to wow you or give you the feeling that it is something special. It is what it is. Average names, a normal story and some interesting aspects of the paranormal and forensics expertly added into the mix.

Sure this series isn't going to go on my must buy list but it is definitely on my must read list. The team is still young and they are still finding their feet. I want to see how things develop and I like the overall concept for the series. I hope the author doesn't try and jazz things up and I really hope that things don't go all complicated. Well worth checking out. You won't be lusting for more like you do when you taste the sugar filled delights that are usually offered up in the Urban Paranormal Fantasy genre but you will feel satisfied with this delightful snack.

Labels: ARC, Books Read, Laura Anne Gilman, New Releases

The Blurb -

Eleventh grade at Bathory High is draining Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad’s former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad’s blood. And his arch enemy, D’Ablo, has brought Vlad’s Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes . . .

My Thoughts -

I haven't seen Vlad for a while so getting back into the story of his life in Stokerton took a little more time than I expected. The first half of the book brought back memories of the previous 3 in the series but I still felt like I was swimming against things. However the story didn't make me want to give up. I was interested in what Vlad was up to and how things were going to progress. He is a nice kid and a good vampire.

By the end of this book I was hooked. Actually the last few chapters were most likely the best ones in the whole book. The cliffhanger ending shocked me and I am extremely glad that I was given not only this fourth book for Christmas but also the fifth book. Now I don't have to wait and see what happens next and I am sure I will be picking up the story of the Twelth Grade very soon.

All in all this is a nice YA series and I think it is great that this is told from a male perspective. Being written by a female author makes this even more interesting but I think she really manages to capture the teenage boy angle well and also writes a cool vampire story. Well worth buying for that Younger reader in your life, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is certainly one you can give to the boys and not just the girls!

Labels: Book Read, Heather Brewer

Don't miss out on the chance to win a pre-order of one of the books on your wishlist for 2011!

Check out what books are on my radar and you may even win a copy of a book you want.

Read all about the giveaway here. You have till Sunday 4pm CET (Central European Time) to enter and I will announce the winner either Sunday evening or Monday.

Labels: Contests, General, Monthly Giveaway

The Blurb -

When ordinary seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers-monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell-she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between Angels and the Fallen, and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will, who has been waiting sixty years for her return, reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the onlyone armed with angelfire, and capable of fighting the reapers. He is animmortal sworn to protect her in battle. Her soul has been reborn againand again over the centuries to fight the reapers, and he's been there for five hundred years to protect and fight alongside her. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her-an assassin who has already killed her once. At the same time, Ellie is falling in love with Will, even though they know their relationship should be impossible.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, sheand Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to destroy Ellie's soul forever, not to mention the devastating ramifications for human souls. Now she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives-including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

The Review -

This was an ARC I read back in October. The finished book is due for release in February so I am now posting my full review.

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With so many new Paranormal YA novels coming out it is hard to decide what to try and what not to bother with. The blurb had me more than interested and the cover looked very promising. I took the bait and went in with a 'I hope I am not wasting my time' attitude and slowly realised I had no need to worry.

I liked Ellie straight away. She wasn't trying to be anything special and she was just down to Earth and normal. Of course she has some problems due to the nightmares she has suffered all her life but she plays them down. When she does find out why she has been having the bad dreams all her life, she takes things in her stride.

The story itself was well thought out and nicely written. Something new and maybe a little borrowed this was a very good read and kept me guessing all the time. Actually there were quite a few questions left unanswered imho and I am looking forward to seeing what the author brings in the next book. If there is indeed going to be a sequel.

As for the Young Adult angle. Well it wasn't too sexual or rude but the characters are seventeen and act it. Definitely not for younger teenagers who may be influenced by the older crowd! However on saying that it wasn't too over the top either.

A great read and another author to add to my watch list. Gimme more and I will be happy to read it. I want to know what happens next...there is something off about Ellie's dad.

Labels: ARC, Books Read, Courtney Allison Moulton, Young Adult

The Best of 2010 Giveaway is over and it is time to see which books were voted the best and which newsletter subscribers won a copy of one of the top three books!

I picked ten of my favourite reads from 2010 (no ARCs included!) and you guys got to vote in the poll for the book you wanted to win or the one you think deserved to win!

Thanks for voting!

So which books came were most voted? Here are the results -

Well Kitty's House Of Horrors By Carrie Vaughn came in last place with only 5%. Definitely my favourite in the series so far but obviously not good enough compared to the other books I picked!

In 9th place was Blood Law By Jeannie Holmes. An amazing debut that I highly recommend you all read.

Places 8, 7 and 6 were jointly taken up by Shade By Jeri Smith-Ready, Spider's Bite By Jennifer Estep and Alpha by Rachel Vincent. All three books managed to each get 8% of the vote. I expected one of these three if not all of them to actually take the top places!

Tempest Rising By Nicole Peeler came in 5th! I didn't see that coming! A great read and an amazing series but I thought it wouldn't come in that high!

I am glad to see this book at #4. With 12% of the vote, Deadtown By Nancy Holzner only just missed making it into the top three!

I knew this book was going to be in one of the top places. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong deserved all of the 13% of the vote that it got and third place!

Soulless By Gail Carriger only missed out on the top position by 1%! With 15% of the vote this amazing book and series got 2nd place! Well done!!

And the winner! The book you guys voted for is The Mage In Black By Jaye Wells!!! Wooohooo!!! This series rocks and with 16% of the vote it is the Best of 2010!





Now time to announce the winners!

So the three names below all get to pick one book. The choices are :

The Mage In Black By Jaye Wells
Soulless By Gail Carriger
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

There is only one copy of each book up for grabs so if your name is listed below...well email me quick! It is first come first served ;)

So congrats to the newsletter subscribers with the email addresses that begin with :


Vboackle!!

BrigidsBlest!!

Felinewyvern!!


Please read the info below and claim your prize asap! If you would like a Kindle version of your chosen prize then please let me know. We can do that too ;) It is much quicker as well!

If you didn't win then please make sure you read these ten books! There are the best of 2010!

There are more giveaways and contests coming up! Rght now you can try your luck in the Looking to the Future Giveaway!

Add your name to the subscribers list to be automatically added to the monthly giveaways and also receive all the reviews, author events and contests via email!

----------------------

How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address. If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker! If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

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

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

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

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

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Labels: Carrie Vaughn, Contests, Gail Carriger, Jaye Wells, Jeannie Holmes, Jennifer Estep, Jeri Smith-Ready, Kelly Armstrong, Monthly Giveaway, Nancy Holzner, Nicole Peeler, Rachel Vincent

The Blurb -

As the newest witch in Indiana, Maggie O'Neill already has plenty to deal with. So being hobbled by a broken leg doesn't help. Neither does the fact that her best friend and upstairs neighbor is getting ready to tie the knot with her own boyfriend and move away. This leads Maggie to wonder if it isn't time to find herself a new pad.

But when she finds a place, Maggie's dream of new digs turns into a nightmare: the apartment manager is found dead before she can even sign the lease. And Maggie finds herself not only searching for a new home- but for a frightfully clever killer.

My Thoughts -

This is the seventh book in one of my paranormal cozy mystery series and one of my favourite so far. This plot this time around was exciting and very realistic while the fact that Maggie still managed to get into the middle of things despite being in a cast amused me till the end. All in all a great read that I enjoyed a lot.

However I did miss Maggie's family. They were mentioned and there was a little phone call from her mum but I did hope we would see more of them. Yes there was a big helping of them in the last book and maybe we needed a break but I was looking forward to meeting them again. Also I wonder if the Maggie and Marcus relationship will work. Things seem to be moving so fast and I, like Maggie, am a little worried. I wonder what the future has in store for them.

Whatever happens next, I will be there. This is one series I really love to read. Always a good plot with great characters this may not be paranormal enough sometimes but it is still cozy and cool. Can't wait for the next mystery!

Labels: Book Read, Kindle, Madelyn Alt, New Releases

There is no author guest this week but instead we will look into the future together and see what books are on my radar and on yours! To make it more interesting I will be giving away a pre-order of one book that will be released this year. But first let's look at the books ;)

I think most people have wishlists and my main one is now on Amazon.com because I have a Kindle. If you are interested in which books I am wishing for (some unreleased ones on there too!) then feel free to take a look. My pre-orders are usually in the sidebar below ---> and I try to update them as often as possible.

However there are some books I am looking forward to more than others. I am sure your wishlists will get a boost but keeping looking for more cool new releases. I am sure I missed some! You can tell me more about the ones I missed later and maybe win a prize ;)

Here are some of the first in a new series books I am looking forward to this year :

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang

The Demon Trappers: Forsaken by Jana G. Oliver

Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

Under Wraps by Hannah Jayne

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

My Life as A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong




Here are some of the next in the series books I am really excited about in 2011 :


Black Night by Christina Henry

Blood Secrets by Jeannie Holmes

Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

Heartless by Gail Carriger

Sympathy for the Devil by Justin Gustainis

Shift & Let it Bleed by Jeri Smith-Ready

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Always the Vampire by Nancy Haddock



Invincible: The Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Kitty's Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn

Crossed by J.F Lewis

Devil Without a Cause by Terri Garey

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Halfway Hexed by Kimberly Frost

Blood Wyne by Yasmine Galenorn

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

A Hard Day's Fright by Casey Daniels

This Side of the Grave by Jeannie Frost




Here are a few new authors (to me) that I haven't yet tried that I want to check out in 2011 :

H.P. Mallory

Jesse Petersen

Susan & Clay Griffith

Cat Clarke

Andrea Cremer




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Contest Time

One lucky person will win a pre-order of one book they mention in their comment! That means I will pre-order one of the books and you will get it when it is released.

How To Enter

Name three (if you name more I will only take the first three mentioned into consideration if you win) books you are really looking forward to in 2011. You may pick ones I already picked or you can try and extend my wishlist by picking something I seem to have overlooked!

No answer = No Entry

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

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

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

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 23rd of January 2011 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

Labels: Contests, General

My author guest last week was Dorlana Vann. The writer stopped by and shared a short story with us and also offered up a copy of her book, Silverweed, to one lucky person. If you aren't the winner I hope you will still check out Silverweed!!!

The giveaway is now closed for entries and it is time to see who won! Were you the lucky person? Congrats to :


Hense1kk!!!


You get the copy of Silverweed! Just follow the directions below to claim your prize!

Didn't win this time? There are always more books to win around here. Just keep coming back or better yet join the newsletter and get the newest reviews and author events delivered straight to your email account! Fill in the form below or <--- in the sidebar

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How to claim your prize! Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address. If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker! If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

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

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

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Labels: Contests, Dorlana Vann, Winners

The Blurb -

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia's School for Girls, but she's already learned that magic can be your best friend-or your worst enemy. That's why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities while fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago's nastiest nightlife-including the tainted magic users known as Reapers...

What did I think? -

Hexbound the second book in the Dark Elite series could have gone in so many different directions. The first book, Firespell, had laid the foundations and I was pretty sure that this sequel was going to go in the typical Young Adult direction. However the author surprised me because slimy rat like creatures with long teeth was definitely not the way I thought this one would go. Intrigued? Then maybe you should pick up this series! It looks like it is going to be a winner!

Werewolves, vampires and people with magic powers. Her parents off in Germany working on something secret. Strange is an understatement when it comes to Lily Parker's life at St. Sophia's School for Girls but it makes for great reading. Some Young Adult books can be boring and predictable but this one is really trying to break the mould and do something different. I like it. Lily is a nice likeable character and so are her friends. I need to get to know them all a bit more but so far I am enjoying what they and this series has on offer.

If you have already tried and enjoyed Chloe Neill's Chicagoland vampire series then you really need to check this series out too. You can never be too old to enjoy a good Paranormal Young Adult and if they never mentioned school I would have never noticed that the characters were that young! Worth the time and worth the money. I can't wait for more and will be adding this series to the must read list...oh the ever so long must read list!

Labels: Book Read, Chloe Neill, Kindle, New Releases, Young Adult

The Blurb -

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what's to come?

My Thoughts -

The third book in the Evernight series was one I have been dying to read and a book I was very happy to find under the Christmas tree! Although I have been very pre-occupied with all my Kindle books I decided that during the week I will try and take a 'real' book in my bag with me instead of always taking the Kindle. After all there are all those paperbacks and hardbacks still on my bookshelves. So when I went back to work this week I grabbed the paperbacks I really wanted to read and Hourglass was one of them.

I have to admit that the first third of this book didn't have me jumping for joy. Maybe the fact that Bianca and Lucas were off with the bad guys (well good guys...depends on which side you are on) and it made me cringe. The boot camp style life and the annoying people were only made a little more interesting when the location changed to New York City. However I my biggest hope was that the couple would get away from the strange vampire killing cult as soon as possible.

A slight spoiler alert here but I am sure that if Bianca and Lucas hadn't left the Black Cross then I may have left them. I was ready to give up. It was only when the story took a turn around that I knew things were changing for the better and I was excited about the story again. I was rewarded with some very interesting developments and a far better second half of the Hourglass.

I have at least four other YA series waiting for me on my tbr pile that have something to do with a school or/and vampires and/or ghosts. So it was extremely pleasing to read this story and see that the plot has grown away from the school element and has grown up a little. Maybe the author will take this back to its roots at some point but right now I am happy to stay away from the typical and some what boring story lines that everyone else seems to be doing. Keep being creative and I will keep reading!

So Evernight is still on my must read list. I would love to get a copy of the four book when it comes out but I am not sure if this series is really on my must buy list. Sure the end of this third installment left me wondering what will happen next but I am not in a rush to find out. Why not? Because this is a story that is original and hard to forget. I really don't have a problem giving myself a break inbetween and digesting what has happened so far. I know I can jump back into this one at anytime and still know what is going on and still enjoy it.

A must read for any YA paranormal readers. If you like Vampire Academy or the House of the Night series then you will absolutely love this.

Labels: Book Read, Claudia Gray, Young Adult