24) Those Who Fight Monsters by Justin Gustainis et al

The Blurb -

A collection of Occult (a.k.a supernatural) Detective stories assembled by Justin Gustainis and featuring new stories by:

Tanya Huff
C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Simon R. Green
T. A. Pratt
Chris Marie Green
Lilith Saintcrow
Rachel Caine
Jacqueline Kessler
Carrie L. Vaughn
Julie Kenner
C.J. Henderson
Laura Anne Gilman
Justin Gustainis
Caitlin Kittredge

My Review -

I did promise to post my full review when author Justin Gustainis visits Amberkatze's Book Blog in March. However I liked this one so much that I am going to post my thoughts on this book now because it is due for release before his visit.

So anyone who visits Amberkatze's Book Blog on a regular basis will know that I rarely give anthologies a good review and usually moan about how I should stop torturing myself by reading them. Once again I took the bait. So many cool authors in one book. How could I resist? Would I get hurt again?

Well this time around I am happy to announce that this anthology could actually be the best I have read, ever! Did you see the line up? A Demon Soccer Mom Hunting story was inside as well as one of my favourite Succubi, Jezebel! An amazing Carrie Vaughn story which I hope is the start of a new series because I would totally love to read more. The best Laura Anne Gilman story I think I have ever read and of course T.A. Pratt! How I have missed you!!! And not forgetting the wonderful editor of this collection, Justin Gustianis. It has been way too long since we saw Quincy and I can't wait for more.

Worth buying! Awesome author selection with stories bursting with paranormal goodness. There are some real treasures in this one and next to no duds. Oh and to top it off the cover is pretty cool as well ;)

Contest Winners!!

I have quite a few winners to announce this Sunday! The Carrie Vaughn contest comes to an end as well as the Cynthia Eden contest. Also the Monthly Giveaway is now closed for votes and a winner can be picked! Busy Busy Busy ;)

Let's start with the Carrie Vaughn contest. It was great reading your wolf names! Some of them were quite amusing while others were just well thought out. Anyway, I was giving away a Kitty book which the winner gets to choose! Which means the lucky person who gets picked from all the entries can have the newest release or an older installment.

So congrats to -


Mardel!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize! Please make sure to let me know which book you would like when claiming your prize!

Next up is the Cynthia Eden contest winner. Cynthia Eden was here talking about her new release, I'll Be Slaying You, and also had a copy to give away to one lucky Amberkatze's Book Blog reader!

Once again it was fun reading your entries. I have to say that I really like all of Cynthia's book covers but my favourite is Immortal Hunter. Yeah there isn't much to see on that one but it is the mystery of what is under the T-Shirt that makes me smile :)

So who gets the steamy new paranormal release from Cynthia Eden? Congrats to -


Darcie K!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

Last but not least it is also time to announce this months Monthly Giveaway winner.

There were five books to vote for and the book with the most votes is the book that one lucky Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter subscriber will win. So here are the results -

Only 11 votes for Soulless By Gail Carriger

14 for A Cast-Off Coven By Juliet Blackwell

Third place and 22 votes Strange Neighbors By Ashyln Chase

Just making it to second place with 25 votes is Daemon's Mark By Caitlin Kittredge

But the overall winner with 39 votes was I'll Be Slaying You By Cynthia Eden!

Congrats to Cynthia! And congrats to our winner with the email beginning with -


rebecca_carpenter!!!


If you didn't win this time then make sure you keep entering the contests! A new contest is coming soon and another Monthly Giveaway will come along towards the end of the month!

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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Jackie Kessler Contest Winner!

My guest last week was author Jackie Kessler and she was here telling us a bit about her newest release and her upcoming projects. She was also giving away a copy of Black and White, the first book she wrote together with author Caitlin Kittrege.

It was fun reading about your favourite superheroes! But who is the lucky winner? Congrats to -


Legatu!!


If you didn't win this time then make sure you enter the Monthly Giveaway! If that doesn't take your fancy then stay tuned because a new author interview and contest is coming up!

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.

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

June Monthly Giveaway!

It is nearly the end of the month again! Isn't the year just flying by? This month has been a good reading month and it was really hard to choose which five books to offer you guys! I hope you can choose 1 from the 5 that are up for grabs ;)

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


Strange Neighbors By Ashyln Chase


I'll Be Slaying You By Cynthia Eden


Soulless By Gail Carriger


A Cast-Off Coven By Juliet Blackwell


Daemon's Mark By Caitlin Kittredge




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 Sunday 4th of July 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced later than day.

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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 where ever you can ;)

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83) Daemon's Mark by Caitlin Kittredge

Luna Wilder has settled down in some ways. She has had a boyfriend for a whole six months and hasn't done anything to destroy the relationship. Being with Will is nice, easy and fun but Luna isn't sure where they are really at or where they are going. Maybe it is better not to know.

However things are made difficult by Luna's latest case. A teenage girl is found with her heart missing. It looks like the young werewolf managed to get mixed up with the wrong people but as Luna starts following the clues she also starts getting mixed up, or at least annoying, the right people and finds herself in more danger than she ever thought possible.

Far away from home, no chance of help and a prisoner to the most heartless people she has ever met, Luna may have finally met her match. However something keeps Luna going and she is determined to fight to the very end. What she doesn't know is what kind of ending she will see.

Before I start the review it seems that the blurb for Daemon's Mark on the book and everywhere else is wrong. The publishers managed to stick the blurb for 'Witch Craft' on the back of the book by mistake. Which means everyone has been using the wrong blurb for this book and most likely leading a lot of readers to believe that Daemon's Mark is just Witchcraft (which is another book in this series) released again with a new title. So I wanted to put things right before I say how great this book is. Daemon's Mark is the fifth, and from what I have heard, last book in the Nocturne City series.

I have enjoyed this series from the very beginning. Luna is wild, feisty and someone I would definitely keep as a friend and not make an enemy of. The idea for this series was and still is fresh, different and amazing Urban Fantasy. Full of action and mystery this series always kept me guessing and this newest edition surprised and fascinated me.

The topic this time around is human trafficking and prostitution and there are lots of twists and turns that jump in to the main plot. Unfortunately while this is a brilliant read there were a few little things that didn't so much annoy me but I wanted to question. I won't write anything about those little things because it may spoil the story somewhat but be prepared to be left wondering about a few things.

Of course this is, just like any other Caitlin Kittredge book, an exciting and fantastic read. It is a shame that this is supposed to be the last book in the series because the ending lead me to believe there was still more to come. I actually feel a little cheated because there were a few loose ends and I wasn't left with the feeling of things being over and done with. Maybe there will be a short story sometime in the future that will at least let me say good-bye to Luna properly.

If you are a fan of this series then it is a must read. If you haven't already started this series then do so! Caitlin writes Urban Fantasy the way it should be written and her books have always kept me hooked till the end. I am now looking forward to whatever the author offers us next. I am sure whatever it is will be just as paranormally spectacular and serious as the Nocturne series was.

216) Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge

Nearly thirteen years ago, Jack Winter lay dying in a graveyard. He wasn't ready to die and made a deal so he could stay alive. His traded his soul for thirteen more years but now the demon is back and wants to collect his payment. Jack still isn't ready to die and now he has something to live for. Pete Caldecott is the reason he is clean and alive. Because of her he is going to fight back and find a way to break the deal.

Pete has no idea about Jack's deal but she knows something is going on. Trying to find work and keep things running smoothly isn't working. She wants Jack but until he can finally be truthful with her, she is going to keep her distance. Black things are all around them while they work and if Jack doesn't fight back hard enough they may both lose their lives.

This is the second Black London novel and I love how British it is. So many of the Paranormal genre books are based in the States so it is extremely refreshing to have one based in the UK for once. It is especially nice for me because I am British and can relate to all the little snippets of UK life. A big thumbs up for the author for moving the genre somewhere else for a change.

Scenery aside this series is building up nicely. It reminds me alot of the Dresden Files but this Black London world is still in construction. Very deep, dark and fast-paced I am really enjoying the characters and the plots. However I am still struggling a little with the who is who and what is what but I am hoping this will come to me as the series continues. It will be interesting to see how the series will carry on. The end of this book had quite a cliffhanger and I hope we don't have to wait too long to find out what happens next.

All in all this is turning out to be one strong, hard and edgy paranormal series. Cailtlin Kittredege is definitely going to be one of the big names in the genre but I have to admit I prefer her Nocturne City series to the Black London novels at the moment.

Monthly Giveaway Winner!

For the September Monthly Giveaway I gave you the choice of five books to vote for. The book with the most votes is then the prize that one newsletter subscriber will win!

These are the five books that you could have voted for and how many votes they got -

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland (14 Votes)

Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge (12 Votes)

Barely Bewitched by Kimberly Frost (15 Votes)

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper (18 Votes)

Fade by Lisa McMann (11 Votes)

The end results were actually quite close but the winner of the September Monthly Giveaway will get - Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper!

Now we just need a winner!

Anyone who is a subscriber to the Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter is entered into the draw! Even if you subscribed months ago or just yesterday. As long as your subscription is verified you can win!

Enter your email address:

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And the winner of the September Monthly Draw is the email address starting with -


magic5905!!!


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!

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

September Monthly Giveaway!

Every month, like last month, I let you all vote for which book you want to win! That means the winner will get the book with the most votes and not necessarily the book they voted for.

There are five books to choose from so vote away!

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge

Barely Bewitched by Kimberly Frost

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

Fade by Lisa McMann



How to enter the Monthly Giveaway

All you have to do to have your name put in the draw is to sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

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

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

The winner will be picked on the 4th of October.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

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Oh and don't forget the Maria V. Snyder contest and Chloe Neill Contest!

172) Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge

There is someone or something setting fire to homes in the city and Luna Wilder knows that this just isn't your everyday arsonist. Her gut feeling is backed up with the attempts on her life by the strange otherworldly creatures that shouldn't be in Nocturne City. Unfortunately Luna and her new team are not being left alone to deal with the situation. The annoying but somewhat sexy federal agent, Will Fagin, is hanging around like a bad smell.

As Luna tries to solve the case and keep her new team in employment she also gets to know Will better. What she learns could help her on the case and they both try to do everything they can against the selkies, trolls and other nasties that come after them. Nocturne City is suddenly in chaos and luckily they have just the right team to help them. Hopefully the team will be able to help in time and save themselves and the city.

Witch Craft is the fourth book in the Nocturne City series and things just keep getting better and better. This is like reading a really good mystery thriller but with big helpings of the paranormal on the side. Adventure all the way, you hardly have time to breathe while reading this action packed book.

Luna is growing into her responsibilities and her werewolf side is being kept under control. She is one hard, strong and dangerous woman and I admire her alot. Nocturne City is the place to be and Caitlin Kittredge has made it that way. I can't wait for more from this super urban paranormal series. Bring it on!

August Monthly Giveaway!

This month, like last month, I am letting you all vote for which book you want to win! That means the winner will get the book with the most votes and not necessarily the book they voted for.

There are five books to choose from so vote away!



How to enter the Monthly Giveaway

All you have to do to have your name put in the draw is to sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

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

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

The winner will be picked on the 30th of August.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

Enter your email address:

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149) Black & White by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge

'Then' Callie Bradford, code name Iridium, and Joannie Greene, code name Jet, were best friends at an elite academy for superheroes in training. 'Now' the girls are mortal enemies. Jet is the superhero of New Chicago and spends her time protecting the people against the supervillian Iridium.

What both of the girls don't know is that there is an evil looming over them that goes back to their days at the academy. Jet is busy trying to track down Iridium while Iridium is trying to get back at the people and cause chaos. Both are at the center of something much bigger and they haven't realised it yet. It's the ultimate battle of good versus good. They’re both right. And they’re both wrong. Because nothing is as simple as Black and White.

Hogwarts meets the X-Men in this amazing new series from two great Paranormal Urban Fantasy writers. Taking a break from the paranormal both Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge prove that superheroes are cool and worth reading about.

With the chapters flipping back and forth from Iridium and Jet the reader gets a good look at how it is to be the good and the bad guy. The change from 'Then' and 'Now' means that we get to see what happened to the heroes and made them what they are today. Plot wise this is a fantastic effort with twists, turns and a few surprises that keep the reader gripped and ready for more.

Although this isn't aimed at Young Adults this is definitely one teenagers will enjoy. With half of the book told from the perspective of the heroes school years and the other half in their early twenties, there is nothing too 'adult' to censor. Making this a all round great read.

The second book in the series 'Shades of Gray' is due out in a years time. Why the wait? Who knows...but I hope I won't forget too much about Iridium and Jet during the twelve months break.

July Monthly Giveaway!

So it is time to let you know what book I am giving away this month. No wait...I have a better idea! You guys can choose!

There are five books to choose from and only one will win! So if your name is picked by the radomiser you will win the book with the most votes! Use the poll below or on the sidebar to vote. You can find infomation about all the books up for grabs here on Amberkatze's Book Blog (except Black & White which I am in the middle of right now but the review will be coming soon!).

The poll will stay open until 5.15pm (GMT) July 31st. Why such a strange time? Cause its my birthday and that is the time I was born ;)



How to Enter

All you have to do to have your name put in the draw is to sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

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

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

The winner will be picked on the 2nd of August.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

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Winners, Winners and more Winners!

Sunday is the day of winners here on Amberkatze's Book Blog and even though some of the contests ended yesterday and the day before I decided to post all the winners in one post today. So keep reading and see if you are a winner!

First the winner of the Monthly Giveaway for June! The winner will get a copy of Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge. All you had to do to enter is sign up for the Amberkatze Book Blog Newsletter and activate it. Not too hard! So who won?

Congrats to the person with the email address beginning with -


Bookluvercarol


Details on how to claim your prize are below!!! If you didn't win in June keep an eye out each month to see if you have won! Once you are signed up to the newsletter you are automatically entered into the monthly giveaway each month!

Next up! We need a winner for the Jeri Smith-Ready contest!

The winner of this contest gets to pick on of Jeri's books as a prize from myself and then Jeri will send the winner some goodies to go with it eg. a signed bookplate, bookmarks etc.

So who won this? Congrats to -


Pattepoilue


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize! A huge thank you to everyone who entered and shared their animal stories. Also a huge thank you to Ciara, Shane and Jeri for stopping by!

Another contest, another winner! This winner who entered the Rachel Vincent Contest will get to choose a Rachel Vincent book as their prize. This includes a pre-order of My Soul to Take.

So congrats to -


Shaliesha !!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered! It was great to read what kind of cats you would all like to be. Also a big thank you to Rachel for being my guest this week.

So the randomiser is getting tired but there is still one more winner to be picked. Only one person claimed their prize in the Sunny Contest so I need to draw another winner.

Congrats to -


Sveltedreams!!!


How can you all claim your prizes?

All the winners should contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim their prizes. Please make sure you tell me what contest you are claiming a prize for and which book you want (if there is a choice). Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address straight away.

I will pick a new winner if a prize isn't claimed. If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. PLEASE NOTE - I am away on holiday this week and won't have a constant internet connection. That could mean that it takes longer for me to get back to you. If you still haven't heard from by Sunday next week then post again on the blog letting me know.

Oh and next up! Kat Richardson is paying Amberkatze's Book Blog a visit! So make sure you don't miss out on that.

Also as I mentioned above...I am in Sweden from Monday till Friday this week on holiday! So I am not sure how much internet time I will have or if I will have a connection. Also the paranormal reading is going on holiday...I will be taking only non paranormal genre books with me! Yes I have some...and they are gathering dust ;) Maybe you will find something new to read anyway ;)

Only a few days to go!

The Jeri Smith-Ready contest ends on Friday! So get your entries in asap! You can win one of Jeri's books (you choose!) and some goodies from Jeri herself!

On Sunday the Rachel Vincent Contest closes! You can win one of Rachel's book (you choose which one) including her new YA novel!

Also on Saturday there will be another winner! The June Monthly Giveaway comes to an end and the winner will get a copy of Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge. All you have to do to enter is join the Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter.

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Monthly Giveaway Details & Other News!

So before I tell you about the monthly giveaway and the other news I have to ask 'Where is everyone this week?'. There is an interview and contest with Sunny up and running and hardly anyone has been by to enter! Sunny has even been stopping by to say hello! Come out people have a break from the Summer holidays and surf the net ;)

The Monthly giveaway for June is a copy of Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge. You can read my review if you want to know a little bit more about the book but all you really need to know is that it is good ;)

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

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

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

The winner will be picked on the 4th of July.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

Enter your email address:

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In other news!

On Friday there will be two special guests popping by. I will give you a clue...one of the guests is maybe a vampire and the other is his girlfriend. If anyone dares to guess and gets it right before the event goes live on Friday they will get a prize. So give it a shot ;)

On Sunday my guest is Rachel Vincent! So be sure to pop by to find out more about her books and the Pride!

128) Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge

Detective Pete Caldecott is investigating the kidnapping of a young girl and getting nowhere. So when she gets instructions to meet an informant she goes along knowing she has nothing to lose. However what Pete finds is Jack Winter. A gorgeous mage who died right before her eyes years ago.

Addicted to heroin, Jack is a shadow of the man Pete knew all those years ago. Unsure if she can trust him she realises pretty quick that he does have the information she needs and the means to stop the children from going missing. So Pete rolls up her sleeves and gets a crash course in the supernatural shadow world of the fey in the hope of saving the kidnapped children.

This first novel in a new series this was a pretty good debut. Of course I am not new to the author and love her Nocturne series but the Black London series is very different. The huge different in this series is that it is based in London. So many books in this genre are based in the States and it is really (even if it makes me slightly homesick) to have a book based in the UK. Kittredge pulls of the 'Britishness' very well and the change of scenery makes it a refreshing read.

Dark, fast-paced and full of magic this is a must read for fans of the Dresden Files or the Nightside series. Very different from alot of the books out there but still some familiarity this is looks like it is going to pan out to be a very interesting series.

I only have one peeve...the name of the main character. Although I know Pete is a female it is a guys name and however much I tried my brain kept getting this confused. Hopefully when book number two, Demon Bound, comes out in December I will be able to remember Pete is a gal!