A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.
My Thoughts :
After reading another Cynthia Eden novella last weekend I wanted to read some more of her work. So another novella landed on my Kindle when I was browsing on Amazon and I decided to read it sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately for me and something I didn't check in the blurb, this is a short story from the Entangled Anthology which I read back when it released. A brilliant anthology and most likely the best I will ever read it was full of some great work from some very special authors.
The fact that I had obviously read this story before didn't put me off. I started reading and couldn't remember it that vividly. It was a good short tale and a nice look into, what must be, another of Cynthia's wonderful paranormal worlds. This one centered around vampires and werewolves and had a nice enough amount of romance and action to keep me reading.
Definitely worth checking out if you are a fan or just want to see what the author can do. However I highly recommend you buying the whole anthology. The proceeds of Entangled go to charity and you also have the added bonus of reading some more great short stories!
Ben Prescott hates Christmas—he’s a vampire, and to him, there’s certainly nothing jolly about the holiday season. While the humans are running around being merry, he’s hunting in the shadows. Ben plans to spend the holidays his way…by stalking deadly prey.
But fate has other plans for Ben.
Three visitors are coming Ben’s way…A demon who will force Ben to face his past, a ghost who will show Ben the present he could have, and a shifter who will reveal the darkness that waits in Ben’s future. Unless Ben can change his ways, he may just turn into a real monster, one who can’t be saved by anyone or anything.
’Tis the season…to be undead.
Ben’s redemption rests in the hands of the one woman he loved and lost—Simone Laurent. If Ben is going to have a chance at being more than just the beast in the darkness, he has to prove himself to the lovely Simone. A very hard task, considering that, once upon a Christmas Eve, Simone died in Ben’s arms…
My Thoughts :
It is time to get into the Christmas spirit because in five weeks it is that time of year again. So when I got the chance to read this Christmas themed vampire novella I decided to jump on it. Despite not having read anything by this author recently I really do love her work and really need to spend more time reading her wonderful books. I was actually looking forward to delving back into her delicious paranormal world even if it was only a short trip.
I wasn't disappointed by this story. Well ok, slightly...it could have been longer! But that is the problem with most of the short stories out there. However other than that I didn't find any fault with this one. Paranormal elements were great, plot was interesting and captivating, twists in the story made me keep reading and the romance was hot and steamy. All in all a perfect recipe that Cynthia Eden has perfected over the years.
The supernatural version of A Christmas Carol really is a genius storyline and things are made even more interesting by the slow addition of facts surrounding Ben's past and what happened to him and Simone. I liked the ending a lot and wonder if these characters will ever make an appearance in any of Cynthia's other books. It would be nice to see how they get on.
So if you are looking for something short, sweet and supernatural to read to get you into the Christmas spirit, you may want to give this one a chance. If you haven't already tried this author then A Vampire's Christmas Carol is a great introduction. Already a fan? This is a must read!
Sammael – call him Sam – was an angel once. An angel of death. But the dispassionate, watch-from-above thing just wasn’t working for him when it meant watching evil torture innocent souls day in and day out. It might have cost him his wings, but these days, he gets to apply the direct method on the bad guys. Problem is, what’s making his life difficult is a bad girl…
Seline O’Shaw needs protection, and with the hounds of hell on her tail, she’s not going to quibble too hard about where she gets it. Sam’s virtue is questionable, but he’s smoking hot, massively powerful, and owes her a favor. So what if she’s getting a little case of angel lust? There are some damn deadly sins after her hide.
My Thoughts :
Cynthia Eden writes the kind of book that I love to curl up in bed with. They are a delight to delve into and she always weaves an amazing story. She is an author who makes the paranormal element so interesting that you don't care if there is romance involved. Her books are steamy and hot but not over the top. Just wild and wonderful.
However, the Fallen series isn't really doing anything for me. I have been a fan for a while now and back when the first book in this new series came out Angel of Darkness I was really excited about something different. It is obvious from the title of the series what the subject matter was going to be and with the increase of Angel and Demon based stories I was curious about how the author was going to make things so steamy! I read the first book and was left with mixed feelings and now I am sure. This isn't a series for me.
Despite still being a huge fan of the author I am just not into this whole fallen angel stuff. It hasn't ever really caught my interest and it seems that even if the writing is good and the author gives it loads of action, depth and sex it still doesn't do anything for me. If Caz on Supernatural hadn't have been that funny and nice to look at I am sure I would have given up on that series too.
The Fallen series is still set in the supernatural world the author has created in her previous books and will definitely be of interest to her fans. Like all Cynthia's paranormal books, Angel Betrayed, stands alone and can be read without knowledge of the previous books. Always a huge plus! If you like, or are interested in, the fallen angels aspect or demons then you really may enjoy this. Sadly I will not be following the rest of the series.
As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.
Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…
My Review :
I know from past experience that Cynthia Eden can weave a lovely story and I couldn't wait to get my teeth into this upcoming release. Angel of Darkness is the first book in a new series called 'The Fallen' and it is quite obvious from the title what the series is going to be about. But it was a wonderful surprise when I started reading to realise that this series is still set in the supernatural world the author has created in her previous books. The Fallen is just a new chapter and an expansion of what we already know. However Angel of Darkness, like all Cynthia's paranormal books, stands alone and can be read without knowledge of the previous books.
Angel of Darkness wastes no time in getting down to things. From the first page the reader is thrown into a situation that makes your skin crawl but keeps you eager to know what happens next. Keenan reminded me of Castiel in Supernatural as he debates what to do and I have to say I was more interested in him than Nicole at first. However as things progressed I wanted to know more about Nicole, there was a little something she was keeping to herself, I thought I knew what, but it still left me wondering. Kept me reading till the end.
Without giving too much away about the plot I have to say it was a wonderful Paranormal Romance and just what I expected from the author. I have to admit that I didn't really enjoy the angel aspect of things but did find all the other supernatural elements intriguing. It was a great read and definitely worth checking out if you like the authors previous work or if you like a little Angel, good vs evil and all that jazz.
I will be checking out the next in this series because I love Cynthia's work and want to see where she takes this series next. However until then I need to catch up on a few of her other books. Doesn't matter in which order I read them though. A huge plus when reading Cynthia's books.
*** Angel of Darkness releases at the end of November***
Well it seems that four of the winners in the Cynthia Eden Contest weren't too bothered about claiming their prizes! I have given them longer than a week to claim their books but now it is time to get some new winner. So here are the names of the new lucky people!
Congrats to :
Mbreakfield!!
&
Skyla11377!!
&
Deanna!!
You have all won a digital copy of Cynthia's novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS!
And the new winner of the copy of ANGEL OF DARKESS (due out on 11/29/11) is :
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 won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!
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.
Usually contest winners waste no time claiming their prizes but this week is something new! Only 2 of the 6 Cynthia Eden contest winners have emailed me!
Winners! Where are you??
If you have tried to claim your prize and you have not had a reply back from me please try again or post here!
A reminder - I do not look up contest winners and email them. If you win you have to claim your prize.
If the prizes aren't claimed I will pick some new winners sometime next week.
Also don't forget to enter the Monthly Giveaway! You have till Sunday to vote and win!
On a side note - Sorry for the lack of reviews lately. I haven't had much reading time and some of the books have been hard work to get through. There are two new reviews coming though!
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 ;)
A huge thank you to Cynthia Eden for being on the blog again and stopping by to comment on your contest answers! Oh and thank you for all your answers! It was interesting to read all about your stories!
Now it is time to announce the winners! Five of you will win digital copies of Cynthia's novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS!
So congrats to the winners....
EdgesAngel22!
Breezy1323!
KhelseyJackson!
Latishajean!
Katiz7!
And one more winner gets a copy of ANGEL OF DARKESS (due out on 11/29/11)! Well done....
Fairysong91!!!
Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!
Didn't win this time? Keep trying! Next up is the Monthly Giveaway!
Make sure you check out Cynthia's Books!
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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 won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!
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.
You could win one of SIX books! You have till Sunday to comment and be in for the chance of winning!
Also the September Monthly Giveaway will be coming soon! I hoped to have it up already but I have been busy with work. Sorry for the delay!
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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
My author guest this week is a regular here on Amberkatze's Book Blog.
Cynthia Eden writes the most amazing paranormal romance books which are always packed with action. The newest edition to her releases will be Angel of Darkness which comes out next month.
However fans can read a short story from Cynthia in the amazing anthology Entangled. All the proceeds from the book go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Cynthia's contribution was one of my favourite stories in the collection.
So I hope you enjoy this guest post and will also take the time to enter the contest. You could win a copy of Cynthia's upcoming release before it hits the shelves! Oh and another five books are up for grabs too!
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Bump In The Night
I love the month of October. A chill is in the air. Pumpkins wait on doorsteps. And when it gets dark, people start to whisper their scary ghost stories.
When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to hear (and share my own) ghost stories. All kinds of tales—about the dangerous beasties that go bump in the night. You’d better be careful (so the stories said) because you never knew what could wait in the darkness.
I’m not a kid any longer, but I sure do still enjoy my scary stories. Only now…I like those stories with some romance, too, please. I like my monsters (I could never say good-bye to them), but these dangerous guys—vampires, demons, shifters—they aren’t the villains of my tales. They’re the heroes.
Who said heroes had to be perfect?
I like the scary guys who can thrill and chill. What’s the fun in safety? I have safety in my real life. In my books, I want drama. I want to live on the edge. Bad paranormal boys can steal my heart.
For my upcoming FALLEN series, I wanted to take a character that was “supposed” to be good—and give him a very, very bad edge. So my first Fallen Angel of Death was born. Keenan isn’t some lily white angel who heads out into the big, wide world to comfort and protect. He’s a killer. One touch…that’s all it takes for him to claim the souls of his prey. Keenan isn’t kind. He isn’t a white knight. He’s the creature that everyone fears in the darkness.
Powerful. Dangerous. Sexy. He can definitely make things go bump in the night. :)
Making bad guys into good heroes…turning “good” guys into monsters…isn’t that what writing fun should all be about? And as Halloween draws near, isn’t this the perfect time to dive into paranormal romances and read about those monsters in our men?
I think so. I sure can’t wait to head into my giant Halloween TBR pile!
And speaking of books…want to win a copy of ANGEL OF DARKESS (due out from Kensington Brava on 11/29/11)? Then tell me…what’s your favorite scary story/legend? What tale used to thrill and chill you as a child? One commenter will be picked to win that ANGEL OF DARKNESS copy—and five other commenters will win digital copies of my paranormal novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS (a vampire/werewolf romance).
Thanks for checking out my post! (And a huge thanks to Amberkatze for having me over!)
Happy Halloween to you.
ANGEL OF DARKNESS—Available 11/19/11 from Kensington Brava
When an angel falls, all hell breaks loose…
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Contest Time
Did you read the Guest Post? Cynthia is giving away a copy of ANGEL OF DARKESS (due out on 11/29/11)? One commenter will be picked to win a copy of ANGEL OF DARKNESS and five other commenters will win digital copies Cynthia's novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS!
That means we will have SIX winners this week! Thank you Cynthia!
How To Enter
Tell Cynthia what your favorite scary story/legend? What tale used to thrill and chill you as a child?
No Story/Legend = No Entry
'Please enter me' posts will not be counted as an 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 and Amazon.com links/Banners below and around the site!
The contest will stay open until Sunday 9th of October 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.
Entangled is a special anthology. Not only does it have some great stories that were written by some amazing authors but all the proceeds from the book go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Some of my favourite authors have contributed to the book and I could only show my support by reviewing Entangled and offering to make a special event for the book to celebrate the release!
You have till Sunday to enter and there are six copies up for grabs!
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The Blurb!
Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.
Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.
All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Stories include:
HALLOWEEN FROST by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep (author of the Mythos Academy, Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime series) — It's Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.
THE FAT CAT by Edie Ramer (author of Cattitude, Galaxy Girls) — In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.
MEDIUM RARE by Nancy Haddock (author of the Oldest City Vampire trilogy) —What’s spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.
SWEET DEMON by Misty Evans (author of the Witches Anonymous series) —When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.
SIAN’S SOLUTION by Dale Meyer (author of the Psychic Visions series) — When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.
A BIT OF BITE by Cynthia Eden (author of NEVER CRY WOLF and ANGEL OF DARKNESS) — A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it's up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she'll either have to prove his innocence...or watch the whole town go up in flames.
SINFULLY SWEET by Michelle Miles (author of the Coffee House series) — When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.
A NIGHT OF FOREVER by Lori Brighton (author of A Night of Secrets and To Seduce an Earl) — Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.
FEEL THE MAGIC by Liz Kreger (author of the Part of Tomorrow series) — Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.
BREAKING OUT by Michelle Diener (author of the Tudor-set historical suspense novel In A Treacherous Court) — Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other 'special' inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.
GHOSTLY JUSTICE, an all-new Seven Deadly Sins novella by New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan (author of the Seven Deadly Sins series) — Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.
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Entangled is only availabe as an E-book! Otherwise all the proceeds would not go to charity!! So if you don't have an e-reader maybe just try reading this one book on your PC or phone. It is for a good cause and won't hurt you!!!
Buy a copy for your Kindle by clicking the advertisement below :
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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
Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal stories from authors Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, Michelle Miles, and Edie Ramer, plus a novella by Allison Brennan.
My Review :
Anyone who is a regular reader of Amberkatze's Book Blog will know I am not a huge fan of anthologies. They always seem to look so tasty from the outside and a few cool authors contributing usually manage to tempt me. However every time I end up kicking myself for wasting my time and money on a book filled with ten stories of which I only liked two.
Entangled however was an anthology I can honestly say I enjoyed. For a start there are four reasons to read this collection of stories.
1. Jennifer Estep
2. Nancy Haddock
3. Cynthia Eden
And the biggest reason of all...
4. All the proceeds of this book are going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Everyone has a story to tell when it comes to breast cancer. It has touched everyone's life at some point and it is a subject that we gals all have to be aware of. So I wouldn't have cared which authors were involved in this anthology. Entangled is a must buy. I totally admire the authors for adding their contributions to this book even though they wouldn't get paid. And they added such great stories!
After a foreword from Stacia Kane the anthology kicks off with a nice Frosty story from Jennifer Estep. I really enjoyed her first Mythos Academy book, Touch of Frost, so it was great to get another peek into this new world that Jennifer has created. It may be YA but it is very original and of course brilliantly written. This short story was too short for my liking but a nice taste of what is to come in book two of the series.
The anthology continues with quite a good selection of stories that all seem to have a Halloween feel to them in one way or another. Some of the contributions were better than others but there were a couple that stood out. Cynthia Eden didn't disappoint with her tale which included vampires, werewolves and a blood moon. While other stories introduced witches who add their magic to their cupcakes and can change people into cats. All in all it was a wonderful mixture of the paranormal and of course some great romance was included.
However my favourite story in this collection has to be the short story by Nancy Haddock. I am a fan of ghost hunter stories and Nancy hit the nail on the head with her contribution. I can only hope that the story will evolve into a full novel or series because it was super! It totally took me by surprise and for me it was the best of the bunch.
Buy this anthology. Not only is it full of great stories but it is all for a good cause. Entangled releases on the 12th of September and is only available in E-book formats. So read it on your computer or phone if you have to. Just give it a chance.
My guests this Sunday on Amberkatze's Book Blog are a few contributers to the anthology and they are giving away some copies of Entangled. So make sure you come check out the event!
Cynthia is a regular visitor to Amberkatze's Book Blog and it is always great to have her here as a guest. This time she was talking about her new release 'Never Cry Wolf' which is on my wishlist and hopefully a lot of yours too!
Didn't win this time? Make sure you add Cynthia's books to your wishlist or better yet your shopping basket! Also make sure you come back for more contests. There is another author prize up for grabs soon and the monthly giveaway will start tomorrow!
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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 won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!
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.
