The Monthly Giveaway is my chance to offer you guys the opportunity to win a copy of one of my favourite reads from the previous month.
I choose five books and with your votes we narrow it down to one. The book with the most votes is the prize and if you are a subscriber to Amberkatze's Book Blog then you could be the winner!
The July Monthly Giveaway had a great selection of books and it is time to see which one you wanted to win! Here are the results :
The wonderful Paranormal Cozy Mystery wasn't a huge hit. Haunting Jordan By P.J. Alderman came in last place with 11.48% of the votes. I hope you all still give this one a try though! You may just be pleasantly surprised!
Didn't win this time? There will be another Monthly Giveaway at the end of this month. If you already are a Newsletter Subscriber then you are automatically entered into each Monthly Giveaway! Just make sure you check in and vote for the book you want the most!
Check the sidebar ----> for this weeks contest!
Make sure you check out the books that were on offer. Order from the links below and help Amberkatze's Book Blog keep running the Giveaways!
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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.
I managed to read a few more books than usual in July but I am still way behind on my goal to read 200 books in 2011. However I hope you have enjoyed adding my recommendations to your wishlists! Maybe even treated yourself to one or two?
Want to win one of the books I read in July? Well now you can! It is time for the Monthly Giveaway! You have the chance to vote for which book you want to win from my five favourite reads in July!
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 -
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 Saturday 13th of August 2011 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced later that day.
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 ;)
Blood Secrets is the second book in the Blood Series and I absolutely loved it! I hope you all enjoyed the interview and have added both of her books to your wishlist or shopping basket! They are a Paranormal Urban Fantasy lovers delight!
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.
When Alex and Varik discover a carefully handcrafted doll at a crime scene, neither of them can see how close the danger really is or that a killer known as the Dollmaker has made Alex the object of his horrific desire. Now the only way out of the Dollmaker’s lair is through the twilight realm of the Shadowlands, where all secrets—for better or worse—will be revealed.
My Review :
Blood Secrets is Jeannie Holmes second book about Alex Sabian and the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigation. The first book, Blood Law, was one of my favourite reads in 2010 and I have been eagerly awaiting this second part. Now I am not sure if Blood Secrets will make it into my best reads of 2011 but it is definitely going to be a strong runner-up. As a sequel it is top notch but sometimes I got the impression that it was trying too hard to beat the debut.
All in all Blood Secrets is an amazing read. If you have ever read and enjoyed any Crime Mystery/Thrillers like Tess Gerritsen then you will absolutely love this series. The plot can be brutal and a little stomach turning at times but it helps keep the story on the right track. After all a novel about hunting a serial killer that doesn't include any blood or brutality would be pretty boring.
Some people may get put off by the change of POV in this series but to be honest I find it very refreshing. Listening to the same character all the way through a book can get a little old and this series started that way and I hope it will continue along that route. It is nice to see what the other characters are thinking and what they are up to. This is going to be especially helpful in book three after Alex's ordeal in this second book. I don't want to give anything away but I am pretty sure I will need the help of the other characters to remember what happened and when.
The continuation of Alex's and Varik's relationship problems was sometimes interesting but it was also a little boring at times. The author has ended this book with a nice twist to things regarding these two characters but I hope it doesn't draw out too much. Alex's abilities to go to the spiritual realm is something I am not too sure about. It worked for the plot in this second book but it seems to be too much. Although the meetings with her father and that particular story arc has really captured my interest in this series.
Deep and dark this is a great Paranormal Urban Fantasy that will appeal to lovers of Jennifer Estep, Yasmine Galenorn and Jaye Wells. The series is staying on my must read list and I can't wait to see what happens in Book three. If Blood Secrets sounds good but you haven't read Blood Law yet then make sure you start at the beginning. This isn't a series you can just pick up and start anywhere.
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 ;)
If you haven't already tried Blood Law then I can only recommend it highly and hope you give it a try. However if you feel like getting to know the series and author a little better first then you may just enjoy this interview with Jeannie Holmes or the new interview below!
Oh and anyone who fancies a signed copy of Blood Secrets should make sure they enter this weeks contest!!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your new release Blood Secrets?
Jeannie - Alexandra Sabian is dealing with the fallout of turning rogue in the first book, Blood Law, and has been suspended from the FBPI. When a local college student disappears, she's given a chance to prove the Bureau Tribunal that she's not a risk to the vampire community. She takes the assignment even thought it means working with Varik Baudelaire again. However, neither of them knows the extent of the danger they're facing when a killer known as the Dollmaker takes an unnatural interest in Alex.
Amber - Blood Secrets is the second book in the Blood Series. What can we expect from the new installment and what do we have to watch out for?
Jeannie - Readers can expect to see a progression in Alex's relationship with Varik. They're becoming more comfortable with one another and are working through the issues that drove them apart. Readers will find out more about Varik, his past, and why he does some of the things he does. There is also more information about the vampire community and how it functions. As for what to watch out for -- I don't want to give away spoilers but there are a few twists that may really surprise readers.
Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?
Jeannie - For the most part, names come to me with the characters so I don't really pick them. Alexandra is a name I've always liked and means "defender of the people." Since Alex is an Enforcer and charged with protecting the vampire community, it fits her well. Varik means "honorable defender," which fits his character. Yes, he's a bit of an ass at times, but he means well and really tries to protect Alex even when she doesn't want his help.
Amber - Will there be more books in the series? Are you working on anything else?
Jeannie - I have more books planned and books three and four are plotted. I'm not actively writing book three yet since I'm working on a couple of other projects but will be returning to Jefferson, Mississippi soon.
Amber - What kind of research have you done for your books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?
Jeannie - I've done a ton of research and very little of it is boring, or at least I don't find it boring. I've researched forensics and spoken to law enforcement officers so I can make much of what Alex does as realistic as possible. The wildest bit of research I've ever done was to spend a twelve hour shift riding shotgun with a patrol officer on a Saturday night. It's an experience I will never forget, and I have a deeper level of respect for all law enforcement.
Amber - Is there a paranormal creature you just don't like, and would never use in your books?
Jeannie - I'm not a huge fan of zombies. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and other supernatural beasties don't really bother me, but there's something about zombies that really creeps me out. I won't say I'll never use them but they're pretty low on my list.
Amber - What paranormal creatures are you dying to fit into a story but you haven't managed to fit in yet?
Jeannie - I recently learned of the Mongolian "death worm" and am dying to use it! I've been doing a lot of research into Asian mythology and the "death worm" sounded too cool. It supposedly lives in the in Gobi Desert, grows 2-4 feet long, and sprays acid on its victims. It's not really paranormal but it more of a cryptid -- a legendary creature that's existence is yet to be confirmed by science -- like Bigfoot.
Amber - A lot of authors are writing now in both adult and YA genres. Have you considered writing a YA book?
Jeannie - I have considered it, but I think most authors have because the explosion of books in that market. Will I write a YA book? I won't rule it out.
Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately?
Jeannie - I haven't been watching much of anything lately. My husband and I decided to disconnect out cable television because it was too great of a distraction. As for reading, I read Kim Harrison's latest installment of the Rachel Morgan series, Neal Shusterman's UNWIND on the recommendation of a friend, and am currently re-reading Joseph Conrad's classic, HEART OF DARKNESS.
Amber - And to finish, If you could be any famous person, alive or dead, who would you be? and why?
Jeannie - That's a tough question. I enjoy being me so it's hard for me to imagine being someone else. However, I do think Anna Paquin has a pretty sweet deal being surrounded by all the men of True Blood so trading places with her for a day might not be so bad.
Amber - Thanks for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog again!
Jeannie – My pleasure and thanks for inviting me!
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Contest Time!
Jeannie is giving away a signed copy of Blood Secrets!! Woot!
How To Enter
Trueblood started back up last week. Have you been watching the series? What has surprised and shocked you? What is missing and who could you do without?
Not watching Trueblood? What are you watching then????
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!
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 10th of July 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.
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!
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 :
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!
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!
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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.
Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!
Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)
2010 is over and instead of doing a December Monthly Giveaway I have decided to do a Best of 2010 Giveaway!
I have painstakingly gone through all my reads from last year and picked out 10 books that, for me, stood out and I would say were the best. Of course there are about 30 more I would have loved to add to this list but I have limited myself to ten and wow it was hard work!
If the book has (Series) next to it then the winner can also choose another book in that series if they are missing it (Unless I can't get hold of it from bookdepository or Amazon). I have done this because some of the books I read eg. Spider's Bite and Soulless were a part of a series that had more recent release in 2010. Also it is actually the whole series I loved so I just picked one book ;)
What is the Best of 2010 Giveaway?
I have picked ten of my favourite reads from 2010 (sorry no ARCs are included!) and now 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.
Here is a little info about each book on offer (in no particular order!). Just click on the book title and author to see my review -
Well in the sidebar <--- there is this poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. Because this is the end of year giveaway I am actually going to give away a copy of the top three books! So the three books with the most votes will be the prizes. The winners get to pick which one they want from the three on a first come first served basis. So if your name is one of the three winners picked...be fast and email me your choice ;)
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 16th of January 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced later than day.
For more chances to win -
Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.
Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your 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 ;)
