113) Carniepunk by Various Authors

The Blurb :

The traveling carnival is a leftover of a bygone era, a curiosity lurking on the outskirts of town. It is a place of contradictions—the bright lights mask the peeling paint; a carnie in greasy overalls slinks away from the direction of the Barker’s seductive call. It is a place of illusion—is that woman’s beard real? How can she live locked in that watery box?

And while many are tricked by sleight of hand, there are hints of something truly magical going on. One must remain alert and learn quickly the unwritten rules of this dark show. To beat the carnival, one had better have either a whole lot of luck or a whole lot of guns—or maybe some magic of one’s own.

My Thoughts :

I have been looking forward to reading this anthology ever since I saw it advertised.  The author roll call on this one is enough to make any Paranormal Urban Fantasy lover pee their pants in excitement.  However as with every anthology you have to be prepared to hate a few and love a couple and ignore the rest.

PAINTED LOVE by Rob Thurman

This wasn't a great start for me.  After waiting so long to read this anthology this was not the beginning I was hoping for.  My constant love/hate relationship with these books was pushed to its limits and if it wasn't for the other brilliant authors that were to come I doubt I would have carried on reading the book.

I can see how some people would enjoy this story but I felt like I was missing something.  It all becomes clear in the end but I don't like this style and I wasn't too impressed with the content/plot.  Or I just went in with a bad attitude.  Whichever it was, this wasn't my favourite.

THE THREE LIVES OF LYDIA by Delilah S. Dawson

I have never heard of this author before and therefore do not know her work.  This story is set in the Blud Series and I have to admit that I was a little lost.  I have no idea what this series is about and found it a struggle to keep up with what was going on.  While I love short stories based in the worlds I know and love it is a real pain to find one in an anthology set in a world you have no experience with.

A little dark and dismal for my liking and once again a story that didn't make me feel like continuing with the rest of the collection.

THE DEMON BARKER OF WHEAT STREET by Kevin Hearne

I am new to the Iron Druid series and when I saw that this short story was set in the world 3 books further along than I am, well I wanted to cry a little.  You see I loved the first book and I am desperate to start the second, third, fourth etc and I was extremely worried that this snippet in the series would spoil things for me.  However I didn't need to worry because the author was kind enough not to ruin things for people like me.

There was Oberon and there was Granuaile.  It is nice to see that these two characters have managed to stay constant in the series and I look forward to seeing what they get up to.  In this story they are as I expected them to be.  Oberon was funny and thinking of poodles and sausages and Granuaile was being a naive apprentice.  Perfect!

All in all a great little story and I appreciated the lack of depth and location set away from Atticus' normal jaunts.  If you haven't read the series yet and want to see what the fuss is about then you will love this story and want more.  One of the best reads in this anthology.

THE SWEETER THE JUICE by Mark Henry

I have praised this author on many occasions in the past but I think Mark Henry was working his way through something (a keg? something more potent) when he wrote this story.  Transexuals, zombies and some other very weird and gross stuff was mixed up in one of the most confusing plots that I have ever come across.  I missed the carnival theme altogether as I prayed for this one to come to a quick end.  I hate to say it, but maybe this was even the worst of the bunch.

THE WEREWIFE by Jaye Wells

Jaye Wells is another author I have praised over the years and this story while not her best is still a nice addition to the anthology.  The idea of a wife changing into a werewolf once a month has more than a few jokes attached to it and sometimes it felt a little too much.  However the reason for her monthly problem and the way the story twists around is really quite cunning.  I liked this one and it was just what I needed after the previous story.

THE COLD GIRL by Rachel Caine

If you haven't read anything by this author then it is high time you do.  Rachel Caine is very well known in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre and her YA series about the Morganville Vampires is a cult hit.  So I wasn't surprised at the pace and feeling of this story.  It was deep, dark and somehow very real.  It had an amazing 'It could happen' feel then slipped into the paranormal element leaving me with goosebumps.

One of the best, if not very imaginative, stories in the book.  This was horror movie style YA and it was a nice change of pace in this mixed bag of stories.

A DUET WITH DARKNESS by Allison Pang

An Allison Pang book is either on my wishlist or hiding on my Kindle and I think I need to look for it soon.  While I had no idea about who and what Abby Sinclair is, I felt like I need to get to know her after reading this short story.  I would most likely have enjoyed it more if I was familiar with the series but alas, I had to trudge through.

This had a nice story and concept and it was definitely one of those reads that makes you want to get to know the author and series more.  Allison Pang will be getting some new readers because of this short story.

RECESSION OF THE DIVINE by Hillary Jaques

Yawn!  This story didn't do anything for me.  I didn't really understand what was going on most of the time and I have to admit I wasn't interested.  Nothing spoke to me and nothing grabbed my attention.  Even though I was curious about another new author I won't be checking on her other work.  Maybe this one will appeal to others but this fell flat for me.

PARLOR TRICKS Jennifer Estep

I had already read Parlor Tricks a while back when it was released as a preview for this anthology.  It is the story that really makes the Collection worth reading.  Jennifer's Elemental Assassin, Gin, and her sister Bria, take the reins in this short story finds them having a wonderful adventure worth reading about.  You don't need to know the series to read this one but if you haven't already read the series I have to wonder why not...

One of the best of the bunch and everything I expected from this well established author and her amazing series.

FREAK HOUSE by Kelly Meding

I am behind on my Kelly Meding reading and I have no idea why.  I was hoping this short story wouldn't ruin my place in her books and I was happy to find it didn't.  Actually I hope like mad that this is the start of a new series because it is really one I would love to read.

Great idea and super characters, I was hooked from the beginning right to the end.  This story was in my top three reads in the anthology.  Please give us more of this!

THE INSIDE MAN by Nicole Peeler

Although I have read all the Jane True books (except the latest release) I felt very confused while reading this book.  I couldn't place the characters and Jane doesn't make an appearance.  I recognised some of the elements of the series but didn't feel like I was in the same world.  The story was ok but it wasn't one I enjoyed that much and I could have easily skipped it.

A CHANCE IN HELL by Jackie Kessler

A surprise for me!  A story from the Hell on Earth series!  I thought this was over but maybe I have missed something?  Or Jackie is just teasing her loyal readers?  I love Jezebel and couldn't believe my luck when this story came along in the anthology.  I sucked it up and enjoyed it so much that I can only hope that there will be more Jez soon!   Of course if you haven't read this series it will not be exciting and amazing.  Actually you will feel, I am sure, quite lost.

HELL’S MENAGERIE by Kelly Gay

Another series I am behind on. Charlie Madigan is a character I liked a lot and I have no reason why I haven't visited her lately.  This short story was about her daughter Emma and was pretty mediocre compared to what I remember of the series.  An ok read but it didn't leave me rushing to go pick up the books I am missing.

DAUGHTER OF THE MIDWAY, THE MERMAID, AND THE OPEN LONELY SEA by Seanan McGuire

Another new author for me but one I have heard a lot about.  This story was a nice interesting one but I didn't really care too much for the characters.  It was however a nice change of pace.  Most of the stories in this collection were about people going to a carnival of some kind whereas this one was a carnival person having problems with townies.

In Conclusion

As per usual this anthology was a mixed bunch of tricks.  Where some stories shone out above the rest a lot of them dwindled in the dark and shouldn't have seen the light of day.  My love/hate relationship with anthologies continues and I promise myself not to pick another one up before Christmas.

If you like at least a third of the authors who contributed to this book then you can't help but get a copy.  There are some real treasures in here and you may even find some new authors to help fill your wishlist/shopping basket/bookshelves.  It is also a nice book to pass around to friends who aren't sure about those weird paranormal books you keep reading.

     

    

↑ Grab this Headline Animator        

          

111) As Lie the Dead by Kelly Meding

The Blurb -

Evangeline Stone, a rogue bounty hunter, never asked for a world divided between darkness and light . . .

. . . or the power to die and live again in someone else’s borrowed body. After a murder plot meant to take her out leaves an entire race of shapeshifters nearly extinct, Evy is gnawed by guilt. So when one of the few survivors of the slaughter enlists her aid, she feels duty-bound to help—even though protecting a frail, pregnant shifter is the last thing Evy needs, especially with the world going to hell around her.

Amid weres, Halfies, gremlins, vamps—and increasingly outgunned humans—a war for supremacy is brewing. With shifters demanding justice, her superiors desperate to control her, and an assassin on her trail, Evy discovers a horrifying conspiracy. And she may be the only person in the world who can stop it—unless, of course, her own side gets her first.

What I thought -

I will admit straight away that this book gave me a hard time. I nearly gave up on it a few times but my love of the first book kept me going. However don't think there was anything wrong with this book. I don't think there was. It was fast, furious and very paranormal. Action whipped from the pages and there were nice little twists and turns.

So why did I have a problem with it? I have no idea. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but I struggled to keep up with the plot and who was who. I even re-read pages because I thought I missed something important. Three Days to Dead was a brilliant debut and start to the series but something just didn't do it for me in this sequel.

I am going to keep this author on my radar because her writing style is great. Maybe there will be a third book in the series and I will love it. Who knows!? However if you have read the first book then you do need to check this one out. A lot of questions get answered and it would be a shame to miss that.

Kelly Meding Contest Winner!

So it is Sunday again and time to put you all out of your misery and tell you who won this weeks contest!

Author Kelly Meding was my guest this week and she was giving away a great prize! The winner will recieve a signed copy of "Three Days to Dead" as well as a pair of fun book-related buttons!

So who won?


Sue Brandes!!!


Congratulations to you! Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

There won't be an author interview or guest blog this week! I gave myself the week off ;) However the schedule for the next month or so is filling up so make sure you stop by on the following dates* to meet some amazing authors and win some cool prizes!

Stacey Jay - 17/1/10
Shirley Damsgaard - 24/1/10
Angie Fox - 31/1/10
Shelley Munro - 24/1/10
Terry Spear - 16/2/10

*All dates are subject to change!

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

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 and say which book your are claiming!

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 recieved 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.

Don't forget to enter!

Just a reminder!

Both the Monthly Giveaway and the Kelly Meding contest close for entries on Sunday! If you don't enter by 4pm (Central European Time) you won't have the chance to win some great book prizes!

So don't forget to vote and enter the Monthly Giveaway and read the guest blog and enter the Kelly Meding contest!

Good Luck!

Guest Blog & Contest with Kelly Meding

My first author guest of 2010 is Kelly Meding. Her debut book 'Three Days To Dead' is definitely on my list of highly recommended reads from 2009. I am looking forward to her next release and her future contribution to the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre.

Kelly was nice enough to send me a guest post to start of the year. Her post talks about her non Paranormal Urban Fantasy reads. So enjoy the post and make sure you enter the contest at the end. I am looking forward, as always, to reading your entries ;)



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

With 2009 behind me and 2010 looming brightly on the horizon, I took a look back at the things I read this year. I had set a goal for myself a year ago—read 100 novels/novellas in 2009. Thanks to the sage advice of my crit partner (who informed me that yes, my own books counted and so did the book I beta-read for her), I ended 2009 with 103 novels/novellas read. I'm very excited about this number, considering I also managed to write quite a bit, shepherd my debut novel through its release, and still work a part-time day job.

Reading is essential for a writer; reading widely even more so. With that in mind, I made a conscious effort this past year to expand my reading habits into other genres. The bulk of my reading these last few years was in urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Okay, so almost all of it. Branching out became very necessary, and I am so glad I did. I dabbled into historical romance for the first time, read a couple of biographies, and read YA for the first time in a long time. And many of these books were very, very good.

So here are my top 5 Non-UF/PNR Reads for 2009, in no particular order.

GOING TOO FAR, by Jennifer Echols. (YA) This is a contemporary YA about a troubled teenage girl and the unlikely (and unwanted) friendship she develops with a young police officer. The protagonist is sassy and snarky, without being unbearable, and I just wanted to take the hero home and cuddle him. This is a book that I thought about for days afterward. The characters were realistic and their problems not glossed over.

NEVER LET ME GO, by Kazuo Ishiguro. (Literary) Literary fantasy is the best I can do to describe this lovely and haunting tale of a very unusual boarding school. I saw a good review posted online and discovered it was being made into a movie, so I grabbed a copy. I couldn't put it down. From the lovely prose to the "what the hell is going on?" mystery, to the incredible use of flashbacks, it's a book I'm very glad to have read.

LUCKY, by Alice Sebold. (Memoir) To be fair, I started reading this in the summer of 2008. I don't know why I put it down for over a year, but I did. I suppose it was Sebold's frank and vivid depiction of her rape and its aftermath—she spared nothing and in retrospect, I'm grateful for that. I finally picked it up again in August '09 and read the last 2/3 in about a day. It's a rare book that makes me sob, but this one did. It was a good kind of sobbing, and I'm grateful Sebold had the strength to share such a heart-wrenching part of her life.

ONE WEEK AS LOVERS, by Victoria Dahl. (Historical Romance) It wasn't the first HR I read, but of the half-dozen so far, it's by and large my favorite. I like Alpha heroes, but I truly adore the Beta hero of this book and his interactions with the heroine. The story didn't get bogged down in lengthy descriptions of places or customs or how things were done "back then." Dahl tells a simple, exquisite tale of two childhood friends whose circumstances throw them together and the love that develops between them.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED LIFE, by K.A. Mitchell. (M/M) I stumbled onto Mitchell's work after reading a review for one of her other e-books, and the description of this one caught my eye. It's about the aftermath of a school shooting that leaves a student and the principal dead, and one heroic teacher wounded—a d a local hero for trying to stop the shooter. The twist—the wounded teacher, Sean, is gay, which thrusts him deeper into the media spotlight and makes the entire shooting about more than just school violence. Sean is also in a committed, six-year relationship with Kyle, and it's this relationship that's tested throughout the novel—by the media, by bigotry and hatred, and by his and Kyle's own methods of dealing with Sean's injury. Or not dealing with it. This tastefully and emotionally written tear-jerker made me an instant fan of Ms. Mitchell.

So that's my list. It was a great year for discovering new authors and new genres, and I can't wait to discover even more in 2010.

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

Contest Time!

A huge thank you to Kelly who said she will send the winner of this weeks contest a signed copy of "Three Days to Dead" as well as a pair of fun book-related buttons!

All you have to do to enter is tell us about some of your favourite Non-UF/PNR Reads in 2009

No favourite = No entry!

Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post of Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

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.

Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!

The contest will stay open until Sunday 10th of January 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

Good Luck!

207) Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding

Waking up naked on a cold slab in the morgue isn't a nice experience. Evangeline Stone finds herself in a stranger's body with no memory of how she got there. Her last days alive as Evageline are missing and she doesn't know who she can trust. However she does know that the trouble is just beginning. All this couldn't have happened for no reason and she is sure that no good can come of it.

The last thing Evy can remember is that the other two members of her Triad were killed while trying to clean up the city of vampires and other dregs. Soon Evy finds out that she was the main suspect in their murders and was obviously set up in more ways than one. Now Evy has a new body and the time she has left in it is quickly fading. Piecing together the last days of her life isn't easy and trying to solve your own murder isn't a walk in the park. However when Evy finds out who is behind everything, they won't see her coming.

The blurb for this book gave me goosebumps and I proclaimed it a must buy. While waiting for the book to arrive I only found good reviews about this one and my eagerness to read it grew. Now after I have finished reading Three Days to Dead I have to say a big 'WOW'.

This debut opens up a whole new world. The fresh and unique concept is not only interesting but well thought out. Great characters, amazing plot and action packed pages is what awaits the reader of this new paranormal writing genius. Who knew that there was still something different left out there? The Genre is just getting more and more diverse and exciting!

Now I am left intrigued about what will come next. Kelly Meding has created something good and I hope the next book in the series will keep the pace and not make this a one time fluke. If you are feeling the boredom of the usual Urban Paranormal Fantasy books and need some new life in your reading then this is the one to check out!

Winner Time!

Two winners to announce today!

Up first is the winner of the Teal Ceagh Contest. The lucky winner will get an e-book copy of Beth's Acceptance, the very hot first installment of the Destiny’s Trinities series.

So Congrats to -


Linda Henderson!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

And next up is the winner of the Monthly Giveaway! The lucky newsletter subscriber who wins this months contest gets a copy of Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding. I still haven't gotten to this one yet but I am dying to start it. Only a few more chapters of the book I am on and then I am done with it and can finally move on to Kelly's debut book.

Anyway the winner of the November Monthly Giveaway is the subscriber with the email address that starts with -


annettekz2!!!


Congrats to both winners!

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 the prize is an E-book then make sure you email me from the e-mail address you want 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. 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 recieved 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.

Oh and don't forget to vote in the 1st Urban Fantasy Cover Art Awards 2009! There are alot of prizes to win and all you have to do is vote for the best covers from 2009.

Make sure you stop by...I took part the nominating ;)

Contest reminder!

The results of the Monthly Giveaway are in! The book that got the most votes was Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding with 28%! I haven't read the book yet...but I plan on doing so over the weekend. I can't wait! It looks great!

The Monthly Giveaway winner will be drawn on Sunday. So you still have a few days to enter and win a copy of Kelly Meding's debut book. Check here to find out more!

Another contest that closes on Sunday is the Teal Ceagh giveaway! You could win a copy of Beth's Acceptance. Just make sure you go and comment to be entered in the draw.

Have a nice weekend!

November Monthly Giveaway!

It is time for the Monthly Giveaway to open! Last month there was a trick and a treat winner but this month there will just be the usual one winner.

How does the monthly giveaway work? Well in the sidebar <--- there is a 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 winner will be announced on Sunday the 6th of December at 4pm. The poll will stay open for votes until 4pm on Friday 4th of December (all times are in Central European Time).  What books are up for grabs this month? Vote for one of the following new releases -

Bound to Shadows by Keri Arthur - I haven't read this yet but the latest Riley Jenson is bound to be good!

Apocalypse Happens by Lori Handeland - Just read the third book in this amazing series and I can't wait for more!

Demon Ex Machina by Julie Kenner
- A great new edition to the Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series. Not to be missed!

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding - After seeing the blurb for this one I couldn't resist ordering it. Keep a look out for my review as I haven't read this yet.

Tainted by Julie Kenner - This author makes two appearances in this months poll because she has so many new releases out! I haven't read this one yet either but the review should be coming sometime this week!

Make sure you enter the monthly giveaway to win!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner