Clue Meets Bewitched and Nancy Drew With a Touch of Hex!
It was all planned. A weekend away at an exclusive hotel in the Hollywood Hills where vampire PI Nick planned to have some alone time with his hexy honey, Jazz.
Except Stonegate Manor isn’t what it appears to be.
Jazz isn’t impressed. The hotel doesn’t boast spa facilities and that seriously upset magick bunny slippers Fluff and Puff. A celebutante psychic is seriously ticking her off. And what’s going on with the rooms? Not to mention the old-fashioned bellhop is a zombie.
Where’s the romance with a kitchen that doubles as a slaughterhouse, guests turning into dry husks, and rooms that change in the wink of an eye. And what exactly is going on with the hotel manager?
There’s no relaxation this hellish weekend for Jazz and Nick as they search for clues on what’s going on at Stonegate Manor. And Jazz goes up against an ancient evil that just might be more than this hexy witch can handle.
My Thoughts :
This book is shown to be the fifth in the Jazz Tremaine series and therefore something I couldn't miss out on. Anyone who has read these amazing books will know that they are too good to pass up on. However it turned out that this was more of a short story than a full length novel. As it is only available as an e-book I am not sure how many pages it has but it was a pretty quick read.
So not only was I let down by the length of this book but also the content. Yes there was Jazz, Nick and Magick Bunny Slippers but the story was just awful. The concept sounded great and I was eager to read it but as things progressed I stared to find nothing of the cool and wacky aspects of the series I have come to know and love. Just a witch who kept on moaning she couldn't feel anything.
The story came across as a mix of some well known horror movies and TV shows thrown together in a paranormal story. It came across as rushed and not well thought out. I often had the sense of deja vu and I am pretty sure the characters repeated actions on many occasions with no advancement in the story.
By the time I realised that I didn't want to know how things ended it was too late. The full length novel I expected already showed as being half read on my Kindle and I forced myself to read the rest. No giggles and nothing of interest happened and I was let feeling annoyed about the whole thing.
I hate giving bad reviews but this is one I won't be recommending. I feel a little cheated by this one and quite deflated. I may have had some high expectations but usually they are met by this author and this time they just weren't. Please however don't be put off! Read any of the other amazing books by this author (see Amazon widget below!) They are totally and utterly amazing reads. However I will tread more lightly before I go rushing off to visit those Magick Bunny Slippers again.
Didn't win this time? Still check out Linda's books! Also make sure you enter this weeks contest with author Terri Garey! Oh and at some point this week I will starting the January Monthly Giveaway! Make sure you check in and vote!
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.
My author guest this week is the wonderful Linda Wisdom!
Linda stopped by to answer my questions about her latest book, her witchy characters and what the future holds! Have you checked out the interview yet?
When you get to the bottom of the interview make sure you a) order some of Linda's delicious books and b) enter the contest to win a copy of her latest release, A Demon Does It Better!
The contest is open till Sunday so you still have a few days left to enter!
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
Author Linda Wisdom is practically a regular guest here on Amberkatze's Book Blog. So when I got to read an advance copy of her new release I couldn't resist asking her back on to the blog.
A Demon does it Better is, like all Linda's witchy books, a super read. I can only highly recommend Linda's books and hope that you will give them a go. Actually why not check out this interview and get a feel for the author and the books. Maybe even win a copy of the new release?
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Amber - Welcome back to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here again as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your second book in the Demon Series, A Demon Does It Better?
Linda – Readers met Lili in wallmails in previous books. It was time for her story. With her being a doctor I wanted to show what the medical field would be like for pretenaturals. From the beginning I knew the asylum would be a part of it. I would have loved to have input more of the medical part, but with a romance you have to concentrate on the main characters. Who knows, maybe a novella will come out of it.
Amber - How did you come up with the idea for A Demon Does It Better? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?
Linda – One of my favorite movies is Boris Karloff’s Bedlam. A sign of my demented mind. I always thought using an old hospital in a book would be interesting. Lili’s story worked perfectly for it. I wanted to show an asylum of the past mingled with a hospital of the present. Also an alternate plain where the supernaturals had their own community. And a hint of mystery to go with it. I can’t say it all clicked in my head, but it settled in scene by scene.
Amber - I like how you keep visiting or mentioning the characters from your previous demon/witch books. Will any of them ever come back into the limelight again?
Linda – Yes and not just flash fiction on my blog. I hope to write some novellas for them and who knows, maybe even another book if the right idea comes to mind.
Amber - There were a few new characters in A Demon Does It Better. Will we see any of them again in future books?
Linda – Oh yes. I love bringing characters back in ‘cameo’ roles. Plus it gives the readers a glimpse into what they’re doing now.
Amber - Cleo was a hoot! Is it hard to come up with new fun sidekicks for your witches?
Amber - A Demon does it Better had some medical and magical aspects to it. Do you research these areas or use your imagination?
Linda – It was a combination of research and my imagination. I researched Bedlam for the asylum and tried to mix modern and the old togethere.
Amber - Will there be more books in the series? Which witch will lead the next book?
Linda – Absolutely! Do you think the witches will let me stop now? I will be putting Thea’s book titled Guns ‘N Hexes up myself and Jazz and Nick will have an e-novella, Hotel Hex.
Amber - Are you working on any other projects? Do you want to try writing Young Adult like so many other authors?
Linda – I have written a YA urban fantasy. While the editors loved it, sadly, they didn’t love it enough, so I’ll be putting the book up myself. I’ve put up some of my backlist books as ebooks and more will be going up on a weekly basis. They’re found on Amazon, BN and Smashwords along with www.joyridebooks.com
Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?
Linda – Sometimes I think they name themselves. The hardest part is coming up with their birth name. Then I look for the name and meaning that fits their personality.
Amber - How do you come up with the titles for your books? Do you always go with the first title or is it hard to come up with the right one?
Linda – Actually, my publisher comes up with the titles.
Amber - How long on average does it take you to write a book? Do you have a process you follow? Or do you just start at page one and see what happens?
Linda – I’ve always been a pantser writer. I start at page one but many times I might be a third of the way through the book and know how the ending has to be, so I’ll write it then.
Amber - Are you a full time writer or do you have a day job? If yes, how do you divide your time?
Linda – I’ve been a full time writer since 1980. My boss fired me when I sold my first two books. Talk about incentive to keep on writing!
Amber - What have you been reading, watching and listening to lately? Any recommendations?
Linda – I’m reading Faith Hunter’s Raven Crossed and then on to Yasmine Galenorn’s. My latest TV addiction is The Big Bang Theory. I can’t imagine I haven’t watched it all this time! Love the show and even have a Soft Kitty t-shirt. Plus I enjoy Grimm and Once Upon A Time for new shows. I’m always looking for new Celtic and Zydeco music. Both tend to spice my imagination.
Amber - Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?
Linda – I would say my mom. She was always a cheerleader. Funny story. When I first sold I was telling everyone “I’m an author.” Mom told me I need to be careful, that it could be considered bragging. A few years later we were having lunch out and Mom looked across the restaurant. She saw a woman reading my book and next thing I knew she was out of her chair and telling the woman “My daughter wrote that book. Do you want her to sign it?” Obviously, it’s okay for moms to brag. :} A Demon Does it Better is dedicated to her memory and a longtime friend, Beverly Barton.
Amber - If you could live anywhere in the world. Where would you live?
Linda – Hm, that’s a toughie since there’s a few places I’d love to go to. My Irish roots seem to call to me more and more, so I think Ireland.
Amber - Thanks for stopping by again!
Linda - Thank you for having me! It’s always fun here.
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A DEMON DOES IT BETTER BY LINDA WISDOM – IN STORES JANUARY 2012
A madhouse is not place for a curious witch…
After more than a century, Doctor Lili Carter, witch healer extraordinaire, has returned to San Francisco and taken a job at Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum, where something peculiar and wicked I shappening. Patients are disappearing, and Lili wants to know why.
And double dangerous for a demon…
Lili finds herself undeniably attracted to perhaps the most mysterious patient of all—a demented but seriously sexy demon named Jared. What’s behind the gorgeous chameleon demon’s late-night escapades?
Before long, Lili and Jared are investigating each other—and creating a whole new kind of magic.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Wisdom has published more than 70 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide including traditional, paranormal, humor, action/adventure romance, and romantic suspense. Her bestselling books have been nominated for RT Book Reviews awards and the Romance Writers of America Rita Award. She lives with her husband in Murrieta, California. For more information, please visit her website.
There are 2 copies of A Demon Does It Better up for grabs! 2 winners, 1 international winner and 1 US/Canada only winner (Please add US/CAN or EURO to your entry!)
How To Enter
Who is your favourite witch? TV, Film or book?
No Answer = 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!
Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?
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 5th of February 2012 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.
Lovely witch Lili Carter takes a job at a paranormal hospital where patients have been disappearing. There she encounters Jared, a dangerously sexy demon on a mission that gets Lili into a world of trouble. Lili can't avoid Jared for long and soon they find themselves creating a whole new kind of magick...
My Review :
I loved Linda Wisdom's fun witchy books and even though the series has moved over to 'demons' and has lost the cool comic covers, it is still a hit with me. A Demon does it better is the newest installment and this time we get introduced to a witch called Lili and a demon called Jared. Both are mysterious and fun characters to get to know and their relationship throughout the book makes for great reading.
What the author manages to do with the rest of the story is just amazing. She not only manages to create some super background characters but she also brings in yet another excellent side-kick. Fluff and Puff are obviously the best so far but Cleo holds her own as Lili's cat familiar. She definitely adds some giggles to the whole story and I loved her just as much as the main characters.
The plot is very interesting this time around and with Lili being a doctor you are treated to a bit of Grey's Anatomy and House style drama mixed with the paranormal. The idea is once again unique and I love the way the author either brings in former characters or at least mentions them. Despite this being a new series the other witches that were mentioned back in the Jazz books are making themselves known here. So fans of Jazz really need to check out these new books.
So in conclusion, don't be put off by the change of series name or cover style. This is Linda Wisdom at her best and expanding on the Jazz Tremaine books she is so well known for. Full of paranormal delights, mystery and romance there is also a lot of fun and laughs waiting inside this book. I can only highly recommend it and say how much I eager for more.
*** A Demon does it Better is due for release on the 1st of January ***
The Monthly Giveaway is now closed for votes and entries! It is time to see which book got the most votes and which lucky subscriber has won a copy of the winning book!
Sorry these results are a day late! Too much work and not enough play ;) So without further ado let's have a look which book you all want to win & read the most!
I hope all the five books made it to your wishlists or even your shopping baskets! However one lucky subscriber to Amberkatze's Book Blog wins a copy of the winning book, Dark Descendant by Jenna Black !
The Winner!
So congrats to the subscriber with the email address beginning with :
wildthing309!!!
Didn't win this time? There will be another Monthly Giveaway when May is over!
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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.
If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!
Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)
Have you entered your name into the April Monthly Giveaway yet? There are five books to vote for and the lucky winner of the draw wins the book with the most votes. If you add your name to the hat it will be there forever! That means you could win anytime!
Make sure you vote and enter your name by Tuesday 10th of May. Vote for the book you would like to see win by clicking your choice on the poll in the sidebar <---
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!
My author guest last week was Linda Wisdom! Now the contest ended on Sunday but I have been away over Easter and didn't have much internet access! So I apologise for not getting the winner announced sooner!
So with no further delay I will say congrats to :
Mariee!!
Find out how to claim your prize below!
Didn't win this time? Then keep trying! There are two author contests still open for entries!
Want to try Linda's books? Order a copy using the links to Amazon or Bookdepository!
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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. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.
If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.
Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.
Never miss out on a new Author Event, Contest or Book Review! Subscribe Now!
Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)
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!
If you enter the contest this week you may just win your own copy of Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend. So make sure you check it out after reading the guest blog!
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Witches and Demons, Oh My!
Thank you Amber for having me here!
For the past year my fans have written me with ‘where are the rest of the Hex books? Why are you writing a new series?’
First, the Hex books are still going strong. Second, it’s a new series, yet now.
When my editor met Declan, the super hot demon, she wanted to change the look of the series. That’s why the new cover and title. But the witches are still there. Maggie, who readers met in Hex in High Heels, is back in Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend. As a team leader for the Hellion Guard, badass protectors for the supernaturals. They’re always on duty magick in their blood, fangs, paws, and claws ready to do the job. Oh yes, don’t mess with the Hellion Guard!
And now Maggie’s dealing with her attraction to underground club owner, and half fire demon, Declan, the abrupt guardianship of a fifteen-year-old girl whose death due to an ancient Mayan and demon curse would destroy the world, and hm, isn’t that enough?
While magick bunny slippers Fluff and Puff love nothing more than donning camo, this time is diamond covered black widow spider Elle who watches Maggie’s back and spends her free time surfing the web looking for the right hex to keep her lovers alive.
As always there’s a variety of creatures populating Maggie’s world. Caffeine guzzling ferrets who are the Hellion Guard Compound’s messengers, Seers who look as if they’re still living in the 1960s, vampires, trolls, brownies, and Fae, oh my!
I wanted a roller coaster ride of a book and I hope you see it that way. This series has evolved with each book. I’ve brought a new witch to life showing another part of their world and given them a sexy guy to fall in love with.
But since it can’t be all easy, I’ve also given them challenges, villains to battle, creature sidekicks that don’t always make their lives easy, and the mention of basic food groups known as coffee and chocolate.
Isn’t it fun to lose yourself with a world where pretty much anything can happen? For a few hours you can forget about the laundry piling up, a dinner menu that needs to come to mind, and does that room really need a good cleaning right now?
I hope you’ll take some time for yourself with a book in hand and what can I say? If it’s mine, I’ll be happy. If not, I’ll still be happy as long as you’re doing some ‘me’ time.
So tell me, do you take that me time? And what do you do with it?
Linda
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Contest Time
Linda is being really generous and is giving away two copies of her new book 'Demons are a Girl's Best Friend'! So two lucky people will get a copy of this fantastic read!
How To Enter
Linda already asked the question at the end of her guest blog! Do you take that me time? And what do you do with it?
No question = 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 24th of April 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.
