19) The Ghost Train to New Orleans by Mur Lafferty

The Blurb :

Could you find a museum for a monster?
Or a jazz bar for a jabberwock?

Zoe Norris writes travel guides for the undead. And she's good at it too—her new-found ability to talk to cities seems to help. After the success of The Shambling Guide to New York City, Zoe and her team are sent to New Orleans to write the sequel.

Work isn't all that brings Zoe to the Big Easy. The only person who can save her boyfriend from zombism is rumored to live in the city's swamps, but Zoe's out of her element in the wilderness. With her supernatural colleagues waiting to see her fail, and rumors of a new threat hunting city talkers, can Zoe stay alive long enough to finish her next book?

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the Shambling Guide to New York and have been eagerly awaiting the release of this sequel.  Recently I haven't been able to pick up my Kindle as often as I would like but this is the book I have been grasping at every time I got the chance to.  As soon as it arrived on my Kindle I started it and couldn't wait to see what happened to Zöe this time around and how the author would continue the crazy but amazing paranormal tale she started in the first book.

If you are fed up of the usual vampire, werewolf and ghost Paranormal Urban Fantasy thing then you really need to try the Shambling Guides series.  The first book already showed how unique it was but this second book only builds and enforces the originality of the series.  Totally different to anything else I have been reading this is a sight for sore eyes.  Fresh and fabulous the general story, characters and concept are just wonderful.

This time around the Shambling Guides crew of writers are, as the title of the book promises, off to New Orleans on a Ghost Train.  There are some interesting revelations in this book and there are some very cool developments regarding to Zöe's abilities.  I have to say that I wasn't really impressed with Zöe's relationship with Arthur and welcomed all the decisions the author made about this aspect of the story.  I enjoyed the trip to New Orleans and finding out more about the Supernatural elements and found the new bits and pieces to be fun and intriguing.

Want something new and different then look no further.  The Shambling Guides, courtesy of Mur Lafferty, show that there is still some pretty cool ideas out there and they are being offered up to us, the lovers of everything paranormal.   Make sure you start with the first Shambling Guide to know what is what, who is who and why everything is happening.  Otherwise just curl up and enjoy the trip!





 

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Monthly Giveaway Results & Winner Announcement!

The Monthly Giveaway is now closed for entries!

Hopefully you already voted and entered!  If you didn't then you missed out and will have to wait till next month for the next giveaway.  If you subscribe to the blog you won't miss your chance.  See below and make sure you link yourself to Amberkatze's Book Blog via Newsletter, Facebook or Twitter.

Anyway I had five super choices on offer for this Monthly Giveaway!! It is now time to see who has won a copy of one of my favourite reads in May?  Oh and we need to see which book won!

Drop Dead Beauty (A Ghost Dusters Mystery #5) by Wendy Roberts came in last!  Poor thing!  I really love this series and I am sure the fact it is only available as an e-book puts a lot of people off!


Fourth place goes to Full Blooded (Jessica McClain #1) by Amanda Carlson.  This is a new series for me and I really enjoyed this debut book.  Hopefully you will all check it out even if you didn't want to win it.


One of the most original books I have read in a long time only made it to third place. The Shambling Guide to New York City (The Shambling Guides #1) by Mur Lafferty is a must read and I can't wait for the next part in this wonderful new series.


There was a bit of a fight for the top three places this month and everytime I checked there was a different book in the lead.  However now that the vote is over and done with A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses (Half Moon Hollow #2) by Molly Harper only managed to hold on to second place.  This is also a must read book and if you haven't check out this author yet then you should be ashamed of yourself! ;)


So that means that this months winner is Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales #2) 
by Jocelynn Drake!  I actually didn't expect anything else to win.  This is a surperb series and I can not recommend it enough.  Well done Jocelynn!

Who won? 

Did you enter the giveaway?  Check the Rafflecopter widget below and see if you have won!  Didn't win this time?  Try again next time and make sure you add these amazing reads to your wishlist or shopping basket!

Your name is showing?  Then send me an email and claim your prize!   You have won a copy of Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake!

If you are claiming the prize, please make sure you tell me if you would like a paperback copy or Kindle copy.  Also make sure to send the correct mailing address or Email address.

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! 
 Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

  

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Monthly Giveaway Reminder!

The Monthly Giveaway is in full swing!  Have you already voted and entered?

I am feeling very lucky to have already read the five books on offer this month because to be honest it is a hard choice!  Which one do you want to win?  Here are the links to the books on offer :


Full Blooded (Jessica McClain #1) 
by Amanda Carlson


Drop Dead Beauty (A Ghost Dusters Mystery #5) 
by Wendy Roberts (e-book version only!)


The Shambling Guide to New York City 
(The Shambling Guides #1) 
by Mur Lafferty


Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales #2) 
by Jocelynn Drake


A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses (Half Moon Hollow #2) 
by Molly Harper



To pick which book you would most like to win just go vote in this poll.  Then enter via the giveaway widget.

You still have a few days left until the rafflecopter widget stops taking entries.  So make sure you check to see if you have won or even if you can earn more entries.

Not sure how the giveaway works?  Want to know more?  Just check out the original Monthly Giveaway posting!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Newsletter 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 Monday 22nd of June 2013 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced within days of the contest closing.

Enter your email address:   Delivered by FeedBurner

Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! 
 Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

  

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Monthly Giveaway! Vote & Win!

June is here and I am already dreaming of a nice long reading holiday this Summer.  Unfortunately I doubt the Summer will be filled with reading but just more work!

Anyway I am happy to say that I read more books last month!  Also some of the books I read were really amazing reads!  That means I have five super choices to offer you guys for the Monthly Giveaway!!

So who wants to win a copy of one of my favourite reads in May? Keep reading and find out more!

Every month here on Amberkatze's Book Blog there is a Monthly Giveaway

What is the Monthly Giveaway? 

You have the chance to vote for which book you want to win from my five favourite reads from last month!

I pick five of my favourite reads from the last month (sorry no ARCs are included unless they have already been released!) 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 :



Full Blooded (Jessica McClain #1) 
by Amanda Carlson


Drop Dead Beauty (A Ghost Dusters Mystery #5) 
by Wendy Roberts (e-book version only!)


The Shambling Guide to New York City (The Shambling Guides #1) 
by Mur Lafferty


Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales #2) 
by Jocelynn Drake


A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses (Half Moon Hollow #2) 
by Molly Harper

How does the monthly giveaway work?

Well in the sidebar ---> there is this poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. Then enter the Monthly Giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. When the giveaway is over the winner gets book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Newsletter 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 Monday 22nd of June 2013 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced within days of the contest closing.

Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! 
 Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

 

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67) The Shambling Guide to New York by Mur Lafferty

The Blurb :

A travel writer takes a job with a shady publishing company in New York, only to find that she must write a guide to the city - for the undead!

Because of the disaster that was her last job, Zoe is searching for a fresh start as a travel book editor in the tourist-centric New York City. After stumbling across a seemingly perfect position though, Zoe is blocked at every turn because of the one thing she can't take off her resume --- human.

Not to be put off by anything -- especially not her blood drinking boss or death goddess coworker -- Zoe delves deep into the monster world. But her job turns deadly when the careful balance between human and monsters starts to crumble -- with Zoe right in the middle.


My Thoughts :

Just looking at the cover for this book made me want to read it.  The dragon on top of the Empire State building and that guy with a tail are just some of the little clues to what lies inside the pages of this debut in the Shambling Guides series.  If you read the blurb there is no going back because the promise of a monster world in New York is just too good of a thing to pass up on.

The world the author builds in this book is just amazing and on many occasions I found myself thinking of Shanna Swendson's Enchanted Inc Series which is also set in New York and has some cool fantasy aspects and creatures.  However this book isn't as romantic and doesn't have a chick-lit feel to it.  The Shambling Guide has a sophisticated fantasy feel with a 'it could be me' leading lady being swallowed up by a world she knew nothing about.  Zöe falls into a "rabbit hole" and finds out that vampires, golems, dragons and much much more exsist among normal human beings.  Finding out everything with her is exciting and gripping.  I couldn't put the book down.

I loved so much about this book!  From the interesting characters, strange and wonderful supernaturals and the location, it just had a bit of everything that I like and crave in a book.  The well thought out plot kept me reading and the small snippets from the Shambling guide at the end of each chapter sometimes made me giggle (NYC visitors will get the refrences better than others) and often made me go 'Ahhh' because it just all fit together so nicely with the story.

While the story developed I found myself getting pulled further into the world.  The idea of a monster world hiding among us is plausible and could just be real.  The author did a great job of making it realistic by adding details of the city and paying attention to how everything would fit together.

Now I will patiently wait for the next installment.  The ending promises a next Shambling Guide and I hope there will be one.  The author has created a very special place within New York and it would be great to see what she does with other cities.  It will also be good to see what Zöe gets up to next and how her relationships with both the coterie and her fellow humans develop.

If you haven't been to NYC yet then you certainly will want to pay it a visit after reading the Shambling Guide.  However I don't suggest using this guide when you go there, unless you are in fact coterie.  The Guide releases later this month and is a fantastic read that I can only highly recommend you give a go!