43) Ink & Bone by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…

My Thoughts :

I don't know what I expected from Ink & Bone but it definitely wasn't what I got.  A follower of Rachel Caine, I couldn't miss the beginning of a new series but the blurb was already slightly off putting.  However I got a copy and I finally got around to reading it this weekend.

Everything was confusing from the beginning.  It was hard to follow how the world that Caine has invented really works.  Books are good? Bad?  I wasn't sure what the point was but after about a fifth of the book I started to understand what this world was like but I still didn't quite understand everything.

There is a lot of new jargon that was lost on me for most of the book and I didn't feel like everything was explained to a high enough level to really enjoy the obviously brilliant concept that the author has come up with.  Despite my problems following every single piece of the puzzle I did find myself quite engrossed in the story and eager to see what happened.

You can tell when an author has put substantial effort and research into a book when you realise that one of her characters names actually translates to 'Writer' which fits to the story extremely well.  However it made me wonder if I should take things personally as a Welsh person living in Vienna when in this world the Welsh are hated (or loved? another thing I wasn't sure of) and Austria doesn't exist anymore.

All in all this was a nice strong start to a series that is more complicated than it is enjoyable.  I won't say I will not continue the series but I do know that this is definitely a series that needs to be read close together.  I think the longer you leave between installments, the harder it will be to keep the facts straight and understand everything that has happened and is happening.

2) Dark Duets by Various Authors

The Blurb :

DARK DUETS: New Tales of Horror and Dark Fantasy will be published in January, 2014 by Harper Voyager. Edited by Christopher Golden, it features an extraordinary lineup of collaborative stories, with the authors of each story collaborating for the very first time. And here they are!

My Thoughts :

Dark duets is exactly what the title suggests.  A collection of dark stories written by duets of authors.  I am not a huge anthology lover but this book caught my eye as well as some of the authors with stories inside.  To be honest the Charlaine Harris and Rachel Caine combination was the one that made me want to try this book.

Each story is dark and some are really not tales you want to read before bed.  Stephen King lovers will enjoy these novellas and paranormal lovers will also like the weird and twisted supernatural elements in some of the short stories.  The collection isn't anything spectacular but there are some stories that will stick with you.  I can't say I enjoyed it enough to give it a glowing review but it was a nice read and a few of the stories were well worth my time.

Below is a list of the stories and the authors.  The first four stick in my mind as being some of the better in the collection and there are a few in the middle of the book that also caught me by surprise.  I wouldn't rush to check out any of the unknown authors because this book was mostly horror.  However it was nice to read something totally different to my usual reads and I am sure a lot of people would find some new authors to add to their wish list.

Do not read before going to sleep and maybe read this collection in a fully lit place.  Nice anthology with some very well known authors.  I wonder how they managed to write the stories together and make them so well thought out and written.

-TRIP TRAP by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Kevin J. Anderson
-WELDED by Tom Piccirilli & T.M. Wright
-DARK WITNESS by Charlaine Harris & Rachel Caine
-REPLACING MAX by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie
-T. RHYMER by Gregory Frost & Jonathan Maberry
-SHE, DOOMED GIRL by Sarah MacLean & Carrie Ryan
-HAND JOB by Chelsea Cain & Lidia Yuknavitch
-HOLLOW CHOICES by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss
-AMUSE-BOUCHE by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte
-BRANCHES, CURVING by Tim Lebbon & Michael Marshall Smith
-RENASCENCE by Rhodi Hawk and F. Paul Wilson
-BLIND LOVE by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale
-TRAPPER BOY by Holly Newstein & Rick Hautala
-STEWARD OF THE BLOOD by Nate Kenyon & James A. Moore
-CALCULATING ROUTE by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene
-SISTERS BEFORE MISTERS by Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare, and Holly Black
-SINS LIKE SCARLET by Mark Morris & Rio Youers



 

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154) Daylighters by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :


While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end.

My Thoughts :

I finished this one a few days ago but I have been having a lazy week as far as the blog is concerned. However I think it was also good for me to have a few days to think about this book, the fifteenth and last book in the Morganville Vampire series. Daylighters is what we have all been dreading and maybe even hoping for. An end to a series that has not only been an amazing ride but also a long friendship. It has left its mark and it is certainly a must read in the genre whether you are younger or older paranormal lover. An end of an era and hopefully the start of something new.

There are most likely a lot of fans out there who have already read this book and like myself pre-ordered a copy. However I know there will be people out there who haven't yet had the chance to get a copy or sit down and finish this last installment. So I will try not to give away too much in this review.

As endings go it wasn't a bad one. Throughout the book the constant thought that this was the end dominated how I read about my last encounter with Claire, Shane, Michael and Eve. My last visit to Morganville. The final chance to find out more about the vampires who I have come to hate and love. So it was obvious that I began wondering how the author must have felt writing this book. Rachel Caine has been living with these characters much longer and more intimately that any of us fans. I had to also wonder if this is how she always saw things coming to an end and how it would end. Vampires or humans having the final say in Morganville.

Despite fitting in a new angle and some pretty interesting new aspects to the story this final book didn't feel rushed or packed too full. It was fast and furious most of the time and there are casualties and some very nice twists here and there but for an ending it didn't try too hard. There may even be a few loose ends if I think about the series very carefully and the final pages left things very open ended. There could be more, the people left over are not shown in the future all happy with kids and there wasn't a conclusion that made things, imho, final.

If you haven't read this series then you can now devour them all in go. This is a brilliant, original and compelling series that I can only highly recommend. If you are a fan then you most likely read this already or are hoping you find this under the Xmas tree. Just don't wait too long to read this final installment because it is nice to get some closure.

Not convinced that this is the last we will see of the Morganville Vampires. Yes there is a TV series coming soon (I am a backer...) but I am not sure that we won't meet up with these characters again on paper. Maybe their children? The next generation of Morganville? Who knows but I can hope. As for now I am eager to see what the author will be presenting us with next. She writes a great story and I will be there for the next ride!

 

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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.

     

    

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Enthralled : Paranormal Diversions by Various Artists

The Blurb :

A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.

"Enthralled" is a collection of 14 original teen paranormal short stories from some of today's bestselling YA talent, united with the common theme of road trips.

Contents:

• Introduction by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong
• Giovanni’s Farewell by Claudia Gray
• Scenic Route [The Forest of Hands and Teeth] by Carrie Ryan
• Red Run by Kami Garcia
• Things About Love [As You Wish] by Jackson Pearce
• Niederwald [Soul Screamers] by Rachel Vincent
• Merely Mortal [Wicked Lovely] by Melissa Marr
• Facing Facts [Darkest Powers] by Kelley Armstrong
• Let’s Get this Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan
• Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready
• Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting
• Leaving by Ally Condie
• At The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday
• IV League by Margaret Stohl
• Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson
• The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Automatic by Rachel Caine

My Review :

I have a well know love/hate relationship with anthologies.  I love to read them and discover new authors but I hate to read them because usually 75% of the book is filled with stories I don't like.  So it was very refreshing to read Enthralled and actually enjoy 75% of the book!  With some of my favourite authors inside and also some of my favourite series included, I really found lots to like about this selection of stories.  Plus I found a few new authors/series that I will be checking out because of this book.  Now I won't go through every story and disect it.  It would take forever.  However I will point out some of my favourites and some I didn't enjoy as much.

My favourites from authors/series I already know were Niederwald by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers Story), Giovanni’s Farewell by Claudia Gray and Skin Contact by Kimberley Derting (Body Finder Series).  These stories were both very good reads and both told from the perspective of another character from the series.  In the Soul Screamers story it was told by Sabine and included Emma.  The story by Claudia Gray seemed somehow familiar and I wonder if it is one I have read before or if it belongs to a series I have read by this author.  It was a nice tale and I liked the idea.  I wonder if there is more about these psychic twins?  While the Kimberly Derting story was from Rafe's point of view.  Nice additions to the series and well worth reading if you are a fan.

Then I have a couple of favourites from authors I haven't come across before.  These included the stories by Carrie Ryan, Jackson Pierce, Jessica Verday and Mary E. Pearson.  In the case of the Carrie Ryan story I was left intrigued because you never really find out what the characters are hiding/running from.  It is all about survival and I will be looking to see what this series is about.  Jackson Pierce's story about Jinn was unusual and quite amusing.  I have already put one of his books on my wishlist so I can find out more about the relationship mentioned in this story.  The short story by Jessica Verday started with an opening line about cannibal girl scouts which had me hooked straight away.  It was a weird and wacky story but different and interesting.  And lastly Mary E. Pearson wrote about gargoyles.  Now the plot wasn't amazing but the concept was nice.  Also I am a sucker for a gargoyle story.

As always there were a few stories that were seriously lacking in everything and were definitely not worth reading but may just be enjoyed by others.  I have no idea what IV League by Margaret Stohl was supposed to be about and it was one of those stories that ruined the anthology and just didn't fit in.  Merely Mortal by Melissa Marr wasn't my cupy of tea.  I believe I have read at least the first book in the Wicked Lovely series but fae are just not my favourite paranormal/fantasy element and this one therefore goes towards the bad stories in this selection.

Three stories were ones I was really looking forward to but disappointed me slightly.  Automatic by Rachel Caine was a nice read but it wasn't a good addition to the Morganville Series.   Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong is set in the Darkest Powers trilogy and gives away some of the plot of the main story if you haven't already read it.  Also it is was a pretty poor story and not very exciting.  Lastly Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready was the only work by this author that I can honestly say I didn't like one bit.  Set in the Shade series it was set in verse and not very impressive at all.

So all in all a very nice selection with, as always, a few duds.  I am really happy I read this anthology and I don't say that very often about short story collections!  So Enthralled is definitely one of the best ones I have read.  If you are looking for a book to introduce a friend to this genre then you shouldn't look much further.  Aimed at Younger Readers this doesn't have a childish feeling to it and is one for adults or just one to share with that teenager in your life.




  

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61) Fall of Night by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :

Claire never thought she’d leave Morganville, but when she gets accepted into the graduate program at MIT, she can’t pass up the opportunity. Saying good-bye to her friends is bittersweet, especially since things are still raw and unsettled between Claire and her boyfriend, Shane.

Her new life at MIT is scary and exciting, but Morganville is never really far from Claire’s mind. Enrolled in a special advanced study program with Professor Irene Anderson, a former Morganville native, Claire is able to work on her machine, which is designed to cancel the mental abilities of vampires.

But when she begins testing her machine on live subjects, things quickly spiral out of control, and Claire starts to wonder whether leaving Morganville was the last mistake she’ll ever make...

My Thoughts :


The Fourteenth installment in the Morganville Vampires, Fall of Night, is a little different than the previous thirteen.  Mostly because it plays outside of Morganville.  Now the characters have been outside of the town before but this book is actually totally outside of the town with new characters and some interesting developments.  The story is told by Claire and Shane while they both end up finding out that life is just as dangerous outside of Morganville.

After all this time I feel like part of the gang.  I know everything there is to know about them and have been with them since Claire went to live at the Glass House all those years ago.  Actually for me it has been years but for Claire and the other occupants of Morganville it has only been a couple of years.  Those years have been action packed and full of vampires and this book is no different.

However this wasn't, in my honest opinion,  the best book so far.  It actually didn't rate very high in the ranks if I think back to all the adventures the gang has been through so far.  It was nice to be in another location and have Claire taken out of what has become her comfort zone but at the same time it all seemed a little to forced.  Having some new characters put in the mix made things interesting and the story opened up some new avenues that I hope will be a main feature in the next book.

The cliffhanger ending seems to suggest that the series could be coming to an end.  I wouldn't be upset if it did but on the other hand I don't think that it could be that easy to bring all of the loose ends together in one more book.  Some of the questions opened up in this book are hopefully going to get answered in part fifteen but I wouldn't be against having that spread out over another couple of books.

Any fans of the series will want to read this as soon as possible.  If you haven't already had the pleasure of visiting Morganville then it may just be time to take a trip and go see what all the fuss is about.  Don't be put off by the Young Adult tag.  The kids in this series have had to grow up quick and there isn't much childlike behaviour going on. If you know what I mean ;)





       

165) Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :

For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse.

My Thoughts :

The Morganville Vampire series is something you are reading or not reading. After 13 books it is easy to decide if you are a fan of the series or not. If you haven't yet tried this series or gotten around to it then don't bother reading this review. I fear it may include some spoilers.

So the Draug are gone but there is something weird going on in Morganville. Yeah, yeah! there is always something weird going on in Morganville. However this time around it is a mixture of smaller problems which amass into one last huge problem. The story tries to keep some of the twists and turns a secret from the reader but parts slip out when the story is told from any perspective other than Claire's. Things come together and you aren't left alone in the dark like Claire and in this way the author does a good job of keeping things, as always, exciting and interesting.

The plot flows nicely like all the Morganville stories do. After all this time the town feels like home and all the characters are either friend or foe and need no introductions. The ghost aspect of the series takes a few new turns this time around and some outsiders making a ghost reality show come off really bad in the process. Amelie's family is still haunting her and Oliver's motives are even harder to understand than before. So nothing too new.

Micheal and Eve are now happily married but of course the story adds some ups and downs for the newlyweds. Which author wouldn't take up the opportunity to make the honeymoon a little bumpy outside of the bedroom as well as inside it? Myrnin is crazy but somehow the saniest person around this time. I can't get enough of his character and would love to know more about his Welsh roots.

The stars of the book are, as always, Claire and Shane. I don't feel that Shane makes a huge impact on much of the book but he does have a huge influence on everything Claire says and does. While he is cool and Claire loves him I am sure she would be better off without him. At the end of this book it looks like it could go that way but with everything they have been through together I think they are in for the long haul.

Once again I find myself finishing another book where Morganville and it's main residents get into trouble with the vampires and win. It is a process that has been repeated over and over again but the content between the oncoming crisis and the final fight is always entertaining and thrilling. Great characters help make this series special and I find myself enjoying every new addition to the series. After all this author writes an amazing story everytime.

The end of Bitter Blood could have actually been the end of the series. I haven't gone off to check if it is and will let myself be surprise. It was a nice ending, left some questions unanswered and Morganville still full with Vampires but it wouldn't bother me if it was left like that. Claire is tired and I know I am. I want to see the characters get their happy end. It will be sad to see them go but it has to end sometime.

Read this series and check out all of Rachel Caine's books. She is a fabulous writer and has come up with some extremely special concepts that always test the limits of the genre and pull it into a new cool shape.

Monthly Giveaway Results!

The Monthly Giveaway is now closed! It is time to see which book won and who won a copy of the winning book!

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

I pick five of my favourite reads from the previous 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!

So which book won this month? Let's take a look at the results!

Sadly in last place with only 4.76% of the votes is Dead Is a Killer Tune by Marlene Perez. Love this series! I hope you will all give it a try anyway!


Fourth place goes to Scorch by Gina Damico. The 9.52% of the vote is a surprise. The debut in this series won the monthly giveaway way back when it released.


20.63% was only enough for third place this month. That honour goes to To Kill A Warlock by H.P. Mallory which is actually a much older release than the other four books!


Second place with 22.22% of the votes, is Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine. Great sequel to this newest series by the author.


Oh! Wow! The winner this month is without a doubt Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones. 42.86% of the votes! I don't think any book has gotten such a high score before! Yay Darynda!

So who won a copy of Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones? The widget below should be showing the winning name!

Didn't win this time? Keep trying. Come back next month for another giveaway. If you subscribe to the newsletter you won't miss out or forget!

Also make sure to check the sidebar for more contests --->

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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.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com and Amazon.com links/Banners below and around the site.

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Monthly Giveaway Reminder!

The Monthly Giveaway is still open! Have you voted? Are you entered?

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

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 -

Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine


Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones


Scorch by Gina Damico


To Kill A Warlock by H.P. Mallory


Dead Is a Killer Tune by Marlene Perez

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 Sunday 18th of November 2012 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!

October flew by!! November is here and Christmas is drawing near. Also the end of the year! Wow! Are you meeting your reading goals for this year? I am a little ahead and hope I make it!

So a new month means a new Monthly Giveaway!

My October reads were a mixed bunch. Some new books as well as some older ones and as always picking five books for the Monthly Giveaway was hard work. So now I have picked my selection it is time for you all to see what you could win!

Would you like to win one of the books I read in October? Well you can! Just keep reading and enter the Monthly Giveaway!

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

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

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 -



Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones


Scorch by Gina Damico


To Kill A Warlock by H.P. Mallory


Dead Is a Killer Tune by Marlene Perez

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 Sunday 18th of November 2012 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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145) Two Weeks' Notice by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :

After dying and being revived with the experimental drug Returne, Bryn Davis is theoretically free to live her unlife—with regular doses to keep her going. But Bryn knows that the government has every intention of keeping a tight lid on Pharmadene’s life-altering discovery, no matter the cost.

Thankfully, some things have changed for the better; her job at the rechristened Davis Funeral Home is keeping her busy and her fragile romance with Patrick McCallister is blossoming—thanks in part to their combined efforts in forming a support group for Returne addicts. But when some of the group members suddenly disappear, Bryn wonders if the government is methodically removing a threat to their security, or if some unknown enemy has decided to run the zombies into the ground…

My Thoughts :

Rachel Caine is a brilliant storyteller and her latest series titled "Revivalist" is yet again another amazing concept. The first book in the series, Working Stiff, showed that there are more ideas out there. Nobody needs to rehash the old stories because it is possible to come up with something totally new and impressive. Book two, Two Weeks' Notice, only continues to prove that Rachel Caine is special and a pioneer in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre.

Despite pre-ordering this book and getting a copy as soon as it was released, I didn't get around to reading it till this week. It has been a while since I read the first book but the originality of the story meant that I didn't need any reminding of what happened last time. I got straight into the story and had no problems keeping up with the events that were taking place.

The plot this time around was sometimes slightly complicated with twists and turns taking place that shocked and amazed. Of course the story was only more and more addictive because of the surprising amount of action and information that Bryn was dealing with. I breezed through the first half of the book wondering what could come next as even more wow factors came into effect. Superb.

I hate giving away what happens in a book and won't go into details but the way things are developing in this series is seriously mind blowing. Just as I thought everything was over and done with and Bryn could get back to a quiet 'Death' something came along and spun everything around. I am loving it!

Any fans of Rachel Caine will know how compelling and amazing her books are. This series is a must read for any fans and will be staying on my must read list. Anyone who hasn't already read any books by this author should really get some. This twist on zombies is pure art and nothing like you could expect. A great job and a super read. Please give us more,more and more!

74) Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

The Blurb :

In Last Breath, the rain brought a new and dire threat to Morganville and its vampires... their ancient enemies, the draug. Now, the vampires are fighting a losing war, and it will fall to the residents of the Glass House: Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire, to take the fight to an enemy who threatens to destroy the town, forever.

My Review :

I have been visiting Morganville since the beginning. Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael have become like friends. I am invested in how their life continues and I care if they live or die. I hope, like they do, that the town of Morganville will be free of the vampire rule and that they will lead a normal life. However, despite the fact that I don't want the series to end, I want to finally have some closure.

Yes this is an amazing series and Black Dawn is yet another super story in the tale of Morganville. The way the author manages to keep this series fresh and unique amazes me and I love that each book always has something good come out of everything that goes wrong. But this time around I wasn't convinced. I wasn't sure that all of this was necessary. Loads of action and some lovely twists but it felt like things are just being drawn out. Putting off the inevitable end of what has been an exhausting but momentous saga. The Glass House team have been through so much and I am sure they are tired.

Book #13, Bitter Blood, is due out in November and of course I am going to be getting a copy. I definitely can't let go of this series even if I would like to see it finally come to an end. It is addictive and very special. There is nothing in the genre like the Morganville Vampire series and even though it is aimed at younger readers I can't think of anything too childish in the books that would put off any adult reader.

So long live the Morganville vampires but I am gearing myself up and hoping for an end soon. Absolutely amazing series that stays on my must read list.