84) Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

My Thoughts :

I really like this author and have enjoyed so many of her books over the years.  This one was on my wishlist quite a while until I grabbed it in a sale on Audible.  The last couple of days I have been listening to it as much as possible whenever I had time.  There was something about this one that made it very addictive even if, at the end, I didn't think it was a five star book.  Because while this was well written, unusual, exciting and definitely worth reading, I have to rate it against Rachel's other books and this one just doesn't reach that high standard.

A great concept.  One that may or may not of been done before but definitely has an unique twist to it.  I liked the idea from the beginning, even if I couldn't completely follow what the 'Reaping' was and what exactly happened (I think it was harder to follow via Audible).  Delilah was a wonderful character, like so many more from this author.  Strong, fierce and fearless.  Another character to admire and root for.

The first half of the book was very exciting and I was addicted but as things started to get into the end stage I didn't find the story as compelling.  For some reason it turned into what I had expected all along and the lack of surprise or a twist in the tale make me a little disappointed.  Also the book ended like it was a one off but looking around I see that this is at least to be a trilogy.  So now I am left unsure about my feelings for the book altogether.

Definitely worth reading, please don't let me put you off with my ramblings.  This was a great read and a nice audible.  There was some very good storytelling in this book and it was exactly what I expected from the author.  I look forward to seeing what the rest of this trilogy involves and what the author has in store for the Menagerie.

91) Lion's Share by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

My Thoughts :

I know I wasn't the only person who was upset when the Shifters series came to an end.  I loved the books so much and although I am not a huge fan of shapeshifters, I am a big cat lover, so the concept was right up my street.  I loved Faythe and all the Pride goings on and story was original and addictive.  It was a sad day when it all came to an end but then a few months ago I heard about Lion's Share.

Rachel Vincent is self-publishing the Wildcats series and I can't thank her enough for this amazing gift.  While the story doesn't revolve around Faythe it does take place in the same community but from a different POV.  Abby and Jace are both well known characters from the Shifters series and it is wonderful to get to know them better and take this journey with them.  Told from both Abby's and Jace's perspective, Lion's Share is the first, in hopefully, a long series that continues the stories of all the Shifters but centers around these two characters.

We get to catch up with Faythe and fans of the Shifters series will enjoy the brief look into her life now.  Three years have passed and things are reasonably quiet except for an incident at Abby's college.  Now this horrible nightmare is coming back to haunt her and all the consequences and side effects are coming to light.  Events are spiraling out of control and Abby is stuck right in the middle of it all.

As the story progresses it is pretty easy for the reader to put things together.  I realised early on what was going on and wasn't surprised when the others managed to put the clues together.  The outcome and ending wasn't what I would have expected but of course there were hints.   I can't wait to see where this will take the series and I am very eager to read more.  I hope it doesn't take long for the next installment to come out.

For people who haven't read the Shifters series, read it first.  There are quite a few references in this book that reflect back to events that happened in that series.  If you don't want to spoil things then you really should go and read the original series first.  It was amazing so you won't be wasting your time.  If you have read the Shifters series then please make sure you read the short story 'Hunt' before reading this Wildcats debut.  Hunt is the prequel to this new spin-off series and fills in a lot of the story in Lion's Share.   You could read this one without the other but it will definitely make more sense if you read the novella first.

A huge thanks to the author for bringing this series to life.  It isn't the Shifters but it is very damn close.  The same feeling is there and the whole concept still holds its originality status. I can't wait for more and it is a new must read for my lists.

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32) Hunt by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

It’s been more than four years since Abby Wade survived capture and torture by a quartet of rogue shifters. Back then she was a scared kid, just trying to survive.

Now Abby is all grown up, and if she’s learned anything from training with Faythe Sanders, the world’s first female Alpha, it’s that she can take care of herself—and anyone else who comes along. So when her college roommate is abducted from a campsite deep in the Appalachian woods, Abby knows exactly how to get her back…

The rules of the hunt are simple. Kill or be killed.

Abby Wade is not ready to die.

My Thoughts :

Back in the early days when I started reading Paranormal Urban Fantasy there was this amazing series about shifters from Rachel Vincent.  I may have cried when it was over but now I am rejoicing because there is a new spin-off series coming and I know it is going to be amazing!  Hunt is a novella that is a prequel to the new Wildcats series.  I believe it has been released before but finally it has a place and purpose in the series.

There isn't any messing around in this short story and the action starts straight away and just keeps going till the end.  Expect blood, action and some very crazy men doing very nasty things but feel safe in the knowledge that Abby isn't your ordinary shifter.

Well worth checking out and definitely a must read before starting the new series.  I am really wondering if there is any way I can revisit the Shifter series before the new Wildcats series begins.  Although I doubt that will not be happening it would be nice to do a little revision before being thrown back into the Shifter world after all these years.

Any fans of Vincent will be excited about this new series and should really go check out this short story.

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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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24) Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

My Thoughts

I pre-ordered Soul Screamers #6 and it arrived on my Kindle back when it released. That was months ago and for some reason the book got lost between other books and also suffered at the move over to my new Kindle. Only a chance thought about the series made me wonder why I hadn't read anything new by the author lately. That led me to realise that I had completely missed out on the new release and was behind in the series. So this book jumped straight to the top of my to be read list this week.

The Soul Screamers series is one I have been following since the beginning. I know it is a Young Adult series but I am sure, like a lot of other Rachel Vincent fans, I don't really care. The author is an amazing writer and there aren't really lots of books out there about banshees! This is a totally unique concept and I have been enjoying it since day one.

However in this sixth book I was a little lost. So much has happened since the series began and I am starting to find it hard to keep everything in order and understand what is going on. Also things are getting very emotional as characters die off and people get hurt physically or mentally. I wonder how teenagers cope with reading about these events, as an adult I find it tough going.

Despite the relationship woes, that practically dominate this book, it is a superb addition to the series. I found it difficult to keep up with how the bad guys were doing what they were doing but it didn't matter much because it was still a cool read. Quite a lot happened in this installment and once again there were some goodbyes. There was however a few new people added to the crew but I wonder how long they will last in what is turning out to be a bloody series.

I am glad to see that things will be coming to a real end in the next book. It appears Soul Screamers #7 is the finale and I wonder who will come out of it alive. Even the main character, the lovely Kaylee, isn't living anymore and the end of this book showed that the author doesn't have any qualms about killing off other important loved characters.

Great series to try if you haven't already. Maybe you want to hold out until the last book comes out and then read them in one gulp. I certainly would if I wasn't already deep in and addicted.

71) Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream—and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.

Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?

My Thoughts :

Another day, another novella! It is amazing what you can find on your Kindle if you look in the right places and so I decided to get this one out of the way and have another quick read. I have been following the Soul Screamers series with some interest. It really surprised me at the beginning and I have been enjoying it a lot but the longer the series carries on the more I wonder where the author really wants to go with it. So this novella was a bit of an eye opener for me.

This short story is all about Kaylee's cousin Sophie and is told from her perspective. It actually crosses over slightly into the previous release and of course means it could be seen as a spoiler if you haven't already read the rest of the series. However it didn't bother me either way. I was just excited about finally getting to know Sophie better.

Kaylee's cousin has always been in the background, popping up when she wasn't needed and just basically being a bitchy pest. This short story changes that outlook and gives you a real look into her way of thinking and lets you better understand how she sees things from her point of view. She has never been introduced into the world Kaylee has and has no idea about what her cousin is and can do. So this novella opens a whole new world to Sophie and I can't wait to see what happens next. I think she is going to have a bigger role next time around.

Of course there is another character in this book. Luca isn't, from what I can remember, a character that has already appeared in the series. The end of the story also says that the reader can find out what he is really up to in the next release. If this little adventure with Sophie is anything to go by I think 'Before I Wake' will be extremely interesting. I don't believe I pre-ordered the last couple of books in the series but maybe this next one will make it on to my list because of this short story.

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Soul Screamers Series :

#0.5 - My Soul to Lose
#1 - My Soul to Take
#2 - My Soul to Save
#3 - My Soul to Keep
#3.5 - Reaper
#4 - My Soul to Steal
#5 - If I Die
#5.5 - Never to Sleep
#6 Before I Wake (Due out in June)
#7 With All My Soul (Due out in 2013)

Contest Winners!

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is well and enjoying the weekend!

Time to announce some winners! First up the results for the January Monthly Giveaway!


In last place, which I found extremely surprising, was Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland. 14.1% of the vote wasn't enough to get far this month!


17.95% of the vote only got third place for Bloodstone by Nancy Holzner. This was also a surprising result!

In joint second place were Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels and Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (US name = Midnight Riot). Both got 19.23% of the vote and did well!


The clear winner this month, with 29.49% of the vote was, If I Die by Rachel Vincent. I should have seen that coming ;)


So the winner of the January Monthly Giveaway gets a copy of If I Die by Rachel Vincent.

I hope all of you will still check out the books from the giveaway! They are all amazing reads.

Now it is time to see who won! Congrats to the newsletter subscriber with the email that starts with :


Annemarie562000!!!


Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

I also have another winner to announce! My author guest last week was Alexandria Infante and she was giving away a copy of her book, Teaching Between Midnight and Dawn.

So Congrats to :


Tore!!


Didn't win this time? Keep trying!

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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.

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Monthly Giveaway Reminder!

The January Monthly Giveaway is still open for votes!

You choose the prize!

I picked my five best reads from January and you vote for your favourite. The one you most want to win. The book that wins the vote is the prize!

Everyone can enter!

Just sign up for the newsletter (and confirm your registration!) and you are automatically entered for this months giveaway and every other monthly giveaway!


Here is a little info about each book on offer this month. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -



If I Die by Rachel Vincent


Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland


Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels


Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
(US name = Midnight Riot)


Bloodstone by Nancy Holzner





You have till Thursday to vote and enter!

Please use the links around the site to buy your books and help keep the contests going!

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For more chances to win -

Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.

Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu

Do you 'Like' Amberkatze's Book Blog? Facebook It!





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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January Monthly Giveaway!

The January Monthly Giveaway is here!

The new year got off to a great start with some amazing reads in January. I managed to get quite a bit of reading done and I hope you all did too!

Want to win one of the books I read in January? Well you can! It is time for the Monthly Giveaway! You have the chance to vote for which book you want to win from my five favourite reads from last month!

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

I pick five of my favourite reads from the last month (sorry no ARCs are included!) then you guys go to the poll and vote for the book you want to win or the one you think deserves to win! Remember! You may not actually win the book you voted for.

Here is a little info about each book on offer this month. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -



If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland


Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels


Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
(US name = Midnight Riot)


Bloodstone by Nancy Holzner





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. I pick a name from the subscibers list and that person wins the book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for!

To subscribe to Amberkatze's Book Blog all you have to do is use the box in the sidebar <--- or at the bottom of this post. Everyone who is already subscribed will be entered in the contest as well as new subscribers. If you have not confirmed your email address then you will not be added to the draw!!! The poll will stay open for votes until Thursday 16th of February 2012 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced within days of the contest closing.

Enter your email address:

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Have you 'Liked' Amberkatze's Book Blog on Facebook?

For more chances to win -

Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.

Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu





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

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13) If I Die by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

My Thoughts :

Soul Screamers number five and I was wondering if the series was going to keep me interested and excited. I liked the last couple of books but they didn't wow me as much as the first two. I did want to buy If I Die as soon as it was released but with so many books to read I decided to add it to my wishlist and hope for it to be under the Christmas Tree. Seems I was good because Santa did bring me this one and it didn't take me long to find a day to read this in.

Well that is a little lie. I nearly finished this book in one day, it was that good, however Sunday run out and Monday came along and was followed by a very long week. This evening I finally sat down and read the last 30 pages and wished I had had time sometime during the week to find out how things ended. It was a spectacular ending to a very emotional and wonderful story.

Knowing you are going to die in a few days must be hard and I can't even start to imagine what runs through ones mind when you know the end is coming. Kaylee handles it surprising well and goes about stopping a nasty paranormal from killing young girls while she is waiting for the inevitable. This isn't to say that she doesn't take her impending death seriously. She manages to make some decisions I didn't see coming and her actions are definitely those of a person who knows that time is running out.

The whole tale was written with the fantastic engaging style that I have come to love and enjoy. Rachel Vincent has an excellent talent and I love what she has done with this series. This book really went above my expectations and I am really excited about the next book. Things are seriously going to get interesting now.

If you haven't tried Rachel Vincent's work and like Young Adult then you really need to give this series a go. It is unique, fresh and well written. If you aren't in to Young Adult but really want a good paranormal read then you need to go look for Rachel's other books. She has some great stories to tell and I love reading them.

132) Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

By blood, by word, by magic...

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special – a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner...every touch...every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over...

My Review :

I was extremely excited about this new Rachel Vincent series. It is something I have been waiting for ever since reading the last Werecat book. This was a must buy because the author has never let me down and I love her work. However Blood Bound either didn't meet my expectations or I just kept looking for Faythe.

There a few good things about this first book in a new series. The concept is unique, surprising and well thought out. The plot is quite interesting and kept me reading till the end and I was eager to find out how things ended for all concerned despite figuring out what was happening before it did. You have some action, romance and mystery while the paranormal elements are new and different. Blood Bound has all the makings of a great book but there was just something about it that has left me unsure.

What didn't sit too well with me was Liv. I didn't really like her that much and Cam I liked just as much. I didn't care about their past or present relationship problems and their constant inability to disclose information, because they didn't want to or couldn't, was frustrating and made the story drag. However the one thing that made me dislike this story was the time frame. I couldn't believe this happened in two days. Sure it is possible but it felt more and more unlikely as the story evolved.

Blood Bound has left me torn. I can't say I loved it and it was amazing but I also didn't hate it. I certainly want to see what the next book in the series will bring but I am not sure I will be rushing to buy it on the release day. This is definitely a book you have to read if you love Rachel's work but this isn't one I am ready to recommend to everyone.

Best of 2010 Giveaway Results and Winners!

The Best of 2010 Giveaway is over and it is time to see which books were voted the best and which newsletter subscribers won a copy of one of the top three books!

I picked ten of my favourite reads from 2010 (no ARCs included!) and you guys got to vote in the poll for the book you wanted to win or the one you think deserved to win!

Thanks for voting!

So which books came were most voted? Here are the results -

Well Kitty's House Of Horrors By Carrie Vaughn came in last place with only 5%. Definitely my favourite in the series so far but obviously not good enough compared to the other books I picked!

In 9th place was Blood Law By Jeannie Holmes. An amazing debut that I highly recommend you all read.

Places 8, 7 and 6 were jointly taken up by Shade By Jeri Smith-Ready, Spider's Bite By Jennifer Estep and Alpha by Rachel Vincent. All three books managed to each get 8% of the vote. I expected one of these three if not all of them to actually take the top places!

Tempest Rising By Nicole Peeler came in 5th! I didn't see that coming! A great read and an amazing series but I thought it wouldn't come in that high!

I am glad to see this book at #4. With 12% of the vote, Deadtown By Nancy Holzner only just missed making it into the top three!

I knew this book was going to be in one of the top places. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong deserved all of the 13% of the vote that it got and third place!

Soulless By Gail Carriger only missed out on the top position by 1%! With 15% of the vote this amazing book and series got 2nd place! Well done!!

And the winner! The book you guys voted for is The Mage In Black By Jaye Wells!!! Wooohooo!!! This series rocks and with 16% of the vote it is the Best of 2010!





Now time to announce the winners!

So the three names below all get to pick one book. The choices are :

The Mage In Black By Jaye Wells
Soulless By Gail Carriger
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

There is only one copy of each book up for grabs so if your name is listed below...well email me quick! It is first come first served ;)

So congrats to the newsletter subscribers with the email addresses that begin with :


Vboackle!!

BrigidsBlest!!

Felinewyvern!!


Please read the info below and claim your prize asap! If you would like a Kindle version of your chosen prize then please let me know. We can do that too ;) It is much quicker as well!

If you didn't win then please make sure you read these ten books! There are the best of 2010!

There are more giveaways and contests coming up! Rght now you can try your luck in the Looking to the Future Giveaway!

Add your name to the subscribers list to be automatically added to the monthly giveaways and also receive all the reviews, author events and contests via email!

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How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address. If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker! If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

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