Week in Review 4/24-4/30

Books Ive Bought/received

* Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey- ARC- Super early from Blog tour site I participate.

* Blood Secrets by Jeannie Holmes- Bound proofs- From Publisher for review 

* Chosen By Blood by Virna DePaul- From Author for review


* Skeleton Crew by Cameron Haley- Signed- Goodreads First-reads win


* Dark Descendant by Jenna Black- Bought from Borders.com


Books I read

Defiance by Lili St. Crow
She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens
Spirit Storm by E.J. Stevens
Dark Descendant by Jenna Black
Skeleton Crew by Cameron Haley

Reviews posted


Shady Lady by Ann Aguirre
Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep
Magic on the Hunt  by Devon Monk

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* New Releases for the week.

* Winner of  the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop.  Has been posted HERE.

* Im offering up a copy of Unnatural by Michael Griffo HERE.


* Chloe Neill Joined us on Wed and is offering up a Chicagoland Vampires swag pack.


* Feeling creative?? My book club needs some help creating a name and logo. There are some great prizes for the winner.

Review: Magic on the Hunt by Devon Monk

Magic on the Hunt
Author:Devon Monk
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Roc
Allie Beckstrom Book #6
ISBN:  0451463919
ISBN13: 9780451463913
Genre: Urban Fantasy

There aren’t many girls who can say they’ve gone into the realm of death and lived to tell the tale. But to restore her lover Zayvion’s soul, Allison Beckstrom had to pay a bitter price–and things are about to get worse….

It turns out the leader of the Authority, the council that decides what can–and can’t–be done with magic, is being held hostage. But when the trail leads Allie and Zayvion to the secret prison where the Authority locks away magical criminals who are too dangerous to be held anywhere else, they find more than they bargained for. An undead magic user has possessed one of the prisoners, and he wants his freedom–and then some. Now Allie and Zayvion are the first line of defense against the chaos he’s about to unleash on the city of Portland….

The series just keep getting better and better. We learn about Allie and her memory loss not being because of her using magic, Zay shows a side of him we have not seen before, he seems harder then he used to be and a bit more harsh. Allie and her relationship with her dad seems to have changed a little bit and there isn't as much bickering going on. The Hounds get involved a bit. The only thing I am upset about is Allie still not having her personal inner magic thing back, I so want her to get it back and it bugs the heck out of me seeing her not have it and talk about the empty spot. The whole book was filled with tension, action and revelations. Everything is really coming together in the series and moving at a great pace.  Im not sure how many books are planned for the series but if they all continue on as well as MAGIC ON THE HUNT I will not miss one.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Name & Logo Contest!

You may or may not be aware that every month (usually the third Sunday of the month) Tori, Jen, Tricia and I hold a book discussion on Talk Shoe. We try very hard to accommodate the authors so they can make an appearance and answer some of the fans questions, and so far it has worked out very well for us! We have had the wonderful Faith Hunter and Jennifer Estep so far and anticipate many more wonderful authors in future discussions.

 What does this have to do with you? Well our Book Club doesn’t have a name or logo!
 Since there are 4 of us, each with very different blogs and names we are having trouble coming up with something unique to call it, not to mention a logo to match!
This is where the contest comes to play :) We will be taking submissions for a name and matching logo for our Talk Shoe Book Club and the one chosen will receive a bundle of books, with some bookmarks to match!

Here is the information needed in order to come  up with a name and logo:

Tricia @ Wicked Enchantment

Stacy @ Urban Fantasy Investigations

Jen @ Red Hot Books

Tori @ Smexy Books

Real names should not be included in the name or logo, but a combination of blog names can be used. Unique names also accepted that incorporates the vision of all four websites :)

How to enter:

Reply to this thread or the thread on Wicked Enchantment with the name and logo image (AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!). If you do not know how to post an image, or do not have hosting in order to post an image, you can also email Tricia at tricias.siddie (at) gmail (dot) com. Please put NAME & LOGO CONTEST in the header of the email so I can be sure the email doesn’t get marked as spam.


The other three ladies will also be advertising this same contest on their blogs, be assured it is the one in the same and we will all be working together to come up with a winner from the combined submissions!


Contest will be held for a duration of ONE MONTH (May 29th – Midnight CST), to ensure there is enough time for logo creation to go with the name :) Winner will be chosen within 1 week of contests end contacted via email.

Entries are NOT limited to one per person! You may submit as many name/logo ideas as you have time for to increase your chances of winning!

 

The Loot! (to ONE lucky winner)

 

The following are NEW books, never been read: 

• The Nymphos of Rocky Flats (PR)
• X-Rated Blood Suckers (PR)
• Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night – Kresley Cole (PR)
• No Rest for the Wicked – Kresley Cole (PR)
• A Hunger Like No Other – Kresley Cole (PR)
• Magic Burns – Ilona Andrews (UF)
• At the Edge – Cait London (PR)

The following are USED books, they have been read but are in good condition, minor wear and tear (with exception to the boxed LKH set which have more than usual spine creases.. but the books are all still together and 100% there):

• Boxed Set (1-4) Anita Blake Series by Laurell K. Hamilton

Guilty Pleasures
The Laughing Corpse
Circus of the Damned
The Lunatic Cafe

• Dark Desires After Dusk – Kresley Cole
• Dark Deeds at Night’s Edge – Kresley Cole
• Kiss of a Demon King – Kresley Cole

Added to these books Tricia will be throwing in about 3 handmade bookmarks. These will be similar to the ones made at her Bookmark Store.

If you have ANY questions please feel free to email Tricia and ask! she says "I don’t bite (hard..) /grins "

Early Review: Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shift
Author:Jeri Smith-Ready
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Shade Book #1
ISBN:  1416994084
ISBN13: 9781416994084
Genre: Young Adult
Review Source Copy: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

SHADE left me wanting to read SHIFT and SHIFT left me wanting to read SHINE.  Poor Aura just has so much on her plate. She doesn't know exactly who she is or how she became who she is. The love of her life is dead and he wont pass on. She is falling for someone else that is actually living and doesn't know how to handle it. Her feelings take a big role in SHIFT, dissecting them and deciding what she wants. With the help of Zachary she finally starts to chip away at what her mom was hiding from everyone and who what she is and what happened at Newgrange. I really hope this is the end of Logan being in her life. I really like Aura and Zachary together and the more they find out and go through together the more they seem to belong to each other. I was shocked, delighted, heartbroken and attached to the story throughout the whole book. The final book is set up perfectly at the end and the conclusion I can already tell is going to be totally worth the wait.


I gave it 5/5 stars

Review: Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

Tangled Threads
Author:Jennifer Estep
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Publisher: Pocket
Elemental Assassin Book #4
ISBN:  1439192634
ISBN13: 9781439192634
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author for Review

I’d rather face a dozen lethal assassins any night than deal with something as tricky, convoluted, and fragile as my feelings.

But here I am. Gin Blanco, the semi-retired assassin known as the Spider. Hovering outside sexy businessman Owen Grayson’s front door like a nervous teenage girl. One thing I like about Owen: he doesn’t shy away from my past—or my present. And right now I have a bull’s-eye on my forehead. Cold-blooded Fire elemental Mab Monroe has hired one of the smartest assassins in the business to trap me. Elektra LaFleur is skilled and efficient, with deadly electrical elemental magic as potent as my own Ice and Stone powers. Which means there’s a fifty-fifty chance one of us won’t survive this battle. I intend to kill LaFleur—or die trying—because Mab wants the assassin to take out my baby sister, Detective Bria Coolidge, too. The only problem is, Bria has no idea I’m her long-lost sibling . . . or that I’m the murderer she’s been chasing through Ashland for weeks. And what Bria doesn’t know just might get us both dead. . . .

Oh to count the ways I love Gin Blanco. She seriously kicks butt. I didn't think I could love the Elemental Assassins series more then I read TANGLED THREADS. Gin definitely has an opponent in Elektra LaFleur. I was on the edge of my seat in the multiple fight scenes. Gin continues to have her family of friends to support her and watch her back and I think she is finally starting to realize that she can have it all, family, friends, love, etc and she is 100% worthy of it all. Owen brings such a great thing to her life and I love seeing them together and the way he really "gets" her and wants to be there for her. Bria finally finds out who Gin really is and although they have things to work through I just know Bria isn't going to be another Donovan. Mab is so going to go down and I cant wait to watch Gin and her friends bring it!! If you haven't started the Elemental Assassins series yet, you are missing some great fast paced reads.

I gave it 5/5 stars

Interview & Giveaway: Chloe Neill

UFI welcomes Chloe Neill Author of Hard Bitten. Thanks for Joining us!!

I grew up an hour north of Chicago and now live in the south, North Carolina. According to your Bio you moved South to North. For me, the move from north to south was a big change. The biggest thing I miss about living in the Chicago is the food. lol I know silly. I miss good thin crust Pizza, cheese fries (not the kind with shredded cheese but actual cheese sauce) and Gyros/Italian beef places (they were seriously all over the place up north and there are NONE here). What is the biggest thing you miss about living in the south?

The food and the weather. I'm not a big fan of snow, and living in the South was obviously great for that. And I miss a good plate of cornbread and collard greens, although I've now found a spot in my town that sells them.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?

Not really. I have a day job, so I write in the evenings, usually on my couch with my laptop while Jeremy plays video games or watches TV. I have to write a little at a time every night, so it's usually the last thing I do before bed.

What are some of you favorite books or authors in the Paranormal Genres?

I love Kim Harrison and JR Ward. I also really enjoyed Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series, which is finished now!

How would you pitch The Chicagoland Vampire series to someone who has never heard of it before?

Girl meets vampire. Vampire changes girl into vampires. Both vampires fight together to save Chicago!

There are a few Characters in the Chicagoland vampires series that seem to always frustrate the heck out of me (in a good way). Do any of the characters frustrate you while your writing them?

Lindsey can be frustrating at times. It can also be a challenge to write Merit in a way that honestly shows her concerns without being too angsty

Hard Bitten is the Fourth Book in the series. Have you found it any easier or harder to write the series as it gets farther along?

A little of both. I think the books are a bit easier to write because I have a better feel for the characters now, but they're harder to write because my day job is busier now than it was before, so I'm usually pretty tired when I get home!

Thanks for having me today!

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Author Bio:
I was born and raised in the South, but now make my home in the Midwest, just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia's to keep an eye on things.  When not transcribing Merit’s and Lily's adventures, I bake (a lot!), watch entirely too much television, root for my favorite college football team (Go Big Red!), spend time with friends and my beau, Jeremy, and play with my dogs, Baxter and Scout.

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Hard Bitten
Chicagoland Vampires #4
May 3, 2011

Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals--and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are ... tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society--a world full of vampires who seem too ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands..

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Find Chloe and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Email

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 Follow the entire tour

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US/CAN ONLY

Winner will receive
- swag pack of Chicagoland Vampires goodies

 RULES
1)  Leave a comment or question for Chloe =)
2) This giveaway is open to US/Canadian followers only
3) Must leave an email address so I can contact you.

Giveaway Ends 5/5/2011 at 10pm EST
Please allow 2-4 weeks for prize delivery

Winner will have 48 Hours to reply to my email or I will pick another

Winner chosen randomly with the help of random.org

Giveaway: Unnatural by Michael Griffo

Winner will receive
- One paperback copy of Unnatural by Michael Griffo

 RULES

1)  Comment below with why you want to read the book

2) This giveaway is open to US/Canada mailing addresses only

3) Must leave an email address so I can contact you.

Giveaway Ends 5/5/2011 at 10pm EST

Winner will have 48 Hours to reply to my email or I will pick another

Winner chosen randomly with the help of random.org

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In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…