Review: Defiance by Lili St. Crow

Defiance
Author:Lili St. Crow
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Strange Angels Book #4
ISBN:  1595143920
ISBN13:  9781595143921
Genre: Young Adult

Now that sixteen-year-old Dru's worst fears have come true and Sergej has kidnapped her best friend Graves, she'll have to go on a suicidal rescue mission to bring him back in one piece.

That is, if she can put all of Christophe's training to good use, defeat her mother's traitor, Anna, once and for all, and manage to survive another day

I have enjoyed all the books in the Strange Angels series up to date and have waited patiently for the moment when Dru finally blooms. I'm happy to report (and only reporting because Lili St. Crow has always said that DEFIANCE would be the one where she blooms and its not a spoiler) that the day has finally come. The first half of the books events were a bit slow but after that things started picking up and we got some great action scenes and of course defiance. Dru has finally had enough and takes situations into her own hands and it was great to see her work through things all on her own with no one to help her out. As usual Dru is betrayed by people she thought were on her side, finds that she in another situation where she has to fight for her life and again has to make life changing decisions. The ending was a shock, I don't think the situation is exactly as Dru imagined it was with the whole Christophe situation. I'm not sure yet that I agree with her final decisions and I'm not at all sure what her decisions will bring to the final book RECKONING but I can tell now that she is fully bloomed she is going to be a force to reckon with and is going to kick ass with Graves and Ash by her side.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Interview: John Hartness

UFI welcomes John Hartness Author of Hard Day's Knight. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?

I grew up wanting to teach High School English, but gave it up when I saw how terribly teachers are paid for their time. In a fit of poor logic, I decided to major in acting instead, which is one of few fields less lucrative than teaching. But it all worked out in the end.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

Since I still have a day job, writing is what I do in my down time :). But when I’m not working either of those jobs, I love going to concerts, live music is a huge passion of mine. I also play a lot of poker, typically poorly.

What is your Favorite part of writing? 

Dialogue. Maybe it’s so many years in the theatre, but I find dialogue comes easily to me, and I enjoy writing in my characters’ voices. Sometimes I fear that I get a little chat-heavy, but I think I throw in enough jokes to keep people interested.

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

Music is the big one - I can’t write without it. Typically I write sitting at my desk in my home office. I can’t really write with my laptop on my lap, and I can’t write if there’s a lot going on around me. So generally I’ll head into the office, fire up iTunes, pick an artist based on what the action is likely to be, slip on my noise-cancelling headphones, and hammer on the keyboard for an hour or so. I also never stop for the night at a good end point. I try to go a little bit further down the road, or just over the next hill, so it’s easier to start up the next night.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Genres?

I’m a huge fan of Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, as well as Kim Harrison. The Sandman Slim novels by Richard Kadrey are pretty awesome, too.

How would you pitch Hard Days Knight to someone who has never heard of it before? 

My elevator pitch goes something like this - “Snarky non-sparkling vampire detectives have to save the world. Hilarity ensues. If you like Joss Whedon shows or Kevin Smith movies, you’ll be all over this.”

Which character was your favorite to write about?

What about the hardest to write about? Jimmy is the easiest to write, because his voice is very similar to my own. I like writing all of the major characters, but Mike is probably the toughest, because he’s just such a good person. I’m an unrepentant wiseass, so writing someone who is so sincere is a stretch for me. But that’s why it’s fiction, right? :)

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Hard Days Knight is set in? 

Hard Day’s Knight is set in our world, 100% the same world we live in every day. There are just a few critters running around that you and I may not be aware of. Like vampires, demons, trolls, witches and the like. But it’s out world. I specifically chose to set the book in Charlotte, NC because I live here and can refer to specific geographical or cultural things and be as detailed as I need to be. There really is a strip mall with a McDonald’s and a police station in it, just like where I set one of the big zombie fight scenes. It’s right around the corner from my house.

Do you have a favorite scene in Hard Days Knight ?

That’s a real tough one. Some folks have told me they really loved the boys playing mailbox baseball with the zombies, but I think the scene with Jimmy at the strip club might be my favorite. I really enjoyed writing his discomfort, and the scenes with him and Lilith and Phil set up a lot of things to come in later books, and it was a lot of fun to write a scene where the “hero” is completely out of his element and not really in control.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you? 

Back in Black is Vol. 2 of The Black Knight Chronicles, and it’s available now. Knight Moves is Vol. 3, and it should be released this summer. I have at least five books planned for this series, and probably more. I’ve got most of the “big bads” figured out for five or six books, and I enjoy writing these characters, so there’s no reason to quit now.

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Author Bio: John G. Hartness is a recovering theatre geek who likes loud music, fried pickles and cold beer. He’s been published or accepted online in several journals including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, cc&d, Deuce Coupe and Truckin’.

His first novel, The Chosen, is an urban fantasy about saving the world, snotty archangels, gambling, tattooed street preachers, immortals with family issues, bar brawls and the consequences of our decisions.

He followed up The Chosen with Hard Day’s Knight, a new twist on the vampire detective novel and the first in a planned series of at least five books. The second book of The Black Knight Chronicles, Back in Black, landed in March 2011 and has enjoyed immediate success.

John has been called “the Kevin Smith of Charlotte,” and fans of Joss Whedon and Jim Butcher should enjoy his snarky slant on the fantasy genre. His next novel, Knight Moves (Black Knight Chronicles Vol. 3) is due out in the summer of 2011.

He can be found online at www.johnhartness.com and spends too much time on Twitter, especially after a few drinks.

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Hard Day's Knight
Black Night Chronicles #1
October 21, 2010

Children are missing.

The police are stumped.

Halloween is coming, with an ancient evil on the horizon.

The vampires are the good guys.

This is not your ordinary fall weekend in Charlotte, NC. Vampire private detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood have been hired to keep a young client from being cursed for all eternity, but end up in a bigger mess than they ever imagined.

Suddenly trapped in the middle of a serial kidnapping case, Jimmy and Greg uncover a plot to bring forth an ancient evil into the world, and enlist the help of a police detective, a priest, a witch, a fallen angel and strip club proprietor to save the world. This unlikely band of heroes battles zombies, witches, neuroses and sunburn while cracking jokes and looking for the perfect bag of O-negative.

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Find John and his books

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Email

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Next stop: May 19 – My Bookish Ways www.mybookishways.com

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Review: To See by Nicole Zoltack

To See
Author:Nicole Zoltack
Release Date: April 12, 2011
Publisher: Echelon Press
What you See is What you get Book #2
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Author for Review 

Now that Ana can see, her summer has taken on a new direction. Instead of shopping and going to the beach with friends, she has to register with the Seer's Council. There, Ana meets Eric, a hot guy who happens to also be a vampire seer. Eric is impressed that Ana took on a vampire all by herself but wonders if Victor truly is dead.

So Ana and Eric return to the scene of the crime and make a dangerous discovery, one that could put their lives in danger. Snooping around during the daytime seems safe enough, until they lose track of time and night quickly descends. Vampires must hide in shadows, but the moon offers all kinds of opportunities.

Are Ana and Eric the hunters... or the prey?

 TO SEE picks up right from the end of SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME. Now that Ana has learned what she sees she has to register with the Seer's where she meets another vampire seer. These little short stories are super easy, quick reads. Nicole gives you JUST enough information to keep you interested. I enjoyed this installment better then the first as there was some unbelievable too fast acceptance in SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME and without having that in TO SEE I felt the story flowed a little better making it more believable. I'm liking the addition of Eric to the story and It will be neat to see what he adds in. TO SEE ends with a nice little teaser/cliffhanger line that gets you interested in reading what will come next. 

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

New Releases May 15-21

Tue May 17

Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses, #8) by Ellen Schreiber

Graveminder by Melissa Marr  

Please contact me if you see something is missing and I will add it. :)

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Nicole Zoltack

UFI welcomes Nicole Zoltack Author of Champion of Valor. Thanks for Joining us!!

Writing Different Genres

As a reader, I'll read just about anything so it comes as no surprise that I'm a whore when it comes to writing as well. I write both urban fantasy and high fantasy (fantasy set in a medieval-like world), paranormal stories, romances, YA, and combinations thereof.

Urban fantasy is fun to write because the combination of the real world and magic and paranormal creatures provides so many awesome opportunities for storytelling. I have a paranormal YA short story series called What You See is What You Get about a world like ours which is separated from a world filled with paranormal creatures by a veiled mist that only a few people, called seers, can see beyond.

High fantasy is nice because it combines the romance and chivalry of knights with magic. The last book in my Kingdom of Arnhem series, Champion of Valor, focuses on the love a mage and a selkie amidst a war between two kingdoms. Magical dreams plague Gabrael and Selliki and seem to taunt them that their love can never be.

Why do you like to read fantasy (whether urban or high) stories?

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Author Bio: Nicole has always been fascinated with the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. She devoured books about chivalry and knight, love and romance, she even had a Renaissance themed wedding.

Throughout her research, she wondered if there were any female knights, knowing how women were treated back then. To her surprise, she uncovered information about an entire order of female knights - the Order of the Hatchet in Catalonia. These brave women protected their town of Tortosa from Moor attack. Along with their new status, the women were exempted from taxes and preceded over men in public assemblies.

This inspired her to write about a young girl who wishes to become a knight, citing these brave women.

Currently, she is residing in Pennsylvania with her loving husband and two adorable sons. She is an Infinite World of Fantasy Author (IWOFA) and a member of Classic Romance Revival (CRR).

Her debut novel - WOMAN OF HONOR (Desert Breeze Publishing, April 2009) is the first in the Kingdom of Arnhem series, the story of the young would-be female knight. Book II - KNIGHT OF GLORY further explores the medieval fantasy land of Arnhem.

CHAMPION OF VALOR will be released May 1st, 2011.

She has also sold numerous short stories for inclusion in various anthologies including the print anthologies: Bloody Carnival, Mertales, Daily Bites of Flesh, and Daily Flash.

She loves writing, reading, horses, collecting swords, and going to the Pa Renaissance Faire (dressed in Renaissance garb, of course!).

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Champion of Valor
Kingdom of Arnhem #3
May 1, 2011

The Mystical Conch Shell of the Sea has been stolen, and it's up to Selliki, the selkie, to get it back. Selliki sets across the continent of Alethereia to find Arnhem, and Gabrael, the mage she loves. Selliki knows that no union between a selkie and a human have ever had a happy ending, but neither can ignore their feelings. Each night, they experience terrible, real dreams that show how doomed their love is.

The final war between Speica and Arnhem is threatening the entire world. Lucifer has aligned himself with Speica and wants nothing less than to bring about the Apocalypse before its time. In the last battle, cowardice is revealed, promises are broken, and many people die. Trolls fight icthyocentaurs, dwarves armed up against the Drow, angels against demons. Only one kingdom will prevail; that is, if the world doesn't end.

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Excerpt from Champion of Valor:

Night came, and they set up camp. Gabrael closed his eyes, and sleep claimed him. When he opened his eyes, all he could see was white. Something appeared in his hands -- Selliki's seal skin. He shoved it into a trunk that materialized out of nothing and locked it.

Selliki entered a few minutes later, looking lovely in a long blue gown. "Come, dear, it's time to be married."

Days passed, weeks, months, years. The two were extremely happy together and even had two children, a precious little girl and a strong, hardy son.

One day, Gabrael practiced magic with their daughter, Yara, on the beach. "The fire comes from within, deep inside your belly. Just feel it, move it up to your throat and blow." Gabrael demonstrated as a shot of flame exited his mouth.

Yara clapped her hands. "I want to try!" She furrowed her brow and blew. Nothing happened. She opened her mouth to try again but her concentration was distracted. "Mama, why are you running?"

Gabrael glanced behind him. Selliki ran toward the ocean, something dark in his hands.

Raphiel hurried over. "I found your trunk, Father."

Gabrael muttered a curse and jumped to his feet.

"What's wrong, Father?"

"Where is Mama going?"

Gabrael ran toward Selliki. He reached out with his arms to stop her, so they could talk, but his arms touched air. She had already dived into the water.

Gabrael stood there, by the water's edge, all night long and for the following day, before the knowledge came to him. Selliki had forsaken him. She was never coming back.

A single tear ran down Gabrael's face and dripped off his nose onto the sand. He turned his back on the water and cried. Maybe love isn't enough. How can I ask Selliki to abandon her very nature?

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Find Nicole and her books

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Email

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Be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win some signed post cards and magnets. Each comment during the Champion of Valor Blog Tour gives you an entry for the grand prize: a copy of the entire Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy - Woman of Honor, Knight of Glory, and Champion of Valor.

Week in Review: 5/8-5/14

Books Ive Bought/received

*Blood Ties  by Mari Mancusi- ARC- From publisher for blog tour

* Black Night by Christina Henry- ARC- Traded for it :)

* Witches of East End by Melissa De La Cruz- ARC- Librarything early reviewers win

* Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke- From publisher for review in blog tour



Books I read

The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin
Blood Spell by Amalie Howard
To See by Nicole Zoltack
Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke
Blood Law by Karin Tabke

Reviews posted


Skeleton Crew by Cameron Haley
She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens
Spirit Storm by E.J. Stevens
Game Over by Taylor Keating
Chosen by Blood by Virna DePaul
Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* New Releases for the week.


* Felicity Heaton stopped by on Wednesday to talk about her newest release as well as offer up a giveaway. 


*Winner of the copy of Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep has been posted. 

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

Early Review: The Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson

The Neon Graveyard
Author:Vicki Pettersson
Release Date: May 31, 2011
Publisher: EOS
Signs of the Zodiac Book #6
ISBN:  0061456799
ISBN13: 9780061456794
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging unseen in the dark corners of her glittering hometown. Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal -- still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light . . . still hunted by both -- and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forces with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna's ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm where the price of admission is her eternal soul. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose -- except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city.

Another great series has come to an end. Vicki did a great job of wrapping up things. I didn't feel that she left anything unresolved and everything flowed into everything else at a great place. All the characters seem to make an appearance at some point which was neat. We get answers to some things that might not have made sense when they first happened. There is plenty of action and drama. I wasn't crazy about some of the midheaven scenes and some of the things we learn are shocking to say the least but I can see how they needed to be done the way they were to close certain plot holes. I'm sad to see the series end, and I wish we could follow Joanna a little longer to see what her future holds.

I gave it 4/5 stars