Early Review: Horizon by Sophie Littlefield

Horizon
Author:Sophie Littlefield
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Luna
Aftertime Book #3
ISBN:  0373803427
ISBN13:  9780373803422
Genre: Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

Cass Dollar is a survivor. She's overcome the meltdown of civilization, humans turned mindless cannibals, and the many evils of man.
But from beneath the devastated California landscape emerges a tendril of hope. A mysterious traveler arrives at New Eden with knowledge of a passageway North—a final escape from the increasingly cunning Beaters. Clutching this dream, Cass and many others decamp and follow him into the unknown.
Journeying down valleys and over barren hills, Cass remains torn between two men. One—her beloved Smoke—is not so innocent as he once was. The other keeps a primal hold on her that feels like Fate itself. And beneath it all, Cass must confront the worst of what's inside her—dark memories from when she was a Beater herself. But she, and all of the other survivors, will fight to the death for the promise of a new horizon….

At the end of REBIRTH I was extremely angry at Cass for what she was doing with Dor. I really liked Smoke and hated her self destructiveness that led to the whole sticky situation. After finishing HORIZON I see that it was the best thing that could have happened to her.

HORIZON takes place a few months after the end of REBIRTH. Cass, Ruthie and all the others that she came with have settled into community of New Eden. Things are going well besides that fact that Cass started drinking again (lightly) and she doesn't feel like she really fits in. Behind the curtains Cass has continued her affair with Dor and they cant seem to stop themselves from being drawn to each other. Just when Cass realizes she really wants to be with Dor, Smoke wakes up confusing Cass even more. The Beaters are changing and getting smarter some how and the island becomes unsafe.

There are some new characters introduced. The one that sticks out the most is Red. I wont tell you much about him because that would be some major spoiling but I must say that Red was the absolute last person I expected in the story but he fit in extremely well. There is a lot of sacrifice and soul searching in HORIZON. There is a lot of loss and death. The emotions hit an all time high at the end of the book and I was shocked that it went where it did but it really did make sense when all was said and done. Cass is an extremely broken character and goes through a lot but I like that Sophie doesn't magically "fix" her. She ends up in a good place but she is still flawed and broken inside just happier and in a better place. I would actually love to read more about Cassie in the future I think her story is far from finished but if this is the last book then I could be happy at where it all ended.

The Aftertime series has definitely been a hit for me and if you like Dystopian or zombie books, this series should be on your bookshelf.

I gave it 5/5 stars

Early Review: Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep

Thread of Death
Author:Jennifer Estep
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Pocket
Elemental Assassin Book #5.5
ISBN:  1451685327
ISBN13: 9781451685329
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Author

Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, might have finally killed her nemesis, Mab Monroe, but that doesn't mean that it's smooth sailing. Gin goes to Mab's funeral to say her goodbyes and runs into some of Ashland's most notorious underworld power players, including Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. McAllister wants her dead, and Kincaid has his own murky motives when it comes to the Spider, and Gin once again finds herself fighting for her life. Only this time, she might wind up in the cemetery right next to Mab.

Gin is recovering from her huge showdown in which she finally killed Mab Monroe. She decides that she needs to go to Mab's funeral to say her final goodbye's. As we all know nothing is ever simple in Gin's life so of course the funeral doesn't go as it should and she finds herself revealing more about herself to her enemies then she planned.

Even though this is a novella it is still full of all the action and suspense that I have always loved in Jennifer's books. There are a few different POV switches. We get inside both Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid heads. Jonah definitely needs to be taken care of in the very immediate future. I'm kinda shocked that he is still alive at this point. We get a little insight into Philip and a past with Owen that we didn't know existed. Even though this should be read before BY A THREAD I think THREAD OF DEATH gives some great hints to what will happen in book 7 WIDOW'S WEB.

I gave it 4/5 stars
 

Interview & Giveaway: James R. Tuck

UFI welcomes James R. Tuck Author of Blood and Bullets. 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?

Well, there’s a lot. I love comic books. I am quite the Southern cook. My dog is a spaz. I own a pair of toe-shoes that I enjoy wearing. I am obsessed with 24 on Netflix. Hmmmm, let’s see, what else? Oh yeah, boxer-briefs…the best of both worlds.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?

Down time? There is no down time. LOL. I have three full time jobs going on. Writing, owning and running a tattoo shop, and building a career as a professional writer. But when I am not doing any of that I love spending time with my family. They are really great and I enjoy them as a group or individually.

What is your Favorite part of writing?

It’s a toss up. I love when someone enjoys my book. That is the best feeling in the world. When something I made up is cool to someone else. 
I also LOVE being able to now go up to writers that I have loved reading for years and speak to them. When you are a fellow writer, not only do they not look at you like you were three-headed monkey with a sock full of poo, they actually accept you and take you in and show you the secrets of the Illuminati. 
(Wait, not the last part. The Illuminati is made up, it doesn’t exist. Really. It. Does. Not. Exist.)

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

Nope. I am very loosey-goosey about when and how I write. Every day is different and that means that every day I have t9o adjust when and what I write. I do try to have pants on when I write though. The coffee shop gets really uptight about that for some reason.

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

Man, I love this genre. Of course I love Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. The Dresden Files. The Nightside series. I love, love, love the Mercy Thompson series from Patricia Briggs. The Void City series from J.F. Lewis kicks ass. Faith Hunter’s books always deliver. Jonathan Maberry writes a helluva book. Jenna Maclaine has a great series that I am eagerly waiting for the next installment of. Larry Correia’s books are fun. Linda Robertson’s stuff rocks too. Two of my good friends Adrienne Wilder and Annabel Joseph are tremendous writers. If you don’t mind the racy stuff definitely look them up. There are a ton more, but off the top of my head those are some great ones.

How would you pitch Blood and Bullets to someone who has not heard of it before?

It’s a non-stop thrill ride of kick-ass.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that Blood and Bullets is set in?

It’s a dark world where the monsters are truly monstrous. It’s a hard world where Deacon is driven to harsh choices to keep humanity safe from evil they don’t even know exists. It’s a world where you will find not only vampires but Were-spiders, cursed Immortals, and undead strippers. It’s crazy.

Do you have a favorite scene in Blood and Bullets?

I really like the scene where we meet Charlotte. It’s spooky and interesting. Everyone who has read the book loves her and her first appearance on the page.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?

I love them all. Deacon is the main character for a reason. I have a lot of love for him, but Father Mulcahy, the chain-smoking, coffee-swilling, foul-mouthed Catholic priest who is his mentor, Kat, the damaged girl who helps run his club, Larson, the wanna-be vampire hunter, and the others that I can’t tell you about without spoiling the book. LOL. I will say that Father Mulcahy is a scene stealer though.

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

Well, there will be six releases in the Deaconverse by the first part of 2013, three full novels and three e-novellas. After that I have a lot of things in the works that I can’t talk about. There is a short indie movie that I am in the first stages of. It’s from a short zombie love story I wrote that can be found in the e-anthology called One Buck Zombies. It’s only .99 cents and it has my story “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and four other zombie stories from four other authors. It’s available everywhere e-books are sold. Other than that, check my website for more stuff as it develops. www.jamesrtuck.com

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Born and raised in Georgia I grew up enjoying all that the south had to offer. Good food, adventure in mild winters and hot, muggy summers, excellent music, and good church folks.

Now I live in a nice house that has a great yard with the missus, the daughter, the son, the nephew, and six goofy dogs. I own my own tattoo shop, family tadition tattoo, and i am a published author.

Life is good

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Find James and his books

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Blood and Bullets

Deacon Chalk #1
February 7, 2012

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights…

Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl “hires” him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him—and barely escapes a vampire ambush. Now he’s got a way-inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There’s also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon’s greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him…

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Promotional Post & Giveaway: Claire Ashgrove

**Available Now from Tor Books**

Immortal Hope
Author:Claire Ashgrove
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Tor
Curse of the Templars Book #1
ISBN:   0765367580
ISBN13: 9780765367587
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Centuries ago, Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll that revealed the locations of the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they now roam the earth, protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever closer to eternal damnation. One promise remains to give them salvation—the return of the seraphs.

Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul, releasing him from the clutches of their enemy. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers that she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal. As Merrick struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold.   

Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. When Merrick takes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache that he alone can soothe. Yet loving Merrick comes with a price. If she admits she is destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death. 

About the Author: Claire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed contemporaries, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars, will debut with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat under the pen name Tori St. Claire.

Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.

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Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Switched
Author:Amanda Hocking
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: St Martins Griffin
Trylle Trilogy Book #1
ISBN:   1250006317
ISBN13: 9781250006318
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Librarything Early reviewers

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

 I won a copy of of SWITCHED from Librarything's Early reviewers program. The cover was definitely the first hing that stuck out to me and the blurb left me interested in finding out more about Wendy and her life. Wendy has always wondered why her mother tried to kill her and when she discovers the truth about herself she isn't sure why she ever wanted to know the truth. 

I liked Wendy but didn't think she was fantastic. She was super independent and strong willed for most of the book and then would fall back into a role of being a meek needy pushover. Finn of course ran hot and cold because of his duty and his feelings for Wendy. At times I wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to hold her already but of course that would never happen in their situation. He was pretty consistent in wanting what was best for Wendy and his people though. I knew who Rhys was from the moment he was introduced. I'm excited to see how Wendy's family reacts to him and to see if they find out the the truth about him in book 2. 

I enjoyed the story's ideas and creativity but there were many times that I found myself bored with the events, especially in times where the plot slowed and stalled a bit. I enjoyed the characters and their development. If anything will push me to read book 2 it will defiantly be because the characters drew me in and it was easy to care about them and I want to know what happens to them. The world building was nice, but I wish that the Trylle community was more mystical then it was. I will probably read some reviews before I read book 2 but I do want to know what happens next to some of the characters so I will probably pick up a copy from the library.

I gave it 3/5 stars 

New Releases Jan 15-21

Tues Jan 17

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Halflings  by Heather Burch

Hallowed (Unearthly, #2) by Cynthia Hand

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross

Happy Reading =)