Urban Fantasy Investigations

Monday, July 18, 2016

Review: Liam by Shannon Mayer

Liam

Author: Shannon Mayer

Release Date: July 18, 2016

Publisher:HiJinks Ink Publishing

The Rylee Adamson Epilogues Book #2

ISBN13: 9781987933178

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Author

My name is Liam, and I was an FBI agent, until I stepped into the world of Rylee Adamson. Now, I’m a Guardian, a wolf shifter whose very design is to protect those around him at any cost.

The battle against Orion is done, the demons banished. In their wake, there are so many innocents who have lost their lives, their families, and their way.

Three of them our now ours to raise—the ogre triplets. Three boys I’ve come to love as if they were my own. And they are dying.

In a race against time, I must do the impossible. Find a female ogre willing to help us save the boys. A female from a species we had believed was wiped out.

There is one reclusive tribe left—but they aren’t sharing anything but death.

If I am to save my boys, I must face them down; and this time I must look inside myself and find a strength I did not know was possible, without Rylee at my side. If I fail, I fail not only my boys.

I may fail the world.

LIAM had a pretty big storyline and with a good amount of pages, we got ample amount of information about the race to save the ogre triplets. I was skeptical that I would like being in someone else's head but Rylee's during such a big time, but I ended up enjoying Liam's side of things.

Liam has been through a lot through the Rylee Adamson series and all his emotions and fears come out in LIAM that show that he isn't completely unaffected by all he has been through. On top of trying to save the babies and battling his own demons we also get to meet new characters, one who ends up joining the family Liam and Rylee have put together.

I hate to admit it, but I was left super annoyed with the ending of LIAM and I'm not quite sure how I am going to get through the next epilogue. You would think that Pamela would have learned her lesson about going off with strangers that seem to good to be true, but it's clear she hasn't and I can already imagine the trouble that it will cause to others in both this series and the Elemental series. Sigh. We all know I will read epilogue three, but my goodness I hope it isn't as bad as I'm imagining.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Week in Review: 7/10-7/16

Books Received for Review

Liam by Shannon Mayer
Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige
Frost Blood by Elly Blake

Books I've Read

Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire
Liam by Shannon Mayer
Forbidden by Katrina Snow
Moon Coven by Conner Kressley, Rebecca Hamilton
Fury Rising by Yasmine Galenorn

Reviews Posted

Nightshades by Melissa Olson

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway for Her Black Wings by A.J. Norris

* Tuesday- Promo + Giveaway for Hound's Bite by E.J. Stevens

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

* Friday- Promo + Giveaway for Red Queen by Christine Henry

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Friday, July 15, 2016

Promo + Giveaway: Red Queen by Christina Henry

Red Queen
The Chronicles of Alice #2

The author of Alice takes readers back down the rabbit hole to a dark, twisted, and fascinating world based on the works of Lewis Carroll...

The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash—and hope is nowhere to be found.

Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King.

The pieces are set and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But, to win, she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful—the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen...

Read Chapter One

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Christina Henry is the author of the national bestselling BLACK WINGS series (BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING, Ace/Roc) and the two CHRONICLES OF ALICE books, ALICE and RED QUEEN (Ace Trade). She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Find Christina and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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US ONLY

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Thursday, July 14, 2016

Promo + Giveaway: Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

The New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series continues with a new e-novella--from the point of view of Finnegan Lane, the foster brother of Gin Blanco, and a fan favorite of readers of the series.

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes...

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Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. Unwanted, e-novella #14.5 in the series, will be released on July 18. Unraveled, book #15, will be released on Aug. 30.
Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. She is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

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Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Early Review: Nightshades by Melissa Olson

Nightshades

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Release Date: July 19, 2016

Publisher: Tor

TBD Book #1

ISBN: 0765388502

ISBN13: 9780765388506

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Alex McKenna is the new Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigations—the division tasked with investigating crimes involving shades.

Or vampires, as they’re more widely known.

Children have been going missing, and agents are routinely being slaughtered. It’s up to McKenna, and some unlikely allies, to get to the bottom of the problem, and find the kids before it’s too late.

NIGHTSHADE introduces a brand new world where vampires aka shades are persona non grata. McKenna is tasked with taking down a group of shades that are killing humans and finds himself working with the beautiful Lindy who just happens to be a shade who wants to help him take them down.

I wish NIGHTSHADE had been longer. It felt too short and lacked a bit of the details I would have liked to see between the pages. One thing NIGHTSHADE didn't lack was action and suspense. Things start off pretty quickly and the pace stays pretty fast until the end.

I thought the characters were well developed for the little time I had to learn about them. I learned just enough about them to be interested in what happened to them and get a good grasp on how I felt about them and their place in the story. Alex and Lindy had a spark, but it really wasn't explored. They both feel it though and I think it will be explored in the future as they continue their partnership.

With the ending of NIGHTSHADE I have no doubt that this was the start to a new series. You just can't end a stand-alone like Olson ended NIGHTSHADE and not have a follow-up. I am definitely intrigued after reading NIGHTSHADE and will keep an eye out for book two.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Promo + Giveaway: Hound's Bite by E.J. Stevens

Happy book birthday to HOUND'S BITE, the fifth full-length novel in the bestselling, award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens! We are celebrating this book release with a giveaway.

Keep reading for a chance to win an Amazon Gift Card and signed swag!

Hound's Bite (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #5) urban fantasy by E.J. Stevens

Hound's Bite (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #5) by E.J. Stevens

Ivy Granger thought she left the worst of Mab's creations behind when she escaped Faerie. She thought wrong.

In a cruel twist of fate, Ivy has unleashed a powerful horde of Unseelie beasts upon her city, turning her homecoming into a potential slaughter of innocents. Now Ivy must gather her allies to fight a reputedly unstoppable force—The Wild Hunt.

Will the training Ivy received in her father's court be enough to save her city, or will Harborsmouth be forced to kneel before the Lord of the Hunt? She is willing risk her own life, but some sacrifices come at a cost worse than death. When an ally is bitten by one of The Wild Hunt's hounds, Ivy must face the possibility that winning this battle may mean killing the one person she has come to love most.

Release Date: Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural Suspense, Urban Fantasy

Add to Goodreads.

Hound's Bite Now Available

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Kobo | iTunes

Grab your copy today and enter a world of bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and kick-ass heroines.

World of Ivy Granger

The world of Ivy Granger includes the Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective series and the Hunters' Guild series.

Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective Series:

Shadow Sight (Ivy Granger #1)
Blood and Mistletoe: Novella (Ivy Granger #1.5)
Ghost Light (Ivy Granger #2)
Club Nexus: Novella (Ivy Granger #2.5)
Burning Bright (Ivy Granger #3)
Birthright (Ivy Granger #4)
Hound's Bite (Ivy Granger #5)
Blood Rite (Ivy Granger #6) coming soon.

Hunters' Guild Series:

Hunting in Bruges (Hunters' Guild #1)
Hunting in Paris (Hunters' Guild #2) coming soon.

The Ivy Granger series has won numerous awards, including the BTS Red Carpet Award for Best Novel, the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Urban Fantasy Series. The series is available in multiple formats (Ebook, Trade Paperback, Audiobook) and languages (English, Italian, German). New formats and languages becoming available monthly. Sign up for E.J. Stevens' monthly newsletter and never miss a release.

Hound's Bite Release Party Giveaway

We are giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card and a swag pack with Hound's Bite swag signed by the author.

Tour Wide

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US/UK/CA. Giveaway begins on release day July 12, 2016 and ends July 25, 2016 midnight EST.

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Good luck and happy reading!