Archive for May, 2012

I am so excited. I have been nominated for The Beautiful Blogger Award.

Thanks so much Susan. This is a wonderful honor!

My blogging adventures started with joining Twitter, which led me to Goodreads and Voila! here I am! I am having the time of my life talking about books and promoting authors. It is a privilege for me to be a blogger and I am always looking for new ways to improve on my postings. Most of all, I just want to have fun doing something I love.

 

My nominees are:

Jamie : http://thatfantasyblog.com

Carlie : http://carliemacullen.wordpress.com

Kriss : http://cabingoddess.com

Ginny : http://dagonsblood.wordpress.com

C.C. : http://shevata-cccole.blogspot.com

 

When you accept this award:

1. Make sure you thank and link back to your nominator.

2. Nominate 5 or more bloggers that you would like to give this award to.

3. Leave a comment on each nominees blog with a link back to your page.

4. Post the award image on your blog. (not required)

5. Keep on blogging and have fun!

 

Once again I would like to thank Susan for this awesome award. Visit her blog at http://susanreviews.com and enjoy her creative and fun posts.

3.

   Title: Awakening
Author: Mary Abshire
 
It was a great pleasure to read Awakening and I want to tell a little bit about the book and why I really enjoyed reading it.
One thing I find myself doing is forgetting to comment on the cover art for the book. I love the cover of Awakening. What do you think?
 

 

 

The Awakening

The Awakening

Description from Goodreads

She’s the only one of her kind. And she doesn’t even know her name.

Two investigators–one human, one vampire–find a young woman among a mass of dead bodies. She has no memories, and nothing but her clothes, two receipts and a mysterious dagger carved with the initials “SB”.

As she seeks her identity, SB realizes she’s unlike any other creature in the world, making her the most valuable person on the planet. And the most wanted.

I will warn you that there is strong language, violence and graphic sex in this book.

My thoughts

I don’t feel that the description for this book does it justice. When I read about her lost memories I thought, :Here we go again”. But I sure changed my tune when I got into the book.

First off , let me introduce you to the characters, at least the main ones.

Boss. That’s right. Just plain old Boss. He is the leader of the investigative group. He is the vampire and a sexy one at that. I like his need for privacy, but he has some trust issues. I guess I would be that way too if I had to deal with demons, vamps, Fae, werewolves, shifters and half-breeds.

Jonas. He is Boss’s right hand man and a human. A super human really. He has lived a lot longer than a normal human could, because Boss  injects his blood into him once a year to stop the aging process and allow Jonas to heal quickly and survive some horrific injuries. Their job is dangerous and can be deadly.

Tabby is a shapeshifter and a really sweet girl. She keeps the guys in line and does the mundane tasks in order to free up time for the others, and her shifting abilities come in handy. I enjoy the banter between her and Jonas. They are like brother and sister, baiting each other but also defending each other.

Then there is SB. Who is she? No one knows, yet.  I did discover what she is. Part demon, part vamp, part human and part angel. Wow, what a mix. At first she doesn’t believe she is a vamp, and can’t contemplate being one.

“Maybe I was special. A few things I knew for sure, (1) I wasn’t a killer, (2) I didn’t recall drinking blood, ever, and (3) I had yet to feel any sharp teeth. Weren’t vampires supposed to have fangs and lust after blood?”

She is in denial.

“The pain in my gut rose and died in spurts. For all I knew, the ache could’ve been for human food, or maybe I had an ulcer. Hell, maybe my period was due. God, I hope not.”

Then she got a good look at herself.

“For the first time I saw myself. I had jet-black hair with red streaks, and pallid skin like Boss’s. I had a small nose and light purple lips that needed a red tint. Enlarged pupils hid the true color of my eyes. The large centers reminded me of boss’s. My God, I was a vampire.”

“Jackson strolled in with a pleasant grin on his face. He looked just as sexy in casual clothes, T-shirt and jeans, as he did in uniform. His large muscles stood out, calling to women and intimidating men. My pulse spiked, watching his robust body move and briefly recalling his nakedness. I licked my lips. Yes, he was divine.”
Jackson is a cop and showed up when something bad was about to happen to SB. Not wanting to ruin his uniform, he stripped down and changed to wolf form. When he tackles SB, he changes back and is laying on top of her naked. He is not the least bit shy and she gets an eyeful. A funny first meeting.
See, I told ya. There is a heck of a lot going on in Awakenings and I really enjoyed myself. The ending answers all of my important questions and is quite satisfying, while making me want to know more.  I wonder if there will be more new supernatural creatures in the next book? The gargumen are truly nasty.
 
5 STARS
This book deserves my five stars and then some. I was pulled in from the opening scene and by Chapter 2 I was already getting a feel for the characters – engaging with and liking them.
The world Mary builds is believable and exciting, with some pretty nasty beings thrown in to add a good scare. You are going to like this book. I sure did. Can’t you tell?
 
About Mary Abshire
She lives with her daughter in Indianapolis, Indiana. She works as a government employee, but her real passion is writing.
In her free time, she creates worlds with dark, mysterious and dangerous creatures. Yes, there are noble and brave ones too.
To learn more about Mary and her books:
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

 [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a28T5HzpGJ4]

I won this book in a contest a while back and have to tell you about it!

From the back cover page:

Since the 1970s Humans have forced supernaturals to live in cages citied. Silver brands embedded in their foreheads identify them by species:  a full moon for Vampires, a crescent moon for Shifters, a pair of wings for Fairies, and the list goes on, for each supernatural species has been tagged and categorized by Humans.

Lanore Vesta is marked with a silver X, the brand of Mixbreeds, second-class citizens shunned by society. She stays to herself, revealing her ability to create fire only during emergencies. All she wants to do is graduate college and stop having to steal to survive. But when she stumbles upon a murder in progress, she catches the attention of a supernatural killer. Now all she wants is to stop finding dead bodies in her apartment.

Enlisting help from her Were-cheetah ex-boyfriend MeShack and a new mysterious friend named Zulu, she is steered through the habitat’s raunchy nightlife. But their presence sometimes proves to be more burden than help, as they fight for her attention.

While the corpses pile up, and the scent of blood fills the air, Lanore is left wondering: will she find the psycho or die trying?

My thoughts:

You really have to read this book. I loved it. Kenya  has put pen to paper and given us a captivating view into a supernatural society. 

The idea of branding is intriguing, they have no way of hiding what they are, but they can hide their abilities. There are several moments when Lanore uses her power of fire to keep her rowdy ex-boyfriend in line. Meshack,said ex-boyfriend because he can’t resist his Were-cheetah urges, is still in love with Lanore. He is loveable and sexy and hard for her to resist.

The mysterious Zulu, with hidden abilities of his own, wants Lanore all to himself.

While I am not crazy about love triangles, this one compliments the story and makes it a fun, engaging read.

There is no end to the action in Fire Baptized. Supernatural beings, hidden powers and a psycho running around  leaving corpses in grotesque conditions, you have plenty to keep you enthralled.

You will not believe who the killer is and I am not going to tell ya!

I am so glad to have found a new author to follow. Kenya Wright’s book is brilliant and I will read anything else she writes. I am also thrilled to know that this a first book in a series and I will be able to read more about these characters I have becoming so fond of.

5 STARS

 

About Kenya Wright

She currently resides in Miami with her three overactive children, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on her head at night.

You can find her here:

http://www.kenyawright.com

Posted: May 30, 2012 in Uncategorized

Can’t wait to see this!!

Posted: May 28, 2012 in Uncategorized

Posted: May 28, 2012 in Uncategorized

It’s Thriller, Chiller Time!

Posted: May 28, 2012 in Uncategorized

I always look for a range of star ratings when buying a book.

Posted: May 27, 2012 in Uncategorized

Yes, a giveaway. My first! I am giving away two hardcover books this Memorial Day weekend.  One winner will get both books!

UPDATE SUNDAY MAY 27. My internet is down until Wednesday, so I will be checking in infrequently. Please keep entering. I am extending this contest through Friday, June 1st because of the holiday weekend also. Note: This contest is open internationally also:)

We have a WINNER! Wulfie76. Congratulations. Will be notifying you!

First up is Swoon by Nina Malkin

From the book flap:

Sin is coming … Prepare to swoon.

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut … until Dice’s perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly  dies in a fall from an old tree and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She’s intensely drawn to him – but not at all crazy about the havoc he’s wreaking.

Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent – and irresistible – adversary before the whole town succumbs to Sin’s will. Only trouble is, she is in love with him.

What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

And the next book:

From the book flap:

When we first meet Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven.  As she looks down from this strange new place, she tells us, in the fresh and spirited voice of a fourteen-year-old girl, a tale that is both haunting and full of hope.

In the weeks following her death, Susie watches life continuing without her – her school friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her family holding out hope that she’ll be found, her killer trying to cover his tracks. As months pass without leads, Susie sees her parents’ marriage being contorted by loss, her sister hardening herself in an effort to stay strong, and her little brother trying to grasp the meaning of the word  gone.

And she explores the place called heaven. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. There are counselors to help newcomers adjust and friends to room with. Everything she ever wanted appears as soon as she thinks of it – except that thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.

With compassion, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie sees her loved ones pass through grief and begin to mend. Her father embarks on a risky quest to ensnare her killer. Her sister undertakes a feat of remarkable daring. And the boy Susie cared for moves on, only to find himself at the center of a miraculous event.

 

How to win these amazing books:

Leave me your email address in the comment box below. That’s it! You don’t have to follow my blog, but it would be lovely if you did. I told you it was easy. Good luck!

One Lovely Blog Award

Posted: May 26, 2012 in Uncategorized

After an exhausting day at work, I came home to find a wonderful comment on my blog from Constance Wallace. Connie is a published author of fantasy and horror and a soon to be History teacher. I enjoy visiting her blog and reading her fun and imaginative posts. Her comment said that she had mentioned me on her blog and when I went to visit, my tired face broke out in a silly grin. She had nominated me for The One Lovely Blog award. Thank you Connie, you made this tired old gal feel rejuvenated.

 

The rules to the award:

1. Thank the person/people who nominated you and link back to them.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire.

4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know.

 

Here are 7 things about me.

1. I live on Mobile Bay on the Gulf Coast of Alabama just minutes from the shore.

2. My reading companion is my dog Quigley, named after Tom Selleck’s character in the movie Quigley Down Under.

3. My favorite movie actors are Johnny Depp and John Cusack.

4. I have one teenage son. Don’t see much of him. He stays in his dungeon!

5. If you don’t know already, I LOVE to read books. All books. I enjoy reviewing almost as much.

6. I like to grow things. Green things. My dream is to some day have my own greenhouse. It would be lovely to sit out there and read.

7. My best friend is my mother. She is an angel and my inspiration. When I grow up I want to be just like her.

 

And the Nominees are!

Roberta: http://www.geminiwitching.com

Beckie: http://www.bittersweet-enchantment.com

Emily: http://emilyscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com

Alyson: http://for-the-reading.blogspot.com

Amy: http://amydenim.blogspot.com

Cricket: http://littlelibrarymuse.blogspot.com

Valerie: http://www.stuckinbooks.com

Laura: http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

Katharine: http://kaos-storyaday.blogspot.com

Clotilda: http://clotildajamcracker.wordpress.com

Vicky: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk

Kristin: http://www.booksniffersanonymous.com

Ashley: http://www.bookish-brunette.com

Jenn: http://momzunas.blogspot.com

Krystle: http://www.krystlejonesbooks.com

I could list so many more!

 

Thank you again Connie for this wonderful award.

Visit Connie at: http://legendsofgreenisles