Review: Death's Hand - By S.M Reine

Author: S.M. Reine
Website
Release Date:10/21/2011
Purchase Info: Amazon, Smashwords

Policing relations between Heaven, Hell, and Earth is messy and violent, but Elise Kavanagh and James Faulkner excelled at it-- until coming across a job so brutal that even they couldn't stand to see one more dead body. Now they've been pretending to be normal for five years, leaving their horrific history a dark secret. Elise works in an office. James owns a business. None of their friends realize they used to be one of the world's best killing teams.

After years of hiding, something stirs. Bodies are vanishing. Demons scurry in the shadows of the night. A child has been possessed. Some enemies aren't willing to let the secrets of the past stay dead...

First Thoughts:  I WANT TO SEE THIS AS A MOVIE!!

 

Elise is seriously some major type of BAD-ASS.
Yeah, OK, so she's an accountant. But she's also a retired demon-death-bringer, (yes I made that title up) who welds 2 swords of awesomeness!

After almost losing her life to a mega-evil spirit, Elise decides that retirement from demon hunting is the best way to regain normalcy in her life. Keeping a low profile and staying under the radar in a world full of shadows & creatures unknown is hard to do when they all know you by name, and reputation. Now there's buzz that Death's Hand is looking for the ideal vessel to take over the world in. Elise knows that this could mean someone, or something, could start looking for her. With her "shield", James, by her side she feels as though she's got things under control & figured out. But Death's Hand doesn't want Elise, it wants something far more precious to her...

Freakin' loved, loved, loved this book from page #1!
Elise is TOTALLY my kind of bad ass heroine. She totally reminds me of Anita Blake, but with a bigger attitude & some killer swords. As you meet Elise you immediately can tell that she doesn't want to get her hands dirty anymore, so when she's suckered into exorcising a little girl, THAT'S when things start getting interesting. Zombies, necromancers, evil spirits, crazy witches, there are so many paranormal peaks in this book I was amazed at how the author balanced it all so well. Throughout the book the dialogue jumps from Elise to James, and even to a couple other side characters, but surprisingly it wasn't jumbled or hard to follow because the plot, side plots & heart-wrenching surprises kept extremely fast paced and hard to put down!
All in all this book would have received 6 stars from me if it was possible. By far one of my top 10 reads of the year! It was refreshing, unique and pulled at all of my emotions. I am hoping & begging for the sequel, but only time will tell if S.M will grace us with another epic tale from Elise's book.

5/5

 

 

Unleashed Tour: Interview & Giveaway

Everyone welcome Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie!

I am more then thrilled to apart of their amazing blog tour for the release of Unleashed!

Over the weekend I finished Unleashed & it's PHENOMENAL, so that makes me even more excited to be hosting a stop in this tour!

What was the inspiration for Unleashed?

Nancy:  We had a werewolf character in Crusade whom we really loved, and we wanted to do something more with werewolves--with a twist.  We love magic, and what's more magical than people turning into wolves by the light of the full moon?  Some people might also notice that it's a riff off King Lear.  

Debbie:  When I was a kid werewolves were my favorite monster and I dressed up as one for Halloween one year.  The title for the second book, Hot Blooded, was something we thought would be a great title for a werewolf story.  And so it was born!

 

What would be the top 3 songs in Katelyn's iPod be?

Nancy:  "Who are You, Really?" by Mikky Ekko; "Howl" by Florence + the Machine; "Alegria" by Cirque du Soleil

Debbie:  Agree!

 

 How many books do you see in the Wolf Springs Chronicles?

So far, we are contracted for three.  We're in the middle of #2.  

Quickies:

Turkey or Ham?

 

Nancy:  Turkey

Debbie:  Turkey

 

Favorite side:

Nancy:  stuffing

Debbie:  mashed potatoes

Pumpkin pie or pecan pie?

Nancy:  Pumpkin

Debbie:  neither (chocolate!!)

Football or Silence during dinner?

Nancy:  Christmas carols 

Debbie:  Lively chatter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more info on the blog tour stops, visit HERE

 

GIVEAWAY!!

1 lucky person will get a copy of Unleashed

Just give the copter what it wants!

GOOD LUCK!!

Ash by Malinda Lo

 "'Please,' Ash said, 'I must do this alone. You do not need to concern yourself with me - I know you have more important things to attend to.'
 Sadness washed over the huntress's face. 'Ash,' she said,'I would do what ever I could to help you. How can I make you understand that?'
 'But why?' she could not help but ask. 'I am no one - a servant in a poor household. What could I give you?'
 Kaisa seemed taken aback. 'You don't need to give me anything,' she said. 'I offer because I care for you. I thought you felt the same way.'
 'I do,' Ash said, and as she said it she knew that it was true. It frightened her more than the dress did, more than the bargain she had struck with Sidhean. It made her skin flush and her hands feel cold, and she had to look away from the huntress, whose eyes were so green at that moment it was like looking at leaves on a tree. Below the balcony, in the ballroom. the dancers whirled in their dresses that had been spun from ordinary human-made looms." [p. 238]

Set in a medieval-like world where the old ways of greenwitches and tales of fairies are being replaced by the rational ways of the philosophers Ash by Malinda Lo is a retelling of Cinderella with a twist. Aisling, or Ash, looses her mother to illness when she's only 12. Her father soon remarries bringing home to Ash a stepmother and two stepsisters. When rather soon also her father dies, Ash is left living with people who never really liked her. Her stepmother makes Ash pay for her fathers financial losses and Ash is made to work as a servant in her stepmother's household. Life looks very grim and even though years pass Ash doesn't really get over losing her mother. Then she meets the mysterious Sidhean in the large woods near her stepmother's house and also befriends the king's huntress, Kaisa.

This is a world where the leader of the hunters has always been a woman. This is a world where different sexualities are perfectly normal. This is a world where fairies, even if the King has renounced the old ways, do in fact exist. And fairies can grant wishes, only they always want something in return. Ash makes a deal with Sidhean the fairy, but will it keep her from her true love?

And just like in Cinderella there will be a ball for the prince to find a bride, only Ash is not interested in the prince. It's someone else's eyes green as leaves that make her heart flutter and her cheeks flush.

I loved this book. I loved to learn about the world Lo had created and I especially loved the book's fairytale feel and its fresh take on an old story. And the love story was so sweet. Aww! :)

Fresh Face Friday (48)

Who: Jessica Sims

What: Beauty Dates the Beast

Single human female to join charming, wealthy, single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun—and maybe more.

 

Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan.

 

You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Must not be afraid of a little tail. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus.

 

My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer. Ready for an adventure? Give me a call.

 

Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply.

My Thoughts: Read the 1st line of this synopsis & tell me it doesn't draw you in?! Seriously it's sounds like a sexy, fun story!

 

Cover: A, Dark, Mysterious & HOTT!!

Stalking Grounds: Goodreads, Website

Giveaway: Captivated - By D. Apodaca

In honor of revealing the cover for book #2 in the Affliction Series, D. Apodaca is offering up 2 e-copies of Captivated! (Which is UH-MAZE-ING)

Here's what you need to do to enter!

 

Just give the copter what it wants!

Cover Whore Reveal: Unattainable (A Afflication Novel #2) - By D. Apodaca

Isn't it GORGEOUS!? 

I am absolutely IN-LOVE with the cover of book #1, so I was excited to see what the author came up with for #2 

Along with this pretty little cover, Deb was mean nice enough to supply us with a little teaser:

“What do you want from me?” I demanded. 

Dean examined my eyes and looked disappointed in what he saw. “Do you remember anything?” He asked with hope. 

“What are you talking about? I was with Shane, then I woke up here! He’ll kill you for this!” I warned. 

Dean threw back his head and laughed. “That little mosquito can try.” Then he lowered his eyes and cocked a smile. “I dare him.” 

The way he gazed at me was intense. I felt butterflies frantically flying in my stomach and up my chest. “What do you want from me?” I demanded, as I pretended not to feel a rush of excitement from his close presence. 

 “Do you remember anything from your human life?” Dean asked and tilted his head to the side.

“No.” I responded immediately. 

“Are you sure? Think really hard.” Dean insisted. “I don’t. I’ve already tried thinking really hard. Why is this so important?” I asked.

Ignoring my question, Dean asked, “Do you remember your friends? Family?” He hesitated and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe a boyfriend you had?”

Talk about a teaser from hell! I can NOT wait until Unattainable comes out!

Here's where you can stalk D. Apodaca:

Facebook

Goodreads

Teaser Tuesday 15.11.2011

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
The rules are:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers

Share the title and author too so that other Teaser Tuesday participients can add the book on their TBR lists, if they like your teasers!

I'm finally reading a book I have been wanting to read for a long time: Ash by Malinda Lo.

"When the memories came, Ash felt her heart constrict as if she were being bound by ropes so tight she would lose all breath. It hurt in a way she had never felt before, and she did not know how to make it stop." [p. 48]

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

"Magic," the man in the gray suit repeats, turning the word into a laugh. "This is not magic. This is the way the world is, only very few people take the time to stop and note it. Look around you," he says, waving a hand at the surrounding tables."Not a one of them even has an inkling of the things that are possible in this world, and what's worse is that none of them would listen if you attempted to enlighten them. They want to believe that magic is nothing but clever deception, because to think it real would keep them up at night, afraid of their own existence." [p. 380]

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has kept me up late in the evenings and well entertained for the past week or so. When I first read about this novel online I thought it interesting, a book I might want to read at some point, but when I saw the brand new hardback copy in our library, I simply had to borrow it! The book with its black-white-red colour scheme was simply so beautiful! I especially love that the edges of all the pages are dyed black. Dramatic and effective.

The Night Circus is a mysterious circus open only at night. It is also the set for a contest between two, young magicians Marco and Celia, or rather Marco and Celia are forced to compete with each other by his teacher and her father, both of whom are magicians or enchanters themselves. What the enchanters did not take into consideration is that Marco and Celia fall in love.

This is a very visual book. Not only as an object, but also the story is full of lovely descriptions of rooms, circus tents, clothes, people. Everything in the circus is black and white with a splash of red and silver, but there are also descriptions of other locales or scenery full of colour. Morgenstern has a way to paint with words and the pictures she creates are lovely. This is a book I would love to see turned into a film.

This is also a book with a great atmosphere. I liked the fact that it was not clear for a long time whether the circus was a good thing or a bad thing. About half way through I became a bit worried about the ending. I enjoyed the story so much that I started to worry whether the end would live up to the rest of the story. Luckily it did.

The Night Circus is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year. While I was reading it two other novels kept popping into my mind. I kept thinking that anyone who liked Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, might also like The Night Circus. The Night Circus is set to a later time period (1880s-1900s), but both are books where magic is real. Also, anyone liking Sepulrche by Kate Mosse,  might like The Night Circus, as tarot cards are interstingly weaved into the story in both these novels.

Well, I have loads of interesting novels waiting for their turn at the moment! :) I already started Ash by Malinda Lo, a retelling of Cinderella where the girl falls for the king's huntress instead of the prince. Sounds interesting and the first 50+ pages of the novel have set a very fairytalish, medieval atmosphere, which I find perfect for the story.

Fresh Face Friday (48)

Who: Sandy Williams

What: The Shadow Reader

There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

My Thoughts: Fae...seriously, that's all I needed to read to have me hooked on this book. I can't wait until it's release so I can tear through the pages & see how Sandy has layout this world!

Cover: A ~ Seriously this chick looks like she can kick some MAJOR ass!

Stalking Grounds: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Goodreads

Zombie Madness Giveaway

Zombie Madness!

Is it just me or are Zombies every-freakin'-where?!

 I have officially decided to jump on the bandwagon! After reading Death's Hand by S.M. Reine (which is feckin' EPIC), I have decided that reanimated corpses are pretty damn cool!

So, what better way to celebrate my conversion to the Zombie side then a MASSIVE GIVEAWAY!!!

This is what's up for grabs:

The First Days - By Rhiannon Frater

Dearly, Departed - By Lia Habel

and

some WICKED Walking Dead Chapstic!

(sorry for the shitty camera quality)

Just give the Copter what it needs & maybe even spread the word!

Sorry for Slacking

Ok, ok....start the stone throwing now...but don't hit my mouth, I have sarcastic super powers and would be rather useless without them!

As many of you know, and some of you don't, I was screwed last week & laid-off from my job.

Blows, hardcore. 

But have no fear, I have already started a new job. And in doing so, I am currently in that awkward, "your friends with everyone", stage. (we'll see how working with other females plays out....I try not to actually think about it)

So now everyday at work, I have to actually work. Yes, it's as strange as it sounds. 

I ask you all to just ride along with me while I play catch-up & work the kinks of my chaotic life out. 

*You never realize what a creature of habit you are until that habit is broken :(*

Winners!!

Sorry I really haven't been announcing winners lately....it's because I'm a slacker...sorry...

Anyways I'm announcing the winners of the the Amber Scott, Kristie Cook AND K.C. Neal Giveaways!

Congrats to.....

Amber Scott Winner : Rogier

Kristie Cook Winner : Dawn


K.C. Neal Winner : Sizzling Reads


**Winners have been notified & have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn**

IMM (#1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that was started by The Story Siren!

Here's the goodies I got this week!

For Review:

Josephine Lost - By Rebecca Gahagan (Tate Publishing)

Touch - By Jus Accardo (Entangled Publishing)

A Sucker Born Every Minute - Lia Kane (From Author)

Arson/Ashes - Estavan Vega (From Author)

UBER LOVE:

Under the Never Sky - By Veronica Rossi (Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads)

That's it for this week! What's in your Mailbox?

Fresh Face Friday: Rebecca Gahagan (47)

Who: Rebecca Gahagan

What: Josephine Lost

Nineteen-year-old Abigail Thornton’s family means everything to her. Her quarreling brother and sister, her ailing father, and her overbearing mother matter more to Abigail than anything in the world.

That is until one fateful December day changes her life forever. Betrayal and death sweep through her family and life as she knows it will never be the same.

Abi is drawn into a battle waged for eternities between the Arkos and the Scrios. Abigail is the Arkos’ Chosen Soldier and with the help of Harrison, her Guardian, she fights the ultimate battle to save the souls of mankind. Abigail’s sister, Josephine, falls in with the Scrios, the enemy bent on destroying the world.

If Abigail succeeds in her mission, she must battle her sister and leave what’s left of her family forever. Should she fail, she will cease to exist, and the world will fall into an irreversible darkness.

In the midst of chaos, she finds a love truer than she’s ever known and the courage to defy those whose only mission is to destroy her.

But will it be enough? Will she be able to save the world from a terrible fate? How will Abigail be able to fight a sister who she once loved? 

My Thoughts: I just started this book the other day, and so far it has sparked my interest. Cool fact, the page numbers are actually on the sides of the pages.

Cover: A++, I'm utterly IN LOVE with it. (It's even better in person!)

Stalking Ground: Facebook, Website, Goodreads

Vlog Review: Pyxis - By K.C. Neal

Author: KC Neal
Website
Release Date: 11/4/11
Purchase Info: Amazon, B&N


Two worlds... one 16-year-old girl must learn to protect them both.


The nightmares haunting Corinne and her friend Mason hint at a universe that exists beyond the one they know. Her destiny is to protect a weakness between the two worlds, but her mentor is dead. As Corinne and Mason search for answers, she tries to ignore the sparks igniting between them, but can't deny she feels safe only when he's nearby. Will they find help before their nightmares break free?

First Thought: Every time I think about this book, my mind ALWAYS comes back to the ending! It k-i-l-l-e-d me!

I had to let you guys know right away what I thought about this book, so here's the Vlog review.

(yes a written review will come)

**Disregard the shitty quality, the fact that I move around, a lot, and the phone ringing at some point, LOL*

Teaser Tuesday 1.11.2011

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
The rules are:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers

Share the title and author too so that other Teaser Tuesday participients can add the book on their TBR lists, if they like your teasers!

I'm finally reading a great classic I've meant to read for a very long time!

"Ignorance is the parent of fear, and being completely nonplussed and confounded by the stranger, I confess I was now as much afraid of him as if it was the devil himself who had thus broken into my room at the dead of night. In fact, I was so afraid of him that I was not game enough just then to address him, and demand a satisfactory answer concerning what seemed inexplicaple in him." [Moby Dick by Herman Melville, p. 42]

Top Ten Tuesday: Emontional Roller Coasters

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme over at the Broke and the Bookish.



This week we're talking:

Top Ten Books I Had VERY Strong Emotions About (cry, laugh, hurl across the room, etc.)

The Demon Trapper's Daughter - By Jana Oliver
Probably the first book EVER to make me cry

New Moon - By Stephenie Meyer

Seriously! Who didn't throw the book across the room when Edward left?!



Captivated - By D. Apodaca
Not only did this book have one of the best cliff hangers ever, but it broke my heart, TWICE!



The Turning - By Jennifer Armintrout

This one was picked because how sadistic and cruel Cyrus, the main vampire, is. (If you haven't read this book, then you don't know what I'm talking about)



The Iron Knight - By Julie Kagawa

Though all the Iron Fey books are UH-MAZE-ING, Ash's story ran so deep for me. Maybe it was the jaw dropping shocker in the beginning of the book...or the journey he goes on....but this left my emotions all over the place.



Possession - By Jennifer Armintrout

I think that this whole series was like a mind-f*&% for me. But what Carrie & Nathan had to go through in this book by re-living his wife dying...oh man I was in TEARS!



Of Mice and Men - By John Steinbeck

Simply because it's a classic, and I still remember how much I was taken back after reading this book for the first time.



Blue Moon - By Laurell K Hamilton

I <3 Richard!
God I just wanted it to work out SO badly....I was fighting for them :(



Halfway to the Grave - By Jeaniene Frost

I'm not sure if I've ever laughed SO MUCH in a book!Plus we all know Bones is a hottie, which helps with that emotional connection!



Dead Until Dark - By Charlaine Harris

Gran dying really did me in, but man did Sookie kick some ass at the end!

What are your Top Ten??