Moira Rogers' Kindle Contest - Comment here for a chance to win! (Go Team Werewolf!!)

This contest is hosted by: Moira Rogers

Welcome to our newest crazy blog shindig! This one is a little different than anything we’ve done before, so make sure you read the directions closely. We’re not just trying to get people to comment on our blog for this contest…we want the epic battle to be fought on multiple fronts!

Sanctuary Unbound goes on sale tomorrow (or today, if you shop at My Bookstore & More!) and A Safe Harbor goes on sale July 13th. The former features a badass vampire lumberjack. The latter, a devious werewolf bootlegger.  The obvious question is: well, who has the potential to be the awesomest?

We want YOU to decide! And if you fight for your side valiantly, you could win a kindle, or one of several gift certificates to the online bookseller of your choice. (You don’t need to be familiar with the characters to fight…you may pick a side based on the theoretical awesomeness of vampire lumberjacks and werewolf bootleggers. In fact, creativity is encouraged.)

Diana at Book of Secrets is on Team Werewolf Bootlegger!

Why do I love werewolves?  Where do I start?

Warm, warm, warm-blooded.

Alive.

Can eat normal food.

Doesn't drink blood...yucky!

Super strong and protective.

Large extended family (pack) to help out.

A lovely heartbeat.

Will not burn up in sunshine.

Would be able to have puppies with you.

A werewolf bootlegger would be financially secure.

He can bring home the bacon (real bacon) and booze.

Mates for life.

What do you think?  Werewolf or Vampire?? 

Leave a meaningful comment to my post below, and Moira Rogers will enter you in her

KINDLE GIVEAWAY CONTEST!!

Disclaimer Text:

This post is a part of Moira Rogers’ Creature Feature Kindle Throwdown Contest. By leaving a (meaningful) comment, you will be entered to win a Kindle from Amazon.com, or an alternate grand prize of $275 to spend at an online book retailer. For a full list of rules and more ways to win, visit the contest page.

Review: SHADOW MAGIC

Lord Drogan of Wolfglynn is a man plagued by the evil deeds he and his fellow knights committed while in the king's service.  He has seen the darkness overtake his comrades, and Drogan fears it is only a matter of time before it claims his soul as well.  He chooses to live his remaining years alone.  While visiting his friend Gerard, a man who shares the sins of his past, he meets a striking woman.  Serena is a witch, cursed to live a lonely life too.  Serena of Hawthorne has the power to see a person's future, and she has seen the impending deaths of Gerard and his young family at the hands of an evil man from their past.  Serena's ability allows her to foresee a second path, one where Gerard's family is saved, but it will mean certain death for her. 

Determined to save her friends, Serena convinces Lord Drogan to hide them at his home at Wolfglynn.  During their journey across England, Serena and Drogan separate from Gerard in an effort to throw off the killer.  During their time alone, they discover a love and passion between them that cannot be denied.  They find a kindred spirit in each other, someone else cursed by the past and resigned to being alone.  On arrival at Wolfglynn, Drogan is finally able to face the demons of his past for a chance at a future without the darkness, while Serena is willing to sacrifice herself for the man she loves to give him that future.  Will love be enough to break the curse?

Donna Grant has written an enchanting tale of love, sacrifice and redemption.  This story is a captivating blend of historical romance and fantasy filled with compelling characters.  I was drawn in by Serena and her magical ability to see two paths a person's life can take.  Drogan was the perfect tortured (and sexy!) hero in need of the perfect woman to save him.  Their flight from the evil chasing them was nail-biting and we're kept guessing as to his identity until the end.  The story is left open to continue in the next book of the series, Echoes of Magic.  Fans of her new Dark Sword series will enjoy this one as well!

Cynthia Eden's Deadly Days of Summer!

Waiting On Wednesday: DRAGON WARRIOR

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I am looking forward to the release of Dragon Warrior by Meagan Hatfield:

"Kestrel Grey is the captain of the dragon legion. A warrior who has fought over 500 hundred years and won countless battles for his kin. On a risky mission, he is overtaken by their vampire enemies and barely escapes with his life. Although he makes it back to the dragon flock's mountain home, the King and Queen have been captured and Kestrel is mortally wounded. He never thought about the future and, like all dragon lords, had no use for love or anything weak and soft, until he's placed in the care of Doc, the resident healer. While the need for retribution claws at him, he also finds himself using all the passion and desire the mighty dragon lords are known for, to claim the delicate Sparrow as his."

This novella will be published in eBook form by Harlequin in July 2010.  The story is related to her book Shadow of the Vampire that will be released on July 1st.  I was lucky enough to read the ARC from Net Galley of Shadow.  My review can be found HERE.

Review: MASKED BY MOONLIGHT

On the seedy side of New Orleans two men are brutally murdered.  After examining the crime scene, Detective Charlotte "Cee Cee" Caissie's question is not who, but what killed gambler T-Bob and his shady friend.  The victims' bodies were mutilated as if they had been attacked by a vicious animal.  The investigation leads her to mob boss Jimmy Legere, a man she blames for kidnapping her as a teenager and murdering her father.  But to get to Legere, Cee Cee must go through Max Savoie first.  Max is second-in-command with a fierce reputation.  Raised by the crime boss since his mother's death when he was a child, Max is Legere's most prized possession because of his secret gift, the ability to shift from man to beast.  Legere uses that ability to make Max a deadly predator to protect his business interests and strike fear into his enemies.

As a smart, seasoned police woman, Cee Cee knows she should be wary of Max and his ties to Jimmy Legere, but she cannot help but be intrigued by him.  When he saves her life during a vicious attack, Cee Cee realizes he was the same hero who rescued her from the brutal kidnappers years before.  She falls in love with him despite learning about his true nature lurking just beneath the surface.  As she delves further into the murder investigation and evidence mounts against him, she is forced to choose between her duty as a cop and her love for Max.

This is a fantastic beginning to the Moonlight series.  The plot had many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.  The characters are compelling.  Cee Cee and Max are troubled souls on opposite sides of the law.  They're haunted by the past and longing to reach out to someone who would understand their pain.  I loved Max Savoie.  He was different than your typical paranormal romance hero.  Sure, he was sexy, protective and strong, but he also seemed vulnerable with little identity and very few personal possessions of his own.  His entire existance was controlled by Jimmy Legere until Cee Cee came into his life.  Hot, passionate sex was easy between them, but learning to trust one another was far more complicated.  I'd also like to say that I thought Max's shifting ability was unique, but I will let you discover the details on your own.  This dark, suspenseful tale should not be missed!

Review copy courtesy of the author.
 

Friday Finds: 5/21/2010

Lord of The Isles by Debbie Mazzuca

"After travelling to Scotland on business, the bed of a highland laird is the last place Ali Graham expected to wake up. But there's no mistaking the irresistibly masculine Scottish Highlander whose chamber she's accidentally infiltrated - or the severe wound he's suffered in battle. As a doctor, Ali knows how to heal his injury, how to nurse his body back to health. What she doesn't know is how to heal his heart...

A proud warrior and the leader of a powerful clan, Rory MacLeod is ready to fight to the death to protect his homeland. After all, ever since tragedy robbed him of his wife, he has had nothing to lose. Yet the mysterious woman sent to tend his wounds is beginning to reawaken something inside him - something that he'd rather stay buried. But when true passion is mixed with Scottish magic, even the most fearsome warrior could begin to fall..."

***************************

I bought this book on a whim as I was rushing through Borders this week.  I had a Mother's Day gift card to spend!  I love Scottish romances, so I couldn't resist.  There is a picture of a gorgeous man in a kilt on the cover after all!  Now, this happens to be a time-travel romance.  I don't usually read time-travel stories.  For some reason, that is a subject I can't wrap my mind around.  I'd believe vampires are real before I'd believe someone could travel through time!  Anyway, I'm going to give this book a read for a nice change of pace.  It's near the top of my TBR pile, so I hope to have a review about it soon!

Hosted By: Should Be Reading

I got an award!

"A prolific blogger is one who is intellectually productive, keeping up an active blog with enjoyable content. After accepting this award, recipients are asked to pass it forward to seven other deserving blogs."

Thank you so much to Beth @ Maybe Tomorrow? for passing this award to me!

I am passing this award to these amazing bloggers whom I visit daily (in alphabetical order):

About Happy Books

Bewitched Bookworms

In The Hammock

Lovin' and Livin' Life in the 808

Lynette's Two Cents

The Moonlight to Twilight Blog

The Wormhole

Review: STORMWALKER

Janet Begay, a Navajo Stormwalker through her father's family, is able to command the power of storms though powerful magic.  She is also half-goddess, thanks to her estranged mother, a goddess herself trapped in the mystical realm of Beneath.  Janet travels to the Southwestern town of Magellan to investigate the disappearance of the police chief's daughter.  Magellan is located near several vortexes, gateways to the world of Beneath.  Janet suspects her mother may be involved in the young woman's disappearance, as she will stop at nothing to find the key to open a vortex and escape from Beneath.  Shortly after arriving in Magellan, Janet's mysterious ex-boyfriend Mick shows up in town, someone she hasn't seen in five years.  Mick also possesses supernatural power, though Janet is unsure of what type of magical being he is, and he will tell her very little about himself.  Janet knows that Mick can brandish fire without getting burned, and he is unaffected by her storm power.  But what does he really want with her?  Can she trust him to stand by her during the biggest battle of her life?

Wow!  I've been waiting for this book's release since I read the prequel A Little Night Magic in the anthology Hot for the Holidays.  It was well worth the wait.  Stormwalker was a page-turner!  It was an action-packed urban fantasy, sexy paranormal romance and mystery/suspense all in one story.  The plot is full of twists and turns, and you're never quite sure who's on the side of good or evil.  The author has created a cast of fascinating characters - from a trickster god that changes from man to coyote to a bi-sexual talking magic mirror!  I loved the first-person perspective of Janet Begay.  She is an engaging heroine who had me fighting, cringing, laughing and crying along with her.  She's the first character in a long time who could rival Sookie Stackhouse!   Any fan of urban fantasy or paranormal romance would enjoy this story.

Blog Award!

Thanks so much to Bewitched Bookworms for passing this award to me. 

Here is how it works: If you are given this award you must first accept it by leaving a comment on the post you were nominated on. Then copy and paste the post and add it to your own blog. Make a list of the last 5 books you read and pass the award on to 5 other bloggers (no backsies!). Please also identify the blog from which you got the award and don't forget to tell them they have a blog award!

These are the last 5 books I've read:

Stormwalker (Currently Reading)

Shadow of the Vampire

Ravished By A Highlander

Rampant

His Darkest Hunger

I am passing this award to these amazing bloggers:

A Buckeye Girl Reads

Candace's Book Blog

Dawn Hullender's Southern Musings

Maybe Tomorrow?

Paranormal Fantasies

(Early) Review: SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE

"Even vampires should never sleep with the enemy."

An ancient prophecy spoke of a mysterious crystal with the power to rule all or destroy one.  For hundreds of years, vampires and dragon-shifters have engaged in a bloody war, and they are both desperate to possess the Draco Crystal.  The Dragon King and Queen have been murdered by the vampires, and their son Declan, the new king, finds the crystal in the vampires' catacombs, but before he can escape, he is taken prisoner by the Vampire Queen's daughter.  Alexia is ordered to torture and kill Declan in an effort to find where he has hidden the crystal.  But each encounter with him stirs a passion inside her that she thought was long dead.  Though Declan should hate her for being the Vampire Queen's heir, he, too, feels the undeniable attraction between them.  They soon discover a common foe has taken possession of the crystal to overthrow the Vampire Queen and destroy the dragons.  Can Alexia and Declan  put aside hundreds of years of hate and mistrust to defeat their enemy and find peace, or is their desire for power and revenge too strong?

This was a fantastic book.  Meagan Hatfield has created a dark and perilous world filled with non-stop action and intense emotion.  From the first page I was drawn in and this fast paced story of vampires, dragons, and ancient prophecies would not let me go!  The choice of dragon-shifters as the vampires' enemy was original.  Declan is even able to half-shift, a human body with dragon wings and tail, which Alexia enjoys during their hot love scenes!  This story is definitely a DARK paranormal romance.  The descriptive scenes of torture and battles were intense.  The characters were well written and I could feel their emotions - anguish, fear, love and joy.  I enjoyed the secondary characters too.  I can see the possibility of at least three future stories based on Declan's sister Tallon, Alexia's mysterious cousin, and others.  I am looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
 

GIVEAWAY ALERT: May "Recycled Read" Monthly Contest

I'm starting a monthly contest on my blog called "Recycled Read."  Each month, I will give away one book from by own bookshelf (purchased by me).  This book will be one that I have read only once that is still in great condition.  (I'm a gentle reader.)  Though I love each and every one of them, I need to make room for more books!

The May "Recycled Read" I am giving away is:

His Darkest Hunger by Juliana Stone

"Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he's finally found her. The hunt is over . . .

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair, of her treachery, of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant, he game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine."

CONTEST RULES/HOW TO ENTER:

♥ Contest is open to followers in the USA & Canada (18 years & older, please).  You may follow my blog however you prefer: Google Friend Connect, RSS Feed, Networked Blogs or E-mail.

♥ To enter, leave a comment to this post with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you are the winner.  I'm keeping this monthly contest simple - everyone who leaves a comment gets one entry.  The winner will be chosen by Random.org.

♥ The MAY contest ends on 5/31/10 at 11:59 pm Central Time.  The winner will be chosen and posted on my blog the next day, and the June contest will begin!

Good Luck!

Short Story Review: UNTIL DEATH WE DO PART

"Until Death We Do Part" by Sherrilyn Kenyon

(A short story from the anthology Love at First Bite.)

Blurb:

"Over five hundred years ago, Esperetta's soul was bound to her husband's by dark magic, and when Velkan became a Dark-Hunter, to her horror, she became immortal as well.  Now, they must come together to fight an old enemy...and the passion that threatens to consume them once more."

Five hundred years ago, a young novice named Esperetta is saved from a vicious attack by the Romanian warrior prince, Velkan Danesti.  He takes care of her afterwards, and they soon fall in love.  Unfortunately, Esperetta is the daughter of Vlad Tepes (aka Dracula), and Velkan's father is Vlad's greatest enemy.  Like in Romeo & Juliet, they are married in secret, but eventually Esperetta and Velkan must fake their deaths to escape their fathers' wrath and live happily ever after.  Their plan goes awry when the two are actually killed by Vlad.  Velkan is raised from the dead as a Dark-Hunter, and because Esperetta's soul was bound to Velkan's when they married by sorcery (unbeknownst to her), she too is raised from the dead and becomes immortal.  Before Velkan can explain their fate to her, Esperetta witnesses Velkan killing her father.  She runs away in terror, and so begins 500 years of misunderstanding.  Fast forward to the present day: Esperetta (now called Retta) still hates Velkan because she believes he killed her father in cold blood.  Velkan still hates Esperetta because she did not trust him and believed him a monster.  As an old enemy surfaces that threatens them both, Velkan's servants lure Retta back to Romania in an effort to reunite them.  Will they be able to forgive each other before it's too late?

This short story is part of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series.  Chronologically, it falls toward the end of the reading list, though before this story I had only read Dream Lover and Dragonswan which were not particularly Dark Hunter-ish if I remember correctly.  I have mixed feelings about this story.  I enjoyed the take on Romeo & Juliet, with Dracula's daughter as the "Juliet."  The author created interesting characters.  Velkan was the sexy and strong alpha male with smoldering good looks.  Retta is the smart, independent heroine though still emotionally fragile when it comes to her husband.  I didn't like the fact that their misunderstanding would last 500 years.  That's just not believable, especially since they had been keeping tabs on each other the whole time.  The author did a good job providing a brief back story of the Dark Hunters for those new to the series, but I feel she tried too hard to keep the story short and rushed the ending.  I think I would have enjoyed this story more if had read more of the previous books.  I'm glad I read this story because it is part of the Dark Hunter series, and I plan on reading them all.

My Overstuffed Bookshelf is Giving Away a Great Mother's Day Gift!

Head over to My Overstuffed Bookshelf and enter for a chance to win an amazing Mother's Day prize.  The contest is open to followers of her blog in the USA.  The contest will run until 5/8/2010.  Please click HERE for more details!

What do you look for in a book review?

As a reader, I've read hundreds of book reviews.  Most good, some bad.  Many I agree with, several I don't.  Though as a new book blogger, I haven't written many reviews.  So, in your opinion, what makes a good book review?  Long, medium or very brief?  Do you like summaries in the reviewer's own words, or would you rather see the back cover blurb in quotes?  How much "emotion" do you like to see (gushing with praise/distaste or just the facts)? 

There's a (famous) reviewer I've seen on Amazon that has written 1000s of book reviews, and each one typically follows the same formula:  Three brief paragraphs.  The first two are a summary of the story.  The third paragraph is usually a positive summary of the first two paragraphs.  Though that's somewhat helpful, I feel that those reviews lack depth.  I'm looking for a bit more.  I ask this question because I've already been dinged a couple times on Amazon for posting an "unhelpful" review.

What do you think?

My BLOGMANIA Winners!

The first BLOGMANIA was a blast!  I was up until midnight trying to visit all of the great blogs who participated.  I hope you had fun too!  Here are the two winners of my BLOGMANIA contest:

The winner of the Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy collection (Prize #1) is:

Emmagan

The winner of the Paranormal Romance Anthology collection (Prize #2) is:

Roxanne Rhoads

The winners were chosen using RANDOM.org.  I have sent an e-mail notification to both winners.  Please respond by Monday, May 3rd, with your mailing address so I can get your prize shipped to you.  If I don't receive a response by then, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by yesterday to enter my contest!  Another BLOGMANIA event is being planned for September, and I plan to do it all again!  As for now, I have to get back to READING!  I have been so busy this week that I haven't had much of a chance.  Have a wonderful weekend!