Teaser Blast: The Darkest Torment (Lords of the Underworld #12) by Gena Showalter @InkSlingerPR @genashowalter

About the Author:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Pre-order your copy of THE DARKEST TORMENT by Gena Showalter, and each week, be entered to win 1 of 4 darkly dangerous prizes! Just click HERE to fill out the form!



The Darkest Torment (Lords of the Underworld #12)
Adult Paranormal Urban Romance
Expected Publication: 31 May 2016 by Harlequin HQN

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with her most explosive Lords of the Underworld tale to date, about a fierce warrior on the brink of sanity who will stop at nothing to claim the exquisite human with the power to soothe the beast inside him…

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another…and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride—just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evils—with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them…and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love…or lose him forever.

Goodreads | Indiebound | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Google Books | iBooks | Kobo | Book Depository | Amazon

Check out the rest of the Lords of the Underworld series on Goodreads HERE.

The Darkest Torment (Lords of the Underworld #12) Teaser Blast Arranged By InkSlinger PR.

Cover Reveal: Desolate City by Racquel Jones

If you check out my Goodreads "read" shelf, you might get the idea that I like urban fantasy. And you would be so right. So, I jumped at the chance to be part of Racquel Jones' cover reveal for her upcoming YA urban fantasy, DESOLATE CITY.

About The Author:
Racquel Jones has been a Michigander for 22 years now. She has a love for all things fantasy, art and the history behind it and comic book heroes. Since she was able to talk, she told stories to her friends rather it be fan fiction or her own original ideas. Right now, she is looking to one day expand her horizons into writing for comics and owning a branch of unique cafes/bookstores.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Blurb:
After being invited to a party, Seiren never dreamed of being haunted by the Haydens--supernatural beings--of her city. She was suppose to forget about how they watched her every move days before. She was suppose to forget how everything went downhill after meeting a certain white eyed Hayden. But that would be too simple...

Ereshkigal, a group of powerful beings that all Haydens resent, have their sights on Seiren and Haydens from every corner of Black Phoenix will do everything in their power to stop them.

With the help of the gun-toting agent Luann and Hayden guardian Julius, Seiren must figure out her place in all of this and why she is literally running for her life.

Find On Goodreads

Cover Design by: Silviya Yordanova
Facebook
DeviantART



I love the purple tint. The profile of the girl's face could be a "typical" YA cover, yet the off-side setting and the skyline that sits in the background -even while it has almost equal space in the frame- draws my eye and attention.

What do you think?

Steampunk Spectrum(1)

Blurb:
Evil is most assuredly afoot—and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade . . . and a librarian.

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences—the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling—will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest . . . and she’s prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

For a malevolent brotherhood is operating in the deepening London shadows, intent upon the enslavement of all Britons. And Books and Braun—he with his encyclopedic brain and she with her remarkable devices—must get to the twisted roots of a most nefarious plot . . . or see England fall to the Phoenix!


I really, really enjoyed reading PHOENIX RISING. First, it was actually an audiobook read for me. Sometimes, it can be hit or miss with audiobooks. Though the vast majority that I've listened to have been good, sometimes the narrator just won't be the voice that I want to hear. Or even seem to reflect the tone of the book or characters correctly. No worries on that front here. The narrator's intonation is spot on for Ministry boss, Dr. Sound, and the slight changes he makes to mirror Eliza's New Zealand accent works well. Even Books sounds just like I would imagine.

As for the story, PHOENIX RISING is a mix of mystery, steampunk and action. It's cheeky and well-paced, with Eliza and Books' relationship and interaction being important to the way the characters get things done, but still not overshadowing the inherent adventurousness of the novel.

Read if you liked:
The Iron Seas (series) by Meljean Brook
Katherine "Kitty" Katt (series) by Gini Koch

Book Rating:
12.5/15
4 stars
A-

Goodreads
Barnes and Noble | NookBook | Book Depository | Amazon | Kindle | Audible


Blurb:
The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.


GOD SAVE THE QUEEN is more of an urban fantasy steampunk. The world is one that has been changed by the fact that the British Empire still reigns because the queen is undead. This book explores class system under the guise of vampires, half-breeds and other creatures that bump in the night. Xandra's father is a member of the ruling class that she is sworn to protect, but never quite belong in. She lives in a dark, gritty world where secrets are being kept, and Xandra will have to be the one to uncover them.

Like in PHOENIX RISING, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN has a bit of the cheekiness that I have come to associate with British steampunk. It's a little darker, and I think a little more exclusively for urban fantasy readers who are open to steampunk. For me, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN was a fairly quick read, but the world itself was built well through Kate Locke's exposition and the characters dialog.

Read if you liked:
Rhiannon's Law (series) by J.A. Saare
Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Book Rating:
14/15
4.5 stars
A+

Goodreads

Blurb:
Former ballerina Callie Carlisle is determined to rebuild her life with her new mechanical limbs. She's just learned to accept the enhancements that saved her from certain death when she experiences uncontrollable twinges and flashes of light that obscure her vision. Terrified of literally falling apart, she resists telling her husband. Jasper's already vowed to keep her out of harm, and she doesn't want to worry him further.

When the War Office's General Black arrives with an urgent mission—rescue the doctor who created Callie's enhancements—she has no choice but to accept. A rogue agent and former patient of the scientist believes the biomechanical modifications he received are killing him, and he's out for revenge.

Callie must reach the doctor before it's too late. But with an overprotective Jasper at her side, and her alarming symptoms getting more frequent, will she be able to hold herself together long enough to save the doctor... and herself?


BROKEN PROMISES is the continuation of Callie and Jasper's story that started in FAR FROM BROKEN, which can be found as an individual novella, or in the anthology A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS. The first part of their story must be read, in order to understand what goes on here. Callie has had to give up her dreams of being a ballerina and learn to live with the new mechanical limbs she possesses.

What drew me to J.K. Coi's writing in the first place is her ability to evoke strong emotion with Callie and Jasper. Both are damaged characters, not just in mind and spirit. BROKEN PROMISES is at heart, a romance, but the steampunk aspect is seamlessly integrated. The world is steampunk and the story is romance.

Read if you liked:
Unbound (series) by Rachel Vincent

Book Rating:
11.5/15
3.5 stars
B+

Goodreads
NookBook | Carina Press | Kindle

Sequel News: The Burning Bush (Santeria Habitat #2) By Kenya Wright

During the spring, I had a chance to read a really amazing darker urban fantasy, which put the urban in fantasy, for sure. This book was FIRE BAPTIZED by Kenya Wright. I'm totally behind on my not-tour-related reviews, but I fully intend on sharing my feelings of this book before the end of the autumn. Why? Did I mention this book was amazing? It had not-white characters! It had shapeshifters! It had a protagonist that was college-age! Basically, some of the things that I have been craving in a good YA/adult cross-over urban fantasy. Not only that, the voice (that illusive voice) was compelling and real.

Kenya Wright has just announced that the sequel, THE BURNING BUSH, is available. I definitely intend to continue with this series. Haven't heard of FIRE BAPTIZED or read it yet?

Blurb:
Since the 1970s humans have forced supernaturals to live in caged cities. 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?

Find On Goodreads

Barnes and Noble |Amazon


Then go check out THE BURNING BUSH (SANTERIA HABITAT #2), now available.

Blurb:
After Dante Bottelli’s slaughter of Vamp-owned Mixbreeds, Lanore and Zulu execute a well-planned attack that hits Dante where it hurts the most—his pockets. But their attack triggers a chain of unfortunate events, and allows Detective Rivera to blackmail Lanore.

Rivera forces Lanore to investigate his case, the Burning Bush Murders. Someone's been tying girls to bushes and setting them on fire. Lanore must find the killer, or Rivera goes public with his information.

Meanwhile, Dante won't take his defeat without a fight. He counterattacks and the Santeria habitat, as well as Lanore’s and Zulu’s lives, are changed forever.

Find On Goodreads

Barnes and Noble |Amazon

Stalking The Others Blog Tour: Guest Post from the H&W Gang

I am extremely happy to welcome my readers to Read My Mind's stop on the STALKING THE OTHERS blog tour! I "discovered" this series in fall of 2010 through another blogger's review and recommendation. At the time, I was looking for darker urban fantasy, like Vicki Pettersson's Zodiak series or contemporary, like Cynthia Eden's Deadly series. Jess Haines raised the bar and more on my expectations with HUNTED BY THE OTHERS and her series is now on my list of auto-reads!

Enjoy the guest post from Jess Haines, Shiarra, and the rest of the H and W crew!

STALKING THE OTHERS BLOG TOUR

Guest Post Stop 12: What Are the White Hats Planning For Shia?

By Jess Haines

Hello there! Jess Haines here. I’m the author of the urban fantasy H&W Investigations series HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, TAKEN BY THE OTHERS, DECEIVED BY THE OTHERS, and the upcoming STALKING THE OTHERS

Shiarra has been having a pretty bad time of things lately. She’s here with some of her friends (and otherwise) to tell you about it. The H&W gang are going to grill Jack about what the White Hats are up to. Over to you, Shia!

____________________

Shiarra: I’m not sure I really want to know.

Royce: It is unwise to make yourself deliberately unaware of your enemies’ plans, Ms. Waynest.

Arnold: Particularly when those plans involve you.

Jack: Why do they have to be here?

Chaz: Who, me?

Jack: Yes. You, and the walking corpse.

Royce: Most likely because we both have a vested interest in the outcome of this situation. As do you.

Jack: I’m not telling any of you my plans.

Sara: Why not? Most of the time it seems pretty cut and dried when it comes to the White Hats. Shoot anything with fangs or fur.

Arnold: Or blow it up.

Shiarra: They blow things up? I haven’t seen any explosives.

Jack: We don’t use them all the time.

Chaz: Whoa. When did you guys blow something up?

Jack: It’s been a while.

Royce: They know better than to try that again with one of my businesses. Plus, I’m reasonably certain the police have cut them off from their distributor.

Shiarra: Serious business.

Arnold: I thought it was the FBI, not the cops?

Jack: Both. We had more than one contact get caught.

Sara: How sad for you.

Jack: That thing you’re doing? Sarcasm? Not appreciated.

Shiarra: Then you are going to have a very unhappy time around us.

Arnold: Don’t worry, honey. I appreciate your sarcasm. Except when it’s directed at me. Then I’m sad.

Sara: Aw, don’t be sad.

Chaz: Can we move on? I don’t want to listen to those two being all lovey-dovey.

Royce: I’m with the wolf. Back on topic, if you please.

Jack: I’m not going to incriminate myself by naming names or discussing the details of how we plan to rid this earth of the plague of Others. Out of all of you, I’m surprised the vampire would even try.

Royce: Actually, I’m not terribly interested. I know as much about you as I need to. It’s the others who want to know what your plans are regarding Ms. Waynest.

Chaz: What the hell are you planning to do with my girlfriend, anyway?

Shiarra: Hey, Chaz?

Chaz: Eh?

Shiarra: You seem to have forgotten something. Not yours anymore.

Chaz: Details. We’ll work this out, just like before.

Shiarra: Uh, no. Not “just like before”. This is nothing like before, you insensitive son of a—

Sara: Shia!

Shiarra: …yeah. Forget it.

Arnold: I’m sensing… discord. Unhappiness. An epic fail on somebody’s part, perhaps…

Shiarra: I’m going with Jack on that sarcasm thing.

Arnold: Aw. Nobody has a sense of humor today.

Sara: Can you blame her? Chaz did mess up with her pretty badly.

Shiarra: This is where that epic fail thing comes in.

Chaz: I’m standing right here, you know.

Shiarra: Yes. We know.

Jack: A re they always like this?

Royce: Yes.

Chaz: No.

Shiarra: Sometimes.

Sara: Yes.

Arnold: I’m going to go out on a limb, and say all the time.

Jack: Do I really need to be here for this?

Royce: If I have to put up with it, so do you.

Shiarra: You can go when you answer the original question.

Chaz: I forget what we were talking about.

Jack: We were talking about what the White Hats are planning for your girlfriend, you moron.

Chaz: Hey! Watch the name-calling, you little twerp. I’ll snap you like a twig.

Shiarra: Do I really need to repeat myself? Ex-girlfriend. Ex.

Royce: I don’t think the hunter cares, Ms. Waynest.

Jack: You’d be correct in that assumption, vampire. And I’m not telling these monsters anything. If you want to discuss this privately, come see me when this interview is over.

Sara: Brother. Everybody’s a drama queen.

Shiarra: Tell me about it.

____________________

You can learn more about Shiarra and the rest of her friends in HUNTED BY THE OTHERS HERE

For the next stop on the blog tour, be sure to visit the official STALKING THE OTHERS blog tour calendar!

You can also visit me on the web:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Thanks again for having me and the gang over, Lillie!

Thank you, Jess, for stopping by!

Remember, STALKING THE OTHERS comes out July 3rd. So, if you haven't had a chance to check out this great series, catch up now before the release. (also, WHAT? You haven't checked out the series YET?!) I'll be posting my review at NOON TODAY, so come back to see what I thought of the newest installment.

Want a chance to win a copy? Jess is kindly giving away 15 (!) paperback copies of STALKING THE OTHERS during the tour. Just enter via the rafflecopter below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bewitching Book Tour Promo: A Sliver Of Shadow by Allison Pang + Giveaway

I am very happy to welcome Allison Pang to Read My Mind today. She's the author of A BRUSH OF DARKNESS, the first novel in the Abby Sinclair series, and A SLIVER OF SHADOW, which continues the series. I personally loved both books. Check out my review of A SLIVER OF SHADOW.

Allison has provided an excerpt from the first chapter of A SLIVER OF SHADOW, so read on to get a taste of this fantastically imagined urban fantasy.

About The Author

A marine biologist in a former life, Allison Pang turned to a life of crime to finance her wild spending habits and need to collect Faberge eggs. A cat thief of notable repute, she spends her days sleeping and nights scaling walls and wooing dancing boys... Well, at least the marine biology part is true. But she was taloned by a hawk once.  She also loves Hello Kitty, sparkly shoes, and gorgeous violinists.

She spends her days in Northern Virginia working as a cube grunt and her nights waiting on her kids and cats, punctuated by the occasional husbandly serenade. Sometimes she even manages to write. Mostly she just makes it up as she goes.

Website | Blog | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Chapter One Excerpt

“Run, Abby.”

Sonja’s warning slid around me with a wash of power. Startled, I shot up from where I huddled beneath a cluster of fallen logs, decayed bark scattering as a set of claws shredded my hiding place. I ducked, the sharpened talons slicing the air with a deadly whistle.

Grinding my teeth, I narrowed my eyes and concentrated, letting my own form shift. Small, furry, fast . . .

Hare.

The Dreaming rippled. I bounded away, sleek and long, haunches bunching and then springing forward to propel me into the darkness. Sonja’s low growl of frustration echoed behind me. I didn’t know exactly what form she’d taken, but my rapidly twitching nose instantly recognized the acrid scent of something feline.

The urge to go to ground vibrated through my little body, but I pushed forward, leaves sliding beneath my paws. All around me were shadows as my nails dug into the moist earth. The scenery blurred past in a haze of ragweed and pine trees, needles brushing my fur. I couldn’t hear Sonja anymore and I paused, my ears rotating to cup the darkness.

The faintest breeze caught my attention, and I instinctively flattened against the grass as Sonja swooped past, this time in the shape of a barred owl.

She wheeled, but I bolted, aiming for the tinkling stream nearby. Shedding the last vestige of the hare, I leapt toward the surface, my skin sluicing into scales as I slithered into the depths. My gills opened to shunt out the water, gravel scraping my pink salmon belly.

“Good! Very good.” Sonja applauded from the banks. The succubus had shifted into her more human form, the bloodred feathers of her wings shining in the moonlight of the Dreaming. Her skin had an alabaster purity that could never be matched by anything mortal. Between the hidden depths of her dark eyes and the scarlet wings, she seemed more fallen angel waif than daemon seductress. “You can come out now, Abby. I think that’s enough for tonight.”

My tail flicked me through the current as I changed again, pulling together the part of what made me, me. Emerging from the water, I squeezed the drops from my hair and pushed it from my face. “I’m getting better.” I wrapped the Dreaming around me until I was dressed in a pair of jeans and a shirt.

Sonja nodded cautiously, smoothing out the wrinkles of her own tank dress. “You are, but you’re still barely tapping your potential.” She gestured around us with a hint of irritation. “These are your Dreams. You limit yourself to your own sense of physics. Becoming a rabbit was fine and you’ve certainly improved your shifting ability—but why not change the ground, or the trees?” She yanked on a damp ringlet of my hair. “Why waste time with this when you could instantly dry it? If you’re ever going to really, truly defeat your nightmares, you’re going to need more than just a few parlor tricks.”

“I don’t think that way. You know that. We’ve been through this how many times now?” I concentrated on the water flowing over my toes before giving her a wan smile. “Have patience with me. I’m new to this.” One dark brow rose at me sourly, but she let the lie pass without comment.
In truth it had been over six months—six very long months. She was frustrated, I was frustrated. I’d been banging my head against the metaphysical equivalent of a brick wall in my attempts to break free from the confines of everything I’d ever known in an effort to make sense of the dark shadows of my inner psyche—which often took the form of vicious, man-eating sharks.

My nightmares certainly hadn’t paid the slightest bit of attention either way.

If it hadn’t been for a certain incubus awakening me to the existence of the Dreaming nearly eight months ago, I would have continued to experience my familiar nightly cycle of waking up from the intimate practice of having the flesh shredded from my bones. That should have meant something.

On the other hand, sometimes ignorance really was bliss. Discovering that I could visit the place where my dreams occurred was one thing. Being told I could potentially bring my nightmares to life was something else entirely.

I understood Brystion’s motivation of having his sister teach me the finer points of Dreaming—we weren’t exactly dating anymore, and my chances of focusing long enough past the hurt of his
leaving was a bit of a toss-up. I couldn’t argue against the need to control myself better, though I wasn’t sure Sonja saw me as anything more than a chore.

Still. The faint scent of the sea rolled past us as though to emphasize the point and I shuddered. Dreams or not, I had no wish to see the sharks again anytime soon.

The succubus sighed at my woeful expression. “You’ll get there. You just need to concentrate.”

I waggled my nose, annoyed. I might not quite grasp everything she tried to teach me, but I wasn’t completely ignorant. “Is that all there is to it, Endora?” My eyes narrowed as I stared at her, the power rushing through me, a thin rivulet of the Dreaming taking form in my mind.

A small change, perhaps.

Thanks to the generosity of Allison Pang and Bewitching Book Tours, there is a rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of this post where 10 (yes TEN!) lucky tour followers will win a copy of A SLIVER OF SHADOW.

From Good Reads:

Just when her new life as a TouchStone — a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds — seems to be settling down, Abby Sinclair is left in charge when the Protectorate, Moira, leaves for the Faery Court. And when the Protectorate’s away…let’s just say things spiral out of control when a spell on Abby backfires and the Faery Queen declares the Doors between their worlds officially closed.

The results are disastrous for both sides: OtherFolk trapped in the mortal world are beginning to fade, while Faerie is on the brink of war with the daemons of Hell. Along with her brooding elven prince Talivar and sexy incubus Brystion, Abby ventures to the CrossRoads in an attempt to override the Queen’s magic. But nothing in this beautiful, dangerous realm will compare to the discoveries she’s making about her past, her destiny, and what she will sacrifice for those she loves.

Purchase book at:

Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | Books-A-Million | Amazon

Available formats: Print (Mass Market Paperback), NookBook, epub, Kindle

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Participation:

Bewitching Book Tour Review: A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang

Book: A SLIVER OF SHADOW
Author: ALLISON PANG
Genre: URBAN FANTASY
Published: February 2012, POCKET

Series: Abby Sinclair series #2
A Brush of Darkness (Abby Sinclair #1)
Source: Bewitching Book Tours, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
Just when her new life as a TouchStone — a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds — seems to be settling down, Abby Sinclair is left in charge when the Protectorate, Moira, leaves for the Faery Court. And when the Protectorate’s away…let’s just say things spiral out of control when a spell on Abby backfires and the Faery Queen declares the Doors between their worlds officially closed.

The results are disastrous for both sides: OtherFolk trapped in the mortal world are beginning to fade, while Faerie is on the brink of war with the daemons of Hell. Along with her brooding elven prince Talivar and sexy incubus Brystion, Abby ventures to the CrossRoads in an attempt to override the Queen’s magic. But nothing in this beautiful, dangerous realm will compare to the discoveries she’s making about her past, her destiny, and what she will sacrifice for those she loves.

My Review:
Last year, I read A BRUSH OF DARKNESS and was totally bowled over. Urban fantasy wasn't something that I read much of before 2011. I had been used to reading science-fiction and fantasy. But, I found that I loved the darker and intricately created worlds of urban fantasy. I am very glad that I found my way into Abby Sinclair's world.

Allison Pang has almost redefined the urban fantasy heroine. Here, Abby is not a perfectly created woman. An accident has left her somewhat handicapped and suffering from seizures. But, it is her courage that makes her so appealing. In Abby's world, humans (especially ones with her unique power of being able to TouchStone) are like rare commodities to the Fae. She finds herself in the middle, which is not necessarily where she wants to be.

In the first book, Abby meets Brystion. I don't want to spoil too much, but I'll say that their relationship is pretty doomed, and Abby ends up hurt. In A SLIVER OF SHADOW, Brystion shows up again, and while he isn't in much of the first part of the book, his part in Abby's life is important. I liked how Pang weaved him back into the story. Though a more important plotline is introduced, and followed, I always thought that Abby and Brystion's parting in A BRUSH OF DARKNESS wasn't permanent.

Where Pang took Abby and the other great characters this time around (I seriously love Phin, Melanie, and new to the story, Talivar) was just as much of a roller coaster as the first time. See, there is action involved, but A SLIVER OF SHADOWS is a journey. The words just sucked me in and the characters are so real and tangible.

A SLIVER OF SHADOWS is a great example of urban fantasy, involving some twisted aspects of the Fae mythology that makes it engaging and unique. There's just the right mix of Alice down the rabbit hole, pop culture fantasy nods (Mordor, anyone?), and witty and emotional dialog from the characters.

If you haven't started the series yet, pick up A BRUSH OF DARKNESS for Phin, the horny unicorn alone. You'll definitely want second helpings with A SLIVER OF SHADOW. And, you'll definitely keep coming back to the series for the ensemble cast and the adventures, I promise.

4.5/5 for plot
5/5 for characters
4.5/5 for language

My Rating: 14/15 (4.5 stars)

Must Read, if you liked:
The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams
Kindling The Moon by Jenn Bennett
Dead On The Delta by Stacey Jay
Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines

Find the author at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | Books-A-Million | Amazon

Available formats: Print (Mass Market Paperback), NookBook, epub, Kindle

Tour Participation:

Review Duo: Jennifer Estep's Spider's Revenge and Touch of Frost

Book: SPIDER'S REVENGE
Author: JENNIFER ESTEP
Genre: URBAN FANTASY
Published: September 2011, POCKET (SIMON AND SCHUSTER)

Series: Elemental Assassin #5
Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin #1
Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin #2
Venom (Elemental Assassin #3
Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin #4
Source: Publisher via Authors After Dark Conference, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
...Killing used to be my reg­u­lar gig, after all. Gin Blanco, aka the Spi­der, assassin-for-hire. And I was very good at it. Now, I’m ready to make the one hit that truly mat­ters: Mab Mon­roe, the dan­ger­ous Fire ele­men­tal who mur­dered my fam­ily when I was thir­teen.

Oh, I don’t think the mis­sion will be easy, but turns out it’s a bit more prob­lem­atic than expected. The bitch knows I’m com­ing for her. So now I’m up against the army of lethal bounty hunters she hired to track me down. She also put a price on my baby sister’s head. Keep­ing Bria safe is my first pri­or­ity. Tak­ing Mab out is a close sec­ond.

Good thing I’ve got my pow­er­ful Stone and Ice magic — and my irre­sistible lover Owen Grayson — to watch my back. This bat­tle has been years in the mak­ing, and there’s a chance I won’t sur­vive...

My Review:
Every time I read a book that is 4 or later in a series without having read the previous books, I feel the need to state this right off in my review. I also feel the need to state that I read books out of order all the time, and the mark of a really great writer is being able to capture my attention without an info dump of the previous plotlines and characters. But at the same time, I don't want to feel like I have missed something. Jennifer Estep did not fail in any way on either of these points.

SPIDER'S REVENGE dropped me right into the action from the very beginning. The opening page, the opening chapter made it clear that here was a long-term rivalry that was going to come to a head before the end of the book. With other books, I'll admit to reading through the “other stuff” to get to the inevitable confrontation of two characters, but not here. Gin is a fascinating character, not just because she isn't the “good girl triumphant over bad”, but because her love and fear for the safety of those in her family (not just blood relative) directly motivate her actions. She's an assassin, but she's not an emotionless machine.

Estep makes the pages come alive with her writing in SPIDER'S REVENGE. There is constant danger, there are awesome fight scenes, and there are even some emotional scenes. But, one of the best things about this book, in my eyes, is the fact that there is a humming intensity underlying everything. Even when Gin is just doing a shift at her restaurant, there is nothing boring here. Every page exposes more of Gin, Bria, and their group of friends cum protectors. Every page drives the plot and brings the reader closer to the face-off of Mab and Spider.

Absent the expectations of what the other books in this series might have given me, I really enjoyed reading SPIDER'S REVENGE. And, I'm not even sure that if I had been expecting anything that my hopes would have been let down. I honestly think that any urban fantasy lover would have to read not just this book, but the whole series to date or be missing something good.

4.5/5 for plot
5/5 for characters
4.5/5 for language

My Rating: 14/15 (5 stars) Must Read


Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Available formats: Nookbook, Paperback (mass market), Kindle

Challenge Participation:



Find the author at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | GoodReads


Book: TOUCH OF FROST
Author: JENNIFER ESTEP
Genre: PARANORMAL YA
Published: July 2011, KENSINGTON TEEN

Series: Mythos Academy #1
First Frost (Mythos Academy #.5)
Halloween Frost (Mythos Academy #1.5)
Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)
Source: Publisher via Authors After Dark Conference, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

My Review:
Having received (and gotten signed!) both of these books from Estep at Authors After Dark 2011, I chose to read SPIDER'S REVENGE first. I am an avid urban fantasy reader, and lately I had been finding paranormal YA lackluster and derivative. While TOUCH OF FROST certainly has elements that have been seen before in YA, I enjoyed reading it.

As an adult reader of YA, I always weigh my feeling on the technical structure and language of the book against the fact that I am not, nor should be the target audience of the particular book. That said, I would recommend TOUCH OF FROST to readers of the full spectrum of YA, in terms of the language. Estep includes elements in the story that keep the pace up, but don't make it feel rushed. At the same time, I was very aware that this was the first book in a series, because I could see that an overall plot arc had been created. I could also see that the student body, teachers, and even Gwen herself, would have many characteristics and abilities come to light that were not just going to fit into one book (even if it hadn't been called Mythos Academy #1).

No, the writing was not as complex as the writing in SPIDER'S REVENGE, but it was good. In fact, there are many times when I can tell that a writer previously wrote adult books, by the inconsistency in teenage language, thought processes and habits. Estep managed to avoid this pitfall, and I finished TOUCH OF FROST wanting to read the next MYTHOS ACADEMY book.

4/5 for plot
4.5/5 for characters
4/5 for language

My Rating: 12.5/15 (3.5 stars) Highly Recommend

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Available formats: NookBook, Paperback (trade), Kindle

Challenge Participation:

A Flash Of Fiction 2 (September) Goddess With A Blade by Lauren Dane

Book: GODDESS WITH A BLADE
Author: LAUREN DANE
Genre: URBAN FANTASY
Published: June 2011, CARINA PRESS

Series: none
Source: Publisher via NetGalley, no other compensation given for honest review

From Good Reads:
Rowan Summerwaite is no ordinary woman. Physical vessel to the Celtic Goddess Brigid and raised by the leader of the Vampire Nation, she's a supercharged hunter with the power to slay any vampire who violates the age-old treaty.

A recent string of murders has her at odds with Las Vegas's new Scion, the arrogant and powerful Clive Stewart. The killings have the mark of Vampire all over them, and Rowan warns Clive to keep his people in line—or she'll mete out her own brand of justice.

I Liked -- Plot: I have never hidden how much I like Lauren Dane's novels. Her writing pretty much hits the trifecta of a good romance for me: great writing, awesome characters, and insightful plot development. GODDESS WITH A BLADE is really no exception to me. Though the urban fantasy aspect is something that I haven't read from Dane before, there was really nothing that I didn't enjoy.

I Liked -- Character: Rowan Summerwaite; what can I say about this character? She was an awesome force of nature, not just because she hosts a goddess, but because she has this absolute sense of who she is, and what she is meant to do. Even better, Rowan doesn't deny her attraction to the man that is her adversary. Having females that own themselves and their actions and their feelings is one of Dane's specialties, and I think that she pulls it off well in GODDESS WITH A BLADE.

My Rating: 13.5/15 (4 stars) Must Read

Find the author at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Carina Press | All Romance E-bookB | Amazon | Audible

Available formats: NookBook, Epub, Pdf, Kindle, Audiobook

Challenge Participation:

Book Review: Hunters and Prey by Katie Salidas (Blog Tour)

Book: HUNTERS AND PREY
Author: KATIE SALIDAS
Genre: PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY
Published: December 2010, RISING SIGN BOOKS

Series: Immortalis #2
Immortalis #1: Carpe Noctem
Source: author via Virtual Book Tours Cafe, no other compensation given to me for an honest review.

From Good Reads:
Rule number one: humans and vampires don't co-exist. One is the hunter and one is the prey. Simple, right? Not for newly-turned vampire Alyssa. A surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorum's most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the human friend she's missed more than anything. Now she has some explaining to do. However, that will have to wait. With the Acta Sanctorum hot on their heels, staying alive is more important than educating a human on the finer points of bloodlust.



My Review:
Alyssa and Lysander are back in the newest addition to the urban fantasy series, IMMORTALIS by Katie Salidas. Though the two vampires (and their adopted coven, the Peregrinus clan) encounter their share of danger and bad guys, HUNTERS AND PREY is not a high-octane, fast-paced novel. The story does unfold well, and never moves too slowly. However, each chapter is not filled with some new horror the hero/heroine must face. Rather, this is a book that follows a group of vampires that live lives almost the same as humans. They just happen to spend most of their time awake during the nighttime hours, and they hunt the depraved in order to gain sustenance.

In the first book, CARPE NOCTEM, these vampires found themselves being hunted by a ruthless adversary, Santino. This time around, Santino needs their help to face down a far greater threat to both humanity and vampirekind. (How very X-Men). Usually I am very on-the-fence about the villain who is KO'ed miraculously surviving a critical blow, but Salidas leads up to Santino's return very skillfully, and it is clear throughout the novel that, though the two sides might combine forces for a short period of time, the animosity toward each other is far from resolved.

The idea of the villain returning to propose a truce to his former prey is a part of the story that I liked. (How very Terminator 2). Readers who can get lost during the course of a series because of the inclusion of more and more characters that the hero/heroine encounter, will appreciate the return of Santino, a very familiar character, with very familiar motivations.

In the end, HUNTERS AND PREY is a welcome addition to the IMMORTALIS series for me. While I very much liked reading CARPE NOCTEM, I was more enganged when reading HUNTERS AND PREY. It's a book that held my attention with good characters, a good plot, and nice world-building. Best of all, it's made me want to dig into the next book in the series, as soon as possible.

4/5 for plot
4/5 for characters
4/5 for language

My Rating: 12/15 (3 stars)

Recommend, if you liked:
Nightshade by Michelle Rowen
Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
Blood Song by Cat Adams

Find the author at:
Website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Amazon UK | Amazon

Available formats: E-Book

Challenge Participation:


Tour Participation:

Book Review: Carpe Noctem by Katie Salidas (Blog Tour)

Book: CARPE NOCTEM
Author: KATIE SALIDAS
Genre: PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY
Published: March 2010, RISING SIGN BOOKS

Series: Immortalis #1
Immortalis #2: Hunters and Prey
Source: Author via Virtual Book Tours Cafe, no other compensation given to me for an honest review.

From Good Reads:
Bleeding to death after brutal mugging on the campus of UNLV, Twenty-five year old Alyssa, is rescued by the cold and aloof, vampire, Lysander. Taking pity on her, he shares the gift-and curse-of immortality. She awakens as a vampire and is soon devastated by harsh realities of her new way of life: An unyielding thirst for blood as well as the loss of her friends, her independence, and her humanity.

As if having her humanity stripped away was not enough to make life interesting, Alyssa finds out her "turning", did not go unnoticed by the rest of undead society. Old enemies; an ancient sect of vampire hunters, known as the Acta Sanctorum, as well as a powerful Vampire mistress, each set plans in motion to destroy both Alyssa and Lysander.

Only by accepting her new-found immortality, seizing the night, will Alyssa hope to survive. She and Lysander must fight together against two sets of enemies bent on destroying them both.

My Review:
I was pretty excited when I had the chance to participate in this blog tour. Katie Salidas is an author that is fairly new to me, but I have whole-heartedly jumped onto her bandwagon. Just when I thought that I might be over "creatures of the night", I discovered Salidas' vampire books, and fell back in love with the characters that she brings to life on the page. Especially in her books, I find vampires that are unapologetic about their circumstances, and killers when they need to be. Salidas brings back the "classic" vampire that truly is quite a bad-ass.

I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Alyssa and Lysander. Despite the danger that they find themselves in later in the book, there is a good portion that is dedicated to that evolution. Lysander comes off as equal parts tutor, taskmaster, protector and lover, and while Alyssa is new to being a vampire, after surviving a horrific attack, she also has a core of steel in her that matches that uncertainty and vulnerability.

There is something so seductive about a Katie Salidas novel. IMMORTALIS: CARPE NOCTEM is not the first book that I have read by her, and it will definitely not be the last. Her words are like a siren song that draw the reader deeper and deeper into the story that she has created, with characters that are believable and relatable, even though they happen to be blood-sucking vampires.

4/5 for plot
4/5 for characters
3.5/5 for language

My Rating: 11.5/15 (3 stars)

Recommend, if you liked:
Nightshade by Michelle Rowen
Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
Blood Song by Cat Adams

Find the author at:
Website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Amazon UK | Amazon

Available formats: E-Book

Challenge Participation:


Tour Participation:

Book Review: Highborn by Yvonne Navarro

Book: HIGHBORN
Author: YVONNE NAVARRO
Genre: URBAN FANTASY/FANTASY
Published: October 2010, POCKET

Series: Dark Redemption #1 (upcoming series)
Source: Author, no other compensation given to me for an honest review

From Good Reads:
EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE. BRYNNA MALAK MIGHT BE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.

Brynna is a fallen angel trying to earn redemption. She’s escaped from Hell in search of a new life on Earth, but Lucifer’s deadliest hunters are hot on her trail. Police Detective Eran Redmond is after her for a different reason: he needs Brynna to help him find a serial killer who is terrifying Chicago . . . and the trail leads them right to Hellspawned demons of the most dangerous kind. She’s also got a very human problem: dealing with a stubborn, attractive cop who makes her long for everything she knows she can’t have.

Staying alive long enough to earn a shot at Heaven will mean breaking some major rules in the mortal world, as she learns just how complicated and wonderful being human can be. With so much stacked against her, even Brynna has to wonder if she’s crazy. But she’s not giving in without a fight.

Not a chance in Hell. . . .

My Review:
Wow. I'm not even sure that I can figure out what I expected from HIGHBORN before I opened up the book, but whatever it was, Yvonne Navarro delivered an awesome read that is still stuck in my head days later. Angels and demons aren't a new subject for urban fantasy fiction, but Navarro has turned the concept on its ear and shown that even an old idea can be made new and exciting and absorbing with the one-two punch of a great plot plus multi-faceted characters.

Brynna is a far from perfect woman, In fact, she wasn't even a woman before the start of the story. She escapes the clutches of Hell as a fallen angel to try to earn her redemption. Much of the book showcases Brynna's ability to heal any wound, and her ruthlessness at eliminating those that she knows to be demons. But what makes Navarro's writing stand out, is the fact that she gets inside Brynna's head and shows the reader that her character does feel pain and human emotions. They are something new that Brynna never had to deal with before, and Navarro explores the woman's confusion and actual gradual change that humanity has wrought unto this demon.

It's that dichotomy of this kick-ass from hell creature against the outer shell of human woman, along with the task that Brynna takes on - protecting a teenage girl that happens to be a Nephilim on the cusp of fulfilling her heavenly mission- that drives the novel and made, yes made, me devour the book. HIGHBORN is a straight-up, action-packed, fast-paced, urban fantasy that twisted my head into a pretzel with its awesomeness.

4.5/5 for plot
5/5 for characters
4.5/5 for language

My Rating: 14/15 (4.5 stars)

Must Read, if you liked:
Taken By the Others by Jess Haines
Dark Descendant by Jenna Black
Fever (series) by Karen Marie Moning
Signs of the Zodiac (series) by Vicki Pettersson

Find the author at:
Website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Amazon

Available formats: Paperback (Mass Market), Kindle, NookBook

Challenge Participation:

Book Review: (Blog Tour) Catching an Evil Tail by Mary Abshire

Book: CATCHING AN EVIL TAIL
Author: MARY ABSHIRE
Genre: URBAN FANTASY/PARANORMAL ROMANCE/EROTIC ROMANCE
Published: February 2011, NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING

Series: Soul Catcher #2
Claiming the Evil Dead (#1)
Fighting Evil (#3)
Source: Author via Bewitching Book Tours, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett wants to live a normal life among her friends and keep her soul catching ability a secret, but supernatural creatures keep popping up in her world. Adding to her struggles, her vampire lover remains out of the country, and when he offers no valuable explanation as to why he hasn't returned, she wonders if she should move on without him.

As if Jessie doesn't have enough worries on her mind, the demon yearning to seduce her shows up at her home. She longs to liberate herself from the debt she owes him, and when he asks for her help, she jumps at the chance to make a new deal with him—one that will guarantee her freedom. The only catch? She has to send the soul of a werewolf to hell.

Love, trust, and loyalty are on the line. Torn between her feelings for her vampire boyfriend, a hot Alpha wolf, and a demon vowing to protect her, Jessie must figure out her heart's true desires.

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading CATCHING AN EVIL TAIL. This novel is the second in the SOUL CATCHER series, and I had not read the first. Even with this fact, I was able to follow along easily with the relationships and characters that had clearly made an appearance the first time around. I like it when I can read a book in a series, but the story line and interpersonal relationships stand alone from book to book.

One of the best things about this book was the distinctive voice of the heroine, Jessie. At times she is self-deprecating, at other times she is defiant, and there are even some parts where she is afraid for herself, and the people she cares about. Mary Abshire did a fine job expressing the different emotions that Jessie experiences. Because of this, I found myself connecting with her quite easily, and the connection stayed throughout the reading of the novel.

Abshire has a great series in the SOUL CATCHER novels, as far as I can tell. After reading CATCHING AN EVIL TAIL, I wanted to read the first book, CLAIMING THE EVIL DEAD. This is a fairly rare feeling for me. Once I begin a series, I only go forward, even if I am curious about a relationship or event that comes up in the novel, and is clearly something that would be found in a previous book. But again, the stand alone aspect of the series is very attractive to me, and I really would like to read more of Jessie's adventures.

CATCHING AN EVIL TAIL was an extremely enjoyable novel that gave equal attention to the romantic side of things as it did to the other parts of the story line. There's action, danger, a werewolf challenge fight, and some very alpha males. And, then there's Jessie, who knows how to take care of herself. Though she has to send evil souls to hell, she hasn't gotten too jaded with life, or seem too hard. I think this is the perfect novel for someone looking for a mix of urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

4.5/5 for plot
4.5/5 for characters
4/5 for language

My Rating: 13/15 (4 stars) Highly Recommended

Links for the author and books:
Website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase at:
Noble Romance Publishing

Available formats: E-Book

Challenge Participation:





Tour Participation:

Book Review: No Rest For The Wicca by Toni LoTempio

Book: NO REST FOR THE WICCA
Author: T.C. LOTEMPIO
Genre: URBAN FANTASY/PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Published: October 2010

Series: none
Source: Author via Book Lovin' Bitches E-Book Tours, no compensation for an honest review

From Good Reads:
Communing with the dead is an everyday occurrence for PI Morgan Hawkes. A half-Wiccan witch who can commune with spirits of those caught between worlds, Morgan uses her talents to exorcise the trapped ghost or demon as part of the Paranormal Investigation Squad until a string of murders with a voodoo slant prompts the Special Forces Agency to ask for her assistance. Someone's killing pureblood witches- and the SFA's convinced Morgan's voodoo heritage could be instrumental in solving the mystery. Teamed with dashing SF agent Cole St. John, an Inheritor Vampire that sets her blood racing, the two of them must fight their deep attraction as they race to stop a madman from unleashing a demonic force upon the world.

My Review:
In NO REST FOR THE WICCA, Morgan Hawkes is a former cop, a half-wiccan witch, and a woman trying to overcome a recent tragedy in her life. She has a hard outer shell that is really hard to crack. In fact, it kept me from really relating to her for the first part of the book. Morgan has a chip on her shoulder, and she's walled herself off by acting a little like the alphahole hero that turns up in many paranormal romance books.

For me, what really shined in this book was the Wiccan and Voodoo lore. T.C. LoTempio included Voodoo chants, some overall history and explanantion of both cultures, and important days within the religions. It was clear that she had done plenty of research, and I thought that it gave authenticity to the book as I read it. After all, while I don't need a laundry list breakdown of everything Wiccan or Voodoo, when I read a book that involves a certain faith, I do like to see examples that the author took the time to make sure her words ring true. LoTempio did this, and more.

NO REST FOR THE WICCA was a fairly engaging book that, looking beyond the bravado of its primary character, had good development and secondary characters that contributed well to the novel. The mix of Wiccan and Voodoo throughout the story had me thinking about two topics I don't often read about. By the end of my reading experience, I definitely wanted to delve further into both religions, and would consider reading more fiction involving both.

3.5/5 for plot
3/5 for characters
3.5/5 for language

My Rating: 10/15 (3 stars)

Recommend, if you liked:
To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory
Afterlight by Elle Jasper


Links for the author and books:

* Website
* GoodReads
* Facebook


Purchase at:

* Barnes and Noble
* Smashwords
* Amazon


Available formats: E-Book