Some Girls Bite: Chloe Neill

I had a lot of fun reading this one and I hope to read more in the series. The main character is likable, hip, and strong. Along with the action there is quite a bit if humor throughout the book. It’s a great read.

Publisher: NAL Trade
Publication Date: April 2009
Format: Paper (Library)
Author Web Site: http://www.chloeneill.com/
Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Description (Amazon)
Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was Merit’s. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker—and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude— and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone’s still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war—and there will be blood.

Mark of The Demon: Diana Rowland

I had a great time reading Mark of the Demon. It’s a nice quick Urban Fantasy/Serial Killer story. The main characters are interesting and have a complex history. By the time that I finished this one, I was hoping for another in the series. The good thing is that I saw a blog post about the next in the series. Here is the cover that I saw for the  next in the series.

 

Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: June 2009 
Format: Paper
Author Web Site: http://www.dianarowland.com
Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Description (Author Web Site)

When Homicide Detective Kara Gillian finds traces of arcane power on a body, she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary murder. The serial killer known as the Symbol Man is a nightmare that Beaulac, Louisiana thought had ended three years ago, but now he’s back for an encore and leaving every indication on the flesh of his victims that he is well-versed in demonic lore.

However, Kara is a Summoner of Demons, and may be the only cop on the city’s small force who can stop the killer. Able to see and interact with a world most people can’t, Kara must draw on her skills as a police officer and master of the arcane to stop the Symbol Man from killing again and possibly summoning something even she can’t control.

But with a demonic lord of unearthly beauty and power haunting her dreams, and a handsome yet disapproving FBI agent dogging her waking footsteps, she may be in way over her head….

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Skinwalker: Faith Hunter

I am impressed by Faith Hunter’s talent for world – building, she has created another winner in the Skinwalker book. The main character is very likable and action is tight. I really enjoyed the relationship between the main character and the Beast. It was interesting concept and held my attention through out the story.

I recommend this book and hope that it’s the start of a series.

Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: July 2009
Format: Kindle
Author Web Site:  http://www.faithhunter.net
Rating: Recommend, Comfort Read

Description (Amazon)
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind—a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps…

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Darkness Calls: Marjorie M. Liu

I have a fondness for Marjorie M. Liu’s work and Darkness Calls does not disappoint. I like the idea of living tattoos, it is an interesting concept.

Publisher: Ace
Publication Date: June 2009
Format: Kindle
Author Web Site: http://marjoriemliu.com/
Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Description (Amazon)
Demon hunter Maxine Kiss, inked with living tattoos, is on a mission to rescue the man she loves from a bloodthirsty army. To save him, Maxine has only one choice: to lose control—and release her own powers of darkness.

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Skin Trade: Laurell K. Hamilton

I have been reading the Anita Blake series since it came out and I haven’t been enjoying the series as much with the later books as I did in the beginning. The departure from the animator activities into the sex feeding has been a little over the top for me. I could take it if there was a balance “Work/Life Balance" so to speak. But that balance has been lacking in the last several books. I do enjoy erotica and the Meredith series is truly a guilty pleasure for me, but I also enjoyed the original up-tight Anita. If the series had started out sexual, I wouldn’t have an issue…. but I miss the tone of the first few books.

Skin Trade is less sexy than the latest few in the series (I think the first encounter is around past the halfway point). But it still has a way to go before it captures the magic that she created at the beginning. I do enjoy it when Anita and Edward interact, that was a great part of the book. But I could really take or leave the rest of it. Definitely a library book.

Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: June 2009
Format: Paper (Library)
Series: Anta Blake series book 17
Author Web Site: http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/
Reason for reading:
Rating: Ho Humm

Description (Amazon)
A proven series with a hot new look. The #1 bestselling author returns with her most anticipated novel yet.
When a vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas, she has to warn Sin City’s local authorities what they’re dealing with. Only it’s worse than she thought. Ten officers and one executioner have been slain—paranormal style. Anita heads to Vegas, where’s she’s joined by three other federal marshals, including the ruthless Edward. It’s a good thing he always has her back, because when she gets close to the bodies, Anita senses “tiger” too strongly to ignore it. The weretigers are very powerful in Las Vegas, which means the odds of her rubbing someone important the wrong way just got a lot higher.

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Doomsday Can Wait: Lori Handeland

This is a good series for fans of UF, Fantasy, and Romance. It’s a fast paced ride with several creep crawlies. The heroine is likable and has some vulnerabilities that the reader can appreciate.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publication Date: April 28 2009

Format: Paper (Library)

Description (Amazon)

It took the near annihilation of humanity for Liz Phoenix to understand the true meaning of her premonitions. Liz is one of the sacred few on earth who has the psychic powers to fight the malevolent forces that have tried to wipe out the human race since the beginning of time. She battled these beings once, thwarting Doomsday but losing most of her soldiers in the massacre. Now she must replenish her troops quickly—because the supernatural war isn’t over yet.

As the new leader of the federation, Liz is marked for death by a Navajo witch with a link to her past. To survive, she must rely on her few remaining allies—her mentor, a shaman with too many secrets, as well as ex-lover, Jimmy Sanducci. Bringing Jimmy into the mix is a dangerous move, for Liz’s darkest desires are razor-sharp—and her longing for Jimmy is at a fever pitch. But can Liz afford to give into the cravings that burn inside her, with the next shot at Doomsday just around the corner? This time, if evil wins, chaos will reign—and the world as we know it will be lost forever…

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Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Santa Olivia: Jacqueline Carey

I picked this up from the Library yesterday around 4pm and I finished it by 8pm. I really enjoyed the story of Loup Garron. She is a wonderful character and it was a pleasure to read her story. I don’t think that I would like another Loup book. Loup’s story felt complete to me, but I would like another tale about the genetically modified solders in this universe.  There seems to be a lot to explore in that world

While I was reading this, I kept thinking about the movie Million Dollar Baby… the boxing was the key. Not sure why I didn’t bring in Girl Fight, but it did remind me of women’s boxing. Thankfully I was far more pleased with the ending of Santa Olivia than I was with Million Dollar Baby.

Fans of Jacqueline Carey’s other work will enjoy Santa Olivia.

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: May 2009
Format: Print

Author Web Site: http://www.jacquelinecarey.com/

Rating: Recommend

Description (Amazon)
Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a US military base inside a DMZ buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive "Wolf-Man" who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup’s father was one of a group of men genetically-manipulated and used by the US government as a weapon. The "Wolf-Men" were engineered to have superhuman strength, speed, sensory capability, stamina, and a total lack of fear, and Loup, named for and sharing her father’s wolf-like qualities, is marked as an outsider.

After her mother dies, Loup goes to live among the misfit orphans at the parish church, where they seethe from the injustices visited upon the locals by the soldiers. Eventually, the orphans find an outlet for their frustrations: They form a vigilante group to support Loup Garron who, costumed as their patron saint, Santa Olivia, uses her special abilities to avenge the town.

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Blue Diablo: Ann Aguirre

I am a big fan of Ann Aguirre and her latest book is a great new series from her. The first few chapters are so vivid, it draws you into the character’s world. Once you get drawn into the story it really doesn’t let you go!

If you enjoyed the author’s other work, you will certainly enjoy this series.

Description (Amazon)
Corine Solomon is a handler—when she touches an object she instantly knows its history and its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—which is why people never stop trying to find her. Like her ex-boyfriend Chance, who needs Corine’s gift to find someone dear to them both. But the search proves dangerous as it leads them into a strange world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

 

Things enjoyed: The world was vivid and interesting, the characters are intriguing and challenging.

Things I didn’t enjoy: Not much

Reason for reading: I love the author’s other series

Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: April 2009
Format: Print
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series:   It’s the start of the Corine Solomon series
Author Web Site: http://www.annaguirre.com/

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Guess what I want to get?

 

A Madness of Angels, by Kate Griffin

I can’t wait!

Staked: J. F. Lewis

I downloaded a sample of this on my Kindle when it came out, but I wasn’t drawn in to the story. Maybe I was in the wrong mood when I read the sample…because after reading the library copy that I requested, I am hooked on Void City.

Sometimes you need to read a story where the main character is pretty much an ass…but you like him anyway. This is the case for me with Staked. I couldn’t tell you why I liked the main character, maybe because of his unapologetic manner or the lack of pretentiousness that he possesses. Whatever the reason, I liked this book.

Things enjoyed: I loved that Eric is this big bad-ass vampire and he can’t remember anything.

Things I didn’t enjoy: The character Tabitha was annoying, but I think that was the point.

Reason for reading: It’s hard for me to resist a vampire story.

Rating: Recommend, Series Read Continue

Publisher: Pocket
Publication Date: March 08
Format: Print
Genre: Vampire, Urban Fantasy
Series:   Yes – Void City
Author Web Site: http://www.authoratlarge.com/

Description (Author Website)

Murder is a fact of life for the vampire Eric, owner of the DemonHeart strip club in Void City, but when he kills a werewolf in self-defense, things get wildly out of hand. Though the local Alpha and his pack of born-again lycanthropes are out for holy retribution, they’re the least of Eric’s worries when he finds himself caught between his girlfriend Tabitha, who has always wanted to be a vampire, and her sexy little sister Rachel, a tantric witch with a hidden agenda.

Why can’t unlife be easy? All Eric wants to do is run his club, drink a little blood and be left alone. In his quest to discover who is trying to end him and why, he must survive car crashes, embalming, sunlight, tantric magic, and werewolves on ice as well as his own nasty temper, forgetfulness, and mistakes. Eric is willing to take on the world in STAKED, a book where love just might conquer all, even if it is twisted, evil, and undead.

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