Ye Ol' Update

Aside from the usual business, like doing edits on each book as I come to it (I'm up to #7), trying to stay warm (we should be seeing temps in 30's and maybe a 40 here or there, but we're in singles and minuses), or doing my crocheting, I've been waiting on different things to happen for the re-release for my books. My publisher and I have decided to re-name the books--going with a single word, and omitting the word "Vampire" in front of the title. Also the cover designer had to be found. Miika has signed a cover designer for the next 8 books. I await for the cover design(s) for first book to be finalized. 

Aside from all this I've been reading a book from one of the other author's with Creativia, Dracula's Demeter, and let me tell you this is an excellent read. But I'm not yet done with it.

"My master is coming!"

"Quiet, Renfield. Why don't you go and play with your spiders!"

Sorry about that, I've got a little problem... Renfield seems to be running loose somewhere in the house. He's' one difficult guy to keep locked up and calm. Spiders have been his interest as of late, and those are far and few, let me tell you. But he has found a few juicy ones this week. Eeek.

Anyway, I'll have a proper review of this book by Doug Lamoreux, when I've finished it (in a proper way too!).

In the meantime, I want to ask/invite you all to be part of my re-release of Book One of Sabrina Strong series...

Ascension

I hope to have a giveaway of one signed copy, but I'm waiting on the cover. I don't know when this will happen and so, I'll keep you posted, but it should be pretty soon. 

My publisher, Miika of Creativia has been keeping me updated on everything. I want to say, this process is not something slapped together in a hurry. That impresses me about Creativia. This morning I got a draft copy of the first book Ascension, to consider and okay (which I did). I didn't get that with the last publisher. The title, and chapter headings are a cool font that I've never seen before. This will make the book look unique on the inside. 

The details of preparing a book to be published is enormous, and the whole thing takes time. And since there will be a physical book, more has to go into it than if it were merely an ebook, as many of you know.

So, if any of you are able to/want to help, or be a part of the re-release, and do a post for it, give me a yell (bellow in comments). I'm hoping for a release some time in March. The giveaway will be determined later.

Thank you--

"My master... he... comes!"

"Shut up, Renfield!"

Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch ~ a review

Happy 4th of July!

There I was in the coffee and candy aisle and edged over to the books and magazine section (of course), of my local grocery store.

There it was. I saw the title: Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch by Lara Parker.

Well, I had to have it. I needed something to read in the evenings, and so I bought it. I was hopeful for an enjoyable read and I was not disappointed.

This is the description of the book:
Freed from his vampire curse, Barnabas Collins is ready to embark on a new life and marriage with his savior, the virtuous Dr. Julia Hoffman. But when Antoinette, a beautiful flower child with a shocking resemblance to the immortal witch Angelique, rebuilds the Old House, his past returns to haunt him. Discovering a grisly corpse in the basement--where his old casket once lay--Barnabas realizes another vampire has invaded his domain. His fight to protect his family from this new threat will take Barnabas back through time to an evil moment in America's history: the corrupt witch trials of old Salem.

I enjoyed the history told from an innocent girl, Meranda du Val, who is accused of witchcraft by girls of the village. Although she is innocent of all their accusations, she is magical. And--I loved this part--she could fly! Plus she had been raised by the Indians during her childhood. This all ties in with the ending very well!







I loved the story told from both her voice, and Barnabas' through out the story. Meranda's story takes place in 1692 from Salem, Massachusetts, while Barnabas' takes place in 1971. The time lines were well depicted, well organized, and Lara must have done research on how people spoke back then. And also what it must have been like to live in Salem during the witch-hating craze where all it took was someone saying your looking at them caused them to feel as though you were on fire, or that you caused a cow to die, something crazy like that, and the judges believed them and they would hang you, unless you confessed, and pointed fingers at others.







Meanwhile Barnabas is trying to decide if this woman (Antoinette), who looks just like the evil Angelique is really her reincarnated, and has bought the old mansion just to make his life more misserable than it already is. Meanwhile he suffers from the daily injections that Julia gives him in order to make him human again. He's finding out how it is to be human and aging. But at the same time enjoying certain delights he could not before--such as going out into the sunlight. I felt Parker really captured Barnabas in this story



And what of Antoinette's daughter who she rescues from an insane asylum? And while hippies are camped out on the property of this old house, something is attacking people. Is it a vampire, werewolf, or a zombie? Barnabas needs to find it and stop them before it's too late!






Parker's beautiful prose paints the surroundings wonderfully, dutifully adhering to the diction from the times, which ever story we are in at the moment, from the 1600's to the 1970's. It is spellbinding suspense and the storytelling does pull you in.






I enjoyed this read, and want to get the next book as soon as I can find it. I think anyone who loves the darkness of the series, or someone looking for a great read could really get into this book.

COFFEE KLATCH MONDAY !!!?

I had no idea what to call this Monday's Coffee Klatch. I think the exclamation points and question mark sort of show that. And I've got the goblet here, instead of a cup. It's sort of a theme today.

I've been writing these posts on Sunday, because I feel that it should go up early, and I have no time to write these in the a.m.'s as I'm usually getting ready for my "real" job.

This weekend had some surprises. One was the wonderful review put up by Christina Bahr, who won Vampire's Trill in a contest, and upon realizing this was the second book, she bought the first one, Vampire Ascending. I was totally blown away about it, as she first friended me on facebook, and then posted her link of the review she gave me there on my timeline the other day. If you haven't had the chance to read it, (Although I don't know how you missed it, since I shared it all over the place!), here is the link at ALL THINGS ME. Plus the link is now in my "Reviews" Page.

Plus, yesterday I posted that I was almost finished with edits of the third book, and announced the title. The title was giving me a problem the whole time. And then I reminded myself that I wanted to make all the titles with the word Vampire in it. So, I thought about it some more. Then, because of the fact that I had originally decided the titles would also have something to do with a classical music description, I went back to my old notes and found the word "Nocturne". It was perfect for this one since this book is a mishmash of romance, mystery, adventure, steam punk and the usual Sabrina Strong antics, with a dash of horror, I decided this described it beautifully.

Sabrina will travel once again to another world. This world is stuck in the Victorian age. She's about to meet the most notorious vampire in the world: Drakulya--For real! As with all of my books, I give you another page turner, Sabrina will get to use her Dagger of Delphi in this one several times on some vampires and something I call Dreadfuls in this one.

There are a few surprises and of course some twists and unexpected turns! I haven't even written a description for my publisher yet! But all in good time. I need a break from the series, and will take a three-month one to work on other things.


Well, this post was longer than most, but I hope you forgive me for rambling about "all things me". After I get the book out to publisher, I may have a little more time to loung (yeah, right). I do have a few projects in the wings, and several blogs/facebook groups to keep track of as well.

Hope your week will go great!

Black Macic Sanction ~ Review

I decided I'd better get this review done today, or I'll never do it!

I have enjoyed the series with Rachel Morgan in her world where witches and vampires and so forth exist along side humans who have survived the virus that killed many off. It's way to complicated for me to explain, if you don't follow this series. Anyway, here is a brief synopsis from the book's cover:

"Rachel Morgan has fought and bunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter--and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind...until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment--at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.
It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price."

I think what like enjoy about this series is that Rachel is a witch, and she's very independent, but lives with her best buds, Ivy--a living vampire--and Jenks, the pixie. The characters are vivid, realistic, and well developed. It is a series so steeped in rich detail that once you begin working your way through these books, you will look forward to the next one and I'll tell you, I got to the last page of  this one, turned it expecting more, because it was that magic moment where you, as a reader, are there and you expect these people to continue on in their lives. That, I think, is how well developed Kim Harrison's writing has become over the years. I have wanted to read this one since it came out about a year ago. And, I'm sorry if my review is too late for any of you, but if you have not picked this one up, I think you'll enjoy it. Many of the beloved characters are there, and new developments happen--not going to spoil it. And I'll tell you what, when witches make love it's definitely different from human sex. I'm just saying!

So, there you have it for Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison.

American Male Prostitute ~ A Review

I was recently given an ARC, and I really want to tell you about it. Oh, and don't let the title throw you. Or, maybe you should? Maybe it does titillate the consumer exactly as intended.

American Male Prostitute by Wilfried F. Voss is a work of fiction—I emphasize this because that's really important. The story, I must say, is a subject near and dear to my heart: The trials and tribulations of trying to get published with a “traditional” publisher.

In American Male Prostitute happily married man, Stuart Martin Berry, is given 3 months to find a publisher for his book. His wife gives him full and free rein “to do whatever it would take to get a book deal. Her only request was not to share any details of how I got there.”

This story is for anyone who has tried in vain, again and again, to hook an agent, even though you have bought every writing magazine, every book on “how to hook an agent,” or “how to write the perfect query letter,” etc. We've got someone in Stuart Berry to root for. It may be a work of fiction, but to a point it is all very much true-to-life in this respect.

We realize early on that Berry will have to stoop to by using sex, lies and deceit, as he attempts getting audience with his target publisher. Many of you out there might say, “No. This would never happen.” Well, it does, and not just huge cities where this story takes place. Believe me, the subject was breached with yours truly, once, a very long time ago. I wasn't for it, and let that person know it. Would I have been published by now? I guess I'll never know.

But here, in American Male Prostitute, the fantasy of using people who are just as deceitful takes shape and unfolds as our aspiring author, Berry, goes on the hunt for that book deal, moves to New York, and goes to work on shamelessly promoting his book. He does have an agent, but she's rather unproductive, and he learns is really disliked by the publisher he is really after. He realizes soon enough that nothing short of BS-ing his way into the arms of secretaries will get him audience. But the story woven is intriguing, with the expected titillating situations required. It's woven with realistic places, parties, money, and people in power, and publishing moguls—all believable characters and situations woven throughout.

If nothing else you do come away with better knowledge of the “disturbingly dysfunctional world of writing and publishing”, as Berry pulls off the blinds—or sheets as it were—of the publishing world and what actually may entice them better than just a well written query letter.

Author Wilfried F. Voss has done an exceptional job, if only to have the guts to tell such a story. He gives us aspiring writers something to think about as we wonder why the hell a query letter, or a pitch isn't working. You wonder about it. You really do.

Sumiko's Reads ~ Shades of Milk & Honey - Not So Charming

Hi, everyone, well, it's been a little while since Sumkio has sent me a review, and since I saw her throughout the week while driving her to work, I encouraged her to send me whatever she wanted. Today is another review, and this was not one of her favorite books.

You know how it is when someone recommends a book to you, and it turns out that you really didn't like it, for one reason or another? Well, Sumiko has read such a book  recently and she's here to tell you what and why.

I read Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal on the recommendation of friends who found it charming.  I was most convince to try it because she has invented a game as an extra to her book.

http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/fiction-collectio/shades-of-milk-and-honey/the-shades-and-glamour-game/

But I found myself disappointed by the book for two reasons:  the setting draws obvious comparisons to Jane Austen - whom I love but I felt that her characters and some of their situations were much too close to some of Austen's.  And the changes she made did not make them better.  And in use of magic in that setting, I prefer Galen Beckett's books "The Magicians and Mrs. Quent" and "The House on Durrow Street."

In Kowal's book magic is a frippery. A useful accomplishment for a young lady but not something a gentlemen would bother with.  And the magic in this book . . . well, why not make it a talent for art?  It would not change the story. I suppose I was disappointed that the characters were not as charming or as original as I would have wished and the fantastic elements were not fantastic enough.

Compare that to the use of magic in Beckett's books:  it occurs in a number of different ways and levels.  It can be as small as adding something additional to decor for a party or as grand and dangerous as the sort the magician's study to defend the empire.  And then there is the magic of the witches - more tied to natural features of the woods - both feared and not understood. I feel that the magic or fantastic element in Beckett's books are much fully realized and integral to the story.

So, if a light Regency Romance is what you're after perhaps you will enjoy Shades of Milk and Honey - but if you want a little more of a fantasy, I believe that Beckett's books - still set in a "Regency-like" setting will be more intriguing.

And Yet Another Review of Vampire Ascending

I feel I must post the reviews as they come in. Just in case anyone out there has not been convinced they should go get themselves a copy. Remember there is an ebook available. I'll have the link at end of this. But also it is on my sidebar.

So, after my friend, Jennifer A. Weydert kept forgetting to send my her review, and had to re-read my book again and again, and finally remembered, she send me her review on my facebook page. I've known Jennifer several years now. She loved my first book, Spell of the Black Unicorn, and wanted to read the second in that series, and since I just couldn't spend the money to self-publish it, I gave her a copy on a disk, and she took it to Copy Service and got her own bound version of Spell of Dark Castle. She is the only person who has another copy of that book.

So, without further ado here, in Jennifer's words is a review of Vampire Ascending.

"Creative and hip, SEXY and exciting, this latest release by Lorelei Bell has everything a good romance/mystery/murder/action/drama novel has to offer! I don't mind admitting it got my "womanly attributes" excited with the descriptive love scenes and lusty characters. But it also piqued my curiosity to follow the dram of the mystery as the murder unfolded. The vampire world is alive in Vampire Ascending, with all its little nuances to remind us of their supernatural presence. Every once in a while you'll come across a little nugget of humor carefully placed in just the right part to bubble up a giggle or spurt an outward laugh here or there.

Overall, though, it's a fabulous book, one I don't mind reading over and over again. The details are imaginative and provocative, stunning and seductive, thrilling and . . . shall we say magical? It sends you to the brink, but brngs you back to reality, and centers you right into the vampire world, where the supernatural are commonplace, and make you wonder what really is around your next corner. Bravo Lorelei! Keep Writing! :D

Review for Dead In The Family

Dead In the Family, the tenth (I think it's # 10) in the Sookie Stackhouse series I found was better than the last book which seemed to spin my head a little, and there were other issues with it I won't go into here. I believe I made a post about it back when.

This book seemed to be the one that's put us on notice that the author is about to end this series and she needs to place her characters into the place that puts them all on that course.

I remember finding Charlaine Harris' books just as a matter of trying to find something different, and the cover of “Dead Until Dark” and I think there might have been three or four of her next books. I had to grab them, they looked kookie and promising with the vampire romance with humor. And they were. It's like visiting with someone you know well, and even when she does some aggravating things—like tell you every little bitty detail of her evening—it still pays off.

So, Sookie is “married” to Eric, now, but Sookie was railroaded into that—we all know. And in this book she's not real happy when Eric's family stops by—which is his maker, and his makers younger “son”, which happens to be a member of Russia's royal family who was saved at the last moment after being shot.

I'm not sure why it had to be someone famous. But it worked. It worked that he was somewhat mad, and if you didn't get from the beginning this would come down to a big climax, you would be wrong.

After the fairy war, only a few fairies remained. Claude being one, and he seems to have changed for the better. But there are others who didn't get through before the door closed on fairy land, and one of them, it seems, is out for revenge.

It was interesting seeing how she pulled this together and solved it.

There is an interesting interview HERE with author, Charlaine Harris on her series coming to an end. (Hopefully the link works).

The Review by Tony Martin, Northern Star Columnest

Okay so, I'd been waiting basically at least since autumn when I first approached Tony Martin about my book. Tony, I've learned, is an NIU student, rides my bus and is also an English Major.

When I first told him about it, he seemed okay with the idea. I think it took a little prodding from me, and encouragement a few times about buying the book before Borders closed its doors in DeKalb for the last time.

He definitely bought the book (I had my spies at Borders), and told me that it would beat reading Shakespeare for a change.

I knew that he was going to read it over break because he told me this. So, I waited. Spring break had come and gone and I was picking Tony up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with nary a word from him except a very friendly hello, and thank you at the end of his ride.

Then, Monday when he got on he asked me if I only drove the #2 route. I said yes, and that I'd been driving for about 12 years now--basically 11 & 1/2--and he said it was "for the article".

Okay, sure I was a bit apprehensive about this, because I've been reading Tony's articles. His column is called "Tony Martin Reviews Your Life". He reviews bands, music and whatever suits him. I think this might have been his first book review. He doesn't give everyone a 5-star rating. So, I had to wonder what I would get. I had to wonder what he would say about it. I mean, this is not only a guy, but a frigging ENGLISH MAJOR.

So, last night I was getting off my bus for the last time and there he was smoking a cigarette, waiting to get on the bus. He said "I've just handed in the article to my editor; it should be in the paper in the next few days."

"Okay, so, it's good, right?" I asked.

He slid me an unreadable look, taking a drag on his cigarette. He said, "I won't spoil the surprise for you."

Okay. Now I'll just have a sleepless night thinking about that, were my thoughts.

Well, I actually did have a sleepless night, thinking about everything, including a description of the second book, which I just had to get up and turn on lights and write that down. Once I do this, folks, there's no hope of real sleep--until two hours before I need to get up. So, I was not firing all pistons this morning, and I completely forgot about checking the Northern Star until my husband picked it up for all the sensational headlines on the front cover about a shooting. Well, I said never mind all that, where's my article?

Here it is, if you'd like to read it, click HERE.

Kindle - Review - Interview

My Book is on KINDLE!

Wow, did I sound justlike Oprah, or what?

And while you're at Amazon another review is up by “Sandpiper”. Here is a portion of what he had to say, and then you can go ahead and take a look for yourself.

“Let me say up front that I do NOT read vampire novels. . . My wife has read and enjoyed Stephanie Myer's “Twilight” series and even “forced” me to watch the movies with her. Still, I do not read vampire novels. . .

“However. . .I (reluctantly) agreed to review Lorelei Bell's “Vampire Ascending” and now you can call me “converted”. Maybe it was Bells' captivating writing style that drew me in more and more into the story, which made it difficult for me to put the book aside. Bell's greatest talent is writing like she speaks while still maintaining a high level style, which contributes to an enjoyable and fluent reading.” read more here.
Sandpiper gave me 5 stars. Very generous. I don't know. I'm modest about my writing abilities. Some days I feel more like a monkey in sweats mindlessly hitting the keys, checking facebook and my blogs, etc.

My other news is there is another interview up on me, and book with J.L. Jackson at her blog today. You can go to see this here.

Blood and Sunlight by Jamie Wasserman

I have to say this was a good book. At one point it made me teary-eyed. I didn't want to put it down, especially at the end. I wasn't disappointed in how it ended either. I thought it was a good fairytale-come-true sort of story.

I found the protagonist, Melanie, terribly flawed, in a relationship with a guy who wants to believe he's a vampire, but isn't. And she wants to believe there's something better out there, but she can't really find it, or doesn't have the guts to look. The whole vampires exist idea seems to also be too unbelievable to her—and yet she wants to believe—until she meets the real deal, and has to learn a whole new way of life.

The tale revolves around a small Maryland town, and place called Hell House, a place with some bad history. It's like one of those places you might remember as a kid, whispering about it when no one is around, or around a campfire at night, daring one another to walk up and ring the doorbell. Only this place is hard to find.

Wasserman mixes the elements of a love story, danger, death, and hope exquisitely, challenging the vampire folklore as fact, even adding a few new ideas to it.

I also liked how Wasserman worked in two different stories along side one another, that was different. I can see a lot of thought and work went into this novel. I liked the local background, the dreary small town, the girl who wants to escape, but can't, and seems to be all she'll ever know. A great ending.

Sumiko's Reads ~ Cold Magic

My friend, Sumiko, has been busy. Besides reading her books she is also busy knitting a sweater. I almost fear she may loose herself in the knitting and reading and we'll never see her again. Just one large sweater walking about the campus with a book in her hand.

Without further ado . . .
Hi everyone!

I finished Cold Magic in a rush of adrenaline. And it was both enjoyable and very satisfactory. As I may have mentioned last time, I was a teensy bit worried about finishing the book and then having an unspecified time to wait for the next one to come out due to my experience with her Crown of Stars series. (That one was originally planned as a trilogy and wound up as a series of seven books.) I think that anyone with similar fears should not worry. Cold Magic ends with our heroine in a pretty good place. You can definitely see where the story continues but it is by no means a cliffhanger.

Moving from an incomplete trilogy to a finished one - on Sunday I read Fire Study, the 3rd book in Maria V. Snyder's "Study" series. I am serious - I received the book sometime last week and started reading Sunday morning and stayed in bed 'til I was done. My cat was not pleased but I was happy and possibly a bit sad to be leaving the main character. I know that Snyder is writing another series set in the same 'verse but it just won't be the same, will it?

I will post Sumiko's comments on Maria Snyder's series on Saturday, so please swing by for that.

Feeders by Anita E. Viljoen ~ Review

The very inventive idea used by Anita, that humans who have a certain blood disorder of producing too much blood, could become “Feeders”--that is give blood to vampires--was a new one I hadn't seen used before. I was curious to see how she would bring this together.

I liked the beginning. Anne Patterson, believing she's hit a dog on a dark road at night goes to investigate, only to be attacked by a vampire. Fortunately for her two men, Luc and Roman, were on this rogue vampire's trail and come across Anne's hot Shelby GT 500 pulled over on the road. Then finds Anne bleeding and in need of help right away.

We learn that Roman is a vampire, and Luc is a human Feeder. They are part of Sir McKay's Coven, chasing down the rogues which a vengeful vampire by the name of Sir Raymond Pitout has been busy working to keep them busy. But the McKay's Coven doesn't hunt humans for blood, they pay those who they determine are Feeders to give blood on a monthly bases. They discover quite accidentally that Anne happens to be a Feeder, just like Luc.



Anne, the heroine, eventually accepts that she is actually a “Feeder”. She soon becomes infatuated with another Feeder, Luc, but the romance seems never destine to bloom until the two finally face up to what they are, and that they're in love. It takes them a few fits and starts before they realize they are perfect for one another.

Once it is learned that Ann is a Feeder, she is soon Pitout's prey, and she is abducted. The team must save her from the rogue vampire's plans to auction her off to the highest bidder.

One other interesting aspect of the vampires is that the female vampire is more powerful than their male counterparts, and if a male is brave enough to enter her domain and become intimate, he'd better be prepared for some adventurous, and dangerous sex.

Feeders: A lot of action, plenty of romantic threads with the vampire equation for those who enjoy their vampires hot, dangerous and sexy. Fast cars and hunky men caught me right away with the wonderful backdrop of British Columbia, and the large estate on an island adds to the backdrop.

Review: Lucinda, Darkly

You know how it is when you read a new author and you don't know how they write, or if you'll even like their book. This is how I approached Lucinda, Darkly. I wasn't certain what I was getting myself into. The promise that I'd "love" Sunny (author) if I were a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton, which I'm not, gave me pause. So, I tread carefully down this dark, dark path.

I was sucked in with the first paragraph merely by the prose. When an author can paint a scene and it grabs you by the ankle and pulls you in and you're there with her characters--that is the sign of an excellent writer. I found moments between my bus runs, hiding somewhere alone, and quiet, so that I could read just a page or two in the 5 or so minutes I had. And during those five or so minutes I was with Lucinda, this blood-drinking, sexy-as-you-please female demon equipped with fangs and deadly claws which she keeps under wraps with her gloves.

I'm not sure when demons became sexy women, or men, but I must have been asleep at my writer's desk. I used to write and read horror fiction, where demons aren't sexy, but if they want sex it's usually pretty graphic, horrific and usually leaves the human dead.

Well, I guess my eyes have been opened. I haven't picked up a book by a horror writer in over a year. Just a bit squeamish, I guess.

Lucinda, Darkly is a tale of a demon-dead, (has no heartbeat, as apposed to one that does). She lives in, of all places, Arizona. Probably because it's hot there, because her actual home is Hell.

Her job is to find a rogue Mone`re warrior and return him to his queen--who will first severely punish him and most likely kill him, and who wants to go through that? Since our demon princess isn't apposed to having sex, she likes it rough, and his blood is more than enticing, there's something about him that brings out the nice in Lucinda.

I enjoyed this tale, and Sunny (no last name), has many other titles in this series to check out. Lucinda is a character from her Mona Lisa novels.

The sex scenes although erotic, flow like absolute, dark poetry. At no time did I feel like I've just walked into something I shouldn't have and wanted to turn around and leave (put down the book merely because it disturbed me), unlike with the Laurell K. Hamilton books. If sex were this way in real life, and men were our sex kittens, I think we'd all be floating on cloud 9.

Sunny's ability to go back and forth from third person to first person with this tale, at first stumped me, but I could see how she used it flawlessly, separating the first person sections from the third person by chapters.

This book does stand alone in the series, and I may have to check out others in the demon princess chronicles series. Very well written for this dark genre. I recommend it, if you like a fantasy that will pull you along with every aspect of surprise an author can pack into a tale of dark fantasy.

Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf

I received this book because I won a contest over at VampChix. I had no idea the author, Michele Hauf would include it with the other 4 books, autographed by her, but that was really a special gift. So, I'm thanking Michele here for that.

Now, to be honest, I do not read paranormal romances. I've said before when these came out it was hard for me to discern the paranormal romances from those I wanted to read, which are the urban fantasy novels, Kim Harrison being my number one author in that genre that I so enjoy.

However, I did get into the bantering dialogue between the characters, Blu and Creed, and I think this is what carried me through the book and liked their characters enough to care what happened to them.

The main premise is interesting. A werewolf princes is married to a vampire master in order to bring some sort of peace. But peace is not what either side really wants. And while each side plots to go to war, this couple who would never be able to even stand each other's company if they were chained up in the same room together, actually begin to find that they are more than compatible, and that there are redeeming qualities in each other they are attracted to--not to mention they are attracted physically as well. Which helps, of course.

I felt it was well written. I wanted to see how the solution to their dilemma was solved, and thought that Hauf's details and explanations of the vampires and werewolves worked as to why they didn't get along, and the added bit about a vampire being able to hold magic was interesting, unusual, and a new idea that I'd never seen before.

This one gets a 9 out of 10 points for me. It was hard for me to be pulled in, for the first few pages, however, once I got into the second chapter, I felt that it carried me along well enough, and had to get back to it every chance I could (while driving the bus, I have 5-8 minutes to spare and find myself a corner and read).

Next on my list:: "Lucinda, Darkly" by Sunny.

My Review of First Drop of Crimson

I nearly bought this paranormal romance when I went looking for something interesting to read two months ago. A good thing I didn't buy it, since this was one of the books I'd won in contest at VampChix about 4 weeks back.

You have to admit the cover catches your eye. I had this book sitting at my table next to my computer trying to work, and the hot guy on the cover, half undressed, clutching the woman who is also half undressed, just made me pick it up and I read the first line and kept reading it, and before I knew it I'd gone through the prologue and into the first chapter. I was hooked, you might say, on Frost's plunging you into the danger, the action and you automatically like Denise MacGregor and relate to her troubles, and terrible death of her husband, and then her relatives. Then the demon's sly way of getting her to open the door to him and letting him in, that was well done.

The writing is compelling enough to keep you reading, that was one of the things I noticed about author Jeaniene Frost's style. Even knowing this was a paranormal romance, I found myself unable to put down this stand-alone novel in which her two “favorite characters” from her prior novels are drawn together in a fairly dramatic tale of vampire male and human female deadly attraction sort of story.

The handsome master vampire, Spade, kept Denise MacGregor on her toes--and more than interested. There was that sexual tension working on both sides. Witty dialogue was a plus. The plot had enough twists in it to keep my attention and want to go back to it. I wanted to see how it all was resolved, and was done in a way I had hoped it would go, and with the heroine solving her own problem. I didn't feel that the usual ploy of keeping them guessing at each other's emotional commitment went over board--I hate that. I don't want someone brooding about what the other person is thinking, or what they intend on doing as far as their relationship in a novel more than maybe a few pages out of the whole thing. This one gets an A+ on that.

I knew that the first portion of the book was working toward the ultimate love scene. It was a while in coming. I felt that if I'd read one more scene where they haven't screwed each others eyes out I was going to scream. Finally (I won't tell you it's in chapter 23), they did, and it was very well done, and erotic enough to make me halt in reading it, because I was on the bus—I needed to put it down and read it later—in private!

I did like the shower scene, very unique and I wonder if there is such a room in a hotel in Vegas. Probably.

I liked the characters and long before I'd gotten to the hot love scene, I'd decided to check out Frost's other books of the Night Huntress series, and will probably buy the first one in that series.

I liked how she sketched out each character, Denise and Spade, their backgrounds and histories and incorporated this into the story. And the very reason he can't bite her was a rather unique reason, I thought. One that's never been used yet.

As a rule I don't run out and buy a romance-anything novel. It took me a couple of mistakes before I realized what these novels were--I've read Lynsay Sands'"Vampire Interrupted" and Sherrilyn Kenyon's "One Silent Night". I don't like how these authors had re-invented the vampire, or changed something about how they can or can't go into sunlight (that's one thing I don't like about Frost's vampires, but I'm forgiving her this one thing), I'm a purist when it comes to certain things vampires should and shouldn't be able to do. I think they need some weaknesses. I couldn't even get through Kenyon's book. I don't like the Male vs. Female who are both wanting to murder each other, and at the same time jump in the sack. I'm not down with that. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. That's just me, I guess.

As far as Frost is concerned, I'll be looking for her next one “Eternal Kiss of Darkness” coming out this summer, and want to look into the other ones with her characters Cat and Crispin. They sound like interesting characters, and I'd like to get to know them better.

Next up: Michele Hauf's Her Vampire Husband

Review: Dead and Gone

I've been following Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series for maybe three or four years, now, and I have to admit she seems to have a knack for mixing the paranormal romance, a very interesting murder mystery, and her more than interesting characters ranging from a telepath, to vampires, werewolves, weretigers, shapeshifters, fairies, and a whole host of others that might take more than one paragraph to mention.
I know that when I began reading her books I feel like when I open a new one I've stopped in to visit an old friend.

Harris is a mystery writer who has found her own niche in the paranormal fantasy genre. It is no mystery to me why her books have become popular and that HBO has based a show on her books, which is popular as well.

At the onset of Dead and Gone, Harris' ninth book in the series, you know that something will happen to someone soon—a mysterious murder—and it will keep you wondering who done it throughout. This one will not disappoint readers. Sookie's relationships with Bill and Eric are always on the brink of being re-established. Bill has broken her heart, and she's been angry at him for several books, now. Eric, the sheriff of his own area, has survived a vampire war, and now is claiming his right to take the telepathic bar maid to his bed. Yes, we get a hot love scene in this one, maybe more than one.

I happen to prefer Eric to Bill, I don't know why exactly, I think he's just a tad more aloof, a bit more dangerous and more intrigued with Sookie than Bill. Plus he's pursued her a little longer and I felt it was time that they get down to it—after having sex and not knowing it Eric's memory of it has partially come back. So, why not?

If it were the 1950's, Harris would make a superb cozy murder mystery novelist, and possibly a Gothic romance writer. She is not a horror fiction writer. She tends to gloss over the more horrific details of her books, and certain action sequences. And this bothers me somewhat, but that's just me. At times I'm feeling that the narrator's voice shows a bit more than it should in these passages of what is happening around her, or that we're into the character's mind a little more than we need to be to get across what is happening.

The torture scene in the end I have issues with, but I'm not going to go into detail, as I'd rather not give away the ending, or ruin it for anyone who has not read even one of Harris' books, because they are worth the read. You'll definitely be catapulted into Sookie Stackhouse's world once you open up any of her books. But definitely, if you haven't read this one, go and buy it, it's well worth the read, and it was well worth the wait for me, as I can't buy hard-bounds all the time and have to wait a year before the soft bounds are out.