Bite Club

His Dark Bond contest!!!!

2012-02-03T00:00:00.003-07:00

Today I am thrilled to be hosting a contest for His Dark Bond, the latest super sexy paranormal romance by Anne Marsh. I'm new to this Fallen angel series, but after looking at this cover, and poking around Anne's website, I think I need to fix that real soon. After all, who doesn't wish they could drink in the pleasures of humanity? Zer is my kind of angel *wink*

Want to win a copy of this gorgeous book? Just leave me a comment about Fallen Angels, Sexy Angels, or both. I'll draw announce a winner on Monday!!! Thanks to Anne Marsh, and the generous folks at Kensington, this contest is open to all my blog readers, so that means all my international followers have a chance to win!! Good Luck.

Cover blurb:

HE HUNGERS FOR HER BODY . . .

Zer is no angel—well, not anymore. He’s explored every flavor of sin imaginable, drinking in the pleasures of humanity. But now he must find the woman who carries his salvation in her very blood…a woman like Nessa St. James.

AND HER SOUL

Nessa has considered the bargain the Fallen offer. Anything she wants in exchange for accepting Zer’s bond? No way. Not her. Not when she finds out about the mind-blowing ritual involved, and the marks of surrender that will ink her skin. But with a serial killer to stop and centuries of experience on his side, this is one job Zer’s going to nail.

HIS DARK BOND, Kensington Brava, February 2012

BURNING UP Kensington Brava, November 2012

THE HUNT, Dorchester Love Spell

BOND WITH ME, Dorchester Leisure

http://www.herfallenangel.com

Early Review: Tangled by Erica O'Rourke

2012-01-31T00:00:00.013-07:00

Book description:

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend's murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic—and the Chicago Mob—have other plans.

Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help—and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she's dreamed of and the one she's destined for.

Review:

In the second book of the Torn trilogy, Mo Fitzgerald is trying to get back to whatever normal life she can have. But it sure isn’t easy. Constance, Verity’s little sister, has just started developing her magic skills, but has no idea that it's even happening, so of course, cannot control what it does to herself and those around her. Mo has no choice but to call on Luc to come to the rescue. When he in turn asks for her help, she feels she cannot say no because she wants to help Constance and this is the only way she can do so. Even if it will ultimately cost her life.

Meanwhile the daughter of the detective that died during a magical episode in the last book is trying to blackmail Mo into giving her details about her Mob tied uncle Billy, and Mo doesn’t know if she should help her or not. When Mo finds out part of the truth that Colin is hiding from her (that her father is coming home from prison) her world seems to be out of control. The more Mo finds out about what her uncle is really doing, and what he's capable of, the more she tries to help Constance by being a part of a magical war. Trying to really find out if Colin feels the same about her pushes Mo over the edge. Can she figure out how to balance it all and help save those she loves from the Mob and the Magic that is surrounding her?

This was another great book. The characters left right off from the first book, so I suggest that you pick that one up before reading this one. It will help you understand the background to the story. I think that (again) the hidden details of this book make it special. There are things that are not quite ever said that help keep you reading to figure out, because you know that something is just not right about certain people and you can tell they are hiding things. I think that the bond between Mo and the two young men in her life is interesting. She is wanting so bad to have Colin, but cannot help being drawn to Luc when he is around. I really like the writing style as it is fluid and easy to follow. I think that this is a great high school or older read. An all-in-all great book. There is going to be one more book and I am anxious to see what is going to happen in the end.

Other books in the series:

Torn

Tangled (available February 2012)

Bound

Author website:

http://www.ericaorourke.com/

Reviewed by Jenny for VampChix
This book was sent via publisher for review

Eep! True Blood Season 5 Promo!!

2012-01-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Season 5 - Buried Tease

I'm still here

2012-01-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

I know the postings have been sporadic lately but my life outside of books has been a demanding bitch as of late. Between Flyboy heading off to the sandbox, a vile flu bug invading my home, school projects that must be completed, heart monitors and sugar free eating...yep, just like I said, bitch with a capital B. I can count on one hand the comments I've left lately, and that pisses me off because I miss my bloggy friends. Now that I've gotten into my deployment groove, and have handled what I can handle for the moment (is that even possible?) I think you'll be seeing more of me around the blogosphere. My batteries just need a recharge so I can get my reading mojo back online:)

The next couple weeks might be spotty but I will be using my time wisely, catching up on reviews, author guest posts, and contests! I have a boatload of books to giveaway so I'm thinking that March might just be one big bookish celebration. You'll have to stay tuned!

Don't forget that we have our weekend episode recaps for Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle, courtesy of Betty. And we'll have a couple of reviews up this week as well. I appreciate your patience and friendly emails...thanks!

Anna

Review: Frost Moon By Anthony Francis

2012-01-23T00:00:00.039-07:00

Book description:

In an alternate Atlanta where vampires and werewolves prowl the night, magic is real, and tattoo magic is the strongest magic of them all, a serial killer is targeting the magically tattooed on the full moon.

Dakota Frost, best magical tattooist in the Southeast, learns from the police she may be a target ... just when she receives a lucrative commission to ink a magic tattoo for a werewolf before the next full moon.

Caught between the rough and tumble world of the werewolves, the law and order rules of the vampires, and a sexy man-in-black whose motives are in doubt, Dakota must tread carefully to survive- because she doesn't know whether her werewolf client is the tattoo killer ... or the next victim.

Jenny's Review:

Dakota Frost is not an ordinary tattoo artist, and her tattooed body is not normal either. She is a magical tattoo artist and her tattoos literally come to life. They move when she commands them, and she has tattooed herself (by herself). Many people would fear her as she stands six foot two and has a purple and blue Mohawk, but as she is finding out, someone is looking for people like her. Dakota is told by the police and special forces that there is someone targeting magical tattoos, then skinning them off of the person, leaving them for dead without their tattoos. Dakota also is being challenged by a world famous magician, (who likes to discount people’s magic). He says that she cannot hold the power of magic when she tattoos. If that is not enough, there is a werewolf looking for a magical tattoo to help him control himself during the full moon. All in the busy life of a magical tattoo artist, or in the life of someone being hunted? Can Dakota keep herself and her friends safe from whatever the forces are that are trying to get them?

This was a great book full of action! It was a great mystery thriller with a ton of magic, and many vampires (good and bad) and werepeople (all types). This book had a level of suspense that kept me reading. (I wish my life was not so busy because I did not want to put the book down, I would have read straight through without stopping if I could.) I thought that Francis added so much to his characters making them all connected in different ways. Dakota is friends with many different types of people and they all come to her aide when she needs it, many of these people she had known her whole life, some she had just met but they were all drawn to her personality. I will tell you I was not able to figure out the ending, and that really made the book even better. I love to try to solve the mystery but was unable to and so the ending was great for me. Great, Great Read! And since it is a series, the fun is going to continue!!

Author website:
http://dakotafrost.com/

Other books in the Skindancer series:
Blood Rock

Reviewed by Jenny for Bite Club
In compliance with all the book and blog rules and regulations, I should disclose that I won this book in a contest and passed it along to Jenny for review.

The Vampire Diaries S3 ~ The Ties That Bind~

2012-01-21T00:19:00.007-07:00

Bonnie has another dream about the coffins and how to open them. The dreams keep pointing toward her mom.

Elena and Bonnie are going through records of all the Abby Bennett’s listed in the US. They come to an understanding about Jeremy’s safety and what Elena did. Damon pops up and compelled someone to dig more deeply into the records and found a match for Abby Bennett. He wants to go, Elena, tells him no.

Bonnie notices the sparks flying between the two. Bonnie asks what is going on and Damon spills the beans that they kissed.

Tyler shows up at Caroline’s to apologize and he’s got her dad with him. They say that her dad can break the sire-bond to Klaus. Caroline agrees to try.

Alaric invites Meredith to dinner.

Damon tells Alaric that there is two red flags about Meredith, one her ex called her a psychopath, and two; he ended up dead with a stake through his heart.

Klaus shows up at the Salvatore house and he’s blasting the stereo. He says he’s enjoying their stalemate. He wants to know how “crazy Stefan” is working out and does he have any friends left?

Bonnie and Elena are on a road trip to see her mom and she wants Elena to spill details on kissing Damon. Bonnie asks if it was good and Elena says it doesn’t matter it won’t happen again. Bonnie doesn’t look impressed. Stefan calls Elena and wants to know where they’re going. Elena tells him that they are going to the lake house and Stefan knows they are going to see Bonnie’s mom because he’s in Elena’s house looking at the information for Abby.

Klaus calls his hybrid and tells him to go to Abby’s house and do what they talked about.

Bonnie and Elena show up at Abby’s house, but she isn’t home. Jamie greets them and Bonnie is relived to know that they aren’t related.

Caroline’s dad has tied up Tyler and tells him that he has to turn so that he doesn’t feel like he owes Klaus anything. If he can turn with no pain then Klaus didn’t do him much of a favor. They make Caroline leave and Bill makes Tyler angry enough to turn and he breaks free from the chains.

In an awkward family reunion, Abby tells Elena that she was best friends with her mom. Then a vampire came to town looking for the doppelganger. Abby used her magic to bind Mikael and took him to the cemetery in Charlotte and didn’t come back. Her magic was gone.

Elena leaves Bonnie and Abby alone and Stefan shows up telling Elena that it’s a nice lake house…

Damon shows up at the hospital and confronts Meredith. She injects Damon with vervain and blood-jacks him.

Jamie hears Stefan and Elena arguing and comes to help. Stefan thinks he compels Jamie to stay out of it, but Jamie goes to get a shotgun full of wood bullets and shoots Stefan. He tells them that someone arrived earlier and told him that if anyone interfered he would have to kill himself. He ties up Elena and leaves Stefan writhing in pain.

Inside the house, Abby uses a herb to make Bonnie pass out and mutes her magic. Elena sees Abby dragging Bonnie out of the house. After they leave she asks Jamie what did they say about her. He says that she was not to be hurt. She tells Jamie that the ropes are hurting her. He loosens them and she whacks him in the head with the gun and rushes to help Stefan.

Damon tells Alaric that his doctor (Meredith) vervained him and then blood jacked him. He was right that she was a psychopath.

Bonnie’s mom takes her to the hybrid and makes her tell where the coffins are located. But Abby does give Bonnie her phone to warn her friends.

Klaus is at the witch’s house when Damon shows up and he says that he will tear him from limb to limb andt hen only when Damon is a writhing mass of blood will he rip his heart from his chest. Damon just smirks and the coffins appear. But one is missing. Klaus makes a smart remark about Damon hiding behind his witchy friends and in squalor no less and the witches take offense and use their power to floor Klaus. He threatens to kill the whole Bennett line and they stop. Damon tells him that he wants the missing coffin more that he wants to kill him.

Alaric goes to the hospital to find out what is going on with Meredith. She tells him that she gave Damon enough vervain to keep him out for hours and he tells her that Damon drinks it. She shows him that she uses the blood to save people that wouldn’t normally survive. Bill Forbes comes in from an actual animal attack and she uses Damon’s blood to save him.

Elena is trying to help Stefan and she digs around near his heart and pulls out the wood. He says that she’s changed, she’s strong and tougher. She says that we all had to change. He says it’s good to know. She tells him that she has to tell him something and that she doesn’t feel guilty about what she did, she feels guilty that he doesn’t know. She tells him that she kissed Damon. He looks wounded and gets up and walks away. She goes after him and begs him to say something. He admits the bridge and the blood was too far. She says thank you. Stefan says she shouldn’t have lied to him with Klaus still alive someone needs to be with her. She tells Stefan that she didn’t plan on kissing Damon. He tells her that she’s better than Damon—that she’s better than the both of them. She kinda looks pissed.

Bonnie is still talking to Abby and she tells Bonnie that she kept her end of the bargain and Jamie is safe. Bonnie starts to leave and Abby wants to help. Bonnie says she can’t because she has no magic. Abby is willing to get it back even though she doesn’t want it so she can help Bonnie.

Tyler goes to see Bill to apologize because he lost control again. Bill tells him that he has to change many more times to stop hurting. He has too or he won’t let Tyler near Caroline.

Alaric shows Meredith that he’s a vampire hunter—well semi-retired. Meredith tells him that he’s trying to get out of taking her to dinner and wants to know how he survived getting hit by a truck. He shows her the ring and won’t let her touch it. She asks him if he’s afraid she’s supernatural… They kiss and Elena interrupts them. Meredith leaves and Alaric is embarrassed. Elena tells him that it’s okay… he moved in to take care of them when he didn’t have too. Jenna is gone and it’s okay to move on.

Stefan arrives home and Damon is there. He observes that Damon is still alive. Damon tells him that he was only able to get out the one coffin. Damon asks how Elena is and Stefan punches him in the face. Damon says that he takes it that the two of them had a chat. Stefan starts to walk away and Damon says they should talk about this…. He pulls a dagger out from behind his back. Stefan’s is shocked and he says… What did you do!?

Klaus’s hybrid wants to know what his plans are… but Klaus doesn’t have a chance to answer. Before he turns around Elijah has ripped the heart out of the hybrid and says “Hello Nicklaus, what have I missed?”

I hate to say it... but I really wasn't excited about tonight's episode... and NO not just because Damon and Elena had only a short amount of screen time.

The episode just seemed sluggish and too much of Bonnie and her Mama drama. I want Bonnie to be a strong-kick ass--witch who doesn't take anyone's crap. She seems too weak and helpless sometimes. I really wish the writers would flesh out her character more.

Also seriously--Damon's a vampire--who has supernatural speed--and he can't get 5 coffins out of the old house?? This doesn't seem right to me. He could have called Carolin if he had needed that much help. It just wasn't believable that he couldn't move those coffins.

By the way.... ELIJAH IS BACK!!! Just had to get that out of my system. :)

What were your thoughts? Did you like this episode or did you feel it was more of a filler and a waste of time?

The Secret Circle ~Witness~

2012-01-20T23:54:00.006-07:00

Jake is back and he tells Adam that he’s keeping an eye on Cassie. The council is going to use the ritual that they used to kill Cassie’s father… to kill her. Cassie tells him that she didn’t know about witch hunters being at the boat. He says that the only way to keep her safe if to figure out what ritual was used. He tells her that she knows where to find him

Adam tells Cassie that she can’t trust Jake and she says that she does because he cares about her. He tells her that he uses people.

Dawn and Diana are having coffee and they get Charles’s attention. He tells Dawn not to use his daughter against him. She says the circle is bound, they have two crystals and they are on the way to getting their power back. He knows she’s up to something and that he’s not helping since she wanted to kill his mom.

I’m not really sure what’s going on with Faye, Lee, and the new kid on the block Callum but it’s creepy/weird. Lee used to deal something named Devil’s Spirit and of course Faye is intrigued.

Jake snarkily asks Cassie did she get Adam’s permission to come see him. She wants to know if he wants to kill her. He tells her that if he did he would have left her in the school fire. He confides that he saw the fire that killed their parents but can’t remember what happened. He has a spell that can help her get into his memory and see what happened.

He tells Cassie, Diana, and Adam that he followed his parents and that he saw them on the boat but he can’t remember anything past that

Diana and Adam discuss Jake and the spell and that Diana tells him that she would do the spell with Jake if she could because she wants to know what happened

Jake and Cassie go to the boatyard to get something that was on the boat the night the fire happened. He says that he couldn’t find his parents and that he could hear other people on the boat.

Dawn goes to see Ethan and she says that she and Charles got into an argument and that he choked her. He has magic. Ethan says he’ll take care of Charles

Jake and Cassie do the memory spell and it works. They appear on the boat and can see Jake and Nick’s parents. They try to follow Jake’s parents and the Jake gets hurt with pain in his head. He can’t go on. Cassie breaks away from him and follows his parents. Jake is jerked back out of his memories but Cassie is still locked in.

Ethan calls Charles and tells him that he knows he has a crystal and that he killed Henry. Charles asks Ethan if he’s sober. And Ethan tells him that he’s as sober as a church mouse and that he’s going to tell the council.

Adam and Diana arrive in time to find Jake trying to shake Cassie out of his memories… but she’s watching what happened. The witch hunters were trying to kill her dad. They killed the other witches and tried to use a ritual to kill John Blackwell. It didn’t work and the fire started. A medallion falls from John Blackwell’s hand as he walks away from the pole he was tied to. The fire starts to choke Cassie and Adam, Diana, and Jake get her to breathe.

Adam demands that Jake goes back in and get Cassie. Adam helps him do the spell and he goes to get Cassie. He sees his mom and tries to get to her, but they wake up out of his memories. She tells the group that witch hunters betrayed their parents and the truce they offered was a trap. She says that she didn’t see anyone else but Ethan. Adam says that Ethan wasn’t there. She insists that she heard Ethan’s name and voice. She tells them that it was awful and she specifically tells Jake that his mom and dad were so brave and they wanted safety for Nick and him.

Charles shows up to talk to Ethan and Ethan knocks him out and takes the crystal. Charles tries to tell him that Dawn can’t be trusted, apparently that doesn’t matter to Ethan

Cassie goes to the boat looking for the medallion that she watched her father drop. Jake shows up and she tells him that maybe it should have stayed locked away. He said he wanted to know the truth and that it was so easy for the witch hunters to manipulate him and use him. She shows him the medallion and tells him that her father was wearing it and then dropped it. It saved him. He says he’s glad he came back. Cassie wants to know if this was the only reason he came back. He gives a soulful look and she tells him things are so complicated… she’s thinking about her dad and if he got off the ferry then he’s alive. Jake tells her that he is buried not too far from his parents.

Adam takes Diana home and she asks if Jake came back to hurt them. He says he doesn’t know what to believe. Diana tells him that Jake is in love with Cassie. Diana doesn’t know how to do this… to be friends and Adam tells her that she knows him better than anyone else

Dawn goes to see Ethan and wants to know if Charles hurt him. He tells her that he’s going to hold on to the crystal. Looks like Ethan isn’t a dumb as he can look.

Callum shows up and gives Faye a substance called Devil’s spirit.

Cassie and Jake are in the cemetery digging up her father’s grave. She tells him to wait and wipes away some of the dirt from his headstone and then tells him that she realizes that it’s insane. Jake opens the grave and they find animal remains. Cassie father is not buried in his grave…………………….

I really enjoyed tonight's episode!

I'm so glad Jake is back because I hate the non-chemistry between Cassie and Adam. Adam seems like he's weaker than Cassie and he can't keep up with her. Jake seems to be tough and strong enough while still giving Cassie those looks filled with feelings.

I wish Faye would get smarter. I know she's not stupid but she needs to wake up and realize that the world does not revolve around Faye.

What do you guys think? Team Jake/Cassie or Team Adam/Cassie?

Review: The Hunter by Theresa Meyers

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Book description:

They're the Chosen—Winchester, Remington and Colt—brothers trained to hunt down supernatural beings using the latest steam-powered gadgetry. It's a hard legacy to shoulder, and it's about to get a lot more dangerous...

A Devil Of A Job

Colt Jackson has gotten his name on many a wanted poster with success in the family business: hunting supernaturals across the frontier. Lately, though, there's a sulfur stink in the wind and the Darkin population is exploding. A rift in the worlds is appearing. To close it, Colt will have to do the unthinkable and work with a demon to pass arcane boundaries no human alone can cross.

Except when he summons his demon, he doesn't get some horned monstrosity: he gets a curvy redheaded succubus named Lilly, who's willing to make a bargain to become human again. He also gets Lilly's secret expertise on the machinations on the dark side of the rift. And her charm and cleverness help to get them out of what his silver-loaded pistol and mechanical horse can't. Of course, when all hell breaks loose, he might have to sacrifice his soul. But what's adventure without a little risk?

Review:

First, let's start with the cover because let's be honest, most if us form our first impressions while browsing bookstore shelves or cruising around online. I liked this cover straight off, primarily for the steampunk elements that aroused my curiosity. Seriously, the metal gear horse is awesome enough and then you figure in the bracers, boots and that dangerous looking ray gun...I'm a total geek. And the sleazy part of me just thinks any dude sporting a thigh holster is way hot. I've never been the cowboy type but that might just change her real soon. Essentially, with The Hunter you know exactly what type of book you're getting. Then you see the author and it's cemented...this should be good, real good. I love that sort of excitement!

As expected, I thought the characters were interesting, complex and choc-ful of secrets. It was an added treat that we actually meet all three brothers, Colt, Winchester, and Remington, along with the three women that I'm guessing will snag their scrumptious little hearts, Lilly, Candy, and the Contessa. The interactions between brothers reminded me quite a lot of the Winchester brothers from Supernatural, and I found myself making a few Sam and Dean comparisons. Much of the demonology seemed familiar too, like sealing demon deals with a kiss, but I don't think this detracted from the story at all. For me, this was a typical first book in a series with loads of worldbuilding, character introductions, and explanations.

I enjoyed all the steampunk, especially the scenes with Marley. He's this eccentric inventor (highly paranoid) that is a cross between Q (Bond), Bobby (Supernatural) and Alfred (Batman). Besides that, who wouldn't love spectro-photometric oglifiers? I might need some of those. Let's not forget Miss Balmora, the almost perfect robot Marley is building for the British government. Too cool. Could use one around the house. The romance wasn't as dominant in the story as I would have liked, maybe not as steamy, but I am anticipating that will change with future books, less set up and more character development. Another aspect that I did like quite a bit was the setting, mainly because I was raised in Arizona so I easily recognized the Superstition mountains and all the accompanying legends surrounding that time. It always add an extra kick when you can pick out places in a book, like you know a secret that other readers might not get.

I'm anxious to get my hands on a copy of The Slayer, out in April. These brothers are an adventurous handful and watching them be tamed will be a thrill.

Author website:

http://www.theresameyers.com/index.php

Coming soon (April 2012):

The Slayer

2012-01-18T11:20:00.001-07:00

Review: Lord of the Abyss

2012-01-17T00:00:00.099-07:00

Book Description:

As the Dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

Review:

The final book in The Royal House of Shadows was far and away my favorite of the series, and I'm sad to see the series end. How much fun did we all have reading these books, like a monthly installment plan, with each author creating a new spin on the classic fairy tale, embellishing the paranormal elements to create a new type of storytelling? I loved everything about this concept and hope that The Royal House of Shadows series was successful enough that maybe we will see this type of collaboration again. The consistency within the world was amazingly good throughout, with one highlight being the voice changes from book to book.

Lord of the Abyss was a Beauty meets the Beast retelling, with both characters sharing the roles of each because Micah wasn't entirely beastly and Liliana wasn't exactly your classic beauty. This role reversal worked very well for me and it was the one element that endeared me to the story in much the same way that the Disney version did. However, that is where I'd say the Disney comparisons should end. As with all of Nalini Singh's romantic couples, Micah and Lili are expertly written with plenty of passion and heat.

Spoiler-ish area:

My only complaint is that the ending of the book felt rushed and the Blood Sorcerer was defeated quite easily. One one hand, this doesn't matter a whole lot if your focus is the relationship between Micah and Lili, and if that is the case then you are plenty satisfied because of all the endings this one felt the most complete in regards to the happily ever after that we associate with fairy tales. However, if you focused more on the curse of Elden, defeating the Blood Sorcerer, and the relationships of all the siblings, then you might feel that the ending was fast and lacked closure. I would have liked to see everyone together, battling and defeating evil, powerful and complete because love conquers all. That might just be me.

Website info:
Royal House of Shadows
Gena Showlater
Jill Monroe
Jessica Andersen
Nalini Singh

Books in the series:
Lord of the Vampires
Lord of Rage
Lord of the Wolfyn
Lord of the Abyss

Reviewed by Anna Dougherty
This book was obtained from NetGalley for review purposes

Winner!

2012-01-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

Shelley B wins the copy of Emma Holly's MOVE ME!

Shelley, please send your snail mail address to vampchixmail@gmail.com

Congrats!

The Vampire Diaries S3 ~ Our Town~

2012-01-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Damon is in the shower and Elena is training at Alaric’s. Alaric knows something is up with her but she denies anything is wrong.

Stefan comes to get Damon and they rush off to meet with Bonnie. Who is trying to open the coffin when she hears someone in the house. Damon and Stefan arrive at the right time and Damon rips out the hybrid’s heart.

Elena is decorating Caroline’s locker for her 18^th birthday. Bonnie gets there a little late, and Elena tells Bonnie about compelling Jeremy to leave town. Bonnie is not pleased.

Stefan tells Damon that it’s time to call his Klaus’s bluff.

Jeremy tells Bonnie that he can have a better life in Denver and she gets angry that those are the exact words that Elena said. She doesn’t like that his free will is being screwed with.

Caroline runs into Tyler and she says that she can’t talk to him that he almost got Jeremy killed. Tyler tells her that he can’t put her first… he wants to but he can’t. He says he’s sorry and gives her a charm bracelet.

Klaus tells Rebekah to have sweet dreams and has Wendi store Rebekah. Stefan shows up at Klaus’s house and demands that the hybrids leave town. Klaus says he had hoped he would free Stefan and they’d pick up where they left off. Stefan says to remove the hybrids from Mystic Falls or he will remove them himself. He then cuts off Wendi’s head.

Caroline is surprised by Bonnie, Matt and Elena wanting to celebrate her birthday and she doesn’t feel like celebrating. Because she’s dead.

Klaus tells Tyler that he has to bite Caroline and Tyler refuses and asks him what the hell is wrong with him.

Damon tells Alaric that he can’t predict who Stefan is going to kill.

Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt go to hang out in the cellar. Elena says that Caroline never got a proper funeral. Bonnie lights the candles on the cake and each person says something ‘sorta’ nice about Caroline.

Damon and Alaric show up at the Founder’s party. Alaric says let’s get a drink, write a check and get out. Dr. Fell says hello to Alaric and that she’s surprised he was out and about. He says he has nine lives and she tells him that’s handy in a town full of vampires. Alaric seems surprised that she knows but she’s part of a founding family. Klaus has told Carol Lockwood that he will protect and take care of Tyler if she will force Stefan to back off. She tells Damon that the council will take action if Stefan isn’t calmed down.

Bonnie and Elena get into an argument and Matt tells them they’re ruining a perfectly good funeral.

While Damon is off dealing with the council Alaric interferes with Brian Walters and Dr. Fell’s argument.

Stefan arrives at the Founder’s party and grabs a knife then stabs a hybrid intending to decapitate him. Damon catches him and says no dead hybrids at the founder’s party! Damon tells him to beat Klaus you have to be smart and Stefan returns that to beat a villain you have to be a better villain.

Tyler shows up where the ‘funeral’ is going on and says he didn’t mean to crash the party. He asks to speak to Caroline.

Matt tells Elena that he just wants them both to be happy. She says she had no right messing in Jeremy’s head. But she can’t lose anyone else she loves.

Tyler tells Caroline that he takes it back, that Klaus can’t control him. He tells her he loves her and they start to kiss. He kisses down her neck and ends up biting her. She screams at him to leave her alone.

Matt and Elena go looking for Tyler and Caroline. Stefan knocks Matt out and grabs Elena. Damon calls Elena’s phone and realizes that Stefan has Elena. He tells Klaus that Stefan has Elena and he knows his brother very well and even he doesn’t know what he’ll do or how far he’ll go.

Elena wants Stefan to let her go and he says that maybe he will just turn her into a vampire. He speeds to Wickery Bridge (the same bridge her parents died on). He calls Klaus and tells him that he’s going to turn Elena into a vampire and he won’t have a blood source for his hybrids anymore. Klaus tells him that he won’t do it. Stefan rips open his arm and forces Elena to drink his blood. Klaus hears her struggling and screaming. He tells Stefan that he’s won he’ll make them leave. Stefan stops the car and Elena jumps out furious. She tells him that her parents died on this bridge... How could he do this? He says that he lost her the moment he left town and that getting even with Klaus is the only thing he has. She asks him if he’s trying to make her hate him and he says he doesn’t care what she thinks.

Matt takes Caroline home to her mom and Klaus shows up at her door. He says that he can save Caroline and he just wants the support of the sheriff. She invites him and he goes to Caroline’s bedroom. Caroline opens her eyes and sees Klaus.

She asks him if he’s going to kill her. He says “On your birthday? Do you really think that low of me?” She answers yes. He moves the blanket to look at her bite. He says “That looks bad. My apologies, you were collateral damage, nothing personal. I love birthdays.” Caroline asks him “Aren’t you like a billions years old or something?” Klaus smirks as says that she should ‘celebrate that you’re no longer bound by the trivial human conventions.” She tells him she’s dying. He says that he could let her die if that’s what she wants. That is she believes that her existence has no meaning. He’s thought about it once or twice over the centuries. But there is a whole world out there for her filled with great cities, art and music and genuine beauty and she can have all of it. She can have a thousand more birthdays, all she has to do is ask.

She tells him that she doesn’t want to die and he pushes up his sleeve and gently pulls her into his arms. He offers her his wrist and says “There you go sweetheart, have at it.” She groans and bites into his wrist. He rests his chin on her head and tells her “Happy Birthday Caroline.”

Damon drops Elena off at her house. He asks her if she’s going to be okay and says that she will have to be. He tells her that Stefan pushed Klaus to the limit and he blinked. Stefan won that round. She tells him that Stefan’s method sucked! He touches her chin and asks her again if she’s okay… she tells him that he can’t kiss her again and that it’s not right. He says he knows but that it’s right… it’s just not right now. He smiles at her and tells her goodnight. She stands and watches him leave.

The next morning Elena is hugging Jeremy and she tells him to be safe and he tells her that she has to let him go eventually, Alaric is waiting. Bonnie rushes up the steps and tells him that he wanted to say goodbye. They hug and he leaves.

Caroline wakes up healed and sees a jewelry box on her stand. The note card says “From Klaus” She opens it and sees a beautiful diamond bracelet.

Matt meets Elena at Wickery Bridge. He jokes, “You aren’t going to jump are you?” She laughs and says no. But she was thinking about the girl that should have died on that bridge and that girl would be disappointed in her. That girl would have never been in love with vampires. Matt says that the girl he used to know was a great girlfriend, but the girl she is now is a great friend. He plucks some flowers and gives the “old” Elena a funeral.

Dr. Fell finds Alaric is day drinking and she’s glad she’s not the only one. She confides that she lost a patient and he tells her he just put a kid on a plane. He tells her it’s a long story.

Sheriff Forbes calls Damon and he shows up at a crime scene. She says that it’s Brian Walters the medical examiner and Dr. Fell’s old boyfriend. He was stabbed with a stake but he wasn’t a vampire. It was a murder.

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

I have to say that I normally don't concentrate such effort on the dialogue between most characters in my blogs... but the discussion between Klaus and Caroline stunned me. This is the one time I've ever seen him show any emotion for anyone outside his family.

I am already dreading the end of the season where the gang will find a way to kill him and we can't see his more human side come out they way it did with Caroline. I think this is going to be a relationship that is going to develop a bit more and I really wish he didn't have to die.

What do you guys think about the budding relationship with Klaus and Caroline?

Do you think Damon will get more Elena time?

Who do you think is in the coffin that won't open. I have a really good idea who it is.......

The Secret Circle ~Fire and Ice~

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Spoiler Alert! This week had a TON of stuff going on... read on for a witchy good read... =)

Cassie and Diana discuss Jake and the possibility he won’t come back. Diana assures Cassie it’s for the best. The circle won’t be as strong but they are better off. They try to do a spell to change the color of a dress, but Cassie sets it on fire.

Adam’s dad tells him that he’s going to chaperone the dance and that he hasn’t had a drink in a couple of weeks. He’s sorry for hurting Diana and Adam.

Cassie voices her concerns that she can’t do a spell without it turning bad. Diana tells her that it was probably just a fluke.

Melissa, Diana, and Cassie decide to go to the dance together.

Adam and Cassie go check out the city records to see if there is anything about her dad. Adam distracts the secretary and Cassie uses the computer to look up her father. She gets an address of 7 Briar Hill. Adam freaks and tells Cassie he has to show her something.

Faye and Lee are up to no good. He tells her he can get her individual powers.

Adam takes Cassie to the abandoned house and shows her an address sign. It’s the same house her father owns. Adam tells her that he threw some of the older stuff in the basement. They decide to go check it out and Adam ends up asking Cassie to the Fire and Ice dance. She tells him that she can’t hurt Diana and she can’t think about it. He tells her that it’s all he thinks about.

Faye tells Melissa that Lee can help her get her powers and Faye tells her that it’s not a good idea.

Cassie still hanging out in the basement and hears something. She finds a sigil burned into the ceiling of the basement.

Diana and Melissa are reminiscing about being friends and hanging out. Cassie comes in and shows them a drawing that she made of the sigil. She tells them that she saw it in her book. She realizes that Faye stole a page from her mom’s book and is pissed. She calls Faye and demands she bring the page back.

Faye asks Lee about the spell and he tells her its old school and it will extract the dark magic. Cassie won’t be hurt. They go to the school dance and perform the ritual after stopping by Cassie’s house to steal her necklace. Faye notices a light on in Nick’s house next door.

Cassie asks Adam’s dad if her dad had anything to do with the fire and he says that she doesn’t need to know and that she is not defined by her parents.

Melissa and Diana discuss moving on and Diana goes to ask a boy to dance. Adam watches Diana dancing with the new guy and seems to be amused she’s moving on.

Adam asks Diana to tell Cassie that it’s okay to be friends with him and that she’s moving on.

Faye and Lee complete their spell and now she has Cassie’s powers and the circle is suffering. They each start to collapse and Cassie tells Faye she’s a selfish bitch. Faye makes Lee tell her how to undo the spell and she gives the powers back, but the damage is done. The school is on fire and the decorations are shattering. They realize Melissa isn’t with them and Cassie goes to get her. She uses her powers to part the fire so she can get Melissa. She is overcome by the smoke and collapses. The last thing she sees is a pair of boots before she passes out.

Cassie and Melissa wake up outside, not knowing how they got outside. The circle tells Faye that this is the second time she’s almost killed them all. She lashes out at Cassie and leaves.

Diana drives Melissa home and Melissa says that she’s Faye’s friend and that they were pretty harsh on her.

Faye goes to see Lee and she gets flirty with him. Telling him that she’s done with the circle.

Adam finds Cassie in the basement of the abandoned house. The joke around and end up kissing.

So what did you guys think?

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

I'm still torn on the Adam/Cassie relationship... I was so happy that Jake is back. He looked kind of hurt that Cassie was in Adam's arms. Which hot guy are you wanting Cassie to choose?

Do you think Faye will ever settle down and stop doing things that almost kill the rest of the circle?

When will Melissa finally stick up for herself and stop following Faye around? Yeah they're friends but there is a point when you become a doormat.....

Please leave your comments and thoughts :)

Review: Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall

2012-01-13T00:00:00.001-07:00

Book description:

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets — how can she defeat death itself?

Review:

Right off, I really liked this book and found myself thinking about the world and characters long after I put the book down for the night. I found it refreshing that both characters were able to kickass and take names, forming a formidable partnership in the war with vampires, and that they formed a friendship before jumping in the sack. Ami is a severely damaged woman that harbors a dangerous secret, her trust issues are only the beginning of her problems. I won't give anything away, you know I hate spoilers, but I did feel that her vulnerabilities and reactions were believable and realistic. Marcus is a true warrior and he has spent his many years fighting mostly alone, with no help from a Second. It's written like he was about to head off the deep end into total recluse mode, living only to fight. Both Marcus and Ami have depth and emotions that are easy to feel. Marcus was what I call a comfortable guy, easily at home in the kitchen or helping around the house but fierce and strong in a fight. He is also compassionate and isn't too afraid of his emotions. This relationship developed with equal shares of trust and respect, with a healthy dose of lust thrown in.

One thing that I feel should be pointed out, I did find some of the world/lore behind the characters to be reminiscent of the Dark Hunter world created by Sherrilyn Kenyon. For example, the Dark Hunters have Hunters/Squires and Immortal Guardians have Immortals/Seconds. DH fight daimons and IG fight vampires, and both worlds have it so the baddies are just a twisted version of the good guys. Ash leads the DH and Seth leads the IG, both guys having many secrets and unseen abilities. These similarities are more like flattery and less like copying, but it was something that I noticed straight away.

I'd love a chance to go back and read book one, Darkness Dawns, just so I can see how the relationship played out between Roland and Sarah. Despite being part of a series I had no problem at all following the events of Night Reigns, and I really just want to read the first book because I enjoy Dianne Duvall's writing. I was also pleased that there would definitely be a book 3 because the secondary characters are plentiful, but bummed that the wait would be so long, all the way until October.

Other books in the series:
Darkness Dawns
Night Reigns
Phantom Shadows (coming soon)

Author website:
http://www.dianneduvall.com/index.html

Reviewed by Anna Dougherty
This book was sent via publisher for review purposes

Required reading?

2012-01-11T00:40:00.001-07:00

I stole a few moments on the computer to browse through my Google reader to see what's happening around the book world and came across a post at The Book Lady's Blog about the fantastical idea of required reading on a global scale. Interesting premise and worthy of discussion, at least I think so, because the goal would be to change the world, and not in a Mojojojo evil mastermind kind of way.

So it made me think, so scary when I am sleep deprived, about what single paranormal title would I deem required reading. Not to change the world or anything, but maybe to entice a reader to the genre. Would I choose Urban Fantasy? Horror? Or Romance? How would I ever be able to choose just one? I was going to narrow my initial search just to books I read in the last year, since it's well after midnight and I really do need to sleep someday, but I can't. Maybe because the books are too fresh in my mind or because last year really had some amazing titles (The President's Vampire, Kill the Dead, Hard Spell, Den of Thieves, Dead Mann Walking, Snuff~just to name a few).

So I changed my tactics to a book that has sentimental value for me and immediately came up with an answer...

Hotel Transylvania by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro!! This was the book that started it all for me. My mother gave me a copy almost 25 years ago and I can still read it on that same emotional level to this day, and I do quite often. Yarbro's novels offer so much more than a romance because each book provides a detailed history of times gone past, so vivid that you become part of it. Saint Germain struggles to find his place in the world, much like we do in our own time. The books touch you on an intellectual level as well as on the romantic level, and I will always have a special place in my heart for the relationship between Madelaine and Le Comte Saint Germain. I love the entire series!

So tell me, what would your one paranormal book be? Leave a comment and you might just win a new book for your trouble. I've been cleaning the office area and the book box is plenty full.

My lost review for Hard Spell by Justin Gustainis

2012-01-10T00:00:00.003-07:00

My original review for Hard Spell was supposed to be posted back when Justin Gustainis did a guest post in August. I'm not sure what happened, only that somehow Blogger ate the post and I never checked on the status. As I was trying (mostly in vain) to clear my computer area and organize the enormous backlog of books, I came across a note reminding me to put my review up at Goodreads. Only when I checked, no review was found. So, my apologies to the author for messing that up because I'm not always a airhead and because I truly enjoyed the book. The review will be posted at VampChix and at Goodreads...and I've double checked this time!

Book description:

Meet Stan Markowski of the Scranton PD’s Occult Crimes Unit

“Like the rest of America, Scranton’s got an uneasy ‘live and let unlive’ relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that’s when they call me.

“My name’s Markowski. I carry a badge.

“Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.”

Review:

Stan isn't the nicest guy. He doesn't always say or do the nicest things. So why do I like him so much? Over the course of Hard Spell he goes from being a sarcastic jerk cop to being a father that has been forced to make very difficult decisions, and struggles every single day with the outcome. Stan is a hard nosed detective that investigates crimes involving vampires and other supernatural beings. He's very good at his job and has made more than a few enemies. Stan also has a reputation for speaking his mind and taking on the bad guys head on. His sarcasm, attitude, and foul mouth are hysterical, and actually make him a more likeable guy. Yes, Stan could use a course, or twenty, on manners...remember that attitude I mentioned? Not everyone he meets likes it. But I have to say, I am rather fond of Stan.

It's not just the characters that make Hard Spell a stand out novel either. The criminal element was well planned and developed, horrific without being too over-the-top. I thought the depiction of a world full of monsters was believable as well. Sort of CSI (the Las Vegas version) meets True Blood (minus the sex). I'd love to read more. Truthfully, Hard Spell was part of my Top 10 for 2011 and I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting a taste of a different type of vampire/monster novel. Justin Gustainis was one of the few authors last year that made me want to read about non-romantic vampires, like Jon Merz and his Lawson stories.

Hard Spell is the first Occult Crimes Unit Investigation. The sequel, Evil Dark, is coming April 2012. Hooray!!

THE ROOK by Daniel O'Malley

2012-01-09T10:01:00.002-07:00

MTV Shows

MOVE ME by Emma Holly — Contest!

2012-01-08T15:49:00.003-07:00

Bite Club has a treat for you today! Emma Holly's latest, MOVE ME, features a sexy fairy masquerading as a handy-man in the mortal realm in order to earn his freedom from those who torment him. But the real sensual torments come in the form of mortal, Belle and her dreams and desires. An extremely sizzling read that you'll want to check out if you like fairies, snug little cottages in the woods, and hot, no-holds-barred sex!

This book is part of the Hidden series. To read an excerpt, go here.

We have a paperback copy signed by Emma Holly to give away to one lucky reader! Tell us your favorite TV or movie character who is a fairy? Winner announced at the end of the week!

The Vampire Diaries S3 ~ The New Deal~

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

***The mid-season premier caused fan girls to scream all over the world....If you haven't seen the episode... watch out for spoilers... ***

Bonnie has a dream about the Stefan, the caskets, and the old witch’s house.

Elena is out jogging and gets scared by a guy in hoodie running behind her

Elena tells Bonnie that Stefan betrayed them and he’s gone. Bonnie asks about Damon and Elena says that Damon is being Damon.

Alaric is at the grille looking for Jeremy and Damon is day drinking. They find out that Jeremy was fired a month ago.

Jeremy has developed a bromance with Tyler and is ‘hanging out and shooting stuff.’ He tells Tyler that Alaric feels responsible for them and he doesn’t mind. Tyler tells Jeremy it’s pretty cool being a hybrid and to shoot at him with the crossbow. Jeremy does and Tyler catches the arrow. He tells Jeremy the only way to kill him is to decapitate him.

Damon and Elena are discussing Jeremy when Klaus turns up at the grille. He’s with the same guy that was running behind Elena. Klaus tells them that he might fancy having a home in Mystic Falls and that he’s looking for Stefan. Elena tells him that Stefan is his problem not theirs anymore. Klaus tells them that Stefan stole from him and he wants him found.

Bonnie takes a trip to the old witch’s house and finds Stefan. He tells Bonnie that the witches hate Klaus as much as he does and he needs her help to hide the coffins. She says she doesn’t have enough power and Stefan tells her the witches will help her. They magically hide the coffins.

Alaric and Elena stage and intervention for Jeremy and he tells them Tyler is waiting on him, he can’t stay for dinner. Elena and Alaric don’t like him hanging out with Tyler, so Jeremy invites Tyler into the house.

Klaus goes to talk to Damon asks him if he wants to discuss his epic failure of a plan. Klaus tells Damon that Stefan stole his family, and Damon tells him that he doesn’t work for him. Klaus says that they only respond well to violence and a demonstration is in order. He makes a phone call.

Elena confronts Tyler about the differences between compulsion and being sired. Tyler tries to explain, but gets frustrated and leaves. Alaric and Elena try to tell Jeremy that Tyler is bad news, but they turn around to find that Jeremy has taken off his ring and has left the house.

They find Jeremy outside and standing in front of a car. Alaric pushes him out of the way, but gets hit in the process. Elena and Jeremy carry Alaric inside after making sure he was wearing his ring. Jeremy realizes that Tyler got him to stop drinking vervain and took his bracelet.

Damon and Elena go to the old witch’s house after Bonnie tells Elena where Stefan is. Elena tells Stefan that Klaus tried to kill Jeremy and he’s going to try to kill every one she loves until he gives the coffins back. He says that he doesn’t care and it’s her problem. She slaps him and leaves. Damon tells her to go handle her brother and he’ll handle his.

Damon confronts Stefan and after a tussle in which Damon stabs Stefan with a stick, Damon learns that Stefan stopped him from killing Klaus because his hybrids would have killed Damon. Damon tells him to stop saving him. They agree to work together to stop Klaus but Elena can’t be a part of it.

Jeremy confronts Tyler with a crossbow and he tells Jeremy that he didn’t think that Klaus would try to kill him. Then he tells him that he should get home before dark and that Klaus won’t stop until he gets those coffins.

Elena gets home to find Alaric back in the land of the living, but something is wrong. He’s coughing up blood and Elena calls an ambulance. The EMTS come to take him to the hospital, but Klaus’s hybrid compels them to go away. He tells Elena to let him in.

Jeremy shoots the hybrid in the back and calmly walks into the kitchen telling Elena he’s not dead. He gets a meat cleaver and lobs off the hybrids head. Jeremy proclaims ‘Now he’s dead.’ He helps to take Alaric to the hospital.

At the hospital Alaric is already recovering and Dr. Meredith Fell is fascinated with his recovery. She tells him he either has a guardian angel or he’s sold his soul to the devil. He agrees that it’s a little of both. You can tell she’s intrigued.

Elena has told Klaus to meet her at the Salvatore house. She trades Rebekah for her brother’s safety. She tells him that Stefan is his problem but he tells her that she has plenty of loved ones… Bonnie, Caroline…. Damon. She warns him that Stefan isn’t the only one that will want him dead. She told him that Rebekah knows what he did to their mother.

Alaric asks Jeremy if he’s okay and he says that he shot a hybrid in the back and then cleaved off his head… it sucks… but he’s got to get used to it.

Damon gets rid of the headless hybrid and assures her that it will be okay. She tells him that she traded Rebekah for Jeremy and that no she doesn’t trust Klaus or Stefan. He assures her that they will fix it and everything will be okay.

Klaus sadly re-stakes Rebekah because he knows she will come after him because of their mother.

Elena, Alaric, and Damon go to speak to Jeremy. Damon tells him that they’re going to have another one of their chats. Damon compels Jeremy that he is going to leave Mystic Falls and go stay with family in Denver. He’s going to go to a new school, meet girls, and live a safe life. He won’t think twice about Mystic Falls.

Bonnie and Stefan are discussing the coffins and she tells him about the dream and that one coffin that she saw Klaus in while clutching his mother’s necklace. It won’t open and it is sealed with a spell. She is going to try to get it open.

Outside Elena tells Damon she can’t stop thinking about the last time she had him compel Jeremy. He tells her that she’s lucky to have her as a sister and she tanks him for everything that he’s done. He confides in her why Stefan betrayed them. She wants to know what it means and he says that he’s an idiot. He thought that he could finally stop feeling guilty for wanting what he wants. His brother’s girl. He starts to leave and then says that if he’s going to feel guilty, then he’ll feel guilty for this… and he KISSES HER. She kisses his back and his whispers ‘goodnight’ and then leaves Elena stunned on the porch. (Insert the fangirl scream heard round the world.)

*******

I am so happy Damon finally got a real kiss from Elena. I have to admit I do hope that Elena chooses Damon over Stefan, but I don't think it'll last...

What do you guys think? Do you think Damon and Elena will be happy or will Klaus and Stefan put a stop to it?

The Secret Circle ~Darkness~

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

***The winter hiatus is OVER!!!*** I was so ready for this! This episode showed us exactly how powerful Cassie is.... read on but watch out for spoilers if you haven't seen the show.

The mid-season return of The Secret Circle started with Cassie having a nightmare that she confronted Jake and he tells her that she’s evil and she can’t fight it. Cassie gets angry and chokes Jake with her power.

Adam shows up to check on Cassie and tells her that they are all just worried. She confides in him about the dark magic and her bloodline.

Diana’s Grandma Kate turns up and tells Charles that Diana emailed about her breakup with Adam.

Faye tells Melissa she needs to get back to the real world and over Nick. He wouldn’t want her moping. Faye has a plan to get her individual powers back.

Grandma Kate goes to see Dawn to ‘check on her’ after Henry’s death. Kate tells Dawn that she knows that she’s up to something and that she’s using Charles.

Adam is researching dark magic when Diana walks in on him and he tells her about Cassie’s lineage. Cassie overhears them and gets mad. She starts to choke Adam just like she did to Jake in her dream.

Cassie tells the group that she doesn’t know what she did or how she did it.

Dawn and Charles meet and she tells him that his mother came to see her and vowed to get to the bottom of what happened. She suggests killing his mother and Charles says there will be no more deaths.

Diana walks in on Cassie doing an attraction spell to bring Jake back to Chance Harbor. She knows he can help her with her dark magic and learn to control it. Diana tells Cassie to come stay with her until Cassie’s grandma gets back.

Faye and Melissa are researching ways to restore Faye’s individual powers. She finds a guy named Lee LaBeque and they go to visit him. He does a “spell” that Faye soon realizes didn’t do anything. He scammed them.

Grandma Kate makes dinner for Charles, Diana, and Cassie, but Dawn shows up with a bottle of wine. Charles takes the wine from his mother and pours it out. He accuses Dawn of trying to kill his mother and tells her that he will handle his own mother.

Adam shows up at Diana’s to apologize to Cassie for breaking her trust.

Cassie can’t sleep and goes downstairs. Grandma Kate is also awake and tells Cassie that she can sense the dark magic in her and that she can help her draw it out. Cassie agrees because she doesn’t want to hurt anyone else.

Cassie tells Diana that Grandma Kate can help her and make the dark magic go away. She tells Diana where they’re going and Diana assures Cassie that she can trust Kate.

Cassie goes with Kate into the woods to do the spell. Kate prepares the spell and cuts Cassie’s hand. Kate snaps an elderberry branch and Cassie’s collapses to the ground.

Diana finds mandrake root in Grandma Kate’s suitcase and realizes something is terribly wrong. She goes to get Adam and they set out and try to find Kate and Cassie.

Meanwhile Charles and Dawn are having an argument about the crystal and what to do about his mother. Charles tells Dawn that they are done and Dawn tells him that they can talk it out. He says they’re finished.

Cassie wakes up to find herself buried beneath the earth in a box. Kate tells her the earth will bleed the darkness from you.

Cassie screams and screams for help, but realizes no one can hear her. She centers and calms herself and using her dark magic she says “let me out!”

The ground and the box explodes from the around her and she climbs out. Diana and Adam hear it and rush to find her.

Charles tells Kate that he knew she wasn’t at dinner with a friend and wants to know where she was. She admits that she tried to kill Cassie Blake. Charles looks stunned and Kate tells him that she had to know how strong Cassie was and tells him that Cassie is really strong.

Back at Diana’s house, she tells Cassie that she’s sorry she told her to trust Grandma Kate and she’s glad her grandma is gone. Diana asks Cassie what it felt like and Cassie admits that she knows it’s wrong, but it felt really good. The power running through her… destroying the box and letting her fear save her. She says that she knows it’s not right but if she didn’t have the power, then she’d be dead right now.

As Cassie stares out the window, Jake is standing in the yard looking up.

******

So how excited were you guys to watch the show again? I was thrilled to have Jake back. I can't wait until Cassie and Adam have more screen time together but I certainly want to see more of the Cassie and Jake spark.

What are you guys looking forward to for the rest of the season?

Review: Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover

2012-01-05T00:00:00.052-07:00

Book Description:

JaynÉ Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers: something else is living inside her body. She's possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher and the circle of friends he left behind, hoping to cleanse JaynÉ before the parasite in her becomes too powerful.

Ex's history and a new enemy combine to leave JaynÉ alone and on the run. Her friends, thinking that the rider with her has taken the reins, try to hunt her down, unaware of the danger they're putting her in. JaynÉ must defeat the weight of the past and the murderous intent of another rider, and her only allies are a rogue vampire she once helped free and the nameless thing hiding inside her skin.

Review:

A few days before reading this book, the whole series actually, I watched the movie The Rite starring Anthony Hopkins as a bizarre exorcist, and this was eerily similar. Not exactly a bad thing, but I did have demon possession on the brain.

Amidst all the chaos (difficulty, violence, craziness- insert adjective here) of Jayne's new world you meet so many interesting people, like Midian, Alexander, Ex, the delivery guy with gel slicked hair. All very different and each adding another layer to an already complex life. Jayne is definitely challenged and her vulnerability and somewhat questioning behavior makes her a unique UF heroine. She is still learning. She doesn't blindly accept this new role, constantly struggles with all the scenarios and circumstances, and killing is never easy. Fighting demons, especially a personal one, isn't a picnic either. No aspect of the story is contrived or predictable, and ends with still more questions and only a few answers. I'll stick around to find out. I'm pulling for Jayne...and Ex.

I would recommend reading this series in order so that you can meet all the characters as the author intended and so you see the full scope of Jayne's life altering changes.

Author website:
http://www.danielabraham.com/books-by-m-l-n-hanover/

Being Human (US)

2012-01-04T18:09:00.004-07:00

VampChix is comparing the US version of BEING HUMAN to the UK original. Stop by and let us know which version you like best!

Jenny's review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

2012-01-03T00:00:00.057-07:00

Book description:

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

Review:

Eugenie Markham is trying to find a way to protect her twins from the powers that are after them. It is prophesied that her son will be the one to overtake the human race, and therefore the other Kings and Queens of the Otherworld are out to get him, whether it be to stop him or make sure that it will happen. Either way, Eugenie knows that she needs to keep her babies and self safe. She decides to leave the Otherworld until they are born, and takes refuge with a Shaman in Alabama. She feels distant from her lands and anxious for the babies to come, and when her stepfather returns after the babies are born a month early she knows there is something wrong. Eugenie is forced to leave her babies in the care of the hospital and her new family to return to the Otherworld to stop the blight that is killing off their lands. Can she figure out how to stop this force against her and her other rulers? Will she be able to keep her babies safe from harm, and will she be able to make the right choices?

I had not read the other books in this series and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to connect with the characters easily and that the story was able to stand on its own. I thought that the characters were well described and the past events were defined for me. I think that it was a good book and shows that no matter what parents (and others) want what is best for their children and the children of others. The story also had interesting twists in it that kept your attention throughout the book so that when you thought you would know how it was going to end you might be surprised. All in all a great read.

Other books in the Dark Swan series:
Buy links can be found here!
Storm Born
Thorn Queen
Iron Crowned

*Reviewed by Jenny
*This book was sent by the publisher for review purposes.

Any TV junkies out there?

2012-01-03T00:00:00.029-07:00

It's a good time to be a paranormal fan because the networks are following the trend and filling our weeks with numerous shows revolving around the make believe worlds we love so much. My DVR can barely keep up with the workload and I definitely can't find the time to watch every show I'm interested in...which is where you come in. Bite Club is looking for dedicated TV fans to recap some of the excellent shows out there, specifically Being Human, Game of Thrones, Grimm, Once Upon a Time and Supernatural.

If you are interested in reviewing for Bite Club email me a sample episode recap with the show in the subject line, and we'll go from there!

a new year is upon us...

2012-01-01T00:00:00.001-07:00

Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. ~Mark Twain

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughn

Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Stay tuned next week for more reviews, end of the year reflections, discussions on our favorite paranormal shows, and a contest involving an entire box of books!!

more winners!!

2011-12-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

Den of Thieves contest winners are:

Barbara E.
Lil
Miki

Please contact me with your mailing information. Congrats!

Winners!

2011-12-31T09:29:00.002-07:00

GABBIE is the winner or ARCHON

and...

VICKIE wins a copy of THE DEMI-MONDE: WINTER

Please send your snailmail address to vampchixmail@gmail.com

Congrats!

Happy New Year Everyone!

THE DEMI-MONDE: WINTER by Rod Rees — Contest!

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

A bit beyond the paranormal, this story, it combines science fiction, gaming, and a touch of steampunk in a fascinating world peopled with the baddest of the bad. But are they real? This book is a great beginning to what promises to be a new series. If you're a Neal Stephenson fan, you'll like this read. Pages turned quickly and ideas and the plot grow even darker and more foreboding. Bite Club has a hardcover copy to give away of THE DEMI-MONDE: WINTER to one lucky commenter!

Blurb:

The Demi-Monde:

1. A subclass of society whose members embrace a decadent lifestyle and evince loose morals.

2. A shadow world where the norms of civilized behavior have been abandoned.

3. A massive multiple-player simulation technology that re-creates in a wholly realistic cyber-milieu the threat-ambiance and no-warning aspects of a hi-intensity, deep-density, urban Asymmetric Warfare Environment.

4. Hell.

Welcome to the Demi-Monde, the ultimate in virtual reality—a military training ground and vivid, simulated world of cruelty and chaos run by psychopaths, madmen and fanatics.

If you die here, you die in the Real World . . .

In the year 2018, the Demi-Monde is the most sophisticated, complex and unpredictable computer simulation ever created, devised specifically to train soldiers for the nightmarish reality of urban warfare. A virtual world of eternal civil conflict, its thirty million inhabitants—“Dupes”—are ruled by cyber-duplicates of some of history’s cruelest tyrants: the fanatical Nazi butcher Reinhard Heydrich; Stalin’s arch executioner Lavrentii Beria; the torture-loving Grand Inquisitor TomÁs de Torquemada; the Reign of Terror’s bloodthirsty mastermind Maximilien Robespierre.

But something has gone horribly wrong inside the Demi-Monde, and the U.S. president’s daughter, Norma, has been lured into this terrifying shadow world, only to be trapped there. Her last hope of rescue is Ella Thomas, an eighteen-year-old jazz singer and very reluctant heroine. But when Ella infiltrates the Demi-Monde and begins her hunt for Norma, she soon discovers the walls containing the evils of this simulated environment are dissolving—and the Real World is in far more danger than anyone knows. With the help of resistors determined to understand their world, Ella must race to save Norma and stop an apocalypse . . . but the clock is ticking.

Visit the book website!

ARCHON by Sabrina Benulis - Contest!

2011-12-26T17:45:00.002-07:00

Now available...

There are some things worse than death . . .

For years, Angela Mathers has been plagued by visions of a supernatural being—an angel with beguiling eyes and magnificent wings who haunts her thoughts and seduces her dreams. Newly freed from a mental institution where she had been locked away for two years, Angela hopes that attending Westwood Academy, the Vatican’s exclusive university, will bring her peace and a semblance of normality.

But Angela isn’t normal. With her stain of dark red hair and alabaster skin, she is a blood head—a freak, a monster, and the possible fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy. Blessed with strange, mystical powers, blood heads hold a special place in the Academy. Among them, one special blood head is more powerful than them all: the Archon, the human reincarnation of the dead angel Raziel. And when the Archon arises as foretold, it will rule the supernatural universe.

Barely in control of her own life, Angela has no ambition to conquer an entire universe, not when she’s suddenly contending with a dangerous enemy who is determined to destroy her and a magnetic novitiate who wants to save her. But the choice might not be her own . . .

Torn between mortal love and angelic obsession, the young blood head must soon face the truth about herself and her world. It is she who holds the key to Heaven and Hell—and both will stop at nothing to possess her.

Bite Club has a hard cover copy of ARCHON to give away to one lucky commenter. Tell us what your favorite Christmas present was!

SWITCHED by Amanda Hocking

2011-12-23T16:01:00.002-07:00

From Amanda Hocking, million-copy bestselling author and internet sensation comes the Trylle series… it all begins with Switched, available everywhere 1.3.12. As a special gift to readers, Switched contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “The Vittra Attacks,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

The Trylle series continues with Torn, on-sale 2.28.12, and concludes on 4.24.12 with Ascend.

SWITCHED… at birth:

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

Review: Year's Best SF 16

2011-12-20T00:06:00.014-07:00

Book description:

Step Into The Future

The finest selections from a banner year for short-form science fiction, Year's Best SF 16 is the boldest, most eye-opening compilation to date from acclaimed, award-winning editors and anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer—brilliant visions, both dark and hopeful, of what might await humankind over tomorrow's horizon.

Contributors include:

Gregory Benford
Terry Bisson
Brenda Cooper
Joe Haldeman
Kay Kenyon
Alastair Reynolds
Michael Swanwick
Vernor Vinge
and others

Review:

If you like short form Science Fiction then this is the book for you! As the title indicates, this book highlights the best of the best when it comes to short science fiction stories. There are twenty-one fascinating stories for your enjoyment. Futures in the Memories Market by Nina Kiriki Hoffman is about people that are chosen to have their memories taken from them and sold. Their minds are left blank of memories so that each experience of places remain new and exciting for them so that others can purchase them. In Steadfast Castle by Michael Swanwick, a house is being questioned due to the murder of its owner and it ends up that the house is jealous of her master bringing home a woman.

Science Fiction is really not my “thing”, but these short stories were definitely entertaining to read. Some were a little tricky for me because of the over-my-head science talk. I thought that they were interesting and if you really like science fiction this would be a great choice as you get multiple authors and stories to indulge in, and as a bonus, they are short so you don’t have to read the whole book at one time. I think that if you have a science fiction lover in your family this would also be a great gift for them.

HarperCollins website info:
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Years-Best-Sf-16/?isbn=9780062035905

*Reviewed by Jenny

*This book was sent via the publisher for review.

review: Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson

2011-12-19T00:00:00.003-07:00

Book description:

Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging in the dark corners of her glittering hometown.

Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal – still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light … still hunted by both – and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forced with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna’s ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose – except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city.

Review:

Joanna Archer is now a mortal. She was once a part of the Light, and she was supposed to be the savior who would control who was going to win the battle over Las Vegas. She is fighting now to save her unborn child and the man she loves, who is stuck in the grasp of a goddess. Who is she fighting? It seems as though she is fighting everyone, but the main culprit happens to be her father, the Tupla and leader of the dark forces. Joanna has to prove herself to those around her that still possess powers that were taken when she was turned back into mortal. This proves difficult at times, but she still has some magical abilities that can control how she looks and also she is able to use magical weapons that can fight off the evil that is attacking. This book is a battle between what is considered good and evil. Can she save all those she needs to?

This was a good action filled adventure book that kept me super interested and wanting to get to the end to see if the character is able to pull off her quest. I have not read the other books in the series though, so at times I felt like I was confused by characters attachments, and the explanations of the characters in the book. I do think that I was still able to connect with the main character enough so that I was still rooting for her in the end. If you are looking for something that is a different spin on good verses evil, with an outstanding urban fantasy setting, this is a great choice for you. The characters are ultimately fighting for the things that mean that most to them and the people they love!

Author website:

http://www.vickipettersson.com/

Other books in the series:

The Scent of Shadows

The Taste of Night

The Touch of Twilight

City of Souls

Cheat the Grave

*Reviewed by Jenny
*This book was sent for review via the publisher.

Spooktacular Sunday: Dangerous Designs by Dale Mayer

2011-12-18T00:00:00.001-07:00

This week Jenny is going to tell us her opinion of Dangerous Designs by Dale Mayer. I happened to run into Jenny last week in the hall and she immediately started gushing about this book. After hearing her talk I definitely want to know more about this enchanted stylus and the other dimension. Enjoy! ~Anna

Book description:

Talk about suffering for one’s art…

Her…Storey Dalton is seventeen and now boyfriendless after being dumped via Facebook. Drawing is her escape. It’s like as soon as she gets down one image, a dozen more are pressing in on her.  Then she realizes her pictures are almost drawing themselves…or is it that her new pencil is alive?

Him…Eric Jordan is a new Ranger and the only son of the Councilman to his world.  He’s crossed the veil between dimensions to retrieve a lost stylus.  But Storey is already experimenting with her new pencil and what her drawings can do – like open portals.

It … The stylus is a soul-bound intelligence from Eric’s dimension on Earth and uses Storey’s unsuspecting mind to seek its way home, giving her an unbelievable power.  She unwittingly opens a third dimension, one that held a dangerous predatory species banished from Eric’s world centuries ago, releasing these animals into both dimensions.

Them… Once in Eric’s homeland, Storey is blamed for the calamity sentenced to death.  When she escapes, Eric is ordered to bring her back or face that same death penalty. With nothing to lose, can they work together.

Review:

Storey Dalton is depressed because her long distance boyfriend has ended their relationship. On her way home she finds pencil and picks it up, being an artist she loves pencils and can't wait to get home and use it. A few days later as she is getting in trouble again for not being focused in class and drawing instead. She has had it with school. She meets a new boy to their school, Eric, who she just can't put her finger on. Storey begins to feel the need to draw all the time, and use her new pencil.

One day, when she is really frustrated she throws her art to the floor, stomps on it, and somehow falls through her artwork into a dark mineshaft. She is rescued by Eric who tells her he has no idea how she got there and she wants to know how he opened the mineshaft to get her out. What Storey finds out, after a few more days of drawing with it, is that the pencil she found is not just any pencil, but a stylus from another dimension. Eric, who is from that dimension, is trying to get the stylus back, but he realizes that it's already soul bound to Storey.

Storey has just drawn a door that will open up a war for Eric’s people, as she has accidentally allowed the Louers to escape their banishment and they are coming for revenge. Storey is being held responsible, yet she is still trying to help. Can she help the people of Eric’s dimension and still stay alive? Will the changes she makes change everything she knows as reality?

This book, while being a pretty short one, is full of details and adventure. It was hard to write about it and give you enough without telling you too much to ruin the book for you. I really liked the characters in the book as they are people that a teen could relate to. Storey does not fit in with people in her school and feels like an outsider. She finds something that makes her not such an outsider any longer, but also makes her face tough decisions that will make or break her. I think that the writing style was great and easy to read while giving just enough detail to make a great mental picture. I will tell you, without ruining the read for you, be prepared for a cliffhanger ending as the story is going to continue in a sequel. Which I am biting my fingertips until it comes out because I really want to know what happens next!! Great Read!

Author website:
http://dalemayer.com/

*Reviewed by Jenny

*This book was sent for review via the author.

Important contest update!! Den of Thieves contest

2011-12-16T00:00:00.001-07:00

[UPDATED WITH CHANGES] In my flu induced haze I muddled the contest details and posted the wrong book for giveaway. My humble apologies for the mix up. The correct information is posted below, but essentially I am giving away 3 copies of the first book so that you can start the series off proper. If you already commented then your name is already entered into the drawing.

This week I am celebrating all the books that I've read and loved in 2011. One of my favorites for the year was Den of Thieves by David Chandler, which I reviewed in early November. You can read my review here. I was blown away by the characters and worldbuilding of this fantasy, and thrilled that The Ancient Blades was a planned trilogy.

Today, thanks to the generous folks over at Harper Collins (Harper Voyager) I have 3 copies of Den of Thieves, the first installment, to give away to Bite Club readers. Just leave a comment with one of your favorite books from this year for your chance to win. Open to US only. I will draw the winners on January 2nd.

Born and raised in the squalid depths of the Free City of Ness, Malden became a thief by necessity. Now he must pay a fortune to join the criminal operation of Cutbill, lord of the underworld—and one does not refuse the master . . . and live.

The coronet of the Burgrave would fulfill Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the soul from any interloper. But the desperate endeavor leads to a more terrible destiny, as Malden, an outlaw knight, and an ensorcelled lady must face the most terrifying evil in the land.

Circumstance made him a criminal. Destiny may make him a hero.

As a thief, Malden is unparalleled in the Free City of Ness, and happy there. But by saving the life of the knight Croy, Malden has bound himself to an ancient, noble brotherhood . . . and he now possesses one of only seven Ancient Blades capable of destroying demons.

Malden fears accompanying Croy and the barbarian Mörget on their quest to dispatch a foul creature of nightmare . . . nor does he want to disturb the vengeful dead. But with an assassin on his heels, the young cutpurse is left with no choice. And there is the comely sorceress, Cythera, to consider— promised to Croy but in love with Malden—not to mention the fabulous treasure rumored to be hidden in the depths of the demon’s lair . . .

When allies become enemies, to whom can a clever thief turn?

Armed with one of seven Ancient Blades, Malden was chosen by Fate to act as savior . . . and failed dismally. And now there is no stopping the barbarian hordes from invading and pillaging the kingdom of Skrae. Suddenly friends and former supporters alike covet the young hero’s magic while seeking his destruction—from the treacherous King and leaders of the City of Ness to the rogue knight Croy, who owes Malden his life.

It will take more than Malden’s makeshift army of harlots and cutpurses to preserve a realm. Luckily the sorceress Cythera fights at his side, along with the ingenious, irascible dwarf Slag. And the wily thief still has a desperate and daring plan or two up his larcenous sleeve . . .

Author website:
http://www.ancientblades.com/

These books can be found in all the usual places:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository
and any other awesome place that books are sold!

Leave a comment for your chance to win!

Boone Brux blog tour stop and contest

2011-12-14T00:00:00.002-07:00

Today we are part of the Boone Brux blog tour to celebrate the release of Shield of Fire from Entangled Publishing. I also have one ecopy of Shield of Fire to send out to one lucky reader. In part of today's interview Icarus plays a little word association game so I thought it might be fun to play a version of that in the comments. Tell me the first word that pops into your head when you see the cover of this book and I will toss your name into that hat for your chance to win. It's that easy. What word do I think of? Rough. Think what you will *wink*

Now, let's welcome Boone and Icarus...

Demon Bane army, Icarus. Welcome.

Icarus: I’d say it’s a pleasure, Boone…but it’s not.

Boone: Well, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy soul-sucking schedule to be
here. So let’s jump right in. Is it safe to say you have the hots for Ravyn?

Icarus: Safe? Nothing with me is ever safe. I don’t have the hots, as you say, for Ravyn.
I need her. (Interviewer wiggles eyebrows.) Her powers, not her affection.

Boone: Riiiight, her powers. Your dad, the Demon King, seems very determined to have
Ravyn as well. Isn’t he irritated by your insubordination? I mean, he doesn’t come across
as the forgiving type.

Icarus: Actually, I hadn’t informed him of my plans to usurp the throne. You must admit
that I’d be a much better king than he is.

Boone: If by better you mean more ruthless, then yeah, you da man. Particularly loved
the way you drained that poor girl of her soul in chapter one.

Icarus: I thought I was rather gentle.

Boone: Uhh, no.

Icarus: It’s your fault I am the way I am. You created me.

Boone: Did not. You walked fully formed onto the page. I tried to make you ugly and
deformed, but you refused, insisting on gold rings in your hair and a chiseled bone
structure. Right away I knew you were a prima donna.

Icarus: I’m unfamiliar with this term. No matter. Next question.

Boone: What’s up with you and that she-demon, Sha-hera? She’s a nasty piece of work.

Icarus: Finally, something we agree on. If it takes the rest of my life, I will find a way to
kill that bitch.

Boone: I think she has the hots for you. (Silence and icy stare ensues) Are you snarling at
me?

Icarus: Be thankful that’s all I’m doing. Next subject.

Boone: Fine, let’s do a brief word association game. I’ll say a word and you say the first
thing that pops into your head, okay? (crickets chirping) I’m going to take your silence as

a yes. First word—puppies.

Icarus: Snack

Boone: Father

Icarus: Imbecile

Boone: Mother

Icarus: (Bares fangs in place of answer)

Boone: Rhys

Icarus: Bothersome

Boone: Ravyn

Icarus: Mine

Boone: Souls

Icarus: Mine

Boone: Throne

Icarus: Mine

Boone: I see a pattern emerging here. Well, thank you for being with us today, Icarus. I
know it’s difficult to get away when you’re in the thick of battling for world domination.

Icarus: Yes it is. You should be very grateful.

Boone: Until next time, this is Boone Brux and Icarus, wishing you a happy holiday.

Icarus: I wish no such thing.

Boone: Shut-up, demon spawn.

Book description:

Protecting humans is the Bringers’ duty. Sending demons to the Shadow World is their pleasure.

In one night, Ravyn’s life plunges from barely tolerable to deadly. Forced to flee the only home she’s known, she stumbles headlong into the clutches of Icarus, a powerful demon intent on stealing her powers. Unfortunately for him, she has no intention of cooperating.

When Rhys realizes the woman he’s rescued from the Bane Demon is no mere human, his obligation as a Bringer dictates he protect and train her in the ways of his people. But he’s unprepared for the intense desire he feels for the fiery Ravyn. To surrender to his need may mean her death.

As the Demon King’s desire for ultimate power escalates, fathers are slated against sons, and foes are made allies. The Bane threat upon them, Rhys and Ravyn must quest to unite the last of the Bringers—and explore a passion too powerful to ignore.

Purchase link:
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/shield-of-fire/

sniffles and lots of whining

2011-12-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Monster #2 is sick. Flyboy got up for work at like 3:00 AM (an ungodly hour to be showering and shaving). I think the laundry mountain is threatening to tumble down and bury us all, and the spoiled dog won't stop whining at me. I'm crazy tired. Which is now a perpetual state of being for me. My wonder woman powers are drained so I'm taking this weekend off from blogging in the hopes that I can catch up on everything.

Next week I will be back with reviews, a possible guest post, and a contest. It's that time of year when I have purged my shelves of review copies, so I have almost 2 large flat rate boxes full of books that are begging for a new home. So stop back in on Monday.

Review: Crave by Karen E. Taylor

2011-12-07T00:00:00.080-07:00

We interrupt this program with an important word from our moderator:

Anna here~ Crave is a reissue of the first 2 books in the Vampire Legacy series by Karen E. Taylor, and after searching for book links to share I realized that it can be confusing as *bleep* to sort through proper reading order etc. I actually have the originals for most of this series in storage, but haven't read them in ages, and wasn't even aware that Crave was a reissue until I arranged this post. I had passed them on to Jenny for review before I could even take a closer look. I remember enjoying the originals but I have to now wonder if they might seem dated, since they were first published in the late 90's. If you have read any of this series I would love to hear what you think. And now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Book description:

As a vampire, Deirdre Griffin has roamed the world satisfying the exquisite, ecstatic craving for blood that is her life force. And at last, her lover has joined her, hungry for his transformation, prepared to feed with her for eternity. Yet, for the first time, Deirdre feels fear...

From the farthest corners of the globe to the underworld of Manhattan, enemies are closing in. For a rogue vampire is on the loose. And he isn't just killing humans. Now, the hunters are the prey. But someone else is coming for Deirdre - someone she cannot possibly defend herself against. Blood of her blood, flesh of her flesh - and craving the tangy, acrid, deadly smell of vengeance...

Review:

In Blood Ties, Deirdre is a vampire who does not always like what she is, but is able to satisfy the hunger within her. She has changed the love of her life into a vampire as well, and Mitch has taken to being a vampire with a level of enthusiasm that Deirdre does not always share. When another of her blood relatives begins to cause some problems it is left to Deirdre to answer for him, as she was his creator. This proves to be harder than it should be because Larry is unpredictable and a little off. When he escapes his holding cell and then vampires are beginning to be hunted, Deirdre does not feel safe. Can Deirdre and Mitch find Larry before it is too late?

In the second book Blood of My Blood Deirdre is again hunted but this time by a daughter that she didn't know existed. Lily is out to get revenge on her mom for leaving her to die alone, and she will stop at nothing to find her. Deirdre does not have a clue that this girl is looking for her and has no idea what is coming for her. When she realizes what is going on she does not know what to do and ends up fighting for her life and Lily’s.

Both of these stories were full of mystery and action. You kind of have a hint in the first one who the suspect is, but you have no idea how that suspect is managing what they are doing. I liked how they showed the vampires as the ones being hunted instead of focusing on the human vampire connection. Both stories were great reads, that had side plots that you had to follow to get the whole picture. All in all a great combination of stories.

Author website:

http://www.karenetaylor.com/

Other books in the Vampire Legacy series:

*Crave (books 3 and 4)

*Hunger (books 1 and 2)

Reviewed by Jenny

This book was sent by the publisher for review.

Review: Blood Trinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love

2011-12-06T00:00:00.001-07:00

Book description:

An outcast among Beladors, Evalle Kincaid has walked the line between human and beast her whole life. Her origins unknown, she’s on a quest to learn more about her past . . . and her future.

When a demon claims a young woman in a terrifying attack and there’s no one else to blame, Evalle comes under suspicion. Now she’s on a deadly quest for her own survival and forced to work with a man who has the power to unravel her world. Through the sordid underground of an alternate Atlanta where nothing is as it seems to the front lines of the city, where her former allies have joined forces to hunt her, Evalle must prove her innocence or pay the ultimate price.

But saving herself is the least of her problems if she doesn’t stop the coming apocalypse. The clock is ticking and Atlanta is about to catch fire.

Jenny's review:

All her life Evalle Kincaid has been an outcast. She doesn’t fit in the human world, since she is not, and doesn’t fit in the supernatural world, because to them she is an outcast. As an Alterant, nobody fully trusts her, not even the Beladors, the group that she works for. She does, however, continue to work hard and fears mostly that they will blame her for something that she did not do, and lock her into a cage. In this book she is forced to hunt for the Ngak Stone so that the Beladors can lock it away. But when she is paired up with Storm, who she's not quite sure she can trust (but has feelings for) and meets Tristan (another Alterant that was caged and who makes her doubt who she should help) Evalle cannot quite decide what to do. Will she make a choice that she can live with and won’t make the powers that be lock her up again?

I thought that this book was good. I was sort of confused at first trying to figure out who the characters were and what their background stories were. It sort of jumped right into action and I had to figure everything out on my own. The story line is great as far as being action packed, because the main character is being hunted by either a magical power, or the people she works for. She is always trying to prove herself to someone and herself. I liked how the main character Evalle grew through the book, because in the end she really did find herself and proved what she needed to everyone. The book is full of details, some small that you will want to make sure you catch so that you can keep up with what is happening.

Author websites:

http://www.authordiannalove.com/

http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/

Other books in this series:

Midnight Kiss Goodbye (found in Dead After Dark antho)

Alterant (available now)

Fire Bound (short story)

*Reviewed by Jenny

*This book was sent via publisher for review.

Winner!!!

2011-12-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Felicity Heaton signed book swag is...

jfort357

Congrats! Please email me with your mailing information so your gift pack can be sent out promptly. Thanks!

Review: Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

2011-11-29T00:00:00.090-07:00

Chosen as one of Amazon’s Best Books of 2011 in the LGBT category!

A boy who can see the world’s secrets and unravel spells with just a glance.

Braden’s witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.

Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything—lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder—to seize control of Braden’s powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift, even through the shocking discovery that Jason is his father. While his feelings for an enigmatic boy named Trey grow deeper, Braden realizes a terrible truth: Trey is Catherine Lansing’s son . . . and Braden may be destined to kill him.

Review:

I picked up Witch Eyes midway through my Thanksgiving weekend, after hours of holiday cooking and didn't put it down again until I was finished. Even then my mind was occupied with questions from the book. I immediately jumped on Scott Tracey's website to search for clues and a possible next book, only to discover that I was in for a long wait. Ugh, an entire year? Although patience isn't my strong suit, I've already added Demon Eyes to my calendar because I'm just that confident in the storytelling.

Braden has such a clear voice and his struggles to navigate the divided town of Belle Dam, never knowing who to trust, kept me mesmerized from start to finish. The feud between Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe goes back many years and was portrayed in a Romeo and Juliet type of way, having Braden fall for Catherine's son, Trey. Complicated doesn't even begin to cover it, and my thoughts on the good guy/bad guy front changed dramatically as the book went on. I'm still not exactly sure, which in this case is a good thing. The secondary characters were all equally as interesting, as was the history involving Grace Lansing, Lucien and the creation of Belle Dam.

I just can't say it enough...this is a fantastic debut and the start of an equally fantastic series. I'm recommending this to my YA fans, as well as readers of mystery and romance.

Author website:

http://scott-tracey.com/

Books in the series:

Witch Eyes (available now)

Demon Eyes (Fall 2012)

Phantom Eyes (2013)

*This book was reviewed by Anna Dougherty

*I was given this book for review purposes.

Winner!

2011-11-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

The magic hat has been consulted, and by that I mean my daughter has randomly chosen a number, and the winner of The Black Sun's Daughter series by M.L.N. Hanover is...

Bethany C. who mentioned that she's like to try the Horngate Witches.

Congrats! You should be receiving a confirmation email shortly. Thanks!

Wishing you...

2011-11-23T23:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Review: Time Cursor

2011-11-23T00:00:00.054-07:00

Book description:

John Augur is getting married tomorrow. While at his bachelor party, his evening is interrupted by a visitor from thirty years in the future. John is stunned to discoverer that the visitor is him - thirty years older, The older John, know as Jack, has come back to stop the wedding because it is destined to be a disaster.

Within minutes of their meeting, while taking a walk, they cross the street, causing a motorcycle to crash - killing the rider. They soon find out that the dead man is to be the inventor who was to create the time machine which sent Jack back in time.

What happens next is a roller-coaster ride of suspense, action and intrigue as the two try to undo the damage they've done and get the world back on track.

Jenny's review:

John Augur is at his bachelor party when a man appears and proceeds to tell him that he should cancel the wedding, the one that is scheduled for tomorrow. John thinks this man is crazy until the man explains that he is him, and has come back from the future to warn him against marrying Gail, who turns crazy and does awful things to him later in their marriage. For John and Jack (the John from the future), one thing leads to another and as they are headed to the hotel to take John’s very wasted friend back when they cause an accident that kills a motorcyclist. This man turns out to be none other than Cal, the man who later in life with create the time machine that sent Jack back. John and Jack then are set in motion to try to come up with a plan to make sure the accident never happens. They are also trying to change the future that Jack knows is coming with Gail. But as things begin to spiral out of control they find that some things cannot be changed, no matter how hard you try. And they feel that something is always trying to stop their progress. Can they find a way to make the future they desire without forever harming everyone in their path?

This is definitely not a type of book that I would ever read on my own. I am not usually the science fiction type, but this book really is a great one. I felt that it was well thought out and had many twists that made it suspenseful. It was interesting trying to follow the characters and what they thought would help to make sure that the time machine was created so that Jack was not stuck in the past. I also thought the added bonus of things they were trying to prevent actually happening was good too. Then the author added in some aliens, and well you know when there are aliens things get even trickier. I also liked this book because it is based in Tucson, where I live, so it was fun to read because I knew the landmarks and could really picture in my head where the characters were.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good puzzle to solve.

*Reviewed by Jenny for Bite Club.

*I purchased this book at a local signing.

Winners!!

2011-11-22T07:00:00.003-07:00

Without further ado, the winner of Fallen by Traci L. Slatton is...

Vickie, who commented:

I love Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, starting to dig on Grimm. I like Sanctuary, love Eureka, Warehouse 13, Haven, and Alphas.

Congrats! Please email me with your mailing information so that I may forward it along to the publisher.

**Also, I am still waiting to hear from the Blood Eternal winner. ML, if your out there, please email me with your mailing information! If I don't hear from you soon another name will be chosen.

Guest post and contest with Felicity Heaton

2011-11-22T00:00:00.003-07:00

Today we are all being treated to an inside look at how indie author Felicity Heaton has created her own unique vampires. She's also giving away some really cool signed book swag including: cover postcards, bookmarks and trading cards for Heart of Darkness and other books.This contest is open internationally!!! I will draw a winner next week. Please include an email if one isn't in your profile. So leave a comment for your chance to win!

Firstly, I would like to say a huge thanks for having me here as part of the Heart of Darkness leg of my
Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour.

Before I start talking more about the vampire species in the book, I’ll introduce myself. I’m a paranormal
romance author and I’ve been writing since 2005, and turned indie in 2006. In that time I have written
over forty stories under the names Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. Most of my stories are released
under my full name, but I write the Vampires Realm series as F E Heaton. My paranormal romances
are usually focused on vampires and werewolves, but I do also write other shape-shifters like black
panthers, and also demons and witches, and a whole bunch of sexy angels.

Whenever I write vampires, I like to change a few things about them to make them unique. I prefer to
write vampires that stand apart from other vampires and are a little different. All of my vampires are
very dark and deadly, drinking blood fresh from the vein and generally treating humans as an inferior
species that they care little about except for when they’re hungry. Of course, there’s always room for
those vampires to have a change of opinion by falling for a human, but that’s a different story.

When I was creating the world of Heart of Darkness, I spent a lot of time thinking about the vampires.
The vampires in the world continue their species through procreation, live in smaller family units with
their bloodlines, are unknown to us, and breathe and have heartbeats. Although, their hearts do beat
at a much slower pace than ours, which is why they age more slowly than we do. During their first two
decades they age at a rate the same as a human. Once mature, they age far slower, so by the time they
look thirty-five to our eyes, they are really around eight hundred years old. They live exclusively on
blood and can’t go out into direct sunlight, can be killed by all the usual methods and can be poisoned
by certain toxins and also silver. They can touch silver but when it comes into contact with a cut it harms
them. They can’t turn humans. Their bite only brings death. They are also a completely separate species
to us.

Millennia ago, the vampires were little more than demons, beasts who were slaves to their bloodlust
and driven by instinct, mindless and violent. Animals. Over the passing centuries, they found a way to
evolve into something more human by limiting their kills. The vampire bloodline that discovered this
method of achieving humanity and raising themselves up from beasts to powerful creatures became the
royal family. The Nemov bloodline.

Vampires in the world of Heart of Darkness now live in a modern age where each individual in a
bloodline need only kill once or twice a year to provide blood for the entire family, thus not endangering
their precarious humanity. The Nemov line preaches pacifism, leading by example, warning not to fall
prey to their baser instincts that crave killing and feasting on the blood of their victims.

What would happen to a vampire if they ignored the rules? That’s the question posed in Heart of
Darkness.

Aleksandr Nemov, the hero and former heir prince of vampire society, has been tracking and killing
vampire hunters for four centuries. He’s on a mission to avenge his murdered younger sister by wiping
out her killer’s progeny and hunting his line to extinction. Four hundred years of killing has taken its
toll on him. Little by little his humanity has faded and his soul has become corrupted, weak against the
black abyss that lives in the hearts of all vampires—the beast within. That darkness has grown stronger

with each kill, destroying him from the inside out, extinguishing his emotions and allowing his darker
instincts to seize control at times. The extent of the damage is evident in his eyes when he reveals his
true appearance. Normally vampires have red eyes, clear of imperfections. Aleksandr’s are speared with
black, leaving only a small amount of crimson behind. In short, he is devolving, becoming the beast that
vampires once were.

If Aleksandr turns into a beast, what would vampire society do to protect itself?

They would hunt him down and slaughter him, as they do all vampires who devolve. Aleksandr knows
that but he also knows that his battle against the darkness within him is one he is slowly losing.

Is there a way to come back from the darkness?

Some vampires believe that a feral demonic vampire can come back given time away from killing, just as
their ancestors did. Others believe there is no return if a vampire succumbs completely to the darkness.
The easiest method of saving yourself is to recognise the corruption in your soul and find a way to tame
the dark need to hunt and kill, slowly regaining your humanity.

That isn’t a choice that Aleksandr has. He’s so close to the edge that the next kill could push him over
it and there is one final vampire hunter he must face before his vendetta is over. Torn between fear of
becoming a beast and his deep need to avenge his sister at any cost, it is obvious which he will choose.
The only thing that stops him from racing to his death is a female vampire guard that he meets. Elise has
a mesmerising effect on Aleksandr, one that lures him into switching his hunt to one for her while he
awaits the vampire hunter in Prague. When he’s struggling against the darkness, just a glance into her
eyes can chase the shadows back and bring light into his heart. Through Elise, Aleksandr discovers a new
method of restoring some of his humanity—love.

But the final question is whether that love will be powerful enough to stop his descent into the madness
of bloodlust when his faces the final hunter and the end of his mission?

Well, you’ll have to venture into the world of Heart of Darkness to seek the answer to that question.

I hope you all enjoyed this introduction to the breed of vampires in Heart of Darkness. If you would like
to find out more about the book, please read on for the blurb and where the book is available.

Heart of Darkness is currently available in e-book from my website, Amazon Kindle Stores, Apple
iBookstores, Barnes and Noble Nook Store, Sony Reader Store, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords. It
will soon be available from Kobo Books. It is also available in paperback at amazon.com and will soon be
available at other Amazon stores worldwide and Barnes & Noble.

I have a limited time fantastic offer on Heart of Darkness. If you purchase the book before December
10th and contact me, I’ll send you free Heart of Darkness romance trading cards. You can find out all
about it at my blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com/2011/11/get-your-hands-on- heart-of-darkness.html

Heart of Darkness
A vampire prince on a four hundred year old mission to avenge his murdered sister...

Aleksandr Nemov won’t stop until the last of the vampire hunter’s progeny is wiped from the Earth.
Each kill has stolen a piece of his humanity, pushing him towards the black abyss all vampires hold
within their hearts. Now he is teetering on the edge, close to devolving into a beast, and time is running
out as he tracks the last hunter to Prague. There he finds a beautiful woman who could be his one
chance for salvation, but is it already too late for him?

A vampire guard who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves...

Elise is dedicated to her duty. It’s the only thing she has left. All that changes when she meets Aleksandr
in Prague and her master grants him permission to stay at her bloodline’s mansion. She knows all about
Aleksandr but none of it prepares her for how she feels when the legendary prince’s hunt becomes
one for her heart. Elise battles him with all of her strength but can she stop herself from falling for the
handsome hunter? When he reveals the depth of the corruption in his soul, will she have the strength to
face the pain in her past and do whatever it takes to save him?

Read an excerpt at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php? title=Heart%20of%20Darkness

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466452897/

Biography:
Felicity Heaton is a romance author writing as both Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. She is passionate
about penning paranormal tales full of vampires, witches, werewolves, angels and shape-shifters,
and has been interested in all things preternatural and fantastical since she was just a child. Her other
passion is science-fiction and she likes nothing more than to immerse herself in a whole new universe
and the amazing species therein. She used to while away days at school and college dreaming of
vampires, werewolves and witches, or being lost in space, and used to while away evenings watching
movies about them or reading gothic horror stories, science-fiction and romances.

Having tried her hand at various romance genres, it was only natural for her to turn her focus back to
the paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction worlds she enjoys so much. She loves to write seductive,
sexy and strong vampires, werewolves, witches, angels and alien species. The worlds she often dreams
up for them are vicious, dark and dangerous, reflecting aspects of the heroines and heroes, but her characters also love deeply, laugh, cry and feel every emotion as keenly as anyone does. She makes no excuses for the darkness surrounding them, especially the paranormal creatures, and says that this is their world. She’s just honoured to write down their adventures.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:
My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk
My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/feheaton
Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Spooktacular Sunday: School Of Fear

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

This week we have a review from Jenny about one of the coolest series I have found in awhile. The premise is simple, yet unique and fun. My daughter is waiting until next year to read it because Mrs. Osborne said it is better for 5th graders and my daughter always listens to her teachers:)

Book Description:

Everyone is afraid of something...

Madeleine Masterson is deathly afraid of bugs, especially spiders.

Theodore Bartholomew is petrified of dying.

Lulu Punchalower is scared of confined spaces.

Garrison Feldman is terrified of deep water.

With very few options left, the parents of these four twelve year-olds send them to the highly elusive and exclusive School of Fear to help them overcome their phobias. But when their peculiar teacher, Mrs. Wellington, and her unconventional teaching methods turn out to be more frightening than even their fears, the foursome realize that this just may be the scariest summer of their lives.

Jenny's review:

Are you afraid of something? Everyone is, but not everyone is paranoid about their fear. The kids in this book certainly are. Madeleine Masterson is afraid of bugs, and carries around bug spray to ward off any bugs she might encounter, plus she also wears a veil over her face to protect herself. Theodore Bartholomew is afraid of death, and bothers his family constantly as he checks up on them all the time to make sure they are still alive. Lulu Punchalower is scared of confined spaces, and makes sure she is always next to an exit. Garrison Feldman is afraid of water, and passes out when he even thinks about being near it. These four kids are about to enter the School of Fear, as their families are tired of their strange phobias. None of them expect what they find when they get there. It is a strange house with a strange owner Mrs. Wellington and her strange staff. They find all sorts of weird things, a dog named Mac, who is morning the loss of his friend Cheese, a B&B that is not a bed and breakfast but a Bee and Bat room. Things just keep getting stranger when Mrs. Wellington dies unexpectedly and leaves her fortune to the dog Mac. The kids must save Mac by entering the Forest after Munchauser, the lawyer who has run off with him. What will happen to them?

This book was so strange but in a totally good way. It was full of strange characters, places, and events that combined to make a great story. The kids were funny characters that you can see in everyday life, but set to the extreme. I really liked how the characters were described; you really felt their fears and understood them. Each chapter starts with a definition of a phobia. My favorite was “Peladophobia~ the fear of bald people”. Who Knew? This book would be suitable for older readers at about 5^th grade or up, only because the story twists and turns frequently and if the reader is not paying attention they might lose what is happening in the story.

Website:
http://www.enrollinschooloffear.com/home.html

Books in the series:
School of Fear 2: Class is Not Dismissed
School of Fear 3: Final Exam

*Reviewed by Jenny

Contest time!!

2011-11-18T00:00:00.002-07:00

Wanna win some books?

In celebration of the upcoming release for Killing Rites, book 4 in The Black Sun's Daughter series, and thanks to the generous folks over at Pocket Books, I have a full set, 4 books total, for giveaway!! You heard that right, one lucky winner will get the complete set. I just started this series, about halfway done, and I'm seriously wondering how this fantastic urban fantasy series was overlooked for so long.

Want a chance to win this series? Leave me a comment about the series (or single title) that you've been wishing to read but haven't had time for. Me, I have the entire Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews on my shelf and it drives me bonkers that I don't have time to curl up and read until my eyes bleed. I know they'll be great too!

Pesky rules:

*Contest will run for one week and I will draw a winner from the magic hat on Black Friday.

*U.S. only

*Must leave an email if one isn't easily located in your profile.

Good Luck!!!!

Review: Real Werewives of Vampire County

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Book description:

Drama. Scandal. Secrets. And a whole lot of supernatural goings-on.

"Where Darkness Lives" by Alexandra Ivy
No one's more surprised than Sophia when she's struck by an unfamiliar maternal urge to move near her daughters. But instead of being greeted by a welcome committee, she's targeted by kidnappers. . . and saddled with a gorgeous bodyguard on a mission to protect—and seduce...

"Murder on Mysteria Lane" by Angie Fox
When a werewolf trophy wife is found dead in Vampire County, Heather McPhee goes undercover to investigate. Heather's never been a mascara-and-manicures sort of girl, but she's willing to learn. Especially with sexy vampire detective Lucien Mead posing as her husband. . .

"What's Yours is Mine" by Jess Haines
Still Waters is like many other exclusive gated communities—except that it's home to one of the largest werewolf packs in the state. But Tiffany Winters isn't frightened of her big, bad new neighbors. In fact, she intends to take her place among the pack. . .

"Werewolves in Chic Clothing" by Tami Dane
Ever since Christine Price moved in with her fiancé, Jonathan, and his twelve year-old son, she's worked hard to fit in with a cadre of local women whose lives seem picture-perfect. Except no one in Jon's upscale neighborhood is quite who they appear to be. Least of all Jon. . .

Jenny's review:

This is a collection of works about the werewolves that call Vampire County their home. It follows the lives of four werewolves that live either by choice or for work among the who’s who of the vampires, and others in places like Mysteria Lane. The main characters include: Sophia, a were who is surprised to find that someone is hunting her and annoyed that she has to use the services of a bodyguard. And even more annoyed that she cannot help but be attracted to him. Heather McPhee, with the skill to make people tell her the truth, and who is forced to go undercover as the wife of a vampire, her worst nightmare, and instead finds that maybe being with a vampire could be more than she ever expected. Then there is Tiffany Winters who wants to find her place in the pack and will do anything to get there. She finds her place all right and then has the pleasure of returning the favor onto others. Lastly, Christine Price who didn’t quite know what she was getting herself into and is surprised by the people in her neighborhood. She finds that love can out win them all though. An eclectic cast of women to be sure.

This was a funny book for me. It was such an excellent play on all the reality shows about women who are living fancy lives and have lots of time to pick on each other. It was like when you watch the reality shows and you think, I can't believe I am watching this because it is so ridiculous. I found myself not able to stop reading, and laughing the whole way.

I liked how the stories were written in that they all had a different character that they followed in this crazy little world. They were not connected to each other in any other way, but you could see them all living in the same area. The continuity was the neighborhood. I thought that the little mysteries that followed some of them were fun and made the stories more fun to read. All in all, a great collection of stories for just pure lazy reading. (I don’t mean that in a bad way, just that it was a book that you didn’t have to think about too hard.)

*Reviewed by Jenny
*This book was sent via the publisher for review purposes.

Review: Where Demons Fear to Tread by Stephanie Chong

2011-11-16T00:00:00.053-07:00

Book description:
Harlequin MIRA

(August 23, 2011)

368 pages

$7.99

ISBN: 978-0778312475

Fledgling guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil’s Paradise nightclub on a mission – to retrieve the wayward Hollywood “It Boy” she’s assigned to protect. But she’s ambushed by the club’s owner, Archdemon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure-seeking humans. He won’t release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy-sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries-old feelings. Now, their high-stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell…or a deliciously hot heaven.

Review:

The heroine, Serena, was such an innocent, naive and generous at heart, so you would think that being a guardian angel might be difficult for her because she lacked experience. Not so. It is her innate goodness that allows her to see past the demon to the real man inside, to the place that Julian hid his truth. At times her innocence would wear thin and then she'd toss out these little zingers, like an f-bomb during a particularly naughty interlude. It was these times that I could see her spirit and could see why Julian was so attracted to her in the first place. He was able to see past her angel to the real woman inside, the one that died too young and missed her fair share of fun and adventure. They need each other, yin and yang.

Julian plays the quintessential tragic hero, only with a clever twist...he actually enjoys his life, full of sin and temptation, well, most of the time. Serena really takes him back a notch or two, making him wish for things he thought were well out of reach for an archdemon. Julian is sex on a stick and surprisingly, once Serena entered the equation that sexiness was amplified. These two are hot, hot, hot, and the chemistry is off the charts.

I really liked this take on angels and demons, and would definitely read this author again. I thought the premise of angels and demons competing for souls corporate style, with meetings and set guidelines, was a really fun way to go. The secondary characters were just as good as the main, and the fact that the book really centered around 4 or 5 people made the events flow nicely and kept everything easy to remember. Arielle, the main angel in L.A. was your typical cryptic angel, doling out advice in veiled riddles and roundabout answers. Like Yoda. Corbin, a very powerful demon rival ruled Vegas like a mob boss and his bedmate Luciana was a cruel demon with a penchant for poison. All this was set in two cities, both ripe with possibilities, L.A. and Vegas, which I thought was an excellent choice to showcase a demon and angel fall for each other. Sexy, steamy and wicked good fun!

Author Website:
http://stephaniechong.com/

Review: Dead Mann Walking by Stefan Petrucha

2011-11-15T00:00:00.116-07:00

Book description:

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD
DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HAVE A LIFE...

After Hessius Mann was convicted of his wife's murder, suppressed evidence came to light and the verdict was overturned — too bad he was already executed.

Thanks to the miracles of modern science Hessius was brought back to life. Sort of. Now that he's joined the ranks of Fort Hammer's pulse-challenged population, Hessius attempts to make a “living” as a private investigator.

But when a missing persons case leads to a few zombies cut to pieces, Hessius starts thinking that someone's giving him the run-around — and it's not like he's in any condition to make a quick getaway...

Review:

Livebloods call us chakz-a mangled version of charqui, or, en ingles, jerky-dried meat. If we're still oozing, whch is pretty rare, they call us gleets or juicers. Then there are danglers, but I'll leave that definition to the imagination.~Hessius Mann

It's like the holidays came early this year and every couple of weeks I am lucky enough to read a really fabulous book, one that I would easily recommend to every person that I know. Dead Mann Walking is exactly that kind of book, full of action and suspense, all wrapped together with an almost detective noir vibe. A real urban fantasy zombie thriller from start to finish.

It's apparent from the beginning that this zombie lore wasn't just being rehashed, instead Petrucha reinvents the zombie mythology with a world that makes chakz a believable member of society. Just like with regular folks, some are good, some are bad, and others just function better. In most cases, chakz do better when they have a purpose, again, just like with most regular people. It's a strange day indeed when you stop to contemplate the role that zombies might play in the day-to-day...but Hess makes you wonder.

The standout of the story is the backstory and worldbuilding. The method for reanimating corpses is a little bit Frankenstein with a whole lot of science fiction, something that doesn't necessarily seem all that farfetched. Scary, right? You can absolutely see how humans might try something like trying to reanimate corpses in a feeble attempt to right past wrongs. Humans trying to cheat death? Nope. Not us.

That's how we do things in Fort Hammer! Rush in where angels fear to tread, then suddenly realize that maybe the angels, being angels, had the right idea in the first place. Send a man to the moon? Sure! Bring peace to the Middle East? Why not? Raise the dead? Line 'em up!

I was surprised at how many subjects in the book are relevant to reality and modern day living. Things like chemicals in buildings that poison human beings, disposal of toxic waste into rivers that harm both the environment and people, civil rights, police brutality, and political corruption are just a few that I found to be woven seamlessly into the urban fantasy world. Who knew that Hess had the ability to enlighten readers to the things that really matter, like truth, justice, friendship...the American way!

Dead Mann Walking has a cohesive and tightly woven storyline that will keep you reading well into the night. Chakz, like any good zombie, are scary and fascinating in equal measure. The ick factor isn't too terrible, but at times I was a bit squeamish. Yep, once again, I am a big baby about zombies, but despite my fear and the threat of nightmares, this book was too good to put down.

Author website:
http://www.petrucha.com/

*Reviewed by Anna Dougherty
*I was sent the NetGalley review link by the publisher in exchange for a review.

review: The Evil Inside by Heather Graham

2011-11-14T00:00:00.142-07:00

SOME DEATHS LIVE ON FOREVER

For as long as it has stood overlooking New England’s jagged coastline, Lexington House has been the witness to madness…and murder. But in recent years the inexplicable malice that once tormented so many has lain as silent as its victims. Until now…

A member of the nation’s foremost paranormal forensic team, Jenna Duffy has made a career out of investigating the inexplicable. Yet nothing could prepare her for the string of slayings once again plaguing Lexington House—or for the chief suspect, a boy barely old enough to drive, much less kill.

With the young man’s life on the line, Jenna must team up with attorney Samuel Hill to pinpoint who—or what—is taking the lives of those who get too close to the past. But everything they learn brings them closer to the forces of evil stalking this tortured ground.

Review:

"The scariest unknown in the world is the human mind."~ Jenna, from The Evil Inside

I enjoy this series and the biggest draw in each book, aside from the ghostly elements, is the case being investigated. Right from the start I was absorbed with the details of this mass murder because the haunting of Lexington House reminded me of Amityville, and the axe murders were reminded me of Lizzy Borden. I never really figured that it would be the obvious choice, it never is with the Krewe, but I was shocked at how events played out. Yes, I managed to figure out some of the big shockers, a bonus for me, but others remained a surprise. And you won't read any spoilers here...not my style.

I want to say that Sam and Jenna are a cool couple, but the word cool doesn't do them justice at all. They fit so well, like a matched set, and they make a great team. I liked them a lot. Jenna is smart and capable, no damsel in distress, and she takes pride in her ability and her position with the Krewe. Sam is noble and kind, buried in work and searching for himself. The attraction was immediate but as with most of Graham's novels the romance builds and develops slowly. I like that too. They share a mutual attraction but neither act on it until it means more than just a romp in the bedroom, and when they do finally make it to the bedroom...it wouldn't use the word cool anymore.

The setting of Salem was the perfect avenue for a ghost story, plenty of local history to add in, and the witch trials even make an appearance. The town was explained with a fine attention to detail, very expressive, and I especially thought the discussions about Wicca and acceptance were well done. It's another decent addition to the series, you can read it as a stand alone or in order, the choice is up to you. Characters do make their way from book to book with what I'd call a supporting role, but each person is given a small backstory so the reader is able to easily keep up. I recommend this series for anyone that enjoys suspense, mystery, romance and paranormal elements.

Other Krewe of Hunters:
Phantom Evil
Heart of Evil
Sacred Evil

Author website:
http://www.eheathergraham.com/index.htm

Spooktacular Sunday: Reading recommendations and the fun of reading with your kids

2011-11-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

So I've been working on a book list for kids and I thought now might be a good time to share some of the great books that I've found so far. Books make the perfect gift, at least I think so, and it's always fun to share an interest with your kids. I love talking to my daughter after she's read a really great book because she comes up with all these theories, like why vampires may or may not be real or how fairies help our plants grow. She doesn't like zombies much (eating brains is just too gross) but mummies are okay (weird) and lately she is particularly fond of were-creatures. Storytime has evolved as my monsters get older but we still have family books and I think that reading together is a nice way to connect and communicate.

Anyways...here are a few of the books that I highly recommend for the younger set, maybe ages 8 and up. Listed in no particular order.

1. The Book Without Words by Avi
The Book Without Words is a volume of blank parchment pages. Or so it might seem. But for a green-eyed reader filled with great desire, it may reveal the dark magic of Northumbria, including the forgotten arts of making gold and achieving immortality. For generations its magic has been protected from those who would exploit it. But on a terrible day of death and destruction, The Book Without Words falls into the hands of a desperate boy.

Many years later, that boy, Thorston, is an old man on the brink of realizing his dangerous dream—when he falls down, dead. Now his servant, Sybil, and his magical talking raven, Odo, must face their fate. With their master gone, will they be evicted into the cold, decaying streets of Fulworth to fend for themselves? Or can they somehow unlock the secrets of The Book Without Words and reap the presumed benefits of limitless gold and eternal life? But Sybil and Odo soon learn that nothing is as it appears to be: secrets are not secrets, gold is not gold. Most important of all, even their master’s death and their own lives are not certain.

Set in early medieval England and rich with mystery and atmosphere, this is a thought-provoking fable about life and death, greed and betrayal, magic and secrets.

Website:
http://www.avi-writer.com/index.html

2. The Goddess Girls series by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Goddess Girls follows four goddesses-in-training – Athena, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis– as they navigate the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most priviledged gods and goddesses of the Greco-Roman pantheon hone their mythical skills. In each book, readers get to see how each goddess became who we know today. These much-beloved classic myths are given a modern twist and follow storylines familiar to modern tweens, from dealing with bullies (Athena and Medusa) to first crushes (Persephone and Hades).

Athena the Brain follows Athena's first days at Mount Olympus Academy. She always knew she was smart and special, but she didn't realize that she was a goddess! When she's whisked away to MOA, she worries about fitting in and dealing with her dad (Zeus). Luckily, she meets the Goddess Girls and finds the best friends she's ever had.

In Persephone the Phony, Persephone develops a crush on bad-boy Hades. Her mom (Ceres) doesn't approve, and neither do her friends. Persephone finds herself sneaking around to see him, but he ultimately tells her that she should tell them the truth and it's revealed that he isn't all that bad, just misunderstood! The GG support her and eventually her mom comes around too.

Aphrodite the Beauty features Aphrodite, goddessgirl of love, as she deals with jealousy after giving Athena a makeover (godboys pay more attention to her!), and dealing with a crush from an unlikely place -- the nerdy Hephaestus (god of the smith).

Website:
http://www.suzanne-williams.com/books.html
http://www.joanholub.com/

3. Creepella Von Cacklefur: The Thirteen Ghosts by Geronimo Stilton

This NEW Geronimo Stilton series spinoff stars spooky, silly Creepella von Cacklefur!
Creepella von Cacklefur and her niece, Shivereen, visit scary Squeakspeare Mansion. There they meet Bobby Squeakspeare, a descendent of the famouse writer, William Squeakspeare. Will the spooky rooms and ghosts they find inside the mansion be friendly - or frightening?

Biography:
GERONIMO STILTON is the publisher of The Rodent's Gazette, Mouse Island's most famouse newspaper. He is Rattus Emeritus of Mousomorphic Literature and Neo-Ratonic Comparative Philosophy. In his spare time, Mr. Stilton enjoys collecting antique cheese rinds, playing golf, and telling stories to his nephew Benjamin. He lives in New Mouse City, Mouse Island.

Visit Geronimo online at www.geronimostilton.com.

The Vampire Diaries S3 ~ Homecoming~

2011-11-12T17:49:00.007-07:00

Damon Elena and Stefan and Rebekah and Mikael have planned to lure Klaus back to Mystic Falls.

Stefan tells Klaus that they have killed Mikael. He should come see for himself. He doesn’t believe him until Rebekah tells him that they have staked Mikael.

Rebekah tells Mikael that he destroyed their family and that she wants nothing to do with him.

Bonnie tells Elena that she doesn’t want to go to homecoming. That she can’t be as mad at Jeremy as she is because she’s his sister. That makes her think about Rebekah and Klaus and their connection.

Damon and Elena are preparing weapons to fight Klaus and he tells her that he has a backup plan but he’s not telling. Stefan interrupts and says he needs a tie and that with Elena’s luck with dances she’ll be killed by the homecoming queen.

Caroline tells Tyler to stop hanging out Rebekah the blood slut and he tells her that he set her up with Matt. She tells him that if it’s some sired Klaus thing she is going to be pissed. He says if he’s sired to anyone—it’s her.

Rebekah and Elena have a heartfelt conversation about her first high school dance and her feelings about her brother. Elena gives her the necklace back that belonged to her mother. Rebekah tells her that Mikael can’t be trusted. Elena says that she knows and then stabs Rebekah.

It seems the gym has flooded. Of course Tyler tells Caroline not to worry they’ll move it to his house.

Matt shows up to get Rebekah and Elena goes with him instead since she stabbed his date

Stefan tells Tyler that it’s a great party and he tells Stefan that it’s not a party—it’s a wake

Klaus tells Stefan that he can stop running and reunite his family. He wants Stefan to bring Mikael to him.

Damon and Mikael are chatting and Damon wants to know why he only feeds on vampires. Mikael tell him humans are innocent and shouldn’t suffer because he is what he is. Stefan walks into the room and Mikael feeds on Stefan.

Klaus tells Tyler that he invited a few dozen of his friends and tells Tyler he can run and tell his friends.

Tyler confronts Caroline and wants to know what’s going on. She tells him that he’s sired to Klaus and he can’t be trusted. Tyler tells her she has to leave because Klaus knows what’s going on. Tyler injects Caroline with vervain and tells Matt to make sure she gets out of the house.

Klaus sees Elena and he tells her that he’s one step ahead and to give it her best shot, she won’t succeed.

Tyler tries to stop Damon and he tells him that Klaus is going to kill everyone. There are a bunch of hybrids at the party. Damon and Tyler fight and Bonnie stops them using her powers.

Klaus is a little surprised when Mikael shows up at the party—alive. Klaus has told his hybrids to attack Mikael. But there’s a problem. Hybrids are still part vampire and can be compelled. Mikael has one of the hybrids to bring him Elena. Klaus calls his bluff and tells him to kill her. Mikael tells Klaus that his impulses will keep him from ever being great and he stabs Elena in the back, much to Klaus’s shock.

Damon stabs Klaus and he starts to die, but Stefan tackles him and stops him. While they are distracted Katherine stands up and throws wolfs bane grenades at the hybrids. Mikael is also shocked that he actually didn’t kill Elena, but it was Katherine. Klaus gets loose and drives the stake into Mikael. Mikael catches on fire and he dies.

Damon is screaming at Stefan asking him what did he do? Klaus says that he earned his freedom. Klaus lifts the compulsion on Stefan and Damon takes off.

Caroline wakes up and is pissed at Tyler. She says that while he is “Team Klaus” she can’t be with him because he can’t be trusted.

Damon is furious. He’s telling Elena what happened and Elena tells him to calm down. Damon says he doesn’t know what changed, that Stefan wanted Klaus dead as much as they did. Elena grabs his face and tells him that they will survive this and that they will be okay. Damon says they aren’t getting Stefan back. Elena tells him that they will just have to let him go. (This turned into a charged moment between Elena and Damon.) Katherine calls Damon and tells him it was a good plan. He tells her to stay safe.

Katherine and Stefan are in the car together and she tells him that Damon doesn’t understand what happened. He tells her that Damon doesn’t need to know. Apparently Klaus had a contingency plan that said that if he died, his hybrids would kill Damon. Stefan really does care and couldn’t let that happen. Katherine tells Stefan that he has to let his humanity back in. He has to care. Stefan says he doesn’t want to because of the things he’s done. He wants to know why she wanted to save Damon so badly. She says that she didn’t just want to save Damon, she wanted to save Stefan’s humanity. She says that even she lets in her humanity every once in a while. She loved him. She also loved Damon. She tells him that he needs to care because she need him to get mad.

Klaus is calling Rebekah and she doesn’t answer. She happens to be “dead” in the cellar.

Stefan calls Klaus and tells him that his freedom came at too high of a price. Klaus is headed to reunite his family and he opens the storage container and realizes the coffins are gone. He wants to know what Stefan is doing. He says that Klaus took too much from him and that revenge never gets old. Klaus threatens to kill everyone he’s ever met. Stefan just brushes it off and tells Klaus that he will never find his family if he does that. Stefan asks him how it feels for someone who has been one step ahead for a thousand years.

I have to say there was a LOT going on in the mid-season finale. Was it hard to keep up? I think the amount of double crossing in the episode out-did the rest.

The fact that both Katherine and Stefan wanted to save Damon broke my heart. I was so happy she admitted she really had loved Damon too.

I'm not sure I liked it that Caroline dumped Tyler because of Klaus. I think she should have stuck it out.

Matt breaks my heart... he's so lonely... he needs a girlfriend asap.

Oh Stefan.... what are you up to now... and will it actually work without someone dying?

I don't think I can wait until Jan 5, 2012 when the show returns.

What did guys think? What's your predictions for next year?

The Secret Circle ~Balcoin~

2011-11-12T14:28:00.007-07:00

Jane tells Cassie that she doesn’t know anything about the scrolls that Calvin left. Cassie can tell Grandma Jane is a little jumbled.

Melissa’s cousin Holden shows up and intrigues Diana. She had a crush on him when they were little.

Faye goes to see Dawn and tells her that she can’t stop thinking about her Grandpa. Faye gets mad that her mom is still going to the benefit gala even though they had a death in the family. Faye tells Dawn she pushed Henry away from them.

Cassie brings Jake to the abandoned house and upstairs Faye watches them. She sees Jake pocket a stone and she calls him out on it. She tells him that she knows he’s up to something. Faye leaves and Jake and Cassie figure out that there is a family tree hidden between the pages of the scroll. She wants to know who John Blackwell was.

Cassie talks to Diana about it and she says it gives her a bad feeling. Diana tells Cassie to invite Jake tot the gala. She’s missing Adam.

Jake tells Issac the witch hunter that Cassie’s dark magic comes from the Balcoin line. The name changed to Blackwell. Jake says John was the last in the Balcoin line. Isaac says they need to leave before Jake loses sight of their goal.

Cassie goes to Calvin’s and his store is all locked up. She then goes to Jakes and it appears he’s packing to leave. He tells her he’s packing up Nick’s stuff. She asks Jakes to go to the dance with her and he tells her no and that he’s not interested. He shuts her down hard.

Faye tells Adam that Cassie brought Jake to the abandoned house and he was too interested in everything including Cassie.

Melissa and Diana are talking about Holden. Dian says he’s gotten cuter and Melissa tells her that he’s not her rebound guy.

Charles arrives to pick up Dawn and she wants the crystal and he tells her no. She tells him that he still needs her.

Cassie is getting dressed for the party and Jake can see her. The look on his face says that he does want her and care about her. Cassie takes the scrolls down to Grandma Jane and shows her the family tree. She doesn’t know anything about the Blackwell line. Grandma Jane is still acting weird.

Jake comes to see Cassie and he’s dressed in a suit. (WOW.) He tells her that he does feel something for her, but he doesn’t know how to deal with it. She took him by surprise when he first met her. He says he would be honored to go with her to the dance.

At the dance Charles asks Jane if she’s okay. She says she’s just watching Amelia have fun. He corrects her and tells her she means Cassie.

Faye and Adam arrive at the dance and Faye tells him that he’s supposed to be watching Jake and Cassie instead of Diana and Holden dancing.

Jake tells Cassie that they are going to dance. They dance and Cassie talks about her family and not knowing who her father was. Jake tells her that Nick told him about the short blonde girl that had moved into the Blake house. She was sad, but strong and he admired her. A phone call interrupts them dancing and Jake goes outside.

Jake meets Isaac outside and wants to know what’s going on. Issac tells him the plan has changed, they’re leaving tonight and taking Cassie with them. Adam over hears them and goes to gather the circle together. He tells them that Jake is a witch hunter and he’s after Cassie.

Jake tells Cassie about her bloodline being from the Balcoin line. It’s the most evil of powers ever seen. People will be coming after Cassie and Jake convinces Cassie to go home with him and then he convinces her to leave town with him. Cassie gets a text from Adam that Jake is a witch hunter and she tells Jake that she will leave with him. She goes to her house and they look at each other out their respective windows and Jake sees Isaac grab Cassie. He takes off after Cassie and Isaac and Isaac knocks Jake out leaving him lying on the lawn.

Jane tells Charles that she’s dizzy and goes to sit down. Dawn and Charles are talking to her and Jane mutters to Dawn that Amelia always says that Dawn worships John Blackwell.

Adam and the circle find Jake knocked out on the lawn and demand to know where they took Cassie. Jake tells them that they have to help him save her. Adam says he doesn’t care about anyone but himself when Faye interjects that Jake is serious—he cares about her and he means it.

The witch hunters are taking Cassie on a boat and Jake tells them the boat is made of the same wood that kept their magic from working the last time. Jake uses a spell to make the lights explode and Adam goes to get Cassie off the boat. Jake goes to help Adam and Cassie and Isaac stops him. Cassie, Adam, and Faye cast a spell to make the dock catch on fire so they can't be followed.

Jake admits to Isaac that he cares for Cassie and that she is strong enough to fight off the darkness. Isaac tells Jake that Cassie Blake is not the only Blackwell child in the circle. The boat pulls out of the harbor with Jake and Cassie staring at one another.

______________________________________________________

This was the Mid-Season Finale Until Jan. 5, 2012!!

So were you shocked? I was. Cassie isn't the only Balcoin child in the circle? Who do you think it is? My first thought was Jake. But Jake is too obvious... My next choice was Faye.. but I think this one is way too obvious. It was highlighted that it could be Faye by Jane saying that Dawn was fascinated with John Blackwell... But I think they went to to much effort to shine a light on this. My next thought was Diana or Melissa.

So tell me what you think? Who's the other child of JB? Will Jake come back? Will Adam and Cassie send mores sparks flying now that Jake is gone and Adam is a free agent?

Check in next week and we'll discuss it some more and I'll post some of the better screen caps from the first part of the season!

A day of honor and thanks

2011-11-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Whether you believe in war or not, take a moment to give thanks to those men and women, past and present, that have chosen to serve in the United States military. As an active-duty spouse for the last 12 years (and counting) I have had the opportunity to meet a variety of different people, from all walks of life, from all branches, and one thread ties them all together...they love this country. Duty, honor and sacrifice aren't just words, they are words to live by.

Today isn't just a day for free meals and car washes, although that is much appreciated as well, it's a day for Flyboy to stay home, play with his kids, and relax. We still have homework and projects, housework and chores, but today daddy is home to help. I view this day as extra time because the next deployment is always looming in the horizon and I want to hoard as much as I can before he leaves again. It isn't always easy being a military family... but I'm proud of his service and I'm proud of him.