Review: Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

Book Blurb:  Jane True has become proficient in basic magics, confident in herself and her abilities, and happily rooted in Rockabill. Her life is still divided between her supernatural brethren and her human friends and family, but it’s a division she maintains with very little trouble.

Everything changes, however, when Anyan brings Jane news that will force her to confront her dichotomized existence – supernatural females are being murdered, or have simply disappeared.

Jane and Anyan must embark on a desperate search to find out who is abducting these women, and how Jane can be protected from them. Aiding them is Jane’s former flame, Ryu. But can his stated motivations be trusted? And who are the mysterious figures dogging Jane’s and Anyan’s footsteps if not minions of Jarl?

Eventually, the trio stumble upon a secret so huge that it threatens to disrupt the tenuous traditions keeping humanity safe from the supernatural community that has, up until now, been content to lurk in the shadows.

Will they uncover the truth in time to save Jane’s friends? And just how far will Jarl go to protect his secrets?

My Thoughts:

I loved it. You need to read it. That is all.








Oh, you want more detail than that? Fine, be picky. :P

     Tempest's Legacy picks up several months after the end of book two, Tracking the Tempest. Jane is learning how to use her magic offensively. She has made friends with the other supernaturals in Rockbill and has achieved some contentment in her life. Life is going pretty well over all for Jane so naturally she gets bad news. Supernatural females are disappearing, even dying and Anyan is investigating. Jane gets involved and so does Ryu and some of his associates. Sadly, Caleb isn't around much in this story but Peeler assured me on Twitter that we'd see more of him *grin* in the next book. However, we do see more of Julian. He gets more attention in this book and also acts as a spotlight for the halflings, who play a major part in this book. The new halflings (most of them) are strong, smart, sassy women who intimidate Jane at first, but then she gets to know them. I hope we will see more of them.

     Peeler takes us deeper into the supernatural world, it's politics and culture. It's a fascinating world and we see up close how some of them live, especially the halflings. Jane, and the reader, learn more about the supernatural world. The Borderlands was a fascinating place, particularly it's relationship with the larger supernatural community.

     Jane's growth, emotionally and magically, continues in this book. That growth is something I appreciate about this series. Peeler has no qualms about changing things up and keeping the pace moving. There's no chance for anyone or anything to get stale. Despite the fast pace of the series, character development and growth are not forsaken. Since the book is told on first person, we see Jane's thoughts and to a lesser extent her feelings. We see, and feel, her frustration with the Alfar, the murders, her relationship with Ryu, and we see her growing determination to do whatever she has to in order to protect her human family and friends, and her less powerful supernatural ones too. She does what she thinks is necessary, even when it terrifies her but also listens, usually, to her friends. She can be a rush in headlong first girl but she learns and listens, and speaks up for herself.

     This book is darker, grittier, with more of an edge. This magical world is not all lightness, butterflies and tea cakes. Like ours, there's violence, corruption, politics, etc. But there's humor, love, loyalty, friendship, and of course, Jane's ever talkative libido. Still, it's clear that Peeler is moving this into a darker direction, and Jane also. I can't wait to see what happens next.

  **Note: the version I read was a galley, not a final copy and it contained numerous typos, misspellings, and half-finished sentences. Presumably, these were found and fixed before it went to print. I hope so, because they kept taking me out of the story, especially where the wrong word was clearly used, changing the meaning of the sentence.**  

Publisher:   Orbit                                                 Release date: January 1, 2011

More Info: goodreads                                          Series: #3 in The Jane True series


This book was provided by NetGalley as an eARC.

Interview with author Nicole Peeler

     It's no secret that one of my very favorite series these days is the Jane True series written by the wonderfully funny, and smutty, Nicole Peeler. I was introduced to her first book over at the Kelley Armstrong discussion board book club. I enjoyed that first book, Tempest Rising, and looked forward to the second one, Tracking the Tempest.  Well, I loved that book, it's one of the very few books I've given a 5 star rating on goodreads. I laughed so hard I was breathless and I talked it up on Twitter. Nicole is on Twitter also (@NicolePeeler) and is even funnier, smuttier, and more potty-mouthed than in her books. I knew that I had to interview Nicole. This interview doesn't do her justice, but maybe it will whet your appetite and encourage you to seek her books out if you aren't reading them already.

     First, some info about Nicole. Over the summer she moved to Pittsburg (in Pennsylvania in the US) to teach at Seton Hill University's Master of Fine Arts program in Writing Popular Fiction. When not teaching or writing, she enjoys cooking and eating, traveling, and spending time with her friends and families.

     Nicole can be found all over the web. In addition to Twitter, she's on facebook, has a website, and blogs at The League of Reluctant Adults or you can email her at IHeartSelkies AT gmail DOT com.

                                                             The Jane True books:

And now for the interview.  :)

BEA: Nicole, thank you for coming by and chatting with me. Maybe next time Jane, Anyan, and some of the others could visit also.

BEA: Why writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

NICOLE: I’ve always written, and I’ve always loved words, but I’d never really written fiction. To be honest, I don’t know if I would write fiction if I weren’t publishing it. But I would never stop writing. I’d probably go back to writing academic work. But who knows?

BEA: What is your favorite part of writing?

NICOLE: I think it’s being able to tell the stories I’ve always wanted to read.

BEA: What is your least favorite part?

NICOLE: How things get dropped from above into your lap, and need to be turned around in a few weeks.  I love my publishing company, and I know this is normal, but it’s hard when you have a pretty intense day job.

**as an example - during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, Nicole tweeted about her work on revisions for book 4 that she was aiming to turn in for Jan. 2nd - Bea**

BEA: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you?


NICOLE: I’ve had so many mentors, so many amazing teachers, and so many incredible friends. Too many to name, here. I can tell you there’s no way I could ever have done any of this alone.

BEA: Why urban fantasy?

NICOLE: I love the fact it’s so “real” and so fantastic, all at the same time. I can have my character deal with “real woman” issues, like sexual safety, at the same time that she’s worrying about being with a vampire. It’s fun, but it also allows me to say some things I think need to be said. ;-)


BEA: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)


NICOLE: I’d definitely be the vulgar sidekick. I’d be like Grizelda in my books, saying really raunchy stuff in the background like some perverted peanut gallery. ;-)

BEA: Do you prefer paper books or ebooks? Why?

NICOLE: I’ve just come to ebooks, and I do love them. Don’t get me wrong, at heart I’m a paper book girl. But I’ve moved so much, and had to give up so many books over the years, it’s heartbreaking. With ebooks, they can always move with me.

BEA: Do you write by hand, on a typewriter, or on a computer? If on the computer, do you use any particular software program to help you?

NICOLE: I write on a computer, just using word or pages.

BEA: I saw on twitter that you were participating in NaNoWriMo. Why? What is useful or valuable about it? 

NICOLE: I didn't really do NaNo, but I signed up and I sponsored NaNo at my university with another professor. I think it’s a great way to get people writing, and to realize how much time they do have to write, if they just make that time. But I’m not really a NaNo gal. I have to write a lot, already, and I really have to edit. I can’t not edit as I go along. I tried with NaNo, and it was interesting, but there’s no way I can’t not edit.

BEA: How many books are currently planned for the Jane True series? Is there a possibility of a spin- off?

NICOLE: I’ve got six books planned for Jane, but only six. That said, I would love to do a spin-off, and already have it quite developed.



**yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Bea**

BEA: Why a selkie for your lead character?

NICOLE: I picked a selkie because Jane could be magical, but not bad ass. No one expects a selkie to be a ninja. ;-) And I wanted Jane to be more “human” than some urban fantasy heroines out there.

**I love this about Jane; it's also one of the things that I like about Mercy in the Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs. I really like that they are more human, more relatable than some of the kick-ass, do-it-all heroines out there - Bea** 

BEA: What else do you want to write?


NICOLE: I want to write this spin off, and then I’m not sure. It’s still so early in my career, and I’m only now coming to terms with being a writer. It’ll take me a little while longer to start thinking about what else I want to do, in terms of story lines.


BEA: Who are some of your favorite authors?


NICOLE: I have so many: Philip Roth, Iris Murdoch, Muriel Spark, Sarah Waters, Mercedes Lackey, Charles de Lint… the list could go on and on. ;-)

BEA: You’ve traveled a lot, what do you like about traveling? What is your favorite place and why?

NICOLE: I think it’s really important to travel. It’s challenging, and it makes people see the world differently. I’ve lived abroad for many years, and the experience really made me who I am, today. As for my favorite places, I feel very at home in London, but I absolutely adore Istanbul.

BEA: You are active on twitter and several blogs. Where else are you active online and why do choose to use social media? Do you think it is necessary now for an author?

NICOLE: I think it’s absolutely necessary for writers to be media-savvy. Publishing houses expect us to do a lot of our own promo, nowadays, and the internet is the cheapest and most accessible way to do this. As for why I chose social media, it was all things my publisher told me to do when I started. Before I sold my book, I didn’t even have a Facebook page.

Nicole, thanks again for stopping by and taking the time to talk with me. I know that Tempest's Legacy will do well for you and I'm already itching for the next book, Eye of the Tempest.

Author Interviews - Kelley Armstrong board authors

     When I decided to try my hand at interviewing authors, I thought about what authors I wanted to inerview. Well, that list is long and includes some big names who will probably turn me down when I do get around to asking. But, it immediately occurred to me that I knew a group of authors, some personally, some not, who I wanted to spotlight and who might even agree to being interviewed by me. :P

     I belong to various author boards, including that of the awesome Kelley Armstrong. Her board has an online writers group that is very active and apparently very effective, as more and more are now published authors or have been signed by a publisher. So, I approached them and most graciously agreed. So, I will run a series of interviews over the course of the year with published members of the KA board OWG. I plan to run a review of their most current work along with the interview and some giveaways are also planned.

     The list of participants is subject to change as other OWG members get signed or published, and there's always the possibility of someone cancelling. The current line up is as follows, dates to be determined:

Morgan Ashbury - romance and erotica: interview, part 1; interview, part 2 2/14/11

Seleste deLaney AKA Julie Particka - paranormal romance as deLaney; YA as Particka: interview

Kelly Metz - urban fantasy - TBD

Ian O'Neill - mystery and urban fantasy - TBD

Angela Addams - paranormal romance: interview 4/30/11

Julie Campbell - YA urban fantasy: guest post 3/9/11; interview - October/November 2011

D.B. Reynolds - paranormal romance: Interview 5/16/11

Welcome 2011

                                     Happy New Year!

Another year is beginning; new dreams, new fears, new hopes, new tears. May it also bring you joy, peace, happiness, good health, and many, many good books.

Review: The Ghost of Vampire Present by Seleste deLaney

Book Blurb: Jocelyn has finally found her knight in shining armor in Chad, and ghosts are the last thing on her mind. Even when one shows up in her bedroom on Christmas Eve, Jocelyn's a bit more concerned about the other guests on the agenda. She'd prefer to never see another vampire, and the ghost tells her to expect not one, but three.

When the one from her past shows up even though he's supposed to be dead, she decides she's dreaming and suffers through the night. By the time dawn breaks, she's not so sure anymore.

But if it's not a dream that means her nightmare is far from over.


Our Thoughts:

****WARNING: This book contains spoilers if you have not yet read the story prior to it, "Of Course I Try"****

     Bea: The Ghost of Vampire Present takes place a few months after the events of Of Course I Try and occurs at Christmas time. In the spirit of Christmas, deLaney has chosen to write her story as a modern take on the three ghosts of Christmas. I was hesitant about that, uncertain how well it could be integrated into the story and not get saccharine or ridiculous. Happily, deLaney pulls it off, so well I almost missed one lol. The ghosts help move the story along but the conceit doesn't take over the story.

     The story was an engaging mix of romance, mystery, danger, and relationships. I got caught up in the story and was delighted that it was longer than it's predecessor. The novella length allowed deLaney to develop the characters and the emotions, while also building her world and setting up future plot lines. There are questions left unanswered, both for Jocelyn and the reader, but happily there is more to come in the Blood Kissed series.

     Jax: I said it about Of Course I Try too- my only complaint about this story is that it's so short. The Ghost of Vampire Present is a wonderfully crafted story, one with mystery, hot sex and sweet romance. And it's a fun paranormal twist on three well known Christmas ghosts! The supporting characters are hilarious additions to the Blood Kiss stories. I love that Jocelyn has real doubts as to what's going on, weighing and measuring the evidence and coming up short on an answer. While I don't envy her concerns, I would love the dilemma of choosing between Max and Chad!


Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Release Date: December 10th, 2010

More Info: goodreads

This ebook is owned by the reviewers. The author is a personal acquaintance of both reviewers.

Review: A Stitch Before Dying by Anne Canadeo

Book Blurb: When Maggie Messina, owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, is invited to give knitting workshops at a Berkshires spa resort, she manages to negotiate a cottage that fits all five of the Black Sheep for what promises to be a weekend of knitting bliss. But while the friends are expert at counting stitches, they haven’t counted on murder.
Guests and staff at the Crystal Lake Inn are as varied as a mixed bag of yarn, but most colorful is certainly the owner, charismatic self-help guru and former psychiatrist Dr. Max Flemming. The doctor may have told all in a revealing autobiography, but from his ex-wife to the widow of his former business partner—both employees at the inn—Max seems mired in shad­ows from his past. And when a killer strikes during a mountaintop retreat, the Black Sheep wonder what the good doctor might be hiding.
The police seem to be following the wrong thread. But while Maggie’s workshops have given the knitters a unique view of the tensions at the little inn, can they make sense of a crime that is as complexly stranded as a Fair Isle sweater? When the killer murders a second time, the Black Sheep won­der if they’ve dropped a stitch and put themselves in mortal danger. . . .





My Thoughts: Despite the cover copy, which makes it sound as if the story is told from Maggie Messina's perspective, the book is told mostly from that of one of the other Black Sheep Knitters, Lucy Binger, with Maggie's thoughts interspersed occasionally. This appears to be a feature in the series, with each book featuring both Maggie and one other in her knitting circle.

     The book starts with Lucy arriving late to the Black Sheep's weekly knitting session and potluck dinner. She is worried about her boyfriend, who has been acting distant. She manages to put that worry away when she arrives at the gathering, where Maggie announces a surprise: she's been asked to teach some knitting workshops at a New Age spa and hotel in the Berkshires (located in Massachsuetts, in the US) and has arranged for all five of them to stay there, for free, as part of her compensation package. After some dithering over their ability to get away for the weekend and whether or not they agree with the New Age approach, the group agrees and plans are made.

     The Black Sheep knitters are not fans of the New Age approach to living and Canadeo has a sharp yet not harsh way of poking fun at some of the beliefs and behaviors. We gradually meet some of the guests and staff at the hotel and the connections between them are unraveled in time. Dr Max has gathered a faithful flock around him but they are not all lovey dovey and singing in harmony. The cracks are slowly revealed and little nuggets of info dropped here and there along with larger, more obvious gifts of useful information. I'm happy to say that I was actually right about who the murderer was as usually I am way off base. :P The clues are there, but you have to look for them amidst the red herrings cleverly worked into the story.

     Since this is a cozy mystery, as much time is spent on the leads, the Black Sheep knitters, as the actual mystery. I rather liked Lucy, I empathised with her boyfriend troubles, and her need for some alone time in the midst of the girl's getaway. The other knitters, Suzanne, Dana, and Phoebe, are all given time and attention but the main focus in on Lucy and Maggie. In a nicely circular bit of storytelling, the book ends after Lucy and her boyfriend have their much delayed talk and Lucy is sharing that conversation with her Black Sheep friends.

     My main quibble with the story was the alleged friendship between Maggie and Nadine, the hotel manager who asks Maggie to fill in when the scheduled teacher drops out. They were supposedly longtime friends but it never felt that way to me and it seemed unlikely that Maggie would have been as ignorant as she was of some of the key players in the mystery if in fact she and Nadine were as close as Canadeo wants us to believe.
    
     I did like that Canadeo, who is herself a knitter according to her biography, doesn't bash us over the head with knitting information or the rapturous joy (insert sarcasm here) that is knitting. Knitting certainly plays a part in the story, we meet the suspects and the killer in Maggie's knitting sessions and those sessions play a part in solving the murders, but Canadeo doesn't bash us over the head with it. Some cozy mysteries set around a hobby or occupation go overboard and you learn much more than  you could ever want to know on the subject. Tidbits of knitting information are worked into the story but don't detract from it.

     Overall, it was a good story, entertaining, engaging, and enjoyable.

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: December 28, 2010

More Info: goodreads

This paperback was provided by the publisher for review.

12 Ways Libraries are Good for the Country

     As I mentioned in my post for the 2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge, I love my local library. I pretty much live there. I may even prefer it to a bookstore. After all, libraries haev FREE books :P , plus free periodicals, refernces, databases, and people, librarians, who are at your mercy (well, they are, come on) for advice, questions, etc.

     I am a firm believer in libraries, free libraries, where the user pays nothing to use the services barring small fees for services such as using a copy machine or a printer. Libraries are open to all, available to all, all you need is a card. I support my library and believe all readers should, to the extent that they are able.

     Ok, enough proselytizing. I read a fantastic article on how libraries are good for the country and wanted to share it. Although it's specific to the US, it's pretty applicable to any country. The article is the same as this post's title, and is from "American Libraries, the Magazine of the American Library Association". After you read the article, spread the word and go support your local library.

Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011!

     Ok, this is the last challenge I'm signing up for; I'm not sure I can manage anymore, even with crossovers allowed. :D I enjoy reading mysteries, I always have, and this challenge takes into account all of the variations and sub-genres.

     There's even  a prize, being offered by Simon & Schuster, UK. Details down below.

          Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011
• Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)
• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.
• At the beginning of Jan 2011, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews. There will be a monthly prize too courtesy of the lovely Simon & Schuster - you must be signed up to the challenge and add the link to your review to be entered into the monthly prize draw.
• To sign  up, go HERE.  

     Now, there are many different sub-genres of mystery and suspense and the host, Book Chick City, is including all of them - you can choose from the numerous sub-genres, from cosy mysteries such as Agatha Christie to the more hard-boiled kind like V.I. Warshawski by Sara Paretsky, or romantic suspense written by the likes of Linda Howard, forensic crime such as those written by Kathy Reichs and even paranormal/supernatural suspense such as Kelley Armstrong. The challenge should have something for everyone! :)

     And finally, the prize details :)

• Courtesy of publisher SIMON & SCHUSTER UK, ALL participants of this challenge will receive a free ARC of 'The Survivor' by Sean Slater to start you off on your challenge! Once you have made your participation post and signed up for the challenge, FILL OUT THIS FORM! This form will ask for your full name, postal address, post URL and your entry number from the participants list found on the host site  (so she can verify), which she will then pass on to the publisher.

Have fun reading!