Interview with RT Award winning author DB Reynolds & A Giveaway

Today I'm delighted to have D. B. Reynolds here with me. I first met D.B. at the Kelley Armstrong board; yes, she's another published writer who started out in the OWG there. I first encountered her in the debate area. Let me tell you, the woman can debate. Though we tend to agree on subjects, even when I disagree with her, she can make me see her perspective. There's no question that she can effectively use words to make her point. It's no wonder she took up writing.

D.B. has 5 books published so far, a stand alone called "Heart of the Wolf", and 4 books in her "Vampires in America" series.

 


D.B. has a website with a blog, and can be found on facebook, and she just recently joined twitter. Look her up and say hi, then curl up with one of her books. But leave a light on.

BEA: Donna, thank you for taking the time to come by and talk with me. And congratulations on your novel “Jabril” winning the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. That is wonderful news! You must have been so excited. Did you have any idea prior to nomination that it might happen? 

D.B.:  I didn’t. In fact, I didn’t even know I was nominated until a fellow writer posted about it on one of my writing loops. I was so excited. And then I couldn’t believe it when I actually won. I just sort of floated down the hall to let my husband know that he was now married to an award-winning author!

 

BEA:  “Jabril” was the second book in your “Vampires in America” series, you just released “Sophia” the fourth book and are working on the fifth book, “Duncan”. How many more will there be? Is there a definite end?

D.B.: My current contract is for eight books, which is what I originally designed the series to be. Eight books for the eight Vampire Lords of North America. But if my readers, and my publisher, want it go on, I could easily see the series expanding.

 

BEA: Do you have any say in the cover models or designs of your books? They have been pretty wonderful. 

D.B.: I’ve been so fortunate in my covers on two fronts. First, my publisher gives me quite a bit of input into my covers, which is something very few publishers give their authors. I abuse it terribly and sometimes drive both my publisher and the artist crazy. But secondly, I’ve been lucky to work with a wonderful and talented artist, Patricia Lazarus. She patiently puts up with my PITB e-mails and always comes up with something beautiful.

BEA: Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?

D.B.: Me? Well ... I’m a writer. I started out in academia, but soon fled the backstabbing and politics of the university for the sound stages of Hollywood where at least you get paid very well for putting up with the backstabbing and politics! I was a sound editor for several years, and received two Emmy nominations, before my wonderful husband made it possible for me to quit the daytime job altogether and try to write full time. Or close enough anyway. He wanted some of my newly free time for himself, too.

BEA: What’s a typical day of writing for you? Are you a planner or do you wing it?

D.B.:  I’m a planner all the way. I do detailed outlines with character sketches, all the major plot points and first drafts of many major scenes before I actually start writing the book.  I also maintain an overall calendar for the series, as well as a day by day calendar for each book as I write it, so I can be sure my characters are moving in sync.  And a series bible, too.  Like I said, planner all the way!

BEA: What prompted you to start writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

D.B.: I’ve always loved books. When I was a child, my mom or dad would take me to the library every week and I’d check out as many books as the library would let me, which was like nine or ten books. By the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to write, because I wanted to create worlds and characters like those I’d been reading forever. And I was pretty sure I could do it, too.  I’d probably write even if I wasn’t published, but my goal would always be to GET published. Because I want to share my stories. 

BEA: What is your favorite part of writing? What is your least favorite part?

D.B.: My favorite part of writing is the writing itself. I’m not one of those tortured writers who has to force herself to sit down and squeeze out a book. Nor do I mind that it’s a solitary endeavour. I’m a very solitary person and I love writing, so it’s the best of all worlds for me.  My least favorite part is having to delete scenes I’ve worked so hard on. Sometimes my editor just doesn’t like the scene, or thinks it slows the narrative. Or sometimes the book comes in too long. It breaks my heart to chop up what I’ve written!

BEA: Do you think that the paranormal is waning in publishing, changing, or holding strong?

D.B.: I think there will always be a market for good paranormal stories. Paranormal, Sci Fi and Fantasy are the ultimate escapist literature and most people read for just that reason, because it takes them away from their lives and into a whole new world.

BEA: Currently your stories are paranormal romance, do you see yourself writing straight up paranormal stories? Do you think you might try a different genre sometime?

 

D.B.: My books straddle the line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy.  I like having a strong relationship angle in my stories, even when the relationship is not the central part of the plot. I could see myself writing stories with less of a relationship angle, but I don’t think I’d want to leave it out entirely. It makes the story more personal. As for a different genre, I’d love to try romantic suspense/thriller, or even a straight up suspense/thriller with just a touch of romance.

BEA: Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite writers?

D.B.:  I don’t know that I have influences other than the wonderful writers I’ve read all my life. Every time I read a book I learn something about writing. My favorite writers would be a very long list, but just a few of them are Adrian Phoenix, Kelley Armstrong, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Gwen Hunter, Rob Thurman, Ilona Andrews, John Sandford, Scott Turow, Dan Abnett ...  I could go on and it’s an ever evolving and growing list.

 

BEA: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?

D.B.: Amy Stout, who had been an editor at all the major Sci Fi publishing houses for years before she and her family moved to California, gave my writing a major boost at a very critical point in my career. She was the first true professional who told me I actually could write and that my stories had merit. I also have to credit Kelley Armstrong, because she created the Online Writers Group, which is still my main writing group. I met both of my critique partners, Michelle Muto and Steve McHugh, in the OWG, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.

 

BEA: You have been active in the Online Writers Group on Kelley Armstrong’s discussion board. Do you think that helped your writing? Did it help you make contacts in the publishing world?

 

D.B.: The OWG definitely helped my writing. There are a lot of talented and skillful writers there, not to mention various experts whom I’ve tapped for help over the years. And as I mentioned above, I met both of my critique partners through the OWG. 

BEA: You have an account on facebook and a very active blog. Do you think that social media is important for an author to be involved in? Do you see yourself getting more involved? Do you think you might start your own message board someday? 

D.B.: Social media is critical for an author these days. It’s a way to get word out about new books, signings, reviews, and interviews like this one! It lets me connect with my readers in a way I never could have before. Right now, I have a blog and Facebook, but within the next month I’ll be going live on Twitter, too. (she is there now - @DBReynoldsWrite ) It’s one more way to connect with my existing readers and maybe make some new ones. I don’t have any plans for a message board, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the future.

 

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

D.B.: I bought myself a Kindle for the holidays. I give the best gifts!! And I love it. I resisted e-books until my own books went Kindle, but now I’m completely hooked. I love the ease of reading it, I love the ease of buying new books—which is great for Amazon, but not so great for my book budget. Yikes! But if given a choice between a print or e-book, I’ll choose the e-book.  And that’s something I never thought I’d say.

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)

D.B.: Hmmmm. I want to be the lucky, beautiful woman who gets the gorgeous, hunky, immortal warrior/vampire/werewolf as her devoted lover.  I love the idea of having someone that powerful as my protector. Why do you think I write the stories I do?

BEA: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?

D.B.: I always thank my readers from the bottom of my heart. I get so many e-mails and blog and Facebook posts telling me how much they love my stories and my characters. And it means so much to me to hear that.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

D.B. has generously offered a signed copy of either Sophia or Rajmund, and it's open internationally.    

Just leave a comment here on either the interview or my review of Sophia and a way to contact you. (see the giveaway policy here)

Giveaway runs through midnight EST of Monday May 23, 2011

Review of Sophia by DB Reynolds

Publisher: ImaJinn Books


Release date: April 3, 2011
Series: #4 in the Vampires in America series


More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind. 

Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it. 

Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampires. 


 Following her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire becomes Sophia herself.

My Thoughts:

I like this series more and more with each book. It has wonderful word building, fascinating characters that you love or hate but you definitely feel something for them, and a balanced mix of action, quiet scenes, romance, sex and mystery. The stories have some of the familiar elements of vampire books but Reynolds definitely has her own take on vampire lore. This is not a cookie cutter PNR series. The vampire world, as well as events in previous books, is carefully detailed but there's never an info-dump. 

Vampire lord Raphael and his human mate Cyn thread throughout the series and tie each of the books together. My one main complaint about this book, in fact, was that large chunks of the story were devoted to Raphael, the murder of his people, and his relationship with Cyn. While much of this served to further the overall story of both the book and the series, it did feel to me as if Colin and Sophia got short-changed. 

Despite that, what we do see of Sophia and Colin in enjoyable. They had been lovers years ago, but Colin was unaware that Sophia was a vampire. Their love affair ended when she died in a bombing. So he thought. It's not enough of a shock discovering that she's alive, oh no, to make it more interesting she is, and was, a vampire. He is understandably angry and confused but he manages to work with her on discovering the perpetrators responsible for killing two local vampires and attacking the mate of another.


Sophia is a more "human" vampire than Raphael, similar to Rajmund. Most of the time, she does not come across as scary and arrogant but can pass for human. That's not to say that she can't be the scary, arrogant bloodsucker when she needs to be, but she doesn't feel the need to act that way all of the time. I found this made her more likable and relatable; Reynolds' vampires are not warm and fuzzy, they are the top of the food chain and you always know it. However, they are not cookie cutter, each one is a clearly a separate character with a separate personality. Not all authors pull that off but Reynolds does it very well.


Colin is strong, loyal, funny, compassionate and determined to do the right thing. He is coasting, somewhat, in his job as local law enforcement but when he needs to, he doesn't hesitate to get out there and do his job. That doesn't always make him popular with the locals or his friends but, despite the pain it causes him, he does it anyway. He's someone you would want on your side and that you could count on.

Both Sophia and Colin feel very real, like people you might actually know. This added to the appeal of the book for me and I expect that I will be re-reading this one. If you haven't read the series, and you like dark scary vampires mixed with romance, sex and mysteries, you really need to check them out.


Paperback was received from the author for review.

Sex...More Sex....Most Sexks, Sierra Dean's Guide to Romances (And A Giveaway)

Now that I have your attention... :D



Sierra Dean, whose debut UF novel, "Something Secret This Way Comes" was released Tuesday, the 10th, very kindly agreed to come and stop by for a bit today. We were chatting on Twitter and I threw some ideas her way for guest posts for different blogs. One of my ideas was about classifying romances and eroticas and where to draw the line. Her book has some romance and sex though it's not primarily a romance. We chose this as the topic for her visit here and I promised, heck I threatened, to use her joking description as the title.  As you can see, I did. :P

The Author - Sierra Dean is a reformed historian. She was born and raised in the Canadian prairies and is allowed annual exit visas in order to continue her quest of steadily conquering the world one city at a time. Making the best of the cold Canadian winters, Sierra indulges in her less global interests: drinking too much tea and writing urban fantasy.  Ever since she was a young girl she has loved the idea of the supernatural coexisting with the mundane. As an adult, however, the idea evolved from the notion of fairies in flower beds, to imagining that the rugged-looking guy at the garage might secretly be a werewolf. She has used her overactive imagination to create her own version of the world, where vampire, werewolves, fairies, gods and monsters all walk among us, and she’ll continue to travel as much as possible until she finds it for real. She’s also a book lover (of course!), obsessive collector of OPI nailpolish and the owner of way too many pairs of shoes.

The book ~          

Some secrets are dangerous. This Secret is deadly.

Secret McQueen, Book 1

For Secret McQueen, her life feels like the punch line for a terrible joke. Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the vampire council of New York City to kill rogues, Secret is a part of both worlds, but belongs to neither. At twenty-two, she has carved out as close to a normal life as a bounty hunter can.

When an enemy from her past returns with her death on his mind, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. As if the fate of the world wasn’t enough to deal with, there’s Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, who seems to believe he and Secret are fated to be together. Too bad Secret also feels a connection with Desmond, Lucas’s second-in-command…

 Product Warnings

This book contains a sarcastic, kick-ass bounty hunter; a metaphysical love triangle with two sexy werewolves; a demanding vampire council; and a spicy seasoning of sex and violence.

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

The following is from my internal dialogue right after getting a contract offer on my first novel:

            “Oh my GOD, this is the most exciting thing EVER. I have to text every human I’ve ever met! I have to call my mom! OH MY GOD THERE’S SEX IN THIS BOOK AND MY MOM IS GOING TO READ IT!”

Yes, my inner soliloquist is prone to dramatics. I probably wouldn’t be a novelist otherwise. Point being, one of the key aspects of any romance novel is the sex factor. Be it sweet, subtle and understated; naughty and R-rated; or “Holy crap, did she just say what I think she just said?”, sex is a part of romance in fiction just as it is in life.

So when it comes to sex in fiction, what’s the difference between sexy and smutty? (I loves me some good smut, so please don’t think I’m using the phrase as an insult) When does a book go from being “wow” to being “do I need the morning after pill with that chapter?”

I wish I could say I remember my first sex scene in a novel, but I genuinely can’t. For some people it probably sticks out in their minds, but sadly, I’m such a romance fiction whore I’ve read too many sex scenes at this point to remember them all. I’ve read everything from the tameness of a Patricia Briggs love scene all the way up to the recent Alisha Rai novella Never Have I Ever which left me needing a cold shower and a cigarette (and I don’t even smoke). I love it all.

Let’s break it down into three categories, shall we? (I like lists!)

1. Sex – aka “Romance 1.0” we’ll call this the base level. Boy meets girl, boy lusts for girl, boy and girl share a tryst that lasts roughly a paragraph, and if you’re too fast a reader you might miss it. Or sometimes the author is so subtle about what’s happening, you’re not entirely sure if they had sex or just fooled around a little. This is typical of YA fiction, where you have to be careful just how much you show and tell.
2. More Sex – aka “erotic Romance” this time you get the fun descriptions, the heat level is amped up considerably, and you’re never left doubting what just happened between the couple. “More Sex” is where most romance novels available for mass market would be categorized according to my insane system.
3. MOST SEXKS – aka “smut” more commonly, and appropriately, known as erotica. This is the carnal category, where descriptions of the acts can eclipse all other plot points. The sex, typically, is the plot. Which is not to say these books are without plot, because that’s not my intended message. But with categories 1 and 2, the sex is a stepping stone along the way. With category 3, the story wouldn’t function the same way without the sex. Characters in erotica are just as developed, interesting and well-written as any of those in the first two categories, they just get to have crazier sex than their counterparts.

With those categories in mind, we can begin to see where our choice romances fit into the list. I’m not really picky, I’ll take a good book in any of those categories, as long as the love feels genuine. Give me a hot couple and I want them to want each other. But fictional couples are like real couples. Sometimes it would be disingenuous for a beloved fictional couple to rip each other’s clothes off and go at it doggy style in the kitchen. And similarly, not every reader is going to want a primal free for all in EVERY book.

I remember reading Jeaniene Frost’s One Foot in the Grave on a public transit bus and I think I turned a hundred shades of red when someone sat next to me. Similarly, I won’t let myself read certain authors when I’m at work because the content gets me a little too flustered to function properly, and I look a little weird when I abruptly cover up my Kindle.

So here’s my general rule of thumb:

If the descriptions are so graphic a Catholic priest would suggest you spend a month in confession to absolve yourself of the impure thoughts… don’t read it on the bus.

By and large I guess my favorite books are the ones where the love scenes are hot, but don’t feel unnatural, and where the sex seems realistic and not overly corny. I can’t handle love scenes where the men wax poetic and say the most cheesy things to their heroine. It takes me out of the moment.

What about everyone else? Do you prefer your love scenes safe and PG, or do you want them so hot you’re afraid to touch your Kindle? (oh my, yes! :D  ~ Bea) Or, like in life, does it depend on the mood and the characters involved?

And for a chance to win a copy of my debut novel Something Secret This Way Comes, give me your recommendations for the most memorable love scenes you’ve ever read, be they G or NC-17 (R rated for US readers).

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

Sierra has generously offered up an ebook copy of "Something Secret This Way Comes"  to one lucky commenter. 

 To enter, leave a comment telling us your recommendations for the most memorable love scene that you've ever read, in any book. The scene can be G-rated, completely safe for work and kids or all the way up to just short of X-rated (I reserve the right to edit comments).

Don't forget to leave a way to contact you (see the giveaway policy here)

The giveaway runs through midnight EST of Thursday May 19th, 2011.  Because of Blogger's maintenance issues Wednesday evening through Friday afternoon, this post had a delayed publication. As a result, I'm extending the giveaway through midnight EST Friday May 20,2011.

Review of Something Secret This Way Comes by Sierra Dean

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Series: #1 in the Secret McQueen books

More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:
 
Some secrets are dangerous. This Secret is deadly.

Secret McQueen, Book 1

For Secret McQueen, her life feels like the punch line for a terrible joke. Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the vampire council of New York City to kill rogues, Secret is a part of both worlds, but belongs to neither. At twenty-two, she has carved out as close to a normal life as a bounty hunter can.


When an enemy from her past returns with her death on his mind, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. As if the fate of the world wasn’t enough to deal with, there’s Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, who seems to believe he and Secret are fated to be together. Too bad Secret also feels a connection with Desmond, Lucas’s second-in-command…

 Product Warnings

This book contains a sarcastic, kick-ass bounty hunter; a metaphysical love triangle with two sexy werewolves; a demanding vampire council; and a spicy seasoning of sex and violence.

My Thoughts:

The writing wasn't anything spectacular and the plot was nothing unusual, but the concepts and characters introduced caught and kept my interest.  Dean has created an interesting mythology and social structure for her supernaturals. This despite using some of my least favorite tropes - 1) the destined mates, 2) the three way triangle, and 3) a hero, or heroine if you prefer, who is ALL THAT, with a destiny she can't imagine. So, you might expect I wouldn't like the book.

You'd be wrong. The cover blurb drew me in, the tropes irritated me, but it's the world and the characters that held me. Sierra Dean's character building is very good. Secret McQueen is 22 years old but has seen so much and had so much turmoil that many others in her position would likely call it quits. With a foot in  the werewolf world and a foot in the vampire world, all she's trying to do is keep her footing. Life is never that simple.

She identifies herself as a vampire and ignores her wolf half, denying that werewolves are even people. She is really quite ignorant concerning werewolves, something that Desmond, Lucas's second, remarks on:

"It's true, then, what Lucas said. You really are ignorant of the ways of your own people."  I bristled. 'Wolves are not people.'

She very quickly gets a crash course in werewolf customs, including soul bonding, otherwise known as destined mates, one of Bea's top 5 least favorite tropes. Soul bonding, to be fair, is more than just destined mates, it isn't even always about sex. The werewolf king Lucas explains it thus:

"...There is a call put out by the beasts inside of us that is meant for a select few to hear. It was how I chose Desmond to be my second. His wolf answered the call of my own when we were still very young, before either of us had even been turned. The call is the reason you felt me on the patio tonight."

When Secret is around either Lucas or Desmond, she "tastes" them, a certain flavor fills her mouth - Lucas tastes like cinnamon and Desmond like lime. This reminded me very much of Tony in the Salzi books C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp who identifies emotions by associating them with other smells - fear smells like burnt coffee, etc.  It's unusual, though not completely unexpected, for there to be a three way soul bonding. Since Lucas and Desmond are soul bonded to each other, Secret's bond is to both men. Both men are accepting of this but the practicalities of making it work are another matter. There was one scene where I wanted to smack Secret for being sleazy:

"Is it ok to sleep with someone and say my metaphysical connection to him made me do it? Ok, that's actually a pretty good excuse." 

Umm, no, it's not. For me, that's a cop out, a failure to take responsibility for your own actions. It also reminded me uncomfortably of Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake and the aurdeur (a metaphysical thing where she constantly hungers for sex and it's ok for her to sleep with any guy she wants. Bugs the crap out of me no end.)

At first I found Secret to be arrogant, cocky and full of herself. And she is, but she is also funny, determined, loyal to her friends (what ones she has), impulsive, and smart. She starts out stereotypical but Dean develops her and fills her out. We see her relationships with Holden, her handler from the vampire council, Mercedes, a local detective, and Keaty, her friend and associate, and her developing relationships with Lucas and Desmond. Secret learns a lot about herself in the story and some of those discoveries are not pleasant (family can be such a pain, lol).

It doesn't take long before Secret's new life with Lucas and the wolves collides with her job as a hunter for the Vampire Council and that's when the action really kicks in. The story has just about everything you could want - spooky vampires, hunky werewolves, humans who, for the most part, are unaware that monsters exist, romance, sex, treachery, intrigue, fight scenes, etc. Dean makes it all work together and I flew through the last 2/3 of the book.

The cliffhanger at the end had me going "What? Wait, no! You can't do that." I am looking forward to the next book, the prequel and the Christmas short story (which Sierra was talking about on twitter and I teased her about since she was writing it in April). While there is a lot that isn't new, Dean makes it fresh and interesting. It's worth your while to pick up this book and read it. If I could enjoy it despite some of my least favorite tropes and the occasional dry writing, chances are good that you will too.

I received the ebook from the author for review.

Review: Tiassa by Steven Brust

Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC

Release Date: March 2011

More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

  Once, Vlad Taltos knew his trade: He killed people for a lkiving. That skill got him a foothold in House Jhereg, running the rackets for a chunk of urban Adrilankha.

Later, things happened that left Vlad a changed man, on the run from the Jhereg and frequently involved in the affairs of Dragonlords, Empresses and even Jenoine. Far more involved than the average human.

Meanwhile, in the very distant past, one of the gods fashioned an artifact - a silver figurine of a tiassa, a winged pantherlike animal. To Devera the Wanderer, it's a pretty toy to play with. To Vlad, it's a handy prop for a con he's running. To the Empire, it's a tool to be used against the Jenoine. And to the Jhereg, it's a trap to kill Vlad.

As it happens, however, the silver tiassa has its own agenda.

Tiassa tells a story that threads its way through more than ten years of the remarkable lif of Vlad Talto - and, to the delight of longtime fans, brings him together with Khaavren, from the Phoenix Guards and its sequels. Khaavren may be Vlad's best friend - or his most terrible enemy.

My Thoughts: 

I love the Vlad Taltos series, as well as the the other books Brust has written in this world. I love that the style of Taltos varies so greatly from the Phoenix Guards. I admire the fact that the series can be read in any order, because it's not written in chronological order. Actually, I'm very amused by that.

This book, however, breaks that pattern. I would say that  you really need to have read the rest of the books to understand half of what happens in this one. It's not a bad thing, since the rest of the books are great reads. It was nice to have some of the loose ends start to come together.

Now that I've gotten that warning out of the way, I want to say that Tiassa gives me everything I could want in a Vlad book except Morrolan. (There's always that one character in a series that I just adore above all others. Never completely happy when he's missing from the mix.) The sarcasm, the Machiavellian plots, the Shakespearean taunts, the magic, the swordplay - it's all there.

This book was lent to the reviewer.

Review of Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

Publisher: Pocket Books

Release Date: April 26, 2011

More Info: Amazon

Series: #1 in the Descendant Series

Book Blurb:

From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she’s an immortal huntress.
 
Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die. . . . Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy. But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy. . . .

My Thoughts:


I love mythology, always have. I grew up reading the Greek myths (among others) so the synopsis for this book immediately grabbed me. So did the book. I read it in 2 sittings and stayed up late to finish it.

It's action packed, with hardly a breath for Nikki or the reader. Nikki is a pretty standard UF lead female - something of a loner and an outsider, independent, resourceful, impulsive. She's not as kick-ass as some but over the course of the book that changes. To the best of her knowledge she's just your garden variety human being, and she, like most humans, never knew that the ancient gods were real or that there were living descendants. When she discovers that she is an immortal, descended from Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting, the wilderness and animals, she has trouble accepting it. Gradually she accepts the knowledge, and in a desperate bid to protect both herself and her adoptive sister from newfound enemies, she learns how to fight and to fight dirty.

There's quite a lot of dirty tactics in this book in fact, and some moderately graphic violence, including torture. Nikki has to adapt and learn to cope with how both sets of immortals behave. It's a dark book, but if you are familiar with the original Greek myths, or pretty much any mythology, you know that is standard. It's the rare mythological deity who plays nicely, says please, and never hits someone. It's a dark book but there's also hope, humor and some likable characters. It's a largish cast and a few were short-changed in terms of development but  maybe Black will rectify that in future books.

Most of the characters are varying shades of gray when it comes to morality, especially the "good guys", the Liberi Deorum, whom Nikki ends up working with. They are violent, willing to torture, quick to distrust and slow to forgive. The leader, Anderson, comes off as manic depressive or maybe schizoid. He ends up being neither; he's not quite what he seems though he readily admits to being tyrannical.

So, what about the bad guys, the Olympians? They are less well developed, more clearly the bad guys, the black hats if you will. Again, I'm hoping that in future books Black will develop them more and explore the individual characters.

I enjoyed this book and I am definitely looking forward to reading more in the series. It's a solid urban fantasy story with enjoyable, interesting characters, a backdrop of different world mythologies, lots of action and decent character development.

This paperback was received from the publisher for review.

Review and Giveaway of Range Feud by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Echelon Press

Release Date: April 12, 2011

Series:  #2 in the Into The West series

More Info:  Amazon

Book Blurb:

Tina Harker loves malls, manicures, fun clothes, and horses. She has everything she wants until her dad moves the entire family to Arizona. She's trying to adapt to the tiny town, serious lack of a mall, and the strangeness of the desert, not to mention the rattlesnakes. There's no one in Golton her age and no reason to wear any of her fun makeup. The only thing keeping her going is the horse she rides and the cool things she's learning on the Taggarts’ cattle ranch.
 
Anxious for more adventure, Tina agrees to inspect the fence line for the Taggarts like a real cowgirl. She gets more than she wished for. This time she has to rescue the cute cowboy. Along the way, she finds out people will kill over water. Especially in the desert. Tina is determined to help her cowboy, but she has no idea how, or if, a Jersey girl can stand up to real gunslingers.


My Thoughts:

 "Range Feud" picks up shortly after the end of the first book, "Westward, Yo!". You can read this as a stand alone but it might be better enjoyed if you read them in order. These books are part of the new Electric Shorts series by Echelon Press, a series geared toward the reluctant reader from 7-17, although this series is for ages 13-17.

 

Tina's adventures in the first story led to her being missing for a while and getting a second-degree sunburn. She tries to tell her family what happened but they don't believe her, instead they think she suffered sunstroke and hallucinated her adventures. Tina needs to prove her parents and to herself that she didn't hallucinate. In the meantime, she is settling into her new life fairly well. Although she has yet to meet any other teens around her new home, she has made friends with some of the locals and happily helps at a local ranch in exchange for free rides on one of their horses. She does miss her good friend, Jessica, but they  text and talk often.

On one of her days helping at the ranch, Tina gets drawn back to the scene of her prior adventures where she rescues Rowe. Rowe, a young, good-looking cowboy whom Tina met in the previous book, knows that Tina is not a typical girl of his acquaintance.  There is the beginnings of a sweet romance here but J. A. tantalizes us; at the end of this story, it looks as if Tina and Rowe have to part permanently, which leaves her grief-stricken.

 We also get to see Tina's family and her interactions with them. It's refreshing to see a happy yet realistic family - one without the angst or traumas that are common in other YA or teen novels. The characters all feel real, not idealized or stereotypical. They are likable and relatable.

One of things that I enjoy about this series is the strong female lead. The main character is a girl, one who loves city life and malls, etc...but she isn't the stereotypical mall rat city girl that you find portrayed in movies and tv shows. Tina is a girl with a definite feminine side but she's also willing to get down and dirty, and she's not afraid to use her brain. She comes across as a strong young woman who is growing into a strong young adult. Although she does make some rash decisions, she also deals with the consequences, and when there's trouble, she stays calm (usually) and analyzes the problem. She is strong, capable, competent, intelligent but also kind, funny, energetic and full of life.

 

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JA has generously offered up an ebook copy of "Range Feud"  to one lucky commenter. 

 

 To enter, leave a comment telling us what time era and location you would travel to if you could.

 

Don't forget to leave a way to contact you (see the giveaway policy here)

 

The giveaway runs through midnight EST of Monday May 19th, 2011.

 

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The reviewer owns this ebook. The review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc.

Review of Those Who Fight Monsters, ed by Justin Gustainis

Authors ed, by Justin Gustainis; authors: C.T. Adams , Jackie Kessler,  Caitlin Kittredge, T.A. Pratt, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Cathy Clamp, Rachel Caine, Laura Anne Gilman, Chris Marie Green, Simon R. Green, C.J. Henderson, Tanya Huff, Julie Kenner      

Publisher: EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy

Release Date: April 12, 2011

More Info:  Amazon  

Book Blurb:

Got Vampires? Ghosts? Monsters? We Can help!

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives brings together popular characters from many Urban Fantasy paranormal investigative series, for your enjoyment.

Meet the Detectives:

Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.

Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.

John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.

Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.

Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.

Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.

Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.

Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.

Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.

Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.

Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.

Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.

Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.

Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.

Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go bump in the night, but we are the ones who bump back!

My Thoughts:

So, this is the first anthology I've ever reviewed. I spent some time thinking about how I should do it. I hope the format that I came up with will work for you all. If not, let me so I can do it differently if I review any more anthologies.

I'm going to take a quick look at whether the stories as a whole met the title and the theme of the book, then I'll do a quick run-down of each story (there are 14). I'll quote a line that I really enjoyed, state if I liked it and whether or not it left me wanting to go and read more in that series or by that author, also whether it works as a stand-alone or if you need to be current on the books before reading.

The collection features 14 sleuths, some traditional, some not, in original tales of unusual cases involving vampires, demons, succubi, and other supernatural critters. Gustainis, the editor, defines occult detectives broadly by his own admission - "to include any fictional character who contends regularly with the  supernatural." That broad definition allows for a wide range of detectives, supernatural beings and occurrences and mysteries. The stories all fit well in the given range. The authors are all well known to moderately well known in the urban fantasy field; some I had read before, many were new for me.

 

As is true in most anthologies, there were a few favorites in the collection:  Simon R. Green's "The Spirit of the Thing," was one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, and didn't go in the direction that I expected. Jackie Kessler's "Hell Bound" made me laugh and reminded me that I need to catch up on that series (I'm several books behind).

1. "Little Better Than A Beast" by T.A.Pratt - quote: "She considered reprimanding him for not bringing the letter on time, but it would be like hitting a puppy fifteen minutes after it pissed on the carpet -the poor thing wouldn't even understand what it was being disciplined for." An ok story, it didn't leave me wanting to go find more in the series; it works as a stand alone but is probably better appreciated if familiar with the Marla Mason series.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman - quote: "My father's species wasn't much for sunlight, except maybe to nap in while recovering from their hangovers, and I'm willing to admit I'd inherited significant night-owl tendencies." A reminder that the fae have a dark side; it works as a stand alone but if I didn't already read the Cosa Nostradamus it probably wouldn't lure me in. It does focus on a secondary character from the books and gives him a chance to shine.
3. "The Demon You Know..." by Julie Kenner - quote: "There are a lot of things that make moms nervous. The first time you leave your baby with a sitter. The first day of kindergarten. And, of course, the first time your daughter battles a demon right in her own backyard." I suggest reading one of the books first, it's a bit confusing otherwise. I had read the first book when it was released and found it self-consciously cute. Judging by this story, Kenner has gotten past that and I may try the books again.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R Green - quote: "I didn't pay her much attention at first, except to wonder what someone so normal-looking was doing in dive like this...and then she walked right through the table next to me and the people sitting around it." As I mentioned above, it's a very good ghost story, with a touch of humor, and it serves as good introduction to the Nightside series while working very well as a stand-alone story.
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow - quote: "Even if your heart is breaking, you've got to get the job done." I confess, I'm not a fan of Saintcrow's writing, it just doesn't do it for me and this story was no exception. I just couldn't care what happened to the characters, and if you aren't familiar with the Jill Kismet series, this story is very confusing. I won't be picking up the books.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn - quote: "Hardin imagined trying to explain this to the captain. She managed to get the werewolves pushed through and on record, but this was so much weirder." Part of the Kitty Norville series, it's not bad as a stand alone but is so-so as an introduction to the series. Again, if I didn't already read the books, this wouldn't have had me rushing out to buy them. That said, I loved that Vaughn used a non-European supernatural creature, it was a pleasant change from the standard European and American traditions.    
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis (also the anthology editor) - quote: "...bargaining away your soul to a minion of Hell has become a ...a cultural trope that has no basis in actual practice. Sort of like the Easter Bunny, but a lot more sinister." A fresh, funny but not over the top take on the Faust story; very good as a stand-alone and as an intro to the Quincey Morris books. I definitely want to read more. 
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff - quote: "She's terrified she's going to be charged with murder." "Death by hand job?" I loved Tony in the Victoria Nelson books but was disappointed in Tony's spin off series. This short story though, I enjoyed. Tony shone as a character but it had more of the flavor of the Vicki Neslon stories. Sorry, Henry is not in the story and neither is Vicki. This is another ghost story and like Green's story it's an update of an old one. Not bad as a stand alone but it might be confusing if you are unfamiliar with Tony's books, the Smoke and Shadows series.
9. "Soul Stain" by Chris Marie Green - quote: "So we took care of her, dressed her in her favorite outfits, fed her, adored her." This was very confusing. I haven't read any of the other books in the Vampire Babylon series and there was a lot that I was missing. Green has a different take on vampires and ghosts and I didn't see the ending coming. But, read after reading the books for maximum enjoyment and minimal confusion.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Kaitlin Kittredge - quote: "He had pupiless eyes, silver. Beautiful, if you were into that Tolkien bullshit. Or Shark Week." Smart, funny, and another reminder that the fae are Other, with a nice little mystery. Part of the Black London series, I intend to find and read them; a good stand alone. 
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp - quote: "She should have an aura, but didn't. No scent, no magic aura, but a shifter? That was just wrong on so many levels." Tony is my favorite from the Sazi books so I was excited that he had a story but when I read it, it didn't feel like Tony. He seemed different, calmer, milder, not Tony. It works as a stand alone but might be confusing. I'm behind on this series too and several scenes had me going, "What? when did that happen?"    
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler - quote: "Noel actually talked to me and not to my chest. Hmm. To fix that, I took a deep breath. Yep, there we go-now he was staring at my twin assets. Much better." Funny, smart and when I thought I knew where Kessler was going with the story, she threw me a curve ball. Works well as a stand alone and intro to the Hell on Earth series but might be slightly confusing.
13. Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson = quote: "New Age grasping at straws. Superstition. Nonsense." A modern day tale of demonic possession, it reads a bit like a journal article but not on purpose. It's dry but Henderson deftly mixes various religious and mythological traditions with modern day tragedy; not bad as a stand alone, I doubt if it will inspire many readers to seek out more of the Piers Knight books.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine - quote: " 'I really love you right now," he said and then thought about it for a second. 'Evil bitch.' " Funny, sassy, typical Caine writing, this works well as a stand alone with only mild confusion. This is from her Outcast series, which is a spinoff from the Weather Wardens series. It was fun and will likely inspire new readers to seek out the books.

This book was received was from the editor for review. The review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc.