Release Day Review of Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

Series: The Others #4
Publisher: Ace
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs…

The Kindness of Readers

I belong to several author street teams and a couple of author fan groups on FB. Author street teams get a bad rap, and there are some that are quite horrendous in their behavior, but I researched the groups before joining. And may I say that some of them are just freaking awesome?

One such street team is the Beast Claws, the team for urban fantasy author Faith Hunter. I've read all of her Jane Yellowrock books, via my library or via review copies from her publisher, so I have not needed help acquiring copies. She has another book releasing next month, and I have a review copy. Over the weekend, some members contacted the group admin and offered to donate copies to members who needed them. It wasn't long before more members stepped and there are now over 30 copies being offered, some to members in the US and some to members outside of the US. That just blows me away. Here's the current offering, as of 2 hours before I wrote this:

Just a quick note: I have 24 copies for American distribution. I have 6 available for those not stateside. And 2 copies for Canada. I'll be going through names tomorrow night. If you are from outside the US or in Canada (this sounds weird, but hey, it's me) please contact me. I have one person from redacted for privacy reasons.

Now, I don't know how many people are donating, but I do know some people are offering multiple copies. Way to go Claws! That's a street team I'm proud to be part of.

There's a fan group, not a street team, I belong to for romantic suspense and historical romance author Pamela Clare. Pamela's had about 3 or 4 books release since I joined, and with every release, members stepped and offered copies of the books to members who couldn't afford to those who couldn't afford to buy their own copy. The donating members were generous, offering Kindle books and print books, even to other countries. During the year I was not employed, I was the fortunate recipient of several of Pamela's books. Since I've been working full-time, I purchased some of her backlist and I look forward to offering copies of one of her books in the future.

Do you have any examples of fan groups or street teams who have done something generous or kind?

Cat Thursday: New Olympic Sport

 Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict.

A friend posted this on Facebook and tagged me. At first, I was upset with the human but then it became clear that the cat was having fun, silly critter. Goof and Claude hide when I start sweeping. :D

Excerpt & Giveaway: Freshman Year Freaks by J.A. Campbell

I have been waiting for this book for years. I loved the first two books in this trilogy and I'm both delighted and sad that the final book is out today. I pre-ordered it and now it's on my Kindle. :)  

Untold Press is proud to present Freshman Year Freaks, the third and FINAL book in The Clanless Series by J.A. Campbell. For more Untold Press books, visit our website at www.untoldpress.com. Learn all book related news first by signing up for our newsletter!

March Challenge Review Link Ups

WOOT! I'm actually posting on time this month. Don't get too used to it, lol. I'm such a procrastinator, plus if it's not on the calendar then it doesn't happen. I did finally remember to add it to the calendar so maybe, just maybe, I'll be on-time next month too.

So, this is the post where you link up all your reviews for March for Finishing the Series Reading Challenge, I Love Libraries, and I Love Picture Books. If you forget, no worry. You can add at any time until the end of the year.

Reread of a Fave Book: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Series: Mercy Thompson #3
Publisher: Ace
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: January 2, 2008 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her.

Cat Thursday: Ready For His Close-up!

 Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict. 

It looks like he's wearing a scarf but really his head is resting on the blanket that he likes to love on.

Short & Sweet: Bea Reviews Vincent by D.B. Reynolds

Series: Vampires in America #8
Publisher: ImaJinn Books
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: November 1, 2014
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge | Mount TBR Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Sinaloa, Mexico . . . haunting deserts, hot nights, and vampires, who’ve been there for hundreds of years, watching from the shadows, playing their games, manipulating humans, and surviving at any cost.

Vincent Kuxim, powerful and charismatic, was made vampire by an ambitious leader looking for soldiers to pave his way to the rule of all Mexico. But more than a century later, Vincent’s Sire is looking over his shoulder as Vincent closes in for the kill, ready to claim the title Lord of Mexico for himself.

Lana Arnold is a bounty hunter, smart, beautiful, and determined to chart her own future. So when the most powerful vampire lord in all of North America enlists her help in tracking down a very old and elusive bloodsucker, Lana sees nothing but opportunity. There’s only one catch. The client wants her to take Vincent—a vampire she neither knows nor trusts—along on her hunt. Then again, maybe it’s herself she doesn’t trust, because Vincent Kuxim is sex walking in a pair of tight black jeans.

Thrown together by circumstance, Vincent and Lana soon find themselves battling an evil they didn’t know existed in a fight that makes Vincent all the more determined to destroy his Sire, seize Mexico for himself . . . and keep Lana by his side forever.