Monthly Archives: October 2012

Caridad Pineiro-Guest Post and Giveaway

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CARIDAD PINEIRO-Guest Post and Giveaway with the Author

KISSED BY A VAMPIRE Blog Tour

As a writer you always wonder what you can do to make yourself a better writer? Or what mistakes you’ve made in your writing life?

My first mistake, I think, was not starting my writing career earlier. Well, correct that. I wrote my first book in the fifth grade, but I really didn’t devote myself to getting published until after my daughter was born many many many years later.

Why did I decide to do it then? Well, it was a case of deciding to finally follow a lifelong dream and show my daughter that you should never be afraid to chase your dreams.

I did follow my dream then and it took nearly seven years for me to get the call. It is a day I will never forget and the years since then have been a rollercoaster ride for me as an author, but that’s not unusual.

Ask most authors and they will tell you just how uncertain a career it is. You can have talent and yet not have your books sell. You can have a great idea that your editor just can’t get the powers-to-be to acquire.

Despite that, you keep on writing. Why? Because you can’t stop reaching for your dreams.

THE CALLING/REBORN vampire novels is a series of my heart that I had to battle to get published. When I was trying to sell the first book in the series, no one wanted vampire stories. All I heard was that no one was reading vampire stories. LOL! How times have changed

But I stuck to it and THE CALLING/REBORN vampire series now has many novels, including my latest release, KISSED BY A VAMPIRE. It’s been wonderful to be able to tell these paranormal romantic suspense stories.

I particularly love KISSED BY A VAMPIRE because the heroine is such an outrageous, tortured and complex character. Stacia is a 2000 year old vampire who is not only tired of eternal life, but believes that it’s impossible for her to find love. For too long she’s settled for second best. That is until sexy DEA Agent Alex Garcia comes into the picture.

Alex is honorable, handsome and too sexy. Stacia thinks he’s too good to be believed, but as they are tossed together time and again as Alex tries to find the missing daughter of a colleague, Stacia realizes that he really is as good as he seems.

That goodness and honor call to her and for the first time in hundreds of years, Stacia imagines that love might just be possible.

I hope you’ll take a moment to check out KISSED BY A VAMPIRE and share in my dream and a series of my heart.

Click HERE for our review of KISSED BY A VAMPIRE

Kissed by a Vampire
by Caridad Pineiro
October 16, 2012
Harlequin Nocturne

 

A vampire who has given up on love gets a second chance from a most unlikely mortal…

For two thousand years, vampire elder Stacia has roamed on her own, haunted by the betrayal that turned her into a creature of the night. Her nights looming empty and eternal, Stacia longs for love, but settles for quick bites and sinful pleasures in South Beach. Until she comes face-to-face with the unforgettable DEA agent she once brought back from the brink of death.

Alex Garcia knows that demons exist-the real kind, the kind that are kidnapping women and selling them into slavery. Finding those victims is his focus-not a beautiful seductress whose otherworldly abilities can’t possibly be real. But when Stacia summons all her powers to prove what she really is, Alex will summon all his to believe in the vampire’s kiss….

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

 

Caridad is offering a copy of THE CLAIMED (release May 2012) and some SWAG to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1. To be eligible, you must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of our social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please leave your email address, as Twitter etc does not allow for an email address contact.

3. Contest open INTERNATIONALLY

4. Contest closes October 22, 2012

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

KISSED BY A VAMPIRE BLOG TOUR

10/06/12 – All Thing Books

10/07/12 – Literal Addiction

10/08/12 – Books-n-Kisses

10/09/12 – United by Books

10/10/12 – Encounters With The Night Kind

10/11/12 – The Hispanic Reader

10/12/12 – Sizzling Hot Books

10/13/12 – Grave Tells

10/14/12 – The Jeep Diva

10/15/12 – The Reading Cafe

10/16/12 – Book Lovin’ Mama

10/17/12 – Riverina Romantics

10/18/12 – Romancing The Book

10/19/12 – All The Fun Start After Dark

10/20/12 – Ramblings From This Chick

10/21/12 – Book Monster

 

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KISSED BY A VAMPIRE by Caridad Pineiro-a review

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KISSED BY A VAMPIRE by Caridad Pineiro-a review

KISSED BY A VAMPIRE by Caridad Pineiro (release October 16, 2012)

BOOK BLURB: For two thousand years, vampire elder Stacia has roamed on her own, haunted by the betrayal that turned her into a creature of the night. Her nights looming empty and eternal, Stacia longs for love, but settles for quick bites and sinful pleasures in South Beach. Until she comes face-to-face with the unforgettable DEA agent she once brought back from the brink of death.

Alex Garcia knows that demons exist—the real kind, the kind that are kidnapping women and selling them into slavery. Finding those victims is his focus—not a beautiful seductress whose otherworldly abilities can’t possibly be real. But when Stacia summons all her powers to prove what she really is, Alex will summon all his to believe in the vampire’s kiss.

~~~~~~~

Alex (Alejandro) Garcia knew death intimately. As a DEA agent he had faced the scenario on many occasions including the time he lost his ex-lover in a failed mission tying to prevent a terrorist attack in New York City. But Diana is still ‘alive’ with her vampire mate and Alex believes that those demons continue to haunt his nightmares. With his recent move to Miami, Alex is hoping to get back in the saddle, but his commander and the psychologist may have another thing to say. Still on leave, Alex will find himself enmeshed in the seedy underworld of white slavery when his friend calls in a favor. And the ‘demon’ from his dreams will figure prominently in his nightly stakeouts where he hopes to find a missing girl. Only this demon is a vampire and the one that saved his life.

Stacia is an ancient vampire. With her powers stronger than most, Stacia continues to lament her lonely existence. After suffering years of abuse at the hands of the man who turned her, Stacia believes that love has long passed her by. But stranger things have happened, and finding Alex Garcia in the same bar where she was trolling for food, clicked something inside Stacia that she had long thought died.

Their connection is immediate. Both realize the unnatural pull between them, but it was Stacia who feared that once Alex realized who she was, she would once again find herself alone and unloved. To ensure that she would never be hurt again, Stacia sabotages her relationship with Alex at every opportunity. But when Alex is closing in on the people involved with the missing women and girls, Stacia knows there is only one thing she can do, and that is to help the man with whom she has fallen in love.

KISSED BY THE VAMPIRE is a wonderful and emotional storyline of suspense and romance. Betrayal by someone you love is one of the hardest things to overcome, and it is no different in the world for an ancient vampire who believed that loved had passed her by. And to be accepted for the person you are, is one of the most surreal events in a long and lonely existence. Caridad writes an amazing story where the HEA is well deserved for everyone involved.

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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THE MIDNIGHT COURT (House of Arkhangel’sk #2) by Jane Kindred-a review

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THE MIDNIGHT COURT (House of Arkhangel’sk #2) by Jane Kindred- a review

THE MIDNIGHT COURT is the second storyline (August 2012 release) in Jane Kindred’s House of Arkhangel’sk. The storyline, once again, facilitates between first person POV through a series of memoirs and third person accounting of what happens when Anazakia is not involved. The novel begins several months after the exiled Grand Duchess Anazakia and her demon companions are rescued from the self-proclaimed- Queen of Heaven-Aeval’s dungeons. We continue to travel between Heaven and Earth, and the many different realms in between. The world of the Unseen will play a major role in Anazakia’s hunt for her daughter, but the fae are not considered a friend by everyone who is witness to their aid. But it is Queen Aeval’s hunger for a pure Heaven that will place everyone in the world of Man under her control.

As the only surviving member of the House of Arkhangel’sk, Anazakia is now considered an enemy of the state, as the new Queen has declared her a murderer and charged her with treason. But word spreads of another royal heir, Anazakia and Vasily’s daughter, and Ola is now the target of the mad Queen’s rage. While their small family is slowly beginning to rebuild, they will soon be embroiled in a hunt to chase down the people responsible for the abduction of their 14 month old daughter- but-there is more than one faction of in the Houses of Heaven looking for the rightful heir to the throne- and each one wants the child for a different reason.

The storyline reads like a political history lesson from revolutionary Russia in the times before it became the USSR. Insane monks, long cold winters, even longer train rides and horse drawn carriages: Social Liberation Party vs the Ruling House of Arkhangels’ka are blended with a futuristic storyline in the Urban Fantasy vein. Intrigue, self-proclaimed rulers, missing and imprisoned citizens, and slavery with the addition of elementals, magic, fae, mage, angels, demons and power all add to the mix when Anazakia and her friends willingly risk their lives to recover the missing child.

As the months pass, the animosity between the remaining family members begins to affect the mental health of everyone concerned. Blame is placed for the loss of a child, the loss of companionship, the loss of a relationship and the loss of love. The trio, as committed as they are to finding young Ola, is enmeshed in a triangle where everyone is suffering because of sins of the past. Belphagor and Vasily’s relationship appears to be beyond repair, yet their love for Ola is the one constant in their lives. Jealousy between lovers will be blamed when Ola is abducted. And Anazakia will endeavor, by herself, to find her only daughter when sorrow and pain threaten to tear the family further apart. But Anazakia, Vasily and Belphagor will be reunited again and again, as their paths cross looking for the child who unites them together.

We are witness to prejudice and confinement, abuse and rape, graphic violence and death, in a regime ruled by tyranny, threats and control all wrapped up in a cold Siberian winter. Citizens are labeled, imprisoned and anyone supporting the Grand Duchess Anazakia will be sentenced to die.

A few surprises will reveal when Vasily discovers his true heritage and Anazakia’s refusal to let go of the past will put everyone in harm’s way.

This is a story about a political nightmare and the murderous dealings to ascend to the throne in the Royal House of Arkhangel’sk. Anazakia must fight for what is rightfully hers but when her child becomes a pawn in a political war, her only concern is for the welfare of said child.

THE MIDNIGHT COURT is an amazingly detailed novel. The love between Vasily, Belphagor and Anazakia is so pure and yet so different. By the end of the book I was tired. There is so much energy required to read the fascinating and varied portions of the storyline. I found myself pulled into the battles, the tears and the betrayal. At any one time you never knew who would betray whom in the fight for the throne. And in the end, the rightful Queen of Heaven knows whom she needs at her side to help her find the daughter she loves and claim the House of Arkhangel’sk once again.

And please-get a new cover. The Fallen Queen had an amazing cover, but The Midnight Court doesn’t pay homage to the men in the storyline. Sam Bond’s fake dreads detract the reader. It is not a good representation.

Reading Order
1. The Fallen Queen
2. The Midnight Court

Click HERE for our review of Book #1- THE FALLEN QUEEN

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / B&N Nook and Paper books / KOBO / The Book Depository / Books a Million /

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

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An Interview with Katie MacAlister

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An Interview with Katie MacAlister

The Reading Cafe is happy to have the fantastic Katie MacAlister as our guest today.

Katie just released A Tale of Two Vampires in September. Our review of A Tale of Two Vampires is just below this interview.

Katie is here to talk to us about her latest book, as well as telling us a bit about herself.

Let’s meet Katie

 

Hi Katie.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today.  We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you have a favorite time, or place to work? What is the most difficult process in creating your stories?

Katie: I’m a morning person, so I always write in the morning. Usually I stagger in to the computer around 8 or 9 am, and then immediately proceed to procrastinate for as long as I can get away with it. Having dogs helps with that. Also having people doing things around the house—assistant, house cleaner, handyman dude who is always wandering around fixing things—helps keep me distracted, but inevitably, I have to sit down and write. I write for about four hours,  then move on to other things related to writing, such as promotional work, chatting with readers on Facebook and Twitter, pulling contest entries, making book videos, and on and on.

There’s little about the process that isn’t difficult, because I really want readers to enjoy what I’m doing. So I’m constantly aware that my characters need to be funny, sexy, and easy to relate to. But on the whole, writing the first draft is the hardest part. Once that’s done, I’m a happy little camper in the land of editing—I love to edit. It’s my chance to take the bare bones story and polish it up until it’s full of goodness.

TRC: Can you please tell our readers who are new to your Dark Ones series, the premise of this series?

Katie: My vampires are a bit different than others—they are called Dark Ones, have a female who is their other half (and has the power to redeem the vamp’s soul), and they all have a good sense of humor. Even if sometimes it’s a grumpy sense of humor (I’m looking at you, Adrian).

TRC: The Dark Ones is the 10th book of this series with your new release “Tale of Two Vampires”. How many books do you plan for this series?

Katie: I don’t have an end planned for the series. Every year I step back and consider whether readers are still enjoying the books, and still asking for more. Thus far, the answers are still yes, so I’m still writing them.

TRC: Can you please tell us the premise of Tale of Two Vampires?

Katie: The official blurb says it much better than I can:

Time isn’t always on a vampire’s side…

Iolanthe Tennyson has had a very bad year—due in part to the very bad men in her life. So, she’s accepted her cousin’s invitation to spend the summer in Austria indulging in her photography hobby. There, rumors of a haunted forest draw Iolanthe into the dark woods—and into the eighteenth century…

Nikola Czerny is a cursed man, forced by his half-brothers to live forever as a Dark One. But his miserable existence takes an intriguing turn when a strange, babbling woman is thrown in his path. Iolanthe claims to know Nikola’s daughter—three hundred years in the future. She also knows what fate—in the form of his murderous half-brothers—has in store for him. If only she knew the consequences of changing the past to save one good, impossibly sexy vampire…

TRC: You write in many different genres, such as paranormal (vampires, dragons), contemporary romance, historical romance, and YA.  Do you have a favorite, if so why?

Katie: Really, all of them are favorites. I learned early on that writing something I didn’t love was not only painful to write, it was worse to read. So henceforth, I make sure that I really love the book before I start writing it. And that goes for genres—I love my dragons, but I also love the vamps, the contemps, and so on.  Sometimes I get in the mood to write one over the other—that happened a couple of years ago when I suddenly decided I HAD to write a contemporary—but for the most part, I love all the genres equally.

TRC: Also how are you able to jump between paranormal(vampires & dragons) and historical, as you have been doing? When doing your research, is one genre more difficult then others?

Katie: I love, love, love research, so none of that is difficult. In fact, the more research I have to do, the happier I am (hey, any excuse to buy research books is good with me). As a rule, though, the historicals take more research because they are based on a real time, and I try to keep the anachronisms to a minimum. The paranormals are much more easy to research because I do much of the world building on my own, pausing to dip into various mythologies now and again if I need something special.

TRC: Is there any other genre you are interested in writing, or would you like to return to YA again?

Katie: The YAs where a blast to write, and I don’t think I’d have an issue tapping into my inner-sixteen-year-old again, but right now, my time is better spent writing adult books. That doesn’t mean I won’t go back to YAs someday—I just need the write story to tempt me into it.

TRC: What are you currently working on?

Katie: Right now I’m editing the first book in a new paranormal series. The book is very, very late due to my husband’s death this summer, and my publisher has been wonderful about letting me have extra time to get back into the swing of writing. Once I’m done with the editing on that, I’ll be diving into the sequel. And after that…I’m not sure if I’ll write a vampire book, a dragon book, or something else. That’s just too far ahead for my brain to consider.


LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pizza. No, salt and vinegar chips. Wait…milk chocolate. Orange milk chocolate. Um. Homemade spaghetti. Crap. I can’t pick. There’s so many yummy things!

Favorite Movie: Right now my favorite movie is the Rifftraxed version of a truly horrendous movie called Birdemic. The guys at Rifftrax—they used to be Mystery Science Theater 3000—did a commentary track for Birdemic that literally made me cry I was laughing so hard. And when I watched it with some friends earlier this year, they loved it so much that now we randomly quote lines from it. I highly recommend the Rifftrax version, and will even gladly plug it: http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/birdemic

Favorite TV Show: Chopped. I love cooking competition shows, and Chopped makes me very happy because it stumps chefs with bizarre food combinations.

Favorite Author: Agatha Christie. You can’t go wrong with one of her books.

Last book that you read: The last book I finished was Eton: A Dame’s Story (yeah, I have odd taste). The books I’m reading right now include an 1871 bound volume of the Illustrated London News, Edward and Alexandra, A Short History of England, and the Visual Guide to Lock picking.

Favorite Character from books you have read: I’ve spent ten minutes trying to pin down just one character, and I every time I think I have one, I think of someone else. So I’m just going to go with a couple of my favorites because yes, I am that wishy-washy. In the romance world, one of my favorite characters is Adam from Roberta Gellis’s Fire Song. In the mystery world, I love Detective O’Yee from William Marshall’s Yellowthread Street series. In fantasy, gotta be Barry Hughart’s Number Ten Ox. And in children’s literature—the Lewis Carroll’s White Knight.

TRC: Thank you, Katie for answering our questions. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with you again in the future.

Katie: Thanks so much for having me at The Reading Café! I much appreciate you including me.

If you would like to learn more about Katie, you can visit her at the following links:

Website: http://katiemacalister.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:

 

Katie has graciously offered to give four members of The Reading Cafe a $25 gift certificate for her favorite shop, Loomingmoon on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/loomingmoon. 

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and say hi to Katie.

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. & Canada Only

5.  Contest runs from October 14th – 17th.


.

 

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A Tale of Two Vampires by Katie MacAlister – a Review

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A Tale of Two Vampires by Katie MacAlister – a Review

A TALE OF TWO VAMPIRES is the latest installment to Katie MacAlister’s Dark Ones series.  I can often gauge a work of literature by it’s opening sentence.  In this book it is, “Nipple tattoo, madame?”.  SAY WHAT?!?!?  This novel might not be a literary masterpiece, but it is a rollercoaster of giggles, chortles and even some guffaws.  In other words, it is a lighthearted and fun read. 
 
We open with Iolanthe, or Io for short, visiting her cousin Gretl in Austria.  She has had a very bad year, full of “bad men” and she is taking the summer off!  She immediately meets some of our main characters in the story and decides to indulge herself, by taking photographs in the “haunted forest” outside of town.  She confronts a swirly sort of light thingy in the forest and sticks her hand inside and the next thing you know, she is swallowed up in an inky abyss.  I love some of Io’s expressions, she is full of them!  “Holy bizarre-o-rama, Batman” is her first thought as she regains consciousness.  Luckily for Io, the Lord of the Manor discovers her in a clearing.  Given her state of undress, the old stablemaster with him identifies her as “a proper hoor”, or prostitute.  Poor Io!!  She has somehow gone back in time, about three hundred years in fact!  They are baffled by this strange woman and she doesn’t have a clue what is going on!  Nikola is the Lord of the Manor and he is also the father of characters Io meets in present day Austria.  Their introduction is a comedy of errors.  “Io?  Your name has no consonants”.  “Nicole?  I thought that was a girl’s name”? It takes Io SO long to figure out that she has not landed in a weird religious cult, but that she has gone back in time.  Nikola takes it more in stride, because he is a Dark One, a Moravian Vampire.  He knows that Io is someone special to him, because she is his Beloved.  The woman who can redeem his soul. 
 
Io knows that Nikola is killed by his half brothers in the past, so she wants to prevent that from happening.  Also, she misses toilet paper, underwear and hairdryers, well…basically everything!!  So, Nikola and Io return to the swirly light thingy and presto they are back in the present.  Nikola handles the change better than Io did, because he is a scientist and he is fascinated with everything.  The only problem Nikola seems to have is the zipper that *coughs* got caught on an important body part!  He has his trusty notebook in hand and he documents all of Io’s expressions and new technology that he experiences.  Io is not easy to be around, she only speaks in slang and quirky one liners!  She keeps on promising him a lesson on colloquial chat!  Nikola learns to cherish Io as much as he “cherishes the silk undergarments that made wearing tight breeches extremely comfortable”. One of the funniest scenes in the book is when they try to have shower sex!  It is one of the best written parts of the book, because it shows how awkward the experience really can be!  I love when Nikola says, “The creation of the bikini aside, I must question the sanity of your times, Io”. 
 
Nikola and Io meet his children in the present, but they are not happy to see him, because “old father” has done some horrible things.  Plus, they had stowaways that came to the future with them!  Killers might have returned with them, or as Io would say, “Holy hairy pickles, Batman, your murderous half brothers are running around the present!”  Nikola’s son and daughter, who were featured in earlier Dark One novels, must learn to forgive their father.  They all need to work together to combat the enemy.  find the stowaways, rescue a kidnapped shapeshifter and kill evil lichens.  Poor Nikola! The future starts to baffle him when he finds out that a Viking ghost wants to marry his daughter and his son is joined with a young woman who can’t touch anything without picking up the object’s memories. BTW, Io is a “time weaver”.  She just doesn’t know what she is doing! This novel is full of such “bizarro” situations!  
 
The Beloved of a Dark One must pass 7 steps to redeem the soul of her man.  Nikola is willing to stay in the future with Io, but Io knows that he needs to return to his own time.  Will Io be able to make this great sacrifice for Nikola and finish their joining?  Give up technology, toilet paper, modern day underwear?  Io returns with Nikola, but brings along her laptop, TP, pink hairdryer and a bag of silk boxers for Nikola!  The question is, will they stay in the past?,…. only Katie MacAlister knows for sure!! 
 
A Tale of Two Vampires was a fast and fun read, just don’t take anything too seriously! This novel is for entertainment purposes only!!  ENJOY!!!

 
Reviewed by Jules

Copy supplied by publisher.

 

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Katie MacAlister – Biography/Bibliography

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Katie MacAlister – Biography/Bibliography

Biography
For as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn’t think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books later, her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and are regulars on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.

Bibliography – Katie MacAlister

The Dark Ones
A GIRL’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 1 Love Spell (Oct 2003)

SEX AND THE SINGLE VAMPIRE Dark Ones, Book 2 Leisure Books (May 26, 2009)

SEX, LIES AND VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 3Leisure Books (Jan 2005

EVEN VAMPIRES GET THE BLUES Dark Ones, Book 4 Signet (May 2, 2006)

JUST ONE SIP Dark Ones, part of the series Love Spell (Oct 3, 2006)

THE LAST OF THE RED-HOT VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 5 Signet (April 3, 2007)

MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL HONEYMOON Dark Ones, part of the series St. Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

ZEN AND THE ART OF VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 6 Signet (Dec 2, 2008)

CROUCHING VAMPIRE, HIDDEN FANG Dark Ones, Book 7 Signet (May 5, 2009)

CUPID CATS Dark Ones, part of the series Signet (Jul 6, 2010)

IN THE COMPANY OF VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 8 Signet (Nov 2, 2010)

CONFESSIONS OF A VAMPIRE’S GIRLFRIEND Dark Ones, part of the series YOUNG ADULT NAL (Nov 2, 2010)

MUCH ADO ABOUT VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 9 Signet (Oct. 2011)

A TALE OF TWO VAMPIRES Dark Ones, Book 10 Signet (Sept.. 2012)

THE UNDEAD IN MY BED Dark Ones, part of the series Signet (Oct. 2012)

Steampunk Romance
STEAMED Signet (Feb 2, 2010)

Light Dragons
LOVE IN THE TIME OF DRAGONS Light Dragons, Book 1 Signet (May 4, 2010)

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF DRAGONS Light Dragons, Book 2 Signet (May 4, 2011)

SPARKS FLY Light Dragons, Book 3 Signet (May 4, 2012)

Silver Dragons
PLAYING WITH FIRE Silver Dragons, Book 1 Signet (May 6, 2008)

UP IN SMOKE Silver Dragons, Book 2 Signet (Oct 7, 2008)

ME AND MY SHADOW Silver Dragons, Book 3 Signet (Nov 3, 2009)

Nobles Series (Historicals)
NOBLE INTENTIONS Nobles Series, Book 1 Leisure Books (Feb 2002)

NOBLE DESTINY Nobles Series, Book 2 Leisure Books (May 2003)

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY Nobles Series, Book 3 Leisure Books (May 30, 2004)

Contemporary Single Titles
BLOW ME DOWN Signet (Nov 1, 2005)

A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT Signet Eclipse (Jan 4, 2005)

THE CORSET DIARIES Onyx (May 4, 2004)

MEN IN KILTS Onyx (Oct 7, 2003)

HEAT WAVE Love Spell (Jun 2003)

IMPROPER ENGLISH Leisure Books (Mar 2003)

IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME Signet (Dec. 2011)

Paranormal Single Titles
MY ZOMBIE VALENTINE Leisure Books (Dec 29, 2009)

AIN’T MYTH BEHAVING Pocket Star (Sep 25, 2007)

Aisling Grey
YOU SLAY ME Aisling Grey, Book 1 Onyx (Sep 7, 2004)

FIRE ME UP Aisling Grey, Book 2 Signet (May 3, 2005)

LIGHT MY FIRE Aisling Grey, Book 3 Signet (Nov 7, 2006)

HOLY SMOKES Aisling Grey, Book 4 Signet (Nov 6, 2007)

DEATH’S EXCELLENT VACATION Aisling Grey, part of the series Ace (Aug 3, 2010)

Mysteries / writing as Kate Marsh
GHOST OF A CHANCE Signet (Feb 5, 2008)

Young Adult / Writing as Katie Maxwell
CONFESSIONS OF A VAMPIRE’S GIRLFRIEND Dark Ones, part of the series NAL (Nov 2, 2010)
EYELINER OF THE GODS Smooch (Jul 2004)

Emily Series
THE YEAR MY LIFE WENT DOWN THE LOO Emily Series, Book 1 Leisure Books (Sep 2003)

THEY WEAR WHAT UNDER THEIR KILTS Emily Series, Book 2 Leisure Books (Jan 2004)

WHAT’S FRENCH FOR “EW”? Emily Series, Book 3 Smooch (May 2004)

THE TAMING OF THE DRU Emily Series, Book 4 Smooch (Sep 2004

LIFE, LOVE AND THE PURSUIT OF HOTTIES Emily Series, Book 5 Smooch (May 2006)

 

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Death Magic (World of the Lupi #8 ) by Eileen Wilks – a review

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DEATH MAGIC ( World of the Lupi #8) by Eileen Wilks

DEATH MAGIC is the 8th full length novel (November 2011)  in Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series. Eileen’s series primarily focuses on the Nokolai Lupi Clan Prince Rule Turner and his Gifted mate Lily Wu.  Lily is an agent with the FBI and a touch sensitive with the ability to absorb magic.  The World of the Lupi series visits a vast number of Gifted paranormal characters ‘of The Blood’ including elementals, witches, brownies, sorcerers, gnomes, elves, dragons, wolves and a 3,000 year war between the Lupi and The Great Bitch or Old One.  There is an FBI Magical Crimes Division as well as various other government divisions including Unit 12, all working to keep the Human’s First hate group from obliterating the Gifted. The Gifted, those with magic, supernatural species and those consider ‘of the Blood’ were targeted by the Human’s First league and the Great Bitch was using a Gifted as her agent on the earth realm. Death Magic focuses on the use of death magic in rituals to kill and hunt The Gifted.

There are several storylines that merge together at varying points in the novel.  Lily is the current caretaker of the Lupi Mantle-a Mantle that holds the power of the Lupi- but the Mantle is causing some side effects in Lily that will force her to reconsider many of her choices. And a new vessel must be found soon before the Mantle further injures or kills its’ current host.

Meanwhile a series of ghost sightings put The Gifted on alert and a secret Unit, working outside the law and without the knowledge of the government, has formed to stop the Old One from establishing her rule and worship in this realm.

The Humans First Organization is a hate group that despises those with magic or ‘of the Blood’. A series of murder investigations will find that a doppleganger has emerged in the war against those ‘of the Blood’, and all too soon, the dragons and the Rheje will leave without explanation. With the impending Humans First rally in DC, the war looked to be gathering steam. But the group of friends would soon discover that the rallies would take place all over the USA.

There is a murdered senator, missing FBI agents, corrupt investigators, nuclear warhead and finger pointing.  A firebomb will find two friends injured while researching for information about the use of death magic and the Earth elementals will be called to a rally where their power will be used against those of the Blood. But the biggest discovery will be who and what will be sacrificed in a death magic blood ritual needed to build a powerful weapon against the Blood. 

DEATH MAGIC is a very intense and very detailed storyline. Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi is the continuing saga of discrimination, prejudism and hatred directed at those gifted with the power of magic and supernatural abilities.  If you are new to the series, I would highly recommend reading from the start, otherwise you will get lost in the copious quantity of detail and number of characters and beings. Death Magic is another amazing instalment in The World of the Lupi

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Paper Books
Amazon Kindle
B&N Books and Nook
The Book Depository
KOBO

READING ORDER
1.  Only Human (Lover Beware Anthology)
2.  Tempting Danger
3.  Originally Human (novella)
4.  Mortal Danger
5.  Blood Lines
6.  Inhuman (novella)
7.  Night Season
8.  Cyncerely Yours
9.  Mortal Sins
10. Human Nature (Inked Anthology)
11. Blood Magic
12. Blood Challenge
13. Death Magic
14. Human Error (Tied with a Bow Anthology)
15. Mortal Ties (October 2012)

 Reviewed by Sandy

 

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Originally Human by Eileen Wilks-a review

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ORIGINALLY HUMAN  (Lupi novella) by Eileen Wilks

SPOILER ALERT

ORIGINALLY HUMAN is the August 2012 re-release of a short story by Eileen Wilks  previously found in the anthology Cravings.  Part of Eileen’s Lupi series Originally Human focuses on Molly and Michael, and the magical world in which they both belong.

Molly Brown is a succubus.  Feeding of the sexual partners with whom she engages in sex she realizes it is time that she moved on.  But wandering around the RV park where she currently resides, she stumbles upon a badly injured and naked man. Knowing there was a node (a portal) nearby, she is well aware that he may not be fully human.  Soon her curiosity would get the better, when his wounds begin to heal.  With no name and no memory to recall, Molly will take the beautiful man into her care, hoping that her friend Erin, a wiccan, would be able to help heal and recover his past.

Michael, as he will soon be called, claims to have no memory of what precipitated his arrival into this realm.  And with the help of the two women, he slowly begins to unravel small bits and pieces of what happened.  But his overall demeanor begins to change when they realize that an ancient force may be at work trying to track him down.  Knowing that he is placing Molly in danger, Michael is willing to leave because every time he uses his power, a signal is sent through the node.

As a succubus, Molly needs to feed. It has been some time since she last fed and therefore is aging faster than her norm.  Michael’s attraction to Molly seems to go much deeper than appearances look.  And feeding Molly will bring her back to the age when she was first ‘turned’.  As their attraction towards one another grows, so does the need to discover what and who is Michael. But after a stellar evening of sex and feeding, they will find themselves surrounded by masked ‘ninja’ type warriors aiming to take Michael back where he belongs.  When panic ensues, Molly and Michael will find themselves back at the RV park in the same spot where Molly first discovered the injured man.  Michael’s powers appeared to be quickly returning.

Michael’s memories and his powers have yet to fully engage, and Molly is hoping that her friend Cullen will be able to bring forth what has been buried deep within.  But using magic was once outlawed and Cullen has taught himself the ways of sorcery. Sorcerers cannot be trusted, but Cullen is more than a man with magic-Cullen is also Lupi.  Michael is fully aware of Cullen’s powers and Cullen will bargain with Michael to learn to what extent the strength of his powers exceed.  But it is Cullen who will be surprised when he finds himself not remembering what or who asked for help.  Michael will confess to Molly about his identity and it will be the merging of both of their powers that will reveal Michael’s true purpose on this side of the realm.

ORIGINALLY HUMAN is a love story with a HEA.  Molly and Michael’s relationship starts as beneficial to both, but in the end, love will bring two lost souls together.  If one must remain under the radar, it is better to hide with someone by your side.

Links to Order
Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / KOBO

READING ORDER
1. Only Human (Lover Beware Anthology)
2. Tempting Danger
3. Originally Human (novella)
4. Mortal Danger
5. Blood Lines
6. Inhuman (novella)
7. Night Season
8. Cyncerely Yours
9. Mortal Sins
10. Human Nature (Inked Anthology)
11. Blood Magic
12. Blood Challenge
13. Death Magic
14. Human Error (Tied with a Bow Anthology)
15. Mortal Ties

 Reviewed by Sandy

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