Motor City Mage ~ Cindy Spencer Pape

Motor City Mage (Urban Arcana, #4) by Cindy Spencer Pape
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary;

As a cop who keeps paranormals in line, Des has a hard time trusting them. So why does he want the beautiful werewolf Lana more than his next breath? She's mouthy, flamboyant and distractingly sexy—not the type of woman for a reserved mage like him. Lana admires Des, but she can't be with someone who won't take her seriously, no matter how much she'd love to rip off his dress shirt.

When a dangerous new drug shows up in Detroit, Des must locate the source, and Lana is determined to help. But their plan goes awry, trapping them in a demon dimension. To return home, Lana and Des must flee through a series of unpredictable alternate realities, fighting enemies while trying to shut down the drug trade. But if they're going to survive, they'll have to rely on each other, even though getting closer will add fuel to a fire that's already burning out of control...

My thoughts...

Now I have to start off by saying I was at a slight disadvantage coming into this book. I received a copy of the book via Net Galley but had not read the first three in the series. Now don't get me wrong Motor City Mage does work well at a standalone. The only problem I had was that the first chapter had very little build up. After that initial chapter though I knew what was going on and the story flowed very well.

Apparently Des a Mage and Lana a werewolf have been "dealing" with each other for a few months before this story takes place. Now due to being at the right place at the wrong time Lana and Des are thrown together trying to stop a demon drug dealer. Working closely together Lana and Des can no longer deny their attraction to one another causing some heated love scenes!

Pape takes us into an amazing world of paranormal creatures living along side humans, who of course have no idea what is going on. This is exactly the way I like my urban fantasy, kind of a fractured fairy tale version. I really enjoyed the whole parallel world/dimension thing. I have to say if you enjoyed Kiss of the Vampire by Cynthia Garner you will probably enjoy this one as well. I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series though, you will probably enjoy it more that way :)

Check out Cindy Spencer Pape's blog for more info on all of her titles

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City of Fallen Angels ~ Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I know I said I wasn't going to read this, its been sitting on my shelf taunting me for to long... I have mixed emotions about City of Fallen Angels. Not because I didn't like it, because I did. Its more because it does not feel like a complete story. The problem with trilogies is that if the first two book end in cliffhangers it would be nice to have the whole set out in a short span of time. I'll get to what I am refering to in just a moment.

Lets start by talking about what is going on in the life of Clary and Jace. After saving the world from the evil Valentine things have gone back to normal for the Shadowhunters. Or at least as normal as it can be for a group of demon hunters. Clary and Jace are both back in New York as Clary begins her Shadowhunter training. She and Jace have had six weeks of quiet until Shadowhunters start turning up dead. To make matters worse someone in after Simon, other than the two girls he is dating. And Jace is becoming more and more distant. There is trouble brewing all over with Clary right in the middle, as usual.

As I said in the start of this review I did enjoy this book. Not as much as the first three, but I think after I read the whole trilogy everything will seem to fit better. My problem is that if this one is a cliffhanger than you know the next one will be. Which means I will be waiting till 2014 to find out what happens UGH!

Looking at this book as a stand alone its typical YA. There is some love drama, both with Clary and Jace as well as Simon. And there is a larger story line surrounding Simon. He is no longer a runner up character but a key player. This was a quick and easy read with just enough fighting to keep it interesting. The next installment is out in May and I will probably pick it up as soon as it come out.

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Movie Review : The Hunger Games * Spoilers*

Since the Hunger Games raked in an amazing $155 Million this weekend its pretty obvious that I am not the only person who dared the crowd to go see it. Let me start off by telling you it was worth the ticket price, no doubt about it. Coming from someone who just read the books last week I thought they did an amazing job. Of course there were some differences from the book, which I will talk about in a little bit. But even with theses changes the movie was amazing.


If you haven't read the first book or seen the movie yet I will give you a little summary of the story line. The story is set in the far away future where America is no more and has been replaced by a contry called Panem. Panem is divided into 12 districts (once 13) and a Capitol. Due to an uprising, 74 years before, each year all 12 Districts donate 1 girl and 1 boy between the ages of 12-18 for a televised fight to the death. Katniss volunteers as "Tribute" when her younger sisters name is drawn. Also picked as the male tribute from district 12 is Peeta a bakers son. What ensues is a fast paced fight for survival both in and out of the arena.

As Night Falls ~ S.M. Blooding

As Night Falls by S.M. Blooding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lets get started by saying this is most certainly and Adult only novel. There is a reason its labeled erotic romance, big time. Now before we get into the down and dirty so to speak let me give you the summary.

The world as we know it is over. In the land of the future nature has disappeared and people live off of synthetic substances. Even children are not born they are made in incubators. In this future things like vampires and non conformists don't exist. Everyone follows the laws, Order is the name of the day.
Now in walks Raven a vampire who was alive back in the day when people drove normal cars and had sex to make babies. He is trying to save not only his race but also all those human who wish to still live outside of the Presidents order. For some reason Becca seems to be the key to saving everyone, or helping the President end all of their hopes and its up to Raven to sway her his way. Now Raven uses his sensuality to win Becca over, and over, and over...

If you were to remove the adult content this would be an intense political roller coaster, complete with conspiracy theories and tyrannical governments. The core of the story is very good, it makes you wonder about all those things in life you take for granted because you have been told they are true. Much like everyone believing the world was flat all those years ago. I will warn you there are some intense sexual scenes in here. S.M. Blooding did not hold back leading to some pretty steamy paragraphs. You should probably not read this one while sitting next to your kids! I was lucky enough to score and interview with S.M. Blooding so don't forget to check it out and get the inside scoop on As Night Falls.



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Author Interview with S.M. Blooding

Wolf Majick Reviews would like to welcome author S.M. Blooding as she stops by to talk about her novel

As Night Falls

Delia: What made you set your story so far into the future?

S.M Blooding: I did a lot of research. The crazy kind - of prophecies and theories and geological studies. The thing that got me really thinking about this, however, was when I was working with a scientist who had a grant with NOAA/NASA. He was studying the carbon levels in the atmospheres. I thought he was studying the effects of greenhouse gas and their affects on the earth, but no. He was trying to determine how the earth was affecting us. He theorized that we were helping to speed up a naturally reoccurring phenomena in the changing of the climate, not that we were destroying our planet. Okay, *hitting delete on the mouth* that we weren’t destroying our atmospheres or climate. We are destroying our planet, but that is a different topic all on its own.  

His research ultimately went to the studies of the greenhouse effect because technically we were splitting hairs about his research and what it meant, but he helped me to see the bigger picture. We could go ahead and get as technologically advanced as we would like, but we can’t beat nature. She’s a big bad planet. We’re a bug. 

So with his theories and a few others backing me, I determined that in order for the human race to evolve technologically to the level I saw in the book when Raven introduced himself to me, I figured we’d be somewhere in the 42^nd century. 

*giggle* In short, I let my geek out.  

Delia: Will this be part of an ongoing series?

S.M Blooding: Yes. There’s just so much going on in this society, this time, I would have a hard time just leaving it to one book. I just hope that enough readers are interested in it to keep it going. 

What do you think makes As Night Falls stand apart?

S.M Blooding: There’s a few things. Raven is a pretty great character. He’s seen so much in his lifetime. He’s survived millenniums. That’s hard to fathom, but he just has this air to him that’s very magnetic and a little hot. 

And then there’s Becca. She’s put literally right in the middle of this mess and she’s torn between two very important people in this society, neither of which is Raven.  LOL! She somehow found herself put between the two major powers and feels a little like a rag doll. What’s neat is watching her discover this and what she does with it. She doesn’t just lay there and take it. 

Then there’s the setting.  I always find it interesting to take a look into the future and see what might happen. I think there’s a lot of readers out there who will agree. Is this future realistic? *shrug* I don’t know. I have theories, sure, but I don’t have a crystal ball. Well, I do, but it doesn’t work. *chuckle* I think that readers will enjoy seeing more and more of this setting, this time, as the series continues, and it’ll be fun to get to know the different characters and how they all interact to reshape a future we’ll never see. 

Delia: Who is your favorite character in the book? Did you model that character after anyone you know?

S.M Blooding: Cullie. He’s one of the two power houses that are pulling Becca’s strings. He’s the head Watcher, opposing the President. He’s such a…deep character and he has his hands in a lot of pots. I think the thing that really appeals to me is that he’s not a white knight. *shakes his head* He knows what needs to be done and he’s not afraid to do it, no matter how much blood gets on his hands. 

He has a few cameo appearances in this book, but later in the series, we’ll get to see him a bit better. For the most part, you get to see him through the actions of others, which is a very odd way to see a favorite character. He sure knows how to keep a plot churning, that’s for sure! 

As far as anyone I crafted him after? *grin* My dad. He’s the magician behind the curtain. He doesn’t like to take center stage, but he’s a natural leader because he sees people, but he also sees three or more steps further than that one person. He’s able to see how one person’s actions can domino to affect many. He’s the one who showed me the power of a single voice. 

Delia: What new books are on your TBR shelf?

S.M Blooding: OMW! There are just so many books!!! GADS! Well, for starters, there’s Cinder by Marissa Meyers, which is just a fun, fabulous read, Ripples by Candice Bundy, My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent, and I’m re-reading Runaway Choices by Eisley Jacobs. All great, great books! My TBR pile is taller than I am, really, but those are the ones I’m currently reading. LOL! 

Delia: How do you stay in touch with fans? Website? Blog? etc..

S.M Blooding: Well, it’s easy, really. If you want to find me, I’m SM Blooding everywhere! 

www.smblooding.com

Facebook: SM Blooding

Twitter: SMBlooding

Goodreads: S.M. Blooding

Delia: Do you have any advice for new authors?

S.M Blooding: The best piece of advice I have is the one we all hate to hear. Keep writing and don’t give up. 

It took me over seven years of serious writing and a lot of books to get here. Some of my first “serious” novels weren’t the greatest, but it’s neat to look through them and see how far I’ve come. Now, don’t get me wrong, I pounded my chest and swore by all things holy that each of book was a great story and a fantastic telling of it, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve grown. A lot! And I’m glad I waded through the 103 rejections (multiple books) to get here. I learned a lot more from my failures than I have through my successes. 

Don’t be afraid to fail. Just go out there and fail well. 

Delia: Just for fun…If you had to turn into one paranormal creature (just for the day) what would it be and why.

S.M Blooding: A dragon. I hear people are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. *chuckle* 

Wolf Majick Reviews would like to say a special thanks to S.M Blooding for stopping by today! Check out As Night Falls!

One Grave at a time ~ Jeaniene Frost

One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying this is the first Night Huntress Novel that I have read. I picked it up at Walmart on sale because the summary sounded interesting. Now let me say I was not disappointed. Even though this is the 6th novel in the series I was able to pick right up with the story line. I'm sure when I read the rest of the series, which I think I will since this one was so good, I may pick up on a few things I missed but overall I didn't feel lost at all.
If you are like me and have never experienced the Night Huntress series let me give you the synopsis. Cat is a Vampire (originally half Vampire/half human) who's mother was brutalized by her Vampire father. Now somewhere along the line she hooked up with super hot and powerful Vampire Bones. She and Bones along with an assortment of friends and government co-workers spend there days trying to thwart crazy undead wars and other calamities.
In this book we find Cat and Bones thrown in to an intense battle with a ghost who has been hunting and killing every All Hallows Eve since the Burning Times. Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter who wasn't able to give up on his trade even into death. The trouble with ghosts is that you can't kill something that is not only dead but also does not have any shape. So Cat and Bones are on the hunt for a way to trap and hold a vengeful spirit, before he sends them into the true death!
This was a fun fast paced read and now I am totally hooked on Cat and Bones!

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http://jeanienefrost.com/books/one-grave-at-a-time/

Blog Tour

Don't forget to swing on by on Friday March 23rd for ....

The As Night Falls Blog tour. You can check out the authors website at

http://www.smblooding.com/

St Patricks Day Parade in Boston

A parade is probably not the best place to find material for a book blog but apparently the St Pats Parade in Boston was a great place to see some very dedicated Sci-fi fans so I figured all of their hard work deserved a post!

Check out the Ghost Busters. Now I haven't taken the time to check out their website, but I will. I didn't realize the Ghost Busters still had such a following. Sadly the State Puff was taking a break when he came past us so I didn't get a good pick of him. Everyone else looked great though. You can see they have put a lot of time into theses costumes and since it was 70 out they had to have been pretty hot in those jump suits, that's dedication. 

Now of course I did catch a few of them texting but that seems to be a sad sign of our generation.

 Also making an appearance was a Star Wars group. Now I'm not sure if they are a club or what? But they had some cool costumes.
Again most of them had to be pretty hot in their jump suits but lucky for Leia her costume was nice and cool.


Now for some reason Captian Jack was running around with the Ghost Busters and no one knew why. At least he tried to move thing along when the parade started to lag...

I have to say parades are not my favorite, but the kids seemed to have a good time and hey at least I was able to get some fun pictures :)

Coexist ~ Julia Crane

Coexist by Julia Crane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Alright I have to say I don't really know what to think about this book. I downloaded it off of Amazon because the synopsis sounded pretty good and the cover is beautiful. I figured I should go ahead and finish it in honor of Saint Patricks Day. As far as the storyline goes it it pretty interesting.
Keegan is a teenage Elf, living in the human world. As she tries to go about a normal life her family is preparing for the war to end all wars. It seems light elves and dark elves are going to battle each other until one side is no more. Added to this is the fact that Keegan's brother can see the future and has seen Keegan dead.
The problem I had with this book is that Keegan seemed a little self centered. Worrying about clothes and boys when everyone around her is worried about extinction. The story line seemed to flow naturally at first, but then a little too fast towards the end. This is supposed to be a great battle and I think it took a chapter or two, I guess I'm to used to George R.R. Martins taking 300 pages to describe a battle. I did try to take into account that this is a YA and truthfully it was still a pretty interesting story. I will probably pick up the next book, just to see what happens.

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Mockingjay ~ Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mockingjay is the exceptional conclusion to Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games Trilogy. Coming from someone forced to read the first book, by good friends, I am now a total Hunger Games fanatic. This was a heart wrenching, mind blowing series and Mockingjay was its crowning jewel.
Collins has an amazing skill at tearing at her characters in a agonizing way, all the while allowing them to learn and grow. Life is not easy smiles and banquets for Katniss and the rest of her crew. She is thrown at the heart of a revolution being used to help fuel it. Not sure where her enemies end and her friends begin Katniss is stuck in an ever twisting struggle to gain control of the world around her. Peeta is trapped in the arms of the Capitol, tortured and branded a traitor by the rebels. Gale is at times distant and angry. And of course Katniss is still unable to choose.
The story is at times brutal and tearjerking. Showing the world of the future in a horrifyingly human light.
When you flick on tv and see hours of reality tv it makes you question how far fetched the Hunger Games is. History has a way of repeating itself, often in not the best ways. Humanity is capable of some pretty horrible acts and this series has showcased those capabilities for a generation of readers.
Fantastic in every way. Mockingjay should not be missed! It brought me to tears, which is rare believe me!

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Catching Fire ~ Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, this was even better than the first one! I almost always enjoy the second book of a good series because you already know the characters and hopefully like them. Of course this was true for Catching Fire. The story picks up a few months after the conclusion of The Hunger Games. We find Katniss home but still not sure how she feels about Gale or Peeta. To make matter worse President Snow has arrived to put the pressure on. Her berries incident is causing a rebellion and Katniss needs to find some way to stop it. The trouble is how do you stop a rebellion you didn't mean to start. Even worse, do you really want to?

Katniss is draw into a fast paced world on the verge of rebellion. She sees the horrors around her with slowly opening eyes and realizes she is trapped in a never ending game. I honestly had trouble putting this book down, even to eat and go to work. It was truly amazing. There were even times I was so frustrated for the characters I wanted to throw the book across the room, but of course I didn't.

Now I will warn you, Catching Fire ends on a cliff hanger of sorts, you will need to have the last book handy so you don't have to run right out an buy it. I'm sure you are going to want it.

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The Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had no desire to read this book. I've heard amazing reviews about it for years but every time I read the back cover I just couldn't bring myself to buy it. Since I read mostly paranormal and fights to the death are not really my thing, The Hunger Games just didn't seem like something that would appeal to me.

Now here I am writing a review for The Hunger Games, so you know I must have finally read it. A friend purchased the trilogy and said "trust me you are going to like these". I have to say she was correct. The Hunger Games grabbed me from the start.
The world Katniss lives in is one from the future. When the United States is no more and in its place is a series of Districts controlled by a ruthless Capitol. 75 years before the story takes place is an uprising. As punishment for their defeat the Capital forces each district to hand over one girl and one boy from the ages of 12-18 to be entered into a nationally televised fight to the death.
Starved and unskilled these children must not only survive but brutally kill others at the chance to be the one winner at the end of the games. Add to that the fact that Katniss arrives at the games with a boy from her district that she feels she owes some small debt. Life becomes increasingly complicated for Katniss as she tries to survive by earning the favor of the Capital she despises.

This novel was gladiator meets the lottery with the classic YA love triangle thrown in for good measure. I am halfway through the second novel and was so upset by some of the events I almost threw the novel across the room. Nothing says good writing like a novel that can pull such emotion from its reader. Be prepared to be angry and sad at times, but also inspired by the strength of the human spirit. Now I can't wait to see the movie, hopefully they don't screw it up!


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Patricia Briggs Book Signing

This week I was lucky enough to make it up to Maine for a stop on the Patricia Briggs tour. As you probably know Patricia released the next book in the Alpha and Omega series on March 5th. The signing was held Monday night at Books a Million in South Portland Maine. This was the first time I had ever entered a Books a Million and have to say it was a pretty impressive store. 
The store had set aside a small area between the children's and YA books for Patrica to read for Fair Game and answer some questions. Being that this was my first time meeting Mrs Briggs I wasn't sure what exactly to expect. First off I'd like to say she is as likable as her characters from the moment you meet her. Being an author who probably spends a fair amount of time locked up with her books she is amazingly dynamic. Catching the crowd instantly with her friendly smile and genuine good humor. She spoke to each and every person there as one might speak to an old friend, making a signing feel more like an intimate gathering.

Of  course what your probably really wondering about it what kinds of questions were asked and of course what Patrica's answers were so I will try to recap them for you as best I can.


First of course someone wanted to know if we will see more Mercy Thompson novels. The short answer is yes, Patricia is under contract for a few more Mercy books as well as another in the Mercyverse. This may be another Alpha and Omega, but it may not be, it seems she wasn't too sure herself.


The next logical question was when will we see the next book? Her goal is to produce a book every nine months or so, two a year was too tough to maintain. Frost Burned will be the title of the next Mercy Novel. She also mentioned that she was hoping to put together a book of all of the short stories which take place in the Mercyverse to make it easier for readers to have them all without having to hunt around. There is also the potential of adding a few new stories to the collection as well.


A few High Fantasy fans asked if Briggs would ever return to that type of writing. Possibly, but not right now. Although she loves her High Fantasy characters and has more stories to tell with them, her focus right now is in the Mercyverse.


Since the Fay are making a larger impact than ever I asked where she got her Fay info and if she did any research. Apparently Patricia grew up with a Librarian for a mother and spent a vast amount of time reading fairy tale collections. She has also done some research online, but warns to be careful what you Google even the most innocent phrase may pop up a whole lot more than you bargained for.


She also has done research on Native American legends, telling all of us there were so many that included Coyote that she has plenty more to work with if Coyote appears again in Mercy's world. 


Some of the most interesting things Patricia had to add were during the signing portion of the night where she happily answered one on one questions but loud enough so we could all enjoy her answers. One fact I wasn't aware of was that the myth about Vampires not being able to be seen in a mirror actually started because years ago mirrors were made using a Silver backing, and legend went that since silver was a pure substance it would adversely effect creatures of the night.

I enjoyed the signing very much and would definitely recommend keeping your eye out for potential events in your area. If you enjoy any of her books or even if you haven't read a single one you should make it a point to stop and see her. Patricia Briggs is an informative Urban fantasy speaker who brings her warmth and humor with her, making an impact on all of those around her.


Patricia Briggs Home page

Just for Fun Giveaway

The just for fun giveaway has ended and I would like to congratulate Julie M for being our winner. Next months giveaway will be a free ebook version of As Night Falls in celebration of the As Night Falls Blog tour. I will have an entry form up by Fri so please stop by and enter :)

The Mists of Avalon ~ Marion Zimmer Bradley

I've decided to make Tuesdays Time Warp Tuesday (except of course if it turns out to be a blog tour day) Anyway every Tuesday I will pick a book from the past that you may have missed, but that I think is totally worth reading. 


To start with I have chosen one of my all time favorites "The Mists of Avalon" Marion Zimmer Bradley's epic Arthurian novel. I think its important to mention that generally do not re read books. I have always been such an avid reader that I am always looking for new stories, new worlds to fall into. The Mists of Avalon is one of the few stand alone novels I have read over and over. 


Told from the woman's perspective Bradley's take on the traditional Arthurian legend is spellbinding. Her characters are vivid and spectacularly real for the fantasy world they live in. Morgaine's struggle is heart wrenching. Constantly being torn from those she loves forced into situations that are at some times unspeakable. Vivian is a true force to be reckoned with. And Gwenhwyfar a childish wretch unable to face her own feelings even at the suffering of others. 


The mists of Avalon is a tale of the death of the old ways, as the world succumbs to Christianity, for better or worse. It is a tale of myth and magic, of the ultimate betrayals. You will see Arthur in a whole new light and love him all the more for it. If you happened upon the tv mini series, don't be fooled. The series, much like many movies from well loved novels, did not do the book much justice. I thought the casting was poor and they left out some of the most important pieces of the book. But I digress.


If you are a lover of epic fantasy or Arthurian Legend this book should be on your TBR pile. There have been a few prequels written but to me this is a standalone novel, perfect in every way.

Fair Game ~ Patricia Briggs

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just a warning there are going to be some major spoilers in this review. Now Patricia Briggs has done it again! As usual her characters are enjoyable with dialog that flows wonderfully. The story has a perfect pace as can be expected from Briggs.
We find ourselves with Charles and Anna shortly after the time period of Briggs last novel set in the same "world" River Marked. Now since the Werewolves are "out" Charles has been spending a fair amount of time being the enforcer, which is starting to really bother him. Anna is worried about her mate and after some creative thinking is able to get Bran to lay off a bit.
As a change of pace Bran sends Charles and Anna to help the FBI hunt down a serial killer who is targeting werewolves. As they hunt for a killer, or killers, Charles and Anna are forced to try to heal their damaged mate bond. Now just when you think everyone is safe of course Anna gets thrown into some major trouble. This part seemed predictable at first, but Anna's handling if the situation makes her less of a damsel in distress and more of a skilled werewolf. Briggs has the ability to make even predictable situation turn into one that keeps you holding your breathe waiting the outcome.
The biggest twist of all comes at the end. While the reader is totally expecting to read a few more pages and "wrap up" the story line, Briggs throws a huge curve ball. Enter the Grey Lords, Mercy Thompsons world is going to be a lot crazy the next book and of course the next one in this series as well.
As a whole I really enjoyed this book. I find Charles and Anna to be an amazing duo who complement each other well in each story and I look forward to their next adventure.

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Blog Tours, Giveaways and some Friday Reflection

Well here we are its Friday already. Where did the week go? It looks like I will be hosting another giveaway once my current one is over (there is still time to enter) I will be giving away an E-Book copy of As Night Falls in honor of the As Night Falls Blog Tour. 


As a sidebar I was looking through Cassandra Clare website and found out they will be making a movie out of City of Bones. Clare even has some info about the movie in the FAQ section of her Mortal Instruments site. Hopefully they will do a better job casting than they did with Twilight but only time will tell. 


I did also notice the cover reveal for the next book in the Mortal Instruments series. Now I know I said I wasn't going to read the next two books, because the last isn't out until 2014, but I'm thinking I will not be sticking to my guns on this one, I'm just too nosy to not read it. I mean just take a peak at this cover, you know you can't wait either.

City of Glass ~ Cassandra Clare

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

City of Glass is the third installment of the Mortal Instruments series. Cassandra Clare has done an amazing job weaving a world of magic and demons. Her characters are well done with personalities that are believable (considering their life circumstances) and enjoyable. All through the second book I felt truly bad for Jace and Clary, due to their obvious attraction. Luckily for them, and me, The author has taken the time to drop subtle hints towards the future, or in this case the past.
One of the best parts of this book was that all of the lingering questions from the first two books have been answered. Along with some kick ass fighting and crazy magic wielding. There are even some Angels thrown in just for good measure. Now I have the fourth book sitting on my shelf but I think I may hold off a bit. After checking the mortal instruments website I noticed that the last book in this 3 book installment won't be published till 2014! Really? If the next group of 3 is anything like the last I think I'd better hold off till they are all published to read them, I hate 2 year cliffhangers. Its bad enough I'm going to have to wait countless years to find out what happened to Jon Snow... Anyways we will see if I stick to my guns, probably I'll just read the next two and re read them in 2014.
So back to this book. Clary finds herself in the position to save her mother but to do so has to travel to Alicante to do so. Now of course Valentine is already working some secret plot to overthrow the Shadowhunters and Clary, Jace and the rest are caught right in the middle of it. Who else can stop the evil Valentine but his children.
This book is totally enjoyable and does something most series never do, it leaves you satisfied with all of your questions answered.

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City of Ashes ~ Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

* Spoilers*
What can I say about City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments book 2)... I Loved it. I stayed up till 1 am just to finish it and felt the need to run right out and get the next one, City of Glass. Clare has a gift for putting demons/vampires and the like in a new light. There is nothing I like more than some creativity in fantasy series. I will say that the entire book I sat hoping we would find out Clary and Jace were not brother and sister but thanks to some hints I'm thinking we will know for sure soon. My fingers are crossed for Clary because its strange enough finding out that your mother and father are demon slayers and you dad has turned evil. Being in love with your brother, thats just too much for any teenager to deal with. Not to mention gross (yuck).

An even bigger problem arises when poor Simon is turned into a vampire! I mean talk about guilt getting your best friend turned into the un-dead. This has been a really bad few months as far as Clary's life goes. Now since her evil father Valentine is around making trouble things do not look like they are going to get any better in the near future, and they don't. Clary finds herself in the middle of an evil plan to have demons overthrow the Clave, and she, Jace and the rest of the Shadowhunters need to get it together and stop Valentine, and try to not get killed in the process.

If you read the first book and liked it, then your probably like me and hooked. Get ready for some sleepless nights while you get through the next few books. They are totally worth it! I have to say this was my favorite book in the series. The characters really come to life and become people you truly feel for.

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Georgina Kincaid Series ~ Richelle Mead

Georgina Kincaid Series ~ Richelle Mead

Since I read this series start to finish it would be kind of hard to review them one at a time. Well there is that and the fact that since there are six of them you'd be pretty bored if I filled the next week with them! Anyways let me start by breaking it down into all six books.

Succubus Blues

Succubus on Top

Succubus Dreams

Succubus Heat

Succubus Shadows

Succubus Revealed

Okay so now to sum up the series for you. Georgina is your typical American Woman, she works as a bookseller by day and by night she's out hunting for the perfect man. Actually she really is hunting for the perfect man, hopefully one with a really clean soul. Now you see Georgina has a very interesting night job she is a Succubus I.E. she works for Hell corrupting souls. Now you would think that would make her an unlikeable gal but actually no. Even though she's a minion of Hell Georgina tries her best to make the people around her happy and solve crazy hellish problems.

Now as far as series go I have to say I really enjoyed this one. Georgina's character is both different and interesting. She gets into one some trouble along the way, but that is what make it fun to read. As far as book to book goes you could easily read Succubus Blues and Succubus on top as stand alone novels. After that though I think it would be too confusing. As the books go on there are subtle hints as to what is going to happen in the last book so its important to read the other books first before Succubus Revealed.

The other thing I should mention is that Georgina is a Succubus and as such there are plenty of adult only parts to theses books. Richelle Mead has really expressed her creativity in this series! Totally fun and worth the read. I give all the books except Succubus Shadows (my least favorite and the only one in the series I think you could skip all together and still get what is going on) 5 stars.

Wolfsbane ~ Andrea Cremer

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Alright so first off I'd like to say reading this book reminded me as to why I prefer to read all of the books in a series at once. I have to say its been so long since I read the first book I was a little lost. But after the first chapter (and a few flashbacks) I remembered what was going on.
This book starts off right were the last one left off. Calla wakes up groggy in the Searchers layer. Not knowing who is friend of foe she must try to find away to save herself and her pack. Now I'm going to warn you, at the end of this book Calla is not much closer to solving her problems than at the start. You may want to hold off and buy the last book in the trilogy before you even start this one. It might save you some aggrivation.
As far as YA goes I think Andrea Cremer does a pretty good job. She is one of the few YA authors that doesn't dumb down the conversations to try and make her characters seem younger. (I'm not pointing fingers here but if you have read any of the PC Cast series you will know what I'm talking about) At the end of the book I had the urge to run out and buy the last one, which is also usually a sign of a good story. Sadly I couldn't justify the price of the hardcover so I will have to wait.
I did find Calla's sudden urning for Ren slightly annoying, but what is YA without a good love triangle? I think if you enjoyed the first novel you will probably like this one.

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Interview with Stella Cameron

Wolf Majick reviews would like to welcome  New York Times Bestselling Author Stella Cameron for a quick interview about her new  Chimney Rock Series.


Delia :Why Washington state?


Stella :Washington is the land of the “Great Gray.”  Rain, fog, wind whipping through towering stands of evergreen trees, mist over the meadows—the atmosphere is ominous.   The beautiful Northwest is a dark and mysterious place. The weather forecast is much more likely to be “rain with an occasional shower,” than “sunny with occasional showers.”  To stand still for long is to risk an outbreak of moss.  This is the perfect backdrop for paranormal tales.


Delia : What sets the Chimney Rock Series apart?


Stella : The melding of the ordinary and human with a metaphysical world that has no boundaries.  And I absolutely believe I am only constrained by the limits of my imagination—I feel no constraints.  Also, a large part of my focus is the emotional depth and development of my paranormal characters.  For me these must be as fully developed and individual as any human.




Delia : What exactly is a werehound?


Stella : There have always been sightings of unexplained creatures, usually assumed to be wolves.  The werehound has rarely been seen but again, has been mistaken for a wolf when it is really a huge hound resembling an Irish Wolfhound but much larger.  Their lore largely parallels that of the werewolf but for a longing on the part of the wolfhound to regain its humanity.  The wolfhound is not tied to the moon's cycles and shifts with far greater ease than the werewolf.

Thank you Stella for stopping by to talk about your great new series.

 You can find out more about Stella Cameron and

 her new series at her website. 

http://www.stellacameron.com/

Interview with Harry Deshpande

Welcome! 

Wolf Majick Reviews is hosting an interview with Harry Deshpande author of "The Homegrown" today. 

Delia: What prompted you to work on a story like The Homegrown?

Harry Deshpande: I have been reading about the homegrwon terrorist problem for a long time and really surprised to see that the Western World just does not get it. I had something to say about the problem and I thought why not present it as a fictional novel.

Delia: Was there a lot of research involved?

Harry Deshpande: Yes, I have been reading up on homgrown jihadists for a long time. I interacted with a few people who are inciting violence and tried to get to the root of the problem.

Delia: Were any of the characters (other than Bon Laden) modeled after real people?

Harry Deshpande: No, None of them (other than Laden) are real :)

Delia: Is there a certain message or meaning you hope your readers will understand after finishing?

Harry Deshpande: There is always a method behind madness. If one wants to solve the problem then one has to understand the method.

Delia: Have you traveled to any of the places you described?

Harry Deshpande: I did research a lot on these places. However, no I have not actually travelled there. I doubt whether it will safe for my health if I visit these places :)

Delia: Is there another novel in your future?

Harry Deshpande: I am writing a novel on Aryan supremacist.

Thank you Harry for a fantastic look into your novel!
 

Interview with Cynthia Garner

I have been lucky enough to score an interview today with not one

 but two great paranormal romance 

authors one of which is Cynthia Garner writer of the new

 Warriors of the Rift series.

Delia:  What was your inspiration for this series?

Cynthia:  I’ve always been such a science nerd. I grew up watching the original Star Trek, then I glommed onto The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, and Voyager. I did watch the first couple of seasons of Enterprise, but lost interest after a bit. I loved Space 1999, Star Wars (the first three, or, rather, the last three that were actually shown first), Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis, and of course Firefly and Serenity. I haven’t read a lot of sci fi, which is strange, actually, since I love sci fi TV and movies so much!

            With this particular series I had seen a news report of an upcoming meteor shower, you know, one of those where the best viewing is at two o’clock in the morning? After my initial (and usual) “I’m not getting up to watch it” reaction, I started asking “What if…?” And the concept of the dimensional rift was born.

Delia:  Do you model your characters’ personalities after anyone you know?

Cynthia:  No.  All of my characters’ personality quirks and traits come from my imagination. Although I have been tempted a time or two to model villains after someone I know, I have yet to do that.

Delia: Who is your favorite author and why?

Cynthia: Wow, this is such a hard one, because I have a lot of authors whose books I really enjoy. It all depends on the day and my mood. LOL  I’ll go with Angela Knight, who’s on my auto-buy list. She’s a fantastic storyteller and creates compelling characters.

Wow Cynthia thanks for all of your amazing insight into your new series, I can't wait to read the next one! You can learn more about Cynthia and her new series at her website 

http://cynthiagarnerbooks.com/