Waiting on Wednesday {4}

Hi everyone, it's time for Waiting on Wednesday! For those who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is an awesome meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It allows all of us who are entrenched in the book world to share our most anticipated 'to reads'. My WOW is one I have been dying to read for a while now! She's an assassin...and she will eat you alive, GIN BLANCO is back everyone!

Title: Widow's Web
Author: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: 21st August 2012
Series: Elemental Assassin Series, Book 7

Blurb from Goodreads:
The seventh book in the hugely popular Elemental Assassin series by New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer Estep—Gin Blanco is back and ready for action.
My name is Gin, and I kill people. It’s something I've been doing for years as the assassin called Spider, but now, it’s turned into a necessity on my part just to survive all the lowlifes in Ashland who are gunning for me. The underworld is still in turmoil, and I seem to be on everyone’s hit list these days.
To add to Gin’s problems, her lover Owen’s ex is in town. Salina is back in Ashland to reclaim an old family legacy—and she thinks that Owen is hers for the taking. Also in the mix is Phillip Kincaid, a casino owner and all-around shady character who has a mysterious connection to both Owen and Salina.
Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. Her water elemental magic makes her a dangerous enemy—and someone who can go toe-to-toe with Gin’s Ice and Stone power. But Gin is determined to get to the bottom of Salina’s deadly scheme, even though it just might cost her everything…including Owen.

Why am I waiting for it?
Oh my God *hyperventilates* I freaking love this series! Gin is such a kick-ass heroine...she's an assassin, though she has 'retired' but will still do pro-bono work when she sees someone who really needs killing! Gin is just awesome. Period. She has elemental magic, strong control over Ice and Stone meaning she could just as easily flash-freeze a man to death as to bring a building down on top of him. Gin is a quirky, strong heroine who cooks like no-bodies business :)
Right, so I may or may not have already received an advanced readers copy of Widow's Web (I love you Jennifer Estep!!) but the restraint of not immediately diving into it is causing me physical pain!! I've had exams and several other books I need to read before I can dive head-first back into Gin's world. Oh lord, give me strength!

You know what I'm waiting on, leave me a comment about what you're waiting for and I'll get back to you!

Yet more books added to my shelves this week...

Hi everyone! I hope you've all had a great weekend! As it's Sunday I'm posting my weekly round-up of everything I've added to the shelves this week. I've changed the format slightly just this once because I've picked up more books than usual! So here goes!

Books Received for Review:

Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane (Downside Ghosts, Book 4) - courtesy of Harper Voyager UK

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.
Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.
As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.
As you can see the generous people from Harper Voyager UK sent me two copies, one for me to review and one for me to use as part of a giveaway. If you fancy winning Sacrificial Magic, keep your eyes peeled for my review as the giveaway will be posted at the same time :)

Books I've Bought

On Tuesday this very exciting assortment of books arrived from Amazon...I'd broken the book buying ban I'd put upon myself but it was well worth it :)

Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla (Shaede Assassin series, Book 1)

In the shadows of the night, Darian has lived alone for almost a century. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind—an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.

When Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she's taken on more than her conscience will allow. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished..

Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin (Grigori Legacy, Book 1)

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell. 

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul. 

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

Hounded by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1)

The first novel in the original, six-book Iron Druid Chronicles--introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy hero.

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

*Drools* I practically mobbed the postman who delivered this I was so eager. I've already finished Hounded and LOVED it, so watch out for my reviews of these 3 pretties over the next couple of weeks :)

***

The next lot I picked up on a shopping trip I took on Wednesday where I well and truly obliterated my book ban *looks guilty*. In my defence, I paid less that £2 each for these lovely books :)

Pretties, Specials and Extras by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies series, Books 2,3,4)

Ok, these three lovelies are part of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld...books 2,3 and 4 to be precise. Now I don't actually have the first one but this series comes highly recommended so as soon as I find book 1 I will be digging into these!

In the same shopping trip, I found this:

Die for Me by Amy Plum (Revenants series, Book 1)

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

I've heard mixed things about this book but am assured the 2nd in the series is great so when I found Die for Me for only £1.99, I just had to pick it up :) I adore this cover, it's so beautiful! Though I've read the first chapter so far and it's not exactly stunned me but it's early days yet!

Ok then, those are the books I've added this week, what have you added to your shelves?

Feature and Follow {13}

Righty then, it's currently 4:00 am here in the UK and I can't seem to sleep. So I figured I'd see if this week's feeture and follow was up yet and thankfully the answer was yes! Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, where bloggers all around the globe converge to make new friends :)
This weeks Feature and Follow question comes from the lovely folks at Underworld Love Addiction and Charissa Books.

Q. Activity! Dream cast your current read.

Oooh, ok...this should be fun. Earlier today I finished Hounded by Kevin Hearne. Which I must say is an amazing read, if you haven't tried his Iron Druid Chronicles you need to get out there and pick one up. Seriously feeling some Druid love over here :)
Anyway, our hero is a 2,100 year old Druid who goes by the name Atticus O'Sullivan. His 'young Irish lad façade' hiding his true power in plain sight.

'When I go to the grocery store, for example, and people see my curly red hair, fair skin, and long goatee, they suspect I play soccer and drink lots of Guinness. When I'm going sleeveless and they see the tattoos all up and down my right arm, they assume I'm in a rock band and smoke lots of weed. It never enteres their mind that I could be an ancient Druid - and that's the main reason I like this look. If I grew a white beard and got myself a pointy hat, oozed dignity and sagacity and glowed with beatitude, people might start to get the wrong - or the right - idea.'

I adore Atticus' character...he has so much power yet is quite content to let people think he's younger and weaker than he is - in fact, he prefers it that way. But this 2,100 year old Druid has quite the sense of humour and is quick witted - he makes awesome analogies when explaining new fangled devices to gods and goddesses.

I honestly can't picture anyone playing him...I just like the guy on the cover of the book :) However...whoever did get cast as Atticus would HAVE to get his lovely Irish accent just right, man I love a good Irish accent, the way they speak is almost musical...*makes note to go to Dublin ASAP*
All right then good people, let me know what you think!
Bye for now!

Blogiversary Celebrations! Parties, presents and thanks!

Hi! It's me again. Now today is very special because today, Thursday 24th May 2012, V's Book Life officially turns 1! Yes, we've been up and running for an entire year now!

I began blogging May 2011 and I will admit, we didn't get off to the best start. My reviews in 2011 were sporadic at best and I hadn't even heard of In My Mailbox or Feature and Follow :)  Then, in January, I made a vow to become better and post more often...I spruced up the design (a lot of mistakes and plenty of cursing were involved) and began to just write. I conducted my first interview in March and started posting along with regular meme's in February (the first being Feature and Follow). To this day I'm amazed people actually read my ramblings but I can easily say that the best part of blogging is interacting with readers through V's Book Life and on Twitter, something I'm now thoroughly addicted to! You guys are so fun, and I've had the pleasure of talking to people all over the world! It means a lot that you take the time out of your hectic days to visit and talk to me :)

I've also talked with some of my favourite authors while trying (and mostly failing) to contain my fangirl excitement and I continue to be amazed by the generosity of authors and publishers who donate their time and generously send me books to review. Thank you!

Now I can barely be torn away from the book blogging world. I've met so many amazing people and read so many awesome books and I can't thank all everyone enough for making this year so enjoyable! I'm attempting to show how grateful I am through a GIVEAWAY I've been hosting as a small thank you to all my amazing readers across the globe (details here)!

It's been an awesome year, bring on the next 12 months!
Love and best wishes to you all!

Waiting on Wednesday {3}

Hello! Your friendly neighbourhood bookaholic here, writing to wish you all a HAPPY WEDNESDAY! I can't say I've had the best day today, I had to give a presentation on HIV for my degree course. Absolutely terrifying!!

 Anyway, today's Waiting on Wednesday comes from Gena Showalter again...I know I featured Wicked Nights by her 2 weeks ago but this is a completely different series so it doesn't count :)

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 25th September 2012
Series: White Rabbit Chronicles, Book 1

Blurb from Goodreads:
She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.
Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.
Her father was right. The monsters are real….
To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Why am I waiting on it?
Do you really need to ask that question? Firstly, I have a small obsession with Gena Showalter...a teensy, tinesy little obsession...all right, fine, I have a rather large obsession, but the point still stands that I love Gena Showalter. Her lords of the Underworld series was one of the first 5 books on PR I ever read so she'll always hold a special place on my shelf. I'm interested to see what she can do with YA.
Secondly, the title, Alice in Zombieland! How freaking awesome does it sound already :)
Thirdly, Zombies! I haven't read much with zombies as a feature... I've watched the Resident Evil films but that's about it, I'm trying to branch out a little with my reading and this is top of the list! (If anyone can suggest other good zombie books let me know!)
Plus the cover is pretty nice...all in all, definitely on my TBR pile!

Is Alice in Zombieland on your TBR pile too? Let me know what you're waiting on :)
See you later :)

Added to the shelves this week...

Hey everyone, happy Sunday! I hope you've all enjoyed your week, I've been writing assignments so have not had much time to read this week, though somehow I have still managed to add a few books to my bookshelf!

Books Received for Review

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, book 2.5) - Received from Harlequin via NetGalley

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.
Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness...
Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal...
Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another...
James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before...
Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope...
Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages. 

I've been meaning to read the Goddess Test series for ages now. I love Greek mythology and this certainly sounds like it'll be a good read!

Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent (Unbound Series, book 2) - Recieved from Harlequin UK via NetGalley

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty.

OH YEAH! I could not believe it when I saw this on NetGalley, I did a double take. I had to have it...I enjoyed Blood Bound and Shadow Bound sounds just as good!

Books I've Bought

Eternal kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress World, Book 2)

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness . . . And now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.
Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she's only imagined in her worst nightmares.
At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he'd seen it all. Then Kira appears, this fearless, beautiful . . . human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.
But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction

I love the Night Huntress Series and I saw Mencheres' book on amazon.co.uk for only 99p so I had to have it! I hope we see Mencheres kick ass with all that power he has! Have to say that I despise the cover though!

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson (Signs of the Zodiac, book 1)

The First Sign of the Zodiac
When she was sixteen, Joanna Archer was brutally assaulted and left to die in the Nevada desert.
By rights, she should be dead.
Now a photographer by day, she prowls a different Las Vegas after sunset – a grim, secret Sin City where Light battles Shadow – seeking answers to whom or what she really is … and revenge for the horrors she was forced to endure.
But the nightmare is just beginning – for the demons are hunting Joanna, and the powerful Shadows want her for their own.

Gemma at Book Chick City recommended this to me, and as it was only 99p again I thought I'd give it a shot...but it's another one whose cover I don't like. Fingers crossed the book is good though.

That's all this week folks, I've got to get back to writing my assignments. Don't forget that Thursday is the big day! V's Book Life will be turning 1 this week so remember to enter my celebratory giveaway here!

See you soon!

Feature and Follow {12}

Hey everyone, it's Friday and in the book blogging world that means it's Feature and Follow time! Feature and follow is a weekly meme run by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where bloggers all across the world can connect in order to answer a question.

This week the question is:
Q: Summer Break is upon us! What would be the perfect vacation spot for you to catch up on your reading & relax?

I think that is an amazing question...I'm not on my summer break from university for another 2 months but if I were going now I'd definitely choose somewhere peaceful. You know, one of those places where all you can hear are the sounds of nature around you. Somewhere I could sit and watch the sunset. Where it's warm enough to sit on a balcony in your PJ's and watch the world go by. Somewhere you can breathe the sea air, clean and fresh and not have to worry about a single thing.
Unfortunately I have yet to find such a place...but the picture below illustrates the scene I'd want pretty well.

 http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p422324

Beautiful! This is the view from a villa in Podstrana, Croatia and I seriously would love to go there. If I had the money I'd definitely rent it!

Is your perfect place similar to mine? Let me know :)
Oh, and don't forget...you can still enter my 1 year Blogiversary Giveaway here!


Catch you later!

Guest post over at the Alpha Showdown

HELLO! It's me again, now today I've done a special post over at the Vampire Book Club because they are hosting their annual ALPHA SHOWDOWN! I'm telling you, you guys have to get over there and check it out if you haven't already, it's the best thing since chocolate was discovered!

The whole point is that us readers nominated the lovely men/ women/ shifters/ vampires/ fey/ assassins etc.. who we believe are the Ultimate Alpha. The top 16 nominees are then paired up and do battle against each other in a tournament setting, until only one is left standing on a pile of corpses. ONLY ONE CAN BE CROWNED THE ULTIMATE ALPHA!

You may be wondering why I'm telling you all this...well, each alpha is allowed one book blogging champion to rouse support for them. Well, today sees my alpha, THE KICK-ASS GIN BLANCO, making her first appearance in this tournament.
Gin and I are up against Dmitri from the Guild Hunter series...and as much as I love him, he is nothing compared to the skills my girl has.
You have two days to vote for the Alpha you think should win this battle *cough* GIN *cough*.

SO GET ON OVER TO VAMPIRE BOOK CLUB AND VOTE FOR GIN BLANCO TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND!

There have been 4 battles so far:
Bones vs Rachel Morgan - WINNER: BONES
Charles Cornick vs. King Dorian - WINNER: CHARLES CORNICK
Lothaire vs. Cat Crawford - Voting Still Open
Gin Blanco vs. Dmitri - Voting Still Open

All the contenders are:
Bones (Night Huntress)
Rachel Morgan (The Hollows)
Charles Cornick (Alpha and Omega)
King Dorian (Dark Swan)
Lothaire (Immortals After Dark)
Cat Crawford (Night Huntress)
Gin Blanco (Elemental Assassin)
Dmitri (Guild Hunter)
Ethan Sullivan (Chicagoland Vampires)
Atticus O'Sullivan (Iron Druid)
Curran (Kate Daniels)
Hawke (Psy/Changeling)
Eric Northman (Sookie Stackhouse)
Tohrment (Black Dagger Brotherhood)
Terrible (Downside Ghosts)
Kate Daniels (Kate Daniels)

Don't miss out on the fun to be had...join us and find out who will be crowned the ULTIMATE ALPHA!

Review: Shadow's Edge by Jami Gray

Jami will be giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments on her stop (excluding the author's and the host's). So leave me a comment for your chance to win!

Hi everyone, today I'm honoured to be part of the GoddessFish book tour for Shadow's Edge by Jami Gray. This is book 1 in the Kyn Kronicles, enjoy :)

Title: Shadow's Edge
Author: Jami Gray
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Release Date: 29th October 2011
Series: Kyn Kronicles, book 1
Source: E-book provided by GoddessFish in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:
It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking. Partnering up with the sexy and tantalising Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.
When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head. Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.

Review:
First Line: 'With a quick twist of her wrist, Raine slipped the blade between Quinn’s ribs. His heart gave one last desperate beat then fell silent. He slid slowly down her body to his knees, ending up in a strange, lover-like tableau.'
We start this book at the end of a battle, a fight that thankfully our heroine Raine has won. Her hands still shake after killing someone, something she believes still distinguishes her from the monsters she hunts. Within the first few pages, Raine's past is eluded to. Mentions of mixed heritage and being experimented on had me intrigued by Raine almost instantly...I love it when you have to wait to discover huge parts of the main characters life, makes things more interesting. 

In SHADOW'S EDGE Supernatural creatures are called Kyn, and they aren't exactly the most forthcoming type...one of the reasons whey they're still in hiding from the human population. Raine is part of an otherworldly task force (theTaliesin) ...not only is she one of their best operatives but she is also one of the 12 elite chosen to police the supernatural world. Raine is a Wraith. Part fey part unknown, Raine is a mystery even to herself, but she's a damn good fighter. When Raine and Gavin (another Wraith) are called onto two separate cases they are briefed together as these cases may be connected. Gavin is given the task of looking into the suspicious accidents of 7 men, whereas Raine is given a breach in Taliesin security to investigate. Unbeknownst to Gavin, Raine is hiding secrets that may compromise the investigation...but Raine has her reasons for keeping secrets. For these secrets will open up the door to Rains horrific past...a door she may never be able to close. They knew it was going to be dangerous but now she and Gavin are the hunted...will Raine be able to save Gavin and in the process...save herself?

Our heroine is Raine, a half fey, half unknown woman. Her heritage is unknown because her mother died in the captivity Raine eventually escaped from. Raine has had a torturous past, one that leaves her waking up in cold sweats every night. Raine's nightmares bleed into her reality when the case she is working hits a little too close to a past that she would rather keep hidden. There are rumours about her... rumours that allude to the horrible things forced upon her while held captive in a human lab. Things that warped her very nature, Raine's magic is not what it once was. Now...it's deadly. 

Raine may be good when it comes to knives and combat in general, but throw a hot, willing man into the mix and she has no clue what to do. Raine is closed off from everyone and her partner Gavin is no exception. There is some obvious sexual tension from the very beginning of the book, as if Raine has been lusting after Gavin for a while now. You get to see Raine slowly open herself up to Gavin throughout...trusting him more and more with pieces of herself. However one big revelation proves too much for this budding relationship and Raine begins to shut down again...but she wants Gavin's trust back. Raine doesn't want to have to rely on anyone but herself but Gavin somehow manages to wriggle under her skin. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous and enjoys pushing Raine's limits...plus they can spar together. I do think that Gavin falls into the 'Bad Boy' category...I expected him to develop into something more as the story progressed but nope, he remained firmly in the 'generic bad boy' category. I think his character could have been a little more, I think Raine deserved a little more but I guess it wasn't to be.

'Slightly disconcerted, she met his darkening eyes. She grabbed another chair, dragged it next to his took a seat and faced him. Trying to ignore the sensation of her left thigh barely brushing his outstretched right leg, she bent over his wound. Her voice came out husky. “We need to clean you up, though I don’t think you’ll need stitches.”
He said nothing. She slanted a glance up. He was watching her—like some big cat waiting to pounce. She shrugged and forced her attention back to the work at hand, though her fingers trembled slightly as she cleaned the blood off the wound, now half-closed. Warmth radiated from Gavin, spreading chills down her
arms. Her awareness of him as a male was raising her tension level—which, in turn, pissed her off.
Her eyes whipped to his. “Whatever you’re doing, knock it off. I don’t like games.”
His face darkened with satisfaction at her outburst. “I’m not doing anything.” His other arm darted around her neck. “But I can change that,” he whispered.'

I had one bigger problem with SHADOW'S EDGE. The book shows so much promise, the characters are interesting and the plot is pretty complex. It had everything I look for in a good PR, a strong lead, good base plot, mystery, suspense...I just couldn't connect with it. I don't know what it was but something just didn't catch me. You know there are those books you have where you can start reading...intending to only read for 20 minutes but you get so absorbed you physically can't stop and the time just flies. I though SHADOW'S EDGE was going to be one of them, don't get me wrong...there were places that did happen, the action scenes mostly...the places where you saw Raine most at home...but then something would slow it down and I'd find myself putting it down to go make a cup of tea. I can't quite put my finger on it but something about Raine and her relationship with Gavin just didn't always connect with me. It may just be me and in places I did enjoy it but there's just something...gah I can't even explain it properly but I didn't feel part of their story...I was merely an observer looking through a window, seeing but not feeling.

Anyway, despite this I believe this series has a lot of potential and I will keep an eye out, I was just a little disappointed with this particular book, it could have been more.

My Rating: 3/5

Excerpt

 “You’re going to have to move fast if you want to save your boyfriend, Raine.” It took a second for the words to penetrate through the static.

“Who are you?”

“Let’s just say you and I are kin of sorts.” The voice was a vibrating growl.

“Strange, I don’t remember attending a family reunion recently.” Her heart rate kicked up and static whispered across the line even as she struggled to stay calm.

The static cleared. “Perhaps because you have no family left.”

Her blood froze at the words. “What do you want?” Her own voice came out cold, merciless.

“Ah, ah ah,” the voice chided. “No need to get so upset, cher. I just wanted to let you know if you want lover boy to make it out sane, you best starting moving on Dr. Lawson’s little lab.”

“What lab?” she bit out.

There was a huge elaborate sigh. “I’m so disappointed at how slow y’all move. Hasn’t your boss found lover boy’s car yet?” The gruff voice didn’t wait for answer. “Check the glove compartment. I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for.”

Her mind raced furiously. “How do I know this isn’t just another little trap?”

The growl rumbled. “You don’t, but since you and I know exactly what’s happening to lover boy, I have a feeling it won’t matter. That Chet character, he was getting way too close, but this one they’re keeping alive for now. He shows promise.” A guttural scream cut through the airwaves, and she felt her breath stop. 

About the Author:

Growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border, Jami Gray was adopted at the age of 14 and suddenly became the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theatre.  Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organisational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon. 

Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where  she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab.  Writing is what saves her sanity.

Waiting on Wednesday {2}

Hello again everyone. Yep, it's Wednesday and as of last week I've joined the meme Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a great way to let everyone know what books you are counting down the days for. This week it's the newest series that's got me in a death grip...I've even got one of those widget countdown things I'm that impatient :) This is Grave Memory!

Title: Grave Memory
Author: Kalayna Price
Publisher: Berkley UK | ROC (US)
Release Date: 5th July 2012 (UK) | 3rd July 2012 (US)
Series: Alex Craft Series, Book 3

Blurb from Goodreads:
As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.
But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a string of suicides occur in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shades have no memory of the days leading up to their brutal endings, so despite the very public apparent suicides, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why do the shades lack the memory of their deaths? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

Why am I waiting for it?
Well, in the last 4 weeks I have read books 1 & 2 (Grave Witch and Grave Dance) in this series and adored them so I can only hope that book 3 will live up to the same standard as its predecessors. I can't wait to see which direction the love triangle takes! Will Alex choose Falin, the powerful Fey with the blood of hundreds on his hands...the unobtainable Fey because he is the Winter Queen's assassin and ex-lover. Or will Alex choose the man who has been by her side since she was a child...a man equally unobtainable, the soul collector known only as Death. Death has already declared his love for Alex but is prohibited from having a relationship with her due to events in Grave Dance. I'm rather excited to know!
I wonder what new challenges Alex's heritage and her new title among the Fey will bring...I hope that we learn more about her and her rapidly growing powers. I love Alex, she's quirky and fun as well as being pretty fearless in the face of approaching death.

Who knows what Grave Memory will bring, but I know I certainly can't wait to find out! Plus, I LOVE the covers in this series, striking but almost eerie at the same time, a good representation of Alex!

Cover Love: Newsoul Series

Hey everyone, I've just been wandering through the book realm that is Goodreads and seen this beautiful cover! I was so struck by it that I had to come and share it with you guys :) This is the cover for Asunder by Jodi Meadows, book 2 in the Newsoul Series.

Blurb From Goodreads:

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.
SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.
In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

Beautiful right!? I love the colours that have been used, the way they fade into each other, bold but not clashing...it's lovely. Those eyes are piercing as well, it's almost eerie in its beauty.

Now if you look at the two covers together, I think they're both stunning!

Gorgeous! Incarnate was one of those covers you were immediately drawn to and they've continued that with Asunder! I just adore them.

Let me know what you think!

Added to the groaning shelves this week...

Hello everyone, it's Sunday so that means it's when I normally do the meme In My Mailbox. I've been uuummming and ahhhing whether or not to continue with this meme after all the drama that unfolded with the Story Siren about 3-4 weeks ago. I've finally decided that I am not going to continue with IMM, but I'm not going to join another meme at the moment either. Instead I'm just going to do a weekly round-up of what's been added to my shelves this week...it's not going to be a meme, just a normal post, but will follow the format I'd used when participating in IMM.
Who knows what I'll do in the future, I may go back to IMM or I may join another meme if I find one that I really enjoy. For now I'm just going to do a weekly round up on a Sunday of the books I've added to my already groaning shelves.

Books Received for Review:

Promises by Amber Garr (Syrenka Series, book 1)
Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.
When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.
A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.
Promises is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of growing up in a discrete world that inherently threatens human society.

I did a post about this book earlier in the week explaining why I think it's going to be awesome...a few chapters in and I'm enjoying it already :)

Books I've Bought

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft Series, book 2)

Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.
After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.
The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own.

Oh my God, after buying Grave Witch about 4 weeks ago and loving it I just had to buy Grave Dance. Boy I wasn't disappointed, yes I have already finished it but with my review of Grave Witch still in the 'to be posted' queue, you will have to wait a little while yet. Seriously though, it's great, I mean how can anything with THAT cover not be great!!

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires Series, Book 12)

The hotly-anticipated twelfth instalment in the Morganville Vampires series

In Last Breath, the rain brought a new and dire threat to Morganville and its vampires... their ancient enemies, the draug. Now, the vampires are fighting a losing war, and it will fall to the residents of the Glass House: Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire, to take the fight to an enemy who threatens to destroy the town, forever.

Lovers of Morganville, rejoice: Black Dawn takes the intrigue, romance and nail-biting suspense of the series to its highest level yet!

Another book I did a post about earlier in the week, and that's because I met Rachel Caine on Friday and got this book SIGNED! Oh yeah, really looking forward to reading this :)

Right guys, that's everything this week and I hope you've all had awesome books to add to your shelves too!

See you later!

Signing: Rachel Caine!!

HI!!! Oh my word I have been bouncing off the walls today, because today US Best-selling author Rachel Caine was in Liverpool for a SIGNING!! How cool is that! As you all know, BLACK DAWN, Rachael Caine's newest addition to The Morganville Vampires Series was released at the beginning of the month and she's come to the UK for a tour :) I've never been so excited!

I have a small confession...I've never been to a book signing before! Never met an author or anything like that...so to meet Rachel Caine...was absolutely terrifying! I love that woman so much, I ADORE her Morganville Series and the Weather Warden Series as well. So to actually see her was awesome. I had so many things I wanted to ask...but got completely shell shocked when she said 'Hi' that I forgot every one of them...

Anyway, the point of this post is to show you guys the awesome stuff I got today. Soo....

Ok, So this is my copy of BLACK DAWN that I bought especially to be signed :) There's also some cool BLACK DAWN / MORGANVILLE Bookmarks (2), and finally there is an awesome BLACK DAWN pass case. All of which are extremely cool and will be added to my collection!

And this is my signed copy of BLACK DAWN! I am seriously never ever letting this out of my sight...I may have to install a safe in the house in order to keep my housemates away from it haha :) 

Oh and another reason I love Rachel Caine is that she said the spelling of my name is Avant-Garde, whereas all my friends just think it's weird, so thank you so much for that Ms Caine!!

Today was simply an awesome experience and now I know I'll have to go to book signings more often...though it will be a challenge for any to ever top this one.


P.s. Oh and BLACK DAWN is one of the books you could win in my 1 Year Blogiversary Giveaway...Don't forget to enter :)

Feature and Follow {11}

Hello! It's Friday any you know what that means, Feature and Follow time! Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read and is a fabulous way of all us bloggers out there to interact. So, hello to those who have not visited me before and welcome back to those who have :) Righty then...lets have a look at this week's question.

Q: This Sunday in the U.S. is Mother’s Day, in celebration, what are some of your favorite books with strong mother/child relationships?

Ahh, ok...we in the UK had Mothering Sunday back in March. I tried to cook for my Mum but she insisted on doing it herself...something about not wanting to get food poisoning apparently. She's a Food Technology teacher so can get a bit funny about people making mess in her kitchen *looks guilty*. I love my Mummy with all my heart, she has always been there for me and has never lost her patience...she really has the patience of a saint since I was an awful child...Sorry Mum :)

Anyway, my favourite mother/child relationships definitely come from Sherrilyn Kenyon's writing. Whether it's the tragic story of Acheron and the Destroyer...a mother who can never hold her child, a child who has never felt the security of his mothers arms around him. They can never meet face to face...but Acheron loves his mother  and the Destroyer would die for her son...or end the world for him, whichever works best. That relationship is one that always kills me!

http://www.homelifeweekly.com 

Another mother/child relationship I find fascinating is Artemis and Katra (again from her Dark Hunter Series). Artemis always seemed so cold and calculating and then we see one of Kat's memories...one where we see Artemis acting like a mother, showing her child warmth and love that she's never shown anyone else. The fact that she gets very freaked out by the title Grandma is also amusing :) 

Also...I know it technically doesn't count...but the men from the League series...these huge burly assassins and they get completely flummoxed by their own children. Such lethal men whose hearts hold so much love for their children, it's beautifully written, though dating Nykyrian's daughter would be extremely hazardous to your health I think...yeah he'd definitely be one of those fathers cleaning blasters or sharpening knives when the guy walks through the door *laughs*.

Alrighty then, I've got to go I will see you folks later :) Leave me your thoughts and I'll get back to you!

Bye!

Look Out For: Promises by Amber Garr

Hi everyone, today I'm part of the tour for Promises by Amber Garr, book 1 in the Syrenka Series. I have to say, the cover is very eerie and was part of the reason I signed up for this tour. Promises is a YA Paranormal/ Fantasy book and centres around a young mermaid called Eviana.

Here's the blurb that had me so intrigued:
Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love. 
When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids.
Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.
A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.

Sounds good doesn't it. I've been lucky enough to have received a copy of Promises for me to review *does happy dance*. So watch out for my post very soon if this sounds like something you'd enjoy :) And now...a treat for you, a wonderful excerpt from the book grab your interest. Enjoy!

Excerpt:
I barely heard her parting words as the screen door slammed shut.  My head was spinning in desperation as the anger coursed through my bones.  “Get back in here Eviana!” she continued to scream at me.  “We are not finished with this conversation!”
I was already racing down the deck stairs towards the sandy beach, kicking off my shoes and unbuttoning my blouse.  We are for now, I thought as my blood boiled with rage and resentment.  I was going to be trapped!  How dare they?  This was not the eighteenth century anymore!  I had rights!
I stumbled onto the sand, taking just a brief moment to savor the warmth and the feeling of the grains massaging my toes.  My shirt came off and I started to unzip my jeans.  No one was around.  But I wouldn’t care anyway.  The water was calling me and it was the only voice that I could hear now.  With one pant leg off, I hopped along in my forward progression until the other one was free.  My oasis was so close now that I could taste the salt in the air.  The sun broke free of a cloud, stopping me for a moment.  It was late afternoon and the sunset was still a few hours away, but the sky was already turning multiple shades of pink and orange; the coloration reminding me of the inside of a brilliant conch shell.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.  I knew that there was going to be hell to pay when I returned to the house.  Marguerite, my mother, had tolerated my rebellious behavior when I was younger, giving me more freedom and second chances than anyone in our clan.  But apparently now, at seventeen, I was an adult.  Adult enough to bear children.  Adult enough to participate in clan gatherings.  Adult enough to navigate our youth through their transition period.  But not adult enough to choose who to love.
A slight breeze wafted off the ocean, bringing with it scents that filled my gut with longing.  The freedom of the ocean.  Why couldn’t I just stay there forever?  A gull called overhead, beckoning me to join him.  The splashing waves calmed my inner rage as they ebbed and flowed in a hypnotic pattern.  A distant moan of a shipping vessel reminded me of our history.  I opened my eyes to see that I was standing alone along miles of sandy beach interlaced with large rocks and cliffs emblematic of the northern California coast.  So beautiful.  I stripped off the rest of my clothes and ran into the ocean.
As soon as I was under the water, I could feel the transition begin.  My lower body ached as the bones adjusted from a life on land to one at sea.  Both legs began to fuse together and work as one.  My foot bones elongated while I prepared for the agony.  I was accustomed to the changes now, but it was still a struggle of mind over matter.  Breaking through the surface of the water, I grabbed one last breath before the final jolt of pain ravaged through my body.  I bit my bottom lip and squeezed my eyes shut willing the moment to be over.  At last I felt an electric tingle move from my hips to my toes as the hardened iridescent, scales appeared on the bottom half of my body.  I opened my eyes to find that the internal transformation was complete as well.  My vision cleared.  My lungs expanded.  I could hear for miles.  I was free.
So I swam.  I swam away from the shore and the house that I lived in.  I swam away from my fears and obligations as though they could disappear with the distance.  I would temporarily forget my responsibilities, my duties, and the argument with my mother.  In here, I wasn’t trapped.  The sea was my true home.  I was a mermaid and this was my world.

You can buy Promises by Amber Garr from:

Amazon       

Smashwords  

Barnes and Noble 

About the Author:
Amber Garr spends her days conducting scientific experiments and wondering if her next door neighbour is secretly a vampire.  Born in Pennsylvania, she lives in Florida with her husband and their furry kids.  Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell.  She writes both adult and young adult urban fantasies and when not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.

Links:
Website: http://www.ambergarr.com
Blog: http://ambergarr.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Garr/232359720165110
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5374297.Amber_Garr