In My Mailbox [151]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Here is what I got the past week...

downloaded to my Kindle

 I got some cool Hunger Games items this week too.
I especially love the Capitol ID. You can't see it,
but I'm from District 11. You can get your own ID here.

Review:

Crimson Groves- Ashley Robertson

Thank you to Ashley Robertson.

Bought:

The Bigger They Are- Stephanie Julian
Bear Meets Girl- Shelly Laurenston

I Am Number Four-The Lost Files: Nine's Legacy- Pittacus Lore
A Game of Thrones (GN) Vol. 1- George R.R. Martin

Celebrity In Death- J.D. Robb

Cipher- Moira Rogers

Hunt Me- Shiloh Walker

Lover Reborn- J.R. Ward

Riders on the Storm- Gayle Ann Williams

Free Books: 

Until Death Do Us Part- Lynda Hilburn (link)

Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer- Colleen Gleason (link)

What did you get this week?

Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Random Acts of Kindness - March 2012

From Book ♥ Soulmates... "Random Acts of Kindness" is just a fun & thoughtful way to share a surprise with fellow bloggers & bookworms by giving them something from their online wishlist 'just because'. Share YOUR wishlist and maybe someone will surprise you! Learn more here.

I sent out two books this month:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare to

Mary @ SweepingMe

Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian to

Rain Maiden Jen

This month I received:

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Thank you to Rain Maiden Jen!

[ARC Review] - The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn

Title: The Vampire Shrink
Author: Lynda Hilburn
Series: Kismet Knight, Ph.D; Vampire Psychologist
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 3, 2012

I received this book from Sterling Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:  Kismet Knight, a brainy Denver-based psychologist with a stalled career and a nonexistent love life, is about to have her world rocked. Not only does her newest patient, Midnight, long to become a vampire, but the teenager insists that a coven of the undead hangs out at a local goth club. The always-rational Kismet dismisses Midnight's claims as the delusions of an attention-starved girl--until bodies start turning up drained of blood and the hottest self-proclaimed vampire ever to walk the face of the earth enters her office.
 
What's real? What's not? As inexplicable events and romantic opportunities pile up, along with the corpses, Kismet finds herself in a whirlwind of passion, mystery, and danger. But this tough and funny heroine--who doesn't do damsel in distress--is about to turn the vampire-meets-girl convention on its head.

**If your thinking this title seems familiar, you would be right. Kismet Knight, Ph.D; Vampire Psychologist series is being re-written and re-release from Sterling Publishing.

Thoughts: Dr. Kismet Knight is a psychologist living in Denver. With no love life - her career is her life.  New patient by the name of Midnight yearns to be a vampire. Dr. Knight thinks this is crazy and finds the things Midnight says to be impossible. That is until Kismet meets vampire Devereux and her world and the way she looks at it is forever changed.

This is actually the second time reading this book (first time being in 2009) and I love it just as much as I did back then.  Ms. Hilburn's take on vampires is unique. The Vampire Shrink is a totally engrossing read. Filled with mystery, action and romance. I was quite taken with Devereux and look forward to reading more about him and Kismet.  If you are a vampire lover this book is a must read.

Score:  4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com/

Upcoming Releases:

Blood Therapy (Kismet Knight, Ph.D; Vampire Psychologist #2)-Fall 2012

Other Titles:

Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (anthology)
Under the City
Until Death Do Us Part (Kismet Knight short story)

April Book Releases

1st

Above- Leah Bobet
Crystalfire- Kate Douglas
The Lingering Dead- J.N. Duncan
The Werewolf's Wife- Michele Hauf
Warrior Rising- Pamela Palmer
The Vampire's Consort- Caridad Pineiro

2nd

Highlander Series 7-book Bundle- Karen Marie Moning

3rd

Devil's Punch- Ann Aguirre
Magic Unchained- Jessica Andersen
Storm Swept- Vivian Arend (pbk)
The Duke's Perfect Wife- Jennifer Ashley
Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans- Gerry Bartlett
Black Heart- Holly Black
Enemy Mine (enovella)- Marcella Burnard
Lessons After Dark- Isabel Cooper
Beneath the Skin- Lauren Dane
The Wolf Who Loved Me- Lydia Dare
Keeper of the King's Secrets- Michelle Diener
Plague Town- Dana Fredsti
Fear- Michael Grant
The Vampire Shrink- Lynda Hilburn
Untouched- Sara Humphreys
Alien Diplomacy- Gini Koch
Grave Mercy- Robin LaFevers
The Slayer- Theresa Meyers
Magic Without Mercy- Devon Monk
The Last Romanov- Dora Levy Mossanen
Enraptured- Elisabeth Naughton
The Shape of Desire- Sharon Shinn
Savage Hunger- Shelli Stevens
Bloodright- Karin Tabke
Werewolf In Seattle- Vicki Lewis Thompson
Wrath- Denise Tompkins
Savage Awakening- J.D. Tyler
The Thirteenth Sacrifice- Debbie Viguie
Hunter's Rise- Shiloh Walker
The Highlander's Prize- Mary Wine

5th

Dark Heart Surrender- Lee Monroe

6th

The Unseen- Heather Graham

10th

The Calling- Kelley Armstrong
Walking In Fire- Cathryn Cade
Unholy Night- Seth Grahame-Smith
The House of Velvet and Glass- Katherine Howe
Taken At Dusk- C.C. Hunter
Royal Street- Suzanne Johnson
Home (Downside Ghosts- Stacia Kane
Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Baron- Kim Newman
Dark Shadows: Angelique's Descent- Lara Parker
Cat Scratch Fever- Jodi Redford

11th

Tiger- Laurann Dohner

17th

Skies of Fire- Zoe Archer
The Duke's Obsession Bundle- Grace Burrowes
Wolf Hills- Bianca D'Arc
The Last Echo- Kimberly Derting
A Hint of Frost- Hailey Edwards
Glimmer- Phoebe Kitanidis
The Springsweet- Saundra Mitchell

24th

Sevin- Elizabeth Amber
Lies & Omens- Lyn Benedict
Summoning the Night- Jenn Bennett
Deadly Descendant- Jenna Black
Warrior- Kristina Douglas
Spirit's Princess- Esther Friesner
Masque of the Red Death- Bethany Griffin
Evil Dark- Justin Gustainis
Tricked- Kevin Hearne
Kiss of Pride- Sandra Hill
Ascend- Amanda Hocking
The Immortal Rules- Julie Kagawa
The Wind Through the Keyhole- Stephen King
Coveted- Shawntelle Madison
Fevre Dream- George R.R. Martin
Thumped- Megan McCafferty
Into the Dreaming (with bonus material)- Karen Marie Moning
Unraveling- Elizabeth Norris
The Claimed- Caridad Pineiro
Crystal Gardens- Amanda Quick
Betting the Moon- Beverly Rae
Obsidian Flame- Caris Roane
Under a Vampire Moon- Lynsay Sands
The Prophet- Amanda Stevens
Wishful Thinking- Gabi Stevens
Wicked Road to Hell- Juliana Stone
The Temptation- Alisa Valdes
Grimm Tidings- Shiloh Walker
On The Prowl- Christine Warren
Hunted- Rebecca Zanetti

In My Mailbox [150]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

This was a slow week, but I did get a couple books for my Kindle.

Bought:

Spell Bound- Rachel Hawkins

Free Books:

The Mistress of Trevelyan- Jennifer St. Giles

Sadly this one is no longer free, but can be purchased here.

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Cover Discovery

Release Date: June 12, 2012

 

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Release Date: October 9, 2012

Release Date: October 9, 2012

Winner: The Hunger Games Prize Pack

and the winner is:

Rain Maiden

Congrats! Please send your mailing

information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

 All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

Giveaway: Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infinity

Chronicles of Nick #1
By Sherrily Kenyon

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Zeitghost Media & St. Martin's Press I have a paperback copy of Infinity to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winner will be announced on April 1st. Good Luck!

[AudioBook Review] - Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Title: Infamous
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrator: Holter Graham
Series: Chronicles of Nick
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: March 13, 2012

I received this audio book from Macmillan Audio, in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:  Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known. Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about. Even himself.

Thoughts: Nick Gautier is trying to stay out of trouble, keep his head above the water. He's trying hard, majoring in survival. But when you live in his world that's kind hard, especially when you have a father for a demon who wants you dead.

I loved this story.  Infamous is a great read. It is wonderfully fast-paced. Nick keeps finding trouble, but really none of it's his fault. He can't help that he attracts it due to his nature. A plus with this installment is that quite a few questions were answered. I also loved seeing Thorn and Bane make an appearance. Chronicles of Nick is very much a prequel as it is an extension of The Dark-Hunter series. A world that is always changing and ever expanding. Kenyon does a fantastic job of keeping things fresh and leaving the reader wanting more.

Infamous is narrated by Holter Graham. When I first listened to him read a Dark-Hunter book I didn't care for the voice too much, but he as grown on me.  One of my favorite characters, Simi makes another appearance and Mr. Graham, surprisingly does a perfect Simi. This audio also includes an interview with Holter Graham.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/

Upcoming Releases:
Born of Silence (The League #5)- April 15, 2012
Time Untime (Dark-Hunter (#22)- August 2, 2012
The Curse (Belador #3)- September 18, 2012
Dark Bites (short stories)- November 5, 2012
Inferno (Chronicles of Nick #4)- March 4, 2013
Born of Fury (The League #6)- April 2013
Alpha (Nevermore #1)- October 1, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday features a different topic and you post your top ten list related to the topic.

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read List.

The 10 books below are titles I can't wait to get my hands on. I could gush about how wonderful they are gonna be, but due to the late/early hour I have included the book descriptions instead. :)

1. Bear Meets Girl (Pride #7) by Shelly Laurenston

•  Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down--and bringing his passion out of hibernation. . .
  
  As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways.

2. Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood #10) by J.R. Ward

•  Now back in the Brotherhood - and unrecognizable as the vampire leader he once was - Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams - trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld - Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. When he's told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed . . .
  
  Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King's throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future . . . but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

3. The Duke's Perfect Wife (Highland Pleasures #4) by Jennifer Ashley

•  Lady Eleanor Ramsay is the only one who knows the truth about Hart Mackenzie. Once his fiancee, she is the sole woman to whom he could ever pour out his heart.
  
  Hart has it all--a dukedom, wealth, power, influence, whatever he desires. Every woman wants him--his seductive skills are legendary. But Hart has sacrificed much to keep his brothers safe, first from their brutal father, and then from the world. He's also suffered loss--his wife, his infant son, and the woman he loved with all his heart though he realized it too late.
  
  Now, Eleanor has reappeared on Hart's doorstep, with scandalous nude photographs of Hart taken long ago. Intrigued by the challenge in her blue eyes--and aroused by her charming, no-nonsense determination--Hart wonders if his young love has come to ruin him . . . or save him.

4. Taken At Dusk (Shadow Falls #3) by C.C. Hunter

•  Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean.  But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.
  
  Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together.  Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

5. Deadly Descendant (Nikki Glass #2) by Jenna Black

•  As a living descendant of Artemis the Huntress, private investigator Nikki Glass knows how to track someone down. But when an Oracle shows up, warning the descendants about wild dog attacks in Washington D.C., Nikki is afraid it might be a trap. The Olympians believe the “dogs” are jackals, controlled by a blood-crazed descendant of the Egyptian death-god Anubis. Whatever. . . . If Nikki hopes to muzzle Dogboy, she’s got to catch him in the act. But when she stakes out a local cemetery, she ends up face-to-snout with a snarling pack of shadow-jackals whose bite is worse than their bark. These hellhounds are deadly—even for an immortal like Nikki. “Dog” spelled backwards may be “god,” but that won’t stop Nikki from teaching these old gods some new tricks. Like playing dead

6. Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms #3) by Kristin Cashore

•  Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.
  
  Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

7. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

•  With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.
  
  Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

8. Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3) by Jennifer Estep

•  I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.
  
  Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?
  
  It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

9. A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith Quartet #2) by Julia Quinn

•  Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is…
  But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge — in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy—no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.
  
  Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger…
  But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending…

10. Tangle of Need (Psy/Changeling #11) by Nalini Singh

•  Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past—one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another. For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.
  
  Their coming together is an inferno…and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

Giveaway: The Hunger Games

In celebration of the upcoming premiere of The Hunger Games, I thought a giveaway was in order.  To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada.The winner will be announced on March 23rd. 

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

Prize Pack includes:

• copy of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• copy of The Hunger Games Tribute Guide by Emily Seife
• Mockingjay Keychain

http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/

In My Mailbox [149] + Happy St. Patrick's Day

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Here is what I got this past week...

download to my Kindle

Review:

Wicked As They Come- Delilah S. Dawson

Infamous- Sherrilyn Kenyon

Thank you to Simon & Schuster & Macmillan Audio.

Free Kindle Books:

A Peyton Family Christmas- Moira Rogers [link]

Kamikaze- Moira Rogers [link]

Two Weddings- Moira Rogers [link]

Zola's Pride- Moira Rogers [link]

Bought:

The Goddess Hunt- Aimee Carter

Corsets and Crossbows- Alyxandra Harvey

Motor City Mage- Cindy Spencer Pape

Demon Bait- Moira Rogers

Nightborn- Lynn Viehl

Vampire's Kiss- Veronica Wolff

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

May today and everyday filled with lucky!

[Series Spotlight]: The Seven Kingdoms

This month's Series Spotlight is The Seven Kingdoms by Kristin Cashore. I listened to Graceling on audio, and I was instantly hooked. The plus about listening to the audio was it was narrated by a full cast. I highly recommend checking the audio out if you get the chance. Fire was an instant favorite as well. I can't wait to read the new installment Bitterblue. This book has been along time coming.

Graceling

Book #1

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away... a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Fire

Book #2

She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next.

Bitterblue

Releasing on May 1, 2012

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened.

But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart

Kristin Cashore's Website & Blog

Waiting On Wednesday [40] - The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine. A feature showcasing upcoming releases that are eagerly anticipated.

This is a series that was recommended to me by another blogger and I fell in love
with it from book one. I can't wait to read Hart's story!

Title: The Duke's Perfect Wife

Series: Highland Pleasures

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Book Description:

Who is Hart Mackenzie's perfect match? Eleanor Ramsay doesn't know--she jilted him all those years ago--and now all she wants from the devastating duke is a job. Or so she tells herself. Persuading him to hire her as an assistant to his secretary is tricky, but Eleanor has a trick or two of her own up her sleeve, including photographs of the younger Hart--some of him in his kilt, and some of him not in his kilt...

Hart is secretly delighted that Eleanor has returned, because he needs a wife, and he's decided that Eleanor will be the one. But when Eleanor comes back into his life before he's ready, Hart finds his world turned upside-down, and everything he thought important brought into question.

Series Reading Order:

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage

The Many Sins of Lord Cameron

The Duke's Perfect Wife- April 3, 2012

The Seduction of Elliot McBride- January 2013

The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie- October 2013

Book Trailer: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infamous 

Chronicles of Nick #3

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

Out Now!

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick's saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That's the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn't the average teenager. He's a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He's learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn't the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or...

[Review] - A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones
Author: George R.R. Martin
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 6, 1996

Summary: In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the North of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to.

Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counter plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance as each new endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts the game of thrones

Thoughts: My number one addiction of 2011 was the TV show Game of Thrones . When the first episode aired I wasn't sure I was gonna like it, but by the end of the episode I was hooked. It wasn't until towards the end of the season that I picked up the book to read. (yep, it took me a while to read)

Once I got into the book I fell more in love with the world and the characters. I'm not sure I would have picked this one up if I hadn't seen the show, but I'm glad I did because I enjoy every minute of it. One of the amazing things is the shows creators have stayed quite true to the material, which is another reason to love both formats. A Game of Thrones really has everything. Fantasy, intrigue, adventure and even some romance. If you haven't picked this one up yet, I highly recommend it.

Score: 5 Stars

Author Website: http://georgerrmartin.com/

A Song of Ice and Fire:

A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast of Crows
A Dance with Dragons

Upcoming Releases:

A Game of Thrones Volume One- March 27, 2012 (graphic novel)

Cover Discovery

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Release Date: August 7, 2012

 Release Date: August 14, 2012 (US Cover)

 

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Release Date: October 23, 2012

In My Mailbox [147]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

I got sick of depending on Walmart for new releases and took a trip to BN.
Here is what I got as well as what arrived in my mailbox. 

Thank you to Michelle G!

Gifted:

Archon- Sabrina Benulis

Fair Game- Patricia Briggs

Wide Open- Deborah Coates

Ascension- Sable Grace

RAK:

Bloodlines- Richelle Mead

Thank you to RainMaidenJen!

(not pictured, will feature in my RAK post)

Bought:

The World of Downton Abbey- Jessica Fellows

Inheritance- Christopher Paolini (not pictured, downloaded to my iPod)

Divergent- Veronica Roth

Embrace- Jessica Shirvington

The Darkest Whisper- Gena Showalter

The Darkest Passion- Gena Showalter

The Darkest Lie- Gena Showalter

The Darkest Secret- Gena Showalter

The Darkest Surrender- Gena Showalter

What did you get this week?

Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Happy Anniversary to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

It was 15 years ago on March 10, 1997 -  Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered and an ever growing cult was born. Before I was obsessed with reading and Harry Potter, BTVS was my obsession. I loved this show and still do. It's kinda hard to believe it's been 15 years. Check out where the actors are now - here.

Here are my Buffy Book Recs:

The Gatekeeper Trilogy- Christopher Golden & Nancy Holder

Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row- Christopher Golden

Tales of the Slayers Vol. 1- Various Authors

The Book of Fours- Nancy Holder

Oz: Into the Wild- Christopher Golden

Tales of the Slayers Vol. 2- Various Authors

Blood and Fog- Nancy Holder

BTVS/Angel: Monster Island- Christopher Golden

Tales of the Slayers Vol. 3- Various Authors

The Lost Slayer Omnibus- Christopher Golden

Tales of the Slayers Vol. 4- Various Authors

Queen of the Slayers- Nancy Holder

Winner - Contact: The Battle for America Series

and the winner is...

Indigo

 

Congrats! Please send your mailing

information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

Product Review: The BookWedge

 The BookWedge is an inflatable book pillow, that holds books, tablets and e-readers of all shapes and sizes. It’s all about comfortable reading!

Out of the few products I have reviewed The BookWedge is by far my favorite. I loved using it with my Kindle.  It's comfortable to use and lightweight (3 ounces). It takes less then minutes to inflate and can be used indoors and outdoors and in which ever position you are comfortable with. For me, comfort when reading is a priority and that is something that The Bookwedge delivers. I think other readers will love this product and I definitely recommend it.

The BookWedge is perfect for hardcovers, paperbacks and Kindles as well as other readers and tablets such as the Nook and the iPad.  It reduces strain on the arms and neck by providing support at just the right angle. It comes in one color, royal blue and priced at $19.99. It is available in bookstores and online. If you are unable to find it at your local bookstore, encourage them to get some in stock. Buy Here. 

The WondaWedge was sent to me for review from Cypress Creek Marketing.

Click graphics to enlarge.

Hardcovers & Paperbacks

 Kindle Keyboard & Kindle Fire

Waiting On Wednesday [39] - Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine. A feature showcasing upcoming releases that are eagerly anticipated.

Tohr!!!

Title: Lover Reborn

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood

Author: J.R. Ward

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Book Description:

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed....

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Series-Reading Order:

Dark Lover

Lover Eternal

Lover Awakened

Lover Revealed

Lover Unbound

Lover Enshrined

The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide

Lover Avenged

Lover Mine

Lover Unleashed

Lover Reborn

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday features a different topic and you post your top ten list related to the topic.

This weeks topic is Top Ten Favorite Covers.

1. Blue Moon (Nightcreatures #1) by Lori Handeland

• Loved that the Native American character was represented on the cover along with the wolf

2. Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1) by Patricia Briggs

• Another series that has had fabulous covers. I loved this first one the most. I like the progression of the covers. With each new cover it seems Mercy has acquired another tattoo. 

3. A Hunger Like No Other ( Immortals After Dark #1) by Kresley Cole

• I have loved all the books and covers in this series, but this one is my favorite. For me the couple on the cover convey the actual characters. I love when that happens.

4. Witchling (Otherworld #1) by Yasmine Galenorn

• Artist, Tony Mauro does the art for Otherworld series and does an amazing job with each book. Out of all the covers Witchling is my favorite and the plus is it represents Camille quite well. 

5. Would-Be Witch (Southern Witch #1) by Kimberly Frost

• I love this one for the bright colors and the Ocelot. He looks quite real and like he's about to walk right off the cover. 

6. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

• I looove the original cover, it is beautiful. I was disappointed that the publisher decided to change the covers when book 2 Wolfsbane was released.  The new cover for Nightshade and Wolfsbane I didn't care for, but book 3, Bloodrose was amazing.

7. Beast Behaving Badly (Pride #5) by Shelly Laurenston

• I love all the covers in the Pride series, but this one is my favorite.

8. Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

• The cover gods have blessed Ms. Blake. I wanted to read this one on the cover alone, and it turned out to be really good book. The portrayal of Anna on the cover is spot on.

9. Dark Taste of Rapture (Alien Huntress #6) by Gena Showalter

• An addicting series and the cover is just too yummy. I love the glowing tattoos.

10. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Highland Pleasures #3) by Jennifer Ashley

• Really what is not to love. Hunky chest, wearing a vest and kilt. Yum!

Promo: A Searing Wind + Series Giveaway

A Searing Wind

Book 3: Contact: The Battle for America 

By W. Michael Gear & Kathleen O'Neal Gear

Available: March 6, 2012

 Black Shell is an exile, banished by his people for his cowardice in battle. To his fearsome patron spirit, Horned Serpent, however, he is imbued with the courage and keenness to stop the Kristiano onslaught. He and his beautiful wife Pearl Hand have fought them from the Florida Peninsula through the very heart of native America. A trader by profession, Black Shell now dedicates his soul to destroying the invaders, with their impenetrable armor, their swift, enormous cabayos, and their flashing, razor-sharp swords.

Black Shell and Pearl Hand have seen the shackled, naked, starving slaves, heard the broken promises—and learned de Soto’s plans. While the battle of Mabila cost many Kristianos life and limb, the marauder does not retreat. Now he heads for Chicaza and the people from which Black Shell was once exiled.

Wounded and pursued by memories and visions, Black Shell is obsessed with setting the perfect trap. To do so, he must use the Chicaza and their stockpiles of food and supplies. And he must gamble everything on his people’s pride, traditions, and failings. As winter sets in, new dangers abound for the pair—that of a family’s shame, a woman’s anger, and a betrayal that may force Black Shell to forfeit his last chance to save their world from utter destruction. But, worst of all, he and Pearl Hand must walk boldly into de Soto’s camp and engage the cunning monster in a desperate game of wits that will decide the fate of a continent.

GIVEAWAY:

 Thanks to the Simon & Schuster I have the complete series to giveaway to one lucky winner. The set includes Coming of the Storm (pbk), Fire the Sky (pbk) and A Searing Wind (hardcover). To enter leave a comment along with your email address. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents.  The winner will be announced on March 9th. Good Luck!

In My Mailbox [146]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library. Here is what I got this past week...

downloaded to my Kindle

Bought:

The Cajun's Captive- Selena Blake

My Lord Vampire- Alexandra Ivy

The Darkest Seduction- Gena Showalter

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

An Alternative to GFC: Linky Followers

Thank you to Parajunkee's View for the heads up on Linky Followers!  If you are unable to use GFC anymore please feel free to follow me through Linky Followers. You can find the widget below and on my sidebar.

[ARC Review] - A SEAL In Wolf's Clothing

Title: A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing
Author: Terry Spear
Series: Heart of the Wolf
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: March 6, 2012

I received this book for review from Sourcebooks.

Summary: Her instincts tell her he's dangerous...

While her overprotective brother's away, Meara Greymere's planning to play—and it wouldn't hurt to find herself a mate in the process. The last thing she needs is one of his SEAL buddies spoiling her fun, even if the guy is the hottest one she's ever seen...

His powers of persuasion are impossible to resist...

Finn Emerson is a battle-hardened Navy SEAL and alpha wolf. He's a little overqualified for baby-sitting, but feisty Meara is attracting trouble like a magnet...

As the only responsible alpha male in the vicinity, Finn is going to have to protect this intriguing woman from a horde of questionable men, and definitely from himself...

Thoughts: While her brother Hunter & his mate are honeymooning, Meara Greymere decides it's the perfect time to utilize her cabin rentals to find herself a mate. Finn Emerson, Hunter's fellow SEAL sneaks on to the property to keep an eye on Meara and to watch out for any assassins out to get her brother or any of his loved ones. Meara has a sneaking suspicion that some one is watching her, but doesn't expect Finn and she didn't realize he was gonna be so hard to resist.

Tantalizing and suspenseful. I loved Finn & Meara's story. A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing is an excellent read, filled with romance and danger. Terry Spear is an alpha in her own right. She stays true to the wolf and takes the reader on an adventure. Never failing in giving a story that captivates both the imagination and senses. If you love shapeshifters, make sure to pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.terryspear.com/

Upcoming Releases:

Savage Hunger (new series)- October 2012
Dragon Fae- December 2012
Howling For the Highland Wolf- 2013
A Highland Wolf Wedding- 2013
Silence of the Wolf- 2013

February 2012 - Reading List

Paris, My Sweet- Amy Thomas (4/5)
A Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (5/5)
Hit List- Laurell K. Hamilton (3/5)
Shatter Me- Tahereh Mafi (4/5)
A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing- Terry Spear (4/5)
Dating the Undead- Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe (4/5)
The Wolf Who Loved Me- Lydia Dare (4/5)
Kiss of Frost- Jennifer Estep (4/5)
Much Ado About Vampires- Katie MacAlister (3/5) 
The Vampire Shrink- Lynda Hilburn (4/5)
Forever- Maggie Stiefvater (4/5)
The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins (re-read) (5/5)
A Killer First Date- Alyxandra Harvey (3/5)
A Perfect Blood- Kim Harrison (4/5)

Upcoming Events in March:

• Promo of A Searing Wind + a series Giveaway
• Giveaway: The Hunger Games Prize Pack