In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Thanks so much for this!

This past week was a week with awesome releases! Luckily, it the end of the month and I had enough money left to get most of the releases I wanted!

 

 

 

Look what I got:

I especially love the cover of Etched in Bone, Dante looks deliciously hawt (at least what you can see of him). But I immediatly started reading This Side of the Grave.

Really, where are all the hot and sexy vamps with British accents that call you Luv when you need them? Must be because I´m here in Germany, Bavaria to be precise. I guess German accented Vampires are just not as sexy… Too bad!

Review: Bloodshot

Title: Bloodshot (Cheshire Red Reports #1)

Author: Cherie Priest

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published: January 25th by Spectra

Blurb:

VAMPIRE FOR HIRE
Raylene Pendle (AKA Cheshire Red), a vampire and world-renowned thief, doesn’t usually hang with her own kind. She’s too busy stealing priceless art and rare jewels. But when the infuriatingly charming Ian Stott asks for help, Raylene finds him impossible to resist—even though Ian doesn’t want precious artifacts. He wants her to retrieve missing government files—documents that deal with the secret biological experiments that left Ian blind. What Raylene doesn’t bargain for is a case that takes her from the wilds of Minneapolis to the mean streets of Atlanta. And with a psychotic, power-hungry scientist on her trail, a kick-ass drag queen on her side, and Men in Black popping up at the most inconvenient moments, the case proves to be one hell of a ride.

My Review:

Bloodshot is the first book by Cherie Priest I´ve read, even though I have heard a lot about her other books, especially Boneshaker.

I thouroughly enjoyed reading Bloodshot. Even though Cherie Priest does not invent the vampire new ability-wise, it is Raylene´s personality and charater that make her stand out that much.Her neurotic and obesssiv compulsive behavior is hilarious. Still, she more than capable of taking care for herself, her, well, unique charactersaves her from more than one precarious situation. That´s why she has become something like a legend in her line of work and has allowed her to horde tons of cash and other riches.

Little does she know what she gets herslf into when she accepts a job that starts out more interesting than her usual ones.

The rest of the characters is, aside from Raylene´s character, one of the things that made me like this book so much. Cherie Priest does not picture her vampire as incredibly powerful beings with god-like abilities like it´s common in other book featuring vampires. This gives the story a very interesting take. Ian, her client, is actuallly blind. The only other blind vampire I know is Wrath from the BDB, but those two have nothing in common! As mentioned, I really liked that kind of vulnerability Cherie Priest added to his character.

Then there is Adrian. He/she (I share Raylene´s confusion about his gender) is totally kick-ass. But then again, what else do you expectfrom a former Navy SEAL and current drag queen. His two side are so incredibly contradictory I can only admire Cherie Priest for creating a character like him/her.

Together with Ian´s ghoul and guide Cal, they form partnership of convinience to investigate the organisation behind the vicious attack, abduction and torture that led to Ian´s blindness.

During the whole investigation, there are tons of action including break-ins, explosions, government conspiracies, Men in Black and pursuits.

My verdict:

I enjoyed every single minute I spent reading it. Bloodshot is a great blend of action, witty dialoges or in that case monologes and one liners by Raylene and likeable, unique characters.

I would totally recommend it to everyone who loves a good Urban Fantasy book with a witty heroine.

4 stars for Cherie Priest´s Bloodshot.

Review: Tempest´s Legacy

 

Author: Nicole Peeler

Title: Tempest´s Legacy (Jane True #3)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published: January 2011 by Orbit

 

 

 

Blurb:

Jane True has become proficient in basic magics, confident in herself and her abilities, and happily rooted in Rockabill. Her life is still divided between her supernatural brethren and her human friends and family, but it’s a division she maintains with very little trouble.
Everything changes, however, when Anyan brings Jane news that will force her to confront her dichotomized existence – supernatural females are being murdered, or have simply disappeared.
Jane and Anyan must embark on a desperate search to find out who is abducting these women, and how Jane can be protected from them. Aiding them is Jane’s former flame, Ryu. But can his stated motivations be trusted? And who are the mysterious figures dogging Jane’s and Anyan’s footsteps if not minions of Jarl?
Eventually, the trio stumble upon a secret so huge that it threatens to disrupt the tenuous traditions keeping humanity safe from the supernatural community that has, up until now, been content to lurk in the shadows.
Will they uncover the truth in time to save Jane’s friends? And just how far will Jarl go to protect his secrets?

My Review:

I think I have a lucky streak, aside from one book (Nevermore) I really enjoyed every book I read during my time offline. And I´m positive that this is not due to lacking other kinds of entertainment.

As soon as I read the first few pages and chapters, I realized how much I´ve missed Jane´s quirky voice and Nicole Peeler´s writing.

Jane really goes through some serious, emotional and even traumatising stuff in this book, yet she still grows. Talk about character developement. 

I was really glad to see that we get to meet all the amazing characters from the previous books again and even more delighted to get to know a bunch of equally awesome new ones.

The overall tone of the book however is a darker one than in the previous books. It´s not that there are very gory scenes os something like that, some happenings of the story are just hard to take in.

The ending also really surprised me. I figured out who the bad guys were pretty fast, but the final revelation was something I did not see coming. The ending offers so many possibilities for the next book that I´m already in the “impatiently waiting for the next Jane True book –mode” one day after reading it.

Oh, before I forget it: I was quite pleased with the romantic developments of this book. *grins*

My Verdict:

Another fun and tantalizing installment in the Jane True series. Loved every page of it! 4.5 of 5 stars.

We have a Winner!

Remember my rant about Amzon yesterday?

I guess someone must have read my post! Guess what I fund in my mailbox today??

Here´s a little hint:

*does happy dance* I know what I´ll be doing this weekend!

By the way, winner is The Book Depository. I ordered it last Friday or Satury, so the shipping was actually pretty fast!

So Sometime next week, I´ll be posting a series review for Julie Kagawa´s Iron Fey series.

Now I´m off obsessing about my latest book boyfriend, the Winter Prince!

Ash?

Review: No Rest for the Wicca

Author: Toni LoTempio

Title: No Rest for the Wicca

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published: October 20th (self-published)

 

 

 

 

Blurb:

Communing with the dead is an everyday occurrence for PI Morgan Hawkes. A half-Wiccan witch who can commune with spirits of those caught between worlds, Morgan uses her talents to exorcise the trapped ghost or demon as part of the Paranormal Investigation Squad; until a string of murders with a voodoo slant prompts the Special Forces Agency to ask for her assistance. Someones killing pureblood witches- and the SFA is convinced Morgan´s voodoo heritage could be instrumental in solving the mystery. Teamed with dashing SF agent Cole St. John, an Inheritor Vampire that sets her blood racing; the two of them must fight their deep attraction as they race to stop a madman from unleashing a demonic force upon the world.

 

* Thank you so much Toni for sending me a copy!*

My Review:

Wow! I just discovered another Indie author that has really surprised me in a very positive way! I might even go so far to say that I liked toni LoTempio´s book almost as much as H.P. Malloy´s (my all-time favorite not any longer Indie author) books.

But back to the actual book: No rest for the Wicca starts out by introducing Morgan Hawkes, a PI that communes and exrcises spirits and demons trapped between worlds. Even though she is good at that,she is nt happy with her job.
Morgan has a lot of baggage: soon, we find out that she blames herself for the death of her former partner, back when she still used to work for homicide. In an attempt to save her partner, she combined white Wiccan magic with voodoo. The spell went wrong and her partner ended up dead. Ever since, she has sworn off both her Wiccan and her voodoo heritage. But when fullblood witches turn up dead and her cousin is attacked, she has to find a way to get over her past to save some innocent witches.

Morgan is a very well balanced character: she´s strong (and a little bit boneheaded), but she still has her flaws that only make her human. She´s not crazy powerful but also has to use her brains to solve this case.

Cole St. John, hery fangy (is that a word?) the Special Forces Agent, is a great match for her, both as partner and as love interest. It takes them some time to confess their feeling for each other, but like I said, they are really good together.

Overall, I really enjoyed every aspect of this book: there was romance, but not too many sex scense just for the sake of it. The murder mystery was gripping and kept me guessing until the very end.

I also enjoyed the wordlbuilding and the mythology in No Rest for the Wicca. Wiccan and Voodoo mythology is no something I have read a lot about, so it was very entertaining.

My Verdict:

A highly enjoyable read! I would have never guessed that this was a self-published book, had I not been told! When there´s a new book in this series, I´m definetly going to read it!

4 Stars!

D@#+ you Amazon!!!

Do you know the feeling when you really really want a book? Like BAD? You´re so eager that you pre-order it like four weeks in advance?

This is the way I felt about The Iron Queen. I strated Julie Kagawa´s amazong series while I was offline (but there will be a review) and LOVED it. Back then, The Iron Queen was not yet released.

So, I pre-ordered The Iron Queen and felt really really happy. I Imagined myself on my couch with this beauty in my hands.

But you know what? I still haven´t got it yet! First, I get a mail from the amauon customer service telling me that it might take them a few days longer than expected to deliver it. No problem, see I can be very patient (sometimes). But after “a few days” I get another mail telling my that they are incredibly sorry blah, blah, blah but as of now they don´t know when or if they can deliver it. WTF? Isn´t the whole point of pre-ordering so that I get my book right on time?

This is a problem I often have to face here in Germany. Even though I pre-order pretty much ALL of my books, some still can´t be delivered. The alternative is ordering from book depository, but it also takesthem over a week to ship the books. It is sometimes slightly frustrating and one of the reasons I sometimes consider buying an e-reader, even though I love only few things more than getting a new book, opening it for the first time, admiring the cover and just skim through.

Maybe, one of these days I might get myself a Kindle. But then again, who knows if they (meaning amazon) can deliver that???

In case you are wondering now: yes, I cancelled my order with Amazon and placed a new one with The Book Depository. Ha, take that stupid online bookstore!

(I know this might be slightly boring for you, but I had t tell someone who gets why I am mad about this.)

Cover Alert

Lookie what I´ve just found:

This one is called “Bloodland” and might not be final. Christine Cody is the pen name of Chris Marie Green. There´s not much about this one except the publishing date which is July 26th by Ace

      

Here are the covers for Changeling Moon (which has been out for a while) and Chagelig Dreams by Dani Harper. The colors are very striking and I like that they have that red amulet in common, but is it just me or does the pose in the second book look a little bit odd?

Release dates for those two books are May 31st and June 28th.

 

Daybreak is the third book in the Dark Age Gawning series by Ellen Connor (a.k.a Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty).Release Date is sometime in December 2011.

Blurb:

It's been twelve years since the Change, and Penelope Sheehan is one of the few still practicing magic for the good of humanity in this dark, dangerous world. Determined to infiltrate the notorious O'Malley organization, she poses as an abducted girl–until a furious lion thwarts her mission. When the beast turns into a devastatingly handsome man, she recognizes in him the troubled boy she once knew.
Since becoming a skinwalker, Tru Daugherty has allowed his animal nature to take over. Aloof and cynical, he takes no interest in making the world a better place. He's a creature of instinct and impulse, living only to satisfy his senses–ignoring the scarred heart nobody has ever reached. He's also the best man to help Pen bring down the O'Malley crime ring.
Fighting alongside the last holdouts of humanity, they unleash a passion that tempts them to risk everything for love. But if they succeed, Tru and Pen hold the power to brighten the Dark Age for all time.

 

And this is my favorite, both cover and blurb wise:

A dark, sexy debut set in a small Missouri town where evil waits at the end of every alley...
Cassandra Archer is the huntress. She has faithfully served the earth Mother for years, rescuing kidnapped children from monsters—both human and supernatural—dwelling in the ruins of the Barrows District. But when two children are kidnapped under similar circumstances, all clues point to a cataclysmic event on the next dark moon. Now Cass must race against the clock and prevent a sacrifice that could destroy the entire town..

Release Date is July 5th 2011 by Signet.

Review: Shadowfever

 

Author: Karen Marie Moning 

Title: Shadowfever ( Fever #5)

Genre : Urban Fantasy

Published: January 18th by Delacorte Press

 

 

 

My Review:

Okay, even now, a few days after finishing this book I still can´t find the right words. I had such high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed.

I can still remember how I raged against KMM after THE cliffhanger. I think you all know what I´m talking about. Waiting for the release felt like an eternity, and I was crazy giddy when I finally had it in my hands.

Thankfully, I wasn´t online, so I was not tempted to read the two chapters that were leaked and the pleasure of reading this book was completly undisturbed. And it was a pleasure. The book is so emotional, especially the very first part of it, ow Mac reacted to the death of the beast and the person behind it. For me, it wasn´t much of a surprise. I had feared it all along. But of course I kept hoping throughout the book that something would happen to undo it.

It´s hard to write a review about this book without any spoilers, so I will keep it short and sweet: This book was awesome. I loved hoe all the secrets were revealed, I marveled at the character developement, not only of the main, but also of the side characters. Like few others, KMM has created characters that are not simply white and black. There are so many shades of grey in this book. What´s more, alll the character have an if not understandable than at least explainable reason for their actions.

I was totally surprised about more than one story twist (most of all by one concerning Dani). And at the end, I felt totally satisfied but still more than a little sad.

I´m really glad to hear that this will not be the end of this wonderful series. And honestly, I don´t mind waiting. Okay, maybe a little.

 

My Verdict:

5 Stars.  Without hesitation.

Back online!!!

So, finally I would say, I´m back online. I can tell you, it was quite intense for me. I really felt like some kind of addict.

The first few days were really intense. I constantly felt like I missed something ( and I did! Ilnoa Andrews hosted a signed cover falt contest and I´m just sure I would have won this time!). It felt really strange not being able to go online whenever I wanted (when I was at home.  seriously thought of getting myself a smartphone, but I re-considered.

The phone company is probably preparing a law suit because of me harrassing them (I think it is okay to call multiple times a day. It´s not my fault that I have to be at university and cant be there when they supposedly are free).

In the second week, I stopped by an internet café to check my mails.I also tried to post something, but I had a very… well awkward experience there. I wanted to do a In My Mailbox post and therefore looked for a picture of the Raziel cover.

Jup, that one. Behind me sat a bunch of teenage boys who thought it incredibly funny to spy on me. Imagine their delight when they caught me looking for that cover.

I kind of decided against further posting in an internet café from this day on.

There is one thing however that really amazed my during my forced break from blogging: I actually learned something from it:

First: the world does not end when you don´t have internet connection.

Second: You would be amazed at how much time you actually find for reading. I never realized just how much of my free time I waste (?) by browsing the internet. I´m not talking things that actually make sense, like visit blogs. I´m talking about following random links and stuff.

Third: After my first week of anxiety, I was actually a little bit more relaxed. Huh. Who knew.

So even though I hated being out of the loop, it was not as horrible as I would have toufght. I´m really glad however that I´m back now

And the good thing about my break: I have tons of reviews I can post now! Because my Live Wirter still worked offline!

I Want Internet NOW!!!

*sigh*

A new year, but the same old complications… Usually I had planned to stay the complete last week with my parents, but I had to go to my new apartment unplanned. And no, I still don´t have internet there. On Monday, my courses at university continue after the break over Christmas and I´ll be back in Munich -  without internet again.

But there´s good news as well: I´m supposed to be back online on January 14th. 6 more days!!!! I feel like an addict!!! I can´t read/answer mails, stalk my favorite blogs/authors or blog myself. On the other hand I´m gonna have even more time to read! So prepare yourself for tons of reviews. (Fortunately I also have tons of books to read!)

This whole offline experience has really got me thinking: what would I do without? How did I live without internet before?

No, seriously, let me tell you what I need internet for everyday:

During the last few weeks, ia had to check every day before I left my apartment whether the public transportation system is still up and running and if my connection is on time. While I´m at it, I also check the weather online for my city to decide what to wear for the day.

And because I have a few moments to spare, I check my two email addresses. And Facebook. And my blog.

When I´m at university, I´m usually cut off from the internet as well, but I know I´ll be online as soon as I´m home.

When I come home, I have to search for the song that´s stuck in my head since hearing it on the radio an listen to it on youtube. Then,

I check my email again, as well as my blog and facebook. And then goodreads. I see a new book somewhere, read reviews on it, search it on amazon, check my bank balance, decide I´m still good and buy it. Plus one or two more from my wishlist, because you know, one book alone is too afraid, or, as a German saying goes "you can´t stand on one foot” or three because that´s even better or four because I don´t like odd numbers and so on.

Then I write a review/blogpost. And check it for typing errors. And again. Then I stalk some more blogs and authors.

Sometimes a friend calls about a movie/to go out: I go online, try to find out if there are any good movies, reserve the tickes/use google maps to see the location of the new hotspot to see which kind of transportation I should use. We rethink and decide to grab dinner instead. I google to see which is the best italien restaurant in the neighborhood, search (online) for the number and reserve a table. My friend tells me that we need a present for another friend. I´ll brows amazon for something fitting. Then I head over to etsy on my quest for the right present.

Then I remember that the contract for my mobile phone is running out. If I keep it, I´ll get a new phone. Oh, shiny! Have to go online and see which phone is the best right now (and which is the best smartphone with email client).

Friend calls again, cancels for today because of illness/super hot date/anything else. No problem, I can keep myself busy. I call a friend via skype who happens to be online (while I´m secretly horrified how strange I look via webcam).

Roommate/sister comes in, complains about running nose/ sore throat/headache/whatever. Or drugstore is already closed, so we have to search for the emergency drugstore of course via google. While she´s at it, she pays her bills online and shops for new shoes. And jewelry. And checks out online clothing store. Then, she browses my bookshelf and takes three YA books without asking. I lecture her –again- about how to treat a book right, she rolls eyes.

After we´re finished I decide that we have to eat something. And put my laptop to sleep mode, because he (yes, it´s a boy) is quite hot, you know, overheated, not hot like that.

All fed, I go online to see if there´s anything on TV. Or Youtube. And I check my emails again. And Facebook. I´m having a hard time deciding between reading and watching something online (thank you ITunes and Ipod) and end up doing both at the same time.

Before I go to sleep, I check my blog/email/facebook/goodreads. And go one more time to amazon/book depository to track my recent order.

Okay, I guess besides being a book addict, I also have a serious internet addiction problem. Is it just me or are you more and more dependent on the internet? Maybe I can visit a friend who has internet. Or buy one of those fancy surf sticks for the next few days.

Or maybe I´m just doomed. I´ll let you know at the latest on January 14th.

Until then, I´ll miss you. And the internet.

Early Review: Phantom Universe

Title: Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles #1)

Author: Laura Kreitzer

Genre: Young Adult

Expected Publication: February 15th 2011 by Obsidian Mountain Publishing

Blurb: Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she’s lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?

Thank you Obsidian Mountain Publishing for providing a review copy!

Review:

Since I´ve read the first book of Laura Kreitzer´s Timeless series and really enjoyed it, I immerdiatly took the opportunity when I was offered a very early copy of her new series The Summer Chronicles.

Phantom Universe tells the story of Summer, a slave girl who only survived by not speaking and trying to be invisible. When she finds herself in a whole new world after escaping the ships she works on, she also finds herself at the very center of attention – not only of gorgeous Gage, one of the few persons who seem to understand and care for her. A very powerful and dangerous group has taken a strange interest in her. When a dark secret of her past is revealed and her life is in even more danger than before, Summer has to decide: speak up or die.

Phantom Universe is a YA book, but there is a lot of heavy stuff in it. As a slave, Summer has to gone through a lot of both physical and mental torture (including an attempted rape) and unsurprisingly, life has left scars on her. Some visible, but the worst of them invisible. Laura Kreitzer has done an amazing job at creating such a fragile, insecure, tormented but also consistent character. Even though you can see how Summer gets better throughout the book, she only takes tiny steps. There are ups and downs and you can´t help but feel for her, suffer with her and get the urge to protect her. 

Gage and Landon are the only ones that bring some kind of security, balance and safety to her life. Both care for her a great deal: Landon more in a brotherly way while you know immediately that Gage wants to be more than just a friend to her.Yet, he never forces her to do anything she doesn´t want and is incredibly sweet. (A little hint: the rose in the cover is not random.) Both guys would do anything to protect her and try to heal her without being too pushy or overpowering.

The rest of the characters in the book (especially Cameron) might be side characters, but that doesn´t mean they were given less thought by the author. Each one of them has been given a very distinct voice that hints how much work was put into this book.

Phantom Universe is set in a world that is ours, yet is completly different. I don´t want to give away too much about it, since part of it is integral to the plot, but just like Summer, the reader only gets tidbits of information about it. That is one thing that was a bit of a drawback for me, as I would have loved to learn more about both society history and technology, but as this is only the first book in the series, I´m sure that there is more to discover in the next books.

Both the prologue and the flashbacks to Summer´s childhood are great additions to the story. The former hints at a very mysterious and captivating part of the plot. The flashbacks provide a deeper insight to Summer´s character and help you understand how she became what she is. The last chapters of the book also introduce a new storyline that guarantees to keep you waiting impatiently for the next installment in the series.

Laura Kreitzer has a way of writing a story that somehow gets under your skin. I mentioned it above somewhere, this book is really intense, but nontheless moving and outstanding.

My Verdict:

4.5 stars for Laura Kreitzer´s YA debut and extra 5 stars for Summer´s character.

Series Review: The Succubus Diaries by Jill Myles

Titles: Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, Succubo Like It Hot, My Fair Sucubi

Author: Jill Myles

Genre: Paranormal Romance

You´re wondering what I´ve been up to in the last three days? Well, here´s your answer! Once I started reading Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, I simply counldn´t stop myself. I HAD to read the entire series so far. Lucky me that I treated myself to all of the books for Christmas (hehe).

Now I not only have a new favorite series but also a new crush: Zane. *swoon*. I can´t believe it took me so long to finally read this series, as it has everything I want in a good book: great, enjoyable characters, an entertaining plot and well, just look at the covers. *grins*

Jackie is really kind of prude for being a succubus, but that makes her so unique (obviously not only in my eyes). I loved how she is still embarrased about some of the more… sticky aspects of her new existence. Jill Myles had a wonderfully genius idea when she created the character of a reluctant succubu who tries her hardest to stay decent. With two hot guys. (Poor thing.)

The very opposite of our dear Jackie is her best freind, Remy. Frivolous, shameless Remy, who just happens to be a porn star. Reading how the unusual freindship between the two sucks developed throughout the books was pure pleasure.

Noah and Zane, the two guys in book are a whole new league of hotness. I guess everyone should guess from the tiltles and the premise of the book, there are quite a few deliciously hot scenes in the books, involving either of the men. But besides all the steamy action, you also get the feeling that they both really care about Jackie, each one in his very own way. Noah, Jackie´s “rock” with his gentle, caring personality and Zane with being Zane. I don´t know what it was about him that made my heart break for him, but he had me after the first few pages! The end of book two made me incredibly sad and reading about Zane´s fate in My Fair Succubi made me cringe.

In each book, Jill Myles adds another great chracter to the band of Immortals: the evil vampire queen in book one, Luc the mysterious stalker in book two and of course Ethan in book three. I especially enjoyed Ethan and his scenes with Remy: the two of them make an awesome pair!

Each book has great storyline that keeps you entertained on every single page.

Jackie and her friends have stolen my heart over the last three days and I can´t wait to read more about them, as well as other books by the fabulous author!

The entire series gets 5 stars!