Book Blogger Hop!

I love fridays - it's the book blogger hop! Find other blogs, and maybe even some new friends!

CSN gift card winner!!

Alright, it's time to announce the winner of the $40 CSNstores.com gift card! I used Random.org's list randomizer, and the winner is....

** DG **

Congratulations! I'll be emailing the CSN representitive with your email address shortly!

Last day to enter to win a CSN giftcard!!

Just a post reminding you all that today is your last day to enter. Contest closes at 11:59pm tonight. I shall pick a winner, and the post will go up Friday morning. I will email the winner (so make sure to include your email!), as well as email the CSN rep with your info.

Just read the rules (listed on the post), and comment HERE

Have a wonderful day, and good luck to all those that have entered!

Author Vivian Arend is having a week of wolves!

Some of you may know of author Vivian Arend, and if not, this is your chance to meet her during her One Week of Wolves celebration! "Under the Northern Lights" is being released August 3rd, and she's having a party to celebrate. This means.... prizes!! A whole host of authors are dropping by the help celebrate with giveaways, etc. Just head over to Vivian Arend's blog July 27th - August 3rd for some Wolfish fun!

If the banner isn't linking properly, just go here. Thanks!

Review of "Once Dead, Twice Shy" by Kim Harrison

 Don't forget to enter my contest to win a $40 gift card to CSNstores.com! Just leave a comment here.
This was a recommendation. Well, not so much a recommendation as my friend, who also works at the library, just put me on hold for it, so it showed up one day. She said it had angels in it, so of course I should read it. So I did!


Disclaimer: This book is what is commonly referred to as "Library Loot." I did not purchase this book, nor did I receive it in exchange for a review, whether positive or negative.

Type: Young Adult, Angels, Oh crap I'm dead!, series

From the book jacket: "   Madison's prom was killer - literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper - yeah, THAT kind of reaper - intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away. Now she's stuck on Earth - dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course. With a little ingenuity, some light-bending and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe... ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before IT takes control of HER. Well, if she believed in that stuff.  "

Well first off, while this book is officially the first in the series, Madison's story starts in Kim Harrison's novella in the anthology "Prom Nights From Hell," which, unfortunately, I haven't read. This sort of explains why I felt a little lost and confused at the beginning, like I came in right smack dab in the middle of the story. So despite knowing what happens to Madison after her unfortunate Prom experience, I'm on the hunt for the anthology. As well as the second book in this series, "Early to Death, Early to Rise."

As I'm sure most of you know by now, my obsession with Angels is a little nuts. So much so, that I'll read pretty much anything if there are actual angels in it. I can't help myself. So reading this book, I was a little saddened to find I wasn't liking Barnabas, Madison's angel friend. But don't worry, dear readers! I ending up loving the book, and all of the characters in it. Even the evil/bad ones! I'm always pleased when the bad characters are so interesting, or fascinating, that even when you hate them for what they've done, you want to know more about them. Such is a case with two of the baddies in this book. Or maybe they're not so bad? Maybe they're just incredibly flawed, and it's fate that is leading them down this darker road. I'm still not sure which is the truth.

"Once Dead, Twice Shy" by Kim Harrison is a quick read. In fact, I read most of it just this morning after my friend left. It's a good, quick read that I would definitely suggest to others. Though I would add in the warning that the beginning is a little disorienting, because it seems to jump right into things. And even with picking up on it very quickly, I'm eager to read the story that starts it off. And considering how life-changing the ending of "Once Dead, Twice Shy" was, I can't wait to pick up the second book to continue Madison's, and the gangs', story.

I'm going to give "Once Dead, Twice Shy" a FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE (4.5/5). As I said, I really did enjoy it, it was a great quicky read, and it would have gotten a perfect score if the beginning wasn't so confusing. It was enough to pull me out of the story and search to make sure I had the first book in the series. If you've read it, tell me how you feel about it. And if not, go read it! Then come back and tell me how you felt about it.

Happy Reading! And don't forget to enter my contest to win a $40 gift card to CSNstores.com!
~!~ Morning Glow

Review of "Unleashed" by Katie MacAlister

 First off, don't forget to enter my contest for a CSNstores.com gift card! Just click here

 "Unleashed" is Katie MacAlister's novella in the recently released anthology "Cupid Cats." Stories by Vicki Lewis Thompson and Connie Brockway are also included. I may be going crazy, but I swear I saw that the proceeds for this anthology go to help animal shelters local to each author. I thought I saw Katie MacAlister mention that on her blog or facebook, but I can't find it. If I find any new information on that, I'll try to edit this post to include it.

Disclaimer: This book, "Cupid Cats," was given to me as a gift. I was not given this book in exchange for a review.

Type: Anthology, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Weres, Scottish men (Yum!)

"Unleashed" is the story of Avery Scott, a Moravian Dark One (Vampire!), and Jacintha Ferreira, resident "kitty whisperer." Jacintha, or Jas, has been called out on a report that a rather large wild cat has been found in a local cat rescue, and finds not just a jaguar, but a very confused Moravian. Turns out, Avery managed to get himself turned into a jaguar on a recent case, and it's up to Jas to help him solve it. And a quick case turns into a possibly deadly mission.

Fans of Katie MacAlister's Dark Ones series may recognize Avery as one of Paen Scott's brothers, a character from earlier on in the books. Paen and his Beloved return to aide Jas and Avery, whether they want it or not. I love series for this reason. Paen and Sam, his Beloved, got their Happily Ever After in a previous book, but they do show up in later ones. Usually after a HEA, that's it, we just have to imagine what happens after that, but with a recurring series.. we at least get a little taste of their new life from time to time.

Katie MacAlister didn't disappoint with her novella, "Unleashed." She packs a lot of action in a short about of space, and still maintains her quirky humor, one of the reasons I love her. After having read so many (er.. all) of her books, I see a lot of recurring themes and actions. The rather yummy sounding fantasy involving a paintbrush and a bowl of melted chocolate pop up in this story, for just a second.

And the "Twilight" references had me snickering the whole time.

I'm going to give "Unleashed," Katie MacAlister's story in the Cupid Cats anthology, a FIVE out of FIVE. It was a quick, fun read, and now I can't wait until her next release. Speaking of that...
Katie MacAlister's upcoming releases:
"Death's Excellent Vacation" - Anthology - August 3, 2010
"In the Company of Vampires" - Dark Ones novel - November 2, 2010

ItCoV is my most looked-forward-to release OF THE YEAR. I've been waiting for the continuation of Ben and Fran's story for a long, looong time.

Happy Reading! And don't forget to enter the CSNstores.com contest! (See link at top of post)
~!~ Morning Glow

Now reading: "and falling, fly" by Skyler White