My Book Wishlist

A weekly meme On My Wishlist hosted by Book Chick City

Blood of Eden by Tami Dane
TBP: Dec. 6, 2011

Description:
This mind-blowing new series introduces Sloan Skye, an ambitious intern at the FBI's paranormal unit, where the usual rules of crime fighting don't apply...

Sloan has a sky-high IQ, a chaotic personal life, and a dream: to work for the FBI. Her goal is within reach until an error lands her with the FBI's ugly stepchild: the new Paranormal Behavioral Analysis Unit. She'll get to profile criminals, but the pool of suspects is a little more...diverse. Yet even as Sloan tackles her first case--a string of victims, all with puncture wounds to the neck--she can't silence her inner para-skeptic.

To catch the killer she'll have to think like one. That means casting aside her doubts, and dealing with the bizarre nightmares that started with the job. But the strangeness is only beginning, as Sloan pieces together the shocking truth about a case that's more personal than she ever would have guessed.

Everblue by Brenda Pandos
TBP: July 31, 2011

Description:
Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them.

Ashlyn is about to discover what she’d thought to be true her whole life, wasn’t, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton
TBP: Feb 21, 2011

Description:
A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

So, what is on your wishlist this week?

The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess by Leanna Renee Hieber

From Goodreads:

The Goddess: In the beginning, there were lovers: a winged deity of power and light, and a queen of grace and beauty. Phoenix was murdered, his beloved stolen away to the Whisper-world. But their passion inspired the Muses. Through great sacrifice, it could live again.  

The Guard: There are always six, mortal hosts for the divine. Battling spirits through the ages, they defy Darkness, Lord of the Dead. In 1867, a shadow rises. The tide turns against them, and all hope falls on a child of prophecy, an eerie, snow-white girl yet to be born. But her path must be cleared. A Great War is coming, and song, wind and stars whisper that the eighteen-year-old Beatrice Smith must give everything to prepare.

 Even though this is actually listed as #3 in the Strangely Beautiful tales, the story is a prequel to the first 2 books, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker and The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker (Strangely Beautiful). I reviewed both of them HERE. In a strange way, I do think it was appropriate to list it as #3 rather than .5 or such because the story makes more sense if you have read the first 2 books prior. Having said that, I must admit that I did not enjoy this book as I did the first two.

For me, the story was a bit all over the place and I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I didn't care for the goddess at all and found her to be flighty and selfish. I also did not connect to the Cairo guard, which is the guard prior to Alexi's group, until the very end.

The story felt uneven to me and my interest would pick up and wane as the story was told. It was as if too much wanted to be told in this book and it would have been better to concentrate on one story. Too much importance was equally placed on the goddess's relationship and the guard's relationships and nothing really stood out. The composition of how things were placed just didn't work for me. I would have enjoyed it more as a prequel to have concentrated on Persephone and the Phoenix's relationship and how darkness tried to ruin them. Perhaps even leading to her mortal birth, but still be the main focus to this book.

I give this book 2 1/2 stars. I just didn't love this book as I did the first 2. Those I recommend highly as I loved both books. In fact, the kindle version of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parkeris only $2.99. I believe it is a part of the summer sale.


I received this eARC from NetGalley and DP. No compensation was given.

A Wedding Wager by Jane Feather Blog Tour

From Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Jane Feather again delights with her new book in this entrancing Georgian trilogy featuring three noble brothers who are offered a preposterous opportunity to restore their family’s mortgaged lands. An eccentric uncle promises a lavish inheritance, but only if each marries—thus redeeming—a fallen woman. And if even one brother fails to fulfill the old man’s decree, none will gain the windfall.

Lady Serena Grantley was born to the nobility, but fortune's whim placed her in control of her gamester stepfather, who uses her beauty to lure young men to his gambling tables. Serena even dismissed her first love, the Honorable Sebastian Sullivan, at her stepfather's command. But when he attempts to force her into a liaison with a dissolute earl, Serena resolves to do his bidding no more. Sebastian is the only man who ever captured her heart, and it is to him she turns. . . .

Torn between family loyalty and the woman he loves, Sebastian faces a devilish dilemma. His uncle is ailing, and time is running short. Desperate to find a solution, Sebastian conceives a dangerous plan—a wager that could bring him and Serena happiness at last . . . or separate them forever.

Yes, I did it again. I read the second and not the first in a trilogy. *snicker* In this trilogy an uncle in charge of a vast fortune decided to make things horrid for three brothers by requiring each to wed a woman deemed "fallen", someone not worthy of an earl's station before he dies. However, as you might suspect, this actually opens up the field for the brothers to find their true love and not have to be held by tradition to marry someone they don't even care about. So, as you see... even though I haven't read the first book, it still reads enough as a stand-alone as each brother's tale is in each book.

In the beginning, I admit I had a bit of trouble getting into the book, it was just too descriptive. However, after a couple of chapters things started to flow a bit easier until we meet some of the dirty old man characters after Serena as a mistress. It took me most of the book to finally sort out the boy's uncle with another character who held the mortgages. They were often placed side by side and both were disgusting in their vision of Serena. I also did not take to Sebastian, Serena's intended. It seemed that he was dense and could not completely grasp the horror Serena had endured with her step-father. He acknowledged it and yet, his actions spoke differently. He would understand why she couldn't abide by a man commanding her but he would still try to force her compliance. So, no... I didn't care for Sebastian.

Serena, on the other hand, I did like immensely. She was strong despite all her step-father had done. He had tried to break her often. Even to the point of selling her body without her knowledge and drugging her. Still she persevered. She had a plan of escape but it had to take time. And even though she could have been selfish, she was not. She tried to help any woman she found caught in her step-father's web and was often successful.

In the end, I give this book 3 stars. I have to say the stars were elevated because of Serena. I enjoyed her character more than any other. Despite it's flaws, if you enjoy historical romance or even the period costumes, you will enjoy the book. The costumes had very detailed descriptions which was fun to read.

I was given this book by Simon and Schuster and no compensation was received. 

Amanda Alvarez Guest Post and Giveaway!

Since the release of my book, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about my writing process and about the book in general. But there has been one question I’ve been asked over and over again, and I’m only beginning to understand the answer myself. Why write about werewolves? What’s the attraction?

I confess that prior to writing Hunting Human I’d read my fair share of paranormal romance books, everything from shifters to vampires to demons. It’s always been a genre I’ve particularly enjoyed. But the truth is when I started out with the idea for Hunting Human I didn’t initially realize that I planned to write a werewolf book. Hunting Human for me was always Beth’s story. It began with a single scene of her running through the woods, I didn’t know what she was running from or how she got there but I did know that something terrible would happen if she were caught. In truth, it took a long time before I knew for certain that werewolves were heavily entwined with Beth’s story.

When I finally came to the realization that yes, I was writing a shifter book I felt a little lost. I hadn’t ever given a lot of thought to werewolf mythology. I certainly didn’t have my own. Where to start? What to do? There was a lot of hyperventilating and cursing at my laptop, I felt as though my entire direction had been derailed. What to do, I wondered? Which led me to what would Beth do? What would Beth, a woman with no knowledge of the paranormal do when turned by a werewolf in the most savage way possible? How would someone cope, with no support system, no family to believe her, no resources? How would she muddle through? Would she Google information? The more I thought about it, the more I realized what an incredibly hopeless and isolating situation that would be. And I found my story.

So yes, Hunting Human is about werewolves. But more than that it’s about a young woman forcibly turned, left in the world alone to deal with an affliction that’s both painful and isolating. Beth’s journey isn’t easy. It’s dark, painful and at times overwhelming. She struggles against those who would hurt her and those who would help her. Most of all she struggles against herself. She is literally at war with the darkest part of herself. A part she can’t control and doesn’t understand. Worst of all, it’s a part she holds responsible for her best friend’s death. And at the end of the day, it’s the part of her that has the power to win the day or seal her fate.

In the end, I wrote a novel about werewolves. But I hope that more than that I wrote a book about Beth, an imperfect hero who stumbles two steps back for every step forward she manages to take. I hope I wrote about humanity and how the darkest parts of us, the parts we loathe, are sometimes the places our deepest strengths come from.

About Hunting Human:

For two years, Beth Williams has run from the past, and the beast that dwells inside her. She is haunted by memories of being kidnapped and the savage attack that killed her best friend. Now Beth finally thinks she’s ready to move on… with Braden Edwards, a charming, irresistibly sexy man who tempts Beth to embrace the present.

But the past lurks closer than Beth realizes. Markko Bolvek, one of the werewolves who kidnapped her, has tracked her to Portland, Oregon, his pursuit fueled by a hunger for vengeance. Only Braden, a werewolf himself, senses the danger shadowing her steps. The Edwards and Bolveks have been enemies for centuries and despite the instant connection he feels with Beth, Braden isn’t sure which side of the war she’s on.

With suspicion at odds with their attraction, Beth and Braden must learn to trust one another to stop Markko for good. Can Beth accept the wolf within and love a man who embodies everything she fears?

About the Author:

Amanda was born and raised in Texas - and due to an unfortunate three year stint in Michigan - doesn't plan to ever live anywhere where flip-flops and sweatshirts don't constitute winter attire. Often audacious and adventurous, she tends to find herself in a slew of dangerous (and hilarious!) predicaments (law school and fighting raccoons in dumpsters) and thankfully has many friends ready to lend aid (while they laugh.)

When not lawyering, writing, or thinking about going to the gym Amanda is often caught sampling local cupcake offerings and planning to someday co-open an evil bakery and sell dastardly desserts. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas with one regular-sized cat and one jumbo-sized cat, and can be seen writing in public places frequented by hot guys (strictly for research purposes, of course!) with her friends and fellow writers Killer Cupcake and Pantherista(names omitted to protect the not-so-innocent).

You can find Amanda: On Facebook, On Twitter, On the Web

Giveaway!

Amanda has graciously decided to giveaway one ebook to one winner! Just comment below and provide your e-mail address if it isn't in your profile. I'll end the giveaway on the 29th at 10pm MST.

Good Luck!
Giveaway is now closed!

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway!

Hope your summer is going a bit better than the above pic. ;)

To make sure it does, I offer you a chance to win these summer chick lit books:

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate

The Mermaid's Pendant by LeAnn Neal Reilly

I enjoyed both of these books.

Just fill out the form below to enter:

(US only)

Giveaway is closed!

Don't forget to go to the other giveaways! Go HERE to enter for the list!

Also..

Enjoy the sun!