The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

432p.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Available: Sept. 3, 2013
Source: NetGalley and publisher for review.

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave. 

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

My Thoughts:
The book starts out almost like a normal contemporary, but quickly turns horrific. I have to admit the beginning wasn't my favorite part and it seemed like it may go the way of several vampire books where the vampire is a predator rather than a romantic partner. I also had problems with Tana. She kept making stupid decisions so I worried that would be the same throughout the book.

I was wrong! Yes! First, let me tell you about Tana. Yes, I was upset with her, but she keeps getting smarter throughout the book. Toward the end her choices weren't about intelligence ("stupid decisions" as she says) but more about fear. She was smart but decided if the only thing holding her back was fear, then go for it. She turns out to be a great heroine! She becomes the smartest person in the book.

I also enjoyed the fact that most of my questions were answered. I thought that we wouldn't learn the background of Gavriel (romantic interest) but we get it in a flashback. In fact I get several answers I didn't expect to get. So, I was a happy camper about that.

There is also a twist in the end that I did enjoy. I didn't see if this one was a standalone or a series, but I'm hoping for a series. One question you are left with in the end and I'd like to see where the author takes it. I know what my vote would be. :D Oh and no, it's not a cliffie. :D

I give this book 4.5 stars. Although it worried me in the beginning I found the book original and fun. I recommend it to those that like YA vampire books with a female who keeps getting smarter. :)

Heart of Venom (Elemental Assassin #9) by Jennifer Estep

Series: Elemental Assassin #9
384p.
Published: Pocket Books
Available: NOW
Source: eARC from author and Edelweiss

The hotly anticipated ninth novel in the hugely popular Elemental Assassin series finds Gin Blanco on a dangerous mission to rescue a friend.

When a terror from the past threatens Gin’s friend and body-disposer, Sophia, Gin will stop at nothing to protect her, even if it means walking straight into a killer’s trap. Meanwhile, the rocky romance between Gin and Owen reaches a turning point—can they reunite and rekindle their love? Or will the things Gin has been forced to do in her line of work as the deadly assassin the Spider keep them apart forever? Assuming, that is, she survives long enough to find out…

My thoughts:
Wow! I've been a fan of this series for a while now and we are at #9. I have to say I just loved this book and it gave me everything I've been wanting for a while now in this series. I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil it for anyone nor do I want to spoil it for those that haven't started this series yet.

First, I will say that this was a Sophia heavy book. I have been wanting to know more about Sophia for a long time. She is just one of the mysterious secondary characters that just captured my attention. In fact the book centers around her and that just made me ecstatic!

There is also another part in the book that readers have been clamoring. We want to know about what happens with Owen and Gin. All I will say is that there is a conclusion to that arc in the storyline but I won't say if it is positive or negative. No, I can't say more... *sigh*

I give this latest installment 5 stars. I really loved this one mostly because we get to know Sophia a bit more and it is as action packed as the previous installments in this series.

Bloggy notes:

There is a blog post by Jennifer Estep and a giveaway HERE!

If you haven't read the series yet and want to try it, you can read the first book for free at XOXO After Dark. It will be available until Sept. 9th.

Top Off Tuesday: Once Burned

"Every once in awhile there are covers that just make you say Oh My! Sometimes it is good, sometimes it is bad, and sometimes it is head scratching. The point of Top Off Tuesday is to show you the ones with their Tops Off! Seriously y’all hunting out Top Off Tuesday covers is one of my favorite pastimes and you should join the fun!" ~from the Geeky Blogger

I have been enjoying this meme on Felicia's The Geeky Blogger's blog and have finally found some time to join in. The other players are Amanda from On a Book Bender, Christi from Smitten with Reading. Button made by Missie at The Unread Reader

My submission:

Once Burned

by Jeaniene Frost
Series: Night Prince #1

346p.

Publisher: Avon

She's a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire... 

He's the Prince of Night... 

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Okay, I've had one of Jeaniene's novellas on the list, but not one from the Night Huntress world. How could I? Well, I'm correcting it now. Behold! Vlad in all his shirtless goodness. :D 

Excerpt and Giveaway: Heart of Venom by Jennifer Estep

HEART OF VENOM EXCERPT:

Bria drew in a breath, but before she could tell me whatever was on her mind, the sound of a door banging open at the front of the house cut her off. A moment later, footsteps sounded. I recognized the heavy tread as belonging to Sophia, but the odd thing was that it didn’t sound like she was walking normally. Instead, a series of scrape-scrape-scrapes screeched across the hardwood floor, as if Sophia was dragging one of her feet yet moving fast at the same time. Before I could puzzle out why she would be walking that way, she appeared in the salon doorway.

Jo-Jo might be a sweet Southern lady with her pink dresses, polish, and pearls, but Sophia had a different style altogether: Goth. Today, as usual, she wore black from head to toe—boots, jeans, and a T-shirt with a big pair of puckered crimson lips on it. A crimson leather collar spiked with silverstone ringed her throat, although her lipstick was a flat black that matched her hair. 

Normally, I found Sophia’s style to be dark but also cool, quirky, and funky. The problem now was that her black clothes kept me from noticing the blood on her arm and leg for several crucial seconds.

“Sophia?” I asked.

Her black eyes met mine, and I saw something there I’d never seen before: fear. 

“Run,” Sophia rasped in her low, broken voice.

Then she collapsed without another word.

“Sophia?” Jo-Jo said. “Sophia!”

Jo-Jo dropped the bottle of nail polish she’d been holding. The glass shattered on the floor, splattering the bright, glossy, strawberry liquid everywhere, but Jo-Jo didn’t notice as she ran past us to where Sophia lay. Bria and I started forward too, but we’d only taken two steps when the front door banged open again, as though someone had kicked it wildly and sent it flying into the wall. A second later, more footsteps, multiple sets, all heavy, loud, and determined, all headed our way. 

Whatever trouble Sophia had gotten into had followed her home.

Bria and I glanced at each other, then both lunged for the buffet table. Bria went for the gun in her straw bag underneath the table, while I reached for my silverstone knives atop its far end. But before we could get to our weapons, six men burst into the salon, all carrying guns.

BIO INFO:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Heart of Venom, the ninth book in her Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, will be released on Aug. 27. Kiss of Venom, an e-novella, is also available, along with other books, short stories, and e-novellas in the series. For more information, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

JENNIFER’S LINKS:

Website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/ 

Blog: http://www.jenniferestep.com/blog/ 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferEstepAuthor?fref=ts 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Jennifer_Estep   

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/580315.Jennifer_Estep

Heart of Venom
Elemental Assassin #9
by Jennifer Estep
Published: Pocket Books

The hotly anticipated ninth novel in the hugely popular Elemental Assassin series finds Gin Blanco on a dangerous mission to rescue a friend.

When a terror from the past threatens Gin’s friend and body-disposer, Sophia, Gin will stop at nothing to protect her, even if it means walking straight into a killer’s trap. Meanwhile, the rocky romance between Gin and Owen reaches a turning point—can they reunite and rekindle their love? Or will the things Gin has been forced to do in her line of work as the deadly assassin the Spider keep them apart forever? Assuming, that is, she survives long enough to find out…

Jennifer allowing me to give away this book! Will have the review on Wed! I'll just say that I loved it. :D

How to enter? Just fill out the rafflecopter form below. It's US only.

Blog Tour: The Emblazoned Red by Dawn McCullough White

236p.
Publisher: Claypipe Press
Available: Now
Source: ebook from Kismet

Once, in another world—a dark world, the world of Faetta—there lived paladins and pirates, tyrants and scallywags, vampires and the undead. In this world a revolution is brewing. The royalty of Sieunes are in chains, and those priests and paladins who follow the holy word of the gods are under attack. In the west, the kingdom of Kellerhald receives the fleeing priests in their temples of the paladins of Silvius, god of the Sky.

Here, a young woman has just passed her tests to become a paladin. A pirate crew raids along the Azez Sea. An undead creature, wielding great power, roams the graveyard of Yetta. And a lost soul, crying out from beyond the veil, seeks out a pure hearted warrior to hear its plea.

Amid the turmoil of the revolution, Ilka’s mettle is tested. Rescued by pirates, she ends up with an unlikely ally: the pirate captain himself. The newly trained paladin finds herself collaborating with the undead, working with a vampire, and worst of all, longing for revenge against the man who has ignited the revolution in Sieunes: Francois Mond.

Death of an Innocent. Rise of a Paladin.

My thoughts:
 I found this an odd combination of several genres. One was fantasy where a young woman is a warrior in a religion is thrust between politics and her beliefs. Another was a sort of historical romance where she is found by a pirate captain who intrigues her. Last, there is a vampire who lives in the world she is sworn to protect. Yes, it is an odd combination, but I don't shy away from odd. I've read books where these worlds are woven into one another but I have to say that this one isn't quite successful. It feels as if each of those genres are plunked down into the world instead of seamlessly blended within.

I did enjoy Ilka. She is someone who was born to privilege but finds the simple life much more appealing. She is happy in her station and even defies those that have a sense of what they feel is right for another. She does not let others dictate her place in life nor her wants and needs. I do like a character like that. I also liked the pirate Nate, but still found him oddly placed within this world. So, I had a bit of a problem with the romance, but nothing that I couldn't just ignore when reading.

I give this book 3 stars. It is an odd combination of worlds that are placed together, but that might be just what some people are wanting. It does make it a bit different than your usual read and I am curious as to what happens next. Especially since you are left wanting! :)

About Dawn McCullough White - Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Dawn McCullough White is known for her strong female protagonists, and gritty dark fantasy.

Ms. McCullough-White has lived the majority of her life in and around Rochester, NY with a brief stint in Tucson, AZ. She is pursuing a degree in psychology at R.I.T. Dawn is a history buff and was a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism for years, active as a heavy weapons fighter. She currently resides with her husband and son in a quaint neighborhood next to an old cemetery.

Check out the other reviews for this tour HERE!