Monday, May 28, 2012

Cover Unveiled +Limited Offer: Protecting Truth by Michelle Warren

Here's the gorgeous cover for Protecting Truth (The Seraphina Parrish Trilogy #2) by Michelle Warren



I love the cover, it has an eerie glow which I couldn't describe..:D

So, what do you think?

Visit the Wander Dust Website, Like it on Facebook, Add the books to your Goodreads and follow Michelle on Twitter


Get the first book in the series for .99 cents!! This offer ends May 31st. 



Winners: FREE Excerpt + ARC & Swag Giveaway: Kill Me by Alex Owens

So the giveaway for the Kill Me ARC and guitar pick necklace is finally over and I am happy to announce to you the winners.:D To see the original contest post click here.

Of course, the winners are chosen via Random Picker, here's a copy of the results:

Drawing results

Selected project: Kill Me ARC plus one more giveaway

The project is already locked.

















Prize IDWinner IDPublic Info
Random Sorting ID
1: 2091414Jen Le 07435EFD-C1E9-468B-996F-E2A6C8D7E0EB
2: 2091400Beckie 0B001EB9-9189-4C1D-9116-250C0C410EC7


Click this to see the drawing protocol


I'm still contacting the winners and after 3 days if they haven't replied yet, I'd pick a new one, so don't let your hope down just yet..:)

 SO that's it! Don't worry, if you didn't win today or this giveaway, there are still lots to enter..:) Good Luck and thanks to all who joined, this giveaway wouldn't be possible without you..:)

Friday, May 25, 2012

Book Review+ Chapter 1: Forgiven by Jana Oliver



Forgiven by Jana Oliver
  • Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312614802
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312614805
Jana Oliver's third spellbinding Demon Trappers novel - following The Demon Trapper's Daughter and Soul Thief - brings all new thrills, as Riley Blackthorne takes on demons, love... and the future of the human race.

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control:  something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

Okay, so first I’d like you to know that this was the first book I read from the author---the first book I read from the series. So I don’t have anything to compare to especially with the previous books in the series. Though personally, I asked to review this book is because the many positive reviews I heard from the first two- The Demon Trapper’s Daughter and Soul Thief.

Surprisingly enough, even with the vast new and old characters- the demons, the trappers, fallen, summoners, I wasn’t entirely lost. Once I tuned in with Riley, everything comes vivid in her POV. I understand the situation she’s in, the relationships and misunderstandings she had with the other characters and even her choice to uncover the mysteries and protect humanity. The storyline was easy to follow but the twists and turns are not easily figured out.

I loved Jana Oliver’s writing style, its fresh and unique. The readers were always up for action and at the same time, subplots were given emphasis and the tension between the protagonists, the mysteries, the conflicts were all there. She wrote the book with passion and deep detail that it’s easy to imagine the world she made, the demons, and the action-packed scenarios happening.

I also loved Riley, she’s a strong character that doesn’t depend on her leading man or anyone, she actually thinks about resolutions and the things to do in order to make things right especially the consequences of her past actions. Her behavior was measured and it’s less on drama, she was too mature for a seventeen-year-old, which isn’t bad.

Beck…at first, I thought Beck’s a girl..:D. He was hot, gorgeous, yes, but it was really unfair of him to get really mad with Riley, just because she made the mistake of sleeping with another man, which, take note, Beck had been with many girls before. I would have loved to see more of them- Beck and Riley that is.

Meanwhile Justine, I hate her. Though I know, she played an important role in the story. Just don’t want to talk about her. By the way, another queer about this book, is that the feminine names are mostly used by boys and the masculine ones, Riley, Justine are for girls.

The ending? I would have like to see the epic battle to be really epic. I was expecting far something greater and yet the resolution was too perfect for me. With all the non-stop action, the ending seemed a little too easy maybe. Meanwhile Riley’s dad is a character I would never forget, her love for Riley that even in death, he would still do everything to keep her safe.

I laughed, I cried, got annoyed, mad, I felt everything while reading this book. I can’t wait to read the last book in the series and see how the story would end and especially to have more of Riley and Beck.

Forgiven is an action-packed, enthralling and riveting tale of Demon Trappers and the world in chaos of the near Armageddon set in the future but not too futuristic. With heart-pounding, jaw-dropping scenarios, Forgiven would leave you wanting for more. Highly Recommended!..:)


View all my reviews
ONE


2018
Atlanta, Georgia

Riley Blackthorne’s tears were no more. She’d cried herself dry, yet she still lingered in the arms of a dead man. If given the chance, she would remain in her father’s arms for the rest of her life.
When she looked up, sad brown eyes gazed back. Master Trapper Paul Blackthorne was a reanimated corpse now, summoned from his grave by none other than the Prince of Hell. Like the day he’d been buried, he wore his best suit and favorite red tie, the one she’d given him as a Christmas present.
On the run from the Vatican’s team of Demon Hunters, Riley had taken refuge in the home of Mortimer Alexander, a summoner of the dead. She had not expected to find her father waiting for her. Now, as they huddled together, she laid her head on his chest, seeking solace in his embrace.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I’ve missed you too, Pumpkin.”
This isn’t right. We’re just borrowing time.
Her dad should be in his grave. Then he would never know that Riley wasn’t his innocent little girl any longer, that she’d given up her virginity the night before.
I was a fool. Why did I let Ori do that?
She’d spent that night in the arms of someone who had said he would protect her. Who had claimed she was special and that he cherished her because she reminded him of Heaven. Morning brought the bitter truth—Ori’s protection came with a big price tag. Her lover, the Fallen angel, would watch over her only if she consigned her soul to Hell. Then Lucifer, the Prince, had arrived and turned Ori into a statue for failing to follow his orders.
Riley wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead. Her body felt like a war zone, some unknown fire burning inside her now.
What if I’m pregnant? She shuddered at the thought. Ori had said that wasn’t possible but that could have been a clever lie. Is that why the Demon Hunters wanted her? What would the child of a Fallen and a mortal be like? Normal? Evil? Somewhere in between?
What would the Church do to me and the baby?
When she shivered, her father broke the embrace.
“Come with me,” he said, taking her hand and slowly rising to his feet. “I need to feel the sunlight again.” He stopped in the kitchen and poured her a tall glass of apple juice, then they entered a walled garden, where cardinals and raucous blue jays flitted around a well-stocked bird feeder. Water cascaded from the fingers of a nude stone nymph perched in the center of a broad fountain. They settled on a stone bench still covered with frost, and Riley’s behind immediately reacted to the cold. Her father didn’t seem to notice it.
He handed her the juice. “Drink. You look awful.”
It wasn’t a good sign when a dead guy said you looked bad.
Riley took a long sip. It was cold and it tasted good. Clutching the glass in her hands, she gave in to the questions that careened around inside her.
“What’s it like to be … dead?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Very peculiar.”
“You can’t tell me, can you?”
“No. Not like I thought,” he murmured.
The next question was harder. “Did you see Mom?”
He shook his head as his eyes clouded with sadness. “No.”
Riley’s heart fractured into smaller pieces. “Lucifer told me what you did. How you gave up your soul for me.”
Her dad’s eyes widened. “You spoke with the Prince?”
“He was in the graveyard this morning after…” Riley paused, biting down on her lip. No, can’t go there. Maybe someday she’d have the courage to admit what she’d done, but not now. “Lucifer said you pledged your soul to him so that Archfiend wouldn’t kill you. So you could take care of me.”
Her dad issued a resigned nod. “Your mother understood why I did it.”
“Mom knew?” she blurted. “Why didn’t you guys tell me?”
“You were too young.”
“That’s crap, and you know it,” she retorted. “I was old enough. What else haven’t you told me, Dad? What else is going to fall on my head when I’m not looking?”
He didn’t reply, his eyes not meeting hers. Which meant there was more.
It was so unfair. Her father was supposed to remain alive until she had become a master trapper.
“Lucifer didn’t keep his bargain,” she complained. “Your soul should be yours.”
“He said he wouldn’t release it, that I owed him a debt, but he wouldn’t say what.”
“So you’re stuck in Hell until he decides you’re not?”
Her father winced. “Don’t be angry. I did what was best. My soul isn’t important.”
He’s wrong. It was so important that Lucifer wasn’t willing to give it up even when her dad had died before his time.
“Does Mort know who summoned you?” There was a faint nod. “And he’s okay with that?” she asked, surprised.
“He was shocked, but he hasn’t thrown me to the wolves yet.”
“What about Beck?”
Her father shook his head. “I don’t look forward to the day he learns the truth. It’s going to tear him apart.”
Denver Beck, her dad’s trapping partner, had considered Paul Blackthorne a mentor. To learn he was aligned with Hell would be as devastating as when Beck had found out she’d slept with a Fallen.
Her father touched her arm. “I’ll see if our host has someplace for you to sleep. You need rest.”
Riley blinked to hold back the tears. “In a little bit,” she said, not wanting to be separated from him. Closing her eyes, she leaned against him, inhaling the confusing scents of oranges and cedar chips that seemed to be her father now. Desperate to find some good in all this disaster, she took his hand and squeezed it, remembering what it had been like before he died. When his hands were warm and his heart beating. When there had been all the time in the world.
*   *   *
The spare bedroom in Mort’s house was bright, decorated with cream walls and peach accents. It looked like a girl’s room, which made Riley wonder if he had a sister or a niece. She yawned, then pulled the curtains closed to reduce the light. As she pulled off her shirt, her long brown hair fell over her face. With it came the unmistakable scent of crisp night air. Ori’s scent.
“Damn you,” she swore, flinging her clothes in all directions, as if that might reverse the dark echoes of the angel’s touch. She fled into the shower stall, adjusting the temperature as cold as she could stand to combat the inferno inside her veins. As the water cascaded, she scrubbed her skin until it turned red. The memories refused to be washed away.
When Riley finally climbed into the bed, she curled into a fetal position, sleep tugging at her. She wasn’t the first to give up her virginity to a guy who said he’d always care for her. Riley had heard other girls admit the same mistake during whispered confessions in school restrooms. From this point on, she would always divide her life into Before and After the Angel. Statue or not, Ori would be inside her heart, affecting every chance at love for the rest of her days.
Just like Beck.
*   *   *
To Denver Beck, there were many ways to welcome a new day—spread-eagled on his own lawn, wrists secured by flex-cuffs wasn’t the best of them.
“What the hell is goin’ on?” he bellowed into the dirt.
The response was the sound of combat boots tromping around inside his house as their owners’ voices called out to each other in Italian. When there was a sharp shatter of glass, he swore. Beck closed his eyes to keep the dirt out of them and forced himself to relax. If he fought back, the Demon Hunter behind him might feel the need to make this his last day on earth.
I’ll be damned if I die like this.
His only choice was to remain here until the Vatican’s elite team finished its search. Which, from all the commotion, involved tearing his house apart.
When he heard a name in the midst of the voices flowing around him, he sighed into the dirt. They were searching for Riley Blackthorne, the seventeen-year-old daughter of Beck’s dead trapper buddy, Paul.
The day had sucked even before the paramilitary-style raid, one Beck was sure his neighbors were enjoying with their morning coffee. Right after dawn, Riley had arrived on his doorstep, weeping and shell-shocked. Through tears and sobs, she’d admitted her blackest sin: She’d spent the night with one of Lucifer’s own.
Beck had known this Ori guy was bad news from the first moment he’d seen him with Riley, but he’d never expected the bastard to be a Fallen angel.
Why him? Even now, he could see her huddled on the couch, weeping, as he’d shouted that very question at her. After all Beck had done for her, she’d taken up with that thing.
When he’d spat insults at Paul’s daughter, she’d responded in kind. Fearing how bad it might get between them, Beck had bolted from the house. When he’d returned a short time later he’d found his front door wide open and the Vatican’s team on the prowl.
More rapid-fire conversation bounced around him: Beck didn’t need to speak the language to hear the frustration. Since Riley wasn’t lying in the dirt beside him, the raid made the hunters look bad. They would need a scapegoat, and Beck would do just fine. A new voice cut in—one he recognized—it was the hunters’ captain. Apparently he’d finally decided to join the party.
Without warning, Beck was hauled roughly to his knees. Once he was up, he tried to wipe his mouth on a shoulder; it proved impossible with the flex-cuffs in place. The Demon Hunter with the rifle circled around to the side, the weapon pointed at Beck’s chest.
The captain of the unit squatted in front of him, his dark eyes flinty. Elias Salvatore was thirty-two, a decade older than Beck. He had a Mediterranean complexion, black hair, and a goatee, coupled with an athletic build. His navy turtleneck sported epaulettes and the Demon Hunters’ emblem—St. George slaying the dragon. Crisply pleated trousers were tucked neatly into polished combat boots.
“Mr. Beck,” he said evenly.
“Captain Salvatore. What the hell is goin’ on?”
“We were informed that Riley Blackthorne was here.”
Who told ya that?
“She was here a while ago. Must have left.”
The man’s eyes narrowed farther. “Where is she?”
“No idea.” It was a safe bet one of the neighbors had heard them shouting at each other, so he went with the truth in case the hunters bothered to check. “We had words.”
“About what?”
“That’s none of yer business,” Beck said. A second later, he was facedown in the dirt, a heavy boot pressing on his back.
The captain issued a crisp command and Beck was hauled up again. He gave a look over his shoulder and found that the boot belonged to Lieutenant Amundson, the captain’s second-in-command. He was a tall man, Nordic, and not known for his manners.
Beck spat dirt. “Get these damned cuffs off me.”
Salvatore gave a gesture. There was the snick of a knife, a stinging pain, then the cuffs fell away. Amundson had made sure to cut Beck’s palm in the process.
Beck wiped his hands on his jeans, then inspected the wound.
The captain delivered a penetrating look over the prisoner’s shoulder. He gestured for the lieutenant to move away. “I apologize.”
Beck clamped down on his fury. Throwing punches wouldn’t be a smart move at the moment.
Did the hunters know about Riley and the Fallen? They have to. Why else would they be lookin’ for her? Still, he didn’t dare make assumptions.
“What’s this all about?” Beck asked.
The captain rose. “Let’s go inside.”
Beck stood, dusted off his jeans, and retrieved his trapping bag from where it lay near the driveway. He felt the bottom of the canvas and was relieved to find it wasn’t wet, which meant none of the glass spheres inside had shattered when he’d been tackled by the hunters. He’d need those special magical globes to trap Hellspawn.
After ensuring they were alone, Salvatore closed the front door behind them. Beck had expected the place to have been turned inside out, but that wasn’t the case. The only damage appeared to be a glass that had been knocked off the counter. He ignored the mess on the floor and dropped onto the couch in the same place that Riley had occupied when she’d delivered her devastating news.
Where are ya girl? If she ran to her apartment, they’d find her there. If she was smart, she’d go to Angus Stewart, one of the two master trappers in the city. Stewart would watch over her.
The captain sat in a chair opposite him. He moved as if he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in days. “We must find Riley Blackthorne as quickly as possible.”
“Why?”
“There’s a Fallen angel in Atlanta. His name is Ori. We believe he has targeted Paul Blackthorne’s daughter.”
Beck made sure he appeared shocked. It wasn’t hard. He still couldn’t believe that Riley had been with one of Lucifer’s allies.
“Why would one of those want her?”
“He is known for his seductions.”
Beck’s jaw tensed, but he didn’t reply.
“There is a strange pattern of events in this city, and that usually means there’s an epicenter, a focus to that activity.”
“If yer sayin’ that Riley’s the reason for all this—”
“What other conclusion can we draw?” Salvatore retorted. “Every demonic event in this city has centered on her: A Grade Five demon tried to kill her. The same fiend pressed its attack during the trappers’ meeting at the Tabernacle, and that ambush alone cost you a third of your Demon Trappers Guild.”
“I know the numbers, hunter,” Beck replied sullenly.
“If she is the nexus of this activity, we have to locate her and find a way to break that connection with Hell before more people die.”
Beck didn’t want to think about what “break that connection” meant. “Why a commando raid on my house? Ya could have knocked on the door like anyone else.”
“You weren’t home,” the captain observed. “Do you usually leave your house unlocked?”
Beck hesitated. “No. Why?”
“Both the front and back doors weren’t bolted, and your alarm wasn’t engaged. The back door was partially ajar, indicating a hasty departure, perhaps?” The captain leaned forward, elbows on knees. “Did you call Riley and warn her that we were coming?”
By now they’d have gone through his phone and know he’d called Riley after they’d quarreled, so he opted for the truth. “I didn’t know ya were comin’ here.”
“Yet you spoke to her.”
“Yeah. We argued about this Ori guy. He’d told her he was a freelance demon hunter, and I told her to stay away from. She wasn’t listenin’, so we had words. I called her to…” Why had he called her? Certainly not apologize, that was for sure.
“Where is she now?”
Beck shook his head. “I don’t know. Now I’m done talkin’ to ya unless the Guild’s lawyer is watchin’ my back.”
The captain sighed. “Look, I respect your loyalty to the girl’s father. Paul Blackthorne trained you, brought you up through the Guild. You were there when he died at the hands of the same demon that tried to kill his daughter. I know what you’re feeling, but we need your help.”
“Bite me.”
Salvatore scowled. “So be it.” He triggered a radio on his shoulder, and Italian filled the air. He’d barely finished giving the order when two hunters were through the front door.
The captain rose from, his face set. “Denver Beck, as representative of the Holy See, I arrest you for obstructing justice, additional charges to be filed at a later time. You are duly warned that if you are found to be aiding Hell in any manner, the ultimate penalty is death.”
“Go figure,” Beck muttered.


Copyright © 2012 by Jana Oliver

FREE EXCERPT: Blood Jewel by Georgia Cates

  Title: Blood Jewel (The Vampire Agápe #2)
Author: Georgia Cates
Publisher: Georgia Cates
Release Date: May 31st 2012
With the mystery of Chansey Leclaire and Curry Brennan’s connection solved, they are free to explore their newfound love for one another. Or so they thought... 

When Marsala uses a witch and black magic to discover Curry’s whereabouts, he and Chansey are left with no choice. The newly engaged couple is forced to relocate away from their families at the new compound in Savannah, which causes some major changes in the plans for their upcoming wedding. 

Relocating to Savannah might have saved Curry and Chansey from being discovered by Marsala, but it doesn’t stop her attempts to reach Curry or her efforts to harm Chansey through the use of black magic. As Marsala closes in, Curry faces the decision he never wanted to make. Will he keep Chansey human or condemn her to eternity as the thing he hates most? 

As Curry waits for his hand to be forced, a newly turned vampire arrives at the Savannah compound in need of help. Not only is she a fledgeling in transition, she brings reports of escaping from a vampire cult still in possession of her sister, a human. Any attempt to save the captive human from a cult of vampires puts everyone in jeopardy. Can they risk entering a large cult to save one human being? And is so, how could they possibly do it successfully? 

Love will grow. New mysteries will arise. A battle will ensue. A Blood Jewel will be found. 

The author is available for reviews, giveaways, guest posts, author/character interviews, excerpt reveals, top ten posts, and this or that interviews. 

The cover talks paranormal.. I love the lavender theme with the girl on a white gown (more or like wedding dress?). I love the font and the butterfly design. Very intricate...Hmmph..

So What do you think?

Edited: In line, with the cover reveal of Blood Jewel  last May 24th, I am enclosing here an excerpt..It should be included at that post, but I only check my inbox today, so anyway, enjoy the excerpt..:)


I sat with my legs outstretched, leaning back on my palms and Chansey mimicked my position. She reached for her dress and scooted it up her thighs until she was satisfied with the amount of sun exposure on her legs. She enjoyed being in the sun and I wondered if she had given any thought as to how she would miss it if she became a vampire.
I didn’t want to think about it, so I shoved the thought aside and asked, “Are Gia and Lairah being overbearing about the wedding plans?”
“They have some intense ideas about our wedding,” she laughed. “I think I might want to elope.”
Now, she was talking my language. “You don’t have to convince me. I’ll take you to Vegas and make you my wife right now if it’s what you want.”
She quickly said, “Nope. I’m not ready to give up my dream of marrying you at the top of the open arm staircases.”
I wondered how I could be so lucky. How had I found enough favor with the gods to be given such a beautiful gift as Chansey?
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I didn’t even ask you if that was what you wanted.”
“I’ve already told you that I thought it was perfect,” I reminded her.
She appeared puzzled. “I don’t recall you telling me that.”
“We didn’t exactly discuss it. When we were at Rachel and Christian’s wedding reception, you told me how you pictured your wedding. We didn’t get far into the conversation because that jackass, Evan Finley, interrupted us.”
“Yes, that I remember well. I’m sorry his stupid insults stand out more in my mind than our conversation,” she apologized.
Just thinking about that jackass had my blood boiling, so I thought it was a great idea to steer the direction of the conversation back toward the wedding. “Have you thought about a date for our wedding?”
She smiled and her eyes lit up. “Yes, I’ve given it a lot of thought and I have a date in mind. How do you feel about a November wedding?”
No way! That was too long to wait. “I’d be fine with it if this was the end of October. I know four months isn’t forever, but it sure feels an eternity to me right now.”
“It’s not an eternity and four months barely gives me enough time to plan a small wedding. We haven't even told Granna and Granddaddy about our engagement yet. Have you forgotten that?”
I definitely had not forgotten that detail. “No, it hasn’t slipped my mind.”
She laughed and asked, “Are you worried about telling them?”
“I am a little nervous about it. I’ve never asked to marry someone before,” I admitted.
She leaned over and bumped her shoulder against mine. “Well, that’s good to know, but we’re telling them we’re getting married, not asking permission.”
“I know we don’t have to have their permission. That’s not what I need. It’s their blessing I want. I may be three times as old as Grady, but I still want to be respectful,” I said.
She looked at me and rested her chin against her shoulder as she laughed. “That is so bizarre to me.”
It didn’t sound like a compliment. “Does my age bother you?”
“No, I don’t think of you as your actual age. You just seem like a 26 year-old to me.” She sat up and leaned closer to brush her lips across mine. “A very robust 26 year-old.”
Her kiss and proximity stirred her Agape scent, leaving me with an intense urgency to be closer to her. I reached for her, pulling her against my chest a little too quickly. I heard her gasp and then I saw the smile across her face, proving the sudden catch in her breath resulted from delight instead of fear.
She deepened our kiss as she rolled to her back, pulling me on top of her to rest between her bent knees. This was our first private moment since we arrived at the compound and it caused me to be overly enthusiastic. I knew I shouldn’t, but I placed my hand behind one of her knees and pulled her leg to wrap around my waist as I pressed my body into hers. A sigh escaped her lips and she pulled her other leg up around my waist. The thoughts of what I wanted to do to her returned me to my senses and she recognized the look she had become so well acquainted with when things between us had gone a little too far.
She groaned because she knew what was coming next and locked her legs around my waist. “Don’t you dare stop because you can not keep doing this to me. It’s totally unfair!”
I reached for her legs to coax them off of me. “Move the wedding up and I’ll be more than glad to become totally fair. In fact, I’m quite anxious to be totally fair.”
A thoughtful look came across her face and she said, “October. It’s the earliest I can pull it off even with help from Gia and Lairah.”
I tugged on her bottom lip with my teeth. “That’s still three months away,” I complained.
A pouty look came over her face and the little vixen I loved tried to use her power of persuasion on me just like Sebastian said she would. “I know a way to make the next three months pass much faster.”
“You’re name shouldn’t be Chansey. It should be Risky because you are playing with a fire you highly underestimate,” I assured her.
She dramatically huffed. “Promises, promises. I’m not sure I’ll ever find out if I underestimate you or not.”
Since I easily talked her into moving the date a month earlier, I thought I might push my luck a little further. “Looks like you won’t discover the truth for months, unless you want to move the date closer.” I took my hand and placed it on her thigh, moving it slowly under her dress as I said, “Come on, let’s do it.” I allowed my words linger as I gazed into her eyes and then I added, “In August.”
When I began to laugh, she forcibly slapped my hand away from under her dress to show her unhappiness with my joke. “I can wait if you can. Maybe even until the end of December. I’ve heard Christmas weddings are beautiful.”
It was clear I had pushed my luck too far with her when she showed me how she could beat me at my own game, so I conceded. “I’ll take the October wedding.”
 

Book Review: The Darkening Dream



The Darkening Dream by Andy Gavin

  • Paperback: 392 pages
  • Publisher: Mascherato (January 14, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1937945014
  • ISBN-13: 978-1937945015

The Darkening Dream is the chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.

With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?

No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

Cover: I’m more to covers with real models at the background, but, oh man, just look at that cover. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the combination of colors and the added feel like it’s anime/manga..:)

First, I’d like to talk about the characters. This book isn’t just about vampires but actually, a variety of powerful and terrifying creatures are mixed in the story. We have an elderly vampire, a demon-loving Puritan warlock, Egyptian gods, and many more. Plus a tale about angels/archangels. Oddly though, I love all the characters, good and bad. Each of them is unique, fresh and remarkable. Everyone of them had his own story to share, which makes the book really interesting. And there’s a vivid distinction of who’s the good guys and the bad.

Another great thing about the book is how well the author writes. Andy Gavin wrote to connect the readers to his characters. From the moment I read the first word until the end, I was in Darkening Dream’s world. I feel the characters, I’m with their journey. The story was well-thought of that’s why the chapters flow naturally leaving the readers enough dread and suspense of what would happen next.
Even until I finished it, I was still amazed at how good this was.

Though not entirely unique, it’s like breathing fresh air, when reading about the vampires of this book. Forget about beautiful/kind vampires that girls fall in love, hello to vampires who are monsters and kill for blood. It still gave me goosebumps of what vampires could do and can’t do a long time ago. Old traditions which I thought had long forgotten came back in this book, like how a vampire can’t enter a home without invitation, vampires turning to bats, burning in the sun, etc.

One thing though, the constant POV changes were a little bit distracting. There are times that I am so into one character’s POV, then it would change in the next chapter. I don’t get into some of it, but nevertheless I’m with the story. And except for the early 20th century vampire, I feel like I was in the modern world.

I really hope there’s a sequel. For me, the story isn’t finished yet, a lot of things that are left unanswered and there are mysteries to uncover and monsters to conquer… and the twist at the end isn’t what I expected.

Darkening dream is a dark vampire novel that was written with passion, that you feel the emotions, dread and excitement of the author while writing this. Packed with action, suspense, fangs and a little bit romance, this book would leave you both satisfied and wanting for more. Highly Recommended to vampire and paranormal fans out there!




View all my reviews

2nd Annual Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop

*hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer*

Another Giveaway Hop before summer ends, so to my readers/followers/visitors/ I'll be giving away
Another giveaway hop for this summer, so to my readers/followers/visitors I'll be giving away a book INTERNATIONALLY.

The prize is your choice of book from The Book Depository (under $15). If you're unsure if The Book Depository ships to you, please check HERE. 

Also, don't forget to click the banner above to enter the over 250 giveaways..:) See how awesome is that!





GIVEAWAY 


Rules: 
  • Win any book of your choice from the Book Depository (under $15)
  • Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.
  • Giveaway ENDS JUNE 1
  • Winner will be chosen by Random Picker and have 3 days to reply
  •  To help you with sharing the word and win an extra entry when you link, here's a premade one:      I want to win any book under $15 from the Book Depository at #BookshelfConfessions http://bookshelfconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/2nd-annual-splash-into-summer-giveaway.html @avry15

Good luck! 
Click the link to enter!



edited:
Ok, guys, I just noticed that the form may not be working anymore..Whew!!! I wasn't expecting to have more than a 100 entries so it's over quota as some of the participants commented below.. But don't worry guys, I'll count the entries on the comment as well.. Thanks so much and next time, I'll remember not to put quotas..:D.. The giveaway will end this midnight and winners will be announced tomorrow..My followers rock!..:S


While here, why don’t you enter
My 200-Follower-Milestone-Giveaway (8 books up for grabs!/INT)

Check out the other giveaways here: GIVEAWAYS

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