9.19.2010

Personal Challenge

I have the attention span of child who's skipped their Adderall dose when it comes to items of interest. Music and Books are my weakness.  I oooh & ahhh and spend far too much money on both.  And I get easily sidetracked.  There are so many great titles out there, but there are quite a few that I've been eye-balling for a while, some new and some not new. It's time.  So, I'm trying something new this upcoming month.  I've created a list of 10 books that I'm challenging myself to read in October without being tempted by distractions.  So I'm putting the blinders on! 
(oh, but I've allowed myself to digress with 1 series, because even I know I'm not immortal)

WICKED ENCHANTMENT BY ANYA BAST
When you’re a half incubus, your reputation precedes you… 

All eyes are on Gabriel Mac Braire the day he makes his first appearance in the Seelie Court, including those of Aislinn Finvarra. Despite deep bitterness over her last failed relationship, Aislinn cannot help but be curious about the half incubus who is known to possess dark magick, both lethal and sexual in nature. Rumors abound of the women who have become enslaved to his irresistible charms.

So when the Summer Queen of the fae orders Aislinn herself to act as his guide in the court, she is understandably on guard. She’s fallen under the spell of far less persuasive men before. In addition, Gabriel might be more than he seems and his true mission is far from innocent.

This time, Aislinn must protect not only her heart, but her very life…



 DEAD, UNDEAD, OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN BY J.A. SAARE
She left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her—until now. 

The deliciously good-looking vampire, Disco, knows her secret. When he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, Rhiannon discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.   



   BLOOD SONG BY CAT ADAMS
Bodyguard Celia Graves plies her trade in a world where vampires roam the alleys of Tinseltown and movie stars openly practice witchcraft., where streetcorner psychics have real powers and cops use memory enhancement spells on witnesses. Though she’s an ordinary human, Celia uses street smarts and charmed weapons to protect the rich and famous from mortal and supernatural threats. 

She’s landed a plum job, protecting the Prince of a small but politically vital nation while he tours Los Angeles’s least savory hot spots. What should be a routine assignment goes badly wrong. Attacked by a master vampire, Celia knows she is about to die.

She’s startled to awaken on a cold metal table in a university lab. Celia Graves has become an Abomination, neither fully mortal nor fully vampire. Her “master” is hunting her, to destroy her or finish what his bite began. She’s accused of murder and the cops aren’t sure whether she should be locked up or staked. And then there’s the demon she glimpsed during the vampire attack . . . .
Struggling to cope with her new powers and trying not to terrify everyone she meets with a flash of fang, Celia reaches out for help from her once (and future?) lover, who is a powerful mage; his warrior-priest brother; a handsome werewolf who keeps his lupine nature concealed from the world; an elderly clairvoyant, and one trustworthy cop.

Celia Graves has three days to save the world, her sanity, and her soul.      



BLOOD LAW BY JEANNIE HOLMES
A provocative and savvy vampire, Alexandra Sabian moves to the sleepy hamlet of Jefferson, Mississippi—population 6,000, half vampires—to escape the demons lurking in her past. As an enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations (FBPI), Alex must maintain the uneasy peace between her kind and humans, including Jefferson’s bigoted sheriff, who’d be happy to see all vampires banished from town. Then really dead vamps start turning up—beheaded, crucified, and defanged, the same gruesome manner in which Alex’s father was murdered decades ago. For Alex, the professional has become way too personal.

Things get even more complicated when the FBPI sends in some unnervingly sexy backup: Alex’s onetime mentor, lover, and fiancé, Varik Baudelaire. Still stinging from the betrayal that ended their short-lived engagement, Alex is determined not to give in to the temptation that soon threatens to short-circuit her investigation. But as the vamp body count grows and the public panic level rises, Varik may be Alex’s only hope to stop a relentless killer who’s got his own score to settle and his own bloody past to put right.



GRIMSPACE BY ANN AGUIRE
As the carrier of a rare gene, Sirantha Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. Then a crash landing kills everyone on board, leaving Jax in a jail cell with no memory of the crash. But her fun's not over. A group of rogue fighters frees her…for a price: her help in overthrowing the established order.




THE IRON DUKE BY MELJEAN BROOK
After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession. 

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.



DOUBLE CROSS BY CAROLYN CRANE
Justine Jones has lived her life as a fearful hypochondriac until she's lured into the web of a mysterious mastermind named Packard. He gifts her with extraordinary mental powers-dooming her to fight Midcity's shadowy war on paranormal crime in order to find the peace she so desperately craves.

But now, serial killers with unheard-of skills are terrorizing the most powerful beings in Midcity, including mastermind Packard - and his oldest friend and worst enemy, Midcity's new mayor, who has the ability to bend matter itself to his will.

As the body count grows, Justine faces a crisis of conscience as she tests the limits of her new powers and faces an impossible choice between two flawed but brilliant men . . . one on a journey of redemption, and the other descending into a pit of moral depravity. 



VENOM BY JENNIFER ESTEP
It's hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most. To the public, I'm Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland's best barbecue joint. To my friends, I'm the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab's right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists. At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I'll take my chances. Then there's Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland's finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I'm a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life.   



CLOCKWORK ANGEL BY CASSANDRA CLARE  
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 


Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. 


As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.



PLEASURE UNBOUND LARISSA IONE
In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life . . .
She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.
Two lovers will dare to risk all.
Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul...

11 comments:

  1. ok. i am typing one handed, so bear with me! I have read the last book on the list and have the rest of the series on ebook. Venom is on my list as well. Double Cross as well...though I am not burning to read it.. I have Anya Bast's other books, but not the one on the list. I think I eyed Clockwork Angel. The rest I haven't seen or read. I am eager for your reviews! My reading has just plummeted from 2 or 3 a week to maybe 1 a week....babies will do that!

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  2. OOOoooo!!! She's crackin' open Larissa's Demonica series! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! I'm looking forward to Iron Duke and of course Double Cross and Venom too. Grimspace is in my book closet but I'm yet to read it. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of it and Anya Bast's...and Saare's. I hear they are all good.
    Looks like you've got a great bunch of books here! Enjoy! (oh, and don't forget about Bayou Moon :)

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  3. Carrie: She's TOTALLY worth it. Can't wait for my baby-time this week! And to geek out about books with you.

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  4. Julie: I know, right? I have so many good things coming up. And yes, the Demonica series I'm reading b/c of your nudge. :)

    Heads totally in the game now!

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  5. Hey, Julie (up above) just recommended you're blog to me and I really just wanted to say how much I'm liking it!
    Great selection of books for you're own challenge! :)

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  6. Ally: I'm so glad you like it! I look forward to talking books with you.

    Isn't Julie great?!

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  7. Are you really going to read all ten of these in October!?! I wish I could read 10 books in a month. That would be awesome. And I have to say almost all of these books are on my want list or are in my TBR pile. I hope you enjoy all these books. (I have to say I really enjoyed Dead, Undead, or somewhere inbetween.) So I hope you do as well. :) Have fun with your challenge.

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  8. Melissa: I know, one of the reason I'm pushing to read Dead, Undead is because of how highly you spoke of the character.

    Yeah, i think I average 3-4 books a week.... I have issues :P

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  9. Oh good! :) Glad you liked that post. :) Rhiannon is such a sassy girl. I hope you enjoy read about her.

    And I wouldn't say you have issues. I could only dream of reading that fast. I would love to have the time to sit down and read 3 books a week. I get stuck in this office job thing and then at the current time we are doing football all week. I do read while at football but not as focused and fast as I would like as I still am watching my son practice (he likes feedback after practice & knowing he has our attention). Oh that would be a dream for me. :)

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  10. Melissa: I saw your tweets this weekend about your son's football practice (but you were already off by the time I saw them). I can't believe it's already that season again! And it's cold and grey today here. Fall is upon us, apparently.
    I'll keep you posted about Rhiannon. My book store didn't have, so it's wont be one of the first. :( But, I can't wait.

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  11. Yeah, Fall is here. Before we know it, it'll be the holidays. shhh, I don't want to say that to loud. ;)

    I took a picture of my son in his football uniform beside me but I wasn't able for some reason to get it go tweet. I will have to try sending to tweet again. But he ended up with 2 sacks and they beat that poor team pretty bad. when the start winning like that it's not the same to watch. But I was sure proud of him. :)

    It's really cooling off here lately too. Nights are chilled and leaves are starting to change. I'm going to have to make my annual run to the mountains for pictures again soon if the leaves keep up at this rate.

    I do hope you enjoy Rhiannon. It was a book I could only get online as well.

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