5.31.2011

The Sound

I love music.  Always have. I like scouring the web looking for and listening to all the new sounds that artists put out.  I'm constantly amazed by it. Here's what this month sounded like...

***I never ever EVER steal from artists (bands or authors). Everything posted here is either a free download provided by the artist or from my personal music library***












5.30.2011

DARE Review: Angels Fall

Nora Roberts
Suspense
444 pages
Putnam Books
Downloadable Excerpt

Synopsis:
Reece Gilmore has come a long way to see the stunning view below her. As the sole survivor of a brutal crime back East, she has been on the run, desperately fighting the nightmares and panic attacks that haunt her. Reece settles in Angel's Fist, Wyoming-temporarily, at least-and takes a job at a local diner. And now she's hiked this mountain all by herself. It was glorious, she thought, as she peered through her binoculars at the Snake River churning below.

Then Reece saw the man and woman on the opposite bank. Arguing. Fighting. And suddenly, the man was on top of the woman, his hands around her throat . . .

Enjoying a moment of solitude a bit farther down the trail is a gruff loner named Brody. But by the time Reece reaches him and brings him to the scene, the pair has vanished. When authorities comb the area where she saw the attack, they find nothing. No signs of struggle. No freshly turned earth. Not even a tire track.

And no one in Angel's Fist seems to believe her. After all, she's a newcomer in town, with a reputation for being jumpy and jittery-maybe even a little fragile. Maybe it's time to run again, to move on . . .

Reece Gilmore knows there's a killer in Angel's Fist, even if Brody, despite his seeming impatience and desire to keep her at arm's length, is the only one willing to believe her. When a series of menacing events makes it clear that someone wants her out of the way, Reece must put her trust in Brody-and herself-to find out if there is a killer in Angel's Fist before it's too late.



5.26.2011

Where you at?

Ever since I can remember, the month of May is completely bananas. This year was no exception. In fact, it might just have been even more so. Do you think I prepare for it? Do you think I might remind myself, "Don't forget how crazy last May was." Hell no. Apparently, I like to make myself crazy.


Here's what May 2011 meant to me: 2 of my best friends' birthdays, 2 of my sisters' birthdays, my anniversary, my birthday, my sister's graduation, a new job, and a trip to Texas. (and that was all before this week started) It's been nuts.  And fun!  But, it's left me completely behind on the blog. So, I took this week "off" to try and catch up.  


Thank you in advance for being patient with me.  See you next week.


-jessica

5.19.2011

News: Ilona Andrews

Did you know that Ilona and Gordon, aka Ilona Andrews, are working on a new series?! No? I didn't either. Until yesterday. Tori, who writes reviews for Smexy Books, and also writes articles and such for Heroes & Heartbreakers, clued me in via Twitter.  I am LOVING what I'm seeing/reading and I just had to share with you.  It's a lot darker than any of their other works, and I'm anxious for an entire story.  Luckily, we don't have to wait tooo long. The series' prequel will be part of the Angels of Darkness anthology, set to publish October 4th. The book also includes stories from Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, and Sharon Shinn. 

5.18.2011

Review: Iron Crowned

Richelle Mead
Urban Fantasy
378 pages
Dark Swan #3
Chapter 1 
Bantam Books


Synopsis:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear…

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown’s ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation--one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril…



5.16.2011

Behind The Pen: with Barbara Ashford (+giveaway)

I love interviews.  But I find the artists behind the stories equally intriguing, and I think they deserve as much limelight as their characters. So here, instead of a list of questions about the story, the plot, or the characters, I ask authors the same 11 questions about themselves and hopefully get a glimpse behind the pen...


Just last week I had the pleasure of reading Ms Ashford's debut novel, Spellcast, and still a week later, I can't get it out of my mind.  I think it's forever taken residence in my heart & my soul. So, what do I do when I'm granted such an unexpected gift of amazing?  I bug and pester the people responsible. I'm so happy that Ms. Ashford had the time to participate in this segment, because I'm psyched to know more about her.  And due to my sheer annoyance enthusiasm, DAW is offering up a copy of said book, for one lucky commenter.  So without further adieu...

5.13.2011

Review: Spellcast

Barbara Ashford
Urban Fantasy
433 pages
Book 1
Excerpt
DAW books


Back Cover:
First, she lost her job.  Then the bathroom ceiling in her Brooklyn apartment collapsed.  That was when Maggie decided it was time to run away from home for a while.  A weekend in Vermont sounded like the perfect getaway.  Spying a road sign for the township of Hillandale, toward Dale.  For some reason the area felt familiar, especially the big white bard she passes on the way to town. 
And, as thought everything about this journey was somehow preordained, Maggie ended up auditioning for her and being offered a job in the summer stock company of the Crossroads Theatre-housed in that white barn outside of town. 
As it turned out, she was practically the only person on the cast with previous acting credits.  But none of her professional experience could prepare her for the magic that was about to happen on the stage of this big old barn, or for the theater's unorthodox staff, especially its moody and mysterious director....


5.11.2011

Review: Hard Bitten

Chloe Neill
Urban Fantasy
350 pages
Chicagoland Vampires #4
Chapter 1
NAL Trade


Synopsis:
Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against supernaturals--and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors, things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan Sullivan are ... tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark, and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's supernatural society--a world full of vampires who seem too ready to fulfill the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands...


5.09.2011

I Double-Dog Dare You...

This month's dare might be my hardest yet. Ally from Swept Away Again says:
"As you've been reading and enjoying J.D Robbs' 'In Death' series, I thought about you trying a Nora Roberts Romantic Suspense and seeing what you think. My suggestion is one of the first Nora Roberts books that I ever read, and got me hooked and thought it was also more suspense and less romance (but still with a romance element to it), than some of her other works... and it isn't a contemporary romance."

EEEK!  Even though it's not contemporary romance, I'm shaking in my flip flops {I can't say boots, its too damn hot here this week}  But don't fear, I dared Ally to read something completely outside her comfort zone too.  *whahahaha*  Come back at the end of the month to see my thoughts about my dare, and see if Ally survived hers. 

5.06.2011

Review: After the Golden Age

Carrie Vaughn
Urban Fantasy
304 pages
Chapter 1
TOR


Synopsis:
Can an accountant defeat a supervillain? Celia West, only daughter of the heroic leaders of the superpowered Olympiad, has spent the past few years estranged from her parents and their high-powered lifestyle. She’s had enough of masks and heroics, and wants only to live her own quiet life out from under the shadow of West Plaza and her rich and famous parents.

Then she is called into her boss’ office and told that as the city’s top forensic accountant, Celia is the best chance the prosecution has to catch notorious supervillain the Destructor for tax fraud. In the course of the trial, Celia’s troubled past comes to light and family secrets are revealed as the rift between Celia and her parents grows deeper. Cut off from friends and family, Celia must come to terms with the fact that she might just be Commerce City’s only hope.


5.04.2011

Review: Eternal Rider

Larissa Ione
PNR
402 pages
Lords of Deliverance #1
Excerpt
Grand Central Publishing


Synopsis:
His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.


5.02.2011

Pre-order etiquette?

Recently I've been thinking about my past; my pre-order book past.  See, there's a book release coming up from Chloe Neill, that I'm nearly desperate for. And it doesn't help that a couple bitches friends I know received advanced readers copies, and are screaming about whatever developments happen in the book; making me even more crazy for the freakin thing. So anyway, a week ahead of time I went to the interweb to set-up my pre order, making sure I have my title on it's release date May 3rd like a good book addict, and about halfway through the prebook I started wondering why, when it comes to those highly anticipated releases, I find myself HAVING to purchase the digital edition instead of supporting my local book store. 

Winner Winner

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered Jennifer Estep's Tangled Threads giveaway. The winner is:


JILL (comment #1)

Congratulations! Please email me thespinecracker (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address.