A Sexy Mystery for Vampire Fans

Night's Cold Kiss
A Dark Brethren Novel
Author: Tracey O'Hara
Publisher: Eos
Paperback: 352 pages
Available on Amazon

Summary: Since witnessing the murder of her mother, Antoinette Petrescu has burned with fiery hatred for the vampire race—even for Christian Laroque, the noble, dangerously handsome Aeternus who rescued her. Now an elite Venator, Antoinette must reluctantly accept Christian's help to achieve her vengeance—even as he plots to use the beautiful, unsuspecting warrior as bait to draw out the bloodthirsty dreniacs.

I picked up Night's Cold Kiss after I started following the authors that are part of Supernatural Underground. This is the author's debut novel, and she hits a home run with her gritty, sexy urban fantasy. As I started her book, I couldn't help but think of Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, of which I am a huge fan. As I read on though, I found her characters and the world she created much different, but equally as captivating. Chapter 23, entitled Blood, Sweat and Heat, will be one Ms. O' Hara's fans will be whispering about on Twitter because it's THAT sexy.

I liked how the characters in Night's Cold Kiss snuck up on me, becoming more interesting and complex as I read farther in the book. I don't want to give any spoilers because the unexpected twists in the plot are one of the things I really liked about the book, but I especially loved the character of Oberon as we learned more about him, as well as the other side characters.

The heroine Antoinette is tough and avoids attachments other than her family. She has a chip on her shoulder the size of a boulder, making it hard for anyone to get close to her. Even her family walks on egg shells when they know something will upset her. I loved the banter between her and the two vampires she has to work with. They both surprise her at every turn, and manage to make that chip on her shoulder a bit smaller.

Night's Cold Kiss is a fast paced read with mystery, romance and action. It's the first book in a series that has the reader itching for the second novel. If you enjoy books by Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, or Stacia Kane you'll love Night's Cold Kiss by Tracey O'Hara.

Read a prequel short story from the author:
DANTE RISING - The Birth of a Venator
http://www.traceyohara.com/books/freeReads.html

The second book will be available in January:
Death's Sweet Embrace
Release Date: Jan 25, 2011
Publisher: Eos Books/Harper Collins

~Moonsanity

Blood Law: Mississippi Vamps & Good Ole Boys

Blood Law
Alexandra Sabian series
Author: Jeannie Holmes
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Dell
Available from Amazon

Summary: Alexandra Sabian moves to the sleepy hamlet of Jefferson, Mississippi—population 6,000, nearly one-half vampires—to escape the demons lurking in her past. As an Enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigation (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—killed in the same gruesome manner that Alex’s father was murdered decades ago. Things get even more complicated when the FBPI sends in some unnervingly sexy backup: Alex’s one-time mentor, lover, and fiancé, Varik Baudelaire.

Growing up I loved mysteries. As an adult, my dad introduced me to John Stanford, and Patricia Cornwell, then I discovered urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Tuesday night I bought Jeannie Holmes book, Blood Law, for my Kindle, and was in heaven. Her first book in the Alexandra Sabian series is all the things I loved in a gritty mystery combined with the elements of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. It's a fast paced thriller with Alex and her co-workers trying to catch a serial killer while she battles with emotional demons from her past.

I loved Alex as a main character. She is strong, loyal, passionate and smart. Varik, her former fiance, is sarcastic, sexy, tough and protective. Combine the two of them and it's a roller coaster of emotion and sexual tension. However, the author doesn't let that aspect of the story overwhelm the problem at hand, but rather works their attraction and past into the plot as it unfolds. The cast of characters from the citizens of Alex's town to the FBPI agents are quirky and complex.

Jeannie Holmes has introduced us to a gritty and sexy world where the mystery of the day is not overshadowed by characters who think of nothing but sex and the vampires are complex, intelligent and leave us wanting to know more. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see what Ms. Holmes has come up with next. Blood Law is a fantastic debut novel, and a must read.

Learn more about the book and author on her website here.

~Moonsanity

Pop Quiz: What Supernatural Being Are You?

Jill Myles, the witty author of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi is over on Ilona Andrews blog with a very cool quiz! I took it and lo and behold I am a:

Vampire

You're a VAMPIRE! Jaded and kind of tired of the stupidity of both your goody-two-shoes Serim brothers and the human race in general, you'd smoke, drink, and squander your Afterlife with hedonistic pleasures. That is, until the Queen gives you something to do.

The World of Jill Myles

Head on over to Ilona's place and take it yourself:
http://www.ilona-andrews.com/2010/01/22/pop-quiz/.

Series Review: The Immortals After Dark

Immortals After Dark
Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Pocket

Summary: Every creature or being that was thought to be mythical . . . isn’t. They all secretly exist alongside humans and enjoy the gift of immortality. There are hundreds of different kinds: from Vampires to Lykae, from Furies to Shifters, from the Fey to Valkyries. These immortals call their world The Lore.

You may have had a brush with one of Lorekind already. The eccentric billionaire with hypnotic charisma—and an aversion to sunlight. The ethereal waif of impossible beauty—whose fingernails look more like claws. The Highlander with a seventeenth-century Scottish accent and animal magnetism—who can never be penciled in on the night of the full moon.

STORY ORDER
1. The Warlord Wants Forever (2006)(Novella) Nikolai & Myst
2. A Hunger Like No Other (2006) Lachlain & Emmaline
3. No Rest for the Wicked (2006) Sebastian & Kaderin
4. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (2007) Bowen & Mariketa
5. Dark Needs at Night's Edge (2008) Conrad & Neomi
6. Dark Desires After Dusk (2008) Cade & Holly
7. Kiss of a Demon King (2009) Rydstrom & Sabine
8. Deep Kiss of Winter Novella: Untouchable (2009) Murdoch & Daniela

COMING SOON
9.Pleasure of a Dark Prince (February 2010) Lucia and Garreth's
10.Demon from the Dark (2010)

I started reading The Immortals After Dark Series last summer in my race to catch up with all the awesome Paranormal Romance authors I'd discovered after reading the Twilight books. Don't let that statement fool you into thinking this series is like Twilight, however. I guess you could say it's an erotic kick-ass version on steroids IF you had to go with a comparison, but even that doesn't begin to cover it.

I want to mention something about the reading order of the books. I had missed the novella that started Kresley Cole's series until this week when I read it as a Free PDF file that I downloaded from Amazon. (Go to THIS PAGE and the link is under the box where the edition of the books are listed. Click that link for the free complete novella and excerpts on the books, which comes in a PDF file that you can save to your hard drive. It wasn't available on the Kindle.)

In some ways the first novella and Kiss of a Demon King, which in #7 in the book order have many similarities. I think perhaps they are the most erotic of the books. If you are new to Paranormal Romance I would download the novella and read it first to get a feel for the style of the books. I really wish I had started with the novella instead of A Hunger Like No Other, only because it gives it some really great background on the Valkyrie, the Forebearers and The Fallen, which are the two factions of vampires. That said, let's get down to the nitty gritty of how I feel about the series.

The humor of the Valkyrie women; their love of slang, pop culture, and modern conveniences leave their warriors stunned and gawking. This line from the novella Warlord Wants Forever is a perfect example of this, as Myst "takes over" when brought to Nikolai's room for questioning. She heads straight for the shower, then opens the door afterwards to get the attention of the first person she sees in the hall, while Nikolai watches her in total amazement:

“Psst. Minion. I need these laundered. Very little starch. Don’t just stand there gawking or you’ll anger my good frenemy General Wroth. We’re like this.”

Each book features a soon to be mated couple, and yes, they are HEAs (Happily Ever Afters). Some are more of a fun read than others, depending on the characters and their situations. I'm sure every fan has their favorites. I found Kiss of a Demon more of a difficult read because of the agony Sabine and Rydstrom put each other through. Just when I thought it was going to get worse the last fourth of the book made it all worthwhile. The fact that Ms. Cole can make the reader feel uncomfortable during scenes that are agonizing for the characters is a good thing, because it means that later when there is light at the end of the tunnel we find ourselves cheering for the couple, finally understanding why they acted the way they did.

I think my favorites were the first book, A Hunger Like No Other, the fourth, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, and the sixth, Dark Desires After Dusk, which was about Cadeon Woede, a rage demon and Holly Ashwin, a math teacher with OCD. Can you imagine? I laughed out loud on and off throughout the entire book.

Who will like The Immortals After Dark Series? Fans of J.R. Ward, Laura Adrian, Gena Showalter, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. If you haven't read any of those authors and wonder if you will still enjoy them, then download the free novella I mentioned above. This series is not for the faint of heart. The sex scenes are erotic, the characters kick ass and take no prisoners, and sarcasm is rampant. I've kept all my copies and will be reading them again and again.

The Immortals After Dark Resources:
-FAQ from the Author
-Free PFD file of Warlord Wants Forever
-Kresley Cole's Forum

Series Review: Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles

Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles
Author: Jeanne C. Stein
Publisher: Ace

The Becoming
Blood Drive
The Watcher
Legacy
Retribution(not read yet)

I finished the fourth book of Jeanne C. Stein's Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles today. I'd read the other three over the summer, buying them from Amazon. They are all quick reads, each with its own mystery that Anna must solve, usually to save lives. First, let's talk about what the series isn't: it isn't romance, nor does it paint a light, fun picture of vampires. Anna is a "crap happens, what can I do with it now?" kind of gal. She's told how she should behave and what rules she needs to follow now that she's been turned, but Anna is stubborn. She's not just going to roll over and abandon her life. In all four books she has an ongoing struggle to keep her "humanity". While I understand Anna's plight, I do find myself frustrated that she refuses to compromise or listen to any advice from those who have been through it.

The first book is my favorite but the others kept me on the edge of my seat as well. Stein is a master with action scenes. Each one kept me guessing, and in suspense. She also knows how to twist the plot and spring surprises on the reader. That, I think, is why the books are a quick read. I don't read them at a leisurely pace.

Stein's writing is witty, often sarcastic, and some what dark. I recommend this series to those who don't expect their books to end with a "happily ever after". Anna is a work in progress, and I like reading about her, despite wanting to occasionally slap her. If you know this going in and don't mind, then you'll like the Anna Strong books. If you like romance with a happy ending, then I'd steer clear. I personally want to hang with Anna, and will be reading all of her books again, plus picking up the fifth one in the series.

Read Excerpts here: http://www.jeannestein.com/blurb.htm

Jeanne has a blog with Mario Acevedo where they "cover urban fantasy, vampires, pop culture, and all things Joss Whedon." It doesn't get any better than that. Pay them a visit here:
http://www.biting-edge.blogspot.com/

A Vampire Haiku

I had mentioned that VampChix is having a cool scavenger hunt this week. Today is a guest blog by Ryan Mecum, author of Vampire Haiku and Zombie Haiku. Our challenge is write a vampire related haiku. I took up the challenge and composted the following:

Draws me in slowly
His natural charisma
Staying despite fear

Hold your applause. I haven't written haiku since high school. I may start doing so now that I'm on a roll. Perhaps, I'll write Werewolf Haiku next:)

~Moonsanity

World Building: Vampires 101

I'm sitting here roaming around ebay for books and eating soup at the same time. Usually as I multi-task the ideas start popping in my head. If I don't get them written down, they disappear into that foggy area known as my brain. I know I need to outline my world with every detail. I've seen how fans of an author's world expect details. As writer I want readers to keep me on my toes. This is the first of many posts where I will ask myself questions on a world building aspect. Feel free to discuss, tell me you love or hate what I've mentioned, or add more questions I can consider.

I know it feels like everyone and their Cousin Billy Ray has written about vampires, but I can't imagine writing a book without including them in one way or another. Here are the questions my mind is asking:

Can vampires read minds and/or control humans?
Do they have souls?
Are they all evil or are there degrees as with humans?
Do they regain youth or come to a stand still from when they are changed?
How are they changed over or are they born a vampire?
Can they conceive? With who?
Do they only drink blood? Human, animal, vampire?
Can humans drink from them?
Do they all have the same strengths? What are they?
Do they have the same weaknesses? What are they?
Are they all beautiful and flawless?
Is their population wide spread in my world or is it limited in numbers?
Does the general public know of their existence?
Are all vampires wealthy?
Are there male and female vampires?
Do they die in sunlight or what effect does it have?
What did they come from? Otherworldly, infection, genes, etc.
Are they all intelligent?
Do they sparkle? (Just kidding!)
Do they have a leader? Or a group/council that leads?

These questions have already led me to some good ideas. Do you have any questions to add to the list?

~Moonsanity