Review & New Release: On the Edge

On the Edge
The Edge, Book 1
Author: Ilona Andrews
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace
Released: 9/29/09
Available in paperback & Kindle edition from Amazon.

Summary: The Broken is a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale. The Weird is a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place between both worlds. A perilous existence indeed, made even more so by a flood of magic-hungry creatures bent on absolute destruction.

I love Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels novels, and at first I thought it would be difficult to wrap my head around a completely different world that was unrelated to Kate and Curran. It only took me the first TWO pages to get rid of that worry. On the Edge starts out with an introduction to Rose, Georgie, Jack and Grandpa that blew away any thoughts I had of Kate's world. In some ways this series is lighter, perhaps less intense. It's a must read for any fans of Ilona Andrews.

Rose, the heroine, is a truly wonderful and complex character. I loved her strength, her wit, her intelligence and the way she protected her family above all else. Declan, our hero, is not a white knight riding in to save the day, though he may actually imagine himself that way. He's pushy, overprotective and at times, a snob. Together, he and Rose, figure out what needs to be done to save her family and friends. It's not easy, and lessons do not come easily for either of them, but it makes for one kick ass story that kept me reading until I had gotten to that last page. I also have to mention that Rose's brothers are funny, touching, and brave. You will fall in love with them, just like I did.

On the Edge is a fast paced paranormal romance, but it also has elements of fantasy that reminds me of Simon Green's Forest Kingdom series, Stan Nicholls' Quicksilver series and books by Tad Williams. I recommend it to fans of paranormal romance but also those who love fantasy.
TEASER WORDS
barriers
shoes
bubbles
blueblood
pancakes
shotgun
flash
willworld
chocolate bar
wolf

NEW RELEASE: BAYOU MOON
The second book in The Edge series is coming out this week on Tuesday, September 28th. It's going to be an awesome read as we learn more about this fascinating world. This is the blurb for Bayou Moon from the author's website:

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.

Bayou Moon is available in paperback and for the Kindle from Amazon. You can also learn more about The Edge on the author's website: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/

~Brenda

New Release & Review: Mind Games

Mind Games
The Disillusionists Trilogy #1
Author: Carolyn Crane
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Spectra
Released March 23, 2010
Available in print and digital on Amazon

SUMMARY: Justine Jones isn't your typical kick-ass type - she’s a hopeless hypochondriac whose life is run by fear. She's lured into a restaurant, Mongolian Delites, by tortured mastermind Sterling Packard, who promises he can teach her to channel her fears. In exchange, she must join his team of disillusionists - vigilantes hired by crime victims to zing their anxieties into criminals, resulting in collapse and transformation.

I have been wanting to read Mind Games since before it was actually released. I've been following the author on her blog and twitter, enjoying her wit and intelligence, but had to wait til this month to buy it. I knew it would be a story very different from anything I had read previously, and I was not disappointed. Mind Games is an urban fantasy unlike any I've ever read. In many ways, I can related to Justine, the heroine in the story. While I am not a hypochondriac, I have suffered from anxiety and mild panic attacks for most of my life. It wasn't until I was almost 40 that my family doctor suggested the idea of anxiety disorder to me. Once I left Denial Land, I knew he was right. Reading Mind Games was weird for me because I recognized so many emotional things in the story, nodding my head as I read along. Of course when the supernatural elements kicked in, I stopped identifying and started really getting into Justine's adventure.

Mind Games is fast paced, fascinating, witty, and completely amazing. The author has created a world that takes the idea of the power of the mind to a new level. She also challenges the reader to look beyond black and white to the grey area of good and evil. Is it really so cut and dried? Can someone have motives that are selfish, yet still serve a greater good? For me, there is also a theme of acceptance running through the story. Do we want a relationship where we have to pretend to be something we're not? These are just a few of the ideas running through Mind Games.

I don't want anyone to misunderstand and think that these thought provoking themes slow down the story for the reader. I couldn't put Mind Games down once I started it; staying up way too late reading once began. The characters are complex and quirky. In some ways, I was reminded of going to a large shopping mall and sitting on a bench for an entire afternoon to people watch. What if we could do that but see inside the minds of some of the people who walk by us? Instead of guessing what their story is, we'd get a glimpse into their mind. Reading Mind Games was much like that to me, and I will be reading it again and again, catching new details each time. Perhaps I'll even take it to a mall one afternoon and read it as I sit and people watch.

TEASER WORDS
kebabs
CAT scan
beret
horse book
sheepshead
stun gun
opera
glory hour
open door

NEW RELEASE: DOUBLE CROSS
The second book in The Disillusionists Trilogy, Double Cross, is coming out this week on Tuesday, September 28th! I think it's going to be even better than the first book in the series. Here is the blurb from the author's website:

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.

Double Cross is available for in paperback, and for the Kindle on Amazon. Visit the author's website here: http://authorcarolyncrane.com/books/mind-games .

~Happy Release Week:) Brenda

Moira Rogers on Research, Wolves & Sex

I have been wanting to interview Bree and Donna, who write under the name Moira Rogers, since last spring. I finally got the chance this month, and hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. Before I begin, I want to share a paragraph from their bio that gives you glimpse at their unique personalities and writing style:

How do you make a Moira Rogers? Take a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and add a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy. Toss in a dash of whimsy and a lot of caffeine, and enjoy with a side of chocolate by the light of the full moon.

My first two questions pertain to their new series, Building Sanctuary, which takes place during the 1930's. It features bootlegging werewolves and former debutantes who join together to start a safe place for shifters and their families. I've reviewed the series below the interview here.

Brenda: How the long was this idea in your heads, and did you think people would like it immediately?

Bree: It evolved while we were working on Sanctuary's Price and getting ready to start plotting Sanctuary Unbound. A big part of that was considering Adam's backstory, and the more we talked about it, the more I liked the idea of writing that story. Then I think I started in on Donna, trying to convince her. :D I can't remember, Donna--was it difficult?

Donna: Not really. The biggest hurdle we faced, I think, was figuring out how we could convince our editor to let us write it. Then it turned out not to be a problem at all, because she was like, "Hey, go for it."

Bree: We hoped people would like it, of course, but we were aware that it was a risk. 1930s historicals are not exactly an in demand commodity, but our editor gave us her support and so far I've been thrilled with the response!

Brenda: Was there a lot of research involved to write about that time period, or did you wing some of it? (It was such a fascinating era.)

Donna: There's a ton of research involved, even if it's stuff that never shows up on the page. In a lot of ways, it was harder than writing a book set further in the past, because there are a lot of things that aren't entirely different now. It becomes this balancing act, really, where you try to find a way to let the readers know that yes, you did research this, you didn't just pull it out of your--yeah. LOL

Bree: It was tough, and more tough because a big part of this universe has always been that our wolves live off the beaten path. In Undertow, especially, our characters are so far removed from the world and conveniences of their time that we were essentially writing 1930s characters living a frontier-style life. We didn't set ourselves up for an easy time, that's for sure.

Brenda: I've been dying to ask you a question since reading your books for the first time. I find your love scenes very steamy, as I'm sure all your fans do, but I also find myself giggling at the banter between the couples during sex. Did you always write the love scenes this way...or did it develop with time? I picture you gals going over the scenes, snickering and saying things like "OMG, yeah, yeah, he should say that when he's doing this..." "Come on, they can't do that, can they?". Please 'fess up on the process you go through to write those scorching scenes. I know others must wonder about this too.

Bree: Best. Question. Ever. Because really, our process for writing sex scenes is moderately hysterical, I think. You wouldn't believe how many times I have to IM Donna with, "Choreography check!"

Donna: I'm not going to lie--sometimes I have to pause mid-scene to go find some streaming porn, JUST to figure out if people can really bend that way.

Bree: And then there's all the frantic conversations that go something like this:

Me: I CAN'T WRITE THIS DIALOGUE, IT IS TOO FILTHY!
Donna: Doooooo it.
Me: No! OMG. I can't!
Donna: Do it now!
Me: *cry*

Donna: Or, "OMG [HERO'S NAME] IS SO DIIIIIIRTY!!" We do that a lot too.

Bree: Or the question so inevitable it has become our standing joke for how silly our job can be at times: "What color are [character]'s panties?!?"

Donna: Seriously, though. Beyond the choreography and panties, each scene is different. Whether it's sweet or spicy or both is all dependent on who's getting it on. Some couples talk more, or dirtier, than others. They all have a distinct dynamic, and that's what leads the scenes more than anything else.

Bree: And in between the jokes and the laughing, we do spend endless hours discussing those dynamics. (Sometimes over the dinner table, much to our husbands' unending consternation.) We want our characters to be changed by the sex they have, and that means we have to go into each scene knowing what they need to learn or give. That takes planning!

Brenda: Do you both see yourself writing when your sitting on the porch, rocking in your favorite chair, at 80 years old, or do you think a time will come when you'll say "Hey, I'm all written out, it's time to give it a rest?"

Donna: Nope. I hope I can come up with some awesome stories to tell when I've been around that long.

Bree: I figure some day, we'll probably run out of ideas. Maybe. But they are always stacking up faster than we could possibly write them, so I guess after we run out of ideas we can work our way through the backlog. Then take a break. ;) (Of course, chances are good we'll come up with more ideas in the meantime!)

Brenda: Thanks for letting me pick your brains ladies. I knew you two would be a hoot to interview. Now, everyone go out and buy a Moira Rogers e-book so you can understand my question about their steamy sex scenes:) I promise it will be worth it.

Visit Bree and Donna, the team who make up Moira Rogers at the following places:
-Moira Rogers Website: http://moirarogers.com/
-Bree & Donna's Blog: http://moirarogers.com/blog/
-Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moira-Rogers/28543327904
-Bree @ Twitter: http://twitter.com/moirarogersbree
-Donna @ Twitter: http://twitter.com/donnajherren

~Brenda

Building Sanctuary: Bootleggers & Debutantes

Building Sanctuary
-A Safe Harbor (July 2010)
-Undertow (October 2010)
Author: Moira Rogers
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
A Safe Harbor is available for the Kindle
Undertow will be available in October

A Safe Harbor Summary: Joan Fuller enjoyed a privileged life-until her wealth and connections garnered her the wrong sort of attention. Her rejection of a textile heir-s proposal comes back to bite her when he turns out to be a werewolf on the prowl for a mate.

Former bootlegger Seamus Whelan has cleaned up his act, but when his old partner Gavin comes to him for help, he can-t say no-no matter how deadly the threat. Escorting some female wolves to safety should have been easy, except their leader is a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself.

A Safe Harbor takes place during The Depression, in the 1930's, a hard time for humans and shifters, especially those who are trying to stay safe. Joan Fuller is a strong wolf, a female alpha, who escapes a cruel pack with mostly women who have been abused and treated as whores. She was raised in a wealthy family, brought up to be proper and pampered. Nothing prepared her for a life of sacrifice and hardship as she becomes a leader to those who need her. Her needs can't be acknowledged, or given into, and she feels alone. Seamus is a smuggler and a bootlegger getting ready to start a new life with his men. He's called upon by a friend to help Joan and her charges, knowing nothing of their circumstances.

The authors have brought alive this period in history, and made the idea of retired bootleggers, homeless girls and former debutantes who are werewolves believable. The characters are rich and passionate. I was swept away by the danger, adventure and romance of A Safe Harbor. I read it twice before writing this review, and loved it even more the second time. The story is fast paced, the romance is heart wrenching and passionate, and the action keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

If you love shifter stories and paranormal romance, you will love A Safe Harbor. It's a story to be read again and again.

Undertow Summary: Victor left behind a life of crime to focus on a new vision--helping his alpha build an island sanctuary for werewolves. Harsh experiences prepared him for the hardships involved, except when it comes to dealing with the young female refugees of the brutal Boston pack--especially Simone, who rouses his inner wolf like no other.

Born to wealth and privilege, Simone lost everything when she fell for the seductive whispers of the textile heir who turned her. Once adrift, now she is fired by a new sense of purpose--the chance to broker peace between werewolves and European wizards. Yet even as Europe beckons, her instincts--the same ones that led to trouble before--keep drawing her back to Victor.
Undertow is the second novella in the Building Sanctuary series, and I requested a review copy after reading A Safe Harbor, which I purchased on Amazon. Once again, the authors have captured the character of a man raised during this difficult time in history when the instinct is to protect and to lead, often giving the impression of being controlling. Words don't come easy for some men, as we soon find out in Undertow.

I loved the character of Victor for many reasons. He isn't your typical sexy shifter. He's gruff, brooding, and stoic in many ways. The authors, as far as I'm concerned, nailed the type of man I can imagine living during this era. Simone, our heroine, is a fascinating character as well, opposite of Victor in so many ways. She's the comforting, warm influence in the pack, yet she suffers from guilt over choices she's made in the past. Both allow the guilt over their past and fear of getting into a relationship stand in the way of happiness. In Undertow, Victor and Simone are taken on an adventure that forces them to face their feelings and learn to deal with their past. Witty banter, a stubborn man and wolf instincts take the reader on a sexy adventure.
Undertow is a fast paced sexy read with steamy love scenes, fascinating characters and adventure during a tough era in our history. I loved it, and can't wait until the third installment.

MORE ON THE SERIES
The series takes place before the author's Red Rock Pass series. Both are historical paranormal romance with former bootlegging werewolves. Brilliant, sexy and adventurous come to mind when I think of this new series. If you have read any of the Moira Rogers books in this series, below is the order I suggest you do so:

Red Rock Pass
Becoming (free read)
Little Things (free read)
1. Cry Sanctuary
2. Sanctuary Lost
3. Sanctuary's Price
4. Sanctuary Unbound

Building Sanctuary
1. A Safe Harbor
2. Undertow

I have reviewed the Red Rock Pass series here. To learn more about Moira Rogers and Building Santuary visit their website here.

Science Fiction Romance: Author Interview

Midnight's Ghost
Star Runner's Saga #1
Author: Sara Brookes
Kindle Edition, 207 KB
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Release Date: May 10, 2010
Available for the Kindle

SUMMARY: Taran has three days to get her former lover—whom she's barely speaking to—and the mysterious teenager she knows nothing about from one planet to another. Given the fact her ship, Eidolon, is the fastest in the star runner fleet, Taran knows she can make the run in the time Wallace has allotted. As the best—and only—female pilot, she's got something to prove. As if things weren't complicated enough, Wallace, and the teenager he has in tow, are both escapees from the harshest prison facility in seven galaxies.

I won a copy of Midnight's Ghost back in May, but sadly it was put in my Kindle and hidden among the other books. Why is that sad? I loved Midnight's Ghost with it's bold heroine and brooding but sarcastic hero. I wish I had read it as soon as it popped into my inbox. I've long been a fan of science fiction, but this is my first sci fi romance read. I didn't know what to expect, but Sara Brookes captivated me from the first page with kick-ass action to introduce her main characters. I stayed up until 2 a.m. reading until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer. As soon as I woke up in the morning, I grabbed my coffee and started reading again until I finished.

The sexual tension and banter between Taran and Wallace make for a great read, not to mention the steamy sex, but it's not the sole focus of the book. The author has given her characters depth and her plot substance. Midnight's Ghost has plenty of sci fi elements to make it a cool book for fans of space adventure. It's a fast paced read that will leave you wanting more romance and adventure with Taran, Wallace and their crew. On a side note: My fellow Serenity and Firefly fans will love Midnight's Ghost, as it has that feel to it.

AN INTERVIEW WITH SARA BROOKES
Sara graciously allowed me to fire off some questions to her about Midnight's Ghosts.

Brenda: Midnight Ghost is my first science fiction romance read and I loved the characters, the action and the adventure.

Sara: Oh, that's wonderful!! Glad to hear it was something new for you - it's a great and fun set of characters to work with.

Brenda: What type of research did you have to do for the sci fi elements? I'll admit that would intimidate me.

Sara: Let me just say what a wonderful, wonderful research tool Google is. Most of the knowledge about starships is what I already possess because I have a knowledge of sailboats and such--odd as it sounds. It's not that much different to take that information and apply it to starships. Plus, handy thing about writing "fantasy" elements that don't exist - you're only limited by your imagination.

Brenda: Will we be seeing another book in the series soon?

Sara: Yes! Liquid Silver just contracted the next book in this series, Midnight's Shadow, to be released in early 2011. It'll pick up a few months after Midnight's Ghost ends. Plus, I've been playing with the idea of spinning off the series and giving Kerr his own story. But I'm going to finish off Taran and Wallace's story first.

Brenda: I thought you did such a good job mixing in the steamy elements with the action, so neither overshadowed the other. Did you have to cut back on either when you were editing, or did it flow together pretty nicely?

Sara: Thank you! With this story, the two integrated themselves well without a lot of work on my part. From experience, I know it doesn't always work that way, so I realize I was very fortunate to not struggle to make it happen.

Brenda: Why science fiction? What is it about the genre that drew you to write about a female smuggler in space?

Sara: I cut my teeth on science fiction. My dad is a science fiction nut, so I was surrounded by it when I was a kid. I wanted to write something with a lot of action and adventure, but still had a romance story at it's core. Science fiction romance is a growing genre and I wanted to add my own contribution where the woman was the one who was behind the controls of the starship. I love writing strong women who aren't afraid to show their vulnerability when they find the right man--or have him come back into her life as in Taran's case.

Brenda: What are some of your favorite sci fi television shows, movies or books?

Sara: I loved all of the Star Trek shows when they were still airing, the movies as well. It was a thrill be to able to take my teenage daughter to see the Star Trek movie--I think she's more of a sci-fi geek than I am. Like most kids of the 70's, Star Wars holds a special place for me, and I grew up watching the original Battlestar Galactica, too and loved explaining the differences between it and the newer BSG to my daughter as well. Ann Aguirre and Linnea Sinclair have put out some wonderful science fiction romance books recently, both with series books and stand alone titles.

Brenda: Thank you for taking the time to satisfy my curiosity. I enjoyed Midnight's Ghost and look forward to reading more of your work.

Find Out More About Sara
Visit Sara at her website: www.sarabrookes.net/
Follow Sara on Twitter: twitter.com/sara_brookes
Sara on GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3213630.Sara_Brookes

~Brenda

Talk Like a Pirate Fun for All

Avast Ye, my landlubber friends, today is Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I can't resist sharing a bit of pirate lore with you all.

I always enjoy looking up the history of women on the seas. Charlotte de Berry was one such pirate gal who was born in the 1600's. Stories vary, but most agree that she fell in love with a sailor and disguised herself as a lad to be with him at sea. The stories change after that, but he was murdered along the way, with her having to escape and flee for her life. What a woman won't do for love!

One of the most famous is Grace O’Malley, an Irish pirate. You can learn about her at the official website of Ireland’s Pirate Queen: http://www.graceomalley.com/

For some awesome steampunk pirate fun visit artist Annie Stegg's website where you can play her Dress Like a Pirate game, complete with tattoos you can change, cool accessories and plenty of bustiers and corsets to play with. http://www.anniestegg.com/polkadotpirate.php

Enjoy yourselves! ~Brenda

For the Love of Zombies

Zombies. Everyone wants to jump on the Zombie Bandwagon. I'm not sure why because when you jump on their wagon they will just eat you. Seriously. They like to eat flesh. But, many of us are fascinated by them. We can't seem to stay away, even though we read or watch something zombie related and then find ourselves making that "I may vomit" face and trying not to gag.

This week it was Zombie Week at Tor.com. I almost missed it, but clicked over their tonight just in time to catch the Zombie Round Table where they are asking authors of zombie related fiction "What is the Appeal of Zombie Fiction?". My favorite response is from S. G. Browne, Author of “Zombie Gigolo” who says in part:

They’re faster. Funnier. Sentient. Plus there’s this constant fascination with the inevitability of a zombie apocalypse. I mean, no one ever talks about the werewolf apocalypse. That would be ridiculous.

Head on over to Tor to read the rest of the Round Table responses here. I posted my opinion below:

I think zombies are the ultimate tool for black humor-- we laugh at their antics even as we cringe and want to vomit. It's great.

As I thought about zombies today I realized I've actually had quite a bit of zombie related posts in the last year. But even before that I was turning my oldest son into a zombie for Halloween:

How To Become a Zombie: I lightly hair sprayed his hair, then "wooshed" some baby powder onto it all over. Then I hair sprayed it again lightly. Wooshed the powder one more time, then hair sprayed again. On his make-up, we started out with white sponged on but it had dried and didn't work well. So, I grabbed some grey, dark green and black then splotched it on his face, neck and hands. I had black make-up in a stick and used that on his eyes and mouth. Then we wooshed powder all over him again, and gently dabbed it with tissue.

The very first short story my husband and I wrote together, An Affair to Dismember, is a zombie love story. It's offline right now, but I'm going to post it on the blog for Halloween.

So, what about those other Zombie posts?

My first post was about The Zombie Today show, which completed Season 1.
Read it here: http://moonsanity.blogspot.com/2009/10/zombie-today-show.html

I've also reviewed the following Zombie Themed books. Click on a title to read:
Beyond Exile by J.L. Bourne
Play Dead by Ryan Brown
Feed by Mira Grant

So, are you a zombie fan? Or would you rather the fad just disapppeared?

~Brenda