REVIEW: Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451222350
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
(c) October 2007, Signet Book
J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 5 stars

"One of the best books, if not the best, in the BDB series!"

Vishous, the hard, cold-hearted brother, met his match in Dr. Jane Whitcomb, human surgeon, when he was brought into the hospital for a gunshot wound. His instincts just kept on screaming "mine" whenever he looked at Jane. However, his destiny could not include her, for he was destined to be the Primale of the Chosen, a worthy endeavor that would see him filling the ranks of the Brotherhood for the war against the lessers.

J.R. Ward pens a moving story of love and sacrifice. There isn't much about the lessers here (yay!), but a lot of romance between V and Jane. Though more would be great. :) As in previous books, some of the pages was also devoted to John Matthew's progress (he's got his transition here!) and laying the foundation for the next book, Phury's story in Lover Enshrined.

I have to admit that I didn't feel anything for V in the first three books and I didn't like him much in Lover Revealed. If you feel the same way, give him a chance! Here, we learned so much more about V--his horrendous childhood in his father's war camp, the negligence of his mother, his horrible background and past that shaped him to be the man that he is. And we see his vulnerability and insecurity where Jane was concerned, and that scene where he made her some hot chocolate at her apartment before leaving her ("he didn't know what to say, but he knew what to do") just about made me cry. In V, we saw how a bonded male cared for his female and it would make every female reader yearned. I know I did.

And Jane. Jane is just so precious with the way she accepted V and stood on his side. I like her doctor-take-charge attitude and the fact that she has purpose and ambition and how she was able to find a way to reconcile the two with V's life in the end. I like the matter-of-fact way she accepted V's proclivities (BDSM) and how she matched him in every aspect of his life. I did raise an eyebrow at how fast Jane wholeheartedly accepted BDSM, even though she's never experienced it. Considering also that her sex life consisted of two past lovers who were not satisfactory at all in the bedroom. Or elsewhere.

I'm glad Ms Ward put a closure on the possibilities between Butch and V, otherwise people will just keep on wondering, not to mention Butch and Marissa. Since this is fiction, I like my HEA's neat and tidy. :)

Regarding the ending, I have to admit to feeling a little out-of-sorts, because I thought V wasn't getting the real deal like the other Brothers. But on second thought, it's the best possible ending for V (a vamp who lived long years) and Jane (a human with limited life span), because at least, as my friend said, this way they're together forever. And I think V was okay with it because it meant he would have Jane with him for always, as opposed to not having Jane. And as he said, "it's the new reality" and they're learning to deal with it. It made me think how life doesn't always turn out the way you want it to. Compromises and sacrifices have to be made along the way. What you have to decide though is what are the things that are important to you, that you absolutely cannot live without? Once you have those, the rest are just a bonus. I think V and Jane have learned that.

Like Z and Bella (Lover Awakened), I didn't want to let go of V and Jane when the story ended. I hope (hope hope hope) there would be more stories of V and Jane in the succeeding books. And, as someone once said, when she found herself thinking of the characters long after she has closed the book, she knew it deserved the highest recommendation. I couldn't agree more with this book.

REVIEW: Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780749938222

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) May 2007, Little Brown Book Group

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 4 stars

Available in Book Depository (print).

"Another daring and original installment in the Brotherhood series!"

Butch O'Neal was a human who'd fallen in with the Brotherhood, owing to a vision that Vishous had of him early on in the series. Though he ate and lived with the brothers, he stayed on the sidelines when the brothers were fighting, because he was human and fragile. This chafed at him. So, when he had the opportunity, he risked his life to save a civilian vampire. As a result, he was captured by the lessers and worked over by the Omega and something changed within him.

One good thing about it though is that the misunderstandings between him and Marissa over the previous books were cleared up, but love is only the beginning of their problems.

J.R. Ward continues to surprise me with her in-depth character portrayal and her courage to write stories that push the traditional boundaries. I like how the war between the Brotherhood and the Lessening Society is escalating, and how the events in the previous books contribute to the atmosphere in the next. She introduced a new romantic element that was hinted at, though never fully expressed, which is maybe a sign that she's testing the waters and also a foreshadowing of the kind of relationship she may want to tackle later on. That said, this book can stand alone, as the main characters' past is explained or a short background given.

In the last two books, Butch came across as a parasite, the way he lived off the Brothers, even to using branded stuff. I never did find out why Butch took to it like fish to water, after the not-exactly-poor-but-not-rich-either life that he had. Maybe because Marissa's clothes are all branded stuff? Anyway, it's heartening to see he also had this same realization in this book and that he wanted to work for his keep. I guess he wanted a sense of worth, as he looked how his life had been and ached for a fresh start. I came to like Butch in this story. He's such a romantic, something I wouldn't have expected. He goes all sappy over Marissa. LOL

Actually, I like his devotion to Marissa, his fierce possessiveness and protection over her, his courage, his willing to risk all for the chance to be with her for longer than a human lifetime. He is enough to make a woman melt. Most of all, I like his loyalty to the Brothers. Despite all the flaws that he sees in himself, he is, as Marissa said, "a male of worth".

Marissa is different from the previous heroine. She is beautiful and born to wealth and privilege, a part of vampire aristocracy, yet lonely and in a way, an outcast from her own people. Her experiences over the years with men had made her insecure about herself and her own sexuality. I find her reactions to Butch's lovemaking heartbreaking. I can also understand her fear that Butch would be hurt in a fight with the lessers and be taken from her, leaving her alone once again and without a mate, without someone who loves her for what she is. But the insecurities and the fear, when displayed over and over and over again became a touch irritating. I felt that she's clipping Butch's wings, making him less of a man and that she should grow up and be less selfish. That is not to say she doesn't have good qualities. She cares about her own people, especially the abused and those less fortunate than herself. Marissa is a flawed character that most of us can identify with (who among us don't suffer from occasional insecurities, especially where our bodies are concerned, and want our loved ones to be safe?) and she probably arouses negative feelings in us because we see parts of us in her. She did grow over the course of the book though, so we also have hope. :) She acquitted herself marvelously toward the end, especially the girl power she displayed in the council.

Another thing I like is Butch's and V's relationship--best friends, beloved brothers (though there seems to be something more on V's end). V really touched me, the way he yearned to have something like what Butch has with Marissa. And he's all agony over his loss of vision, too, and the way he glowed all over, not just his hand. He seems to have a terrible past, and I'm really looking forward to read Lover Unbound.

I also like the portrayal here that love isn't all sweet and chocolates and a bed of roses. No, in its real and truest form, love is messy, it hurts, it makes you do crazy, irrational things, yet it also brings warmth, it makes you strong and it also brings out the nobility of the human/vampire spirit (makes you want to protect the people you love even at great cost to yourself). In the end, when you look back at the ups and downs, the joys and the tears, you're gonna say, "It's all worth it."

One thing I wished the author would tackle is the relationship between the shellans. I mean, we see how the Brothers relate to each other, how they trust and depend on one another, but it would be nice to see the women, brought to live with the Brotherhood because of their hellrens, interact and be the support network to each other (just like the Brothers are for each other) while their men are out fighting. Or be involved in some project together that would benefit the race. Else, what do they do when their men are away keeping the race safe?

Available in Book Depository (print).

REVIEW: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451219367

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) September 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Putnam

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 5 stars





Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"The best and most romantic BDB book!"

Zsadist was stolen as a baby and became a blood slave for a woman who sexually abused him. He cut himself off from everyone and tolerated only his twin brother, Phury. However, when he met Bella, she got under his skin and when she was taken by the lessers, he couldn't rest until he rescued her or avenged her death.

Zsadist could rival Mary (Lover Eternal) in terms of insecurity. For him though, it was because he'd been abused and he thought of himself as dirty and contaminated and not worthy of a woman such as Bella. He is the most tormented, fucked-up hero that I've ever read thus far and of the three (Wrath, Rhage and Zsadist), I love Zsadist the best. He certainly got under my skin. I think it's the contrast between his being the strong, powerful warrior outwardly and the vulnerable, hurt, abused man that he was on the inside. Yet, his love for Bella made him reach out to her, and it also made him want to be better and worthy of her (according to his concept of "better" and "worthy").

And Bella, I just gotta love her for seeing the man beneath Zsadist's outward appearance, for being steadfast in her wanting of him despite his pushing her away almost every time and simply, for bearing with him, for working with him through all his issues, knowing that the road ahead of them wasn't easy.

There is no doubt this is one of the most romantic stories I've read where the roles are reversed--the hero needing rescue (psychologically, emotionally) and the heroine being his saving grace. I love the epilogue and I'm itching to read the novella of Zsadist, Bella and Nalla in the Inside Guide. I absolutely love the title: Father Mine. There's something so powerful about Zsadist's growth from a sick, tormented man to one who is loved and is capable of loving, not only with the woman who is his mate but also with his child. I guess it's because it's telling us a message of hope, that no matter how low you've fallen, there is always a chance you'll rise up from the ashes.

I just have to mention Phury. His actions left me with nothing to say. I was both astounded and shocked and humbled. Like Zsadist, I feel Phury deserved his own HEA. I can't wait until I get to his book!

And we have more on John Matthew. I love his scenes with Tohr and Wellsie and the way he treasures the family life he's come to have with them. They're moving without being mushy. I also like the way we see how he fares at school and how he relates to his peers. He's the underdog and it's nice to see the brothers standing up for him. However, I would love to see the day when John Matthew stands up for himself.

Oh, and the tragedy in this book. Sad, sad, sad.

Another thing I have to mention is that I love the continuity in this series, that there's an overall story arc at play here. The series is not just a number of books about these warriors finding the love of their loves, but you get the sense that time is really moving onward for the characters. We see this in the little things: Wrath, having ascended as king, is bringing back the old ways, firstly in the celebration of the winter solstice festival. John's change of circumstances, from living in that squalid apartment to living with Tohr and going to school. Even the villains, the power play among them, contributed to this.

Great book. Lots of romantic and emotion-charged moments, and I love them. The series is certainly looking up!

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

ISBN 978-0-451-21804-9

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 2

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Group

J.R. Ward's website

 Rating: 4.5 stars





Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A great improvement over Dark Lover! Lover Eternal makes me a solid fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!" 

I've said that there was nothing remarkable about Dark Lover, but I sure can't say the same for Lover Eternal. From the moment Rhage met Mary, I was hooked and caught. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. J.R. Ward is truly a remarkable author in the way she was able to get me to be invested in her characters. She is also very good at twisting the characters' emotions (like when Rhage was first rejected by Mary) and making me feel his hurt and her insecurity.

Rhage was so sweet as he tried to court Mary in a way that wouldn't alarm her. I like his persistence in pursuing her, despite her "rejection" (sort of) of him, and I like the way he treated her with care, the way he savored her. There was something very tender and precious about the start of their relationship, like the slow blossoming of flowers, specifically in their first dinner scene and later on, when he went to her house.

And Mary...Mary was so very human--her insecurities, her fears, her panic and her incredulity that a gorgeous guy like Rhage would be interested in her. It is so easy to identify with her and feel with her and for her. Yet, she is also amazingly brave in face of her sickness and in protecting people she cared about. So unselfish. I especially like the way Rhage described her eyes: "Gunmetal gray, surrounded by lashes the color of her hair, they were grave, serious, reminding him of males who fought and survived battle. They were staggeringly beautiful in their strength." Truly, despite Mary's insecurities, she is a warrior and a fitting mate to Rhage.

However, I was frustrated with her insecurities by the last one or two times (it went on way too long at the expense of Rhage's feelings) and she started to be annoying, especially with the way she hurt Rhage with her comments. I would've thrown down the book were I not felt compelled to know how it turned out in the end for them. But the scene after she pushed Rhage away and he came after her at Bella's farm house and she stoically held on to her position and Rhage turned away, ready to leave her....when she ran after him and his arms came slowly around her...sigh. Good sigh.

Rhage did something in the middle of the book that would've broken any woman's heart, especially one who was in love with him. I tried to understand why he did what he did, and the most I could come up with was because he cared too much about Mary to hurt her. Yet, at the same time, he was also in a quandary. Whatever he did or did not do, he would be hurting her. I feel that he needed to go through it to realize he was never going to do it again, that it was unbearable for him, that it also hurt him. He also seemed to accept his feelings for Mary after that, that whatever she hurled at him, he would still continue to love her and stay by her side (instead of leaving the way he did previous times).

And oh, of course, I'm totally curious and eager to know what's gonna happen to John Matthew. (Can't wait for Lover Mine. I love it when I start a series late, so now I have all the next books to look forward to without having to wait!) He should be Darius come back to life, isn't he? But why is "Tehrror" the name that he dreamed of?

And with this book, I'm solidly a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. *grin*

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9781420102963

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2009, Zebra Books

Alexandra Ivy's website

Rating: 4.5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"An irresistible must-read!"

Anna Randal couldn't forget the man--no, vampire--who'd seduced her, then left her, on that unforgettable night so almost two centuries ago. How could she when she found herself possessed of powers that no human should have? He must have given them to her with his bite and so she searched for him and was elated when she found him in Chicago, only to realize he still affected her strongly and she may be getting more than the answers she wished to have.

As for Conde Cezar, he was forced from the bed that long-ago night to slave for the Oracles, the voice of justice in the demon world. But now he was tasked to protect Anna from an evil that sought to kill her, and he would fulfill his duty or die trying.

If you've read my previous reviews of Alexandra Ivy's books (Darkness Unleashed, Beyond the Darkness, Embrace the Darkness), you'd know that I absolutely love her writing. She has a way of pulling you into her world, and Darkness Revealed is no exception. It could be due to the way she employed only the absolute essential descriptions of the characters and the setting. This serves her well especially when her stories are romance interspersed with lots and lots of action. Magic, mayhem and violence galore! Add to that mix a gorgeous, protective hero and a strong, smart heroine and you've got a book that's an irresistible must-read!

There was, however, a slight flaw in this novel. That I could see, anyway. I don't believe for a moment that the villain would've known of Anna and not kill her right away. I mean, the villain struck me as the type to make sure that any threat wouldn't be left alive for even one second, even if the threat hadn't been fully established yet, whereas Anna was left alive for years while the villain tried to ascertain if she was a threat or not. Such dilly-dallying just isn't consistent with the villain's character. That said, this little detail didn't deter my enjoyment of this story. Whenever I see a book with the name Alexandra Ivy on it, I automatically pick it up, knowing I'm in for a good and enjoyable ride.

By the way, I didn't read the books in this series in sequence but that didn't affect my enjoyment at all. The books are standalones and it was fun to revisit old characters before we saw how the right heroine could fell these tall, strong vamps.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Possess Me at Midnight by Shayla Black

ISBN 9781416578468

Series: Doomsday Brethren, Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) November 2009, Simon and Schuster

Shayla Black's website

Rating: 2 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"Could be better."

The Doomsday Brethren series is a continuing saga of the fight against Matthias, the evil wizard who wants to take over magickind.

When Matthias attacked Bram's (the leader who'd been injured in the previous book and is now unconscious) mansion for the Doomsday Diary, the warriors had to flee for their lives. Isdernus Rykard or Ice was charged with protecting Sabelle Rion, Bram's sister, who had the diary. Attracted to Sabelle from the moment he'd seen her, Ice couldn't help but issue the mating Call to her when he kissed her, for wizards knew their mates by taste. However, they faced a lot of obstacles: social gap (she's Privileged while he's Deprived), enmity between Ice and Bram, Sabelle's reluctance to mate without Bram's approval and the need for her to have an advantageous union that would aid in the fight for the good of magickind.

Sabelle, as seen from Ice's point of view, is good, kind, courageous, etc. Not that we really see the good and kind parts. She's more of a watering pot to me. Many times throughout the book, Sabelle is either crying or fighting not to cry. I mean, I get that she's under a lot of emotional strain, what with worrying over her brother, fearing that Matthias would get the diary or kill Ice or take over magickind, but really, does crying help? Descended from Merlin, she's like magickind's princess with the gift of emotional suggestion. Her saving grace is that at times, she's smart and diplomatic and proves she's not the helpless princess after all.

Ice, on the other hand, is big, bad and dangerous. He's able to kill 80 Anarki all by himself, but a slip of a woman felled him. He'd give up his life for Sabelle and that's so romantic, except that I don't see how Sabelle is worth it, especially when she can't make up her mind about Ice and uses the convenient excuse of needing Bram's approval. Ice is an interesting character, but how he almost defeated Matthias didn't quite ring true. That Ice is incorruptible...I don't buy it. Because no one is incorruptible. Evil attaches to evil, well, isn't there something evil/bad about Ice's need for revenge against Matthias (he tortured and killed Ice's sister)? The way Ice let revenge drove all his actions and created a wedge between him and Bram? Is revenge okay just because the object of the revenge is the villain?

I think I'm more interested to know Lucan's and Shock's stories. Will Anka return to Lucan or was their relationship damaged beyond repair? What about Shock? On whose side is Shock really throwing his lot with? Duke sounds interesting as well. But Bram? Didn't like him in this story and his murky relationship with the mysterious Emma didn't pique my interest at all.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

REVIEW: Embrace the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9780821779378
Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 2
(c) April 2008, Zebra Books
Alexandra Ivy's website

Rating: 4.5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A potent combination of danger and passion, friendship and betrayal"

Alexandra Ivy's writing has a way of sucking one in from the first page into the world she created and not letting go until the last page. Gripping with action and magic and interspersed with the sensuality of Viper's and Shay's romance, Embrace the Darkness is a potent combination of danger and passion, friendship and betrayal.

Lady Shay is half human and half Shalott demon, beautiful such that men lusted after her, but being a Shalott, her greater danger is from the vampires, who coveted her blood. In fact, her father was killed by a vampire who craved his blood. Thus, sparks fly and mistrust went deep when Viper, a vampire clan chief, saw her on the slave auction block and bought her.

Viper couldn't forget the beautiful half Shalott who saved his life. Intrigued and haunted by her, he searched for her and when the chance came, bought her to possess her as his own. However, he didn't bargain for the evil presence that sought to kill her or that he would risk his very life to keep her safe.

I love it when those protective male testosterone went into overdrive. Viper is almost as yummy as Jagr (Darkness Unleashed) with his long, silver hair. Especially when his protective instincts for Shay reared up, most especially when he even prepared to die to save her, his one regret being if he died, who will then protect her?  *good shiver*

Back to the physical, somehow, that was the image of Viper that stuck in my head--Slavic features with long, silver hair. Certainly, he may be more beautiful than Jagr, but Jagr struck the heart in a way Viper didn't. Though both have been tortured and Viper was even a slave once, we don't see this manifesting in Viper. It was as though his past had been wiped out, or even if he remembered his past, it was there in a dim corner of his mind, forever locked. Certainly, he conquered them, rising from the bottom of the ladder to the top, where he was no longer in a position to be bullied by anyone. Whereas Jagr showed his vulnerability in his centuries of solitude and when he was caged by the imp.

We also see that there's more to Shay than her blood or physical beauty. Being half human and half demon, she was considered her whole life as a mongrel, fitting into neither world. Strong and a warrior to the core, there's her hunger for female companionship--friends--and her insecurity at being unable to live up to the fierce warrior image of her Shalott ancestors. Yet, when courage was sorely needed, she had it in spades, fighting side by side with Viper. Truly remarkable.

I like that the story is bigger than Shay's and Viper's romance as we deal with vampire politics as well as in the greater demon world, with the werewolf packs struggling to be recognized and seeking to topple the vampires' Anasso (leader) from his thus-far undisputed position as the king of all the demons. I believe it would be better to read the entire Guardians of Eternity series in sequence, however, each book stands alone. I, for one, have no problems reading it out of sequence, as this is my second book after Darkness Unleashed (book 5).

By the way, it is also here that we are also introduced to Levet, the funny gargoyle who provided much needed comic relief! Abby and Dante from the first book also made cameo appearances, making me want to read their story. Certainly, it would be interesting to see how a vampire and a goddess managed to hook up together.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451216953

Series: Black Daggar Brotherhood, Book 1

(c) September 2005, Signet, Penguin Putnam

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 4 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A decent start to what promises to be a great series!"

For the uninitiated, the Black Daggar Brotherhood consists of the best, the strongest and fiercest warriors (not necessarily siblings, though they do call each other brother), vampires bred for the specific purpose of protecting the civilian vampires from the lessers, who are de-souled humans that seek to exterminate the vampires under the direction of their leader, the Omega.

Immersed in his own personal hell, Wrath couldn't agree to his warrior brother's request to help his half-human daughter Beth transition into her vampiric nature. Darius made the request because Wrath is the only purebred vampire left, and Wrath's blood is strong enough to make sure Beth didn't die in the transition, as his other children had. However, when Darius was murdered, Wrath had no choice but to consent to his fallen brother's request and was shocked to find that Beth Randall affected him in a way no woman has.

As for Beth, growing up an orphan, she yearned to know her family and origins, but she didn't know if she should believe Wrath when he came to her with fantastic tales of vampires and stories of the man he said was her father. But when dark urgings wracked her body, she knew she had no choice but to put her life in his hands.

I like that Wrath, for all his being big, bad and powerful, has a vulnerability that tugs at your heart. It could be his physical defect or the way he refused to let it be a weakness or it could be his tormented childhood. Whatever it is, I ache for the moment when he would find happiness with Beth. I like that moment of his acceptance of his destiny, the way he stepped up to the responsibility that he was born for, even though he didn't want to. Such an action showed growth and maturity, that of an adult who had stopped running from the inevitable.

With Beth, one can sense her utter loneliness and her need to break free from her dead-end situation, but before she could make a move, the decision was made for her when Wrath came to find her and when her own hidden nature threatened to break free. She's strong and the perfect match for Wrath, and though I thought she might have believed Wrath and his tales a little bit soon, what she had seen and heard and experienced may have catapulted her that early into belief.

I wasn't really wowed by this book, but I thought it was a decent start to what promised to be a fascinating series. Certainly, I've never seen vamps depicted this way. For one, vampires are born, not made, and the vamp nature doesn't manifest until one transitions, which occurs around the age of 25 or so. Also, before the transition, the person's physical structure may be different. For example, Wrath was a weakling, but afterwards, he somehow acquired bulk and great strength.

I was also a bit put off by some of the dialogue, especially with the warriors calling each other "brother" way too often and in a way that didn't feel...right, like something was off. As much as this story is about Wrath and Beth, so too this provides the groundwork for other books in the series with the introduction of the other  characters. Because there was a lot of them, I had to work hard at remembering who was who and looked like what. However, I'm excited to read the rest of the books, both because of the facinating characters that I've seen here and because I've heard lots of good things about them.

Quiz on Dark Lover

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

ISBN 978-0-373-77246-9

Series: Lords of the Underworld, Book 1

(c) 2008, HQN

Gena Showalter's website

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Mythology with a twist."

Fascinating.

That was my first impression upon reading the first few pages. The author created a world that was based on Greek mythology, most specifically Pandora's box and the demons let loose in the world.


Maddox is the keeper of the demon Violence, and more often than not, he found himself subject to the demon. A warrior of the gods, he and several others did a very foolish thing thousands of years ago in a fit of jealousy and pride. And they suffered for their actions.

On the other hand, Ashlyn Darrow is a woman with a strange ability. She only need to stand in a certain place and she'll hear all the conversations that had ever taken place there. When she learned that there were "angels" who lived on top of a hill who could help her silence the voices, she sought them out. Indeed, Maddox was able to help her in this respect.

Maddox's world is certainly interesting, especially as he and the other warriors like him, lords as they are called, now have to battle ancient enemies who are determined to wipe them out. Though the romance aspect is focused on Maddox and Ashlyn, the events in the story concern the other lords as well, such that I feel this book has more of an ensemble cast than main protagonists. The events served as a backdrop to Maddox's and Ashlyn's romance, yet I feel that the journey of their story and the development of their feelings are somewhat rushed and not all that believable. Maybe because the "screen time" that should've been used to chronicle this development was instead given over to the introduction of more characters or setting the stage for the next books. Their dialogue/conversation could use an improvement as well. The appearance of Anya, who seems a silly creature to me and not at all like a demi-goddess, puts another damper on things. Still, the resolution of Maddox's and Ashlyn's problems were nicely done, and what Ashlyn did for Maddox is especially touching, depicting the essence of true love.

That said, Gena Showalter has certainly cooked up an interesting world with the promise of more in the succeeding books. I'd love to see Torin's (Disease) and Paris's (Promiscuity) stories, but definitely Torin's. Or Kane's (Disaster). I think Cameo's (Misery) would be very interesting as well.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

SNEAK PEEK: Demonkeepers by Jessica Andersen

ISBN 9780451229571
(c) April 2010, Signet, Penguin Putnam
Jessica Andersen's website

Buy Link: Amazon, Book Depository

Summary : (from Amazon)

According to Mayan doomsday prophecy, 12/21/12 marks the end of the world in a global cataclysm that can only be prevented by the Nightkeepers, magical warriors enlisted to fight the rise of the underworld demons. To fulfill the final prophecy the Nightkeepers must find their mates, but when Lucius and Jade are charged with rescuing the Mayan sun god, they try to ignore their growing attraction. Unless they can confront their own demons and accept that love isn't a weakness, even destiny might not be able to save them...

Excerpt : (exclusively here at The Raving Readers)

“What’s this?” Jade moved to the TV and raised a hand to trace the stylized figures of six men arranged in an asymmetrical pattern, two on the left, four on the right. Five wore elaborate, feather-worked headdresses made from the skulls of jaguars and coyotes, along with protective shielding that covered only one side of their bodies. The sixth stood at the far right, apart from the others. Wearing a musician’s loincloth and lacking a headdress, he held a conch shell to his lips. Glyphs emerged from the crude instrument as though they were musical notes, though no such scheme had been identified for the ancient Maya. The paint colors ranged from pale mauve through rusty red to charcoal black. The earthy hues reflected on Jade’s face as she frowned, trying to parse out the glyphs.

“Don’t bother, it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “The current theory is that the artist was illiterate, and just copied a bunch of cool-looking glyphs from other places. It’s just gibberish.” He didn’t say why he’d been studying the painting, why it was important to him.

Under other circumstances, with another woman, talking translation would’ve spoiled the mood. With Jade, though, it only served to heighten the sense of intimacy provided by the small, quiet cottage and the rust-red light. They shared a love of language, and although he couldn’t honestly say he was more attracted to her brains than her body, the two together had made a hell of an impression when he’d first met her.

Or rather, once he’d gotten past her habitual reserve, which came across as shyness, but he’d learned was her way of hiding in plain sight. They each suffered from their own cultural conditioning, he’d long ago realized, though hers had come from a too-demanding winikin and a set of writs rather than a disappointed family and the gods of football.

“There’s something …” She trailed off, still frowning at the glyphs, but then she shook her head and turned back to him, expression going from intrigued to warmth with a hint of nerves. “Never mind. We’re here for a different reason, aren’t we?”

Which was true—it wasn’t like this was just about sex, for either of them.

There was a far larger goal, one that hung over them, weighing on him as it had for nearly half a year now, only this time edged with a sharp sense of anticipation. Determination. He was getting his ass into the library, whatever it took. And if that meant that the Nightkeepers’ needs and his own desire to be part of things wound up getting all mixed together with the desire he felt for Jade—had felt for her from that first day they’d worked together—then that was part of the Nightkeepers’ culture, wasn’t it?

Sex was magic, magic was power, and power could save the world.


Reviews of other books in the series:

Nightkeepers
Dawnkeepers
Skykeepers
Quiz on Nightkeepers - How well do you know the book? Test your knowledge!
Interview with Jessica Andersen

~ o ~

Last 2 days for the giveaway contest!

Three (3) copies of book #4 Demonkeepers to be won! (Two are signed copies.)Everyone on the planet can join, even the penguins in Antarctica, if they can get on the 'Net and write a comment. LOL

How to enter?

Go to Jessica's website and tell us what you like about it. It can be about her books, the extras she has there, or even the design of the website. You can also tell her what you want to see there. Anything. While there, look at the amazing information she has for you. But be warned that the animated intro is a little loud, so if you're at work, hit the volume!

Extra chances to win:
+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2 if you're a new follower of this blog (starting to follow from this post/contest)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post
                it on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace,
               Twitter, your blog, website or other form of social media. For example,
               you tweeted about this contest twice and also announced it on your
               Facebook. You also wrote a blog post. That's 4 additional chances!
               However, for these to qualify, be sure to come back here and post the
               links. Like, if you tweeted twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 chances if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word about this contest, the better are your chances.

Contest ends on April 2 (Friday), 1159pm EST. (Original deadline was April 1, which is April Fools' Day, so we thought it might be better if we extend the contest by another day. *grin*)

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced within the week. Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY and REVIEW: Skykeepers by Jessica Andersen

 

ISBN 9780451227706

Series: A Novel of the Final Prophecy, Book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) October 2009, Signet, Penguin Putnam

Jessica Andersen's website

Rating: 5 stars






Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository

"The series gets better and better! Not to be missed!"

With each installment, Jessica Andersen ramps up the action and excitement in a thrilling ride that takes the reader on unexpected turns! In Dawnkeepers, we have--oh horrors!--Rabbit killing the three-question nahwal and the loss of the skyroad and thus, the Nightkeepers' communication with the gods. We see things getting bleaker and bleaker for the Nightkeepers as their powers waned. How then are they going to save the world from the end time? What's in store for them as the days keep counting down to the zero date?

Skykeepers opened with a bang as the Nightkeepers staged a hostage (Sasha Ledbetter) rescue, as she is their only hope of recovering the missing library (knowledge that the Nightkeepers desperately needed) that her father had ostensibly transferred to a safer location. Attraction sizzled between Sasha and Michael Stone, but while Sasha is all too willing to develop the relationship, Michael held himself apart from her, because he feared the thing, the monster he called Other that lives inside him. As much as Sasha's presence gave Michael a measure of peace, she also seemed to incite this Other to greater violence, and he was finding it harder and harder to keep it contained within him, and he feared the havoc it could cause should he let it loose.

Exciting stuff happens! Who is Sasha Ledbetter? Of whose bloodline is she? What is her talent? These questions and more are answered in this book! (Cannot give them away though. Wouldn't want to spoil things for you.)

I like the little touches that Ms. Andersen gave her, like the fact that Sasha loves to cook and that she treats her plants and herbs like her babies. I was totally charmed at the scene when Sasha saw them again after so long.

"Hello, she breathed, knowing she should probably feel like an idiot for talking to her plants, and not giving a crap. "Do you remember me?"

I like that these small things serve to give Sasha character yet at the same time, these very qualities are important to her role as a Nightkeeper. Suffice it to say, I like Sasha better than Alexis (Dawnkeepers) because the former is so refreshingly uncomplicated. Her scenes with Ambrose (both at the temple and later, at Skywatch) were done rather well, in my opinion, bearing a bittersweet, poignant quality and bringing Sasha the needed closure without the scenes being mushy.

And Michael, wooh! He totally owned this book, with his pain and anguish and conflict, in his striving to be a better man. Who couldn't identify with that? Especially toward the end, when he needed to cross the river again. I could feel his ambivalence and his pain. Heart breaking and soul crying out... Should he cross or not? A return to what he was (which he hated) or to reach for his desired future and sacrifice a teammate? In the end, there was no choice, not if he was to be true to what he is at his core. But I suffered with him, cried with him (oops, he didn't cry, but maybe in his heart he did) as he made the irreversible decision.

Jessica Andersen sure knew how to put readers through the emotional wringer. But I love love love Michael Stone, more than Nate and even maybe Strike.

Though the end of the world events still surround and interweave with Sasha's and Michael's romance, they didn't overwhelm. Though we still see Rabbit trying to help, there wasn't anything of Anna's problems with her hubby. As for Lucius, we only see him for a short time at the beginning and toward the end. So, this book is really all about Sasha and Michael, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I'm looking forward to Demonkeeper, because Lucius is one of my favorite characters. I've been waiting for his story since Nightkeepers (book #1)!

There is something though that wasn't answered in the story. Since Sasha is a Nightkeeper (not a spoiler, as it's suspected in book #1 that her father is one), why didn't her winikin have her mark on his forearm? 

When we asked Ms Andersen this question, this is her reply:

Good question!  This is one of those things that is hinted at in the stories, but gets glossed over a little because there's only so much detail I can include before my editor says: "Stop worldbuilding and get to the running, screaming, and sex!' Snicker. 

The books mention that the winikin receive a child's mark (indicating that they have another protectee of their bound bloodline) at the child's birth. This actually happens during a brief ceremony that is performed with umbilical cord blood, during which the child is connected to the community. Sasha did not receive this ceremony. Neither did Patience and Brandt's twins, which is why neither Hannah nor Woody (Patience and Brandt's winikin) have marks representing the boys. 

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository 

Reviews of other books in the series:

Nightkeepers
Dawnkeepers
Quiz on Nightkeepers - How well do you know the book? Test your knowledge!

~ o ~

WE'RE HAVING A GIVEAWAY! Three (3) copies of book #4 Demonkeepers to be won! Everyone on the planet can join, even the penguins in Antarctica, if they can get on the 'Net and write a comment. LOL

How to enter?

Go to Jessica's website and tell us what you like about it. It can be about her books, the extras she has there, or even the design of the website. You can also tell her what you want to see there. Anything. While there, look at the amazing information she has for you. But be warned that the animated intro is a little loud, so if you're at work, hit the volume!

Extra chances to win:
+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2 if you're a new follower of this blog (starting to follow from this post/contest)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
              on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace,
              Twitter, your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you
              tweeted about this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You 
              also wrote a blog post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to 
              qualify, be sure to come back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted 
              twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 chances if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word about this contest, the better are your chances.

Contest ends on April 1 (Thursday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced within the week. Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Dawnkeepers by Jessica Andersen

ISBN 9780451225757

Series: A Novel of the Final Prophecy, Book 2

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) May 2009, Signet, Penguin Putnam

Jessica Andersen's website

Rating: 4 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository

"A thrilling sequel as the adventure continues!"

It was several months since the end of the events in the first book and Nate and Alexis have broken off their relationship, mainly due to a rejection on Nate's part, who didn't believe in gods and prophecy and fate and destiny. All his life, he's had to work for things he wanted--wealth, success, etc--and he didn't see why he couldn't do that too for the woman he wanted in his life. Yet, something drew him back again and again to Alexis, the woman on whom his fantasy game heroine Hera was modeled after, years before he'd seen Alexis.

Alexis, on the other hand, having grown up with a winikin (something like a bond-servant) who instructed her in the Nightkeeper lore and history from young, bought fully into the prophecies and concepts of destiny and fate. As she didn't seem to possess the full warrior fighting powers, she wanted to have more magic and more power in order to live up to the memory of her mother, who'd been one of the king's advisers. And so she clung to Nate, not only because she was hopelessly attracted to him, but also because a mated Nightkeeper is more powerful than an unmated one.

Being a Nightkeeper must be tough on the nerves because there is nonstop action and excitement and danger. The story opens with the Nightkeepers searching for the artifacts that contain the demon prophecies, the next stage in their fight against the Banol Kax. Magic and mayhem ensued and there was never a dull moment, though the story dragged a bit in the first few chapters with explanations and highlights of past events. Some of the abbreviated language threw me at first and I had to stop and think what it meant, especially 'hood for neighborhood, but once I got the hang of it, I was fine. In fact, 'porting sounds way better than teleporting.

For Nate, I think everything came together when he stumbled into his parents' cottage. It was like waking up from a foggy dream and realizing, "Oh fucking shit, this is real." He had parents who loved him and cared for him, and if the massacre hadn't happened, he would have grown up being trained as a Nightkeeper. His assimilation into his role within the Nightkeepers was gradual and logical, coming out of his own realization that the royal council needed an objective voice, someone who didn't believe wholly into the Nightkeeper traditions and prophecies, someone who could think out of the box. I didn't quite like him at first, because I hate the way he pushed Alexis away when he obviously yearned for her, but later on, when he started accepting the inevitable (to a certain extent), I find him super-hot, especially toward the end when he made himself vulnerable to her. (Couldn't say more, as it would be a spoiler.)

I have a harder time understanding Alexis's character and motivation, because I couldn't quite decide if her ambition of being part of the royal council came from Alexis herself or from her winikin. I read on, fully expecting Alexis to rebel sometime down the road, that no, this wasn't what she wanted, but later on, we see that Alexis herself wanted the position. She wanted to be acknowledged that she was doing something important, like her mother did. So maybe, Alexis herself was confused at the start, but the idea grew on her until she wanted it. Perhaps she saw it as things coming full circle--her mother being Strike's father's adviser, while she is Strike's adviser. This may be the reason in part for me having the feeling of the story being confusing as I read.

However, I totally admire and rooted for Alexis for being a kick-ass heroine in that she was strong enough to reject Nate somewhere in the middle of the book, that no, she might need a Nightkeeper mate in order to have strong magic enough to battle the bad guys, but he didn't have to be Nate, since Nate so obviously didn't want to be with her. Yay for the woman who doesn't cling or goes weepy because the man didn't want her.

Like in the first book, so many things happened in the story that the events almost overshadowed Nate's and Alexis' romance, but actually, everything was integrated into the whole, even their romance. The problems that cropped up in their relationship was due to their identities as Nightkeepers, and their background as both humans and magical warriors. Each event that the Nightkeepers encountered only served to strip them both bare until nothing was left but the very essence of who they are and made them see, especially Nate, what is most important to them.

Of course, life would be very bland and dull without Rabbit, whose foul-ups seemed served to help the enemy more than the Nightkeepers, Anna who was still torn between her human life and her destiny as a Nightkeeper, and Lucius, who it seemed has to undergo a lot of pain and transformation before he'd realize what his destiny was. I do wish though that some momentous events in some of the characters' lives could be given longer screen time, like when Rabbit discovered the truth of his powers and when Alexis realized she loved Nate.

Review of Nightkeepers
Quiz on Nightkeepers - How well do you know the book? Test your knowledge!

~ o ~

WE'RE HAVING A GIVEAWAY! Three (3) copies of book #4 Demonkeepers to be won! Everyone on the planet can join, even the penguins in Antarctica, if they can get on the 'Net and write a comment. LOL

How to enter?

Go to Jessica's website and tell us what you like about it. It can be about her books, the extras she has there, or even the design of the website. You can also tell her what you want to see there. Anything. While there, look at the amazing information she has for you. But be warned that the animated intro is a little loud, so if you're at work, hit the volume!

Extra chances to win:

+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2 if you're a new follower of this blog (starting to follow from this post/contest)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
              on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace,
              Twitter, your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you
              tweeted about this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You 
              also wrote a blog post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to 
              qualify, be sure to come back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted 
              twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 chances if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word about this contest, the better are your chances.

Contest ends on April 1 (Thursday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced within the week. Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!

SNEAK PEEK: Beyond the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9781420102987

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 6

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) April 2010, Zebra Books, Kensington

Alexandra Ivy's website 

Buy Links (paper): Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 

Excerpt: (Exclusive to The Raving Readers. Thanks, Alex!)

At a glance Harley was the spitting image of a Barbie Doll. 

She stood barely over five feet, her body was slender, her heart-shaped face was delicately carved with large hazel eyes that were thickly lashed and her golden blond hair that tumbled past her shoulders gave the image of a fragile angel.  She also looked far younger than her thirty years.

Anyone, however, stupid enough to dismiss her as harmless usually ended up injured.

Or dead.

She was not only a full-blooded Were, but she took her training in combat skills to a level that Navy SEALS would envy.

 She was working out in the full-scale gym when Caine returned to the vast colonial home.  She continued lifting the weights that would crush most men as she absently listened to his bitter tirade of the ineptitude of his cur pack and the injustice of a world that contained Salvatore Giuliani, the King of Weres.

At last, Harley moved to take a swig of bottled water and wiped the sweat coating her face.  She glanced toward Caine who leaned negligently against the far wall, his jeans and muscle shirt filthy and his short blond hair tousled.  Not that his bedraggled appearance dimmed his surfer good looks.  Even beneath the fluorescent lights that made everyone appear like death warmed over, his tanned skin glowed with a rich bronze and the blue eyes shimmered like the finest sapphires.

He was gorgeous.  And he knew it.

Barf.

Harley’s lips twisted.  Her relationship with Caine was complicated.

The cur had been her guardian since she was a baby, but while he’d protected her and kept her in considerable luxury, she’d never truly trusted him. 

And the feeling was entirely mutual.

Caine allowed her to roam the house and the surrounding lands with seeming freedom, but she knew she was under constant surveillance.  And God knew, she was never allowed to travel away from the estate without two or three of Caine’s pet curs.  Caine claimed he was concerned for her safety, but Harley wasn’t stupid.  She knew his motives were far more selfish.

It might have been tempting to escape her golden cage if the knowledge that a lone wolf, even a pureblood, rarely survived.  Weres were by nature predators and there were any number of demons that would be eager to rid the world of a Were if they could catch them without a pack’s protection.

Besides, there was always the fear that the King of Weres was out there somewhere, anxious to kill her as he had her three sisters.  Caine might be determined to use her for his own purpose, but at least that purpose meant he had to keep her alive.

Tossing aside the towel, Harley sent her companion a mocking smile.

“Let me see if I have this straight.  You went to Hannibal because Sadie created some mysterious mess that you had to clean up and while you were there you brilliantly decided to kidnap the King of Weres, only to drop him like a hot potato when you were nearly caught by a vampire and pack of curs?”

Caine pushed away from the wall and prowled forward, his gaze skimming over her tight spandex shorts and sports bra.  The cur was nothing if not predictable.  He’d been trying to seduce her for years.

“You have it in a perfect little nutshell, sweet Harley.”  He halted directly before her, toying with her pony tail that had fallen over her shoulder.  “Do you want a reward?”

“And your pet jinn?”

“Slipped from her leash.  She’ll be back.” His smile was taunting.  “Like you, she has nowhere else to go.”

Harley jerked from his touch.  Bastard.

“So now you’ve lost half your pack, your demon, and you’ve left behind a trail that will lead the pissed off King of Weres and his angry posse directly to this lair.”

Caine shrugged.  “I’ll call for one of the local witches.  My trail will be long gone by the time the almighty Salvatore manages to get out.”

“Get out of where?”

“I collapsed the tunnel on top of them.”

“God.  Are you even barely sane?”

“Once they manage to heal enough to dig out of the rubble they’ll discover the entrance has been completely blocked.  They will have no choice but to turn back.”

“You’re pretty damned cocky for a cur who has just pissed off your royal master.”

“I don’t have a master,” Caine snarled, revealing a glimpse of his resentment at being a lowly cur instead of a full Were before he was smoothing his expression.  “And besides, the prophecies have spoken.  I’m destined to transform the curs into purebloods.  Nothing can happen to me.”

Harley snorted.  Caine wasn’t a complete loon.  He managed to control his large pack that he had spread throughout the Midwest with an iron hand.  He was a Harvard trained scientist who made a fortune with his black-market drugs.  He regularly kicked her ass at Scrabble.

But at some point in his very long life he claimed he’d been visited by an ancient pureblood who had given him a vision.  Harley didn’t pretend to understand it.  Something about seeing his blood run pure. 

Being a scientist, he naturally assumed this miracle would be performed in a lab, which was why he kept Harley as his permanent houseguest.  He thought by studying her blood he could find the answers he sought.  Moronic, of course.  Visions were the stuff of mist and magic, not glass beakers and microscopes.

“Look, if you want to get yourself killed because of your delusions of grandeur I don’t give a shit.”  She narrowed her eyes.  “But I’m not going to be happy if you put me in the firing line.”

Caine stepped forward, reaching to trail his fingers over her shoulder.  His touch was warm, experienced.  She shook him off.

A woman would have to be dead not to find Caine attractive, but Harley needed more than simple lust.  She needed…hell, she didn’t know what she needed, only that she hadn’t yet found it.

Besides, her skin was suddenly feeling hyper-sensitive.  As if it had been rubbed raw by sandpaper.

“Would I ever put you in danger, sweet Harley?” Caine goaded.

“In a heartbeat if it meant saving your own hide.”

“Harsh.”

“But true.”

“Perhaps.”  His gaze dipped downward, studying her sports bra.  “I need a shower.  Why don’t you join me?”

“In your dreams.”

“Every night.  Do you want to know what we’re doing?”

“I’d rather yank out your tongue and eat it for dinner.”

With a laugh, he snapped his teeth near her nose.  “Naughty Were.  You know how it makes me hard when you threaten violence.”

Spinning on her heel, Harley headed for the door.  “You’d better make that a cold shower or you won’t have to worry about Salvatore Giuliani slicing off your balls.  I’ll already have them dangling from my rearview mirror.”

She ignored Caine’s low laugh as she headed toward the front of the house. 

It was late and she was tired, but she ignored the carved wooden staircase that led to the bedrooms as she entered the paneled foyer.

What the hell was wrong with her?

She felt restless and on edge.  As if there was a looming thunderstorm and she was about to be struck by lightning.

Telling herself it was nothing more than frustration with Caine and the mysterious games that were being played around her, she yanked open the door and stepped outside. 

What she needed was a walk.

And if that didn’t work, then there was always cheesecake in the fridge.

There was nothing in the world that couldn’t be cured by cheesecake.

~ o ~

Review of Beyond the Darkness

Review of Darkness Unleashed

Interview with Alexandra Ivy

We have two giveaways--any book from the author's backlist, which includes the one to be released in April (Beyond the Darkness)! One international and one US residents only. In fairness to everyone, this means there'll be two pools of entrants--one US resident pool and the other non-US resident. Please indicate your country of residence when you comment.

We'll also have Alexandra Ivy popping in and out of the blog, so if you've any questions, feel free to ask! She'll be around to answer and comment.

How to enter the contest?

Answer this question: Go to Alexandra's website and tell us which of her Guardians of Eternity books you'd like to read the most and why.

Extra chances to win:

+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2  if you're a new follower of this blog (start following from this contest/post)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
              on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,
              your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you tweeted about
              this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You also wrote a blog
              post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to qualify, be sure to come
              back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word, the better your chances.

Contest ends on March 24 (Wednesday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced on March 25 (Thursday). Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!