Monday, July 30, 2012

New Blog Design

I want to take a moment to say thank you to Lori at Imagination Blog Designs for doing such an amazing design for me.  You are truly brilliant.  Thank you so much.


I couldn't be happier with my blog.  I think that it looks great.  I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to blog design and Lori made it a completely painless experience.  She even installs it for you.  If you are in need of a blog design contact her.   It will be the best decision you could make for you blog. 

Imagination Designs

Blog Design by Imagination Designs
 and all images are from the
Vampire Diary kit by Sussie M Design



What do you think?

Do you like it?


*Make sure you leave Lori some comments telling her how much you love her work!*



Tuesday, July 24, 2012

ARC Review: The Lady is a Vamp by Lynsay Sands


The Lady is a Vamp (Argeneau, #17)



ARC Ebook

384 pages
July 31st 2012
Avon/HarperCollins












Summary from Goodreads:

"New York Times" bestselling author Lynsay Sands, one of paranormal romance's original superstars, delivers a scorching and delightful story of a mortal man on a mission--and the Vamp who is his only hope.

One late night leads to . . .

Kidnapped When Jeanne Louise Argeneau left work, she never thought she'd end up tied down by a good-looking mortal. More attracted than annoyed, she quickly realizes there is more to her abductor than meets the eye.

One desperate act leads to . . .

Love? Paul Jones has need of a vampire, and only Jeanne Louise will do. He just has to convince this beauty of a Vamp to help him . . . never imagining that he would fall in love. But with the immortal world's answer to law enforcement hunting them, their time together is running out . . . and Paul and Jeanne Louise will need to risk everything to spend an eternity together.



Review:

The Lady is A Vamp is the 17th Argeneau novel.  I just cant get enough of this series and this book was no exception. 

Jeanne Louise has always been a character that has intrigued me.  She is a very fun loving but serious type of gal.  I was very excited for her to finally get to tell her story.  The book starts off with Jeanne Louise being kidnapped by Paul.  He is her co worker and one of the few humans who know about immortals.  Paul wants her to turn his terminally ill daughter into a vampire.  Livy is only five years old and he will do anything to save her. 

Jeanne Louise quickly becomes a willing victim when she realizes that Paul is her life mate.  She quickly falls in love with both Paul and Livy.  However they are on the run from the immortal enforcers because no one is allowed to kidnap an immortal and not be punished for it. 

While on the run they all get really close as a family and Paul finds that he loves Jeanne Louise,  He wants to be her life mate and live happily ever after but he is a great Dad and is set to give it all up so that Livy can be saved. 

In the end Jeanne Louise is faced with the decision to either save the life of the child she has grown to love or turn the life mate she was destined to have. 

This book is all about love.  The love of a father, a daughter and the love of a life mate.  It was very different form the rest of the series and it was heartbreaking but lovely all at the same time.

I couldn't ask for a better story and I cant wait to see what happens with their family in future installments of the Argeneau series.




Monday, July 23, 2012

Cover Reveal: Spellfire

Spellfire by Jessica Andersen
November 6th 2012

Spellfire (Nightkeepers,#8)

I just love this series and I'm so sad that it is ending.  Spellfire will be the final book in the Nightkeepers series.

Do you read this series?  Are you as excited about Spellfire as I am?


Thursday, July 19, 2012

ARC Review: The Goddess Legacy

The Goddess Legacy (Goddess Test, #2.5)






Young Adult
July 31st 2012
Harlequin Teen
ARC from Netgalley
Ebook
395 pages






Summary:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aime e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before....

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.



Review:

The Goddess Legacy exceeded all of my expectations.  This is a book with five back stories.  I think that when authors try to blend that many stories together sometimes the stories just get lost.  Aimee Carter is not one of those authors.  I have never read a multiple back story book that was written so seamlessly.  This was just magical.  I loved every second of this book.  I really felt like I could connect with each and every character.  It made me understand the choices that I have seen them make throughout this series.  I look forward to seeing what will happen as this series progresses.

Hera/Calliope:

This book takes us back thousands of years to start with our most hated character Hera/Calliope.  I never expected to like Hera but after seeing all of her pain, well I still don't like her but I understand her a little more.  Hera's biggest problem is her pride.  She is in love with Hades/Henry but winds up married to Zeus because she felt that he had changed and she believed that he would keep his promises to her.  Zeus had promised her the world and while for a while he delivers it was only a matter of time till his true colors showed.  Her was unfaithful to her and winds up stripping her of everything she has ever loved.  She begins to hate everything and everyone over the years.

Aphrodite/Ava:

Next comes Aphrodite/Ava.  She is the goddess of love.   She falls in love with Hera's son Ares even though she has been promised to Hephaestus by Zeus.  Ares and Aphrodite run away together to a remote island to be together.  After a few years and one son later Ares decides he must return to his duties as the god of war.  He leaves and Aphrodite is left alone till she rescues a shipwrecked mortal.  While she nurses him back to life she realizes that she needs to be with someone who can understand her for who she is.  Hephaestus winds up becoming that man for her.  He agrees to marry her even if she chooses to have affairs with others, which she does, a lot.  Aphrodite went though a lot in this book but in comparison to the others she seems to have it made in Olympus.

Persephone:

Persephone's Story is tragic.  She is a young women betrothed to Hades.  She has known him her whole life but only as a friend.  She doesn't want to marry him but Zeus and her mother Demeter demand that she go through with it.  After a very horrible wedding night she realizes that it will never work and she leaves.  Once back on Olympus Zeus demands she return to her duties as Queen of the Underworld.  She resents being stuck in the underworld and in a attempt to make her happy Hades grants her six months on the surface every year to do whatever she would like.  She winds up spending those months having an affair with Hermes/James. 

Hades/Henry is heartbroken by the affair but says nothing.  Once Persephone learns what an affair feels like she promises to never cheat on Hades/Henry again.  She keeps that promise for many years but then she falls in love with a mortal and when that mortal is killed she gives up her immortality to spend their afterlife together. 

I found that Persephone is hard to dislike.  She is stubborn and a little selfish but she does care about everyone.   She could not break the wall in her heart that blocked Hades/Henry and even though we were never told why I think Hera had everything to do with it.  I hope we get to see more of Persephone in future books.

Hermes/James:

Poor, poor Hermes/James.  He has been outcast from his family ever since Persephone gave up her immortality.  He loved her and hates what happened but is was his choice.  He just wants to have a family again. 

The council realize that Gods and Goddesses are fading and they don't know why.  Hermes/James heads to the surface to find the answer.  He is led to a girl named Tuck.  She has run away from the evil Earl and she has banded together with three other boys.  Hermes/James quickly realizes that she has no idea who the Gods are and it quickly becomes clear that the Gods are fading because the mortals have forgotten them. 

Hermes/James finds a sort of family with Tuck and the band and decides to stay with them.  The band gets captured by the Earl and just when Hermes/James gets ready to rescue them Zeus pulls him back to Olympus and forbids him from going back.  Hermes/James loses everything in this story.  I really hope we get to see a happy future for him in the next book.


Hades/Henry:

Last but certainly not least we hear Hades/Henry's story.  Henry is my favorite because he has such a pure heart.  He loved Persephone with everything he had and when she gave up her immortality it nearly ruined him.  He decides to fade but eh council demands one more century to find him a new queen.  It starts with Ingrid a seven year old orphan who he befriends.  Once she becomes of age he tells her the truth about who he is and the tests begin.  Before she can complete her test to become a goddess she is murdered.  Hades/Henry is devastated however they must try again.  Ten more times they try and ten more girls die.  He says he wont do it anymore but then Demeter/Diana convinces him to let her go to the surface to be a mortal so she can have another daughter.  This time her daughter will have a choice.  That daughter turns out to be Kate.






Wednesday, July 18, 2012

ARC Review: Throne of Glass



Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
Young Adult
ARC ebook
350 pages
August 7th 2012
Bloomsbury Children's Books



Summary from Goodreads:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.


Reveiw:

I'm going to try to keep this spoiler free.

I will be honest I didn't think I would like this book very much so you can understand my surprise when I realized that I LOVED it.  The whole idea for this story is truly amazing.  There is a young girl named Celaena that has been forced into being an assassin at a young age.  She is then betrayed, captured and sent into slavery in a salt mine to die.  She gets a reprieve when the Crown Prince shows up to offer her freedom in exchange for her to compete in a competition to become the Kings Champion. 

Once she gets to the castle everything changes.  We get to see a side of Celaena that is a bit more relatable to.  Even though she is an assassin she is still just a girl.  She wants to forget about her past, have friends and fall in love.  I just feel so badly for her. 

There is a small love triangle that forms but I find that it was done very well.  Both men are amazing and I didn't find that I picked a side.  I love them both and I feel like I will be happy no matter who she chooses.

Once the competition gets started champions begin to get murdered.  Even though Celaena is scared for her life she begins to research how they die.  It is something evil.  Magic is still alive in this world.  It gave the novel a wonderful twist.  I believe that Celaena has some magic in her blood and I cant wait to find out what happens next in her story.

There is such a large mix of things going on but Maas tells the story impeccably.  I truly recommend this book to everyone.  I think that whether you like paranormals, romance or even contemporary books you will love Throne of Glass.  It has a little something for everyone!!



*I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Guest Review: Pushing The Limits

I want it introduce Joanna Martin to you today! She has wrote a review on Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry. I hope you enjoy! Lets be sure to leave her some comment love!


Pushing the Limits

Young Adult

ARC
384 pages
July 31st 2012
Harlequin Teen
Summary from Goodreads:


So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
Joanna's Review:

This book was above and beyond what I thought it was going to be.  Even though the book took place in a senior year high school setting it was relatable to even myself that has not been in high school for almost 10 years!
She kept you wanting to keep reading to find out what really happened to Echo.  There were also circumstances in the book that everyone has experienced in one way or another to make you feel even more connected to the characters.  She even wrote it to where you experienced life lessons such as “not judging a book by its cover” (no pun intendedJ).
I would recommend this book to anybody and can’t wait to read the story she is writing next about Beth called “Dare to you”.  I’m sure it will be just as thrilling and will draw me in as much as this one!



Pushing The Limits will be released on July 31, 2012.
You can preorder your copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Monday, July 16, 2012

No Strings Attached Giveaway Hop


This Giveaway hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

Do you ever get tired of Jumping through Hoops to enter a giveaway? If so then this one is for you. I'm giving away one mystery box of books to one lucky winner!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Information:

To enter, please fill out the form below

entrants must be 13 years of age or older

contest open to US Only

the winner will be announced on this blog post at the conclusion of the contest

check out my Giveaway Policy


Author Interview: Jocelynn Drake



Jocelynn Drake is the author of the New York Times bestselling Dark Days series. She has created a new urban fantasy series called The Asylum Tales about a warlock tattoo artist and his friends.  Today she has answered a few of our questions about the new series.

Thank you Jocelynn for joining us here today at Mortality Bites.  We are very excited about your new series!


MB:  Can you tell us a little bit about The Asylum series?

JD:  The Asylum Tales is a new series that takes place in the city of Low Town, where all the creatures of mythology and fantasy live side by side. In Low Town, you can wave to your werewolf neighbor as you leave for work. Your cube mate could be a siren and the bartender at your favorite watering hole could be a minotaur. These peoples have lived together for centuries and have generally found a way to make it work. However, sometimes non-magical creatures sometimes need a little magical help to get by. That’s where the tattoo artists come in handy.
Tattoo artists aren’t just experts in ink, but also potions. Need some help with luck or love? A tattoo can whip up a potion to put in your ink to give you a little hand in life. The series focuses on Gage Powell, a tattoo artist and owner of Asylum Tattoo Parlor. Gage is also a former warlock who is trying to hide his past from the world. The series follows the adventures of Gage and his friends, Bronx – a troll, and Trixie – an elf, as they navigate this strange world.


MB:  It was very refreshing to read about a world where the paranormals don’t have to hide who they are. What led you to write a book surrounding a magical tattoo parlor and a warlock?

JD:  It was a mixture of things. I was in the process of finishing the Dark Days series and I was talking with some tattoo artists I know as I waited to get some ink myself when we jokingly said I needed to write about a tattoo artist. I loved getting ink and their stories were always so crazy, so the idea just stuck. Also, I knew when I started a new series I needed something completely different from the Dark Days series. I wanted all the creatures and I didn’t want to worry about people having to hide what they were. The resulting world was an explosion of ideas and possibilities that I can’t wait to dig into.


MB:  I loved reading about Bronx. He seems like a really nice guy. Should we be expecting trouble from him in the future?
The Asylum Interviews: Bronx (The Asylum Tales, #0.5)
JD:  I LOVE Bronx. He is my personal sweetheart. Bronx is the level-headed, voice of common sense in the series. His job is largely to keep Gage from rushing into a dangerous situation, but he also has a protective streak in him, so I have no doubt that he will be getting into trouble on occasion. Of course, he can’t help getting into trouble as long as he is friends with Gage. Gage just seems drawn to trouble.


MB:  Gage is great! Nothing seemed to really bother him too much and I really liked that about him. Is there a special someone for Gage in the main book?


JD:  Gage has been a lot of fun to work with. He is a very easy-going character to work with. I think part of that comes from all the hell he survived when he was a kid. It has taught him not to stress about the little things and just roll with the punches as best as you can.
Yes, there is someone special for Gage in Angel’s Ink. He’s had a thing for this woman for a long time. I thought I’d be nice and let him get closer to him in the first book.


The Asylum Interviews: Trixie (The Asylum Tales, #0.5)
MB:  I'm looking forward to meeting Trixie. Can you tell us if she will be the grounding rod or the fire cracker?

JD:  I think Trixie has the potential to be both in Gage’s life. She’s not as restrained as Bronx, but I think concern for Gage will have her arguing for him to proceed cautiously into dangerous situations. However, as you’ll learn in her story, she’s more than willing to go charging into a situation and get dirty.



MB:  What’s your favorite quote from Angel’s Ink?

JD:  A favorite quote? Wow, that’s hard. I don’t know if I have a favorite quote for the book. Gage and his friends all tend to be smart alecs with a witty comment on the tips of their tongues. I have a lot of favorite moments from that book. I tend to remember favorite interactions more than a single quote. I always look forward to writing scenes with Gage and Chang. Chang is a black market vendor that Gage visits for the really, really rare items. He’s this tiny, ancient Chinese man that can get his hands on ANYTHING. He’s also got a wicked sense of humor. I love working with Chang. He appears in the Trixie short story, Angel’s Ink, and Book 2.


MB:  How many books do you have planned at the moment for this series?

JD:  My publisher has purchased two novellas and two novels for the series so far. The current release schedule is The Asylum Interviews: Bronx comes out on July 3. The Asylum Interviews: Trixie comes out September 4. Angel’s Ink comes out October 16. Book 2 of the series will likely come out in Summer 2013.


MB:  I am a huge fan of Mira and Danaus and when you ended the series I was so sad. Will we ever get anything from them in the future? I really miss them.


JD:  I love Mira and Danaus as well. I had a lot of fun working with them for several years and it was sad to close out the series, but I am happy with where I left them. I felt like I left them in a good position in their lives so I don’t feel the need to go back. I think Bound to Me, the e-novella that was released in April, will be the last Dark Days-related story.

Also, I’ve worked with Gage and the gang for over a year now. I’m not sure I can accurately write in Mira’s voice anymore.

Angels Ink will be released on October 16, 2012.
Angel's Ink (The Asylum's Tales, #1)


Preorder your copy of Angel's Ink today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Get your copy of Bronx: The Asylum Interviews at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Preorder your copy of Trixie: The Asylum Interviews at Amazon  or Barnes and Noble.


For more information about The Asylum Tales or The Dark Days Series check out
 Jocelynn's Website.


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Movie Poster

I'm so excited about the upcoming movie release of The Host! 
Check out the first movie poster!

The Host movie poster

What do you think?

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday




"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Iced (Fever World #1)
by Karen Marie Moning
October 30, 2012
Iced: A Dani O'Malley Novel (Fever World, #1)
Summary from Goodreads:
The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Summer Lovin Giveaway Hop


This hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Tifferz Book Review


One lucky winner will recieve one copy of Goddess Interupted by Aimee Carter

Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test, #2)

Giveaway Information:

To enter, please fill out the form below

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older

Contest open to US Only

The winner will be announced on this blog post at the conclusion of the contest.

Check out my Giveaway Policy for any questions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now Keep On Hoppin....

Nook Deal: Guilty Pleasures

I know that today is almost over but on you nook today you can get Laurell K Hamilton's first book in the Anita Blake series for only $2.99.

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series #1)

Get it today only at Barnes and Noble.

Cover Reveal: Echo

Echo

Echo by Alyson Noel
November 13, 2012


I love the snowflakes and white dress.
What do you think?

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Summer Reads Giveaway Hop


The Summer Reads Giveaway Hop is hosted by

One lucky winner will recieve one paperback copy of Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost and one Mencheres Braclet!

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World, #2)

Giveaway Information:

To enter, please fill out the form below

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older

Contest open to US Only

The winner will be announced on this blog post at the conclusion of the contest.

Check out my Giveaway Policy for any questions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now Keep on Hopping...




Cover Reveal: Stolen Nights

Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel
February 5th 2013

Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen, #2)

I really like this cover.  It is a big change from the first cover.  I love that the dress is all smoky and that the girl is barefoot. 

What do you think?  Do you love it or hate it?
 
Blog Design by Imagination Designs all images from the Vampire Diary kit by Sussie M Design