Blog Hop 1

I recently read about blog hops, where bloggers get together every week and make friends.  We could always use more friends here at Vamps R Us...so here we are, casting our proverbial line out there!

This week's question from Parajunkee is:

Q. Inspired by the inane twitter trend of #100factsaboutme, give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

1. I am instantly drawn to any book with the promise of vampires or shifters.
2. Zombies have recently found a handhold in my TBR pile.
3. The kindle/nook are the best things since sliced bread!
4. I dibble-dabble in writing short stories from time to time.  My favorite was about a rabid llama.
5. I used to be addicted to bookmarks.  I hate bending the pages/covers of my DTBs.

This is my first journey into blog hopping.  Hope I get to know some of you!

~Helena

Eternal Rider releases today!

Eternal Rider, the first in Larissa Ione's Lords of Deliverance series graces shelves today!  Make sure to pick up a copy.  If these novels are anything like her Demonica series, they will be amazing!  Check out the excerpt here.

Happy Reading!

~Helena

Lover Unleashed Released!!!!

*********DRUMROLL*********

OMG can you tell how insanely excited I am?!  JR Ward releases her latest installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood saga today!  Payne's story is told this time between the covers of Lover Unleashed.  I have purchased a virtual signed hardcopy.  All fans need to check out her site and facebook for future signings if they are interested.  It is really cool and amazing of her to do these signings!  And of course I also purchased an ebook copy.  It is necessary for me to have the book the instant it comes out, haha.  Yes I am an uber fan girl of JR Ward's if you haven't figured that out by now.  Go get a copy already!

~Helena

Lover Unleashed - A First Look

Here it is, ladies and gents. The first page of JR Wards, Lover Unleashed.

I'm so ready for Tuesday.

~Lily

BDB Reading Challenge and Book Club

Bookaholic Does Blogging is hosting this awesome challenge.  Every month, starting in April, a book from JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series will be read and discussed.  And we all know how much I love talking about anything BDB related!  Be sure to sign up and check in with the club postings.  This sounds like it will be a ton of fun!  Click on over and join up!

Bookclub dates:

April 11th 2011: Dark Lover

May 9th 2011: Lover Eternal

June 13th 2011: Lover Awakened

July 11th 2011: Lover Revealed

August 8th 2011: Lover Unbound

September 12th 2011: Lover Enshrined

October 10th 2011: Lover Avenged

November 14th 2011: Lover Mine

December 12th 2011: Lover Unleashed

 
Happy BDB readings/dreams ;p

~Helena

Black Dagger Brotherhood Fan Gear

She has finally done it!  JR Ward has created fan gear for her Black Dagger Brotherhood series!  I am in awe and a chunk of my bank account will dwindle as a result.  Go here to check it all out!


Jewelry, apparel, mugs, stickers...tons of fun stuff!  And all the proceeds go to help animals in need, so it is for a great cause.

Clicks away to do some shopping :D

~Helena

Quotes from Lover Unleashed revealed by JR Ward

I took it upon myself to compile all the quotes that JR Ward released for her upcoming novel Lover Unleashed set to hit shelves on March 29th!

As she came out of the darkness by her grave, she took a halting
breath and nearly sobbed. There he was in the flesh. Her boss. Her
colleague. The one she’d left behind. And he was standing over a black
headstone that had her name carved in its face.   (Doc Jane)

Scanning the inside of the club, he put his f*** filter on and began
weeding through the women and the men and the couples. There was
one and only one reason he’d come here, and it was the same for the
other Goths in the place. This was not for a relationship. This was not even for companionship. This was all about the in and out...  (Qhuinn)

This time he moaned deep in his throat as he lowered the candle tip—because he knew what was coming. More moaning. More wax. A loud curse that was followed by another hiss. There was no need to go pneumatic. The pain was enough... (V)

“I am . . . absolutely destroyed at the loss.” (Manny)

Inch by inch, he separated the tripart weave, the waves both slick
and clinging. And because he was a bast**d, all he could think about
was the sh** all over his bare chest . . . his abs . . . his co**—
“That’s far enough,” she said. (Manny with Payne's braid)

His father rode up to him and smiled with a vicious edge. “Mayhap afterward
we shall enjoy the fruits of the gardens herein.” (Bloodletter)

“You want me,” she drawled when they were face-to- face.
“Yeah. Hell, yeah.” His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her in tight, and then he cupped her hips and held her against him. “Gimme your mouth.” (Manny and Payne)

“Yup.” Butch grinned and raised his glass. “You want another
round.”
“You bet your balls.” (Butch and V)

When he took his palms away, there was a slickness left behind, one that he refused to think too much about.
“I’m in love,” he said hoarsely. “With someone else. That’s why.” (Qhuinn)

He was utterly empty, to the point where he was curious where the ambulation routine was coming from, because he sure as f**k wasn’t doing anything consciously.
Stopping and staring across the sluggish, stinking waters of the Hudson, he laughed cold and hard. (V)

“I would do anything for you. Anything.”
With that, he pushed his way out . . . and as the door eased shut, she realized that I love you could indeed be said without actually uttering the phrase.
Actions did mean more than words. (V)

“Are you just going to watch, true?” (V)

Blay smoothed the duvet over his chest. A couple of times. “Do
I . . . please you.” (Blay to Saxton)

~Helena

A laugh or two

These two comics brightened my day.  Figured I would pass on the funny :)

~Helena

Review - Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Carrie Vaughn's newest novel Steel is a pirate tale with a little time travel twist.

 Blurb from the back cover:

"It was a slender length of rusted steel, tapered to a point at one end and jagged at the other, as if it had broken. A thousand people would step over it and think it trash, but not her.
This was the tip of a rapier.

Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.

The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain."

 Jill is on vacation with her family when she stumbles upon a portion of a rusted sword.  A sword that transports her back in time, plunking her in the middle of a pirate ship; complete with a fearsome crew and many "argh"s.  The scenes and characters tend to follow typical pirate lore; however, Vaughn boldly places strong females in the alpha roles; a refreshing change to the traditional pirate social hierachy.

I adored the characters, especially Captain Marjory Cooper and Henry.  Why wasn't there a tad more romance to this novel?  This is really my only beef.  The characters were well done and accessible.  The setting was gorgeous and I could literally taste the ocean salt.  The action scenes were believable and entertaining.  A lot of heart and soul went into the writing.  I just really felt like the Jill-Henry dynamic should have been explored more.  Then again, I have a tendency to be a sap and not so secretly want a pirate of my own ;p.

Steel is definitely worth a read.  Transport yourself back to times on the high seas just with the flip of a cover! 

You can read the first chapter on Vaughn's page.

Rating: 3/5

~Helena

Happy Saint Patty's!

I did a search today for 'St Patricks vampire' and I stumbled across these cute tshirts.  There are a handful more on the website as well.  I am not quite sure what the link between Irish and Twilight is...or maybe I am retarded and it is a well known fact, but anyways they are definitely festive.  Happy Holidays and remember to drink responsibly!

~Helena

Review - Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Angels' Blood is the first in the Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh.

 

Summary from her website:

"Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.
Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.
The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…"

The basis of this series places a good twist on the usual vampire vs human hunter series. Instead, humans can petition angels to make them into vampires in return for 100years of servitude. If the vampires try to break this contract they are hunted by Guild Hunters and brought back to their masters. The main character is Elena Deveraux, one of the best guild hunters. She is contracted by the archangel Rapheal to hunt a wayward archangel instead of a vampire.

This book was a great read from beginning to end. What I really enjoy is that Nalini makes no excuses for the angels, she doesn't try to humanize them, instead showing that with immortality comes no sense of morality. The other characters in the novel are also great and add a lot of depth to the book. The obvious attraction between Rapheal and Elena is one of the main plot points in the book, but the action is great if a little slow at some points. This book is definitely worth reading and in the end you are completely wrapped up in their world.

Rating: 4/5

~Arianna

Introducing: Arianna Sunrunner!

Arianna Sunrunner is a good friend of mine (Helena Sparrow).  She has a fondness for the paranormal world and breezes through piles of novels at an enviable pace.  And of course she has a snarky sense of humor that blends directly with mine and Lily's.

Now on to the meet and greet! :D

What is your favorite paranormal species and why?

Hmmm…. If I had to pick one it would have to be dragons, the fact that they can destroy anything by just breathing fire on it is awesome. They are just not kidding around when pissed off. Also, the fact that they can fly and no one can stop a dragon if they feel like going anywhere.

Who are your favorite authors?

Number one would have to be Melanie Rawn. I’m also a huge Ernest Hemingway fan. From a paranormal standpoint JR Ward, Karen Moning, Nalini Singh are my top favorites. I also enjoy Juliet Marillier and Max Brooks

What novel has been the most memorable for you and why?

It would have to be the Melanie Rawn’s Sunrunner and Star Scroll Series. I read them the first time in high school and I just love rereading them. It’s so detailed and you follow two generations of characters and you get so involved with their lives.

What is your favorite food?

 I just heart food in general, I’ll eat just about anything at least once. Huge wine and cheese fanatic. But a good roast lamb is by far my favorite dish.

If you could rule the world for one day, what would you do with it?

 Give everyone an IQ test, if you fail you get put on a deserted island.

Any random guilty pleasures you would like to share?

If I’m in the mood for a snack I make toast with jam and cheese on it. Mmmm…….

And finally, tell us a cheesy joke.

 A horse walks into a bar. The bartender asks: “why the long face?”

We are super excited to welcome Arianna to the team!  Check back soon for her debut review!

~Helena

Blog Awards

Lily and I decided to hand out our first ever blog awards!  We included blogs we tend to visit on a regular basis as well as those we just discovered.  Congrats to all the winners!

Winners in no particular order are:

A Year of Slow Cooking (absolutely love these recipes, especially the oreo cheesecake!)
Hyperbole and a Half (each entry leaves me laughing so hard I'm left gasping for air)
My Guilty Pleasures (any blog that quotes JR Ward is an instant win for us)
Bewitched Bookworms (gorgeous layout and informative reviews)
Smutketeers (super cute layout and fun read)
The Unread Reader (great reviews)
Dark Faerie Tales (full of reviews and paranormal literature news, fantastic ARC program)
Parajunkee's View (love this layout; enjoy the Paranormal Spring Break currently in progress)
The Zed Word (we all need a little zombie in our lives)
Neurotic Teenage Vampire (simply hilarious)



There are no strings attached for this award.  Enjoy!  Feel free to copy and post this award on your page if you wish.  Thanks for all your blogging effort!

~Helena and Lily

Vampire Nation Chronicles by Billie Sue Mosiman

Awhile ago, I wrote a favorable review of Red Moon Rising by Billie Sue Mosiman.  This novel is the first of a three part series on vampires.  Mosiman contacted us the other day to inform us that her novels (which were previously tough to find) are now available in ebook format!  I highly recommend checking out this series and the pricing is very reasonable as well, win-win right! ;p

The original titles have been changed.  Red Moon Rising is now Legions of the Dark; Malachi's Moon is now titled Rise of the Legend; and Craven Moon is now known as Hunter of the Dead.  Check out the links below and dive into these stories!

Kindle: Legions of the Dark, Rise of the Legend, Hunter of the Dead.
Nook:  Legions of the Dark, Rise of the Legend, Hunter of the Dead
Smashwords: Legions of the Dark, Rise of the Legend, Hunter of the Dead
Cross Roads Press: Legions of the Dark, Rise of the Legend, Hunter of the Dead or get all three

~Helena