giveaways!

Ashes of a Black Frost (11/1) | The Shattered Vine (11/3)
Coming soon:

drey's Giveaway Policy

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on covers or links here may result in monetary compensation.

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2010
Saw this on facebook, had to share... Enjoy!

Winner of Poisoned Kisses!

October 30, 2010
Time to pick a winner for a copy of Stephanie Draven's Poisoned Kisses! I wonder if the giveaway got buried in the post, and nobody noticed it, because there were definitely fewer entries than I'd expected... Sorry, Stephanie!

Anyway, Randomizer says the book goes to...

❤Stephanie!!

Congratulations! Email's on its way to you.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Saturday Spotlight: Crave by J.R. Ward...

So, Chloe Neill got me started on J.R. Ward's In Death series... Which I sooooo should get back to, because I have a lot to catch up on! But I saw the cover for Ward's new Fallen Angels series, and am definitely going to pick this up!

crave

Seven deadly sins. Seven souls that must be saved. One more no-holds- barred battle between a fallen angel with a hardened heart and a demon with everything to lose.

Isaac Rothe is a black ops soldier with a dark past and a grim future. The target of an assassin, he finds himself behind bars, his fate in the hands of his gorgeous public defender Grier Childe. His hot attraction to her can only lead to trouble-and that's before Jim Heron tells him his soul is in danger. Caught up in a wicked game with the demon who shadows Jim, Isaac must decide whether the soldier in him can believe that true love is the ultimate weapon against evil.

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Contest: A Discovery of Witches!

October 29, 2010
Last Saturday's spotlight featured author Deborah Harkness discussing which wines you could serve on a date with a vampire... Today we're doing a lil' pre-release (or rather, two-months-ahead-of-release) celebrating with a giveaway!

What's the release, you ask? Well... none other than her first work of fiction, A Discovery of Witches!

a discovery of witches

It begins with absence and desire.
It begins with blood and fear.
It begins with a discovery of witches.

When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.

For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.

Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.

Up for grabs are a set of gorgeous buttons boasting allegiance to each of the magical species in the novel (“I’M A WITCH,” “I’M A VAMPIRE,” “I’M A DAEMON”), one that poses that nagging question, “Where is Ashmole 782?” AND one finished copy of the book*.
* The book will not ship until its publication date in January

buttons

To enter the contest, comment on why you'd want to read A Discovery of Witches. Remember to include your email address for winner notifications. US and Canada only, please (no PO Boxes!). Do it before 6pm CST Nov 11th!

Deborah Harkness is online at her website, and on facebook: Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches.

For extra entries:
+1 Which button do you want most?
+1 Tweet this giveaway, comment separately with your twitter status.
+1 FB share (www.facebook.com/dreyslibrary), comment separately with your FB name.
+1 List this on your blog sidebar, comment separately with your blog link.

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Pre-order at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Kylie Brant stops over for a visit!

October 28, 2010
Kylie Brant has a new book coming out in November--Deadly Intent is book #4 in her Mindhunters series--and she's stopping by to say "hi" (and a few more words!), and give away a copy of her new book! Read on...

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

kylie brant
About the author:
Kylie Brant is the author of thirty-one romantic suspense novels for Silhouette and Berkley. She's a three time Rita nominee, and has been nominated for five time Romantic Times awards, including a win for Career Achievement. Twice she's received the overall Daphne du Maurier Award for best mystery/suspense novels. Her books have been published in twenty-five countries and translated into fifteen languages. A mother of five, Brant also teaches full-time, working with learning disabled students.

I Meet the Most Interesting People...

Okay, a lot of them are products of my imagination, but they *are* intriguing story people, at least. People who, if they were real, I could admire and respect. People I'd be proud to call friends. Not because they're perfect. Perfection is boring :) My characters are flawed, sometimes deeply. They struggle to overcome obstacles to do the right thing. They've become good people despite sometimes traumatic incidents in their pasts. They're complex, because the most interesting people are multi-faceted, with layers that aren't easily pierced.

When I'm coming up with a new story sometimes it's the suspense plot that will occur first, but more often it's the characters who first spring to life, fully developed. Then the suspense idea closely follows and I ask myself, 'How would these story people react to that situation? What will it make it particularly difficult for them to reach their goal?" There's always an external conflict of course, usually in the way of a villain. But giving characters a flaw or an emotional conflict means they have an inner struggle as well.

My characters, despite any other flaws, are extraordinarily patient :) Some linger in my mind for years, waiting for their turn to have their story told. Others are more demanding, surging to the forefront and beating on the walls of my imagination, refusing to be ignored any longer. Just as in real life, the squeaky wheel is often heard first.

From my earliest years I've always been fascinated by why people do the things they do. In that way I suppose I imagine them from a psychological point of view. Naming them and giving them physical attributes are probably the last things I do for character development, and are the most deliberate actions I take with them. Oddly enough, the physical description of my characters often requires the most thought. I don't necessarily 'see' them so much as I 'know' them--what and who they are and what events have shaped them. I often land on their descriptions simply through the process of elimination--let's see, I haven't had a green-eyed heroine in several books :) Perhaps because of this quirk, the most difficult question I'm asked is: if your book were a movie, who would you cast as the leading characters? I always have to go back and remind myself, okay, what did they look like again? I tend to think that who people are inside is ever so much more interesting than what they look like!

Somehow my cast always seem to have at least one character that adds some comic relief. I don't do this consciously but I have a slightly twisted sense of humor and it sort of works into the stories, even if I don't necessarily plan it that way at first. These characters, whether a health-conscious partner detective, a tattooed scientist with unusual luck with women, or a pint-sized angelic looking lab assistant with the mouth of a sailor lighten the otherwise dark subject matter. They also provide a foil for the main characters, and through their eyes we're given an outside look at the hero and heroine.

The villain, of course, is the most interesting character to write, because evil is riveting. Delving into what events twisted people into psychopathy is endlessly fascinating. Perhaps because I had a perfectly ordinary upbringing, devoid of homicidal maniacs or anything more traumatic than having to wear braces for three years, I have to dig deep for these crazed characters at times. Unfortunately, the news is awash with horrible things that people have been forced to endure. But its also full of stories that prove the resiliency of the human spirit. And I think that factor, when it comes to the closure of the story, makes for the most satisfying of endings.

Some characters I've read have stayed with me always. Scout, from To Kill a Mockingbird. Holden Caulfield, from Catcher in the Rye. Huck Finn. What unforgettable characters have you run across in your reading?

Thank you for sharing with us, Kylie!! Y'all, find Kylie online at her website, http://www.kyliebrant.com/.

deadly intent
About Deadly Intent:
No one knows the patterns and nuances of communication like forensic linguist Macy Reid. She is also an expert on kidnapping, having experienced firsthand the stark terror of being abducted when she was a child. So she is the perfect investigator to be called in when a Denver tycoon's eleven-year-old daughter is abducted—for the second time.

The biggest stumbling block for Macy may be a member of her own team: Kellan Burke, the wisecracking, rule-breaking investigator who relishes getting under Macy's skin. Their styles couldn't be more different; the attraction between them more explosive. And when it becomes apparent that Macy can't solve the case without confronting the demons from her past, Kell is just the man to take her there—and back.

Read an excerpt!

Contest!
Kylie is giving away one copy of Deadly Intent to you lucky readers! This one's open to wherever The Book Depository will ship! Please make sure you check their list of countries before you enter...

For one entry, answer Kylie's question: What unforgettable characters have you run across in your reading? Make sure your email address is included, so that I can contact you if you win... Do it before 6pm CST Nov. 10th. Good luck!

Extra entries:
+1 Tweet this giveaway, comment separately with your twitter status.
+1 FB share (www.facebook.com/dreyslibrary), comment separately with your FB name.
+1 List this on your blog sidebar, comment separately with your blog link.

Don't want to wait? Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Winners of Justin Peacock's Blind Man's Alley!

October 27, 2010
Boy, am I ever late on this one. I blame my day job--I've been pulling 12-14 hour days, including weekends, and it's put a serious cramp on my blogging ability. I mean, the brain's just mush, you know?

Anyway. I had Randomizer pick two winners for Justin Peacock's Blind Man's Alley, and they are...

Stephanie!!

Benita!!

Congratulations! I'll need your mailing information by the end of day Saturday, please. Thanks for stopping by!!


Didn't win? Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

October's FEATURED AUTHOR: Stephanie interviews Kyra...

I cannot believe how fast time flies when you're having fun--hopefully Stephanie had fun while visiting us this month! Today, Stephanie shares a lil' Q&A with Kyra, the heroine from her new book, Poisoned Kisses! C'mon and see... *grin*

Hey everybody! I’ve really enjoyed my month as the featured author here to celebrate my debut novel, POISONED KISSES. I still find it a little amazing that it's really happening and that my first book has hit the shelves! Before I say goodbye, I want to say a few more words.

Since I've been working so hard on my writing lately I've become a very boring person, so I thought maybe we’d like to hear from my characters. Allow me to introduce Kyra, a knife-wielding nymph of the underworld. She's agreed to answer a few questions for us today, which I can only think means that we've caught her in a very good mood.

Q. When you were a little girl your father gave you ambrosia to make you immortal. Why aren't you a little more grateful to him?

Look, it's hard to be a daddy's girl when your father is Ares, Greek god of war. He's not really the affectionate type. Besides, immortality isn't all its cracked up to be. At first, mortals worship you, but then your friends die. You make new friends and they die too. And before you know it, the mortals forget you and chase after the latest religious fad. I bet half the people reading this don't even know what a nymph of the underworld is...but I bet they all believe in angels!

Q. What do you have against angels?

If I needed someone to guide me from this life into the next--I'd want a warrior. Someone who would fight for my shade with a torch in one hand and a knife in the other. I wouldn't trust the salvation of my eternal soul to some cherubic coquette with feathery wings.

Q. Were you looking for love when you went searching for Marco Kaisaris?

I was looking to kill him, actually, but he almost killed me instead.

Q. I thought you were immortal.

Yes, well, so did I! As it turns out, his poisonous blood is the only thing that can kill me.

Q. So why did you go after Marco in the first place?

I didn't know he was dangerous. At least, not dangerous to me. I just thought he was another monster that Daddy wanted to add to his menagerie. But when I was a young nymph, Hekate prophesied that I'd conquer a hydra. I thought it was my fate. My destiny. Maybe it still is.

Q. Why did you impersonate Marco's first love?

Well, I knew he wasn't going to trust me. I had to impersonate somebody in order to get close to him. His ex-girlfriend seemed like the best choice, but wow, what a mistake that turned out to be. I can make mortals see whatever I want them to see when they look at me, but even wearing another woman's face, I can't really pull off prim and proper. Basic black and pearls just aren't my style.

Q. Did he see through your disguise?

Only after we'd slept together. I think he knew the truth, deep down, but that didn't stop him from being furious about being tricked. And it didn't stop him from taking revenge, either.

Q. You and Marco have both done some pretty terrible things. Do you think you'll be able to forgive each other?

Well, let's just hope I still have an eternity to find out.

Stephanie, thank you so very much for spending October with us--I hope you've enjoyed visiting as much as I have! Everyone, there's still a few days left to enter my giveaway for a copy of Poisoned Kisses!

132. Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer...

October 26, 2010
wild ride
Title: Wild Ride
Author: Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
ISBN-13: 9780312533779
Hardcover:
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Wild Ride came from my local library (I love my local library!). I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I always love a Jennifer Crusie book for a quick fun read, and when I saw this one in the "new books" section at my local library, I just had to bring it home... And when work for my day job drove me completely nuts, I picked this up for some brain relaxation.

And brain relaxation it provided. Mab--Mary Alice Brannigan--is working on restorations at Dreamland (an amusement park) when she gets run over by a clown. Not the kind that scares kids at parties, but one of the metal statues that decorate the grounds. How is that possible? Well, consider that Dreamland was built as a prison for demons, and one got loose...

Ethan Wayne has a bullet in his chest from Afghanistan, and returns home to Dreamland to live out his last days. Then Dreamland throws him a curve and a lifeline, but it takes him a while to appreciate the chance...

Then there are the government agents intent on finding out if there really are demons at Dreamland, and how the demons can be used. Because that's what governments do, right? Add in the Dreamland regulars, Mab's icky uncle, and the demons themselves, and Wild Ride is a quick breezy read with a dash of romance and a tablespoon of action. No brains required. *grin*

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub, Support Your Local Library

131. Poisoned Kisses by Stephanie Draven...

October 25, 2010
poisoned kissesTitle: Poisoned Kisses
Author: Stephanie Draven
ISBN-13: 9780373618453
Paperback:
Publisher: Harlequin, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Poisoned Kisses was provided by the publicist for Stephanie Draven's blog tour. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Stephanie Draven's Poisoned Kisses takes war and mythology and cooks up a passionate brew of love, lust, betrayal, and sacrifice.

Kyra is the immortal daughter of the Greek god of war, Ares. Rebelling against her father, she vows to destroy the mortals involved in her father's game of war. When she sets her sight on Marco Kaisiris for running arms to Africa, she is unprepared for how much she reacts to the man's raw presence... But Kyra being Kyra, she's not going to let a tiny little thing like lust prevent her from trying to eliminate the man. That is, until she finds out that not everything is black and white, and it's the shades of gray that will make you doubt your convictions.

I like Stephanie's use of mythology in Poisoned Kisses. It brings that little something extra to the normal boy-meets-girl-etc table, like the powdered sugar topping on top of a really good waffle. Add this to your stack for a refreshing read this fall!

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Saturday Spotlight: On a dinner date with a vampire? What to serve (on a mortal budget)...

October 23, 2010
Today's spotlight is a lil' something from Deborah Harkness on what someone on a mortal budget might serve at a dinner date with a vampire... Just in time for next weekend's festivities!



Deborah's book, A Discovery of Witches, will be released in January. Come back next week for some buttons and a contest!

130. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon...

October 22, 2010
infinityTitle: Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
ISBN-13: 9780312599072
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Infinity came from the library where it's cover piqued my interest. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Nick Gautier is a fourteen-year-old scholarship kid at a posh private school who's had his fair share of bullies to deal with. And then, things get weird. Like, zombies-attacking-teachers-at-school weird. And zombies-running-wild in the streets weird. But of most concern is the zombies-going-after-Nick weird. And he's wondering how his life got so complicated...

Infinity is a zombie-filled ride that'll have you laughing (Nick is a sass!) and smirking (have I said he's a sass?), and hopefully not snorting whatever you're drinking out your nose. Really, because that's no fun at all. In addition to the zombies, there are demons, weres, and various other non-humans in this world--and I'm not even quite sure exactly what some of them are.

The characters are a motley bunch. There's the good guys, the good bad guys, the confused good guys, the true bad guys, and the poor suckers stuck in between. And then there's Bubba and Mark, who're way out in left field.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick up the next installment. I want to know what Kyrian's and Acheron's stories are. And Caleb's. And Nekoda's. So, yeah. I guess book #1 did its job--it hooked me. Now let's find out if the series reels me in, too.

drey's rating: 3.5/5 Very Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub, Support Your Local Library

129. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson...

October 21, 2010
warbreaker
Title: Warbreaker
Author: Brandon Sanderson
ISBN-13: 9780765360038
eBook
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates Inc., 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Warbreaker was purchased. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I picked up Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker on a whim. Because you know how it goes when you're browsing books... You look at something, you go "hmmmmm," check it out, bring it home... And then you keep your fingers crossed.

Warbreaker is quite the tome, filled with entertaining characters and drama. In this world, some of those who die are reincarnated as gods. They live in a compound, have their own priests, and have all their needs taken care of. And they can live for a very very long time. As long as they the breath to do so, of course. I know, you're thinking "hmm, nice life"... But there's a catch. Isn't there always? The breath that sustains these gods come from the people--it is literally sucked out of them. And while life without breath isn't quite death (for the people at least), it's obviously a sacrifice. Then again, what god doesn't deserve a mere human's sacrifice?

One part of Warbreaker deals with Siri, a 17-year-old Princess whose father has sent her to be wed to a God King whom she cannot speak to, look at, or *gasp* touch; her sister Vivenna, who was supposed to have been the "sacrifice"; the God King whom Siri marries; and the mercenaries that Vivenna finds herself seeking help from. Plot twists pop up all over the place, as the sisters try to find a way to avert and incite war.

The other part features Lightsong, one of the "younger" gods, and his irreverent interactions with his priests, the other gods, and the populace in general. I have to admit, I turned pages hoping for more Lightsong--he made me laugh out loud. The mercenaries made me laugh, too, but Vivenna was so stick-in-the-mud that she bored me to tears.

Warbreaker had a lot of promise that went unfulfilled and a lot of pages that I mostly skimmed over, but it's worth picking up if only to explore the crazy lush world Sanderson created and appreciate the foibles of some of these characters.

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

October's FEATURED AUTHOR: Stephanie's books!!

October 20, 2010
Never let it be said that I've ever introduced you to an author, without mentioning his/her books! Forget money, sometimes I think books make the world go 'round! *grin*

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Anyway. Stephanie Draven writes romance novels. And here they are...

midnight medusa

RENATA RUKAVINA is a budding new artist and a survivor of the Bosnian War. Is it her fault that when she sculpts war criminals, they die mysteriously in their jail cells? The coincidence attracts gallery visitors, but before Renata can enjoy her burgeoning fame, she is kidnapped.

When her abductor tries to convince her that he’s an immortal who inspires and feeds upon fear, Renata thinks he’s a madman. Even so, she soon finds that he’s powerfully attractive and the only man who understands her rage. But is it out of love that he forces Renata to face the fears of her past, or is he secretly the source of all her pain?
This is an eBook. Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

wild, tethered, bound

Lieutenant NICK LEANDROS is a battle-hardened American soldier who thinks he’s seen everything. But nothing prepared him for the horrors he encounters when he’s separated from his patrol in a dark war-torn forest. What he sees there fractures him–body and soul. Split into three separate men with three savage wills, he struggles to tame the cunning creatures and hold them inside.

His only hope of salvation is DESSA, an ancient dryad who lost her Heart Tree on that war-ravaged day. Without a forest to guard, Dessa is bound to Nick by mystic forces and she alone understands the nature of the chimera that he’s become. She also knows that Nick is the only man who can give her the child she’s longed for and the only man who can ensure the future of her country. But the cruelest, most lustful, part of him demands her submission as the price for his help and with her powers waning every day, time is running out for Dessa to save the last forests of Afghanistan…and to heal the man she’s come to love.
This is an eBook. Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

poisoned kisses

He can wear the face of anyone who has ever hurt him…

This former soldier-turned-gun-runner thinks his true identity is safe, but a mysterious woman is about to force him to face the tragic past he thought he left behind.

She can disguise herself as the only woman he’s ever loved…

It’s not easy to be a Daddy’s Girl when your father is Ares, Greek God of War. To thwart her father and all those who serve him, Kyra intends to assassinate a modern day hydra. To kill him, she needs to seduce him, but Marco Kaisaris isn’t the monster she thinks he is–and even if he doesn’t break her heart, he may still be the death of her.

Can they see past each other’s masks to find a love that’s more than skin deep?
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Stephanie also writes historical fiction and fantasy under Stephanie Dray. Lily of the Nile is about the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony...

lily of the nile

With her parents dead, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is left at the mercy of her Roman captors. Heir to one empire and prisoner of another, it falls to Princess Selene to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers…

In the aftermath of Alexandria’s tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she’s ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she’s put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene’s captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor’s sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans…

Now trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined honor her mother’s lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. But can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

128. First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher...

October 19, 2010
first lord's fury
Title: First Lord's Fury (Codex Alera #6)
Author: Jim Butcher
ISBN-13: 9780441017690
Hardcover: 465 pages
Publisher: Penguin Group, 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of First Lord's Fury came from my local library, and almost had to return un-read... I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I had been losing interest in Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, but had to pick up this installment to see if Tavi fulfills his destiny. After all, once you've slogged through five of these books, what's one more?

First Lord's Fury is an epic conclusion to the series that started off with a bang and kinda swam around a bit in the middle... At least, for me it did (I know there are a lot of fans of the series). The story travels along at a quick clip, moving from scene to scene without any wasted words. All the loose ends are tied up nicely, which was satisfying because you get to finally find out what happens to whom. And let me tell you, some of those endings were fitting, indeed!

Pick this series up if you're a die-hard Jim Butcher fan, or have loved the previous five books.

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Support Your Local Library

127. Highland Hellcat by Mary Wine...

October 18, 2010
highland hellcat
Title: Highland Hellcat
Author: Mary Wine
ISBN-13: 9781402237386
ARC: 341 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Highland Hellcat was provided by the publisher for this review. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Mary Wine's Highland Hellcat is a Highland romance where the heroine--Brina--isn't very inclined to be obedient or subservient. Then again, she wasn't expected to be either--at least, not to any mere man. As the third daughter, she was raised to be a nun, and her father augmented her education by letting her learn to hunt and fish.

Then Brina finds herself kidnapped by her oldest sister's betrothed, and has a hard time coming to terms with wanting him instead of the Church. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem wanting to spend the rest of my life with Connor Lindsey instead of in a nun's robes (please don't smite me down!)... He's gorgeous, honorable, and knows right from wrong. But that little detail of having been a sister's betrothed does kinda put a damper on things...

There's a wee bit of politicking, a wee bit of hysterics, and a lot of drama. But woven through it all is the story of  agirl who falls for the laird and vice-versa. Good fall reading if Highland romances are your thing!

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Winners: Jill Shalvis' Simply Irresistible!

October 16, 2010
I have winners to announce for Jill Shalvis' Simply Irresistible... According to Randomizer, they are:

holdenj!!

justpeachy36!!

Jane!!

Wanda!!

Priya!!

Congratulations, everyone! Emails have been sent, please get your mailing information to me before the end of day Tuesday...

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Want the book? Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

Saturday Spotlight: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick...

I, like a lot of YA fans out there who loved Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush, am totally excited that the sequel, Crescendo, is in stores October 19th. Are you picking this up?

crescendo

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

126. Venom by Jennifer Estep...

October 15, 2010
venom
Title: Venom (Elemental Assassins #3)
Author: Jennifer Estep
ISBN-13: 9781439148013
eBook
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Venom is my own. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I love Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassins books so far, and Venom has done nothing but increase my enthusiasm for this series. The opening scene in this installment is hard to read. But let's just say that our favorite retired assassin has lotsa smarts...

And yes, Gin has retired. For real this time. At least, until someone whose help she'd previously enlisted, turns up to be stalked by Mab's main goon. And Gin decides to help remove the irrating itch, especially when she's socked with the one-two punch of coming face-to-face with her baby sister Bria, and finding out that Mab Monroe has put the hit on her (Bria, not Gin).

From the very first page of Venom, Gin commands your attention. She faces some very tough fights, and one very ardent admirer. And as she tries to protect those she cares about and those who can't protect themselves, Gin (finally!) declares open season on Mab Monroe. Pick this one up, but read Spider's Bite and Web of Lies first. And then you can wait in line behind me for Tangled Threads, due out in April 2011.

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent

Challenges: 100+, Pub

125. Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding...

October 14, 2010
three days to dead
Title: Three Days to Dead (Dreg City #1)
Author: Kelly Meding
ISBN-13: 9780553592863
eBook
Publisher: Random House, 2009
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Three Days to Dead is my own. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
I'm adding Kelly Meding to my list of authors to stalk. Because Three Days to Dead is good. Dang good! It grabbed me from the first few sentences:
I don't recall the first time I died, but I do remember the second time I was born. Vividly. Waking up on a cold morgue table surrounded by surgical instruments and autopsy paraphernalia, to the tune of the medical examiner's high-pitched shrieks of fright, is an unforgettable experience.

How could you not want to keep reading with that as the starting point? And it doesn't stop there either. Before I continue, I have to admit some confusion as to the numbers that start off each chapter. Until that was explained, the light bulb went on, and I went "duh!".

Three Days to Dead grabs you and drags you along as Evy tries to figure out how and why she died, who did it, and how to stay alive (this time). Because her resurrection has a time limit. As she races to piece together the events leading up to her death, she finds out that her death was nothing more than an insignificant part in a grand plan to bring evil into this world. Makes a girl feel real appreciated, doesn't it?

Kelly Meding has created a world where humans and non-humans are segregated, and a breed of Hunters are the only thing keeping the non-humans in line and out of sight of humans... And she keeps the action moving with nail-biting, fist-clenching scenes that you pray Evy makes it through. Urban fantasy fans, pick this up. You won't put it down until you're reading the very last page and heave a huge sigh of relief. Before you run out to pick up the next book (As Lie the Dead), of course!

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent

Challenges: 100+

October's FEATURED AUTHOR: Stephanie Draven's Q&A!

October 13, 2010
Today, we welcome back October's Featured Author, Stephanie Draven! Come see what she has to share with y'all in a Q&A!

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover(s) or the link(s) provided may result in monetary compensation.

The Interview:
drey: Hello Stephanie! Welcome to drey’s library, and thank you for taking the time to visit us this month. I’m excited to have you here as October’s Featured Author, and I’m honored to be participating in your Poisoned Kisses blog tour!

Let’s get started, shall we? A quick-n-dirty (ok, quick-n-clean works too!) Cliff-Notes on Stephanie Draven--tell us about yourself in 10 sentences or less.

Stephanie: I think fiction matters; that even sexy, escapist paranormal romps have something to teach us about the world or about ourselves. I try to write about stuff that matters to me, and I’m just as interested in the journey of the heroine as I am in the journey of the hero. Harlequin Nocturne has embraced my dark and angsty voice, giving me my very own Mythica series, in which I get to reimagine ancient Greek mythology in a modern context. My debut paranormal novel is POISONED KISSES which is in bookstores everywhere this month and I couldn’t be happier about the good reviews its getting.

History is a passion for me, and I’m particularly interested in Cleopatra and the Augustan Age. As Stephanie Dray, I also write historical fiction for Berkley Books, and my debut historical, LILY OF THE NILE: A novel of Cleopatra’s Daughter, which will release January 2011. (Note that Dray is my last name, so I feel particularly welcome here!)

drey: Poisoned Kisses is good! My review will be coming up soon! :) And you're welcome here anytime! *grin*

When did you know you wanted to be an author? What were you doing? Was it a gradual realization, or a “big bang” event?

Stephanie: I was always a storyteller; unfortunately, back in kindergarten, my imaginative fiction was also known as ‘telling lies.’ When I announced that I’d like to be a writer, my mother very sensibly warned me away from this career path as she believed it would be a recipe for lifelong poverty.

Instead, she encouraged me to go to law school, which I did. I graduated, I passed the bar with flying colors, I practiced law for about a day and a half, and then I realized I was experiencing a poverty of the soul. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to prove to mom that I can actually make money doing this writing thing that I love. The jury’s still out!

drey: Can you share your first sale experience with us?

Stephanie: It’s a very long story, which I’ve shared here in gory detail, but let it suffice to say that I had the stomach flu when my agent called me with my first sale. I was surprised and happy and overwhelmed, and I may have said something like, “I have to throw up.” My husband and I celebrated with shots of Pepto Bismol!

drey: I'm sorry to hear about the Pepto Bismol! I hope you re-celebrated once you felt better!!

Who and/or what inspires your writing? How do you get from idea to pages?

Stephanie: I’ve become a very craftsmanlike writer. I don’t sit about waiting for inspiration to strike. I figure out what audience I want to write for and what I want to say. Then I think about the kind of story that I can use to communicate. Then I start mapping out characters and scenes and a plotline. With romance, I always know what the ending has to be, and I find this enormously reassuring. With historical fiction or historical fantasy, it’s always a highwire act without a net. In either genre, however, I simply force myself to sit down every day and meet a writing goal.

As it happens, I’m pretty terrible at first drafts. But I’m a good editor, when I have the time to shape a story, so I try to write the first draft as quickly as I possibly can and then go back and fix it.

drey: What do you indulge in when not writing?

Stephanie: I don’t knit or sew or do anything crafty--I am a menace to society with a glue gun in my hand. So when it comes to hobbies, I like to train my cat Butterscotch to do tricks. So far, he sits up and begs, shakes paws, gives me a high five, and gives me eskimo kisses on command. Right now, we’re working on teaching him to jump through a hoop. (Seriously, I’m not kidding.)

I love to read and to watch mindless, or not so mindless television. I watch soap operas, like General Hospital. And I love historical mini-series like Rome, The Tudors, and The Pillars of the Earth (which was also a fantastic book.)

drey: You'll have to post videos of Butterscotch! :) And I loved The Pillars of the Earth (haven't read the books yet though).

Do you have a favorite accompaniment to chocolate?

Stephanie: Ice cream. But then, doesn’t that go with everything?

drey: Why yes, it definitely does. *grin*

Smackdown: Your two favorite characters face off in the ring. Who are they, which one wins, and why?

Stephanie: Oh, wow. It’s hard to pick just two. However, the first two that spring to mind are Gone With the Wind’s Scarlett O’Hara and Wideacre’s Beatrice Lacey. Unfortunately, it’s no contest. Philippa Gregory’s anti-heroine makes Margaret Mitchell’s Southern Belle look like a milk-soft little kitten. Beatrice would eat Scarlett’s liver and feed the other half to Rhett Butler for desert.

drey: OMG, Beatrice would definitely win hands down. I'd forgotten about Philippa Gregory's Wideacre, it's been a long time since I read it.

Electronic readers are becoming more affordable and available. There's been quite a bit of discussion about their impact on paper books, the environment, people's reading & buying habits... What's your take?

Stephanie: Perhaps I’m being overly optimistic, but the explosion of e-readers tells me that people still value text-based entertainment. They want to read the written word and they want to do it in a way that is convenient for them. Publishers should find a way to take advantage of this, especially since e-reader owners tend to buy more books than they did before they bought the e-reader. I own a Nook and I love it. It’s almost unfortunate that I have so many paper books that are waiting to be read, because if its on the Nook, it gets read first.

drey: I know what you mean--I carry my Nook around with me, and anything there does get preferential treatment. Shhh, don't tell everyone!

On the publishing side—where do you think publishers and authors stand on the digital divide? Are they jumping across the great divide, or waiting ‘till someone builds a bridge? Name one thing you think could be improved in regards to eBooks.

Stephanie: I’m not sure I can say anything here that hasn’t been said better by people more knowledgeable than I am. All I’ve got is this: What publishers haven’t figured out is how to market ebooks. They spent a lot of time figuring out how to sell to booksellers; now they have to find a way to sell directly to the consumer and it’s a paradigm shift.

Some publishers have figured it out--I have to mention Samhain and Ellora’s Cave here because know what they’re doing. If traditional publishers can’t figure it out, then authors are going to have to do it on their own, and then they are going to wonder why they need a publisher.

drey: Tell us a little something about Poisoned Kisses.

Stephanie: Poisoned Kisses is about Kyra, a nymph of the underworld who is rebelling against her father Ares, the Greek God of War. She’s an impetuous seductress with daddy issues and a complex about abandonment, but she’s also a metaphor about the world. How the things that we love, when they become too wild, too messy, too difficult...we sometimes walk away. She needs a hero strong enough to stay and fight for her, a hero who is committed to helping in war-torn places in the world, and she finds that in Marco Kaisaris, a UN Peacekeeper-turned-arms dealer. Like all the books in my Mythica series, the premise of Poisoned Kisses is that war can turn men into monsters...quite literally. To that end, Marco is a war-forged hydra with poisoned blood. Kyra is his salvation or his destruction. Maybe both.

drey: What are you looking forward to next?

Stephanie: My historical novel with Berkley is coming out in January 2011, and I’m so excited about it I can hardly stand it. It’s vastly different in tone and tenor than Poisoned Kisses. I used the history surrounding the remarkable life of Cleopatra’s daughter and wove magic realism through it to explain many of the mysteries in Augustan Age Rome. The novel is on the literary side, but it’s also very emotional and came from a very deep place in me.

Bringing up the rear: the Proust-lite.
  1. What is your idea of earthly happiness?
    Warm cats, warm husband, warm blanket, a full belly, and rain outside.
  2. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
    A lingering lonely loss of mind and bodily function. Two of my grandparents have suffered from Alzheimer's and dementia and it is unbearably sad.
  3. Who is/are your favorite hero/heroine(s) in fiction?
    Scarlett O’Hara and Beatrice Lacey were the two that came to mind earlier, so I think I’ll stick with them.
  4. Who is/are your favorite hero/heroine(s) in real life?
    The service men and women of our country. They risk their lives and serve at the mercy of our collective demand and I try to honor them in my fiction.
  5. What sound do you love?
    My husband’s deep baritone.
  6. What sound do you hate?
    Angry thrashing music--it infects my mood and can ruin day.
  7. The quality you admire most in a man?
    Integrity.
  8. The quality you admire most in a woman?
    Integrity.
  9. If not a writer, you would be a ... A teacher.
  10. What is your favorite swear word?
    I’m going to vote for the F-bomb because of its versatility. We use it in the harshest ways, we use it to offend, to express dismay, to show our surprise...and then we go on to use it for something quite beautiful, and human, and life affirming. It carries a lot of weight, that little word.
drey: Thank you so much for stopping by, Stephanie. I hope you enjoy your visit here this month.

Stephanie: Thank you so much for having me here. I’m looking forward to getting to know everybody, and this interview was thought-provoking!

124. Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning...

October 12, 2010
backstage pass
Title: Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour #1)
Author: Olivia Cunning
ISBN-13: 9781402244421
ARC: 375 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Backstage Pass was provided by the publisher for this review. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Get ready for wickedly hot scenes if you pick up Olivia Cunning's new erotic romance, Backstage Pass. Because there are a lot of 'em! So consider yourself warned--if that's not your thing, don't read this book!

But if you do pick it up, don't just read it for the sex--instead, read it for the characters that get you rooting for them to find their happily-ever-after. I liked Brian Sinclair--he's a sexy rock star, for goodness' sakes! And I liked Myrna's personality--she's smart and sassy, and just needed a little push to chill enough to go hang with rock stars (and start bossing 'em around--I like the bossing around!)... Of course, the way the chemistry sizzles between the two of them doesn't hurt either.

The rest of the boys are entertaining, too, and I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series if only to find out what happens to them. *grin* Let me know if you give this a whirl, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

123. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane...

October 11, 2010
unholy ghosts
Title: Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1)
Author: Stacia Kane
ISBN-13: 9780345515575
eBook
Publisher: Random House, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Unholy Ghosts is my own. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghosts is set in a hard and gritty post-apocalyptic world where the Church rules with a heavy fist, and ghosts are a menace (well, one among many, anyway). Which is where Chess Putnam comes in. Her job is to investigate claims of hauntings. If 'tis truth, she banishes the ghost. If 'tis falsehood, she collects a fine for the Church, because you should never lie to the Church!

And here you'd be thinking, "Hmm. That's a story?" The answer is, definitely! Because Chess isn't just your handy-dandy ghost-buster on call, she also has problems. Lots of problems. Of which the largest happens to be a lot of money owed to a local drug lord. Now, you're wondering why Chess owes anything to a local drug lord... MY answer is, because there's wouldn't be a story to follow if she didn't. The book's answer is, because Chess has a problem (see beginning-ish of paragraph).

Her debt sets Chess on a path to clear some rumored ghosts off an abandoned runway so that the drug lord can fly in more (what else?) drugs. But when she gets there and starts poking around, she finds way more than just ghosts. What was supposed to be a simple task to wipe out her slate, turns into dangerous entanglements with black magic, human sacrifices, and demonic evil. None of which Chess thinks she has a chance of surviving.

I really enjoyed this new series' originality, and how flawed Chess is. Who'd think I'd root for a heroine with a drug habit? But I do. Because Chess is truly trying to do the right thing, if for others more than for herself. If you're looking for new urban fantasy to read, you should pick this one up and give it a whirl. I've already got my copy of Unholy Magic, and am just trying to find some time to sneak in some reading!

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Saturday Spotlight: Fall of Giants by Ken Follett...

October 9, 2010
I used to be a huge Ken Follett fan. I think I got hooked when I read On Wings of Eagles and then Lie Down with Lions, and I made my way through every single Follett book published in the 80's and early 90's. Then, there was a looooooooooong drought, until recently when the Mr. and I found Starz's production of The Pillars of the Earth. And I remembered that I loved Ken Follett's storytelling... So. Today's spotlight is on his newly-released first of a trilogy, Fall of Giants. I'm hoping it's as good as I want it to be!

fall of giants

Fall of Giants is a magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in the Century trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English and Welsh – as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women’s suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man’s world in the Welsh mining pits…Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House…two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription and revolution…Billy’s sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German Embassy in London….

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty.

As always with Ken, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

122. Blind Man's Alley by Justin Peacock...

October 8, 2010
blind man's alley
Title: Blind Man's Alley
Author: Justin Peacock
ISBN-13: 9780385531061
Hardcover: 465 pages
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Blind Man's Alley was provided by the publisher for this review. I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Justin Peacock's Blind Man's Alley is a legal thriller that will satisfy the legal-thriller fan... If you can make it through the first 20-30 pages, that is. I liked it, but thought it took a while to get up to cruising speed. 0-to-60 did not occur in 5.1 seconds here! Then again, good things come to those who wait. *grin*

Dustin Riley is a nice guy--as nice as a successful lawyer can be, anyway. He's on the up-and-coming path at work, with partnership just around the corner. He's just got to get through this libel lawsuit for their biggest client and he's a shoo-in. And for feel-good purposes, he's doing a pro-bono case to help some folks keep their home. Life is good.

Then things slowly start getting complicated, and next thing you know his pro-bono client's on the hook for murder. And his boss is telling him to make a deal and close the case. But things aren't quite as they seem, and Dustin's curiosity gets him poking around things better left un-poked.

While Dustin's legal life is getting complicated, Candace Snow's gets downright loopy. She's the reporter being sued for libel. And she's adamant that not a single word she printed is untruth. So she sets out to prove her side of things, and she finds out that getting wrapped up with big-time property developers can have scary consequences.

The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good, and the lawyer makes his way from the fence to pick a side. When the pace picks up, you won't want to put this down. Promise.

drey's rating: 3/5 Good

Challenges: 100+, Pub

Giveaway!
Thanks to Doubleday, I have 2 copies of Blind Man's Alley for you, if you live in the US (no PO Boxes, please)! To enter, comment with your email address and tell me you want it. Do it before 6pm CST October 21st. That's it, good luck!

Extra entries:
+1 Tweet this giveaway, comment separately with your twitter status.
+1 FB share (www.facebook.com/dreyslibrary), comment separately with your FB name.
+1 List this on your blog sidebar, comment separately with your blog link.

121. Alpha by Rachel Vincent...

October 7, 2010
alphaTitle: Alpha (Shifters #6)
Author: Rachel Vincent
ISBN-13: 9780778328186 (paperback copy)
eBook
Publisher: Mira, 2010
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository

FTC Disclosure: My copy of Alpha sat on my nook for all of an hour before I had to pick it up... I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

drey's thoughts:
Alpha is the final installment in Rachel Vincent's fabulous Shifters series, and I am sad to see it end. After all that Faythe has been through, I'm amazed that she can still come up kicking and screaming. Or trying to kick and scream, anyway. As much as you can while you're grieving the loss of your brother, still recovering from the latest round of let's-beat-Faythe-to-a-pulp, and having an impossible time trying to decide which of the two men you love will get his heart broken to bits. *sigh*

As much as I love Faythe, though, she's definitely not perfect. In fact, that not-perfect is why they're in this mess. Then again, it's not like she has much choice in the matter. Unless she just gives up and lets Calvin Malone start his dictatorship right then and there. But my girl Faythe, she's not one to give up, not when there are others counting on her. Not when so many lives could be destroyed by one insane megalomaniac.

Alpha is a rough, hard, ride to the finish line, complete with heartbreak and loss. And as hard as some of the losses are, it is absolutely worth the journey, to see the Faythe that ends the series.

drey's rating: 4/5 Excellent

Challenges: 100+, Pub

October's FEATURED AUTHOR: Stephanie Draven, Book Addict!

October 6, 2010
Well, it's October already, and the weather's getting colder out. Which means it's the perfect time to load up on a whole pile of books to curl up under a blanket with!

Ok, I'll stop blathering now, and introduce my Featured Author for October--Stephanie Draven, who's also visiting for her Poisoned Kisses blog tour! We must've had some crossed wires or something, because we were going to post our Q&A today, but no worries, we have a post for you from Stephanie!


poisoned kisses blog tour


About the author:
Stephanie Draven is currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies. She lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

Stephanie has always been a storyteller. In elementary school, she channeled Scheherazade, weaving a series of stories to charm children into sitting with her each day at the lunch table. When she was a little older, Stephanie scared all the girls at her sleepovers with ghost stories.

She should have known she was born to hold an audience in her thrall, but Stephanie resisted her writerly urges and graduated from college with a B.A. in Government. Then she went to Law School, where she learned how to convincingly tell the tallest tales of all!

A longtime lover of ancient lore, Stephanie enjoys re-imagining myths for the modern age. She doesn’t believe that true love is ever simple or without struggle so her work tends to explore the sacred within the profane, the light under the loss and the virtue hidden in vice. She counts it amongst her greatest pleasures when, from her books, her readers learn something new about the world or about themselves.

Find Stephanie online at her website, stephaniedraven.com, and check out her Poisoned Kisses tour stops at stephaniedraven.com/poisoned-kisses-blog-tour!

FTC Disclosure: I am an affiliate at IndieBound, The Book Depository, and Amazon, and any purchases made by clicking on the cover or the links provided may result in monetary compensation.

And now, Stephanie shares her favorite reads with us! Come and see what they are...
I’m thrilled to be here today to talk about one of my favorite subjects: books! When I was younger, I would stick with a book to the bitter end, whether I loved it or not. Now, it’s the rare book that I’ll read to the end, and those are the books that I treasure. What’s strange is that even though I’m a paranormal romance writer, my favorite books come from all different kinds of genres.

In the fantasy genre, two of my favorite writers are George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb. On the surface, their fiction is different--Martin’s is more emotionally distant and crueler. But both of them share a smart political sensibility. Their stories are about more than dragons and talking ships. There’s meat on those bones. A Game of Thrones took some enormous risks and I’ll always admire it for that reason. Meanwhile, the Liveship Traders series kept me awake more nights than I care to admit.

I’m also an avid reader of historical fiction--I loved the Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George and I delight in John Maddox Roberts’ ancient Roman detective stories in the SPQR series. I particularly love historical fantasy, which means that I’m a big fan of Jo Graham’s Hands of Isis and, of course, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon.

As for romances, my tastes are all over the map. I am gaga for Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons and my favorite might be On the Way to the Wedding. I always find that a little bit strange, the fact that I write dark and angsty paranormal romances, but when I read for pleasure, I often want the quirkiest, funniest, Rom Com I can find. Kristan Higgins is another favorite of mine. I adored Too Good to Be True.

I also read erotica, in part because I think it’s where the edgiest literary writing is happening in fiction today. Boundaries are being pushed there for the better. I admit that I was moved quite to tears by Megan Hart’s Dirty.

The classics that have a proud place on my bookshelves include Wuthering Heights, 1984, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gone with the Wind. I’m very tempted to talk about all the classic books I’ve read that I hated with a passion, but I wouldn’t want to start a flame war, so I’ll end here!

Ok, I think I love Stephanie already! How could I not, when George R.R Martin and Robin Hobb are the first authors she mentions? And I've only recently "found" Kristan Higgins, and love the sense of humor that comes through in her books. What about you? What have you read on Stephanie's list?

Giveaway!
Stephanie has a present for you... One lucky winner will received a copy of Poisoned Kisses, US and Canada only. To enter, comment and share what you've read that's on Stephanie's list (what did you think of it?), or by the authors above, or you think she might like (based on her post). Leave an email address so I can notify you if you've won. Do it before 6:00pm CST October 29th. Good luck!!

Extra entries:
+1 Tweet this giveaway, comment separately with your twitter status.
+1 FB share (www.facebook.com/dreyslibrary), comment separately with your FB name.
+1 List this on your blog sidebar, comment separately with your blog link.
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