Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane

Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane

Book stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: June 26th 2012

Series: Downside Ghosts #5

Source: Netgalley

Reviewed by: Christine

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

A DEADLY HIGH

Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.

As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.

I swear this book almost gave me a heart attack. There is only a handful of books that absorb me that completely and make me feel so many emotions like Stacia Kane's Downside series.

Because Chess and Terrible are finally together, I dreaded reading this book, always fearing Stacia Kane will rip them apart. In the last book, Sacrificial Magic, she upped the ante by making Lex the leader of Bump's rival gang. Putting him and Terrible directly against each other and Chess smack in the middle creates so much tension I sometimes found it hard to breath. The underlying danger of Lex’s threat to kill Terrible kept me on the edge of my seat the whole book. I have never been more worried about a fictional character than I was worried for Terrible’s safety in Chasing Magic.

Even though Stacia Kane shows Terrible's worst side in this book, there are even more scenes where he’s absolutely swoon worthy. I always how much he must love Chess.

There were several scenes in the book where I really really wanted to strangle Chess. She is flawed and her self-respect couldn’t be any lower, but by now, even she must have realized that Terrible is in love with her, period. Yet, she maneuvers herself into situations and does things she can’t have thought through. It’s a good thing I read this book while I stayed with my family. If I had been alone while reading this, I would have screamed in frustration at her.

The relationship between her and Terrible grows stronger with each book. One of my favorite scenes was when Chess took Terrible to elder Griffin’s wedding. I was nice to see that Chess doesn’t mind at all being seen with Terrible outside of Downside. This scene also makes me hope for something to happen between Chess and Terrible. Despite the seeming hopelessness of their relationship, there’s a subtle hint at a positive future for them. Of course, I might die of joy if what I suspect does actually happen. But well. The end of the book opens yet again a new chapter in the life of Chess and Terrible and I can’t wait to see how that turns out. To say it’s a huge step for Chess puts it mildly.

While I have never been much of a fan of Lex, I definitely hate him now. He claims to like Chess, but most of the time, his actions speak otherwise. I don’t know why Chess even bothers with him anymore. But all that being said, his new role and his character are fantastic for the plot and the overall story arc, as his presence creates enough conflict for several more books (I hope).

The story of Chasing Magic is very much about consequences. The consequences of Chess’s previous actions come to bite her in the ass. Not only the mistakes she made with Lex (I refuse to see it as anything else =) ), but also the death of Slowbag and other doings of Chess's cause a lot of trouble in this book. While the Downside series is very dark from the beginning, this book was especially grim and horrid. There’s no church case in this book, instead all of Downside is plagued with an especially gruesome form of magic. The race of Chess and Terrible to uncover who is behind all that magic is a thrill ride for us readers that will make you regret every minute you’re forced to put down your book.

There is one thing that didn’t sit very well with me in this book though. I can’t really discuss it and not spoil it for you. All I can say is that for me it stands for a very unhealthy turn in a relationship. Of course you can argue that it is fitting for the respective characters but, still, that’s not something I approve of. (If you want to know what that’s about or want to discuss it, I’d be happy to!) However, this bit could not spoil my overall enjoyment of this book.

It is not a big secret that I might be the biggest fan of this series. This gem of urban fantasy hides its raw beauty under a huge layer of blood and violence. I wish I had the right words to praise it the way it deserves, but everything that comes to mind doesn’t seem adequate. Chasing Magic pulls you in with the very first chapter, puts you through a whole spectrum of emotions and spits you out wanting even more. The characters, the world, the writing - all is highly addictive awesomeness.

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Posted by Christine at 07:18

 ghost, Random House, Review, Stacia Kane  2 People left their mark

PAF: Interview with Stacia Kane + giveaway!

Today, our Christine is interviewing the talented Stacia Kane! Stacia's visiting the blog to talk about her new release, SACRIFICIAL MAGIC, the fourth book in her Downside series.

Stay tuned to learn more about this fantastic series and enter to win your very own copy of SACRIFICIAL MAGIC from Random House!

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Welcome back to Tynga's Reviews, Stacia! For all those those who haven't read your latest release Sacrificial Magic yet, can you describe in three words what they can expect?

Mystery, darkness, complications.

Who is the most important person in Chess's life?

Oh, Terrible, absolutely. No one matters more than he does.Oh, Terrible, absolutely. No one matters more than he does.

So far, Chess has been able to manage her addiction and her job quite well. Will that last?

Now, that's a big spoiler. :-) She's certainly going to try, unless she just gives up and stops trying. Heh.

Are you afraid that reading your books might play down drug addiction and drug dealing in the eyes of the readers?

Not really, no. I don't think anything I put in a book is going to change anything in the real world. And if it does? Well, it's nice to think maybe someone out there is realizing that there are actually millions of functional addicts in the world, people just like the rest of us, and addicts are still human beings.

If you could live in the world you created, where would you want to live or work? Downside or Church grounds?

Definitely Downside. It'd be scary but much more fun.

The last question is pretty simple (for me): if you could choose, who would you rather date, Lex or Terrible?

It is simple. Terrible for me, too. :-)

Thanks very much for visiting us, Stacia! It's been a pleasure.

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Here's the scoop on SACRIFICIAL MAGIC:

READING, WRITING, AND RAISING THE DEAD

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

Christine's review

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Click on the cover to find out more about the first three books in the series:

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Random House is generously offering one (1) copy of SACRIFICIAL MAGIC to a lucky reader!

To enter the giveaway, obey the Rafflecopter!

US/Canada only

Ends Sunday, April 15, 2012
(like all of our Paranormal April Fools’ giveaways)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Stacia Kane is the author of the gritty dystopian urban fantasy “Downside” series starring Chess Putnam and featuring ghosts, human sacrifice, drugs, witchcraft, punk rock, and a badass ’69 Chevelle. She bleaches her hair and wears a lot of black.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Posted by jenn at 08:51

 ghost, giveaway, Paranormal April Fools', Random House, Stacia Kane  38 People left their mark

Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Books Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Random House
Release date: March 27th 2012

Series: Downside Ghosts #4

Source: Netgalley

Reviewed by: Christine

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

When I started reading this book, I was really anxious. I´m a huge Terrible fan and in the last book, I really really hoped they would finally end up together. Well, I got my wish, but in this series, it doesn't mean everything is all rainbows and butterflies.

Chess tries very hard to make her new relationship with Terrible work, because she obviously really loves him. But somehow she still manages to make mistakes and manipulate it all the time and reading that broke my heart a hundred times. It is really tragic to see how her incredibly low self esteem and the fact that she is permanently second guessing her own behavior are almost enough to destroy one of the good things that has happened to her.

But then there is Terrible. Even though I won´t give you any details to avoid spoilers, I can tell you this: the way he acts in this book makes you love him even more and forget what he actually is. The feared, scarred enforcer of the local drug lord and the man he is when he´s around Chess seem like two completely different persons to me. And as far as I know, I´m not the only girl in the Terrible fan club. Kudos to Stacia Kane for making me (and a while lot of others) fall in love with a man like that.

Even though, for me, Sacrificial Magic is mostly about Chess and Terrible´s relationship, there are of course several other story arcs, including Chess´s job as church witch. Her most recent assignment requires her to investigate the haunting of a school on Lex´s and Slobag´s side of town. A fact that guarantees for even more complications in her relationship. The case as well as the escalating war between the two fractions that control Downside had me glued to the pages just as much as the personal drama in Chess´s life. Her case is exciting and complex and I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together to figure out all the details.  The end of the book came as a bit of a shock. Though there is not real cliffhanger, the results of the finale of this book are bound to cause huge changes in Chess´s life and will probably change Downside in the next book.

During her investigation, Chess also gets to know a new character, Beulah. Right from the start I was curious about her, since her intentions and motifs remained unclear until later in the book. But I have to admit that I ended up liking her a lot.

I started reading this book at the end of what felt like one of those very long days right before I planned on going to bed. The next thing I know, it was in the middle of the night (or rather very early in the morning). I´m afraid I just can´t put down a book by Stacia Kane once I have started reading. I admire her for her talent to make me care for characters I was convinced I would never care about before I read the first book.

You know, at this point, I always wish I would be able to praise Stacia Kane´s books in the way I think they deserve. Sadly, everything I come up with feels like it falls short. Sacrificial Magic is more than an amazing, exciting page-turner with fantastic characters set in a world that is unique, yet disturbing.

I thought it was brilliant. Sacrificial Magic is the best book I´ve read so far in 2012.

Here ends my rambling about Downside. But if anybody wants to join me in my swoon fest over Terrible, go ahead! Just keep it spoiler free! An for those who have finished the book as well: do you also wish you could get relationship advice from Elder Griffin?

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Posted by Christine at 08:36

 ghost, Random House, Review, Stacia Kane  2 People left their mark

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

Book Stats:
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Published: May 31, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1423134671

Series: The Ghost and the Goth #2

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Source: Review copy sent by Disney Hyperion

After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

For the first time in her life – or afterlife- Alona has been shout-out: From the afterlife. Talk about a bummer. But she is determined to earn her place into the light by helping, with Will, other ghosts into said light. But nothing is as easy as it seems and things gets even more complicated when the pair stumbles into another ghost-talker, with a different point of view.

Wow. First off, let me tell you that Queen of the Dead was even better than The Ghost and the Goth. Stacey Kade really took her story t the next level and the plot was much more exciting!

Will will discover a lot more about the ghost-talking business and discover more about his late father. What he finds will stir-up many interrogations and he won’t like all the answers. Seeing him navigate the unknown was ratter entertaining and I liked how he imagined what Alona would’ve said about certain situations when she wasn’t there. Speaking of the Devil, Alona’s path was colorful – to say the least – this time around and I like her that much more. She still has her Queenly attitude but the things she’s had to deal with shows a softer, more vulnerable side of her.

The plot line was well though and surprising and I enjoyed every twist and turn. I honestly can’t wait for the third installment, especially after the way Queen of the Dead ended.

The book s a generally light but chapter 7 really broke my heart and I got teary-eyed on a few occasions (both sad and happy tears). I would strongly recommend this series to teens and adult alike!

Alone & Will make the unthinkable possible with their sweet and touching ghost story!

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Posted by Tynga at 00:44

 ghost, Review, Stacia Kane, young adult  10 People left their mark

When I’m not writing… with Stacia Kane

 

This week I have to honor to meet with Stacia Kane, author of the Downside series which is “a cross between Ghostbusters and Escape From New York, with witchcraft, drugs, human sacrifice, punk rock, and a black '69 Chevelle." I’ll tell you more about this original series, but first, let’s learn more about miss Kane! BTW, she is wearing a wig in this picture, it’s not her natural coloring *winks*

 

What do I do when I’m not writing?

That’s kind of a contradiction in terms. I’m never not writing. I’m never not thinking about writing. It’s like being a parent; not in the sense that books are like children, of course—I wouldn’t throw myself in front of a train to save a manuscript—but in the way they never fully leave your head. You know what I mean? There’s always a little part of your mind focused on them, thinking of them, worrying about them, planning things for them. (I read a quote somewhere once that said something like, “When you become a parent you grow a little extra piece on your heart, and that piece is always crying.” Which, yeah, pretty much. Writing is like that too, except that little piece is always poking you, distracting you, trying to grab your attention,  waking you up in the middle of the night…kind of like a husband, actually, except husbands don’t normally spend all of their time telling you that you’re just not good enough and you shouldn’t think you are, and that nobody likes you. At least they shouldn’t. Far be it from me to butt in, but if your husband does that you should maybe look for a new one. But writing can be pretty cruel sometimes, frankly.)

Anyway. This isn’t about what I think of writing, it’s about what I do when I’m not writing. I could actually dispose of that topic in a few words: eating, sleeping, cooking…*cough*grown-up things*cough*…lazing about.

But there are a few things, I suppose. I love to cook. I cook a lot. Funnily enough, I find the urge to get involved in large, elaborate cooking projects strengthens as my deadlines get closer. Odd, that. But very true. My family generally knows that when I announce I’m going to bake a chocolate-orange chiffon cake with freshly whipped cream, chocolate ganache, and orange glaze, it means I’m avoiding work and they need to give me a Stern Look. Of course that doesn’t stop them from eating it.

It doesn’t stop at poncy desserts, either, oh no. When I’m avoiding writing I tend to pull out the Big Guns. This is when I start making things that require brining bags and roux-based sauces and reductions. This is when the jars of demiglace in my fridge become noticeably lighter, and my cast iron Dutch ovens are called into constant use (I do love those. A few years ago the men in my husband’s office had a fit when he told them he was buying me cookware for Christmas. They all insisted he’d be punished for that and no woman wanted kitchen stuff for Christmas. They were, of course, wrong. I’m happy every time I pull out a piece of le Creuset that we saved up for. I’ve only got a couple of pieces at the moment, but I’m adding to the collection whenever possible). This is when my long-suffering husband can’t find room in the fridge because of all the covered bowls of leftovers and bags of meat soaking in various wine-based concoctions and half-empty tubs of exotic ingredients.

But it’s relaxing, and I find it very difficult to relax. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m terribly lazy. And I honestly like nothing more than to stay home all day on my couch, working or playing with my laptop or reading or watching movies or whatever. Sometimes I even, you know, do stuff with my children.

But like I said, it’s hard to relax. I’m always caught up in something, focusing on something. Worrying about something; that’s a big one. There’s never a moment where I’m not freaking out about this or that or stressed about something, to be honest. It generally even takes me a few hours to get to sleep every night. I’m a night owl and an insomniac, and it’s not unusual for me to slip into bed half an hour before my husband and the girls get up.

Cooking is different. Cooking is, to borrow a phrase which feels annoyingly trendy in a self-conscious, meta sort of way, very zen. It’s soothing. It’s something creative to do that produces almost instant results; tangible results. You can write fifty thousand words of a book and feel accomplished, but you still only have fifty thousand words, not a whole book. Whereas with cooking…a few hours, maybe and you have a real thing. Something you can share, and something with results you can experience immediately.  That can be a surprisingly important boost, especially when you’re stuck, or if you (like me) spend pretty much the entire time you’re writing convinced you’re just churning out garbage and no one will ever want to read this shit and why do you even bother. So that little kick is really nice to have.

I don’t just cook when I want to avoid writing. I cook when I want to write, when I’m not sure what happens next but I know it has to be something good. It gives me something else to focus on. Something to do with my hands while I let my mind wander. I do some of my best plotting while cooking. Well, I do my best plotting in three places: in the shower, while driving, and while cooking. It clears my head. Cooking is essentially being forced to ignore distractions; you can’t just hop over to check your email when your hands are covered in flour.

Of course, I still consider it writing in some way, because that’s what I’m thinking about. But it’s not physically writing, and it’s not sitting on the couch with my laptop. That alone makes it quite a change for me!

Thanks so much for inviting me here, Tynga! This was really fun to do. And thanks everyone for reading!

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Stacey I hear you about the insomnia! I, also, often slip into bed just before my fiancé wake sup for work and I often inspiration in the shower or while brushing my teeth, I guess our Muse likes to hang out in the bathroom haha. It was such a pleasure to have you on board thank you very much!

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More about Stacia’s books!

(click to purchase)

City of Ghosts:

IT’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALIVE AND UNDEAD.

Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.

Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.

Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead.

You will be very happy to learn that the tentative date on the fourth book is next fall, as far as I know there isn’t an official title yet, but I bet it will be awesome ^^

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Enjoyed this post? There will be more “When I’m not writing…” posts in the future!

Please visit This Page to find out who my future guests are, and a chance to suggest authors you would like to see featured!

Authors, you would like to visit and share with us?

Please email me at TyngaUF(a)gmail.com

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Posted by Tynga at 00:26

 Stacia Kane, When I'm not writing  6 People left their mark

July New Releases

The big majority of these titles have been featured during the Paranormal Summer Fest, but July is so full of awesomeness that I wouldn’t want you to miss any of them!

Here are the stars of July!

Product description from goodreads.com

Other by Karen Kincy

Release date: July 1st, 2010

Product Description:

Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.
When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.

Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

Release Date: July 6th, 2010

Product description:

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes

Release Date: July 6th, 2010

Product Description:

To stop a vampire killer, she’ll have to slay her own demons first.
A provocative and savvy vampire, Alexandra Sabian moves to the sleepy hamlet of Jefferson, Mississippi—population 6,000, half vampires—to escape the demons lurking in her past. As an enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations (FBPI), Alex must maintain the uneasy peace between her kind and humans, including Jefferson’s bigoted sheriff, who’d be happy to see all vampires banished from town. Then really dead vamps start turning up—beheaded, crucified, and defanged, the same gruesome manner in which Alex’s father was murdered decades ago. For Alex, the professional has become way too personal.
Things get even more complicated when the FBPI sends in some unnervingly sexy backup: Alex’s onetime mentor, lover, and fiancé, Varik Baudelaire. Still stinging from the betrayal that ended their short-lived engagement, Alex is determined not to give in to the temptation that soon threatens to short-circuit her investigation. But as the vamp body count grows and the public panic level rises, Varik may be Alex’s only hope to stop a relentless killer who’s got his own score to settle and his own bloody past to put right.

Unchained by Sharon Ashwood

Release date: July 6th, 2010

Product Description:

Ashe Carver, monster-killer, has the scars to prove it. But faced with a custody battle, she's hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library, determined to show the courts and her ten-year-old daughter that she's as good a mother as she is a hunter.

Easier said than done. There are lovelorn vampires haunting the library, a slime demon in the shopping mall, and her new-mom sister needs a hand with her ghostbusting biz. Then, after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, Captain Reynard strides into her world like a hero from the library's Must Reads. Smokingly gorgeous, passionate and courageous to a fault, he has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul.

Ashe picks up her weapons to save the day—but not every problem can be solved with a stake. With so much tragedy in her past, Ashe fears the disaster she sees ahead—and prays she doesn't fail everyone. Again.

Memories are the hardest monsters to kill.

Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane

Release Date: July 6th, 2010.

Product Description:

ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.
For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.
Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.

Sleepless by Cyn Balog

Release date: July 13th, 2010.

Product Description:

Eron De Marchelle isn't supposed to feel a connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce human charges to sleep. While he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to--after all, getting too involved in one human's life would prevent him helping his other charges get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia. Julia, with her fiery red hair and her sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. Eron has always felt protective of Julia . . . but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't seem to reach her . . .
Sandmen are forbidden from communicating with humans outside their dreams. But will Eron be willing to risk everything for a chance to be with the person he loves?

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Release date: July 20th, 2010.

Product Description:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past...and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves...and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love--the light and the dark, the warm and the cold--in a way you will never forget.

Dark and Stormy Knights – Anthology

Release date: July 20th, 2010.

Production Description:

They’re the last defenders of humanity, the lone wolf bad boys— and girls—who do dark deeds for the right reasons. Modern day knights who are sexy, funny, mad, bad and dangerous to know because they do what most of us only dream about…and get away with it. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest urban fantasy authors bring us original stories of supernatural, modern day knights that will have readers clamoring for more!

 

City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane

Release Date: July 27th, 2010.

Product description:

IT’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALIVE AND UNDEAD.
Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.
Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.
Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead.

Shadow Chase by Seressia Glass

Release date: July 27th, 2010

Product Description:

In a job like this, one mistake can cost you everything.As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces.And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a powershe can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.

Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready

Release date: July 27th, 2010

Product Description:

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin seems to finally have it all. A steady job at WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll. A loving relationship with the idiosyncratic but eternally hot DJ Shane McAllister. A vampire dog who never needs shots or a pooper-scooper. And after nine years, it looks as if she might actually finish her bachelor's degree!
But fate has other plans for Ciara. First she must fulfill her Faustian bargain with the Control, the paranormal paramilitary agency that does its best to keep vampires in line. Turns out the Control wants her for something other than her (nonexistent) ability to kick undead ass. Her anti-holy blood, perhaps?
Ciara's suspicions are confirmed when she's assigned to a special-ops division known as the Immanence Corps, run by the Control's oldest vampire and filled with humans who claim to have special powers. To a confirmed skeptic like Ciara, it sounds like a freak fest. But when a mysterious, fatal virus spreads through Sherwood—and corpses begin to rise from their graves—Ciara will not only get a crash course in zombie-killing, but will be forced to put her faith, and her life itself, in the hands of magic.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Release Date: July 27th, 2010

Product description:

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness…and now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.
Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.
At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.
But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

As lie the Dead by Kelly Meding

Release date: July 27th, 2010

Product Description:

Evangeline Stone, a rogue bounty hunter, never asked for a world divided between darkness and light…
…or the power to die and live again in someone else's borrowed body. After a murder plot meant to take her out leaves an entire race of shapeshifters nearly extinct, Evy is gnawed by guilt. So when one of the few survivors of the slaughter enlists her aid, she feels duty-bound to help—even though protecting a frail, pregnant shifter is the last thing Evy needs, especially with the world going to hell around her.
Amid weres, Halfies, gremlins, vamps—and increasingly outgunned humans—a war for supremacy is brewing. With shifters demanding justice, her superiors desperate to control her, and an assassin on her trail, Evy discovers a horrifying conspiracy. And she may be the only person in the world who can stop it—unless, of course, her own side gets her first.

Wait for Dusk by Jocelynn Drake

Release date: July 27th, 2010

Product Description:

There is no sanctuary in the night…
Feared even by her own kind for her mastery of fire, the Nightwalker Mira is summoned by the Coven to take her rightful place as Elder. But with this honor comes grave responsibility—a commitment to the annihilation of the unleashed naturi. For now the foul creatures walk the earth—and neither vampire nor human will survive their horrific onslaught.
A tide of blood is sweeping relentlessly across the European continent, as Mira is dispatched to Budapest for the most devastating test yet of her astonishing powers—and falls into a well-laid trap. With the dark secrets that haunt her growing darker by the hour, she must confront the terrible truth of her past and protect her fragile sanity in the face of unanticipated treachery—a betrayal by her ally, her enemy, her lover…the vampire slayer, Danaus.

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Posted by Tynga at 00:00

 Chloe Neill, Cyn Balog, Jeaniene Frost, Jeannie Holmes, Jeri Smith-Ready, Jocelynn drake, Karen Kincy, Kelly Meding, Maggie Stiefvater, Seressia Glass, Sharon Ashwood, Stacia Kane, Waiting on wednesday  5 People left their mark