Storm Front Giveaway on Vampire Wire....

All of you Jim Butcher (and James Marters) fans should be interested in the giveaway over at the Vampire Wire blog. It's the audio version of Storm Front, narrated by James Marsters. You have until Friday evening to stop by Vampire Wire, here....

http://vampirewire.blogspot.com/2008/07/jim-butcher-audiobook-contest-dr.html

...and leave Marta a comment sharing your thoughts on which actor or actress you'd like to see as a vampire, shapeshifter or other paranormal creature. Sounds like fun, eh? Get over there and get your entry in!

Happy Reading....

Kimberly

Gale Force by Rachel Caine

Gale Force
Weather Wardens, Book 7
Rachel Caine
ROC
August 5, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-46223-7

From the Publisher’s site:
Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is on vacation when her Djinn lover, David, asks Joanne to marry him. She’s thrilled to say yes, even if some others may be less than happy about it.

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Unfortunately, Joanne’s pre-marital bliss is ended by a devastating earthquake in Florida. And she can’t ask David and his kind for assistance. Because the cause of the quake is unlike anything Joanne has ever encountered—and a power even the Djinn cannot perceive.
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My thoughts:
Joanne Baldwin is supposed to be enjoying some time in Florida away from her duties as a Weather Warden, but it’s not an easy job to set aside. There’s a wildfire that’s been burning along Alligator Alley for three days, and for Joanne it’s impossible not to be involved. Phil Garret, an investigative reporter, is after her for a story on the Wardens, so someone has been feeding him information. She also has a future with David to plan, but in the midst of that chaos a dark force is at work that must be dealt with. An earthquake is only the beginning.

David is among the strongest of the Djinn, but even he hasn’t been able to truly unite them as they once were. After they released themselves from serving the Wardens, the Djinn also divided. While David leads half of them, Ashan, a Djinn who truly despises Joanne, leads the other half.

The war among the new and old Djinn, as well as the war between the Djinn and Wardens, has caused death and destruction. With so many lost the trust between them is nearly non-existent. Even David is having a hard time believing in Joanne when she describes the force they’re working against, because it’s something the Djinn can’t see.

This is the seventh installment in the Weather Warden series and it’s as captivating as the previous books. Joanne’s life is forever changing as she continues to grow with new power, and her relationship with David has taken an unexpected turn. Ms. Caine is a top-notch writer and her skill in weaving a mesmerizing tale is easily seen. Her characters are wonderfully dimensional, and the world they live in is solid and believable. The chemistry between these strong characters always sizzles, and Gale Force stands out with their deep and fluctuating emotions. This is one that fans won’t want to miss, and I’d strongly suggest that anyone new to the series read each book in order.

If you’d like to learn more about Ms. Caine and her work, you can read an interview with her: Here

To read an excerpt of Gale Force and learn more about the Weather Wardens, you can visit Ms. Caine’s site: Here


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Underground by Kat Richardson

Underground
Greywalker, Book 3
Kat Richardson
ROC
August 5, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-46212-1

From the Publisher’s site:
Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker—walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases.

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Pioneer Square’s homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground—the city buried beneath modern Seattle. When Harper’s friend Quinton believes he may be implicated in the deaths, he persuades her to investigate. But the killer is no mere murderer—it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master…unless they stop her first.
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My thoughts:
After surviving a brief brush with death, Harper Blaine found she came back with a gift. Now she can move through the Grey where ghosts and darker things exist, and sometimes the layers of time can be accessed. Her P.I. business, and her new talent with the Grey, brings her in contact with beings and entities she’s left little choice but to believe in.

The homeless are turning up dead and Harper’s friend, Quinton, has asked for her help in discovering the cause. He’s a pro when it comes to designing electronics to protect and defend, but even Quinton is at a disadvantage when it comes to something ancient who hungers at the whim of a master. With Harper’s ever evolving skill in the Grey, they may have a fighting chance to find the answers they need before the evil seeks other avenues to satisfy the hunger that consumes him.

Seattle’s Underground can be a very dangerous place, but tracking a killer through parts of the city that were buried after the city’s tragic fire could cost them their lives. If they can uncover the monster, they’ll still have to rely on the support of those who can banish their foe because there can be nothing left for his master to hold on to.

This is the third release in the Greywalker series, and the aspects of the Grey become deeper still as Harper Blaine leads readers to discover what lies beyond the norm. As Harper comes to accept and utilize the changes in her life, not everyone around her is as agreeable with her choices. It makes for some interesting friction and opens another door to possibilities. Ms. Richardson gives readers a paranormal murder mystery and provides all of the fast paced action it takes to solve it. Underground should easily satisfy urban fantasy readers, and includes a touch of romance to lighten some of those dark corners of Grey. The author provides just enough background to start the series at this point, but I would recommend starting with the first Greywalker book.

To read an excerpt from Underground, visit Ms. Richardson’s site: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Countdown by Michelle Maddox

Countdown
Michelle Maddox
SHOMI – Dorchester Publishing
July 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-505-52755-4

From the back cover:
THREE
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Kira Jordan wakes up in a pitch-black room handcuffed to a metal wall. She has 60 seconds to escape. Thus begins a vicious game where to lose is to die.

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TWO

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The man she’s been partnered with—her only ally in this nightmare—is a convicted mass murderer. But if he’s so violent, why does he protect her? And stranger still, what is it behind those haunted sea-green eyes that makes her want to protect him?

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ONE

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No one to trust. Nowhere to run. And the only hope of survival is working together to beat the

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COUNTDOWN

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My thoughts:
When Kira Jordan wakes, it’s to find herself handcuffed to a wall in the dark with no recollection of where she is or how she ended up there. The small-time thief is soon surprised to find that she hasn’t been left there alone, and the man she’s been stuck with is in worse shape than she is.

Rogan Ellis was an inmate serving a multiple life sentence for murder and rape when he’s forced into Countdown, a game that will either save him or leave him dead. If he and Kira can make it through the final level they’ll have a fresh future, freedom he thought he’d never see again.

Their first step is to get free of their restraints, but in order to do that one will have to trust the other to trade a key. They must stay together and work as a team to survive carrying out their instructions to each level, because their host has added a nasty little surprise for them if they try to separate. As the game progresses, Kira begins to suspect that Rogan knows much more about the game than he’s let on, and she intends to get some answers.

A new release in the SHOMI line, Countdown is a familiar concept with qualities that are fresh and unique. As Kira comes to accept her role in the deadly game she plays, her connection to Rogan continues to grow and confuse her. For Rogan, his past his twisted past weighs heavily on his mind, but a glimmer of hope and his determination to control his own future will get him through. Ms. Maddox molds a world where advanced technology can easily help or hurt those exposed to it. The story moves at a quick pace with danger around every turn. The characters are well defined and believable in their quest. The mixture of sarcastic humor and chemistry between the main characters will draw the reader deeper into the story, and the suspense of what the next level may hold will keep you at the edge of your seat. Countdown is an action packed taste of future possibilities.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

Cry Wolf
Alpha and Omega, Book 1
Patricia Briggs
Ace
July 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01615-0

From the Publisher’s site:
Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.
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My thoughts:
After an attack that changed her into a werewolf, Anna was forced into the local pack and bullied into submission. She’s a rare Omega wolf who should be revered for what she can offer the pack, but her Alpha had other plans. She’s been cut off from her family and friends with the promise of their deaths should she contact them. Then Charles, the Marrock’s son, comes into her life, and the difficult life she has endured these last few years is about to change.

Charles Cornick can hardly believe that an Alpha would do to an Omega what was done to Anna. Abused into a position that didn’t suit her, Anna’s distrust of dominant males puts Charles in a situation where he must do his best to curb his instincts. He wants her for a mate, but he’ll have to convince her that she has no reason to fear him before she’ll ever let him close enough to form a strong relationship.

Asil lost his mate long ago when a young witch they took in and raised turned on them. On the edge of madness, and wanting to be put down, Asil is soothed by the new Omega’s presence. When a rogue wolf is thought to be roaming the surrounding area Charles is sent to investigate. The description stirs memories from Asil’s past, but it’s a mystery that must be solved quickly before the danger it represents can cause a countless number of deaths.

This is the first in Alpha and Omega, a spin-off of the Mercy Thompson series. Besides getting to know a few of Mercy’s friends in much more detail, Cry Wolf is a great start to this new werewolf series. Ms. Briggs is a fantastic storyteller who provides the kind of detail a reader needs to fully immerse themselves in a story. The action is filled with dangerous surprises and the romance will find a way into your heart. It’s always a pleasure to read a new tale from this talented author, so prepare yourself to add this to your list of favorites to follow.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Nightwalker
Dark Days, Book 1
Jocelynn Drake
Harper
July 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-163269-3

From the Author’s Site:
For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker – an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fired sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed…and may be all that prevents her doom.
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The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt…or be hunted.
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But in a dimension just beyond the world's boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world's great cities.
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And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind...and its feral brethren.
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My thoughts:
At 603 years old, Mira isn’t one of the Ancients, but she is something special among the nightwalkers. Turned over a decade, rather than the usual quick process, Mira is a First Blood. She remained with the Elder who sired her, Sadira and then with Jabari for centuries before finally leaving to make her way on her own. Now she has a territory to protect, Savannah, and with the ability to conjure fire she has a talent that her vampiric brethren don’t possess. While this ability lends her a degree of protection, it also draws attention from those who fear her and those who’d like to use her gift for their own purpose. Mira’s about to meet her latest admirer, Danaus, a hunter who appears to be just a tad bit obsessed.

Danaus is a member of Themis, an organization intent on wiping out the nightwalkers. His search and intention to destroy Mira must take a backseat to a more pressing problem. The naturi, the Sidhe who were once banished, are attempting to return and help is needed to stop them from breaking through. An association with Mira, the Fire Starter, could possibly be their best hope. Calling a temporary truce from killing each other, Danaus and Mira will be forced to put their enemy status to the side and work closely to rebuild the ancient union that once sealed the naturi away.

Nightwalker is the first in the Dark Days series and a fabulous start for the author’s debut. Mira is a strong heroine and initially she’s a bit brash, but her years as a nightwalker haven’t completely taken away her humanity and as the story goes on most readers will begin to warm up to her. Danaus has more of a quiet strength, even if he is quite deadly, and I couldn’t help liking him from the time he introduced himself. Nightwalker is an enjoyable read, and an exceptional debut novel. Ms. Drake has created an intriguing world of supernatural beings and added threads of mystery, action and vampire politics to tie the past to the present. I’ll be watching for the next in the Dark Days series.

Visit Ms. Drake and learn more about Nightwalker and the Dark Days series: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

I'm back....

Hi everyone! Thank you for the emails I received asking if all was well, I certainly have missed my blogging friends. I actually went on a little vacation, but it's the injury I came home with that slowed me down. Over the next few days I'll be catching up on reviews and getting back on schedule. Hope you're all doing well. For those of you in the US I hope that you enjoyed your 4th of July weekend, and for those who celebrate Canada Day I hope that the 1st was a special time for you as well. :)

Kimberly

The Wild Road by Marjorie Liu

The Wild Road
A Dirk & Steele Novel
Marjorie Liu
Leisure Books
July 29, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-8439-5939-0

From the back cover:
Lannes Hannelore is one of a dying race born to protect mankind against demonic forces. And while those who look upon him see a beautiful man, this illusion is nothing but a prison. His existence is one of pure isolation, hiding in plain sight, with brief solace found in simple pleasures: stretching his wings on a stormy night, long late drives on empty highways, the deep soul of sad songs. But when Lannes finds a young woman covered in blood—desperate and alone, with no memory or past—he will be drawn into a mystery that makes him question all he knows. And though it goes against his nature and everything he fears, Lannes will risk his heart, his secrets, and his very soul, in order to save someone who could be the love of his life...or the end of it.

My thoughts:
A woman wakes surrounded by a horrifically bloody scene and has no memory of what’s happened or who she is. She runs from the room and finds herself with Lannes, a man with his own secrets who’s willing to help. Together they try to unravel her past with little to go by. As clues emerge they follow them to their end, revealing a decades old mystery that has a bizarre connection to the amnesiac woman’s current situation.

Lannes is a gargoyle whose race is dying off with little hope for their future. Hiding away after being kidnapped and tortured by a crazy witch, Lannes has little contact with the outside world. When he ventures out to visit a friend, his life takes a sharp turn in the form of a woman he catches in the act of trying to break-in to his car. She’s a woman in need of rescue and protection, and that’s a combination Lannes can’t resist.

The Wild Road takes readers on a wild ride from the opening to the surprising end. While the characters have endured difficult times in their lives, their strengths are well described and shine through the shadows that surround them both. Ms. Liu has quickly become one of my favorite authors with her solid writing and engaging tales. The Wild Road is heavy on paranormal mystery and realistic in its romance. The creative twists and turns made it impossible to set down and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter. This is listed as the 8th Dirk & Steele story in the series, but is easily read as a stand alone.

You can read the first chapter of The Wild Road by visiting the publisher’s site: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews