Review: Ember Eternal

 

Book 1

Fox is a thief with morals—she steals from those who can afford it and only a little at that. She has no choice. Fox and her three closest companions entered into indentured servitude to the Lady, a mysterious noble with widespread political power by questionable means, in order to pay off familial debts. While searching for an easy mark in town, Fox helps a royal bodyguard fend off a would-be assassin’s attack on a prince’s life.

But what started off as protecting the prince out of good conscience has now unwittingly embroiled this thief in a vast world of politics, high stakes, and romance. - summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: I really loved this slow burn fantasy novel. I loved the relationship between Fox and Wren. I loved Wren's moments with the guard - fully of snark and chemistry. I loved the library in the palace. This story unfolds slowly, but it's also very cozy. Plus, there was action and danger. And there was a mean girl. I'm curious about the magic and what it means for Fox.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. It's the perfect book to curl up and read with a large mug of tea. 

Cover Thoughts: Cool

Source: My Library

Why I read this: I like Chloe Neill's writing. I've read several of her books.

Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your romance/fantasy readers! Highly recommended. 

Blog Tour: The Veil

Seven years ago, the Veil that separates us from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil’s Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused…

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack — in full view of the French Quarter — Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs—even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

As more and more Sensitives fall prey to their magic, and unleash their hunger on the city, Claire and Liam must work together to save New Orleans, or else the city will burn…

Good to Know:

About this series: There will be at least three books in the series
Tips on Writing: Getting published requires a great story AND execution. Your writing needs to be polished–and practice definitely helps. So does editing. Lots and lots of editing.
Favorite Series: I love Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden series, Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and J.D. Robb’s In Death series
Chloe's Reading List: This year's books

Check out the Trailer:


Sounds good right? Then check out the giveaways:

The fun doesn’t stop here. Want more chances to win? You can also enter THE VEIL Grand Prize Giveaway, which runs July 27 through August 7 on Chloe’s web site.

What is the Grand Prize Giveaway prize?

Fleur de Lis Amulet Pendant Necklace from New Orleans jewelry designer Mignon Faget

$50 Amazon Gift Card

THE VEIL 5″x5″ cloth screenwipe

THE VEIL tote bag

THE VEIL bookmark, sticker, and pen

Chicagoland Vampires bookmark, sticker, pen, keychain, and lanyard

Mini Giveaway from This Blog: 

The packet will include:

• THE VEIL tote bag
• THE VEIL 5″x5″ cloth screenwipe
• THE VEIL bookmark, sticker, and pen
• SWAG items

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mysterious Saturday Review: House Rules

* Book 7 in the Chicagoland Vampire series*

Merit and her house are still dealing with fallout from the powers that be. Ethan and the Cadogan House have decided to part ways and become a house without the Greenwich Presidium overseeing them. The day for the break-up looms and the house prepares for a potential war.

If that's not enough, word comes to Merit that two rogue vampires have gone missing. Upon investigating, the two turn up brutally murdered. The next vampire turns up dead - inside a locked house. Vampires have no end of enemies, but it's virtually impossible to enter a house without knowledge. 

Plus Ethan invited his ex-girlfriend to help smooth over the transition of the house with the Greenwich Presidium. Lacey's made it quite clear to Merit that she wants Ethan back. She's willing to expose Merit's most important secret.  Can Merit and her colleagues uncover the truth behind these murders before it destroys more relationships while trying to keep her relationship with Ethan and save their house from total destruction? 

My Thoughts: I really love this adult vampire series. I love Merit - she's snarky, witty, determined, and loyal. I liked the small interactions Merit had with Mallory. I enjoyed Merit and Lacey going toe to toe. I like how the Cadogan House handles business - even the business of leaving the protection of the Greenwich Presidium. I love the action, the danger, and the romance. I love how the vampires from the houses work together to uncover all the crazy deaths, destruction, and threats against them. A great installment to a fantastic series. 

Cover Thoughts: Dark and a little bit Dangerous.
Source: my Library

Adult Review: Drink Deep

Something is destroying Chicago and the humans are blaming the vampires. Merit's still struggling with her personal grief, but it's time to put it aside as best she can and help out her house.

Lake Michigan turned black. It's become a magical void - all the energy is being sucked out of the area. She teams up with Jonah from the Gray House and her potential partner for the Red Guard to discover who's behind this latest magical attack.. As Merit and Jonah attempt to track down the culprit, things for Chicago get worse - much worse.

Merit's stuck playing politics with the city in trying to uncover the answer, but she's also playing politics within her house. Frank Cabot's out to determine the shape of the Cadogan House. Merit spends her night ducking his authority while trying to solve this magical mystery.

Can Merit perform her duty for her house while attempting to play by the rules?

My Thoughts: I was devastated at the end of the last book and was so curious to read more of this fantastic series. I must say while I liked half the ending, the other half devastated me. I adore this series. I love Merit for her strength, her snark, and her loyalty. I really liked watching the House politics play out - while being annoyed at Frank Cabot the whole time. I liked the magical elements changing the city. I liked the bigger role Lindsey played and can't wait to see more of their friendship. I felt this book brought Merit into her own, she's more confident in her abilities and she's not going to back down from a fight. She's going to be smart and maybe a little sneaky about her choices, but overall they are her choices. She's doing what's best for her house. Chloe Neill's taking a page out of GRRM's books and throwing her readers into emotional turmoil - which proves how deeply we care about her characters.

Cover Thoughts: Fierce

Source: My Library

Review: Hexbound

Lily just learned the truth about her magical powers. She’s still having some trouble understanding them, not to mention controlling them. Still, evil doesn’t stop for a training period.

One night, on patrol, Lily, her BFF Scout, and others stumble upon a monster resembling a vampire. These monsters leave a massive slime trail. It’s not hard to discover the link from the monsters to the Reapers. The bigger question is why. Why are they creating monsters? What will they use them for?

While they begin to unravel the mystery, Lily gets help from an unexpected source – Sebastian. He helps her control her powers. He gives her clues to help their search and questions that she should be asking. Their relationship’s starting to heat up – despite the fact that Lily and Jason are becoming an item.

My Thoughts: I really like this series. I love the relationship between Lily and Scout. I love how Lily’s never satisfied with an answer and how she’s curious about everything. I love the magic, the danger, and the action.

Cover Thoughts: I love it! I love the color of magic lighting up the whole book

Source: Read for TeensReadToo

Review: Hard Bitten

*4th in the series - some spoilers ahead if you haven't read the series*


Chicago's in an uproar over the discovery of vampires living among them. There are riots and protests all over the city. Many people hate the idea of vampires in Chicago and want them to leave. However, many people are intrigued with the idea of vampires and want to be bitten.

There are some rogue vampires taking advantage of the situation. They're hosting raves - leaving humans scared.

The mayor calls in Merit and Ethan to clean up the mess - or he's holding Ethan responsible for them.

This news couldn't come at a worse time as authorities from England are in town to talk about the rising number of problems coming from Chicago.

Merit's pursuing these raves. She needs all her wits about her if she's going to save her house and keep it's reputation in tact while keeping Ethan and therefore the authorities in the dark.

My Thoughts: Another thrilling adventure for Merit - complete with action, danger, secrets from her past, and sparring (romantic and otherwise) between her and Ethan. I love Merit's strength, her wit, her courage, and her compassion. I wished this chapter had more of Mallory because they have an awesome relationship. I love this series!

*While this is an adult title - I think that teens will devour this series

** Holy Crap! What an ending! It took me by surprise and I have no words for it. But I'm desperate for book 5

Drink Deep: out in November

Cover Thoughts: Amazing as always

Source: Inter-library Loan

Fun Fact: I'm quoted in the front of the book!!!! (under Teens Read Too)

Cover Reveal: Drink Deep

I love this series! And the cover! Chicagoland Vampires book 5 comes out in November. I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.

Hexbound Blog Tour Stop: Chatting with Chloe Neill

Chloe Neill stops by today to chat about her new book releasing tomorrow - the second book in the Dark Elite series - HEXBOUND. You can read my review of the first book FIRESPELL here. Here she is sporting her Cadogan shirt from the Chicagoland Vampire series





What made you choose to write YA?
I wouldn't say I chose to write YA per se. It's more that I wanted to explore an idea of teenagers exploring Chicago and using their magic to protect the city, but with the consequence that the magic wouldn't last forever.

I really love the idea that you could have magic, but it won't last forever

Is it hard to cross age brackets and write for teens after writing your very successful adult series Chicagoland Vampires?
My goal is to be true to the characters--to try and present Lily and Scout as honestly as possible. So instead of trying to "write like a teenager," I try to be true to them and reflect what they're thinking about.

Can you tell us a little bit about Hexbound?
Sure! In HEXBOUND, Lily and Scout discover a new threat roaming around beneath the city--a threat that puts them right in the middle of a vampire turf war. We also get to see Lily's powers develop a bit more, and of course more fun friendship between Lily and Scout.

I can't wait to read it!

Will there be more than three in the series?
That depends on sales! There are currently three books under contract.

Oh, I hope so...

What will you do on your release day?
Release day is Tuesday, January 4, but I have a day job, so I will be at work all day. I might head out to a bookstore after work to check out the books and sign any in-stock copies.

What’s up next?
I am currently finishing up the edits on HARD BITTEN, the fourth Chicagoland Vampires book, which will be released on May 3, 2011. I'm also beginning to write DRINK DEEP, the fifth Chicagoland Vampires book, which will be released in November 2011.

Awesome, I love this series!

I read on your website that you like to bake, what’s your favorite item to bake?
Hmm. That's a tough one--there are so many things! I'm trying to find that perfect biscuit recipe, so I've been making a lot of those lately. Anything from Smitten Kitchen is also a favorite. I love trying Deb's recipes!

Do you have a favorite literary quote?
It's not a quote per se, but I think the phrase "something wicked this way comes" from Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Do you have a favorite library experience?
I grew up mostly in two different cities, both in the sultry south. In the summertime, I'd walk down to the library and hang out in the chilly air conditioning while looking for books I hadn't yet read. It was always cool and quiet, and a magical experience.

I love libraries, they're so magical to me.

Anything I didn’t ask?
I don't think so. I hope folks have a chance to check out HEXBOUND on January 4! Thanks for having me today


Thanks for chatting with us today! Don't miss the rest of the tour stops where you might be able to score some Dark Elite goodies. See the full list of tour stops here.

Be sure to check out the book too!

Spotted: Hard Bitten

Here's the cover for the Chicagoland Vampire series #4 Hard Bitten!

Awesome right?
I can't wait to read it!

Review: Twice Bitten

Merit and her Master vampire have a love-hate relationship. Merit isn't sure how to evolve from the relationship and she's not sure she wants to try. However, something more important catches the vampire community - the arrival of the werewolves for a meeting about their future.

The Alpha werewolf extends the hand of interest to Ethan Sullivan and Merit. They attend a meeting of the werewolf clan heads - only to find tempers ranging and the night end with disaster.

Now Ethan and Merit acts as guards for the Alpha while trying to untangle the attempted murder as well as figuring out the future for the werewolves and thus the paranormal community. In a previous war, the werewolves let the vampire take on the humans in war. Now that the world might be on the brink of war once again, will the werewolves stay and fight or will they disappear once again.

With tensions at a boiling point, Merit's having issues finding an outlet from work. Work is crazy. Her love life a disaster. She's in a fight with her best friend. Will all these issues add up to Merit doing something reckless and endangering herself?

My Thoughts: A adult novel from a crossover author (YA debut was Firespell) and the third in this series that's so hard to put down. There's so many things I love about this series, but mostly it's the relationships: Merit and her relationship with Sullivan - mostly the snark and verbal sparring and their tension/ Merit and Mallory's relationship / Merit and the world.

Cover: Awesome!

Source: Purchase and will be donating to the library

Fun Fact: I'm actually listed in the Reviews in the beginning of the book - under Teens Read Too and I just noticed this!

Chatting with Chloe Neill

Chloe is out celebrating the release of TWICE BITTEN, the third book in the amazing Chicagoland Vampire series. I'm dying to read this one, it comes out on Tuesday. Luckily, she took some time to chat with us here. Welcome to Cadogan House, here's your pass.

What made you choose to write?
I went through a period in my life where I was reading a ton of urban fantasy, but I eventually got to a point where I just couldn't find anything else I wanted to read. That's when I decided it was time to start writing the story I wanted to read, and the rest is history!

I LOVE this answer! It's perfect.

Where do you write best?

In bed with my laptop, usually after the chores are done and dogs have quieted down for the night. And sometimes at a coffeehouse on the weekends.

What was the last book you’ve read that you’ve been recommending to everyone?
The last book I recommended was probably the In Death series by J.D. Robb. LOVE those books. They're police procedurals set a bit in the future and feature a fabulous heroine (Eve) and a great hero (Roarke).

They sounds fun, I'll have to try one.

How do you get your ideas? Do you use real events in your novels and if so, can you describe one?
Ideas come from everywhere--conversations, things I pick up in books, research, photographs. I use real historical events--such as Chicago's Great Fire--but not recent ones.

How do you come up with your titles?
Through much debate with my editor. :) We usually work through lots of options until we hit the one we want.

Can you tell us a little bit about Twice Bitten?
Sure! In TWICE BITTEN, Merit is asked to play guard for shapeshifters who've come to Chicago for a convocation. But when someone takes a shot at Gabriel Keene, head of the North American Central Pack, she finds herself in the line of fire.

So looking forward to reading it!!!!
Do you think it’s a cross-over title – one that teens are gobbling up as much as adults? Did you intend it to be one? (I ask this because I’m curious and also I think it’s a great cross-over title)
Merit is a 28 year-old heroine, so the book is technically written for adults, but it's not dark or exceptionally graphic fantasy, so I think older teens could definitely read it.

How many books will there be in the series?
There are currently four books under contract, but I hope to write many more.
I hope so too :)

What’s up next?
I'm currently editing HEXBOUND, the second book in my Dark Elite series, and I'll then go back to writing the fourth book in the Chicagoland Vampires series, which I think is going to be a lot of fun.

Oh, I'm excited for this one too. I LOVE the cover for Hexbound.



Are there any authors you’d love to meet?
Diana Gabaldon, Christopher Moore and Neil Gaiman


Do you have a book crush?
Yes--on Roarke from the In Death series and Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series.

Your favorites
Candy - Kit Kat
Pizza topping - Veggie
Genre of books - Right now, nonfiction
Singer and/or Song - Muse, Hysteria
Restaurant - Lydia's in Kansas City
TV show /Movie - Community and Star Wars
Color - Blue
Shoe - Three-inch stiletto heels

Anything I didn’t ask?
Only if Merit is going to chose Ethan or Morgan, but I'm not touching that one.

Thanks for having me today!!

Intrigued? Read a chapter of TWICE BITTEN

Spotted: Hexbound cover

2nd book in the Dark Elite series

LOVE the cover!

What do you think?

Review for www.teensreadtoo.com: Firespell

Lily’s parents just broke the news that they’re taking a two-year sabbatical in Munich, Germany - and that she’s not invited. Immediately, Lily has visions of staying with Ashley while going through the SATs, college application process, and the prom. Her daydream fades as her mom breaks the news about a boarding school in Chicago. The first day at St. Sophia’s raises questions for Lily. She’s so unsure why she’s enrolled. Most girls have been coming here for years. She does connect with one of her suite mates, who could be her new best friend. But Scout has a secret, and it involves sneaking off until the middle of the night.

Scout’s not about to fill Lily in just yet, so unable to hide her curiosity, Lily follows her one night down into the depths of the school in a maze of twists and turns. She stays behind a locked doorway until she hears Scout on the other side. Lily has tons more questions that Scout refuses to answer in order to keep her safe.

Trouble follows Lily around, and before long she falls victim to a prank and ends up locked in a room in the basement. By the time she figures out how to unlock the door, she runs into Scout and two boys running for their lives. Together, they race for the door to escape, but Lily get hit with magic and goes down. She wakes up in a hospital and forces Scout to spill the secret. Once she finds out, she wishes she didn’t know quite so much.

My Thoughts: Chloe Neill starts off her YA debut with a bang and never looks back. The mysterious school, bratty classmates, secret societies, and one best friend combine together to make an awesome start to a new paranormal series.

I gave it the:


Cover Thoughts: It's cute and eye catching, but I'm not sure I get it.

Source: review from www.teensreadtoo.com

Review: Friday Night Bites

Merit's recovering the murders that almost killed her. Instead, she's been turned into vampire and must obey the man she loves to hate. In order to perform her job to the best of her ability, she moves finally into the Cadogan house. She's having a hard time adjusting to and mingling with the other vampires due to her status and the rumors floating around. Ethan doesn't give her much time to adjust before asking her to return to the life she left behind. When an anonymous warning arrives with hints of a secrets being uncovered, Ethan wants to find out who is responsible. All signs point to a reporter of a prominent family. Merit's forced to enter society again with Ethan at her side. Soon she's going head to head with her father and creating tension within her romantic relationship. But Merit has bigger problems than romance; there's another traitor in the house. She must uncover the mole and watch her back because someone's out for revenge and it's getting ugly.

The second book in this new cross over series (YA/A) that hits upon romance, snarky dialogue, danger, revenge, friendship, elite society, and struggling to find your place in the world. It's an excellent series that left me waiting for the next installment. I love both the titles and the covers for this series. As a side note, look for Neill's debut YA book FIRESPELL out next month!

Some Girls Bite

In Chicago, the vampires outed themselves. Although they'd been living among humans for years, they decided it was time to let the truth be known. Vampires belong to houses, similar to a sorority/fraternity. Each house has a master, deciding everything for his/her house. Life afterwards stays peaceful - until one night a graduate student was attacked on campus. Merit became a vampire without giving consent after a rogue vampire ripped out her throat. She's not adjusting well to her new life. Now she has ten days to learn the rules of the vampire world and swear an oath to her new master. Merit doesn't want to play by the rules, but she might have no choice in the matter. When a body turns up, both worlds, human and vampire, begin to talk. A rogue vampire is killing girls - girls who look a lot like Merit. She has to watch her back, but how can she when she doesn't know whom to trust?



Chloe Neill sinks her teeth into a new series that will attract both teen and adult readers alike. The CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES series starts with a bang and leaves you anxious for more.

Reviewed for www.teensreadtoo.com, where it won the

I'm eagerly waiting the next book (out in October)