Another Sunday, another stash!

After taking a week off of reviewing to read (OMG!), recuperate our sanity, and fortify ourselves for the weeks ahead, we are back, with a vengeance! First, a few tidbits of news.

Giveaway Winners:

We had quite a few giveaways this week – we’re shameless like that. And now we have a few winners to announce!

The winners of the Jeri Smith-Ready Giveaway, taking home a copy of Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone, are:

The winner of Shade Fright by Sean Cummings is:

And, the winners of Dark Life by Kat Falls are:

Congratulations to all the winners! You know the drill. Send us an email (contact AT the book smugglers DOT com) with your snail mail address, and we will get your goodies out to you as soon as possible. Thanks again to all that entered!

And don’t forget, our giveaway of Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten is still open!

Patricia Briggs’ Silver Borne Book Tour:

When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam’s life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live…

ZOMG! We’ve only got a month to wait until the official release of the fifth Mercy Thompson book, Silver Borne! To promote her newest title, the awesome, esteemed Patricia Briggs will be traveling the west coast on a book tour where she will sign books and answer reader questions. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the tour cities, we HIGHLY recommend making your way out to a signing. Patty Briggs rules.

Silver Borne officially hits shelves on March 30, 2010. You can read the first chapter of the book online HERE.

Steampunk Week Teaser:

A bit of a teaser now. We Smugglers have planned our next big event – in two week’s time, we shall host the first of our two-part Steampunk Week! Details will follow soon, but for now we give you our official posters for the event (courtesy once again by the fantastic, amazing, incredible KMont of Lurv ala Mode)!

We’ll have guests, posts about the steampunk subgenre, and, of course, steampunk reviews galore.

This Week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, Thea reviews YA speculative fiction title NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward. We’ll also have a grand prize giveaway opportunity for the book’s release, so stay tuned for a chance to win.

Tuesday, Ana reviews Something About You, the newest book-crack title from Julie James! We’ll also have a copy of Something About You up for grabs.

Wednesday, we have Urban Fantasy/Paranormal author Stacia Kane over for another Interactive Q&A and giveaway opportunity to celebrate the shiny new release of her latest Megan Chase novel, Demon Possessed! Also, Thea reviews Incarceron by Catherine Fisher – a YA dystopian novel that blew her away.

On Thursday, Ana reviews the brilliant, poignant YA novel The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. Later, Thea reviews Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde – one of her hands down favorite reads of 2010.

On Friday, we have a joint review of new title Spider’s Bite, as author Jennifer Estep changes gears from lighthearted paranormal romance to gritty urban fantasy.

Finally, on Saturday, we are having a crazy wicked cool giveaway, courtesy of Simon & Schuster to celebrate the release of Kresley Cole’s newest novel in her Immortals After Dark series, Pleasure of a Dark Prince.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole enraptures again with this seductive tale of a fierce werewolf prince who will stop at nothing to protect the lovely archer he covets from afar.

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY…

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her — and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED…

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED….

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia’s greatest weakness — her wanton desire for him.

We will be giving away 20 COPIES of Pleasure of a Dark Prince!

It’s another crazy week…

Welcome to Smugglivus – Day 24!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: The lovely Sarah Kuhn, one of the good, hardworking folks behind the geektastic blog Alert Nerd. Sarah also happens to be an author – her debut novel One Con Glory was released this year (and both of us Smugglers LOVED it).

Please give a warm welcome to Sarah!

So I’m looking back on my year of reading (reflecting, if you will – just imagine me gazing pensively out the window at some generic body of water while CW-approved power ballads tinkle away in the background). It’s been a pretty fantastic twelve months: I’ve greeted many newly-published works with open arms, but I’ve also discovered a lot of swoon-worthy stuff from previous years.

In other words…I have tons of unhealthy new obsessions to take me into 2010! Yay! Ring the gong and prepare the fannish-bordering-on-inappropriate message board postings!

I’ve decided that the only proper way to really look back on this year is to give out awards. Or maybe I should say “awards” since the recipients don’t actually get anything except a mention here and my undying devotion.

Ready?

Best New-to-Me Book: Wicked Lovely, Melissa Marr

I devoured Melissa Marr’s first tome of urban fairy courts on a road trip – reclined back in the passenger seat, fingertips gripping the book so hard, I thought I was going to bend it in half. My addiction was instant and undeniable; as soon as we docked at our first destination, I tore out of the car and to the nearest book store so I could buy the next one. I love that this series is so lushly, unabashedly romantic, but also gives us teen girl characters who demonstrate their considerable strength in complex, perfectly believable ways. No idealized damsels here, folks.

Best Actually New Book: Going Bovine, Libba Bray

Look, I basically love everything Libba Bray does, whether she’s penning her kick-ass Gemma Doyle trilogy or donning a cow suit for promotional purposes. So it was kind of a given that I’d love this, but goddamn…“love” might not be strong enough a word? Bray’s heady mix of mad cow-afflicted teen, sugar-addict angel, and hypochondriac dwarf is hilarious and acerbic and deeply, deeply witty…but it will also totally break your heart. Like, it will sneak up on you in the middle of the page and rip your poor heart out of your chest and stomp all over it until you’re bawling your head off. I mean all this as the highest of compliments

Best New-to-Me Heroine: Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson from Moon Called, Patricia Briggs

I have Thea to thank for this one. When you read as much urban fantasy/paranormal romance as I do, the heroines occasionally start to blend together. Like, “Oh, this chick, she’s really strong or whatever and she can do some way frakkin’ cool supernatural thing and she rocks a leather jacket and every guy she meets is totally into her, but…hey, she’s just a regular girl. You know.” Mercy – mechanic, shapechanger, actual regular girl – is a thoroughly distinctive breath of fresh air. She’s believably flawed, but she knows who she is and doesn’t angst all over the place about her supernatural lot in life. From page one, her voice is fully-realized and totally easy to relate to.

Best Actually New Heroine: Calliope Reaper-Jones from Death’s Daughter, Amber Benson

Here’s another voice that grabbed me from the very first paragraph. Cally – who actually is Death’s Daughter, thank you very much – instantly engages you with her motormouthed inner monologue. It’s kind of like getting on a speeding train – a hilarious, quippy, delightfully boy-crazy speeding train – without knowing exactly where you’re going. And yet, to misquote Liz Lemon, you really want to go to there. Or I sure did, anyway.

Returning Series That Continues to Kick My Ass: WVMP Radio, Jeri Smith-Ready

The first WVMP Radio book, Wicked Game, was probably my favorite read of 2008: undead DJs, awesome ex-con-artist protagonist, startlingly unique take on the vamp mythos (no voluminous black leather dusters involved!). Also, sex that’s actually…um, sexy. I was a little worried that Smith-Ready’s follow-up, Bad to the Bone, couldn’t possibly get under my skin in the same way. Foolish worries! Bad to the Bone is stuffed with twisty underworld intrigue, amazingly realistic relationship issues, and perfectly-placed touches of humor. Oh, and more sexy sex. Third book cannot get here quickly enough.

Coupling I Would Most Like To Write Fanfic About (If I Actually Wrote Fanfic): Mercy Smith/Riley Kincaid, Branded by Fire, Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series is another Awesome Thing I found out about thanks to Thea and Ana. And while I enjoy that each book focuses on a new pairing (and we get little updates on previous pairings, since it’s all set in the same world)…I really would not object at all if every book from now on was about Mercy and Riley. Over the course of Branded by Fire, these two strong, excessively stubborn personalities are pushed together, hate each other, have great sex, and eventually fall in love. The sex happens first, but the way Singh develops their relationship from a deeply emotional standpoint is what really got me.

Love Interest I Most Want To [REDACTED]: David the Djinn, Weather Warden series, Rachel Caine

Ah, David. What can you say about David, really? My brain transforms itself into a mush-like substance just thinking about it…him. Whatever. Daaaaaaviiiiiiiid.

Most Heart-Attack-Inducing Cliffhanger: Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

OH MY GOD. SERIOUSLY.

Most Anticipated Reads:

(2009) Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

This gorgeously-designed doorstopper of a book is tempting me so hard from its perch on my overloaded bookshelf. The only reason I haven’t cracked it yet is I’m in the middle of like five other books I should finish first. Right? Right?! Anyway, this Southern Gothic tale of magic sounds beautiful and atmospheric and supernaturally romantic and lots of people I respect have said it’s the best thing ever. In other words: crack for Sarah.

(2010) Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey

I have long admired Karen Healey’s writing – she’s one of the smartest, funniest, most insightful (I almost typed “insightfulest,” which shows you why, perhaps, I am always blown away by people with such obviously big brains) comic book bloggers around. She often makes me think of elements within four-color fandom that never would’ve occurred to me, or looks at said elements in a way that has me shrieking “right onnnnnnnnnnnnn” at my computer screen. Healey’s debut novel is full of (to quote her website) “M?ori mythology, magic, theatre, earthquakes, monsters, boarding school, tae kwon do, and the other horrors of a Christchurch winter.” Don’t you wish you could read this right now? Where is my freakin’ time machine?

Thanks Sarah!

Next on Smugglivus: Jeff of Alert Nerd

Welcome to Smugglivus – Day 24!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: Angie of the Young Adult/Fantasy/Speculative Fiction review blog Angieville. Angie runs one of our very favorite blogs, and has a knack for picking up and reviewing books that both of us Smugglers love. She’s one of our go-to sites for book ideas – if Angie likes it, chances are, we will love it too!

Please give a hand to Angie!

Best Performance by a Heroine in a Recurring Role: Kate Daniels for Magic Strikes Kate just gets cooler and tougher and couldn’t stop taunting the Beast Lord to save her life. My kind of girl, is Kate.

Best Debut Performance by a Heroine in a Leading Role: Lyn for Girl in the Arena

She’s the daughter of seven gladiators. She loves her family and is true to herself, while refusing to perpetuate a suffocatingly rigid social system. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Lyn.

Best Performance by a Hero in a Recurring Role: Curran for Magic Strikes

It’s just that he’s Curran. And he’s so furry and cocky and implacable. And out of his mind over Kate. Love the guy. Love, love, love him.

Best Debut Performance by a Hero in a Leading Role: Brigan for Fire

Because if you’re looking for still waters run deep, look no further. His iron self-control and constant putting of duty and family before any personal desires…well, in Kristin Cashore’s capable hands, he’s utterly spellbinding.

Best Performance by an Antihero in a Leading Role: Nick for The Demon’s Lexicon

Talk about the definition of an antihero. Nicholas Ryves takes the cake, my friends. You love him, you hate him, you love to hate him. And his relationship with his big brother Alan will melt your heart. See if it doesn’t.

Best Performance by a Villain: President Snow for Catching Fire

The dude smells like blood and roses and I can’t read a scene he’s in without gagging. Seriously. What is wrong with him?

Best Performance by a Vampire in a Supporting Role: Stefan for Bone Crossed

Stefan is just, hands down, my favorite vampire around. He smells like popcorn and drives a VW bus painted like the Mystery Machine and he absolutely made Bone Crossed. I hope Mercy gives Marsilia what she deserves one of these days. For Stefan.

Best Series Finale: Diana Peterfreund for Tap & Gown

For never dropping the ball and coming through in every way that matters and more. Tap & Gown is the perfect ending to a ridiculously entertaining series. How many of those have you read?

Best Packaging: Arthur A. Levine Books for Marcelo in the Real World

I just love it. Better yet, its inside is every bit as breathtaking as its outside. And that is saying something.

Best Kiss: Lady Julia Grey and Mr. Nicholas Brisbane for Silent on the Moor

These two are three books in now and the tension…let’s just say it remains high. Part of it can be chalked up to how well-suited they are to one another and part of it is just that Ms. Raybourn can infuse a scene with Victorian heat like nobody’s business.

And last, but not least…

Best Author Pimping: My booktwin and dear friend Martha for her tireless and heartfelt pimping of Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series: The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia

Thank you, Martha. What can I say? I should have listened to you earlier. I have seen the error of my ways and will never delay reading a book you rave about ever again. This series instantaneously skyrocketed to the top of my beloved bookshelf and Turner is an absolute storytelling master. Highly recommended for fans of Robin McKinley, Kristin Cashore, and Sherwood Smith.

As for my 2010 Must Be Mine list…I’m gonna leave you with my top 15 most anticipated titles. They hail from 3 new-to-me authors and 12 near-and-dear ones. The list is comprised of 8 YAs (4 fantasy, 2 urban fantasy, 1 dystopian, and 1 contemporary), 3 urban fantasies, 3 straight fantasies, 1 historical mystery, and is top to bottom made of awesome. Shiny, no? Here they are in order of publication date:

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

In a world of fever camps, wandering exiles, and cursed kingdoms, young Finnikin joins forces with the reckless Evanjalin in a bid to save the land of Lumatere from the evil that threatens to swallow it. After the wonder that was Jellicoe Road, I will read anything the woman writes. Due out February 9

The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn

A young woman leaves Scotland, bound for Roumania to visit a friend and write her book. There she encounters the mysterious Count Dragulescu and, well, really, need I say more? Due out March 1

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

The long-awaited fourth novel in the beloved Queen’s Thief series. This one follows Sophos as he fights his way to take his place as the heir to Sounis. Confession: I’m 100 pages into my ARC and it is, in a word, sublime. Due out March 23

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

A land beset by storms and quakes, a mysterious wizard who brings rain, and a young woman stolen from her home who may hold the key to it all…I am so there. Due out March 23

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Fifth Mercy Thompson novel. ‘Nuff said. Due out March 30

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

The unexpected but delightfully welcome sequel to Perfect Chemistry. This one follows Alex’s little brother Carlos. I enjoyed the hell out of the first book and can’t wait for the follow-up. Plus, that cover? Smokin! Due out April 13

Mistwood by Leah Cypess

A young girl has lost her memory. A desperate prince risks everything on the mere hope she is who he believes her to be. Forced to return to a place she once fled, amid scheming and lies, Isabel struggles to determine who she used to be and what she must become. Due out April 17

Lord of the Changing Winds by Rachel Neumeier

First in the Griffin Mage trilogy. The griffins are coming, bringing fire and desert in their wake. The king prepares for battle to protect his land. Meanwhile a young girl is summoned to heal the Griffin King and her awakening abilities lead her to the truth behind their sudden flight. Due out April 27

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

The fourth Kate Daniels book. Ilona and Gordon knocked it out of the park with Magic Strikes and I’m just not sure I’m gonna make it until May. Thank goodness for re-reading, right? Due out May 25

White Cat by Holly Black

The first in the Curse Workers trilogy, it’s about a boy named Cassel and takes place in a private boarding school, features a family of grifters, and is about curse magic. Oh, and a white cat. And is a fairy tale retelling. And it will be mine. Due out May 4

No covers quite yet on the rest of these, but keep your eye out because they are definitely not to be missed.

Heroes Return by Moira J. Moore

The fifth Heroes book featuring the lovable Source & Shield duo: Taro & Lee. Due out July 27

Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready

This series is #3 in my top favorite urban fantasies. I just love how smooth the writing is and finding out what happens to Ciara and Shane and the gang in the next WVMP Radio installment. Due out August 1

The untitled Hunger Games Book 3 by Suzanne Collins

I have no idea how it’s all going to play out but I can tell you one thing. Katniss better knock some heads together in this one because I am THIS CLOSE to losing it. Grrr. Due out August 24

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

The second Killer Unicorns book (I just love saying that) and the sequel to Rampant. Peterfreund is one of my very favorite authors and I, for one, am looking forward to more Astrid, more Giovanni, more Phil, and more Bucephalus! Due out September 21

Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

The sequel to the lovely Heir to Sevenwaters. This one is Sibeal’s book and one I’ve been waiting for for a long time. If you’ve never read any Marillier before, you have until December to pick up Daughter of the Forest and discover the splendiferousness for yourself. Janicu–I’m lookin’ at you. Due out December

That’s it for me. Thanks for having me, Smugglers! I’m off to track down some hot cider and wrap the last few presents. Thanks for stopping in this Christmas Eve and I hope your holidays are filled with good cheer and good books!

Thank you, Angie!!!

Next on Smugglivus: Doug Knipe, aka SciFiGuy

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 22!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: Kristen of the speculative fiction book review blog Fantasy Cafe. Kristen is a Book Smuggler Regular – we’ve had her over for Smugglivus last year, for a guest dare, and heck, we’ve even posted over at her spot on a counter dare. Kristen’s one of our very favorite bloggers, always turning us on to new books, so we’re delighted to have her over for Smugglivus 2009!

Please give a warm welcome to Kristen!

It’s that time of year again – the time to look over all the books read and decide which ones had that something special that made them the best read. Out of the 55 books I’ve read so far this year (still hoping to squeeze at least a couple more in!), here are the 10 that stood out above all the rest as my favorites. This includes all books read no matter what year they were originally published – I wouldn’t want to discriminate against the older books I really loved just because they aren’t shiny and new anymore.

The Last Hawk by Catherine Asaro

Although I have very much enjoyed all the books I’ve read in Catherine Asaro’s Skolian saga, none of them have impressed me as much as this one. It has some of everything and excelled at all of it – there was politics, action, focus on character relationships with some romance, a unique society, and some elements of hard science fiction. The pacing was well done and I loved the characters as well as the premise involving gender reversal. A man crashes onto a planet ruled by women and becomes coveted by all of them for his exotic beauty and skills at playing a game that plays a prominent role in their culture.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

This ended up being one of my favorites because it was just so engaging. I was completely invested in Fire and her story, and in spite of seeming a bit like a Mary Sue, she had enough problems that she was a sympathetic character. In fact, all the characters were wonderful (at least, the ones that were supposed to be) and the world was very interesting.

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor is one of my new author discoveries from this year. I had a lot of fun reading her two Dreamdark books about fierce fairies that hunt devils, but her newest book is the best so far. This book containing three dark stories involving dangerous love was nominated for a National Book Award this year, and it’s easy to see why. Taylor’s writing voice is phenomenal and the last two stories in this book are easily among the best I’ve read this year. Even the first story, which was not to my taste, was beautifully written with some very memorable passages.

Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Thanks to Thea’s praise of this novel, I finally took the plunge and read this dense 900-page-long novel – and loved it. Carey managed a great balance between character and plot, and the alternate earth in which some humans were descended from angels was very well-developed.

Corambis by Sarah Monette

The conclusion to The Doctrine of Labyrinth series was not my favorite of the four books (as any of the others would have been first on a list such as this), but it was still one of the better books I read this year. The story was not as good as the first three books and I missed Melusine, but it did still contain some amazing characterization just like the other books in the series.

By the Mountain Bound by Elizabeth Bear

Even though this is the second book in The Edda of Burdens series, it’s a prequel to the first book. As much as I loved the beginning of the series, I also thought this novel was an improvement. Something about Bear’s writing just really appeals to me – her tormented characters, the spare but beautiful prose and the mythological basis of the story.

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due

This was one of the most gripping, suspenseful novels I read this year – one of those that keeps you right on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the end. I did have some problems with character believability, but it didn’t matter that much in the end because they were still likable yet flawed and complex. The ending was very daring and even though it was set up earlier in the book, it was still a bit of a shock that it actually happened.

Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale

Ginn Hale’s first novel was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in the Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror category in 2007 and it won the Spectrum Award for Best Novel of 2008. It reminded me of Sarah Monette but less in depth, and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel.

The Orphan’s Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente

This novel is written in the same style as The Arabian Nights with stories within a story that tie together. It’s very imaginative with some wonderful prose, some fascinating characters (even if there isn’t quite enough time spent with some of them) and some humorous moments. It’s a brilliant book – highly recommended for fans of fairy tales.

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Before this year I had never read a book in the Mercy Thompson series and it ended up being one of my favorite new series finds of the year. All the books were quick, fun reads and I loved the main character. Mercy has a very strong narrative voice and she’s a great character – practical, down to earth and loyal.

Next year there are several books that are coming out I’m really looking forward to. Of course, there are the same two that were on my list of hopefuls last year that I’d like to see come out this year: A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin and A Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Who knows whether or not either of those will be out in 2010, but here are some books that are that I am also excited about:

The Sea Thy Mistress by Elizabeth Bear

Of course I cannot wait for the final book in The Edda of Burdens trilogy since I loved the first two.

Stealing Fire by Jo Graham

This year I read my first book by Jo Graham (Black Ships) which just missed being on the top 10 list. So I’m very much looking forward to reading this novel featuring Alexander the Great.

The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg

Transformation by Carol Berg is one of my favorite books of all time (in spite of the horrifying cheesy cover), and I’ll be snatching this one up as soon as I can find it.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb’s three connected trilogies (Farseer trilogy, Liveship Traders, and Tawny Man) are among my favorite books of all time. This book is the first of a duology set in the same part of the world as Liveship Traders and it’s a definite must read for me.

Thank you, Thea and Ana, for the opportunity to ramble on about some of my favorite books for a while. And Happy Smugglivus to all!

Thanks Kristen!

Next on Smugglivus: The Lusty Reader of Lusty Reader

Title: Hunting Ground

Author: Patricia Briggs

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Ace (US)/Orbit (UK)
Publication Date: August 2009 (US)/October 2009 (UK)
Paperback: 304 pages

Stand alone or series: The second full length novel in the Alpha & Omega series, following last year’s release of Cry Wolf, though it’s really the third entry in the series proper (the first story is a novella titled “Alpha and Omega” in the On the Prowl anthology).

Why did I read this book: It’s no surprise I adore Patricia Briggs. I’m a huge fan girl and have been since discovering her fantasy novels in middle school. Then, I discovered her new Urban Fantasy series about a coyote shapeshifter VW mechanic named Mercy, and I was hooked. And last year, I read and loved Cry Wolf, got to interview the lovely Patty Briggs in person, and…well, do you really need any more? Long story short, I was chomping at the bit to get my paws on Hunting Ground.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son – and enforcer – of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles’s reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer – or Charles will take the fall.

Review:

The stage is set, and the werewolves of North America are ready to come out of the supernatural closet. Bran, the Marrok, has decided that it is time to formally reveal their existence to the world just as the fae have done before them, but he wants to maintain more control over the situation than the Gray Lords managed. Thus, Bran calls a preliminary conference of the most powerful, important werewolves in the world to meet in Seattle, so that he can allay their concerns and fears, for revealing the existence of werewolves in North America means they will be “outed” everywhere. But, put a bunch of dominant Alpha wolves in a room together, and it’s a recipe for disaster. At least, that’s what Charles, Bran’s son and second in command, tells his father. Fully healed from his trying silver injuries in “Alpha and Omega” and Cry Wolf, Charles is sent to Seattle on his father’s behalf, bringing his new wife and mate, Anna – who also happens to be an extremely rare Omega wolf. With a terrifyingly powerful Gray Lord named Dana Shea (from the Daoine Sidhe) to referee the negotiations, and powerful wolves like Jean Chastel (the maneating Beast of Gevaudan) anxious to cause as much trouble and bloodshed as possible, Charles and Anna have their work cut out for them. And when kidnapping attempts and deaths occur, the stakes are dramatically raised.

While I thoroughly enjoyed “Alpha and Omega” and Cry Wolf, this spinoff series still was clearly second-bill to the Mercy Thompson books in my mind. Much more relationship-driven than Mercy’s series, the Alpha and Omega books were nice and good, but decidedly auxiliary…

Hunting Ground managed to change all that. I still love Mercy first, but with this second novel Alpha and Omega has proven its mettle as a strong standalone series in its own right.

Cry Wolf felt a lot more like a paranormal romance type novel when I first read it – decidedly less-plot heavy and more concentrated on the mate bond between the terrifyingly powerful Charles and the almost-broken Anna. Both characters had a lot of baggage, and struggled to get to know each other after their wolves had selected them as mates. In Hunting Ground, the feeling-out period is over and these two characters have grown much more comfortable and trusting of each other. I have to applaud Ms. Briggs for her ability to move the relationship forward, but still keep it in the realm of the realistic – even though Charles and Anna are mated and married, they are still strangers to each other, learning what the other’s signals are, what their fears and needs are, etc. Charles is constantly thinking about how he must be careful not to stifle Anna’s freedom, nor can he be too gruff with her lest he scares her off; Anna simultaneously tries to show Charles that she is not made of glass, that she can stand up for herself, and that she can bear some of his own emotional burden. Both characters are a lot tougher than they were in Cry Wolf, but are still fragile in the way that new relationships are. It’s a very realistic, touching thing to read – Ms. Briggs is unparalleled when it comes to writing these complicated, tentative and yet passionate relationships. The bond between a wolf and its mate is a very complicated thing that we see in the Mercy books, but it’s examined much more in depth in the Alpha and Omega books with these two protagonists. I was also thrilled to see two characters from “Seeing Eye,” the novella by Ms. Briggs in this year’s Strange Brew anthology, make an appearance as secondary characters in this novel. Moira, a scarred, blind white witch who is powerful beyond belief, and Tom, an Emerald City wolf, have been mated after their adventure together in the novella and befriend Anna and Charles here.

But even more than just the characters, Hunting Ground bests its predecessors by virtue of its storytelling. In this second novel in the series, Ms. Briggs is back to her trademark style with a tight, fast paced, impeccably written plot. Charles and Anna as growing characters and their relationship is the heart of these books, but Hunting Ground has so much more, such as the mystery of who is behind the murders and for what reason and the intoxicating power politics of dominance in the world of the wolves. The latter, especially, is fascinating to me – and it’s something that the Mercy books could never really delve into because narrator Mercy is inherently an outsider, as a walker and coyote. In Hunting Ground we learn even more about what it means to be an Alpha wolf and especially what it means to be an Omega. Anna totally, completely rocks. She may be timid because of her time in Chicago with her brutal first pack, but she is anything but weak. As she tells a new wolf she meets in Seattle, Omegas are Alphas – but they’re incredibly zen.

As for the overall mystery, well, for fear of spoilers I won’t say much other than it is fabulously written. There’s an excellent mythological twist that underlies the novel that Ms. Briggs carries out flawlessly. One thing I love about her writing is her ability to tell a story simply, without expanding into unnecessary melodrama or tedious extra pages to protract the novel, and Hunting Ground is no exception.

I loved this book. Though Mercy still holds first place in my heart, Anna and Charles have carved out a niche of their own. Highly recommended.

Notable Quotes/Parts: It’s the little things that I love about Ms. Briggs’ writing; her ability to make simplicity beautiful. For example:

His voice, when he spoke, was a lot more powerful than his frail body.

“I’m gonna sing something for you,” he told their audience — and everyone in the room looked up from their meals. It was that kind of a voice. He paused, milking it. “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t dance anymore.” She waited until the laughter he’d invited died away before she began.

Usually, when she first played a piece with someone she didn’t know, especially if the piece was one she knew well, it was a mad scramble to make her version fit with the person’s perception of how the song should feel. But except for the very beginning, it was magic.[...]The old man’s voice was just right. It, the beaten-up piano, and Anna’s sweet self all combined in one of those rare moments when performance and music blended to make something more.[...]The old man took Anna’s hand and made her take another bow as well. he kissed her hand, then let his grandson escort him back to his table in triumph. His family rose around him, fussing and loving as they ought, while he sat as a king and took his due.

Anna pulled the protective cover over the keys and looked up and saw Charles. She hesitated, and it made his heart hurt that he’d made her afraid of him. But she lifted her chin, her eyes still full of the music, and strolled up to him.

“Thank you,” he told her, before she could say anything. He wasn’t sure if he was thanking her for leaving the room when he’d asked, for staying in the restaurant instead of leaving him, or for the music — which had reminded him that this whole thing wasn’t just about the werewolves.

It was about the humans they shared the country with, too.

You can read a full excerpt of chapters 1 & 2 online at the author’s website HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Based on the positive reaction to Mercy Thompson: Homecoming, Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf is also being made into a comic adaptation from the Dabel Brothers (who’ve also done the comic adaptations of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series) this summer.

I’m not crazy about the art – Anna looks just like the crappy comic version of Anita Blake:

No? I’ll still check out an issue though.

Verdict: Much stronger than Cry Wolf, Hunting Ground is Patricia Briggs at her best. Charles and Anna’s touching story keeps getting better and better, and I cannot wait for their next book. Essential for any Briggs fan.

Rating: 8 Excellent

Reading Next: Forest Born by Shannon Hale

Weekend is nearly over for us in the UK but you guys in the US still have one day off to look forward to! Meanwhile, here is what we have planned this week:

On Monday, Ana reviews The Infinite Instant by Danielle Parker

Tuesday, it’s Thea’s turn and she reviews Heroes at Risk by Moira J Moore

Followed by our joint review of Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire on Wednesday

Then on Thursday, Thea reviews Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

and finally on Friday, another joint review, this time of Orphan’s Tale – In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente

PLUS:

We are chuffed to bits that this week, in association with Angry Robot – the new Harper Collins Imprint for genre fiction – SF, F and WTF? – from Monday to Friday, we will be exclusively publishing 5 daily extracts from Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero by Dan Abnett which will be released in October:

Sir Rupert Triumff. Adventurer. Fighter. Drinker.

Saviour?

Pratchett goes swashbuckling in the hotly anticipated original fiction debut of the multi-million selling Warhammer star.

Triumff is a ribald historical fantasy set in a warped clockwork-powered version of our present day … a new Elizabethan age, not of Elizabeth II but in the style of the original Virgin Queen. Throughout its rollicking pages, Sir Rupert Triumff drinks, dines and duels his way into a new Brass Age of Exploration and Adventure.

Be sure to stop by to check it out!

Giveaway Winners:

The winners of the Flash Giveaway are…

Batch 1  – Contemporary Romance: Marie (comment #44)

Batch 2 – Romantic Suspense: Carolyn H (comment #7)

Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to contact@thebooksmugglers.com

Speaking of giveaways:

You can still enter our ultra cool Catching Fire Giveaway here. It runs till September 15th and it’s open to residents of Canada and US only.

Reasons Why We Want To Marry Neil Gaiman:

# 1023: For His Library

Seriously, check.this.out and prepare to drool : Neil Gaiman’s Library

On our Radar

Urban Fantasy – The fifth Mercy Thompson book by Patricia Briggs which has the cool cover (but not a blurb yet)

Young Adult:

Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her true identity. Hannah relizes that she must keep the truth a secret but she also knows that soon she will have to make the choice – to be a creature of the land or the sea.

Young Adult:

For Zack Thomson, living in the Nicholls Ward isn’t so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange and severe allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. He could watch as much television as he wanted; his best friend Charlie visited him often enough; and Nurse Ophelia–the prettiest no-nonsense nurse ever–sometimes took him bowling. Of course, that didn’t mean he had it easy. His allergies restricted his diet to strawberry smoothies, and being the only kid at the hospital could get lonely. But it never once crossed Zack’s mind to leave…until the night someone crashed through the front doors and told him to run. Now he’s on a race for answers–about his past, his parents, and his strange sickness–even as every step takes him closer to the darkest of truths.

Young Adult – The sequel to the very cool Suite Scarlett!

Ever since Mrs. Amberson, the former-aspiring-actress-turned-agent, entered Scarlett Martin’s life, nothing has been the same.

She’s still in charge of the Empire Suite in her family’s hotel, but she’s now also Mrs. Amberson’s assistant, running around town for her star client, Chelsea – a Broadway star Scarlett’s age with a knack for making her feel insignificant.

Scarlett’s also trying to juggle sophomore year classes, her lab partner who is being just a little TOO nice, and getting over the boy who broke her heart.

In the midst of all this, her parents drop a bombshell that threatens to change her New York life forever…

Aaaaaaaand that’s it from us today!

~your friendly neighborhood book smugglers

Title: Strange Brew – “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs and “Death Warmed Over” by Rachel Caine

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: St. Martin’s
Publication Date: July 2009
Paperback: 384 pages

Why did I read this book: I have been anxiously awaiting Patricia Briggs’s new novella, “Seeing Eye,” since our interview with her this spring. Rachel Caine is another of my favorite (post-Anita Blake, heroine-centric) Urban Fantasy authors, so I was eager to see what her non-Weather Warden story would entail.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic!

For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!

REVIEW:

“Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs

In “Seeing Eye,” Patricia Briggs returns to the world of Mercy Thompson, but follows an entirely new character – the witch (Wendy) Moira Keller. When Tom Franklin, werewolf and second in the Emerald City pack, shows up on Moira’s doorstep asking for her help in finding his kidnapped brother Jon, Moira cannot refuse him, even though it could mean her death. For Moira is no ordinary witch, and she has a dark past connected to those who have taken Jon – the Samhain Coven, led by the cruel and power-hungry Kouros. Together, Moira and Tom set out on Jon’s trail, using her magic and Tom’s strength to discover Jon’s fate, and to face Samhain once and for all.

I am continually awed by Patricia Briggs’s ability to write a complete, engaging story in a such a short amount of space. “Seeing Eye” is on par with another of her exceptional novellas, “Alpha and Omega,” and marks the beginning of a new, exciting character in the Mercy Thompson universe. Though readers of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series’ have seen witches in prior books, they have never been fully explored or examined in detail before this story. As with werewolves, walkers, vampires and the fae, Ms. Briggs gives her own take on witches, and in this universe they amass power through death, sacrifice and pain, at the expense of others, or themselves. Moira’s power has come at an extraordinary cost, as Tom soon discovers.

As always, the characters in this story are vivid and compelling – like the Alpha & Omega book (and novella of the same title), “Seeing Eye” is told in the third person but with insights to both Moira and Tom’s thoughts. Moira, as a completely new character, holds her own with Mercy and Anna even in these short pages. A dash of Mercy’s straightforward attitude, a touch of Anna’s compassion, but with a deep strength that is entirely her own, Moira stands out as yet another winning Briggs heroine. She is, as the story blurb admits, blind, but the nature of her blindness is a twist that is guaranteed to shock readers – in a very good way (and I refuse to say more, for fear of spoiling it!).

Similarly, Tom (whom we met briefly in the Alpha & Omega series) is another compelling leading character. As a cop and a dominant werewolf Tom is intimidating in his own right, only made more formidable because of his irreparably scarred face, keepsake from a run-in with a fae knife a few years earlier. Though we barely get to meet Tom and Moira, the chemistry is immediate and undeniable. Though things wrap up nicely by the end of the story, I cannot help but hope that another series may be underway – a sentiment I am certain many readers will share.

Verdict: “Seeing Eye” is worth the book alone, especially if you are a fan of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega books. Another superb, tightly-written story from the formidable Patricia Briggs.

Rating: 8 Excellent

“Death Warmed Over” by Rachel Caine

Rachel Caine’s contribution to Strange Brew focuses on a world apart from her Weather Warden urban fantasy series, in a world where witches moonlight in extremely specialized fields. Holly Caldwell is one such witch with a rare affinity for resurrecting the dead, working at her day job when she receives a last minute email from her other boss, Sam – a request for a “disposable,” or a long-term resurrection from the local police department. Holly has sworn off disposables ever since her first and last job – because of the pain her impossible relationship with the resurrected caused her. Now, Sam and the police want Holly to raise the same man from her past, a powerful witch named Andrew Toland who died in 1875 fighting an army of resurrected dead gone violent (or more commonly, zombies). Though it pains her to reopen a relationship that is in all ways impossible, Holly breathes life back into Andrew. Unfortunately for them both, only later do they learn that someone has been killing resurrection witches, and Holly is next on the list.

As with “Seeing Eye,” “Death Warmed Over” is another self-contained novella, and one that is deftly plotted. Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden books are among my top three all-time favorite Urban Fantasy series’, in part because of her gift for writing storylines with high stakes and at break-neck speeds. In this sense, “Death Warmed Over” is familiar territory. Ms. Caine’s “Death Warmed Over” is an urban fantasy novella in the mystery/whodunit light, as someone is taking out all the local witches who specialized in resurrection. Though the ending seems a touch rushed, the overall plot is exceedingly well executed. I have to repeat myself – just as with Ms. Briggs’s entry, I am awed by Ms. Caine’s ability to write such a thrilling story with a clear beginning, middle, and ending in all of 50 pages.

“Death Warmed Over” also has more of a romantic slant, and the relationship between Holly and Andrew is nicely portrayed. One thing I admire about Ms. Caine’s writing is her ability to write different characters – her adult urban fantasy heroines, Jo and Cassiel are markedly distinct, and Holly is a worthy addition to their ranks. And as for Andrew, well, he’s unlike a character far removed from Djinn or mere human, and I can guarantee that romance readers will feel right at home with his charm.

I was most impressed with Ms. Caine’s take on witches and magic in this novella. The idea that witches possess hereditary gifts, and are only able to really practice in an extremely specialized niche is intriguing – especially concerning the actual physical acts of resurrection. Something else Ms. Caine writes exceptionally well is the actual visualization of magic. For example:

I parted his clay-cold lips and poured in the first, massive dose of the potion. It pooled in his mouth, liquid silver, and then I performed the part that nobody else could do.

I kissed him, very gently, on the lips and completed the last step of the preset spell. I felt a line of power spooling out of me, traveling through the dark and connecting, with a jolting snap of power, with the spirit of Andrew Toland.

And it only gets better from there.

Verdict: Strange Brew has another winner with this short story. Smart, engaging, sexy, “Death Warmed Over” is another solid entry from Rachel Caine.

Rating: 7 Very Good

Additional Thoughts: If you haven’t read either author’s books yet, you really need to get on board.

Patricia Briggs writes the Urban Fantasy Mercy Thompson series in the following order: Moon Called, Blood Bound, Iron Kissed and Bone Crossed. Book 5, titled Silver Bourne is out February 2010 (with two more books under contract). She also has another current Urban Fantasy series with a more romantic bend with the Alpha & Omega books, in the following order: “Alpha and Omega” (in the On the Prowl anthology) and Cry Wolf. Book 3 in the series, titled Hunting Ground is out next month (check out the first chapter online HERE). If that’s not enough Briggs for ya, her Mercy books have been turned into comic books by the Dabel Brothers – the first four issues are collected in the Homecoming storyarc, available in graphic novel form on August 25th. You can read more about Patty on her website, HERE.

Rachel Caine is the author of the Weather Warden Urban Fantasy series, with books in the following order: Ill Wind, Heat Stroke, Chill Factor, Windfall, Firestorm, Thin Air, and Gale Force. Book 8, titled Cape Storm is out next month. She also has another series set in the same universe as her Warden books called Outcast Season, with one book published, Undone. She also writes a very popular YA series, the Morganville Vampires. For more info on Rachel Caine, check out her website HERE.

Reading Next: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

Ana here, to wish you all a Happy Sunday! What are you doing today? Me, I am fulfilling a childhood dream: I am going to see Bruce Springsteen today at Hyde Park! Hooray! I simply can not wait!

Before I leave though, a few bits and bobs to take care of:

Giveaways:

The 5 winners of the Namaah’s Kiss giveaway are:

Sarah M
Sarah Kay
Carol
Danielle
Kristen

The winner of the Don’t Tempt Me giveaway is:

Roxy!

Congratulations!!You know the drill: Please send your snail mail address to: contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com, and we will send you the books ASAP.

This week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, I will be reviewing Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh, her new exciting installment in the most excellent Psy/Changeling series.

On Tuesday Nalini Singh is our guest for the day, talking about Inspiration and Influences. This is when you get a chance to win a copy of Branded by Fire in a Flash Giveaway (because we just know how anxious you all are to read it – as you should be!)

On Wednesday, it’s Novella Day when Thea reviews two stories in the Strange Brew anthology: Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs and Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine

On Thursday , it’s Thea’s turn again with the review of Darkness Calls by Marjorie Liu. Word on the Book Smugglers’ grapevine is that it’s even better than the first in the series The Iron Hunt (which Thea really loved!)

Finally,on Friday I will be reviewing a book that first caught my attention because of its beautiful cover and after reading it, became one of my favorites of the year so far. It is the YA novel Eyes Like Stars by debut author Lisa Mantchev. While you wait for our review, just have a look at the book’s awesome website: Theatre Illuminata

Upcoming:

We have a Very Special Event upcoming! Our very own Young Adult Appreciation Month – from July 19th to August 16th, we will be talking about this genre that we love. This is a teaser of some of the books we will review:

Plus, a lot of interviews with authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Diana Peterfreund, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev and others plus guest posts by YA bloggers and YA editors, and of course, giveaways. We are super excited – what about you?

Other news:

Joel Sutherland , writer of Frozen Blood (reviewed by Thea here) is running a cool contest with loads of possible prizes on his blog to celebrate his nomination for the Bram Stoker award.

Kaaron Warren, author of Slights, the horror novel that Thea considers one of the best of the year, is doing a countdown for the release of the book. In Slights, a character writes a story within a story, in the margins of library books. Kaaron is counting down to the release by writing a bit about each book the character writes in (because of course, each book was not picked at random!) . Check it out here: Kaaron Warren’s Livejournal

And that’s it from us today,folks!

~Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

A big thank you to everyone that commented and entered the contest! We’re stoked that you all loved our very first in-person interview with Patricia Briggs, and we hope you all enjoy her work as much as we do.

Now, down to business! Our lucky winner of Bone Crossed is…

Congratulations! Drop us an email (contact AT the book smugglers DOT com) with your snail mail address, and we’ll get the book out to you as soon as possible! Thanks again to everyone who entered…stay tuned. We have another huge giveaway on the horizon!

Since this is a pretty big event, we are bringing you the interview in two parts. Continuing from where we left off yesterday, we give you the conclusion of our interview with Patricia Briggs!

Remember, we are also giving away a copy of Bone Crossed–details follow at the end of the post.

But now, back to the interview!

The wonderful Patty Briggs!

Thea: There’s also an overwhelming response to Bran, from Cry Wolf because he’s so powerful, and are we ever going to explore his relationship with Leah?

Patty: Absolutely. It’s really fascinating, that relationship. It’s kind of a lonely and an unhappy one, but one that he chose on purpose because it was unhappy. So it’s an interesting mindset to play with. I don’t know that I would do anything about it, we’d have to see how the story works and what I want to do with it. I think Leah in many ways is a tragic heroine but she also has a tragic flaw and causes her own problems. Bran really does care about her, and he doesn’t want to. So…yeah there’s a lot of potential in there.

Thea: The Alpha and Omega books versus the Mercy Thompson books, they seem much more romantic and relationship driven. Was that intentional?

Patty: Yes, that was on purpose. I actually envisioned it almost as a paranormal romance, but it’s not quite. It’s still Urban Fantasy, but it is much more relationship driven. We’ll keep that going because this is an important part about who she is.

And, this will come about in the Mercy books too. She and Adam have a long way to go, I mean, they have a LOT of problems. They have a lot of things to work out, because just something so simple as are they going to get married? Both of them are really uncomfortable with a non-married relationship because of their own personal issues. Adam because he’s older, and in his generation, people didn’t just shack up. It’s a ‘you are who you grow up to be’ kind of thing. Mercy because she grew up basically as an orphan in the wind, people passed her back and forth. Very good people and she never had any abuse issues or anything, but she just kinda got passed from one family to another to another, so she has some issues with it too. But if she does, if she marries him, then she’ll move into the house with him and leave Sam by himself.

Thea: Oh, she can’t do that!

Patty: She can’t. And he can’t live with her and Adam! I have to work that out.

Thea: Would Mercy want to move in with Adam? She’s so independent and she loves her cars and her trailer…

Patty: And her job! She’s not gonna give up her job. Yeah, so its real relationship stuff.

Thea: Verrrry interesting. So, you’ve written a lot of traditional fantasy, do you have any plans to return to that genre?

Patty: I’m under contract for the unpublished sequel to Masques with Wolfsbane, so I still have to do that. I have a story for Ward in my Dragon Bones series that I’m gonna have to do. I have Raven stories, a sequel for When Demons Walk in my head–

Thea: OH that was my favorite! [an inner aside: *squeeee*]

Patty: Mine too, yeah for many years it was. Until I met Ward! Ward is so different and such a fun character to write. He’s so different on the outside from what he is on the inside, so that’s fun. I can’t see not writing traditional fantasy. I still read it, I still love it, but I have a lot of books under contract that have to get done, so it will be a few years probably.

Thea: Well, it’s good to look forward to! Also, they’re pulling out new covers for your traditional fantasy books, right?

Patty: Yeah, and in many ways I’ve been blessed by the good cover fairy from the beginning. I’m really kinda sad to see the old covers go.

Thea: Oh I loved them, with the girl hanging off the pole dramatically–

Patty: [laughs] The girl cutting off her leg. My agent always joked, “that’s the one with the girl that’s gonna cut off her leg, right?” [laughs] But they are dated, and the new covers are great.

Thea: Plus, new readers will discover them too. So, how about you as an author. Who are some of your influences?

Patty: All over the board! When I die, if I keep getting better and I work really hard at my craft, I want to write as well as Lu [Lois McMaster] Bujold. Jayne Ann Krentz–I read her for conversations because her conversations just sparkle. When my people are talking and bogged down, I go and I read her work and try to see, “How do you do that?” and get that rhythm. I read everybody and most of them I like. I read cross genres, I read romance a lot, I read westerns. Anything by Louis L’Amour I’ve probably read thirty times because he’s a terrific storyteller! He tells the same story over and over again, and it just wouldn’t matter. The books had terrible typos, you know he would get up from fights twice or shred his shirt again, or whatever but it doesn’t matter. He was such a good storyteller, you didn’t care.

For mysteries, Dick Francis is a great favorite of mine. I love his mysteries. Anything with a character focus. I don’t read as much literature as I used to before I had kids, which was 20 years ago. With literary fiction, I need quiet and contemplative space, and I don’t seem to have that! [laughs]

One thing I really like, one of the perks is getting to read books before they come out. Nalini Singh has a terrific book coming out in March, Angels’ Blood. And Ann Aguirre has one coming out too with Blue Diablo and she’s a terrific writer.

Probably the biggest influences are the early people I read. Andre Norton, she was my first science fiction and first fantasy book and she made sure I made it through adolescence. She and Simon and Garfunkel. [laughs] Also, and things like The Black Stallion. Here’s this dangerous beast, and he loves me. He’ll take care of me, because he loves me. It doesn’t mean he’s not a dangerous beast. And to me that’s the essence of what a vampire is in the modern urban fantasy. Or a werewolf for that matter. Here’s something powerful and destructive, but because he loves then he can tone it down–even if it’s just for one person. It’s a very empowering thought; it’s a very empowering thing.

Then there’s Black Beauty, you know, do kind unto others and take care of the people around you.

So as you can see, it’s all over the place. [laughs]

Thea: If you were stranded on a desert island, what five books would you bring with you?

Patty: Oh that’s awful! [laughs] The Complete Works of Shakespeare just because it’s that big. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold, which is just awesome and I can read it over and over again. Laurell K. Hamilton, probably Bloody Bones [...] anywhere from book 3 to Obsidian Butterfly. Anything by Jim Butcher, it doesn’t matter, I can read it to pieces. And then…I don’t know. Maybe an encyclopedia.

Thea: Any letter? “X”?

Patty: Yes! I would know more about the letter X than anybody else.

Thea: We Book Smugglers are faced with constant threats and criticisms from our dear significant others concerning the sheer volume of books we purchase and read—hence, we have resorted to ‘smuggling books’ home to escape any scrutinizing eyes. Have you ever had to resort to smuggling books?

Patty: No, because my husband is just a doll. After this last move, he bought me a Sony E-book reader because he said he’s really tired of moving boxes of books. [laughs] But no, he’s always been terrifically supportive. When I said, “No I can’t get a real job honey I have to write my books,” and making much less than I would working at Wal-Mart, he said that’s just fine, that’s ok. He’s just the world’s best guy.

Thea: And that’s about it! Thanks so much again for everything, Patty. It was a blast!

Me again, with the awesome “Mercy’s Garage” patch! I’m still recovering from the awesomeness that is Patricia Briggs.

Patricia Briggs lives in Washington with her husband, children and six horses. For more information about Patty and her books, check out her website: www.hurog.com.

———-

And now for the Giveaway!

We are offering one more copy of Bone Crossed for a lucky winner. The contest is open to everyone, and will run until Tuesday at Midnight PST. To enter, leave a comment! We’ll announce the lucky winner on Wednesday.

Good luck!