This is our brand new segment in which our delightful buddy Harry, from Temple Library Reviews will be joining us once a month to review paranormal romance from a guy’s perspective. But we will let him introduce himself, please let’s give a warm welcome to Harry!

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Harry: I’m the newest honorary addition to the Book Smugglers team [honest to God, I smuggle books home and then lie straight to my family's face about it]. I get the chance to play here at their blog once a month and my small spot will be called ‘A Dude Reads PNR’. The idea came to be in December, when I posted my Sherilyn Kenyon review and people were interested to see the male POV about Paranormal Romance. The public demands, the attention whore (that’s me) begs, and the smugglers comply.

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Title: Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil

Author: Barbara Monajem

Genre: PNR

Publisher: Love Spell Books
Publication Date: April 2010
MMP: 317 pages

Stand Alone or series: Stand-alone-ish

Dark secrets abound in the town of Bayou Gavotte, Louisiana, from blackmail to fetish clubs to murder, and when blood-and-love starved vampire Ophelia Beliveau calls the police to scare away whoever is desecrating her garden, Detective Gideon O-Toole unearths more than he ever dreamed.

Why did I read the book: I wanted a different sort of a protagonist and Ophelia is a gardener, which seems galaxies away from the leather clad killer chicks.

How did I get the book: Ana, people. Stop asking that. Geez.

Review:

I had reservations about “Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil” for the obvious reason. I’m jaded as far as law enforcement characters are concerned. Detectives, private investigators and officers give my eye corner a stylized nervous tick, which I enhance with a glamorous, tortured smile. However, I was invited to this barbeque, which happened to be hosted in between the pages of this book and like “Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil”.

To further exploit the simile, “Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil” many highlights, where you cheer over a steak after Great Uncle Earl told a mildly inappropriate joke. You observe how the teen cousins are torn between mischief and maturity. Grandma Pearl is awfully sweet and this night can be easily used for a Coca Cola campaign. But after the moonshine hits the table, you learn why Uncle Bill is not allowed to drink and then talk politics and why that rotten Dewey, that cousin twice removed, shouldn’t be invited at all.

To speak straight, “Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil” is a good novel with deficiencies, which for different readers will push different buttons in weird combinations. The romance in the novel is treated with the old kiss-then-slap approach, which made me groan as much as it showed me how good the author is with her characterization. Ophelia and Gideon are both stubborn, strong willed, loud-mouthed Southerners. This works in the general sense. I have no issues with them individually. The motivation behind their actions is more than logical and consistent. And yes, given their habit to receive whatever they have set out to get, it’s more or less expected for them to collide on the relationship front and struggle for dominance. Call it aggressive courting. To recap, every move they make is not devout of sense, but honestly how many times can two people fight, warm up to each other and progress to a verbal standoff. And how many times can misunderstanding, lack of knowing personal facts about one another be the cause for the bigger spikes.

Yes, we are talking about the span of a few days, which to some would seem realistic, for they are seldom enough to explore a person. But after awhile, the moments become tiresome as the pattern in their interactions become repetitive. What jarred my reading for a long time was the river scene. Both Gideon and Ophelia were endangered and could die. I mean, Gideon was shot and survival instinct dictated that they frantically search for a cover. What do they do? They have sex. Then they nap… Naked… On a river bank… With a sniper on the loose.

I give Monajem the two thumbs up for following the rules she established in her world. To be a vamp is to be a semi-supernatural mutant. You get the fangs. You get the taste for blood and your spit has minor healing properties. The worst/best perk is that you are a sex magnet. And vampires need to either drink blood or have sex on a constant basis to function as normal and inconspicuous people. Ophelia is somewhat of a vegetarian and has taken a pause from sex, so when she sees musky Gideon with a flesh wound, magic happened. It’s a sound situation, but I am still not convinced that sex trumps survival.

That aside, Monajem writes strong, three dimensional characters. Ophelia is a gardener and you can feel her passion, her dedication and how affected her livelihood is by everything that happens. Details about plants, pots, trees and soil pop up all the time and give a unique flavor to the reading experience. Gideon on the other could seem standard alpha male material. He’s the womanizer and playboy of a cop, but Monajem manages to expand on the archetype with a close and personal intrusion into his childhood as the foundation of his current behavior.

I can continue in the same vein, discussing the various secondary and even episodic characters and I have paragraphs about each. Starting from Ophelia’s family [her half-sister Violet and her niece Zelda] and then moving to Gideon’s family [his sister Artemisia, who by the way was the sole character to annoy me after the bad guy], the Bayou Gavotte underworld leaders [Leopard and the charming Constantine Duffray], the Wyler family [they seem to be take up the antagonist spot] and even Jennie the dispatcher, who was charmingly cheeky. All these names may not speak anything to you know, but will make your reading even more enjoyable.

“Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil” is vibrant, because it embraces the world unfiltered. Monajem snares details and discreetly stores them within the prose, which becomes potent, if not with the long-winded lyrical eloquence I am partially addicted to. I could not fathom how Monajem manages to include Gretchen, Gideon’s favorite dog, into the story and make me like it, as I have an allergy, when it comes to animal protagonists. But Monajem never forgets anything happening in a scene and this quality to her writing immerses the reader as it projects a visual.

For the record, I knew, who the villain was. Thank you, Scooby Doo for that vital skill. But I failed to connect the dots, surrounding Ophelia’s big dark secret.

Verdict: I was torn between giving this novel a 7 or a 6, but settled down with the lower grade. Yes, Monajem offers an interesting take on vampires that does not involve the end of the world or anything that comes close. Monajem portrays a South I would love to be a part of, but even though I liked the chemistry between the couple, the relationship dynamic seemed repetitive and the outcome a bit unrealistic for the time span given. Marriage after only three days is a bit fairy tale material. And I consider Artimisia to be a character created as a plot device. She seemed less fleshed out and her actions served the purpose of swapping information between Ophelia and Gideon in order for them to warm up to each other again.

Rating: 6 – Good, recommended with reservations.

Reading next: “Deep Kiss of Winter” – I tackled the Gena Showalter piece.

Title: Hourglass

Author: Claudia Gray

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: March 2010
Hardcover: 352 pages

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can’t escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what’s to come?

Stand alone or series: Book 3 in the ongoing Evernight series

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the publisher

Why did I read this book: I have read and reviewed both prior books in the series, Evernight and Stargazer, and really enjoyed them both. With the way things ended in Stargazer, of COURSE I was going to read Hourglass!

Review:

**BE ADVISED! This review contains necessary, MAJOR spoilers for the first two books in the series. If you have not read the first two books in the series and do not wish to be spoiled, look away!**

Immediately following the Black Cross attack on Evernight Academy, Bianca and Lucas have fled the school and joined Lucas’s mother and stepfather in the fanatical, vampire killing ranks of the Black Cross. With no other choice but to pose as loyal members of the group, Bianca and Lucas bide their time with Black Cross until they can save enough money to run away together, to be free of the ties that both Evernight and Black Cross have to them. But learning to kill her own kind and seeing the extent of the fanatical hate of all vampires in the group leaves Bianca terrified and deeply conflicted – how should she react when she’s sent on patrol? And, more importantly, what will become of her if they ever discover that she is actually a living vampire? The situation only grows more tense when Bianca and Lucas are pursued by the formidable Miss Bethany, headmistress of Evernight Academy, and Charity, the deranged, vampire younger sister of Balthazar. Bianca and Lucas find themselves trapped in an impossible situation, but will stop at nothing until they are safe and together.

If you’ve read and stuck with the series this far, Hourglass most likely won’t disappoint you. Shifting the action from the gothic, atmospheric grounds of Evernight Academy, this third installment gives readers an insight to the mysterious Black Cross their rough, almost sad, lifestyle as they move from city to city on the hunt for any and all vampires. I did find myself missing Evernight, but change is a good thing, and learning more about this fanatical organization was a fascinating turn of events. I love that Ms. Gray shows both sides of the vampire-human story – both the vampires and the Black Cross have their own recommending and detracting factors. On the one hand, the Black Cross do have a mission to protect and to serve, keeping humanity safe from violent, malevolent vampires. On the other, however, the Black Cross are so absolute in their views that all vampires are evil monsters (and thus they all must be killed), that the old saying about hunters becoming what they hunt comes to mind. I liked that a lot about Hourglass.

In terms of characters, Hourglass is a bit of a mixed bag. I love that all of the main characters in the story aren’t perfect; in fact, they’re far from it. Protagonist Bianca is infuriatingly dense at times, committing her own massive lapses in judgement – initially, I had a hard time with the offputting, blasé attitude Bianca had towards the Black Cross (hello, the people who you were taught were murderers? The people who WOULD murder even the most innocent and passive of vampires – her own mother and father! – for the mere fact that they have fangs?). In general, Bianca’s passivity chafed. Whether it be in her attitude towards the Black Cross, her discovery that something might be wrong with her, physically, her role in the relationship with Lucas…it was grating, at times. BUT, that all said, one of the things that endears Bianca is that she learns from her mistakes. She’s by no means perfect, and not any ideal role model by any stretch of the imagination. But then again, she’s not supposed to be. She’s a regular girl, scared and trapped in a situation that is much larger than herself, and her at times selfish, at times obtuse actions are understandable at the very least. And, to Bianca’s credit, she eventually sees her mistakes for the huge screwups that they are, and she takes the responsibility and faces the consequences of her actions.

Similarly, Lucas is a far from perfect character – though Bianca is smitten with him, he’s abrasive and hot-headed, and overly-proud…but that’s what makes him a genuine, relatable character. He might not be a character that I love, but the love that he and Bianca share is genuinely touching and believable. And thankfully, the dynamic between Lucas and Bianca is more balanced than in the prior novels (where Lucas strayed towards dangerously controlling boyfriend territory). Both Bianca and Lucas have grown as characters and towards each other, and that’s a cool thing to see in a series. In that same vein, even my beloved Balthazar is the same flawed character – unable to see that Charity, his twisted younger sister, will never be sane. The other character interaction I have to mention is the changing relationship between Raquel and Bianca – Raquel’s hatred of anything supernatural (perfectly natural after the torture she has suffered at Evernight) becomes an issue in this book as she eagerly laps up everything the Black Cross teaches her.

In terms of plotting, what can I say? Hourglass has a number of twists and turns, leading to a dramatic conclusion. If there’s one thing I can say for Hourglass, it’s that there is no shortage of melodrama in this book. Complaining about this aspect, however, is like complaining water is wet. That’s what makes the book, and this series at large, such a good guilty pleasure. Yeah, some of Hourglass’s plot points are ridiculously silly (i.e. why wouldn’t Bianca and Lucas just leave Black Cross immediately? Given how dangerous the situation was for Bianca and the fact that both Bianca and Lucas have very rich friends, the whole “saving money” excuse seems a little disingenuous). But that said, I absolutely LOVED all of the crazy teenage shenanigans, the incredibly over-the-top melodrama at the end, ridiculous though it may be. Hourglass is like that soap opera, that CW or MTV show that you simply cannot tear yourself away from. It manages to be both utterly ridiculous, and yet strangely satisfying. Sorta like the literary equivalent of really bomb Chinese takeout.

I’ll be back for the fourths, given the cliffhanger at the end of this one.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the first chapter:

I GASPED FOR AIR SO HARD THAT MY CHEST ACHED. My face felt hot, and strands of my hair stuck to the sweaty back of my neck. Every single muscle hurt.

In front of me was Eduardo, one of the leaders of this Black Cross cell, with a stake in his hand. All around us, his vampire hunters, a ragtag army in denim and flannel, watched in silence. None of them would help me. We stood apart from them in the center of the room. Harsh overhead light painted him in stark shadows.

“Come on, Bianca. Get in the game.” His voice could sound like a growl when he chose, and every word echoed off the concrete floor and metal walls of the abandoned warehouse. “This is a fight to the death. Aren’t you even going to try to stop me?”

If I sprang at him in an effort to grab his weapon or knock him down, he’d be able to throw me to the floor. Eduardo was faster, and he’d been hunting for years. He’d probably killed hundreds of vampires—all of them older and more powerful than me.

Lucas, what can I do?

But I didn’t dare look around for Lucas. I knew that if I took my eyes away from Eduardo for a second, the battle would be over.

I took a couple of steps backward, but I stumbled. The borrowed shoes I wore were too big for me, and one of them slipped off my foot.

“Clumsy,” Eduardo said. He turned the stake between his fingers, as if imagining different angles at which to strike. His smile was so satisfied—so smug—that I stopped being scared and started being mad.

I grabbed up the shoe and flung it at Eduardo’s face as hard as I could.

It smacked into his nose, and our audience burst out laughing. A few of them clapped. The tension had disappeared in an instant, and I was once more part of the gang, or so they thought.

Thanks again to Harper Collins’ awesome Browse Inside feature, you can check out the first 70 pages of Hourglass, completely for free. I highly recommend you take a peek:

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

For those folks who haven’t read the series yet and are intrigued (or for those that HAVE read the series and want another copy or want to pass it along to friends), we are giving away ONE copy of Evernight, the first book in the titled series. Entry is simple – just leave a comment here, letting us know which YA Vampire book or series is your favorite. The contest is open to residents of the US only, and will run until Saturday, March 27th at 11:59 PM (PST).

Good luck!

Rating: 7 – Very Good

Reading Next: Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes

Today and tomorrow we are having a Molly Harper Spotlight. Earlier today we joint reviewed Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs the first book in the Jane Jameson trilogy; Now, we take a look at Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men (book 2) and Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever (book 3) . And tomorrow, the author will be stopping by to talk about her inspirations and influences and to answer YOUR questions – plus you will have a chance to win a set of all three books!

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men

Publisher: Pocket
Publishing Date: August 2009
Paperback 400 pages

Summary: Once a devoted children’s librarian, Jane Jameson now works at a rundown occult bookstore. Once a regular gal, she’s now a vampire. And instead of a bride, she’s an eternal bridesmaid — which leads her to question where exactly her relationship with her irresistibly sexy sire, Gabriel, is headed. Mercurial, enigmatic, apparently commitment-phobic vampires are nothing if not hard to read. While Jane is trying to master undead dating, she is also donning the ugliest bridesmaid’s dress in history at her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding. Between a freaked-out groom-to-be, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and Zeb’s mother, hell-bent on seeing Jane walk the aisle with Zeb, Jane’s got the feeling she’s just rearranging the proverbial deck chairs.

Meanwhile, Half Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow, Jane’s Grandma Ruthie, has met her match in her latest fiancé. He smells like bad cheese and has a suspicious history of dead spouses. But Jane’s biting her tongue. After all, would a nice girl really think she has a future with a vampire?

Review: In Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, Jane Jameson, former librarian turned vampire after she was accidentally killed when a deer hunter mistook her for a deer , is still coming to grips with her life as one of the undead. If that was not enough, her best friend Zeb is getting married to a werewolf and the two families are not getting along, to put it very mildly; Zeb’s mother (AKA Mama Ginger or the Mother From Hell) is bent on getting Zeb to marry Jane instead and the werewolves are not very keen on Zeb either who now has one less toe, the result of one of a myriad of pranks they play on him. The wedding is to be Titanic themed, with an Iceberg and everything and Jane is supposed to wear the most horrendous bridesmaid dress of all time.

On top of that, Gabriel, Jane’s sire and boyfriend keep going away on business, disappearing for days without contacting her, never answering the phone. Jane is certain he is cheating on her but her lack of self-confidence prevents her from confronting him. Then her Grandmother Ruthie, a serial Widow starts dating someone new and Zeb starts sending really weird vibes her way. All of sudden, Jane maybe well be the sanest person around ,which just goes to show how insane this whole book is.

Drama: this book has in spades. Only, of the funny variety. Although, less hysterically funny than the first book, I still had a smile pretty much the entire time I was reading. Although a comedy at heart, this is also a character-driven story and Jane continues to grow as a character. And in this book, it is all about her circle of relationships and how she interacts or reacts (or not) with them. Sometimes, she manages to be proactive, sometimes she just shuts down completely. I also LOVE to read about the other character’s relationships especially that between Andrea and Dick Cheney. I am so rooting for them!

On the flip side, I was not very keen at all about the whole Grandma Ruthie storyline and could have done without it. I was also very frustrated with the relationship between Gabriel and Jane. He was hardly ever around and I could not, for the life of me, understand how Jane did not deal with that for most of the book. BUT that is part of their story and definitely part of Jane’s arc.

On to the next one!

Notable Quotes/ Parts:I love how Jane is a Jane Austen enthusiast. Her dog is named Fitz after Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice for example. But she also loves Sense and Sensibility. I loved how in several scenes in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, she would be in situations and she would muse whether she should behave like Elinor (and be logical) or Marianne (and be emotional).

Verdict: Although not the best in the series, this book is still funny and sexy and quirky.

Rating: 7 Very Good

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever

Publisher: Pocket
Publishing Date: December 2009
Paperback: 336 pages

Summary: Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby…or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath..

Review: Warning. Contains spoilers for books one and two.

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever picks up where Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men left off, with Jane and Gabriel touring Europe. Gabriel is still been a mysterious pig. Although it is obvious that he loves Jane, he is hiding something as the phone calls, letters (who read like love letters by the way by someone named Jeanine) and sudden business meeting prove. And he simply refuses to explain what is going on. Then, back home someone breaks into her new bookstore and she decides to leave Gabriel behind and go back home.

Back in Half Moon Hollow, thinks are as manic as usual. Zeb and Jolene are pregnant (and who knows how many babies a werewolf mother may give birth to) ; Dick and Andrea have moved in together; the ghosts of Mr. Wainsworth and Auntie Jettie are going steady; then Jane decided to join the Chamber of Commerce (where all the members are named Courtney) and whomever was writing letters to Gabriel start threatening her.

This book is slightly more serious than the previous books but this is because Jane has come a long way as a character. This is where she finally takes definite proactive actions. Seeing all of her friend settled and happy makes wonders to her life; her new business starts to grow (and does really have a love for books and literature) she settles her issues with her sister and confronts Gabriel . I have to admit I actually grew fonder of the guy with this book but Dick Cheney takes the cake for best make character of this series. His arc with Andrea was the best romantic arc in the books and I loved the way it ended for both of them. They provided me with laughter and even a bit of tears (which is to be admired considering this is supposed to be a Comedy).

But this is also a more balanced book and the best one in the series. The author has also grown as a writer and it shows. The story has less zigzagging and I thought a cleaner , simpler plot that worked out really well.

On the whole, I really enjoyed reading this series. I think these books are really funny and heart-warming with a bunch of great characters. I will miss reading about them but I don’t wish for more books in the series. I generally think that series tend to go for too long which a lot of the time results in series exhaustion, character assassination, jumping the shark, etc. I think Jane and Co are in a really good, happy place right now. Let them be.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: Because I am such a romantic at heart, I have to say I loved the interactions between Dick and Andrea. And there is one scene between Dick and Jane that was so cute. And adorable. I have a crush. So sue me.

Verdict: The strongest book in the series, it is a perfect ending for the trilogy.

Rating: 7 Very Good leaning towards a 8

Make sure to come back tomorrow for a chance to learn more about the series and ask Molly Harper your own questions, and for a chance to win a set of all the books in the Jane Jameson series!

Today, we give you an urban fantasy double-shot of goodness, in the spirit of Smugglivus! Now, we take a look at the first two books in UF author Adrian Phoenix’s The Maker’s Song series, A Rush of Wings and In the Blood. And later today, Ms. Phoenix will be stopping in to answer YOUR burning questions – plus you’ll have a chance to win one of TWO autographed sets of the books.

A Rush of Wings (Book 1 of The Maker’s Song)

Publisher: Pocket (Simon & Shuster)
Publication Date: January 2008
Paperback: 416 pages

Summary: (from Simon&Schuster.com)
HIS NAME IS DANTE.

What Heather does know about Dante is that something links him to the killer — and she’s pretty sure that link makes him the CCK’s next target. Heather must unravel the truth behind this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man — who, she begins to believe, may indeed be a vampire — in order to bring a killer to
justice. But what Heather doesn’t know is that Dante’s past holds a shocking secret, and once it is revealed not even Heather will be able to protect him from his destiny…

Review:

Heather Wallace is a Federal Agent on a mission – to stop and capture the “Cross Country Killer” from striking again and ending another innocent life. Her investigation has taken her to New Orleans, to the scene of the CCK’s latest murder outside of a nightspot called Club Hell. The CCK’s modus operandi has changed ever so slightly, but Heather cannot shake the gut feeling that this latest murder is his – and she’s determined to figure out the cryptic message he has left behind. When she attempts to question the owner of Club Hell, band front man Dante Prejean, however, she’s met with a stubborn refusal to cooperate. Turns out, Club Hell is not only a happening nightspot for goths and vampire wannabes, but an actual haven for supernatural creatures – at least, that is what they tell Heather. Dante insists that he is nightkind, that is, a born vampire. His entourage and circle of friends also are creatures that aren’t exactly mortal, both vampire and fallen (as in fallen angels) alike. It soon becomes clear to Heather that Dante is the focus of her suspect’s murders, and she attempts to protect him only to meet strange resistance at the FBI – someone doesn’t want her poking around Dante Prejean, or the CCK. But Heather won’t rest until she gets to the bottom of the mystery, even though it takes her down a dark and dangerous road.

At first glance, A Rush of Wings sounds like countless other entries in the Urban Fantasy genre – one unbelievably sexy (and promiscuous, and french-speaking, and leather wearing) vampire meets one attractive yet totally competent badass officer of the law (with a heart of gold) and try to overcome sizable obstacles together. But, despite the familiarity of the character tropes and subject matter, A Rush of Wings manages to distinguish itself enough from the myriad sexy-vampire/cop books to make it a worthwhile read. From a plotting and writing standpoint, this debut novel from Adrian Phoenix has a distinct style and complicated, well-conceived world. The idea of nightkind, of True Bloods and Fallen may be a tad familiar, but are enhanced by the new terms and concepts Ms. Phoenix creates (and there’s a handy glossary in the back of the book to help readers sort out exactly what certain things mean). The plot, unfortunately, is somewhat uneven as the novel starts strong but crumbles under the complicated side-plots and shadow conspiracies (for example, the involvement of the government in a super secret project to create sociopaths seems a tad over the top – in any case, it’s hard to suspend disbelief as the novel progresses). Ms. Phoenix does manage to make ends meet by the conclusion of the novel, but the road there is rocky.

Though the plotting isn’t the most sure-footed, Ms. Phoenix’s characters are the true standouts that make A Rush of Wings worthwhile. The archetypes for Heather and Dante are standard fare, but Ms. Phoenix manages to give these protagonists complicated and unique backstories that add layers of realism to the characters. Dante Prejean is much more than just a promiscuous, leather-clad vampire; he’s also an orphan with a dark past, and, in a wonderful twist, is only 23 years old (and acts like it). He’s beautiful and self-assured, but he also struggles with some truly horrible inner demons – if there’s any vampire that deserves to wallow in self-disgust, it’s the sociopathic Dante. Ms. Phoenix also gives him a distinct voice with his creole french interspersed in his speech (in a kind of Gambit-esque way), that feels very real, if a little cheesy at first. Even more impressive, however, was heroine Heather Wallace. Though her FBI-procedurals are a bit shaky and unconvincing, as a character, Heather is a firmly grounded and mature woman. I loved that she is the older, more experienced one in the relationship (31 to Dante’s 23), and her determination to do her job at all costs is an admirable trait. The secondary characters too – particularly Dante’s more-than-friend Lucien DeNoir, one of the fallen and strangely protective of young Dante.

Overall, I enjoyed A Rush of Wings – enough so to continue with the series. There’s a lot of potential in this first novel, and as it was Ms. Phoenix’s first, I had high hopes for her subsequent work.

Notable Quotes/Parts: You can read chapter one online HERE.

Verdict: Despite an uneven plot, the characters were enough to salvage the novel and keep me engaged. Definitely recommended for those looking for a sexy, paranormal read with complexity.

Rating: 6 – Good

In the Blood (Book 2 of The Maker’s Song)

Publisher: Pocket (Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: January 2009
Paperback: 480 pages

**PLEASE NOTE: The review of In the Blood (including the synopsis below) necessarily and unavoidably contain spoilers for the first book, A Rush of Wings. If you have not read book 1 and wish to remain unspoiled, stop reading now!

Summary: (from Simon&Schuster.com)
DANTE LIVES.

Shadowy government forces have pledged to eliminate all loose ends from Project Bad Seed — and Heather and Dante are at the top of the list. Elsewhere, the Fallen gather in Gehenna, intent on finding their long-awaited savior, the True Blood nightkind whom Lucien DeNoir would die to protect. And a damaged and desperate adversary, with powers as strange and perilous as Dante’s own, plots to use Dante as a pawn in a violent scheme for revenge. But only one of these lethal forces holds the key to Dante’s past — a key that could finally unlock the secret of his birth and the truth of his existence…or destroy him completely.

Review:

What a difference a book makes! While A Rush of Wings was a strong character novel with a shaky plot, In the Blood shows more of what Ms. Phoenix is really capable in terms of writing. The plotting has grown stronger and more assured, the mythology of her Maker’s Song universe more intense and layered – and add to that her already solid characterizations, and you’ve got a strong sophomore effort on your hands.

The Bad Seed project has been terminated, E destroyed, and Dante and Heather have gone their separate ways. Dante still struggles with his migranes and the darkness that bubbles beneath the surface, a legacy of his Bad Seed days and his not quite restrained alter-ego, S. But though the primary doctor of the experiments is now dead, Bad Seed has even deeper roots in the FBI and government, and those in charge are not so easy for Heather and Dante to avoid. A nefarious plan ensues to “trigger” Dante and to control Heather is set in action, and once again the two must team up to get to the bottom of the powers threatening them both. Meanwhile, Lucien finds himself embroiled in a power struggle between his fallen brethren in the alternate plain of Gehenna – he must protect the identity and very existence of his son Dante, lest Dante’s unique powers as a creawdwr (an extremely rare and powerful creator) are discovered and claimed by the other Elohim.

Once again, Ms. Phoenix has an ambitious undertaking with In the Blood – the plot involves two parallel locations (the more earthly Seattle and otherworldly Gehenna), and multiple side characters hungry for a piece of Dante’s power, each fueled by different motivations. The storytelling is less confusing and more believable this time around, though the police procedurals and government conspiracies still feel somewhat forced. The additions to the Maker’s Song universe, are more than enough to make up for any shortcomings in terms of plotting – Dante’s uniqueness, the role of Lucien and the other Elohim are fascinating as well. And, as with the first book, the true strength of In the Blood lies with Ms. Phoenix’s characterizations – which are expanded and built upon in this second book. Dante – vampire, crazed sociopath, uncontrollable, and incredibly powerful creature – is a risky choice of hero. He’s both familiar (as the French speaking sexy vamp) but unique (he’s got issues, brainwashed and conditioned from his bad seed days). Heather, as in the first book, is an irresistible heroine with her levelheadedness and her devotion to her job and those she loves. In In the Blood, we learn a lot more about Heather’s colored past – the shaky and mistrustful relationship she has with her father, the truth of her mother’s murder, her manic depressive and manipulative younger sister Annie. Lucien too gets much more attention in this novel, which is a welcome addition as he is one of the more fascinating characters from the first book, and the history of the fallen and his brethren add an extra dimension to this novel. Too, the new additions to the cast are complex and layered – from the “cleanup” crew vampire Caterina, to the twins Alexander and Athena, to Heather’s sister and father, to the nefarious Wells himself.

Overall, I was much more impressed with In the Blood than I was with its predecessor, and I eagerly await the release of book 3 in the series, Beneath the Skin.

Notable Quotes/Parts: You can read chapter one online HERE.

Verdict: A much stronger novel than its predecessor, In the Blood has enough action, mystery and character to satiate any fan hungry for a dark and sexy Urban Fantasy read. Recommended.

Rating: 7 – Very Good

Make sure to stick around for a chance to ask Adrian Phoenix your own questions, and for a chance to win an autographed set of all the books in The Maker’s Song series!

Today, we give you a supernatural double-shot of goodness, in the spirit of Smugglivus! First up, it’s the lyrical stylings of Ryan Mecum, followed by a zombified version of a holiday classic from Adam Roberts…

Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum

Publisher: How
Publication Date: August 2009
Paperback: 144 pages

Summary: (from amazon.com)
You hold in your hands a recently discovered poetry journal – the poetry journal of a vampire. William Butten was en route to a new land on the Mayflower when he was turned into a vampire by a fellow passenger, a beautiful woman named Katherine. These pages contain his heartbreaking story – the story of a vampire who has lived through (and perhaps caused) some of America’s defining events. As he travels the country and as centuries pass, he searches for his lost love and records his adventures and misadventures using the form of poetry known as haiku.

Read along, and you just may find a new appreciation for – and insight into – various events in American history. And blood.

Review:

Earlier this year, Ana and I read and reviewed Ryan Mecum’s delightful Zombie Haiku – and we liked it so much, we of course responded with alacrity when he invited us to review his new poetic book, Vampire Haiku.

Like Zombie Haiku, Vampire Haiku is written entirely in a series of haiku (that’s a three line poem, with 5-7-5 syllables per line), but tells an overall story. This novel is the poetic journal of a man named William Butten, a translatlantic passenger on the good ship Mayflower in 1620. En route, William meets a lovely married woman named Katherine – who isn’t exactly what she seems, as becomes clear to William when she drinks his blood and turns him into a vampire. Over the next few centuries, the vampire William documents his adventures, his conquests, and his love for Katherine in his journal (all in haiku form, of course).

And what can I say? Mr. Mecum does it again with his winsome Vampire Haiku, capturing a slightly different interpretation of American history through a vampire’s eyes. This slim, glossy book comes in a cool package – the interior of the book, the accompanying illustrations, photographs and blood spatters are gorgeously composed – and the haiku are as fun as ever. A few favorites:

The syllable count
for “vampire” is confusing.
Two? Three? I’ll guess two.

Blood tastes like cherries
mixed with a lot of copper
and way too much salt.

When a mosquito
pierces my neck and drinks blood,
is that irony?

I just saw Twilight.
It’s labeled a vampire film,
but I don’t know why.

These were not vampires.
If sunlight makes you sparkle,
you’re a unicorn.

Even better than the humor, though, is the unrequited love story between William and his Katherine over the ages – it adds a touch of bittersweet heartache to the book.

Though I think I still prefer Zombie Haiku (as a zombie fan first and foremost, this is a – pardon the lameness of the pun – “no brainer”), Vampire Haiku is a wonderful little book, and another solid entry from Ryan Mecum. Perfect for a stocking stuffer, or for someone looking for a quick, quirky pick-me-up. Definitely recommended.

Rating: 6 – Good

I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas by Adam Roberts

Publisher: Gollancz (UK)
Publication Date: October 2009
Hardcover: 160 pages

Summary: (amazon.com)

Marley was dead. Again. The legendary Ebenezeer Scrooge sits in his house counting money. The boards that he has nailed up over the doors and the windows shudder and shake under the blows from the endless zombie hordes that crowd the streets hungering for his flesh and his miserly braaaaiiiiiinns! Just how did the happiest day of the year slip into a welter of blood, innards and shambling, ravenous undead on the snowy streets of old London town? Will the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future be able to stop the world from drowning under a top-hatted and crinolined zombie horde? Was Tiny Tim’s illness something infinitely more sinister than mere rickets and consumption? Can Scrooge be persuaded to go back to his evil ways, travel back to Christmas past and destroy the brain stem of the tiny, irritatingly cheery Patient Zero? It’s the Dickensian Zombie Apocalypse – God Bless us, one and all!

Review:

Since the wild success of Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies earlier this year (reviewed HERE), the taking of an established classic work of literature and zombifying it has become something of a trend. Adam Roberts’ I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas takes Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and twists it into something a little more…silly (and by “silly” I mean bloody, gorey, and brains-y).

The basic story is thus: Ebeneezer Scrooge, the miserliest of misers, he of the “bah humbugs,” turns out to be the only person in the world immune to the encroaching zombie plague (which he discovers after a re-animated Marley bites him on his backside). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits (Present, Future and Past) for a specific purpose – to see the extent of the zombie plague, and to give him the motivation to stop it (by putting the maniacal mastermind behind the zombie outbreak to a preemptive death).

If you buy I Am Scrooge, you already know what you are getting into. This is a silly book that isn’t really about zombies as metaphor for human failings. It’s not George A. Romero. It’s not Kim Paffenroth or Robert Kirkpatrick. But, for what it is – a good, healthy dose of the ridiculous followed by a serving of Christmas Puddi-er-Brains – I Am Scrooge is wonderful. Mr. Roberts does not make the awkward mistake of trying to ape Charles Dickens’ prose (as Mr. Grahame-Smith attempted with Jane Austen), nor does he rely on A Christmas Carol too much. Instead, he takes the basic premise of the novel and writes a wry, brisk, slip of a book (it’s only 150 pages), that involves time travel, some famous author cameos, and the strategic location of Australia.

Seriously.

Add to that a sometimes-narrator that has fun with the english language, i.e:

‘Brains!’ moaned the beast, its arms flung wide as if in greeting. It writhed, slowly, jerkily, upon its wooden-knob of impalement. Of its impaling. Its impaleness. Of its Impellor.

Of its being impaled. Yes, I think that’s the right one.

…and you’ve got a party. I Am Scrooge is absurdism at its best – the final showdown will have you rolling your eyes, and yet strangely delighted. At least, I know I was delighted. I appreciated how off-the-wall silly this book was, and devoured it in a single sitting. It’s not War and Peace (or even A Christmas Carol) – but then again, it’s not meant to be. And for what it is, it rocks. Recommended, if you’re looking for silly, fast, and escapist. With brains.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Raiders’ Ransom by Emily Diamand

Title: Blind Spot (in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds)

Author: Meljean Brook

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publishing Date: September 2009
Pages: less than 100

Stand Alone/ Series: A standalone story set in the Guardian’s universe.

Why did I read the book: I have read all the books and novellas in this series, because they are THAT good.

How did I get the book: Review copy from publisher

Review:

I can always count on Meljean Brook to deliver a good story. I have read all of her novels as well as all of her novellas and she is very successful in writing both formats.

Blind Spot starts after the events of Demon Forged. Maggie Wren, a secondary character in that novel is now working for Colin Ames-Beaumont as his butler. He sends to her New York accompanied by Sir Pup (the hellhound) to aid his many times great-Nephew Geoffrey Blake in finding his missing sister Katherine. Maggie is a highly qualified former CIA operative and prepared to take care of this problem especially given as how the problem may be connected with her own past. What she did not know was that Geoffrey is a problem solver himself, working for the family business’ Ramsdell Pharmaceuticals. He also happens to be blind – a fact Colin failed to mention and which surprises Maggie. But being a member of Colin’s family means Geoffrey’s blood is tainted by Dragon’s blood giving him a very special ability.

I really liked this story. After the VERY dark Demon Forged it was great to see a story set in the same world but a little lighter. Of course, Maggie and Geoffrey are dealing with dangerous villains but the tone is much less heavy. Not only because the story is mostly a character piece with little connection with the overall story arc (no word of what is happening with the Guardians for example or with Michael) but also because of Sir Pup – he is a delight to read. A Hellhound with 3 heads and a sense of humour. Awesome.

Plus, in a world populated by Guardians, Demons, Vampires it is very refreshing to see a human couple taking the centre stage. The story takes place over a few hours and I love that Meljean Brook does not force a full-blown relationship down our throats. These two have a clear mission and they are working together towards it. As they move around the country, each of them is revealed to the reader – their past, their issues, their personalities. I loved for example the difference in background: Geoffrey coming from a huge, loving traditional family whilst Maggie was a loner. The prospect of being part of a family is one thing that he can offer her. Plus, I adored how Colin played a role here and how we see another side of him – the whole “Winters” thing was adorable.

It is plain that Geoffrey already knew Maggie and had a crush on her, but they only just barely got to know each other. And this is the great thing about Blind Spot: by the end of the novella, even though there were no words of love uttered, even though they only kissed twice, the promise is there and I know enough about each of them to believe that there is a HEA for them somewhere in the future.

And once again Meljean Brook delights me with fabulous last lines to close the story : it refers back to Maggie’s thoughts about caring x being careless, completing her character arc and revealing the well-thought out (short) journey the author granted us with.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: I loved this passage:

“Who was this man? Was he for real? Her fingers were clumsy as she unbuttoned the cuffs of her sleeves. What kind of person offered trust like this? Acceptance? She wasn’t family. Their only connection was one of the few impulsive acts Maggie had performed in her lifetime. She wouldn’t even matter to him.

And yet…his acceptance and trust had begun to matter to her, too. It must have, because her throat was aching, and she wanted to say “Thank you” in return.

But as she moved toward the bathroom, she only said, “You aren’t at all what I expected, Mr Blake.”

Additional Thoughts: Blind Spot is only one of four stories in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology. The other three are:

Angels’ Judgment by Nalini Singh – part of her Guild Hunter series. I plan to read this story next.

And two other stories which are part of series I do not read and I have no plans to read them.

“The Britilingens Go to Hell” by Charlaine Harris (note: NOT a Sookie Stackhouse story) and “Magic Mourns” by Ilona Andres (set in the Kate Daniel’s universe)

You can check other reviewer’s thoughts about these stories here:

SciFi Guy’s
Janicu’s
Mandi’s
Babbling About Books and More

Verdict: Blind Spot is a good, solid character-centric story of two interesting people. Even though it is connected with the world of the Guardians it is not essential to the overall story arc. As a die-hard fan of the series though, it is essential to my keeper shelf. But then again, I basically devour any morsel of writing that Meljean Brook deems to throw at me.

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Title: Blood Promise

Author: Richelle Mead

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Publication Date: August 2009
Hardcover: 512 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 4 in the ongoing Vampire Academy series

How did I get this book: Review Copy from Publicist

Why did I read this book: I’m kind of a huge fan of Richelle Mead’s, and the Vampire Academy books are amazing – Twilight fans, you really should be reading about Rose and Dimitri, because this is a series that kicks the scrawny, melodramatic Twilight’s butt. On Thursday of last week, we hosted a stop on a Richelle Mead blog tour, and what better way to follow that up than with a review of Blood Promise?

Summary: (from RichelleMead.com)
Rose Hathaway’s life will never be the same.

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir’s and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

Review:

***IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS NECESSARY SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOKS YET, LOOK NO FURTHER! Major spoilers for the first three books ensue, after the break… (And also, if you haven’t read these books yet, for the love of Pete, what are you waiting for!!!!???? Go forth and pick up Vampire Academy. IMMEDIATELY.)***

(more…)

We’ve got a special, unexpected treat for you today – we’re kicking off a long-awaited Richelle Mead Book Blog Tour, in honor of her most recent release, the fourth book in her ongoing Vampire Academy series, Blood Promise!

Rose Hathaway’s life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir’s Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose’s neck, a mark that says she’s killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life’s vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She’ll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir’s and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

For the duration of the tour, six blogs will be participating in an interview with author Richelle Mead, asking her our burning questions about her Vampire Academy books.

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, we give you our questions with Richelle!

The Book Smugglers: You have a thing about putting your heroines through hell and back – both Georgina in your Succubus series and Rose in Vampire Academy have to deal with some major heartache. What’s with the Angst? Will Rose have some relief in the future?

Richelle: I’m not a cruel person, but I do believe characters have to work for their happy endings. It’s also unrealistic to write a book in which everything that happens to the character is happy and wonderful. No one would want to read it! We like to go through the ups and downs. And as for Rose, well…that’s not something I can give away. You’ll have to keep reading to see what happens next.

The Book Smugglers: Your take on vampires is really detailed, with careful and thoughtful delineation between Dhampir, Moroi and Strigoi. What were your inspirations for your particular take on vampire lore and hierarchy? Did you do any specific mythological research for your world building in the Vampire Academy books?

Richelle: When I sat down to write a vampire book for teens, I had no idea that that genre would be so big. I knew the adult market was going strong, though, so it was important for me to do something very different from those books. So, I tried to stay away from the ‘standard’ vampire stories in our culture and see what else was out there in the world. Interestingly, almost every culture has myths about some type of vampire. I’d taken Eastern European folklore classes in college, so I jumped into research about those myths first and found the Moroi and Strigoi stories. There wasn’t a lot there, so I’ve had to improvise a lot in the series with how I best think a world with two vampire races would live. Dualism is a big part of Russian and Romanian myths, which is why the balance of light and dark is always so key in the Vampire Academy universe.

The Book Smugglers: What are your future writing plans for the Vampire Academy books? When can we expect (and what can we expect from) the next installment to this fabulous series?

Richelle: There are going to be eight more VA books coming out over the next few years. Two of them will be about Rose and will finish off her story. The next six will be a “spin-off” starting a whole new story that takes place in the same world but follows different characters (whom we’ve already met).

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths. She received a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan, an MA in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University, and a Master in Teaching (Middle & High School English) degree from the University of Washington. In the end, she decided writing was the way for her but believes all of her education prepared her for it.

Visit Richelle Mead online at her website http://www.richellemead.com/ or her blog, Even Redheads Get the Blues.

So there you have it! Make sure to check out Frenetic Reader for the continuation of this interview…

Also make sure to check back in on Monday, when we’ll have a review of Blood Promise and a giveaway to boot!

Happy Sunday, everyone! I kindly want to kick off this week’s edition of our Sunday Stash to say…

MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! As of this instant, UCLA has a better football record than USC. Suck it Trojans. SUCK IT!

Ahem. Now back to business.

Giveaway Winners:

Our Neil Gaiman giveaway of two copies of The Graveyard Book is officially closed! The sorting hat has spoken. The two lucky winners are:

Congratulations! Please send us your snail mail address (contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com), and we’ll get your winnings out to you as soon as possible! Thanks again to all who participated. You all gave some wonderful book and author suggestions that we will be sure to check out!

Some Freaking Sweet News:

Universal has bought the rights to adapt Melissa Marr’s fantastic debut novel Wicked Lovely into a movie! SQUEE! The movie will be produced by Wild West Picture Show Prods. with Caroline Thompson to adapt the book to screenplay (she did Edward Scissorhands – so Wicked Lovely is in good hands!!!). As you may know, we Book Smugglers are Melissa Marr fangirls – we’ve interviewed her, we’ve had guest posts from her, we’ve loved all of her books. In fact, both of us have Fragile Eternity on our lists for best reads of 2009! So we are THRILLED for Melissa, and cannot wait for the film.

Any ideas for your dream casting of characters for the movie?? Some folks over at the Wicked Lovely Forums have some great ideas…I really like the suggestion of Amanda Seyfried as Donia.

In other fantastic-omg-headexplode news, our good friend and honorary book pimp Karen Mahoney has announced….HER VERY FIRST BOOK DEAL!!!! Kaz’s debut novel, a young adult urban fantasy type called The Iron Witch has been sold to Flux (the imprint behind Maggie Stiefvater’s Ballad!), along with its as of yet unwritten sequel (The Wood Queen)! We are so freaking happy for Karen…and now are patiently waiting for our ARCs. *NINJA*

And rounding out the dose of awesomeness is news from blogger buddy Carolyn Crane (aka CJ of The Thrillionth Page). Her urban fantasy debut, due out in March 2010, has a cover! And it’s gorgeous, isn’t it? CJ says:

But I’m sure it’s fine to say that, in a nutshell, Mind Games is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy about a hypochondriac who joins a psychological hit squad. It takes place in a fantastical Milwaukee/Chicago. (Specifically, the Milwaukee/Chicago of my childhood imagination. I lived in suburbs of both cities as a young child.)

Anyway, I’m just so so excited.

As are we!!!!

Other Cool Announcements & Goings On: