Monday, July 29, 2013

Biting Bad by Chloe Neill: Giveaway and Blog Tour!




Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back. Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water. Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.

Welcome to my stop on the BITING BAD blog tour! I read BITING BAD a few weeks ago, and I LOVED IT! It is definitely the best book in the series, and I can’t wait for everyone to read this fantastic addition to Meritland. Chloe is visiting several great blogs to let Merit chat about all of the swoony men in the Chicagoland Vampire series. Let’s see what Chloe and Merit have in store for us today!

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the BITING BAD Blog Tour! From July 29, 2013 to August 9, 2013 (click here for full schedule), I’m visiting blogs to give Merit an opportunity to rate the men of the Chicagoland Vampires series–are they “Book Boyfriend” material? Let’s see what she has to say.

Scott Grey, Master
Hair/eye color: Dark brown/dark brown
Species: Vampire
House affiliation: Grey
First appearance in book (book/page): SGB, pg. 302
Thoughts: Scott’s handsome in an athletic, frat boy way, if you prefer that type. He’s standoffish, but he’s becoming more comfortable sharing Cadogan’s fight for the heart and soul of Chicago. And he’s a Cubs fan.
Verdict: B+ / Book boyfriend material for those who love sports, athletes, and those with quiet power.

Giveaway!

Chloe has generously provided a giveaway for readers! I will split up the prizes to give a few people a chance to win something. Bookmarks, a tote, a signed copy of Biting Cold, and pens could be yours if you enter the rafflecopter below! I am limiting some of the bigger prizes to US readers, but I will select a few international readers to receive bookmarks! Good luck! I really hope you win!
The fun doesn’t stop here!
Want more chances to win? You can also enter Chloe’s Biting Bad Grand Prize Giveaway, which will run July 29, 2013 through August 9, 2013 on Chloe’s web site.

What is the Grand Prize Giveaway prize?
A personalized, autographed Chicagoland Vampires and Dark Elite novel
A Chicagoland Vampires tote bag
A $50 gift card from Amazon, Indiebound, or Barnes & Noble (Winner’s choice)
A Chicagoland Vampires audiobook
A limited edition BITING BAD All Access Pass and Cadogan House lanyard
Two Cadogan House Koozies, so you can share a beverage with your favorite vamp.
Bookmarks, pens, buttons, and more swag!

Biting Bad Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 29 – Rapid Reads, Oh Paper Pages
Tuesday, July 30 – The Consummate Reader
Wednesday, July 31 – Me, Myself & Books Blog
Thursday, August 1 – Reading Rain Blog
Friday, August 2 – VampChix & Bite Club, Rantings of a Reading Addict
Monday, August 5 – Wholly Books, Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy, Paranormal and Romance
Tuesday, August 6 (Release Day) – Cocktails & Books
Wednesday, August 7 – Nocturne Reads, Krista’s Dust Jacket
Thursday, August 8 – Urban Fantasy Investigations
Friday, August 9 – Saucy Wenches, Gizmo’s Reviews

If you are new to the CV series and love well-written books with great characters, I highly recommend the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill! Purchase a copy at AmazonBarnes & NobleBooks-A-MillionIndieboundApple iBookstore, or Penguin, fellow bibliophiles!
 

Friday, July 5, 2013

Giveaway/Blog Tour: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews


Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
Publication Date: July 30th
Publisher: Ace
Rating: I really liked it!
Source: Publisher – thank you!
Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost. Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta. Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
The Skinny: Another great Kate Daniels book

I discovered the Kate Daniels series when I logged onto Goodreads to discover books similar to the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill. I read the previous 5 books in a flash and fell for Kate’s quirky humor and Curran’s witty remarks. Ilona Andrews has created a series that readers will enjoy for its fast pacing, interesting characters, and fun adventures. I really liked MAGIC RISES, and I am certain that fans of the series will enjoy the developments that take place in the newest addition.

In MAGIC RISES, we leave Atlanta and join Curran and Kate on a little trip to procure panacea, the cure for loup. One of the reasons why I enjoy reading the Kate Daniels books is that the action starts before the first chapter concludes. MAGIC RISES quickly sets the stage for the reader and we are soon packing our bags alongside Curran and Kate. For fans who enjoy the chemistry between Kate and Curran, I assure you that their relationship is fully examined in this book.

While I was reading MAGIC RISES, I grinned and glared in equal measure. Kate and Curran have finally settled into a place that is comfortable, but their happy relationship evolves as soon as they leave Atlanta. I appreciate Ilona’s willingness to show a rougher side to their relationship. Our duo fights and loves, and their evolution feels authentic. This particular storyline is nicely paced and will certainly inspire strong feelings in readers.

Like all of the Kate Daniels books, MAGIC RISES is action-packed and well-written. The writing is smart and clever, and I look forward to every new quip and quote. In contrast to the previous books, MAGIC RISES is the most developing in terms of the story. What happens in this book will change the pack’s position in future books and will change the Kate’s and Curran’s relationship. I am looking forward to reading how the story develops in subsequent books.

In future books, I hope to see more of Derek. He has endured quite a bit of abuse, and we are given snippets about his state of mind, but I want something more. Overall, I am pleased with MAGIC RISES, and I encourage fans of UF to either continue the series or start the series.

Ilona and Gordon are going on tour for the release of MAGIC RISES!

Tour Schedule
July 30             MAGIC RISES release date!
July 31             Murder by the Book – Houston, TX @ 6:30pm
August 1           Book People – Austin, TX @ 7pm
August 3           Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego, CA @ 2pm


Giveaway!

The lovely people at Ace are kindly offering copes of MAGIC BITES, the first book in the series, and MAGIC RISES to a US reader! To enter to win, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck! I really hope you win!