Archive for January, 2009
If You Like Sookie Stackhouse Books, You’ll Love These
Posted by: | CommentsNeed to find other urban fantasy books similar to the Sookie Stackhouse books? You know, books that have a female heroine, a bit of romance and some adventure? Well look no further. I’ve put together a list of books that fit the bill. All of the books in the list are recommended reads:
- Halfway to the Grave
- One Foot in the Grave
- At Grave’s End
Description: Cat Crawfield never met a vampire she didn’t hate. Although she’s half-vampire herself she moonlights as an amateur hunter who uses her feminine wiles to lure and exterminate vampires (okay, she’s got a bit of a father complex). Cat meets her match while attempting to capture Bones, a sexy full vampire who works for a secret organization that kills vampires that have gone rogue. Bones recognizes Cat’s potential and decides to properly train her to utilize her enhanced strength to help him track and kill vampires. As you can imagine, the attraction between them isn’t immediate but that’s part of the wonderful appeal of this series. Cat is a strong-willed individual who tends to be a bit headstrong; Bones’ approach is more methodical and calculating. This makes for some great “opposites attract” scenes. Jeaniene Frost does an outstanding job developing the relationship between Cat and Bones while presenting a fast paced action/adventure storyline. There’s a reason why the first book in the series Halfway to the Grave won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for best urban fantasy. It’s called great writing. You need to check out all of the books in this fantastic series. And stop by in a few days to enter my book contest where I’ll be giving away a free copy of “At Grave’s End”. For now, go pick up the first two books in the series. Get more info & prices
- Moon Called
- Blood Bound
- Iron Kissed
- Bone Crossed
Description: Mercy Thompson is a shape shifter whose adventures put her in contact with werewolves, vampires, and witches. There’s a romantic love interest in her life (can you say, incredibly sexy werewolf?) but she’s not sure she’s ready for a permanent relationship. These books are extremely well written and engaging. Get more info & pricing
- Touch The Dark
- Claimed By Shadow
- Embrace The Night
- Curse The Dawn
Description: Cassie is a pythia, someone that can go back in time to correct wrongs. She didn’t ask for this gig but since it’s a talent that’s passed down from one pythia to the next, she had no say in the matter. Her title puts her in constant danger because of ongoing power struggles between the vampires, good mages, dark mages, and other creatures. These books are fast paced and chock full of adventure. The sexy men in the series (some of which aren’t exactly human) add to the appeal of these books. Cassie is a smart and witty character that make these books incredibly fun to read. Get more info & pricing
- Howling At The Moon
- On The Prowl
- Leader Of The Pack
Description: Sophie Garou is the star in this series. She smart, sassy, and oh, she’s also a werewolf. Sophie has been “mainstreaming” for years amongst humans. She’s got a great job at an accounting firm, a sexy boyfriend, and a classy fashion sense. Her mother, a practicing witch, helps her mask her true identity from others but Sophie may soon be outed by the local werewolf community. Folks, these books are great. They’re sexy, incredibly funny, and suspenseful. I found it difficult to put either book down once I got started. The 3rd book in the series “Leader of the Pack” comes out this summer. Get more info & prices
- Kitty and the Midnight Hour
- Kitty Goes to Washington
- Kitty Takes a Holiday
- Kitty and the Silver Bullet
- Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand
- Kitty Raises Hell
Description: Kitty is a smart female werewolf who has a smash hit radio talk show. Her show stands apart from other talk radio because instead of accepting calls from humans, Kitty only takes calls from supernatural creatures: werewolves, vampires, and other things that love the night. The world knows what Kitty is, but they don’t yet believe that other otherworldly creatures exist. Kitty’s interactions with certain inhuman individuals frequently put her in danger. These books are fast paced and superbly written. I’m always anxiously awaiting the next release in the series. Get more info & prices
- The Becoming
- Blood Drive
- The Watcher
- Legacy
Description: You’ll be hard pressed to find a stronger female heroine than Anna Strong, the main character in the Night Huntress books. Anna is a female bounty hunter that happens to also be a vampire. Jeanne C. Stein does a fantastic job with character building and as such, Anna has become one of my favorite urban fantasy characters. Get more info & prices
- Dead Witch Walking
- The Good, The Bad, and the Undead
- Every Which Way But Dead
- A Fistful of Charms
- For a Few Demons More
- The Outlaw Demon Wails
- White Witch, Black Curse
Description:Rachel Morgan, the lead character in the series, is a 20-something witch who has a penchant for getting into trouble. Rachel co-owns a magical bounty hunter business with her two live-in partners: Jenks, an 8-inch pixy and Ivy, a female vampire. Between runs she spends her time trying to avoid people like Trent, the oh so handsome and completely human-looking elf who will stop at nothing to preserve his species or “Al” and “Newt”, two demons determined to kill her. And then there’s her roomate Ivy who REALLY wants to bite her. This is a fantastic series with great worldbuilding qualities. Kim Harrison’s superb writing deftly brings The Hollows (where Rachel lives) and the ever-after (think “Hell”) to life. I can visualize every room in the church/home where Rachel lives, all the way down to the furnishings. Folks, it doesn’t get much better than this. The characters are lively (Jenks is hilarious), the dialogue is believable, and the plots are thoroughly engrossing. Check out the first book in the series “Dead Witch Walking” and tell me if I’m wrong! Get more info & prices
Also, don’t forget that Dead and Gone is coming soon! It’s the 9th book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Sookie Stackhouse Book #9 – Dead and Gone
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The new cover for the latest Sookie Stackhouse book has been released! The book, titled “Dead and Gone” will be available for purchase May 5th but can be pre-ordered now.
Here’s a description of what happens in the book:
“For Sookie Stackhouse, the day-to-day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest. She’s blood-bound to the leader of the vamps, a friend to the local were pack, works for a man who is a shifter, and has a brother who walks on 4 legs each month.
Most of the humans in Bon Temps view vamps as mysterious and seductive creatures – they don’t even know that weres exist.
Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.
At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who (human or otherwise) committed the murder.
What she doesn’t realize is that there is a far greater danger on the horizon. A race of inhuman beings that are older and even more powerful than vampires or werewolves is preparing for war. And Sookie will become a pawn in their deadly battle for power . . .”
Sounds great doesn’t it? I’ve placed my pre-order for Dead and Gone since it’s now on sale for 40% off. Your turn.
True Blood Theme Song
Posted by: | CommentsWhen True Blood first aired lots of fans wanted to know more about the True Blood Theme Song. I’ve done some research and here’s what I found:
Song Title: Bad Things
Artist: Jace Everett, country music singer/songwriter (reminds me of Chris Isaak)
Recording Date: 2005
| Here’s Jace Everett singing “Bad Things”: |
| Here’s the video of True Blood’s opening credits with “Bad Things” playing in the background: |
| Here’s the MP3 download: of “Bad Things” from Amazon: |
| Amazon MP3 Download |
| Here are the lyrics for “Bad Things” |
|
When you came in the air went out. I’m the kind to sit up in his room. When you came in the air went out. I don’t know what you’ve done to me, |
| Enjoy! |
Sookie Stackhouse Books – A Quick Summary
Posted by: | CommentsDon’t you love the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris? I certainly do. As such I’ve put together a list of all of the books in the Southern Vampire Mystery series along with the main characters from each book and a general summary of the main highlights. Enjoy!
| #1 | Check price |
Title: Dead Until DarkMain Characters: Sookie, Bill, Eric, Jason, Sam General Summary: Sookie meets Bill Compton, a vampire; a string of murders occurs in town; Sookie’s brother Jason is a primary suspect; someone close to Sookie is killed. |
| #2 | Check price |
Title: Living Dead In Dallas General Summary: a friend of Sookie’s is brutally murdered; Sookie uses her special talent to look for the killer; Sookie is attacked by a rare supernatural creature; Sookie uses her talent to help a master vampire in Dallas; Sookie learns (the hard way) about The Fellowship of the Sun; Sookie learns about werewolves. |
| #3 | Check price |
Title: Club Dead General Summary: Bill leaves town to allegedly work on a task for the vampire queen of Louisiana; Sookie meets Alcide, a gorgeous trustworthy werewolf; Sookie receives assistance from Bubba; Sookie meets the vampire king of Mississippi; Sookie learns that Bill has betrayed her. |
| #4 | Check price |
Title: Dead To The World General Summary: Eric loses his memory and is taken in by Sookie; Sookie goes up against a coven of evil, shape shifting witches; Jason goes missing; Sookie learns about a local group of weres; Sookie ends up killing an enemy; Jason suffers through a a life altering experience. |
| #5 | Check price |
Title: Dead As A Doornail General Summary: Jason goes through a transformation; a sniper is targeting the local shape shifter community; Sookie helps Alcide’s father attempt to secure the alpha position in his pack; Sam gets injured; Sookie’s house is seriously damaged and Sookie almost perishes in the disaster. |
| #6 | Check price |
Title: Definitely Dead General Summary: Sookie learns that a relative of hers is a vampire; Sookie befriends a really cool witch called Amelia; Sookie and the incredibly gorgeous were-tiger, Quinn, get closer; someone (or something) is stalking Sookie; Sookie is kidnapped. |
| #7 | Check price |
Title: All Together Dead General Summary: Sookie travels to the city of Rhodes for a vampire summit; Sookie helps the vampire Queen of Louisiana and puts herself in a murderer’s sights; vampires mysteriously begin turning up dead; Sookie is still mad at Bill about his betrayal; Sookie meets up with Barry the Bellboy again; The Fellowship of the Sun is present and may be involved in a sinister plot again Sookie and her friends. |
| #8 | Check price |
Title: From Dead To Worse General Summary: Sookie’s main squeeze Quinn is missing; Sookie becomes involved in a battle between the Louisiana vampires; Sookie learns more about her family history; Sookie is betrayed by someone close to her; Sookie discovers 2 new living relatives – but are they human? |
| #9 | Check price |
Title: Dead And Gone General Summary: The weres and shifters have decided to come out of the closet to the world like the vampires; a were-panther that Sookie knows is found dead in Merlotte’s parking lot; a race of creatures older and more powerful than vamps or werewolves is waging a deadly war that Sookie gets pulled into. |
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Twilight Soundtrack – Twilight Theme Song
Posted by: | CommentsHave you heard the theme song to Twilight the movie? The song is called Twilight and was written and performed by Elliott Smith. It’s a beautifully haunting song that works perfectly for the movie. Click below to hear the clip:
A bit about the singer and songwriter: Elliott Smith battled depression and substance abuse for many years. He unfortunately died 3 years ago from two stab wounds to the chest. The autopsy proved inconclusive as to the source of the stab wounds but because of his history of suicide attempts it was widely assumed that the wounds were self-inflicted.
At the time of his death Smith was working on his 6th album called “From a Basement on the Hill” which was released posthumously. The Twilight single is on that CD.
Here are the lyrics to the Twilight song. Scroll to the bottom to listen to all of the clips from Elliott Smith’s CD.
Twilight Lyrics
Haven’t laughed this hard in a long time
I better stop now before I start crying
Go off to sleep in the sunshine
I don’t want to see the day when it’s dying
She’s a sight to see
She’s good to me
I’m already somebody’s baby
She’s a pretty thing
And she knows everything
But I’m already somebody’s baby
You don’t deserve to be lonely
But those drugs you got won’t make you feel better
Pretty soon you’ll find it’s the only
Little part of your life you’re keeping together
I’m nice to you
I could make it through
That you’re already somebody’s baby
I could make you smile
If you stayed a while
But how long will you stay with me, baby?
Because your candle burns too bright
Well, I almost forgot it was twilight
Even if I think that you are right
Well, I’m tired of being down, I got no fight
You’re wonderful
And it’s beautiful
But I’m already somebody’s baby
And if I went with you
I’d disappoint you too
Well, I’m already somebody’s baby
Already somebody’s baby
Listen To “From A Basement On A Hill” by Elliot Smith
Twilight The Movie vs. Twilight The Book
Posted by: | CommentsAs someone who’s read the Twilight Book by Stephenie Meyers AND watched Twilight The Movie, I thought my readers might like to know how the two compare.
| Plot/Storyline | Twilight The Book by Stephenie Meyers | Twilight The Movie |
|
Edward and Bella’s romance. |
It took me a while to accept their relationship, primarily because I knew it was doomed to fail. Edward, a vampire, will outlive Bella, who will eventually get old. However, I could understand Bella’s attraction to Edward: he’s gorgeous, he’s interested in her (a huge introvert), and he’s different. Bella was never one of the popular kids in school and aligning herself with the outcast crowd seems appropriate. Note: as of this writing I’ve only read Twilight, not the other books in the series. |
Any film would be hard pressed to capture the burgeoning relationship between Edward and Bella. There are scenes in the book in which they simply spend time talking. It would be difficult to convey these scenes on the big screen without boring the audience and increasing the film’s length. Therefore people who have read the books will more easily accept their relationship; people who haven’t read the first book might not buy Bella’s unwavering love for Edward. |
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The Cullens and sunlight. |
In Twilight the book Edward explains that he and his family don’t go out in the sunlight because their skin sparkles. |
The special effects were actually pretty well done. I initially expected something more spectacular but what they did actually worked. |
|
Bella is extremely clumsy. |
This is illustrated several times in Twilight the book and helps explain Bella’s accident at the Cullen’s home and her reluctance to engage in physical activities like dancing. |
Bella’s clumsiness is referenced only once during the film. |
|
Bella has a strong aversion to blood. |
In the book Bella passes out when she and Edward perform a blood typing experiment in class. |
This scene isn’t included in the movie. |
|
Alice and Jasper guard Bella. |
In the book Bella decides to ditch Alice and Jasper at the hotel where they’re hiding out from James, the homicidal vampire with enhanced tracking skills. |
In Twilight the Movie Bella abandons Alice and Jasper at an airport, and leaves a note for Edward. |
|
Some of the vampire “kids” in the Cullen family have special powers. |
As per the book: Edward: can read minds (except Bella’s). Alice: can see the future. Jasper: feels the emotions of those around him and has the power to alter them. |
Only Edward and Alice’s powers are explained in the movie. Had they explained Jasper’s power (and his background) it might have helped justify his “deer in the headlight” look in the film. I wonder what Jackson Rathbone (the actor portraying Jasper) thinks of his onscreen persona. |
|
Jacob Black and Bella’s relationship. |
Bella first meets Jacob at a beach outing with some of the kids from school. She later flirts with him specifically to learn more about him, his people, and why they appear to dislike the Cullens. |
Bella meets Jacob at the beginning of the film, when he brings his father Billy Black to visit Bella’s father. Bella and Jacob don’t have many scenes together in the film. |
|
Prom night. |
In Twilight the book, the prom takes place in the high school gym. |
In Twilight the movie the prom occurs at a REALLY NICE bed and breakfast. The prom is quite fancy looking for such a small town. |
|
Edward kills James. |
In the book we never get the details about what transpires between Edward and James; we simply know that he killed James. |
The movie shows us how Edward kills James. As a matter of fact, this is one of the pivotal scenes in the film. Additionally, we learn that the other Cullen kids are present at the time of the killing. |
|
The Nomads (James, Laurent, and Victoria) |
We’re first introduced to the Nomads when they approach the Cullen’s during a family baseball game. |
The movie does a great job of foreshadowing by first illustrating the viciousness of the Nomads. When they meet the Cullens we immediately understand the importance of hiding Bella from them. |
Overall, I enjoyed both the book and the movie. I’d give the book a higher rating than the movie, but then again, any director would be hard pressed to fit a 500+ page book into a 2 hour film. Stephanie Meyer has done an outstanding job with her books and I can’t wait to start reading New Moon, the second installment.
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New Fantasy Books for January 2009
Posted by: | CommentsBecause of entries by Simon R. Green, Michael Boatman, Charles Stross, Marcus Pelegrimas, Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon, Mark Del Franco, Raven Hart, and Kelley Armstrong, more than half of the contemporary/urban fantasy books released this month contain stories with male lead characters!
| Jan. 2, 2009 | |
Ghosts by Randy Cribbs In his new novel, multiple award winning author Randy Cribbs, interweaves the fabric of Old St Augustine and its ghost-filled landscape with the sleepy modern town of today, building a mystery that forces three courageous young people on a mission to confront powerful spiritual forces they don’t understand. In a race against time, they discover the secret that can release spirits trapped ‘in between’. Ghosts is a most intriguing brew of apparitions, poltergeists and young romance. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 | |
Host by Faith Hunter In a post-apocalyptic ice age, neomage Thorn St. Croix was nearly driven insane by her powers. She lived as a fugitive, disguised as a human, channeling her gifts for war into stone-magery. When she was discovered, her friends and neighbors accepted her, but warily. Not so the mage who arrives from the Council of Seraphs, who could be her greatest ally—or her most dangerous foe. And when her long-gone sister, Rose, is revealed to still be alive, Thorn must make a choice—and risk her own life in the process. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 | |
Just Another Judgement Day, Nightside Book 9 There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s got the Nightside’s rich and powerful quaking in their boots. He’s The Walking Man, and it’s his mission to exorcise sinners—with extreme prejudice. Problem is, the Nightside was built on sin and corruption, and The Walking Man makes no distinction between evildoers and those simply indulging themselves. He’ll leave the place a wasteland unless someone stops him, and P.I. John Taylor has been handed the job. No known magic or science can affect The Walking Man, and if John can’t discover his weakness, he’ll be facing the very Wrath of God… |
| Jan. 6, 2009 | |
One More Bite I’ve already smoked the guy who was the pain in the CIA’s you-know-what for the past few years. But now, in the power vacuum left by Edward’s death, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies. The CIA feels the balance must be maintained. So when an agent planted among the Weres discovers a plot to assassinate the Coven’s leader, I and my vampire hottie (and boss), Vayl, are brought in to take out the woman hired to do the deed, a killer who might be as wily and Gifted as ourselves. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 | |
Mean Streets The best paranormal private investigators have been brought together in a single volume—and cases don’t come any harder than this. New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher delivers a hard-boiled tale in which Harry Dresden’s latest case may be his last. Nightside dweller John Taylor is hired by a woman to find something she lost—her memory—in a thrilling noir tale from New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green. |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | |
The Revenant Road Obadiah Grudge’s father is dead and it’s time for the family funeral. Turns out Obadiah has inherited his father’s monster-killing business, his lunatic of a partner, and his pet Raven. It’s too bad he didn’t inherit his father’s skill. It seems Dad’s death has put Obadiah’s feet on The Revenant Road, and there’s no escape from that. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
The Vampire’s Revenge Tourists are heading to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day–and Jack is racing through tunnels below the city to the edge of Hell itself to hold off a plot posed by the double-dead and demented. But Jack must also hold off his own desire for Connie Jones, the beautiful cop he turned into a vampire slayer. Connie, her blood running hotter than she can handle, can’t imagine the games that Jack is playing with her body and her mind, or that the other monster she’s falling in love with is all part of his devious plan. Welcome to the world of Jack McShane, a blue-eyed vampire who knows how crazy things can get–once you get a little taste for blood. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
The Map of Moments What if you were given a map to a magic that could change the worst moment of your life…for a price? |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Men of the Otherworld New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong has captivated readers with her spellbinding Women of the Otherworld series. Now, for the first time, in this collection of four tales she gives center stage to the men who love these sexy, supernatural women—the men who live on the other side of humanity…the wild side. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Seraph of Sorrow Slowly coming into her own, Jennifer Scales just may be the bridge to bring the two warring sides of her family together—provided she can survive learning the most ancient skills of dragonkind. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Blood Blade Welcome to the nightmare. There is a world you don’t know about, inhabited by supernatural creatures of darkness—vampires, werewolves, and all manner of savage, impossible beasts that live for terror and slaughter and blood. They are all around us but you cannot see them, for knowledge of their presence—so close and so hungry—would surely drive any ordinary human insane. But for centuries a special breed of hunter has kept the monsters at bay, preventing them from breaking through the increasingly fragile barriers protecting our mortal realm. These guardians are called skinners. But beware . . . for there are very few of them left. This one just got added to my Amazon shopping cart. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Unfallen Dead For a century the door between the land of Faerie and modern reality has been closed. But now signs point to the chance that the veil may lift again. Boston Police consultant Connor Grey is working to solve a string of murders that seem to point to the occult, in particular, the Fae Guild. With the return of his old Guild partner Connor is surrounded by events that just may kill him. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Kitty and The Dead Man’s Hand Already the alpha pair of Denver’s werewolf pack, Kitty and Ben now plan to tie the knot human-style by eloping to Vegas. Kitty is looking forward to sipping fru-fru drinks by the pool and doing her popular radio show on live TV, but her hotel is stocked with werewolf-hating bounty hunters. Elsewhere on the Strip an old-school magician might be wielding the real thing; the vampire community is harboring a dark secret; and the irresistible star of a suspicious animal act is determined to seduce Kitty. Sin City has never been so wild, and this werewolf has never had to fight harder to save not only her wedding, but her very life. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | |
Spiral Hunt They call her “Hound,” and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything—lost keys, vanished family heirlooms, even missing people. And though she knows to stay out of the magical undercurrent that runs beneath Boston’s historic streets, a midnight phone call from a long-vanished lover will destroy the careful boundaries she has drawn. Now, to pay a years-old debt, Evie must venture into the shadowy world that lies between myth and reality, where she will find betrayal, conspiracies, and revelations that will shatter all she believes about herself and the city she claims as home. When the Hunt is on, the Hound must run. |
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