Release Day Launch: Avalon by Mindee Arnett + Giveaway

Happy Release Day to Author Mindee Arnett! Mindee's new YA sci-fi novel is out today wherever books are sold! Check out the quote graphic below and enter the giveaway to win 1 of 2 SIGNED copies of Avalon and a $50 gift card!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT THE BOOK

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth—and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

With pulse-pounding action, a captivating mystery, and even a bit of romance, Avalon is the perfect read for hard-core sci-fi fans and non–sci-fi fans alike.

BUY THE BOOK ⇨ AMAZON|B&N|B-A-M|INDIE BOUND|GOOGLE PLAY|iTUNES|

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mindee Arnett lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an inappropriate number of cats. She’s addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space. She has far more dreams than nightmares. She's the YA author of The Nightmare Affair (Tor Teen), an urban fantasy series about a girl who is literally a nightmare and must use her skills to solve a murder, and the forthcoming science fiction series, Avalon (B+B, 1/21/2014), where Jeth and his teenage mercenaries need to pull off one last big job in order to earn their freedom.

✝Website✝Twitter✝Facebook✝Tumblr✝

Early review: Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

Title: Dirty Magic
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Speculative Fiction
Series: Prospero's War #1

Trade paperback, 400 pages
Publication: January 21, 2014 by Orbit

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

Pre-order†Amazon†Book Depo†

The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn't expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch.

The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she's convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she's been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she'd never use dirty magic again.

Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.

 Kate Prospero is a bad-ass. I heart her. She is exactly the type of heroine I love reading about; she’s strong, smart, driven, flawed, and family oriented. Everything I look for in a protagonist. Kate is an adept (someone born with magic), and comes from the most notorious coven in the Cauldron, the Votary clan. Kate has a knack for cooking dirty potions and was the next heir for Grand Wizard after her Uncle Abe (Wizard crime lord) but after a tragic accident; Kate left the coven and everything magic related behind her for the straight and narrow…and became a patrol office for Babylon PD. It’s been 10 years since she turn her back on the people she grew up with but so far things been okay; it’s been a clean and magic-free life, (minus capturing potion junkies and dealers) exactly what she wanted for her younger brother Danny. But after a routine patrol goes wrong, Kate finds her past and present colliding and the only way to fix things is to embrace her heritage. 

Dirty Magic hooked me from the first page as readers’ plunge head first in the midst of the action as BPD officer Kate pursues a potion junkie in the Cauldron (covens’ turf). I didn’t really know what to expect when I first started Dirty Magic, just that it was a new UF series by Wells and anything she wrote, I’d read. I wasn’t prepared to be enthralled as I was; the world-building is incredible and so realistic you can imagine yourself smack dab in a city ruled and run on clean-dirty magic. There are two types of magic (clean and dirty), basically legal and illegal but both with different consequences; eventually making the user dependent or changing them on a physical level. The magic system in Dirty Magic is pretty complex, and this first book barely touches the surface…getting a glimpse at what the Votary (specializes in alchemy) and Sang (specializes in blood) covens all about. I really love the police procedure-magic combination; it made for an entertaining read.  I can definitely see this series as a TV show (if no one picks up the rights for this soon, they’re nuts).

After reading Wells’ Sabina Kane series (I’m still behind, forgive me!); I’ve come to expect three things from Wells, a kick-ass heroine, a colorful cast of characters and smart dialouge. And I’m glad to say Wells doesn’t disappoint. Kate isn’t only a kick-ass heroine but she’s also a guardian/single parent to her 16-year-old brother Danny. I liked Kate early on, but when I found out she was taking care of her young brother, I loved her even more. There’s just something extra special when I read a UF protagonist with family. I’m a sucker for anything family lol. It adds another layer to the character, and Kate was already plenty interesting with her crime loving wizard family. In terms of secondary characters, Kate’s MEA (Magic Enforcement Agency) team was a diverse group of people (both adept and mundane). They’re kind of exactly how I’d picture a tactical team…funny and tough as nails. The two people that made the biggest impression for me is Picasso (even though it was for a short time) and Little Man. They were a hoot!  Dirty Magic is a pretty dark book, I mean we are dealing with junkies and crime lords but they added a humorous balance during their page time. And to be honest, Little Man creep me out (the devil baby prank image kept popping in my head) but I couldn’t help smiling every time he and Kate interacted.  If that last sentence sounds confusing…you just got to read the book to know what I mean. 

I’m not a fan of love triangles, and even though there really isn’t one in Dirty Magic…there’s a potential for one. Or, at least it feels like one. There are two main guys in Kate’s life, an old flame and a new guy. Kate definitely has chemistry with both guys, whether she cares to admit it…and I am interested in seeing where it goes. I’m conflicted who I’m rooting for as both guys have different appealing qualities….somewhat (one came off as a jerk but by the middle of the book we get the reason why)…just going to have to see how things play out. 

Dirty Magic is a great start to what I believe will be an outstanding series. I loved every moment of this book. Dirty Magic is a wonderful addition to the urban fantasy genre, giving readers a fresh take and unique spin on magic and wizards. If you’re looking for your next urban fantasy/speculative fiction fix, look no further. Dirty Magic has it all! This is the best book I’ve read so far, and Kate Prospero is a character that everyone will love; slowly climbing to the top of the favorite list with the likes of Kate Daniels, Gin Blanco, Arcadia Bell, Charlie Madigan to name a few. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Cursed Moon which comes out August of this year!!

Review: Binding the Shadows by Jenn Bennett

Title: Binding the Shadows
Author: Jenn Bennett
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Arcadia Bell #3 

Mass Market Paperback, 366 pages 

Publication: May 28th 2013 by Pocket Books 

Source: I won a copy from the author's twitter giveaway. 

Buy†Amazon†Book Depo†

Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady's demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn't exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her—but her targets aren't the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything—and everyone—she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it's last call for life as she knows it.

The Arcadia Bell series is one of my favorite urban fantasy series; solidifying its place early on when it first debuted in 2011 with Kindling the Moon. When I first began this series, I knew I was in for something special and unique. Simply put, there wasn’t anything like the series then and there still isn’t now because this is urban fantasy at its best. Now, three books into the series I am more in love with this series than I first started; reminding me why I love the UF genre so much. Because like fine wine; this series gets better and better over time. 

What makes this series standout amongst other urban fantasy series is its incredible world-building and the characters that populate it. I wouldn’t say that Cady has changed much since the first book (besides a physical/power transformation) because she was already a strong and likeable protagonist. When readers first met Cady she was already a successful owner of the Tambuku Tiki Lounge/bar, owns her own house and is one of the most powerful magicians around.  What did grow and mature over the course of the three books is her relationship with Lon and his son Jupe. Cady and Lon’s relationship has definitely strengthened since the last book with Cady living with Lon/Jupe, they’re happy and are secure in their relationship and Cady being another parent/role model figure for Jupe. But things get more complicated when Lon’s ex-wife and family come for a visit and Cady discovers her mom is still alive and well on another plane. Some of my favorite scenes were of Lon’s extended family and revelations of Cady’s conception; both the happy and not-so-happy moments. 

I am not a fan of cliffhangers. I honestly seen my deal of the dreadful cliffhangers…but Bennett’s takes the cake. It was like a multitude of cliffhangers jammed into the last 2 chapters…BAM BAM BAM.  Binding the Shadows was a very intense and emotional book. Readers felt exactly what the characters were feeling as if we were the one experiencing it. Many reviewers expressed their anger over the cliffhanger and how cruel the author was for ending it the way it did…surprisingly I wasn’t mad; just in plain shock. My head and heart was literally hurting and that has never happened before. 

It takes a good writer to create a memorable story but an amazing talented author to evoke the emotions and bond we feel with the characters within the book…and Bennett did just that. I have so much love for this series and I know this review isn’t even adequate to express how I feel. All I can say is read this series, you won’t regret it. This is a series that should be on everyone’s shelf and an author on your auto-buy list. It’s definitely on mine. Binding the Shadows is by far the best in the series…and that’s saying something because the series is already top-notch urban fantasy. I’m a little glad that I waited to read this book with that crazy ending because book 4 is only a few months away (couldn’t fathom waiting a year). I am dying to find out what happens next! In the meantime to hold me over till then; I’ll be reading the author’s newest book, Bitter Spirits and will probably do a reread of all three books before May.  

Cover Reveal: Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro

DARK PARADISE

by Angie Sandro

July 1, 2014

Grand Central Publishing/ Forever Yours

Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of “witch women,” she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She’s haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.

Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala, but when Mala discovers his sister, murdered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he starts to wonder if all the rumors about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister’s killer, he starts to form his own bond to her . . . a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything—their families, their love, and even their lives.

PRE-ORDER†AMAZON†

Add on GoodReads

 

Angie is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen. 

Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father's family in Louisiana inspired this story.

Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador

†BLOG†FACEBOOK†TWITTER†GOODREADS†AMAZON PAGE†HBG†