Vampire Lovers X-Mas List

With the Holiday's quickly approaching, I wanted to put together a list of really cool gift items that cater to the, ahem., all you Vampire Lovers out there! 

1.) I Heart Vampires Flex Neck Book Light

This book light is awesome,my personal favorite.

Product Description: Unlike your regular vampire, the I Love Vampires Flex Neck Reading Light by Great Point Light works anywhere. No matter night or day, cemetery or sacred place, your I Love Vampires Reading Light will provide enough light (up to 30 hours of light) to get you through casual or intense reading. With its versatility you can use it for just about anything, including maps, laptops and much more. 

Price: $6.99

Buy Here: Vampire Reading Light

2.)  2011 Vampire Trivia Box Calendar

Stuck in a cubicle all day (that's me!) this calendar is for you!  Includes Buffy, Twilight, and True Blood facts and trivia!! 

Product Description: Vampire Trivia Desk Calendar: What would happen if your neck was bitten by a toothy stranger? How might you repel a particularly malevolent vampire? Find out the answers to these questions, and more, with the Vampire Trivia daily calendar. This captivating calendar challenges what you thought you knew about vampires with fascinating facts and little-known details. 

Price: $13.99     

Buy Here: Vampire Desk Calendar

3.) Vampire Smarts

Take a break from reading and test your vampire knowledge!

Product Description: What would happen if you were bitten by a mysterious Count? How might you repel a particularly malevolent vampire? How does an un-un-dead person get all the vampire details, and have fun doing it? VampireSmarts has the answers. Play alone with a clove of garlic by your side, or invite your friends for a competitive vampire-a-thon.

Price: $12.95

Buy Here: Vampire Smarts

 

4.) Vampire Wine

What better way to enduldge in a good book, than to pair it with a nice glass of Merlot, or Pinot Noir, or even, vodka. My personal favorite is the merlot. (They now have a wine called "True Blood" Hmmmm, I wonder where that name came from??) They also have vampire chocolate and vampire coffee. Yummo!!

Product Description: (Merlot) Smooth and medium-bodied with a fresh, black cherry aroma, and hints of herbal spices. Aged with oak, our Merlot develops graceful fruit flavors in the cellar, complemented by subtle shadings of vanilla and toast from the oak. Approachable now, Vampire Merlot has a long, rich finish and is perfectly balanced for additional bottle aging. Pairs well with a wide range of foods, especially chicken, beef, lamb, game, and pasta with tomato-based sauces.

Price: $10.95 (wow, a bargain!)

Buy Here: Vampire Wine

5.) Vampire Pillow

Snuggle up with a good vampire, oops [hee, hee!], I mean book! 

Product Description: This ain't Twilight, this is Babylon. SELECTOR revive one of their most popular graphics in this fresh blood-dripping-fang pillow done in collaboration with the experts over at Andrew Sebastian. All black on the back.

Price: $32.00

Buy Here: Vampire Pillow

This wraps up my Top Five Vampire Holiday Gift List! Have some ideas? Let me know in the "Comments Section." The more feedback, the better!! Happy shopping everyone!!

Review: Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

I am so excited to post this review by Rachel. This is Rachel's first appearance here at Nocurnal Bites and I am so happy to have her - Thanks for the Wonderful review Rachel!!

It's incredibly difficult to write a review for this book, it was just simply that awesome. Julie Kagawa really delivers a fantastic story in this third book in the Iron Fey series. The Iron Queen is one of those novels that will have you thinking about it long after you've finished reading. 

The story picks up pretty much right after where the Iron Daughter left off. Meghan and Ash have been exiled from the Nevernever. It's not long after that when they get some grave news. The false king and his Iron Fey army are quickly becoming a growing threat the entire world of Faery. His forces could quite possibly destroy even the combined Summer and Winter Courts. Oberon and Mab become desperate, and turn to Meghan for help, as she is the only one capable of eliminating the false Iron King. From there starts the race to find the false king and stop him. 

It was very sastisfying to read about the development in Meghan's character. The progress she's made since the start of the Iron King is truly remarkable. In the Iron Queen, Meghan no longer stands on the sidelines while others fight. I'm not saying she never contributed in the previous books, because she did, but this time she really steps up, and that's an understatement. Meghan learns to weild a sword, works on mastering and controlling her powers, and rushes into battle to defend the Fey. Her journey of self-discovery is finally complete; she is confident about who she is, and she knows her destiny. 

Standing by Meghan through all of this are Ash and Puck, although Meghan isn't as dependent on them as she used to be. I love that we got to learn more about Ash in this book, that we got to see him open up and reveal things we didn't know about him before. Anyone on Team Ash will be extremely happy with the Iron Queen, as there are some great scenes involving him and Meghan. Ash is most definitely one of my favorite guys in the entire YA genre.

As for Puck, he's still the loyal best friend that is willing to do anything for Meghan. After how things ended between him and Meghan in the Iron Daughter, though, he does show some bitterness, but overall, remains the dedicated, smartass Fey we all love. Grim also returns in this book- ever the wise, knowledgeable cat who always pops up when least expected.

The Iron Queen was a fast-paced, romantic, action-filled installment to the series, and it became impossible to stop reading. I stayed up late and skipped meals to continue, and it was well worth it. Julie Kagawa has a real talent for telling a great story, and remaining true to her characters. The ending was quite emotional- I advise readers to keep tissues nearby. Julie has set up the next story, the Iron Knight, very nicely, and I look forward to it. 

5 out 5 stars, and many thanks to @NetGalley

Book Info:

Author: Julie Kagawa

Paperback, 384 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Follow Friday #4

Okay kiddies, It's that time again!! Help support the blogging community by getting to know fellow book bloggers. Thanks to Parajunkee at Parajunkee's view, this weeks Follow Friday Question is:

How long have you been book blogging?

I've been blogging for just under two months! Can we say "NEWBIE?"

Now, on to the Blog Hop - Jen at Crazy for Books asks:
"Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"
This year I'm thankful for my health, my families health, and with so many people unemployed this Holiday season, my job. I'm also so greatful for all the wonderful bloggers that have welcomed and embraced me in their "really cool" blog circle.As for Holiday Traditions, normally we spend Thanksgiving at my Mom's, but this year my fiance and I will be spending it alone at our house. I'm looking forward to having a nice, quiet, and relaxing Thanksgiving dinner in front of the fireplace!

Guess What I Found...

Ok, so maybe I've been sleepin' on the job, but to my surprise, I found two new audio books available for download. I have one question: Why did I not know these were available sooner? Hmm... Anywho, here they are:

• Twice Bitten: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 3
• UNABRIDGED
• by Chloe Neill
• Narrated by Cynthia Holloway

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• At Grave’s End: Night Huntress, Book 3
• UNABRIDGED
• by Jeaniene Frost
• Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

Yeah, I am so excited to add these books to my Audio Collection. Currently I am listening to Chloe Neill's Twice Bitten, the third book in the Chicagoland Vampire series, which also happens to be my favorite book in the series to date. So far I am really liking the narrator!! Twice Bitten is my kinda book, filled with humor, wit, scarcasim, smexy tension, and so much more... If you are a vampire fan this is a must read, or in this case, must listen. A;so, Grave's End, although I have yet to listen to is sure to be a hit, No doubt, I will be downloading very, very, shortly! Never mind the fact that this book features my favorite "love to hate" character Tate along with Cat in a very very [ahem] intimate scene!! Yup, stamp Jeaniene Frost's name on it and I'm pretty much SOLD!!

**Both books are available for purchase/download at Audible.com.**

Follow Friday #3

It's that time again, TGIF. Happy Friday everyone! Follow Friday is here and most of you already know the deal. Help support the blogging community by getting to know fellow book bloggers. Thanks to Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View, this weeks Follow Friday Question is:

What is your usual monthly book budget?

About $35-$40, although I try not to count too closely! [snickers, he! he!]

Now, for the Book Blogger Hop - Jennifer over at Crazy-for-Books asks,

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?"

 Yes, I hate,hate, hate, hate reading a series out of order!!  Must start with book #1, although I don't always apply this rule to short stories and novellas.  

Review: Devil At Midnight by Emma Holly

For years, mercenary captain Christian Durand has done everything he can to protect his men from his power hungry father. When a beautiful ghost appears to offer comfort, he assumes the strain has finally pushed him over the edge. The specter claims she’s his friend from another life--a tale the cynical soldier finds difficult to believe.

Grace Gladwell has her own experience with abusive fathers. Thanks to an accident with hers, one moment she's in 1950s America, the next, she’s in 1460, Switzerland, trying to convince a Medieval soldier that she's neither a figment of his imagination or an imp from Hell.

These would be challenges enough without vampire queen Nim Wei setting her immortal sights on Christian. When she threatens to help his father destroy them all, Christian must choose between his darker urges and a love that spans centuries… GoodReads Synopsis

Summing It Up

After being killed by her abusive father, Grace Gladwell awakens in a sort of purgatorial realm. An angel confronts Grace and offers her a chance to meet and help a friend in need from another lifetime. Longing for love and friendship, a concept, due to her father,  unattainable in her more recent existence, Grace willingly and whole-heartily accepts. However, the one condition of her time travel leaves her corporeal in form. Grace arrives in Medieval England, year 1460, to find the man she is sent to help, -wounded,- a result of his father's brutality. Immediately Grace feels a connection to Christian Durrand, and wants more than anything to help him. Although Christain Durrand is skeptical of the ghost's intentions at first, he is quickly enamored by both her beauty and kindness. Grace becomes the half to Christian's whole and with each passing moment, Christian is reminded of how much he truly needs her. Unfortunately, the Vampire Upyr Queen, Nim Wei also wants Durrand and with what she can give him coupled with her seductive power, not even an Angel of saving GRACE can compete with.

First Impression

I love both the hero and heroine of this book. Grace starts out scarred, a timid girl and turns into a courageous, yet forgiving warrior. Christian is strong, passionate, and completely selfless when it comes to the people he cares about. Definitely my type of ALPHA-male.

Favorite Quotes

"I'll be sleeping with two men," she explained between gasps for air. "I never imagined being a ghost would be this racy."

"Upyr. Vampire. I know Bram Stoker hasn't been born yet, but what's the difference if they've got fangs?"

Final thoughts

After reading Emma Holly's 7th installment (not including novellas and/or short stories) in the Midnight series, I am left with one simple phrase,"I WANT MORE!!" With themes such as bravery, redemption, and forgiveness...and a dip into the reincarnation swimming pool, Devil At Midnight is a must read for Paranormal Romance lovers. I eagerly await the January 11, 2011 release of Angel At Dawn, the second part to Grace and Christian's story (Upyr Book #8)!

Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Follow Friday #2

Happy Friday everyone! Follow Friday is here and most of you already know the deal. Help support the blogging community by getting to know fellow book bloggers. Thanks to Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View, this weeks Follow Friday Question is:

 WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS??

Uhgh! I cringe at having to answer this, simply because my "Favorite Author" list changes with each new book I read. So, as of today, my favorite authors include: J.R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, Rachel Vincent, Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Emma Holly, Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy, Lara Adrian, and Adrian Phoenix. Oh, and I can't forget the one author that got me hooked on the Paranormal genre, Mrs. Stephenie Meyer.