Review: Devoured by Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

They are the Guardians of Eternity, strong, skilled, seductive vampires chosen to protect—and to destroy. And they will risk anything to fulfill their duty, and satisfy their desires...

Tane is a Charon, sworn to hunt and kill rogue vampires. His new assignment seems like a waste of his talents—until he catches up with the jinn he's been sent to capture. Half human, half demon, Laylah has a vulnerable streak that strikes right through to Tane's cold heart. He should be furious when she uses her powers to bind them together, preventing him from dragging her before the Commission. Instead he welcomes any reason to stay close enough to touch, to taste, to seduce...

Laylah doesn't know why she was chosen to protect a child who may be the catalyst in a war between good and evil. But the mysteries of her past pale compared to the dangers approaching. Tane is devastatingly strong, breathtakingly sensual. And Laylah will have to trust in every ounce of that strength, because her enemies are drawing near, eager to destroy them both... [Excerpt from GoodReads]

Devoured by Darkness is Alexandra Ivy's seventh installment in the Guardians of Eternity series and by far my favorite. Laylah is a half breed Gin with dangerous and unstable powers that make her a liability in the supernatural world. On top of that Laylah finds herself in the cross-hairs of an evil Aunt who would use her and the child she protects for her own vile purposes.

In walks Tane... a "cold-hearted" charon, a ruthless vampire executioner feared by even the most lethal vampires. Tane is my type of alpha vampire hero. He never wears a shirt and sports a really cool mohawk!!! {Yowsers!!} Tane is the silent but deadly type but all that changes once Laylah steps in the picture. The attraction is immediate and Tane's journey from big bad scary vampire to cute and cuddly love bug melted my heart. I absolutely fell in love and now want a Tane of my own! {pouts!} 

Ivy's 'bad-Arse" author skills shines through in this book. Vampires, witches, mages, jinn's, and a hysterical gargoyle come together to create an awesome, non-stop, heated adventure. On more than one occasion, I was on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting the turn of each page. If you are a vampire fan, the Guardian's of Eternity series is a must read. Kresley Cole fans will definitely appreciate Alexandra Ivy!!

Final Rating: 4 out of 5
Author: Alexandra Ivy
Pages: 368

Publisher: Zebra

Sookie Turns up the HEAT!!!

Yay, Chapter 1 of Sookie Book #11, also known as the Southern Vampire Mysteries has finally been released on Charlaine Harris' website. Included in the 19 page chapter is a glimpse of Sookie (of course), her Fae relatives, Sam, Pam, and my favorite Viking Vampire, Eric (evil grin!!!). Sorry Compton fans, no Bill in Chapter 1!! Finally, we get to see what the heck is doing in that gosh darn attic!!! Not only that, but once again Sookie finds herself in a Hot Mess, no pun intended!! Check out the full chapter at Charlaine Harris' website HERE! 

Anyone out there getting excited about True Blood season #4? I am, can June please come sooner!!! Arrhgh!!

Frostie Snippet

Now that December is coming to a close, yes the year is almost over, it's time to start preparing for 2011' book releases! I tell ya, time flies when you are having fun. One of the most anticipated (at least in my opinion) books of 2011' is Jeaniene Frost's, This Side of the Grave, scheduled to release Feb 22nd. {fan girl squeal!!} This is the fifth book in the series featuring vampire couple, Cat & Bones {think Bonnie & Clyde with fangs}. Prior to a book release, Jeaniene always posts snippets, sneak peaks, extra scenes, etc. on her website, which of course gets the fans all riled up. She's a tease, I tell ya!! Here is a glimpse!!

Bones was also dressed as though entertainment were his only motivation. His long sleeved top was made entirely of black mesh, his crystal skin exposed more than it was covered with the material. Leather pants hung low on his hips, tight enough to hint at his assets, but with enough give that they wouldn’t hinder his movements. The all-black ensemble combined with his dark hair only made his pale skin even more striking by comparison, drawing the eye to the muscled flesh those hundreds of tiny holes revealed.

He caught my lingering gaze where the peep show of his skin ended and the front of his pants began – and flashed me a wicked grin.

“Hold that thought, luv. With luck, we’ll be back in our hotel room breaking in the Jacuzzi before dawn.” **excerpt from Frost Cemetary**

Check out the entire snippet HERE

I am so psyched for this book. If you haven't already, check out her fan site, Frost Cemetery, one of the best fan sites out there! Everything you need to know about the series, you can find there. Go check it out!!

Winners, Winners, Winners...

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The Best of 2010' Book Holiday Giveaway Winners are:

1.) Alpha by Rachel Vincent 

   **[Lindsay~lindsaydevine (at) bellsouth (net)]**

2.) The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

   **[Crystal~readingbewteenthewines10atgmaildotcom]**

3.) Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

   **[Sara M~sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com]**

4.) Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole

   **[Spav~spav05(at)gmail(dot)com]**

5.) TwiceBitten by ChloeNeill

   **[Theresa@TheCreativeWell~the_happy_soul@yahoo.com]**

6.) Devil at Midnight by Emma Holly

   **[GothMisfitjazz~jazzwolf44@gmail.com]**

7.) Vampire Book Light

   **[Book Kritik~ramblingchick@gmail.com]**

You will be receiving an email from me shortly!!

X-MAS GONE WILD!!

Is it Wednesday already? No, it can't be!

Wait a minute!! <<-- This is my brain on XMAS overload!!

Seriously, I am behind on everything, shopping, reading, cleaning, etc. Why, you ask because I have been all-consumed in X-MAS decorations. I spent three whole days decorating the tree, yes just the tree!!! Crazy right? Yes, I know my Christmas OCD is in RAWRRRR form this year.

I am one of those crazy people that decorates everything based on a theme, which changes based on my mood! This year the theme is "black & white." Easy, right? Nope, an "Emo" nightmare...!! Note to self: black does not show up very well on a dark green tree!! Plus, to save money, I usually make most of the ornaments myself [arghhh..]. You crafters out there know how time consuming this can be!! Anywho, the tree is just about done. Woo to the Hoo and please pass the egg nog! [snickers] I will post a pic shortly!

Now, on to the 2010' Book Holiday Giveaway! Yesterday, was the last day of the giveaway! Wow, 106 participants in a little over two weeks!! That is pure awesomeness!! You bloggin buddies rock!! Winners will be announced and emailed tomorrow, so stay tuned!! The Twilight Eclipse swag giveaway is still running though, ends 1/02.

Book Holiday Giveaway: Best of 2010'

**Last Day to enter the Book Holiday Giveaway**

Big thanks to everyone who participated!

(winners 2b announced 12/16)

2010' is almost over and what better way to send it off than to throw a Book Holiday Giveaway! There were tons of great books released this year, but if I had to pick my top 6 favorites, the winners would be:

1.) Alpha by Rachel Vincent

2.) The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

3.) Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

4.) Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole

5.) Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

6.) Devil at Midnight by Emma Holly


**Since this is my very first Giveaway, I decided to step it up one more notch by throwing in this really cool "I Love Vampires" book light!"**


Rules:
This giveaway is for any of the above 6 books and will remain open until December 14th. Deadline for entry is Tuesday, December 14th at 11:59 EST. This is an international book giveaway (anywhere the Book Depository ships). Unfortunately, the "I Love Vampires" book light can only be shipped to US and Canada. Winners will be announced on December 16th and notified via email. Winners have 72 hours to claim their prize.

To Enter:
1.) Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect (see right sidebar)
2.) Leave a comment on this post letting me know which prize(s) you are interested in, as well as an email address, so the winner can be contacted.

Extra Entries:
+1 Follow me on Twitter
+1 Tweet about this contest on Twitter (use @NocturnalBites in your tweet)
+1 Include my Button in your blog roll (include link in comment)
+2 Mention this giveaway on your blog (include link in comment)

Best of Luck!!

****BOOK BLOGGERS HOLIDAY BASH****


Also, Please hop on over to these fabulous blogs for a chance to win some more great things!!


Special thanks to Angela over at  Soap Box in My Mind for hosting this event..

Review: Stone Kissed by Keri Stevens

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.

After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he’ll allow her to oversee the restoration.

Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent—especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.

But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon, Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant’s love, but for both their lives… (Excerpt from Goodreads)

Stone Kissed is Keri Steven's debut novel, featuring Delia Forrest, a stone conservator who can communicate with statues. I was immediately drawn to this book, primarily because of the unique story line. No vampires or shape shifters here.. Instead, Keri introduces us to a world filled with talking statues, witches, a psychotic succubus, and an ancient town that harbors special powers. Oh, and did I mention this story features a budding romance with hot, smexy love scenes?

This book is a fun read. Delia Forrest is young, courageous, but also shy and timid, if that makes any sense. Delia is like a maternal mother hen when it comes to her statues and the way she cares for them is so sweet. There is also some friendly bickering that goes on with the statues, which is downright hilarious.

Delia is thrown off her rocker when her childhood crush mysteriously appears to buy her house. Delia takes the money, because she needs it to pay her father’s medical bills. Grant Wolverton has a knack for finding treasure. So, it is no coincidence that he is there to bail out Delia in her financial predicament t in exchange for the deed to her home. What Grant does not know, however, is that he will become so inexplicably drawn to the owner of the house. The way Delia makes Grant feel is totally new to him. In response, Grant begins to change from being  self-absorbed, and egotistical to someone capable of eternal love and commitment.

The chemistry in this book is great. As I said before, the love scenes were hot and I easily became a fan of the “Grant + Delia” duo! The suspense in this novel came in the form of a Psychotic Succubus. A cousin to Delia, Cecily wants the Steward house for herself, and proves that she will stop at nothing to get it. In addition to the house, Cecily also sets out to seduce Grant, a task that proves easier said than done.

I enjoyed this book. Stone Kissed is a great start to a series and I eagerly anticipate the next installment. Some clues in the book lead me to believe that Grant’s sister as well as best Friend will play a larger, if not primary future story line.  Hopefully, we shall see!

Like most brand new series, however, I did have a few issues…The first being an initial lack of connection between Grant and Delia. Obviously this was resolved, or I would still be ranting about it. Also, I could have used a little more background story. Another 40-50 pages would have been great, especially in telling more about Grant and Delia’s childhood/upbringing. Despite these minor flaws, Stone Kissed was  a good read. Definitely one for the PNR Junkie’s TBR pile.

"Quote"-Worthy
She tried to scuttle past St. Francis, but he was having none of it. The old cleric whistled. "Ooh, la la! Would you look at that?" His bird chirped.... "You're a monk. Act like one."..... "You're a woman. It's good to see you can dress like one."

"I am sorry, Grant. I don't come with the house".......... "No," he replied slowly. "I haven't yet seen you come here."........

Overall rating: 3.75 out of 5

Book Information

Title: Stone Kissed (pre-order here)

Author: Keri Stevens (website)

Format: e-book

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: 12/27/2010

**Book provided by Carina Press via NetGalley for review purposes** 

Vampire Reading Challenge

Did I hear "Vampire Reading Challenge?" Sign me up! Thanks, Parajunkee for hosting this cool challenge. I have been reading alot of comments lately about books and certain genres being over-populated with Vampires. To those nay sayers, I say, "phewy on you!" {blows raspberries!} Hee, hee!. I love vampire books..They never get old to me and with so many new books/series coming out in 2011' I'll be up to my neck (no pun intended) in Vampire smut. Yay, bring on the sexy bloodsuckers!!

Here's the details :

• The Challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
• The Challenge is to read 20 books that have a Vampire as a MAIN character, either protag or antagonist.

--> Book Bloggers Holiday Bash <--

Giveaways, Giveaways, Giveaways...Need I say more!!

Please check out these wonderful blogs for a chance to win some awesome books and prizes!! Special thanks goes out to Angela at Soap Box in My Mind for hosting.


**Check out my giveaway, HERE!!**

Twilight Eclipse Swag Giveaway

Calling all Twihards... Eclipse, the movie comes out in stores today, so what better way to celebrate than with a Giveaway!!

Are you Team Jacob? Team Edward? No worries, I have you both covered. I'm supporting both teams today and giving away (1) Jacob Eclipse Pen and Keychain set and (1) Edward Pen and Keychain set! I will be choosing two winners, so make sure you tell me which team you support!!

Rules: Fill out the Form below.

**This giveaway ends on 01/02/2011 at 11:59 pm (est)**. Winners will be notified via email on 01/03/2011. To claim prize, please contact me (nocturnalbites@hotmail.com) within 72 hours of initial notification.

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada, sorry guys...I'll include International contestants next time!!

Best of Luck!!

Follow Friday #5

   

TGIF! It’s Friday, {Yahoo!} and you know what that means. Time for my two favorite blog hops!

Thanks to Parajunkee at Parajunkee’s View, this week’s “Follow Friday” question is:

What do you do besides reading/reviewing as a hobby??

What a great question. Although reading and blogging consumes most of my free time, (especially lately) there are a few other things I thoroughly enjoy. For starters, I’m an Animal Lover, so spoiling my two pugs is pretty much second nature to me (and yes, spoiling my dogs is a hobby!). I’m also an avid gardener and lover of all things hot (think sun, beach, pool, etc). Last, but certainly not least, I enjoy cooking and baking. Move over Martha Stewart….{hee, hee!}

 Now, on to the Blog Hop - Jen at Crazy-for-Books asks:

What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?

Since I am still a newbie in the Book Blogging world, I have yet to post a negative book review. However, there are a few really popular books that did absolutely nothing for me. The most recent being Stacia Cane’s Downside series. {shields head while dodging the onslaught of rotten tomatoes} I know… I know, everyone loves these books but for whatever reason…I just couldn’t get into them. I think the whole Downside speak/language / had something to do with it – just turned me off. Sorry Downside fansL!!

Author News & Cover Releases

This week, so far, has been pretty eventful, to say the least. I have been super busy at work, and by the time I get home and settle in with a good book, I end up falling asleep, book in hand. The sad thing is -  the books I am currently reading are really good. [pouts...grumpy face!] I think I am about due for a sick day [coughs..ahem..coughs again]!

Anywho, and on a lighter note, there has been some great news and updates popping up surrounding some of my favorite authors.

***********************************************************************************************************

1.) Sookie Stackhouse Book #11 by Charlaine Harris cover is released.... Now, in the past, Charlaine has released the first Chapter of her upcoming Sookie books during the first week in December. Although the chapter is not up yet (as of 12/01), I've got my "Snookie" radar on and will let you guys know as soon as the sneak peak releases. Check out Charlaine Harris' website for more info here.

2.) Meljean Brook, author of The totally awesome and fantastically great Iron Seas series has just been signed by her publisher for three more books!! Woohoo!! Kudos to Meljean and her Steam Punk geniusness..Book # 2, Iron Steel is scheduled to release in November of 2011'. Check out Meljean's website here. (P.S. This book is a definite must read, add it to your TBR pile, like pronto!!)

Enter Here for a chance to win The Iron Duke!! (Ends:12/14/10)

3.) Nalini Singh, author of the Guild Hunter novels released a tiny snippet from Book #3, titled Archangel's Consort. Although this is just a teeny, tiny snippet..it happens to feature my favorite Angel, Illium (aka Kristin's BlueBells) hee...hee! Check out Nalini Singh's blog: here, for full snippet!!

This cover rocks!!

“I swear to God,” she muttered, fighting a laugh, “if you’ve dusted me with blue, I’ll tie your balls in a knot and hang you up by them on the nearest sharp object I see.” The last time he’d glittered blue angel-dust over her wings, Raphael had—eventually—seen the humor in the situation. She couldn’t guarantee Illium’s health if it happened a second time.***posted by Nalini Singh, on 11/30/10***