Spotlight on…Dark Wolf

Christine Feehan has announced that she is working on a Dark trilogy (well, two Dark books, a Sisters of the Heart book, and then the third Dark book). The most anticipated of those stories is Skyler and Dimitri’s long awaited Dark Wolf, and now the pre-order link and blurb have been upped on Amazon.

Synopsis…

Skyler Daratrazanoff always recognized the miracle that was Dimitri Tirunul, a man beyond any dream that had ever engaged her nights. But she was human. Vulnerable. He was Carpathian. Nearly immortal. She was nineteen. He was an ancient. Yet she held half his soul, the light to his darkness. Without her, he would not survive. Caught between the two warring species, Dimitri has spent centuries hunting the undead to keep his people free, and humans safe. He had survived honorably when others had chosen to give up their souls. But now, marked for extermination by the Lycans, Dimitri found himself alone, and fearing for his life. But salvation was coming…

No Lycan would ever suspect someone like Skyler to dare mount a secret rescue operation. A teenage girl. A human of untested abilities. But she had something no one else had. She was predestined for Dimitri—as he was for her. And there was nothing stronger for Skyler than her desire to see her life-dream come true. Whatever the risk.

I have to say, that has an angle I didn’t see coming, and I like it. It would be great to see Skyler move out of the victim role and into the heroine one.  Dark Wolf hits the shelves next January 7th.

Saying Goodbye to Sookie…With a Resounding Thud?

Sooo, a bit earlier today Pallavi (hey Pallavi) sent over word that a German fan had gotten ahold of an early copy of Charlaine Harris‘ final Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Ever After. And, to put it mildly – They. Were. Not. Pleased.

Looks like said reader, in their blind rage, then proceeded to leak the ending online. Being the nosy beast I am, I went snooping and boy, was Pallavi right. The response to Dead Ever After is brutal. I mean truly, truly, epically brutal. I was half horrified, half amused reading the absolutely scathing reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads, since the “fans” held nothing back. Let’s just say that the first two books of the series are sitting on Mount TBR, and I am now in no hurry to get to them. At all.

As much as I laughed reading the reviews, it did make me sad at the same time (even though I haven’t read the books, I am a True Blood fan so I know basic storyline and characters). I really do hate to see a series go out like this – especially since it is one that for many is considered a staple of the PNR/UF genre. Even those who have never picked up one of “our” books often knows Charlaine Harris/Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood. This series was one of the first to bring Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy mainstream, and to go out leaving fans rabidly angry and resentful is a loss all around.

Have you seen any other books draw a similar reaction? I seem to remember something about a Dianne Sylvan book that got readers pretty fired up, and I do know from personal experience that Christine Feehan‘s Dark Predator left a lot of people unhappy and confused (starting with Moi). Has there ever been a book that has actually turned you against a series you followed, or even turned you against the author (like some of the reviewers for Dead Ever After who have vowed to never go near a Charlaine Harris book again)?

This and That…

This is sort of a mix of everything random post. Part update, part new release info, part cover lover.

• it looks like Karen Marie Moning‘s next Fever book, Burned, is up for pre-order on Amazon. It will be released on January 14th. Let my countdown begin.
• also, there is a bit of info coming about Alexandra Ivy‘s new Sentinels series. The prequel novella will be part of the upcoming Predatory anthology due out on May 7th, but we now know that the first full novel will be called Born in Blood. It will be released on December 31st.
• there will be a third book in Jacquelyn Frank‘s World of Nightwalkers series, called Forsaken. This one has a January 7th,2014 release date.
• November 2nd is the release date for the next Sentinels book from Jennifer L Armentrout, called Sentinel. And as a bonus, there is now a release date for the next Lux book, Origin. It looks like this one will be out on August 27th. But after that, things get a little tricky. From what I am picking up, there have been some changes in two other works of hers. Nephilim Rising (written under the name J. Lynn) has had a couple of pushbacks already, but it seems that now it will be released on September 17th – in e-format only. Amazon is showing a ridiculous print date of January 1st, 2018. Uh, no. Aaand, I might be totally wrong, but it would appear that the Lux spin-off book Obsession will now be released through the Entangled: Covet imprint – which means e-format only. Damn, that is a shame. I do have hopes for a print version later on, though.
• word has gotten around about Christine Feehan‘s upcoming Dark series trilogy, but it looks like there will be a book in between. Right now, the schedule is looking like Dark Lycan this September, Dark Wolf in January, Air Bound (from the Sisters of the Heart series) in either April or May. Then the third Dark book, Dark Hunter, in the usual September spot, and a Ghostwalker book after that (December or January).
• the third Marie Lu Legend book, Champion, will be released on November 5th.
• Katie Reus‘s fourth Moon Shifter’s novel, Avenger’s Heat, will be released on February 4th.

Ugh, I am getting tired of this design, and I have been looking into other templates and designs. Right now, we are on WordPress.com, but you are limited as to design. WordPress.org allows custom themes, but I dread trying to make the switch over (especially since Wicked Scribes is actually made up of something like 18 different blogs).

And on the cover front, I found this one for Jessica Shirvington‘s next Violet Eden Chronicles book, Endless. It is due out on October 1st.

Cover Lover – 8 New Titles

It didn’t look there was much to post today, but then Amber pointed out that the cover for our mutually loved Jennifer L. Armentrout‘s next Covenant novel, Sentinel, was out. Aaaand that led to finding 7 more between Amazon and Goodreads. Sentinel is due out on December 10th. Not a great cover, but a really great series.

Kalayna Price‘s next Alex Craft book, Grave Visions, is due out on August 6th.

Next up is Breath of Iron from Kate Cross. It is part of her Clockwork Agents series, and it is due out on August 6th.

There has been a lot of talk over the last couple of years about another Outlander book from Diana Gabaldon, but now it looks like Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is confirmed for a December 10th release.

Midnight’s Promise from Donna Grant, the 8th book of her Dark Warriors series, is due out on October 29th.

These next two are both from the recently announced “Dark trilogy” from Christine Feehan. Dark Lycan, Dark series number 24, will be released on September 3rd.

And it will be followed by Dark Wolf will follow in January 2014. This one is the long-awaited story of Skylar and Dimitri.

And this final one is the lone YA title. Julie Kagawa‘s second Iron Fey spin-off book, The Iron Traitor, is due out on October 29th.

Cover Lover – 6 New Titles

Let me start today’s little cover post by saying that WordPress is, once again, acting wonky. The comments feature is what seems to be funky – it looks like long-time posters are randomly being put into moderation for comment approval. Sometimes one comment is approved, the next one is moderated, and the third approved. Looks like the powers that be are “upgrading” again (god help us all).

So, I go home from work a few minutes ago and I had not one, not two, but three emails telling me that the cover for Karen Marie Moning‘s next Fever series/Dani O’Malley book, Burned, was out. Thanks all, ’cause I have been looking forward to it. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but then I was thinking of a fiery version of the first cover for Iced, and I sort of had my heart set on that. This isn’t bad, though…

And this second one is the paperback version of Christine Feehan‘s Dark Storm. Way, WAY better than the hardcover, if I do say so myself. Not sure about the funky looking little dragon, but at least all of that…that…goldy colored stuff has been scraped off.

Now, this third cover was sent to me by Marcia, so many thanks once again. Ritual Magic is from the World of the Lupi series from Eileen Wilks, and it will be released on August 6th. This is another series that has consistently good covers, which just makes some of the awful ones seem unnecessary.

These next two have the same sort of grungy vibe going on. First up is Hellhound, the next book in Nancy Holzner‘s Deadtown series. It will be released on October 29th.

And the story of October Daye continues in Seanan McGuire‘s Chimes at Midnight, which will be on the shelves on September 3rd.

And the final one for today is the lone young adult cover. Eternity is book three in Elizabeth Miles‘ Fury trilogy, and it will be released on September 3rd.

A Dark Series Trilogy…

Things have seemingly been up in the air as far as information about Christine Feehan‘s books goes. There was some deal about being between contracts, and no new schedule arranged, things like that. But many thanks to Lea-Ellen who sent me over the news that there is a Dark series trilogy in the works.

Apparently, Dark Lycan will release in the usual Carpathian time-slot of September, and it will be followed by Dark Wolf in January, and it will be followed by Dark Hunter later in 2014. And for those who have been anxiously waiting, it seems Dark Wolf will feature Skylar and Dimitri’s story.

Hm. As much as I always love to find out release news, this one leaves me torn. A trilogy would be great (especially if it means that the series is wrapping up, which is what I am hoping for), but it also means that at a three book a year schedule, another Ghostwalkers book would be a long, long ways away. The last Ghostwalkers book was Samurai Game, which was released on July 3rd, 2012. With a Dark series trilogy finishing off 2013 and taking the first two slots of 2014, you are probably looking at 2015 before a new, non-Carpathian book is released. That…sucks. I know, I sound ungrateful. But the one Ghostwalkers a year was ok, one every year and a half was not so great, but waiting three years for a new one is a bit of a pain.

How do you like this news? Are you behind a new trilogy, or are you more of a Ghostwalkers/Leopard/Sea Haven series fan and disappointed at what will probably be a long wait for a new book?

This and That…

As always, in the process of updating the new release pages, I found a few more books that are on the horizon.

• The second book of Coreene Callahan‘s new Knight Avenged series has been pushed way back to April 8th of next year.
• November 5th will see the next Bound by Magick book from Lauren Dane, called Burning Wild.
• November 5th is also the date for a Thea Harrison Elder Races book, a Meljean Brook Iron Seas book, and Nalini Singh‘s next Guild Hunter book (featuring Raphael and Elena).  All have titles TBA.
• Author Lauren Kate‘s Fallen series (supposedly being optioned for a movie) is finished, so it looks like she is turning her attention to a new series, called Teardrop.  The first book, also called Teardrop, will be hitting the shelves on October 22nd.
• October 1st is the release date for Caris Roane‘s next Ascension novel, Born in Chains.
• Rather than info, this is more like lack of info.  Christine Feehan was recently asked what she would be working on next, and she said that after the long delayed Leopard’s Prey she was in fact without a contract.  She was not sure what would be coming, or when we would get it.  If I remember correctly, this same situation came up last year with Ms. Feehan, which just seems so strange to me.
• The next H&W Investigations book from Jess Haines, Forsaken by the Others, will be released on July 30th.
• Hannah Jayne‘s next Underworld Detection Agency novel, Under a Spell, will be out on August 13th.
• To Kiss a Dragon is the title of the next G.A. Aiken Dragon Kin book, and it is scheduled for release on October 1st.  No clue who this one is about, and if ever there was a series that needed a character guide, this is it.
• The pre-order links are up for Keri Arthur‘s 6th Dark Angels book, Darkness Splintered.  It will be out on November 5th.
• A couple of weeks ago, word came out that Devon Monk was starting an Allie Beckstrom spin-off series called Broken Magic.  Well, the pre-order links for the first book, Hell Bent, are up now.  It is due out on November 5th.
• October 1st is the release date for the next Cassie Palmer book from author Karen Chance, called Tempt the Stars.

Anything there you are looking forward to, or are you giving most of them a pass?  It looks like there is a ton coming out on November 5th, for some odd reason, so might have to save up for that weeks’ order.

Reader Question…

I like reader questions – and I like to take the questions to the experts.  Let’s see what you can come up with to help a fellow book lover out.  Today’s question comes from Colleen, is interested in a particular genre of PNR/UF.

Colleen asked…

          I am a big fan of paranormal romance and plan on publishing one myself someday.  I was wondering if you could direct me to some with multicultural pairings, particularly if the heroine is a woman of color?

I’ve already read (more than once):
Slave to Sensation, Hostage to Pleasure, Go Fetch,Beast behaving Badly, the beast in him, Hunting Season, About a Dragon, How to Drive a Dragon Crazy, The Swan and the Bear, Belong to the Night.

So, what do you recommend?  I suggested the last two Christine Feehan Ghostwalker books.  Samurai Game featured an African American hero and Japanese heroine, and Ruthless Game featured an Asian heroine.  Any books you can think of to add to the list?

Pick of the Week and Giveaway

If you had told me a year ago that there was a Christine Feehan book coming out and it wasn’t my automatic pick of the week, I would’ve laughed at you.  Well, there is…and it isn’t.  Not sure if I am still a little bitter over the last Dark book, or the reduced schedule that means we go from one book per series a year to a book every year and a half, or because of the five month push back on the next book, but I am not thrilled.  And kind of sad that I am not that excited, actually.  My pick of the week is instead the fourth book from Jennifer Ashley‘s Shifter’s Unbound series, Mate Claimed.

Synopsis…

Eric Warden knows that half-Shifter wildcat Iona is passing for human, living without a Collar in the human world. He also knows that if she does not acknowledge her Shifter nature and her mating hunger, it could kill her.

Iona finds the mysterious and dangerous Eric, a wildcat and leader of his Shiftertown, haunting her dreams, but she vows never to “come out” and take the Collar, fearing backlash against her mother and sister for hiding the fact that she’s Shifter. But Eric is a compelling Shifter male, and Iona’s hunger calls to him.

Shifters Unbound reading list can be found HERE.

I like this series.  I don’t do the epic countdown to get my hands on the next book like for some series, but I they have been good, solid, enjoyable reads for me so far.  So, in that spirit, I am going to have a giveaway…for all four books in the series (there are a couple of e-novellas, as well, but not sure how to give those away, so it is print books only).  If you are interested in winning Pride Mates, Primal Bonds, Wild Cat and the above Mate Claimed, leave a note here.

Pride Mates…

To most, they are animals even when in human form. They are to be collared and kept on the fringes of society, scorned because they are feared, hated for their extraordinary powers. And attorney Kim Fraser has to go right into the heart of their lair.

It s her job to defend those in need. But there s absolutely nothing defenseless about Liam Morrissey. His soft Irish lilt and feline grace can t disguise his sheer strength. Nor can the silver chain at his throat, designed to control the aggression of his kind, completely reassure her that this man has been tamed.

Yet when a feral shifter begins to stalk them both, Liam is the only one she trusts with her life. She ll let him claim her for her protection, for her pride, and for a passion that knows no bounds.

Primal Bonds…

When half-Fae, half-Shifter Andrea Gray flees an abusive would-be mate, the only way she is allowed to relocate to the Austin Shiftertown is if a Shifter there claims her as mate.

Sean Morrissey, the Guardian of his clan and all of Shiftertown, is mateless, lonely, and has a tough job–to send the souls of deceased Shifters into the afterworld. He volunteers to claim her, sight unseen, but doesn’t realize that one look at the gray-eyed, dark-haired Andrea will stir the mating frenzy in him. Even though the mate-claim isn’t finalized, official, or yet blessed, Sean will do anything to get Andrea into his life and keep her there, forever.

Wild Cat…

When Feline Shifter Cassidy Warden saves detective Diego Escobar from plunging to his death, the naked Shifter woman takes his breath away. But she’d been breaking all kinds of human laws, and Diego, to save her from termination, has to promise his department he’ll watch over her.

Diego finds the task harder than he thinks–Cassidy is trying to find out what kind of mysterious hunter killed her mate two years ago, a hunter that could bring danger to all Shifters. Plus Cassidy has scent-marked Diego–essentially telling all other Shifter females, “Hands off.”

Diego risks his personal and professional life getting involved with Cassidy, but he realizes he’ll do anything, even confront the deadliest of assassins and his own inner demons, to keep her safe.

Contest open to everyone, winner must have made at least one previous comment on this site.  Winner to be chosen at random, giveaway closing…hm, tomorrow at midnight Atlantic time.  Good luck!

She Drives Me Crazy

We all talk about the books, characters, and authors we love (I am particularly annoying when I start to gush and have my fangirl moments).  So, not meaning to offend anyone, I decided to do a post about the other side of the coin…what drives me crazy, annoys the face off of me, or generally makes an impression in all the wrong ways.

• least favorite series I forced myself to read through to the bitter end – Sons of Destiny by Jean Johnson.  As I am badly known for, I tend to buy all of the books in a series before I start reading the first one, assuming I will of course feel the love.  Nope.  I liked precisely one character in the entire series, Morg, and I read the books solely to follow his development until his story came along…in the last book.  I decided part way in that Jean Johnson’s writing style just didn’t fit my reading needs, since more often than not I was angry at the books, the characters, and myself for buying them.  I did some sort of odd fist-pumping happy dance when I was finished, yelling that “they didn’t beat me!”  And they still sit on my shelves, because I am too stubborn to throw $100worth of books away.
• least favorite character.  EVER. – Kelly from Sons of Destiny by Jean Johnson.  This is perhaps the easiest question I could ever answer, since my loathing was so absolute.  Random normal chick gets sucked through a portal to another dimension, of course with the specific skill-set (sewing, butter churning, etc) to not only survive but thrive on this somewhat rustic island, and proclaims herself Queen and supreme ruler.  Now you must remember her only superpower is to channel her inner domestic goddess and turn some curtain fabric or something into a cover for her throne – and a matching “court” outfit.  And everyone else on the island is a mage with actual special powers.  Oh, and she is featured prominently in all eight books.  Since she is queen and all.  I so wanted her to die.
• character I should love but didn’t – Ethan Sullivan from Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill.  I liked the books.  Liked the characters and the storyline and the world.  Wasn’t that fond of Ethan.  Heroes usually can do no wrong for me, but he hand-rung and back-tracked more than a victorian maiden, and was the king of mixed signals “want you…need you…can’t have you..can’t stay away from you…want you more than ever…but wait…”.  He did redeem himself in the last couple of books, but I am still not on the bandwagon.  Yet.
• least favorite storyline – Intrepid Female Reporter.  Ever since back in the days of Lois Lane, I have not liked this storyline, but paranormal romance has taken my distaste for this to a whole new level.  Usually the story goes like this – sassy female reporter starts digging into a series of mysterious events.  Hot alpha hero tries stop intrepid female reporter from finding out the truth about whatever he is, and exposing his secrets to the world.  Sassy female being, well, intrepid, finds herself in approximately 312 dangerous supernatural situations that said hot alpha hero must rescue her from (of course after warning her that BAD THINGS would happen).  Intrepid must find “the truth” no matter what the cost , and after a long state of disbelief comes to accept that  vamps/weres/gargoyles/angels really do exist.  And in the case of Shayla Black‘s Doomsday Brethren series, firecracker reporter Sydney Blair becomes the voice of the supernaturals, doing live news broadcasts through a magic mirror.  Complete with her own slogan.
• most eye-rolling author – Christine Feehan.  Now, I have every book from every series that Christine Feehan has written.  They are my guilty pleasure (along with the Breeds), but she can make my eyes roll like no other.  What absolutely kills me every time is the info dump we get on characters.  For example, in the latest Ghostwalkers book Samurai Game, Sam Johnson is a former army ranger, trainer, hand to hand combat expert war hero linguistics expert with degrees in molecular biology, biochemistry, astrophysics and nuclear physics.   His teammate Jonas Harper is an expert pickpocket master of disguise cat burglar who grew up throwing knives in the circus.  I roll my eyes so hard I am surprised I don’t give myself a headache.  Oh, and the main characters, in the middle of their supposed first sexual encounter, stop to have a four page discussion on nanite technology and micro-biology.

So, what makes you cringe, cry, or turn your books into a wallbanger?  Any series you just can’t hack anymore, or any plot device that makes you crazed?