I have a great giveaway this week. 3 lucky winners will win copies of both FIRELIGHT and MIDNIGHT RECKONING. Both books are hot and dark.

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment telling me what type of paranormal character you would be if you could choose. US addresses only, please. Make sure to check to see if your name is chosen.

Additional entries can be gained through the following:

• Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/thebookgirl and tweet the link to this post with the tag #bookgirlgiveaway
• “Like” me on facebook and post what book you are reading this week on the wall: http://www.facebook.com/therealbookgirl
• Comment on the other posts this week

Contest runs through 2/5/12 at 5pm cst.

About the book:

London, 1881

Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Mini-review: FIRELIGHT is part historical romance and part paranormal romance. It has a very Gothic feel. The story is entertaining and there is a twist that shocked me in the end.  FIRELIGHT isn’t like any book that I’ve read before. This book is written so well and I wanted to know more about Archer and Miranda. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of paranormal romance you should check out this book.

There is a prequel ebook available on Feb 1st: Ember

the book girl gives FIRELIGHT a 5/5

About the book:

Two separate worlds…

One passion that binds them

Wild and passionate by nature, Lyra Black is not just any werewolf. She’s the future leader of the powerful pack of the Thorn - if she can stay alive long enough to inherit the title.

One of the Cait Sith bloodline of vampire cat-shifters, Jaden Harrison has no interest in the wars plaguing the world of night. but when he rescues Lyra from a violent attack, they’re both captured by an insatiable desire that threatens to overwhelm them and bind them together for eternity…just as ancient enemies prepare to strike. And when they do, the Thorn and the Cait Sith - and Lyra and Jaden’s love - may never recover from the deadly blow…

Mini-review: I really enjoyed this book. The romance between Lyra and Jaden is fantastic. They have a forbidden type of love and the way it progressed was fantastic. The only thing that I could have done without was some of the paranormal politics. I found the pack stuff interesting, but not all of the inter-dynasty stuff.

the book girl gives MIDNIGHT RECKONING a 3.5/5

From NetGalley:

Lovely witch Lili Carter takes a job at a paranormal hospital where patients have been disappearing. There she encounters Jared, a dangerously sexy demon on a mission that gets Lili into a world of trouble. Lili can’t avoid Jared for long and soon they find themselves creating a whole new kind of magick…

I love paranormal romances by Linda Wisdom. Here writing keeps them from being too dark even when what’s happening is dark. There is a comedic element that helps keep the book light and fun. Lili and Jared are both fantastic characters. I loved that Jared was a different kind of demon. He had evolved into having feelings and appreciating what was happening to him in a way that other demons in paranormal romance aren’t able to do. Lili is tough and fights for her man and those in her care. These two steam up the page, but they also have a lot of heart behind their actions. A perfect couple! I can’t wait to read the next book by Linda Wisdom.

the book girl gives DEMON DOES IT BETTER a 5/5

to find the book:

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From the back of the book:

WHAT IF YOU SUDDENLY DISCOVERED YOUR OWN POWERS WERE BEYOND ANYTHING YOU’D EVER IMAGINED…

Samantha Logan’s childhood home has always been a haven, but everything changed while she was away. She has a gorgeous new neighbor who introduces her to the amazing world of the dream-walking, shape shifting Amoveo clans… but what leaves her reeling with disbelief is when he tells her she’s one of them…

But shock turns to terror as Samantha falls prey to the deadly enemy determined to destroy the Amoveo, and the only chance she has to come into her true powers is to trust in Malcolm to show her the way…

UNLEASHED is a fast-paced paranormal romance with fantastic world-building. Anymore I have trouble getting interested in paranormal romances. It seems that the story lines run together and everything is so similar. I was thrilled when I started reading UNLEASHED. The world building is great - I love the way the Amoveo is set up. There are different clans within the Amoveo, but they can breed together no matter what the animal and their children will either favor the father or the mother, but it isn’t known which one until the child hits puberty. The romance between Malcolm and Sam is great too. The Amoveo have soul mates - that one person that they can breed with and have a true connection with. They first meet in Sam’s dreams. I just really liked all of the unique things that Ms. Humphreys wrote into her world. The story moves quickly with the enemy family who hunts Amoveo, the Caedo, after Sam and Malcolm. There is a fantastic twist and a great set-up for more stories. I can’t wait to read more from this author and in this series.

the book girl gives UNLEASHED a 5/5

to find the book:

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From the back of the book:

He’s a Wyr warrior, a god of storms. She’s the heir to the Dark Fae throne. But desire will bring both to their knees in this all-new Novel of the Elder Races.

During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle “Tricks” Periwinkle found sanctuary among the Wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle’s death, there are those who don’t want to see her ascend to the throne…

Able to wield thunder and lightning, Wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the Wyr’s best weapons. And he’s the one send to protect Tricks when she’s almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them - a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds…

I love this series. The first book - DRAGON BOUND - blew me away and I wasn’t sure if STORM’S HEART could be as good. It is! I love Tiago and Tricks. Their relationship is anything but normal, but they are truly there for each other. There is not much sexier than a big alpha man who knows that he has to walk a step behind his woman and is more than willing to do so. There are lots of twists and turns in STORM’S HEART and it is unclear through the book exactly who Tiago and Tricks can trust. I loved how the reader is kept guessing. The book has almost a suspense feel to it at times, but the romance is always at the forefront.  I can’t wait to read the next book in the series - SERPENT’S KISS.

the book girl gives STORM’S HEART a 5/5

to find the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

CONTEST:

GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a copy of STORM’S HEART

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post. US addresses only, please. Make sure to check to see if your name is chosen.

Additional entries can be gained through the following:

• Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/thebookgirl and tweet the link to this post with the tag #bookgirlgiveaway
• “Like” me on facebook and post what book you are reading this week on the wall: http://www.facebook.com/therealbookgirl
• Comment on the other posts this week

Contest runs through 8/21/11 at 5pm cst.

From the back of the book:

The were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank - the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable. All of them were covered in Alice’s now cold and congealed blood, which made them even tastier looking to poor hungry Alice.

When little Alice follows the Black Rat down into the gaping darkness of an open grave, she falls and falls. and soon finds herself in an undead nightmare of rotting flesh and insanity. Venturing further into this land of zombies and monsters, she encounters characters both creepy and madcap along the way.

But there’s something else troubling poor Alice: her skin is rotting and her hair is falling out. She’s cold. And she has the haunting feeling that is she remains in Zombieland any longer, she might never leave.

Can Alice escape Zombieland before the Dead Red Queen catches up to her?

Um, not sure what to write about this book. ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND was a very quick read. The storyline of the original story is there - it has just been twisted into something dark and a little gross. I was intrigued by the book, but I just couldn’t really get into it. Several times I put it down and read something else. I think if you are a fan of other literary books that have been altered into something paranormal you would enjoy ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND, but it just wasn’t for me.

the book girl gives ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND a 2/5

to find the book:

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A warrior, a demon, and the girl next door. . .

Looking For Trouble

Addy Corwin is a florist with an attitude. A bad attitude, or so her mama says, cause she’s not looking for a man. Mama’s wrong. Addy has looked. There’s just not much to choose from in Hannah, her small Alabama hometown. Until Brand Dalvahni shows up, a supernaturally sexy, breathtakingly well-built hunk of a warrior from–

well, not from around here, that’s for sure. Mama thinks he might be European or maybe even a Yankee. Brand says he’s from another dimension.

Addy couldn’t care less where he’s from. He’s gorgeous. Serious muscles. Disturbing green eyes. Brand really gets her going. Too bad he’s a whack job. Says he’s come to rescue her from a demon. Puh-lease. But right after Brand shows up, strange things start to happen. Dogs talk and reanimated corpses stalk the quite streets of Hannah. Her mortal enemy Meredith, otherwise known as the Death Starr, breaks out in a severe and inexplicable case of butt boils. Addy might not know what’s going on, but she definitely wants a certain sexy demon hunter by her side when it all goes down . . .

DEMON HUNTING IN DIXIE is a hilarious debut. The humor reminds me of Mary Janice Davidson, Molly Harper, and Michele Bardsley. It is a fun look at a very different southern town. Addy is so much fun. She is a little hard to take seriously, because she doesn’t take much seriously. I love how she curses Meredith, who is truly a witch, with pimples and butt boils. Brand is one sexy hero and very funny too. I love his literal take on everything Addy says. These two shouldn’t fit each other, but they do work. I didn’t really care so much about the “big bad” who was after Addy, I was really just wrapped up in the romance between Addy and Brand. I also didn’t like the way the relationship between Ansgar (another demon hunter) and Evie (Addy’s best friend) ended. It felt like it was a set up for book 2, but I wanted Evie to be as happy as Addy. I will definitely be reading more by this author!

the book girl gives DEMON HUNTING IN DIXIE a 4/5

to find the book:

Amazon

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From the back of the book:

Northern Exposure

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham - who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska - has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question. If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated…

I LOVED this book! It is funny and sweet. Mo is a fantastic character - she had a strange upbringing as the only child of two hippy parents and has moved all the way to Alaska to get away from their smothering attention. She is levelheaded, but somehow keeps getting into dangerous situations. (Like running into a bear in the woods!)  Cooper is a grump, but a sexy grump! Their relationship starts out as a mutual dislike and strangely morphs into love. There are several places that had me laughing out loud.

This story is written in first person, so we get Mo’s version of events. I would have loved to have known what was going on in Cooper’s mind.

I can’t wait to read more about the werewolves in Grundy!

the book girl gives HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF a 5/5

to find the book:

Amazon

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