Book Review: Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Pocket; Reprint edition (March 31, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439101345
ISBN-13: 978-1439101346

Rating: 4/5
Source: Personal Library

Book Blurb:
Newbie marketing intern Ciara Griffin lands a job at WMMP, a station threatened with being sold to Skyware, a giant communications conglomerate, unless ad revenue picks up. A former con artist with a canny way with people, Ciara soon learns that the DJs are undead and specialists in the musical eras in which they were turned into vampires. One of them, Shane McAllister (turned in 1995), is really hot and dangerously tempting. In order to attract more listeners, Ciara promotes a new marketing strategy and the Sherwood, Md., station becomes 94.3 WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock and Roll, exploiting the fang factor (which no listener takes seriously) for profit. It works, until an ancient vampire cult wants to pull the plug. Also playing in is The Control, an equally ancient paramilitary group created to protect good vampires and kill bad ones.

My Review:
Rock and roll. Vampires. Sexy DJs. What's not to love about this book?

Ciara wants to go straight after growing up in a family of grifters, and has a chance at a "real job" as a marketing intern for an independent radio station. Little does she know what she's getting into...as the DJs are all vampires, stuck in the past. The radio station gives them the opportunity to survive, by blending their past realities with acceptable doses of the present.

Thought that this was a great start to an interesting series, and loved how Jeri included a playlist at the beginning of the book. The DJs are all intriguing, either in spite of or because of being stuck in a past era. The humans are also very relatable. Especially enjoyed Franklin, the marketing director who has his own unique salesmanship methods.

This was a well written book with a good plot that stood on it's own and didn't get bogged down in details. The characters were all believable, and most of them were likable. Lots of good music thrown into the mix as well, some of which I had to look up online. Gave this one a solid 4/5 rating, as I really enjoyed everything about the book! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series, as I can't wait to see what happens next at WVMP!

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. I've been trying to be good and haven't entered as many contests or requested as many review copies so I can get my TBR piles under control!


Got a galley copy of Coming Undone by Lauren Dane, which I think it beyond cool! This is only the second galley I've received, and I can't wait to read it!

After his parents' death, Brody gave up a promising career to care for his family. Now, with his siblings grown, Brody owns his own business, and for the first time in years he's alone. Elise has come to Seattle with her daughter to find peace. After years as a world-famous ballerina-and trapped in a marriage gone bad-she's looking for neither love nor attention. But she finds both in the handsome, honest man who befriends her with no strings attached.

Received a copy of Lockdown: Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith as a review copy from the publisher. Trying to cut back on review copies, but this one looked intriguing.

Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.

What did everyone get in their mailboxes this past week?

Book Review: Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Orbit (November 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316056588
ISBN-13: 978-0316056588

Rating: 5/5
Source: Personal library


Book Blurb:
Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

My Review:
Jane True is my new hero! Rather than being the typical urban fantasy heroine who is gorgeous, smart, strong, sassy, and kicks butt, Jane is a believable woman who actually screams when confronted by scary vampires and monsters! How refreshing is that? Most characters in this genre would claim to be scared, but still make a smartass remark to show how tough they are. While Jane still takes things better than I probably would, she is a breath of fresh air and I loved, loved, loved this book!

Let me back up for a moment. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been waiting for this book for months! I follow Nicole Peeler on Twitter and her blog and was impatiently waiting for this book to finally come out. I can't believe how good it is, especially for a first novel! You know how sometimes you're reading along at a fast pace then BAM! you get hit in the face with a typo or inconsistency or something else that stops you dead in your tracks? Well, nothing like that in this book. Either Nicole is incredibly talented, she's conning us and this isn't really her first book, she has an amazing editor, or some combination of all of the above. This book was amazing!

Now back to the story: Jane grew up in a small town, complete with a "history". Crazy mom disappeared. Big scandal when her boyfriend died. Always been a little weird. All in all, Jane has not had an easy life. Things start to make a little more sense after she meets Ryu, a sexy investigator who is more than he seems. Loved the interaction between Jane, Ryu, and the various people he introduces her to.

Was originally going to give this book a 4/5 rating as while I enjoyed it, I didn't stay up all night to finish reading it. Then I realized that I've been talking about this book non-stop ever since I finished it, and recommending it to everyone I know. Figured that must be worth a 5/5 rating, as I really, really loved this book! Great writing, interesting characters, a plot that made sense, and a great beginning to a new series! Great job Ms. Peeler!

update

Went to the doctor yesterday for my after-surgery follow up visit. He removed the stitches in my knee and drained off some pooled blood. Had a bad reaction to the pain pills, so he advised me to stop taking them. Was a little rough yesterday getting them all out of my system, but hoping the worst of that is over.

Thanks again for all of the prayers and good wishes! They really help. {{hugs}}

Word Verification Balderdash (10)

Word Verification Balderdash is a weekly meme started by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books.

You know all of those annoying word verifications you have to do when posting comments on certain blogs? Well, playing Balderdash with the words makes everything a little more bearable and fun! Be sure to write down the word verifications you come across while posting blog comments. You then play Balderdash with them by making up your own definition for the word!

Here are my words for this week:

Dessispo: Failed Italian coffee drink offered by Starbucks,
available either hot or iced, with a minty green coloring.

Tedisp: Festive Teddy bear decanter for dispensing
liquid refreshments during the holidays.

Psyces: Minor Greek god of pranks, often confused
with his cousin Psyche, goddess of souls. Thought to be the
originator of the expression "to psyc someone out".

Grabess: Common affliction affecting shoppers on the day
after Thanksgiving, where they compulsively grab anything
not nailed down during Black Friday sales.