FREE Two Days Only: A Vampire Novel with Actual Bite!

As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back.

The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, that has received rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and is FREE for two days only on Amazon Kindle (February 7th to 8th)! Download your FREE copy here: http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension.

About The Darkening Dream

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.

With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?

No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be her very soul.

The Reviews Are In

"A vampire novel with actual bite." ~The Kirkus Reviews

"Mr. Gavin has brought something refreshingly new to a genre now suffused with poorly-concealed bodice-rippers which have more in common with Fabio than Bram Stoker: depth. His big baddies are scary, not romantic interests, and the added religious lore is complex and engaging. Don't expect another Twilight -- the story can get downright creepy, so be prepared for a return to the old horror sensibilities of supernatural fiction." ~Amazon Review

"With Mr. Gavin's video-game pedigree, I was expecting something aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old fanboy contingent; what I got in The Darkening Dream was something wholly unexpected: A period novel with a female protagonist, a crash-course on Judaism in the colonial years, and multi-layered series of plot arcs featuring a crazy cast of natural and supernatural characters populating 18th Century Colonial America." ~Amazon Review

"…A perfect blend of mystery, magic and myth. A grown-up Grimm's fairy tale...emphasis on grim." ~Amazon Review

Read the first two sample chapters here >> http://bit.ly/xXVxXS

Get your FREE copy of The Darkening Dream for two days only on Amazon here. http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

No eReader or Kindle? No problem. Get free apps for your Web Browser, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone.

Cover links can be found at:

http://all-things-andy-gavin.com/the-darkening-dream/cover

and

http://all-things-andy-gavin.com/the-darkening-dream/cover-small

Team Smackdown

Here's the second Smakdown of the day.

Team Jem (Infernal Devices Series) vs Team Peeta (The Hunger Games Series)

Jem is being defended by Rimsa

Team Jem - Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare

Name: James Carstairs
Appearance: Silver eyes, silver hair
Heritage: Half chinese, half British
Age: 17
Shadowhunter!

Jem is one of the most compassionate, caring, yet HOT male characters you will ever find in any book. He is half Chinese and plays the violin which is so cool! Unlike so may male characters, he actually treats girls with respect and can make you feel really good about yourself. He is nice to everyone and even Will loves Jem, that must mean soemthing right? Since Will hates pretty much everyone.

Eventhough Jem is a total sweetheart, he definitely has a smutty side which people will see in Clockwork Prince :) Did i mention he is Chinese? He also speaks Mandarin and says some seriously cute things which any girl would love to hear and totally meakes my heart melt.

“Say something in Mandarin,” said Tessa, with a smile.
Jem said something that sounded like a lot of breathy vowels and  consonants run together, his voice rising and falling melodically: “*Ni hen piao liang.”
“What did you say?” Tessa was curious. 

“I said your hair is coming undone — here,” he said, and reached out  and tucked an escaping curl back behind her ear. Tessa felt the blood  spill hot up into her face, and was glad for the dimness of the
carriage. “You have to be careful with it,” he said, taking his hand back, slowly, his fingers lingering against her cheek.

* that actually means 'You're beautiful'

Jem also has an extremely tragic back story and yet he treats people nicely and doesnt take it out on everyone else by being rude to them. *cough cough* Will!
how can you not love such an adorable guy who is aslo dying. I dont know about you, but it would be heaven for me if Jem played the violin for me or talked to me in his sexy mandarin! So VOTE FOR JEM <3

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Team Peeta - The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Info:

Name: Peeta Mellark

Age: 16

"Peeta has bright blue eyes and blonde hair, like most families who live in town. Katniss describes him as Stocky build and medium height with bright blue eyes and ashey blonde hair that falls in waves over his forehead."

Peeta is gentle and kind, but when he is threatened, he fights well. He's willing to do anything to protect  the girl he loves.

Quotes:

“I do the cakes,” he admits to me.

“The cakes?” I ask. I’ve been preoccupied with watching the boy from District 2 send a spear through a dummy’s heart from fifteen yards. “What cakes?”

“At home. The iced ones, for the bakery,” he says….

“It’s lovely. If only you could frost someone to death,” I say.

“Don’t be so superior. You can never tell what you’ll find in the arena. Say it’s actually a gigantic cake —” begins Peeta."

“Peeta,” I say lightly. “You said at the interview you’d had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?”

“Oh, let’s see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair . . . it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up,” Peeta says.

“Your father? Why?” I ask.

“He said, ‘See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner,’” Peeta says.

“What? You’re making that up!” I exclaim.

“No, true story,” Peeta says. “And I said, ‘A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could’ve had you?’ And he said, ‘Because when he sings . . . even the birds stop to listen.’”

“That’s true. They do. I mean, they did,” I say. I’m stunned and surprisingly moved, thinking of the baker telling this to Peeta. It strikes me that my own reluctance to sing, my own dismissal of music might not really be that I think it’s a waste of time. It might be because it reminds me too much of my father.

“So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent,” Peeta says.

“Oh, please,” I say, laughing.

“No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew — just like your mother — I was a goner,” Peeta says. “Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you.”

“Without success,” I add.

Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck,” says Peeta.

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Now that you've read a little bit about each of the guys in today's Team Smackdown is time to vote for your favorite!  The Team that wins today will face another Team in the last round!

Which Team are you on?

Team Jem Team Peeta

pollcode.com free polls

You can vote for this until Saturday. Results will be posted on Sunday.

Team Smackdown

Hello! Round 2 of the Team Smackdown!

There will be two smackdowns going on today (in differente posts) and one tomorrow so that next week we can start the last round! Be sure to vote on all the Smackdowns!

The first Smackdown is:

Team Ash (Iron Fey Series) vs Team Jace (The Mortal Instuments Series)

Ash is being defended by Meghan:

Team Ash - The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

Hey everyone! I'm Meghan ( @SapphireNight83 on twitter. And no, I'm not Meghan Chase) and I'm advocating for Team Ash! First, here's a little snippet about the man.

ASH
Name: Prince Ash
Seriously Elaborated Name: Prince Ash of the Unseelie (Winter) Court, third son of Queen Mab.
True Name: Ashalynn'darkmyr Tallan
Age: Unknown
Species: Unseelie Fae
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Silver
Skills: Controls ice, trained in combat and sword fighting

Why He's Called Ice-Boy
Since he is the ice prince, Ash can definitely come off as cold and unemotional. Being a son of Mab he is constantly fighting against his brothers for favoritism from his mother. He knows the cruelty of the Unseelie, but unlike his brothers he doesn't revel in it. He doesn't care about what anyone thinks about his and because of this he withdraws himself from the court frequently. He'd rather be reading or out hunting in the wyldwood.

A True Knight
Ash is a man of honor and definitely can hold his own in battle. When he wants something he will go after it with everything he's got until he wins. It doesn't matter how outnumbered he is or what danger lies before it. He will endure the depths of the Iron Realm and survive near death in order to reach the goal. Unlike some faeries who find a loophole out of a situation Ash isn't afraid of confrontation. He'll even defy his Queen and Court  without regret.

Where His Loyalty Lies
As I said, Ash doesn't like to hang around his home court and is willing to defy it. At one point in time he was Robin Goodfellow's best friend and despite his oath to kill him he can never bring himself to do it. He also falls in love with the Seelie Princess, Meghan Chase, and has vowed to protect her no matter what. He goes against the courts and even is willing to turn human for the one he loves.

Quotes:

"But, unlike the others, he looked disinterested, almost bored, with the entire event. His eyes caught the moonlight and glittered like silver coins."

"Our paths were woven together, our fates intertwined, and before the last battle I swore I would follow her to the end of the world, to protect her from all threats, including my own kin, and to die for her if called to do so. I became her knight, and would have gladly served this girl, this mortal who had captured my heart, until the last breath left my body."

"His fingers tightened on mine and pulled me forward. Startled and overbalanced, I looked up at him, and then he was kissing me."

"The dwaft snorted. 'Yeah. Sure, whatever. But, I want a serious answer, Prince.'
Ash was still for a moment. 'Yes,' he murmured, his voice so low I barely caught it. 'She's worth it.'"

"Ash lowered his head, drawing us even closer. 'I went to the End of the World for you, and all you have to say is how well I've aged?'"

"'Forgive me,' Ash murmured, and I heard the faintest of tremors beneath his voice. 'But I can't...I won't...give her up. Not now, when I've just found her.'"

"Let it be known-from this day forth, I vow to protect Meghan Chase, daughter of the Summer King, with my sword, my honor, and my life. Her desires are mine. Her wishes are mine. Should even the world stand against her, let my own existence be forfeit. This I swear, on my honor, my True Name, and my life. From this day on...' His voice went even softer, but I still heard it as though he whispered it into my ear. 'I am yours."

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Jace is being defended by Ajia

Team Jace - Mortal Instuments Series by Cassandra Clare 

Name: Jace Lightwood
Hair: blonde
Eyes: gold
height: 5'11
Age: 17
Species: nephilim

Personality: Charm, confidence and wit make up jace's personality. He comes across as arrogant and distant with his sarcastic comments but inside he is broken because of the love he never got. He never forms emotional attachments for more than a short period of time, if at all, because of the way Valentine, has taught him, that "to love is to destroy". The only people Jace has any feelings of love for before meeting Clary were the Lightwoods. To most people he may seem like a jerk, from the way he insults people but when he loves someone, he is dedicated and lets them see his true self. He is also one of the funniest guys ever, always having something witty to say!

Quotes:

“There is no pretending," Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then.”

“Usually I'm remarkably good natured. Try me on a day that doesn't end in y.”

“Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'
Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."
..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."
"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.

“Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw Jace shoot her a look of white rage - but when she glanced at him, he looked as he always did: easy, confident, slightly bored.
"In future, Clarissa," he said, "it might be wise to mention that you already have a man in your bed, to avoid such tedious situations."
"You invited him into bed?" Simon demanded, looking shaken.
"Ridiculous, isn't it?" said Jace. "We would never have all fit."
"I didn't invite him into bed," Clary snapped. "We were just kissing."
"Just kissing?" Jace's tone mocked her with its false hurt. "How swiftly you dismiss our love.”

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Now that you've read a little bit about each of the guys in today's Team Smackdown is time to vote for your favorite!  The Team that wins today will face another Team in the last round!

Which Team are you on?

Team Ash Team Jace

pollcode.com free polls

You can vote for this until Saturday. Results will be posted on Sunday.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

 

 

Read this past week:

Fated - Sarah Alderson

Bittersweet - Sarah Ockler

Incarnate - Jodi Meadows

 

Currently Reading:

Fracture - Megan Miranda

Upcoming:

Shade - Jery Smith-Ready

What about you? What are you reading this week and are you enjoying it?

Team Smackdown

Hey!

Thank you for voting for another Team Smackdown.

The winner of the Team Smackdown - Team Edward vs Team Ky is:

Team Ky!

The winner of the Team Smackdown - Team Dimitri r vs Team Zachary is:

 

 Team Zachary!

Now, when it comes to the giveaway. The winner of a a 5USD coupon for Protego  is Vivien. Congrats!

Link Your Reviews

We all want to promote our reviews, don't we? This is a way of letting other people know about them. Just leave a link to your review below.

Go visit the other reviews and let people know what you think about them!

This will is weekly feature posted on Thursdays. :) 

 

Review - Bitten by Dan O'Brien

Title and Author: Bitten by Dan O'Brien

Publisher: Create Space

Publication Date: November 21st, 2011

Paperback/Hardcover: 274

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Horror

Summary:

A predator stalks a cold northern Minnesotan town. There is talk of wolves walking on two legs and attacking people in the deep woods. Lauren Westlake, resourceful and determined F.B.I Agent, has found a connection between the strange murders in the north and a case file almost a hundred years old. Traveling to the cold north, she begins an investigation that spirals deep into the darkness of mythology and nightmares. Filled with creatures of the night and an ancient romance, the revelation of who hunts beneath the moon is more grisly than anyone could have imagined.

Review:

I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review and this turned out to be a very interesting story.
Something or maybe even someone is going on a killing spree in the woods of a small, and up to that point peaceful, town in Minnesota. FBI agent Lauren Westlake moves to town and opens up an investigation that promises to shake up the whole police department.
The bodies of the victims of the killing spree are completely torn apart. Is Lauren looking for a psychotic killer or some wild beast? When she follows a beast through the woods and ends up at a cabin where she is served a mysterious tea, she might just found the answer to her questions.
Bitten is a very interesting thriller that kept me interested and wondering.
Lauren is a good main character. She’s very strong, knows what she wants and is able to handle herself in any situation.
This is mostly a thriller but there’s some romance in it as well.
I especially liked the way the beast was described in this book. There are a lot of stories about werewolves out there right now but I think this book was very different and entertaining. The characters are very quirky and interesting and the plot itself is intriguing.
The book contains a few graphic descriptions of the killings and some graphic language but if you like paranormal stories, I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy this book.

Rating: Worth Your Time  (4 Stars)

Goodreads 

Book Depository 24 hours of offers

Once again The Bookdepository is selling, for 24 hours, books with a discount of 80%. There's a new offer every hour so go check it out, you might find a book you want at a good price. :)

So what is this thing?

The Countdown promotion will run for 24 hours, starting at noon GMT (Thursday 2nd February 2012). There will be a new product available on the homepage for a great price every hour for each of the hours, the last one going up the following day (Friday 3rd February 2012) at 11am GMT.

Can I buy all of the books?

You can buy as many, or as few of the titles offered as you like, we don't charge postage for over 100 countries around the world, so there is no harm in shopping again, and again throughout the day. You are however limited to three copies of each book per person - it's only fair that as many people as possible get to grab a bargain.

I fell asleep waiting for the next product and missed it - can I still get it at the offer price somehow?

Sorry no. These offers are known as WIGIGs in the trade (When It's Gone It's Gone) - after the hour is over you'll often be able to buy the book again but at the normal price.

How long are you doing the offer for?

A new title will be added from noon GMT on Thursday 2nd February to 11am on Friday 3rd February. Then we'll all need a bit of a lie down.

Are the products on offer still shipped for free?

Yes indeed they are. We have free worldwide delivery.

Are there any tricks as to getting through the checkout quickly?

We recommend that you set up an account (although you don't need one to shop) and add a credit card ready, save fumbling around when too excited (though you will still need your CVV number).

Click on the Image to go to The Book Depository.

My Book Boyfriend

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. It is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out the My Book Boyfriend Introduction Page over at Missie's blog The Unread Reader.

This week my book boyfriend is:

Oliver from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Stats

Status: Oliver is English but choose to go to college in the US. He meets Hadley at the airport and they quickly connect.

Age: 18

Height: Tall

Eyes:

Hair: Black

More info: He's sweet, funny and romantic, even though it's obvious his childhood wasn't an easy one.

"His dark hair is a bit too long and there are crumbs down the front of his shirt, but there’s something striking about him, too. Maybe it’s the accent, which she’s pretty sure is British, or the twitch of his mouth as he tries to keep from smiling."

“What?”
“I’ve just never seen anyone actually read one of those things before,”
“Well,” she says, “then you’re very lucky to be sitting next to me.”
“Just in general?”
She grins. “Well, particularly in case of an emergency.”
“Right,” he says. “I feel incredibly safe. When I’m knocked unconscious by my tray table during some sort of emergency landing, I can’t wait to see all five-foot-nothing of you carry me out of here.”

““What are you really studying?"
He leans back to look at her. "The statistical probability of love at first sight."
"Very funny," she says. "What is it really?"
"I'm serious."
"I don't believe you."
He laughs, then lowers his mouth so that it's close to her ear. "People who meet in airports are seventy-two percent more likely too fall for each other than people who meet anywhere else.”

“You found me first,' he says, and when he leans to kiss her, it's slow and sweet and she knows that this will be the one she always remembers. Because while the other two kisses felt like endings, this one is unquestionably a beginning.”

Nicholas Hoult

So, what do you think of Oliver?

Review - Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Title and Author: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date: December 6th, 2011

Paperback/Hardcover: 498

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Summary:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Review:

I really enjoyed Clockwork Angel and couldn’t wait to read Clockwork Prince. Let me tell you, the book did not disappoint me!
Clockwork Prince picks up where Clockwork Angel stopped, with Will asking Magnus help. Things are not easy for anyone at the institute. Charlotte’s leadership is being questioned, the search for the Magister is leading nowhere and Tessa finds herself having to choose between Jem and Will.
This is a great story that was able to keep me well entertained.
You get to know the characters we met in Clockwork Angel a lot better, especially Will, which I really appreciate because, as much as I like Jem, Will’s still my favorite and his story made me really sorry for him.
I also enjoyed the fact we get to know a different side of Jem in this book. He’s happier and more playful and all around amazing. No wonder it is so difficult for Tessa to choose between the boys!
Tessa is still a very solid main character and I have to confess I enjoyed the fact Magnus makes several appearances during the book.
Clockwork Prince is very well-written and there’s a perfect mix between adventure, action, surprises and romance. (Henry and Charlotte are just too cute together)
The book is fast paced, fun, easy to read and extremely entertaining. The characters are amazing and the plot very interesting.
If you’ve read Clockwork Angel I’m sure you’ll be able to really enjoy Clockwork Prince. If you haven’t started reading this series yet, what are you waiting for?
I’m sure any Young Adult and Paranormal fan will be able to really enjoy this book.

Rating: Must Read  (5 Stars)

Goodreads 

Bookdepository