RINGING in the NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY (INT)

Hi Everyone,

In order to celebrate another successful year of reading and reviewing at Blood Rose Books, I have decided to have a blitz of a Giveaway. What better way to start the new year off than winning a book, sounds like a fun idea to me. This giveaway will be a Winner's Choice and INT, but there is a catch, you need to choose a book that Blood Rose Books has reviewed in 2013.

I am excited to see which book or books get the most hits. I hope everyone had a great 2013 and an amazing 2014. Good Luck and I look forward to hearing from you all in the New Year!!!

Cheers!!!

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Roderick Thorp: Nothing Lasts Forever

If you were like me, I had no idea that Die Hard was based upon a novel. Once I found this out, I needed to track down the book that inspired a movie that I always watch at Christmas. I don't even think I have to do a premise over view for this book....I mean who hasn't see Die Hard??? Just in case you haven't see the movie, here is the general rundown:

Joe Leland is flying into LA to viit his daughter and family for Christmas, but this is going to be one that he never forgets. He joins his daughter at her Christmas office party, never expecting that he would be fighting for their lives. So becomes a game of cat and mouse through out the building, where Leland tries to put a dent in the terrorist who have taken over the building. But these terrorist are not afriad to kill hostages and it is only a matter of time till the get to Leland's daughter. Can he cause enough grief to the terrorist that they focus more on him and to what lengths will Leland have to go to in order to make it out alive. In the game of Cat and Mouse there is only one survivor in the end.

As I stated above this is the novel that inspired the movie Die Hard (one of my favorite mindless action movies). If you are looking to read Die Hard the book, this is where to look, but I will say that overall it is fairly different from the movie. You can see where the general premise of the movie comes from in this book but that is about it. There were a few things that remained the same, but there was a lot different between the two. For example, the main characters name, the fact that his wife (well ex-wife) has passed away and he is in town visiting his grown up daughter and her family. There is also a difference on how Leland goes about his job in preventing the terrorists for getting what they want and I thought in the book it was more about creating terror than being about money like it was in the movie.

Thorp's novel is a much darker version of what you see on the movie screen. I say that this novel is darker than the movies as there are differences that i think some people may find more distubing. for example all the people that joe kils in this novel are described as young  men/kids or young women. Also it is more descriptive as to how he kills some of the victims and the stps involved in breaking one of the victims not victims but terrorists neck. additionally this novels does not have the happy Hollywood ending that you would expect and that there are deaths on both sides.

You can tell that Thorp is writing in a different generation than we are in now and it was interesting/funny to read something that was not too distant in the past, but wow how has technology changed as well as  the social dynamics of the world and terrorist situation. You can even see this difference from when the movie was written

Joe Leland is an interesting character, always on guard even though he is not a cop (any more), he is a consultant to police department all over the world and that includes know the whose who of terrorists. He is even carries a badge that the NYPD gave him that states on the back that "This guy is a prick", however, Leland is not afraid to put on the appearance that he is still a cop. I appreciated that Thorp allowed Leland to get hurt and this prevented his physical and mental ability to proceed on with what needed to be done. Thorp also showed the emotional toll that killing people especially the women and younger terrorist had Leland's ability to continue one. There are several times that he wanted to give up. I do not think that this came across within Die Hard as well, and I felt that Leland was a more of a humanized character than John was.

One thing that this book was missing was different points of view. I wish that we were able to get either his daughters point of view or of the lead terrorist  Anton "Little Tony" Gruber. I think this would have created a more well rounded story as there is a lot of guess work that is done by Leland and it just felt like there were holes missing in the story that could have been filled with a different perspective.

Not going to lie I actually think that Die Hard the movie was better than this novel and I think this main fact lies in not knowing the whole story. It was hard to see it just from Leland's point of view and not others after seeing the movie. But I think those who are interested to know what inspired Die Hard will want to read this book, but as for an overall action read, I think most people will want to pass.

Enjoy!!!

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Nicholas Kaufmann: Dying is My Business

 

In his debut novel Nicholas Kaufmann introduces a man who is willing to do anything in order to regain the memories of his past, even if it means dying.....a few times.

All Trent remembers from his past is a brick wall, he remembers nothing but the wall where he awoke one year earlier, he did not even remember his name but he is on the ever search for his past, even if that means looking in unconventional places. Trent finds himself working for one of Brooklyn's crime bosses on the hope that he can uncover clues as to who Trent was, but this means that Trent is in the line of fire, constantly. Which really isn't so bad, when you don't die. But when Trent dies there is a price. The closest living individual near him dies as he takes their life force in order to survive. When Trent is sent to steal an antique box he is about to find out that he is not the only supernatural individual in the world and that box is linked to the old as time struggle between good and evil and Trent has to decide what is more important to him, discovering who he is or saving New York City.
 
This was an awesome debut novel, Kaufman was able to keep me on the edge of my seat as there never seemed to be a dull moment in this book, with a mystery that kept me guessing right to the end and I'm sure it will keep you guessing too. I have said it many times before in this genre I want to read something new and different it cannot always be about vampires, werewolves and witches. However, although this book has all three of them I did not find Kaufmann's use of these characters tired or the usual, there were some different aspects to all of them.

I personally think there are not enough male lead protagonists out there within the paranormal genre. I like the change of having a male lead as it offers something completely different all around and can really define how a book is structured. Additionally, I'm always a fan of the anti hero, and Trent fits this description well. All he wants is to find why he unable to die and will go to any costs in order to archive this, even if means stealing for a living. Trent also is trying to find out who he is as (literally) as he cannot remember his past and I found that this made him a more complex character. Trent is also a very meticulous and you can see him weight the pros and cons of every action that he takes, even those that you may not agree with. You can really feel his struggle between whether he should do something for himself or the greater good. 

I'm really interested to see not only who Trent was is the past and who he will become, but also the power(s) that exist inside him. I mean what/who causes him to come back to life each time he dies. Is Trent really a good guy or a bad guy. I am looking forward to the second novel in this series to see what answers Kaufmann has for me.

All of the secondary characters were interesting as well, and as stated above, although Kaufmann does not really introduce new types of creatures, his spin on some of the classics was refreshing. Kaufmann also introduced some creatures that we have heard of before, but often take a backseat to the more popular ones, in this novel there is a heavy presence of gargoyles, which i thought was unique and I enjoyed of Kaufmann seat of their world and culture. In fact overall, the world building and flow of the novel is really well done.

Kaufmann has written a novel that those who enjoy the paranormal or urban fantasy genre will want to flock to. Well written, non stop action, great mystery, well developed characters and an interesting premise will hold readers captivated (there is even a little bit of romance and it really is just a touch, for those who need/want that in their reads). I know I will read the next book by Kaufmann and I hope he continues on the dark path that happens through out the book. I think that Kaufmann is going to be a big name in the future in these genres.

Enjoy!!!

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Russell Blake: Silver Justice

Manhattan is no stranger to murder, but it is usually the most vulnerable in life that are forced to face this fate, but Russell Blake takes this idea and turns it upside down in his first book in a new series:

In the city of Manhattan, there is a serial killer on the loose with your not your typical target, they are targeting the financial industry big wigs, people that the regular individuals are not even aware of. FBI agent Silver Cassidy is assigned to lead the task force and she has a sense there is more to these killing than normal, even though those around her doubt the theory. Silver is determined to see the killer brought to justice, but when they hit close to home, Silver struggles to keep a clear head in order to ensure that she and those she cares about come out alive.

I picked this book up as the premise had me intrigued, as it had a different twist on who the victims were going to be. It was something different than the typical woman victim(s) or those who are more vulnerable due to their lifestyle. It is interesting to see what happens when it is those who have power that are the target and it makes it that more difficult to figure out why. For this I really enjoyed Blake's creativity with the subject and idea.

If you are unable to tell by the premise this novel is also very much about financial crime and this is where Blake lost me a bit I felt that there was too much financial crime in the novel. There were times when the explanation of the financial crime aspect overtakes all the other premises with in the novel, including the murders, it becomes all about the numbers. In the end I think that Silver would have been able to deduce the connection between the victims without the financial information, but it was an interesting and different avenue for Blake to take and I commend him for trying something different.  

You could tell that Blake had a personal opinion as to what caused the 2008 financial crash and his opinion as to what happened are blatant within the entire novel. I'm not going to lie when the financial explanation became too much and too constant I glazed over those parts of the novel skimmed the information that was being given. Yes, the financial crime was important to the serial killer and the why he was killing but I do not think that Blake needed to put that much information within the novel (it was almost like a class within a fiction novel). Those who have an interest in financial crime will enjoy this read and have a better understanding about what was being said, but for the average individual while at times the information was interesting, often there was just too much to process what Blake was saying.

On the other side of things I really liked Silver as a character as both an investigator and a mother. I was interested in her outside of the investigation as well as trying to balance running a task force. I think that being able to see Silver outside of her FBI role made her a more well rounded character as well as a more likeable one. I found that Silver had a very Smokey Barrett (Cody McFadyden series and one of my favorite authors) feeling to her but less a lot less dark.

Those who want a different twist on the typical investigation are going to like the avenue that Blake took within this novel. Although I found the financial aspect too much at times, I still appreciated Blake attempting something different but I also enjoyed is writing style. I would read another novel written by Blake, however, I do not know if it will be within Silver's series if all the books are financially based.

Enjoy!!!

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Jason M. Hough: The Exodus Towers

You will need to read the first book within this series The Darwin Elevator before this novel as it sets up everything from the characters to the plot. Plus it was a great read and an amazing debut novel as well.

In the second novel in his Dire Earth Cycle series, the Builders are coming, the time line is getting closer, how prepared are you for them to return:

They are slowly building the new colony in Brazil trying to fortify a life away from Darwin, but still trying to prevent the vast number of spies that Blackfield still seems to be sending their way and his overall goal is still to rule space and Earth at the same times. Blackfield is not the only thing they have to worry about, from sub-human attacks and a group of cult like immunes, it is one battle after another and everyone if looking to Skylar to solve the problems. The one thing that over shadows everything is the timeline, the builders are coming and no one has any idea of what they are going to bring this time.

This novel takes up shortly after the first novel the Darwin Elevator leaves off, they have created their own new colony and appear to prospering well on Earth, but not so much in space. I like that there was not too much of a time gap where things could have happened. There were so many big events in the first novel that lead the reader to hear that I did not want to miss a thing.

I'm a huge fan of Skylar, I like the way he thinks, act everything. He is a well rounded character that may stray a bit to the more adventurous/risky side of things, but that is how he gets things done. I actually think I prefer Skylar's character away from Tania and the colony. He is an explorer and adventure at heart and being tied down to one place where there really is no crisis is a waste of his abilities.I also like that he has the ability to think outside the box and knows that the towers need to be followed and explored to determine if they are going to be harmful to them.

This book easily could have been divided into two books if Hough would have decided to draw out the Gabriel encounter, but I am glad he did not. I think he addressed a topic that needed to be discussed, are there more immune out there other than the few that we know about. What happened to some people that were unable to make it to Darwin in time. with this I am happy that Hough decided to introduce some new characters to help Skylar out. While there are not chapters from their point of views, they are great secondary characters

I like that there are several points of view within the novel. You are able to see what is happening in Darwin, and the towers above as well as Belem and their towers. This gives an overall view point of what is happening in and above Earth and how everyone is fairing. I know some people do not like the different view points but I think it is one of my favorite things that Hough does within his novel.

For someone who does not tend to drift towards sci-fi novels, I found myself fully engrossed with this story and I think this mainly has to do with Skylar's character and Hugh's world building. I never actually feel like I am a reading a sci-fi novel more like a possible future for us. I recommend this series to those who love sci-fi and fantasy but also to those who are thinking of trying either of those genres, this series will surprise you as it keeps surprising me.

Enjoy!!!

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R. F. Sharp: No Regrets, No Remorse

In his debut novel R.F. sharp shows what happens when murder resolves around lawyers who know the law inside and out:

Oscar us a former lawyer who has found his passion in making art and running a art gallery. He is a long way from the court room and has no designs of returning ever. However, when his former partner, Roy, is accused of murder, Roy does not want anyone representing him but Oscar. Roy knows that Oscar believes him when he says that he is not guilty. But Oscar is going to need all the help he can get from his roommate Sydney Simone, who has her own secrets that she hides from Oscar and a set of skills that he is not even aware of. As the two of them get closer to the real killer they get their own target on their back.

Overall this novel was okay, but I did not get what I expected from this book. I thought that Sydney was the main character of this novel based upon the premise but other than the first chapter, Oscar was the more prominent character. Sydney's story and character were secondary and I actually think there were more chapters from Oscar's point of view than Sydney's. This is why the premise was so confusing, it is meant to be Sydney who is the main character whose story we are meant to follow, not Oscar. Sydney's story was the one that had me interested enough to pick up this novel and I feel jilted by not getting to fully explore it. Whomever wrote the premise for the book did not read this book before they did.

It was interesting reading about Oscar attempting to re-navigate through  world as a lawyer as well as as a now investigator. Oscar was an easy character to like as  he attempt to navigate through in almost a child like way. I think he seems to always think the best of people even though that gets him into trouble a few times through out the book. there are also times when this character aspect is frustrating because he misses things that are right in front of his face.

This book had a lot of promise, you can tell that this is Sharp's debut novel, it lacks an overall finesse and flow of a more seasoned author. The mystery in the novel is overall okay, it was able to hold my attention, it was predictable at times, but I will say that there were a few times that Sharp was able to surprise me. Therefore, I think that Sharp may be an author to watch out for in the future. I think that once he has the ability to refine the story and content more there will be something great here. I would read another novel by Sharp to see if there are improvements between the first and second novel. Those who are looking for an easy mystery to follow and read would enjoy Sharp's novel.

Enjoy!!!

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George R. R. Martin: A Storm of Swords

I believe that most people know that they NEED to read the first two novels within the series, A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings before they read this novel, even if you are just watching the TV series, I have heard that there are quite a few differences between the books and the show that this would not adequately prepare you to understand what is happening in the third book. And really who would want to read these novels out of order?

This is the book where the shit hits the fan. You don't know what is going to happen next and who is going to survive this book. Not since the first book have I been this shocked, I did not see any of what happened coming, as I do not watch the TV series I did not know what to expect, or what people meant about the red wedding. Well now that I have read this book I can understand what all of the talk about. I do not know how truthful the red wedding in the book and the one on the TV are the same but it think either way you get that Holy CRAP moment. You also get your reaffirmation that no one is truly safe in Martin's books. However, I think that is what I love the most in his novels. If you think the red wedding was insane to happen, just wait to see what happens next, in the third book there is so much more than just the red wedding.

After the second book being more of a political one, I was glad to see that Martin followup with a book that had more action within int. I believe that this book has the most action within it when compared to the first two novels. It was nice to see some death happen on the other side of the coin this time around, as it seemed to be in the first two novels a little bit one sided almost to the point where Martin was favoring the less popular characters or the antagonists within the novel. I think one of my favorite battles is the one to prove Thieran's innocence of the murder. That was one full of suspense and you didn't know which side was going to win.

I liked the point of view of Jamie in this book and the changes that he makes as a man, and realizes what has been happening around him. I think Jamie is going to be a major player in the next few books. Dani also had some interesting points, but she is still (for the most part) the most disjointed in the novel, with very few links back to the other story/characters other than the fact that she wants to rule the seven kingdom's again (there is one major player that does come into her life later in this novel, which was a shock and interesting, but I still think that there is not much connecting her back, even to the point that none of the people in power or vying for power of the seven kingdoms is even still aware that she is till alive and poses a threat to all of them). I question why Martin has had Dani within the novels thus far. He could have introduced her and her story later and possible would have made more sense then, than just having tidbits of information now.

The ending of this book was pretty crazy too and I cannot wait to get my hands on the fourth book. I understand why this series has so many followers and has became a sensation before the TV series was created. Even for those of us who do not read too many fantasy books, Martin so far has kept the fantasy to the light side of things (not sure how well that sits with avid fantasy readers, but I personally love it). So if you are looking for the book with the Red Wedding this is the one for you, but this book has so much more than the Red Wedding, and was another great read by Martin.

Enjoy!!!!

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Nick Lake: Hostage Three

Nick Lake takes on the challenging situation of being a hostage aboard a yacht where the pirates are only interested in your monitory worth:

Amy has spent the past year trying to get her father to notice her, whether it be her clothing or the piercing that she has gotten, she is trying anything to make him notice something, anything about her. Well she got his attention when she was kicked out of school in the very last day of her very last exam, meaning that she would not graduate. But the last thing she though would happen would be to find herself, her step mother and her father aboard a yacht setting sail. Amy was looking forward to ignoring her step mother and father and loosing herself in her music but their vessel is taken by pirates. Amy become known as hostage number 3 and as she spends what are possible her last few moment alive she tries to understand what drives someone to become a pirate and with this information Amy hopefully will be able to get out alive

The prologue grabs your attention right away and you feel the need to know what has lead up to that point, what has happened before. Will she die, will she survive. It was an interesting place for Lake to begin the novel, but I believe it was the right one. If he had chosen to start off the novel with Amy being in school and the antics that she pulled I am unsure if I would have continued reading this novel.

I was not a fan of how the book was written as it was strictly from Amy's point of view. As this is a YA book I found her thought process was a little hard to follow and at times immature even for a 17-18 year old. This immaturity could have been due to circumstances from her past, however, part of me thought that due to her past circumstances she would be more mature. Not being able to relate to Amy and her thoughts did put a hindrance me completely liking the novel, but I think that Lake succeeded in other areas that I was able to proceed in reading and finishing this the book. Additionally, due to the fact that the book is told in past tense from the prologue there is a bit of jumping around as Amy remembers things from her past with her mother. Amy's mother was a very interesting, frustrating and well ready for the loony bin type of character, which I think explains many reasons in regards to Amy's personality. Therefore, I think that some individual may have additional challenges in not only reading this book but at times following the story as there are times where it seems a bit disjointed.

While I was unable to connect to Amy as a character for the most part, I found her story very interesting and did not want to put it down especially the last 100 pages, I powered through them. I needed to know how the story would end This book probably wont end the way you think it will, not quite the happily ever after that you think is coming. I really like that Lake did not take the "easy" way out with this novel as he very well could have. The ending actually made me like the book more. The story that Lake has created with its sense of realism, that this could happen to anyone traveling that route, was really well done and engrossing

It was also interesting to read the attempt of the pirates (or coast guards as they like to be called) to distance themselves from the hostages, but yet still allowing them quite a bit of freedom. Lake does a good job in exploring the capturer/captive mentality that Amy, her family and the pirates go through. I think I would also have liked to have some parts from the point of view of the pirate Farouz, which we kind of get when he tells Amy about his past, but I think it would have been interesting to be inside his head to see his point of view. It was also interesting to see how the pirates (coast guards) had turned it into a business and seemed to know all the ins and outs associated with that business, even having fines if one of the pirates hurt a hostage without permission. It was also interesting to witness the pirates "playing" with the captives minds with their riddles and mind games, you can feel the uncertainty in Amy each time this happens and you feel her thinking is this going to be the end. This definitely added to the suspense aspect of the novel.

This is the first book that I have read in the YA genre that was not paranormal in nature so it is a little bit different in that it is a contemporary novel but I still enjoyed it. I think the storyline will hold this story together for adults, and I think that Amy's though process is that to what is similar to a teenager (though I do not think that of a 17/18 year old but that is just my opinion) so I think that young adults would enjoy it as well.

Enjoy!!!

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Author Interview & Giveaway: A.J. Myrfield

A late addition to my blogoversary feature, but I do understand that life can get in the way of writing and reviewing, especially for indie authors. So please welcome to Blood Rose Books Today:

A.J. Myrfield

Is there a book, author, story or person that inspired you to become a writer?

JK Rowling – Rumors state that the day Harry Potter was finally accepted to be published she was actually going to claim bankruptcy. If this is true or not I don’t know but the fact is this author never gave up. She believed in her work until the end and it didn’t matter how many people told her “No” she kept trying.

With her new books that have come out she decided to write them under a different pen name. I’m just speculating but I assume she did that to see if people really enjoyed her new stories. She wanted to see if she could sell them without her famous name on them. Again this is just speculating but like I said she inspires me.

What have learned about yourself since you started writing?
That I can do anything I put my mind too. I am dyslectic and I was lucky to pass English in High school. I do not have a degree in English or anything that has to do with writing, yet I have written and published 2 books. Anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it.

What has been your biggest challenge as an indie author?
Learning the publishing process. As you know we had an editing issue with the first print of book one. I was truly embarrassed with all of the “typos” and spelling mistakes in it. I’ve learned that I need more then one editor to look over my work and I personally read over it word for word to hold myself accountable too. Never assume something is perfect or will be done properly. It is my name on the book everyone holds me accountable.

You work in law enforcement, was writing this book a release for you as it covers some very intense, dark and disturbing topics?
Yes. Some of the stuff I deal with in Law enforcement makes me very angry. Five years ago I started writing for a release. I was angry with our court system and how victims were treated. You will see how I feel throughout my series.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Any Non-Fiction book – Due to the amount of research that you would have to put into it. You would want everything to be backed up by the proper facts.

The Dagger of Souls is a very dark themed novel what appeals to you about the dark and disturbing aspects of human nature?
I write about what happens in real life with a mix of fantasy. When I go to work I see the dark and disturbing aspects of human nature. I deal with it every day. I write for a release but I also write for

the victims I deal with.

Everyone in the world focus’s on the Criminal. When you read the news paper they follow the criminals trail and talk about what crime he/she committed. But no one talks about the victim. No one knows that many victims have to go through years of therapy or take medication just to fall asleep at night. They don’t know about the nightmares that haunt them in their sleep or the flashbacks that harass them when they are awake.

People don’t know what kind of strength it takes to survive the dark and disturbing aspects of humanity. With my books I want to show them what kind of strength victims need to have to survive.

Did you want to use your novel to bring some of the hard topics (those not always discussed like bullying, racism, at home family violence and suicide) to the forefront, that yes these still do occur?
Yes – As mentioned above I plan to use these books to show the world what people go through everyday. Its time to remember the victims, support them, and help them. It’s time for Criminals to accept responsibility for their actions and no longer be the highlight of the news. (Don’t know if that’s possible but its worth a try)

Since is it a main theme within your novel, and really precedes many of the main events within The Dagger of Souls, “When you look in the mirror, what do you see?” Do you think this type of self reflection is important as both a teenager and an adult?
Yes – Before you can love who you are you need to know who you are. If you don’t like what you see (and I don’t mean your reflection) then you need to change it. We all need to love ourselves inside before we can even work on the outside. We are all meant for something important in this world we just need to believe in ourselves so we can achieve what we thought was impossible.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
The Dagger of Souls – The Rise of Inferno, which is book two in the series of 6, is in the printing process. We will have the books in Alberta in NOV. I will be doing numerous signings throughout NOV and all will be posted on my web page lovelightcreations.com. They will also be posted on The Dagger of Souls facebook page.

I am in the process of writing book three. This book is called The Dagger of Souls - A Krac of Static. This book will focus on Hate Crimes, Sexual Assault, and as always Self Esteem.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
I would really like to read the series The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. I enjoy the supernatural and any book that brings me out of the real world.

I want to thank A.J. for stopping by with her interview and giving some insight to her experiences as a writer and an indie author. Make sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below (Open INT)


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Angie Fox: The Accidental Demon Slayer

In the first in a paranormal romance series Angie Fox takes the readers on a ride that literally consists of going to hell and back:

Lizzie has her life mapped out, well not just her life, her day to day is mapped out each day that she lives a fairly structured (and some would argue) dull life. The most exciting that happens to Lizzie on a daily basis is the children she teaches in preschool, but Lizzie's life is about to get all the more excited, unpredictable and dangerous. It begins with her biological grandma showing up, out of the blue. Lizzie didn't even know she had a grandma, let alone a Harley riding, butt kicking one. Lizzie is about to learn about her destiny and it nothing like she planned, its full the unknown excitement, danger and a very good looking shape shifting Griffin. Lizzie is going to have to choose whether she prefers her old or new life in order to save the world.

I wasn't 100% sure what I thought I was going to get out of this book. I knew it was going to be a paranormal romance novel, but I thought there would be more to it than that and this was true and not true at the same time. There were times when there was really interesting aspect within the book but then it would do an abrupt face and it was all about the sex feelings (even though there is only one sex scene) I'm not sure if Fox herself knew which direction to take the novel and I think it shows within her writing.

I had a hard time connecting to Lizzie as a character. I found for the most part she was really scatterbrained and her thought process at times was hard to follow. It was weird to me that she had just come into all of these powers and she knew (for the most part) what to do, how to do things in a matter of hours, maybe 2 days tops. This seems counter to Lizzie's character through out the novel and I cannot see

I think that anyone who reads this book and owns a dog will find Pirate really funny. Fox totally knew how to give that dog the right personality within this book. I think Pirate was my favorite part and made me think of what my pup would say to me at all those moments. I guess starting my review off with a secondary and maybe even tertiary character really show what I thought about this book, and there were times where I struggled to get through. I found for the most part, just a lack of interesting plot and I was not a fan of the main character, which I think can hinder any read.

Dimitri was an interesting character and I liked that he was a griffon, you don't see too many griffon's in the novels you read, especially shape-shifting ones, so that was a nice addition. Was not a fan of the romance (especially the instant attraction that seems occur in these novels) or the sex scene in the book, but that is just an overall personal preference of mine, so I am sure that others have enjoyed it. Additionally, Biker Grandma witches, say what? Who are obsessed with road kill, need I say more. The witches within the coven are brass, and bad-ass biker chicks who can hold their own in any battle and are slightly obsessed with roadkill and possums, but who can blame them if that is where they get their powers from.

The story overall was interesting and it basically wraps up enough in the end that I do not feel the need to read the other books in the series, now a series about Pirate, I would be all over that one, lol. I think Fox excels at writing her secondary characters as those were the ones that I found interesting. Overall, Fox needs to work on making Lizzie the character everyone wants to follow and know more about as she is the Main Character. This book was just okay for me, maybe those who want something of a lighter read will enjoy this and maybe those who like paranormal romance, but it was not for me. I cannot see myself continuing this series.

Enjoy!!!

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Blogoversary Winners!!!!

Hi Everyone,
First, I would like to thank all the authors that participated in my Blogoversary event this year who took the time to answer interview questions as well as provide giveaway for the readers of Blood rose Books. Secondly I would like to thank all those who stopped by read the interviews, enetered the giveaways and left comments on the post. Blood Rose Books is nothing without the readers and I hope that you were able to find some new authors to explore. Thirdly, all winners were chosen using the random app associated with rafflecopter, so make sure to check your emails to see if you have won. Just a reminder that the winners ave 48hrs to respond or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you everyone once again for taking part of my Blogoversary, I personally think it was a great success. Reviews will start again on Tuesday as I work towards my four year Blogoversary.

Cheers,
J9

Author Interview & Giveaway: Rhiannon Frater

Well another year, another Blogoversary, so Happy 3 year blogoversary to Me. I never thought I would make it this far with just a review blog, but I am so happy that I have. Now I could not think of a better author to share my Blogoversary birthday with. She is one of those writes that likes to push the boundaries in all her writing and happens to have a love for the ZOMBIES. Please welcome to Blood Rose Books today:

 Rhiannon Frater

 
What is it about Zombies that appeal to you?
I don’t know if I’d use the word “appeal” to describe my feelings toward them. I’m incredibly afraid of zombies, and I write about what I fear, so it’s a natural fit. 

What do you think that the hardest creature to write a novel about?
I’ve only written a short story about werewolves, but I suspect they would be the most challenging. They’ve undergone such a metamorphosis in pop culture into hot young men. I’d be inclined to go back to the cursed, tragic version. But how to make that fresh? New? Exciting? I don’t have an answer to that. 

The Urban Fantasy / Paranormal genres appear to be the genre that everyone is writing in these days (even authors that are well established in other genres) what do you think the draw to these genre is? How do you believe your novels stand out from the rest of the crowd?
Honestly, I think books with supernatural elements have been very popular due to the fact they have no resemblance to our real lives. The characters have abilities we don’t have, they don’t stress over the mundane daily things we do, and they’re usually incredibly attractive and live very dynamic lives. A reader can completely lose themselves in the fantastical elements. 

That being said, I think the reason why my books appeal to readers is because my characters still come across as real people even though they’re dealing with extreme circumstances and are possibly not even human (if they ever were). A lot of my fans tell me that they feel they know my characters like friends by the time they finish a book. That’s a huge compliment. 
 
Zombies have become the new Vampire or werewolf (everywhere you look there is a new Zombie novel/TV show/movie out) in the horror, paranormal and urban fantasy genres, why do you think that zombies have become so popular?
No other monster actually resets society and the world like zombies do. They are the ultimate game changer. They alter everything about the human existence. That’s highly appealing to people dealing with a lot of real life stress. Also, most people want to believe that somehow they would be a survivor, though the reality is that most would end up dead very quickly. 

Within your Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunter novels, you decided to write for a YA audience. Did you have any additional challenges changing from writing for an adult audience to a youth one?
The big challenge was, of course, how far I could go with the violence. It’s a mid-grade book with children characters from the age of six to fourteen. Though I wrote it for kids, I knew adults would be reading it, too. So it was a bit of a struggle at times. Happily, parents told me I hit the sweet spot with the gore/violence, so that’s a huge relief. 

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Personally, I only write in the genres I enjoy. I won’t write a book in a genre just because I think it will sell well, or it’s the big hot thing. Every book has a different set of challenges to be dealt with and every book has that one spot that just kills you on all levels. I fall in and out of love with every book I write. Some days I think it’s the best thing I’ve written, other days I’m convinced its dreck. I guess the hardest genre to write would be one you didn’t enjoy. But I’m not one to try to do that.
 
Within your As the World Dies series, why did you decide to have bisexual female protagonist?
Katie’s bisexuality was just a part of who she was. My characters pretty much pop into my head fully formed. It’s always fun discovering who they are and presenting them in a dynamic way to the audience. When I started writing the story, I knew Katie was married to a woman, but her revelation about her bisexuality left me in the odd position of having to figure out what that meant exactly. I had lesbian and gay friends, but at the time I didn’t know someone who was out as bisexual. I had to do a lot of research to make sure I depicted her accurately. 

Do you find that most people respond positively to having a bisexual lead protagonist?
Honestly, I don’t think most people even care. They just love her for who she is and are invested in her as a character. The very rare negative feedback I receive, I ignore. Those people often assume I’m bisexual or a lesbian pushing some sort of an agenda. Sometimes I do hear from bisexual fans, and it’s usually to thank me for an accurate portrayal.

Overall, people just don’t say much about her bisexuality (if at all) when they tell me how much they adore her. 

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?

Pretty When She Destroys, the third book in the Pretty When She Dies trilogy, comes out at the end of August. I’m currently writing a modern Gothic horror serial called In Darkness We Must Abide. I have a slew of other things lined up, but I have to see how my contractual obligations pan out first before I know exactly what I’m writing next. As for events, I’m attending the South Dakota Book Festival in Deadwood in September. 

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
Nomad by J.L. Bryan. It’s sitting on my Kindle waiting for me to find the time to read it. I can’t wait! He’s a brilliant writer. Jenny Pox is probably my favorite novel of all-time. 

I just want to say thank you once again to Rhiannon for being part of my blogoversary. I would recommend her books to anyone who is a fan of Zombies. Rhiannon has very nicely supplied two giveaway (INT & US), which you can enter with rafflecopter below. Good Luck :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway