Guest Post: Kristi Charish's Top 5 Video Games and a Giveaway

We're so excited to have Kristi Charish, author of The Adventures of Owl series, back on the blog! In her latest, Owl and the Electric Samurai, Owl has to save the designers of her favorite game from bounty hunters. Kristi's here to tell us about her gaming inspiration.

Top 5 Video Games That Inspired World Quest 

For any of Owl fans out there, you are aware of Owl’s fascination and love of the online RPG World Quest. Some of you also know that World Quest comes from my very own adoration of RPGs. Below is my must play list – and where my World inspiration comes from. 

1. Never Winter Nights/Balder’s Gate: An oldie but a goody, these two computer video game series were both based off of Dungeons and Dragons role-playing games. Heavy on adventure with a campaign style narrative - this was some of my very first exposure to narrative in video games, and some of them were outright complex. Balder’s Gate was also one of the places I got the idea for Captain from, courtesy of Minsk, the giant ranger warrior with a Russian accent and Boo, his hamster familiar. These were also some of the first role playing video games that seriously attempted romance lines, though it wasn’t until the next games on the list that romance in games really hit its stride.

2. Dragon Age: I remember when this game came out. It was 2009, and I’d just finished another run of a Never Winter Nights 2 expansion when my boyfriend came home with a game called Dragon Age. Now, I wasn’t a console girl – I liked my games on the computer, even so I decided to give it a try…My boyfriend never got to play the game. I ended up clocking in more than a hundred hours over two full play throughs. Dragon Age is often referred to as the spiritual successor of Balder’s Gate and Never Winter Nights. I’d actually call it the rebellious love child of the two – the game play takes the best from both and adds some incredible narrative. I’d even go so far as to say that the story elements in Dragon Age were revolutionary with regard to narration in game. For the first time we were seeing complex romances and award winning fantasy level quests. Dragon Age is not your 90’s videogame. It’s award-winning fantasy all on its own, with an interactive twist. Not a videogame fan? Bioware took care of that. They made the game so that the barrier to entry is "never picked up a controller" level.

3. Mass Effect: This isn’t just a video game. It is one of the best pieces of Science Fiction produced in the last twenty years. Unsurprisingly this is the sci-fi sister to Dragon Age, made by the same studio and many of the same staff writers (FYI, if you haven’t read Patrick Weekes’ Prophecy Con series you should. He is one of the Bioware writers who have worked on both series. I highly recommend him if you enjoy the Owl series). Like Dragon Age, Mass Effect is chock full of adventure and humour. There is also romance, intrigue, and tons of space western antics. Buckle in and giddy up!

4. Uncharted: When the sequel to Uncharted came out, there was a Dear Playstation Commercial where a gamer asks Playstation what to do about his girlfriend mistaking Uncharted 2 for a movie...48 hours in. It wasn’t misogynistic, it could have been a roommate or a boyfriend. I was that roommate - making popcorn while someone else played, making them pause when the cut scenes came so I didn’t miss anything. The Uncharted series plays like an epic Indiana Jones movie (without The Crystal Skull). It is textbook adventure gaming – scratch that - Naughty Dog wrote the textbook on writing an adventure game.

5. The Witcher: Another epic fantasy series, this one from Poland and based off the bestselling Polish series by Andrzej Sapkowski. I didn’t start playing this until the third installment, and was I ever missing out. This is a mix of all the Slavic fairy tales I grew up with. Something bad happens in the story and you want to reload and start the scene over? You learn fast that there is no happy ending or right choice. Everything has a consequence. Compelling storytelling and an authentic introduction to Eastern European myths makes this a must watch/play.

Kristi Charish's latest, Owl and the Electric Samurai, is out now.
Watch for my review on the blog next week.

Owl and the Electric Samurai
(The Adventures of Owl #3)
Kristi Charish
Release: May 8, 2017
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The third exciting novel starring the unforgettable antiquities thief Owl—a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world. From the pen of rising urban fantasy star Kristi Charish (Owl and the Japanese Circus) and for fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Jennifer Estep, Jenn Bennett, and fantasy lovers everywhere.

The International Archaeology Association (IAA) is responsible for keeping all things supernatural under wraps. They’re also responsible for ruining the promising archaeology career of Alix Hiboux, better known as Owl.

Needless to say, Owl’s still a little sore about that.

Just to keep Owl’s life lively, the IAA has opened a bounty on the two designers of World Quest, the online RPG that is much, much more than it seems. Owl needs to locate the notorious gaming duo before the other mercenaries do. But finding the gamers won’t be easy since every clue points to them hiding out in the legendary lost city of Shangri-La. Not to mention that the last time Owl and the game designers spoke, their conversation didn’t exactly end on the best note…

Meanwhile, undercurrents of supernatural politics are running amok in Tokyo, dragging Owl and her friends into a deadly game of wits with an opponent who calls himself the Electric Samurai. The cost of losing? All-out civil war between two powerful supernatural factions. All in all, just another great day on the job.

Kristi Charish is giving away one of her books of your choice, Owl and the Japanese Circus, Owl and the City of Angels, Owl and the Electric Samurai, or The Voodoo Killings. You can also choose your format, a signed paperback, ebook or audio.

(U.S./Canada only)

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Goldilox and the Three Scares: Halloween Romance Recs from Bec McMaster

It's one of our favorite times of year! Leaves are falling, Halloween decorations are going up and we're all eating way too much candy. That means it's also time for one of our favorite events:

Bec McMaster's here today to help you find the perfect Halloween read. Check out her fave paranormal romances and click the titles to add them to your Goodreads TBR. I know my list just got a little longer!

Bec McMaster's Halloween Romance Recs

Halloween is just around the corner, bringing with it the thrill of things that go bump in the night. And how better to celebrate than to snuggle in with a sexy, spooky romance? To celebrate, I'm going back through some of my favourite paranormal romances, looking for a combination of something both heart-wrenching, and a little scary.

Vampires - Ah, the good old vampire. This sub-genre needs little explaining. They're powerful, sexy and undead. My favourites? Who can go past the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R Ward? Or Thea Harrison's Elder Races series?

Werewolves - I love Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark vampires, but it's her werewolves who really steal my heart. Something recent? Try the fast-paced Omega by SM Reine, the start of her War of the Alphas series. 

Angels and Demons - Fancy a fallen angel, or a demon hero to tempt you? Try Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, featuring the seriously sexy Raphael, and kick-ass Elena. Or if you're looking for something a little different, try Revelation by Erica Hayes. Revelation is a sexy paranormal romance featuring fallen angels and a zombie plague (double the Halloween whammy). Fans of the Walking Dead will appreciate the grittiness of Hayes' world, though it's not for the faint of heart. 

Zombies - Zombies. Not the ideal romantic combination, but the end of the world seems to make for some intense, passionate stories. Try Flesh by Kylie Scott for some sexy, apocalyptic threesome action. Or As They Rise by Jen Wilde for something a little bit YA-style. 

The Fae - Sexy dangerous fae lords... You can't go past Karen Marie Moning for her brilliant Fever series, but if you're looking for a series with a little bit more 'beast' than 'beauty' then I've got another great recommendation... Anyone who grew up with a minor obsession for goblins, thanks to David Bowie, can add The Goblin King by Shona Husk to their Fae list. 

Witches, Warlocks and Sorcerers - That old black magic adds something quite spell-binding to paranormal romance. Try Kristin Painter's The Witch's Halloween Hero from her Nocturne Falls series, which is set in a small town which celebrates Halloween all year round (bonus Halloween points!) for something light-hearted.

Or perhaps you'd prefer your magic a little darker? Hexbound, the second book in my Dark Arts series, is set in an alternate Victorian-era London when occultism is at a fever pitch. 

When Verity Hawkins steals a relic for a masked man, she knows the con is on her when the mysterious masterminds start to clean up loose ends - including her. There's only one man she can turn to: Adrian Bishop, the dangerous sorcerer she stole the relic from. 

To celebrate its release, I'm offering one lucky reader an eBook of Hexbound. Just tell me: what's your favourite sub-genre from the list above?

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Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

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About the Author

My name is Bec McMaster and I live in a small country town in Victoria, Australia, with my boyfriend, and a beautiful dog named Kobe. I grew up either with my nose in a book or writing, and never understood why other people didn’t get to watch ‘all the movies in their heads’. Following a lifelong love affair with fantasy, I discovered romance at the age of sixteen, and haven’t looked back.

When I’m not writing I like to read, go hiking with my boyfriend, pore over travel brochures, and go to the gym. I’m addicted to travel, and love to set my books in foreign places. It’s the next best thing to travelling there. One day I vow to see the entire world, whether it’s by plane, paper, or imagination.

Bec's latest book Hexbound released last week. 

It should have been an easy task... 

Verity Hastings has a little trick; she can find anything, no matter where it's hidden. It's a skill that's kept her safe and fed all the way from the orphanages and workhouses of her youth. But when she steals a mysterious item for a masked man, she knows the con is on her this time.

In order to protect herself from his associates, she can turn to only one person: Adrian Bishop, the sorcerer she stole the relic from.

Scarred recluse, Adrian Bishop, is rarely surprised anymore. But when a rather enticing little handful turns up on his doorstep claiming to be his mysterious thief, he doesn't know what to think. He needs the relic back, no matter the cost, and he's not above using Verity to find it. But as Verity begins to sneak under his guard, for the first time in years there's a ray of light in his dark world. He will do anything to protect her–anything–but can Verity ever love him once she learns the truth of his darkest secret? 

Check out my review

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Goldilox and the Three Scares: Frightening Fiction from Jenn Windrow

It's one of our favorite times of year. Leaves are falling, Halloween decorations are going up and we're all eating way too much candy. That means it's also time for one of our favorite events:

Today we'd like to welcome Jenn Windrow, author of the Redeeming Cupid series, to Goldilox and the Three Scares. She's got a short story and a giveaway for you.

Small Sacrifice: a Short Story by Jenn Windrow

Armed guards pulled me from my cell, and dragged me over the blood splattered Astro-turf. They shackled me to the goal post at the end of a football field turned-execution-chamber, stripped me of my last remaining article of clothing and left me to die.

Ten guards stood in a circle around me, machine guns pointed at my head. They thought they were safe. Five television crews hurried around the arena preparing for tonight’s broadcast. They thought they were safe. A priest knelt in front of a vat of water, blessing it. He thought he was safe. I’m a vampire.

No one was safe.

The announcer grabbed my chin with his pudgy, gloved hand. His mouth spread into an ugly smile before he turned and blocked the crowds view. He cleared his throat and spit. The warm glob landed on my cheek and slid down before dropping to the ground. He would be the first to die.

For five days my human captors tortured me, punished me, abused me. I allowed it. Their acts bought me time to plan my escape. The bitter blood of a family of rats who shared my cell kept me alive, their donation helped remove the last trace of poison that coursed through my veins.

Humans. They thought they got lucky catching one of the Seven Sovereign leaders of the vampire race. It hadn’t been luck. I’d been set up. By the six vampires I trusted the most. Betrayed, martyred, and left for dead at the entrance of a Vampire Apprehension Station. Silver injected in my blood to keep me compliant, close to death, to ensure I didn’t slaughter the humans. Sacrificed because I didn’t agree with their vision of the future and refused to cower to a lesser race.

Betrayal was an ugly thing.

But so was revenge.

The stadium lights flickered on and flooded the field in a cold white light. I lowered my head and let my greasy hair shield my eyes from the glare. Soft footfalls approached, bringing the all-too-familiar smell of body odor and peppermint with them. For five nights the same pungent odor visited me to pray for my undead soul.

My gaze followed the priest’s movements. He dipped a chalice into a vat of water, and raised the cup in the air, drops of water sloshed over the sides and fell to the ground. He walked over to me, the beads of his crucifix clicking against the gold cross.

“Delano Melazi, I’ll ask you again. Shall I pray for your undead soul?”

I ignored him tonight as I’ve done the last five times he asked me this question. It wasn’t my soul he needed to pray for, and it wasn’t my body they would be burying this evening.

A moment of silence stretched between us. He huffed and gestured for the guards. Two hurried over. “Hold his head.” Warm fingers dug into my scalp and forced me to meet the priest’s eyes. The twinkle in his baby blues was more devil than saint.

“By the authority of the church, I mark you as one of the damned.” He dipped his index finger into the chalice. The water rippled. He pulled his finger out and pressed it to the center of my forehead. It sizzled against my skin and burned along the two lines the priest traced with his finger. My fangs sank into my tongue, holding back my agonized scream. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of enjoying my pain.

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” he finished. The guards dropped their hold on my head and it fell back to my chest.

The holy water cross was meant to weaken me, to stop me from fighting when the executioner came out and the real damage was inflicted. On a less powerful vampire, a younger one, it was effective, but I was almost seven hundred years old. I possessed more power than anyone knew, even the vampires who sent me here.

The Sovereign leaders called my capture a small sacrifice, a peace offering to the human race. I called it a punishment, a crime, an injustice.

Static from the Jumbo-Tron played over the speakers. The announcer’s voice boomed through the stadium. The crowd cheered, excited to witness my demise. And they called the vampires monsters.

“This week, two brave VAU agents captured one of the Vampires’ leaders. Delano Melazi.” The crowd booed and hissed their hatred. “He alone is responsible for the Nightclub Massacre.”

I had nothing to do with it, but let them believe what they wanted. I had no quarrel with them, just like a wolf has no quarrel with a sheep.

Once the crowd quieted down the announcer continued. “A tragedy no human will ever forget. You’ve seen the pictures. Over one hundred and thirty humans captured, tortured, torn to pieces.” He paused and stepped closer. I felt the warmth of his flesh and heard the beating of his heart. “This monster locked those doors. This monster slaughtered your friends and family in cold blood. This monster deserves to pay.”

His words worked the already agitated crowd into frenzy. They raised their fists high in the air and yelled for my death.

Just a few moments more, that’s all I needed. Seconds until my power was restored.

The announcer’s fat fingers grabbed my hair, pulled my head back and forced me to look into the camera. “Tonight he will pay. He will suffer. He will die.” His words echoed around the stadium.

No one heard the handcuffs fall to the ground or saw me twist his head or heard his last breath. No one knew anything was wrong until his head slipped from my fingers and his body slid to the ground.

The crowd screamed.

The guards aimed their guns at my heart, pulled the triggers and let the bullets fly in a flurry of silver and speed, but I was swifter, stronger, superior.

Before the first bullet hit the metal pole that had bound me, I was in front of the final guard in line. Ten beating hearts at my feet. Ten gaping holes in their chest. Ten dead bodies on the earth.

I turned to the closest camera, the red lights still blinking, but unmanned. “I am Delano Melazi.” I raised my voice over the commotion. “And I will seek revenge against those who wronged me.”

The first blast of holy water hit me in the shoulder. It knocked me off balance. The second hit me in the face. The cross the priest had drawn on my head merely irritated me, but the onslaught of blessed liquid burned, weakened and crippled me. It ran down my arm, melted the flesh off the bone.

I had one chance to get out alive. With the last remaining bit of strength still hidden deep in my reserves, I vanished. Teleported, a handy trick only I knew I possessed, away from the stadium and the humans, but not the pain.

Jenn Windrow has a signed copy of Struck by Eros for one lucky winner!

International entries are welcome but winner outside the U.S. will receive a digital copy of the book.

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About the Author

Jenn Windrow loves characters that have a pinch of spunk, a dash of attitude, and a large dollop of sex appeal. Top it all off with a huge heaping helping of snark, and you've got the ingredients for the kind of fast paced stories she loves to read and write. Home is a suburb of it's-so-hot-my-shoes-have-melted-to-the-pavement Phoenix. Where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and a slew of animals that seem to keep following her home, at least that's what she claims.

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Jenn Windrow's debut novel Struck By Eros (Redeeming Cupid #1) released July 12, 2016.

Jenn Windrow writes sexy like nobody's business! Struck by Eros is fast, fun, and feisty! I loved every word!

-NY Times Bestselling Author Darynda Jones

One jaded woman. Two hot men. A challenge to prove Cupid doesn't always know best.

After a lifetime of dating losers, Noel Chase thinks she’s found love with college professor Len Holder. But Cupid's aim sucks worse than his crap-tacular curse, sticking her with supposed soul mate, Grayson Adler. Grayson is gorgeous, Greek, and an exact replica of the man-whores of her past. No matter what the chubby cherub thinks, Noel is sure Grayson is Mr. Wrong with a capital “W.”

Forced to do Cupid’s bidding, Noel must spend her days with Grayson matchmaking the unlucky-in-loves, and trying to resist Grayson’s charm and do-me-now sex appeal. But when Cupid tries to match her fiancé, Len, with another woman, Noel must make an excruciating decision. Defy Cupid and hang on to Len? Or succumb to her fate and trust Grayson with her heart?

Add Struck by Eros to Goodreads

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The second book in the series, Pierced by Venom, will be out on February 14, 2017.

She’ll willingly travel the highway to hell to bring back the man she loves.

Gia Adler had it all—a charmed life and her true love to share it with. But moments after she murmurs, “I do,” her ex-boyfriend delivers a lead wedding present into her new husband’s chest, leaving him in a coma and shattering her dreams.

Hell-bent on ruining her future, Gia’s psychotic ex-boyfriend then abducts her, transporting her to an underground world of destruction, drugs, and death. He’s no wicked witch and they’re in no enchanted forest. He’s evil incarnate and she’s submerged in hell-on-earth, a twisted thing of nasty nightmares. 

Guided by the spirit of her comatose husband, Gia must fight for her happily-ever-after – and her true love – by facing down her ex and the demons of her past.

Goldilox and the Three Scares: Sandy Williams's Five Fave Halloween Books

It's one of our favorite times of year. Leaves are falling, Halloween decorations are going up and we're all eating way too much candy. That means it's also time for one of our favorite events:

We're happy to have Sandy Williams back on the blog to kick off Goldilox and the Three Scares. Check out her Hallowen book recs and don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!

Sandy Williams's Five Favorite Halloween Books (sort of)

I have two confessions to make. First, Halloween is my least favorite holiday. That seems sacrilegious coming from a paranormal author, but it’s true. I’ve always felt guilty about it, but I’m just not a fan of how horrible (as in horror-ble) the holiday has become. There are some houses that are so scary I don’t want to take my kids to them (and I’m a bit of a chicken, so I don’t want to go myself, lol).

My second confession: I don’t like holiday books. If a book has a holiday mentioned in the blurb, and it’s from a new-to-me author, I likely won’t pick it up. I know. I’m a terrible person!

There is one exception to my anti-Halloween/holiday quirk: kids’ books. I have five-year-old twin boys, and I’m sure I’ve read just about every Halloween picture book ever published. So for all the moms, dads, grandparents, and others out there who might be looking for good reads for the children in their lives, here are my five-year-olds favorite five Halloween books.

  Boogie Bones: This story is super cute. I thought at first it might be too scary since there’s a big ol’ skeleton on the cover, but he’s the cutest skeleton ever. All he wants from life (uh, death?) is to dance, and he sneakily finds a way to leave the cemetery and enter a dancing contest.


 

AlphaOops: This barely qualifies as a Halloween book in my opinion, but the boys insisted I included it since the letters mention Halloween. The alphabet is trying to put on a skit, but letters keep forgetting what words they’re supposed to start, so everything is out of order. It ends up being a cute, funny story that my kids really enjoy.

 Room on the Broom: This one is my favorite! It’s not specifically about Halloween, but it’s about a witch, so really, what’s more Halloween than that? A witch loses things like her hat and different animals find the items. When they do, they ask if there’s room on the broom for them, and the nice witch always replies with a yes. The broom gets pretty crowded by the end of the book!




  Marley’s Trick or Treat: I might have lied. Room on the Broom might not be my favorite because Marley’s Trick or Treat is absolutely adorable! Marley is a Labrador puppy, and some of you might remember him from the book and movie, Marley and Me. I had no idea that the author had a series of picture books out starring that mischievous yellow Lab, but I intend to borrow or buy the rest of the stories. In this one, Marley got into all sorts of trouble as the family prepared for a Halloween party. My boys laughed out loud several times and I couldn’t help but smile. I highly recommend this book!

  Froggy’s Halloween: This one comes from a series of books about Froggy. It’s a very simple tale about Froggy trying to think of different Halloween outfits to wear. He tries out many before settling on the perfect outfit. :-)

And there you have it—my twins’ favorite Halloween books. I love instilling a love for reading in my kids, so I’m always on the look out for new, funny, and engaging books to read. Halloween happens to be the boys’ favorite holiday, and they love reading these books all year long. Do you or your kids have a favorite Halloween book? 

Sandy Williams is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card so you can choose your own Halloween treat!

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About the Author

Sandy Williams has lived and breathed books all her life. When she was a teen, she was always the first to finish her class assignments so that she could read as much as possible before the bell rang. Her grades didn't suffer (much), and she was able to enroll in Texas A&M University. She didn't sneak in novels there, but every other line of her college lecture notes are filled with snippets of stories. After she graduated, she decided to turn those snippets into books. Sandy is the author of The Shadow Reader novels, an urban fantasy romance series about a human who can both see and track the fae, and The Anomaly Novels, a science fiction romance series about a woman soldier brainwashed to risk everything in order to preserve and protect her government. When Sandy isn't writing, she sneaks in time to read books by her favorite authors, and she still enjoys playing EuroGames like Dominion, 7 Wonders, and Agricola.

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Sandy's newest book, SHADES OF HONOR, will be released on November 4th, 2016. 

She won her freedom. Can she win a war?

Commander Rhys Rykus is facing court martial. With his career on the line, he’s ordered to keep his distance from the brainwashed Ash and protect her from afar, but sinister elements threaten her safety. He accepts a new mission that puts them on the same warship, knowing it will take all his self-control to fight his feelings for her.

Lieutenant Ramie Ashdyn is no stranger to fighting for her life. Still under the influence of the Coalition’s brainwashing, she cares little for her own safety. She merely wants to protect the Coalition… and reconnect with Rykus. 

Rykus knows how important Ash is to keeping all of them alive, but the target on her back is enormous. Will the growing threat to the Coalition take down Ash and Rip’s only shot at love? 

 Add Shades of Honor to Goodreads 

Blogoversary: Five Fave Guest Posts and Mystery Box Giveaway!

Can you believe Goldilox and the Three Weres is five years old already?  

Looking back at five years of posts,  I realized how many of my all-time favorite authors I discovered in that time. I always love it when they post as themselves (or their characters.) And we've had so many great authors visit the blog it's tough to pick a favorite, but I gave it a shot. Here are my top five guest posts and interviews from the last five years.

• Jan Delima's Four Years Ago from Blogoversary 2015

Okay, I admit it. I just love this post because it's full of cute puppy photos. But look at the cute puppy!

• Delilah S. Dawson's TOP 5 CRAZY CHARACTERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN WRITTEN YET from Birthday Bash 2013

Inspired by creatures you might find in Criminy's Clockwork Caravan, this list is ridiculous and awesome. Delilah's actually been on the blog quite a bit over the years. Her interview with Kitty, the demon from her Southern Gothic YA Servants of the Storm from Goldilox and the Three Scares 2014 is another one of my favorites.

• Patricia Briggs Q&A from March 2014

Patricia Briggs! That's really all I need to say about this one.

• Suzanne Johnson's Mr. Dog and the Pirate: An interview with Alex Warin and Jean Lafitte of the Sentinels of New Orleans series, a Coastal Magic Featured Author spotlight from 2014

I have had this series on my TBR list forever. Looking back at this post reminds me why.

• Goldilox's Interview with Jupe from Jenn Bennett's Arcadia Bell series from Birthday Bash 2012

Jupe is one of my all-time favorite supporting characters and his interview is hilarious.

Mystery Box Giveaway!

Because it's our fifth birthday, I've got a box of five surprise UF/PNR books, at least one of which is signed. I'll also throw in some bookmarks and other swag, some of which is also signed.
 (International)

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Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: The Voodoo Killings by Kristi Charish

We loved Kristi Charish's newest, The Voodoo Killings, book one of the Kincaid Strange series, about a Seattle voodoo practitioner and her ghostly roommate. Check out Rose Red's review below and enter to win a copy of your own at the bottom of the post.

One of our favorite things in the book is the Underground City, the supernatural section of the Seattle Underground.  So we're really excited to bring you Kincaid's guide to all the ghosts and ghouls you'll find there on the blog today.

The Voodoo Killings
(Kincaid Strange #1)
Kristi Charish
Release: May 10, 2016
Goodreads Chapters/Indigo
The Heroine Bookstore

For the first time since we launched Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, Random House Canada is thrilled to announce the debut of a new urban fantasy series. Kristi Charish's The Voodoo Killings introduces Kincaid Strange, not your average voodoo practitioner...

For starters, she's only 27. Then there's the fact that she lives in rain-soaked Seattle, which is not exactly Haiti. And she's broke. With raising zombies outlawed throughout the continental USA, Kincaid has to eke out a living running seances for university students with more money than brains who are desperate for guitar lessons with the ghost of a Seattle grunge rocker--who happens to be Kincaid's on-again, off-again roommate.

Then a stray zombie turns up outside her neighbourhood bar: Cameron Wight, an up-and-coming visual artist with no recollection of how he died or who raised him. Not only is it dangerous for Kincaid to be caught with an unauthorized zombie, she soon realizes he's tied to a spate of murders: someone is targeting the zombies and voodoo practitioners in Seattle's infamous Underground City, a paranormal hub. When the police refuse to investigate, the City's oldest and foremost zombie asks Kincaid to help. Raising ghosts and zombies is one thing, but finding a murderer? She's broke, but she's not stupid.

And then she becomes the target...As the saying goes, when it rains it pours, especially in Seattle.

Review:
You all know how much I love Kristi Charish's The Adventures of Owl series, right? Well, I think this series may have surpassed it. I absolutely adored it! This book was everything I wanted it to be! Zombies! Ghouls! Voodoo outside of New Orleans! Ghosts! Poltergeists! All of these things mixed with bits and pieces from various mythologies made for some A+ worldbuilding, which is something I've come to expect from Charish and enjoy the hell out of in each of her books. But amazing worldbuilding aside, how could I not love a book about a voodoo practitioner who lives in Seattle with the ghost of a grunge rockstar?

Kincaid Strange was a seriously kick-butt heroine. I was able to relate to her on an emotional level. She knows how to keep herself together and is a planner after my own heart. She is a really mature heroine who avoids unnecessary drama and gets things done. She was brilliant! Add in her sarcastic wit and sense of humor and she easily became a favorite character of mine.

Also, did I mention this is an urban fantasy murder mystery with zombies? It's totally a murder mystery with zombies, which is such of fantastic premise! This book is fast paced and full of action. Like with the Owl books, there was never a dull moment. I also loved that the supernatural world was known to everybody and that some of the politics of dealing with the "non-living" were explored. It added a whole new dimension to the book. 

And Charish deserves a slow clap for her zombies. They are not your typical zombie apocalypse zombies. No unknown viruses making zombies out of the living. The dead are raised with voodoo and have a surprising range of capabilities and weaknesses. And the Underground City for zombies and ghouls beneath Seattle was such a cool touch.

Charish has a gift for creating a monster mash of paranormal creatures. I loved the secondary characters! Of course, zombie Cameron was a big part of this book and learning what happened to him really drove the story, but there was also Kincaid's ghostly roommate, Nate, and her zombie informant/Otherside ringleader, Lee Ling. Nate was my favorite! Not only was he an awesome character, his and Kincaid's friendship and teamwork was a really great additional dynamic. I really loved the two of them and their interactions together!

I switched back and forth between the audiobook and the ARC while reading this and I can't recommend the audiobook enough! By the time I finished the book, I had listened to over 75% of it. It's definitely one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in 2016. The narrator, Susannah Jones, totally captured the atmosphere of the book and her portrayal of Kincaid and the other characters was on par with what I had imagined in my head.

I can say with certainty that Kristi Charish’s books never disappoint! They are like a breath of fresh air in so many ways. The Voodoo Killings is no exception and is an excellent start to a new series! I love how she made the zombie trope her own. I absolutely cannot wait to read more of Kincaid's adventures!

ARC provided by the author

    1/2

  4.5 /5 Stars

Purchasing note: Right now the Physical and Audiobook are available internationally (Amazon U.S./Amazon.ca/Audible/Chapters Indigo/Book Depository), but the ebook is only available in Canada because of rights.

If you're in the US and looking to buy a copy of this book, I'd highly recommend The Heroine Bookstore. Their customer service is awesome and their shipping fee from Canada to the US was the most reasonable I could find since it wasn't available from Book Depository when I ordered my copy. 

Enter to win your choice of a signed paperback (USA/Canada) or an audiobook (international).

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Blogoversary Recap and Last Chance for Giveaways!

We'd like to thank all the authors who participated in our Blogoversay event the last two weeks: Jennifer Estep, Amanda Bonilla, Dakota Cassidy, Kristi Charish, Chloe Neill, Karina Cooper, Carolyn Crane, Jan DeLima and Jenn Bennett! And thanks to everyone who came by to comment and wish us a happy blogoversary!

 

 

Week one giveaways have all closed, but you can still read about what each of these authors (and bloggers) was doing four years ago when GATTW was born:

Goldilox
Jennifer Estep
Amanda Bonilla
Kristi Charish
Rose Red

All of our week two giveaways are open through Friday night. Check out all of these posts:

Gretl Four Years Ago and enter to win Bloodlines books and Vampire swag

Four reasons to read The Veil by Chloe Neill and enter to win a print copy

Karina Cooper Four Years Ago and enter to win a Galen Dara print

Carolyn Crane Four Years Ago and enter to win an E-book of your choice

Jan DeLima Four Years Ago (with puppy pics) and enter to win a Gift Box including signed books and Amazon GC

Jenn Bennett Four Years Ago and enter to win a signed copy of Kindling the Moon

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by our Blogoversary Party!

Blogoversary Post and Giveaway: Jenn Bennett Four Years Ago

 

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, for the last two weeks we've had authors share with you all what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Today is the last day of our Blogoversary celebration, but all of this week's giveaways will remain open until the 15th. Scroll down and make sure you haven't missed anything.

Today's Post Comes From Jenn Bennett

Four years ago, my first book was published, KINDLING THE MOON. That summer was a blur of emotions. I didn’t know what to expect when the book came out. Most publishers don’t provide authors with instant sales info (it’s sketchy, and usually only doled out twice a year), so unless you hit a major bestseller list, you’re pretty much left in the dark, wondering how your book is doing. That’s a scary place to be when you’re starting out. It gets even scarier when a couple of months after your first book releases, your editor leaves your publishing house to work for George Lucas on Star Wars books. Suddenly I wasn’t just a debut author who didn’t know how her book was doing, I was an orphaned author with no editor. And I was in the middle of pitching more books in the series. Publishing was a dark alley in the middle of a bad neighborhood at midnight, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it through to the other side with my life—or soul!—intact.

Luckily, there was a golden streetlight at the end of that alley. Not only was I fortunate enough to connect with another editor at that house, I even sold a second series at another publishing house—AND a young adult book to a third major publishing house that has been translated in several languages and will be published internationally later this year.

That’s how I see writing, as a game of chance. You must have talent, yes, and the right story at the right time. However, what drives your book’s success is sheer luck: whim of a genre’s popularity, your agent’s workload, a reviewer’s mood. That dude in the publisher’s Sales department who forgot to pitch your book to the big account because he was busy sneaking texts under the desk about cheating on his wife while on the road... and all the other very human things that happen behind the scenes that the public never sees.

What will I be doing four years from now? I wouldn’t dare to predict. I just hope I’ll still have the guts to be walking through dark alleys at midnight…and making it out alive.

 

About the Author

Jenn Bennett is an artist and RITA-nominated author who writes books for adults and teens, including the award-winning Roaring Twenties romance series (Bitter Spirits) and the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series (Kindling the Moon). Her first YA contemporary romance, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, (aka Night Owls in the UK) will be released in 2015. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two evil pugs.

In honor of our shared 4th anniversary, Jenn Bennett's giving away a signed copy of Kindling the Moon. (Winner must have a mailing address in the U.S. or Canada.)

 

Click on the cover to add to Goodreads.

 

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