Today is Rememberance Day up here in Canada and I’d like to take a moment to give thanks to all the brave men and women in our military for their strength, their sacrifice, and their efforts on our behalf.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow (1)
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

To my brother Kai, I hope you come home safely soon. I love you.

The Midnight Guardian by Sarah Jane Stratford

Book Description:

“It’s 1938, and the tentacles of Hitler’s terrifying Third Reich have commenced their stranglehold on Europe. The Nazi empire will soon be clean of all bloodlines deemed tainted or undesirable…including vampires. London’s ancient tribunal of vampires is aghast at the destruction taking place on the Continent. Though vampires try not to interfere with human politics, Hitler’s terrible plans force them into action.

They resolve to send five of their most formidable vampires to Berlin— millennials that have lived over 1000 years and whose age and wisdom make them close to invulnerable— to infiltrate, disrupt, and destroy the growing Nazi war machine.The brilliant and beautiful millennial Brigit is loath to go, but her powers are needed if the mission is to have any chance of success. She must summon all her strength to endure the separation from her lover Eamon, whom she made almost eight centuries ago, but whose lack of millennial status makes him an unacceptable choice for this operation. Though he longs to join her, his duty to Brigit is best served from afar, by nurturing their deep psychic connection and reinforcing her spirit with his fierce devotion and memories of his tender embrace.

But as the millennials attempt to penetrate and sabotage Hitler’s armies, they discover that the Nazis are more capable than any human force they’ve yet encountered and more monstrous than they’d ever imagined. Forced to take bolder, more dangerous steps, they soon attract the attention of specially trained vampire hunters loyal to Hitler and his vision of a vampire-free Europe. Exposed, deep inside enemy territory, with vicious Nazi officers and hunters at her heels, Brigit must attempt a daring escape from the Continent, guarding precious cargo that marks the only hope of salvaging their mission.”

My Thoughts:

I was sent this book to review from the lovely folks over at St. Martins Press. Now I’m not much of a historical buff, but this novel was extremely well written and kept me captivated. Sarah Jane Stratford pens an intriguing tale full of suspense, romance, danger and takes you back to the beginnings of World War II with a really likeable group of vampires.

I found myself cheering Brigit, Mors, Eamon and the rest of the group on in their mission. This author skillfully mixes in the paranormal with history and takes you on the journey with them through her world-building and rich characters. I found it to be a very impressive debut and look forward to the next Millennial novel.

To find out more about Sarah Jane Stratford and her books, go to her WEBSITE. 

Buy The Midnight Guardian at:

Chapters

Amazon

Lenore: Noogies by Roman Dirge

Book Description

“Take a trip into the dark, surreal world of a little dead girl with a knack for (often) unintentional mayhem in this remastered, gothic classic, newly-coloured and presented in glorious hardcover!

A massive cult hit on both sides of the Atlantic, Lenore is one of the funniest, darkest, cutest, creepiest characters on the marketplace today.”

My Thoughts:

Roman Dirge’s twisted dark sense of humor in the creation of Lenore is side-splittingly captivating! If you like a dose of the undead mixed in with your day, then Lenore is the way to go. Mr Dirge’s ability to capture the childlike thought process of a cute but macabre little dead girl makes for some hysterical situations and some truly wonderful artwork captured in this graphic novel.

I highly recommend Lenore: Noogies to anyone who has a taste for all things gothic, humorous, creepy yet adorable and artwork that brings the character and her little mishaps story to vivid life.

To find out more about Roman Dirge, visit his website.

Buy Lenore: Noogies at:

Chapters/Indigo

Amazon

 The end of the year is coming up, can you believe it.  My wonderful Twin, at Wicked Lil Pixie and I have decided to ask our readers what their favorites of 2009 are.

I figured we would start a bit easy: YA category Favorite Authors & Best New Authors and we’ll move on week by week to other genres/sub-genres/authors. I also know there’s a lot of late releases this year, so they’ll have their own category as well, so we don’t leave anyone out.

I also think a top 5 for every category should suffice, we know how hard it is to choose favorites.

 At the end of it, we will have a contest with some of the top books of every category being given away.

So, comment away…who are your FAVORITE NEW AUTHORS of 2009 & FAVORITE YA Authors of 2009 nominate as many as you want for each category and next week we’ll have a poll to narrow them all down!

 Nat over at Wicked Lil Pixie awarded me with a Heartfelt Award! Thanks Nat, I heart you too.

“Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you’re relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy ? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside.”

I am to list 9 blogs that make me feel warm and cozy…

1. Patricia’s Vampire Notes

2. Literary Escapism

3. Sci Fi Guy

4. Anna’s Book Blog

5. Amberkatze’s Book Blog

6. Dark Faerie Tales

7. La Femme Readers

8. Book Chick City

9. Bloody Bookaholic

I just personally want to say “Thanks” to all of you amazing book addicts who take the time to create and maintain such great blogs to share your finds and thoughts with the rest of us!

Yes boys and girls, I went and got myself a new tattoo a few weeks ago and I love it! I’ve been a fan of Jasmine Becket-Griffith for years and when I recieved a flyer in the mail advertising her new figurine line through The Bradford Exchange, the picture of this figurine, Ruby, just kept sticking in my mind. Here’s a pic of the figurine:

Sweet right? So as fate would have it, after I’d stewed over the idea for awhile, I friended a tattoo artist on facebook through a mutual friend. I decided to ask for a quote, and as they say, the rest is history! Here’s my tatt: (It’s on the side of my right calf in case anyone wants to know).

And here’s the picture the artist took for his portfolio on the day we did the 6 hours of carving my leg tatt! The artist is Tex Nobles from OM Studio. He did an awesome job. She’s beautiful no?

For some reason, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s character Simi comes to mind when I look at it, but I just flat out fell in love with the picture and had to have it! So what do you all think?

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

BUY

Book Description:

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

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new “friend,” Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie’s lamp.

If you love Sookie  Stackhouse, then you’ll want to dive into Nicole Peeler’s enchanting debut novel.”

My Thoughts:

Besides the fact that I absolutely LOVE the cover, Tempest Rising is one of the best reads I’ve devoured this year! I’m loving the cover because 1) It’s just gorgeous! 2) It’s different. 3) I’m loving the colors used, and 4) It kind of reminds me of Jasmine Becket-Griffith’s artwork of which I am a huge fan. Sharon Tancredi is the awesome illustrator of the covers for this series. 

Jane True is totally one of the funniest, animated and entertaining characters I’ve had the pleasure to “meet” on paper. I was completely absorbed in the world that Nicole Peeler has created and couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. Ryu, Anyan, Nell, Tracey and Grizelda are rich characters alongside Jane and others. Between several cultural references and Jane’s inner dialogue I was laughing my head off while cheering her on during her madcap caper of a journey.

  I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Tracking The Tempest which is slated as a spring/summer 2010 release from Orbit 

To find out more about the author, go to Nicole Peeler’s Website

To read a great interview with the author, go to Wicked Lil Pixie’s Blog

Buy at Chapters

Buy at Amazon

Sorry I didn’t plan any big Halloween events here this year. I’m battling the flu that never ends, but wanted to wish everyone an Awesome Halloween!! I hope you all have fun and stay safe.

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper

BUY

Book Description

“Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that’s sure to become Half-Moon Hollow legend.  On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot and left for dead.  And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood. 

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate.  She has to fake breathing and daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family.  She’s forced to forego her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative.  Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold.  And if all that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?”

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

BUY

Book Description

With Zeb’s Titanic-themed nuptials looming on the horizon, Jane is forced to wear a bridesmaid’s dress her body may reject like a faulty organ. And Zeb’s mother seems hell-bent on stopping the wedding if she can’t have Jane for a daughter-in-law.

In other matrimonial shenanigans, the passing of Grandma Ruthie’s fiancé, Bob, puts her back on the market. Ruthie’s new fiancé, Wilbur, smells like old cheese, has his own sordid history of suspiciously dead spouses, and died more than 20 years ago.

With daytime funerals, mother-of-the-groom hijinks, and Styrofoam icebergs to contend with, will Jane survive her best friend’s wedding?  Will she have to make nice with her possibly murderous, definitely creepy, future step-grandpa? What’s a nice undead girl to do?”

My Thoughts

I absolutely love this series! Filled with supernatural characters like vampires, shifters, ghosts and gouls, it’s a high-speed ride with plenty of high-jinx, romance, humor and danger. Jane Jameson is a fire-cracker of a protagonist and I can’t wait to read more about her, Gabriel, Zeb and the rest of the awesome cast of characters that Molly Harper has created.

I highly recommend this series to fans of Paranormal Romance, Vampires, and anyone who enjoys mad dash capers, mystery and laughing. The next book in the series: Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever will be on shelves December 29th, 2009!

I give both books     

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever by Molly Harper

Pre-order

Book Description 

“UNEXPECTED UNDEAD
BREAK-UP

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby…or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath….”

Find out more about Molly Harper and her books at her website.

Also known as Sidhe’s Current Wishlist 

October Releases (that I forgot last month)

Lucinda, Dangerously by Sunny – Oct 6^th

Queen Of Song And Souls by C.L. Wilson – Oct 9^th

 Deep Kiss Of Winter by Gena Showalter & Kresley Cole – Oct 13^th

Indigo Springs by A.M. Dellmonica – Oct 27^th

Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris – Oct 27^th

 Bitter Night by Diana P. Frances – Oct 27^th

Darkness Unleashed by Alexandra Ivy – Oct 27^th

Possess Me At Midnight by Shayla Black – Oct 27^th

 Never After – Anthology – Oct 27^th

The Mane Squeeze by Shelley Laurenston – Oct 27^th

Soul Magic by Jennifer Lyon – Oct 27^th

November 1^st

Child Of Darkness by Jennifer Armintrout

 Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Sins Of The Flesh by Caridad Pineiro

Time Raiders: The Protector by Merline Lovelace

 The Vampire Affair by Livia Reasoner

November 3^rd

Finding The Lost by Shannon K. Butcher

Born Of Fire by Sherrilyn Kenyon

 Winter Kiss by Deborah Cooke

Magic In The Shadows by Devon Monk

Crimson by Jordan Summers

 Apocalypse Happens by Lori Handeland

Blaze Of Memory by Nalini Singh

Me And My Shadow by Katie MacAlister

 Skin Game by Ava Gray

Shifting Plains by Jean Johnson

Heart Change by Robin D. Owens

 Thief Of Light by Denise Rossetti

Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell

Captive Desires by Diane Whiteside

November 17^th

 Shadowland by Alyson Noel

 Betrayals by Lili St Crow

November 24^th

 Three Days To Dead by Kelly Meding