• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Jennifer Estep’s Website
• List Price: $ 7.99 US/ $9.99 CDN
• Publisher: Pocket (January 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439147973
• ISBN-13: 978-1439147979

Buy Spider’s Bite at:

• Amazon
• Book Depository

My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spider. I”m the most feared assassin in the South — when I”m not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don”t use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I”m out for revenge. And I”ll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I”m still one of the bad guys. Which is why I”m in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I”m battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction…especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

This new feature is called Review Revisisted because my wonderful blogging partner in crime Spaz, has already read and reviewed Spider’s Bite! But I just finished reading it and I wanted to tell you all what I thought.

I agree with Spaz.

Heh Heh. No seriously, I agree with every single thing she said about Spider’s Bite but I do have some additions.

I’m going to start first with the things in the story that bothered me…..

Within the first few chapters, Gin sneaks up on the person who is causing all the issues. Keep in mind Gin has Stone Magic, she can bring down an entire building at her will…yet she doesn’t. This Air Elemental that is causing havoc and killing people, walks right into a house while Gin watches, yet she never brings the building down! For some reason that drove me insane, I know it would have been the end of the story right there, but ugh.

I also agree with Spaz on the repetitive inner dialogue Gin has “Sloppy” or “Mmm”, the mmm’s really gave me a case of the dirty old men’s. But the worst for me was her saying that Detective Caine smelt like soap, she said it so many times I swore I could smell it on my couch. It didn’t suit Gin’s character, in my opinion. She’s strong and self assured, the repetition to me sounded too childish like a 16 year old with a crush.

Another big issue is why Gin keeps things that would clear her in the eyes of Detective Caine to herself. I understand kinda sorta her way of thinking, but when someone constantly treats you bad and you have information that would shut them up…I’d be singing to the choir people.

In any case, those few issues didn’t distract much from the mail story which I loved. Gin makes no apologies for who she is and that makes the book only more enjoyable. I loved Gin, even though her inner dialogue annoyed me at some points. I really think she deserves much better then the Detective though, his morals are just too much. The next book in the series, Web Of Lies, made me love the series though…so stay tuned.

There is a lesser known phenomena in the blogger world, I’d like to confess today:

I have readers block.

You know writers have writers block, well this blogger has blogger block aka readers block. I know I’m not alone, a few of us have discussed this issue at length. I read a book a day all last week, yet it’s now Tuesday and I haven’t touched a book since I finished my last one on Sunday.

I looked at my TBR pile and giggled, then looked at my EReader and I didn’t giggle. I think I “over read” last week and my brain is saying take a few days off Pix…so I’m listening to it, for once.

Am I alone? Are there days where you need a break from your reading? How do you get out of that funk?

Awhile back I reviewed some products for Peter Pauper Press but this time around I am convinced they want to drive me insane. It all started out 2 weeks ago when I received a package from them in the mail.

It contained some pretty cool items:

A Moon Goddess Journal

Vampire Beaded Bookmark that matches my vampire journal that they sent me previously

Now these Skull i-clip’sshould become every bloggers best-friend. They are magnets, that stick to your book so you can mark places you want to quote or talk about further. I love them! LOVE!

I also got a cute little book Why Men Make Bad Pets, that had me giggling, which I totally needed to do especially after I opened this…

I was so excited when Suzanne from Peter Pauper Press told me about the Vampire Bride Puzzle. I haven’t done a puzzle since I was a kid and just so happened to have my 12 year old niece over for 2 weeks, so I figured this was something we could do together. Sunday night I opened the book with the intent to do the frame of the puzzle with my boyfriend, so it would be all ready for my niece to do on Monday. Ha. Three hours later….

Yes, that took 2 of us 3 hours to do. How pathetic are we? Monday comes and my niece is all excited…until she had all the pieces spread on the floor. She started at it for an hour, stood up and said I can’t do it…AHHHHH! Yesterday, boyfriend and I sat down again on the floor with the puzzle between us *snort*. I am determined I WILL finish this puzzle even if it takes me until I’m 50 and because after an hour of fiddling with it yesterday, I only fit 6 new pieces to the frame.

I am convinced, this is Suzanne’s way of torturing me…but hell if I don’t finish this puzzle….by Christmas….of 2030.

Go check out Peter Pauper Press & see if you can find me a How To book on puzzles while you’re at it.

Silver plate chain holds a large sterling silver Thai rose and a cubic Zirconia heart, delicate and flirty this homage to Rose Hathaway will go with everything..Clasp is sterling silver.17″

Rose’s Heart at Cemetery Cat Designs

I’m kinda weird when it comes to rating books. Within the first two chapters I make a rough assessment, 1-5 of what I think I’ll end up rating the book at. By the middle of the book, I pretty much have the rating I am going to stick with. Unless something drastic happens near the end of the book, I usually stick to that rating.

I almost never take notes, weirdly enough the only time I take notes is when I really dislike a book and I feel the need to explain why I didn’t like said book. Other then that, I may mark off a quote but I usually go from what I remember. If I remember something well enough, it’s usually a good book.

So I want to know, am I weird? (duh)

How do the rest of you bloggers and readers rate books?

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Jess Haines’ Website
• Publisher: Zebra (January 4, 2011)
• List Price: $6.99 US
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420111884
• ISBN-13: 978-1420111880

Preorder Taken By Others at:

• Amazon
• Book Depository

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest’s most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now she’s dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia–for very different reasons.

Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce’s interest is a lot more personal. That’s not sitting well with Shia’s werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets ever more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side. Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she’s discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties–and even her desires…

Shiarra is caught in between two vampires who have had a grudge for centuries, of course over a woman. Max and Royce each want her for different reasons, both of which may lead to her death. On top of that drama, Shiarra’s boyfriend Chaz isn’t happy with her relationship with Royce and makes his feelings known at the worst possible time.

Then there are the White Hats, a group of humans who have taken it amongst themselves to hunt vampires and they want Shia on their side. Little do they know, Shia is beginning to realise everything isn’t as black and white as she first thought.

Taken by the Others is book two in the H & W Investigation Series. And I have to tell you all, Taken by the Others is non-stop action! Book two was so much better in terms of action then Hunted by Others was, it blew me away. There are so many parts in the book that left me going, whoa! But alas, I can’t ruin anything for you all so I will have to speak in generalities.

The plot was solid and a nicer pace was set in Taken by the Others, then in Hunted by the Others. I’ve read that a few of my fellow bloggers had issue, that it was more talk and set up then action but rest assured, there is action a plenty in this installment. I really didn’t want the book to end! I keep finding myself thinking about the book and I read it a few days ago! The wait for the third book in the series, is going to be a long one for me. The H & W Investigation Series has fast become one of my favorite new series.

I’m a big fan of Royce and Chaz, I was happy they were in the same room for a few parts in the book. Shia is wearing on me a bit, I’m glad she’s starting to see that not all vampires are bad, but I really think by the next book she needs to be over her prejudices. Especially when she has to work with Royce and even more so because there seems to be an attraction there.

If you’re looking for an Urban Fantasy that has more action then romance, or if you like to be on the edge of your seat reading…Taken by the Others is the book for you!

I thought this was pretty cool. The Russian Fan Site for Klayton asked if they could translate our interview & post it.

If you are so inclined, take a look at their website!

You all have no idea how hard it was to get to this damn page. This month I seem to be having tech fail issues out the ying yang. First my BlackBerry went on the fritz, but I won that battle…this week it’s my wireless mouse & keyboard. To get my mouse to work I have to bang the unholy hell out of it, thus resulting in my wrist killing me. I’m getting carpal tunnel just typing this.

Then last night my keyboard decided it needed in on the action and I have to type really hard. I kid you not, it’s like they’ve become possessed by troll demons..windows scrolling & minimizing by themselves. Ugh. Hell, things are highlighting in this post and I sure as shit ain’t asking it to.

Yes, I checked the batteries..unplugged….restarted…nothings working.

So…by tomorrow night I should have a new set & by Friday posts should return to normal. Until then, back to catching up on my TBR pile.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Jess Haines’ Website
• Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition (May 1, 2010)
• List Price: $6.99 US
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420111876
• ISBN-13: 978-1420111873

Buy Hunted By Others at:

• Amazon
• Book Depository

Shiarra Waynest’s detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm – if it doesn’t kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York’s most powerful vampires. As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought.

With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend – a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing – and a nerdy mage with surprising talents. But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren’t always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil – whether she likes it or not…

Shiarra is the co-owner of a Private Investigation office with her friend Sara, usually they deal with cheating lovers and missing persons. All that changes when Veronica a member of The Circle (Mages) asks Shiarra to recover an item from vampire Alec Royce. Shiarra has her misgivings, she doesn’t want to deal with the Others but her current financial state and the high bonuses offered by Veronica make her say yes. Little does Shiarra know, the item she is to find, is an ancient artifact that every Other wants and they’re willing to kill her and everyone around her to get to it.

Hunted By Others is the first book in Jess Haines H & W Investigation Series and while I expected to enjoy it, I didn’t think it would turn into a five hour cover to cover marathon! I love when I get so involved in a book that time seems to fly by and it totally did while I was reading.

Right from the start I was drawn in, especially since Shiarra has all sorts of issues with Others. The Others came out of the “closet” right after 9/11 and while most of the population is okay with them, some are still pretty nervous around them, Shiarra included. The timing of the Others coming out made a lot of sense, they came out just after 9/11..the Weres to help find victims of the WTC attacks and vamps/mages to help with the financial impact 9/11 had. That alone made it a little bit more realistic to me as not many books deal with what people think of all these paranormal creatures coming out into the open. Shiarra has a hefty dose of fear that most of us would have, especially when she finds out her ex-boyfriend is a Were. Of course he chose the worst possible time to come out to her and she was scared to death.

Speaking of that ex, Chaz is a great character but I could feel all sorts of sexual tension between Alec Royce (vampire) right from Shiarra and his first meeting. I can’t wait to read more about how their relationship or lack there of turns out. There are a bunch of great characters in the book, even a magical belt…where can I get me one of those?

My only issue with Hunted by Others is that there was a lot of world set up and not enough action. I understand this is the first book in the series and it makes sense to set up the world, but at some points it was a little bit too much talk and not enough action. Regardless, it was still entertaining and a great foundation was laid. I can’t wait to see what happens next, I have a feeling its only going to get better.

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Buy at: Amazon & Book Strand
• Publisher: Siren Publishing (April 19, 2010)
• List Price: $5.99 US
• Stacey Espino’s Website
• ASIN: B003I8VBE0

Delius never asked for his fate, but in a world that placed all its faith in prophecy, he would be a fool to challenge it. He felt like a parasite, forced to live off the fear of humans. From the first time Delius became trapped in Selina’s mind and seduced by her provocative thoughts, he was drawn to her. She was a mystery that turned into an obsession. Yet, for them to have a life together, Delius would have to go against his own race that demanded he fulfill his destiny. One that did not include Selina.

Fearless Desires follows Delius, a fear demon. Delius can get into a humans mind and make them relive their greatest fears, while that fear sustains his immortality. When one of his brothers meets Selina, he asks Delius for help because he can’t sense fear in her while she was witnessing a brutal assault on one of her friends.

Selina has always felt she was weird and didn’t really belong but she never understood why. Delius wants to crack the mystery that surrounds Selina, but he may have to go against his own race or even worse, die for Selina.

I have to say before anything else, I loved Delius and his brothers (the Highlands). What a great set of characters! On top of the storyline between Selina and Delius, a second one is woven with one of the Highland brothers. I can’t tell you which, because it would ruin the story for you and we can’t have that.

I had a few issues with Selina’s background, I could tell right away how the storyline involving her was going to go, and it was sort of a disappointment that I guessed correctly. I love being surprised. I also didn’t like how fast Selina was to believe everything Delius told her without freaking out even a little bit. I mean, someone tells me their a demon…I’m going to be a bit more freaked out, even if he can’t sense my fear. I’d be a bit more “whoa”.

Overall, it was a good start to a series that holds promise with so many wonderful brothers to chose from. I hope the next female is a little bit more shell-shocked though.