• Paperback: 400 pages
• Lee Carroll’s Website
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
• List Price: $14.99 US/$17.99 CDN
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765325977

Buy Black Swan Rising at:

• Amazon
• Book Depository

When New York City jewelry designer Garet James stumbles into a strange antiques shop in her neighborhood, her life is about to be turned upside down. John Dee, the enigmatic shopkeeper, commissions her to open a vintage silver box for a generous sum of money. Oddly, the symbol of a swan on the box exactly matches the ring given to her by her deceased mother. Garet can’t believe her luck and this eerie coincidence until she opens the box and otherworldly things start happening. . . .

That evening, the precious silver box is stolen. When Garet begins to investigate, she learns that she has been pulled into a prophecy that is hundreds of years old, and opening the box has unleashed an evil force onto the streets of Manhattan and the world at large. Gradually, Garet pieces together her true identity—one that her deceased mother desperately tried to protect her from. Generations of women in Garet’s family, including her beloved mother, suffered and died at the hands of this prevailing evil. Does Garet possess the power to reclaim the box and defeat this devastating force?

On her journey, she will meet the fey folk who walk unnoticed among humans and a sexy vampire who also happens to be a hedge fund manager that she can’t stop thinking about. But the fairies reveal a desire to overpower mere humans and the seductive vampire has the power to steal the life from her body. Whom can Garet trust to guide her? Using her newfound powers and sharp wit, Garet will muster everything she’s got to shut down the evil taking over her friends, family, New York City, and the world.

When I first started reading Black Swan Rising, I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did. By the middle of the book I didn’t answer my phone and I didn’t want to go out on a Saturday night. I had to finish this book!

Garet fast became one of my favorite fiction characters, she’s snarky and she keeps going when any other person would just lay down and call it quits. The ending damn near killed me but I am so happy this is a series and not a one off, it was just that good!

I can’t wait to find out what happens between Will and Garet, and what Garet’s next adventure will be. Is the bad guy gone for good? Hell with this book anyone can turn good or bad within a chapter, which totally keeps you on your toes.

If I wasn’t laughing at some of the characters comments:

He chuckled. “Snoop Dogg’s twitters really crack me up.” He typed something using two claws and chuckled again. Then he whisked his tail across the screen and growled.

I was falling in love with some of them:

One of my favorite Latin mottoes – which I’d found on an old signet ring I’d used to make one of my medallions – ran through my head. Dum spiro, spero – As long as I have breath, I have hope. I’d find a way out of our problems and I’d do what I could to stop….

Black Swan Rising is full of so many awesome characters (fey, alchamists,vampires, dragons) and the story line is centred around an ancient family “curse”. It was a wonderful mix of Urban Fantasy and Fantasy, all rolled into an awesome action filled adventure.

I am not one to re-read a book, but I can tell you now I already want to re-read Black Swan Rising.

I was sitting here trying to write a review, but my brain refuses to cooperate with me. I’m exhausted, my friends wedding is 3 weeks away and it’s been planning and parties and shopping. Plus working a festival here last weekend, my body just refuses to do anything right now. Old age setting in? 

My brain just doesn’t have it in me to review anything for you all today, but my brain has a question….be amazed it works at this point.

I want to know what is your favorite book of 2010 (so far)? You all know I am addicted to Stacia Kane’s Downside Series & it has been the best book (series) I have read so far in 2010. I’m reading Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll and it’s been one of those books where I didn’t want to answer the phone or go to sleep, it’s just that good.

So whats yours? Maybe something not everyone’s read or talked much about? A hidden gem? I want to know, so I can add more to my scary TBR container of doom.

From Nicole:

When I think of Jane’s style, I think of something laid back, humorous, and just a tiny bit goth. Goth Lite, might be one way to put it. She’s not someone who defines herself by fashion or lifestyle, but she has a great sense of humor and a love of the zany that carries into her fashion. Jane’s also a thinker, so she likes things with meaning or things that tickle her sense of irony. She’s all about dark colors and themes, but this aesthetic is balanced by her innocence and her huge heart. She’s not all doom and gloom, but she also knows there’s pain out there. I think she’d love what Synda has designed for her!

Cemetery Cat Designs – Tattoo You

You can find Nicole Peeler at www.NicolePeeler.com

• Paperback: 332 pages
• List Price:  $12.99 US ($2.99 Kindle) 
• Publisher:CreateSpace (July 31, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453696113
• ISBN-13: 978-1453696118

Buy Spoilt at:

• Amazon

Passion turns to envy. Love to murder. One way or another, everyone is spoilt. A sadistic killer is stalking the streets, carving his hatred into the bodies of beautiful, young women.

The murders are stirring up bad memories for Detective Lucas Huson, as he struggles to remain focused – juggling the horrors of today with horrors from the past. When Chelsea Summerville’s best friend goes missing, she’s unwillingly dragged into the race to stop the killer.

As Lucas and Chelsea find happiness together, Chelsea becomes the hunted rather than the hunter. Can Lucas shake off his demons and save the woman he loves, or will everything he holds dear be spoilt?

Detective Lucas Hunson has been struggling with a strange case, one that reminds him of something personal. A serial killer is on the loose and is carving a word into the bodies of the women he kills and it’s Lucas’ job to find this killer before he kills again or Lucas looses the tight control he has on his emotions.

Chelsea Summerville’s best friend ends up missing and she is dragged into the killers world, because she may be his intended target even if she doesn’t know why. During all of this, Chelsea and Lucas can’t deny their attraction to each other. It’s an attraction that may get Lucas fired if he doesn’t keep his head in the game.

Spoilt is one helluva ride, filled with twists & turns. I had no clue what was going to happen & for me that is one of the big requirements I have with a thriller. I hate when I can spot who the bad guy is from the beginning and Joanne Ellis totally messed with my head in that respect.

I really enjoyed Spoilt, it was one of those books you couldn’t put down because you had to know who the killer was and why. Part romance and part thriller, it was just made of awesome. My only issue is it seemed to drag a little bit with the drama between Lucas and Chelsea, it wasn’t very realistic to me. If something happened to me and the man I was dating freaked about it, I don’t think I would be so forgiving.

If you want something action packed that will mess with your head a bit, grab a copy of Spoilt.

• Mass Market Paperback: 431 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 16, 2010)
• List Price: $ 7.99 US
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416580956
• ISBN-13: 978-1416580959

Buy Pleasure of a Dark Prince at:

• Amazon
• Book Depository

Lykae… valkyries… kobolds… Oh my!

So I have a confession to make. I am a complete Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark series über Fan Girl. Pleasure of a Dark Prince is the 9th story in the series, and it fully delivers everything us hardcore fans were anticipating. This series is original, hot, action-packed, and hilarious. Like all of Ms. Cole’s other IAD novels, once you open to the first page of this story, it is a a constant battle with yourself to put it down until the last page. There is passion, awesomely snarky and strong females, and incomparable characters of lore such as the kick-ass valkyries.

Pleasure of a Dark Prince starts out just before events of the first (full-length) IAD book Hunger Like No Other, which is when we are first introduced to the mysterious Garreth the Lykae Prince, and Lucia the bow-wielding valkyrie Huntress. Lucia is on a mission to hunt down a special relic that will help free her from a curse laid upon her 1,000 years ago. This curse forces her to remain chaste, and anytime she misses a shot with her bow she feels horrible unimaginable pain. Lucia first spots Garreth at a rugby game while she is hunting a mythical kobold. Garreth notices her and immediately recognizes her as the one he has been long looking for – his mate. He cannot let her go. He follows her on her journey all over the world, from the swamps of Louisiana to Inquitos, Amazonia.

What makes this story so awesome, like the stories previously, are the complexity of the characters. Garreth does not have the tortured past that many of us love in our alpha males, but his deep loyalty, perseverance, and sense of purpose are just as alluring. He follows and protects Lucia for over a year, and instead of it turning out to be incredibly creepy and stalker-ish, it is somewhat sexy and even sweet. He is such a contradiction in that he is an arrogant and smart-mouthed Scot, but is also a true gentleman and is hell-bound and determined to court Lucia (he says her name “Loosha”… swoon).

Lucia is one of the female characters we know the least from the series. She is not necessarily boring, just not as over-the-top as other of Ms. Cole’s heroines, such as Regin the Radiant, and Nucking Futs Nix. We discover that unlike Garreth, Lucia does have quite the tortured past and the trauma of her past presents some of the biggest hurdles in their relationship. With Garreth, Lucia has to fight overwhelming fervor in order to stay true to her vows and her entire reason for being. This creates excellent nail-biting tension.

For paranormal romance fans, this series is a MUST-READ. Pleasure of a Dark Prince is another fantastic addition to one of the best paranormal romance series published. We meet again many of the characters we got to know and love in earlier books – Lachlain, Emma, Nucking Futs Nix, Regin the Radiant, and my faaaaaaaavorite Bowen. I loved how Ms. Cole visits earlier activities and events from the series in this one, tying them all together. This book has a great mix of mix of edge-of-your-set action, suspense, humor, and hot romance. Many surprises are unveiled as the plot unfolds and there is quite a climactic ending! The Epilogue will leave you counting down the days for the next book in the series out later this month, Demon From The Dark.

Immortals After Dark series reading order:

• Playing Easy to Get (anthology)
• A Hunger Like No Other
• No Rest For The Wicked
• Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night
• Dark Needs at Night’s Edge
• Dark Desires After Dusk
• Kiss of a Demon King
• Deep Kiss of Winter (anthology)
• Pleasure of a Dark Prince
• Demon From The Dark – scheduled release for August 31, 2010

October 17th is my 30th birthday. No I am not freaking out, honestly it’s just another phase right? I’m so not one of those women, who freak out about birthday’s so you can all relax & be safe knowing I won’t go mental when it happens.

Two years ago I started a mini 30 project. I asked a few of my friends to tell me what I should do before I turn 30 & they responded with all sorts of cool things.

• You should put your head to the pillow each and every night with a feeling of satisfaction and self-pride.
  If that means being nicer or being less nice or challenging yourself or whatever… just go to bed with happiness in your heart and whenever your time comes, you’ll die happy.
• Throw out and or give away any stuff in your wardrobe you havent worn in a year! {Done}
• Have a 3-some (of course this came from a guy friend) {So not happening, I might break a hip}
• Stop worrying about your age. It’s just a number… {Done, cause I never have worried about age}
• Live. Do what you want to do, not what we’d want you to do {Everyday!}
• Travel {April 2011, I am flying to LA for RT!}

I had a massive list somewhere & of course I lost it. But you get the gist. What do you think I should do before I turn 30? It can be words to live by, places to go, things to see, goals..anything.

Cause as always, WLP Wants To Know.

Buy (E-Book) For The Love Of Mollie at Decadent Publishing here ($ 2.99 US)

Find KT Grant (aka KatieBabs) here

Mollie McGree is on a mission to seduce her best friend, the sexy masseuse Juan-Carlos. But she wants to lose a few extra pounds first. She joins a gym run by self-made millionaire and personal trailer, Conner Bean. Conner thinks Mollie doesn’t need to lose any weight, and is perfect the way she is. He plans to seduce the curvy Mollie by giving her his own special training sessions in passion and desire.

Soon Mollie is enjoying a no-holds-barred love affair with the vibrant and skilled Conner. But self-esteem issues on her part, as well as her unresolved feelings for Juan-Carlos, cause her to second guess Conner’s motives. Conner will stop at nothing until he claims Mollie’s heart for his own.

Mollie has had a crush on one of her best friends, JC, for ages. She always thought JC wasn’t interested in her because she’s got a few pounds she needs to loose, but after her birthday she decides its time to hit the gym and make JC hers. While at the gym, Mollie meets 25 year old owner Conner Bean who doesn’t think Mollie needs to loose a pound. But Mollie’s self esteem issues threatens their relationship from the start.

You all know by now, I am not a big fan of the Erotica genre. I am more about the story not the sex, so I was a little bit worried about reading For The Love of Mollie for that very reason. I can tell you now, I am so glad that I did!

KT’s writing style relies more on the story & doesn’t add the sex just to add it, but when she does add it look out! She’s funny and tells a great story. I loved that she focused on a character that has flaws and recognizes those flaws. That doesn’t happen often in romance anymore, it seems everyone is perfect and without faults.

I sat down to start this book at 5pm and I didn’t move until 5:45pm when I finished it. I have never read a book that fast people, even if it’s a short story. I just couldn’t put it down!

I loved Mollie and totally got why she had self esteem issues that she needed to work through, but I fell in love with Conner. What woman doesn’t want a man who sees her for who she is and not what she looks like?! Mollie’s best friend and Conner’s cousin, Suzy, damn near killed me. She was hilarious and the perfect best friend (word on the street is Suzy’s story is up next).

I have to say, I will never look at coconut oil the same way again. Thanks for that visual KT, I appreciated it more then you know! Go out and grab yourself a copy of For The Love of Mollie, then tell me if you don’t want to run out and get yourself some coconut oil.

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher:Samhain Publishing (October 19, 2010)
• List Price: $15.00 US
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605049158
• ISBN-13: 978-1605049151

Preorder The First Book of Grimm at:

• Amazon

Buy Candy Houses on Kindle at:

• Amazon

Now that Greta is a Grimm—guardian angel and official paranormal ass-kicker—romance is hard to find. There’s only one man who makes her heart race, a fact that scared her right out of his arms. But now she needs a hand.

 

The last woman Rip expected to see on this dangerous mission is the one who rejected his love. Faced with a danger neither of them saw coming, the question is which is the greater danger—the one threatening their lives, or their hearts?

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (July 12, 2010)
• List Price: $ 11.99 US
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453701974
• ISBN-13: 978-1453701973

Buy The Wedding Gift at:

• Amazon

Kathleen McKenna’s explosive third novel ‘The Wedding Gift’ excels in so many categories it defies them all. It is a spine-electrifying supernatural tale where a huge Southern States mansion contains one of the most terrifying, violent and indeed psychopathic ghosts to haunt any town.

It is also a murder mystery – why did Robina Willets apparently kill all five of her young children, and her husband, before stabbing herself to death?

And, if you are in the camp of believing that ‘justice …. just is not’, then this will have you frothing at the mouth with righteous social fury. Add to that the vision of two exceptionally beautiful girls lying on a landing stage in the middle of a secluded lake, sleeping naked in the sun …. …. and then see if you can find any consecutive ten minutes in this book when you don’t at least snicker at the heroine Leeann’s sly, caustic, sometimes-knowing sometimes ‘too stupid to live’ commentary.

The Wedding Gift is a mix between the paranormal and mystery, all told by small town Oklahoma girl Leeann Worthier. Leeann is the local pagent Queen, the self proclaimed “prettiest girl in town” who ends up with George Willets who is the heir to the richest family in town.

The very same family who had tragedy strike them, in turn Leeann’s family as well. George’s aunt Robina went off the deep end, killed her husband, her five children, and finally herself. For years the local teens have been afraid of this mansion, one night ending in the tragic death of Leeann’s brother. But everything in this small town isn’t always as it seems, Robina isn’t as dead as everyone thinks she is.

Before I read The Wedding Gift, I skimmed the reviews on Amazon. All 9 reviews were glowing, saying Leeann was hilarious. I read it, halfway through I was wondering if any of these reviewers were reading the same character I was.

While I loved the idea behind the story and the twists towards the end, Leeann brought it down. Leeann was not funny, she was shallow (I’m so much prettier then this girl) & her “snark” came off more like airhead babble to me. I can’t even put into words how much she turned me off & it’s a shame because the storyline was great but I couldn’t hack hearing it from Leeann’s point of view.

I would have loved to have read this exact same book but told by anyone BUT Leeann, Robina’s side of the story would have been amazing. It would have made the story a bit more darker, I really wanted more of Robina & why she was the way she was. I felt that part was skimmed over & more focus was given to Leeann’s outlook on the whole story.

Weirdly enough, I loved the ending. I loved the plot twist, I didn’t see it coming AT ALL. My mouth hung open for a few seconds & I think I may have uttered a “OMG”. But if the next book features Leeann as the narrator, I just can’t do it.

Klayton has been the most searched “term” on my blog, before I ever posted about him. *raises eyebrows* I figured who better to have over here then the most searched man on WLP. He’s been a good sport, answering my questions whilst flying around on a plane somewhere in the sky. He’s almost as snarky as I am, which amazed me. Who knew?!

For those of you not in the know, Klayton is the man behind Celldweller. Long before Celldweller there was Circle of Dust, Argyle Park and Angeldust (along with his friend Criss Angel). Klayton’s music has appeared on all sorts of movies, TV shows (Vampire Diaries & UFC), trailers and video games. Klayton also has an independent record label, FiXT Music.

There’s the spiel, you now know a brief history of the man (for more info hit his bio here) But does he read?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What books influenced you as a child?

Maurice Sendak’s “Pierre: A cautionary tale in 5 chapters and a prologue.” I hunted down the vinyl for the song that accompanied the book recently on eBay. I WILL cover that song someday. I could sing it for you right now, but you won’t hear me through the screen and they’ll certainly kick me off this plane if I try. I guess I’ll just have to cover it proper.

Hemingway’s “The old man and the sea.” Absolute classic. I found myself identifying with the tragedy of the story even at a young age even though the most fishing i could do in New York was scooping a dead goldfish out of a bowl and flushing it down the toilet. 

The Holy Bible. My mom would give me candy if i memorized Bible Verses. This is all the motivation an 8 year old needs to commit “begats” to memory. 

Reader’s Digest. I would stick them down the back of my pants, hoping my parent’s wouldn’t notice it when they smacked my ass for being an insolent child. It was a very handy publication when it worked (which was almost never.The square ass kinda gave it away.) 

Do you read a certain genre? Have a favorite author?

Can i just answer these both “Yes” or do i have to elaborate? 

Oh… Ok. I don’t only read one genre but i certainly gravitate towards Sci-Fi and fantasy. I was a big fan of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series. The obligatory Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles and the more futuristic works of Phillip K Dick. I grew up in a strict Christian home and wasn’t allowed to read anything other than the stuff my mom mandated as “safe.” So she would buy me these books about drug addicts, hookers and con artists who turned their lives around. What she didn’t understand was that i was learning about the world through these people’s stories. I loved the “before” parts of the story and as soon as they were getting ready to turn their lives around, i’d dump the book and move onto the next one.

(P.S. Don’t tell my mom.)

What are you reading now or the last book you read?

Right now I’m reading this email interview and it’s very fascinating. The most recent book was Phillip K Dick’s “The Three Stigmatas of Palmer Eldritch.” There was an example of a book written by an author i like, but a story I didn’t. This was too much in the ‘acid-trip’ world for me. I’d rather read about Replicants than navigate my way around a heady drug trip.

Name some authors you would like to sit down and have dinner with? (living or dead)

Did Dom Delouise write a book? if so, him. I think someone like Tolkien or CS Lewis would make my mind explode. Moses would be pretty sweet too. I can finally ask him “Were you like “no way dude!!” when the Red Sea parted??”

Can you tell us a little about the idea behind the Cellmate Mass Choir?

The “Cellmate Mass Choir” was just an idea i had to get people involved in my new album, specifically the song “The Lucky One.” I had envisioned these huge gang vocals for the “I Am” section of the chorus and the thought struck me one sleepless night to just ask everyone in the world to participate. Technology makes this so easy. So i released a clip of “The Lucky One” before it was finished, complete with an example of what I wanted and consequently hundreds of people from all over the world submitted their voices to the track. I used every single one we received. Hooray for us, we’re the lucky ones! 

I’ve taken the next step in this thought process – I am currently accepting open VIDEO submissions for my live show. You can record yourself lip syncing the “I AM!!” part of the song and it will be considered to be included in the live projection during the Celldweller live show. Details here

Whats next for Celldweller?

With complete certainty I can assertively say I have no idea. I have so many ideas it’s more about having the self control to not let myself chase rabbit trails and fail to get important things done. Completing “Wish Upon a Blackstar” is a big priority as is improving and perfecting the upcoming Celldweller live show. ( This will be the first time I have toured in over 5 years. ) I also want to find time to read a good book. Send me some suggestions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks again for answering my questions Klayton (no you didn’t embarrass yourself) but you could have sang loud enough for me to hear. Hmph. You can find Klayton on Twitter here.

Catch Celldweller on tour starting Sept 3rd in Brooklyn, NY. I’ll be seeing him October 9th here in Toronto, where I will try not to embarrass myself.

Have any suggestions for Klayton’s next read? Leave them in the comments & I’ll be sure to let him know. (No Fabio either)