Sep 26, 2011

Melissa de la Cruz' New Blue Blood Book - Announcement and Contest

On Tuesday, September 27, Lost In Time book six in the young adult Blue Bloods vampire series by Melissa de la Cruz will be available. To celebrate this occasion Melissa is offering a signed copy of the novel to one lucky PVN reader. [See contest details near end of post]

The young Blue Bloods of Manhattan descend upon Egypt in Lost In Time

Having been forced to separate, Schuyler travels to Alexandria to search for Catherine of Siena and the Gate of Promise. But Schuyler quickly discovers that everything she believed about the Gate to be wrong.

Meanwhile, Jack makes the difficult decision to return to New York to face his twin and former bondmate, Mimi. But instead of a bitter reunion, he is faced with a choice for which there is no good option. Mimi, with a most unexpected travel companion in Oliver Hazard-Perry, jets off to Egypt, too, to search for Kingsley Martin, her long lost love. With all roads leading to Hell, Mimi learns that not all love stories have happy endings. But she'll have to put her own feelings aside if she's going to save her crumbling Coven.

Read an EXCERPT of  Lost In Time

Read a REVIEW of Bloody Valentine - three tales which center on characters of Melissa's young adult Blue Bloods series and highlight the romance and perils these immortals face.

See the Trailer for Lost In Time


CONTEST

* Melissa is offering a signed copy of Lost In Time to one lucky reader.

* Leave a comment about this post for a chance to win.
 
* Be sure contact information is included with your comment.

* Contest ends October 5, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

* Contest is open to US and Canadian residents.




Mel Is Coming to a
Town Near You!

 

 

September 27, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Denver!

The Tattered Cover Highlands Ranch
9315 Dorchester Street
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
303-470-7050
Reading and Signing Lost in Time!

September 28, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Utah!

Provo City Library
550 North University Avenue
Provo, UT 84601
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

September 30, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Sebastopol!

Copperfield’s Books
138 N. Main St.
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-823-2618
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 01, 2011 (2:00 PM)

Signing in Burien!

Burien Public Library
400 SW 152nd St.
Burien, WA 98166
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 02, 2011

Signing in Seattle!

Northwest Bookfest
Kirkland Teen Center
348 Kirkland Ave.
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-822-3088
Smart Chicks Tour! Author panels and signing!

October 03, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Ottawa!

Nepean Centrepointe Branch/Ottawa Public Library
101 Centrepointe
Ottawa, Ontario, K2G 5K7
Canada
Smart Chicks Tour! Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 04, 2011 (6:00 PM)

Signing in Lansing!

Schuler Books & Music
2820 Towne Center Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48912
517-316-7495
Smart Chicks Tour! Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 11, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Bethesda!

Bethesda Library
7400 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
240-777-0970
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 12, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Philly!

Barnes and Noble
210 Commerce Blvd
Fairless Hills, PA 19030
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 13, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Dallas!

Barnes and Noble
Stonebriar Center Mall
Frisco, TX 75034
Reading and signing Lost in Time!

October 14, 2011 (7:00 PM)

Signing in Houston

Blue Willow Shop
14532 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77079

Sep 23, 2011

Barbara Bretton's Paranormal series

Something you should know about Barbara Bretton (besides being an excellent writer) is that she is a an avid knitter who has also been known to pick up a crochet hook from time to time. In the Sugar Maple Chronicles, Chloe Hobbs, the heroine, owns a yarn shop, Stick & Strings,  gives knitting workshops, and gets to open sumptuous boxes of the loveliest yarns. This shop and its owner are rather extraordinary.

The setting is the charming Vermont town of Sugar Maple, a place surrounded by magic. All sorts of paranormals reside - ghosts, troll, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fae, etc. To the many human tourists, however, it remains simply a lovely place populated by extraordinarily good-looking people. (Chloe bears a strong resemblance to Uma Thurman).



As the first novel begins Chloe, a half human, has yet to come into the powers left to her by her sorceress mother. Complicating everything is Chloe's love for the fully human police detective Luke MacKenzie.

Book one is Casting Spells (Berkley, 2008). This novel sets the stage for what comes in the following Laced with Magic (Berkley, 2009) and Spun By Sorcery (Berkley, 2010)

In Laced with Magic the evil Isadora returns threatening to seize Sugar Maple and move it to another realm. Chloe had banished her once before in Casting Spells but this powerful fae is not ready to give up. She has harnessed her powers and is ready to battle Chloe by using the spirit of Luke's dead daughter as bait. Spun By Sorcery continues where Magic leaves off. The town of Sugar Maple has disappeared. A forest remains in its place as if it had never existed. Chloe immediately suspects Isadora, but her friend Janice does not agree and neither does Luke. Only a trip to Salem, MA will sort out this problem.

Each book has knitting patterns and advice as an appendix from Barbara and her knitting fanatic pals. Lots of fun. I am such a beginner at this craft yet when reading Chloe's chapters her love for it comes through so strongly that I want to pick up my needles and make something - something simple of course. Usually I put that off because the story is so engrossing that I don't want to stop reading. I have yet to find a way to do both things as once.

Note: Book four Spells and Stiches will be out in December of this year.

Review of Casting Spells

Review of Laced with Magic

Sep 20, 2011

Lynda Hilburn - Guest Post and Contest


PVN is delighted to welcome Lynda Hilburn author of The Vampire Shrink featuring the the hunky vamp Devereux. Lynda is also a licensed psychotherapist and a researcher of the occult. She has brought her considerable knowledge to imbue her paranormal fiction with a special richness. I read, enjoyed and reviewed the original edition of Vampire Shrink. I anxiously await the new one.  
[see contest details at end of post]


A Note to Readers from Lynda Hilburn


I want to thank Patricia for having me back on her wonderful blog in honor of the release of the British version of The Vampire Shrink (expanded/revised) this month!

A writer friend asked me recently why Devereux, my main vampire in The Vampire Shrink, refuses to join the 21st (or the 20th) century. Why he resists becoming “Americanized.” Why he doesn’t use contractions when he speaks.

The questions took me by surprise, because although I realize he’s stubbornly European, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to why I created him that way. But it really isn’t a mystery. I’ve been a rabid vampire fan since I was a kid. I grew up with Bela Lugosi movies and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I think I was simply programmed to expect powerful, frightening vampires to come from the “old country.” After all, that’s where most of our commonly known vampire superstitions originate. When it comes to the undead, I need a little fear along with my romance, and the “traditional” ideas of vampires sometimes seem more intense and scary to me.

As much as I have enjoyed reading almost all the vampire books that have been written in the last 50 years, I’m much more drawn to the bloodsuckers with exotic backgrounds.

Of course, I write a lot of contemporary, American-speaking secondary-character vampires, too. In fact, in a scene I just wrote for the new book #2 in the series – Blood Therapy – my psychologist heroine, Kismet Knight, facilitates a group therapy session with several neurotic American vampires. It was so much fun to write.

But then, who am I kidding? I love all vampires. The dark, brooding ones. The snarky, clever ones. The monsters. How about you? Which ones are your favorites?


Excerpt: Vampire in the waiting room . . .

I met with a few more clients that afternoon and early evening and had just kicked off my shoes when I heard the door to the reception area open. I quickly scanned my appointment book to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anyone. Finding I hadn’t, I put my shoes back on and opened my office door.

Sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room was the very same gorgeous, blond-haired, leather-clad man I’d seen outside my building and in Midnight’s drawing.
My stomach lurched and I think I gasped out loud.

He stood when I opened the door and it was fluid motion, as if he had simply willed himself vertical. His body was all lean muscle radiating some kind of primal power. He moved elegantly over to me and gave a slight bow of his head. He offered the kind of smile that made my Inner Nerd want to fan herself and hide in the closet.
Dressed in black, his snug leather pants, form-fitting silk T-shirt, and long leather duster gave the impression of high fashion rather than Harley-Davidsons.

I froze in the doorway with my mouth hanging open, speechless, staring into the most amazing pair of turquoise eyes I’d ever seen.

He picked up my hand gently and kissed the back, his lips soft and silky. “I am Devereux. Is this a good time for an appointment?”

So many emotions slammed against each other inside me that I didn’t know which one to act on first. Fear decided to step to the front of the line and my mind began to weigh options in case the man physically attacked me. He didn’t seem menacing at the moment, but he was much bigger and stronger than me, and I hadn’t spent nearly enough time in the gym. Hell, I hadn’t spent any. Obviously, he had.

My heart raced and I still hadn’t formed a coherent sentence or done anything beyond stare at him like a zombie. What was happening to me? My eyelids felt as though they were coated with cement, my jaw sagged open, the air suddenly became thick, and a sumo wrestler was pounding on my chest. The normal background white noise acquired a sharp edge and turned into a persistent buzz, vibrating in my ears. I felt as if I was in some kind of trance.

“I am very sorry.” He took a step back from me and released my hand. “I have frightened you. That was never my intention – sometimes I forget how intense we can be. You must be a keenly sensitive individual. I will endeavor to control myself. Please accept my sincere apologies.”

You will endeavor to control yourself? I’m the one having the meltdown here.
He lowered his gaze for a moment, and when he met my eyes again, the tension drained from my muscles and I could breathe. It felt as though a switch had been thrown and I was once again in charge of my bodily functions. I could still hear the hum in my ears, but it had diminished in volume. I ran my tongue over my very dry lips.

“You did startle me. I wasn’t expecting anyone this evening.”

“Again, my sincere apologies.”

Both times I’d seen this man, he’d caused my anxiety levels to blast through the roof. I wanted to scream at him that it was absolutely not acceptable he’d come unannounced to my office, and that his habit of lurking around me was going to earn him a trip to the police station. He was altogether too sure of himself. I wanted him to know he couldn’t just stroll in and expect me to drop everything and attend to him. No matter how gorgeous he was.

Instead, I swallowed the irritation, opted for whatever remnants of professional demeanor I could summon, and said, “Well, Mr. Devereux, why are you here?”
“Just Devereux.” He cocked his head and flashed that godlike smile again. “As I mentioned a moment ago, I had hoped this would be a good time for our appointment. I trust Midnight told you I wished to meet with you?”

His voice was unusually pleasant. The timbre of it flowed through me like a favorite song, as if I were listening to him with my entire body. He had a lilting European accent, sounding almost old-fashioned, like he’d stepped out of another century. Strange how a voice could be so enticing.

I closed my eyes and sniffed the air. What was that wonderful aroma? It seemed to hover around him like an olfactory aura. Maybe he used a special kind of soap or shampoo, something spicy and masculine and unusual.

He brushed a finger lightly along my arm. “Dr. Knight?”

My eyes flew open and I realized I’d been standing there, blatantly reveling in his scent, making sniffing noises. How embarrassing. What the hell is wrong with me? Come on, Kismet. Talking has always been your strong suit. Just one word at a time. Concentrate.


Bio:

Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes vampire books. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot reader, university instructor and workshop presenter.

Her first novel, “The Vampire Shrink”  -- which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld -- was first released in 2007 and is being re-released (the rewritten, expanded version) by Quercus Books in 2011 and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak in 2012. Several more books are planned.

“Undead in the City,” an erotic paranormal novella, and “Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker,” a satire/parody, are now available in e-form from Amazon.com. Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009. For more information, visit Lynda’s website:  www.lyndahilburnauthor.com

The kindle version of The Vampire Shrink (British version) is available on both sides of the pond. Here’s the Amazon.com link: http://amzn.to/oFWvV3


        CONTEST

* Lynda is offering a copy of  the British version of  The Vampire Shrink, to one commenter.

* Leave a comment for Lynda about this post for a chance to win.
 
* Be sure contact information is included with your comment.

* Contest ends Sept. 27, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

* Contest is open to residents of the USA, Canada and UK.

Sep 12, 2011

Susan Blexrud - Guest Post and Contest




It is such a pleasure to welcome author Susan Blexrud back to PVN. Black Fang, the fifth book in her terrific paranormal romance series has just been released. She's here to give readers some background for this latest adventure, provide a preview, and also offer a contest. [see contest details at end of post]




  
Let’s Talk BATS


I’ve always liked these furry little mammals, and yes, they’re mammals, not rodents.  Even when I was a little girl and my mother would warn me that if I didn’t come home before the bats came out for their nightly feeding, they’d fly in my hair, I still thought they were cool.  I’d run home with my hands covering my head lest one of the creatures mistook me for a snack.  I’d look up and watch their aerial acrobatics, the way they never flew in a straight line and could dodge and dive on a dime.  They never dove at me.  Thus began my fondness for bats.

In December 2010, I read a newspaper feature in The Orlando Sentinel about white-nose syndrome, a fungus that is decimating bat populations.   These beneficial animals keep the mosquito population at bay and are master pollinators, but this mysterious fungus is threatening their very existence.  From New England and into the central states, the fungus is spreading through caves, causing bats to be disoriented, interrupting their hibernation, and ultimately killing them.  There is no cure, and it is spreading like wildfire.

So, I got to thinking.  Who could save the bats?  Sure, the Environmental Protection Agency was working on the fungal scourge, but what about the creatures that had a real vested interest in the survival of bats?  That would be VAMPIRES.   If bats were threatened, wouldn’t vampires in bat form also be vulnerable to the deadly virus?  And if vampires were involved, who would try to thwart their plans?   How about the vampires’ most stealthy enemy, Unseelie faeries?

The fifth story in my fang series, Black Fang, debuted in August.  Here’s the blurb and an excerpt.


                BLURB

Someone is deliberately infecting bats with a deadly fungus.  The flying mammals are dying by the thousands, and along with them, a significant number of vampires in bat form have also succumbed.
Enter John and Lauren Wright.  The vampire couple has conquered evil enemies in the past, but the perpetrator behind the bat deaths is more cunning than any they’ve encountered.  Though John initially suspects that werewolves are the culprits, he discovers he is up against a colony of Unseelie faeries.   The intoxicating scent of the faeries has been known to deceive vampires, pitting friend against friend—and wife against husband. 

                EXCERPT

John and Teensy landed in the palace’s kitchen, where the cook promptly began beating John on the head with a wooden spoon.
    “Stop!”  He rubbed his cranium.  “We’re here to see the king.  He’s expecting us.”
    “Well, you have a strange way to make an entrance.”  The cook, wide as she was tall, gave John the stink eye.
    “My fault,” said Teensy, dusting off her hot pink sweatpants.  “I must have used one spider leg too many in the potion.  I was aiming for the banquet hall.”
    “You’re right under it,” the cook said as she nodded to a vaulted doorway.  “Take those steps.  I’m sure you’ll be a big hit.”  She swatted John on the butt with her spoon as they passed her.  “Or at least the gorgeous guy will.”
    They hurried up the steps with Teensy chattering instructions along the way.  “Stay close to me when we get in the hall.  I may need to whisper, and I’ll be able to feel if you’re inching to the dark side.”
    “I won’t let them get to me.”
    “Right.”  Teensy tugged on John’s sleeve.  “Don’t get cocky.”
    They burst into the banquet hall.  John counted eight guards stationed at the doorways and then focused on the dais.  The king was seated at his throne with a lovely, and very naked, faery maid sprawled face down/butt up across his lap.  He was spanking her vigorously with his bare hand while two other faeries bounced around them, obviously enjoying the show.  Lauren was standing next to the seated king, a smile as big as the Florida sun on her face.
    “Lauren!”  John called as he walked toward her, his hand held out.  “Come to me, my love.”
    She looked at him and clapped her hands.  “Wow, you’re cute!”
    Teensy, who was attached to John like a pilot fish on a shark, said, “Egad, it’s worse than I thought.  She has no idea who you are.”
    John stopped at the bottom step that led up to the throne.  He sensed the guards circling him and getting closer as he approached the king.  Again, he said, “Lauren, come to me, my love.”  His heart pounded in his ears.  She looked so beautiful…so vulnerable…and so clueless.
    “My, my, you got here quickly, and uninvited, at that.”  The king pushed the faery off his lap, rose from the throne, and put his arm around Lauren’s shoulder.  John stiffened as she leaned into the king.
    “This ain’t gonna be easy,” Teensy whispered.
    John waited until Lauren’s eyes met his.  “Avery misses you.”
    Lauren cocked her head, and Teensy took advantage of the brief spark of recognition in Lauren’s eyes to throw a handful of sparkly dust in Lauren’s direction.  She sneezed.
    “Seize them,” the king shouted to his guards.


CONTEST


*Now, here’s a contest.  One commenter will receive a download of my new e-book novella, Black Fang.  

*Just go to my website and look for my time travel novel.  Tell me the name of the novel in the PVN comments,  and you’ll be entered to win Black Fang.    

My website is: www.susanblexrud.com


* Be sure contact information is included with your comment.
* Contest ends September 26, 2011 at 11:59pm EST
* Contest is international.


Buy Black Fang at
www.fictionwise.com
www.allromanceebooks.com
www.thedarkcastlelords.com


Many Thanks,
Susan Blexrud

Sep 10, 2011

Black Fang - A Vampire Book Review

Black Fang 
by Susan Blexrud
DCL Publications, 2011


When we first met Lauren and John in Love Fang  she was a dentist called in to take care of John's infected fang - yes, even vampires have problems. Despite the unromantic circumstances there was an instant attraction and they fell madly in love. This led to lots of hot, spicy sex, marriage, Lauren's change to vampire status, and a baby named Avery.

In Black Fang  their cozy life is interrupted when a tiny bat crashes through a window of their home. With difficulty the little creature morphs into his natural vampire state. The vampire is very ill but before he meets true death he warns John, a centuries old friend, of a conspiracy to to destroy vampires as well as the bat community. John, Lauren and a few select others join forces to find the perpetrators. Werewolves are at the top of the list of suspects, but are soon eliminated when another, older paranormal sort seems more likely.

Black Fang is book five in Susan's sexy, romantic Fang series. Susan blends a tale of intrigue, humor, appealing characters, and of course love. In fact it is the loving relationship between Lauren and John that I find so very captivating. The novella length story provides the perfect lazy afternoon read.

Note: The paperback version of Love Fang includes the first four stories of the Fang series.


[Stop by on Sept 12 for a guest post and contest with Susan Blexrud.]

Sep 2, 2011

New Vampire Book Releases for August 2011

August brings a variety of vampires as portrayed by such writers as Susan Blexrud, Jeanne C. Stein, Carrie Vaughn, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. There is also Evolve Two, an anthology about vampires of the future edited by Nancy Kilpatrick. One more thing - I included Richelle's Mead's latest Georgina Kinkaid book, Succubus Revealed, because not only is it part of a terrific series but two of Georgina's best pals are vampires. Enjoy!



Another Kind of Dead
Kelly Meding
Bantam; Original edition (August 2, 2011

She can heal her own wounds. She can nail a monster to a wall. But there’s one danger Evangeline Stone never saw coming.

Been there. Done that. Evy Stone is a former Dreg Bounty Hunter who died and came back to life with some extraordinary powers. Now all but five people in the world think she is dead again, this time for good—immolated in a factory fire set specifically for her. Evy and Wyatt, her partner/lover/friend, can no longer trust their former allies, or even the highest echelons of the Triads—the army of fighters holding back from an unsuspecting public a tide of quarreling, otherworldly creatures—they can trust only each other. Because when the Triads raided a macabre, monster-filled lab of science experiments and hauled away the remnants, they failed to capture their creator: a brilliant, vampire-obsessed scientist with a wealth of powerful, anti-Dreg weaponry to trade for what he desires most of all—Evy Stone: alive and well, and the key to his ultimate experiment in mad science.





Black Fang
Susan Blexrud
DCL Publications, August 17, 2011
ebook

Someone is deliberately infecting bats with a deadly fungus. The flying mammals are dying by the thousands, and along with them, a significant number of vampires in bat form have also succumbed.

Enter John and Lauren Wright. The vampire couple has conquered evil enemies in the past, but the perpetrator behind the bat deaths is more cunning than any they’ve encountered. Though John initially suspects that werewolves are the culprits, he discovers he is up against a colony of Unseelie faeries. The intoxicating scent of the faeries has been known to deceive vampires, pitting friend against friend—and wife against husband. 


Blood Hunt: The Sentinel Wars
Shannon K. Butcher
Signet; Original edition (August 2, 2011)

Hope appeared out of nowhere, naked and alone, a woman without a past. The only thing she knows is that she is imbued with a strange power. It's in her blood. And two men want to posses it. One is Logan, a Sanguiner demon-fighter who needs Hope's essence to survive. The other is Krag, a Synestryn lord whose desire is to enslave Hope, and drain her of the lifeforce. When Hope and Logan both fall prey to Krag, a powerful desire grows between them. But is it enough to thwart their captor's diabolical plan and his demon warriors, and survive a vampire's destiny written in blood?



Blood Ties (A Blood Coven Vampire Novel)
by Marianne Mancusi
Berkley Trade; Original edition (August 2, 2011)

Officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. When darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny must make a choice: stay true to her love, or defy him in a desperate attempt to save Jayden's soul.

Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up its toughest fight yet. They are going head-to-head with a splinter group of Slayer Inc. that's regrouping in Tokyo, Japan--still determined to take over the world.

In dark blood bars and hidden temples, it'll be vampires versus slayers in a showdown that could not only cost Sunny her heart...but also her life.






Bloodlands
by Christine Cody
Ace; Original edition (July 26, 2011)

It was called the New Badlands, home to the survivors of a cataclysm that altered the entire nation. Then the vampires arrived, and it was rechristened the Bloodlands. Not because of the vampire, but because of the gun-for- hire who'd decided to slay every monster in the country by any and every means necessary.








Bloodlines
Richelle Mead
Razorbill (August 23, 2011)

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.



CROSSROADS
by Jeanne C. Stein
Ace (August 30, 2011)

As a bounty hunter, Anna Strong knew how to find trouble. But now that she's a vampire, trouble seems to have a knack for finding her... 

The death of Anna's old vampire mentor is causing ripples in the mortal world. His forensic report has brought up some anomalies and people are asking questions-questions that no vampire wants to answer. Anna needs to lie low, but the sudden discovery of a slew of drained bodies near the Mexican border brings an old flame back into her life and with him, a new challenge. Then, some stunning news from an unexpected source sends Anna and her friend Daniel Frey on a journey that may change both their lives-forever.


Dark Passages 
by Kathryn Leigh Scott
Pomegranate Press (August 9, 2011)

Dark Passages is a coming-of-age story encapsulating the romance and innocence of JFK’s Camelot era and the tumultuous "dark passages" of Meg Harrison, a vampire raised by her mother to resist the temptation of human blood. Meg arrives in New York determined not to use her vampiric gifts to fulfill her dream of becoming an actress. She joins the cast of the cult hit Dark Passages, only to face her nemesis, a beautiful 300-year-old witch bent on destroying her. Their rivalry leads to a final confrontation as the telekinetic vampire and spell-weaving sorceress engage in a spectacular battle for supremacy. It takes all of Meg’s wit and tenacity to defeat the witch and win the affections of a handsome young mortal with a secret life of his own. In the end, Meg realizes that the powers she always denied within herself are not a curse, but a blessing.





Darkness Descending: A Novel of the Vampire Armageddon 
by Devyn Quinn
Signet; Original edition (August 2, 2011)

Fallen angels in the form of vampires are infecting humans one by one, creating an army fit for Armageddon. Jesse Burke, driven by vengeance to destroy the vampiric angels, has been protecting New Orleans from the onslaught, unaware that she has a much greater destiny awaiting her in the face of the oncoming apocalypse...






Evolve Two: Vampire Stories of the Future Undead
edited by Nancy Kilpatrick
Edge, August 15th 2011

Meet the eternal predator that humanity never ceases to find both fascinating and terrifying. Evolve 2: Vampire Stories of the Future Undead moves this creature beyond 2012, through this century and into the next. We humans will evolve, but so will they! Whatever apocalyptic events that lie ahead for our species, for the planet, vampires will be there too, helping or hindering, effecting or infecting us. Time is on their side, but it may not be on ours.
Featured authors include: Tanith Lee, Kelley Armstrong, John Shirley, Thomas Roche, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Heather Clitheroe, Erika Holt, Ivan Dorin, Michael Lorenson, Jason Ridler, David Beynon, Eileen Bell, Peter Sellers, Sandra Wickham, William Meikle, David Tocher, Leanne Tremblay, Ryan McFadden, Steve Vernon, Bev Vincent, Anne Mok, and Sandra Kasturi.



Home Improvement: Undead Edition
Edited by Charlaine Harris, Toni L. P. Kelne
Ace Hardcover; 1 edition (August 2, 2011)

The editors of the New York Times bestselling Death's Excellent Vacation bring home a new collection...with a never-before- published Sookie Stackhouse story!

There's nothing like home renovation for finding skeletons in the closet or otherwordly portals in the attic. Now, for any homeowner who's ever wondered, "What's that creaking sound?" or fans of "how to" television who'd like a little unreality mixed in with their reality shows, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner return with an all-new collection of the paranormal perils of Do-It-Yourself.

Sookie Stackhouse resides in these pages, in a never-before-published story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris. And New York Times bestselling authors Patricia Briggs, James Grady, Heather Graham, Melissa Marr, and nine other outstanding writers have constructed more frightening and funny fixer-upper tales guaranteed to shake foundations and rattle readers' pipes.
 

Kitty's Greatest Hits 
by Carrie Vaughn
Tor Books; First Edition edition (August 16, 2011)

The first-ever story collection from the New York Times bestselling author, including two all-new works!

Kitty Norville, star of a New York Times bestselling series, is everybody’s favorite werewolf DJ and out-of-the-closet supernatural creature. Over the course of eight books she’s fought evil vampires, were-creatures, and some serious black magic. She’s done it all with a sharp wit and the help of a memorable cast of werewolf hunters, psychics, and if-notgood- then-neutral vampires by her side. Kitty’s Greatest Hits not only gives readers some of Kitty’s further adventures, it offers longtime fans a window into the origins of some of their favorite characters.

In “Conquistador de la Noche,” we learn the origin story of Denver’s Master vampire, Rick; with “Wild Ride,” we find out how Kitty’s friend T.J. became a werewolf; and in “Life is the Teacher,” we revisit Emma, the human-turned-unwilling-vampire who serves the aloof vampire Master of Washington, D.C.

This entertaining collection includes two brand-new works: “You’re On the Air,” about one of Kitty’s callers after he hangs up the phone; and the eagerly awaited “Long Time Waiting,” the novella that finally reveals just what happened to Cormac in prison, something every Kitty fan wants to know.




Lord of the Vampires (Harlequin Nocturne)
by Gena Showalter
Harlequin (August 23, 2011)

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out….

Nicolai the Vampire was renowned for his virility, but in a twist of fate "The Dark Seducer" had become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remained was a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who could help him.
In her dreams, a wanton vampire called to Jane Parker, drawing her to his dark sexuality and his magical realm. But for a human, all was not a fairy tale in Delfina. Jane was the key to Nicolai's memory…but exploiting her meant dooming the only mortal he craved





 Master of Shadows (Berkley Sensation)
by Angela Knight 
Berkley; Original edition (August 2, 2011)

Court seducer La Belle Coeur has met her match in Tristan, a Knight of the Round Table unafraid of blood-or lust. Joining together to combat a werewolf wizard and sworn enemy of Arthur, they must put their lives on the line-while coming to grips with the rising heat between them





The Moonlight Brigade
by Sarah Jane Stratford
St Martin's Griffin, August 2011

When a vital member of the British millennials' mission goes missing after an intense firefight with Nazi-supported vampire hunters, Mors, the mission's powerful leader, vows to discover the truth behind his disappearance. The perilous search takes Mors from Berlin to his own ancient stomping grounds - Rome.

Mors was once one of the Roman Republic's greatest generals - until his rebirth as a vampire under unprecedented circumstances - and when he sees Italy under Fascism, he forms a new mission: to return the country to a true republic, and perhaps guide its people into the light himself.

But it will take collaboration with human partisans to achieve his new dream, a dangerous alliance that most vampires would never attempt, made even more unstable by his growing love for the partisans' beautiful and brave organizer, Giulia. As the Allies prepare to invade Italy, and hunters and Nazi-collaborators start to encircle him, Mors's quest for vengeance, intense passion, and hunger for power force him to confront the demons of both his past and present. A very different war is about to begin...


 


One Grave at a Time: A Night Huntress Novel by Jeaniene Frost
Avon (August 30, 2011)

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving-leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.









Plain Fear: Forsaken
by Leanna Ellis 
Sourcebooks Landmark (August 1, 2011_

"Not Death, But Love."
Pain choked off anymore words. She grabbed the cold stone marker for support, splayed her hands across its front as a sob wrenched free from her chest.
Although she knows that the Amish way is to move on from grief, on to a new season, Hannah cannot move on from Jacob, who was taken too soon...






Real Vampires Dont Wear Size Six
by Gerry Bartlett
Berkley, August 2011

After Glory St. Clair kicked out the demon that had set up shop in her body, she had a serious fallout with longtime lover Jeremy Blade. But before Glory can win him back, she has some issues of the hellish variety to deal with.

When Lucifer himself offers Glory the ultimate temptation-work for the devil and he'll make her a size six-the curvy vampire's not sure if she can resist. But what Glory does know is that somehow, she's going to get back the man she loves and show everyone that real vampires always have more to love.




Retribution (Dark-Hunter)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (Author
St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (August 2, 2011)

Harm no human… 
A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.
Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief—Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meeting the man who killed her family: Jess Brady. 
A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster…
Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who’s assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on.
Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they’ve sworn to protect.





Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid, Book 6)
by Richelle Mead
Kensington (August 30, 2011)

Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations...to Las Vegas.The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle - and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it - no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won’t include the one man she’s risking everything for...




The Vampire Next Door
by Ashlyn Chase
Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (August 1, 2011)

In this third installment of Chase's lively, sexy, paranormal trilogy, we meet witch Morgaine, who is deathly afraid of the dark, and her vigilante vampire neighbor Sly, who has his reasons for hating sunlight. Sly needs Morgaine's magic to help heal a broken fang, but with further help, and sometimes hindrance, from the wacky apartment dwellers around them, they may become each other's last hope for a normal life...