Yes, there is life after TWILIGHT... (Mature Edition)

Hello grown-up TWILIGHT fans. You know who you are. (Shhhh....it's ok, I'm one of you). What are you reading now? If you're looking to recapture some of that Edward/Jacob/Bella magic and sexiness, take a look at these hot series. You won't be disappointed ;) And if you want more suggestions, check out this post for recommendations that are appropriate for teen-readers, too.

DEAD WITCH WALKING by Kim Harrison (click here for a "look inside")

"You'll love this bounty-hunter team. . A fun-fair ride through a fascinating version of our world." (Charlaine Harris, USA Today Bestselling Author of Club Dead )

DARK LOVER by JR Ward (click here for a "look inside")
"In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams."

DEAD UNTIL DARK by Charlaine Harris (click here for a "look inside")
Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out...Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea. A fun, fast, funny, and wonderfully intriguing blend of vampire and mystery that's hard to put down, and should not be missed. (Susan Sizemore)

Enjoy!!
Sarah

PS: If you haven't read the TWILIGHT series by Stephenie Meyer, you can read my review of it here. (Basically, we're talking about a gothic romance. Totally fun, moody, sexy, and incredible atmosphere. Think WUTHERING HEIGHTS meets Nora Roberts. Somehow they manage to be both chaste and sexy, which is why mothers AND daughters are loving them :)

Book Review: COVET by JR Ward

I'll start this review by saying that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Black Dagger Brotherhood series (also by JR Ward). They are my favorite sexy-vampire books. Even better than Twilight, although younger readers (and anyone that blushes easily) should probably wait a while before diving into Ms. Ward's books.

COVET is the first book in a new series by JR Ward. The premise is classic good v evil. Heaven and Hell are locked in an epic struggle for the souls of humanity. But it seems like the end is in sight. The fate of the world lies in the decisions of seven people (i.e. seven people with seven deadly sins). The first book introduces Jim Heron. He has been selected by Heaven to help find and guide the seven people into making the "right" decisions.

It's a good idea with lot of opportunities for sexy heroes and heroines. Plus Jim and his gang of Fallen Angels are pretty hot themselves. The story takes place in the same world as the Black Dagger Brotherhood so there are some cool cameos.

However, when push comes to shove, I'm not sure how I feel about this series. The world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood felt real immediately and this one feels a tiny bit contrived. The story flow is a little jerky and sometimes confusing.

However, I'll definitely read the sequel. Ms. Ward's other books are so good that it's worth another try. Plus, I'm a little intrigued by the Fallen Angels working with Jim...and the dog...hmmmm....

Click on the title of this post for an excerpt of COVET.

Recommendation: Three out of five stars. Fans of JR Ward should pick it up. Those interested in trying her out, first pick up DARK LOVER the first of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books :)

Enjoy!
Sarah

NOTE: Vampires scare Finn...although werewolves are totally cool.

Attention Romance and Paranormal Romance Readers!

Someone buys a Harlequin book every four seconds...that's right every FOUR SECONDS. So there's no reason to hide your love of romance novels behind a weighty "real fiction" hardcover or a flowered book sleeve.

Mandi, the blogger behind Smexy Books (click on title of this posting to go straight there), is the grand cheerleader of sexy, strong women finding sexy strong men. And she does't pull any punches in her reviews.

Smexy Books is packed with reviews, author updates, and even a list of "Smexy's Boyfriends" (they don't know about each other - and she wants to keep it that way). Today's posting is called "The Difference Between A Writer And A Storyteller."

Check it out and make Smexy a one-stop-shop for all info romantic :) (www.smexybooks.blogspot.com)

Slobbery Kisses,
Finn

ASIDE FROM SARAH: Smexy loves J.R. Ward's BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD books, which means that she has excellent personal taste :)

ASIDE FROM FINN: I prefer Katie MacAlister's AISLING GREY books...because of Jim the Newf, of course.

Vampire Fiction? Books to Try!

Hi everyone, Sarah here...

This morning, Finn dragged me down the stairs, up the street, across the deck and onto the beach. Usually we go to the beach in the afternoon so that we don't have a sandy, wet dog here at the store. But today that's not the case. I now have a shaggy, sopping wet Newfie sleeping under the Kids table. :) Silly Finn.

But that means that I can sneak onto Finn's blog and talk about a section in our store that gets more than a few funny looks and a lot of laughs...

VAMPIRE FICTION (cue creepy music)


In the last year, we've been astonished at the number of books about vampires that are out there. The genre covers everything from very steamy romances (J.R. Ward) to classic cop adventures (Laurell K. Hamilton) to silly light comedies (Mary Jane Davidson & Katie Macallister) to serious vampire-lore (Bram Stoker & Anne Rice). Plus my two favorite books of last summer, TWILIGHT (Stephanie Meyer) a wonderful romance written for young adults and THE HISTORIAN (Elizabeth Kostova) a serious, well-written piece of historical fiction.

So give the vampires a chance!

Don't be shy. Ask us about books by these and the many other authors that are exploring the serious, scary, funny, and sexy side of the night.

• Laurell K. Hamilton
• Katie Macallister
• Heather Graham
• Mary Jane Davidson
• Anne Rice
• Charlaine Harris
• J.R. Ward
• Christine Feehan
• Lyndsay Sands
• Brian Lumley
• L.A. Banks
• Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Bram Stoker

For Young Adult Readers...

• Stephanie Meyer
• Daren Shan
• Holly Black

The Smoke Thief: "Spellbinding, Dazzling!"

It's a chilly 34 degrees here on the Outer Banks today and Finnegan is curled up on the couch with his favorite toy, snoozing and watching Animal Planet. So I finally have a chance to sneak online and add my two cents to this blog! Finn generally hogs it all the time - he loves keeping in touch with everyone :)

I just finished a wonderful pair books that I recommend for anyone looking for a romantic adventure with a little bit of history and a whole lot of magic. For me, romance novels are like chocolate. Some are sweet, some have a little spicy chilli-powder in them, and others are darker. But when you discover Godiva (a lovely chocolatey combo) - you've gotta let everyone know.!

"The Smoke Thief" opens with a misty prologue describing an ancient hidden castle deep in the Carpathian mountains, dripping with gems and brilliant beauty. Then, as with many lovely things, the castle is attacked by Others and the castle-dwellers are wiped out...or are they? The story then jumps to England in 1737 and we are introduced to an accomplished jewel thief named Clarissa Rue Hawthorne and the plot thickens. (Follow the links below for a complete synopsis.)

I just LOVED this book. The characters are interesting and well rounded, and the action moves very quickly. I am always thrilled when I stumble across a talented author and Shana Abe has written many other books that I'll have to get my hands on soon. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Talk to you soon,
Sarah

The Bottom Line:
Title: "The Smoke Thief" and "The Dream Thief"
Author: Shana Abe
Genre: Historical Romance / Paranormal
Stars: ***
Why Read it: Good writing, strong plot, excellent romance, and lots of dragons
Reviews:

• www.bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.asp?bookid=6953
  

• www.amazon.com/Smoke-Thief-Shana-Abe/dp/0553804480