Author Interview with Laura Bickle / Alayna Williams + Giveaway

Today I am beyond happy to welcome to Book Lovers Inc. one of my most recent favourite UF authors, who besides writing amazing novels is incredibly friendly and sweet. Please give a warm welcome to Laura Bickle author of the Anya Kalinczyk series (Embers and Sparks) and the Oracle series (Dark Oracle and Rogue Oracle) penned as Alayna Williams! 

If you would like to get an idea about Laura’s writing or the universe in her novels, you can read my review of Embers and Dark Oracle here on BLI.

Stella: Hi Laura, welcome to Book Lovers Inc! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
 
Laura: Thanks so much for having me!
 
I’ve worked in libraries, criminology, and technology for several years. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my chief muse, owned by five mostly-reformed feral …

Review: Embers by Laura Bickle

Format read: paperbackNumber of pages: 368 pagesRelease Date: 30 March 2010Publisher: Simon and SchusterSeries: Book #1 in the Anya Kalinczyk seriesFormats available: paperback, ebookPurchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Kindle store

Blurb:

Unemployment, despair, anger–visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit’s unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city.

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya–who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern–suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil’s Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya–with the help of her …

Dear Winners, Summer is Here!

Hey Everyone!

Don’t know what the weather is like in your corner of the world, but here in Hungary, Europe summer has arrived! For the past week it has been around 28-30 degrees, and I enjoy so much finally wearing summer dresses all week long, aren’t they just cute and make you feel pretty? As Barney Stinson in the very classic How I Met Your Mother said:

“You look good, you sun dressed up!”

“‘I can’t go 8 whole months without summer dresses!”

and believe me Barney, the feeling is mutual! ;-p

So this weekend besides cherry picking, playing with my little niece on the playground I spent most of the time reading outside in the garden either soaking up the sun or just enjoying the cool breeze in the shade. Don’t you just looove summer? I sure do! …

Review: Pushed to the Limit by Nico Rosso

Format read: ebook provided by the authorNumber of pages: 111 pagesFormats available: ebookRelease Date: June 6th, 2011Publisher: Liquid Silver BooksPurchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Liquid Silver BooksBook Blurb:

Teryn Pilander lives in a world of secrets. She is a Shadow Corps operative for the Core Army in the Limit War, trained in espionage. Her latest mission takes her to the planet Viela, drawn by a communication that the local government captured a Dusk Warrior Officer for questioning. More interesting than the message, though, is the voice delivering it. A little shy, but deep and strong, the masculine voice sparks dormant fires in Teryn. She tells herself that once the mission is over, she might put her spy self away for a bit and live a little as a woman.Drel Kol has secrets of his own. He is …

Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Another new week and another friday and even better the WEEKEND!!!

This week’s news we have covers and new books and Apple backing down (I think) about their recent rule change about apps.

First up we have news that Apple have changed their tune about their recent rule change about app subscriptions and that independent apps being used on their platforms. It looks like there will be room for companies, such as Amazon and Kobo offering their own content and links outside of Apple and therefore still provide and sell to customers. More info can be found here.

Borders is selling the older models of the Kobo reader for $60 – check here for info or to ask at your local branch.

Glee’s Chris Colfer has signed a major book deal with Little Brown Books for Young Adults. He …

Review: The Lottery by Alexandra O’Hurley

Format Read: E-Book

Number of Pages: 177
Release Date: 21 December 2010
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Formats Available: E-Book
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon

Book Blurb:

Living in a world where men were treated like a rare commodity, Ethan Spears did what he could in order to survive. But when the proverbial rug was pulled out from under him, desperate measures called for desperate actions. To save his sister, he entered The Lottery, offering himself to one woman for a year.Karlyn Bowman was a rebel in her family, choosing not to climb the corporate ladder in …

My Wishlist: the Absolutely-Must-Read-UF-series Edition

Hi Everyone!

Today I’m here to share with you all a slight part of my wishlist. Specifically a slice of my evergrowing UF series wishlist.

Urban fantasy is one of my favourite genres and I couldn’t be happier that I constantly discover new highly praised UF series and authors thanks to my fellow blogger friends.

So let me tell you about a few of my absolutely-must-read-UF-series!

Red Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (Sabina Kane series)

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she’s on. She’s never brought her work home with …

Review: "Trace of Fever", by Lori Foster

Format Read: ARC provided by publicist for reviewPublisher: HQN BooksLength: 400 PagesGenre: Romantic SuspenseSeries: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book IIRelease Date: May 31, 2011Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle, NookPurchasing Info: Author’s Website, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Borders, Chapters, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

Caught in the crossfire of vengeance and desire…

Undercover mercenary Trace Rivers loves the adrenaline rush of a well-planned mission. First he’ll earn the trust of corrupt businessman Murray Coburn, then gather the proof he needs to shut down the man’s dirty smuggling operation. It’s a perfect scheme—until Coburn’s long-lost daughter saunters in with her own deadly plan for revenge.

With a smile like an angel and fire in her eyes, Priscilla Patterson isn’t who she seems to be. But neither is the gorgeous bodyguard who ignites …

Genres 101: Today’s Lesson – Humour

There is nothing better to get you out of a funk than something that will make you laugh, so this week, as I battle a head cold in scary humid weather, I thought we’d take a look comedic writings. I need a good laugh right now. Normally, I stick with fiction but I figured it would be nice to add in a few non-fiction examples in this category also.

The big thing is: what makes us laugh? I have a strange sense of humour at times, so for me, sarcasm and irony blended with intelligent writing are the best mix to tickle my funny bone. Defined by Wiki (I’m going to briefly paraphrase here), Comic Fiction is writing that is meant to amuse the reader while making them think about controversial issues, using subtlety, puns, and a carefully crafted narrative style. I’m not sure if I completely …

Review: "Takedown", by Stacey Kennedy

Format Read: e-ARC submitted by author for review
Length: 29 pages
Genre: GLBT
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Formats Available: Kindle, Nook, e-Book
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Amazon Kindle, Goodreads

Book Blurb:

U.S. Marshal Wyatt Tanning has been on the hunt for a killer on the run in Turks and Caicos. A week into the investigation, he has absolutely nothing to show for his efforts. Feeling defeated he returns to Castillo Resort to drown his frustrations. There he meets UFC fighter, Rye Daniels. Now the resort’s bartender, Rye recognizes a man that has been beaten down, but he also senses a shared attraction that is hard to ignore. Wyatt might not be ready to step out from behind the shadow of lies, but Rye will stop at nothing to unleash the beast within.

My Thoughts:

Takedown is a 29 page m/m erotic …