Trade PBs from HarperCollins! Fabuloso Reads this Winter in Paranormal...

Does this look like a book I'd read ordinarily?  NO...  But, in keeping with my New Year's Resolution to read more books out of my comfort zone, I decided to take the HarperCollins challenge and read an assortment of their Trade Paperback books with a paranormal, urban fantasy, shapeshifting, etc., bent.  Here's what I found out:

"Tiger Eye: The First Dirk & Steele Novel" by Marjorie M. Liu~ Exotic setting of Beijing, China, exotic paranormal situation and an author of extraordinary talents to charm a reader!  This is a treasure hidden previously from the likes of me!  I'm not letting another Liu book get by me.  New, huge fan of hers and have to read the next Dirk and Steele novel which is now available.  I read an excerpt of this book; and, you can too on Amazon.  I was instantly caught up in it and had to run to my local bookstore to purchase the book!  Couldn't believe I was rummaging through the romance, trade pb section!  But, I was! :]  Quote:  "A smile on the face hides a dagger on the tongue."  Great book. 
5 stars

 

"Diaries of an Urban Panther": I know, this still doesn't look like something I'd read, right?  Well, I tried it, and it knocked my cute, jewel bedazzled flip flops off!  Violet Jordan, writer for a low-budget horror movie company avoids a pack of dogs/werewolves?  or is she one of them?  Witty, sharp and creative, Amanda Artista's characters flip off the pages to laugh with you in this paranormal romance.  Different from anything I usually read, but I'm in love with Amanda's "Stalker Boy," the beautiful male who saves her Violet.  I love Artista's writing style.

"Blood of the Wicked": Is it just me, or is it getting warm in here?  I think I'm blushing... Urban fantasy...my first bite.  
I found this futuristic New Seattle book awesome.  A time when "witches" have survived an apocalyptic disaster only to be hunted and killed by a ruling government order whose mission it is to execute them for crimes against humanity. Someone has to be the scapegoats. The covens have become the new terrorists according to the Order. This is a novel a bit gritty and with the use of sexually explicit scenes, which can sometimes be more than I want to fool with, but if you can get past that...a fabulous and infinitely fascinating story.  I want to read more from Karina Cooper.   I discovered I really like urban fantasy!

"666 Park Avenue": A cute, chicklit novel that's been out for a while, but I hadn't read it, and I loved it for quick and fun entertainment.  From the opulence and elegance of Paris's gilded hotels and fancy shops to a hamlet with mysteries deep in the French farmlands and Manhattan, this is a munchie morsel of paranormalcy fun.  Witchie!  Yum... It's a light read. Isn't the cover great?

"Halfway to the Grave": Here is a book I've had on my shelf for at least a year, along with the rest of the books in this series, and I hadn't picked it up to read.  So sorry I hadn't because when I did, I absolutely loved it!  Southerners know how to spin a yarn, and a Carolina girl raised on Saturday morning vampire movies can do nothing but grow up to write some of the best novels you're ever going to read.
Ohio~"Cat Raven" Halfbreed teams up with vampire "Bones" to track and kill rogue vampires.  Replete with ghosts who tell about murdered girls, and various other simply captivating moments, this is a fantastic book that paves the way for a not-to-be-missed series!
Perfectly priced, and on ebook, too.

"A Quick Bite": I first discovered Lynsay Sands's Argeneau vampires a couple of years ago.  I don't know why I haven't mentioned them before this.  I love her snappy dialog.  These vampires are so cool and so much fun.  The entire series just begs to be read, although I did find it difficult to keep a string of continuity when I tried to follow along.  Nevertheless, the characters themselves make Lynsay's books a delight to read.  I highly recommend them for good fun.

Here are some other suggestions for trade paperbacks from Harper Collins:

Sable Grace-ASCENSION
Kristin Miller-INTERVAMPTION
Janet Mullany-JANE AND THE DAMNED
Pamela Palmer- DESIRE UNTAMED
Jaime Rush - A PERFECT DARKNESS
Kerrelyn Sparks-HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONARE VAMPIRE
Juliana Stone - HIS DARKEST HUNGER
Joss Ware - BEYOND THE NIGHT
CL Wilson - LORD OF THE FADING LANDS

I've been reading that TPB's are selling at an all-time low volume these days, and it's a shame because they are still quite portable for those who like to read in this manner. The price point remains good for a published hard cover instead of an ebook.  Lots of people need and enjoy this size book for their libraries and for swapping. That's why I buy some of them.  I like to think of them as my "quick fixes."  Especially when I'm travelling and may forget a book along the way.  And, I like the covers in hand often better than reading an ebook.

Let us know who your favorite authors are that are published in TPBs.  

One of my newest favorites is Nalini Singh who wrote "Kiss of Snow."  I might never have ever read her if I hadn't checked into Harper's TPB collection this winter.

5 stars for Harper Collins!

Deborah/TheBookishDame

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"Blood Rights" by Kristen Painter ~ And all her bloody vampire darlings~

Published by:  Hachette Book Group/Orbit

Pages:  418

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal

Cover Rating :

What's not to love about this gorgeous cover?  And who can fail to see the message in it?  This is a paranormal book about vampires, passion and gorgeous people! The well-placed quote from well-known New York Times Bestselling vampire author Patricia Briggs says so on the cover! 

The golden tatoos, slightly soiled lacey dress with the red ribbon, and the girl's messy hair tell us she's not quite human.  The writing on the cover tells us about the book and the author in perfect font and placement.  And I love the silver, distressed frame with its ruby--blood stones.  Nearly hidden storm clouds only give us more subliminal reason to believe this is a dark tale of murder, death and vampires.

Perfectly wonderful book cover that entices me to read the book!

Rated:  A+

Summary :

House of Comarré series~
Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle’s body bears the telltale marks of a comarré — a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world…and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.
Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Something about Kristen Painter :

A little about me: I’m a former college English teacher, but I’ve held a crazy mix of other jobs including maitre’d for Wolfgang Puck, personal trainer, and sales for Christian Dior Bijoux.

On the writing side of things, I’m a two-time Golden Heart finalist and have been on the board of three different RWA chapters. What can I say? I like getting involved. I’m not adverse to bossing people around either.

My forays into writing have been as varied as the jobs I’ve held. I’ve written poetry, articles for magazines, short stories, paranormal romances (that include fantasy, contemporary and steampunk genres) and now I’ve found a home with urban fantasy. I love worldbuilding and few genres give you the kind of license urban fantasy does.
I’m also the co-founder of the award-winning writer’s site Romancedivas.com. I blog occasionally at www.fictionistas.blogspot.com and tweet at twitter.com/Kristen_Painter more often than I should. You can also find me on my Facebook author page here: www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor
I live in FL with my retired Air Force husband and a horde of feline dependents.

Here's another, more recent picture of Kristen at a New York conference and book signing standing by her book banner!  She said she found out when you wear fangs, people want you to bite them!  LOL  Doesn't she look cool?

Something About Kristen's Characters:

Chrysabelle~is a comarre'.  She is the female protagonist of "Blood Rights" and the others of Kristen's follow up books in this series.

                    A comarre is a "hybrid human bred to be a blood slave of vampire nobility."  They are geisha/courtesan-like and almost angelic in their bearing and gentle ways.  Kristen said she wanted Chrysabelle to be almost religious in her dealings and routines.

Malkolm~  Tortured vampire nobility. He is the male primary vampire protagonist who is a outcast destined to kill anyone from whom he drinks.  His victims are scrolled in different tatoos on his arms and turn to ghosts who torment him.

Tatiana~  Vampire nobility.  Wants to be the head Elder.  A bit crazy, very ambitious and dangerous to Chrysabelle, Malkolm and others.  She is after the special ring they all seek..but for evil purposes.

Maris~  Disavowed comarre'.  Chrysabelle's aunt and founder of a cosmetics industry.  She's the sister of Chrysabelle's mother who died.

The Dame's Bloodshot-Eyed Review:

Kristen Painter's books are not for YAs.  They are adult books with a penchant for other worldly urban fantasy and fine storytelling.  (Though anyone can read them, of course!) She's a master at character development, atmosphere building and tension in a plot.  I loved her lush and gorgeous details that were in just the right increments; never over-blown and never over-the-top.  Kristen takes you on a magical tour with her interesting characters who you'll love getting to know in their complexities and in their torments.

I don't know why I'm on a vampire kick this month.  It just seems to be falling that way.  I miss Anne Rice and Lestat, I suppose.  There's still nobody who does it better than she does for me.  But, as a writer who isn't writing for YAs, I enjoyed Kristen's work very much.  She's in the category with Laurell K. Hamilton in my book, although Laurell is much more hardcore than Kristen.  I like that "Blood Rights" sets the tone for her other books in this series, and that we can expect a thoroughly engaging cast of characters with some new gadgets and new tricks to surmount.  In that sense, I think I've found a writer who can fill the gap for me for a while where my vampires are concerned.

Urban fantasy/paranormal is a new world for me, as I have said in earlier posts.  I'm learning to enjoy the new language and new worlds developed by this genre's authors.  Kristen Painter is an author who whets my appetite for the books.  There's not too much for me to digest at one sitting.  I feel comfortable getting to know her characters and their settings, and I feel comfortable in getting to understand how their travels will be bringing them through the next books to an overcoming of struggles and disasters.

Kristen Painter gets high points from me!  I loved her books, and I look forward to reading the newest ones coming up very soon.

4 stars...just wish they were in the larger paperbacks for my library

Deborah/TheBookishDame

Oh, no!  Orchid, Sweetie...how did you get here?  Isn't it past your bedtime?  The sun's coming up...I know you love Kristen's blood books.  I'll read them to you tomorrow night.  Promise.  Go to your coffin now, dear.

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Secret Confessions, New Books and Odd Things

A stack of new books which looked so much better on my camera than on this page--

The Bookish Dame is the very happy recipient of many ARCs and author's copies of books, so I'm spoiled in some ways, not often having to actually leave the house to purchase too many books.

Most often, if I want a book in hard copy for my library, I'll just order online and have it dropped right on my doorstep.  Convenient and cool.

Once in a while, though, I like to get out and shop for some of the newest books and first editions for my library. That's when I really have those "bookathon" long afternoons at the bookstore.  My arms ache with books, my eyes get blurry, my feet hurt and my stomach gnaws from lack of sustenance. I go in at about noon fueled on toast and tea, and don't show my biopic face again until closing time (10 PM).  In my town, there aren't too many who act like I do... :]   Eccentric, anyone?

All of the above works for me because I'm a bibliophile who's much of a recluse, anyway.  I do entertain company...  :]   If you're a reader, all's the better!  If you aren't, you may have some difficulty dodging my book stacks or seeing me over them.  Interior design:  Early English Professor/Dumbledore--messy--colorful--everything at arms reach...antiques and collectibles..a plethora of glasses 275 strength.

This past week, I had to get my own copy of:

I think we all know where this book is headed, don't we?

It's time to get your First Edition copy, you libraria aficionados!

Andrea Cremer's books are YA collectibles, in case any of you were wondering.  Also, I believe she has been optioned for movies.

First Editions are out now for this final episode in her trilogy, and the odd copy of her last book in hard copy is still out there.

"Switched: A Trylle Novel" #1 in the series

is about a girl whose mother decided when she was 6 yrs. old that she was a monster, and tried to kill her. LOL

Okay...what better way to start a trilogy that YAs will love!

The other rapidly following books:

"Torn" and "Ascend" feature just as gorgeous covers.

I thought I should be reading this book asap.

"Stolen Away" is Ms Harvey's newest book which

will entertain us with faery folk and their wicked ways. I sense another series here.

Released next week

To read an Alyxandra Harvey book is

 to enjoy like a great cup of latte. Yummy...

Historical Fiction: 15th century Spain...the Spanish Inquisition...Queen Isabella...Christopher Columbus, and a beautiful Jewish woman who helps the King's chancellor.

Beautiful, deckled-edged paperback, too!

"Jason Crow is a mix of Ironsides and James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux. Plenty of twists and turns along with an electrifying ending."

I was in the mood for some Southern murder mystery hard core!  This protagonist is an amputee who's looking for his dad's killer.

Deadly serial killer preys on children and single mothers looking for his "perfect" little family.  Strong woman crime scene investigator!  I love these type of novels...woman beats psycho killer at his own game, hopefully!

Some YA authors may think they're the first to come out with fairytale retellings...but, no!  Romance novelist, and award winner Eloisa James has beaten them to it with her fantastic and fun series of fairytale romances....   Have to have these just for the fun of it!  Little chocolate kisses for bedside decorations...  These are my secret confession books!

A young widow of Alabama trying to survive the (Damned Yankee!)Reconstructionists after the War...those scalawags!  Soon to be released.  I can say all this because I'm a Boston girl with roots in the South.  :]

Now~Not Shown In My Book Stack Above:

But purchased today...

If a book has these authors' names on its cover

I don't need to know anything else.  Do you?

"Rivals Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, Marion Zimmer Bradley

 and Elizabeth Kostova"  Really?

Get out of my way! 

This one got past me this past year, but I'm on it now...

What I'm reading just as soon as I post this feature.  I've been trying to read all of Kristen's book in this series. Shockingly good!

So, what are you reading or buying these days?  And, what do you know about the books I've just bought?

Better yet....What are your secret confession books??

Deborah/TheBookishDame

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Drake Vampires Are Outstanding!~The Chronicles Continue in "Bleeding Hearts" by Alyxandra Harvey

Published by: Walker Books/Bloomsbury

Pages: 367

Genre: YA Fiction

Cover Rating: 

First impressions are the lush red lips of the beautiful woman on the cover and the handsome man in the dark background gripping her by the throat. Even without the title, we know this is a vampire novel.I love the size of the couple and the hands that show tenderness, not violence.

The cover colors are soft and engaging. The baroque tatooish detail on the sides is interesting and makes for a beautiful, lacey addition. This also gives the cover a softness that counteracts the title, "Bleeding Hearts," telling us that the bleeding isn't a harsh thing but might be something more based in love; i.e., "my heart bleeds for you."

The font of the book title and author's name hints that this isn't a novel set in baroque times, but is a modern setting.

Rated: A

Summary:

As vampires from all over the world descend on the Drake farm for the Blood Moon gathering, security is ramped up. Lucy has been temporarily banned, for her own safety—and to allow Solange some time to adjust to her new existence. But their enemies realize how much Lucy means to the family, and plan to abduct her to use her for leverage against the new royal family. Instead, Lucy’s cousin Christabel is kidnapped by mistake—and Connor Drake immediately heads off in pursuit, but isn’t in time to prevent Christabel’s infection by the Hel Blar. He can’t save her human life, but he can still try to save her new vampire life, and is willing to put his own life on the line for the girl he has grown to care so much about. Can he save Christabel, the Blood Moon, and his mother’s newly forged Vampire Alliance?

The Dame's Review:
This is another fabulous sequel following the Chronicles of the Drake Dynasty of Vampires. I couldn't be happier to have found this series, and I'm such an avid fan now, I don't know what I'll do until Alyxandra Harvey continues on to the next one! I understand it's called "Blood Moon" and will be released sometime in June 2012...not soon enough for me and her other fans, I'm sure.


These books are nothing short of addictive.  I know you've heard about vampire books adnauseam, but you haven't heard it from me, because I'm so selective. These books are such fun, such good stories, and such great characters that you'll eat them up like M&M's and you'll find yourself craving just one more like I'm doing now. I'm throwing all my chips in for the Drake Family and Friends, I have to say, new favs. Harvey is a better writer than Meyer. She casts her spell with a gorgeous group of vampires, feisty friends, intriguing foes, and lots of unusual background information to keep it lively. Gothic details are lush.


In "Bleeding Hearts" what I found most enjoyable, aside from all I mention above, was Alyxandra Harvey's extensive reference to poetry in conjunction with the action around her new character, Christabel. So dark and gothic to hear Keats, Shelley, Coleridge and others quoted by the bookish cousin who is swept up by a vampire war without her understanding at all of the dark forces in Violet Hill. It was simply to die for! And I so enjoyed Ms Harvey's exotic introduction of new forms of vampire spawn; as well as viral reactions to different vampire saliva. Gruesome! Utterly inventive work and well-written.


When I first took on the review of "Bleeding Hearts," I wasn't aware it was part of an extensive body of work. Once I discovered that, I bought the soft bound copy of Ms Harvey's previous Drake novels in this beautifully covered volume, which I highly recommend as well:

This covers the first stories of the family

and gives a Drake Family Tree that's ever so helpful in keeping

 the gorgeous 7 sons, and daughter, Solange, clear in one's mind.

Each of these books is fantastic reading.

"Ruling Passion" is a prequel volume but you really don't have to have read these books to understand "Bleeding Hearts." Each of the books can stand alone. By the way, at the end of "Bleeding Hearts" is a once only published story about the first meeting of the ruling family heads, Liam and Helena Drake called "Lost Girls." Which proves the books can be taken out of sequence and still work.

Alyxandra Harvey is the consummate storyteller.  She pays homage to vampires of lore, but most importantly, she's able to introduce new fantasy-lines and characters that make her stories meaty and absorbing. It's a rare treat to be involved in a book that is new and can hold my rapt attention in this genre after 40 years of reading about vampires! Particularly rare in these days of  "vampiritis."  I relished Harvey's style, her manner of telling a story that moved along at a rapid, never boring clip, and that was atmospheric and romantic in the right places.

I highly recommend "Bleeding Hearts" to all my readers who enjoy a well devised vampire story with some gutsy new twists and beautiful characters.  And, I recommend they purchase all the books in the series for their library because I guarantee it will be a blast to read them all over a long weekend!  Great characters, great fun, great imagination and great series!

Watch this fun trailer:

 

Wasn't this fun?


5 swirling, dark stars


TheBookishDame

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Model & Mystery "Exceeding Expectations" by Lisa Smith ~ Young Adult Seeks Suicide Father's Past

Written by:  Lisa April Smith

Available as an Ebook:

  Amazon & Barnes & Noble

Genre: Literary Fiction/Mystery

Book Cover Rating:  C rating

First impression is that I don't like the horrible face of the man in the painting!  I'm turned off by an ugly face, so the cover doesn't excite me upon first glance.  It is painterly, though, so it tells me this must be about art.

A closer look--I like the dark red cover and the frame. I like that the painting is off-kilter on the cover, and I like the size of it.  The name of the author appears too small to see well. The title font is blocky but seems to work.

Not sure how the whole relates to the title of the book.  I think this might be a novel about an artist. I'll read the summary...

The Dame's Review :  Get past the cover!  This is a great book!

Charlie, a girl in her early 20's, is just another over-indulged, wealthy daughter of Palm Beach who's major concerns are horses, parties and gossip.  Then, her father commits suicide, her sister has a mental breakdown and her posh step-mother leaves them penniless.  The beautiful life comes to a dead halt, and Charlie, who never even learned to wash dishes, has to get a job.

When Charlie sets out to discover why her beloved, pampering father would abandon them, knowingly leaving her sister and her without a means of support, she discovers more than she ever could image about him, herself and her abilities to "exceed expectations."  She also discovers that PB society may not always get it right about love and class, when she meets and gets help from the brilliant young lawyer, Andy Garcia clone, Raul.  Armed with Raul's encouragement, her own pride and tenacity, Charlie uses her only skill; modelling, to help finance herself and her sister while she travels from Palm Beach to NYC, across the US and to Paris in search of some answers.

I appreciate Lisa Smith as a seasoned author with astute writing skills after having read and reviewed her "Dangerous Lies" last year.  She has a brilliance for conveying characters, and the intellectual capacity to place them in historical settings that sparkle with glamorous detail.

In fact, it's the authentic details of the time-periods that make it fun to read Lisa's book as it skips from Charlie's current days of the late 1950's and early '60's to the past Palm Beach and Manhattan, with hints of Sister Parish's posh interior designs, famous museums and artists, the fashions of different eras, vintage cars and high society parties.  Her historical and fictitious characters work in sync as they are perfectly set in these time frames, and midst the transitory madness of  WWs I and II Paris.

Lisa Smith's writing isn't over-blown with emotion and sappy romance; rather, it is sophisticated and subtle.  It's witty, fun and sassy.  There's love of family; and, there are affairs of the heart, pain and anxieties that accompany romantic relationships in difficult times, intrigue and madness. I loved this kettle of mystery and suspense that dominates her characters.

I'm a fan of Ms Smith's.  I love a good story with interesting characters, a mystery and a romance that's not over-the-top but that rests securely in reality.  I like foreign intrigue and the sophistication of art and society.  Most of all, I so appreciate an intelligent author of worldly experience!  If you do, too, you'll love "Exceeding Expectations."  This book has a sequel which I'm dying to read!

5 soaring stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame

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Dead Speaks~"In My Dreams" by Cameo Renae Author Interview included!

A Bookish Libraria is proud to be a new reviewer

for Dark Mind Book Tours

and to kick off my first review with:

Written by:  Cameo Renae

Located on:  Amazon.com/ Paperback or Ebook

Published by:  CreateSpace

Pages:  248

Overview:

It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something that seventeen year-old Elizabeth Hayes thought she'd outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he has been found... dead.
He has not crossed over because he was murdered, and now the murderer is after Lizzy. His spirit won't rest until she is safe. As a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy's dreams. When she dreams, it's as if he hasn't died.
Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events, and is faced with a most difficult decision. Would she risk her life to save her best friend and the very person responsible for Michael's death?
Meanwhile, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?

Quickshot on the Author:

Interview with Cameo:  Oh my gosh, you're here, Cameo!  So exciting to talk with you.  You're my first young adult author to interview.  :]

Welcome to A Bookish Libraria!

1) First of all, please tell us a special something about what makes you "tick." When you aren’t writing, what are you doing?
The first thing that makes me tick would be my hubby. *wink-wink* A close second would be coffee – with lots of creamer. It makes me tick and keeps me ticking throughout the day! Haha

2) You chose a specific genre, a place and time to write about, what made you choose it?
I chose the young adult genre because it seems to be the easiest and most fun to write (for me). Anything goes, especially with the paranormal, and because my kids are "young adults" they totally keep me current. They tell me if my writing is lame.

3) Please share with your readers where you like to write. Do you have a particular space or desk?
We recently moved from Hawaii to Alaska. (YES! I know we are crazy! Lol) So right now my favorite spot is anywhere there is a quiet space. As of now… it’s very hard to find! :/
What!?  Hawaii to Alaska!  That's going to be a culture shock!  I bet we hear a lot about that in your up-coming novels...  :]

4) In your opinion, what makes a book a great one?
When a book can whisk me away to a place where I want to stay, and keep me up till 3am, dying to finish it even though my eyelids are screaming to shut… that is a great book!

5) Which author(s) most influenced your love of books from childhood?
The one author that sparked my love of reading was C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia. Other favorites were the Nancy Drew Mysteries, Little Women, Lord of the Rings, Judy Blume, etc…

6) Read any good books in the past 6 months?
Yes! Too many to name. The latest was Beautiful Creatures. I loved it!

7) Please share with us the underlying message of your book. What would you like your readers to take away after having read the book?
The message I wanted to portray was that "Love Never Dies." I believe that when our loved ones pass, they are still with us – guiding and watching over us.

8) Were you able to keep your original title? What was it, if not?
Yes, I did get to keep my title because the book was self-published.

9) Is there a song or music in general that might best represent your book as a theme song?
Actually, there is a theme song, or at least I think it is. It’s called "See You in My Dreams" by Giant. You can Google it or listen to it on my website. http://cameorenae.com/

10) If you could write your book again, what would you change?
I would probably scour through it and change a lot. I haven’t read it in a long time and know I would most likely change and delete lots. As an author, I think I’d continue to find flaws… hmmm. I might just have to read over it again…very soon! ;)

11) What was the worst distraction you had to fight through while writing your book?
The worst distraction writing In My Dreams was finding time to actually write it. I had two full time jobs and two teenagers in high school (both involved in sports).
It was a crazy time. I can’t believe I found the time. Even my family was like, "How the heck did you do that?" I still don’t know…

12) What did you feel or think when you held the first copy of your book in your hands?
It felt like the first time I held my children in my arms for the first time. It was magical!

13) Tell us a secret about your book we wouldn’t otherwise know, please!
Okay, okay… Well – I started a new YA Paranormal Romance/Thriller Trilogy. I loved the idea of the Guardian’s of In My Dreams, so I carried that into my new novels. BUT… these new Guardians are totally hot and kick ass! Lots of action! Phew! – Coming soon! ;)

Thank you for bending to these busybody questions, Cameo! I love how your quirky, up-beat personality shines through.  Your fans are going to dying to get their hands on your new book!

Thanks so much for having me! It was a pleasure and the questions were totally fun to answer!

The Dame's Review in Summmary:
Cameo Renae writes for the YA audience with plenty of frenetic action and emotional high and low points that easily titillate the adolescent temperament.  The intense love of Lizzy and Michael, her primary protagonists, transcends the barriers of death and keeps Lizzy one step ahead of his suspected killer, who may also be coming for her. 

Cameo's book is a suspense thriller securely wrapped in the paranormal with beautiful, tragic characters, all of which is sure to make it a fabulous book for the YA genre, and for adult readers who like to step over that line into the young paranormal.

3 stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame

Enjoy this book trailer!

Cameo Renae lives in Maui, Hawaii with her husband and children. (She's recently moved to Alaska! Brrrr)

She loves reading great books that whisk her away from reality, even if for a little while. :)

Her interests are great love stories, anything paranormal, supernatural, magical, things with vampires, angels, mysteries, thrilling, suspenseful, and fantasy...(yes... she loves unicorns, elves, dragons and even trolls

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"Pretty" by Jillian Lauren ~ What's "pretty" got to do with it?

Published by:  Penguin Group/Plume

Pages:  288

Genre:  Fiction

Book Cover Rating:

Does this image of the pretty girl tell me much about the actual story I'm going to find in this book?  Not at first glance, though I can see she's in darkness and isn't making eye contact. 

The explosion of white...not sure if that's a firecracker/sparkler or a shattering of glass in the center of the cover...does add mystery, but I'm not sure how it relates to being "pretty." 

The font of the title in that explosion could be changed. Gets a little lost in the whole.

I wasn't familiar with Jillian Lauren as an author, but I could see by the size of her name that she was expected to carry the book by her name alone! Interesting...

I'm intrigued by the cover. I like the overall effect. I'm going to open the book and see what it's about!   B+ rating

The Dame's Review:

"There's a blaze of light in every word

It doesn't matter which you heard

The holy or the broken Hallelujah"

                                           Leonard Cohen



Jillian Lauren begins her brilliant novel with this gorgeous, well-known refrain, then she takes that Hallelujah and sings it as her story like a bird whose heart thumps to break through its throat. This is a magnificent book. It will take you through every emotion you have and some you may not have known you had.  Lauren is a wise woman with a truth to tell that will set you free of strings and things that may have tangled you up.  If you get this book, prepare to sit with it alone until the experience is over, and then email me, you'll want to talk.

Here is the story of the agony of a life held hostage by lost love.  Bebe learns early in life that all that matters is love, and when love is gone (in the form of her drunken father's death) hardly anything else makes life worth living. There's an empty place he's left and the earth-shattering pain around it won't stop.

When Bebe becomes a pretty young adult, she is inevitably drawn into a disastrous relationship with a jazz musician similiar to her father. She loses herself with him in drink and drugs, and their life spins out of control in a fatal car accident which kills him and leaves her broken physically, emotionally and psychologically. 

It is Bebe's story of survival and the savage battle for sobriety she fights that Lauren tells us in "Pretty." Having landed in LA with her boyfriend before his death, Bebe's scars, both physical and emotional, now leave her decidedly not pretty in a place mostly concerned with that image!  She gut-toughs it out thorough cosmotology/beauty school as she tries to find her way to another life, free from emptiness and pain.

This is a blazing, unpretty, fiercely honest look into the heart of darkness; the soul of a spiritually, heart broken young woman who believes she has nothing to live for.  Jillian kicks away all the toys when she uncovers the raw emotions and honest feelings of recovering addicts. But, she does it with such humor and panache it makes one laugh with joy when her characters "win" the smallest of victories, even when they do it on the wrong side of "right."

Lauren's use of the redemption of Jesus for the lost, and of people for one another is powerful in her novel.  She writes of it grounded in reality, and with humor, irony, insights into humanity, and with hope.  It's a magnificent tribute, and a characterization of the truth of spiritual health and power. 

Light plays a large part in "Pretty," and this metaphor lends depth to the novel and enjoyment to the reader as it's used to work through Bebe's different stages of awareness and well-being.  Just a brilliant mechanism in Jillian's hands.  We are constantly made aware of things coming full circle through her humor, as well. I had a great time reading this book.

This is a very likeable novel.  It's fluid, profound, filled with quirky, irreverent, loveable characters who are light-hearted, yet, deeply wounded at the same time.  It's a grand story of healing. It's a story of light and enlightenment, a story of lost and found love, and restored faith. There are messages here from each of the characters. 

I found a message of hope here for the many who wonder why they should take another step, another day, on this side of life.  I'm a forever fan of Jillian Lauren.  No wonder her name was so big on her book cover!

5+ shattering stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame

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