GIVEAWAY - REVIEW Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter @HQNBooks @genashowalter

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2012 | Series: Angels of the Dark

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless—and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before.Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

About the Author

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series and more than thirty other books. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (June 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776985
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776986

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Zacharel has lost his heavenly army and must now rule a group of fallen angels that resort to their basest instincts.  He is still pure and even though he is a ruthless fighter, he believes in the good of man.  Sent to protect Annabelle, locked away in a mental institution, battling demons that are fighting for her very soul.  Um, I hate to use this word, but she is literally battling those demons, although no one else can see them.  Yeah, and then Paris (you LOTU fans will know him as the lust demon) shows up, so of course he brings out the worst (best?!?) in virginal Zacharel. For those of you expecting a lot of crossover from Gena's other worlds, this is about as far as it goes.  Like Gena's other books, expect to get swept up entirely too quickly in this world of good versus evil and then dying when it ends. 

I have been hoping for an adult series of angels since the young adult market has recently been taken by storm with these creatures.  You get all of that mythology along with some really steamy romance that young adult can't touch.  Or course, there is the fun, snarky parts of the characters that peak through but not as much as some of Gena's other series.  This start seems a bit serious but I am anxious to see where this takes me.  Annabelle is one of the best female roles I have read in a long time.  I really hope that she will continue to have small roles in upcoming books.  Her interaction with Zacharel is really special and her strength after being so abused by demons is just stellar. This new series is a must read for any fan of Gena's previous books.  

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK? 

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address (sorry, no PO Boxes)

Contest ends on 7.9.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 7.10.12

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by HQN  PUBLISHING  and  ONE copy is available.

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BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter

Check out this Q&A to finds out what makes GENA SHOWALTER cringe? @genashowalter @HQNBooks @booktrib

PLEASE WELCOME GENA SHOWALTER TO BOOKHOUNDS

1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child? 


 The first Sweet Valley High book. Before that, I hated to read and refused to open a book unless threatened with a month-long grounding. My grades began to slip, and I was eventually held back a year. Desperate to engage my attention, my mother and grandmother took me to the bookstore and read the backs of books to me until that Sweet Valley High book grabbed my attention and refused to let go. I had to know more about those Wakefield twins, so, I went home, read the entire thing and was hooked. Of course, I had to have the second book, then the third and fourth, and so on. I’ve never looked back.




2. What are you reading right now? 


 I’m not actually reading a work of fiction right now. I’m working on revisions for my upcoming release Last Kiss Goodnight, as well as the rough draft for the second Angels of the Dark book, and I want to keep my focus on those characters.




3. How does your garden grow? 


 One upon a time, I managed to kill all the plants we owned. I’m no longer allowed to go near a garden. There’s even a restraining order, and it’s strictly enforced.




4. What is the last thing you Googled? 


 This is going to sound weird but my last Google was “vicious phrases.” I had a good reason, I promise!




5. What makes you cringe? 


 I hate, hate, hate when I hurt someone’s feelings. I want to curl under the covers, hide and cry. Seriously. I have a compulsion to make things right.

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2012 | Series: Angels of the Dark

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless—and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before.Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

About the Author

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series and more than thirty other books. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (June 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776985
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776986

Thanks so much GENA -- I didn't get all fangirl at all -- maybe just a little.  

Be sure to check out my review and giveaway posting today!

WoW Wicked Angels by Gena Showalter @genashowalter @HarlequinBooks

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2012 | Series: Angels of the Dark

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless—and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before.Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

About the Author

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series and more than thirty other books. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (June 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776985
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776986

OHHH -- I can't wait for this one!  I need some sexy snark soon!  I love Gena's vampires and others, but now she takes on angels?   

REVIEW: Dating the Undead by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe @HarlequinBooks

 Description

They're drop-dead handsome—and we're not kidding!Welcome to the first and only guide devoted to loving the immortal man in all of his furry, feathery, fiery glory. Here is a forbidden-fruit salad of features, fiction, fashion, and more, including:

–Lipstick on His Collar

Is your immortal just a little bit…immoral?

–Angel in the Kitchen

Heavenly dishes that don'y take an eternity to prepare

–A Kiss Is Not Just A Kiss

Immortals we crave divulge their lip-smacking turn-ons

–Undead & Well-Read

What's hot between the covers this month

–A View from a Guy

Zombie Jack's turn

–Immorstrology

Our indispensable guide to heavenly bodies


Details

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (December 27, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373892527
ISBN-13: 978-0373892525


SOURCE: PUBLISHER


MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

So, you want to date an undead, vampire, maybe a werewolf? This wonderful book has all of the answers for you. Written in a Cosmo style, magazine form, this witty little coffee table book will have your friends wondering about you if you leave it laying around. It really has a lot of meaning if you are a fan of Showalter's paranormal romances. This is also a great reference book for new authors wanting to do some quick world building and better understand the creatures of the dark. I don't think I have laughed like this in a long time!


If you have followed Jill and Gena around the web, it has all of the smart and witty humor they are known for and the best parts in the whole book are the PICTURES!  Each otherworldly guy is shown in (almost) full detail!  I have a whole new appreciation for Zombies.  Seriously, I never knew zombies looked this good. Those illustrations are worth the price of the book alone.  There are also some interesting recipes included which I don't know if I will have the nerve to try since most of the drink concoctions involve a lot of alcohol.

The video below is a bit long, but it gives you a great sense of exactly how they put this magazine together!

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: Dark Taste of Rapture by Gena Showalter

 Description

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter captivates with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, and a powerful AIR agent consumed by his desire for a woman he can never have. . . . With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure . . . or unending pain. . . .
Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped—and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.
When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

About the Author

GENA SHOWALTER is the New York Times and national bestselling author of more than twenty novels in a wide range of genres, including her acclaimed Alien Huntress series for Pocket Books: Awaken Me Darkly, Enslave Me Sweetly, Savor Me Slowly, Seduce the Darkness, and Ecstasy in Darkness.  Her fiction has appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen and has been nominated for a prestigious RITA, as well as the National Reader’s Choice Award. She is universally acknowledged to be “made of awesome.” Visit her website at www.genashowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition (August 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439175780
• ISBN-13: 978-1439175781

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

The story picks up where the last Alien Huntress left off with Ava and McKell about to marry and Noelle feeling like she just lost her best friend.  Noelle wishes that she could find someone like Ava has and *shocker* shows a bit of a softer side.  Noelle and Ava have graduated from their training and are now full fledged agents for AIR.  Noelle quickly solves a case through her wits and strength and moves on to another one where alien females are being abducted to be sex slaves.  She is partnered with Hector Dean who has a bit of a past himself and closes himself off to any thoughts of love since he has a physical secret that is deadly to those he loves -- or so he thinks.

Hector and Noelle have a love hate relationship and it is fun to watch them spar both mentally and physically.  The story takes a unique turn when it comes to virgins that might surprise you.  Hector makes the perfect brooding hero while Noelle's past of growing up in luxury was not all it appears.  The case that they solve together seems like the beginning a long and positive relationship. Dallas and Jaxon, along with Mia Snow, make brief appearances throughout the book. 

Wow!  I haven't had my toes curl or wanted to skip directly to the romantic parts in a story in a long time.  Showalter really stepped up the hotness in this one.  I really felt connected with Noelle and found myself memorizing bits of her dialogue to use at those moments where you need a good comeback.  She is smart and snarky with some unpleasant truths of her own that she is hiding.  I have a special place for Showalter's books and especially the AI series since it was the first paranormal romance that I read.  I don't think these books need to be read in order since each one reflects on a new character, but it would probably help to keep continuity.  I also recommend going back to read her YA Alien Huntress series, Blacklisted and Red Handed. 

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW: Ecstasy in Darkness by Gena Showalter

Description

New York Times bestselling sensation Gena Showalter enthralls with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, powers beyond imagining, and a seductive vampire undone by his insatiable hunger for one woman. . . .Growing up poor on New Chicago’s meanest streets, Ava Sans had two options: be the predator or be the prey. No contest. Now, working for Alien Investigation and Removal, she’s been ordered to capture the biggest, baddest warrior of all—a vampire too beautiful to be real, with the ability to manipulate time. Once the leader of the entire vampire army, McKell has been deemed savage and unstable, spurned even by his own kind.To McKell, humans should be nothing more than sustenance. Yet the petite, golden-skinned Ava is a fascinating contradiction—vicious yet witty, strong yet vulnerable, lethal but fiercely loyal. Against his better judgment, McKell craves that loyalty, and much more. When the chase leads to seduction, McKell and Ava will race to discover the truth about his past. But the answers will come at a price, even for a woman who thought she had nothing left to lose. . . .

About the Author

GENA SHOWALTER is the New York Times and national bestselling author of more than twenty novels in a wide range of genres, including her acclaimed Alien Huntress series for Pocket Books: Awaken Me Darkly, Enslave Me Sweetly, Savor Me Slowly, Seduce the Darkness, and Ecstasy in Darkness.  Her fiction has appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen and has been nominated for a prestigious RITA, as well as the National Reader’s Choice Award. She is universally acknowledged to be “made of awesome.” Visit her website at www.genashowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition (October 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439175772
• ISBN-13: 978-1439175774

 MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


YUM!  As Gena's Website says she is "made of awesomeness".  I have read almost all of Gena's books and if I haven't read them, they are on my shelf.  I first discovered the Alien Huntress series when I picked up Red Handed, I fell in love with all of the characters.  I know the series was first written for teens and I thought it was optioned for television show, but never heard any more about it.  Fortunately, you can pick up any of the Alien Huntress novels in the series and not be lost with the characters or world they inhabit. 

The story centers around Ava and McKell, a vampire that falls for Ava.  Ava is the kick-ass AIR (Alien Investigation Removal) agent-in-training.  She is sent on a suicide mission with her friend, Noelle, to bring in the vampire, McKell. Of course, McKell falls for Ava and they both try to uncover his past while trying to save the world.  There is another twist as well, with another agent , Dallas, trying to track down a zombie queen who is infecting  the population. 

OK, so I don't think I have given too much away.  The story is written with all of the snark and hottestness you have come to expect from this author.  Ava and Noelle's interactions alone are the stuff of one liners you will find yourself writing down to use on that special someone who annoys you.  McKell can be annoying but does redeem himself nicely towards the end.