Monday, December 27, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

Book Discussion Night at Kimberly's featuring Lara Adrian's- Kiss of Crimson

A very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all followers and readers of Book Obsessed Chicks.
              This past weekend I just had my second Book Club Night where I featured discussion about the most amazing author Lara Adrian's second Midnight Breed book, Kiss of Crimson. I also had a twenty question trivia contest which the very intuitive Christine Cameron won. Congrats to Christine, who even brought Dante's dog "Harvard" to the evening!  Hope you all enjoy a look into my book night!
~KIMBERLY~


                                         Our Trivia Winner: Christine Cameron holding Harvard

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Day 6 of the Twelve Books of Christmas: A Dark Hunter Christmas by Sherrilyn Kenyon



                              A Dark Hunter Christmas is a short story by the most awesome author Sherrilyn Kenyon. It's not in print and can only be found on her website under the Dark Hunter tab.This is Dark Hunter, Gallagher's story. During his life, Gallagher was Jamie Gallagher, the son of Irish immigrants living in Chicago in the early 1900's. While a youth Jamie, in pursuit of making a better life for his mother and siblings, got caught up with the wrong crowd and became a gangster of sorts. As a young man he met and fell in love with Rosalie, the daughter of Portuguese immigrants. He marries Rosalie and attempts to make a better life for himself, but is cut down by police as he is trying to get to his wife while his wife is in labor.
                            Shot dead, he becomes a Dark Hunter, but Gallagher can't get his family out of his head and his heart seventy years later. When he saves a girl from being killed by Daimons and brings her to a hospital, he ends up meeting his great grand-daughter by chance and feels the loss of his family even more.
He also finds Acheron, the head of the Dark Hunters, at the hospital entertaining kids with Simi, Acheron's "friend". Acheron asks him to stay in New Orleans until the New Year to assist another Dark Hunter. Gallagher reluctantly agrees.
                             In the few days leading up to Christmas, Gallagher must come to terms with his loss and see what he actually has instead. With Simi's help. he just may do that.
                             This was a great short story. i enjoyed it immensely and would love to read more about Gallagher in the future.
Sherrilyn Kenyon's website:  http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/index.php
Sherrilyn Kenyon's FB group page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=2204905661
Sherrilyn Kenyon on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/kenyonsherrilyn

~KIMBERLY~

Day 5 of the 12 Books of Christmas- Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

                            

                                 Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is a very sweet story. We find Holly Nolan, a six year old who has lost her mother in a car accident. Holly's mother, Victoria, leaves custody of Holly to her brother Mark Nolan. Mark is a single and successful businessman living in Friday Harbor and he knows nothing of caring for a his six year old niece, but as Victoria wrote in a letter to Mark; "Just start by loving her. The rest will follow".
                             Holly is a bright young lady who hasn't spoken a word since her mother passed away. Even almost a year later Holly still remained silent, until she walked into the toy store owned by Maggie Conroy. Maggie notices the little girl, as well as her handsome uncle, from the start. While Mark looks for items for Holly, Maggie, a pretty twenty-something widow, shows Holly her "Fairy" house and tells her one of the fairies needs a name. She also gives Holly a shell and tell her to whisper into it when she wanted. Right in the store, after almost a year of not speaking and to Mark's shock, Holly begins to speak again. And there begins the story of the three....
                               I found this a very poignant tale but I wish it was longer. I wanted to see the relationship between Mark and Maggie really develop. If anyone wants a short Christmas read, this is definitely for them.

Here is an excerpt from Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas:

As anyone familiar with the Washington State Ferry system knew, ferry delays could happen at any time for a variety of reasons, including rough seas, low tides, onboard traffic accidents, medical emergencies, or maintenance issues. Unfortunately, a "necessary repair to a vessel safety feature" was being given as the reason for a delay on the Sunday afternoon departure.

Having arrived an hour early to get a decent place in the long parking lanes leading to the ferry landing, Mark was left with time to kill and nothing to do. People were getting out of their cars, letting their dogs out, wandering to the terminal building to get refreshments or magazine. It was overcast and misty, an occasional cold raindrop breaking through.

Feeling restless and moody, Mark walked toward the terminal. He was starving. Shelby hadn't felt like going out for breakfast that morning, and all she'd had in the apartment was cereal.

It had been a good weekend with Shelby. They had stayed in and talked and watched movies, and on Saturday evening they had eaten Chinese takeout.

A breeze whipped directly from the Rosario Strait, bringing a clean salty scent, slipping into the collar of his light jacket like cold fingers. A shiver chased down his neck.  He breathed deeply of the sea air, wanting to be home, wanting . . . something.
Entering the terminal, Mark headed toward the café, and saw a woman lugging a weekend bag to a nearby vending machine. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw her long streamers of red hair.

Maggie Conroy.
Thoughts of her had lurked in his mind all weekend. In idle moments, scenarios of how or when he might see her again had played in jaunty loops. His curiosity about her was relentless. What did she like for breakfast? Did she have a pet? Did she like to swim? When he had tried to ignore these questions, the fact of having something to ignore had made it all the more persistent.
He approached Maggie from the side, noticing the frown notched between mahogany brows as she studied the contents of the vending machine. Becoming aware of his presence, she looked up at him. The cheerful, quirky energy had been replaced by a vulnerability that went straight to his heart. He was caught off guard by the force of his response to her.
What had happened during the weekend? She'd been with her family. Had there been an argument? A problem?
"You don't want any of that stuff," he said, with a nod toward the array of glassed-in junk food.

"Why not?"
"Not one item in that vending machine has an expiration date."
Maggie scrutinized the display as if to verify his claim. "It's a myth that Twinkies last forever," she said. "They have a shelf life of twenty-five days."
"At my house they have a shelf life of about three minutes." He looked into her dark eyes. "Can I take you to lunch? We've got at least two hours, according to the ferry agent."

A long hesitation followed. "You want to eat here?" she asked.

Mark shook his head. "There's a restaurant down the road. A two-minute walk. We'll stow your bag in my car."

"There's nothing wrong with having lunch," Maggie said, as if she needed to reassure herself of something.

"I do it nearly every day." Mark reached for her overnight bag. "Let me carry that for you."

She followed him from the terminal building. "I meant the two of us having lunch. Together. At the same table."

"If you want, we could sit at separate tables."

He heard a laugh stir in her throat. "We'll sit at the same table," she said decisively, "but no talking."

As they walked along the side of the road, the mist thickened into a drizzle, the air white and wet.

"It's like walking through a cloud," Maggie said, drawing in deep breaths. "When I was little, I used to think that clouds must have the most wonderful taste. One day I asked for a bowl of cloud for dessert. My mother put some whipped cream in a dish." She smiled. "And it was just as wonderful as I had imagined it would be."

"But did you know at the time that it was only whipped cream?" Mark asked, fascinated by the way the mist had provoked little wispy curls around her face.

"Oh, yes. That didn't matter, though . . . the idea of it was the point."

"I have problems trying to figure out where to draw the line for Holly," Mark said. "In the same classroom where she's learning that dinosaurs were real, they're also writing letters to Santa. What am I supposed to tell Holly about what's real and what's not?"

"Has she asked about Santa yet?"

"Yes."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said I hadn't decided one way or the other, but a lot of people believe in him, so it was okay if she wanted to."

"That was perfect," Maggie said. "Fantasy and make-believe are important for children. The ones who are allowed to use their imaginations are actually better at drawing the line between fantasy and reality than those who aren't."

"Who told you that? The fairy who lives in your wall?"

Maggie grinned. "Smart-ass," she said. "No, Clover wasn't the one who told me. I read a lot. I'm interested in anything having to do with children."

"I need to learn more." His voice turned quietly rueful. "I'm trying like hell to avoid ruining what's left of Holly's childhood."

"From what I can tell, you're doing fine." On impulse she caught at his hand, her fingers squeezing lightly in a gesture meant to reassure and offer comfort. Mark was pretty sure that was the way he was supposed to interpret it.  Except that his hand closed over hers and turned the spontaneous clasp into something else. Something intimate. Possessive.

Maggie's grip loosened. Mark felt her indecisiveness as if it were his own, her unwilling pleasure in the way their hands fit together.

The press of skin to skin, such an ordinary thing. But it had set the axis of the entire earth off-kilter. He couldn't seem to assess how much of his reaction to her was physical and how much was . . . other. It was all tangled together in a way that was new and visceral.

Maggie tugged free.

But he still felt the imprint, the shape of her fingers, as if his pores had begun to absorb her.

Lisa Kleypas website:  http://www.lisakleypas.com/index.asp     
Lisa Kleypas on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/Lisakleypas
To buy this book on AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_30?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=christmas+eve+at+friday+harbor&sprefix=christmas+eve+at+friday+harbor


~KIMBERLY~

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Day 4 of The Twelve Books of Christmas - A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas


                                 Hello all, I thought it would be fun to lead up to Christmas with some holiday reads from some of our favorite literary ladies. Some are new to me, such as this one I just read, A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas. Everyday leading up to December 25th, there will be a new read. Some are short stories from anthologies and some are full length novels. I hope you like....
                               A Wallflower Christmas begins with four young ladies, best friends, who met at parties in London and instead of being each others competition for the affections of men, they joined forces to help each other out.
                                London 1845, we find the Wallflowers wed and still very much friends. The ladies gather to speculate on Lillian, Lady Westcliff's brother Rafe Bowman's upcoming betrothal to the Lady Nathalie Blandford, a beautiful young girl from London. Rafe and his sisters Lillian and Daisy are Americans, from a very rich family. The sisters have been married well and the father has arranged a possible marriage between Rafe Bowman and Lady Nathalie. Nathalie's cousin Hannah Appleton, her companion, is invited to tea with the wallflowers. The ladies want to ask questions about Lady Nathalie and also introduce Rafe to London society.
                                When Hannah meets Rafe she doesn't think much of him for her cousin, but at the same time they find they have a strange attraction to one another. This lovely story follows Rafe and Nathalie's courtship and Rafe's undeniable attraction to the other woman.                  
                                  This was actually the first Lisa Kleypas book I have read and I've already purchased more. I really enjoyed it, especially at this time of the year and I think you will too.

Here is a sneak peak at A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas:

 
They walked through the winter garden in silence, while Hannah struggled with the certainty that Rafe Bowman was even more dangerous, more wrong for Natalie, than she had originally believed. Natalie would eventually be hurt and disillusioned by a husband she could never trust.  

"You are not suitable for Natalie," she heard herself say wretchedly. "The more I learn about you, the more certain I am of that fact. I wish you would leave her alone. I wish you would find some other nobleman's daughter to prey upon."

Bowman stopped with her beside the hedge. "You arrogant little baggage," he said quietly. "The prey was not of my choosing. I'm merely trying to make the best of my circumstances. And if Lady Natalie will have me, it's not your place to object."


"My affection for her gives me the right to say something"


"Maybe it's not affection. Are you certain you're not speaking out of jealousy?"


"Jealousy? Of Natalie? You're mad to suggest such a thing"


"Oh, I don't know," he said with ruthless softness. "It's possible you're tired of standing in her shadow. Watching your cousin in all her finery, being admired and sought-after while you stay at the side of the room with the dowagers and wallflowers."


Hannah sputtered in outrage, one of her fists clenching and raising as if to strike him.


Bowman caught her wrist easily, running a finger lightly over her whitened knuckles. His soft, mocking laugh scalded her ears. "Here," he said, forcibly crooking her thumb and tucking it across her fingers. "Don't ever try to hit someone with your thumb extended—you'll break it that way."


"Let go,"
she cried, yanking hard at her imprisoned wrist.
"You wouldn't be so angry if I hadn't struck a nerve," he taunted. "Poor Hannah, always standing in the corner, waiting for your turn. I'll tell you something you're moore than Natalie's equal, blue blood or no. You were meant for something far better than this."

"Stop it!"


"A wife for convenience and a mistress for pleasure. Isn't that how the peerage does it?"


Hannah stiffened all over, gasping, as Bowman brought her against his large, powerful form. She stopped struggling, recognizing that such efforts were useless against his strength. Her face turned from him, and she jerked as she felt his warm mouth brush the curve of her ear.


"I should make you my mistress," Bowman whispered. "Beautiful Hannah. If you were mine, I'd lay you on silk sheets and wrap you up in ropes of pearls, and feed you honey from a silver spoon. Of course, you wouldn't be able to make all your high-minded judgments if you were a fallen woman . . . but you wouldn't care. Because I would pleasure you, Hannah, every night, all night, until you forgot your own name. Until you were willing to do things that would shock you in the light of day. I would debauch you from your head down to your innocent little toes"


"Oh, I despise you," she cried, twisting helplessly against him. She had begun to feel real fear, not only from his hard grip and taunting words, but also from the shocks of heat running through her.


After this, she would never be able to face him again. Which was probably what he intended. A pleading sound came from her throat as she felt a delicately inquiring kiss in the hollow beneath her ear.


"You want me," he murmured. In a bewildering shift of mood he turned tender, letting his lips wander slowly along the side of her throat. "Admit it, Hannah, I appeal to your criminal tendencies. And you definitely bring out the worst in me." He drew his mouth over her neck, seeming to savor the swift, unsteady surges of her breathing. "Kiss me," he whispered. "Just once, and I'll let you go."


~KIMBERLY~

Lisa Kleypas on Facebook:       http://www.facebook.com/LisaKleypas?ref=ts&v=wall
Lisa Kleypas on Twitter:           http://twitter.com/Lisakleypas

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Day 2 of the Twelve Books of Christmas- A Very Gothic Christmas Novella: After the Music by Christine Feehan

                         



                                Christine Feehan is one of my favorite authors. I have read every one of her books and series and I find them all intriguing and well written. A Very Gothic Christmas: After the Music is a great story about former musician Dillon Wentworth, his twins, Tara and Trevor and their guardian Lisa Fitzpatrick.
                                 Before the fire which took Dillon's wife, the mother of his children, Dillon was a world famous musician/composer in a band. After the fire disfigured him, he cut himself off from the world and his children. Jessica Fitzpatrick is the daughter of Tara and Trevor's nanny and was 18 at the time of Dillon's wife's death. After the fire, Mama Rita and daughter Jessica took care of the twins as if they were their own, until Rita's untimely death.
                                 We begin the story with Jessica and the now 13 year old  twins traveling by boat in an awful storm to Dillon's island off the Washington and Canadian coasts. Dillon has no idea Jessica is bringing his children home for Christmas. He hasn't seen them since the fire. Jessica has been doing her best to raise the kids, but when strange things begin to happen, she feels the need to involve Dillon.
                                When Dillon finally sees his children and Jessica for the first time in seven years, he is surprised and conflicted. Before the fire, Dillon was very attracted to the young Jessica, and seeing her again only cemented the attraction. Being burned over much of his torso, Dillon is uncomfortable with anyone seeing the burns, especially his children.
                                 During their stay with Dillon strange things begin happening there as well and a mystery must be solved. Dillon must also come to terms with his life as it should be, not as he's been attempting to live for the past seven years.

 Christine Feehan's Website:   http://www.christinefeehan.com/community/login.php

~KIMBERLY~

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Day 1 of the 12 Books of Christmas- His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell





                                    I was very excited to read this book after taking a glimpse of the back cover.This is the first book I've read by this author and I will absolutely read more by Cathy Maxwell. In  His Christmas Pleasure, we begin in London in 1810 with  Miss Abigail Montross, a pretty twenty-something who has had her share of problems with men. At a party at the Banfield home, she happens upon  the handsome Andres, Baron de Vasconia, a supposed aristocrat from Spain,  in the library of the Banfield home with a pistol to his head. Believing the Baron is about to commit suicide, she throws herself at him to dislodge the pistol from his hand. When they begin a conversation, still on the floor of the library behind a sofa, they are interrupted by Freddie Sherwin.
                                  Abby believes she is in love with the Lord Freddie Sherwin. Freddie enters the library to find Abby apparently to him alone. He tells her this evening the Lord Banfield is to announce Freddie's betrothal to Celeste, Abby's cousin. Abigail is shocked and upset, she tries to change Freddie's mind, but he is fixed with the decision to marry Celeste. He tells Abby that although he loves her, he must marry her cousin. He also adds that while he will marry Celeste, he could always take Abigail as his mistress.An outraged Andres hears the entire interlude and so begins this awesome story.
                                  Andres and Abby end up eloping and moving to an estate in Northumberland , far from London, into a home that Andres acquired through the jealous husband of a Lady Andres had a brief interlude. The catch is Andres is never to return to London. Abby begins her marriage knowing Andres has taken her for her money, and she is fine with it since the alternative to it was an arranged marriage to a much older man with thirteen children. Once the ceremony is done and the marriage consummated, they come face to face with Abby's father, a very rich banker, Heath Montross. Mr. Montross has been hot on their tale since the minute he finds out Abigail's intentions.
                                  When Abigail sees her father he is angry with her and wants her to return to London. When she refuses to go with her father, he cuts her off financially and tells her that the inheritance that her grandmother left her has been changed to a trust and she will not be able to touch any of the money for three years. Instead of sending her back with her father, Andres takes her to their new home in Northumberland where they find all things are not as they thought they would be.
                                 I loved this book!!! It's a great story with awesome characters. I felt for both Andres and for Abby. It definitely shows what happens when two people fall in love and neither is able to admit it. I highly recommend it for Christmas and for any time of the year!

Cathy Maxwell's Website:  http://www.cathymaxwell.com/
Cathy Maxwell on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/maxwellcathy
Cathy Maxwell on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cathy-Maxwell-Fan-Page/144546442251787

~KIMBERLY~

Friday, December 10, 2010

The 12 Books of Christmas



Beginning Tuesday, December 14th in order to celebrate the season, we will be posting a review on a Christmas themed book a day until December 25th. Some Titles are old,some new. I've had a great time reading them and I hope you all will give them a try.
~KIMBERLY~


Thursday, December 9, 2010

Last Sacrifice - Book 6 By Richelle Mead (Final Book of Series)


Last Sacrifice - Book 6 By Richelle Mead (Final Book of Series)
* Pub. Date: December 2010
* Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
* Format: Hardcover , 496pp (it's really 594pages)
* Age Range: Young Adult
The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.
Go here to read chapter 1:http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2010-11-30-richelle-mead-vampire-academy-last-sacrifice_N.htm


OMG WHERE DO I START!!!
Ok here goes and hopefully i can do this with out any spoilers. LOL!
First and foremost all i need to say is Wow Richelle Mead is a awesome writer. She blew this one out the water. Richelle Mead you are awesome and a very talented writer. Last Sacrifice is by far my favorite book out of the 6. Any way i can talk you into doing one more for this series!?!?!?!

Last Sacrifice is by far my favorite book. I loved the ending and i really wish we could have one more to see what happens after this book, but Mrs. Mead said no more :(  BUT she is doing the spin off. All i know is i was WAY off on my predictions other than 2 things. Ok lets start at the beginning Dimitri OMG he rocked this book and my heart just melted even more for him. Sorry Adrian. LOL Adrian was close to Dimitri but LS took Dimitri to the top off the totem poll. Lissa was great in this book. Adrian wasn't his usual self but i guess that couldn't be helped so i felt bad for him a little. (CAN I JUST SAY I HOPE THE SPIN OFF IS HIS STORY) I love Abe's little comments in this book. Ohhhhh and there are so many twist and turns that you will never see coming. I was shocked when i got to those. If you have been watching the trailers i posted,then you know about the quotes out there and let me tell you i figured a lot of them out but there are some you are going to go OMG that person said that. WOW. Then there are ones that will make your mouth drop open. There was nothing i didn't like in this book there were a few things i wish could have been in there. Like more Abe. I just love him. I wish it would have told more of the ending like what will happen more with everyone next.Overall the book is just awesome, you will not put this book down once you start it!!. There are so many things i want to say but i don't want to spoil it for the people who haven't read it. For the people who have read it post your comments i would love to hear your thoughts and tell you mine. If you haven't started this series then get to it. I promise you wont be disappointed. One again Thanks Richelle Mead you rocked the pants off this book!!
 ~Joey~
IF YOU HAVEN'T READ LAST SACRIFICE STAY AWAY FROM COMMENTS. COMMENT SECTION WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS.


Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Book 1 Of New Hurst Amulet Series by Karen Hawkins- One Night in Scotland





                    I have to begin by saying that Karen Hawkins is one of my new favorite authors. She tells a great story and is clever and witty. I began by reading Much Ado About Marriage and then went on the read her MacLean Curse series, all of which I enjoyed immensely. So as soon as I finished The Laird Who Loved Me, which by the way is an awesome book, I started One Night in Scotland.
                   One Night in Scotland begins the Hurst Amulet series..Mary Hurst is sister to Caitlyn and Caitriona Hurst-MacLean, twin sisters who married two of the MacLean brothers. Mary has been at home caring for her parents, most of her siblings gone, making their way in the world. Brother, Michael Hurst, after having spent much of his youth sheltered at home due to maladies has become a renowned Egyptologist who travels in search of ancient artifacts. His true quest is to recover the Hurst Amulet which disappeared from his ancestors hands during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Mary receives a missive from her brother that says he is being held as a "guest" (hostage) in Luxor, Egypt, in exchange for an artifact delivered to the Earl of Errol.
                     Michael pleads with his family to re-acquire the artifact from the Earl of Errol. As Mary is the only person at home and able to do Micheal's bidding, she sets off to Aberdeenshire, Scotland where in an inn she  meets Angus Hay, the Earl who unbeknownst to her, is posing as a common footman. Angus Hay (the Earl of Errol) takes Mary and her servant to New Slains Castle where she requests and audience with the Earl.
                    Mary finds her meeting with the "Earl" a bit off. Posing as the Earl is Angus Hay's cousin, Neeson Hay. Mary tells the men her plight, but they don't believe her. In fact, once Angus reveals himself has the real Earl, he insists Mary remain in New Slains Castle until her identity can be verified. When Lord Hay has Mary confined to a room as a virtual prisoner, she creates mischief in order to be let out of her confines. She will try almost anything to help her brother out of his predicament.
                   During her stay at New Slains Castle, Mary and Angus get to know each another, they find they have many things in common, including an attraction to one another, but the Earl of Errol has a tormented past. Will he be able to let go of his past and let Mary Hurst into his heart? Find out by reading One Night in Scotland.

* From Karen Hawkins Website*  


Branded a thief and held prisoner in a Scottish castle high upon a cliff by the dark and forbidding Earl of Erroll, Mary Hurst must find a way to free herself and gain possession of a mysterious artifact that can help her beloved brother regain his freedom.
Fortunately, Mary is no simple, schoolroom miss and the handsome earl is about to discover that spirited women do not take kindly to being imprisoned. Forced to deal with his recalcitrant (and he’s certain, devious) guest, Erroll finds himself reluctantly admitting that if he weren’t so sure she was a thief, he might be interested in the intrepid Mary. Might be, he reminds himself after he kisses her yet one more time . . .
Before Mary’s done, the earl will wish he’d never turned the key upon her door . . . and wonder if perhaps she really is a thief, and has stolen his heart!

Karen Hawkins on the Web:    www.KarenHawkins.com
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Karen-Hawkins/287333464678


On Twitter:  http://twitter.com/TheKarenHawkins

~Kimberly~

 
2 Orgasms Read (I Liked It)
 
3 Stars (Excellent Read)

Last Sacrifice - Book 6 By Richelle Mead (Final Book of Series) IS OUT TODAY!! YAY!


TODAY IS THE DAY GUYS!! DON'T FORGET TO GO PICK UP YOUR COPY OF LAST SACRIFICE TODAY!! ENJOY!! I KNOW I WILL!!!
I WILL REPORT ON THE BOOK WHEN I AM DONE READING IT LOL!!
~Joey~


Monday, December 6, 2010

Spirit Bound - Book 5 By Richelle Mead


Spirit Bound - Book 5 By Richelle Mead
  • Pub. Date: May 2010
  • Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
  • Format: Hardcover , 496pp
  • Age Range: Young Adult
Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong…

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives beyond the Academy’s iron gates to begin. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

Go here to Chapter 1:http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt11.htm

Spirit Bound is a GREAT book and keeps you hooked with wondering what will happen to Rose and Dimitri. Will Rose choose to be with Dimitri in the dark world or will she end his life to free him from the evil. I really enjoyed this book but at the same time i wanted to go threw the book and strangle Rose and beat the crap out of Dimitri. What did you think of Blood Promise? If you haven't read it then start reading but start at book 1 or you will be lost with what is going on this book.Enjoy!
~Joey~

Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm
5 Stars (Hook Line and Sinker)

~Joey~

Sunday, December 5, 2010

VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 06


VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 06


1 MORE DAY TO GO!!!
~Joey~

Where to find this video:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/PenguinParanormal
Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage


Blood Promise - Book 4 By Richelle Mead


Blood Promise - Book 4 By Richelle Mead
  • Pub. Date: August 2009
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Format: Hardcover , 512pp
  • Age Range: Young Adult
Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?


Go here to read chapter 1:http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt10.htm

Blood Promise is a book that will keep you glued wondering what will happen next with things you will not see coming. Not only is this book heart breaking you laugh at the same time with things Adrian does. How did you feel about this book? Would love to share the thoughts with you. If you haven't read it yet then guess what?!?!? You need to get reading lol. Enjoy!
~Joey~

Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To Buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm
4 Stars (Brilliant)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Shadow Kiss - Book 3 by Richelle Mead


Shadow Kiss - Book 3 by Richelle Mead
  • Pub. Date: November 2008
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Format: Paperback , 448pp
  • Age Range: Young Adult
It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all...might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line--and choose between the two people she loves most.

Read chapter 1 here:http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt7.htm

 Shadow Kiss is a GREAT book. This was one i balled my eyes out in it. But Dimitri makes you fall even harder for him and Adrian keeps on moving right up there beside Dimitri. I love how Adrian cuts up in Shadow Kiss. I also really liked this book because you got to understand even more what shadow kiss meant for Rose and Lissa. If you read this book leave some comments i would love to see if anyone else balled there eyes out and wanted to throw the book across the room since at the time i read it i had to wait over 6 months to wait for the 4th book to come out. If you haven't read the series yet dont miss out go pick it up today. Enjoy!!
~Joey~
Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm
4 Stars (Brilliant)

Friday, December 3, 2010

‘Vampire Academy’ Breaking News: Spin-Off Series Coming Soon!



'Vampire Academy' Breaking News: Spin-Off Series Coming Soon!
No you are not having a spirit dream, "Vampire Academy" fans. You really did read that right. I was just at a luncheon with author Richelle Mead, celebrating next week's release of "Last Sacrifice," the conclusion to her series about half-vampire/half-human/all-bad-ass bodyguard-in-training Rose Hathaway. And just as I was lamenting the end of Rose's adventures with her best friend, vampire princess Lissa, and smoldering former teacher Dimitri, Richelle gave us this little gift: "Bloodlines," the first book in the spin-off series, will be coming out in August 2011.

I would share my theories about which characters this new series will probably focus on, but I can't, since I've been sworn to secrecy about anything that happens in "Last Sacrifice" until next week. Suffice it to say, the new books will give Rose a break from getting beat up and tortured while trying to save her friends and boyfriends from evil Strigoi vampires. It's someone else's turn to bring us into the royal politics of the Moroi (born vampires) and their dhampir protectors. That someone will be a character we've met already, and other of our beloved will appear in the new books, Richelle assured us.

I'll have more on "Last Sacrifice," plus an interview with Richelle Mead about the series and what's going on with the "Vampire Academy" movie, all next week.

In the meantime, fellow "VA" addicts, who do you think "Bloodlines" should be about? Do you hope the action returns to St. Vladimir's, stays in the Moroi Court or goes someplace completely different? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter.

Go here to see the article:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2010/12/03/vampire-academy-spin-off-series/

Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
Richelle Mead Facebook page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm

WOO HOO I CAN'T WAIT!!!
~Joey~

VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 05


VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 05


Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
Richelle Mead Facebook:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
~Joey~

Frostbite - Book 2 By Richelle Mead


Frostbite - Book 2 By Richelle Mead
  • Pub. Date: April 2008
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Format: Paperback , 336pp
  • Age Range: Young Adult
Rose Hathaway's got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian. (So not cool).

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians--including the legendary Janine Hathaway...Rose's formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose--and her heart--are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

Go here to read chapter 1:http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt4.htm

Frostbite is a great book. If you thought VA was good then Frostbite gets even better. You are hooked from page one. Always wondering what will happen next between Lissa and Christian, Rose and Dimitri and all the other charcters in the series. I think Frostbite made me fall even more for Dimitri. But the bad boy Adrian comes into the picture in Frostbite and now he is moving up beside Dimitri. LOL so now it is getting hard to choose Team Dimitri or Team Adrian. Ahhhh hell just give me a side of both. If you have read Frostbite then leave your comments and reviews about the book i would love to hear them. If you havent getting reading people, you are missing a good series!!

Richelle Mead Web-Page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm

4 Stars (Brilliant)



Thursday, December 2, 2010

Vampire Academy - Book 1 By Richelle Mead


Vampire Academy - Book 1 By Richelle Mead
  • Pub. Date: August 2007
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Format: Paperback , 336pp
  • Age Range: Young Adult
Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's--but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...
Go here to read Chapter 1:http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt2.htm

As everyone knows Last Sacrifice comes out December 7,2010 and i don't know about you but i am wishing Tuesday would hurry up. So to get ready for the release i am going to spend the next few days going threw all 5 books to get ready for the 6th and final of the series.

For everyone who hasn't read the series then y'all need to hurry up and get reading. This is a wonderful series and i am said it will end December 7th with the last and final book in the series, but that is ok there will be a new spin-off series to come at a later date.(I will go into more detail about this later in the week)

Vampire Academy is book 1 of the series and i will tell you it is a little slow in the beginning, but that is to get you to understand all the terms that will be in all the books but once it picks up you are hooked. Rose and Best Friend Lissa escaped the academy but are soon found by Dimitri.(Dimitri ohhh he is hot lol) Dimitri ends up teaching Rose how to be a Guardian but is that all he teaches her. I know one thing i want Dimitri to teach me things lol. If you have read this series then leave some comments on how you feel and your favorite parts. If you haven't get started lol Enjoy
~Joey~

Richelle Mead web-page:http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
Richelle Mead Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/richellemeadfanpage
To buy the book go here:http://www.richellemead.com/shop/shop.htm
 
3 Stars (Excellent Read)
 

VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 04


VA Last Sacrifice Quote Teaser 04


This is the final Last Sacrifice Teaser to come out before the book is released on Tuesday. What do you think this teaser means? Who's brother are we talking about??

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

VA Last Sacrifice Chapter 1 Released!!


Exclusive: Read chapter 1 of Richelle Mead's 'Last Sacrifice'
Riding the waves of global bloodsucker success, Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy book series releases its sixth and final volume, Last Sacrifice (Razorbill/Penguin), on Dec. 7. And it's a book that fans all over the world have been waiting to sink their teeth into since the fifth book Spirit Bound, which debuted atop the USA TODAY best-seller list in May 2010. Release parties will be held at more than 150 bookstores nationwide on the day of release, when Mead launches a 10-city book tour. (Penguin Books will be webcasting the first event of the tour on VampireAcademyBooks.com on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. ET.) Here is an exclusive look at the first chapter of Mead's Last Sacrific
Go here to read the Article on USA Today:http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2010-11-30-richelle-mead-vampire-academy-last-sacrifice_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip


Now what everyone has been waiting for Chapter 1 of Last Sacrifice Book 6 by Richelle Mead. All i have to say is it Tuesday yet?!?!?!?


CHAPTER 1


I don't like cages.


I don't even like going to zoos. The first time I went to one, I almost had claustrophobic attacks looking at those poor animals. I couldn't imagine any creature living that way. Sometimes I even felt a little bad for criminals, condemned to life in a cell. I'd certainly never expected to spend my life in one.


But lately, life seemed to be throwing me a lot of things I'd never expected, because here I was, locked away.


"Hey!" I yelled, gripping the steel bars that isolated me from the world. "How long am I going to be here? When's my trial? You can't keep me in this dungeon forever!"


Okay, it wasn't exactly a dungeon, not in the dark, rusty-chain sense. I was inside a small cell with plain walls, a plain floor, and well. .. plain everything. Spotless. Sterile. Cold. It was actually more depressing than any musty dungeon could have managed. The bars in the doorway felt cool against my skin, hard and unyielding. Fluorescent lighting made the metal gleam in a way that seemed almost too cheerful for the setting. I could see the shoulder of a man standing rigidly to the side of the cell's entrance and knew there were probably four more guardians in the hallway out of my sight. I also knew none of them were going to answer me back, but that hadn't stopped me from constantly demanding answers from them for the last two days.


When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot in the cell's corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn't breathe. Like the sides of the cell would keep coming toward me until no space remained, pushing out all the air. ..


I sat up abruptly, gasping. Don't stare at the walls and ceiling, Rose, I chastised myself. Instead, I looked down at my clasped hands and tried to figure out how I'd gotten into this mess.


The initial answer was obvious: someone had framed me for a crime I didn't commit. And it wasn't petty crime either. It was murder. They'd had the audacity to accuse me of the highest crime a Moroi or dhampir could commit. Now, that isn't to say I haven't killed before. I have. I've also done my fair share of rule (and even law) breaking. Cold-blooded murder, however, was not in my repertoire. Especially not the murder of a queen.


It was true Queen Tatiana hadn't been a friend of mine. She'd been the coolly calculating ruler of the Moroi—a race of living, magic-using vampires who didn't kill their victims for blood. Tatiana and I had had a rocky relationship for a number of reasons. One was me dating her great-nephew, Adrian. The other was my disapproval of her policies on how to fight off Strigoi: the evil, undead vampires who stalked us all. Tatiana had tricked me a number of times, but I'd never wanted her dead. Someone apparently had, however, and they'd left a trail of evidence leading right to me, the worst of which were my fingerprints all over the silver stake that had killed Tatiana. Of course, it was my stake, so naturally it'd have my fingerprints. No one seemed to think that was relevant.


I sighed again and pulled out a tiny crumpled piece of paper from my pocket. My only reading material. I squeezed it in my hand, having no need to look at the words. I'd long since memorized them. The note's contents made me question what I'd known about Tatiana. It had made me question a lot of things.


Frustrated with my own surroundings, I slipped out of them and into someone else's: my best friend Lissa's. Lissa was a Moroi, and we shared a psychic link, one that let me go to her mind and see the world through her eyes. All Moroi wielded some type of elemental magic. Lissa's was spirit, an element tied to psychic and healing powers. It was rare among Moroi, who usually used more physical elements, and we barely understood its abilities—which were incredible. She'd used spirit to bring me back from the dead a few years ago, and that's what had forged our bond.


Being in her mind freed me from my cage but offered little help for my problem. Lissa had been working hard to prove my innocence, ever since the hearing that had laid out all the evidence against me. My stake being used in the murder had only been the beginning. My opponents had been quick to remind everyone about my antagonism toward the queen and had also found a witness to testify about my whereabouts during the murder. That testimony had left me without an alibi. The Council had decided there was enough evidence to send me to a full-fledged trial—where I would receive my verdict.


Lissa had been trying desperately to get people's attention and convince them I'd been framed. She was having trouble finding anyone who would listen, however, because the entire Moroi Royal Court was consumed with preparations for Tatiana's elaborate funeral. A monarch's death was a big deal. Moroi and dhampirs—half-vampires like me—were coming from all over the world to see the spectacle. Food, flowers, decorations, even musicians. .. The full deal. If Tatiana had gotten married, I doubted the event would have been this elaborate. With so much activity and buzz, no one cared about me now. As far as most people were concerned, I was safely stashed away and unable to kill again. Tatiana's murderer had been found. Justice was served. Case closed.


Before I could get a clear picture of Lissa's surroundings, a commotion at the jail jerked me back into my own head. Someone had entered the area and was speaking to the guards, asking to see me. It was my first visitor in days. My heart pounded, and I leapt up to the bars, hoping it was someone who would tell me this had all been a horrible mistake.


My visitor wasn't quite who I'd expected.


"Old man," I said wearily. "What are you doing here?"


Abe Mazur stood before me. As always, he was a sight to behold. It was the middle of summer—hot and humid, seeing as we were right in the middle of rural Pennsylvania—but that didn't stop him from wearing a full suit. It was a flashy one, perfectly tailored and adorned with a brilliant purple silk tie and matching scarf that just seemed like overkill. Gold jewelry flashed against the dusky hue of his skin, and he looked like he'd recently trimmed his short black beard. Abe was a Moroi, and although he wasn't royal, he wielded enough influence to be.


He also happened to be my father.


"I'm your lawyer," he said cheerfully. "Here to give you legal counsel, of course."


"You aren't a lawyer," I reminded him. "And your last bit of advice didn't work out so well." That was mean of me. Abe—despite having no legal training whatsoever—had defended me at my hearing. Obviously, since I was locked up and headed for trial, the outcome of that hadn't been so great. But, in all my solitude, I'd come to realize that he'd been right about something. No lawyer, no matter how good, could have saved me at the hearing. I had to give him credit for stepping up to a lost cause, though considering our sketchy relationship, I still wasn't sure why he had. My biggest theories were that he didn't trust royals and that he felt fatherly obligation. In that order.


"My performance was perfect," he argued. "Whereas your compelling speech in which you said 'if I was the murderer' didn't do us any favors. Putting that image in the judge's head wasn't the smartest thing you could have done."


I ignored the barb and crossed my arms. "So what are you doing here? I know it's not just a fatherly visit. You never do anything without a reason."


"Of course not. Why do anything without a reason?"


"Don't start up with your circular logic."


He winked. "No need to be jealous. If you work hard and put your mind to it, you might just inherit my brilliant logic skills someday."


"Abe," I warned. "Get on with it."


"Fine, fine," he said. "I've come to tell you that your trial might be moved up."


"W-what? That's great news!" At least, I thought it was. His expression said otherwise. Last I'd heard, my trial might be months away. The mere thought of that—of being in this cell so long—made me feel claustrophobic again.


"Rose, you do realize that your trial will be nearly identical to your hearing. Same evidence and a guilty verdict."


"Yeah, but there must be something we can do before that, right? Find evidence to clear me?" Suddenly, I had a good idea of what the problem was. "When you say 'moved up,' how soon are we talking?"


"Ideally, they'd like to do it after a new king or queen is crowned. You know, part of the post-coronation festivities."


His tone was flippant, but as I held his dark gaze, I caught the full meaning. Numbers rattled in my head. "The funeral's this week, and the elections are right after. .. You're saying I could go to trial and be convicted in, what, practically two weeks?"


Abe nodded.


I flew toward the bars again, my heart pounding in my chest. "Two weeks? Are you serious?"


When he'd said the trial had been moved up, I'd figured maybe it was a month away. Enough time to find new evidence. How would I have pulled that off? Unclear. Now, time was rushing away from me. Two weeks wasn't enough, especially with so much activity at Court. Moments ago, I'd resented the long stretch of time I might face. Now, I had too little of it, and the answer to my next question could make things worse.


"How long?" I asked, trying to control the trembling in my voice. "How long after the verdict until they. .. carry out the sentence?"


I still didn't entirely know what all I'd inherited from Abe, but we seemed to clearly share one trait: an unflinching ability to deliver bad news.


"Probably immediately."


"Immediately." I backed up, nearly sat on the bed, and then felt a new surge of adrenaline. "Immediately? So. Two weeks. In two weeks, I could be. .. dead."


Because that was the thing—the thing that had been hanging over my head the moment it became clear someone had planted enough evidence to frame me. People who killed queens didn't get sent to prison. They were executed. Few crimes among Moroi and dhampirs got that kind of punishment. We tried to be civilized in our justice, showing we were better than the bloodthirsty Strigoi. But certain crimes, in the eyes of the law, deserved death. Certain people deserved it, too—say, like, treasonous murderers. As the full impact of the future fell upon me, I felt myself shake and tears come dangerously close to spilling out of my eyes.


"That's not right!" I told Abe. "That's not right, and you know it!"


"Doesn't matter what I think," he said calmly. "I'm simply delivering the facts."


"Two weeks," I repeated. "What can we do in two weeks? I mean. .. you've got some lead, right? Or. .. or. .. you can find something by then? That's your specialty." I was rambling and knew I sounded hysterical and desperate. Of course, that was because I felt hysterical and desperate.


"It's going to be difficult to accomplish much," he explained. "The Court's preoccupied with the funeral and elections. Things are disorderly—which is both good and bad."


I knew about all the preparations from watching Lissa. I'd seen the chaos already brewing. Finding any sort of evidence in this mess wouldn't just be difficult. It could very well be impossible.


Two weeks. Two weeks, and I could be dead.


"I can't," I told Abe, my voice breaking. "I'm not. .. meant to die that way."


"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow. "You know how you're supposed to die?"


"In battle." One tear managed to escape, and I hastily wiped it away. I'd always lived my life with a tough image. I didn't want that shattering, not now when it mattered most of all. "In fighting. Defending those I love. Not. .. not through some planned execution."


"This is a fight of sorts," he mused. "Just not a physical one. Two weeks is still two weeks. Is it bad? Yes. But it's better than one week. And nothing's impossible. Maybe new evidence will turn up. You simply have to wait and see."


"I hate waiting. This room. .. it's so small. I can't breathe. It'll kill me before any executioner does."


"I highly doubt it." Abe's expression was still cool, with no sign of sympathy. Tough love. "You've fearlessly fought groups of Strigoi, yet you can't handle a small room?"


"It's more than that! Now I have to wait each day in this hole, knowing there's a clock ticking down to my death and almost no way to stop it."


"Sometimes the greatest tests of our strength are situations that don't seem so obviously dangerous. Sometimes surviving is the hardest thing of all."


"Oh. No. No." I stalked away, pacing in small circles. "Do not start with all that noble crap. You sound like Dimitri when he used to give me his deep life lessons."


"He survived this very situation. He's surviving other things too."


Dimitri.


I took a deep breath, calming myself before I answered. Until this murder mess, Dimitri had been the biggest complication in my life. A year ago—though it seemed like eternity—he'd been my instructor in high school, training me to be one of the dhampir guardians who protect Moroi. He'd accomplished that—and a lot more. We'd fallen in love, something that wasn't allowed. We'd managed it as best we could, even finally coming up with a way for us to be together. That hope had disappeared when he'd been bitten and turned Strigoi. It had been a living nightmare for me. Then, through a miracle no one had believed possible, Lissa had used spirit to transform him back to a dhampir. But things unfortunately hadn't quite returned to how they'd been before the Strigoi attack.


I glared at Abe. "Dimitri survived this, but he was horribly depressed about it! He still is. About everything."


The full weight of the atrocities he'd committed as a Strigoi haunted Dimitri. He couldn't forgive himself and swore he could never love anyone now. The fact that I had begun dating Adrian didn't help matters. After a number of futile efforts, I'd accepted that Dimitri and I were through. I'd moved on, hoping I could have something real with Adrian now.


"Right," Abe said dryly. "He's depressed, but you're the picture of happiness and joy."


I sighed. "Sometimes talking to you is like talking to myself: pretty damned annoying. Is there any other reason you're here? Other than to deliver the terrible news? I would have been happier living in ignorance."


I'm not supposed to die this way. I'm not supposed to see it coming. My death is not some appointment penciled in on a calendar.


He shrugged. "I just wanted to see you. And your arrangements."


Yes, he had indeed, I realized. Abe's eyes had always come back to me as we spoke; there'd been no question I held his attention. There was nothing in our banter to concern my guards. But every so often, I'd see Abe's gaze flick around, taking in the hall, my cell, and whatever other details he found interesting. Abe had not earned his reputation as zmey—the serpent—for nothing. He was always calculating, always looking for an advantage. It seemed my tendency toward crazy plots ran in the family.


"I also wanted to help you pass the time." He smiled and from under his arm, he handed me a couple of magazines and a book through the bars. "Maybe this will improve things."


I doubted any entertainment was going to make my two-week death countdown more manageable. The magazines were fashion and hair oriented. The book was The Count of Monte Cristo. I held it up, needing to make a joke, needing to do anything to make this less real.


"I saw the movie. Your subtle symbolism isn't really all that subtle. Unless you've hidden a file inside it."


"The book's always better than the movie." He started to turn away. "Maybe we'll have a literary discussion next time."


"Wait." I tossed the reading material onto the bed. "Before you go. .. in this whole mess, no one's ever brought up who actually did kill her." When Abe didn't answer right away, I gave him a sharp look. "You do believe I didn't do it, right?" For all I knew, he did think I was guilty and was just trying to help anyway. It wouldn't have been out of character.


"I believe my sweet daughter is capable of murder," he said at last. "But not this one."


"Then who did it?"


"That," he said before walking away, "is something I'm working on."


"But you just said we're running out of time! Abe!" I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to be alone with my fear. "There's no way to fix this!"


"Just remember what I said in the courtroom," he called back.


He left my sight, and I sat back on the bed, thinking back to that day in court. At the end of the hearing, he'd told me—quite adamantly—that I wouldn't be executed. Or even go to trial. Abe Mazur wasn't one to make idle promises, but I was starting to think that even he had limits, especially since our timetable had just been adjusted.


I again took out the crumpled piece of paper and opened it. It too had come from the courtroom, covertly handed to me by Ambrose—Tatiana's servant and boy toy.


Rose,


If you're reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down.


However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it.


—Tatiana Ivashkov


The words hadn't changed since the other hundred times I'd read them, nor had the questions they always triggered. Was the note true? Had Tatiana really written it? Had she—in spite of her outwardly hostile attitude—trusted me with this dangerous knowledge? There were twelve royal families who made decisions for the Moroi, but for all intents and purposes, there might as well have only been eleven. Lissa was the last of her line, and without another member of the Dragomir family, Moroi law said she had no power to sit on and vote with the Council that made our decisions. Some pretty bad laws had already been made, and if the note was true, more would come. Lissa could fight those laws—and some people wouldn't like that, people who had already demonstrated their willingness to kill.


Another Dragomir.


Another Dragomir meant Lissa could vote. One more Council vote could change so much. It could change the Moroi world. It could change my world—say, like, whether I was found guilty or not. And certainly, it could change Lissa's world. All this time she'd believed she was alone. Yet. .. I uneasily wondered if she'd welcome a half-sibling. I accepted that my father was a scoundrel, but Lissa had always held hers up on a pedestal, believing the best of him. This news would come as a shock, and although I'd trained my entire life to keep her safe from physical threats, I was starting to think there were other things she needed to be protected from as well.


But first, I needed the truth. I had to know if this note had really come from Tatiana. I was pretty sure I could find out, but it involved something I hated doing.


Well, why not? It wasn't like I had anything else to do right now.


Rising from the bed, I turned my back to the bars and stared at the blank wall, using it as a focus point. Bracing myself, remembering that I was strong enough to keep control, I released the mental barriers I always subconsciously kept around my mind. A great pressure lifted from me, like air escaping a balloon.


And suddenly, I was surrounded by ghosts.