COVER REVEAL: Along Came A Spider by Kate SeRine

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Hope you're all having a great week. I'm so excited for today's post! Today we have a cover reveal for Kate SeRine's Along Came A Spider, book number three of her Transplanted Tales series.

Check out the gorgeous cover and the blurb below! And don't forget to check out the details of Kate's giveaway! Is that one fine hunk of Nicky Blue or what?

Along came a spider...

When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target – Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help.

Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away…

Kate SeRine (pronounced "serene") faithfully watched weekend monster movie marathons while growing up, each week hoping that maybe this time the creature du jour would get the girl. But every week she was disappointed. So when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed that her characters would always have a happily ever after. And, thus, her love for paranormal romance was born.

Kate SeRine (pronounced "serene") faithfully watched weekend monster movie marathons while growing up, each week hoping that maybe this time the creature du jour would get the girl. But every week she was disappointed. So when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed that her characters would always have a happily ever after. And, thus, her love for paranormal romance was born.

Kate is a member of Romance Writers of America and of Indiana RWA and has been a finalist in the Fire and Ice Contest (2010), the Finally a Bride Contest (2010), The Emily (2012), and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence (2013).

Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project.

Website: http://www.kateserine.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kateserine

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kateserine

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/kateserine

Review: Weird Girls by Cecy Robson

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today we have a review of debut urban fantasy author Cecy Robson's novella, the Weird Girls, the start of the Weird Girls series, which kicks off later this year with her debut novel, Sealed with a Curse. Enjoy!

Synopsis: "Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they're products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird…

The Wird sisters are different from every race on earth—human and supernatural. When human society is no longer an option for them, they move in among the resident vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region. Could this be the true home they’ve longed for? Um, not quite. After the sisters accidentally strip a witch of her powers in a bar brawl, they soon realize the mistake will cost them. Because to take on a witch means to take on her coven. And losing the battle isn’t an option.”

Genre: Urban Fantasy--novella

First Sentences: "The music pounded hard enough to shake Emme's fuzzy navel, the umbrella in Shayna's pina colada, Taran's martini, and my Corona. I'd shoved pieces of cocktail napkin into my uber sensitive ears the moment we sat. But I wasn't going complain about the eardrum-bursting music or the crowd of young men sitting across from us ogling my sisters. We were there to celebrate." What I love about this opening is how much we learn right from the start. The characters' drinks reflect their personalities and individual tastes (which we soon learn), and we know where they're at and what they're there for in just several sentences. As a reader, I immediately feel oriented in the world and I could clearly visualize the scene in my mind. The opening hooked me!

 

Brownie Points: There are three top things I love most about this novella. 1) The voice is absolutely phenomenal. Told from Celia Wird's point of view, I felt as if I were sitting down for a chat with her as she recollects this story in vivid detail. The narrative voice is laugh out loud funny and consistent throughout the story. It gives huge insight into Celia's character. 2) I love the Wird sisters. They're intriguing, fun characters who are easy to relate to. Each sister has her own individual power, her own strengths and weaknesses and I love the strong relationship between them. Celia is fiercely protective of her sisters and they have a sibling bond that's realistic and true. Their relationship was touching. 3) The narrative arc is perfect in this novella. Often when I read prequels or novellas I feel as if the story has no arc, no clear beginning, middle and end, but that's not the case with the Weird Girls. The story felt complete and left me wanting more. 

Beefs: I honestly and truly didn't have any beefs with this novella. As I reader I felt as if all my needs were satisfied. There is a clear arc, great characters, intriguing plots twists, and an awesome voice. There's not much more I could ask for.

Ending: I won't lie--I sobbed like a baby at the end of the novella. When we reach the black moment in the story, the climax where we think Celia has lost everything she loves and her whole life is crumbling to pieces, my heart broke for her. Her pain felt real and palpable, and there was nothing I could do but cry with her. I've never felt so attached to a character within such a short amount of pages. Celia is amazing and she'll steal your heart. And up until the very end, the plot left me guessing all the way through.

Recommendation and General Comments: Overall, I can't say enough great things about this novella. The Weird Girls is a page-turning, heartwarming read with characters you'll fall in love with. Cecy Robson is a debut author I will continue to read and I can't wait for the first book in the series, Sealed with a Curse. I need another dose of Weird ;-)

Because of this, I give The Weird Girls novella a rating of a full moon, the highest rating here at Nocturnal Readings.

 

 

I highly recommend this book to readers who love urban fantasy. The novella is available in only e-book format, so if you have an e-reader and love urban fantasy, I suggest you purchase this novella. It's reasonably priced and will definitely hook you into the series. If you don't have an e-reader, then read it on your computer or phone! You won't regret reading The Weird Girls novella.

 

Check back in on December 18th for a review of the first book in the series, Sealed with a Curse!

 

 

2 GIVEAWAYS and Follow Friday #115

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm sure you're all glad it's the weekend! And the weekend means, it's time for some blog hopping. So please hop on over to Parajunkee's View or Alison Can Read, and hop around to some new blogs. You can also participate in the social media hop as well! So have fun and check out my answer to the weekly blog hop question below.

This week's question:

What hyped up book do you think was worth all the talk?

My Answer: I'm going to agree with the featured blogger on this one: The Hunger Games. Everyone had hyped it so much I was worried I would be disappointed, but I DEFINITELY wasn't. Love that series!


Make sure you scroll to the two posts below to find some awesome giveaways! You could win one of three ebook copies of Kate SeRine's debut urban fantasy novel in her Transplanted Tales series, Red, or you could win an autographed copy of NYT Bestselling author Christina Dodd's paranormal romance novel, Chains of Ice!

Cover Reveal: THE BETTER TO SEE YOU

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm happy to participate in featuring the cover reveal of the second novel in the Transplanted Tales series, The Better to See You, by the wonderful Kate SeRine!!! If you haven't checked out my Interview with Kate SeRine or the Review of Red, the first novel in her Transplanted Tales series then you should click the links!

Isn't it an awesome cover? Gorgeous, drool-worthy man-candy! Congratulations, Kate! The Better to See You debuts in February 2013 with e-Kensington and the intriguing back cover blurb is right below:

"Once upon a time, a spell went awry and Make Believe characters were cast into the ordinary world.

And the results aren’t always happily ever after…

Everyone thinks fairy godmothers can do no wrong. But if not for a certain spell mis-cast by Lavender Seelie, Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, the Tales would not be stuck in the Here and Now. Fortunately for Lavender, she’s about to get a second chance at a happy ending…

The Refuge, a sanctuary for wayward Tales, seems like the perfect place for Lavender to start a new life—especially when she discovers an unexpected ally in Seth, the brooding werewolf who’s been typecast as a villain ever since his run in with Little Red Riding Hood. But when humans from nearby towns start turning up dead, their bodies mutilated with archaic Tale symbols, Lavender wonders if Seth’s deep sensuality has blinded her to the truth. And that distraction could put innocent lives in danger. Including her own…."

You can also find more information on Kate and her books in the following places:

Goodreads

Kate's website

Twitter
Facebook

And as if that all wasn't enough, we have a giveaway to accompany it! Just enter in your information to the widget below in order to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Hope you enjoyed Kate's cover and blurb! I did and I will be ordering my copy of The Better to See You as soon as it releases! Cheers