Not your mama’s TT

I’ve found costumes for this weeks Thursday 13. All are based on a book or character I remember from childhood and are definitely not your mama’s costume.

Alice in Wonderland

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The Devil’s Due by Jenna Black

Favorite Lines: “”And we’re supposed to put all those differences aside and work together as a team to put Lugh back on the throne?” I felt one of those annoying bouts of hysterical laughter coming on, but I managed to squelch it.” (ARC p.317)

Drama seems to love Morgan Kingsley. Yeah, she’s an exorcist with an attitude and the demon king’s host, but really does danger need to stalk her?

It doesn’t seem like her newest case is a big deal. Just find out if a man, Tommy, is illegally possessed or if he consented to house the demon in his body. Tommy’s mother doubts it, as does Morgan because Tommy was a card carrying member  of God’s Wrath, an extreme anti-demon group that believed demons and their hosts should be killed.

While Morgan investigates the possession, Lugh tells her of his plans to hold court on the mortal plane. This means that she must learn to let Lugh take control of her body. The idea is repulsive to Morgan even though it is for her safety (and Lugh’s). To sit back and allow another to be in control is not in her nature, but to survive she must learn to let Lugh in.

Jenna Black introduced us to Morgan Kingsley and her sidekicks in The Devil Inside . We learned about Morgan and the circumstances concluding in the demon king possessing Morgan. In The Devil You Know we found out that all is not what it seems and that violence seems to stalk Morgan and everyone associated with her. Now in The Devil’s Due we get to see that the demon king has a spine of steel. He will do whatever needs to be done to survive and those are usually in Morgan’s best interests.

Morgan doesn’t always agree with Lugh, but throughout The Devil’s Due she does the smart thing and allows Lugh to lead. This is totally against her nature, but it shows that she is not to stupid to live. This is a nice way in which Ms. Black has added growth to Morgan’s character. We still get the Morgan we met in book one, but she has not stagnated or stalled in her growth. (Who would have thought that hard headed Morgan could grow?)

As in the past, the secondary characters are just as important and interesting. They are complex and multi-faceted engaging characters. Dom, Adam, Lugh, Brian and Raphael make you love and hate them while adding spice to Morgan’s story.

With lines about Dom and Adam’s relationship, Morgan and Brian’s relationship, Tommy’s possession, the relationship between demon brothers, and the whole issue of the demon throne, to name a few, Ms. Black has written another enjoyable book in the Morgan Kingsley series. This variety of topics keeps the story exciting, intersting, and a quick read.

The Devil’s Due is a great footstep in the journey of Morgan Kingsley’s attempt to save the world and seat the demon king firmly on his throne. It is exciting, sexy and dark, yet the entire purpose of the story is to give light to humanity.

The Devil’s Due goes on sale November 25.

It’s Kitty time

well almost. Carrie Vaughn writes the Kitty werewolf series of which I’m a fan. Next year she will release the next two books in the series, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand and Kitty Raises Hell, in February and March. Here’s a peak at the cover art.

The series is as follows:

1. Kitty and the Midnight Hour (2005)
2. Kitty goes to Washington (2006)
3. Kitty takes a Holiday (2007)
4. Kitty and the Silver Bullet (2008)
5. Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand (2009)
6. Kitty Raises Hell (2009)

Thursday 13 romance covers

Thirteen romance covers that scare me. You be the judge.

Can you say zombie boy and flee in terror?

It speaks for itself.

Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow

Favorite Lines: “I was stupid then. I didn’t know it was the mind that rules the flesh.” (p. 42)

Hunter: keeper of the night, exorcist, killer

Jill Kismet is a hunter. She meets justice upon Hell’s creatures and avenges those wronged by hellbreed. Taught by one of the best, Jill is determined to forget her life before becoming a hunter and keeps those memories locked behind a closed door with the lights out. You don’t live long as a hunter with distractions.

With her mentor’s encouragement before he died, Jill went to Hell and brokered a deal. This deal gave her the ability to heal faster and to be stronger than other humans. An invaluable tool in her fight against Hell’s citizens. But it costs her, too.

It’s only been six months since Jill’s teacher was murdered, leaving her in charge of the city.

As the city’s hunter, Jill is an arm of the law; when five cops are torn apart and eaten, she is called in and immediately picks up the sent of a hellbreed and something else…something rank.

Jill is not the only person looking into strange murders. A couple of werecat Feds are tracking a crazy werewolf that is leaving a bloody trail. As the hunter and the Feds consult each other it soon becomes clear that their cases are connected, and the Feds ask Jill to allow a friend of theirs to stay in her home as back up, never expecting a romance to evolve.

Dark Harvest by Lynda Hilburn

Favorite line: “Cringing while I listened to him, I was reminded that no matter what kinds of paranormal monsters might be hiding in the closet, we humans were capable of spewing our fair share of ugliness into the world.” (p. 34)

When you’re a vampire or vampire wannabe living in Denver and you need psychiatric counseling, who can you see? Kismet Knight, of course!

After learning that vampires are real, hooking up with the leader of the vampires, Deveraux, and almost being killed by a crazy vampire Kismet has managed to maintain her sanity and adjust to the new knowledge.

She is still learning about the paranormal, while trying to drum up more business. To do so, she agrees to guest host on a morning talk show only to find the host rude, obnoxious and down right nasty. During the hour long on-air guest spot, Kismet is puzzled, terrified and somehow aroused when the oldest living vampire/vampire hunter, Lyren Hallow, calls the show and tells her he is hunting.

On her way out of the building, Kismet meets Maxie, a wild and rambunctious tabloid writer  who is determined to make Kismet her new best friend.

Cast in Fury by Michelle Sagara

Favorite line: “You carry your home in your heart, and your heart is fierce.” (P. 312)

The citizens of Elantra are filled with distrust towards the Tha’alani (psychics) after their attempt to thwart a tidal wave from destroying the city proved unnecessary. The townspeople have surrounded the Tha’aloni Quarter and when mobs form danger is in the air.

Kaylin Neya, a private in the Hawks, is requested by the Tha’alani people to assist the royal playwright who has been entrusted with the duty of writing a play that makes the Tha’alani human and eases tensions in the community. Being drawn into politics is never good, but when you have a smart mouth like Kaylin, it could be deadly.

To further complicate matters, Sergeant Marcus, Kalin’s trusted friend and adoptive family, has been removed from duty and thrown into the Leontine prison on suspicion of murder charges. Without Marcus’ support Kaylin’s position in the Hawks is open to attack by men who doubt her ability to do the job.

Ms. Sagara never fails to entertain and enthrall her readers. She has created a complex alternate world in her Chronicles of Elantra series with fully rounded characters. Even with the use of foreshadowing, the story is never laid out like an open road. Instead it twists and turns like stairs on a snakes back, making the ride thrilling and leaving the rider begging to climb stairs again.

The main character, Kaylin, is made more interesting by the marks that mar her body. Marks that make it possible for her to understand magic words, but that leave her branded, a living target, for dark forces wanting to possess her power.

My favorite male character, Lord Nightshade, plays a slightly bigger role in Cast in Fury versus his very slight role in Cast in Secret. His relationship, or lack there of, spanning from book one to book four, with Kaylin seems up in the air. I really hope the next book explores their budding feelings towards each other. Nightshade is mysterious and powerful, yet maintains his very dangerous persona.

Cast in Fury is definitely the Liontines’ story. In previous books we learned about the Barrani and the Tha’alani, now it’s all about the Liontines. Their history, customs and possible downfall are all explored in this book.

When I read book one in the series, Cast in Shadow, I was introduced to a beautiful and deadly world of Elantra. I loved it. I have never regretted spending my time or money reading this series and look forward to reading the next installment.

Need more incentive to buy or not buy Cast in Fury? Visit Janicu‘s Book Blog, Ramblings or Random Reading to read other reviews. If you know of a posted review please comment.

The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu

Favorite Lines: “Someone pushed. And a bus hit me.” (p. 182)

Maxine Kiss, demon prison warden, protects the world from the dark creatures that would decimate humanity and the world. She is protected by living tattoos by day, she is weakened at night after the demons that pose as body art peel themselves from her body to walk the night.

It is Maxine’s duty to carry on her family name by giving birth to a daughter who will ensure her “boys” (demons) survive, but that can only happen if she lives long enough to figure out the gift her mother has left to her in care of an old man.

Maxine’s lover, Grant, and a few other major players will aid her on her journey to self-discovery as the mother of all zombies and a spirit-like-creature target Max.

The Iron Hunt could be a great movie. The prose begins in staccato like sentences similar to short flashes of imagery when movies begin. The way the tattoos adjust to protect the lead female heroine is awesome, while the male characters are intriguing. Just picturing the scenes is awesome.

Pure Blood by Caitlin Kittredge

Favorite Lines: “Then he faced me, and I found myself looking into eyes as cold as a winter ocean. His mouth was just slightly too large for his face, which made him look obscene and mad all at once.” (p. 92)

Insoli wolf Luna is finally back at detective work after killing  the D.A. It doesn’t seem to matter that he was trying to kill her and almost killed her love interest, Dmitri, because she is met with distrust and surprisingly, interest by a select few.

Dmitri survived the encounter and traveled to the Ukraine to consult with his pack elders after being contaminated by a demon. Luna, well she had the ill fortune to be outed on the front page of the newspaper. Now everyone knows she is a werewolf.

Going back to work is hard enough, without dealing with the new female captain who is determined to fire her. Luna also meets her unwanted partner, Shelby O’Halloran, for the first time.

Shelby is a black sheep within her prominent witch family, and it seems the two might have a bit in common. Too bad Luna is not a team player.

On her first night back, Luna is called to a seemingly average drug overdose crime scene, only to find the victim to be the first casualty in a secret war between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ witches. If that wasn’t enough to cope with, Dmitri is back and he’s brought a female home with him. He has been forbidden to be with Luna and the betrayal Luna feels is heartbreaking.

Night Life by Caitlin Kittredge

Favorite Lines: “I screamed and slammed the brick into him, missing his temple and bouncing it off the back of his skull. I doubt he even noticed.” (p. 55)

Luna Wilder is an Insoli werewolf (a werewolf without a pack) and a kick ass homicide detective in Nocturne City. She keeps her wolf under wraps, determined to not be overtaken by its animalistic nature. Living with her cousin, Sunny, she tries to remain aloof after a lifetime of being considered the outsider as the only were and non-witch in her family.

When women begin being killed in a ritualistic manner, Luna follows leads that take her into the Redback wolves’ territory and strait to pack leader, Dmitri Sandovsky. In time Luna discovers that the killings are far more than sex gone bad; the murders are demonic and possibly world shattering as a demon only found in legend is sought.