Welcome to Larissa's Life

Lala’s Book Corner: Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf (ARC)

2010-03-10T00:58:00.001+02:00

“An arranged marriage between a werewolf and a vampire.
There will be blood.
She may resist his bite, but she can't resist his charms...
Werewolf princess Blu Masterson won't allow her seductive vampire husband to consummate their marriage with his bite, marking her forever. Alone in a secluded estate with her sworn enemy, Blu curses the marriage arranged to bring their rival nations together, especially since Creed Saint-Pierre calls out to her most feral desires.
When Blu uncovers her pack's secret plot to destroy the vampire nation—and Creed—she is forced to confront her growing feelings for her sexy undead husband. Will she choose the only life she's ever known or accept his vampire bite?”

From GoodReads

Publisher: Harlequin books
Release Date: April 1st, 2010
My Copy: eARC gotten through Netgalley
Buy This Book @Amazon
Author's Website

I heard about this books a while ago, maybe a few months and I was immediately intrigued by it. I when as far as scrounging all eBookstores and regular online bookstores to find it and when I finally realized that it had not yet been released I gave up for the moment.

About a week ago I found about Netgalley, where you can sign up and get Book galleys/ARCs electronically, so i got into it and at last was able to read it. I am absolutely glad I did.

Her vampire husband is first and foremost a romance and a great one at that. It starts with what it is usually the end of one and that is the great charm about it.

Blu is a werewolf princess, daughter of the packs Alpha and Creed is is a vampire lord and head of his tribe. The hatred between vampires and werewolves has seen too many centuries and as a way to start the journey towards peace, the preternatural council joins these two in matrimony.

Neither is happy and both are aware that peace will not be reached that easily. However, throughout the novel they start seeing each other beyond the prejudices of their races and discover happiness together.

Blu is a great character and I was quite horrified by the way she was treated by the pack and her own father. Seeing her grow and find self respect was great. Creed aristocratic ways were hugely disturbed by Blu’s joy and liveliness. A definitely opposites attract situation that felt more like they needed each other and completed each other.

They were so hot together, seriously, their romance and smexing were definitely the highlights of this book and it was great to read through it. The plot wasn’t bad at all and I could not put this book down, because I really wanted to find out what was going to happen.

This novel is not reinventing the wheel when it comes to Paranormal Romance, but its a fun, exciting read and a unconventional love story. I recommend this book to any PNR fan out there. You won’t regret it!

Smut Level: 4/5! =)

Her Vampire Husband (Hqn)

Don’t Forget to Check out My Giveaways!

Enter to Win a SIGNED copy of “A Local Habitation”!

U.S. only! Ends Later TODAY!

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Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

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International! Ends Later TODAY!

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@ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

7 Winners! International!

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Thanks so much for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala’s Book Corner: The Adrien English Mystery Series (Books 1-5) by Josh Lanyon

2010-03-09T01:37:00.001+02:00

“Adrien English runs a small bookstore in Pasadena which is reputed to have the largest collection of gay and gothic whodunnits. But mystery invades his own life one morning when his best friend is found stabbed to death and he is seen as the most likely subject. A nail-biting thriller with plenty of twists and turns.”

From GoodReads (Book #1 blurb)

Publisher: Loose ID
Original Release Date: 2000 (Book #1), Dec. 2009 (Book #5)
My Copy: eBooks privately bought
Buy This Book @Loose ID
Author's Website

I had heard so many amazing things about Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series, that I had to give it a try. It was my second foray into M/M Romance and I have to say I loved it!

First and foremost this series is a mystery series that just happens to have a homosexual hero. It is in no way an erotica series, though it does have its very smexing steamy moments.

Josh Lanyon’s writing is superb, I could not put these books down. I read all five books in about 3 days, I didn’t do anything else because I did not want to leave Adrien’s world for even a minute.

Adrien is a great leading man and a very interesting character. He owns a bookstore specialized in mystery books and he is also a published writer. He has written a novel about a gay theater actor at Shakespearean times that is also a sleuth.

In each book Adrien finds himself in midst of a a different murder mystery and that can be quite tiring, but Lanyon’s ability to make fun of this situation within the book and making Adrien not take himself to seriously is fantastic. The adventures and plots of these novels are great and fast-paced.

The romance in the series has some ups and downs the main object of affection for Adrien is Jake, a gay cop that is extremely closeted. Adrien and Jake go through so much together and apart, that i could not help but cry my heart out.

The series ended with Book 5 and I LOVED the conclusion, though I would definitely like to have read more. The end was quite satisfying and just leaves you with a very pleasant and warm feeling.

Mystery novels are usually not my thing, unless they have some paranormal element involved lol. However i do recommend this series for any mystery fan out there.

Smut level: 2.5/5! =)

My Least Favorite Book in The Series: Book #2 – A Dangerous Thing, the romance part in this book was great, but I wasn’t a fan to the mystery part.

My Favorite Book in The Series: Book #4 – Death of A Pirate King – It was such a hard read, heart breaking, emotional and amazing, all the makings of a great novel! =)

The Adrien English Mysteries Series in The Order ot Should be Read:

Don’t Forget to Check out My Giveaways!

Enter to Win a SIGNED copy of “A Local Habitation”!

U.S. only! Ends March 11th!

Click on the HERE or the image bellow to enter!

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Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click on the image bellow to enter!

International! Ends March 11th!

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Enter to Win Great Books & Swag

@ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners! Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks so much for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

Previously on Larissa’s Life… [#4]

2010-03-08T04:00:00.001+02:00

Hey there, everyone! This week has been pretty intense for me. Didn’t do much reading unfortunately, but have been working on getting things ready for the big move =)

I got a new camera, flexible tripod and a new Laptop. As you know, I name all my gadgets, and I follow some simple rules for that. It has to be the name of a fictional male character of movies, TV or Books.

The new camera is named Shade (yep, from the Demonica series =]) and the new Laptop is named Sholto (from the Merry Gentry series) =]

This week I also added 2 extra winners and 1 extra prize to my 350+ Giveaway! I have reached over 500 Blog Followers and 1000 Twitter Followers. You guys are the best and thank you every single one of you for the love and support!

Posts of the week:

March 1st - ARC Review of The Wish List by Gabi Stevens.

March 2nd - Previously on Larissa's Life... & More! [#3] - Giveaway Winners, News & Blog Awards!

March 3rd - Review of Ashes of The Red Heifer by Shannon Baker

March 4th - Review of Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

March 5th - Author Interview & Giveaway w/ Seanan McGuire

March 6th - New Blogs on The Block! - A Hidden Haven

- 350+ Followers Giveaway! UPDATE #3!

March 7th - Review of Captured by Julia Rachel Barrett

I also debuted this week my bi-weekly column on Book Lover Inc. called: Bookish Rants or Raves. I spoke about the ludicrous way we eBook readers are treated by publishers. You can check out my article HERE.

I will be posting this column bi-weekly along with my regular weekly or so reviews on Book lovers Inc. =)

Books Read This week:

Embrace The Night Eternal by joss Ware

Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf

Books Bought This Week (including pre-orders):

Taken by Midnight by Lara Adrian

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn

Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire

Labyrinth by Kat Richardson

Tracking The Tempest by Nicole peeler

Chimera by Rob Thurman

Books Received in the mail This Week:

Roadkill by Rob Thurman (bought)

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This week Sherry from Flipping Pages for All Ages announced the winner of a copy of Firespell by Chloe Neill and set off another give away. She’s giving away a hardcover copy of Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon HERE. She also posted about a bad day and told us about the great books she got on her In My Mailbox post =)

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I also got some awards this week. However, I am not feeling very well right now, so i will be posting them and passing them on another day this week along with the winner of my Terry Spear giveaway. Im sorry! Thanks for understanding!

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Don’t Forget to Check out My Giveaways!

Enter to Win a SIGNED copy of “A Local Habitation”!

U.S. only! Ends March 11th!

Click on the HERE to enter!

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Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click on the image bellow to enter!

International! Ends March 11th!

<~##########~>

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag

@ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners! Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks so much for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala’s Book Corner: Captured by Julia Rachel Barett

2010-03-07T01:29:00.001+02:00

“Mari wakes naked, on the cold metal floor of a cargo cage. She has been captured by an alien trapper, Ekkatt, a man of Attun-Ra. Her destination is the meat market. Her only hope of survival is to connect with Ekkatt. She never expects to fall in love with him.”

From Goodreads.

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand

Release Date: January 6th, 2010

My Copy: eBook Sent to me by the Author.

Author’s Website

This book was quite a surprise for me. I have not delved into science fiction much, to be quite honest I have only read Ann Aguirre’s Jax series so far. I never thought that it would be a genre I would enjoy much and Captured proved me wrong.

It’s a strong story with a lot of world building and very easy to get lost into. Mari has been taken from her home on Earth and awakens in a spaceship where she is a prisoner. She meets Ekkatt, a humanoid alien that works for an organization in his planet that takes human women and sells them in the meat-market.

Yep, you read that right. I do not even mean they became sexual slaves, which would have been horrible enough. Apparently human meat is a delicacy to a lot of interplanetary species and what is worse, they don’t even acknowledge that humans are sentient creatures and regard us all as unthinking animals.

Mari waking up during that trip changes everything. No prisoner has ever woken up before and by being rational and opinionated she shows Ekkatt that things are not what he has been led to believe.

I loved the growth both characters go through and how much they teach each other and come to rely in one another. It’s a beautiful love story and both Ekkatt and Mari are great leading characters and sooooo hot together hehe.

Their journey for survival and right to exist and just be together is great to follow and the only fault I have found in this book was that it was too short. I wanted more and more and Julia had a such a rich world and story that there is much more to be told in that world.

If you are up to an awesome sci-fi romance, this is the book for you!

Smut Level: 3.5/5! =)

Don’t Forget to Check out My Giveaways!

Enter to Win a SIGNED copy of “A Local Habitation”!

U.S. only! Ends March 11th!

Click on the HERE to enter!

<~##########~>

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click on the image bellow to enter!

International! Ends March 11th!

<~##########~>

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag

@ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners! Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

350 Followers Giveaway! UPDATED #4!

2010-03-06T21:24:00.001+02:00

Hey There everyone! I hope you are all having an amazing end of the week, wherever you are!

I am finally doing a followers giveaway and it's about time! I have been planning on it since I reached 200 followers, but to be honest, I try to have only one giveaway going on at a time. However, I have a giveaway per week scheduled for the next few months, so I decided to go ahead and do it anyways.

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but my weekly giveaways are open to EVERYONE not only followers. I usually have a lot of entries by non-followers and thats great! I won't be changing that, I love that you guys follow my blog because you enjoy it. It makes my work my more pleasurable.

However, this giveaway will be for followers ONLY. I want to give back to each one of you for all the love you give me. You all brighten my days!

I have some great prizes and for starters there will be 3 winners and with time and every 50 more followers I get, I will add more winners.

The Prizes!

Twilight Journals
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Yone + Demonica Bookmark
First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Dark Visions Trilogy by L.J. Smith
Pink Bag (I brought it from Rome, Italy)
Swag: Colosseum Mouse pad, Colosseum Pencil case and Note Pad.
Firespell by Chloe Neill

There are 8 prizes available total!

1st Place: Choice of 2 Prizes from the list above!

2nd Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!

3rd Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!
4th Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!
5th Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!
6th Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!
7th Place: Choice of 1 Prize from the list above!

UPDATE #4!

I Just passed 500 Followers!

A 6th winners has been added!

I Just Reached 1000 Twitter Followers!

Im adding "Firespell" by Chloe Neill to the prize list!

If during the Giveaway I reach 550 followers, an 8th place will be added and that goes for me reaching 450, 500, 550 and so on... Until I have a total of 7 Winners!

I might add more prizes! Stay Tuned!

I might add more after that, we'll see =))

To Enter:

+5 Old Google Friend Connect Follower (Following to UP TO Feb. 12th)

+3 New Google Friend Connect Follower (Following from AFTER Feb. 12th)

+1 Leave a comment on this post.

Leave an EMAIL for contact! (if you dont feel comfortable leaving it here, email me at larissa@larissaslife.com)

Extra Entries:

+10 Blog about this Giveaway!

+5 Have this Giveaway Button on your blog!

+3 Have this giveaway listed on a sidebar of your Blog!

+3 Follow me on Networked Blogs

+2 Follow me on Twitter (@larissa_sarah)

+2 Be a Fan of Larissa's Life on Facebook

+2 Be my friend on Goodreads

+1 Leave your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of prizes

+1 Add all your entries! (including this one!)

The Button:

This Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and will run until MARCH 15th!

Good Luck to You All!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!

xoxo,

New Blogs on The Block! – A Hidden Haven

2010-03-06T00:53:00.001+02:00

Hey there everyone! Welcome to another New Blogs on The Block!

This feature was created by the great Book Chick City and passed over to me recently. If you’d like to be a part of it, please check HERE for more information.

Today is my pleasure to have here Caitlin from A Hidden Haven.

1. When and why did you start blogging?

I started my own blog just this September. I have been visiting many other great blogs learning about what they were reading and what they thought. I figured it was a good time for me to join the blogging world.

2. Tell us a little about your blog?

My simple little blog is reviews of books I just finished, news on books becoming movies, pictures of author signings I have been too, and occasional a contest I am still trying to get that off the ground but need more followers.

3. What's been the high point of blogging so far?

I think I really like being able to tell people about the great books I have enjoyed and think everyone should read. I feel like I am giving back to the blogging community a little bit at a time.

4. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a 22 year old student in school to be a veterinarian technician in South Jersey. Reading is my guilty pleasure to escape my stressful life and enter a more intriguing world that has been created. I love traveling to see new places and taking tons of pictures. I love to document everything I do through pictures.

5. What's your favorite book of all time?

The Host by Stephenie Meyers. I am not a sci-fi reader and this really isn't like that. It deals with human relationships and emotions.

6. Who are your favorite authors?

Karen Chance, Laurell K. Hamilton, Eileen Wilks, Stephenie Meyer, Jacquelyn Frank, Rachel Caine, Candace Havens, Kim Harrison, Beth Fantaskey, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare, Lisa McMann, Kelley Armstrong, Richelle Mead, and L.J. Smith.

7. How many books are on your TBR list right now?

On my Goodreads TBR list I have 473 and its always growing.

9. Where do you see your blog in a year from now?

Hopefully, with a few more followers who will be reading my recommendation and more contests. I want to give more back.

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Today I am also on Book Lovers Inc with a new biweekly column. Im talking about eBook Publishing Fail on today’s article!

Check it out HERE!

Don’t Forget to Check out My Giveaways!

Enter to Win a SIGNED copy of “A Local Habitation”!

U.S. only! Ends March 11th!

Click on the HERE to enter!

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Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click on the image bellow to enter!

International! Ends March 11th!

<~##########~>

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag

@ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners! Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala’s Book Corner Presents: Author Interview & Giveaway w/ Seanan McGuire

2010-03-05T17:05:00.001+02:00

Hey Everyone! How you all doing today?

I am so happy to have here today the Author of the October Daye series. Seanan McGuire. I love this series and can’t wait to read the second book that just came out on March 2nd, A Local Habitation.

You can read my review of the first book in the series, Rosemary and Rue, HERE!

She is also giving away a SIGNED Copy of the new book! Giveaway deets at the bottom =)

Enjoy…

- When did you first start writing?
According to my mother, as soon as I figured out what the alphabet was for. So a pretty long time ago.

- Have you always been interested in Fantasy?
Oh, absolutely. I was a fairy tale nut as a child, and I just never outgrew that stage.

- Why writing Urban Fantasy? Because that's what I feel like writing. I love the combination of modern setting and old ideas. It's like the delicious Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of fantasy goodness.

- Were there any Books, Movies or Writers that have inspired you? Peter Beagle's THE LAST UNICORN, Tanya Huff's SUMMON THE KEEPER, and Emma Bull's WAR FOR THE OAKS. LABYRINTH, NIGHT OF THE COMET, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (the musical, not the old black and white, although that's fun, too). Stephen King, James Tiptree Jr., and Janet Kagan.

- What is your favorite subject in the Urban Fantasy Realm?
The collision between our world and the other worlds that are out there, just waiting to make trouble.

- Favorite Paranormal themed Movie?
SLITHER, directed by James Gunn, starring Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks.

- Favorite Paranormal themed TV Show?
SUPERNATURAL for the first three seasons, and now FRINGE.

- Favorite Paranormal themed Book?
FIRE AND HEMLOCK, by Diana Wynne Jones.

Favorites:

- Favorite Author?
Stephen King.

- Favorite Paranormal Romance Author?
Kelley Armstrong.

- Favorite one of your Books?
AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT (book three, it comes out in September).

- Who is your favorite of your own characters?
Toby. She's damaged but she's strong, and I love her to pieces. Which is good, because I spend so damn much time with her.

- Which was the hardest to write?
A LOCAL HABITATION was definitely difficult to write, because it was very tricky and twisty, so it took a lot of juggling to keep everything in the air.

- What would you be if not a writer?
...I have no idea. I've always been a writer. A cartoonist, maybe. I'd probably focus more energy on art if I didn't write.

Quickies:

Coffee or Tea?
Coffee, with LOTS of milk and Splenda.

Up or Down?
"She chose down? Too late now..."

Virtual or Real?
Real.

Right or Left?
Sinister!

The Fae or Shifters?
Fae.

Friends or Seinfeld?
COUPLING.

Reading or Writing?
Both.

- What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Page one.

- What is your least favorite part?
The third time I have to re-write page one.

- The October Daye Series in your own words?
Fairy tale noir -- VERONICA MARS meets the Brothers Grimm in a dark alley, beats them up, and takes their lunch money.

- I've seen a cover foe a third October Daye Book, a**ny plans for more Books after that?
Oh, absolutely. I'm in the middle of writing book five, and there's a lot of story left to tell.

- What is coming up next for you?
After A LOCAL HABITATION, I'll be putting on my Mira Grant pants for the release of FEED, the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy. I've also got an ongoing series of short stories running in The Edge of Propinquity, called "Sparrow Hill Road," about a hitchhiking ghost named Rose Marshall and her cross-country quest to find the man who killed her.

- What are you working on right now?
Right now, I'm working on the fifth Toby book (THE BRIGHTEST FELL), the third Newsflesh book (BLACKOUT), "Sparrow Hill Road," a paranormal YA called SIT, STAY, I HATE YOU, and a book called MIDNIGHT BLUE-LIGHT SPECIAL, about a family of monster hunters. I don't sleep much.

- Do you have any advice or tip to those like me that want to
become a published Author someday?
Write. Write all the time. Solicit HONEST feedback, and train your friends to tell you when something is crap. Remember that everyone sucks when they start, and keep writing. Prepare for rejection. Success is only achieved when you get to the other side.

- Anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Thank you all so much for reading. It means the world to me, and it helps me sell enough books to feed my cats. I'm really, really honored.

- Thank you so much for the interview!

Thank you for having me!

Now on to the Giveaway!

You can win a SIGNED copy of the Second October Daye Book: A Local Habitation!

To Enter:

- Comment on This post about anything talked about on interview.

- Leave a way to contact you (if you don't feel comfortable leaving your email, you can send it to me at larissa@larissaslife.com)

Extra Entries:

+5 Google friend connect Follower

+5 Networked Blogs Follower

+3 @larissa_sarah Twitter Follower

+2 Spread the word (RT on twitter - please leave a link of the Tweet!)

+1 Sum up your entries!

This Giveaway is for U.S. only!

It will run until March 11th!

Good Luck!

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click HERE!

International!

Ends March 11th!

and

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners!

Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thank you for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala’s Book Corner: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

2010-03-04T04:31:00.001+02:00

“October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer."

Publisher: DAW

Release Date: September 1st, 2009

My Copy: eBook Purchased by me.

I got this book because of the great review Danielle from ALPHA reader wrote about it. It’s one of my favorite blogs out there and we have pretty similar tastes, specially when it come to PNR and UF.

I have to say that I am pretty skittish when it comes to the fae. I don’t know why exactly, but they are definitely my least favorite theme in the UF and PNR realm. I mean, of course there are some exceptions. I love Richelle Mead’s Dark Swan Series, but usually I do pick up a book with a certain amount of reserve. That said, Rosemary and Rue has definitely been a flower in the desert for me.

October Daye lives on the line between the Faerie world and the human world, not really belonging to either one. She works as a knight for a royalty of the Faerie and whilst one of her toughest jobs she comes to blows with a fiend that transforms her into a koi fish and she gets trapped in the lake of a Japanese style garden for 14 years.

Toby had a daughter and a fiancée, but when she is finally released from the spell, her life is turned upside down and she has to learn to deal with that and with being torn between trying to leave Faerie behind of going back to her old life.

I LOVED Toby as a leading lady. She is so likable and you can’t help but give your heart away to her plea. She is far from perfect and it’s hard to see her trying to deal with the fact that her daughter and ex-fiancée don’t even want to talk to her, it’s heart breaking, since she can’t really tell them why she has disappeared for 14 years.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters like the King of the cats, Tybalt. Despite the fact that he and Toby actually don’t like each other, I have to say that I would love to see them get involved, I totally see something happening there LOL, Tybalt is so hot =P

The plot of this book was great, fast paced and riveting. I could not stop reading for a second and was almost blind sighted by who the villain really was.

I absolutely recommend this book to any UF lover out there. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series, A Local Habitation, that has come out on March 2nd, but I haven’t been able to purchase yet. Apparently the eBook version is going to take a while and because of my move, I’m on a print book buying ban right now hehe =)

Seanan McGuire will be stopping by Tomorrow for an Interview & Giveaway! You don’t wanna miss that!

Rosemary and Rue: An October Daye Novel

A Local Habitation: An October Daye Novel

Don't Forget to enter my Giveaways:

Enter to Win a SIGNED "Heart of The Wolf" Book!

Click HERE to enter!

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!

Click HERE!

International!

Ends March 11th!

and

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!

5 Winners!

Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala's Book Corner: Ashes of The Red Heifer by Shannon Baker

2010-03-03T00:01:00.001+02:00

"An ancient prophecy. A terrible secret. A deadly conspiracy. Annie Grant, a strong-willed veterinarian is in Israel, just days from finding a cure for a deadly bovine disease threatening to cross into the human population with deadly affects. She can save millions of human lives and her professional success might help heal the rupture with her family when she walked away from the Nebraska ranch she loves. When her research is disrupted by a bomb, she and her lover are kidnapped by a fanatical Jewish group intent on forcing God's hand.

Is Annie the chosen of God, destined to fulfill ancient Hebrew prophecy? Using her best friend as hostage, the group forces Annie to find the cure and engineer the birth of a perfect red heifer in Israel, making it possible for Jews to again find God's favor. Battling time and trapped in the bloody crossfire between rabid Zionists fighting to recapture Israel's glory, militant Muslims intent on stopping them and Christians anticipating rapture, Annie must choose. Her own life. Or an apocalyptic war. The future of the world. Or the ashes of the red heifer."

Publisher: L & L Dreamspell
Original Release Date: January 28th, 2010
My Copy: eBook sent to me by the Author
Buy This Book @Amazon or @Barnes & Noble!
Author's Website

When I got the chance to read this book through Book Lovers Inc. I jumped at it. Being Jewish, I thought it would be really interesting to read this religious thriller written by an "outsider" of Judaism, Muslim and Catholicism.

Annie Grant is a scientist working non-stop to discover the cure to a bovine disease and save cattle from being decimated. She is working with her assistant and best friend, who is Muslim and the representative of the company who is behind the money for the research, who is Jewish.

They are all working at a Kibbutz in Israel when they hear the siren announcing there is an air attack going on and then suddenly the barn where they are working at, gets blown off. From there on they need to move, get beaten on, threatened, kidnapped and its none stop action.

Annie is persecuted by both a Muslim and a Jewish faction and each one wants something from her. She is coerced into doing the Jewish's faction bidding and finds her self in the middle of fanatics. Fearing for her life and that of her best friend, she had to do what they ask her to until she finds a way to escape.

I really liked Annie as a character. I enjoyed that she didn't quite have an affiliation to any of the religions, but her dismissive attitude towards other people's beliefs bothered me a bit at times, but not too much. I had no problem in relating with her as a person and found it very easy to root for her throughout the novel. The action in this book was great and it keep me riveted from beginning to end.

Now, I have a bone to pick with something in the novel. I actually agree with a lot of how fanaticism was portraited in this book and I have to say that I hate Fanaticism. It is my belief that everything that is in excess, it's too much and usually does not end well. I believe in balance. However, even though I am not by any stretch an expert in Judaism and its mythology, it was very hard to believe in a Jewish suicide bomber.

One might argue that fanaticism has no limits, but these same fanatics are supposed to be faithful to their religions. In Judaism, suicide is abhorred, a person that has committed suicided cannot even be buried in a regular cemetery. In some countries they are even buried as indigents outside of a Jewish cemetery. So, to believe that a Jewish fanatic would be willing to kill himself even it was for "the good of the fight".

That aside, all in all this novel was a great read. Fast paced, compelling and extremely well written. If you are up for a great Thriller, i totally recommend this book!

Don't Forget to enter my Giveaways:

Enter to Win a SIGNED "Heart of The Wolf" Book!
Click HERE to enter!

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!
Click HERE!
International!
Ends March 11th!

and

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!
5 Winners!
Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!
xoxo,

Previously on Larissa's Life... & More! [#3] - Giveaway Winners, News, Bloggy Awards!

2010-03-02T05:43:00.000+02:00

Hey there everyone! I a couple days late with my weekly round up post and I apologize. With the blog going haywire, me being a pain crisis and having to study for an exam, I just wasn't able to get this post up and stuck with a couple pre-scheduled reviews. I didn't even have a New Blogs on The Block post up. I am really sorry for that.

Well, good news is that the blog seems to be working ok now, not perfect, but functioning. Im still in a pain crisis and I had to drop out of school. Why? You might ask... My dad has just lost his job and we have come to the decision that we are moving back to Brazil. If you didn't know, I'm originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and now I'll be going back to it after living out of Rio for 10 years. I am terrified, but surprisingly excited about this new challenge.

Enough about me hehe Let's get to the week in Review!

Posts of The Week:

Feb. 23rd - Review of Road Trip of The Living Dead by Mark Henry
Feb. 24th - Review of Battle of The Network Zombie by Mark Henry
Feb. 25th - Review of The Heart of The Wolf Series by Terry Spear
Feb. 26th -Interview and Giveaway w/ Author Terry Spear
Feb. 27th - Review of The Cal Leandros Series by Rob Thurman
Feb. 28th - Interview and Giveaway w/ Author Rob Thurman

March 1st -

ARC Review of The Wish List by Gabi Stevens

Books Read This Week:

The Wish List by Gabi Stevens (ARC)
Shift by Rachel Vincent
Captured by Julia Rachel Barrett
Beyond The Night by Joss Ware
Crux by Moira Rogers
Crossroads by Moira Rogers

Books Bought This Week:

Little Red and The Wolf by Alison Paige
Abandon The Night by Joss Ware

Books Received For Review This Week:

The Wish List by Gabi Stevens (ARC)
Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf (ARC)
My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent (ARC)
Into The Dark by Gene Showalter (ARC)
Demon Hunts by C.E. Murphy (ARC)
Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman (ARC)

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This week Sherry from Flipping Pages for All Ages reviewed "Going to far" by Jennifer Echols and updated her 2010 Debut Author reading list. She also announced the winner of her The Body Finder Giveaway!

I have not decided on the other supporting roles on Larissa's Life spots that are still available. If your interested, please check the info HERE! There are still 4 spots left!

Thank you!

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This week I also got some Bloggy awards from some bloggers!

I got this one from Anna @ Good Gone Girl!

Thank you soooo much!

I will be passing this one along to:

Chick Lit Plus

Strictly Reviews

Welcome to Midnight Glance

I got this one from Chick Lit Plus!

Thanks! I feel honored! =)))

I'll pass this one to:

Lilium's Realm

Twimom 227

Sagi's Randomness

I actually received I third award this week, but I can't seem to find the email that notified me which post that person commented on. I am sooooo sorry! If you have given me an award this week and I have not posted it here, please let me know. I'm so sorry for this and please know that I really appreciate the love!!!

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Last, but not least, I have a couple Giveaway winners to announce!

The winner of My Michele Bardsley Giveaway is:

bookaholic

You win a SIGNED copy of Come Hell or Hight Water!

###

The Winner of My Lexi Ryan Giveaway is:

Jacabur1

You have won a SIGNED copy of a Stilettos Girls of your choice!

You both have 48hours to respond to the email I am going to send you now!

Thank you all for participating!

and

Don't Forget to enter my other Giveaways:

Enter to Win a SIGNED "Heart of The Wolf" Book!
Click HERE to enter!

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!
Click HERE!
International!
Ends March 11th!

and

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!
5 Winners!
Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala's Book Corner: The Wish List (Time of Transition #1) by Gabi Stevens (ARC Review)

2010-03-01T00:01:00.002+02:00

"Kristin Montgomery is more than a little shocked when her aunts inform her they're fairy godmothers. Worse, after dropping that bombshell, they hand her a wand and head off on a world cruise. Now Kirstin's uncomplicated life as a CPA in San Diego has disappeared like magic, and she not only has to deal with he burgeoning magical powers but also a reluctant - ans distractingly sexy - magical arbiter.

Tennyson Ritter is a historian. A scholar by choice, he is yanked from his studies to act as arbiter for the newly chosen fairy godmother. He doesn't want to waste his time with a woman who doesn't know anything about magic or the magical world, but soon the beguiling Kristin draws him away from his books and into her life.

But before Kristin can hone her skills and pass the tests necessary to fully claim her powers, she and Tennyson must work together to defend the world - both magical and human - against those who would claim her powers for their own."

Book Blurb. (More info HERE)

Publisher: Tor Books
Original Release Date: May 1st, 2010

My Copy: ARC
Pre-Order This Book @Amazon or @Barnes & Noble!
Author's Website

I have to say that The Wish List was a very pleasant surprise to me. I read the whole book in just a few hours because I could not put it down for a second and I even missed a class because I lost track of time.

Kristin's world turns upside down when her three "aunts" tell her that magic is real and not only that, she is meant to be one of the the next generation of fairy godmothers that are rising to substitute them. Our heroine needs to come to terms with the fact that only the world the Brothers Grimm portraited is real, she is a part of it.

The "aunts" leave her to her own devices, since they are not supposed to train her at all and she meets Tannyson Ritter, the man who is supposed to evaluate her and determine if she is suitable to be a fairy godmother.

I loved the premise to this new series, I found it so refreshing. I mean, as an avid reader of Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy, one gets her fair share of witches, weres, vamps and so on... This was a first, a heroine that is a fairy godmother. I have to say that Gabi Stevens not only delivered but thrived in delivering a fresh new take in the Paranormal Romance realm.

I mean, let's be honest amongst a world with so many UF and PNR worlds, no one is inventing the wheel anymore and it is always cool to find a new series that has a fresh take or a new point of view in a genre that already has so many.

Kristin is a very likable character and our reluctant heroine. I loved watching her evolve in this book from someone that didn't believe in magic to someone that was not afraid to put herself on the line for the people she cares about. She is not a tough-as-nails, kick-ass-heroin but she is very intelligent, quick, has magic and awesome powers on her side.

Tennyson is a great leading man. So infuriating and rude at first, he also evolves through the novel and becomes very swoon worthy. Granted that since the beginning he has a sex appeal that you cannot deny, besides being sweet, but Kristin takes longer than us readers to figure that out hehe =)

I have to say I did guess who the villain was before the characters did, but it did not take away any of the fun in this book. The villain is creepy and when his mask finally falls off, you just wish Kristin would throw a "troll" at him (villain will remain unnamed to avoid spoilers).

The Wish List is a great start to a very promising series. A fast paced, fun and light novel that I recommend to any PNR fan out there. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Smut Level: 3.5/5 =)

Don't Forget to enter my other Giveaways:

Enter to Win a SIGNED "Heart of The Wolf" Book!
Click HERE to enter!

Win 1 out of 4 SIGNED Books by Rob Thurman!
Click HERE!
International!
Ends March 11th!

and

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!
5 Winners!
Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!

xoxo,

Lala's Book Corner Presents: Author Interview & Giveaway w/ Rob Thurman

2010-02-28T00:01:00.003+02:00

Hey Everyone!

I'me very honored of having two authors Im such a fan of here this week. Today I have Rob Thurman here answering some of my questions and giving aways 4 books in an awesome giveaway to celebrate the release of the 5th Book in The Cal Leandros Series, Roadkill, coming out March 2nd!

You can check out my review of The Cal Leandros Series HERE!

Besides Cal's series, Rob also writes The Trickster Series and has a standalone novel coming out in June, 2010 called Chimera.

Giveaway details at the bottom, enjoy the interview!

- When did you first start writing?
The easier question may be when in my life didn’t I write… probably from birth to the age of ten, but that’s just a guesstimate.

- Why writing Urban Fantasy?
Because it combines two of my favorite things…monsters and cursing. The two just go together like peanut butter and jelly, don’t they?

Favorites:

- Favorite Paranormal themed movie?
Ghostbusters is one of my all time favorites—an oldy but a hilarious movie. How can you not love a bad guy who sends a giant marshmallow to destroy New York? You’ve never seen ass kicked until you’ve seen a giant marshmallow man do it. The Prophecy is brilliant because who can resist Christopher Walken, even when he’s not demanding more cowbells? Not to mention, Viggo Mortensen almost made me piss my pants—no special effects, yet the most terrifying Satan I’ve ever seen. And The Gift because it not only has a great story, it also stars Keanu Reeves and he can actually *act*, so it must be a film from a parallel universe or he was possessed by the ghost of an actual actor. If that’s not paranormal, I don’t know what is. And Snatch, although it’s not paranormal, it’s where Cal learned to love a Desert Eagle .50, plus Brad Pitt takes a crap behind a car—if that’s not horror movie material, I don’t know what is.

- Favorite Paranormal themed TV show?
In the day, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer although I liked everyone *except* Buffy on the show. Great fights, excellent snarking, fantastic plots, dark humor. All you vamp series out there, Buffy did it first and in most cases did it better. Now my favorites are probably Being Human, Torchwood (it had a demon once, that counts) and, of course, Supernatural. I find it funny that so many people say my books are so similar to Supernatural, when, in reality, it should be just the reverse. I wrote Nightlife years beforeSupernatural ever aired, but I can’t deny the similarities, especially with the brotherly bonds, the high levels of sarcasm, and Sam’s developing “dark side”—although Cal had his dark side from day one. I guess this just proves that great minds do think alike (and that Supernatural should hire me to do a novelization.)
Favorite Paranormal themed book? I think The Stand by Stephen King is a phenomenal book. It has it all… horror, action, characters you really come to care about (although he killed off my favorite. Bastard!). At its heart i, it’s a very simple good vs evil story, but King managed to make it so much deeper and complex than just that. The Talisman by King and Peter Straub is brilliant as well. A coming of age story with an alternate world, this world (which in some cases can be worse than the alternate one), werewolves, and a plot that grabs you by the throat and won’t let go.
Favorite Author?  Well, obviously, Stephen King, but I’ve also always been fond of Roger Zelazny (for, of course, The Chronicles of Amber—old school there. If you haven’t read it, you’re not a true fantasy fan), Robert Crais’s Elvis Cole Detective Novels, Stephen Brust (The Jhereg series), Tanya Huff’s early work (because I haven’t had time to read her later work…deadlines are killing me!) and a thousand others that wouldn’t fit here.

- Favorite one of your books?
Nightlife definitely, because it was the beginning of Cal and Niko. There have been books in the series that followed that were better written as I grew as a writer, but another reason I’ll always like Nightlife best is that I was able to write the book I’d always been looking for—all the best bits you search out in books: the battles, the snarky dialogue, the danger, the dread and relief. I wanted all the holy shit! moments—so I did my best to make Nightlife one big holy shit! moment, the entire thing. Madhouse, if I were subjective, is probably the best so far in the series. It has a villain that will scare the absolute shit out of you.
Chimera, which is due out in June this year, is hands-down my favorite book, next to Nightlife, that I’ve ever written. When I wrote Nightlife, it was originally rejected by every publisher out there. I then decided to try my hand at a Dean Koontz style novel with the feel of his older stuff like Lightning and Watchers. I still wanted to explore the relationship between brothers but with a different twist than what Cal and Niko have. Stefan and Michael haven’t seen each other in ten years and Chimera is about the struggle of the two developing that brotherly bond instead of it already being there—as with Cal and Niko. Also it has genetically engineered monsters, lots of guns, and plenty of sarcasm, who doesn’t love that?
Fortunately, while Chimera was making the rounds, Nightlife did sell. Once I had that series firmly under my belt, and my second series The Trickster Novels published, I decided to have my agent offer up Chimera to Penguin Putnam once more, and this time they took it. It will be coming out in the Sci-Fi section, but I don’t want my regular UF readers to be put off by that categorization. There are no aliens or spaceships, it’s no different really from UF except all the monsters in the book are human…some with a little genetic manipulation thrown in, but still human. It’s not set in the future. Don’t freak. If you like Cal and Niko, Chimera will definitely be right up your alley.

- Favorite of your own characters?
Cal would be the easy answer, but actually it’s probably Robin Goodfellow in the Cal Leandros Novels because his self-assuredness (but with a hidden vulnerability under that ego) and, yes, arrogance are such a great contradiction to Cal, plus he has the best comebacks and one-liners of any of my characters. Zeke is probably my favorite in Trick of the Light and its follow up because, given his background, he has no inhibitions. I mean, wouldn’t it be great to be able to walk into a room and say exactly what you feel or think and not have to filter it? Zeke has such an innocence about him, even when he’s talking shit and beating the crap out of the bad guys, that it’s hard not to love him.
Another of my favorites, who plays a major role in Roadkill, is Catcher. Readers will hopefully remember him and his cousin, Rafferty, from Nightlife. I’ve wanted to bring them back for a while now and Roadkill finally offered me a chance to tell their story. The thing I love about Catcher is that, despite being trapped in wolf form, he’s a very normal guy. It’s kind of ironic that, for being the least human appearing of the characters in the book, he’s the most human at heart. You can’t not love the guy. It’s impossible not to. He’s your best buddy, wing-man, the guy who has your back, and the practical joker all rolled into one. About a quarter to a third of Roadkill is from Catcher’s POV, and I think readers will really be drawn into Catcher and Rafferty’s story that interweaves tightly with Cal and Niko’s story. There are a lot of parallels between these two families and what they will do for the people they love.

- You write the Trickster series, and the Cal Leandros series. Would you describe both for us in your own words?
You know, I really hate this question because it would be like asking someone to sum up their children in a few sentences. But here goes…
The Cal Leandros Novels is about Cal Leandros, who is half Auphe and half human. Auphe are the creatures that were the origin of elf mythology, if elves weren’t the prissy debutantes of high fantasy who happened to be good with bows and arrows, but instead are deranged, hideous and unabashedly murderous monsters that could take down a T-Rex with their claws and razor sharp teeth. In Nightlife, he and his older half-brother Niko are on the run from Cal’s darker side of the family and find themselves in New York City dealing with various other monsters that live unnoticed by most normal humans in the city. The monsters all have a twist from a lot of UF out there… the werewolves they meet early on, the Kin are basically a werewolf mafia, there’s boggles eating muggers in Central Park, and a troll under the bridge (which sounds cute from the fairy tale. Trust me, not cute. One of the more insane and evil monsters I’ve come up with. I think the best description was from a review by Barnes and Noble reviewer Paul Goat Allen that said it was the lovechild of HP Lovecraft and Lenny Bruce.   But along the way, the brothers, who have had only each other for most of their lives, slowly let in a few friends… Rob Goodfellow a car salesman puck who will do anything and anyone and Promise, a vampire socialite who’s buried five very wealthy and very happy elderly husbands. From there, the series takes off and they’ve dealt with The Kin, faced down Sawney Beane (a cannibalistic horror from 1400s Scotland) , a jungle god, and the whole time being chased by the Auphe. Over the series, Cal’s had to deal with his Auphe side becoming stronger and struggle to control it. In Roadkill, you’ll get to see him struggle with that even more while they track down an anti-healer who is set on destroying the world with the worst diseases you could imagine.
I’m not sure what to say about Trick of the Light, as I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t ever read the book. But I can say that Trixa is a kick ass demon hunter in Las Vegas who runs a bar with Leo, and took in two teen boys, Zeke and Griffin, a telepath and an empath, who were eventually recruited by Eden House when they grew up, an organization that is devoted to serving Heaven by destroying demons here on Earth. The four of them find themselves in a race to find the Light, a relic that could sway the balance of power between Heaven and Hell, and could help Trixa on a more personal level… she could finally find the demon who killed her brother years before. If you haven’t read it, all I can say is the end will knock your socks off. Don’t peek, you’ll ruin the entire book if you do.

- Any plans for more books in both series?
Honestly, that’s up to the readers. I’m contracted to write up to Book 7 for Cal and Book 2 for Trixa (The Grimrose Path September 2010.) Beyond that, it’s up to the publisher to offer to buy more, and that offer is all contingent on my sales numbers. I would love to keep writing them, as I think there are plenty of stories left to tell for both of the series and plenty of ass left to kick. So, if the fans want to keep reading them, then they need to keep buying the books and spreading the word. And I can’t stress enough that they have to *buy* the books. Unfortunately, publishing is a business and they measure your success, not by how many people have read the books and how many times, but how many books sell. So, if someone is borrowing the book from their best friend and love it, then I’m very happy to hear it, but it does me no good on my sales numbers and can actually hurt the chances of another book coming out. I would love to be able to write just for the hell of it and give everyone out there free access to my work, but A) my publisher wouldn’t make money off of me and they would stop printing the books, and B) my dogs would get hungry and eventually eat me.
People think writers have it made, but nine out of ten writers have day jobs to keep them alive, because you earn less than 50 cents a book. Seems impossible, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s all too frigging true. You don’t buy, I can’t afford food, and the publisher drops my ass which equals no more Cal. And Cal likes existing—well, considering what I do to him, most of the time anyway.
Do you have any advice or tip to those like me that want to become a published author someday? Abandon hope all ye who enter here. J Seriously, just as I said above, you have to remember that publishing is a business and it’s all based on selling your books. That means *your* book, your baby that you slaved over and poured your heart and soul into from page one, suddenly becomes *their *book that they want you to change to fit what they believe will be more marketable. That may mean a 12 year old character is aged up to 17 y/o to be a love interest for the main character, even though you had no desire to write romance into the book.   Or it may mean that a character disappears from the book completely, or that scene you thought was hilarious is deemed extraneous and doesn’t move the story along so it gets chopped from the book. Bottom line: grow a thick skin and buy a lot of tissue and find a strong shoulder to cry on because chances are you’ll need it. And have a great day job to fall back on…because eating is crucial.

- Anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Without you I am nothing. And I mean that in all sincerity. When I get a fan letter or email or someone is excited about a release date on my LJ, it makes me all kinds of happy. Cal fans are some of the fiercest most loyal bunch of fans out there and I truly appreciate all the help you give when I rally you for an early release date and to spread the word to the masses. Word of mouth is some of the best publicity I can get and you guys are great for that, so thanks to you all.
That being said, don’t forget to buy Roadkill the week of its release (March 2-6) and drag all your family, friends, and strangers you meet in line at McDonalds to your nearest *bookstore* (online sales don’t count toward rankings for some strange reason) and buy a copy. And if it isn’t out, or it is sold out, find the first employee you see and demand that they find it in the back or order more. For those who do, and send me a photo of the receipt and you giddy with anticipation of sitting down and reading Roadkill, I have a special prize… I’ll send you chapter 1 of Cal six that I am currently writing. All the details are on my LJ here: http://robgoodfella.livejournal.com/90497.html Remember, it has to be that first week March 2-6^th) or I don’t get the big boost. Fans are always asking me: why no movie? Why no graphic novels? Because only huge, huge authors get those. So give me a whole lot of boost and we’ll see what we, together, can do!

Thanks so much for stopping by Rob! =)

Now on to the Giveaway!

Rob is giving away 2 signed copies of Deathwish, Book #4 in The Cal Leandros Series and 2 signed copies of A Trick of Light, Book #1 in The Trickster Series.

There will be 4 winners and this giveaway is International!

To Enter:

- Comment on This post about anything talked about on interview.

- Leave a way to contact you (if you don't feel comfortable leaving your email, you can send it to me at larissa@larissaslife.com)

Extra Entries:

+5 Google friend connect Follower
+5 Networked Blogs Follower
+3 @larissa_sarah Twitter Follower
+3 @Rob_Thurman Twitter Follower
+2 Spread the word (RT on twitter - please leave a link of the Tweet!)
+1 Sum up your entries!

This Giveaway will run until March 11th!

Good Luck!

Don't Forget to enter my other Giveaways:

Enter to Win a SIGNED "Heart of The Wolf" Book!
Click HERE to enter!

Enter to Win Great Books & Swag @ My 350+ Followers Giveaway!
5 Winners!
Click on the Image bellow to enter!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you soon!

xoxo,