May
31 2011 |
How about another excerpt? This time between Rowan and her friend, who also happens to be a cop, Jack – after they’ve been to a murder scene…
GODDESS WITH A BLADE by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2011, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Carina Press
Releasing June 6!
“So, what’s going on in your life these days?” Jack began to mow his way through a very large club sandwich. Not an ounce of fat on the man, but he was built like a tank. It wasn’t so long ago that she’d been able to forget just how good he looked naked.
“Started a new workout that’s totally kicking my ass. I need to go to the dentist. There’s a whackjob on the loose. Same old same old.” She knew he wanted to hear about Clive, but unless he asked directly, she was going to make him work for it because she was just that petty.
“When did this thing with whatshisname start?”
“Whatshisname? I don’t believe I’ve seen him since whatsherfoosits was in town. Hey, and how’s your delightful lady friend, Lisa, these days?”
He winced and she sent him a sunny smile.
“What’s the story with you and Stewart? He’s not your usual type.” He said it like he had a stomachache.
“Usual type? You mean incredibly handsome, stylish, a great job, oh and a sexy accent?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. You seem to prefer them more rough and tumble.”
A spark of what they’d had in the beginning danced along her skin for a brief moment. It was bound up in their friendship as well, an intensity of connection on all kinds of levels. It was what made them needle each other, what made her laugh, what had made the sex between them rather rough and tumble as he’d so rightly said.
“There’s nothing to tell really.”
He gave her a look and she laughed. “Really, I swear. He’s an insufferable ass. He’s not my prom date or anything. We fucked.”
“I don’t like that guy. What are his motivations?”
“Motivations? Are you worried he’ll try to touch me in my no-no places or something? Little late for that. Anyway, you met him for like four minutes. I thought you two were too busy trying to give each other the macho handshake to chitchat much.”
“The guy gets to town shortly after you disappear. I can’t find shit about him except for generic stuff. Articles about him in the British press. Plus, that Die Mitte place is hinky. I can feel it.”
“You think Die Mitte is mobbed up or something?” Amused, she managed to put a little more gusto into her food. He wasn’t that far off from the truth. The Vampire Nation was far better and had been involved in organized crime far longer than any humans had been.
“He’s too slick.”
“He’s all right in his own way. But he’s a powerful man. Just let it be. You don’t need any part of what he is.” Amusement at his jealousy was one thing, but Clive would eat him alive if Jack pushed too far. “Speaking of dislike and insufferable asses, again I ask how Lisa is.”
Today’s prize is a copy of Rachel Caine’s ILL WIND (the first in her amazing Weather Wardens series) – I think this series stands out as one of the most clever and unique in urban fantasy and really it’s one I absolutely love. So in the interest of sharing the love – I’ll send one directly from Amazon to the winner! (Or if you’re in Europe and Amazon won’t deliver to your country, I’m also happy to ship from Book Depository π
Today’s Question: What was the first urban fantasy book you read?
I’ll choose a winner tomorrow, June 1, at 9 am pacific. Winners have seven days to claim prize and are responsible for checking back to see the winner announcement posts.
May 31st, 2011 at 8:08 am · Link
Keri Arthur’s Full Moon Rising was the first urban fantasy book I read.
May 31st, 2011 at 8:53 am · Link
Hi
Lilith Saintcrow’s Night Shift (Jill Kismet series). Was hooked!!
Thanks
May 31st, 2011 at 9:07 am · Link
Karen MM’s Fever Series. Did not realize the difference between PNR and UF until then. Love both. β
May 31st, 2011 at 9:33 am · Link
L L Foster
May 31st, 2011 at 9:49 am · Link
I am not ppssitive if it is considered urban fantasy or not but jeaneine frost comes to mind π
May 31st, 2011 at 9:58 am · Link
Not sure what my first one was. Possibly Moon Called by Patricia Briggs or Kim Harrison’s Hollows
May 31st, 2011 at 10:08 am · Link
I think it was Cheyenne McCray’s “Magic” series starting with Dark Magic
May 31st, 2011 at 10:15 am · Link
I’m pretty sure it was Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Though it might have been the Walker Papers series by CE Murphy. But I think Briggs came first. I read her, CE Murphy and Rachel Caine around the same time.
May 31st, 2011 at 10:18 am · Link
Does your book “Undercover” count?? This was the first “futuristic, urban fantasy” book I read….usually NOT my kind of book but was good!!
May 31st, 2011 at 10:55 am · Link
I think it would be Cheyenne McCray’s Demons Not Included.
May 31st, 2011 at 11:07 am · Link
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs! ( I would answer with Halfway at The Grave by Jeaniene Frost, but for some people it considered more paranormal romance)
May 31st, 2011 at 11:51 am · Link
OMG, hard to remember. I think it was Patricia Briggs, but I am not quite sure
May 31st, 2011 at 12:18 pm · Link
Ann Aguirre’s Blue Diablo
May 31st, 2011 at 12:45 pm · Link
I think mt first foray into UF was with Jeaniene Frost.
May 31st, 2011 at 12:53 pm · Link
I think it was a Cheyenne McCray book.
May 31st, 2011 at 1:11 pm · Link
First UF for me was right after I bought my kindle and started my One-Click obsession, so the first being Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid series. Love it!
May 31st, 2011 at 2:25 pm · Link
My first UF was actually Dark Lover, by JR Ward if that is considered UF. I mostly stick to Contemporary unless it’s something that really catches my attention.
May 31st, 2011 at 2:44 pm · Link
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs.
May 31st, 2011 at 3:10 pm · Link
Wow, I actually don’t remember… I think it was before the genre name was around, when it was still in the sci-fi/fantasy section.
May 31st, 2011 at 4:42 pm · Link
I really can’t remember, what my first UF book was.
May 31st, 2011 at 5:54 pm · Link
Thanks for sharing an excerpt.
Keri ArthurΓ’β¬β’s first book in the Riley Jensen series-Full Moon Rising was my first UF.
May 31st, 2011 at 7:10 pm · Link
I don’t remember the first one I read but I just lateley tried Patricia Brigg’ series!
May 31st, 2011 at 7:17 pm · Link
It was either Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid series or Karen Marie Moning Fever Series.
May 31st, 2011 at 7:44 pm · Link
Patricia Brigg’s Mercy series. And I fell in love!
I have to tell you, I read a really bad (only one star review) of this book. I couldn’t understand why it was one star. The reviewer liked your writing, your characters, your settings and even mentioned that the cover was good and the editing was strong. So why the low rating? They thought it was a romance and not urban fantasy. Actually, the reviewer even admitted not reading the book description before reading it. Now, I want to read this book even more!!! π
May 31st, 2011 at 7:48 pm · Link
I don’t know about the UF part, but the first paranormal/Fantasy series that I read was Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire Chronicles! I love those!
May 31st, 2011 at 11:19 pm · Link
I’m pretty sure my first was Moon Called by Patricia Briggs.
June 1st, 2011 at 12:13 am · Link
L.K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series.
June 1st, 2011 at 12:28 am · Link
I think the first one I read was Alph and Omega by Patricia Briggs.
June 1st, 2011 at 2:14 am · Link
My first urban fantasy (or maybe it’s a paranormal romance?) novel was Dark Lover by JR Ward, I got hooked and have read all the Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels and have recently started Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter Series. I’ve also read some YA Urban Fantasy such as Blue Blood Series and Evernight Series.
June 5th, 2011 at 10:42 am · Link
It was the first two books in Adrian Phoenix’s Maker Song series which I followed up with Jocelynn Drakes Dark Days series
June 5th, 2011 at 1:22 pm · Link
Ohhhh! Goddess With A Blade sounds FABULOUS!
I have yet to sink my claws into an UF… I think. LOL! The line between PR and UF kinda blurs for me π