Review & Giveaway: A Low Down Dirty Shane by Sierra Dean

Title: A Low Down Dirty Shane

Author: Sierra Dean

Series: Misfits & Mayhem, book 1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“Thick-skinned vampire assassin meets smart-mouthed druid archer. Run, Cupid, run. 

Shane Hewitt has been many things—failed husband, supernatural punching bag, and now a bitch to the vampire council of New York City. He thought killing rogue vampires was the hardest thing he’d ever do. Until a hot redhead smashes into him, shouts orders and announces she’s saving his life. 

The sole female warrior in a family of druids, Siobhan O’Malley knows how to take care of herself and protect the big city from beasties who breach gateways from the fae realm. The last thing she needs is a misguided, leather-clad hottie’s help to get the job done. 

Except maybe he’s exactly what she needs. Siobhan is expected to be a willing, virginal sacrifice on her twenty-fifth birthday. Sex with Shane to stay alive? If he can pull his foot out of his mouth long enough and stop driving her crazy, no problem. 

Now if only the bad guys would leave them alone long enough to get the deed done. 

Warning: Contains a wee red-headed archer with deadly aim; a leather-jacket-wearing vampire hunter with a habit for saying all the wrong things; and a life-saving ritual that will leave them both panting.”

A Low Down Dirty Shane is the first book in the Misfits & Mayhem series by Sierra Dean. Misfits & Mayhem is a spin-off series of Mrs. Dean’s Secret McQueen series.

Shane Hewitt work for the vampire council, we could say he hunts vampires that need to be hunted. Even though he is present in the Secret McQueen series and sometimes he works along Secret’s side it’s not much what we know about him; that changes in A Low Down Dirty Shane.

Shane is hunting vampires and feeling like the biggest badass in the world when a tiny woman comes running with a big creature following her steps, she not only pushes him out of the way but starts to give him orders. Shane doesn’t know what to think of do, especially when the girl starts to fight the creature. After she vanishes the creature the girl informs him she is a druid named Siobhan O’Malley and she just saved his life. This doesn’t sit well with macho-Shane but there is something in Siobhan that intrigues him. After spending some time together Siobhan asks for his help, her family is planning to use her as a virginal sacrifice and she needs his help with “that”. Siobhan thinks if she is not a virgin anymore her family with desist and maybe they will start to see her as the warrior she is.

Shane is speechless when Siobhan asks for his help, of course it will be his pleasure to help her but he wants to make sure that that is what she really wants.

Later on Siobhan realizes that solving “that” problem didn’t change anything because her family is willing to use another girl, even though if it’s an unwilling victim. Siobhan doesn’t want to let anybody else be sacrifice in her place, and with Shane’s help they get ready to confront her family. When they arrive to the sacrificial place they realize that Siobhan’s family is the least of their problems.

If you know me you know I adore Sierra Dean’s books, her Secret McQueen series is one of my all time favorites. I can honestly say there is not a bad book or novella in that series and A Low Down Dirty Shane is not an exception to that rule. There are just few authors that have a consistency of excellence in her/his work and lucky for us Sierra Dean is one of them.

Shane is your perfect hero, he is strong and knows he has some limitations because he’s only human; he is smart, funny, sexy and a gentleman at heart.

Siobhan is a little firecracker; she is also smart and knows what she wants. I really liked her for Shane; I think Mrs. Dean created the perfect heroine for him. The banter between these two was perfectly balance and kept me entertaining from beginning to end. The chemistry they exude was off the charts, with many scenes that steamed the pages. If that wasn’t enough in the best Sierra Dean’s style the story is packed with action and perfectly synchronized fight scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat.

A Low Down Dirty Shane is a novella that reads like a full-length novel; with a well-developed plot and engaging characters A Low Down Dirty Shane leaves us sated but wanting for more.

My Verdict: 5 Paws

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Giveaway!

I liked A Low Down Dirty Shane so much that I’m want to share my love for it with you, for that reason I’m giving away two (2) e-books, your choice of Amazon Kindle books or Kobo books. To participate you just need to fill the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck to you all and a Happy New Year. 

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Movie Trailer: Stoker

"After India's (Mia Wasikowska's) father dies in an auto accident, her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). Soon after his arrival, she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him."

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Taking a Short Break... Happy Holidays!

I wanted to say thank you for all your support and to wish you all a joyous Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year.

I also wanted to let you know that beginning today I'll be taking some days off. I'll be back next Saturday 29th of December.

Happy Holidays!

Marcela

We Have a Winner!

Miki!

Congratulations!! You won a Weird Girls Swag and

a signed ARC copy of Sealed With a Curse.

Thank you all for participating.

* Winner has been notified by email. You have 72 hours to contact me, if after 72 hours you have not responded a new winner will be chosen. 

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Movie Trailer: Jack the Giant Slayer

" 'Jack the Giant Slayer' tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend--and gets the chance to become a legend himself."

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Early Review & Giveaway: Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson

Title: Sealed With a Curse

Author: Cecy Robson

Series: Weird Girls, book 1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Penguin Group

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“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, weird…

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague?

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy—or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it’s coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough.”

Sealed With a Curse is the first book in the new series The Weird Girls by Cecy Robson.

After trying to hide from the supernatural community for many years the Wird sisters find themselves being judge by the Vampire Court for killing one of the members of the Vampire master Misha Aleksandr’s family.

After interrogation it is determined that the vampire in question was suffering from bloodlust and needed to be killed, the Wird sisters are found innocent but have awaken not only the vampire tribunal interest but also Misha’s.

Celia Wird is the eldest of the four sisters and because of her nature (she can shift into a Golden tigress) she is not used to getting attention of men, they usually run away from her; but now she finds herself as the whole focus of Misha’s attentions. She knows she shouldn’t like it, he’s a powerful vampire, one that wanted them dead but there is something in him almost impossible to resist.

When more members of Misha’s family get infected with bloodlust he realizes somebody is targeting his family and requests Celia’s help with the investigation of these incidents.

Celia doesn’t want to get involve in vampire problems but there is something in Misha that doesn’t let her say no. She try to keep her sisters (Emma, Shayna and Taran) away but it’s impossible, the Wird sisters are like the Three Musketeers, “all for one, one for all”.

This investigation made them cross paths with the Pack of werewolves of the area, more specifically with Aric Conner the Alpha of the pack. A man that with his sole presence make Celia’s hormones go into overload. We also meet Aric’s most trusted members of the pack Koda, Gemini, and Liam.

Vampires want the issue solved, same with the werewolves who are tired of hunting blood-lusted vampires, the only problem is that the werewolves don’t care if solving the issue means killing all the vampires in the process, something Celia will not allow now that she kind of considers Misha her friend. But maybe what she and her sisters want is not what they could achieve.

I will try not to gush too much in this review but I know it’s going to be hard because I really loved this book, you have been warned.

Since the first page of Sealed with a Curse Mrs. Robson takes us in a ride and doesn’t let us go until the very last page. Imagine a big roller coaster with many lows where you are enjoying the smooth ride and highs that have you on the edge of your chair biting your nails, that is Sealed With a Curse.

As I said in my review of the prequel to this series The Weird Girls Mrs. Robson does a stellar job with the characterization of her characters, she gives us four sisters all different and with unique characteristics that made them easy to identify. We have Celia the eldest of the sisters and in a way the most responsible of them; from an early age after the death of their parents she took charge of her little sisters and have seen for them ever since. She loves them dearly but at the same time without wanting she sometimes resent them, because it’s difficult for her to see them make their lives and meet people while she feels lonely and rejected by men, at least until Misha and Aric come to her life.

We also have Taran, she is the second sister, her powers are relating to controlling lightning and flames. She has a short temper and likes to fight. Next to Celia she has protected her little sisters Shayna and Emme.

Shayna is the carefree sister; she is a blade master and can control metals. She prefers to find a happy and easier solution to problems before fighting but she’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty. Finally Emme, she is the sweetest of the sisters and a caregiver, she has healing powers and some telekinesis. Her sisters have protected her all her life from the dark sides of life and she always believes the best in people.

Now to the hotties of the story Misha and Aric, ok, there are more hotties, thank you Mrs. Robson, but Misha and Aric are the main hotties.

When first I met Misha I didn’t like him and wasn’t sure about his real intentions towards Celia, but the more I saw of him the clearer the image of who he really was became to appear and it was impossible not to like him.

Aric is the Alpha of his pack, a very responsible man and as any alpha very protective of the people he cares for. The attraction between him and Celia is off the charts, I have some theories about it but they may be a bit spoilerish so I won’t share them with you. Even though Aric and Celia want to be together I don’t think their road ahead is going to be an easy one, not only Celia is not a were, she is an anomaly and Aric’s family is considered “werewolves royalty”. I can’t wait to see what Mrs. Robson have in store for them in future books.

As I said before this book was a ride, with a fast pace that grabbed me from beginning to end and keep me guessing until the very end. Mrs. Robson gave us some curveballs here, some which took me out of my game, I’m usually pretty good at guessing who the bad guy is but in this case it was almost a surprise when I learned who was it.

The story is entertaining, gritty and funny. I found the balance between humor and darkness perfectly balanced, I think I cringe and laugh out loud the same amount of times. Sealed with a Curse it also a book of many great lines, after reading it I realized I have highlighted a great part of the book.

Mrs. Robson writing is topnotch; it’s amazing Sealed With a Curse is her first full-length novel. I was right in my review of Weird Girls, I have found a new favorite series, one I recommend to all urban fantasy and paranormal romance lovers.

I’m looking forward to July 2^nd, 2013 to the release of the second book of the series, A Cursed Embrace.

I recommend you to clear your calendar and have the delivery menu ready when you are reading Sealed with a Curse because after you start reading it you won’t be able to put it down until you reach its very last word.

My verdict: 5 Paws

Other books in the series

The Weird Girls (prequel) 

Sealed with a Curse (December 31^st, 2012)

A Cursed Embrace (July 2^nd, 2013)

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Cecy is offering to one lucky winner a Weird Girls Swag (Water Bottle, a Dragon Fruit Lip Balm, and Official SEALED WITH A CURSE Magnet) and a signed ARC copy of Sealed With a Curse. To participate you only need to fill up the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open internationally.

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CATS-ilicious Thursday - Christmas Edition II

Covers of the World: Worst Christmas Covers & Titles Ever

What better way to celebrate the Holidays than with a couple of laughs. Thanks to these "gems" I'm sure we can achieve that. 

It's difficult to choose only one but I think my favorite is "Rock Your Ugly Christmas Sweater", I just love the faces of the people, they are really rocking their sweaters. The only normal looking one in that cover is the poor cat. What do you think? Which is your favorite? 

Tuesday's Hot-Hot Hottie: Santa's Edition

Today I have something special for you...

It's Hot-Hot Hottie: Santa's Edition.

Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Cecy Robson - Weird Girls Series

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Cecy Robson on my blog, Cecy is the author of the new series Weird Girls, a series that has become one of my favorite reads of this year. 

Welcome Cecy!  

Hello, everyone! First of all, thank you to Marcela for inviting me to be a guest on The Bookaholic Cat.

My family is originally from poverty-stricken El Salvador. During my parents’ upbringing, food was scarce, and television and radio was a luxury few could afford. Entertainment arrived in the form of stories―usually creepy, often twisted, and frequently terrifying, but strangely entertaining nonetheless. Some of my favorite tales were told to my father by Papa Chon, my great grandfather. According to my dad, few machete-wielding, donkey-riding, tobacco-smoking, El Salvadorian men ever had it so tough. Papa Chon once fought off a mystical entity that targeted bachelors and unfaithful men. He survived, just barely. But poor Papa Chon couldn’t catch an evil spirit break.

Papa Chon had many jobs in his village of Valle Nuevo. One of them involved lowering the pine caskets with rope into the ground following the completion of a funeral. As per tradition, he’d leap into the hole and lift the lid so the loved ones of the deceased could say their final goodbye.

Papa Chon was a handsome and sought-after bachelor. My father said that Maria, a young local woman, fell desperately in love with Papa Chon. Papa Chon snubbed her, and wanted nothing to do with her. Maria died soon after Papa Chon rejected her, leaving her family to believe she’d died of a broken heart. Papa Chon failed to take responsibility for Maria’s passing, and while he hadn’t cared for Maria, he dutifully lowered her pine casket into the ground at her funeral. Following the final prayers, Papa Chon removed the lid to allow Maria’s loved ones to view her one last time. 

This time, matters took an unexpected turn. Dead Maria sat up, clasped Papa Chon by his wrist and ankle, and yanked him toward her. Maria’s lids peeled back and her eyes locked on Papa Chon, her garbled voice echoing in the dimness of the confined space. “You never loved me, Chon!” she shrieked. “It’s your fault I’m dead!”

The funeral attendants scattered, leaving Papa Chon to fight Maria himself. Maria’s stone cold fingers tightened around Papa Chon’s limbs. Papa Chon thrashed and twisted his body, inadvertently wrenching Maria and her terrifying glare closer to him. The walls of the hole started to collapse. Chunks of dirt peppered Papa Chon’s body, his frantic efforts threatening to bury him alive. 

But Maria refused to release him. 

Good thing Papa Chon’s mind-numbing terror basked his body in a waterfall of sweat. Papa Chon managed to slip his wrist from Maria’s grasp and use both hands to break Maria’s hold on his ankle. In my father’s words, “Papa Chon hauled ass out of the cemetery and never went to a funeral again.”

Go figure.

Papa Chon vs Dead Maria was one of the many night-night tales my dad would tell my brother and I right before bed. To this day, I’m still a little twitchy at funerals. And yet I’ve always found myself strangely captivated by these hair-curling and oddly humorous tales. The stories kept me fascinated long after my father stopped kissing me goodnight wearing vampire fangs. So like Papa Chon, and my father, I’ve always told stories to entertain. And no matter how serious, or how frightening, I always managed to work in a laugh. 

WEIRD GIRLS is my Urban Fantasy Romance Series about four unique sisters of Latin descent who obtain their powers as a result of a backfired curse. The novels are told through Celia’s perspective, the eldest of the sisters and the family’s protector. Their journey begins when the mystical community becomes aware of, and threatened by their presence. I integrate Latin American folklore and beliefs in my series along with the action, horror, suspense, and twisted humor associated with all those memorable stories from my youth.

Papa Chon never learned to read or write. Neither did my father. Yet they passed their gift of story-telling onto me. For this, and more, I am truly grateful.

Thank you!

Thanks to you Cecy for that great post, as a Latina I also identify with the story telling culture that you describe in your post. Papa Chon and your dad sound amazing, you have been lucky to have them in your life. I also want to thank you for your generous giveaway. 

Yes, people you heard right, Cecy is offering to one lucky winner a Weird Girls Swag (Water Bottle, a Dragon Fruit Lip Balm, and Official SEALED WITH A CURSE Magnet) and a signed ARC copy of Sealed With a Curse. To participate you only need to fill up the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open internationally. 

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Movie Trailer: Oblivion

"On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man's confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind

Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack's mission is nearly complete. 

Living and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands."

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Review: Daughter of The Spellcaster by Maggie Shayne

Title: Daughter of The Spellcaster

Author: Maggie Shayne

Series: The Portal, book 2

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: MIRA

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“Has a spell been cast? 

Lena Dunkirk is a practicing witch, Ryan McNally a wealthy playboy. Logic says mismatch, yet from the first they share a passion that defies reason, as if they know each other from another place, another time. Then Lena gets pregnant and runs for the safety of home. 

Months later, when Ryan appears at her door looking to help raise their child, Lena doesn’t know whom to trust–particularly now that “guru to the stars” Bahru has taken an interest in her baby, offering gifts forged of magic. 

Soon she and Ryan are sharing eerie dreams of ancient lands, while a vengeful demon plots to take possession of their child. As the moment of birth approaches, the demon’s power rises, forcing the hand of love to wield the blade that will decide the fate of a child’s soul–and the future of the world.”

Daughter of The Spellcaster is the second book in The Portal Series by Maggie Shayne.

Daughter of The Spellcaster is Magdalena’s book; she is one of the three witch sisters (Indira, Magdalena and Lilia) that were sacrificed in old Babylon after been accused of witchcraft. In Mark of the Witch we met Indira and learned about the pact the sisters did before dying. The pact to reincarnate over and over again until the time they could meet again to save Lilia’s lover, Demetrious’ soul. Indira already did her part (Mark of the Witch), now it’s Magdalena’s turn.

Magdalena (Lena) is not your typical heroine; to starts she is almost nine months pregnant and a powerful witch. I really wanted to like her but couldn’t. She’s supposed to be a strong woman but I really didn’t feel it. She is moody, naïve at times and made one bad decision after another. She blames many of her outbursts to her pregnancy hormones, I think they were a mixture of hormones and a weak personality. One thing I really didn’t like about her was that she kept her pregnancy from the father of the baby, Ryan. She said she was going to tell him before the baby was born but months have passed, she has only a couple of weeks left and if it wasn’t for something that forced her to see him I don’t believe she would have told him. If she were really a strong woman she would have faced her problems instead of hiding from them.

Everybody thinks Ryan is playboy, with not a care in life, while in reality he’s completely the opposite; he just uses that image as a way to protect himself from being hurt. Ryan’s father was completely heartbroken after the death of Ryan’s mother; looking for answers he dedicated his life to travel the world in search of spiritual enlightenment, leaving Ryan behind to be raised by nannies. After seeing how much his father suffered because of love, Ryan tries to do anything in his hands to protect his heart. When Lena comes to his life he knows she is special and he’s afraid of falling hard for her; after she disappeared without any explanation he looked for her but couldn’t find her. Now months later, she is back in his life and pregnant with his child. Ryan is a responsible man and doesn’t want his child to grow up without both parents. But for Lena to accept him in their lives he will have to leave his fears behind to be able to give all of himself to them.

There is a connection between Lena and Ryan, one that comes from previous lives. The romance is subtle and somewhat different because of Lena’s condition and misgivings. I felt like Ryan was giving hundred percent of him while Lena wasn’t. I blamed it on her insecurities.

We know many of the events because of previous book, Mark of the Witch, but still Daughter of The Spellcaster felt different because it was from Lena’s point of view.

From the very beginning we know who the villains are and the plans they have, knowing that I still find the story entertaining. I think if I hadn’t had problems with Lena’s character I would have loved this book.

Page after page I was hoping to see Indira and Tomas (Mark of the Witch), there are some references about them and they only have a little cameo at the end of the story. I really hope they play a bigger role in next book of the series, Blood of The Sorceress (January 22^nd, 2013).

Blood of The Sorceress will be Lilia’s book and it will also be the conclusion to the series.

If you want to try this series you can start with the prequel Legacy of the Witch. At the moment this review was written it was free on Kindle and on E-Harlequin.

My Verdict: 3 ½ Stars

Other books in the series

Legacy of the Witch (prequel)

Mark of the Witch

Daughter of The Spellcaster

Blood of The Sorceress (Jan. 22^nd, 2013)

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