Pray for Dawn, The Fourth Dark Days Novel by Jocelynn Drake

Publisher:  Eos Books/Harper Collins
Pages:  384

(Release Date:  6/29/10)

From the Cover:

Pray for salvation . . .

Pray for daylight . . .

Murder has pulled Mira out of the shadows and back into the living world . . .

As the fire-wielding enforcer of the nightwalker coven wrestles with the mind-destroying ghosts of her dark past, the slaying of a senator's daughter in Savannah threatens to expose her kind to the brilliant light of day.

The dawn of chaos has come. 

The naturi have broken free of their eternal prison to feed on the defenseless and unbelieving of an unprepared Earth.

Mira and Danaus-vampire and vampire slayer-must unite to prevent the annihilation of their separate races. But for Danaus the challenge is intensified, for he must also fight the bori who covets his soul. And Mira, the nightwalker he must protect-whose power is the Earth's last hope-is rapidly going insane.

This book is told from Danaus' point of view, flavored with how his eyes see the story.

Mira, Nightwalker, Keeper of her domain, Coven member, Fire Starter.... She's one of the most powerful creatures to have ever strolled upon the face of the Earth and she's is slowly losing her mind.  What happens when one so powerful can no longer be trusted?  What happens to her world and those who existence in it?  What happens to the soul of this being?  

Mira is haunted by her past... the ghosts of those she couldn't protect, the ghosts of her tormentors, the ghost of a life she once knew.  She's lost and only one person can save her, bring her back to her reality.  But does she want to exist in the life she had been forced into more than 600 years ago?  Is her time on Earth spent?

Ryan, warlock and leader of Themis, wants her to believe he is the all powerful force that can save her.  He wants her to become his instrument, to be played and used according to his sick desires.  Another person to pull her strings.

Jabari, her one time mentor, wants Mira to play the role of Coven member, enforcer, his weapon to wield.  He can force himself upon her, but when will he do so, because it's only a matter of time.  Just another puppet master.

LaVina, the witch, sees a great presence with the soul of Mira, is she another who is going to try to steal a piece of this weary Nightwalker's soul?  Another string puller?

Gaizka, bori fae, also wants a piece of the Nightwalker.  Does she have the strength to deny him?  The bori are the ultimate master of the vampire, will she be his marionette as well?

Danaus, vampire hunter and the last person on Earth who should be her savior, is her last hope.  When Danaus and Mira combine their powers, their foes don't stand a chance.  He doesn't want to be the puller of Mira's strings, though he has with devastating results.  But, the bori already owns a piece of his soul.  He can either be her protector or her murderer.  

Danaus has lost the faith he once had in the brotherhood contained within Themis, he's come to realize through Mira that not all nightwalkers are the evil beings that brotherhood has made them out to be.  They're basically the same as everyone else, the good and the bad.  This means the last few centuries of his life have been a lie.  And Mira has become more than just another nightwalker.  She's become a friend, family, maybe even a lover.  Can he destroy the last piece of humanity who has the ability to touch his own tortured soul?

Pray for Dawn by Jocelynn Drake is the story of what happens to a vampire who meets her ultimate creator.  Not the creator that forced her into the vampiric existence, but the ultimate maker of all the vampires, one who can control their bodies while the soul screams for release.  And this is where the next addition to the Dark Day Series takes our story.  Mira, 600+ year old vampire, different from any other vampire ever born, is having her sanity slowly striped away.  The Naturi, Earth fae, are wreaking havoc where ever they go.  Though they're a nasty lot, Mira and Danaus can make short work of them if they have to.  What scares Mira is her inability to sense them and for that she needs Danaus.  What she doesn't know is there's something scarier than the Naturi could ever be and it's trying to make it's home in her Savannah.  It will and has killed, and it will continue to kill unless Danaus and Mira can seal it away, and it's going to start with anyone and everyone important in Mira's life.  Danaus has come to see Mira as part of his life, once he swore to kill her, now he wants to just keep her, hold onto her last piece of humanity, the last shred of evidence that he can and does love.  And he may be forced to kill what has become dear.

Pray for Dawn is one of the best of this series I have read.  I have enjoyed each and every one of the books so far, but Pray for Dawn surpassed my expectations, leaving me to hang upon the last word of the last page of the book.  I have always praised Ms. Drake for her imagination, her world building skills, and her ability to weave this dark urban fantasy into twisting, turning tale.  But, in this book, it's all starting to come together, and it's spectacular.  I'm left almost speechless, yes, Pray for Dawn was that good.  While I was reading, I kept coming up with scenarios that would save Mira and Danaus, my mind working overtime trying to capture the ending (and remember, I've already read the blurb for Wait for Dusk), and it caught me by surprise.  I never saw it coming until it hit me between the eyes.  If you haven't tried the Dark Days Series, and you're a lover of dark urban fantasy (and I'm hoping major romance comes into play cause otherwise, I might go insane myself), give this series a try.  I loved, loved, loved Nightwalker (2008), I loved the additions of book 2 & 3 (Dayhunter and Dawnbreaker 2009), and now, we have Pray for Dawn and shortly, Wait for Dusk, and I'm still so engaged with the series, it just gets better and better.  I highly recommend this series to dark urban fantasy lovers, vampire, fae, vampire hunter lovers, it doesn't get much better.

I purchase this book for my own enjoyment.  All opinions expressed are my own.

One Amazing Cover....Jocelynn Drake....Wait for Dusk

Jocelynn Drake is one of my favorite new authors.  From her first book release in July 2008 of Nightwalker to her newest publication set to release at the end of July 2010, the books have been amazing reads.  But the newest addition to the Dark Day Series is freaking AWESOME!!

(Release Date:  7-27-10)

From the Cover: 

There is no sanctuary in the night . . .

Feared even by her own kind for her mastery of fire, the nightwalker Mira is summoned by the coven to take her rightful place as Elder. But with this honor comes grave responsibility—a commitment to the annihilation of the unleashed naturi. For now the foul creatures walk the earth—and neither vampire nor human will survive their horrific onslaught.

A tide of blood is sweeping relentlessly across the European continent, as Mira is dispatched to Budapest for the most devastating test yet of her astonishing powers—and falls into a well-laid trap. With the dark secrets that haunt her growing darker by the hour, she must confront the terrible truth of her past and protect her fragile sanity in the face of unanticipated treachery—a betrayal by her trusted ally, her beloved enemy, the vampire slayer Danaus.

I can't hardly believe that this is only the six release for this author.  If I can encourage you to try a taste of dark urban fantasy, this series would be it.  I know the dark isn't for everyone, but I've learned to use my night vision quite well and have enjoyed every minute of it.  This one doesn't appear to disappoint either.  I'm reading Pray for Dawn right now, awesome goodness... review soon.  Can't wait to see what the six book in the series brings us too. Cover art and blurb coming soon... I hope!!

Cover Alert:: Jocelynn Drake ~~~ Pray For Dawn

Publisher:  Eos Books / Harper Collins

Pages:  384

(Release Date:  6-29-10)

From the Cover: 

Pray for salvation . . .

Pray for daylight . . .

Murder has pulled Mira out of the shadows and back into the living world . . .

As the fire-wielding enforcer of the nightwalker coven wrestles with the mind-destroying ghosts of her dark past, the slaying of a senator's daughter in Savannah threatens to expose her kind to the brilliant light of day. The dawn of chaos has come. The naturi have broken free of their eternal prison to feed on the defenseless and unbelieving of an unprepared Earth. 

Mira and Danaus—vampire and vampire slayer—must unite to prevent the annihilation of their separate races. But for Danaus the challenge is intensified, for he must also fight the bori who covets his soul. And Mira, the nightwalker he must protect—whose power is the Earth's last hope—is rapidly going insane.

Isn't this the best cover??  I love the full bodied cover with Mira standing in the background.  I hope this our first peek at Danaus, it doesn't match exactly with my picture of the mysterious slayer, but it's pretty damn close, lol.  I love both of these characters and I can't wait to get the next in the series into my hands.  Guaranteed to be a must read!

Wait for Dusk (Book Five in the Dark Days Series) to be announced soon.

Picked This Up From The Deadline Dames: Dame For A Day: Jocelynn Drake

Over at The Deadline Dames this weekend, Jocelynn Drake gave us the titles coming up in the Dark Days Series:

~Jocelynn Drake
Author of the Dark Days Series
Nightwalker, August 2008
Dayhunter, May 2009
Dawnbreaker, October 2009
Pray for Dawn, Summer 2010
Wait for Dusk, Summer 2010

I am too freaking excited!! Book 4: Pray for Dawn, Book 5: Wait for Dusk, Book 6: ?????

Just had to share my joy!!

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

First I wanted to know if anyone else has seen this freaking hot trailer of Gerard Butler's new movie, Law Biding Citizen. I mean, OMG, it's an action/adventure....I'm loving it..... (Cecile thinks it great too!)



New Moon Trailer, just because I can't quit watching it, lol!





Then, Lea and SciFiGuy have this hot new cover art up for Carolyn Crane's new novel (squeeing ***it's her first!***)

(available March 23, 2010)

Paperback, 432 pages

".....Mind Games is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy about a hypochondriac who joins a psychological hit squad. It takes place in a fantastical Milwaukee/Chicago....." from Carolyn Crane's blog.

This is definitely on my wish list, pre-order from Amazon maybe????


And Sophie Renwick's newest novel, a paranormal romance, Velvet Haven is coming soon too!!

(available March 2010)

And, I wanted to remind everyone to run to the nearest bookstore and pick up Dawnbreaker by Jocelynn Drake. YAY, it's finally here!!!

(available Sept. 29, 2009)

The dawn brings new terror for the creatures of the night . . .

Those of her race fear Mira for the lethal fire she bends to her will—a power unique among nightwalkers, both a gift . . . and a curse.

The naturi despise Mira for what she is—as they prepare the final sacrifice that will destroy the barriers between the worlds. And once the naturi are unchained, blood, chaos, and horror will reign supreme on Earth.

Mira can trust only Danaus, the more-than-mortal vampire slayer, though he is sworn to destroy her kind. And now, as the day approaches when titanic forces will duel under cover of darkness, destiny draws them toward an apocalyptic confrontation at Machu Picchu. But all is not lost, for a wild card has been dealt to them: a rogue enemy princess who can change the balance of power and turn the dread tide.

This is one of my favorite series. It's freaking awesome!!! Check out Nightwalker and Dayhunter too!! If you want a chance to try to win this one, check out Jocelynn's contest on her blog! She's giving away TWO copies!! Ends on 9-26-09!!

New contest for Dawnbreaker by Jocelynn Drake!!! SciFiGuy is offering up THREE copies of this awesome book courtesy of Eos/Harper Collins. Check out this contest, ends 9-29-09!!

Third Contest!!! One Book Away From Heaven has a guest post with Jocelynn Drake. Jocelynn is letting everyone in on her writing tips. I sure could use this!! She's also giving away TWO copies of Dawnbreaker and TWO copies of your choice, Nightwalker or Dayhunter!! Four winners in all!! Check this contest out too!

And, one last thing before I go, my beautiful friend Lea at Closetwriter, is getting ready for her one year blogoversary!!! Starting September 28, 2009, she's having a party! So, everyone stop by and give Lea a shout and help her celebrate!!

Dawnbreaker, Third Book of the Dark Days Series (ARC) by Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins
Pages: 457 (384 pb)
Release date 9-29-09

(all book images and blurbs from Harper Collins)

From the Cover:
"The dawn brinks new terror for the creatures of the night..."

Those off her race fear Mira for the lethal fire she bends to her will -- a power unique among nightwalkers, both a gift ... and a curse.

The naturi despise Mira for what she is -- as they prepare the final sacrifice that will destroy the barriers between the worlds. And once the naturi are unchained, blood, chaos, and horror will reign supreme on Earth.

Mira can trust only Danaus, the more-than-mortal vampire slayer, though he is sworn to destroy her kind. And now, as the day approaches when titanic forces will duel under cover of darkness, destiny draws them toward an apocalyptic confrontation at Machu Picchu. But all is not lost. for a wild card has been dealt to them: a rogue enemy princess who can change the balance of power and turn the dread tide."

"Instant New York Times bestselling author Jocelynn Drake returns with the third action-packed Dark Days novel, as vampire enforcer Mira must stop an ancient coven."

Background Information:

"NIGHTWALKER is an action-packed, stellar debut. Jocelynn Drake will have you coming back for more." (Jeaniene Frost, New York Times bestselling author of Halfway to the Grave )

"An intoxicating mix of jet-setting action and sparkling turns of phrase that let me taste the Nile and feel the British fog. NIGHTWALKER is a must-read addition to the urban fantasy genre, filled both with action and satisfying characters." (Kim Harrison, New York Times bestselling author of For a Few Demons More )

"An unflinchingly self-assured first novel, chiseled with subtlety and irony into a darkly suspenseful and blessedly surprising story. In exacting detail, and with prose as silky and enticing as her protagonist, Drake has composed a love letter to the vampire genre. I wish I'd written it." (Vicki Pettersson )

Mira has returned to her beloved Savannah, but she is being hunted.....Naturi have followed from Venice. And they are a particularly blood thirsty bunch. The lycans are not safe, they're being summoned as foot soldiers for the Naturi, and at every turn the nightwalkers are fighting, if not the naturi, then the lycans. Both numbers of lycan and nightwalker are dwindling and the lycans are ready to pronounce an all out war on the nightwalkers to cleanse the city of the naturi presence.

Amanda, a nightwalker who wants to become part of Mira's new family, has been captured by the naturi and Mira knows what the naturi do to their captives. Danaus arrives from his home base in London just as Mira is set to reclaim Amanda. The naturi have to be dealt with before they open the door, summoning Aurora into the human realm. Mira needs to learn to use the earth magic that has been thrumming through her body, pushing for a place to belong, and also for a release, a need to be used.

As Mira and Danaus try to rescue Amanda, the naturi also have another captive, a young naturi female bound in iron, Aurora's youngest sister and princess to the naturi queendom, Cynnia. Why would the naturi have one of their own bound in iron? What is Rowe planning now? Will Mira and Danaus survive this next encounter with the naturi or will they perish as others have before them?

Dawnbreaker by Jocelynn Drake was a magical ride through the mysteries yet to come in the Nightwalker world. It was an fantastic addition to the Dark Days Series that will leaving you hoping, begging, screaming for more. We're left wondering what could be in store for the future of this series. I tried to stretch out this book, torn between wanting to speed through the pages, yet hanging on every word. Our heroine, Mira, has been put through Hell, but it's not over yet. The naturi want nothing more than to separate her head from her body, bringing the only true death for our Fire Starter. Rowe has sent his minions into her home to hunt her down, nothing will stand his way for releasing his queen-wife. The Coven and the members of the nightwalker society who were hoping for the unclaimed seat of Tabor are hoping for her death as well, but not before the seal is re-made. Mira finds herself as a protector of mankind as well as the Earth. Our hero, Danaus, is growing closer to Mira. It's almost as if he is being drawn to the one thing that brings the worst part of his soul into the open, the monsters that he has been hunting and killing all of his long life. Now, he begins to see that not all of the monsters come in nightwalker form. He realizes that some nightwalkers seek what he has lost as well, the humanity that has been alluding them all.

Dawnbreaker is such as incredible addition to the series that all I have tried to do is to peak your interest, give a small taste of what is to come in this unfolding world of the Nightwalker. It is truly a masterpiece of writing. Please visit Jocelynn Drake's website, it chock full of extras. Ms. Drakes blog as wonderful insights to her writing process and it updated regularly. Eos Books, which offered this very early ARC is a wonderful site full of great information. Thanks to both Eos Books and Jocelynn Drake for making this review possible.

If you have not read Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake, what are you wanting for?? Here is a peek at the blurb for Nightwalker, First of The Dark Days Series.


For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker—an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed . . . and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt . . . or be hunted.

And Dayhunter, The Second Book in the Dark Days Series.



A new day dawns blood red

A master of fire, Mira is the last hope for the world. For centuries she has secretly enforced the history-altering edicts of the Triad. Now she and her unlikely ally—the human vampire hunter, Danaus—have come to Venice, home of the nightwalker rulers. But there is no safety in the ancient city, for the threat of conflict is in the wind . . . with unholy alliances and earth-shattering betrayals taking hideous form in the shadows.

Banished for eons beyond the world's boundaries, the malevolent naturi prepare to feed once again upon a vulnerable earth—and treachery is opening wide the portal that will enable their dread re-emergence. The great battle that has always been Mira's destiny is looming, and she must remain powerful in the face of a shocking revelation: that Danaus, the only creature she dares to trust, is something more than the man he claims to be . . .



Biographical information about Jocelynn Drake:

(image from SciFiGuy's webiste)

By day, Jocelynn Drake is a clean-cut financial analyst writer, but in her free time she writes about a dark underworld where vampires rule. The author of Nightwalker, she lives in Kentucky.

(from Harper Collins)
• Nightwalker was an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller, spending four weeks on the extended and USA Today lists. This is a fabulous start for a debut author, and gives HarperCollins the perfect platform to build this commercial writer.
• Supernatural fiction is still going strong, as shown by the amazing sales of Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, and HarperCollins’s own wildly successful authors Kim Harrison and Vicki Pettersson.
• With a strong heroine and a sexy vampire hunter, Dawnbreaker is perfect for the many fans of paranormal romance looking for more great reads.
• Jocelynn Drake has a fresh new take on vampires, mixing globetrotting adventure and intrigue with a sexy cat-and-mouse game between the vampire heroine and a hunter—who has his own dark secrets. The heroine is fabulous—Mira is a mix of Jennifer Garner in Alias and Underworld’s Kate Beckinsale—a badass, beautiful, bloodsucking babe with a brain.
• Dawnbreaker will be published in October 2009, just five months after Dayhunter. Given HarperCollins’s great track record with rapid publication, this will continue to build Jocelynn Drake into a bestselling supernatural author.

Did I Ever Tell You I Love EOS Books? Dawnbreaker (ARC)

Look What Came To My House Today By UPS!!!

Dawnbreaker (Manuscript) by Jocelynn Drake courtesy of EOS Books!



Doesn't it look great! Thanks EOS Books and Jocelynn Drake for continuing a fantastic series!


***There are tons of contests ending in the next few days, so please check my right sidebar and enter before they're over....blogger sites to check out: SciFiGuy, Wendy's Minding Spot, J. Kaye's Book Blog, Vampire Wire, Peeking Between the Pages, Amberkatze's, Epic Rat, Blodeuedd's site, Darque Reviews, and many more....Check them out***

Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: EOS Books, Harper Collins
Pages: 356

From the Cover: Nightwalkers and Naturi battle:

A new day dawns blood red.

A master of fire, Mira is the last hope for the world. For centuries she has secretly enforced the history-altering edicts of the Triad. Now she and her unlikely ally—the human vampire hunter, Danaus—have come to Venice, home of the nightwalker rulers. But there is no safety in the ancient city, for the threat of conflict is in the wind . . . with unholy alliances and earth-shattering betrayals taking hideous form in the shadows.

Banished for eons beyond the world's boundaries, the malevolent naturi prepare to feed once again upon a vulnerable earth—and treachery is opening wide the portal that will enable their dread re-emergence. The great battle that has always been Mira's destiny is looming, and she must remain powerful in the face of a shocking revelation: that Danaus, the only creature she dares to trust, is something more than the man he claims to be . . .

Mira and Tristan slam into an alley, bloody, battered, and battle weary. Thorne has been killed by the Naturi before Mira could save him. It was a wonder that any had made it from the London bar. She has sworn to try to free Tristan from their maker and to keep him alive if possible. It will be a daunting task, considering his youth and the fact that most of the Nightwalkers will consider him chum...easy pickings for the more powerful and greater hierarchy.

Now, Jabari is demanding her return to Venice, somewhere she really doesn't want to be. But does she really have a choice, both Jabari and Danuis have proved that they can easily wield her as a weapon. Better to go on her own and forced by a will not her own. Mira's maker, Sadira has also been summoned to explain the unexplainable, the death of Tabor and the Naturi's ability to break the seal which separates the evil fae led by Rowe to release his wife and Queen to seek revenge and reek havoc upon the humans and vampires alike. The Naturi wish to kill both species and rule the Earth as they feel the fae are destined to be.

Venice is the stronghold of the vampire council, now missing one member of the council of four with the death of Tabor. That was the whole point of going to London, to seek out one of Tabor's bloodline, Thorne. The Naturi poisoned him, but Mira and Danuis were able to avenge the death. Who knew that together Danuis and Mira would yield enough power to destroy the Naturi, not only in the immediate vicinity, but for miles around. Mira, best known as the Fire Starter - the one true death that vampires feared, and Danuis of the Brotherhood - vampire hunter and the holder of a power so great - to make the blood boil from the inside out. Together, they are force to be reckon with by only the ancients.

When Mira and Danuis arrive in Venice, it is only to find that Weres are also present as well as some of the Naturi, what would the evil fae be doing in the vampire stronghold?

To make matter worse, Mira discovers Sadira's plot to sacrifice Tristan to the wannabes of the vampire council to make up for the loss of Tabor. She is his maker and he is her toy, but Mira has given him her vow of protection. She must go against her maker and claim Tristan as her own, marking him as part of her family; something she has avoided for 600 years. She has also vowed to make sure Danuis leaves Venice alive, will she never learn? Now she is responsible for two lives.

Mira has been an enforcer for the Triad (the keepers of the seal and law enforcers for Nightwalkers), seeking out those you have broken the vampire code to meet their end. Now, the Triad must be remade to keep the Naturi at bay. The Bori, evil fae of demon origin, have also been locked away. But they're not Mira's consideration at this time, the Naturi are the danger.

Danuis feels it's only fair to reveal the origin of his birth to Mira, to explain his longevity and his need to destroy evil; they have battled together and will be forced into a continued alliance. Mira cannot believe what he tells her, and she knows he doesn't understand to truth of his origins as she does. Now she has another secret to hide or the council will kill them both.

As the time draws near to the magical hour when Rowe will try to break the seal that will lead to the eventual release of his Queen, Mira begins to wonder who can be trusted. Surely not Jabari, her once mentor, friend, and teacher who wants nothing more than her head on a spike. Valorie, possibly as they had wondered Italy for years. Sadira, never, Mira has stolen one of her children. The other two members of the council want Mira dead just because of her ability as a Fire Starter. Mira knows the battle must be fought, but who will remain standing...Nightwalkers, Naturi, the Brotherhood? All have reasons to kill her even if she does survive.

Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake is the second book in the Dark Days Series. Nightwalker, the first in the series, was one of my top picks for 2008 and Jocelynn Drake is one of the best up and coming young authors in urban fantasy. I was not disappointed by her ability with this second installment. She continues to weave a world beyond the knowledge of the human reality. I am enthralled with her series and I hope it continues for many more books. Mira is a heroine who has been tortured in life. She was born of Crete heritage but stood out with vibrant red curling locks, pale skin tones, and jewel green eyes, so unlike the ruddy brown of hair, eyes, and skin tones of her ancestors. She was born with the ability of the fire starter; it did not come as a gift of vampirism. Sadira stole Mira from her family and kept her for many years before offering her the choice of vampire or death. Mira choose life of a vampire over a certain death. She chooses to live alone, with no one but her Angels (her guards) to watch over her resting body during daylights hours. She seeks the humanity lost to her, protecting those whom she preys upon. Even as she needs to feed, she never drains her victims, only taking what she needs to survive. Danuis, our hero, is a supremely tortured individual who has been hiding the origins of his soul for more than thousand years. He has been alive since the Romans controlled the civilized world. He has sought out the evil to destroy as his self imposed punishment. He doesn't understand fully what he is or knows the exist of the evil that could be unleashed by his presence. Mira feels an almost unreasonable attraction to this vampire hunter. She knows it can never be, as he does with his uneasy need to protect her and the vampire that she is. Each has vowed to kill the other. I loved the way this story flowed so seamlessly, the pieces fitting nicely together. Book Two starts almost on the last sentence and thought of Book One. The description of Venice was amazingly well done down to describing the smells associated with a city that has lived under water and the crumbling architecture that surrounds the vampire stronghold. This is Jocelynn Drake's first foray into published writing and she has been rewarded with a second contract. The series in order to date is Nightwalker (7-29-08), Dayhunter (4-28-09), Dawnbreaker (to be released 9-29-09), as well as Unbound, an anthology with Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, and Vicki Pettersson that will be available 8-25-09. For more information about Jocelynn Drake and her fantastical books, please visit her website or her blog.

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: EOS Books / Harper Collins Publishing
Pages: 370

From the Cover: For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker -- an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed.........and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt.......or be hunted.

Mira is a 600 hundred year old vampire, merely an infant compared to some, but a controller of one of the vampire's deadliest enemies. She is a fire starter. There is no coming back from flames. Her territory is the Savannah, where she is master. Who is this human, this hunter that has entered her territory. So far he has slain at least two of the fledglings. They were new without a master vampire to help them, but not her problem. The one called Riley she was going to kill anyway because of his tendency to increase his family like it was his territory.

Danaus is a hunter, a killer of the Nosferatu -- the undead or vampire. He belongs to the Brotherhood, the keepers of the holy, working for the greater good. Why doesn't he carry a silver cross? He's already damned, no one or thing can protect him. He has been stalking Mira, trying to draw her out. Well tonight he has succeeded.......

As Mira and Danaus face off in an abandoned house, Mira realizes this is no ordinary human, he may not be human at all. Who is this Danaus and what does he want in her territory? As they struggle against one another, Danaus reveals he has not come to destroy Mira, but to gain information. Mira suspects if she lets him live, he will prove to be her nightmare, but Danaus, whatever he is, is very strong and she has been weakened. She should destroy him here and now, but then she'll never know what brought him into her territory.

Mira and Danaus meet again, this time in a crowded lycanthrope bar. He's still pushing for information. What type of information? If he desires Mira's information, he will have to accept her assistance. His gut says to kill her, but can he afford to? The decision is made, he is seeking information about the naturi; guardians of the Earth, the Third Race, known as the Seeley Court, Sidhe or Fae.

Mira has no love for the naturi; they are no guardians. They would destroy both humans and vampires, to take over the Earth for themselves. Mira was held captive by the naturi; a fate she has no wish to repeat. The naturi hold magical weapons, ones that can be used to torture the vampire, cause extreme pain before death is delivered. If it hadn't been for the Triad all those long years ago, Mira's existence would have ended. They are dead, only a fairy tale now. Why would Danaus seek information about them?

Danaus has information of the naturi's return. He has seen them, has one held captive. Mira must see with her own eyes this naturi...if he is naturi. And if he is naturi, then the Earth is in trouble because they are truly a wicked force, one that must be dealt with if humans and vampires are to exist.......

This is just a small taste of Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake. It is an amazingly well told story of the vampire existence. Ms. Drake weaves a world where magic exists, where vampire and lycanthropes walk with humans without their knowledge. Where the naturi or fae are violently evil, a blight against all the mankind holds dear, their very lives. As I began my stroll through the world of Nightwalker, I was gripped by Mira's ability to see the humanity she has lost. Danaus is an unknown factor, I was left wondering what he was. Danaus feels lost, his humanity lost, but he wishes he could regain it. He is heartsick with the loss. He feels a tenderness towards Mira. He is beyond being human and appears to be centuries old, as well as the Brotherhood that he serves. Mira and Danaus are drawn to each other, the hunter and the hunted, but which is which. Will they kill each other and become joined as one against a force that neither one can allow to win.

Nightwalker was one of my top picks for 2008. It was an excellent read, which I have re-read since and I highly recommend this book for all urban fantasy/paranormal lovers. It is my personal opinion that Jocelynn Drake is one of the best new writers of fantasy that the genre is producing. Her books are fascinating for the imagination. Well worth reading.

From the Cover: A new day dawns blood red....... A master of fire, Mira is the last hope for the world. For centuries she has secretly enforced the history-altering edicts of the Triad. Now she and her unlikely ally - the human vampire hunter, Danaus—have come to Venice, home of the nightwalker rulers. But there is no safety in the ancient city......

I am waiting the release of Dayhunter, Book Two in the Dark Days Series which will be released in five short days, 4-28-09. Ms. Drake will also be releasing the third book in the series, Dawnbreaker, Book Three in the Dark Days Series on 9-29-09. Ms. Drake will be releasing an anthology, Unbound on 8-25-09 with fellow authors Kim Harrison, Vicki Pettersson, Melissa Marr, and Jeanine Frost as well.
(all images and blurbs can be found at Harper Collins.)

Jocelynn Drake talks about Book Two of the Dark Days Series, Dayhunter.



To read an excellent review of Dayhunter, Book Two of the Dark Days Series, please see SciFiGuy.ca.

Also, I had like to give a shout out to Marta @ Vampire Wire for the linkage.
Thanks Marta!!

Quick Post for Contests--Jocelynn Drake and James Patterson and Marta Acosta

Hi Everyone!

I have put up a several new contests on my sidebar.

The first is Jocelynn Drake's new book, Dayhunter, which is the continuing story of Mira, Master of her domain, the Savannah. She's a very strong vampire who has survived by her wits to gain great power. She is a firestarter, a vampire with the ability to control one of the deadliest forms of their destruction. There is no coming back from fire. Nightwalker was one of my top picks for 2008, and I couldn't be happier that Dayhunter will be released in April 2009. Ms. Drake is looking for advanced readers for Dayhunter, Book Two in the Dark Days Series. If interested, please visit her blog at http://jocelynndrake.blogspot.com/. It will have to be done fairly quickly because the review needs to complete before Dayhunter is released.

Also, At Home With Books, is giving away TWO audiobooks by James Patterson courtesy of the Hachette Book Group, three copies of each are available.

'Max', continues the story of Max and her friends..... Maximum Ride and the other members of the Flock have barely recovered from their last arctic adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone-or something-is destroying hundreds of ships. Unable to discover the cause, the government enlists the Flock to help them get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late......

'Run' continues the story of Detective Mike Bennett and his twelve children......A calculating killer who calls himself The Teacher is taking on New York City, killing the powerful, the arrogant, the don't-give-a-darnst-about-anyone rich. For some New Yorkers it seems that the rich were getting what they deserve at last. For New York's social elite, it is a call to chaos and terror. The Teacher's message to the wealthy is clear: remember your manners or suffer the consequences.......

Though two complete different stories, James Patterson's use of life, love, and hardship make each story a worthy read. My heart broken when Bennett's long suffering wife died. Max, on the other hand, is a fantastic ride into the unknown, with the help of her flock of friends.

Also at Wendy's Minding Spot, she's giving away James Patterson's Sail
From the Cover: Since the death of her husband, Anne Dunne and her three children have struggled in every way. In a last ditch effort to save the family, Anne plans an elaborate sailing vacation to bring everyone together once again. But only an hour out of port, everything is going wrong. The teenage daughter, Carrie, is planning to drown herself. The teenage son, Mark, is high on drugs and ten-year-old Ernie is nearly catatonic. This is the worst vacation ever....

This is a story of one mother's struggle to keep her family together and in one piece, but is she too late, will they break apart or will she pull them together? James Patterson's wild adventure begins with Sail.



Darques Reviews is holding a Marta Acosta giveaway of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula. From the cover: Latina Ivy League grad Milagro de Los Santos can't find her place in the world or a man to go with it. Then one night, at a book party for her pretentious ex-boyfriend, she meets an oddly attractive man. After she is bitten while kissing him, she falls ill and is squirreled away to his family's estate to recover. Vampires don't exist in this day and age -- or do they......

Everyone check out these great sites for fabulous reads.

Dottie