Welcome to the first day of Turkey Tales!  Everyday this week, some of my favorite bloggers will be sharing some of their worst reads with us in the first Turkey Tales event. 

Kicking things off is the dirtiest, sexiest, bookiest blogger I know, Rebecca from Dirty Sexy Books.  Getting to know Rebecca this past year, we discovered that we’re both diehard Linda Howard fans (Son of The Morning and Heart of Fire are my favorites)…er, well we used to be.  I’ll let Rebecca take it from here.  And make sure to check out the giveaway details below.

By Rebecca @ Dirty Sexy Books

The past couple of years have been damn hard on us Linda Howard fans. 

One of my all-time favorite romance authors has hit a writing slump.  Yep, she’s swinging at air.  Her latest books have been skimpy, preposterous, and the biggest crime of all, they’ve been unromantic! 

This was my conclusion when I realized that I gave three of her most recent efforts two-stars a pop.  Two-stars!  That’s crazy bad when it comes to Ms. Howard’s writing, which transcended the field with novels like Cry No More, Son of Morning, and All the Queen’s Men.  I recommend these books without hesitation, but her latest stuff? 

• Burn - Imagine a romance based on Stockholm syndrome that takes place on The Love Boat. 
• Ice - Too, too short.  If you pre-ordered this wafer-thin hardcover then I pity you.  I really do.
• Blood Born - Info dumps up the wazoo, and a sex scene where the heroine is gritting her teeth because she’s too dry???

These are mistakes that rookie authors often make, but long-time Linda Howard fans have been scratching their heads and wailing, What the hell is going on?

Well, there is an answer, and Ms. Howard shared the news on her Facebook page a few months ago.  It turns out that she’s been suffering from long-term thyroid issues that have directly impacted her ability to write, but she didn’t really know what was going on for the longest time.  She wrote:

“Usually I don't discuss health issues, because it's not only Too Much Information, it's really not anyone else's business. I'm making an exception this time because it relates to writing, and almost caused me to stop.”

Reading that sentence almost caused my heart to stop.  Linda Howard is THE author who made me the romance fan I am today, and I’m certainly rooting for her comeback.  I’m happy to say that in her latest novel, Veil of Night, I saw glimmers of her past genius.  Nothing would thrill me more than seeing her smash one out of the stadium again.

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Thanks so much Rebecca!  And check back tomorrow for another Turkey Tale from Carolyn from Book Chick City

Giveaway

5 winners will get to pick 1 of the books from the list below that I’m truly thankful for this year:

5/5 bat reviews: Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews Soulless by Gail Carriger Double Cross by Carolyn Crane The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting Nightshade by Andrea Cremer Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel The Greyfriar by Clay & Susan Griffith City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines

You can comment once a day on each Turkey Tales post (any post with the Turkey Tales graphic) for up to six entries.  On Nov 26th, I’ll add up the entries and choose five winners to pick one of the 5 bat! Reviewed titles above to win. 

Giveaway Guidelines

1. Open Internationally (wherever The Book Depository ships)
2. Leave a comment that includes:
   1. Tell Rebecca what you think about her Turkey Tale choice
   2. A way to contact you if you win
3. Winners will be announced on Nov 26th

*One day left to enter & win a copy of BLOOD BORN*

Book Description

When the human and the vampire worlds collide, there will be hell to pay.

Luca Ambrus is a rare breed: vampire from birth, begotten by vampire parents, blood born. He is also an agent of the Council—the centuries-old cabal that governs vampirekind, preserving their secrecy and destroying those who betray them.

When a cryptic summons leads him to the scene of the brutal killing of a powerful Council member, Luca begins the hunt for an assassin among his own people. But instead of a lone killer he discovers a sinister conspiracy of rogue vampires bent on subjugating the mortal world.

All that stands in their way are the conduits, humans able to channel spirit warriors into the physical world to protect mankind. Chloe Fallon is a conduit—and a target of the vampire assassin who’s killing them. When Luca saves her life, an irresistible bond of trust—along with more passionate feelings—is forged between them. As more victims fall, Chloe and Luca have only each other to depend on to save the world from the reign of monsters—and salvage their own future together.

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Book 1 in The Immortal Warrior Series

Review:
BLOOD BORN is the first in the Immortal Warrior series about warriors from a parallel dimension who need certain humans called conduits to call them into our world whenever mankind faces real danger. Vampires, having long since concealed their existence, are preparing to declare all out war on humanity and claim what they consider to be their rightful place in the world. Only one thing is stopping them: The sanctuary spell. Unless invited in, humans are still safe from vampires inside even the flimsiest shacks. A witch cast the spell centuries ago and now they need a witch to break it.

Los Angeles, California

She was losing her mind. There was no other explanation. She hadn’t slept more than thirty minutes at a stretch for the past three days. How could she, when the dreams were so vivid and came so quickly, one after the other, startling her awake every time her name was called? Some of the details were murky, but two things she always remembered very clearly: the man, and the way he called to her. –Opening lines from BLOOD BORN

Linda Howard's male characters have always epitomized the perfect alpha male archetype and Luca Ambrus is no exception. A rare blood born vampire, Luca is feared and revered by his own kind. He has immense power due to his old age including a curse/blessing that causes all but the oldest vampires to forget even his name the moment he leaves and is understandably jaded and detached from most aspects of life.

Chloe Fallon is a little less...everything. She comes across as very young and slightly annoying especially towards the second half of the book. She does adapt well to the existence of supernatural beings, but she goes from being extremely resistant towards a romantic relationship with Luca, to full on couple mode faster than a vampire bite.

BLOOD BORN shifts throughout from not just Luca and Chloe's perspectives, but a number of different vampires and conduits. I would have preferred a few less POV's, maybe I would have warmed up to Chloe if she'd been given more page time. I did like the scenes written from Sorin's view (another alpha vampire tasked with killing conduits before they could call their warriors). The teaser at the end for the next Immortal Warrior book, Warrior Rising, which comes out on January 25, 2011, it will focus on Sorin and the continued fight between humans and vampires.

And what Linda Howard book would be complete without some seriously steamy scenes. In BLOOD BORN there is a ritual known as bonding that involves sex and blood. Lots of sex and blood. I'll just leave it at that.

BLOOD BORN does suffer a bit from the 'too many cooks in the kitchen' syndrome. It doesn't have the cohesion that Linda Howard's other books have, and some of the scenes seem redundant. Also there are way too many POVs. But Luca is a killer alpha male and the world building is rich enough to support what I hope to be many more Immortal Warrior books.

Sexual Content: References to sex.  Several graphic sex scenes. 

My Rating (out of 5):
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

Click HERE to read an excerpt of BLOOD BORN

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345520769
• ISBN-13: 978-0345520760

*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Random House

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Disagree with my review?  Contact me your review for this or any other book I’ve reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review

Linda Howard and vampires.  I don’t know if I can think of a better combination.  If you’ve never read any of Linda Howard’s novels (I’ve read most of them) prepare to get hooked and start stalking used bookstores for her out of print titles (I’ve done that too). I can’t wait to read this new one myself which means my review will be up soon.  Thanks to the fine folks at Random House, one of you will get a shiny new copy of her latest book, BLOOD BORN, which she co-wrote with Linda Jones (she’s a new author to me).

Giveaway courtesy of Random House

One copy of BLOOD BORN by Linda Howard & Linda Jones

Book Description

When the human and the vampire worlds collide, there will be hell to pay.

Luca Ambrus is a rare breed: vampire from birth, begotten by vampire parents, blood born. He is also an agent of the Council—the centuries-old cabal that governs vampirekind, preserving their secrecy and destroying those who betray them.

When a cryptic summons leads him to the scene of the brutal killing of a powerful Council member, Luca begins the hunt for an assassin among his own people. But instead of a lone killer he discovers a sinister conspiracy of rogue vampires bent on subjugating the mortal world.

All that stands in their way are the conduits, humans able to channel spirit warriors into the physical world to protect mankind. Chloe Fallon is a conduit—and a target of the vampire assassin who’s killing them. When Luca saves her life, an irresistible bond of trust—along with more passionate feelings—is forged between them. As more victims fall, Chloe and Luca have only each other to depend on to save the world from the reign of monsters—and salvage their own future together.

GIVEAWAY GUIDLINES

1. Open to US only
2. Leave a comment telling me which famous vampire you’d want protecting you (please log in with your comment if you want me to contact you if you win).
3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on May 15th.  Winner will be announced in a post on May 16th.

I’d love it if you took a second to share this giveaway.  Thanks!

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Interested in offering a giveaway on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME