3 must-read series’ to ask Santa for #giveaway

Welcome, and thanks for stopping by on your tour around the Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop.  I know I’m always looking for some recommendations for great urban fantasy and paranormal romance reads, so I thought I’d share some recent finds I thoroughly enjoyed.  You can take them off to the nearest mall and whisper them into Santa’s ear.  I’ve already made my list.  Have you?

Maybe I can put something a little extra in your stocking this year.  Click the logo above to continue along the tour and enter to win more great prizes.

GIVEAWAY – International

I’m going to give away the following to one lucky commenter:

An eBook copy of

The Glass Man

Into the Unknown

AND an Advanced Reader’s copy of my new novella, Touch of Frost

What do you have to do to win?

Just leave me a comment at the bottom of this post recommending your favorite UF or PNR book or series before 7pm on December 27th.  I’ll choose a poster at random and post the winner on December 28th.  Don’t forget to leave me a way to reach you (email, twitter account, facebook account, etc.)

Here are my top 3 must-read series for the PNR & UF lovers

3.  Demonica Series by Larissa Ione – Steam rating – 4/5

The covers of this series aren’t very imaginative (though quite identifiable), but the content within is unique and held me rapt book after book.

This series centers around a hospital for demons, Underground General, starring mainly the three seminus demon brothers, Eidolon the doctor, Shade the finder of things and heavy-hitter of the bunch, and Wraith, the vampire, all three incubus’s and faced with nearly impossible relationships.

I love the relationship between these three leading men, each starring in their own book in the series, along with their half brother & sister, Lore & Sin later on.  The fights they get into would scare you skinny, but Ione does a great job of showing their deep-rooted affection for one another when things go awry and they lean on the others for support.

The sex scenes are descriptive enough to be satisfying, but not so raunchy as to offend those of us with more delicate tastes in that department.  As each of these tasty men meet the loves of their lives, we see their struggle with what they are and the relationship they want–always with a price attached.  If I’ve come near the end of the book and I’m still squirming in my seat, I call it a keeper.  The endings are short and sweet, and often set up a little something for the next book in the series.  Definitely on my have-ta-read list.

2.  Mercedes Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs – Steam rating 1/5

Mercy Thompson is a VW mechanic, not your typical profession for a heroine.  I loved it.  She’s also a walker, a coyote shifter different from other types of shifters and werewolves because she can transform instantly and holds a little magic from her native heritage.

This series has lots of action and excitement, as well as some romance and suspense.  She lives in a trailer and the alpha of the local werewolf pack is her back yard neighbor, whom she pisses off by putting a junky looking VW bug between their houses.  You see, Adam is a bit of a neat freak and a control freak, but because she’s not part of the pack, nor is she defying him outright, he can’t do much about it.  It sets off their relationship on a very interesting and tension-filled path.

Add in a sexy ex-boyfriend who somehow manages to become her room mate, a yummy vampire who may or may not have a romantic interest in her, and the heat continues throughout the books.  I was a little disappointed that all of the sex takes place off camera, but it didn’t detract enough to affect my enjoyment of the series.

1.  Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews – Steam rating 4/5

I’m not big on the covers for this series, but what I found within gave me immense enjoyment.  I’ve always loved a post-apocalyptic sort of setting, and this one delivered quite a unique one.  Magic has destroyed a lot of the world.  When it flares, it knocks out all electronic devices and leaves everything dark except for the fae lanterns that come on for safety.

Kate is … well, I’m not really sure we learned exactly what she is, only that her father is powerful and she has to remove any traces of her blood she may leave.  If dear daddy finds her through the magic in her blood, she’d be in trouble.

The icing on this intriguing cake is Curran, the lion shifter beast lord.  He’s scary as hell and yummy enough to star in a fantasy or two, especially when he challenges Kate to a bet (which she loses) and the penalty is for her to serve him supper … naked.  Ha!  The tension between these two picks up heat in book two as Kate is dragged more and more into shifter business and other disasters that affect the beast lord enough he jumps in to help.  I can’t wait for the next one of this series to come out.

I’ve given you my favorites, now don’t forget to leave yours in the comments below for your chance to win.  Good luck!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Be well.

Love lots.

Smile often.