Hunted by the Others: A Review

Description from author Jess Haines' blog : They are the Others — the vampires, mages, and werewolves once thought to exist only in our imaginations. Now they’re stepping out of the shadows, and nothing in our world will ever be the same again…
IN A TOWN LIKE THIS, BEING A P.I. CAN BE MURDER

Shiarra Waynest’s detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm — if it doesn’t kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York’s most powerful vampires.





My impressions: This novel kept my attention and I wanted to know what would happen next. Please know that it is very easy for me to put down a boring book--and this was not one of those. It was an absolute thrill ride. After Shiarra Waynest (Shia) decided to take on an assigment from a high-level mage, her safety went downhill. From being threatened by the most powerful vampire in the state, to being threatened to join a hate group against THE OTHERS, Shia is not sure what her options are. Add a few murders to the plot, and you've got yourself a very fun, creative novel. I loved it.
Please pick up a copy on May 4, 2010 or you can even pre-order at any online store now. :-D

There will also be a giveaway in April for a signed copy of this book here on my blog. Check back. :-D

And the Winner of Angelology Is...

There were 26 official entries. I used random.org to choose a winner. And the winner is Tracey D (Booklover 0226), who was commenter #13. Tracey, send me an e-mail that includes your mailing address and Penguin will send you a signed copy of Angelology. But, if you do not contact me by Sunday, March 14, 2010, then random.org will be consulted for another winner.

Thanks to all who entered! :-D Please check back. There will be my usual posts, along with reviews and contests.

Win A Copy of Angelology!

Okay, now that I have your attention. Not only do I offer a contest, but I conducted a phone interview with Danielle (author of Angelology) from her home in France! :-D She was so lovely and polite. And yes, I did gush about how much I loved the book. :-D Read our interview below her picture:




Demon Hunter--1.) What piqued your interests in angels and angelology?
Danielle Trusonni--I've always been interested in angels. I went to Catholic school as a child, but I never knew I'd be that interested in them until I stayed at a convent for research. There were beautiful glass windows, and pictures of old medieval churches and convents that were very inspiring to me as well. I think angels are part of our society in a really big way.


DH--2.) In order to conduct research for your novel, you stayed in the convent of Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, WI, where your grand aunt is a nun. What did you experience there? And how did your stay influence your novel?
DT--I really didn't know what direction I wanted to go in during the beginning stages of the book. While I was at the convent, I knew I wanted angels to be a part of the novel. And I got a lot of ideas about Evangeline and decided her status of being a nun. Staying at the convent was only part of the research. I also visited all of the major locations mentioned in the book--New York, Paris, and the Devil's Throat Cavern in the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. My research spanned two years.


DH--3.) Will the sequel to Angelology begin immediately where it left off, or will a period of time have passed? And will Evangeline remain the main character?
DT--A little bit of time will have passed. Evangeline and Verlaine will remain the two central characters.


DH--4.) What made you decide to write such a dark, fantastical story after your critically acclaimed memoir, Falling Through the Earth?
DT--My memoir was a book I wanted to write for personal reasons. I didn't have any preconceived genre set for me. I think that it's impossible to write the same book twice. I always knew that I would write fiction at some point. I think that it's important for writers to change and evolve. But initially, I didn't set out to write this kind of novel.


DH--5.) What sparked your interest in writing? And when did you begin your writing journey?
DT--I started writing when I was a teenager. I've always loved to read and write. In high school I wrote poetry and took creative writing classes. It took me a while to take writing seriously. I thing I began to take it seriously while I was at the Iowa Writer's Workshop, which gave me the discipline and the time. The time was a luxury.
Angelology was bidded for buy two major motion picture companies. Columbia won the bid. I cannot wait to see this movie and read its sequel. Angelology will be released everywhere on March 9, 2010. Go forth and buy it! You won't be disappointed. You can read all about Danielle at her two websites:
Danielle Trussoni
Angelologist

Viking has agreed to give away one signed copy to one very lucky commenter. All you have to do is leave a comment. If you do not have a blog with your e-mail address listed, please list your e-mail address as follows: your e-mail (AT) wherever (DOT) com, so the spam bots won't send you junk mail. The contest is open to everyone in the world. The contest will end on March 10, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Good luck and don't forget to read my review of Angelology in the post below this one. :-D

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni: A Review

Title: Angelology

Author: Danielle Trussoni

Pub Date: March 9, 2010 by Viking Adult

Format: Hardcover, 464 pages

ISBN: 9780143145264

Synopsis: (Penguin) A thrilling epic about an ancient clash reignited in our time-between a hidden society and heaven's darkest creatures.

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them.
Genesis 6:5
Angelology is a riveting, intricately woven tale of a centuries old battle between the secret society of Angelologist and the infamous Nephilim race.

This novel had me enthralled from start to finish. It has been categorized as thriller, dark fantasy, horror, etc. I'm not so much concerned about the category as I am the story. It was amazingly crafted by Ms. Trussoni.

The story follows 23-year-old Sister Evangeline at the St. Rose Convent, Hudson River Valley in Milton, New York. The year is December 23, 1999 and the young nun discovers a 1943 correspondence between deceased philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller and the late Mother Superior of the St. Rose convent.

Discovery of the letter, and a chance meeting with a stranger who was searching for the correspondence, leads Evageline through a phenomenal web of lies and secrets in just 48 hours.

The villian of the story, Percival Grigori, doesn't disappoint. Even in his frail state, and the fact that he is a few centuries old, he manages to cause great pain to Evangeline and those closest to her, with assistance from some horrific creatures.

At first I was hesistant to review this novel because it contained nuns, angels, and the Nephilim race, just like the current novel I'm working on. :-D But to my delight, our stories are not similar, and Ms. Trussoni has her own wonderful plot and I love this story. I promise you that this novel is one of the best you'll read this year. :-D Pick it up at any store or online.

Disclaimer: As per FTC guidelines, I received a review copy of Angelology from Penguin/Viking. I did not receive any endorsements of any kind, whether that be monetary, gifts, etc.

P.S. I will hold a contest for a signed copy of Angelology beginning tomorrow. Danielle Trussoni can be found here or there.

And the Winner of 33 A.D. is...

There were 24 official entries. I used random.org to choose a winner. And the winner is Charles Gramlich, who was commenter #7. Charles, send me an e-mail that includes your mailing address, and David will send you a personalized copy of 33 A.D. with whatever inscription you'd like. But, if you do not contact me by Friday, March 5, 2010, then random.org will be consulted for another winner.

And as for everyone else, thanks for participating. Stay tuned. Later today, I will post a review of another book, and a contest will be held for that book on tomorrow. :-D

P.S. If you'd like to know when and where you can purchase your own copy of 33 A.D., you can check out David McAfee's blog here. I will mention a release date for it in the future as a reminder.