We are moving right along in 2012, so I thought I would share my release schedule for the year:

Jan 31: Thread of Death, an Elemental Assassin e-novella. Gin goes to Mab’s funeral, and trouble ensues.

Feb. 28: By a Thread, Elemental Assassin #6. Gin goes on vacation, and trouble ensues (again).

May 29: Dark Frost, Mythos Academy #3. Gwen has to find a powerful artifact before the Reapers of Chaos do.

Aug. 21: Widow’s Web, Elemental Assassin #7. This book will fill in some of Owen’s past and backstory.

To be determined: Haints and Hobwebs: An Elemental Assassin short story in The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance. I’m not sure when this book is being released yet, but the story focuses on Gin helping out a ghost, or haint.

I’m also hoping to e-publish a fourth Bigtime book this year, but I don’t know if it will happen or not. My writing schedule is already full for this year (and next year too).

Anyway, stay tuned to the blog for updates as they become available.

Finished Baby, Come Home by Stephanie Bond. This is the second book in her Southern Roads contemporary romance series.

Note: There is a bit of a spoiler in this review, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, you may want to skip this review.

Civil engineer Amy Bradshaw left Sweetness, Georgia years ago, but she never forgot her first love, Kendall Armstrong. Kendall and his brothers are working to restore the town after a tornado destroyed it, and Amy is hired to rebuild a historic bridge, despite the fact that she never wanted to return to Sweetness. Kendall never got over Amy, and he’s determined to win her back as the two of them work on the bridge. But Amy has a secret that just might tear her and Kendall apart for good …

I enjoyed the first book in this series, Baby, Drive South, and was interested in reading more by Bond. I thought this book would have the same fun, breezy, romantic comedy vibe that the first book did, but I was a bit surprised to discover this was a secret baby book, since Amy left Sweetness and had a son that she never told Kendall about.

The secret baby is not my favorite storyline. I just think it would be hard (if not impossible) to have a secret baby in this day and time, especially with things like the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter. But I thought Bond did a good job handling Kendall’s reaction and showing how he, Amy, and their son try to get along and all the issues between them. Plus, I thought it was interesting that while Kendall has such good memories of his hometown, Amy had equally bad ones, since she had a tough childhood.

Also, once again, the ending felt a bit rushed to me, and I would have liked to have seen more of Kendall and Amy working through their issues together.

Overall, this book isn’t quite as much fun as Baby, Drive South was, but it’s still an enjoyable contemporary romance.

My grade: C-

Would I read this author again: Yes. I’m looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

Memorable quote: “It was enough to know where she’d landed, that she had found a new place to call home. But he’d thought of her every day for the past twelve years.”

Finished The Cross: Vampire Federation by Sean McCabe. This is the second book in his Vampire Federation urban fantasy series.

After a battle, Detective Joel Solomon wakes up and realizes that he has been turned into a vampire. Joel hates what he’s become and vows to find the person responsible: Vampire Federation agent Alex Bishop. But Alex has her own problems to deal with, including political intrigue at work and vampires who are breaking the law. Meanwhile, evil vampire Gabriel Stone is hatching a plan to find and use the Cross of Ardaich, a powerful relic, against the members of the Federation. Also in the mix are a variety of other characters, good and bad, who are going about their lives, not knowing that they will soon intersect. In one way or another, all of the characters are on the trial of or are tied together by the Cross, which supposedly has the power to destroy vampires …

This was an interesting book, and it read a little bit like an action-adventure thriller to me, especially when it came to Alex and the Vampire Federation, which is sort of like a spy group that polices the vampires of the world. I enjoyed that aspect of the world building.

I also thought Alex was a cool character. She was strong, professional, and did what was necessary to get the job done, whether it was taking down a rogue vampire or trying to save the day. I also enjoyed reading about Joel and his struggles to come to terms with what he is.

However, there are quite a few characters in this book, most of whom get their own point of view scene at one time or another. The different points of views are interesting, but it takes a while for all the various characters to start meeting each other and for them all to become connected. I thought that slowed down the pace of the book. Also, several characters switch sides and join forces at the end of the book, which I didn’t find to be all that believable, despite the new threat that emerges.

Overall, if you’re looking for a new urban fantasy with vampires, you might consider checking out this book.

My grade: D+

Would I read this author again: Yes. I liked the characters, especially Alex, and the thriller vibe to the story.

Memorable quote: “Joel sprang to his feet. The scream burst out of him. It echoed across the snowy valley. Rolled around the mountains.”

Well, I have some news to share. There will be an e-novella to go along with By a Thread, the sixth Elemental Assassin urban fantasy book that will be out on Feb. 28.

The e-novella is called Thread of Death, and it takes place at the end of the events of Spider’s Revenge. Note that the following description contains some spoilers for Spider’s Revenge, so if you haven’t read that book yet, you may want to skip the description:

Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, might have finally killed her nemesis, Mab Monroe, but that doesn’t mean that it’s smooth sailing. Gin goes to Mab’s funeral to say her goodbyes and runs into some of Ashland’s most notorious underworld power players, including Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. McAllister wants her dead, and Kincaid has his own murky motives when it comes to the Spider, and Gin once again finds herself fighting for her life. Only this time, she might wind up in the cemetery right next to Mab …

Basically, Gin attends Mab’s funeral and finds herself in trouble once again. It’s also sort of a round robin story and features the points of view of Gin, along with Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. The e-novella is around 20,000 words. You don’t have to read the e-novella to enjoy By a Thread or the rest of the series, but it gives a little insight into what McAllister and Kincaid think about Gin. It also hints at and sets up a few things for Widow’s Web, the seventh book that will be out on Aug. 21.

Thread of Death will be released on Jan. 31 (e-book only). The price is $1.99, and it is up for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online booksellers. Hope everyone enjoys it. Happy reading!

Giving books for presents makes me happy — and so does getting books as presents myself. New books! Wha-ha-ha!

Okay, I think that’s enough evil laughter for one day. Here are some books that I got for Christmas this year:

Baby Its Cold Outside by Addison Fox (contemporary romance)

Kissing Comfort by Jo Goodman (historical western romance)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (fantasy young adult)

Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins (contemporary romance

I’ve been reading quite a few contemporary romance and young adult books over the past couple of months, and it looks like it’s a trend that’s going to continue into 2012.

Of course, there are already several books I’m looking forward to this year, including Lothaire (paranormal romance) by Kresley Cole and Rainshadow Road (contemporary romance) by Lisa Kleypas.

What books did you guys get for Christmas? What are you reading and enjoying right now?