Happy Birthday, Tracey O’hara!

Yep, our Australian author of urban fantasy romance has survived another year. To celebrate, treat yourself to her first novel, Night’s Cold Kiss, and pre-order her second, Death’s Sweet Embrace:

Tracey O’hara
Night’s Cold Kiss (Dark Brethren, Book 1)
HarperCollins Eos (CA: 17th August 2009; US: 25th August 2009; AU: 22nd September 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
For centuries war raged between the humans and Aeternus vampires – until courageous efforts on both sides forged a fragile peace. But the rogue Necrodreniacs will never be controlled – addicted as they are to the death-high…and bloody chaos. Since witnessing the murder of her mother, Antoinette Petrescu has burned with fiery hatred for the vampire race – even for Christian Laroque, the noble, dangerously handsome Aeternus who rescued her. Now an elite Venator, Antoinette must reluctantly accept Christian’s help to achieve her vengeance – even as he plots to use the beautiful, unsuspecting warrior as bait to draw out the bloodthirsty dreniacs.

Tracey O’hara
Death’s Sweet Embrace (Dark Brethren, Book 2)
Harper Voyager (CA: 5th January 2011; US: 25th January 2011)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
After centuries of secret conflict, humans and parahumans have reached an uneasy truce. But unspeakable evil now threatens the tenuous peace. Teenage shapeshifters are being slaughtered by a sadistic serial killer who rips their still-beating hearts from their paralysed bodies. A task force forms to halt the madness – a union of avengers including the vampiric Aeternus Antoinette Petrescu, as well as Kitt Jordan and Raven Matokwe, members of enemy Animalian tribes…and forbidden lovers. A centuries-old blood feud has divided their shapeshifting peoples, and if their passion is discovered it will doom them both. But past hostilities must be put aside, for the killer they seek is but the first sign of a blossoming terror rising from ancient history: the all-consuming nightmare of The Dark Brethren.

October 2009 Releases

Done buying September 2009 Releases? Now time for October’s list, with books from the US, Canada, UK and Australia. As always, I don’t include anything – just the ones I’ve heard of and am interested in. Covers and release dates are subject to change, so if I’m wrong, blame my sources 😉

September 2009 Releases

Done buying August 2009 Releases? Now time for September 2009 Releases. As always, I got my info from Amazon, publishers’ websites and authors’ websites, so if I’m wrong…blame them, not me 😉 If you know of more September releases that aren’t here, it’s either because I don’t know of their existence, or I’m not interested. I play favourites, and there’s no shame in that 😉

If you’re reading this in a feed, behind the cut you shall find my monthly summary. If you’re looking for stuff further into the future, check my Reading Wishlist.

August 2009 Releases

Done buying July Releases? Now onto August – here are my choice picks from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. As always, I don’t list EVERYTHING in the UF or futuristic genres – I’ll leave that to other bloggers. Instead, I just choose the ones I think are worthy. And yes, I play favourites 😉 Keep an eye on Reading Wishlist for release dates further into the future.

No purchase links as yet for Melanie Nilles’s Starfire Angels or Lexxie Couper’s Death, the Vamp and His Brother, but keep an eye on the authors’ websites and blogs.

NOTE: I own Kat Richardson’s Underground, and Rachel Vincent’s Pride, but haven’t read them yet.

NOTE: I have reviewed Rachel Vincent’s My Soul to Take, and Tracey O’hara’s Night’s Cold Kiss.

All other books listed here I’d be happy to read and review. If you’re willing to post a hard copy out to me in Australia, send me an email.

[REVIEW] Night’s Cold Kiss – Tracey O’hara

Tracey O’hara
Night’s Cold Kiss (Dark Brethren, Book 1)
HarperCollins Eos (CA: 14th August 2009; US: 25th August 2009)
Cover art by Larry Rostant
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)

The lines are cut thin between good and evil, and trust and mistrust, in Tracey O’hara’s creepy first Dark Brethren novel, Night’s Cold Kiss.

A woman was murdered whilst her six-year-old daughter watched. Now all grown up, and an elite Venator, Antoinette Petruscu is haunted by the parahuman who murdered her mother. Supposedly he died in a fire, but that’s looking unlikely, and it can’t just be a coincidence that women who share common features with Antoinette are being murdered.

Keeping herself safe whilst investigating means teaming up with Christian Laroque, an Aeternus. Trained to hunt Necrodreniacs addicted to the death-high of draining a human completely whilst feeding, Antoinette is not exactly friendly with vampiric people. But this is a matter of life and death – eternal or otherwise.

Whilst this series’s vampires have a decent dose of originality, they also examplify what I dislike most: blood-thrall. It has the sleaze of mind-rape, though the donors seem rather scarily into it. This never sits well with me, but please persist reading if you’re struggling early on – the last half of the novel is engrossing. The less you know beforehand, the better your reading experience. I can’t name my favourite characters because of their strong connections to major spoilers.

Though the author is Australian, the setting is American, and the only Aussies you’ll find here are in the bar – unsurprising, really 😉

The sci-fi elements are the real drawcards, raising this above most other vampire novels on the market. With memorable scenes and a particularly unforgettable character (you’ll know when you meet her), Night’s Cold Kiss kicks off a series with strong world-building, and hopefully much more science to come.

Tracey O’hara’s NIGHT’S COLD KISS

Was about to compose my review, when I realised that information about the book in general hasn’t yet been plastered all over the net. So here’s the information I’ve found, as well as links to relevant sources. Just so you know what you’re getting yourself into 😉 Please support Australian authors – this one’s from the ACT 🙂

Tracey O’hara
Night’s Cold Kiss (Dark Brethren, Book 1)
HarperCollins Eos (CA: 14th August 2009; US: 25th August 2009)
Cover art by Larry Rostant
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
For centuries war raged between the humans and Aeternus vampires – until courageous efforts on both sides forged a fragile peace. But the rogue Necrodreniacs will never be controlled – addicted as they are to the death-high…and bloody chaos. Since witnessing the murder of her mother, Antoinette Petrescu has burned with fiery hatred for the vampire race – even for Christian Laroque, the noble, dangerously handsome Aeternus who rescued her. Now an elite Venator, Antoinette must reluctantly accept Christian’s help to achieve her vengeance – even as he plots to use the beautiful, unsuspecting warrior as bait to draw out the bloodthirsty dreniacs.

“Intense, sexy, bold, Night’s Cold Kiss is a superb debut. Tracey O’Hara writes in a voice full of passion and power – I’m already waiting impatiently for the next book from this talented author.” –Nalini Singh

“With its dark and sexy hero, and a storyline that hooks you from the first page, Night’s Cold Kiss is a compelling read. I can’t wait to read more about the Brethren.” –Keri Arthur

http://www.traceyohara.com/
http://traceyo.livejournal.com/
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061783135/Nights_Cold_Kiss/index.aspx
http://harpercollins.ca/books/9780061783135/Nights_Cold_Kiss/index.aspx
http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/harper/738_1069_313939303239.htm#readmore

Introducing Yolanda Sfetsos, Tracey O’hara & Erica Hayes

Just wanted to take the time to introduce some Australian urban fantasy and futuristic authors whom you may not have encountered yet. You should already be familiar with Keri Arthur, and maybe Lexxie Couper 😉

Yolanda Sfetsos has recently signed contracts with ImaJinn Books and Samhain Publishing, but information about them hasn’t been officially released yet, so stay tuned. She also has a backlist of eBooks with other publishers. I found her via LiveJournal, I think. Newsletter BlogSpot LiveJournal MySpace Bebo

Tracey O’hara has signed a three-book deal with HarperCollins Eos, with the first book of the Dark Brethren series, Night’s Cold Kiss, due out 25th August 2009 (5th in Canada). Nalini Singh wrote the blurb: “Intense, sexy, bold, Night’s Cold Kiss is a superb debut. Tracey O’hara writes in a voice full of passion and power – I’m already waiting impatiently for the next book from this talented author.” Do you trust Nalini Singh’s judgment? You’ll find out soon enough 😉 Check out the key selling points. I found her via LiveJournal, and then we met at ARRC09. AuthorTracker LiveJournal MySpace

Tracey O’hara
Night’s Cold Kiss (Dark Brethren, Book 1)
HarperCollins Eos (CA: 5th August 2009; US: 25th August 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
(Official cover copy yet to be released. Here are the basics.)
For centuries war raged between the humans and Aeternus vampires – until the efforts of the courageous on both sides helped to forge a fair, if fragile, peace. But the rogue, vicious, and half-mad Necrodreniacs will never be controlled – addicted as they are to the death-high…and bloody chaos.

Erica Hayes has signed with St. Martin’s, and the first Shadowfae Chronicles book, Shadowfae, is due out 13th October 2009. Tracey told me about her, so I looked Ez up when I remembered to, and found her on LiveJournal. I think at ARRC09 I may have asked her where the registration desk was, but I didn’t know who she was at the time. Oops. Sorry, lass! Mailing List LiveJournal MySpace

Erica Hayes
Shadowfae (Shadowfae Chronicles, Book 1)
St. Martin’s Griffin (US: 13th October 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
Official cover copy yet to be released. Here are the basics.)
In a city infested with psychotic fairies and run by sadistic vampire mafiosi, life as a soul-sucking succubus rarely involves lacy lingerie, hot guys or great sex. Instead, Jade must spend her nights seducing gangsters and murderers, or simpering as a trophy girl for hell’s minions. So when she discovers a forbidden ritual that promises to break hell’s thrall and set her free, she’s got nothing to lose, even if it involves seducing the four most repellent souls in town. But when you’re cheating hell, there’s always a catch. Others are as desperate to trap those same souls and escape. Like Rajah, a 400-year-old incubus whose raw sensuality makes him a formidable adversary, even as his empathy for her plight makes him an unexpected ally. But they can’t both win their freedom, and if Jade wants to beat Rajah to the prize, she’ll need all her hell-cursed charms.

[COVER ART] City of Souls, Destined for an Early Grave, Unbound, Night’s Cold Kiss

From here: City of Souls (Vicki Pettersson) Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
From here: Destined for an Early Grave Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
From here: Unbound (Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson & Jocelynn Drake) Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)
From here: Night’s Cold Kiss (Tracey O’hara) Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)

Tez in the City, Part II

Saturday
-Chatted, signed, photographed with Susan Grant, Liz Maverick, Keri Arthur & Tracey O’hara.

-Liz’s The Shadow Runners is set in Australia in 2176. Not Victoria, but nevertheless I think she was chuffed to be here. And to see for herself if Australia is closer to becoming a penal colony again 😉

-Tracey’s Night’s Cold Kiss cover art was revealed, but I’ll wait for her to share it with you first. Go bother her 😉

–Melanie Milburne‘s surgeon husband sometimes phones her for a chat whilst he’s performing surgery. Who says men can’t multi-task? 😉 Melanie also had a trophy on her signing table – I’ll have to check award results.

–Amy Andrews has an agent, but looks after her own Mills & Boon business. Her agent deals with Amy’s other works.

-If you’d like to know the mating habits of marine animals and other mammals, consult Lexxie Couper.

–Jess Dee has a fabulous South African accent. It’s like the Oz one, only classier. And charming. Makes you want to hug the world. In short: fab.

Sunday
-Chat and photos with Liz, Sue, Kez, Jordana Ryan, Lexxie, Jess, MaryJanice Davidson & Anthony Alongi, and Dianna Love. Didn’t chat with Sherrilyn Kenyon, but had a photo.

-Skipped out early to head to the State Library of Victoria for a free session with Justine Larbalestier & Simmone Howell. Free cupcakes – the icing was so tasty! 🙂

-In times past and present, they’ve made up their own slang. Consult Simmone about the verb “rod”, and Justine the noun “spoff”.

–Scott Westerfeld is tall.

Flickr

New Pre-Order Links

Reading Wishlist has been updated with new dates. And Most Wanted has these new links. Please note that Kim Harrison’s White Witch Black Curse is now a mass market paperback to pre-order. And Mari Mancusi’s Girls that Growl has been reduced to less than $3, I think.

US LINKS
Jocelynn Drake: Dawnbreaker
Charlotte Featherstone: Addicted
Kim Harrison: White Witch Black Curse
Mari Mancusi: Girls that Growl
Tracey O’hara: Night’s Cold Kiss
Laurie Faria Stolarz: Black is for Beginnings
Anthology: Unbound

UK LINKS
Charlotte Featherstone: Addicted
Stacia Kane: Unholy Ghosts
Kelly Meding: Three Days to Dead
Lilith Saintcrow: Redemption Alley

CA LINKS
Kelley Armstrong: Frostbitten
Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire
Charlotte Featherstone: Addicted
Eric Garcia: The Repossession Mambo
Stacia Kane: Unholy Ghosts
Kelly Meding: Three Days to Dead
Tracey O’hara: Night’s Cold Kiss
Lilith Saintcrow: Redemption Alley
Neal Shusterman: Unwind
Laurie Faria Stolarz: Black is for Beginnings
Kit Whitfield: In Great Waters
Anthology: The Eternal Kiss