LEGACY: An Anna Strong , Vampire Novel - Jeanne C Stein

From the back of the book: "Anna Strong live up to her name: equally tenacious and vulnerable, she's a heroine with the charm, savvy, and intelligence that fans of Laurel K Hamilton and Kim Harrison will be happy to root for." Publishers Weekly

Anna Strong was a tough-as-nails bounty hunter until the night she was attacked by a vampire--and changed forever....

Since then, Anna has struggled to adapt to her supernatural status while clinging to the vestiges of her humanity. Avery--the sinister vampire who turned her--is dead, and Anna learns that she's entitled to his vast fortune. Then a predatory werewolf comes forward, claiming to be Avery's widow. She demands the entire estate and makes it clear that she and her pack think nothing of killing Anna--and those who matter to her--to get what's owed them. Now Anna must protect those she loves from a werewolf out for the two most precious things in the world: blood....and money.

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Each Anna Strong books gets even better. I started to read this one last month, found that it takes place over Christmas, so held off until December for my Holiday reading. Granted, not exactly 'Peace Love Dove' Christmas, but I rarely read the PLD Christmas books during December. No, I meander off and read mysteries of all nature..paranormals prevail...set in December.

Anna is still dealing with her vampire-ness and that includes keeping it from her family and friends. It gets difficult how to come up with the excuses to not have meals (what with her liquid diet) and not shaking hands (perpetually cold skin).

Now there's the werewolf bitch who is marking territory she thinks Anna has intruded on. Anna's not sure how to deal with her. She doesn't want anything to do with Avery's property, but can't get the WB to understand this concept.

And Anna has been hired to help prove Gloria innocent of murder...Gloria, evil bitch fashion model who is Anna's PI partner, David's, girlfriend...Gloria who doesn't like having Anna in David's life and has done a lot of things in the past to make her go away. Now she needs Anna's help. This should be sweet revenge to Anna and say no, but she feels compelled to help...for a price.....

Five kick ass beans.....

Super Fun Saturday with Jeanne C Stein

So I had the best flippin' Saturday afternoon yesterday! DH was my very sweet driver and took us down to Denver (we live in the northwestern 'burbs) to WhoElse! Books on Broadway for their first book signing in their new digs. Their first signing was Jeanne Stein, author of the superb Anna Strong series. I have followed and chatted with Jeanne on the blog she shares with Mario Acevedo, author of the Felix Gomez series, another favorite of mine. I've won some contests from Jeanne and she sent me a signed 2009 calendar last Christmas. She just plain ol' rocks.

We arrived early since we weren't sure we'd know exactly where we needed to be. MapQuest made it easy and we were inside the store extra early. What else does one do in bookshop when one is early for a book signing? Yep, we shopped for books and I found a treasure trove (will be on my Monday Books in the House post tomorrow). Then Jeanne arrived and almost immediately came over to us, recognizing Lady K. Jeanne had a gift for Lady K, a light up duck, a box of chocolates and a pair of vampire teeth. Lady K had a pirate map and a monster picture she'd drawn for Jeanne. Lady K adores the Anna Strong book cover magnets I keep on the fridge and knows I read the books.

Jeanne read from RETRIBUTION, book 5 in the series. She answered questions from the audience, and had several raffle drawings. I won the last draw (loaded with my, Lady K's and DH's tickets as I was). My booty was a copy of RETRIBUTION, book cover magnets, a box of chocolates, a pen, and a WhoElseBooks shopping bag! Just a highly excellent time and supremely memorable. Jeanne reading from RETRIBUTION, fifth in the Anna Strong seriesJeanne answering a question from the audience

Jeanne, Lady K and moiLady K supervising the autographing of the copy of RETRIBUTION we won in the raffle

Oh yeah....Mario Acevedo was there for support and extra charm....

THE WATCHER - Jeanne C Stein

Anna Strong, bounty hunter and vampire, kicks serious ass. She's a Watcher, which means she helps keep supernatural bad guys in line and does some meting out of punishment when necessary.

She does all of this while maintaining her secret that she's a vampire from her bounty hunter partner and her sweetie, Max, the DEA agent. These two have disappeared and it seems to be in connection with the drug lord whose operation Max had infiltrated. Max was discovered and hunted down. Now David has disappeared and Anna is being hunted as well. All this going on while she's trying to find out just who the Wiccan sorceress is and what she's up to.

I am so glad that this is a series and I can keep going along with Anna on her adventures....

Four kickin' ass trouble finding beans......

SCORE!

My package of goodies from Jeanne Stein arrived yesterday! I have a signed copy of MANY BLOODY RETURNS, a signed postcard (I love these for my bookmarks), two Anna Strong pens, and the magnet of the cover of Jeanne's newest book, RETRIBUTION. She knew I had the other four, so completed my set. And if you look closely, you can see I scored a set of my my very own vampire teeth (which Lady K absconded with after this pic) and much coveted Devil Duck.
Thank you, Jeanne! You rock! For anyone wanting to try their hand, Jeanne is having another contest at her and Mario Acevedo's blog, Biting Edge, tomorrow.

THE BECOMING: An Anna Strong, Vampire Novel - Jeanne C. Stein

Ahhhhhh.....What a refreshing vampire story! A refreshing story, plain ol'. I like the strong lead characters, especially when the author makes the lead character a strong female. Anna Strong is indeed a strong female lead character and she rocks!

Anna is a private investigator and she and her partner are attacked while on stakeout of a bail jumper. Anna awakens in the hospital and her memory slowly begins to come back, along with an emerging strength and ability to heal quickly. She finds her doctor to be her mentor after he breaks the news that Anna is now a vampire. Life, or unlife, as she knows it has changed.

The vampire who attacked her is on the loose and Anna feels the need to find and put him down. And she knows she needs to figure out how to work with the men in our lives: Max her DEA agent boyfriend, David her partner, and Avery the doctor who becomes her mentor in the world of the vampire.

I thank Jeanne for LEGACY, #4 in the series and the gift card that allowed me to get #1 and #3 in the series sooner. And thank you Mark Henry for the interview with Jeanne that led to my winning.

Five rockin' beans.....

.....and here's the bookmark