A Note:

6/2/13

I once told myself: IF I am accepted into grad school, this blog would no longer be updated. As it turns out, in April, I received news of my acceptance for the Fall 2013 semester, where I will attain a Master's degree of Science in Nutrition.

Running a blog, as many of you may already know, is a demanding side job once the excitement wears off. And once I fell out of the blogging community's loop (have you SEEN how many blogs there are now? Wow!), it was like the kiss of death. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into a blogging routine once this happened due to the disconnect I felt from the community.

So I took a break. I struggled with the loss and with missing my blog. And then I realized I didn't have to run Book Faery to still be a book reviewer; I could read my books and post reviews online. I'm still a book review blogger, just not in the traditional sense.

I'll still be online. You can chat with me on Twitter, where I'll be posting links to my reviews and talking books. I'll also be posting links to nutrition articles. And if you'd like to connect with me where I guarantee I will post reviews, just add me as a friend on Goodreads.

So that's all, folks! It's been a fun and amazing journey, and I thank you all for listening to my thoughts about books. I hope we all can keep in touch elsewhere :)

Tori

Sunday, August 1, 2010

(Day 1) Guest Post: Abigail from All Things Urban Fantasy

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Click on the image to check out all other available/upcoming giveaways/events.


Hello and welcome to Day 1 of The Battle of the Sexies!  Kicking off the guest posts is a person whose blog and posts always manage to make me go back looking for more.  She is one of the nicest bloggers I have had the fortune to speak with, and she was kind enough to give me advice when I had initially started Book Faery.

Her name is Abigail, and she runs the blog All Things Urban Fantasy.  Sound familiar?  The name should, since it's one of the best blogs out there!  If you haven't checked ATUF out, then I highly suggest you do.


Connect with Abigail:
Twitter | Blog | Goodreads



My Uber Alpha Male

Alphas males are one of the crucial elements to good paranormal books. The paranormal genres are really among the last acceptable places to find good alpha males. Think about it. It really isn't acceptable anymore for a guy to be a aggressive, take charge, domineering, jealous alpha. And for good reason. In real life, those kind of character traits would send most sane women running. But in fantasy, specifically in urban fantasy when you're often dealing with werewolves and vampires, its a whole different story. We don't just accept alpha males, we crave them.

A lot of the time these guys are hundreds of years old, literally from a different time where gender roles were defined much differently then they are today. What qualities would make up my perfect alpha male? To answer that question, I'll borrow certain traits from some of my favorite UF guys to create the three qualities that makeup my Uber Alpha Male:

Nearly uncontrollable desire aka the scary/sexy quality:

  • Kisten from the Rachel Morgan/The Hollows series by Kim Harrison
  • Edward from the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Both Kisten and Edward have difficulty distinguishing between sex and blood. On the surface that doesn't sound super sexy, but hear me out. It takes normal human desire and multiplies it until its all consuming. In Every Which Way But Dead, when Kisten grabbed Rachel up against the wall after she did jumping jacks in his sweats, he wanted her in every way imaginable. Ditto for Edward kissing Bella in her bed the first time. That tiny sliver of self control was all that kept those guys from taking everything they wanted.

The protector aka the physically impressive quality:
  • Curran from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
  • Adam from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

Curran is described in the books as huge, whether in his 8 ft tall half lion/half man warrior or full on Beast Lord. He throws people around as easily as pillows. And Adam is the Alpha of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack and ex Special Forces.  He isn’t huge physically (just under 6 ft tall) but he lethal in both human and wolf forms.

Call me old fashioned, but I love the idea of a big strong guy who could cause some serious damage should the need arise.  What is even better about Curran and Adam is that they fight along side Kate and Mercy. Plus muscles are nice to look at :)

The semi-reformed guys aka the bad boy quality:

  • Bones from The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
  • Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel TV show
  • Damon from The Vampire Diaries TV Show (not Damon from the book series by L.J. Smith)



 

Granted Bones, Spike, and Damon each have a lot of personal baggage that have screwed them up in significant ways but, reasons or not, these guys can be jerks. They kill, deceive, and even have hit the women they love. Yet I still love them (Spike especially). Why? Because they try to change, to be better men, the kind of men worthy of the women they love. Yes, Spike still gambled with kittens and basically everything he did in season 6 was seriously twisted, but he eventually did what Angel never could, willing seeking his soul for Buffy.  I will forever love him for that.

Of course these are just my picks. What about you?  What are the essential traits that you look for in Alpha heroes?  Who exemplifies them for you?



What's a better way to start off this event than by giving away a book that's got a super sexy alpha in it?  Gena Showalter's generously offering one participant a signed copy of The Darkest Whisper.

For more information on this book, check out my review.


Connect with Gena:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads



Bound by the demon of Doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers.

So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more.

Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she'd fall for a kind human who wouldn't rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora's box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love.


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19 comments:

  1. Ohhh...great guys! I love all of them!
    I'm watching Buffy right this very minute! Spike is so yummy!
    And Daman makes me swoon ;)

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  2. Awesome post and let the battles begin!

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  3. hey great post, loved it. great alpha male characters and love every one of them.

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  4. Great post and giveaway! Thanks!

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  5. KISTEN!! Oh my word - he is definitely tops in the Uber Sexy department. Damon, Spike, Bones and Edward all hit the list too! I also love V, Z and JM from Black Dagger Brotherhood, Aeron from Lords of the Underworld, and Acheron from Dark-Hunters!

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  6. Adam (Mercy Thompson), Damon (Ian Somerhalder is hot!), Dean (Supernatural), and I'm pretty sure I could go on.

    I mostly like the sarcastic jerk who isn't always the nice guy, but tries to be at some points is my favorite.

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  7. I love the protective guys that can beat the crap out of anybody and are willing to if they needed to. Of course I also like the semi-reform guys - they have got attitude.

    But the one thing I have to agree on is the muscles are nice to look at.

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  8. Good post. I'd add a character to the protector column: Clayton Danvers, from Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. He's strong and capable and so loyal to Elena and Jeremy.

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  9. Let the battle begin =) This was such a cool idea. I liked what you wrote about Kisten. My nose has been stuffed into the Hollows books. Edward...who's Edward? =) After Kisten there is no more Edward. Thanks for such a cool mth long contest.

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  10. Reading Angel - It really doesn't get better than Spike, does it? Have you watched him in Angel yet?

    Jeanette - I agree. The battle idea is so fun Tori!

    What...more books - Alpha males can make or break a story for me. And these guys are some of the best.

    Meredith - Thanks!

    Smash Attack - Kisten...I really miss him. And I'll have to try the ones you mentioned.

    DforDarla's - See I never watched Supernatural. Guess I need to start :)

    Sandy - That bad boy thing gets me every time too :)

    LSUReader - I had him in my initial draft, but the post was getting too long. Clayton is a fantastic alpha.

    Tanya - Edward is very different from Kisten, but I love them both :)

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  11. My favorites are the protective alphas. yummy!

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  12. Kitt @Paperback Dolls.

    KISTEN!! *sobs*

    Great post Abigail! I'm digging your picks.. well except that last, Damon. Don't know him... yet. ;)

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  13. Just read Gena Showalter's The Darkest Night and Maddox is pretty over the top Alpha. I've gotta agree with LSUReader...I love me some Clayton Danvers.

    Look forward to the rest of the Battle posts. Very cool idea!

    Great post Abigail. You pulled at my heart strings when you mentioned Kisten. I never got over what happened. =(

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  14. Great choices! I love them all (except Edward)! Spike is the only reason I ever made it up to season 5 in Buffy.

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  15. Jericho Barrons in Karen Marie Moning´s Fever series is also deliciously alpha...
    But I agree with Kisten, Spike, Damon, Curran Adam and the whole LOTU/BDB bunch :)
    Great post!

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  16. Reading Angel: I should go rewatch Buffy *sigh* I miss Angel and Spike so much!

    Jeanette: Yes! I'm so happy that it's finally August!

    Smash: I love me some Aeron too ;) When I spoke with Gena, she said that she thought Sabin was the most alpha of them all. I kind of have to agree with her hehe

    DforDarla's: TOTALLY agree with you about Adam. He's one hawt piece of alpha.

    Sandy: When are muscles ever NOT nice to look at? ;)

    Abigail: I'm glad you think so. Thanks so much for doing a guest post! :D

    Jen D: Just wait until you read about all of Gena's other Lords. Seeeexay. And thanks!

    Shera: (Edward's not on my list, either. Shh :X)

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  17. I adore Spike! Kistin kind of reminded me of him. I cried at the end of the fifth book.

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  18. Great chooses great giveaway thank you :)

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