Better Know A Blogger: Chelsea - Vampire Book Club

Welcome Chelsea! Over on her blog Vampire Book Club, Chelsea has started a fantastic feature called: "If You Like...." She takes one beloved series (the most recent one was Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward) and then lets you know about a similar series (in this case Demonica by Larissa Ione). Great idea! She also hosts a monthly Group Read chat. Go check out Vampire Book Club!!

*What is your name/blogger name? Chelsea

*What is the name of your blog? Vampire Book Club http://www.vampirebookclub.net/

*Do you have an auto-buy author, someone whose writing is so good, you have to read every single thing they write? Oh, absolutely! Richelle Mead is at the top of my auto-buy list, and with the Vampire Academy, Georgina Kincaid and Dark Swan series, the woman keeps me busy. My auto-buy list is always growing. Sitting at the top right now are Stacia Kane, Jill Myles, Julie Kagawa, Rachel Vincent, Jeaniene Frost and JR Ward.

Karen: I'm happy to see Stacia Kane on your list! I love me some Terrible!!

*Who is your all-time favorite couple in literature, and why? (Or favorite male/female character)
That’s a cruel question, and you know it! So, I’m cheating and doing three: one for swoon factor, one for honesty and one for straight magnetism.
1. Eric Northman and Sookie Stackhouse circa Dead to the World (Southern Vampire Mysteries #4) floored me. And the evolution of their relationship for the next four books kept an element of otherness while being tender and relatable. (Though, the series has certainly gone stale as of late, so I’ll just keep my fingers crossed that the infamous shower scene from book 4 makes it into this season’s True Blood.)
Karen: That's a favorite of mine too. In fact book 4 is my favorite in the series. And if they don't put that shower scene in this season I'm going to be pissed! *ahem* sorry - I'm back in control now.
2. Barrons and MacKayla in Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. I love that these two communicate in looks. There is an undeniable love, but it’s only spoken in actions. There’s an overwhelming honesty in that.
3. Finally, Cat and Bones from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. Their relationship develops naturally. They make each other work for it. But when it comes down to it, Cat and Bones just have an undeniable chemistry.

Karen: Cat & Bones are another one of my favorites. I love that their love is so fierce. No one is coming between them!

*Do you have an e-reader? Do you prefer e-books or regular books, or use both?
Yes, I have a Nook, but I like both. Having an e-reader is great for traveling and not having to pack a separate bag to bring a stack of novels and has been excellent for review copies of novels, but my favorite books I end up buying a physical copy.

Karen: Same here!

*What are your Top 5 picks for the best books of 2010?
City of Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #3) by Stacia Kane (Urban fantasy)
The Iron Duke (Iron Seas #1) by Meljean Brook (Steampunk romance)
Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) by Richelle Mead (YA urban fantasy)
Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer (YA paranormal romance)
The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa (YA fantasy)

*What book or series has been sitting in your TBR the longest? I’m going to get berated for this, but Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten. I read the first 15 pages or so and then received another book. I started reading something else and just never came back to it. It keeps creeping its way back to the top of the pile only to be bypassed again. I swear it’s not shifter animosity. ;)

Karen: Oh please read that one! You will not regret it. And speaking of favorite couples - Clay & Elena will make it to your list after reading this series. That is the book that made me love werewolves.

*What's the best thing about blogging and reviewing books? The amazing sense of community! My husband does his best not to tease me too much about reading “those vampire books,” but it’s fantastic to be able to talk with others who love and appreciate the inherent escape with urban fantasy and paranormal romance. (And who know that the writing in speculative fiction – good SF – is vivid, strong and unique.)

Karen: Yes, there is a talent to writing as you say good UF/SF that doesn't get enough respect. You apparently aren't an intelligent person if your not reading the NYT best seller list according to some people.

Thanks Chelsea for coming by - loved all your answers. We have very similar reading tastes.