Book Rants

Review - Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2012-02-07T07:00:00.004-08:00

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Released: Jan 2011

Rating: 3 out of 5

Genre: YA PNR

Pages: 435

Sexual Content: Some Kissing

Source: Amazon

GoodReads Summary:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

My Thoughts:

Clara's part angel, all angel-bloods have a purpose. Clara's purpose is sent to her in the form of a vision. Starting slowly at first then giving more details the closer it comes to when the purpose should be fullfilled. Clara gets the vision many times in the book and it's kind of played on repeat. It didn't annoy me until I read the end which kind of made the purpose moot.

Clara's visions take her family to Jackon Hole where the vision is supposed to occur, she soon meets the boy, Christian, she sees in her vision at her new school, she spends time trying to get close to him so she can figure out what her purpose is. She's making progress when Christian leaves for the summer. Clara then falls in love when another boy, Tucker, at her school. I liked Tucker, he was sweet and funny. There romance was by far my favorite part of the story, them falling in love.

Clara's vision is to save Christian from a forest fire, when it comes time to it, she hears that Tucker is also trapped in the fire and Clara has to choose.

Now I would have been fine if that was it to the story, but its seems to me these days that having a girl who's an angel with a divine purpose plus a love triangle isn't enough..they have to go in and add Black Wings. "Evil" angels that want to kill the White Wings, the "good" angels. I find this whole part of the story superfluous. It didn't do anything for me as far as story went and I think the book would have been completely enjoyable without it. I'm assuming there will be more about this in the next one, but I don't think I was drawn in enought to want to pick it up.

I thought overall this was a cute light read, the writing was good, the characters were fine, but I had a few issues with the story line. There was nothing really wrong with this book, it just wasn't for me but I think many out there will enjoy it, especially those fans of the Fallen series

Unearthly Series

Book #1 Unearthly

Book #2 Hallowed

Book #3 TBA (2013)

Mini Reviews - Love In The Afternoon and Until You

2012-01-30T06:50:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post a mini sort of review on a book that I'd finished but didn't find overly entertaining and one I couldn't finish.

Love In The Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

A cute historical romance read, nothing really grabbed me about this one. I did like the fact that the herionie loved animals and she had the patience to help those in need even if they didn't want it. The hero was your typical historical romance hero, falls in love with the girl but there is something that the herionie must help him over come before they can be completely happy together. I'd give this a 3 out of 5.

Until You by Judith McNaught

I did not finish this, so I don't want to say too much because I can't really give an overall opinion. It just didn't grab me. I'm pretty particular when it comes to historical romance and this just wasn't one for me.

Daughter Of Smoke and Bone Sequel Title Reveal!

2012-01-27T06:34:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know Daughter Of Smoke & Bone is an absolutely fabulous book and anyone who has read it is waiting on baited breath for the sequel! And YeaH! today Laini Taylor announced what the title to the sequel will be..insert fan girl scream here! So there it is Days of Blood & Starlight!

Also there is a little teaser she posted so make sure you check that out here

Just Something To Think On

2012-01-25T09:52:00.001-08:00

"Whose book is it anyway? The hardest thing a writer has to learn is that once you publish a book, it's no longer truly yours – even though it's got your name on the front and it lives inside you. It belongs to the readers now. All you can do is steel yourself as you push it out into the world, stay gracious, and get busy with the next one.

And if you can't stand the heat of the blogosphere – don't Google yourself." - Julie Bertagna

Review - The Renfield Syndrome by J.A. Saare

2012-01-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon's Law #2) by J.A. Saare
Released: Aug 2011
Rating: 5 out of 5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 212
Sexual Content: Some sex scenes
Source: Purchased from bookdepository.com

*Don't Read the following if you haven't read the first one, spoilers*

GoodReads Summary:

Vampires, and werewolves, and demons, oh my. Rhiannon thought facing off against a deranged child vampire was the most dangerous task she would ever have to undertake, but she's about to discover making a deal with a demon is far, far worse. Sent forward into another reality, one in which vampires are now dominating nearly extinct humans, she realizes the sooner she returns to her vampire lover, Disco, the better.pUnfortunately, time changes a lot of things, including those most trusted around her. When she's faced with a loss and betrayal unlike any she has ever known, her focus shifts from severing the debt between the demon that wants to kill her, to exacting a revenge that will bring forth consequences she never could have fathomed. By reaching out to the darkness lingering within her, she'll find the strength to push forward despite the circumstances that would see her dead and buried.pAfter all, when it's all said and done, all that she has left to lose is her soul

My Thoughts:

Fantastic! I love this series and I cannot wait for the next one!

+ Story:

Love the story line, being sent into the future I did not see that coming. Disco is dead in this future and only Paine remains. I'm so so glad that Rhiannon and Paine have this time to figure things out about each other. I was so hoping for this ever since the first one! Don't get me wrong I love Disco, but I thought Paine deserved some happiness.

+ Lore:

Great vampire lore as always, then there are some werewolves through in as well..wonder if we'll see some of those same wolves again? We'll see I guess!

+ Romance:

Talk about complicated, Rhiannon barely has time to accept the fact that she's in the future and Disco is long since dead, even though to her it feels like she'd only seen him a few days before. I felt like Paine kind of pushed her into getting together to quickly and he used her grief to his advantage. Then again he'd been waiting to see her again for 100 years so I guess his patience must have been waring thin. Either way I can't wait to see what happens with this love triangle. Usually I'm not a fan of the love triangle but this one is so good!

+ Side Characters:

Goose and his daughter were my favs of the side characters. Don't have much to say about them.

+ World/Setting:

The future looks grimm in this book. Thought it was well thought out and complete. It must be complicated to write a time travel book but I have to hand it to this author it comes out leaving us wanting tons more!

Nit Picks:

Disco's anger at Rhiannon when she returns to the present day.. I understand it, but I personally didn't like it.

Favorite Part:

All of Rhiannon's kick ass moments!

Rhiannon's Law Series

Book #1 - Dead, Undead, Or Somewhere In Between
Book #2 - The Renfield Syndrome
Book #3 - The Ripple Effect (Fall 2012)

Review - Black Wings by Christina Henry

2012-01-16T10:02:00.002-08:00

Black Wings by Christina Henry
Released: Feb 2011
Rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 304 Pages
Sexual Content: I can't quite remember, but I don't think there was much
Source: Purchased from bookdepository.com

GoodReads Summary:

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

My Thoughts:

I've been really slacking in the reviews lately, and I have a couple books that I've read an enjoyed but since it's been a while I don't remember some of the details so my next few reviews will be brief. Overall this was a good UF read, I will be purchasing more in the series.

+ Story:

Fun and interesting take on angels. I'm getting close to being bored with all the new angel stories coming out but this had a fresh take on the myth and was quite interesting.

+ Lore:

As mentioned above, a fresh take on angels and the lore surrounding them.

+ Romance:

I loved the romance in this, Gabriel is sent to protect Maddy and he absolutely cannot have a relationship with her, it could mean his death since he is a slave to her father's court and is pretty much dirt to them. Maddy of couse doesn't know any of this and when she finds out she doesn't really care since she wasn't raised in a fallen angel's court. I can't wait to see how they'll come together in the next one.

-/+ Side Characters:

Beezle was great, but other than that none of the other side characters really stuck with me.

-/+ World/Setting:

Nothing about the setting in this really stands out for me.

Nit Picks:

I did not like that Maddy's boss ended up having a thing for her.

Favorite Part:

Since it was awhile ago I read this, I can't quite remember, but I do remembering enjoying a few touching scenes with Maddy and Gabe together.

Madeline Black Series

Book #1 - Black Wings
Book #2 - Black Night
Book #3 - Black Howl (Feb 28 2012)

2011's Top 5 Reads

2011-12-29T07:21:00.001-08:00

I'm making this list out of books that I read this year, so some may not have actually been released in 2011.

5. Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

A fresh take on gods/goddesses in the modern world. Excellent UF.

4. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Another pleasent surprise for me, I was expecting this to fall flat like Fallen and Shiver did for me, but it grabed me and I loved it.

3. Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between/The Renfield Syndrome by J.A. Saare

I read these back to back, and wow can we talk about how awesome Disco/Paine/Rhinnon are!?!

2. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Super surprise for me, I was expecting it to be good, but I was pleasently surprised by how wonderful this story was.

1. Daughter Of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Hands down this was my favorite from this year, absolutely beautiful, I could not get enough of Akiva and Karou!

What were your favs? Agree or Disagree? What are you looking forward to reading next year?

Review - No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper

2011-10-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper
Released: Sept 2011
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352
Sexual Content: A couple of sex scenes
Source: Purchased from bookdepository.com

GoodReads Summary:

England, 1888. The trees are green, the birds are singing, and in 200 years demons will destroy it all. Unless Joan, a rough-around-the-edges assassin from the future, can take out the dark magician responsible. But to get close to her target she'll need help learning how to fit into society.

Simon has his own reasons for wanting to destroy Alex Reynell, and Joan may be his perfect revenge. But as each day passes, Simon is less sure he wants her anywhere near Reynell. Because no spell in the world will save his future if she isn't in it.

My Thoughts:

Overall a good PNR read, I will probably purchase more by this author.

+ Story:

Loved the overall story line. I really seem to enjoy time travel books, and I'm glad I'm finally seeing some in the PNR and UF genres. I think in the past it's been more of a Sci-Fi thing, but lately there has been a lot more cross over in genres it seems to me.

+ Lore:

The demons and the way the dystopian future world that Joan was from was described well. There was enough info for me to imagine it in well enough detail. Since the story pretty much all takes place in the year 1888 there didn't need to be too much description of this and I think there was just enough given for the reader to enjoy.

+ Romance:

I liked that Simon and Joan held off getting together, even though it was obvious to both of them that their was chemistry right off the bat. I hate it when the main characters get together to quickly and I found the timing for this right on. Overall I enjoyed both of the main characters. Joan especially she was committed to her mission and she took all of the changes through time traveling in stride.

-/+ Side Characters:

I don't really have a good or bad opinion of the side characters I don't really have any complaints, nor do I have any over whelming love for them. They were just kinda there.

- Sexual Content:

It seemed to me there was a lot of thoughts about sex thrown in that really didn't need to be there. For example Simon is doing spells alone and the magic gets him all hot and heavy, I figured this would tie in later with some kind of sex scene but it doesn't..I just felt there were a couple of instances like this that weren't necessary.

Nit Picks:

The hero, Simon, seemed to think about his cock a lot. The author really seemed to like this word, as it's mentioned quite often. I didn't like that.

Favorite Part:

Joan learning how to be a lady, being from the future she didn't understand a lot of Victorian England's customs, but she took it seriously because she would do anything to complete her mission.

Series:

Appears to be a stand alone. But there is another book being released by the same author called No Honest Woman due out April 2012

Review - Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between by J.A. Saare

2011-10-11T10:58:00.001-07:00

Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between by J.A. Saare
Released: April 2011
Rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 212 Pages
Sexual Content: One sex scene
Source: Purchased from BookDepository.com

GoodReads Summary:

One bad corpse can ruin your whole day.

No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.

She left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance; she managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her—until now.

The deliciously good-looking vampire, Disco, knows her secret. When he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, Rhiannon discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.

My Thoughts:

Overall a good UF read, I will be purchasing more in the series. This review won't be too detailed, I've been swamped at work so I haven't much time to write full reviews. Don't let the lack of detail deter you though, I highly recommend to UF lovers, especially those who enjoy Lilith Saintcrow.

+ Story:

The summary does a pretty good job of describing what happens in the book, so there isn't too much more to elaborate there. I enjoyed the pace and the twist at the end!

+ Lore:

Liked the lore. It has similar elements to most other UF stories, so nothing too new here. I did enjoy that most vampires seemed to have a unique extra ability specific to that person. Vampire, Paine, could see someone's past and future by touching them. Joseph could meld his memories to someone else's etc and they all seemed to have some magic type ability like glamours and such.
I wasn't a huge fan of the fluids in the bodies of the vampires being replaced by blood and if you read the book you'll know what I mean....

+ Romance:

Rhiannon and Disco - Their romance was nice, and while I thought Disco was a little too perfect a gentleman, I did overall like their relationship together.

+ Side Characters:

Goose - I found a little on the annoying side.
Paine - I liked...A LOT, I found him very hot and I kind of hope there is some Rhiannon/Paine interaction in the next one.
The Rest of Disco's Family - Enjoyed their brief appearances.

+ World/Setting:

Loved New York City, lately I've read some books that take place in made up cities. It's nice to have a change and read a book that has real places that I actually might want visit some day.

Nit Picks:

I thought Disco to be a little too perfect, he was a gentleman and honorable and everything a hero usually is in your standard historical romance novel, and while I don't mind that particularly it's just not something you normally see in an UF book. Generally the men tend to have some kind of flaw.

The shower scene, I hated this scene, it's just after Rhiannon and Disco have sex for the first time together and he pulls her into the shower, he then proceeds to wash her body and hair. It was a tad on the creepy side, especially since for the entire book up until this point Rhiannon has made a point of taking care of herself and being on her own. I don't think that sex with someone would change this and I think that the Rhiannon I know from this book would have been pissed if someone tried that. If this scene was modified or gone completely I would have given this a 5 out of 5.

Favorite Part: Probably the last line which references Back to the Future, it's one of my favorite movies and the line was just perfect.

Questions For The Author:

Was Disco's mind reading ability specific to him or could all vampires do it?

Rhiannon's Law Series

Book #1 Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between
Book #2 The Renfield Syndrome
Book #3 The Ripple Effect

Blog Hop Friday

2011-09-30T10:40:00.002-07:00

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”
You can also click HERE to view past years and choose from any of those titles

Mine would have to be The Hunger Games! I'm sure lots of parents out there don't like their children reading about battles to the death!

Review - Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

2011-09-27T07:26:00.001-07:00

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Released: Dec 2010
Rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Sexual Content: At least one sex scene
Source: Purchased from Book Depository

GoodReads Summary:

Not even death can save her now.

As a grave witch, Alex Craft can speak to the dead-she's even on good terms with Death himself. As a consultant for the police, she's seen a lot of dark magic, but nothing has prepared her for her latest case. When she's raising a "shade" involved in a high profile murder, it attacks her, and then someone makes an attempt on her life. Someone really doesn't want her to know what the dead have to say, and she'll have to work with mysterious homicide detective Falin Andrews to figure out why...

My Thoughts:

Overall a good UF read, I will be purchasing more in the series.

+ Story:

I liked the overall story line, Alex is a grave witch, she can raise the shades (memories) of the dead. She uses her gift to help people get closure or find out who a murderer is by asking the victim. She doesn't make a lot of money at this and is basically broke. But Alex has more on her plate than worrying about her next paycheck, she stumbles into a mystery that may just get her killed. Women are dying and she is not able to raise their shades and find out who killed them, the bodies are covered in a dark magic she's never seen before and there are people trying to keep Alex from digging, so much so that they are willing to kill.
Some of the story reminded me a bit of the Allie Beckstrom series, but I liked this take on a world that knows magic and fey exist.

+ Lore:

I like the lore, it was subtle and not overpowering. Most of the stuff about magic or fae etc wasn't entirely new, I have read it in one book or another, but it was done in a way that didn't feel like it has been over done.

+ Romance:

While there wasn't too much romance in this there was some, and I would say that there were two love interests. First you have Falin, the pompous and sometimes sweet detective that is extremely perturbed to have Alex getting involved in his investigation. Then you have Death, I kind of wish she had a nick name for him, because I don't like calling him Death, but I guess it will do for now. I am all about Death, I am Team Death if you will, I found him mysterious and sexy and he was quite obviously in love with Alex. I wish he had way more screen time and I have crossing my fingers that their relationship develops more in the second book.

- Side Characters:

Caleb/Holly/Tamara - Alex has a core group of close friends, I don't really have any issues with them but they also didn't really stand out either.

+ World/Setting:

Neckros city was awesome, the city is filled more magically inclined and fae folk than any other causing political issues. I liked the whole dynamic of the city, it felt real and believable.

Nit Picks:

My only nit pick is that Death didn't have enough screen time and we didn't get to see more interaction between him and Alex.

Favorite Part:

When Death kissed Alex and then just disappears, I found it so sweet!

Alex Craft Series

Book #1 Grave Witch

Book #2 Grave Dance

Book #3 Grave Memory (July 2012)

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-09-21T07:14:00.002-07:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating

This weeks pick:

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Release: Dec 08, 2011

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Early Review - Kiss Of Night by Debbie Viguie

2011-09-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Kiss Of Night by Debbie Viguie
Released: Oct. 07, 2011
Rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: UF/PNR
Pages: 304
Sexual Content: Some Kissing
Source: NetGalley - Publisher: FaithWords

GoodReads Summary:

Centuries ago, Raphael was a blasphemous knight who fought in the Crusades purely for his own mercenary benefit, and to satisfy his taste for killing. Now, condemned for his evil passions and hypocrisy, he wanders the earth a vampire, cursed with first-hand knowledge of the supernatural world he once denied existed. The powerful relic he still possesses from his days as a Crusader has been stolen by a rival vampire who has recruited an army of soulless underlings to aid him in spreading evil. At the time he learns this, Raphael has been hunting this vampire for nearly a century, and it seems the final battle is destined to take place in Prague.br For help in this quest, Raphael must enlist the aid of two humans, David and Susan, who suddenly find themselves immersed in a world they never imagined, entangled with supernatural forces they can't control. Susan, in particular, finds herself conflicted as she struggles with her inexplicable attraction to Raphael. In the end, both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question, "What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God?" is answered.

My Thoughts:

+ Story - I loved this story line. A war between good and evil is coming and Susan's family has long been at the heart of it. I'm not yet clear on why Susan must be involved and why she's so important. But I guess I will find out more in the sequel.

+ Lore - The vampire lore was awesome. I loved the fact that in order to have been chosen by a vampire to be turned, you had to of been so evil. Being a vampire is a curse. Only bestowed on ones so evil that they had no hope of ever becoming good in a normal human life. The idea is that a vampire will live longer and eventually see the error of their ways and become good. I loved that their were hints that Paul, Raphael's Grand-Sire, may have been Paul from the bible. I loved all the little bits of Christianity added in.

+ Romance - The relation between Raphael and Susan starts off slow. Susan doesn't quite trust him, after all he is a vampire and he openly admits to having been super evil enough to have been cursed a vampire. But she soon sees that Raphael is far better than some, and eventually he realizes that he'd do anything to protect her. I especially loved that when Susan's life was in danger, Raphael lost it, and threatened to kill. I liked that he still had a little badness in him.

- Side Characters - David & Wendy. Now this book is written in 3rd person (books written in 3rd person are so much better!), so there are some scenes that Raphael and Susan aren't in and they have David's story line. Personally I have no idea why David was in this book. I found his path to be a little boring and he just didn't do it for me. I think it could have been fine with out him. On the other hand though I did enjoy Wendy, Susan's cousin, a little romance started to bloom between David & Wendy and I did find it sweet, but still I would have been fine without it.

+ World/Setting - Prague - I loved this! I don't think I've read an Urban Fantasy that has taken place in Europe before, and this was just a breath of fresh air! The side trip to France was also nice.

Favorite Part: Probably when Raphael got so mad at the innkeepers for giving them away.

Nit Picks - While I didn't have a problem with the bible verses at the beginning of each chapter, I would have appreciated it if they had been in a more contemporary version, so they would have been easier to understand.

Kiss Trilogy

Book #1 Kiss Of Night

Book #2 Kiss Of Death (2012)

Book #3 Kiss Of Revenge (2013)

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-09-16T07:08:00.002-07:00

Is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books, designed to connect bloggers and blog readers across the globe.

This weeks questions:

As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?

Not very well! I've never been good at introducing myself, for starters I don't even like my own name! Mostly I'd prefer if anyone wants to know anything about me they just ask I'd answer anything. I'll leave you with a fact about myself: I love eating dessert for breakfast...most people think it's nuts to have cheesecake at 6am but not me!

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-09-14T06:30:00.003-07:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating

This week's pick:

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout
Release: Dec 06, 2011

Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, outhouses, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring. Until I spotted my hot neighbor with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marked me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and the mark he left on me has me lit up like Las Vegas strip to the bad guys. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.
And then things got really bad…

My Fall TV Guide

2011-09-13T10:42:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd share my giant list of shows I'm going to be watching this fall.

Pink are new ones I'm going to try out.
Blue are my must see
The rest are show I watch but I'm not too worried about missing an episode or two

What about you? What are your must sees this fall? Is there anything on my list I'm missing you'd think I'd like?

Day	Title	Time	Premiers
Sunday	Lost Girl	9pm	Sept 03
	Once Upon A Time	8pm	Oct 23
	Pan Am	10pm	Sept 25
	Downton Abbey	?	Sept 18

Monday	The Lying Game	9pm	Aug 15
	How I Met Your Mother	8pm	Sept 19
	Terra Nova	8pm	Sept 26
	Warehouse 13	9pm	July 11
	Hart of Dixie	9pm	Sept 26
	Two Broke Girls	9:30pm	Sept 19
	Alphas	10pm	July 11
	Castle	10pm	Sept 19
	Hawaii Five-0	10pm	Sept 19
	The Playboy Club	10pm	Sept 19

Tuesday	Ringer	9pm	Sept 13
	New Girl	9pm	Sept 20
	Unforgettable	10pm	Sept 20

Wednesday	Revenge	10pm	Sept. 21
	Free Agents	10:30pm	Sept. 14

Thursday	The Vampire Diaries	8pm	Sept. 15
	Charlie’s Angels	8pm	Sept 22
	Community	8pm	Sept 22
	The Big Bang Theory	8pm	Sept 22
	The Secret Circle	9pm	Sept 15
	Person of Interest	9pm	Sept 22
	Bones	9pm	Nov 03
	Whitney	9 30pm	Sept 22

Friday	Nikita	8pm	Sept 23
	Supernatural	9pm	Sept 23
	Grimm	9pm	Oct 21

I'm also looking forward to The Finder and Alcatraz which I believe are midseason replacements, lets see who makes the cut this year!

Let me know if there are any broken links!

Winner! HADES by Alexandra Adornetto

2011-09-12T09:35:00.004-07:00

The winner is:

Amy S!

The winner has been contacted by email

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-09-09T07:09:00.003-07:00

Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?

I would be extremely disappointed if there were no more Urban Fantasy books written, but I wouldn't give up reading, I would probably end up reading more historical romance instead

Don't forget that there is still a copy of HADES up for grabs HERE
(ends Sept 11, 2011)

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-09-07T06:31:00.005-07:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating

This Weeks Pick:

Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
Release: Oct. 18, 2011

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune, and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, steampunk meets romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Don't Forget To Enter the Giveaway for a Copy of HADES, open until Sept 11, 2011 click HERE for Details

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-09-02T06:46:00.001-07:00

What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season?

Fall is my favorite time of year! Mostly because of the falling leaves, and the way the outdoors smells during fall! I also love Thanksgiving (which is in October for Canada) and just eating a ton of food with family and friends!

Also don't forget to enter to win a copy of HADES by Alexandra Adornetto (Canada/US only). Contest details HERE

Giveaway! HADES by Alexandra Adornetto

2011-09-01T13:40:00.003-07:00

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto Giveaway!

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Zeitghost Media, I have one copy of HADES to giveaway!

Rules:

Winner Must have a Canadian or US address

One Entry per person

No need to follow but is appreciated!

Contest ends 11:59 PM Pacific Time, Sept 11, 2011

Winner will be announced shortly after. I will send an email to the winner asking for Name and Address which I will forward to Zeitghost Media as they will be sending out the book. Winner must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen.

To Enter you must fill out the Form below. Comments are welcome but will NOT count as entries

See Alexandra Adornetto on tour this Fall

Hades Facebook Fan Page

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If for some reason you can't view the form above you can also access it by clicking HERE

I reserve the right to make any changes to this giveaway without notice

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-08-31T06:53:00.003-07:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating

My Pick This Week:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Release: Feb 7, 2012

Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland – called the Death Shop – are slim. Violent energy storms can strike suddenly, and even the very air she breathes might kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous – a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Because Aria alone holds the key to his redemption, Perry needs her, too. Their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Debut author Veronica Rossi is accumulating fans from all over the globe—the book has already sold to more than twenty countries. It’s not surprising that foreign rights for this title have been flying off the shelf. It’s a tantalizing romance in any language.

Also don't forget to check my recent review of Daugther Of Smoke and Bone

Book Trailer - Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

2011-08-31T06:28:00.001-07:00

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Heaven Help Her.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier?s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can?t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth?s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.

Early Review - Daughter Of Smoke And Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-08-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Daughter Of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Released: Sept. 27, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 and a mark as one of my favorites!
Pages: 432
Source: Won ARC, Supernatural Snark Giveaway.
Sexual Content : Sex, implied, not shown.

GoodReads Summary:
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:

This review will not do this book justice, this is one of those epic stories that you'll want to read again and again, if you even have the slightest interest in this book, definitely buy it! I know that even though I already have an ARC I will be purchasing a hard copy of it. That's how much I like this book!

+ Story:

I loved this story line. It is so much more than a war between good and evil. It's so much deeper than black and white, there are so many levels of grey. I don't know who is good or evil anymore or which side to cheer for. At the heart of the story is the war between and animal/human hybrid race called Chimera and an angel type being called Seraphs, but above their war is a Romeo and Juliet story that is so beautifully tragic, so wonderfully bittersweet that you'll be begging for more when it's over. This is a story between a man and a woman from two different sides and against all odds fall in love.

+ Lore:

Fantastic! I'm haven't done any google-ing or anything so I have no idea if the background of Chimera or seraphs or the whole Elsewhere/Eretz world is based on actual myths or anything, but it doesn't matter it was fascinating. So detailed I wanted to believe it to be true, that I could knock on a door and it be opened into another place and I could step right through. Definitely a breath of fresh air!

+ Romance:

Akiva and Karou
OH. MY. GOODNESS. This romance surpasses Romeo and Juliet. So much heat and passion on these pages that I thought I would singe my fingers just by holding the book. I had tears and laughs, and many many sighs of overwhelming love for the love that the characters share in this story. I can't remember the last time I was this emotionally invested in a book.

+ Side Characters:

Zuzana - Can I just say how awesome Zuzana is! She spunky and fun and the best side kick friend a girl could have. I sure do hope we see more of her in the next book.

Issa, Twiga, Brimstone, Yasri - I loved Karou's make shift family as soon as I was first introduced to them. All the characters were well described and well rounded. I could easily picture their family dynamic and what Karou's life growing up there was like.

+ World/Setting:

Prague - This is the second book I've read that took place in Prague and can I just say how beautiful the city was described in this! The writing is wonderful, detailed, and lyrically beautiful, enchanting.

Elsewhere/Eretz - I guess you could call this a parallel universe. Portals between the earth and Eretz exist, Karou, human, doesn't know how she came to be with the Chimera but it's the only family she's ever known, she did not know about another world, only having ever seen Brimstone's shop that kind of exists in between the two worlds. But once Karou gets a glimpse so much more opens up and some of the mystery of her existence is answered. The parts of the story that take place in Eretz are some of my favorites. Especially the masked ball, where we get the cover image from.

Nit Picks:

Cover/Title - I understand why the title of the book is what it is, and I think that the cover art does suit the book once I read it, but I think if I was just browsing in a book store I would have walked right past this one because it doesn't immediately jump out at me.

Favorite Part:

The mask ball, specifically when Akiva uses magic to cause moths to gather on Madrigal and makes a shawl for her. It was so romantic!

Daughter Of Smoke And Bone Series:

Book #1 Daughter Of Smoke and Bone

Book #2 TBA (I'm assuming there will be one)

Waiting On Wednesday

2011-08-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Weekly Event Hosted by Breaking The Spine

Katana by Cole Gibsen
March 8, 2012

Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai tale.

Rileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn’t explain her dreams of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she’s going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she’s harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.

Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that’s also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she’s always been and embracing the warrior inside her

Lovely Covers

2011-08-23T08:40:00.007-07:00

Royal Street
Suzanne Johnson
April 2012

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. Her boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond. Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters. While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the other world crumbled. Now, the Undead and the Restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering soldiers sent to help the city recover. Gerald St. Simon has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and an undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and the killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love serves up one bitter gumbo.

Tokyo Heist
Diana Renn
June 2012

Sixteen-year-old Violet loves reading manga and wearing scarves made from kimono fabric, so she’s thrilled that her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns into a dangerous treasure hunt. Her father’s client, the wealthy Yamada family, is the victim of a high-profile art robbery. Someone has stolen van Gogh sketches from the Yamadas’ Seattle mansion, and is holding them hostage until the Yamadas can produce the corresponding van Gogh painting. The problem is that nobody knows where this painting is hidden, and until they find it, all of their lives are in danger.

Violet’s search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery deepens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to find the painting and the criminals—before it’s too late

A Breath Of Eyre
Eve Marie Mont
April 2012

Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

Review - Matched by Ally Condie

2011-08-23T07:08:00.001-07:00

Matched by Ally Condie
Released: Nov. 2010
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Rating: 3 out of 5
Pages: 384
Source: Public Library
Sexual Content: None

Summary:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My Thoughts:

I had really high hopes for this book based on so many excellent reviews, but I was a bit underwhelmed with this one. It reminded me quite a bit of A Brave New World which I read in high school English class long ago. I think I have come to accept that dystopian books like these just aren't for me. Reading about a society with so much control over the people made me feel claustrophobic and it just not something I enjoy. I love strong, tough, kick ass heroines, and in a setting like this that would be impossible. I didn't enjoy the voice of the story either. Reading from Cassia's point of view felt like reading from a 12 year olds POV, when she's supposed to be 17. I'm not sure if that was intentional, because of the way people are raised in this world. Everything is mapped out for you, you have no choice, no knowledge of anything outside of what is chosen for you, I suppose it would make a person sound more innocent, more "young", but it bothered me.
Another pet peeve I had about this book, were the words that were capitalized. Words like, Official, Officer, City Hall, Society, Match, etc. I understand that it was to show the importance of the words in this world, but I still thought it was unnecessary. Overall the story line was just not something for me, but I think fans of The Hunger Games would definitely find this entertaining.

Cover Thoughts:
I love the look of this cover and it is partly what drew me in, also the cover for the next book, Crossed, is gorgeous.

Matched Series:

Book #1 Matched

Book #2 Crossed (Nov 2011)

Book #3 TBA (2012)

Book Trailer Escape from Furnace Series by Alexander Gordon Smith

2011-08-22T08:50:00.001-07:00

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-08-19T10:22:00.002-07:00

Don't forget to enter my current giveaway here!

This weeks question:

What’s the LONGEST book you’ve ever read?

I don't actually want to admit this, but according to my goodreads shelf the book I've read on there with the most page numbers is Breaking Dawn at 754 pages. I'm hoping that there is a book out there that I read long ago that had a bit more substance that I haven't added to my goodreads list yet.

http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/08/book-blogger-hop-819-822.html

Guest Blog with AC Ruttan and Giveaway!

2011-08-15T10:36:00.001-07:00

Please welcome author A.C. Ruttan! Thanks A.C. for taking the time to visit my blog! (P.S. My thoughts are in red below)

I want to thank Rebs for inviting me to guest on her blog. I am deeply honoured.

Of course then I had to think of something to actually say. ACK!

So I thought I would talk about who I would cast, what actors I would have play my characters from my release Incarnate.

This is an easy casting call for me because when I was writing Incarnate the characters were pretty much clear in my head.

Cia. I would cast Cia as Liv Tyler. She has the perfect look. The dark hair, the eyes, and the complexion it just fits so well with my heroine. The only thing I would change is … well Cia has long red streaks in her hair. So that’s the only thing I would change about Liv Tyler’s appearance for the sake of my character.

(Can I just say how much I happen to love Liv Tyler! Awesome pick A.C.)

Next up is Arthur. Cia’s ex-husband. This is the guy everyone thinks is the murderer. Cia is trying to protect him…did I also mention that he turns into a demon when he gets really worked up? Umm yeah. Anyways, the perfect fit for Arthur is Henry Cavill. Just that jaunty, devil may care attitude about him and did I mention he is delish?

(I'll have to agree with you on this one, he looks good enough to eat, lol)

Now for the villain, well, he’s not really the villain because if I talk about who I would cast for the real villain then that kind of gives away the book and that’s no good *insert evil laugh*. Nicholas is a pretty antagonistic character and fallen angel and I would have to cast Jude Law as him. The plumy accent, the polished veneer, Jude would be the perfect Nicholas.

(Another very good choice, I'm beginning to think I would be first in line at this movie!)

Next up is Michael. Cia’s boss. I really can’t say a whole lot about him, because it would also give away the book, but I would cast Michael as Gerard Butler in a heartbeat.

Okay, I will admit that I would cast Gerard Butler in anything if I could.

He played the Phantom of the Opera and that’s what did it for me. That’s when I became twitter-patted with him. Especially as a character actor.

I will stop talking about Gerard Butler now. I could start rambling here for a long, long, LONG time.

So that is who I would cast if Incarnate was to be a movie and if I was given free-range. I find when I do write I troll actor’s photos when I picture my characters. It helps keep them real in my head and helps with the writing process.

Even in reading I can picture the characters and who I would cast. When I read the Harry Potter series and heard they were making a movie I went instantly to the movie page and saw who would be playing who.

I was spot on for four actors. One was never shown in the movie … which SUCKS because Peeves the Poltergeist would’ve been AWESOME.
Anyways, I pictured Dame Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall. Robbie Coltrane was spot on as Rubeus Hagrid and when I was reading the series I always pictured him. He actually played a similar looking and sounding character in Blackadder’s Christmas Carol, but I digress. Robbie Coltrane is who I picture. Severus Snape, spot on with Alan Rickman (I also have a huge fan girl like crush on him too. Especially in Sense and Sensibility and the moment he sees Marianne Dashwood *sigh*) and the last was of course the guy they wanted to play Peeves, but ultimately cut from the movies, Rik Mayall. He would’ve been perfect as Peeves.

Once I saw the others, I understood the decision. I did enjoy Richard Harris as Dumbledore, but Michael Gambon did a fantastic job afterwards. Sorry, rambling again. Rebs will never want me back here. *grin*

So, my question for all of you is have you ever read a book or written a book where you pictured who you would cast?

www.acruttan.com
www.twitter.com/ruttanamy

Incarnate is available here

About the Book:

Cia is serving her sentence in the Canadian Arctic, guarding one of the many portals that seal off Earth from Heaven and Hell. She doesn’t mind the cold. What she does mind? Someone’s bumping off other Incarnates, the dual-souled beings who hold the Apocalypse at bay. And she’s next on the list.

Worse, she learns the prime suspect is Arthur, her ex. Arthur is many things, but despite their history, he’s no murderer. Cia has only thirty days to find him and prove it before the Wrath is unleashed to mete out justice.

It’s no relief when he shows up in her truck’s headlights on the side of the ice road. He stirs turmoil between her volatile old soul and the younger one that keeps it in line. Worse, he shows all the signs of turning into a demon.

The closer they get to Yellowknife, the more rogue demons pour out of Hell, dragging with them a past she thought would never haunt her again. Another murder, and the elders prepare to summon the Wrath ahead of schedule. A move that will, literally, let all Hell break loose. Unless Cia makes a soul-tearing choice.

GIVEAWAY!!

A.C. Ruttan has been kind enough to offer a e-copy of her book Incarnate to one commenter, this is in e-format so giveaway is open to everyone! Just leave a comment for A.C. and a way to contact you, email, twitter etc and you're entered! Giveaway ends Sunday August 21st.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-08-12T07:03:00.006-07:00

This weeks question:

Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the internet

I always thought this was a fun title:

http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/08/book-blogger-hop-812-815.html

TBR Thursdays

2011-08-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Why I Really Want To Read This:

I won an ARC in a giveaway a while ago and I've been dying to read this ever since. I've heard such good things about this one so it's got big shoes to fill. Hopefully I'll get to it next week, I've got vacation finally so I want to catch up on some reading!

Summary:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-08-05T07:05:00.003-07:00

This week's question:

What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?

No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper

Release: Sept 1, 2011

Summary:

England, 1888. The trees are green, the birds are singing, and in 200 years demons will destroy it all. Unless Joan, a rough-around-the-edges assassin from the future, can take out the dark magician responsible. But to get close to her target she'll need help learning how to fit into society.

Simon has his own reasons for wanting to destroy Alex Reynell, and Joan may be his perfect revenge. But as each day passes, Simon is less sure he wants her anywhere near Reynell. Because no spell in the world will save his future if she isn't in it.

http://crazy-for-books.com/2011/08/book-blogger-hop-85-88.html

TBR Thursdays

2011-08-04T07:47:00.001-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #1) by Philippa Ballantine and Tee Morris

Why I Really Want To Read This:

I know I should never pick a book based on a cover, but I sorta did with this one. I'm really into the whole steampunk look lately so when I saw this at the bookstore I just had to have it! She also has a bulletproof corset, how awesome is that! Plus I always find it interesting when I find a book co-written by a man and a women. I think it offers a well rounded experience!

Summary:

Evil is most assuredly afoot—and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade . . . and a librarian.

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences—the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling—will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest . . . and she’s prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

For a malevolent brotherhood is operating in the deepening London shadows, intent upon the enslavement of all Britons. And Books and Braun—he with his encyclopedic brain and she with her remarkable devices—must get to the twisted roots of a most nefarious plot . . . or see England fall to the Phoenix!

Review - Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow

2011-08-03T06:57:00.001-07:00

Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow
Released: July 2008
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Pages: 352
Source: Public Library
Sexual Content: References to Jill's streetwalker past but no actual sex scenes.

Summary:

Not everyone can take on the things that go bump in the night.

Not everyone tries.

But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.

She’s a Hunter, trained by the best – and in over her head.

Welcome to the night shift…

Jill Kismet is a professional hunter, they hunt all things supernatural. The general public aren't aware but the police force and some government officials know, and they are the ones that call Jill in. Jill is also special, she's made a deal with a hell breed, he gives her extra strength and speed in return she must speed some time with him doing whatever he asks. When a particularly bad rogue-were starts ripping up people in her town Jill and a were tracker, Saul Dustcircle are called in to put a stop to it. But there is more going on with this were than anyone could have guessed.

My Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this one. One the one hand I loved Jill Kismet, she was tough, gritty, and a no nonsense kind of women, exactly the kind of heroine I want to read about. She also has a little bit of softness just underneath her hard shell. It felt like I was there when she had flashbacks of her teacher and her hard life as a street walker before she became a hunter. I like that she showed a little of this softness even though she tried her hardest to keep it hidden from her friends.

On the other hand, the world this story takes place in I had a hard time wrapping my head around. I spent the first half of the book thinking that I was not reading the first in the series that I was missing some part of the story that explained more about this world. When I finally accepted that there wasn't any previous books and just let it wrap around me I found I started to like the world more and more. There were times when reading I couldn't decided if I loved this or hated it, it kept me shifting my emotions which I think was a good thing, because it kept me guessing and I didn't know what was around the bend.

The ending was bittersweet, Jill knew that the hellbreed and rogue-were that she was hunting had to be stopped but at the same time she understood there was more to them than first met the eye and it was hard to watch (read) as their lives came to an end.

Overall I really enjoyed Night Shift. Mostly for the characters themselves, especially Jill and Saul. I would recommend this for those who love hard core action urban fantasy, there was quite a bit of violence and not much in the way of romance. I will definitely be buying this series and will be trying others from Saintcrow.

Jill Kismet Series

Book #1 Night Shift

Book #2 Hunter's Prayer

Book #3 Redemption Alley

Book #4 Flesh Circus

Book #5 Heaven's Spite

Book Trailer - Happy Book Birthday to Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2011-08-02T06:29:00.002-07:00

Happy Book Birthday

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Summary:

...Harm no human…

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters...

TBR Thursdays

2011-07-28T06:42:00.003-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

Alien Tango by Gini Koch

Why I Really Want To Read This:

If you've read Touched by an Alien, then you know why I want to read the sequel. The first was awesome and I can't wait to see what Kitty does next! I highly recommend these books, even if you read the premise and you go "aliens, this isn't for me", trust me, if you like kick ass female protagonists, you'll like this one!

Summary:

It's been five months since marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt started working with the aliens from Alpha Centauri, and she and Jeff Martini are getting closer. But when an experimental spacecraft is mysteriously returned to the Kennedy Space Center, Kitty and the rest of her team are called in to investigate. Now the team must survive murderous attacks, remove a space entity from a group of astronauts, and avoid an unhinged woman with a serious crush on Kitty's high school boyfriend. And that's all before evil masterminds decide Kitty's extermination is vital.

Review - Hunting Kat by PJ Schnyder

2011-07-27T06:38:00.002-07:00

Hunting Kat by PJ Schnyder
Released: July 4, 2011
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
25,000 words
Source: Provided by NetGalley in eBook format
Sexual Content: Two detailed sex scenes

Summary:

As a mercenary, Kat Darah doesn’t have to pass for a normal human. On the edge of the solar system, she’s just another biped. Most of the time.
Nearing the end of his military tour, Lt. Christopher Rygard debates the idea of hanging up his uniform for good. Looking for answers at the bottom of a glass of scotch, he meets Kat. One shared night of mutual desire seems harmless. But when their tryst is interrupted by attackers hunting Rygard, Kat must reveal her other form, the predator beneath the human façade. Together they embark on a dangerous mission—a race against time to meet the enemy’s demands, while trying to deny the passion between them. Rygard is faced with a terrible choice in the face of duty: Report the existence of a human turned shape-shifter. Or forget he ever met her.

My Thoughts:

I would think that some would says that the story line of this book is the romance, and yes that definitely has a big role to play in this, but I loved the parts surrounding it. There was quite a bit of action and the story never dragged. It never had any of those moments where the romance makes you want scoff and say 'that's just not believable'. The characters were real, and I felt that where the relationship ends up was right on. I was also surprised by how rounded the characters where. Especially Kat, the main character, she was strong, but she had her flaws and I could see her grow as a character.

Because this was a short read, we don't get a lot of world building, but I felt it wasn't needed. I could easily picture their space ships and space stations. It gave me a Firefly/Battlestar Galactica feel, which of course are two awesome shows that take place in space so I found the world of Hunting Kat to be right on par.

I've never read a Sci-Fi Romance before, generally I'm pretty picky about what type of romances I read because I tend to get bored with the sex scenes in them. Not that I'm against there being sex in books, it's a very personal preference for me, but I feel that in most cases that the sex goes on too long and into too much detail. Now this book does have sex in it, and I thought it did go on a little long, and I did think that having the two main characters jump into bed with each other shortly after meeting was a little silly, but all of that aside I really did enjoy the story line of the book.

Overall I'm really glad I was able to read this, it's not something I would normally pick up, but I definitely think it has cross over potential for those who like Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. I will be looking forward to more from PJ Schnyder.

Review - Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

2011-07-26T06:48:00.001-07:00

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

Released: May 2011
Genre: Historical/Regency Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Pages: 384
Source: Purchased (Book Depository)
Sexual Content: Some Sex

Summary:

Honoria Smythe-Smith, the youngest daughter of the eldest son of the Earl of Winstead, plays the violin in the annual musicale performed by the Smythe-Smith quartet. She's well aware that they are dreadful but she's the sort who figures that nothing good will come of being mortified, so she puts on a good show and laughs about it.

Marcus Holroyd is the best friend of Honoria's brother Daniel, who lives in exile. Marcus has promised to watch out for Honoria, but he faces a challenge when she sets off for Cambridge determined to marry by the end of the season. She's got her eye on the only unmarried Bridgerton, who's a bit wet behind the ears. When her advances are spurned, can Marcus swoop in and steal her heart in time for the musicale?

My Thoughts:

I'm a long time Quinn fan so I automatically buy her novels as they are released. I got this one pretty much as soon as it was out and gobbled it up quick. I love pretty much every one of her novels so I kind of rate these based on others written by Quinn. I gave this a 4 mainly because it wasn't quite as funny as the last two that came out, but it of course is still excellent and rated against any other book by another author it would get a 5 rating. I was so happy when I read months and months ago that the Smythe-Smith girls were getting a series. Anyone who has read past Quinn novels would know all about the Smythe-Smith annual musicale. The girls are famous for having no musical talent but forced to preform in front of their peers each year. I loved seeing behind those closed doors. In the previous books where the Smythe-Smith girls have been mentioned you have no idea how they feel about preforming and it was nice to see that they hated playing just as much as the audience hated hearing them. My only qualm with this book was the time spent on Marcus' illness, while I did like that Honoria and Marcus spent the time together learning about each other it went on a little long. I would have liked to see them in London a little bit more. Other than that this book delivers classic Julia Quinn style. The writing is excellent as always, and it has the added wit that I find most regency romances lacking. I would highly recommend to any fan of historical romance, especially those who have enjoyed the Bridgerton Series also by Quinn.

Smythe-Smith Quartet

Book #1 Just Like Heaven

Book #2 TBA

Book #3 TBA

Book #4 TBA

TBR Thursdays

2011-07-21T06:34:00.002-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Barnes

Why I Really Want To Read This:

Werewolves! Nuff said!

Summary:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

TBR Thursdays

2011-07-14T08:49:00.001-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

Mermaid In The Basement by Gilbert Morris

Why I Really Want To Read This:

I have had this on my shelf forever. I do really like the premise of the story and it combines a few of my loves. Victorian times and a good mystery. I especially like the strong female heroines in books that take place during at time when women didn't have the freedoms we have today. I'd like to think that I wouldn't conform to society if I lived during that time.

Summary:

A wealthy widow of a nobleman, daughter of a famous scientist, and skeptic who only trusts what can be proven.

Meet Serafina Trent. A woman about to take 19th Century London by storm.

It's London, 1857, and everything is at stake for Serafina Trent. A woman of means...but not the typical Victorian lady who feels her place is to be seen and not heard. When her brother's most recent female dalliance, a beautiful actress, is found murdered, all evidence points to him. Especially since the actress had just rejected him in a most public manner. Now everyone believes Clive is headed for the gallows. Everyone, that is, but Serafina.

Determined to prove her brother's innocence, Serafina finds herself working with unlikely allies--including Dylan Tremayne, a passionate storyteller and actor with a criminal past. This novel will hold fans of mystery and history spellbound until the very last page.

Review - Magic To The Bone by Devon Monk

2011-07-13T06:46:00.001-07:00

Magic To The Bone by Devon Monk
Released: Nov 2008
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3 out of 5
Pages: 355
Source: Public Library
Sexual Content: Some Sex

Summary:

Everything has a cost. And every act of magic exacts a price from its user - maybe a two-day migraine, or losing the memory of your first kiss. But some people want to use magic without paying, and they Offload the cost onto innocents. When that happens, it falls to a Hound to identify the spell's caster - and Allison Beckstrom's the best there is.

Daughter of a prominent Portland businessman, Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune - and the strings that come with it. But when she discovers a little boy dying from a magic Offload that has her father's signature all over it, Allie is thrown into the high-stakes world of corporate espionage and black magic.

Now Allie's out for the truth - and must call upon forces that will challenge everything she knows, change her in ways she could never imagine ... and make her capable of things that powerful people will do anything to control.

My Thoughts:

I wanted to like this, and I thought I would, but it just didn't grab me. I wasn't a fan of this world, where magic is almost like electricity, it's pumped through the city in pipes and can be accessed by anyone. I feel like I have a hard time getting into books where magic and such is known by everyone.

Most of the book is from Allie's prospective, but there are a few bits from another character's POV which I wasn't much of a fan of. I ended up reading about half way or more of the book, but then skimmed the last bit. I didn't have a problem with the characters or the overall general plot, that someone has framed Allie for murder, but this world was not one I wanted to be part of.

Although this wasn't really for me, I would recommend to those who like UF that centers around magic and to fans of Three Days Till Dead by Kelly Meding as it has a similar feel to it.

Allie Beckstrom Series

Book #1 Magic To The Bone

Book #2 Magic In The Blood

Book #3 Magic In The Shadows

Book #4 Magic On The Storm

Book #5 Magic At The Gate

Book #6 Magic On The Hunt

Book #7 Magic On The Line (Nov 2011)

Book #8 Magic Without Mercy (2012)

TBR Thursdays

2011-07-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Why I Really Want To Read This:

The Mercy Thompson series has got to be my all time favorite UF series. This would be the 6th in the series and I can only think of one or two other series that I have actually stuck with long enough to make it to the 6th book. I am dying to read this one, but I haven't got to it yet mostly because the 7th book in the series is not due out until 2013!! That's a long time to wait for the next one so I'm trying to hold of reading this until a little closer to the end of the year or maybe even next year.

Summary:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help.

Review - Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

2011-07-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Dark Descendant by Jenna Black
Released: April 2011
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased (BookDepository.com)
Sexual Content: None

My Cover Blurb: "An Exciting New Twist on Old Mythology"

Summary:

Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die. . . .

Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy.

But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy. . .

My Thoughts:

Wow am I ever glad I took a chance on this one! I saw a good review for this somewhere and decided to pick it up, I knew Jenna Black had written some YA books and really had no interest in those but this one piqued my interest enough to try it.

This is excellent! I must say I loved ever minute of this one and so glad I found a new series that I just can't wait for! It seems like I've been reading a lot of books lately with the main character being a P.I. But so far every one I have read has had a different twist to it.

This book was quite a bit different to what I have been reading in UF lately, this having ancient god mythology etc. Lately I've been reading a lot of vampire/witch/werewolves/fae type stuff and this was a nice change of pace.

Nikki Glass becomes immortal quite by accident, she gets put right in the middle of two warring immortal clans. The good guys don't trust her, they think that she killed one of their own on purpose (killing an immortal makes you immortal yourself), and the bad guys just want her so they can use her/her gifts.

I loved the immortals in this, they can feel pain and get hurt, although they heal, it does take some time. If they couldn't get hurt it wouldn't make a war between the clans too interesting. There was a bit a violence in this but it wasn't too much. There was always action the story was always moving forward.

Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend to any urban fantasy lover.

Descendant Series

Book #1 Dark Descendant

Book #2 Deadly Descendant (May 2012)

TBR Thursdays

2011-06-30T09:59:00.004-07:00

In which I post a book that I currently own and I can't wait to read but just haven't got to yet

This week's pick:

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

Why I Really Want To Read This:

I'm telling you Allison van Diepen stole my idea! Ok not really. But I toyed with an idea so very similar to this a long time ago. I write here and there. I've got a few projects on the go but nothing I really stick to. It's not something I'm going to pursue as a career or anything, my writing is strictly for me to enjoy, and I wrote a few thoughts about this idea of characters from a book getting out into our world. So when I saw the summary for this I just had to buy it.

Summary:

What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?

Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction.

Review - Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

2011-06-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis
Released: Sept 2010
Genre: Paranormal YA
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Pages: 224
Source: Christmas Gift
Sexual Content: Not much

My Cover Blurb: "Perfect Summer Time Story"

Summary:

Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had “borrowed” that Porsche?). But her step-mother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior. Suddenly Shelby’s summer plans are on the shelf, and she’s being packed off to brat camp. It’s good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges, III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby’s help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn’t be getting tangled up with another bad boy…but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good looking one? One thing’s for sure, that pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again

My Thoughts:

A cute fun summer read. Nice and short, I find I almost always get some enjoyment out of a novel like this as long as it's kept short and light and not too much depth. Kind of gave me a more middle grade feel than YA. As far as werewolf action, it was minimal. This was more about Shelby coming into her own than about a love story. I thought the ending was sweet and fit well, it is open for a sequel, but enough ends were tide that I would consider it a stand alone. Not sure if I'll pick up more in this series because I didn't feel the need to read more of Shelby once I was done, but I may change my mind one day.

Reminded me of the Dark Guardian novels by Rachel Hawthorne and would recommend to anyone who read these, or someone who's looking for a book to while away a summer afternoon.

Never Cry Werewolf Series

Book #1 Never Cry Werewolf

Book #2 (Novella) Sometimes By Moonlight

Lovely Covers

2011-06-27T08:50:00.007-07:00

Slide by Jill Hathaway
Out Winter 2012

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand
Out Jan 2012

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning

Book Giveaway!

2011-06-27T06:53:00.003-07:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

I've decided to have my first giveaway! I would have had it sooner except the postal workers were on strike and they are just back to work this week so it didn't make sense to have a giveaway then not be able to ship it!

I have one copy of Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith up for grabs

Summary:

For three seventeen-year-olds, dark mystery has always lurked at the corner of the eyes and the edge of sleep.

Beautiful Morgan D'Amici wakes in her meager home with blood under her fingernails. Paintings come alive under Ondine Mason's violet-eyed gaze. Haunted runaway Nix St. Michael sees halos of light around people about to die. At a secret summer rave in the woods, the three teenagers learn of their true origins and their uncertain, intertwined destinies. Riveting, unflinching, and beautiful, Betwixt is as complex and compelling as any ordinary reality.

(I have read through this copy once)

Open to Canada and the US only

No PO Boxes please.

Must be a follower to enter, new followers welcome!

Leave a comment with your email address

That's it!

Deadline to enter is 11:59pm Pacific time July 6th, 2011. Winner will be announced shortly there after. Winner will then have 48 hours to provide a valid shipping address (again no PO Boxes)

WINNER - Steph from fangswandsandfairydust.com

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Follow Friday

2011-06-24T06:46:00.002-07:00

(click on the above picture to participate)

This weeks question:
In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

Lovely Covers

2011-06-23T07:30:00.001-07:00

Alien Proliferation

Release: Dec 2011

Jeff and Kitty Martini are expecting their first child, but inter-species deliveries are hard on humans. After almost losing Kitty in childbirth, the last thing anyone in Centaurion Division needs is the discovery of a conspiracy to kill the heads of the ETD and P.T.C.U., otherwise known as Charles Reynolds and Kitty's mother, Angela Katt. Now all of Alpha and Airborne teams, as well as Kitty's old friend, Amy Gaultier, have to figure out what's really going on, and if the new drug Surcenthumain and Kitty's transformation into a superhuman are connected -- before the baby shower.

They've redesigned the Mercy Thompson covers which I think are awesome, but aren't as good as the Dan Dos Santos originals. Click HERE to see the rest of the redesigned covers

Review - Greywalker by Kat Richardson

2011-06-21T06:47:00.005-07:00

Greywalker by Kat Richardson
Released: Oct 2006
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Source: Purchased from The Book Depository
Sexual Content: Not much, some references to sex

My Cover Blurb: "Enter the fascinating world of the Grey"

Summary:
Recovering from a near-fatal accident, Seattle Private Investigator Harper Blaine develops the ability to move through the Grey: the realm of ghosts, vampires, witches, and magic that exists between our world and the next. Harper wants her life to return to normal, but when her clients turn out to be paranormal, the reluctant Greywalker is drawn into the affairs of ambitious vampires and angry ghosts. As her cases converge, Harper uncovers a plot that threatens Seattle’s Grey world and must choose between honor and survival.

My Thoughts:
It's always great when I take a chance reading a new author and get more out of it than expected. I loved Greywalker. Granted, some of the story was way way over my head. I couldn't wrap my head around some of the mythology and I had a hard time picturing what the world of "Grey" looked like, but from what I did understand I enjoyed. Harper is a strong woman, self reliant and independent. She is a PI that had a case turn bad and ended up with her being dead for a few minutes. Ever since then her cases turn out to be something from the "Grey", which is another way of saying something supernatural. She gets in the middle of a vampire tiff as well as a malevolent ghost looking for a powerful object. I loved being taken along Harper's journey, she didn't just accept the Grey right on. It took her a while to fully believe that this other world existed all around her and for her to figure out what she could do in it. She's got a lot more to learn I think and I look forward to finding out what's next for Harper in book 2.

Would recommend to any urban fantasy fan especially fans of Jenna Black's Dark Descendant.

Greywalker Series

Book #1 - Greywalker

Book #2 - Poltergeist

Book #3 - Underground

Book #4 - Vanished

Book #5 - Labyrinth

Book #6 - Downpour (Aug 2011)

Blog Hop Friday!

2011-06-17T08:26:00.001-07:00

Question this week:
How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) Pile?

I couldn't even tell you. 20 maybe? But really it's endless because I'll never stop adding to it.

Lovely Covers

2011-06-15T09:03:00.005-07:00

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship–or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word…especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood–not even from each other.

Bloodrose Feb 2012

Review - Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson

2011-06-14T12:59:00.006-07:00

Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson
Released: Dec 2009
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Rating: Did not Finish
Source: Purchased/Used Book Store
Sexual Content: At least one sex scene, but DNF so not sure if there was more.

My Cover Blurb: "How Bout 'Boring Circle'"

Summary:

Persephone Alcmedi has been persuaded to compete for the position of High Priestess of the Cleveland, Ohio, coven -- now that the former priestess, Vivian Diamond, has strangely gone missing. Unfortunately, there are a few small problems with the idea. Not only does Seph know rather more about Vivian's disappearance than the other witches realize, but the epic struggle she's just survived has left her with some highly unusual powers -- ones that could be dangerous to reveal. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to participate, if only to prevent snooty Hunter Hopewell, an obnoxious but talented witch, from ending up in the winner's circle. Can Seph hide her secrets -- including her connection to the master vampire-wizard Menessos -- from the terrifyingly wise judges? Plus, there's her rock 'n' roll werewolf boyfriend, Johnny, and some angry fairies to deal with....

Once the competition begins, a finalist turns up dead. It looks as if one of the contestants is willing to do anything -- including murder -- to win. Suddenly Seph has even more on her plate than she thought: from solving a murder to working out what her new powers really are...and exactly why they're creating so much havoc in her love life.

My Thoughts:
I liked the first book in this series well enough, but this one was just utter crap! The writing is fine, but the story line took a serious turn to boring and I had to skim the last half. Also I hated the way Persephone handled Johnny's kiss with another woman, granted I only half read that part but I thought she forgave him rather easily, especially since it sound like Celia was the one getting mad at the woman who kissed Johnny and not Johnny himself. And whoa, if I had to read Persephone complaining about that damn stain again one more time! Seriously how many times does she have to mention it, we get it, you're unsure about the vampire stain, get over it already! I will not be buying anymore in this series!

Persephone Alcmedi Series:

Book #1 Vicious Circle

Book #2 Hallowed Circle

Book #3 Fatal Circle

Book #4 Arcane Circle

Review - Child Of The Grove by Tanya Huff

2011-06-08T11:02:00.003-07:00

Child Of The Grove by Tanya Huff
Released 1988
Rating 5 out of 5
Sexual Content: Not much to mention, but there was some violence.

My Cover Blurb: "Action Packed Magical Whirlwind"

Summary:
When the world's last wizard threatens the people of Ardhan with destruction, the Elder Races break their silence to gift the kingdom with a child (Crystal) whose magical powers represent her land's only hope.

My Thoughts:
Tanya Huff is one of my all time favorite authors. So far I have not read a book by her that I have disliked and this one is no different. I'm always impressed by how much I can get involved with the characters and the story she writes. Something about the way she writes really appeals to me. I think it's because you always get to know more, and I always hate it when you read a book and only learn about one or two characters. In Child of the Grove you get to learn about Crystal, the main character, as well as many of her family and friends. I've come to realize that Huff is not afraid to take risks, but I'm still always shocked when a favorite character dies or something happens. I won't say who but it's always someone I miss once they're gone. This is very much a fantasy novel, with centaurs, wizards, magic etc.

I can see why some who may be used to the way YA fantasy is written today would not be interested in this, as there is quite a bit of back story before the main character is even born. That was really a plus for me, and I liked that as I mentioned. But I guess some may say the story is slow to start. Although there is constant action in this book.

The world building in the book reminds me quite a bit of the Tortall written in Tamora Pierce's books, especially the early ones. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Song of the Lioness trilogy.

Wizard Child Series

Book #1 Child Of The Grove

Book # 2 The Last Wizard

Printed now in a combo Wizard of the Grove

Review - Meridian by Amber Kizer

2011-06-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Meridian by Amber Kizer
Released Aug 2010
Genre: Paranormal YA
Rating: 3 to 3.5 out of 5
Sexual Content: Some kissing.

My Cover Blurb: "Cute, Warm Drama"

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has always been surrounded by death. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders burrowed into her bedclothes to die. As she grew, the animals got bigger, and soon they were finding her at school to die in her presence. Meridian became an outcast, labeled by her classmates as Reaper, Gravedigger, and Witch. Each death she witnesses weakens her body, and loneliness weakens her spirit.

On her sixteenth birthday, she witnesses a deadly car crash. Though she’s untouched, Meridian's body explodes with the victims’ pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she's a danger to her family and rushed to her great-aunt's house in Revelation, Colorado. It's there that she learns the secret her mother has been hiding her entire life: that she is a Fenestra, the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. It's crucial that she learn how to transition human souls to the afterlife and preserve the balance between good and evil on earth. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos. Dark, lovely, and lushly romantic, MERIDIAN introduces a powerful heroine who will entrance readers

My Thoughts:
A cute read. The writting was fine, nothing stands out as good or bad. I did enjoy Meridian as a character as well as Tens and Granny too. Meridian's power was pretty useless though, helping the dead cross over to the otherside wasn't all that exciting. I kept hoping she'd discover she could do something more but nothing came. I thought it took them too long to figure out that the head of the local church cult was the bad guy, when it seemed so obvious that he wasn't a normal human and there was something supernatural about him. Then when you actually think something exciting was going to go down, it lasted 5 seconds and Meridian didn't do much some random guy from the beginning of the book ended up saving her and Tens. Overall still an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next one. I wanted more action and instead got more drama. Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slower drama with a hint of the paranormal.

Meridian Saga

Book #1 Meridian

Book #2 Wildcat Fireflies (July 2011)

Book #3 Speed Of Light (Fall 2012)

Book #4 Counting Tens (Spring 2013)

Book #5 Echos Of 1492

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire) by Susan and Clay Griffith - Review

2011-05-30T11:55:00.002-07:00

The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Released Nov 2010
Genre: Steampunk/Adult Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Sexual Content: I don't recall there being much in the way of smutty-ness, but it has been a while since I finished this.

My Cover Blurb: "An Action Packed Roller Coaster Ride"

Summary:
In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the grey empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.

IT IS NOW 2020 AND A BLOODY RECKONING IS COMING.

Princess Adele is heir to the Empire Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to a man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires form the deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.

My Thoughts:
I'm not sure what I expected when I picked this up, but it's definitely different than anything I have read before. I've read a few steampunk novels, but the ones I have read have taken place in the past. This one takes place in an alternate future, one that was shaped by the vampire race taking control of most of the northern countries in 1870, causing humans to flee to warmer climes. The human race had to develop technologies based on what they had going on in the late 19th century. The humans that have survived for all these years to the year 2020 had to be tough, constantly at war with the vampires. Princess Adele is not your typical pampered spoiled princess. She is tough, can hold her own in a fight and knows how to survive and what she must to help her people survive in a world filled with evil vampires. She's is the type of kick ass heroine I love to read about.

This is a fast paced and action packed book, with a tiny bit of romance added in. Both of the main characters I thought were excellent. I was glad that both a man and a woman had their hands in this book making Adele an interesting character and one to root for. This book left me with a happy sigh after reading the last line, which is always a sign that I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be picking up the next in the series.

Vampire Empire Series

Book #1 The Greyfriar

Book #2 The Rift Walker (Sept 2011)

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - Review

2011-05-27T09:31:00.004-07:00

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Released Oct 2010
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "A book that lives up to it's cover"

Summary:
While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.

My Thoughts:
Lots of hype and web media surrounded this book's original release. Some reviewers even received actually calla lilies as part of the promo. Although I think that's a little much, the book entirely lived up to it.
Well written, well thought out. Characters we're well rounded, and Calla herself went through changes and actually grew throughout the book. I can say that this is one of the best YA werewolf books I have read in a long time. I cannot wait to read the next in the series!

Nightshade Series

Book 1 - Nightshade

Book 2 - Wolfsbane (July 2011)

Book 3 - Bloodrose (Feb 2012)

Also those who are interested Andrea Cremer is working on a steampunk novel! Yea Steampunk is awesome!

Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff - Review

2011-01-25T07:43:00.004-08:00

Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff
Released May 1998
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "Hilarious good times"

Summary: Being one of the Earth's protectors is never easy, but when Claire the Keeper and Austin the cat find themselves in charge of the Elysian Fields Guesthouse Bed and Breakfast, all Hell breaks loose in the form of a gateway to hell residing in the basement!

Claire is a Keeper, If I were to describe what a Keeper is to someone who hasn't read the book, I would say a Keeper is similar to a good witch. They are called to close breaks in the universe, breaks between our world and a world of evil and they use their magical gifts to do it. She is called to a B&B with a rather large break to hell in the basement, the break has been temporary sealed by previous Keepers but was never closed all the way, and Clarie must figure out a way to close it permanently before evil can find a way to break loose.

Review:
It's a fun read if you're looking for something humorous that is not overtly obvious a typical Urban Fantasy. I would say the genre 'urban fantasy' hasn't really be around all that long and this was written before there was a particular definition for it, so it has hints of romance, fantasy, humor in a way that I haven't really seen in the recent urban fantasy novels that are out there.

I really enjoyed the pace of the plot, but I have read a few reviews that feel differently. For me I was enjoying the characters so much that I didn't really feel the need for there to be some dire thing happen and Clair would have to come to the rescue for. It was more little humorous things that would occur, such as discovering a ghost, and the sexual tension with Dean, the ridiculously handsome handy man, and supernatural guests that have come to stay. But still Clair would be trying to figure out a way to solve the reason she was called to the guesthouse in the first place, closing the hole to hell, and I never felt that this wasn't being addressed throughout the book. I liked every minute of Claire's adventure and I felt that she had done some growing by the end of the book, although Claire is far from perfect so she has some room to continue growing in the books to come.

Overall I would highly recommend this book for any fan of Gini Koch as I find the tone of the novel to be similar to Koch's Alien books.

I give this 5 out of 5

Chronicles of the Keeper

Book #1 Summon the Keeper

Book #2 The Second Summoning

Book #3 Long Hot Summoning

Changeless by Gail Carriger - Review

2011-01-17T06:55:00.004-08:00

Changeless by Gail Carriger
Genre: Adult Steampunk Fantasy
Released: (April 2010)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: Purchased

My Cover Blurb: "Wondrously Witty!"

Summary:
Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

Overall:
I loved this book much like a I expected I would after reading Soulless. I had read quite a few really good reviews for book 1, but a lot of those same reviewers did not care for book 2 as much, I'm really not sure why. It had much the same in the way of style and story as book one and I liked it just as much. Carriger has a way of writing that is unlike anything out there. It's witty, spunky and extremely well done.

I loved all the characters especially the new character Madame Lefoux with her inventions and rather unusual way of dressing. Alexia of course is still one of my favorite heroines, and even though she must stay within the confines of British society and etiquette of the Victoria era she is still one bad-ass female.

I give this 4.5 out of 5

The Parasol Protectorate Series

Book #1 Soulless

Book #2 Changeless

Book #3 Blameless

Book #4 Heartless (June 2011)

Book #5 Timeless (March 2012)

* Get your Parasol Protectorate GetGlue sticker

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding - Review

2011-01-05T06:49:00.006-08:00

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Released: (Nov 2009)
Rating: 4 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "Kick Ass Debut!"

Summary: She’s young, deadly, and hunted—with only three days to solve her own murder…

When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue – in a stranger’s body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there – her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night, she and the other two members of her Triad were star bounty hunters — mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives, but also convinced the city’s other Hunters that Evy was a traitor . . . and she can’t even remember what it was.

Now she’s a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice – and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days, Evy will die again – but this time, there’s no second chance…

Pros:
-I love strong female characters and Evy is no exception, she has no trouble keeping up, even though she’s not in her own body.
-Props for world building, and new twist on otherworldy creatures
-Action packed, none of the story lagged
-Enough sexual tension without it taking over. I’m not a huge fan of graphic sex scenes and there was none of that in this book.

Cons:
- I don’t have any specific cons for this book, it was good, but wasn’t oh-my-goodness-I-can’t-put-this-down enough for me to rate this a 5

Overall: I really enjoyed this book. It did not disappoint. Action, adventure, and a kick ass female that can never be brought down! I'd recommend for any Urban Fantasy lover, especially for those who love strong female characters. I will definitely be buying the next in this series.

I give this 4 out of 5

Dreg City Series

Book #1 Three Days to Dead

Book #2 As Lie The Dead

Book #3 Another Kind of Dead (July 26 2011)

Book #4 Wrong Side of Dead (2012)

Where Does The Time Go

2010-09-23T06:50:00.005-07:00

I know I know, it's been awhile. And I actually hate it when I read posts that I am about to make, but it's my blog and I can do what I want haha

I haven't read anything, in a while, I don't really have any interest in reading right now..so I'm going to post all the things I have been doing that have kept me from reading and posting reviews.

1. I didn't have the Internet for two weeks thanks to the brilliant minds at the phone company who thought it would be fun to shut it off even though we didn't ask them to.

2. Baking...scones, biscuits, bread, cookies...ever been to allrecipes.com? Every recipe I have ever tried from there always turns out!

3. Horseback riding. Something I always wanted to do. This year I'm some of things I always talk about doing but never got around to it.

4. Which brings me to sewing. I got a sewing machine for a birthday or Christmas a few years back, and barely used it. Now I'm making a dress. This yellow dress specifically. Except I'm making mine in red poka dot, trying to be a little more vintage. I love all things vintage. I don't know if it will turn out, I'm about half way through sewing it. We'll see.

5. Fall TV, with all the new shows and all the old ones, I find it hard to keep up. I want to check out Boardwalk Empire, and I can't wait to watch Supernatural again. Also I'm starting to get into a new show called Lost Girl, it may only air in Canada so I don't think many of you will know what I'm talking about, but for all those Urban Fantasy lovers out there, you'd love it!.

Hopefully I'll get back to reading soon, with the cool fall evenings coming in, I'll probably spend more time reading, but for now, I don't know.

Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff - Review

2010-08-11T06:40:00.006-07:00

Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi
Released: (2000)
Rating: 5 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "Action Packed Adventure, I Couldn't Turn The Pages Fast Enough!"

Summary:In the distant future, humans and several other races have been granted membership in the Confederation--at a price. They must act as soldier/protectors of the far more civilized races who have long since turned away from war....

Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr was a battle-hardened professional. So when she and her platoon were yanked from a well-deserved leave for what was supposed to be "easy" duty as the honour guard for a diplomatic mission to the non-Confederation world of the Silsviss, she was ready for anything. Sure, there'd been rumours of the Others - the sworn enemies of the Confederation - being spotted in this sector of space. But there were always rumours. The key thing was to recruit the Silsviss into the Confederation before the Others attacked or claimed these lizardlike warriors for their side. And everything seemed to be going perfectly. Maybe too perfectly..

Pros:
-I love strong female characters and Torin Kerr is just that. How could she not be? After all she is a Staff Sargent in the marines! Which is so bad ass!
-Every character was fantastic, although me being who I am had trouble keeping them all straight, I can never remember which species which person was, I always seem to find that with Sci-Fi novels. I have the worst memory!
-World building was awesome, enough to figure out what's going on through out the book, but without all that info dumping we readers hate
-Tanya Huff gets extra props for being Canadian, and manages to make a reference to poutine in the novel even though doesn't take place on Earth!

Cons:
-hmm, I find Tanya Huff novels difficult to find fault with..I haven't read one that I didn't like.
-The only negative I have is I'm not a fan of the cover..Sci-Fi covers don't really seem to be the greatest it seems, but that doesn't have anything to do with the author.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book, I probably wouldn't have picked this up had it been written by someone else, as I don't generally read Sci-Fi, but I love Tanya Huff's Blood Books, so I decided to give this one a go. It did not disappoint. Action, adventure, and just a touch of sexual innuendo makes for a great read. I'd highly recommend for any Sci-Fi lover, especially for people who love strong female characters. Would be ok for older teens, there isn't much in the way of sex, there is some violence, they are fighting a war after all, but nothing overly gruesome. I will definitely be picking up more in this series!

I give this 5 out of 5

Valor Confederation Series

Book #1 Valor's Choice

Book #2 The Better Part of Valor

Book #3 The Heart Of Valor

Book #4 Valor's Trial

Book #4 The Truth of Valor (Aug 24 2010)

Randoms - You Know You Want To Be..Canadian

2010-08-06T08:14:00.002-07:00

I know I'm a bit behind on reviews..I've read books, I have just been too lazy to write a review lately..it's just to hot to sit on the computer with the sun streaming in! Anyways came across this today and I love it!

Blog Hop Friday

2010-07-30T08:31:00.001-07:00

Also follow on Twitter @RebsBookRants

My Love Lies Bleeding (Hearts At Stake) by Alyxandra Harvey

2010-07-26T07:14:00.005-07:00

My Love Lies Bleeding
(Hearts At Stake) by Alyxandra Harvey

Release: December 2009
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Genre: YA Fantasy

My Cover Blurb: "Witty Good Vampire Fun"

My Summary:
Told from two POV's. First, Solange, daughter of the Drake vampire clan, meant to full fill a prophecy and rule the Vampire Clans. Solange would rather hang out at home with her family and has no desire to pursue the crown. Lady Natasha the current ruler thinks Solange is a threat and will stop at nothing until Solange is dead. Second, Lucy, Solange's human best friend, is a feisty girl and wants to help protect Solange. Both Lucy and Solange find love interests amongst all the action, Solange, a vampire hunter, and Lucy, Nicholas, Solange's older brother. Lucy and the Drakes must find a way to stop the vampires from trying to kill Solange and keep them safe while figuring out how to deal with their blooming relationships.

Pros:
-I absolutely loved Lucy, and I feel that the book could have been written entirely from her point of view. I found the chapters that were from Solange's point of view a little boring and Solange herself was a little flat for me.
-Nicholas, the ever overprotective brother has always had a thing for Lucy but never showed it until Lucy and Nicholas are thrown together. Their relationship makes sense, where I found Solange and Kierin's (the vampire hunter) relationship created just because there had to be a love interest for her.
-The mythology was well formed and the back story for the history of the Drake clan brought to light at a good pace.
-Lots of action in this book kept me reading.
-No complaints about writing style.
-The author get's props for being Canadian!

Cons:
-I couldn't get behind the relationship between Solange and Kierin. One minute he hates vampires, the next he's cutting open his wrist to save Solange. It just didn't seem like a likely pairing.

Overall an enjoyable read. I will most likely pick up the second one and I'm hoping there will be lots more Lucy as she is really the reason I would keep reading the series.

I give this a 3.75 out of 5

Drake Chronicles

Book #1 Hearts at Stake / My Love Lies Bleeding

Book #2 Blood Feud

Book #3 Out for Blood (Dec 2010)

Blog Hop Friday!

2010-07-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

Also find me on Twitter, @RebsBookRants

Cover Loving

2010-07-21T06:00:00.006-07:00

Just an FYI you can now follow me on Twitter if you want, or if you're bored because I'm pretty much on the computer all day! Click here to find me. Now onto the new covers I found. I particularly love the first two.

Tutored by Allison Whittenberg
Release Dec 2010

Wendy Anderson and Hakiam Powell are at opposite ends of the spectrum—the social spectrum, the financial spectrum, the opportunity spectrum, you name it. Wendy lives in an all-white suburb of Philadelphia, where she’s always felt like the only chip in the cookie. Her dad, who fought his way out of the ghetto, doesn’t want her mingling with “those people.” In fact, all Wendy’s life, her father has told her how terrible “those people” are. He even objects to Wendy’s plan to attend a historically black college. But Wendy feels that her race is more than just the color of her skin, and she takes a job tutoring at an inner-city community center to get a more diverse perspective on life.

Hakiam has never lived in one place for more than a couple of years. When he aged out of foster care in Ohio, he hopped a bus to Philly to start over, but now he’s broke, stuck taking care of his cousin’s premature baby for no pay, and finding it harder than ever to stay out of trouble. When he meets Wendy at the tutoring center, he thinks she’s an uppity snob—she can’t possibly understand his life. But as he gets to know her better, he sees a softer side. And eventually—much to the chagrin of Wendy’s father and Hakiam’s cousin—they begin a rocky, but ultimately enlightening, romance.

This edgy story about a star-crossed couple features strong African American characters and sparkles with smart, quirky dialogue and fresh observations on social pressures and black-on-black prejudice

Throat by R A Nelson
Release: Jan 2011

A modern-day vampire story set on a NASA base and filled with space-and-science intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Emma feels cursed by her epilepsy—until the lost night. She's shocked to wake up in the hospital one morning, weak from blood loss. When her memories begin to return, she pieces together that it was a man—a monster—who attacked her: a vampire named Wirtz. And it was her very condition that saved her: a grand mal seizure interrupted Wirtz and left Emma with all the amazing powers of a vampire—heightened senses, rapid speed—but no need to drink blood. Is Emma now a half-vampire girl? One thing soon becomes clear: the vampire Wirtz is fierce and merciless, feared even by his own kind, and won't leave a job undone

The Book of Spells by Kate Brian
Release: Dec 2010

A Private prequel that tells the true origins of Billings House!

My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking - Review

2010-07-18T16:56:00.006-07:00

My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking
Genre: YA Fantasy
Released: March 2010 (Kindle), May 2010(Paperback)
Rating: 4 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "Absolutely Addicting"

Author Summary (Amazon):
Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met.

Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him.

But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood...

Pros:
-The characters are really what make you want to read this story. I loved them all.
-The plot centers around the triangle of Peter, Jack & Alice. The emotions where well described and at times heart breaking to read.
-The vampire lore was realistic. I know that sounds silly, but basically I mean if vampires were real I kind of imagine they would be something like they are in this story.
-I love the character of Alice, she was very real and believable.
-Loved this beginning middle and end.
-The author gets props for all of her awesome pop culture references. A lot of books don't have those, keeping things generic. I'm glad specific songs and clothing was described it gave a clear picture in my mind.

Cons:
-It's not the most well written novel I've ever read. But I believe that would improve over time as this is a debut novel.

Overall I give this a 4 out of 5, and I would highly recommend to any Twilight fan.

My Blood Approves Series

Book #1 My Blood Approves

Book #2 Fate

Book #3 Flutter

Book #4 Wisdom (not yet released)

Blog Hop Friday!

2010-07-16T08:15:00.001-07:00

Cover Loving

2010-07-15T07:11:00.007-07:00

Dead Beautiful by Yvone Woon
Release: Sept 2010

A haunting love story about desire, danger, and destiny.

After Renee Winters discovers her parents lying dead in California’s Redwood Forest in what appears to be a strange double murder, her grandfather sends her off to Gottfried Academy in Maine, a remote and mysterious high school dedicated to philosophy, “crude sciences,” and Latin: the Language of the Dead. It’s here she meets Dante, a dark and elusive student to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they get to know each other better, Dante can’t seem to control his attraction either, and their desires gradually deepen into a complex and dangerous romance. Dangerous because Dante is hiding a frightening secret. A secret so terrible, it has him fearing for Renee’s life.

Dante’s not the only one with secrets, though. Turns out Gottfried Academy has a few of its own… Like, how come students keep disappearing? Why are the prefect-like Monitors creeping around campus during the night? And what exactly are the Headmistress and Professors really up to? Renee is determined to find out why.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul

Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney
Release: Oct 2010

Fifteen-year-old Finbar Frame seriously missed out in the gene-pool stakes as his twin brother Luke got the good looks, athletic ability and pigmentation. Finbar is tall, skinny, pale and pretty much allergic to the sun - and sadly, teenage girls don′t appreciate Finbar′s sensitive skin or his sensitive soul. But when a move to a new school converges with a cultural trend romanticising vampires, Finbar seizes the opportunity. He′ll become a vampire! Or at least fake it ... to get a date.

Wickedly smart and laugh-out-loud funny, Bloodthirsty heralds a brilliant career for this new young author.

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
Release: Dec 2010

See Jane run. See Jane die.

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit and run.

Everyone thinks it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface--not just from the party, but from deeper in her past...including the night her best friend Bonnie died.

With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she is forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller

Fallen by Lauren Kate - Review

2010-07-07T15:26:00.007-07:00

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Released Dec 2009
Genre: YA
Rating 3 out of 5

My cover blurb: "A dark, emotional tale"

Summary:

Fallen

Some Angels are Destined to Fall

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Pros:
-Written in 3rd person, which I prefer.
-The cover is amazing, I may just have to buy book 2 for the cover alone.
-I really enjoyed the supporting characters, Gabbe, Penn, Arriane.
-Angels are dead sexy these days. I've always had a fascination with them. But sadly there was not enough winged action in this book.
- Cam & Daniel were well thought out and were enjoyable to read.
- Well written, flowed nicely.

Favorite Quote "Her heart was pounding impossibly fast. Then she realized She was feeling both of their hearts, racing each other. A kind of desperate conversation, one they couldn't have with words."

Cons:
-While there was nothing really overly wrong with this book, it felt like I have read it before, like it's the same old thing out there.
-I was so completely frustrated that Luce learned nothing, so we, the reader, learned nothing. Anytime that Daniel would attempt to explain anything it was all very vague. And any explanation was already 2/3 through the book. Not a lot happened near the beginning. I was hoping for a more "fantasy" type book. You would not even know that the book had anything to do with angels until around page 400, other than it being written on the back of the book.

After reading two books I really enjoyed that had a lot of action, this seemed like a let down for me. But I do think this was a well written book and many would enjoy, especially for those of you who liked Twilight and Hush Hush.

I give this 3 out of 5

Book #1 Fallen

Book #2 Torment (Sept 2010)

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch - Review

2010-07-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
Released April 2010
Genre: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

My Cover Blurb "After reading this you'll want to be touched by an alien too."

My Summary:
Katherine "Kitty" Katt was just finishing jury duty when a man in front of the courthouse raged and turned into a hideous beast. Kitty reacts instinctively and stops the monster. When what she assume are government officials show up.. all very attractive government officials, she's gets involved more than she's bargained for. They are aliens from another planet trying to stop a parasitic race from turning humans into monsters. Kitty and alien agent Jeff Martini must team up to save the world.

Pros:
-I'm not generally a fan of books with aliens, but I'm definitely glad I gave this one a try. It had similar vibes to a lot of urban fantasy books
-This was a fast paced, hilarious good fun, girls kick ass adventure. Loved every minute of it. Could not put it down.
-Gini Koch can write, everything flowed together nicely and she clearly has a great eye for detail. While there were some parts that I think went over my head I was still impressed by the imagination of this author.
-The characters were great, every one of them from the hero and heroine, Jeff Martini and Kitty Katt, to the side characters, Christopher, Paul, Reader, Mr and Mrs Katt and so on. I don't think there was a character I didn't like. Well, except the ones you're supposed to hate, i.e Yates, Beverly.
-I loved the Christopher, Jeff, Kitty triangle. I almost kind of wish Christopher ended up with Kitty, but I know it never would have worked out between them, but I hope that Christoper gets a happy ending one of these days.
-Love this cover art done by Dan Dos Santos, you may recognize it as he has done the covers to the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

Cons:
-Felt that Kitty and Jeff had sex too quickly after meeting. I would have liked Jeff to have to work for it a little more. I mean if I just met a man from an alien planet I'd probably put a little more thought into it, especially if during the first few days our meeting we were fighting for our lives. I think sex would be the last thing on my mind. Not to mention you wouldn't be aware of any species issues, like does human birth control even work with an alien man?
-Too much sex for me, I like some but only to the point where you got to use your own imagination to fill in the rest. I guess I'm just a prude that way.
-Jeff calls Kitty "baby" as an endearment, let me tell you this one of my biggest pet peeves, I find it kind of derogatory and if anyone called me that I would smack them upside the head

Other than the few mentioned cons, this book was great and I will definitely be picking up the sequel. I would recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of Patricia Briggs or Linda Robertson. I give this 4 out of 5

Book #1 Touched by an Alien

Book #2 Alien Tango (Dec 2010)

Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson - Review

2010-07-02T06:03:00.007-07:00

Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson
Released: June 2009
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Rated: 4 out of 5

My Cover Blurb: "A Supernatural Emotional Rollercoster, with Oreos on Top"

My Summary: Persephone 'Seph' Alcmedi is just your average witch, she owns her own home, which she now shares with her Nana, and makes her money writing a newspaper column about the supernatural world. In this book the general public are aware of the supernatural. She also makes a little money on the side kenneling werewolves on the full moon in her old cellar. Seph's good friend who is also a werewolf is murdered and a fellow witch pays Seph to take out the so called murderer. It's not like Seph is a killer for hire but she feels it's her duty to stop the murderer from getting away with it. Since the police don't care much when it's a werewolf that get's killed, they aren't well liked by the public. She asks her friends Theo and Johnny, also weres, to help out. Theo runs a background check service and looks into the murderer's background for Seph. Theo almost gets killed looking into the murderer's past and Johnny, Seph, Nana and other were friends need to get to the bottom of the murder and Theo's "accident" and find a way out of the mess fast, without anymore deaths.

Pros:
-I loved Persephone, she was an awesome heroine. She knew when to fight and when not to fight. She was strong and soft at the same time and she was one bad ass witch.
-Johnny was also excellent, he was bad ass too, but he could also cook and was in a band. I wasn't a huge fan of his look, covered in tattoos, piercings, and long hair, some of that is great, but it was too much for me. He also had to make more dirty innuendos than was necessary. Again some is great, but it was bordering on too much. But I'm glad Persephone didn't just give in to his charms right away, she stood up to him and only slowly let him into her life.
-The plot was good, there were parts I totally didn't expect which was good.
-Definitely ended well enough that I will pick up the sequel.
-This book is classified as Adult, but other than the innuendos and some kissing the sexual content was minimal. Which is exactly what I like in my books, enough to get the imagination going, but the book isn't centered around getting the heroine into bed.

Cons:
-There was one story thread I didn't think was necessary, Persephone's relationship with her old high school friend, with all the supernatural action that was going on in the book it seemed weird that the heroine would go rushing off to hang out with a friend she hasn't seen in years. I understood why the author put it in but I felt it caused the story to drag a little. Which is the only reason this book is getting a 4 rating instead of a 5.
- I wasn't the hugest fan of Persephone's Nana. She got a little annoying, but she did seem to get less annoying near the end of the book.

This book gets a 4 out of 5

The Persephone Alcmedi Series

Book 1: Vicious Circle
Book 2: Hallowed Circle
Book 3: Fatal Circle
Book 4: Arcane Circle (Dec 2010)

Blog Hop

2010-07-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T18:03:00.002-07:00

Hope all you Canadians enjoy the holiday, and while I'm at it I hope all the Americans enjoy their Independence day that's coming up!

Guest Reviewer Wanted

2010-06-30T06:24:00.004-07:00

If anyone out there would like to post reviews but doesn't feel like starting their own blog I would be happy to post them here. Or if you would like to post any book discussions etc.

Send me an email at chocolaterebs(at)yahoo(dot)com

What's Your Favorite Book Nook?

2010-06-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite book store. It's a used book shop about an hour out of my way, but it has one of the biggest collections of used books in my area that is super organized.

The people there are also so helpful and they know where everything is!

They even have a store cat (see below) which is named Nietzsche!

So what's your favorite book store, library or place to read?

The Agency, Spy In The House by Y S Lee - Review

2010-06-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Be Warned there are spoilers!

The Agency: Spy In The House
Author: Y S Lee
Released March 2010
352 Pages

Summary: Mary Lang, had a hard childhood. Forced in to thievery on the streets of London in the 1800's she is caught and is about to be hanged. Anne Treleaven runs a school for girls and rescues Mary from the noose. Fast forward a few years and she is now 17 and doesn't quite fit in to the quiet life of needlepoint and embroidery. Anne then revels the true purpose behind the school. They are a secret private investigation firm know as The Agency. Mary jumps at the chance to become an agent and is fast given her first assignment. She is to pose as a paid companion to the daughter of a wealthy business man. Mr Thorold is suspected of smuggling and fraud and Mary is placed within the household to find out anything she can about this so he can be brought to justice. Along the way she meets James Easton. James' brother George is in love with Angelica Thorold and wants to marry her. James has heard rumors of Mr Thorold's shady business dealings and has begun his own investigation as he does not want his brother George to marry Angelica if it's true. James and Mary soon team up to find what they can. Will Mary be able to solve the case?

Pros:
- I loved everything about this book. It has a little romance, mystery, suspense, pirates, a prince in disguise! Ok, there was no prince, but this book had a lot and it was all woven together quite nicely.
-I LOVED Quigley, I was sooo upset when he died, and the murderer got off scott free..even though he died, I still put him in the Pro column because I just loved the character. He reminded me a bit of Short Round from Indiana Jones.
- The chemistry between James and Mary was fantastic. And I liked that they did not end up together in the end. It was way more realistic that way and it would have been too neat had they ended together. In fact I loved they way the book ended the last scene was perfect.
-Mary was such a strong character, she didn't let men walk all over her and she was smart and independent. She did make mistakes but it was her first mission after all and she is still learning so it did make sense.
-I like that the author showed a side of London not normally written about in these kinds of books. I read a lot of historical romance and I don't think I have ever read one that show the underside of London like Lee did. I was glad to see something new and another side of London in the 1800's.
-Lee gets props for being Canadian! I love finding new Canadian authors.
- Oh I almost forgot, the twist near half way through, at least that's when I figured it out, I had no idea that Mary was half Chinese, I did not see that coming and it was an interesting development.

Cons
-I can't really think of any cons, except that Quigley won't be in the next book!

I give this book 5 out of 5
I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical mystery/romance or anyone who enjoyed Heist Society by Ally Carter

Book 1
The Agency: Spy In The House

Book 2
The Agency: The Body At The Tower (Out Aug 2010)

Just Received and Other Randoms

2010-06-17T19:25:00.015-07:00

I went a little overboard with book purchases this week but here's what I got:

My Love Lies Bleeding (aka: Hearts At Stake) by Alyxandra Harvey

Meridian by Amber Kizer

Under My Skin by Judith Graves

Early to Death Early To Rise by Kim Harrison

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Fallen by Lauren Kate

The Agency by Y S Lee which I'm reading now and loving

oh and Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia which I forgot to include in the first picture because I finished reading it..all in one sitting, the same day I got the books, so I took another pic here hehe

And while I'm posting I have Nine the musical movie on in the background..needless to say it's not interesting enough to hold my undivided attention, although the costumes in the movie are FAN-TAS-TIC!

And for fun..the Dr Suess collection, which is mostly my husbands actually, but I like them too. The Star Wars books next to them are definitely his though.

And here's a few pics from my recent trip to Ireland in May

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia - Review

2010-06-15T18:10:00.003-07:00

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia
Released May 2010
Young Adult

Summary:
Teagan meets her guardian angel, Garreth, who she knows has always been around but never really thought about it until he's standing in front of her. He only has 8 days to spend with her and in that time he wants to show her how much she means to him. He also comes to warn her of Hadrian. Hadrian used to be a guardian angel but was corrupted and is taking over good guardian angels. Hadrian is after Teagan (I'm not really sure why, something to do with her father, I was a little unclear on this..am I the only one?)Garreth and Teagan need to find a way to stop Hadrian before Garreth's 8 days are up.

My thoughts:
Pros- This was a fast paced book with lots of action, suspense, mystery. It was quite dark, so if you're looking for a book that's light with comedy you won't find it here. The book takes place over a period of 8 days so only the essential info is there which I like, no spots where I felt it dragged.
-The main female character Teagan is definitely a pro, she's strong and soft at the same time.
-The main male character, Garreth, was my favorite. He had some really good lines.
-This book was well written and well paced.

Cons-I was left with quite a few questions. Not of the plot, but more of what the angels in Murgia's world are and their relationship to their charges, how the good angels became bad, how her father was connected to Hadrian, and what Teagan became, why she was special etc. I would have liked a little more details on that.
-Hadrian, the dark angel bad guy. He was a really good bad guy and I liked his character, but the author made Teagan have some feelings for him. This makes me wonder why can't a bad guy just be a bad guy? Why do we have to have Team Garreth and Team Hadrian, can't we just defeat evil and move on to the next step instead of going back and forth with a love triangle. I'm not really saying that this particular book had a love triangle..a little, but not really..it just feels like it might go that way in the sequel and it seems like a lot of books go that way lately and it's getting a little boring for me.

I give this book 4 out of 5
I would recommend this book to anyone who liked Twilight but is looking for something that is better written and has a female protagonist that you'll actually like.

oOo New Books Coming

2010-06-09T07:51:00.008-07:00

Ok, before I get to the new books I have a little rant I need to get off my chest. I live on the west coast of Canada, close to the US's Pacific Northwest coast and I love it here, I love the ocean, the forests and I love the fact that it rains.. a lot. It's raining today and I think rain is one of the most beautiful things in the world, always have, it makes the world seem quieter, more peaceful, it makes everything smell fresh and clean. Now onto the people in my office and every time it rains they complain..NON-STOP!! "When is the weather going to get better", "when will it stop", "why does it have to rain all the time" etc etc
It drives me up the wall, I cannot stand people who complain about the rain, here anyways. I could understand if I lived in say LA or Miami where it doesn't rain so often, but come on people, I just want to say to them "you are well aware of what the weather is like here, if you don't like it then move!!"...ok, rant over. Now onto some fun new books I found.

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen)by Rebecca Maizel
Release Aug 2010
She longs to be like everybody else. But her history is written in blood... Lenah Beaudonte is in many ways your average sixteen-year-old: the new girl,” she struggles to fit in enough to survive at school, and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy captain of the lacrosse team. But her challenges are beyond what anyone could have expected. Lenah just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire turned human… She’s just awakened from a century-long hibernation and each passing hour hears another tick of the time-bomb, counting down to the moment when her abandoned vampire coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping, and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as the passing moments allow. But, to do so, she must first answer the ominous questions at hand: Can an ex-vampire survive in a time and place so alien to her? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm

Dark Song by Gail Giles
Release Sept 2010
Mark said he heard the dark song when he creeped houses. The song the predator's heart sings when it hears the heart of the prey. I heard it now. Mark said it had always been in me. Lurking. Waiting for me to hear.

Ames is not the person she was a few months ago. Her father lost his job, and her family is crumbling apart. Now, all she has is Marc. Marc, who loves her more than anything. Marc, who owns a gun collection. And he'll stop at nothing--even using his guns--to get what he wants. Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies and self-absorption, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?

The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block
Release Oct 2010
When she was thirteen, something terrifying and mysterious happened to Liv that she still does not understand, and now, four years later, her dark secret threatens to tear her apart from her family and her true love.

Voices Of Dragons - Carrie Vaughn

2010-06-04T21:46:00.005-07:00

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.

Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.

But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

My Thoughts: First off I have to say to Carrie Vaughn, I know you're a better writer than this. I've read one of your Kitty books and the writing in that was just fine.
Why do some authors think that just because they are writing for a YA audience they have to dumb it down some?
Anyways aside from the writing, I had a lot of problems with the story..I don't really want to go into too much detail because most of the problems I have with the story are a personal preference thing.
I loved Artegal the dragon. He was, in my opinion, the only character worth mentioning. Kay the MC of the book was forgettable. So I don't have much to say about her. Really I can't remember anything specific and I am writing this literally just minutes after finishing the book. I would say however if you have been looking for a modern day book about dragons then this one would be for you.
I give this book 2.5 out of 5

Lets Try This Again

2010-05-16T17:31:00.002-07:00

So I'm going to Europe, well I was supposed to go a month ago but because of the volcanic ash my flights were cancelled and it's possible they'll get cancelled again tomorrow. but who knows. Anyways I'll be taking a bit of a break for the next two weeks. Hopefully I'll be back with tons of photos to post!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting -- Review

2010-05-02T15:51:00.007-07:00

The Body Finder
Author Kimberly Derting
Young Adult

Summary:
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It had everything a book should have, romance, suspense, mystery, a supernatural ability to find dead bodies...
I was actually really impressed by this story. It was well thought out, it had a nice pace, it was written in third person (which I so prefer). The characters were easy to relate to, Violet reminded me a lot of myself at that age and the scenery was described perfectly (being from the pacific northwest myself I always love a good story that takes place in the forest here). And let me tell you the kissing scenes were hot! I had to fan myself with the book a couple of times! I can't tell you how much in love with Jay I am right now. I was really not expecting there to be a lot of romantic interaction in this book since it was about a serial killer but it had just the right amount to keep me turning those pages fast and furiously.
This book was so refreshingly different from a lot of what's out there right now. It was nice to see a book about a girl that was strong, had a good relationship with her parents, and she fell in love with her best friend. How many YA books now a days has the main character have only one parent, or divorced parents? Or how the best guy friend is in love with the main girl but she is in love with the new guy, and she just leaves her best friend high and dry? Too many to me it seems. Anyways I definitely it would recommend this book to any YA fantasy lover looking for a romantic/suspenseful read.
I give this book 4.5 out of 5

9 Rules To Break When Romancing A Rake by Sarah MacLean

2010-05-01T09:33:00.005-07:00

9 Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake

Adult Historical Romance
Author: Sarah MacLean

Summary: A lady does not smoke cheroot.

She does not ride astride.

She does not fence or attend duels.

She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing. But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . .

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this novel. I liked the characters and the plot. However, there were quite a few things I didn't like. I'm very picky when it comes to historical romance novels, I've been reading this genre since I was 14 and so I know what I want when it comes to a romance book. What I look for is more romance less sex. To me sex scenes do not equal romance and this book had far to many sexual scenes for my taste. I thought the hero and heroine didn't spend enough time just talking to one another, instead every time they were together it was about something sexual. Personally I don't know how he fell in love with her based on their time together, but I've learned to accept that that is how it works in the world of romance novels. Anyways, this is just mostly my opinion, the writing itself was excellent and I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of this genre. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and quite a few lines that were just perfectly delivered at the right time. I most likely will read another by MacLean and I give this book 3 out of 5. I should probably say I rate historical romance novels a little more harshly than others because this is my favorite genre and I expect a lot of the books I read in it, so maybe if this book had been a different genre it would have gotten a higher rating.

Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs

2010-04-21T15:57:00.006-07:00

Source: Purchased

Summary:

Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe, and now the leader of the werewolf pack - who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend - has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets has come to light and they're all about to find out how implacable - and dangerous - the fae can be

My Thoughts:

Since this is the 5th in a series I won't say too much, but I will say that this book was amazing. Briggs has to be one of my favourite urban fantasy authors. It's pretty rare that I read a book and then while I'm at work all I can think about is getting home to finish it. The books in the Mercy Thompson series do that to me every time. She manages to weave in mystery, lore, and a little romance into every book and always leaves me wanting more. I can't really say which one is my favourite, I like them all, although I was missing Stefan in this book, and it's been so long since I read the previous one that I honestly don't remember what happened to him in the last one. It's a good thing I have an entire year before the next book comes out to re-read this series. What?! Do I really have to wait a whole year?! Write faster!! hehe..anyways.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not the biggest fan of novels written in first person, these books are an exception. I think it's because I like Mercy so much, she is such a kick-ass female. And as a bonus, these books don't have any porno sex scenes that seem to find their way into so many urban fantasy books these days. The only thing I don't really like about these books is that Adam & Mercy seem to be together permanently, which is all fine and good, but I'm a huge fan of when men have to woo women in books, once they get together they don't have to do that anymore then I find myself searching for a new series. I love these books too much to ever stop reading them though, so hopefully down the road there will at least be some side characters that get together so I can have my romance :)
If you have been a fan of this series I would highly recommend picking this one up. If you haven't then I'd start with Moon Called.

I give this book 5 out of 5

Mercy Thompson Series

1 Moon Called
2 Blood Bound
3 Iron Kissed
4 Bone Crossed
5 Silver Borne

There is also the Alpha & Omega series that features characters from the Mercy Thompson series

1. Cry Wolf
2. Hunting Ground

Bye Bye For Now

2010-04-18T09:41:00.002-07:00

I'm off to Europe, that is if my flights haven't been cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud, fingers crossed. So long to my fellow bloggers and I'll be back with you soon.

Well, my flights have been officially cancelled, so maybe I'll be around to post more reviews. I'm still holding out hope that some miracle will happen and we can still go....someplace

Heist Society by Ally Carter

2010-04-17T09:15:00.003-07:00

Kat was born into a family of professional thieves, but after spending her first 15 years learning the tricks of the trade, she decides to leave it all behind to try to lead a normal life. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to walk away from the family business…

When 5 priceless paintings are stolen from Taccone, an internationally recognized Total Bad Guy, Kat gets pulled right back into her old life. Taccone thinks her father stole his paintings, and he gives Kat an ultimatum: She must either find and return the paintings to him within 14 days, or he’ll hurt or kill everyone she loves. Kat and her team are on the job, but will they be able to pull off the heist of a lifetime?

My Thoughts: I really liked the idea of this story, it had a very Thomas Crown Affair vibe to it. I had a few issues with this book though, for starters I found myself saying things like "who is talking now?", "what are they even talking about", "that doesn't make sense" a lot. I don't know if it was just me but it felt like sentences were missing and I was lost half of the time.
The characters were likable for the most part. I had a little problem with the main character Kat. I found that she didn't have much of a back bone and she was a little flat to me. I think that is mostly my personal preference though and another reader would probably love her.
I did appreciate that this book was written in 3rd person, I'm not sure I would have made it though it if it had been written in 1st, but again that it my own personal preference.
In the end I'm on the fence with this one, I'm not sure if I will read any more by Ally Carter.

I give this book 3 out of 5

Another Coming Soon

2010-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia
Released May 2010

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.
But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower

I love the idea of angels, and so far I have only come across one book that has angels that I absolutely love (Once Dead Twice Shy by Kim Harrison) so hopefully I can find another so if anyone know of any other angel books let me know

The Time Weaver by Shana Abe
Released June 2010

The drákon, a supersensual race of shapeshifters whose world exists side by side with our own. In The Time Weaver, a young drákon woman discovers she possesses a unique gift, one that brings her closer to her destined love—at the cost of their very lives.

Honor Carlisle may have been born into the drákon clan but she’s always felt like a stranger to her kin. It’s an intuition that proves true when she receives a mysterious letter—a letter sent by her future self. Honor learns she is a Time Weaver: a creature with the extraordinary ability to transport herself into the past or future.

But the letter contains a dire warning. If Honor remains in her home at Darkfrith, she is certain to be killed. Fleeing for sanctuary among old friends in Spain, she practices her Weaving and unknowingly draws closer to an even more immediate danger. For on one of her Weaves into the future, Honor encounters the very man she should most avoid: the prince of a rival tribe of drákon.

Drawn to Prince Alexandru of Zaharen, Honor is unable to resist the temptation of Weaving to him again and again across time. As they surrender to a desire that brings the present and future ever closer, they realize they are true soulmates. But they also risk fulfilling a terrible prophecy—for their union is destined to wreak havoc. Now Honor and Sandu must place their trust—and their lives—in each other’s hands, and their faith in a magical love that could restore order to the drákon universe—or destroy it forever.

I've never read anything by this author but I love this cover and the plot sounds interesting I might just have to pick this up.

Gone By Lisa McMann

2010-04-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Summary:
Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she'd made her peace with it. But she can't handle dragging Cabel down with her.
She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He's amazing. And she's a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves--she has to disappear. And it's going to kill them both.
Then a stranger enters her life--and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she'd ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out...

My Thoughts: I bought this book pretty much as soon as it came out, but I didn't read it until now. Knowing it was the last in the series I didn't want to read it because I knew it would be the end. But I'm glad I finally got to it. It was excellent, just as good as book 1 & 2.
I don't think I have read any other books that are written in first person present tense. It's different and I don't know if everyone would enjoy this writing style, but I love it.
I really got into this story and I read it all in one sitting, which is rare for me. Where the first books had plots revolving around Janie's work with the cops this one was more about Janie finding about about her ability and the choices she would need to make about her future. Janie has to deal with some tough issues and I found myself crying throughout the last half of the book. As always, I found Janie and Cabel's relationship to be very real, it's not all lovely dovey and roses, it's based on communication and trust. I think their relationship is one of my favorite things in this series. I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for something a bit different than the typical YA fantasy novel.

I give this 5 out of 5

Soulless by Gail Carriger

2010-04-01T13:13:00.006-07:00

Source: Purchased

Summary:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced! Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

My Thoughts:

This book was unlike anything I have ever read before. My first steampunk novel. It was quite refreshing and it made me want to drink lots of tea! It combines two of my favorite genres, historical romance and fantasy. I love the fashion and etiquette during this era and extremely enjoyed reading about it as well. On to the characters, Alexia is spunky, strong willed, and courageous. Lord Maccon is your typical historical romance hero with a little werewolf mixed in. Some of my favorites were the side characters, the trusty butler, Floote. Lord Maccon's second in command Professor Lyall and Alexia's best friend, Ivy, that has a habit of wearing extremely ugly hats. The story kept me guessing and I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to pick up the sequel, Changless.

I would recommend this to older teens and adults who enjoy historical romance and urban fantasy books.

4.5 out of 5

Parasol Protectorate Series

Book #1 Soulless

Book #2 Changeless

Book #3 Blameless

Book #4 Heartless (June 2011)

Book #5 Timeless (March 2012)

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

2010-03-25T19:47:00.004-07:00

Summary: With summer approaching, Aislinn finds herself increasingly attracted to Keenan, the Summer King. Yet Aislinn clings to her love for Seth, refusing to release her connection to the mortal world. A paragon of patience, Seth knows that Aislinn’s immortality will eventually separate them, and he pursues a dangerous remedy as tensions within Faerie increase and allegiances shift

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and book 2 in the series, and I was quite excited when this came out. For whatever reason I had no desire what so ever to pick this book up. And I didn't, I ended up trying out the audio book instead. I've tried audio books in the past and I don't really enjoy them. I've never found one that was read with a voice I enjoyed. This was no different. But aside from the voice of the guy that read the audio book, I do like Marr's prose.
My interest in Aislinn/Seth/Keenan waned in this book. I thought the plot fairly slim. It seems to happen to me a lot. I think it's because the male and female heroes get together in the first book and then there isn't much in the way of wooing going on in the sequels. There wasn't really anything wrong with the story or the writing, other than it just wasn't for me. I could see this still rating very high with others who enjoyed the first two books, I guess I'm just a little faeried out. Anyways I'll probably keep up on what happens in the next one but I'll probably just hear about it from my co-worker who loves these books rather than read it myself.

Coming Soon....

2010-03-23T08:00:00.009-07:00

Came across these September releases today:

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She's angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she's about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights' most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn't want - and couldn't escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine's diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There's comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal's antique pages - until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine's words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Contagion by Joanne Dahme
Not really sure what this one is about but I really liked the cover so I thought I would post it anyways.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan
With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe

2010-03-22T06:11:00.002-07:00

Summary: Ever since Cass' sister died she has been able to see ghosts. Around the same time she was ostracized from her group of friends. It's now four years later and she is still a loner, only now no one picks on her because she has the dirt on everyone. The ghosts that haunt the school hear all and spill all to Cass which she uses to keep everyone in line. One of the most popular boys in school, Tim, figures out that she's got something going on with the other side and after his mother passes he asks Cass to help him find her. Cass realizes along the way that maybe living people aren't so bad.

My Thoughts: I really, really enjoyed this book. I ate it up and read it in one day. I could easily identify with the characters, especially Cass. She reminded me a little of myself. I liked the fact that she didn't just fall all over Tim the moment he talked to her. They're relationship was never easy, and it made it seem real. In real life people mess up and make mistakes and relationships are hard. This book got that. I thought the story moved along well and I was satisfied with the ending. I'm looking forward to more from Megan Crewe. And bonus points go to her since she's Canadian :)
I give this 4.5 out of 5

Tithe by Holly Black

2010-03-15T14:42:00.004-07:00

Source: Purchased

Summary:

Kaye, a rebel teenager, moves back to her old home town with her mother. Kaye has memories from her childhood of fairies that she is not quite sure are real. It turns out later that Kaye is actually a faerie herself, and was hidden with a glamour so she looked human. It's all part of a plot of the Unseelie Court. It doesn't go as planned and the courts are plagued by political espionage and Kaye tries to save herself and her friends from danger. Meanwhile Kaye meets a knight of the courts, Roiben, and of course they have a bit of a romance.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the story was paced well. However, it's fairly similar to most other books that revolve around the fey. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm kind of a on the look out for a book about the fey that has a unique twist. If anyone knows of any let me know.
This book would be enjoyed by anyone who liked Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr or Need by Carrie Jones.

3.75 out of 5

Randoms

2010-03-10T09:58:00.005-08:00

So my husband, who is not a reader, unless you count comic books, yes my husband still reads comics and collects action figures and watches cartoons...anyways he made a new years resolution to read more novels. Which I thought was great because I love reading as well. He came up with a number, which I can't remember, of how many books he's going to finish before the end of the year. Now my husband likes lists, and schedules, for example every October he makes a chart of all the horror movies he'll watch that month, because of Halloween, and the dates he's going to watch them. Same with the month of December only for Christmas movies. So he's made a list of the books he'll read and how many pages a day he'll do. If you ask me, I kind of think that takes the fun out of fun activities, but to each their own... Now if only he could be so organized about other things around the house, like the dishes or taking out the garbage..
I'm getting a little side tracked...he started off reading the Star Wars novels and then out of blue is like "honey, I'm going to read Twilight" and I respond and say "what?, really? Why?"..he says "I want to know what all the fuss is about this Edward and Jacob."
So he's almost finish the book now and every day I ask him how's he's liking it and what part he's at.
So far he's told me "Edward is a jerk and Bella is pretty whiny and I don't know why she likes him. I think I have a feeling I'm going to be Team Jacob"
I thought this was pretty funny so I'd thought I'd share.

Incarceron Movie

2010-03-04T11:27:00.002-08:00

I've seen a lot of buzz lately about the book Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. I haven't read it yet, I'll probably will eventually. I read today that the movie rights were sold.

"Fox 2000 has won a bidding war for the film rights to Brit author Catherine Fisher's young-adult tome "Incarceron," with an eye to spinning the dystopian fantasy into a franchise.
John Palermo will produce via Seed Prods., Palermo and Hugh Jackman's Fox-based shingle.

"Incarceron" is a priority for Fox 2000 and Seed, with the project going out to directors and writers to adapt. At least two other studios were vying for the film rights"

Read full article here.

I wasn't sure if I should have posted this news on my new movie blog, but since it's still in the very early stages I figured I'd post it here. It sounds like this will be something to look forward to, I love movies that are based on books.

Coming Soon

2010-03-03T11:24:00.003-08:00

Summary On Amazon:
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.
But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

I just saw this today, I'm sure I've seen it promoted before but I can't remember where or when. I have the memory equal to a gold fish so I forget things...A LOT! Anyways I'm excited for this one. I've read one book previous of Carrie Vaughn's and it was ok, but this is her first YA and I generally like YA books better, also as a bonus it's written in 3rd person, which I have a hard time finding these days! Anyone got an good recommends for newer books written in 3rd person?

Go Canada Go

2010-02-28T20:40:00.002-08:00

I know this is unrelated to books, I've been trying to finish one but have been thoroughly distracted by the Olympic games and some of the fine looking gentleman visiting here from around the world. So congratulation Canada!