Everything To Do With Books

Angelina's Secret by Lisa Rogers

2012-01-29T01:24:00.011+13:00

Title: Angelina's Secret

Author: Lisa Rogers

Published: 1 February 2012, Spencer Hill Press

Pages: 260

Summary: As a child, Angelina spent years in counseling learning that Josie, her imaginary friend, wasn't real, but it turns out her childhood friend wasn't imaginary after all.

Now Angelina has to accept she's either (A) crazy or (B) able to see ghosts. Wanting to believe in her sanity, she chooses (B) and welcomes Josie back into her life. But even Josie can't help her deal with Shelly, the spirit of a confused teenager, and things go very, very wrong.

When Angelina finds herself in a psychiatric hospital, she faces a choice: she can spend the rest of her life pretending to be someone she isn't, or she can embrace who she is and take a chance that she may never get to go home. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: After reading the synopsis of Angelina’s Secret I was really excited about reading this book. I do love a good ghost story and while I enjoyed Angelina’s Secret it wasn’t exactly what I had thought it to be.

I had thought that Angelina’s Secret was going to be a creepy ghost story but it was actually a lot more light-hearted and less serious than that. There was a serious element to the book but for the most part Angelina’s attitude sort of made it more light-hearted and slightly comical at times.

In saying that I really liked the ghosts. Josie was so nice and I found that I wished things would go well for Angelina but I really did not see how that would work.

In the beginning of the book I found it to be really addictive and so I was just flying through the pages but after a while Angelina’s mother started really getting on my nerves and it slowed my reading down a little bit. Patty is one of those awful mothers who like to think that everything is their fault. I have to say that Lisa wrote Patty so well in that sense.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Angelina’s Secret. It was something different and it’s quite short so it’s easy to read in no time. I loved the ghost aspect and I look forward to reading more from Lisa in the future.

Source: Purchased

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

2012-01-27T11:35:00.013+13:00

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Published: Quirk Publishing, 2011

Pages: 352

Summary: A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Ever since I saw the book trailer for Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children I just had to read it. I started reading it and I was hoping for a creepy sort of read. I found the first part of the book to be quite creepy. Unfortunately, once the book got a few chapters in, I didn’t think it was so creepy.

I really liked the pictures in the book. Some of them were really creepy and I thought it was a nice different touch to the book. Some of the pictures I thought were well placed and well put into the story but some of them I thought were put in there just to try to keep the story going.

I liked the characters in the book, especially Emma. I think that Emma would be my favourite character. As for Jacob, I thought he was interesting enough. At times it didn’t really feel like he was 16 though. It seemed more like he was about 12 or 13.

I did like the way that this story went. I wasn’t too sure where the book was going to go in the beginning or how things would play out but I was impressed by the abilities of the children and those sorts of things.

I have to say that I didn’t really like the ending of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I felt like it was quite weird. It sort of left a hole that I couldn’t stop thinking about. Without trying to spoil anything, I just didn’t like Jacob’s decision and I didn’t really feel that it was well played out. I have heard there is going to be another book and I’m just wondering if the aftermath of Jacob’s actions will be addressed.

Overall, I thought that Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was an alright read for me. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. I definitely found it to be quite original and it was worth a read. However, I would say that it would be more of a book to borrow rather than buy.

Source: Library

Coming soon from Strange Chemistry

2012-01-25T01:23:00.028+13:00

Strange Chemistry which is a new YA imprint of Angry Robot have just released information about their first two books that are being released this year. They both sound amazing so I'm going to share some of the information with you.

The titles are:

Shift by Kim Curran

When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, e learns he’s not quite so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Kim Curran was born in Dublin and moved to London when she was seven. After studying Philosophy and Literature at Sussex University her plan of being paid big bucks to think deep thoughts never quite paid off. She became an advertising copywriter instead, specialising in writing for video games. She lives in SW London with her husband, if they’re not both off travelling. When she’s not writing she fences and plays guitar, both very badly.

Visit Kim Curran online by clicking here.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

Julie is an apprentice witch – or so she believes. When a dark power comes stalking out of the past to haunt her and her mother, Julie learns that she is far more than just a witch. With the help of her best friend Marcus and a rather unusual Great Dane, Julie has to race against time to ensure she can defeat the bad guy, save her mother and avoid being grounded – again!

Sean Cummings lives in Saskatoon,

Canada

. He’s a comic book geek, superhero junkie, zombie fan and a total nerd. His interests include science fiction, the borg, cats with extra toes, east Indian cuisine and quality sci-fi movies/television. Sean has been writing since 1978 (as a means of liberating his “inner nerd”) and his published works for adults include Shade Fright, Funeral Pallor and Unseen World, all published by Snowbooks. Poltergeeks is his first book for Young Adults.

Visit Sean Cummings online by clicking here.

Be sure to check out the Strange Chemistry Website for more information.

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

2012-01-23T01:22:00.012+13:00

Title: Deadly Cool

Author: Gemma Halliday

Published: HarperTeen, 2011

Pages: 303

Series: Book 1, Deadly Cool

Summary: Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Deadly Cool is such an awesome book. Hartley has attitude and she is a really funny narrator. You’d think that reading a murder mystery wouldn’t be very funny but there were quite a few times where I was laughing out loud at the jokes.

As far as the mystery aspect goes I was curious as to who had done it. I had my suspicions about who it could have been but at the same time there were a number of suspects so it was quite interesting. I did manage to guess who the killer was in the end though which I always like.

I loved that in Deadly Cool, Hartley’s best friend is a main part of the action. Sam is right there with Hartley most of the time which is just awesome. I really liked Chase too.

I really loved Deadly Cool and only wish that I could have the next book sooner. Deadly Cool is a cool, light and fun murder mystery story.

Source: Library

Everblossom : A Short Story and Poetry Anthology by Larissa Hinton

2012-01-21T05:30:00.017+13:00

Title: Everblossom

Author: Larissa Hinton

Published: 12 August 2011

Links:
Smashwords
Goodreads

Summary: An anthology that will quench your thirst for more than the ordinary.

Everblossom is a journey through poems and short stories that may seem ordinary on the surface but dig a little deeper and the world not only shifts. It changes. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Everblossom is a story anthology that has three parts representing the three stages of life of a flower. Throughout the book you see development of the author’s writing as well as some of the characters in previous short stories.

Every now and again I enjoy poetry so I was thrilled to be getting some poetry sprinkled in with the short stories. I really liked all the poems as they were nicely written.

Then there were the short stories. Each one was incredibly unique and they were very short so only focused on a small portion of what could otherwise be a very large tale. It left me thinking about each story afterwards. It made me wonder what had happened before and after each story. I really feel that each story would make a great novel or novella in their own right.

Beautifully written and taking you away from the usual sorts of books I highly recommend Larissa Hinton’s Everblossom to those who like short story anthologies and are looking for something a bit more adventurous and ponderous.

Source: Larissa Hinton for review

Prophecy of the Flame by Lynn Hardy

2012-01-19T02:00:00.019+13:00

Title: Prophecy of the Flame

Author: Lynn Hardy

Published: Resilient Publishing, 2010

Pages: 373

Series: Book 1, Prophecy of the Flame

Summary: In a blinding flash of light, five nondescript strangers are yanked from this world and thrust into a land of sorcery. Transformed into the characters they were pretending to be; Archmage Reba, Jamison the healer, Jerik the dwarf, Charles the prince charming, and Allinon the druid elf blend twentieth century technology with the supernatural powers of this new world.

This band of wannabe heroes soon discovers that having the powers you have always dreamed of, does not make life a dream come true. The Crusaders of the Light struggle to form a cohesive band as they fight to liberate the kingdom of Cuthburan from the evil horde threatening humanity.

For those who believe the struggle of love adds a greater depth to any story, the romantic thread in Book One is explored in greater depth in this version.

Battle is also waged within Reba, an ordinary housewife who has become the most powerful mage on the planet, as she struggles to remain true to her wedding vows. Drawn against her will to the arms of Prince Alexandros, Reba must choose between the prophesied marriage to a handsome prince in a magical world or returning to the husband she left behind. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I really loved the description of Prophecy of the Flame and thought that it sounded like it could be quite an interesting book.

I felt that parts of Prophecy of the Flame were quite dry and boring and it took me quite a while to get through those parts. I just personally, found it hard to read Prophecy of the Flame due to a lack of interest. I think for me I prefer it when books tell you about the world they’re in earlier on so that I can get into the plot but in Prophecy of the Flame I was unsure of both the plot and the world that they were in. As the plot went on however, I did find it got better and I began to quite enjoy the book.

I also thought this book is made more for people who like role playing games such as dungeons and dragons or live action role playing games as the story dives into some of the concepts without actually explaining them and so if you don’t know anything about rpgs or larping then you would get lost or confused easily for the first few chapters, after that it doesn’t really seem to matter too much.

As far as characters go, I liked Reba although I felt that whenever someone flirted with her she would think about how she was married but she never actually thought about her husband and how she felt about him. I would’ve liked to know more about her and her husband’s relationship. I think my favourite character within the little party would be Jamison, he just seemed like an interesting guy, it was a shame that he wasn’t in the book as much as I would have liked. I also liked Prince Szames, he seemed like one of those genuinely nice guys.

I enjoyed Lynn’s writing style and thought that Prophecy of the Flame was very well written. The writing style was quite simple but also effective. The descriptions of things were really well done and so I enjoyed that part of the story.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about Prophecy of the Flame were the illustrations. I hadn’t realised the book had illustrations so when I stumbled across one in the book I was pleasantly surprised. I thought all of the illustrations were fantastic and I really enjoyed seeing them in the book.

Overall, I would say that fans of fantasy would enjoy Prophecy of the Flame. I have to give warning though that at first it’s hard to get into the story but once getting past the start the book gets so much better.

Source: Lightning Book Promotions

* Note: The proceeds of this book will be going to help Lynn's homeless shelter called Agape Assistance*

Flidderbugs by Jonathan Gould

2012-01-17T05:18:00.004+13:00

Title: Flidderbugs

Author: Jonathan Gould

Published: August 2011

Pages: 72

Summary: As Kriffle the Flidderbug investigates why his fellow ‘bugs find it impossible to agree on the pressing issue of how many points there are on the leaves of the tree on which they live, he finds that the truth is more complicated, and ultimately more terrifying, than he ever could have imagined. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: After reading Jonathan Gould’s other book, Doodling, I was excited to be given the chance to read Flidderbugs. I really like that Jonathan’s books are simplistic in their storylines but have this deeper meaning wrapped up in them.

I found Flidderbugs to be a really enjoyable read. It was light and really entertaining. I read it on one of the days where I was on holiday so I could just sit in the sun and read it. I found this to be quite a good book to read like that.

While I found the book to be quite predictable it was still highly enjoyable. I knew how things were going to turn out but there was one part that I couldn’t quite figure out so that was really enjoyable to read about.

I really enjoyed Flidderbugs and the underlying meaning was a really good one. I think that Flidderbugs is a perfect read for a middle grade audience.

Source: Jonathan Gould for review

In My Mailbox

2012-01-15T05:53:00.066+13:00

It's been a while since I did one of these but now that it's 2012 I'd like to do these on a regular basis again. This week I went a little overboard on the books that I got. I bought a couple but I got out a few at the library.

In the mail:

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever. (Taken from Goodreads)

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her. (Taken from Goodreads)

Charmfall by Chloe Neill

High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death...

Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.

But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines... (Taken from Goodreads)

7 Scorpions: Revolution by Mike Saxton

The war against the Grand Army raged for over a year and a half. Despite their valiant efforts, the rebels of Militia 28 are losing. With dwindling supplies and eroding hope, they have one last chance. The recent discovery of a weapon long thought lost rekindles their ambitions of eventual victory. If only they can get to it before Night Viper’s past comes back to destroy them.

With his massive Ziggurat almost complete, the dictator Zodiac is poised to unleash his “final solution” upon the shattered remnants of humanity. The pawns are maneuvered into place and secrets will be revealed that will change the face of the rebellion forever. Who is Zodiac? What was the purpose of Project Scorpion? Most important, will the war ever end? (Taken from Goodreads)

From the library:

Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman

Welcome to P.U.P.I.—Private, Unaffiliated, Paranormal Investigations

A handpicked team trained to solve crimes the regular police can't touch—crimes of magic.

My name's Bonnie Torres. Recent college grad, magic user and severely unemployed. Until I got a call out of nowhere to interview for a job I hadn't applied for. It smelled fishy, but the brutal truth was I needed the work—so off I went.

Two days later I'm a PUPI—me and Nick, Sharon, Nifty and Pietr. Five twentysomethings, thrown into an entirely new career in forensic magic.

The first job we get is a doozy: proving that the deaths of two Talents were murder, not suicide. Worse, there are high-profile people who want us to close up shop and go away. We're sniffing out things they'd rather keep buried.

Looks as if this job is gonna get interesting. The only problem is, we're making it up as we go along... (Taken from Goodreads)

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.
But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim. (Taken from Goodreads)

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Every ghost has a story to tell.

The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever. (Taken from Goodreads)

Twisted by Sara Shepard

May Contain Spoilers! It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The Pretty Little Liars have more secrets than ever - twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.

Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore … eventually. (Taken from Goodreads)

And that was my week in books. Can't wait to see what everyone else got!

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2012-01-13T02:49:00.020+13:00

Title: The Near Witch

Author: Victoria Schwab

Published: Hyperion Books, 2011

Pages: 282

Purchase Links:
Book Depository

Summary: The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. (Taken from Goodreads)
Thoughts: After hearing the first few paragraphs of The Near Witch being read I fell in love and became obsessed with it. Now that I have finally gotten my hands on it and read it I can happily say that I loved it just as much as I knew I would.

Victoria Schwab has this absolutely amazing and poetic writing style and I absolutely loved it. The writing style weaves into the story this sense of an old fairy tale and it just adds this whole extra layer to the story.

I also really enjoyed the pacing of the novel. It starts off at a steady pace that kept me interested but then things started getting really intense and suspenseful and I was completely sucked into the story until the very last page.

I found the idea of The Near Witch to be quite creepy. There was just this sense of foreboding and I felt like if I was reading this book at night time by myself I would be checking over my shoulder every two seconds. It definitely had a creepy factor.

Then there were the characters. I absolutely adored Cole, he was mysterious and just really likable. I liked Lexi too, she was the kind of person who always tried to do what was right and I admired that in her. The antagonists were really well written too. They weren’t really bad but they just didn’t understand what they were doing.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Near Witch. The story was captivating, the writing is absolutely beautiful and the cover is gorgeous. I know that I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Victoria in the future.

Source: Own copy

On My Wishlist (9)

2012-01-11T05:20:00.020+13:00

So I am incredibly obsessed with Goodreads and I will surf the books on Goodreads for hours and I have found some really awesome looking books on there of late and I have added a truckload to my wishlist of books to buy so I figured why not share my findings because I am all for showing other people books that look simply amazing.

This week on my wishlist is The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers.

Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

Why is this on my wishlist?

It sounds so mysterious and I am all for mystery books. The description taken from Goodreads also mentions there being a twist at the end so I'm really looking forward to finding out exactly what that entails.

The Vanishing Game will be published 14 February 2012 by Bloomsbury.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2012-01-09T04:40:00.017+13:00

Title: Half-Blood

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: Spencer Hill Press, 2011

Pages: 281

Series: Book 1, Convenant

Purchase Links:
Book Depository

Summary: The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.
Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway.
There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: After reading Daimon I was incredibly excited to read Half-Blood. I loved the way Daimon was written and the story of it so I was really looking forward to Half-Blood. Half-Blood started off right where Daimon ends and from there it went in a direction that reminded me a lot of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead which I had read not so long before starting Half-Blood.

I got to about a quarter of the way in and decided to take a break from Half-Blood because it was just too close to Vampire Academy for me to continue reading for the moment. Then a few months later and a few books later I went back to it and I absolutely devoured the rest of Half-Blood in one sitting.

Yes, Half-Blood is quite reminiscent of Vampire Academy for the first part but once you get past that it’s a good story of its own right. I had a lot of fun reading Half-Blood. I’m always a fan of Greek mythology and I thought that Half-Blood did it with a really unique and interesting twist.

I liked Alex, I thought she was an awesome character and I thought she was awesomely tough. I always like reading about kick butt female characters so Alex was just awesome. I also liked Caleb and Aidan. They seem like super nice guys.

While I could guess where the plot was heading I still had a lot of fun reading Half-Blood. I really liked Jennifer’s writing style and thought it was pretty really good.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Half-Blood and thought it was a good read. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series, Pure, when it comes out in April.

Source: Spencer Hill Press for Review

Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge

2012-01-08T14:42:00.000+13:00

2012 Reading Challenge

Rebecca has

read 8 books toward her goal of 200 books.

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8 of 200 (4%)

view books

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:41:00.001+13:00

Happy New Year!

We'll both be away without internet for the next few days so we're taking this week off. There will be no posts for the rest of the week and emails will get answered at the end of the week also. Not to mention the contest winners will be announced and emailed when we get back so have a great New Years!

Our Top 10 Books of 2011

2011-12-31T00:30:00.050+13:00

It is hard to believe that the end of the year is here already but it is and so today we thought we'd do a post of our favourite books of 2011. Not really in any particular order. Any books that have a review posted up will be linked in the list.

Rebecca's Picks:
1. Clarity by Kim Harrington
2. Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
3. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
4. Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson
5. Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart
6. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth
8. Accused by Kate Kaynak
9. Phantom Evil by Heather Graham
10. Sacred Evil by Heather Graham

Scarlett's Picks:
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
2. Flight of the Silver Vixen by Annalinde Matichei
3. Goldenhead by Annalinde Matichei
4. Equinox by Lara Morgan
5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
6. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
7. Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
8. Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
9. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
10. Crossed by Ally Condie

What are some of your favourite reads of 2011?

The Eden Prescription is free on Amazon for a limited time!

2011-12-29T12:19:00.000+13:00

Hey guys. Looking for an interesting read for your kindle during the new year holidays? Well, Ethan Evers' book The Eden Prescription is available for free download on Amazon until the 30th of December. To interest you here is a little snippet about the book:

What if the ultimate treatment for cancer was closer than most of us realize? A silent revolution has been unfolding recently in the science of natural medicine, bringing us so close to the answer-far too close, for some. Chromogen employee Annika Guthrie understands this more than most. She's watched her terminally ill father add years to his life with natural supplements, and makes it her mission to turn this alternative medicine into what the medical community calls "real" science.

It's why she joins forces with the maverick but genius cancer researcher Dr. Elliott Lindell, even though he works with Mitogenica-Chromogen's fiercest competitor. Together, they formulate a cocktail of natural supplements which Annika secretly gives to patients in Chromogen's latest drug trial.

The cocktail works so well, it threatens to undermine Chromogen's next billion dollar chemo drug, and Annika's world quickly falls apart. Her wards start curiously dying from everything but their cancer, and Dr. Lindell disappears on the eve of his most critical experiment. Annika soon finds she is the only one left who can recover what remains of Dr. Lindell's work-and that she is racing against someone far larger and more deadly than her worst fears. (Taken from Goodreads)

Click here to download The Eden Prescription

Beautiful Code by Sadie Hayes

2011-12-29T11:12:00.000+13:00

Title: Beautiful Code

Author: Sadie Hayes

Published: Backlit Fiction, 20 December 2011

Pages: 64

Series: Book 3, The Start-Up

Summary: Set against the fast-paced, winner-take-all world of Silicon Valley, where today’s software geek is tomorrow’s billionaire, The Start-Up chronicles the meteoric rise of Adam and Amelia Dory, a talented brother and sister team. With only each other to rely on, the naïve eighteen-year-olds must make their way through a treacherous world of money, power, and envy. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Beautiful Code is the third book in The Start-Up series and I was really looking forward to reading this one as the ending of the second book was such a cliff hanger that I just had to have more.

Beautiful Code is just as good if not better than the first two books in the series. There’s all the scandals going on and it’s written so that you can’t help but hang on to every word and keep reading because there was so much going on.

I felt that this book I got to know all the characters in a better light and so I really liked all of them. Well, except one character. But that’s just my own personal gripe about him.

The ending blew me away a bit. It was heading towards a big event and then it just ended on a cliff hanger like the others but now I really want to read the next book. Unfortunately I have to wait a while but I know that it will be worth the wait.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Beautiful Code and thought it was amazing. If you haven’t read this series yet then you are seriously missing out!

Source: Sadie Hayes for review

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2011-12-27T11:25:00.012+13:00

Title: Every Other Day

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Published: Egmont USA, 27 December 2011

Pages: 352

Summary: Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . . She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why
she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Every other Day is the first book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes that I have read and I thought it sounded really good and I’m happy to say that it was really good. One thing I have to say is that the synopsis barely gives anything away at all to be honest so I thought that was really good.

I thought that Every Other Day was pretty well action packed. Kali is awesome taking down hellhounds, zombies and so many other different creatures or the preternatural as they are known in this book. I found them to be quite interesting and Kali was just awesome.

I am a huge fan of mystery and I liked that there were a couple of mystery elements to the book. The first mystery was what exactly Kali was. I had some idea about how she became the way she was but I didn’t know what she was and I thought it was really interesting when it was revealed. The second mystery was what was happening at the school or in the wider world relating to a certain person.

As for characters, I really loved Kali and the supporting cast. My favourite character though, was Skylar. Skylar was the best character and I thought she was so amazing. I loved how throughout the book she just showed up at the oddest and most random of times, it was really awesome.

I really enjoyed Every Other Day. It was a really light, fun read for most of the book and I managed to predict a lot of the things that were going to happen but there was one thing at the end that absolutely threw me. I did not expect it at all and I’m quite unsure of how I feel about it. I think it was really good because it made the story quite different to the usual books I read.

Overall, I really enjoyed Every Other Day; it was fun and quite unique. If you’re a fan of the supernatural then definitely give this one a try.

Source: NetGalley

Bedtime Stories for Cats by Amy Neftzger

2011-12-25T05:22:00.013+13:00

Title: Bedtime Stories for Cats

Author: Amy Neftzger

Published: Fields of Gold Publishing, October 2011

Summary: A book of short stories and fables designed specifically for cat lovers. The topics range from mythology to magic and horror stories (for cats) combined with a few essays written by a cat in order to help the rest of us understand their logic and reasoning. The book also includes a creative retelling of the Gingerbread Man from a cat’s perspective. You share so much with your cat, why not read together, also? (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Bedtime Stories for Cats is a cute little book about cats and is basically written from cat’s perspectives so you are getting a glimpse into the mind of a cat. I thought it was quite well done as well as I really felt like I was reading the sort of things that a cat would be thinking.

I enjoyed all the stories in the book. They were short and sweet but still really fun to read. I liked that this book was nice and short and I could read a story between doing little bits and pieces.

There were a couple of times where I let out a little laugh. The stories were definitely enjoyable. As someone who owns a black cat I was particularly fond of the story that mentions black cats as being luck magnets and they only release the luck through their affection for others.

I thought that Bedtime Stories for Cats was a really neat little book that any young cat lover would enjoy. As someone who has cats I thought this book was a fun and pleasant little read.

Source: Amy Neftzger for Review

Measure of Darkness by Chris Jordan

2011-12-23T05:59:00.014+13:00

Title: Measure of Darkness

Author: Chris Jordan

Published: Mira, November 2011

Pages: 400

Summary: HERE ARE THE FACTS:

For the parents whose children have been taken, for the broken lives we piece back together one relentless investigation at a time, our town house is a sanctuary.

My name is Alice Crane. I’m just one of a talented team working for Naomi Nantz, the brilliant and very private detective.

Today that sanctuary was violated. The famous kid-finder Randall Shane was taken away by unknown assailants, possibly government agents. Shane’s client is dead, and a boy known as “the keyboard kid” is missing. What is the boy’s connection to a top secret physics lab? Unknown—for now. But under Naomi’s
lead, we will infiltrate every illicit boardroom and bedroom and war room. We’ll find that little boy or die trying.

The only thing guaranteed in this life is that Naomi Nantz won’t give up. Not now, not ever. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I have some mixed feelings about Measure of Darkness. It had a really good mystery to it, but I wasn’t really a fan of the narrative.

The mystery aspect was really good. There were some things that were fairly standard about it but then there were small details that just didn’t make much sense so I kept reading because I was curious as to how they fit into the overall picture. There were also some bizarre events orchestrated by the bad guys and it just added this extra layer to the mystery that made it more interesting.

The one thing that really bothered me about the story was Alice’s narrative. For a while I wasn’t sure what time period the book was set in due to the demeanour of some of the characters and how they spoke.

Especially Alice. I had her pegged as either being from the 1930’s or really old. Neither was the case. It could just be me but I really felt that kind of detracted from the story a little bit, just that the characters didn’t act in a way I expected them too and while this might be refreshing for some people it just wasn’t something I could enjoy.

The ending wrapped things up quite nicely and I thought it was a pretty good ending. As far as I could tell there were no huge holes in the mystery when it unravelled. I did find a couple of characters changed certain details about themselves partway through the novel which was a little bit weird but apart from that, there weren’t any holes in the overarching story.

Overall, I thought the mystery of Measure of Darkness was pretty good, it just wasn’t something I absolutely loved. The writing style wasn’t really my cup of tea but if you think it sounds really good, give it a go because it might be to your liking.

Source: NetGalley

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

2011-12-21T00:23:00.013+13:00

Title: Touch of Power

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Published: Mira, 20 December 2011

Pages: 394

Series: Book 1, Healer

First Line: "The little girl wouldn't stop crying."

Summary: Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life.... (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: After just discovering the amazing quality of books from the Mira Imprint and hearing really good things about Maria V Snyder’s other books I was really looking forward to reading Touch of Power. Needless to say from the first page I was entranced.

I am a huge fan of fantasy and I lapped up all 394 paged of Touch of Power like it was nothing because it was so captivating and I loved every page I read. I loved learning about the different magic’s in the world and what each one did. It was really fascinating. I enjoyed learning about Avry’s magic and hope to learn more in the next book.

I really liked Avry, she was strong willed and a kick-ass heroine. I loved her independence and I just thought she was a fantastic main character. I thought the supporting cast was excellent as well and I couldn’t help but love all of them. I even loved Kerrick who seemed to be such a jerk but later on I definitely warmed up to him.

Another thing I loved about Touch of Power was the plants. I really like plants and this book has Peace Lily’s and Death Lily’s and it was just so interesting how they played into the story and I just thought it was a really unique and interesting concept.

All I have to say is, if this is as amazing as Maria V Snyder’s other books then I really need to go get me some more of her books because this one is so good. It’s excellent in fact, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series, whenever that one comes out.

Source: NetGalley

Supernatural Fairy Tales by Dorlana Vann

2011-12-19T08:37:00.000+13:00

Title: Supernatural Fairy Tales

Author: Dorlana Vann

Published: Pixie Punk Press, September 2011

Pages: 67

Summary: Fairy Tale inspired paranormal short stories.

These 9 Supernatural Fairy Tales are not retellings of the original fairy tales but were inspired by them. They are paranormal themed stories about vampires, ghosts, mermaids, witches, and more, in genres ranging from romance to thriller. And fair warning: they don't always have a happy ending. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed Supernatural Fairy Tales. Each story was really quick and I read the book in no time. I thought all the stories were highly entertaining and brilliantly written.

I found it so easy to read each story because the endings were so good. The story was really amazing and then you would get to the end and I found that the endings of each story just surprised me and blew me away completely. They were fantastic.

Another thing I loved was that in the back of the book were little pieces about the inspiration for each story. Some of them I’d heard of but others I didn’t actually know very well, but for the ones I did know it was good to know which stories they were based on for a comparison.

I thought that Supernatural Fairy Tales was a great, fun afternoon read and it was so well-written that I know I’m going to be on the lookout for more of Dorlana’s stories.

Source: Goodreads

The Wicked Good Stepmother by William G. Bentrim

2011-12-17T08:27:00.011+13:00

Title: The Wicked Good Stepmother

Author: William G. Bentrim

Illustrator: Flavia Conley

Published: Createspace, November 2011

Pages: 40

Summary: Children have many mysteries that they courageously face on a daily basis. One of my goals in writing is to demystify or explain to children the basis for some of the confusing situations in their lives. Life today seems to have destabilized many of the traditional family matrixes. Divorce, separation and death are not uncommon tribulations that children may face. This book addresses and attempts to alleviate some of the fears that children may have to the introduction of a “new” mother by their father’s remarriage. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: William G. Bentrim has done it again. This time his book lets kids know that not all stepmothers are evil as portrayed in so many books.

I really like the way that the subject of a stepmother was approached and I have to say that this is the first time I’ve ever read a book where the stepmother wasn’t considered to be a bad person. So I definitely think that this is a good book for kids to read to show them that not all stepmothers are indeed wicked.

The illustrations are really gorgeous too and they take up the whole page so you’re never bored.

Overall, I would definitely suggest this book to young kids who have the impression that stepmothers are wicked. It is unique and brilliantly written. Well worth a read.

Source: William G. Bentrim for review

Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart

2011-12-15T05:25:00.009+13:00

Title: Blood Song

Author: Rhiannon Hart

Published: Random House Australia, September 2011

Pages: 290

Series: Book 1, Lharmell

Summary: I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares? (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Blood Song would have to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I just have to say that the wait was definitely worth it. Blood Song far exceeded my expectations and I had really high expectations for it to begin with. Needless to say I really loved Blood Song and would definitely say it’s a favourite of 2011.

I think one of the main reasons I absolutely loved this book was Zeraphina. As far as characters go I could really relate to her and everything she felt I could feel it along with her. When she was frustrated and wanted to know what was going on, I was frustrated and wanted to know what was going on. I think another reason I liked Zeraphina so much was that her and I were similar in that we both don’t like people telling us what to do.

I loved the story too. I read it in two settings because I had to know more of what was going on and it was just incredibly addictive. I would’ve read it in one sitting but I started it quite late at night so I had to pick it up again the next day.

Then there were the supporting characters, I liked all of them but there was one character in particular that stood out from the rest and that would be Rodden. Rodden just seemed like such a great character and I loved how you didn’t know if he was a good guy or a bad guy or what was going on with him. I also loved the relationship between Rodden and Zeraphina, they hate each other but they care about each other. It was so great; I loved reading all the scenes between the two of them.

I feel like I could gush about how much I loved this book for a really long time and I would really love to do that but I don’t think anyone would want to read that so for now I’ll just say that I loved this book so much and I’m really wanting the next one in the series. Blood Song is really unique and so good. I can’t even describe how good it is, you just have to read it yourself.

Source: Library

Static by Tawny Stokes

2011-12-13T12:11:00.030+13:00

Title: Static

Author: Tawny Stokes

Published: CreateSpace, August 2011

Pages: 296

First Line: "You belong to me."

Summary: During the summer before her senior year, 17 year old band groupie, Salem Vale, has been following her favorite punk rockers, Malice, from gig to gig hoping that one night she might get backstage and meet the sinisterly sexy guys. She’s been saving her virginity for the lead singer Thane. One fateful evening she gets her wish. It’s a dream come true.

Except the dream turns to a nightmare when she wakes up in a dumpster, tossed away like yesterday’s trash, with no memory of what happened the night before. She feels strange, different, as if something is trying to get out. Soon she realizes she’s changing…turning into something not quite human.

Now a hunger deep inside claws at her to feed, to siphon energy from those around her. Before she can do just that, Trevor, the band’s roadie shows up and stops her from killing. With his help she learns to control the hunger inside, because he’s just like her. And in return he wants her help to do one little thing…

Help him kill the members of Malice. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: After flying through the pages of Demon Whisperer I simply could not wait to read Static. At the same time I was a little nervous about reading Static because it's about a girl who plans to lose her virginity to a rock-star and so I thought that there would be sex in the book which I'm not always keen on but I have to say that in Static it was tastefully done. There's not really very much of a sex scene so I thought that was really good.

I started reading Static and I just couldn't stop. I really liked Salem, I thought she was a great main character, strong and definitely awesome. Not to mention her name, Salem, that is such a cool name. I also liked Trevor too. He seemed like such a cool guy and I was rooting for them both to kick some bad guy butt.

The story line was good. Tawny Stokes does a really good job of straying from normal paranormal creatures and writing about some well known ones that aren't so over done. I find it to be really refreshing.

I really liked the pacing of Static; there was always something happening so I always had a reason to keep reading. The ending was really good too and I'm curious as to whether there will be a sequel or not and if there is then I am going to be all over it.

I would say that Static is a brilliant book and if you're looking for a paranormal book that isn't your run of the mill story then you'll love Static.

Source: Bewitching Book Tours

Demon Whisperer by Tawny Stokes

2011-12-13T00:38:00.017+13:00

Title: Demon Whisperer

Author: Tawny Stokes

Published: September 2011

Pages: 167

Series: Book 1, Caden Butcher

First Line: "The skin on Alan Bigby's pock-marked face rippled as if something was alive underneath it."

Summary: Awake after a year-long coma, where he literally spent in hell, Caden Butcher, 17, developed a special power. He can speak to demons in their own language. This new trick helps him take over the family exorcism business, from his broken alcoholic father. Having to take care of the finances, Caden makes a decent income getting rid of demons. He’s known as the young whiz-kid exorcist to the stars, obtaining most of his work in Hollywood. But what others don't know is the exorcisms are all staged with the help of his best buddy, a demon he met in hell named Dantalion (Dan).

When an exorcism goes wrong, Caden discovers the demon inside a teen girl is not the run of the mill malicious entity but an adversary from down under who is hell bent on Caden’s destruction. The International Order of Exorcists, an organization that tolerates Caden at best because of his respected father, starts their own investigation because of his screw up.

Now with the help of his demon buddy, and Caden’s girlfriend Aspen Spencer, a skilled necromancer, Caden must track down the rogue demon before he can expose Caden as a fraud and destroy everything that matters to him in his life, ending his reign as the one and only Demon Whisperer. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Demon Whisperer was a highly enjoyable novel and it was excellent. There are a few demon novels floating around and the ones I’ve read I have thoroughly enjoyed. Needless to say I thought that Demon Whisperer was such a good book.

I really liked the concept of Demon Whisperer and I really liked Caden. I thought it was cool how Caden was an exorcist; it’s definitely something different to the usual sort of Paranormal YA I’m used to. Not to mention the protagonist is a male. I really liked Caden’s voice too. He was so full of himself but he was also really determined to fix his mistakes which I really admired.

The supporting characters were all really awesome and I loved Dan and Aspen. I also liked the cat, I always have a fondness for cats and in Demon Whisperer I made no exception.

Demon Whisperer has excellent pacing and I had reached the end in no time because I just kept reading on. It was really good. The whole time events kept happening that would either make things worse or just a tiny little bit better. Of course, that’s how things are when you deal with demons. One minute they’re friendly and the next they are your enemy.

Overall, I think that Demon Whisperer is a really good book and the ending was not how I had expected it to be. I definitely can’t wait to read the sequel I just know it will be amazing. If you’re looking for a paranormal about something other than vampires or werewolves then you’ll love Demon Whisperer.

Source: Bewitching Book Tours

The Hermetica of Elysium by Annmarie Banks

2011-12-11T00:02:00.013+13:00

Title: The Hermetica of Elysium

Author: Annmarie Banks

Published: Knox Robinson Publishing, 8 December 2011

Pages: 400

Series: Book 1, Elysium Texts Series

First Line: " 'Nadira! Quickly! Get up!' "

Summary: 1494 Barcelona. As Torquemada lights the fires of religious fervor throughout the cities of Spain, accused heretics are not the only victims. Thousands of books and manuscripts are lost to the flames as the Black Friars attempt to purge Europe of the ancient secrets of the gods and the bold new ideas that are ushering in the Renaissance.

Nadira lives a dreary life as servant to a wealthy spice merchant until the night a dying scholar is brought to the merchant’s stable, beaten by mercenaries who are on the hunt for The Hermetica of Elysium. To Nadira, words are her life: she lives them as her master’s scrivener and dreams them in her mother’s poetry. She is pursued as passionately as the fabled manuscript for her rare skill as a reader of Ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic and Hebrew that makes her valuable to men who pursue the book to exploit its magic.

Kidnapped by Baron Montrose, an adventurous nobleman, she is forced to read from the Hermetica. It is soon revealed to her that ideas and words are more powerful than steel or fire for within its pages are the words that incite the Dominicans to religious fervor, give the Templars their power and reveal the lost mysteries of Elysium.

As Nadira begins her transformation from servant to sorceress, will she escape the fires of the Inquisition, the clutches of the Borgia pope, Alexander VI and the French king, Charles VIII? And will Montrose’s growing fear of her powers cause her to lose her chance for love? (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: When I first started The Hermetica of Elysium I was really enjoying it. It was a sort of historical mystery and it had a lot of fantasy elements that I found to be quite intriguing.

I liked Nadira, she was very intelligent and an interesting character. I have to say though that there was a bit of a jump in her character. One minute she was a certain way and the next she changed really dramatically and I hadn't really picked up on that change from the surroundings so I found it a little hard to follow.

I found the story line to be really intriguing. I wanted to know more about this book, what it does and why everyone covets it. There are definitely some very mysterious elements in there.

I also liked the magic. It wasn't there very much but it was there enough.

The one thing that I didn't really like was that I felt the plot kept going around in circles and it got a little repetitive.

Some of the characters were really cool too. I liked both William and Montrose as I thought they were both unique to the story and added their own sort of voice into the story.

Overall, I though that The Hermetica of Elysium wasn't too bad. I think if you like fantasy novels set in a historical setting then you would enjoy this book.

Source: Knox Robinson Publishing for Review

Guest Post with Nancy Di Fabbio

2011-12-09T11:06:00.022+13:00

Today I have a guest post with Nancy Di Fabbio, author of Midnight Magic.

For the Love of Horses

You know those annoying people who talk incessantly about their kids, their cat, dog, last vacation, etc? I’m one of them, but in my case, it’s all about horses. I’m pretty adept at insinuating this topic into any conversation even when I know my audience is sick of hearing how absolutely, positively, unbelievably adorable my horses are. Sorry; but just like any addict, I find it hard to curb my impulses.

Eventually, I couldn’t ignore the glaze clouding the eyes of even my dearest friends as I recounted the latest antics of my little Morgan. I realized that if I didn’t want to be banned from family gatherings or find my friends heading for the hills the second I appeared, I’d have to find another outlet for my obsession. Luckily, I have horse friends—the best friends of all—who don’t ever get tired of talking about horses.

My non-horse-loving sons think “horse women are crazy” and I always vigorously challenged this perception until one of my horses had to go to the hospital. There, I discovered that perhaps there was a mote of truth in this sentiment. My trainer called me one evening to report that my horse, Beau, had stepped on something in turnout. Initially, there didn’t seem to be any damage to his hoof, but within two hours, it was burning hot and he was obviously in agony. The vet prescribed a trip to the equine hospital ASAP.

Of course I gave my consent and headed off to meet them there. When I rushed into the examining room, it seemed perfectly natural for the vet tech to ask,“Are you Beau’s mom?” (Boy, that would have been one memorable delivery!) It seemed equally sane and sensible to see visiting hours posted in the waiting room. I felt all warm and fuzzy knowing that my horse and I were in friendly, “crazy” hands.

Writers are told to “write what you know”, so it was perfectly natural for me to incorporate my love of horses into my work. Although I graduated with a degree in early childhood education, I never pursued a teaching career. However, I do enjoy sharing the life lessons I’ve learned. I wrote a comprehensive how-to for budding equestrians, entitled, Saddle Up! – And Live Your Dream, which is scheduled for release in Spring 2012. It’s a compilation of everything I’ve learned about riding, handling and caring for horses for over twenty years. I also write a children’s column about the exploits of my herd. Each of the “Tales from the NEIGH-borhood” shares a bit of information about horses, a horsey adventure, and a moral about friendship, trust, self-esteem, etc.

After spending 30 years designing and creating wedding gowns, I realized I had plenty of advice to share with the newest generation of brides-to-be. Taking a minor break from the horse theme, I wrote Quest for the Dress, to help women find their dream gown “without losing their sanity, friends or groom”. But as soon as that book was released in April 2010, I was back to work editing my first novel, Midnight Magic – Be Careful What You Wish For! Admittedly, this is my favorite project so far. I wanted to reach all those fellow horse-lovers I haven’t yet met—especially girls and adolescents who dream of having their own horse, just as I did. I added a bit of magic and mystery to this modern fairy tale, coupled with strong female role models, hoping to entertain and inspire my readers to pursue their own dreams and aspire to be all they can be.

Thanks so much Nancy!

About Midnight Magic:

Rummaging through her grandmother’s crowded attic, Mattie unearths a mesmerizing antique painting of the first Morgan horse ever bred. When a gorgeous, mysterious stallion appears at her grandmother’s pond for a twilight ride, Mattie can’t believe her luck. Intrigued by this wild horse, she sneaks out nightly for magical rides in Nancy DiFabbio’s mystifying novel MIDNIGHT MAGIC: Be Careful What You Wish For! (September 2011; iUniverse, $25.95). In the small town of Gull’s Nest, there has always been a whisper of something supernatural surrounding the women in Mattie’s family, making Mattie wonder if the meeting is pure coincidence. Or has her constant wishing and praying for a horse awakened powers that may have brought the painting to life?

This modern-day fairytale follows the journey of an ordinary girl as she develops into a confidant equestrian. Through her love of horses, Mattie embraces the elements of healthy living – eating right, exercise, and self-worth. DiFabbio deftly juxtaposes this positive message with a hint of Mattie’s mystifying talents, offering entertainment as well as a relatable role model for young readers.

Harald Hardrada: The Last Viking by Michael Burr

2011-12-08T11:56:00.031+13:00

Title: Harald Hardrada: The Last Viking

Author: Michael Burr

Published: Knox Robinson Publishing, September 2011

Pages: 295

First Line: "It is Yuletide in Nidaros, Norway in the year of our Lord, 1066."

Summary: In the dead of night, a band of Vikings ravage a lonely convent on the Brittany coast –and their fearsome leader makes a decision that will eventually lead to his downfall.

Ranulf de Lannion is fifteen years old. Crippled, deformed and abandoned by his family to the charity of the convent, he is seized by the Vikings during a midnight raid. Contemptuously nicknamed 'The Scraeling" by his captors, his future appears grim.

Harald Sigurdsson, or 'Hardrada' as he will come to be known, is the leader of the Viking band. A violent mercenary with designs on the throne of Norway, Hardrada abducts The Scraeling on a whim.

Ranulf grows into an invaluable asset, smoothing Hardrada's path over their thirty-five years together from mercenary to commander of the Varangian Guard, all the way to king of Norway.

But all is not as it seems in the heart of Ranulf de Lannion. Having sworn secret revenge upon Hardrada for the murders at the convent, he vows to end the day of the Viking forever. When the king of Norway launches an attack against the Anglo-Saxon throne of England in 1066, what role will The Scraeling play in bringing the age of the Viking to an end? (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: I started reading through Harald Hardrada and I found myself taking ages just getting through the first few pages. I think by about page 50 I was really struggling with the book because I thought it was a bit boring. However, it reached a point a little after that where things started to get really interesting.

I have to say that before I read this book I didn't know anything about Harald Hardrada so it was definitely a learning experience for me.

I thought the story line was really interesting. I thought that all of the events that occurred were really intriguing and I enjoyed reading about them. The Scraeling was an integral part of the story as well as Harald so it was really enjoyable in that sense.

I think that my biggest issue with the book was the way it was written. It jumped back and forth between perspectives of who was telling the story of Harald Hardrada and it was done in a way that I found to be a little awkward to follow.

Harald Hardrada: The Last Viking surprised me a little bit in that it didn't really show the glorified Viking warriors that you usually see; instead it shows them in more of a gritty sort of way. There are some scenes of rape and violence which are quite detailed so if you're not really interested in reading about that then you'd best avoid this book. However, I would say that it does depict the sort of attitudes at the time really well.

Overall, I thought that the events in the book were really interesting, I just wasn't a fan of the writing style. Which made this book an alright sort of read for me. However, if you're a fan of historical fiction, in particular Norse fiction with a political theme then you would enjoy this book.

Source: Knox Robinson Publishing for Review

Hushed by Kelley York

2011-12-07T11:50:00.027+13:00

Title: Hushed

Author: Kelley York

Published: Entangled Publishing, 6 December 2011

Pages: 260

First Line: ' "I feel that suicide notes lose their zing when they drag on too long." '

Summary: He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Hushed sounded like it could be a really amazing book, or it could be a book that sounded amazing but was executed poorly. Luckily, Hushed happened to be a brilliant novel.

I was sucked into the story from the first page. I just absolutely loved Archer and I couldn't get enough of him. I sided with him straight away and you just really felt for him. I wanted to jump into the book and look after him. Kelley York did an amazing job at portraying Archer as a hurt character.

Then you have Vivian, and Vivian is a person that you just hate. I couldn't stand Vivian. I hated the way that she treated Archer and then later on in the book she just became this really awful person.

After that is Evan, I loved Evan. He is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I love how caring he is. I also love that he isn't perfect but he is one amazing guy. I loved the relationship between Evan and Archer, they're so good together and you just really want them to have a happy ending.

I think that one of the biggest thing that makes this book so brilliant is that all the characters are flawed and have big issues. It's more how they deal with the issues that's the problem than anything else.

I must admit that as I got deeper into the story I was starting to get really scared about how the book would end. Archer is going around killing people and things are starting to get out of hand. You just can't help but feel like there can't be a happy ending for Archer; but I know that I really wanted there to be a happy ending for Archer and for Evan.

I have to say that the ending was a really good one. It was realistic and I absolutely adored it.

Overall, I would say that Hushed is an absolutely brilliant piece of writing. There's so much complexity to it that you get sucked along into Archer's deep darkness and you want to bring him out with you. Hushed is more on the darker side of books but it is so well done that I encourage everyone to read it.

Source: NetGalley

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

2011-12-05T11:43:00.014+13:00

Title: Shattered Dreams

Author: Ellie James

Published: St. Martin's Griffin, 6 December 2011

Pages: 352

Series: Book 1, Midnight Dragonfly

First Line: " 'I heard this place is like ... haunted.' "

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She isspecial. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt's doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she's seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica's disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica's ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Psychics have always fascinated me and psychic murder mysteries are always things I absolutely love. I loved both the psychic and the mystery element about Shattered Dreams. What I didn’t like was the way the characters interacted with each other and their actions.

The psychic part was done absolutely brilliantly. It portrayed Trinity in a light where you could see that she was a psychic but at the same time you couldn’t help but wonder if she was a little bit crazy and the lines between reality and fantasy started to blur together so that you didn’t really know whether Trinity was actually the bad guy in this or if she truly was just having these visions.

As for the mystery part. It was really good too. Was Jessica just playing a prank on people; playing a game? Or did someone nab her? It’s quite hard to tell. I know that I latched onto a certain character and hoped that it was them that was the bad guy. In a way I was right but I was also wrong. I don’t want to spoil anything but you just have to read it to find out.

The one thing that just really irked me about the book was how the characters acted. I felt like in so many of the situations that Trinity was in that she acted in the exact opposite way that I would have. Then there was Chase and his name really suited him because that’s what he did for most of the book. Chase Trinity, chase the past, chase the bad guys. I just found him to be kind of annoying in that sense. Then there was Amber. Now, Amber was meant to be a drama queen and a bitch but she just did it so over the top that I found it really frustrating. There were just so many characters that got to me that it dragged the story down a little bit for me.

Aside from my not liking the majority of the character interactions I was intrigued by a couple of characters and I would like to know a little bit more about them.

Overall, I thought that Shattered Dreams was really good. It was just the characters acting like they do in the cheesy horror movies that annoyed me a little bit. However, the mystery and psychic aspects of the novel really drew me in and they were brilliant; so I’m definitely going to be looking out for the next book in the series.

Source: NetGalley

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

2011-12-03T10:15:00.014+13:00

Title: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: Harlequin Teen, October 2011

Pages: 361

Series: Book 4, The Iron Fey

First Line: " 'Oy, Ice-boy! You sure you know where you're going?' "

Summary: To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Ever since reading The Iron Queen I have been desperate to read this book because I just had to know how things were going to pan out. Needless to say, I endured the months of waiting and it was well worth it in the end.

The Iron Knight was just as amazing as the first three books and as a person who absolutely adores Ash I loved getting a whole book all about him; I loved learning all about his life and the things that he had done in the past.

The Iron Knight was awesome with its returning characters, such as a certain cat I just love to pieces and then there are also some new characters that definitely added to the mix.

I loved the story line itself and reading about Ash’s adventures and seeing how he couldn’t do it alone was really interesting. I really wondered if there would be a way for Ash to get back to Meghan but in the end, well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

I feel like I could go on forever about how much I adored this book and how it along with the others are one of my all time favourite series but really, all I can say is, The Iron Knight is a great ending to a great series and if you haven’t read these books yet then you are definitely missing out.

Source: NetGalley

November Wrap-Up

2011-12-01T11:09:00.015+13:00

Well, it is really hard to believe it but it's the last month of 2011 already. I have no idea where the time has gone to be honest. So this post is just a quick wrap-up post for November. NaNoWriMo is over and now I have more time for reading. But in saying that I managed to get quite a lot of reading done in November. The books that I read in November are:

1. Nate the Great Goes Undercover by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

2. Watching Grandma Circle the Drain by Allen Smith

3. Enchanted by Rachel Wells

4. Supernatural Fairy Tales by Dorlana Vann

5. Hardy Belch and Tiny Return by William G. Bentrim

6. The Start-Up by Sadie Hayes

7. The Anti-Social Network by Sadie Hayes

8. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

9. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

10. Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

11. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

12. In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

13. Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart

14. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

15. Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

16. Croak by Gina Damico

17. Demon Whisperer by Tawny Stokes

18. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
19. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
20. Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
21. The Wicked Good Stepmother by William G. Bentrim

Which is really awesome. I'm hoping that December will be just as good.

Our 450 followers contest is over. So we will be picking winners later today and emailing you guys later.

I think that's about all I have to say other than keep an eye out for a lot more reviews in December!

Hardy Belch and Tiny Return by William G. Bentrim

2011-11-29T10:42:00.013+13:00

Title: Hardy Belch and Tiny Return

Author: William G. Bentrim

Published: Bearly Tolerable Publications, 2009

Pages: 148

Series: Book 2, Hardy Belch

Summary: The Adventures of Hardy Belch chronicle the exciting and unbelievable adventures of a normal 12 year old boy and his 240 pound telepathic dog. Hardy and Tiny (his best friend and dog) find themselves in many predicaments but as a team and best friends they always end up helping others. Combining mystery and humor each story is written to entertain, and highlight the value of friendship, planning and selfless actions. (Taken from Goodreads)

Thoughts: Hardy Belch and Tiny are back! This time they’re getting into some crazy adventures.

First we learn the story of Tiny’s parents and how he got to be known as Tiny. The next one was about Tiny and Hardy finding and befriending a dinosaur. The next two stories/chapters were about mysteries, history and treasure hunting.

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. The adventures were really fun and the book was sprinkled with a healthy dose of humour that had me grinning from ear to ear.

I think that Hardy Belch and Tiny Return is a really great book and I always look forward to reading William G. Bentrim’s books. Fingers crossed there’ll be another volume of Hardy Belch and Tiny’s adventures.

Source: William G. Bentrim for review

IMM: November Books Edition

2011-11-27T02:02:00.021+13:00

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi, The Story Siren. It is a weekly feature where book enthusiasts showcase the books they got in the mail, from bookstores, from the library or anywhere else for the week. However, I have been doing mine monthly to encourage myself to buy less books until I get my tbr pile under control.

After last month's huge book haul I'm quite relieved that I didn't get too many books in November.

Here are the books I received in November:

The Jinx by D. F. Lamont

13-year-old Stephen Grayson's run of bad luck gets so bad he worries he is endangering his family. Fearing he is cursed, he flees home to protect his family, only to find that he is in the middle of a tug-of war between a cult obsessed with order and misshapen monsters known as “Chaons” who seem bent on hunting him down.

Drayling by Terry J. Newman

Twenty-fifth century Drayling, and Britain as a whole, has benefited greatly from advances in technology and medical science, and life in the Graves' household, and in those of their friends and colleagues, is secure, clear and very content. The desire and need for clarity, truth and order has motivated communities to live in harmony, abandoning any potentially controversial aspects or ways of life, including all religions, in favour of a modern civilised society that upholds order, simplicity, honesty, love and honour as its ideals. (Taken from Goodreads)

Code Blood by Kurt Kamm

CODE BLOOD takes the reader into the world of emergency medicine, the science of stem cell research, and the unsettling world of blood fetishism and body parts. The book is an edgy L.A. Noir thriller.

Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a car accident. The victim dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman and what happened to her missing foot?

Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her foot. A week long search leads him to a dark side of Los Angeles—into an underworld of body part dealers, underground Goth clubs and a stalker. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals, which can only lead to death—but who is the victim? (Taken from Goodreads)

These three books have been ones that I kind of put off getting until I saw these covers of them and fell in love so I got these books:

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

And that was my month in the way of books. Can't wait to see what everyone else got!

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

2011-11-25T01:51:00.022+13:00

I'm trying to keep on top of my 2012 challenges as one of my main goals of 2012 will be to tackle my horrendousy large tbr pile. This challenge has come around at the right time. This is my sign-up post for the challenge.

This challenge was created by Evie at Bookish. You can check out the sign-up page here.
Dates: 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Challenge Levels:1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children
Seeing as how I'm really serious about wanting to kill my tbr pile I'm going to go with 31-40 Love at First Sight, if I think I can manage it I may change to Married With Children at a later date.
Hosts:Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvieNicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions
I'll list the books that I read as I go for this challenge and link up my reviews when they're posted. Wish me luck!
Books read:1. Scar Night by Alan Campbell2. Flidderbugs by Jonathan Gould3. Haunted Love by Cynthia Leitich Smith4. Cardsharp by Paul Westmoreland5. Everblossom by Larissa Hinton6. Immortal by Gillian Shields