**Notice** Due to transfering back from a godaddy hosted wordpress blog back to blogger, reviews published before june 2017 don`t all have a pretty layout with book cover and infos. Our apologies.
Hey guys!
Another new meme for you =)
This one was inspired by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
I am a big fan of Photography and in this feature, I will present you some pictures that I absolutely love!
Please note that I do not own any copyrights on these images, and I will link to the artist to give them all the credit they deserve!
My dear Readers! I have the pleasure to introduce you to the lovely Mari Mancusi!
The 4th book in the Blood Coven series, Bad Blood, will release on January 5th, make sure to check it out!
How would you describe Blood Coven series to someone who haven't heard of it yet?
The Blood Coven series stars two twins who are identical on the outside, but very different on the inside. Rayne wants to be a vampire more than anything. She’s networked, been on waiting lists, taken a certification course—everything! But on the night she’s meant to be transformed, the vampire who is supposed to bite her accidentally bites her twin, Sunny, instead. Now Sunny, who had no idea the vampire world even existed up until now, has a week to reverse the transformation—or become a creature of the night, forever!
They are so many vampire stories out there, how does your series stands out?
While mine still has its share of romance and angst, it also keeps a sense of humor. It’s lighter in tone than some of the darker stories out there. Kind of like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series.
The first 3 books were released in 2006-2007, and the fourth one will release in 2010, was it originally suppose to be a trilogy?
I always wanted to continue the series, but the publisher had stopped publishing YA fiction for a while. So the fourth book was put on the back burner until early 2009 when they decided to go back into publishing YA. Now I’m hoping to be able to continue the series past book #4. This is already happening in Germany. They’ve already published Book #4, Bad Blood, over there and are publishing Book #5 next summer.
Can we expect more books to come after Bad Blood?
As I mentioned above, I’m writing Book #5, tentatively titled Night School right now for the German market. We’re hoping to get it published in the US as well. For contract reasons, we won’t know for sure until January or February.
I LOVE the new covers, why did the publisher (I'm assuming it was the publisher's decision) decided to release reprints with new covers? Are you happy about that?
The old covers were cool, but kind of dated looking. When the publisher decided to re-release them, they wanted to give them an updated feel. I was more than happy about that, especially when I got my first peek at the covers. They’re gorgeous!
You are also working as a television producer, how do you manage to juggle with both careers simultaneously?
I never sleep! Haha, just kidding. I actually wake up in the morning to write two hours before work. Then I go to the “day job” and write more during my lunch hour. It’s not easy, but I’m lucky to love both my careers so that makes it bearable!
What's your favorite aspect of both careers?
My day job as a TV producer is fun cause I get to learn a little bit about everything. I get to meet lots of celebs, learn about the latest fashion trends, see beauty treatments first hand, etc. etc. It’s like living in the world of a woman’s magazine!
But I would say writing is the nearest and dearest to my heart. I love to tell stories. Plus I love interacting with readers who love my series and characters as much as I do.
I read you love video games, what's your favorite?
I was totally addicted to World of Warcraft, but had to give it up cause it was such a time-suck. Right now I’m playing a game called Dragon Age Origins. I love RPG games like that. I guess my favorite videogame franchise of all time would have to be Final Fantasy.
WOW I was also totally addicted to World of Warcaft, I played for 5 years but stopped earlier this week.
What's your all time favorite vampire book?
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. A classic.
A bit morbid, but if you had to choose, what would be written on your grave mark?
Good question. I’d like a really gothic, romantic looking tombstone. Maybe with just my name on it and nothing else. I’m all about the beauty of simplicity.
What's the last movie you saw on the big screen?
Paranormal Activity, which I did not care for at all. I much preferred the movie I saw before that – Zombieland. Was hilarious! And I’m probably going to see New Moon as soon as the crowds die down a bit!
GIVEAWAY!!!
Marianne generously offered a price for a lucky reader!
This is your chance to win a SIGNED COPY of ANY of Mari's books!
Yes, yes you heard me right!
You can pick any books you want written by the lovely Mari Mancusi!
Betrayals, the second book in the Strange Angels series release on Nov 17th, and when I posted my review I was looking for a trailer. I couldn't find one for Betrayals but I found a good one for Strange Angels, the first book in the series.
If you haven't started this series yet, you need to run to your bookstore and get copies!
Click to find my reviews of Strange Angels and Betrayals .
First of all, I am only 8 followers short of 300 so I wanted to announce that once I hit 300 followers I will have a MEGA giveaway with 3 winners and tons of books! and.. this contest will be INTERNATIONNAL!
And like it wasn't enough, Mari Mancusi will be on my blog very soon, so stay tuned to learn more about her and your chance to win yet another fabulous price!
Alright now down to business!
I was lucky enough to be awarded a few awards, so now it's time that I spread the love!
The Heart Felt award was given to me by the awesome Angela from Dark Fearie Tales, her blog is fairly new, but it's a must see!
“Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you’re relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy ? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside.”
This Week I chose to put the spotlight on a series I absolutly adore!
The Shifters series by Rachel Vincent!
I don't think any words can describe how much I LOVE that series, and how excited I am about the next instalment, Shift (March 2010).
Product Description (From GoodReads.com):
Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.
As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.
With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option...
"We all screamed. The van swerved. I rocked violently from side to side as Dodd tried to control the vehicle. And I could only stare at the bolder deeply embedded in the hood, pinning the thick canvas it had been carried in.
The van swerved left. Dodd over-compensated. We swerved right, and I braced my good arm against the dashboard. Dodd swerved again. The van careened off the road and smashed head-on into a trunk at the edge of the tree line.
For a moment, there was an eerie, shocked silence. Then Des started screaming.
I took a second to assess my injuries—a single, rapidly forming lump on the side of my head—then twisted to check on everyone else. “Are you guys okay?”
Manx nodded, dazed, one hand patting the screaming infant. Kaci peeked up from behind the backpack in her lap, and after a moment of consideration, she nodded too. “I think so—”
That’s when Teo’s door was ripped completely off the car."
I mean, how am I gonna wait until March??? And how gorgeous is that cover?
I can't wait to see what's gonna happen next in Faythe's life!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
-Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
I am currently reading Fade Out by Rachel Caine, if you like her stay tuned for an interview in the near future!
" "Freak," she sighed. "I heard that!" "Good." Claire sawed through the ropes on the next-to-last box.
It Exploded. "
"“If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee. That’s what we do.”
When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.
So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.
The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand. Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...." -Book Cover
Second book in the Soul Screamers series, My Soul To Save won't let down any expectations. This book takes place a few weeks after the end of My Soul to Take, and we follow Kaylee, Nash and Tod in another weird adventure.
We get to learn more about the bean sidhe/reaper world, but also a lot more about the Netherworld, where creatures we've never heard of lingers. Kaylee only got glimpse of that world, hidden from human sight, in her previous adventures, but what's waiting for her will be whole new challenge. She must overcome her fear, put her life at stake, to save souls from eternal damnation. Easy enough right?
I really like the reality Rachel built for us in her Soul Screamers series, and it's great to learn everything there is to know, along-side with the main character. Her description of the decor and emotions is very vivid and gets you suck into the story right away.
And what could I say about the characters? Nash is the perfect boyfriend any girl could hope for; strong, affectionate, caring and dead-sexy (not in a vampire way =P ). Tod is rather unique, I am very fond of him actually. With everything he is been through and his odd way of seeing life and death, he's a very interesting guy, and he always surprise us! Kaylee's so full of good intentions she would do anything to do what she thinks is right, she's playing this whole new reality by ear, she's smart and audacious. I especially like how we only get glimpse of her reflections until the event unfolds quickly.
If you haven't picked this series yet you really need to. Soul Screamers is an original Young Adult Fantasy series, full of mysteries, action and just the right amount of love to sweeten the pot!
The free prequel is available for download at Rachel's Website. Click here to get it!
Hey guys! Another new meme for you =) This one was inspired by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
I am a big fan of Photography and in this feature, I will present you some pictures that I absolutely love! Please note that I do not own any copyrights on these images, and I will link to the artist to give them all the credit they deserve!
Before getting to serious buiness, would like to thank The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every weeks =)
This week was kinf of special, I didn't receive any review books and didn't buy any.
I got the following books for helping a blogger with her layout:
The Way of Shadow by Brent Weeks
Street Magic by Caitlin Kitteredge
Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill
And I got this book out of the blue.. I have no idea where it comes from, I didn't win any contest and request it and it didn't seem to come from a publisher either. Anyway I am not complaining *winks*
" Poor Dru. Her parents are long gone. Her best (okay, only) friend Graves has been bitten by a werwulf. And she just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. Now Dru's strange and handsome savior, Christophe, has her hidden away at a secret Schola for djamphir and wulfen teens. Trouble is, she's the only girl in the place. The really bad news? Dru's killer instinct says that one of her schoolmates wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . ." - Book Cover
Fast-paced, action-packed, full of mystery and hidden secrets, you won't be able to put that book down!
Betrayals is the second engagement in the Strange Angels series and while I liked the first book, I LOVED the second book.
First book ends when Dru gets to the Schola and the second books picks where we left off, Dru is in a Schola full of delinquent djamphir and wulfen teenage boys, and even though Christophe promised she would be safe there, something is wrong.
Teachers won't let her learn fighting tactics, they won't teach her and explain her anything about the whole wulfen/djamphir/suckers/svetocha community and she finds it rather odd.
This book is all about mysteries and lies, secrets from the past and.. betrayals =P
I was really pleased with the characters in that book, Strange Angel kinda fell short for me in that department, but not this time around! Christopher is awesome, even though he isn't present very often he always makes a big impression. The wulfen and djamphir boys also have very interesting personalities, and different opinions and reactions toward Dru. Also Graves grows a lot in that book, he really isn't the skinny goth-boy anymore while Dru loose her tough girl facade to reveal a wounded and scared girl.
I had a very hard time put the book down because you really want to know more, and even after finishing the book I still feel that way. My questions aren't answered and it's killing me!
I want to know what's the entire deal with Christophe, how does he relate to Dru's mom? What's going on within the order? Why is Dru so special? Hopefully Jealousy (June 2010) will answer those questions!
I decided to start this new meme to show you some great book trailers available, and I am starting with one of my favorite series: Shifters by Rachel Vincent
Pride (3rd book in the series)
Unfortunately I couldn't find good trailers for the other books =(
This week I chose to introduce to another debut novel that sounds totally awesome!
And Falling, Fly
By Skyler White
Product Description(from the author's website):
Olivia is a vampire bored with modernity. Tattooist, boyfriend, black-metal singer: everyone you don’t love tastes the same. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O’Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions.
When his research and her despair collide in Ireland’s L’Otel Mathillide – a subterranean hell of beauty, demons and dreams – rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and damnation that threatens to destroy them both.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
-Grab your current read -Open to a random page -Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page -BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) -Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
I am currently reading Betrayals, by Lili St-crow.
It's the second book in the Strange Angels series, I hope this teaser ill urge you to buy those books!
"He collided with the sucker like a runaway freight train, a crunch that echoed between the fog-hung trees. The sucker let out an amazing, blood-chilling howl. They rolled over and over, hitting and spintering trees, bones and teeth snapping."
In Celebration of the upcoming release (Nov. 17th) of Shadowland, third book in The Immortals series, Alyson nicely accepted to stop by my blog and answer a few questions =)
How would you introduce your Immortals series to someone who haven't heard of it yet?
The Immortals series is the story of Ever and Damen, two star crossed, teenaged soul mates who travel through time and battle against bitter enemies so that they can be together—only to be thwarted every time happiness appears within their reach . . . though they won’t let that deter them!
Would you describe the main characters with 1 word? No cheating =P
Destined!
Shadowland is the third book of the series to be released in 2009, were they all written before you presented them to the publisher or you write that fast?
When I first sold it to my publisher, I’d only written Evermore, but I write pretty fast (it’s really all I do!) so I was able to release the first three books in the series this year.
If you could chose any historical period to live in, which would it be?
Renaissance Italy—a time of amazing art and innovation—though I could really do without the poor sanitation!
You were a flight attendant for many years, what's your favorite destination and why?
Hmmm, my most exciting/exotic trip on my own was Marrakesh, Morocco . . . and as a flight attendant I loved laying over in Stockholm, Dublin, Paris, Barcelona . . . anywhere in Europe really as they’re all amazing cities, and I could never pick just one!
Where are we most likely to find you at 11pm?
Turning off the TV and heading for bed!
You favorite brand of cereals?
Organic Scottish oatmeal.
What's the most crazy thing you ever did?
Ziplining through the cloud forest in Costa Rica. I’m terrified of heights and it was one of the most exhilarating, terrifying, amazing things I’ve ever done! (And I will never do it again!)
And because you asked for it so nicely on your website, Bono's on line two, he says he wants to take you to dinner. What should I tell him? *winks*
Tell him I’ll be dressed and ready to go by seven PM!!
Thank you very much Alyson! I really appreciate you taking the time =)
Feel free to stop by her website for more information!
I just hit my 10 000th visitors yesterday, so I decided to host another giveaway!
Please pay attention to the rules =)
-First thing you gotta do is fill the form Below
-You will earn 1 additionnal entry for every comment you post (max 1 comment per blog post), please avoid posting non-sense stuff or 1 word comments or I will ignore these entries.
-I will choose the winner at a random day between now and December 15th.
Open to followers only!
(click on the follow button on the right side bar if you aren't already)
When I pick the winner I will give them a list of book they can choose from, but if you like the kind of books on the button above, then you won't be disapointed!
" In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace-until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants-the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power? " - Book Cover
Carpe Corpus is the sixth round in the Morganville Vampires series, and battles will come to an end. In this instalment, Claire grows in more then one way and her relationship with Shane reaches a new level. I really enjoyed watching characters change, and Amelie finally came out of her shell, not for long, but still lol. We'll also get to meet Michael's parents!
Bishop might be owning town, or so he thinks, but the opposition is building strong in both human and vampires community, conspiracy at it's best is waiting for you!
I loved to finally discover how the Morganville network works, I have to admit it is pretty original =P A bunch of mysteries that have been hunting us from the past books were also resolved in Carpe Corpus, which is great!
Pretty much, A lot of great stuff in that book. If you liked the previous books, you'll love this one. If you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for? *winks*
Hey ladies =) You may notice that I tweek-ed my layout a bit, and there's a reason behind that. Some images I was using (randomly found on google image) had copyrights I wasn't aware of. So in that spirit I created a new banner/button and also a new IMM icon, with pictures I took.
If you have my button on your blog I would greatly appreciate if you would use my new button instead =)
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowen Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake
We are only 2 weeks away from New Moon release *happy dance* and I am now announcing the winner of the Twilight themed Charm Bracelet, generously offered by CharmFactory.com
Product Description: In this sequel to Wondrous Strange, Kelley Winslow finds her NYC acting career blossoming as she takes the lead in Romeo and Juliet. But she also finds herself desperately missing Sonny Flannery—who was forced back to the Faerie Otherworld, charged with a dangerous mission by Kelley’s father, King Auberon.
When Kelley finds herself thrown into the Otherworld following a deadly chase in Central Park, her passionate reunion with Sonny is cut short. Ancient magick is stirring, and a dangerous enemy has Sonny and Kelley caught in a web of Faerie deception that could tear their love apart.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
-Grab your current read -Open to a random page -Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page -BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) -Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
I am cheating a little this week, the book I chose isn't the book I am currently reading, but in honor of Once upon a week.. over at Not Nessie's blog I choose to tease you with an excerpt of The Cinderella Society!
"Every time something embarrassing or horrible or stressful happens, stop and ake five slow deep breaths. THen ask yourself the "five" questions: Will this mater in five hours? Will this matter in five weeks? Will this matter in five years? You'd be surprised how things that seem earth-shattering at the time don't even pass the five-week test. It puts things in Perspective."
The Cinderella Society will release in April 2010. Don't miss out!
