Fairies in My Fireplace by R. L. Naquin

FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE is our third novel-length outing with Zoey Donovan, empath, aegis, and wedding planner. Her world has changed a lot since we first met her in MONSTER IN MY CLOSET (my review here) but it's not a bad thing. Her life is much richer now that she's discovered the world of the Hidden. Sure, there have been problems but the Leprachaun Mafia has nothing on the enemies Zoey and her friends face in FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE. In fact, Naquin has a blog post up on the Harlequin site that explains just how much she's ramped things up this time around. But you don't have to leave our lovely site to get the scoop because I am ready to dish!

Monster Haven is a six-book series and you can really see things start to get bigger in FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE. We learn a lot more about the bigger picture in this one since all of the Hiddden are threatened. Goblins, faeries, aegises, they're all disappearing and no one knows why. Zoey's property is overrun with Hidden refugees and she decides to investigate. What she finds was something completely unexpected, for Zoey and for me. Naquin takes the story in a neat direction and I'm curious to see what the longer-term ramifications are. There are some super interesting developments in the last third of the novel -- which I obviously won't discuss here -- that have me eagerly anticipating the fourth novel in the series even though it's not out until next year.

We see some great character development in this book, especially for Maurice. He's always been a lovable character but we see a tougher side of him in FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE. Don't get me wrong -- he's still sweet andnurturing but we also get to see a fairly badass version of our favourite closet monster. He really steps up to the proverbial plate for the good of his friends and the rest of the Hidden. We also get to see new aspects to some of the other characters in the series, like Iris the skunk-ape. We also meet a cool new character, a djinn named Kam. She quickly became one of my favourite Hidden folk. I think you'll find her backstory to be quite interesting.

FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE is another fun read in her Monster Haven series. If you liked the first two books, you should definitely get this one as soon as possible. If my post intrigues you but you're not familiar with Zoey and her merry band then I would suggest going back to the start and picking up MONSTER IN MY CLOSET. I don't think FAIRIES IN MY FIREPLACE would be a good place to start since there are a lot of characters and history to take in.

Read an excerpt

Thornhill by Kathleen Peacock

THORNHILL was one of my most anticipated releases of Fall 2013. Kathleen Peacock's HEMLOCK was one of my favorite YA debuts last year, and I couldn't wait to see what else she would come up with. I greedily dove into THORNHILL as soon as I received it and while it didn't wow me as much as its predecessor, it was still a decent sequel, and it definitively kept me interested in the story. HEMLOCK was more of a murder mystery/thriller with paranormal elements, but this sequel was more of an in depth look on how being a werewolf can turn your life upside down.

The story picks up exactly where it left off, with Mac running away from her hometown, chasing after Kyle, the boy she loves. As a newly turned werewolf, Kyle feels that the small town life isn't the right fit for him, especially since everyone would eventually find out about his lupine disease, one way or another. He thinks running away to Denver would be safer for everyone, especially Mac who he doesn't want to involve in his werewolf life. Jason, another boy that has a not-so-secret crush on Mac follows her to Denver, to make sure that she stays safe and doesn't get into too much trouble. The trio find themselves yet again in an odd love triangle and in a mystery that could affect everyone's lives.

What's I find really interesting about this series is how people truly believe that being a werewolf is a disease. The shift being something werewolves need to be cured from. The general human population believe that it's unacceptable to have werewolves living among them, going to school with their children, to the point where the government has created prison camps where all werewolves are shipped to, without having done anything--simply because they have been singled out as a werewolf. Thornhill is one of these camps. However, it does seem to be different from the others so far. First, it only houses werewolves under 18 years of age and second, some mysterious experiments seem to be happening within the wall of the prison. Like I said, the general human population really believes werewolves can be cured from the Lupine Syndrome, even if it takes imprisoning minors for simply being themselves.

When Kyle is captured and sent to this camp, Mac feels obligated to follow him into Thornhill in order to find a way to escape together. I'm not exactly sure why she absolutely wants to stay in the camp when she can reveal to her jailors that she's human and could be sent on her merry way, but I imagine it's her allegiance to Kyle--and her conscience--that makes her stay. The help they get in this jail is really unexpected, and I won't reveal too much because I'm not the spoiler type, but you can definitively look forward to meeting someone unexpected.

While Mac is the main character and a great narrator, I think my favorite character in this book is Jason. His one-liners and his sarcastic comments offer unexpected comic relief during somber scenes. His faithfulness to his best friend Kyle and Mac allows him to redeem himself, after being so adamant in Hemlock to help rid all werewolves from society.

While this series is really becoming a great werewolf story, what makes it so great is Kathleen Peacock's ability to throw in real life lesson into the mix. The prejudice against werewolves is something we can all relate too. Obviously not the werewolf part, but prejudice in general. Whether we've been a subject of prejudice or we've been guilty of judging other people based on appearances, we've all been there at one point or another in our lives. I think children and teens are even more subject to it so it's really appropriate to find it as a theme in this YA series.

I love the feel of this series, the darkness and secrecy surrounding the characters and the setting. It's mysterious enough to keep you interested, yet it reveals enough throughout the books for you to be comfortable with the story. It's definitely a series I'll keep reading and Kathleen Peacock remains on my auto-buy list after gaining the spot with HEMLOCK.

Stacking The Shelves [75]

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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I've been going through my shelves, trying to track down any books that I've acquired since the last time I did a Stacking the Shelves post, and imagine my shame when I found only two!

But no matter, because they both actually sound like they're going to be REALLY good.

The first is Sick by Tom Leveen. A zombie horror novel. Always awesome!

The second book I received was Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelly Coriell. The tagline reads "A girl dies, but her bucket list lives on." Sounds interesting for sure!

I'm looking forward to reading both of these - as they are both set to release in October. Thank you Abrams for the ARCs!

So what have you added to your shelves this week? Share with us in the comments below and link up your Stacking the Shelves posts!

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A Clockwork Heart by Liesel Schwarz

Despite what everyone thought, Elle did get married after all, and with the handsome Lord Greychester. It doesn't make her a tamed wife though, and she's still very much determined to take flight again. Her passion will get her into trouble with her husband though, and the price might very well be both of their lives. Is it a price she is willing to pay to persue her dreams?

I wasn't completely pleased with the first book in the series, A Conspiracy of Alchemist, and I am afraid to say I still feel the same about this second installment. It definitely has it's good points, and some strong basis, but there are some small elements bothering me and I can't quite seem to overlook them and simply enjoy the ride.

The first thing I liked is that even though Spark and Clockwork is still very much present in this novel, it wasn't as overbearing as it was in the first novel. I also liked the general plot line and where it's going, but there are some flaws I need to point out.

First, there is a strong cut between two parts of the novel, so much so that the first part seems to be very accessory and serve the only purpose of having Elle away from her husband for him to get himself kidnap. See, the first part of the novel is about both characters trying to adapt being together, Elle wanting to persue her passion for flying, him wanting her to stay home. She leaves for business, wins a ship over a game of cards, comes back, then leaves again to fix said ship and that's when her husband vanishes and the plot really starts. The whole thing felt like 'filling' to me and the whole winning the ship thing felt totally unnecessary. The author made a big deal out of the guy she won it from, and the only thing we see from him is at the end for a simple line. I just didn't get it.

Another thing I didn't like was how the Consortium was brought in without much explanation, or did we learn about them in the previous book and I simply forgot? The whole business of their hiring La Dame Blanche was kind of shady, and I was really curious about her plans (and obsession) with Marsh. And yet, we never got to find out what they were, which I found rather frustrating.


I liked Elle's determination to save Hugh and I commend her for giving it her all. I thought she was being very naive at times and I wished she didn't banish (or had at least re-called) the voices of the past oracles because it would've saved her a lot of trouble. It was nice to see Loisa again, even though I thought she came off as somewhat weak for a vampire.

There is a completely new and unexpected brand of zombies in this novel and it's one of the highlight of this novel. Schwarz brought to the table a very interesting concept and I have to give her kudos for that.

The conclusion, just like for the first book, felt rushed and it left me breathless, but not in a good way. There is a lot happening at same time, in too little time, with people getting out of nowhere. It just didn't seem plausible at all. Emotionally though, I was really heart-broken by the way things ended, and hopefully the characters will get their Happily Ever After in the next installment. I'm afraid to say though that I haven't decided yet if I will read the final book in the trilogy.

Read an Excerpt

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

I've been sitting on this review for a while. And by that, I mean since the day after this book came out. It's hard to say good-bye to a beloved series, especially one with a love triangle that makes you so attached to both sides. I dreaded reading this book because I knew that one of my two favorite love interests ever would have to lose the fight, and I didn't want that to happen.

Because of this, this review is going to be slightly different than my usual ones. It's hard to sit here and analyze the characters because they're all amazing and awesome. Will is just as passionate and fiery as ever. And Jem is never short of superb. Together, the two of them plus Tessa literally cause you emotional trauma with this book. I'm telling you, read at your own risk. Break out the tissues and bottle up all of your emotions because they'll explode with this one. While I've struggled with recent installments in Clare's Mortal Instruments series, she's held me captive with this one and has even turned it into a favorite of mine. And for that, I have to admit, I'm very happy she took advantage of our emotions and connections to the characters to take us on one last roller coaster ride. The character growth in this one because of the do-or-die decisions they had to face was extremely well done.

But what I want to focus on is the ending. Who doesn't, really? I have to say that I'm very satisfied. I seriously dropped the book and gaped like a fish and shed a few tears in those moments leading up to the end. It broke my heart into pieces and then put it back together. I have to say that it's both lovey-dovey and hurtful. It's sort of perfect. It's not an extreme happily ever after, but it has remnants of it. While I can see some readers hating it, I can see others loving it. I just considered it to be rather perfect regardless of whatever team I'm on. Hell, regardless of your team I guarantee that this ending will be satisfactory.

With that being said, the ending did leave me with one major question. There's this huge revelation with a character that shall not be named and when asked what exactly happened we got one of those responses that said he'd tell us later. Of course, since this is the last book, we can't find that out. Which means that Clare is most likely writing another series after this. And while my curiosity is extreme in this one regard, I won't be continuing onto that series. I love these characters and I don't want to see them overused to the point of annoyance. Instead, I'll just sit here and stew that she threw perhaps one of the biggest plot twists ever my way and didn't bother to explain it, instead optioning to take the easy way out. That, my dear friends, is one of my very few issues with this book.

In the end, I say give it a try. I have enjoyed this series more than her Mortal Instruments series. While littered with cliches and not consisting of complex writing, it is very easy to connect to the characters, overall super enjoyable, and it's a great ride. Definitely my favorite piece of Clare's work thus far.

Crudrat

I have some exciting news to share: Gail Carriger is (hopefully) coming out with a new YA sci fi project called Crudrat!

What is Crudrat, you might ask? According to the website and press release, Crudrat is an original full-cast audio production of an original story from the talented Ms. Carriger. The only catch? It doesn't exist yet. Chapter 1 is complete but Carriger and ArtisticWhispers Productions need to raise $7,000 through Kickstarter to make it happen.

Crudrat may not be the expected Carriger blend of steampunk, humour, and fantasy but it sounds really good and I'm definitely intrigued. Check out the blurb below, taken from the website:

Welcome to The Wheel

The Progenitors of The Wheel live high up above the sky, amongst the stars, removed from the petty concerns of mere mortals. Each one designed, engineered, perfect; their imperfect children get left to die.

Ghosts. Cyphers. They do not exist. A lucky few, the Crudrats, scrape out a perilous living cleaning the toxic wastes from the great machines that power the station.

Meet Maura. Cypher. Crudrat. Grown too tall, alone in a spaceport with no use for her, doomed to starve. With only her crud-eating murmel and an alien monster to help her, she must find a way to survive, or escape, before they catch her and blow what’s left of her life, and her companions, into space

From the mind of Gail Carriger, ArtisticWhispers Productions presents a young-adult adventure tale that brings golden age-style science fiction into the 21st century, stuffs it full of heart, and gives it a finely polished, gleaming edge.

How cool does that sound? It's very different from what we usually get from Carriger but I think it will be delightful. If you're not as sure, you can get a sneak peak at Chapter 1 by signing up for the newsletter. You'll be taken to a super sekrit page once you've signed up.

The Kickstarter campaign will be starting on October 1 and run until Halloween. I'll put up another post once the Kickstarter link is available. Get excited, y'all, for a very different (but hopefully just as awesome) Gail Carriger tale!

*Not book related* A chance to try my favorite makeup ^^

Hey guys!

This is totally not book related but my favorite eyeshadow store re-opened after being closed for over a year and they have an amazing opportunity to try their products for free and I wanted to share the news with you!

The company is called Orglamix and I'm simply crazy for their products!

If you wanna try it, visit the website and there is this  image sayin' Try Orglamix For Free, click it.

You'll see a 10$ price tag when adding it to your cart, and you'll have to pay it, BUT you will get a 10$ Gift Card for your next purchase :)

She also has a pretty amazing deal right now called 'Goodie Bag' and for only 35$ you get 10 (!!!) random eyeshadow. I would purchase it without second thought if I didn't already own over 85 shades and was bound to get doubles hehe. There's also goodie bags for smaller quantities of eyeshadow, the discount is just not as impressive.

Let me know if you decide to give them a try!

Here's an image of a challenge I completed with them back in 2010. Every look was created with their colors :)

Charming by Elliott James

The quick version: I loved this book. I wanted to read it so badly the instant I saw it online, got crushingly rejected for an eARC on Edelweiss, but then managed to get one through Netgalley, which I promptly devoured because CHARMING is six kinds of awesome. There is outstanding worldbuilding, intricate and well-paced plotting, and a host of characters you will instantly engage with (love 'em or hate 'em).

The long version: There's something extra delicious about a début author. You really don't know what you're going to get. In the case of CHARMING and the Pax Arcana, you get an interesting new urban fantasy world filled with Knights Templar, vampires, Valkyries, bar fights, dresniks, and damsels who may or may not be in distress. There's a love triangle of sorts but it's not the focus of the story. Instead, you spend the pages of CHARMING getting to know one of my favourite new UF protagonists, John, an immortal half-werewolf raised by the Knights Templar to be a monster hunter until they realized he was indeed supernatural. Now, they want him dead because, you know, abomination and all that. And even though John's in hiding, he's still forced to protect the world from dangerous supernaturals thanks to a geas put on him as a Knight as part of the Pax Arcana.

John does tortured hero very well but he's not the brooding type, thank goodness. He definitely has a grudge against the Knights Templar -- and with good reason -- but he doesn't let that stop him from doing what's right, even though getting the Knights' attention is the last thing he needs or wants. Plus, CHARMING wouldn't be much of a story if John took off the moment things got dangerous so it's good that he sticks around and gets sorely abused for his sense of duty.

The rest of the characters are just as interesting as John. Sig, the blonde who walks into the bar in the first chapter, is more than she seems and he knows it. She's a smart, capable woman and I loved her interactions with John. From the first, they are equals and their encounters are very interesting. Sig brings with her a motley crew and I was quite fond of half of them. You're not really supposed to like the other ones so don't feel bad for the instant dislike you'll feel for some of her team. :) Perhaps the best character in the book is the villain. I won't say much but I will say that this character has a big, menacing vision and it felt like the stakes (vampire pun!) were substantial and real. Plus, smart folks make the best villains since you know that things are going to be challenging for the good guys.

James also does a great job of creating a sense of place in CHARMING. I love the series mythology he's developed. The Pax Arcana is a really cool idea and I'm very curious to see how it plays out in future stories. I also love how he's incorporated real world history, like the Knights Templar and the Crusaders, and shaped them to form the magical background for the series. There's a lot of potential for growth and surprises and I can't wait to see what and who else John will encounter.

It's been a while since I've read a book that truly captured my attention from the first page the way CHARMING did. You will be full of the feels as you read this novel and your last feeling is going to be sadness because you won't be ready to let go of these characters when you hit the final page. James is a strong new voice in urban fantasy and I can't wait to read John Charming's next adventure. Definitely my favourite début of the year!

P.S. Love the t-shirt on the cover! I didn't notice the cross until after I finished the book. This is a damn fine cover. :)

Read an excerpt

Allegiance by Beth Bernobich

I've been a huge fan of this series right from the start, when I read Passion Play, the first of the trilogy, a few years back. It's a truly fascinating fantasy world that makes you want to know more about the characters and the kingdoms, despite already having lots of information about them. What makes this trilogy so interesting is the number of strong female characters that are not only admirable, but also authentic. It also has wonderful world building, and the fact that it tells the story through generations of reincarnations makes it that much more interesting.

Ilse has been the main character since the first book, and for such a young woman, she's been through quite a lot. She went from a weak merchant's daughter to a strong and intelligent fighter. Her role in the political and silent war brewing in the kingdom is a minor but important one. What I admire the most is her ability to survive hardship after hardship, and despite her magical knowledge, it's not something that she can fully depend on. In my mind, that makes is so much harder for her to achieve her goals and in a way, makes me admire her so much more.

Raul Kosenmark is without a doubt my favourite character of the trilogy. Not only because he makes such a wonderful hero, but because he's any unlikely one too. He uses intelligence, deceit and secrecy to achieve his goals instead of brute strength. Sometimes his decisions are a little bit confusing and dangerous, and sometimes they aren't necessarily the right ones, but his focus is always on bringing true peace to his country. His relationship with Ilse is an unlikely one but their love for each other seem realistic and genuine. They've been apart for most of the trilogy and you can't help but want to speed things up to bring them together once again. Their own personal missions to prevent war has physically sent them worlds apart but Raul's main reason of separating himself from his love is to protect her from danger.

One thing that is a little confusing about this novel is the amount of characters that keep being added, even as the end of the trilogy nears. Not only are they more or less important, but the story is actually being told from their point of view. The shift away from the main characters, Ilse and Raul, can be frustrating and confusing, but over all, the addition of all these characters does add depth to the story.

Allegiance takes you on an adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. As one king dies, another wants to take advantage and gain more power and control, which can only mean war and death. I can't believe this is the end of the trilogy. It just feel like there could be more to the story, that more tales about the world could be told. I hope Beth Bernobich will be able to write more about her fantasy world and more about Ilse and Raul. I haven't read many high fantasy series but I can honestly say that the River of Souls trilogy is high on my list of favourite fantasy novels.

Stacking The Shelves [74]

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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Hello, lovelies! Jenn here for Stacking the Shelves this week.

It's been a month since I last posted so I have some nice books to share. I've actually had some self control the past few weeks and am trying to read through what I've got so the list is pretty short. As always, an asterisk means it's an e-book. I'm sure excited about all of the review books, and APOCALYPSE COW. My review for CHARMING will go up on Monday is coming up on Monday and you'll see the other two some time in October. I'm in the middle of MY LADY QUICKSILVER and it's pretty awesome.

For review:

Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson*
Charming by Elliott James*
My Lady Quicksilver by Bec McMaster*

Bought:

Burn with Me by R. G. Alexander*
Omens by Kelley Armstrong [Steph's review]
Shadow of the Wolf by Dana Marie Bell*
Deception Cove by Jayne Castle
Standoff by Lauren Dane*
Chosen by Benedict Jacka
Charmed I’m Sure by Elliott James*
Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan
Wither by Yolanda Sfetsos*

So, what did you add to your shelves this week?

Please share your STS posts in the linky. :)

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Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Now that Auranos is under the control of the tyrannic King Gaius everything has changed. Enemies suddenly aren't the same, and our youth's focus and missions swiftly reoriented. Everyone, even his own wife and son, want to see the King fall. Will his strong grip and merciless actions be enough for him to keep control?

I am a huge fan of Falling Kingdoms, the first novel in this series, and despite Rebel Spring being a good installment it somehow found itself in the 'not as amazing as the first book' dreaded category. I think the main reason I felt this way is that Rebel Spring is one big transition and there is no clear goal or achievement to reach for this story arc. Yes, there is the ultimate goal of finding the Kindred and defeat the King, but it has become the goal of this series, not an achievable goal for the short term window that is Rebel Spring. All our characters take actions toward this goal, and we get some answers, but ultimately, there no possible victories in this novel and it's slightly disappointing.

Despite its weaknesses, I truly enjoyed reading Rebel Spring. I love the fantastical world Morgan created and the vividness of her characters. Once again, Rhodes blessed us with alternative point of view between multiple characters (including some watchers, the Queen and the King himself) and it definitely adds a richness to the story. I always enjoy seeing how the perceptive on a same situation is different from one character to another, it brings additional depth and nuances to certain key scenes.

Our heroes are faced with interesting situations once again, and I'm afraid to say more deaths awaits them (Morgan couldn't refrain now, could she?). [spoiler]Magnus & Cleo are getting married[/spoiler] and I felt terrible for them, I kept hoping this connection would bring more to their relationship, and I keep my fingers crossed that it will have an impact in the following book. Jonas is more ambitious then ever and he is willing to put aside his feud with Cleo to reach his new objective. He scared me on many occasions and I'll let you discover why! Lucia has a really passive role this time around because she's in a coma most of the novel, but after some shocking revelations at the end of Rebel Spring, my hopes for her are really high and I hope her actions will benefit the 'good'.

Rebel Spring was a great novel and delivers promises of an even better installment. I disliked it's strongly transitional atmosphere (can I even say that?), but overall, it didn't impair my enjoyment. High fantasy lovers definitely want to pick up this series. Magic, mysteries and death awaits you in those pages, and you won't regret jumping on the wagon.

Hunter's Heart blog tour giveaway

Today we're hosting a tour-wide giveaway for J. D. Tyler's Hunter's Heart tour. It's a very exciting giveaway, with a grand prize of a signed set of the Alpha Pack series (4 paperbacks) and four runner-up prizes of a signed book of the winner's choice from the Alpha Pack series.

Not familiar with the series? Well, here are the books!

Founded by a group of former Navy SEALS, the Alpha Pack is a top-secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers tasked with eliminating the most dangerous predators in the world. But the gift of their abilities comes at a price…

After a massacre decimates half his team and leaves him crippled, Jaxon Law must relearn how to fight—and battle the anger and guilt threatening to overwhelm him. But when he rescues a beautiful woman who reawakens his primal instincts, Jax is unprepared for the dangers that lie ahead.

On the run from her employer, brilliant lab assistant Kira Locke has evidence that leads the Alpha Pack on a hunt for someone targeting human civilians with Psy abilities. And as Jax and Kira circle both the killer and each other, Jax will have to decide if the deep connection he feels with Kira is worth breaking the ultimate shifter rule—because bonding with Kira means putting his abilities at risk, and they might be the only tools he has to keep his mate alive…

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

An original Alpha Pack novella featuring the sexy sorcerer and panther shifter Kalen Black…

Recruited by the Alpha Pack, Kalen Black is still very much a lone wolf. But when a paranormal creature threatens the life of Dr. Mackenzie Grant, Kalen must use all of his abilities to rescue her. This brush with death excites a passion between them, and after a night of intense pleasure, Kalen leaves Mac with a mysterious gift that just might save her life again.…

Purchase: Amazon

A group of former Navy SEALS, the Alpha Pack is a top-secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers combating the greatest dangers in the world. But sometime those dangers are more intimate than they bargained for...
 
After a mission goes wrong, Aric Savage is taken prisoner. Half-dead and despairing, he makes a stunning discovery: his Pack mate Micah Chase, who was reported dead, is a fellow captive. When the Alpha team goes into full-rescue mode, accompanying them is an absolute stunner with sable hair--and a spine of solid steel.

LAPD officer and Psy Dreamwalker Rowan Chase has one priority: her brother Micah's recovery. Still, she can't help but be drawn to Aric, the ruggedly handsome wolf shifter who pleasures her as no man ever has--however fleeting their affair is destined to be. But when Aric's life is endangered, Rowan must ask herself what she's willing to sacrifice in the name of love, for the man fated to be her Bondmate.

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Ever since he saved Dr. Mackenzie Grant's life, panther shifter and sorcerer Kalen Black has had trouble keeping the beautiful doctor out of his thoughts, and his heart. The brush with death awakened an intense passion between them--one that for the first time had the notorious loner letting down his guard.

With the Alpha Pack battling an evil Fae who is slowly gaining control over Kalen's mind, Kalen can no longer trust his own actions, and he breaks off his affair with Mackenzie in order to keep her safe. But when Mackenzie learns that she is carrying Kalen's child, no amount of danger will keep her away from the man she loves. To be with his mate and unborn child, Kalen will have to unleash the full fury of his power, and risk destroying them all...

 Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

A group of former Navy SEALS, the Alpha Pack is a top secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers combating the greatest dangers in the world. And when the battle gets personal, their wild side is unleashed….

Ryon Hunter sees dead people—spirits that beg him for help in ways he can’t understand. He’d do anything to end the torment, until a beautiful spirit appears to him with a plea he can’t ignore: Help me…I’m alive. The woman is wildlife biologist Daria Bradford, mortally wounded after encountering a white wolf, calling to Ryon through a rare Psy gift.

When Ryon locates Daria in the Shoshone National Park, it is almost too late, but nursing her back to health at the Alpha Pack compound brings a new complication—Daria is his destined mate, and Ryon is afraid of what will happen when she discovers what he is, and what he had to do to save her life. But the biggest threat of all is still loose in the forest, leaving a merciless trail of death behind it. The Alpha Pack goes on the hunt for the mysterious white wolf, determined to stop the murderous rogue… only to find that the most lethal creature of all is the one they can’t see coming…

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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Grand Prize:  a signed set of the Alpha Pack series (4 paperbacks)

Runners-up:  FOUR (4) runners-up will receive a signed book of choice from the Alpha Pack series

Check the Rafflecopter form for restrictions/details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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J.D. Tyler is an award-winning, multi-published author who writes for New American Library under three pseudonyms. Whether this is due to an overdose of ambition or a multiple personality affliction, she’ll never tell.

J.D. writes dark, sexy paranormal romance and has a huge thing for shifters, vampires, the Fae, and just about everything else that goes bump and grind in the night. She can’t get enough of those dangerous supernatural heroes, and the fun of creating her own was just too much temptation to resist… so she didn’t. J.D. doesn’t do self-denial.

When she isn’t writing, J.D.’s idea of a good time certainly isn’t cleaning house (sniff), bungee jumping (not in this lifetime, or the next), or camping (her idea of “roughing it” is a slow bellboy). She enjoys reading, being pampered like the diva she is, and spending time with her awesome family. She lives in Texas with her two teenagers.

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The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave definitely opens with a bang. I've heard it compared to Justin Cronin's The Passage - and I can see where people see that similarity. Much like in The Passage, The 5th Wave has dual POVs among multiple characters that seem to have nothing to do with each until it all comes together late in the book. For the first few chapters, I was completely captivated. Cassie's descriptions of the world and how it has all but ended were haunting. The way she described the desperation and desolation that the remaining humans faced was so realistic, it often had me feeling a little desperate myself.

Cassie was a strong character. Early in the story, she makes some decisions that are questionable - but she's still a relatable character. In fact, one of the greatest things about the characters in this story are the ways in which they are all so realistically flawed. They struggle, they make mistakes, they will drive you crazy - but they'll also come to feel like your friends. As though you're right there with them, one of the very last surviving humans on Earth waiting for The Others to finish it off once and for all.

Unfortunately, the pacing in The 5th Wave disappointed. Even though it had a kick-butt start, the dual-POVs and excess of details really slowed down the action for a huge middle chunk of it. Huge amounts of The 5th Wave take place in the character's minds and memories, which is all well and good, except that it hindered the action. Although it all did pick up by the end, I'm not sure it fully made up for all the time I felt I had invested in the backstory and build-up. I'd be interested to read upcoming books in this series, now that the lion's share of the world and character building have been laid out.

Be warned, The 5th Wave ends suddenly. This is even more so accented by the fact that the last 30-some pages of the book are actually a preview of another Rick Yancey title. Nothing wrong with that in theory, except that it made the ending feel that much more stunted and unexpected.

Soapboxing: When is it time to say goodbye to a series?

When is it time to say goodbye to a series or an author? When I find a series or an author that I like, I get really invested in their books and characters. I want them to do well and I want the stories to be consistently wonderful. I don't think that these are unreasonable expectations, especially since I've never met an author who set out to write a deliberately terrible story. But although I wish for lots and lots of time with my favourite characters and series, I also think there's definitely a time to say goodbye to them. There comes a point when all of the best stories are told and characters should get their final story. It's good for the author, who gets to start working on something fresh, and it's good for readers, because there's nothing worse than stale storytelling.

So, when is it time to let go of a series? How do you know it's the end?

I've been thinking about this question a lot lately.Many of the series I follow have hit the double digits now, which is an amazing accomplishment. There are lots of talented writers out there but not everyone hits the 10 or 20 book milestone with a series -- some by their own choice but also some because of publisher decisions. For some authors, the double digit marker signals a revitalization of their world and characters but, for others, the length of a series begins to drag the books down.

Some series keep getting better and better as they go (or at least maintain the same level of awesome as in the earlier books). Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series kept growing and changing and I was right there with her until the final page of THIRTEEN. Sure there were books I liked less than others *cough* PERSONAL DEMON *cough* but I loved the world and the series as a whole. I thought she did a great job of wrapping up existing storylines and I really like how the final three books read together. I hope she'll revisit the world one day but it's okay if she doesn't. I have thirteen wonderful novels and an assortment of novellas to read over and over again. And if she does pick up the pen for this series again, I'll be the first in line to order book #14.

Jennifer Estep is another favourite author who's about to double digits with her Elemental Assassin series. If you follow the blog, you've seen me wax poetic over Estep's writing so you know I'm a fan. One of the things that keeps me interested? The characters keep evolving and the series-arc mysteries keep coming. There were a couple moments in HEART OF VENOM (book #9) where I felt like the pacing was very similar to earlier books in the series but I'm super excited for the tenth book, THE SPIDER, because it's kicking the series in the pants. Estep is taking us back to Gin's early days, and showing us how she became the Spider. With the next two books after that, we'll return to the present time and the mystery of M. M. Monroe but I think the flashback book will give the Elemental Assassin back some of the freshness and really spark some new reader interest.

I'm still completely hooked on Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series even though both of these series have progressed well past 10 books each. Singh keeps things fresh with new protagonists for each book, bringing back our favourite couples as secondary characters. Butcher keeps Harry Dresden on his toes in such creative ways and in an ever-expanding universe so I don't think I'll ever get tired of his words. I'm sure you guys can think of some other great long-running series that still have you as hooked as they did from the first page of that first book!


There are also some excellent shorter series that have ended or will end because the author has decided to stop. Jeaniene Frost's Cat and Bones books, for example, will end with UP FROM THE GRAVE. I'm not really a Cat and Bones fan (I'm sorry!) and I know there are tons of readers out there who are saddened by this news but you have to think positively. Frost is ending the series on her own terms, which means you'll get a kick-ass final novel for the series. Sierra Dean's Secret McQueen series will also end after seven novels (though that 's still a ways away), Rachel Vincent ended her Shifters series with ALPHA (book #6) and Soul Screamers with WITH ALL MY SOUL (book #7), Ilona Andrews closed off The Edge books beautifully with STEEL'S EDGE, Vicki Pettersson said goodbye to Joanna in THE NEON GRAVEYARD (book #6), Richelle Mead ended the Vampire Academy and Dark Swan series with a bang...The list goes on and on. And what have we gotten after the end of these series? More beautiful books in creative new worlds. After completing Faythe and Kaylee's stories, Vincent gave us the amazing Unbound series and her upcoming work sounds just as interesting, Frost has her spin-off series so you haven't truly said goodbye to Cat and Bones, etc. And there's definitely something to be said for a really tight trilogy like The Hunger Games.

On the other hand, there are series that have gone on a bit too long for me. I've talked before about how the Sookie Stackhouse books have really lost me. I haven't even bought DEAD EVER AFTER yet. I'm waiting until it's in the bargain pile for $5 because I'm not that interested in the end of Sookie's story but I want to have the complete series. (I'm a completionist.) And I keep buying Chicagoland Vampire and Anita Blake books even though they don't capture me the way they used to. Again, completionist, and the hope that these series will recapture their former glory.

So, what do you guys think?

What's your favourite long-running series? Are there series you can't stop reading even though you think they've gone downhill?

Soapboxing is our platform for talking about books and book-related topics that matter to us. Soapboxing posts may be rants, they may highlight awesome or terrifying trends, or they might tackle bookish issues on our minds…
The content will vary but the posts will (hopefully) never be boring!

Twilight Hunter by Kait Ballenger

TWILIGHT HUNTER has gotten a lot of attention around the blogosphere -- in fact, it was seeing the cover everywhere that sparked my interest in the series. Having read TWILIGHT HUNTER, I can see why people are into it but the book is not without its flaws.

As always, let's start by accentuating the positive. The worldbuilding in TWILIGHT HUNTER is really well done. The idea of the Execution Underground -- this band of hunters of the supernatural -- really intrigued me. They basically vigilante their way through life and seem to be the bogeymen of the supernatural world. Members of the Underground are human, except for Jace, who's been hiding his supernatural heritage, with good reason considering how mean his boss is. (Damon easily wins the award for least favourite team member here.) They're basically Batman, complete with neat toys and a secret liar, but minus the butler. It's a great premise for a series and I really enjoyed getting to know Jace and his teammates. I have a real soft spot for Shane (got to love those athletic academic types!) and I was really touched by David's backstory.

There's also some cool werewolf mythology in TWILIGHT HUNTER. The bulk of the lore comes up in the latter half of the novel so I won't go into it in detail here but I was quite intrigued by Ballenger's take on werewolves. You'll see what I mean when you get there but it's almost impossible for me to write something that adequately describes it without blowing the surprises out of the water. So I'm going to leave it here, with this: the quotation at the start is there for a reason.

Another great aspect of the novel is Frankie. She's a kick-ass heroine and I loved her loyalty, her smarts, and her determination and commitment to doing right while being true to herself. She's a modern woman in a traditionally male role as leader of her pack and there was never a question in my mind about her ability to run her wolves properly. It's just a given -- Frankie is awesome. She doesn't want to bow down to tradition that would see her mated with someone she doesn't feel romantically about, which is a strong stance to take when she physically and socially must mate once a year. Luckily, she happens into Jace and, as a part-shifter, he qualifies for the Mate for the Year award, even though he doesn't know it.

As a side note: I really didn't enjoy this part of the story. Female werewolves in Ballenger's world have this estrus cycle, which means that, once a year, Frankie turns into a super horny chick who MUST. HAVE. SEX. Doesn't matter who's there, as long as it's a werewolf. Biology takes over and she must do the deed. Jace, to his credit, asks her if she means it when she says she wants him, even when he's succumbing to the pull, but this part of the story (and this is in Chapter 4 so I don't think it qualifies as a spoiler) wasn't my favourite. Frankie's rational mind has been overtaken by her need to have sex and it's one of those blurry lines in romance that make me very uncomfortable. She's very clear about the fact that she has no interest in a mate -- and has left town every year to avoid it -- and so it was hard to get past the fact that Frankie was out that night specifically to avoid mating, and she ends up doing the deed with a stranger.

In fact, there's a lot of angry sex in this one. I mean, (a) there's a lot of sexual content in TWILIGHT HUNTER but (b) Jace is an angry dude. He has a lot of issues stemming from his family background and it sometimes manifests in some very ugly ways. If you prefer romance novels that fade to black, you should avoid this one.

Before I wrap up, I do want to say that the cover is really eye-catching. It's got an instantly iconic feel and I want to send a shout-out to the creative team at Harlequin, who did an amazing job with this cover!

The take-home message of this post: TWILIGHT HUNTER is the first novel in what could be an excellent series. There's a lot of promise in the characters and the worldbulding and I definitely want to see where Ballenger takes us next, even though there were aspects of the story that didn't work for me. You should try the excerpt and let me know what you think.

Read an excerpt

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

To tell you the truth, I was kind off afraid to read OMENS, this first book of Kelley Armstrong's new series. At first, when I got it on release day, I was going to jump right in but something made me hesitate. I don't know. Maybe it was a sign that I should read the book leisurely instead of rushing into it? One thing's for sure. As a fan of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, I really wanted to love Omens. And you know what? I actually ended up really liking it.

Fans of hers were probably as weary as I was of this series. After ending such an amazing series last year, I just didn't want this new Armstrong book to fail. So what I did is read it with an open mind. I made sure not to compare OMENS to Armstrong's other books, like so many people compared J.K. Rowling's Casual Vacancy with the Harry potter series. (I'm not trying to compare J.K. Rowling and Kelley Armstrong. I'm just using Rowling as an example.) What you have to understand, though, is even if OMENS doesn't contain werewolves and witches, it does still contain a lot of supernatural elements. They might be more subtle but I think that's what makes the book so interesting. You need to keep reading to find out what it's really about (or you can cheat and use the Easter eggs Armstrong embedded in the text as a cheat code, if you're too impatient). What's more, unlike J.K. Rowling, the audience is the same and you're not shifting from a MG/YA book to an adult book. I think what Armstrong did, is simply take a genre that she both loves and appreciates, changed the general themes, and expanded a little by adding suspense/thriller motifs.

It's a suspense/thriller under the guise of a paranormal book. Or vice versa. I'm not exactly sure how to describe the genre. If you're not a fan of either genre however, obviously you won't be compelled to read it, but if you're remotely interested in either, you're in for a treat. Personally, the mish-mash if genres works well for me because I'm a fan or both and to say the least, it makes quite an original novel that might just defy categorization. I think Armstrong is holding back and isn't revealing much at this point, but as the series progresses, I believe more paranormal elements will surface.

Cainsville is a mystery onto itself. As a small town, about an hour's drive away from Chicago, it's home to some peculiar characters. While most of the book is spent away from Cainsville, everything seems to gravitate back to it. There's obviously still a lot to learn about the small town and I can't wait to find out more in the sequel. I think it's the air of mystery that surrounds the town that makes it so attractive.

I wasn't too crazy about the main character, Olivia, at first because her reaction when she learns that she's adopted was little over the top. I'm not exactly sure how I would react if I learnt that my biological parents are actually serial killers, but I know I wouldn't necessarily run away from my life, like Olivia did. In the end, I think moving to Cainsville is actually the best thing she ever did because it allowed to find herself and to stay clear of the Chicago press that might want to take advantage of her. Olivia's true strengths are her intelligence and her ability to conform to different situations. She isn't afraid of the new and that came in handy quite often during the book, especially as she was investigating the murders her parents allegedly committed 22 years before.

My favorite character of the book is probably Gabriel. The no-nonsense lawyer that forces his way into Olivia's investigation becomes an important asset in her quest to find the truth. As a native of Cainsville, he's a mysterious character himself, but as the story progresses, we realize that even if he's just looking out for his best interest, I think he really learns to care for Olivia. The two of them form a strange working relationship, but it works. And the scenes with them together are always more enjoyable.

After the book, you're left with many mysteries and Armstrong is probably holding back on purpose. I can't wait to find out more about Cainsville and what's next in Olivia's quest to clear her biological parent's names from the gruesome killings. I'm also anxious to see if Olivia will always be the main character of the books, or if the narration will switch from book to book like in her Women of the Otherworld series. Although I really enjoyed OMENS, I suspect it's not a book for everyone.

Read and excerpt

Find out more about Cainsville with this game app for iPad/iPhone/iPod

Stacking The Shelves {73}

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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Hey everyone! Happy Saturday! After a crazy Friday the 13th, it's my turn to Stack the Shelves this week. Most books I bought for myself , but I do have a few review books too. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and find the time to share your book haul with us this week.

For Review

Legend of the Highland Dragon by Isabel Cooper
The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin (eARC)

Purchased

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Omens by Kelley Armstrong
Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks
Gold by Talia Vance {Review}

What did you add to your shelves?

The burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Iolanthe has spent her whole life trying to protect her caregiver. He seems more and more insane and she does her best to cover his tracks after he has lost jobs after jobs. He keeps telling her she should hide her powers, no explanations what so ever, and his craziness finally make sense when the whole realm start chasing her after a lightning incident. Who would’ve thought she was supposed to be the greatest mage of her time?

I loved, loved, loved The Burning Sky! The world was vivid and extremely engrossing, and really, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! I have a confession to make, I haven’t read the Harry Potter books, but I’ve seen the movies and The Burning sky reminded me of them. Of course, both are really different, but I must draw a comparison. First, both heroes are prophesied to be really powerful and yet they don’t really believe in their own powers, though in The Burning Sky, that hero is female. While Harry leaves the human world to join the magic world, Iolanthe leaves the magic world to hide in the human world and both plots mostly happen in schools. While there is also magical incantations in The Burning Sky, there is also elemental magic and even though it can be trained and developed, the caster must be born with the talent. That’s where the similarities ends, but let me tell you, it makes for a pretty amazing playground!

Despite the common points, The Burning Sky isn’t just ‘another Harry Potter book’, it has a strong spirit of its own and will turn your world upside down. I particularly loved the characters. Iolanthe has always thought she was a level 3 elemental mage (which means she can manipulate 3 out of 4 elements), but turns out she’s a level 4, a rarity. Poor girl has always been a cast-out and I really felt for her. She has no idea she is special until Titus, prince of the Domain comes for her after she called lightning (something only legends refers to). Titus has trained and plotted his whole life for the day he would find the prophesied mage. His seer mother told him he would have to protect that mage to defeat The Bane (a tyrant supressing The Domain). Only Titus assumed Iolanthe would be a boy, which makes for some very funny situations. Titus really stole my heart from the beginning. He acts the part of a jerk to keep everyone at bay to fulfill his destiny which makes for a very lonely life. Deep down though, he is funny and caring on top of being super smart. He is dedicated to the cause and I admired him even though he had to lie and betray Iolanthe’s trust. The developing relationship between the two of them kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

The world-building was also extraordinary. There is a magic world, where Titus and Iolanthe were born. Even though Titus is the rightful Prince of The Domain, it’s under the control of Atlantis, its Inquisitor and The Bane. I really love the different types of magic, spells and potions. I wish there had been more description of this world, but since most of the action takes place in the human world, it makes sense that it wasn’t the primary focus. Humans are totally unaware of the existence of the magic world even though exile mages live amongst them. The story also takes place in the past which gives the story an historical feel I appreciated. On top of those two world, there’s also a virtual world our heroes can access via a book and it’s an integral part of the story. I loved it’s originality and it allowed much more flexibility to the plot, simply brilliant!

Speaking of the plot, I was totally engrossed by the quest to defeat Atlantis. I loved how our heroes trained and plotted and dodged the Inquisitor. The story was told in third person narration with alternating point of view and I loved that it allowed us to follow both heroes as individuals. They have different talents and personalities and it allowed them both to shine. The non-stop action and mystery made it really hard to put the book down and I’m sure you’ll agree when reading it. The conclusion was heart-pounding and I am terribly sad I will have to wait so long for the second book.

I urge you to pick-up this novel as soon as you can because I am convinced you won’t be disappointed. Magic, action, lovable heroes and a touch of romance, what’s not to like?

Read an excerpt

Reading at an early age

books have always been my daughter's favorite 'toys'. She has a chest full of toys, yet all she plays with are her books, and I'm really proud of her for that :)
Hopefully she'll keep that great habit growing up :)

I've been trying to film her reading for months now, but every time I get the blackberry out to record, she drops the book to steal the tablet. I was able to catch her unaware with my webcam though and I thought I would share this cute video with you!

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

It's always difficult to write a review for a book that you've been stalking for as long as I've been stalking Origin. It's hard to step away from your own sense of hype and excitement and really examine the book for what it was, which is what I'll try to do with this review. Opal and I got off to a rough start, but with that ending - whoa - I've been waiting on Origin for what feels like forever! So when I finally got my hands on it, I couldn't have been more excited. I had the same sort of experience with the first 1/3rd or so of Origin as I did with Opal - and that was just a general feeling of "let's get on with it, already". Not because anything happening was boring, just because I felt like I kept tripping over myself to try to get to the 'big reveal' that these last few books seem to thrive on.

For the most part, I did enjoy the dual POVs that switched between Katy and Daemon. Especially as the story progressed, I thought that it added a cool new layer to the story. Was I expecting a bit more from it? Sure. Normally when an author switches to a dual POV, it's to demonstrate the differences in how the characters are perceiving the same situation. Or to up the angst when the reader knows that one character is hiding something from the others, etc. (Imagine if we'd had Blake's POV in Opal - how incredibly tense would that have been?)

Instead, it was used as another device for us to see that all that Katy and Daemon think about are each other. And I love them as much as the next fan-girl, I really do, but at the end of the day, I get it - you're in love. You'll burn the world to save her and punch anyone that gets in your way, and all that jazz. I can't deny, there were some super sweet moments, but overall, I didn't feel that the dual POV really added much to the story. It was strange actually, because at first, I was completely riveted by Katy's experiences in jail - but towards the end, I really felt like her narrative faded and got a bit bland compared to Daemon's.

All of that said, much like Opal, by the time I got to the end of Origin, I was about frothing at the mouth for the next book. The Lux series has no lack of drama and high stakes, and I absolutely love that about it. Do I think Opal and Origin probably could have been combined to be one big, incredibly mind-blowing book? Yeah, probably. But I'm also okay with them as they are.

It probably sounds like I've got lots against Origin, but I really don't. This is a series that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and will continue to follow faithfully. Something about the way that the main characters, and even the secondary characters (looking at you, Archer!) are written will just have you falling in love with them constantly. I wish we didn't need to wait another whole year to find out how everything shakes out! Things definitely got downright chaotic by the end of Origin, and Daemon and Katy definitely have quite a mess to clean up.

One thing is for damn sure though, the last book in this series is going to be EPIC!

 

Read an excerpt

 



 

 

Giveaway: Overpowered by Mark H. Kruger

 Thanks to AuthorsOnTheWeb, we have an exciting giveaway for you guys: two (2) copies of Mark H. Kruger's new young adult science fiction thriller, OVERPOWERED.

The world’s safest town might actually be a deadly kind of dangerous. And Nica Ashley is about to learn the hard way.

Nica Ashley is accustomed to traveling the globe with her journalist mother, so when she gets sent to live in a small town with the father she barely knows, she’s in for a bit of a culture shock. Barrington prides itself on being a sleepy, family community with the lowest crime rates in the state of Colorado. There’s even a private security force run by Barrington Technology (BarTech) and a nightly curfew for all residents.

On Nica’s first day at school, she meets Jackson Winters and finds out he went from school superstar to living ghost after his girlfriend disappeared a few months ago. When Nica follows him out after curfew one night, they both witness a mysterious green flash—and the next morning the power has gone out and all the birds are dead.

But secrets are well and alive, and as Nica and some of her friends discover they now have abilities best described as “super,” they also realize that Barrington might not be so safe. And that BarTech is looking for them.

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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