Stacking The Shelves [135]

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 hope all  have had a happy Thanksgiving and are recovering from your turkey overdose!  This time around, my acquisitions are a bit more eclectic.  In genre, I got the whole Savannah Witch series (that I will make further posts on), an old Sci-Fi classic, Have Gun Will Travel along side some of my new selections like Blood Rites: Dresden Files 6.

The Line Book 1	The Source Book 2	The Void Book 3
Blood Rites Dresden Files 6By Jim Butcher	Who Goes There By John W. Campbell	Have Space Suit Will Travel by Robert A Heinlein

Out of genre, I have checked out a few more varied titles.

Legion Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson

The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero and Tom Sissel

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I loved the first Legion novella so when this second in the series came out I snapped it up right away.  I caught The Disaster Artist on sale and believe it to be a real find.   It's so odd, it has to be true.  I Capture the Castle was a book I used to 'clean my literary palate'.  It's nice to get into a story that is a bit more grounded in reality and helps me get more out of fantasy.

Last but never least....

The Lord of the Rings and bacon bookmark were for my son.  The sonic screwdriver (10th Doctor version) is mine.

 

 

 

 

 

What's new on your shelf?



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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Stacking The Shelves  22 People left their mark

Revenant by Larissa Ione

What would you do if it turned out you were not the person you thought you were for the last 5,000 years? Of course none of us will ever know, with our short life-spawn and all, but Revenant now has to deal with a whole new set of memories, a completely new nature, and he doesn't quite know what do it with it all. There's one thing he knows though, he would do almost anything to have the sexy Blaspheme in his bed.

Revenant, 'officially' the last book in the Demonica & the Lords of Deliverance series, proved to be a very satisfying read. Larissa Ione always delivers sexy, addictive and full of action reads and this title is no exception.

I haven't been particularly fond of Revenant in the past books, but I have always been curious. I must say, you can now enroll me on the Revenant-fan-girls wagon. He is dark, sexy, without an once of remorse, but he has principles. Or should I say he has one principle? You can wreck havoc all you want, but don't break the rules and don't lie. It's kind of funny that he won't blink an eye when killing someone, but don't you dare throw garbage on the floor if it's against the rules. I thought it was quite endearing, and makes total sense when you get to know his past. I really enjoyed discovering his personality, and I must confessed a pitied him at times. It must be really hard to deal with his situation, but he did it with his head held high.

Blaspheme was just as great. I really liked her spunk and how she could argument with the best of them even though she was sometimes scared shitless inside. She was resourceful, compassionate and determinate.  I loved that despite her half-demon side she was driven to do the right thing and would sacrifice her own well-being to protect others.

I really liked the story and how all the characters we love made an appearance. Blaspheme and Revenant faced some very difficult situations and I enjoyed witnessing them thread carefully and try to reach the best possible outcome. All the loose ends are wrapped-up nicely and I was very satisfied - and surprised- with how everything ended.

Even though Revenant is officially the end of the series, Larissa hints at something more in this novel, and provides a link to find out more about what's to come. The LINK is suppose to work in December 2014. I can't wait to see what it will reveal!

The Demonica and the Lords of the Underworld series are simply awesome, and I would strongly suggest paranormal romance lovers to read it. I joined late in the game and I have no regrets! Give me more!

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Posted by Tynga at 00:44

 angels, demons, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette, Larissa Ione, Lords of Deliverance, Netgalley, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Review, Romance  2 People left their mark

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

Unwholly is the second book in the Unwind trilogy, but I didn't feel like it suffered from "sophomore slump" at all.  (A quick word of warning: there won't be any Unwholly spoilers in this review, but there may be some spoilers for Unwind.  If you haven't read the first book yet, I highly recommend that you check it out.)  This dystopian series has a very, very unique plot to it.  The setting is a future America; an America recovering from the effects of the Heartland War.  This civil war was fought between those who were pro-choice and those who were pro-life.  The final outcome; the final "compromise;" is that fetal abortion is now illegal, but parents have the right to retroactively abort any unruly teens between the ages of 13 and 16.  These teens are not killed outright.  They are "unwound," and 99.4% of their bodies (organs + muscles + skin) are parceled out to hospitals to use on ill or injured people.  So if you have an accident and your leg is crushed, you can just go to a hospital and have a new leg attached.

Unwholly begins a few months after the end of Unwind.  Connor and Risa are still at The Graveyard, and Lev is under house arrest.  In Unwind, we saw a lot of character growth for Connor, and I feel like he's almost an entirely new person in this second book.  He's a great leader, leading by example instead of by order.  The Graveyard is running like clockwork, with more AWOL Unwinds arriving each week.  There are scenes early in the book where Connor is interacting with adults on behalf of The Graveyard group, and the reader can really see his maturity.  Where he was impetuous and rash and self-destructive at the beginning of Unwind, he is now communicative, mature, and reasonably level-headed.  I feel like Unwind Connor would have immediately gone out and started blowing up Harvest Camps, but Unwholly Connor realizes that the fastest, most violent path isn't necessarily the best one.

This book, like the first one, is told from multiple points of view, from both sides of the action.  There are some new characters that really help to advance the story and keep it from feeling like just a "bridge" book in the trilogy.  There's Cam, who is a teen who doesn't exist.  Risa comes into contact with him, and he brings up an entirely new facet to the debate.  (I know: what could possibly get more controversial than the idea of a future where parents can retroactively abort their teens?  You'll be surprised.)  He's another character who shows a lot of growth over the course of the book.  I love how Neal Shusterman introduces him into the story from his own point of view, so the reader isn't able to figure out at first exactly what's going on.  We're just as confused as Cam.  This also allows the reader to make up their own mind about Cam before reading what the world thinks of him.  There's also Miracolina, who is a tithe.  While parts of the story are from her point of view, we don't see too much from her, and by the end of the book she's still determined to be a tithe.  I feel like there's going to be a lot more of her in the third book.

Some folks are nervous about books with multiple points of view; worried that it will be hard to keep track of all the different characters, especially when the characters are in multiple locations.  But Neal Shusterman does this very well in Unwind and Unwholly.  I never once got confused about who was speaking or what side a character was on.  Each chapter is clearly labeled as to who is speaking, and the author weaves in little reminders of setting in each section to remind us of where the character is.  For instance, when the story switches from Risa in Hawaii to Connor in The Graveyard, there's mention of how hot Connor feels sitting under an airplane wing.  A very subtle reminder of where Connor is.

What about the romance?  Practically nil.  If you're looking to swoon, Unwholly is not really the book for you.  But there's ton of action!  And adventure!  And the plot of this book will definitely make you think.

Overall, I give Unwholly two enthusiastic thumbs up.  While I don't think it would work as a standalone, I highly recommend this dystopian trilogy (so far) to both teens and adults.  The well-developed characters and sensitive political debate regarding abortion will appeal to deep thinkers of any age.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Dystopian, Neal Shusterman, Publisher, Review, Simon and Schuster, Unwind, young adult  Leave your mark

Desert Bound by Elizabeth Hunter

In the middle of nowhere, there is a small town with a big secret.  They work hard to keep this secret from getting out to the rest of the world.  The death of a local man recently returned to Cambio Springs brings about not only the concern of a killer in their midst but, the fact that many inhabitants aren’t always human may become more widely known.  This gives Dr. Teodora “Ted” Vasquez and Alex McCann more to deal with while also tending to family problems and their on again/off again romance.

This story has the elements that could make for a very good story.  Romance, paranormal and murder mystery in a small town. For me, it’s all about the story telling and this book did that well.  I liked the way the story progressed over all.  It moves much as you might expect a mystery/romance to without being predictable.  There are just enough red herrings and false trails to make figuring out the answer not so easy.  I was introduced to a world that includes not just shapeshifters but, a small town of them.  My only concern there was there were many places where I thought it slowed down too much.  Some of the conversations felt a bit repetitive or better handled through narrative.  Another exciting or action scene could have brought the pace back up and broken up some of the repetition.  Of course, that could be just a matter of preference.  I’ve always gravitated to the books that have big sword fights between romantic or quiet scenes.

Speaking of romantic scenes, this books has a few.  I don’t want to give too much away but, there are a few occasions of romance and the making of love in this book.  Elizabeth Hunter brings us these scenes without resorting to overly crude language or vulgar depictions. This makes the scenes descriptive yet, relatively mild. When I selected this book, I did not realize it was the second in the Cambio Spring series.  When I finished, I was surprised to find out there was a book before this one.  To me, that shows skill in storytelling.  It’s a rare thing when a book in the middle of a series can stand on its own.

Desert Bound definitely puts a twist on the murder mystery/romance genres by adding shapeshifting to the mix. This definitely one for the paranormal romance fans out there.  If you also like detective/mystery type stories, as I do, you may find this entertaining as well.  Just be aware that this can get a bit more ‘R’ than ‘PG-13’ in some places.



 

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Posted by Tynga at 00:12

 Cambio Springs, desert, Elizabeth Hunter, hunter, Love amp; Romance, Review, Self Published, Shapeshifter, Urban Fantasy  1 Person left their mark

"When I'm not writing" with L.K. Below + giveaway

Today's guest is author L.K. Below, who has a new book coming out through Kensington. It's a dystopian romance novella and it sounds really interesting. Be sure to stay tuned to see what L.K. does when she's not writing, and enter to win a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card at the end of the post.

I’m what you might call a workaholic. Me, I prefer to call it dedicated, hard-working, persistent. I pour my time into one of two main areas, both to do with books. Because when I’m not writing, chances are you will find me reading.

I fell in love with books from an early age. A supportive former teacher encouraged that love and steered me towards books I might like. She recommended the classics, which at that time was Tom Sawyer (Twain), A Christmas Carol (Dickens), The Call of the Wild (London), and White Fang (London). Through reading these books, written not only about the past but in the past, I fell in love with history. As a teenager, I’d convinced myself that I should have been born in the nineteenth century…or earlier.

My love of history, of learning what I could about the past through the eyes of those who lived in that mysterious time, soon expanded to the books themselves. I didn’t want copies. I wanted books as close to the original dates as I could get. One by one, they accumulated. Books over a hundred years old. Musty books with thick pages and leather covers. Delicate books with thin pages. I scour library sales and garage sales, every year looking for more. Some of the books I find, I’ve never even heard of before. But they’re old, and they’re mine.



My most prized possession is the limited edition History of France published in 1897. These eight volumes are so old, they’re falling apart at the seams. Two have their covers missing. Their pages are yellow with age. These eight volumes are my favorite, even though I may have a book that is even older. I’m too afraid to read them.

Silly, isn’t it? Books are made to be read.

But for me, they’re also made to be collected and displayed on a wide shelf. They’re made to be held and smelled. They’re made to be appreciated. Not only for their content, but also for the history I can hold in my hands. When I touch one, it amazes me that it was published over one hundred years ago. It was here long before I was, and it will be long after I am gone. That is the legacy of books. They last a long, long time.

These days, when not writing, I’m trying to achieve a personal goal of reading as many classics as I can possibly get my hands on. I tend to read them digitally, to save my old and falling-apart books from mishandling. I may never make it through them all, but I’m reading some wonderful books in the meantime.

And yes, I sometimes do give nods to the literary masters in my books. I reference two, directly and indirectly, in my newest release, Hellish Haven.

Happy reading! What is your favorite classic book?

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Thanks so much for visiting us, L.K.! For more about L.K. and her books, check out the following links:

Website | Twitter

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Here's the scoop on HELLISH HAVEN:

Two lives. Two realities. But only one truth.

The Senator reigns all-powerful in a manifested picture-perfect world. No worries. No wars. Only the unspoken threat of oblivion if you step a toe out of line. On the other side of the divide, the rebels face a debilitating war against an invulnerable robotic army. Every day is a struggle to earn back their freedoms. Freedom to feel. Freedom of speech. Freedom of thought.

Sergeant Grant Baker is pivotal to the war effort. But ever since his wife’s abduction, he’s been walking around in as much of a daze as the Senator’s brainwashed citizens. Then Eva reappears—without memories of him or their son. And he’s willing to do anything to keep her. Even if it means jeopardizing the war.

Eva doesn’t know which side to believe. Her predictable life as a single nurse, or the man claiming to be her husband. All she knows is she needs to discover how to end the war, quickly. If she doesn’t choose sides soon, she may lose the man—and the life—she never knew she wanted.

Purchase: Amazon

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There's a tour-wide giveaway. Follow the Rafflecopter instructions to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Do you guys have suggestions for who you’d like to see featured on the blog? If so, you can make your suggestions on this page. No guarantees that your favourite authors will be able to participate but we’ll try!

Authors, would you like to visit  us? Please email me at jenn (at) tyngasreviews (dot) com and we’ll set it up!

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Posted by Tynga at 00:37

   4 People left their mark

Visions by Kelley Armstrong

While I thought the first book of this series, Omens, was a pretty awesome book, Visions surpassed my expectations. In Visions, many of the questions we had in Omens are answered, yet even if I'm really satisfied where that leads the series, I'm going crazy because I really want to know more about these characters and where they come from.  

When you undress the book of it's protective sleeve, on the actual hardcover of the Canadian edition, there appears to be a howling wolf. (And then after finishing the book, I realized there was also a shadow of a four legged beast for the cover art.) At first, I thought, 'What is Kelley Armstrong thinking!? Werewolves shouldn't make an appearance in this series! Crossovers are not welcomed! Keep it original!' Okay, so there may not have been that many exclamation points in my head, but I honestly didn't want this series to go that route even if I absolutely adore Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. This Cainsville series is all about mysteries, and uncovering the truth little by little, if you have the guts to ask the right questions. Supernatural elements are definitely there, but they're not as obvious as werewolves. The story is about omens, visions and portents, not shapechanging or ritualistic magic. I was definitely relieved when I realized that the story was in fact not about werewolves, but featured hounds. I'm not going to say more on that subject because I think I'm already saying too much by revealing the presence of hounds. Readers are not going to be disappointed with the direction of this story.

Olivia and Gabriel, the two main characters, are surrounded by mystery, and death follows Olivia whether she likes it or not. Someone is sending her death threats through body parts and suffice to say, she's not happy about it. As she delves into the murder of the owner of these body parts, she unravels new mysteries surrounding her origin and her birth parent's murder charges. Not even a month has gone by when she learnt that she was adopted, and her birth parents were incarcerated for the ritualistic murders of four couples. Gabriel is in the process of appealing two of the murder charges because he and Olivia proved that someone else was the murderer of one of the couples. Appealing  is proving difficult because of set backs in the system, like Olivia being unable to visit her birth father because of "lost paperwork" and bureaucracy.

"All roads lead to Cainsville" (p. 331) since the murder they are investigating has unexpected ties to Cainsville. Cainsville is turning out to be even more mysterious and supernatural than I expected. I love how Kelley Armstrong reveals so much by telling us very little. A lot is revealed through omens and visions and we have to deduce the truth, or accept that there might not be an immediate explanation. I could say a lot more about what we learn of Cainsville in this book, but then that would be too spoiler-ish.

I'm pleased that the author decided to add romance to this series. While Olivia and Gabriel definitely have a curious relationship, I can't really see it going toward romance. Ricky, Olivia's love interest, is everything her ex-fiancé James isn't and could never be. James is a future Senator candidate, while Ricky is the future leader of a biker gang. James is all about appearances and fancy parties, while Ricky is more about earning his spot in the gang, and proving himself a worthy member, and possible leader. While not overly descriptive, there are some steamy scenes featuring Olivia and Ricky. And sometimes Ricky's motorcycle. While they don't come from the same background, the two of them just seem to fit, and their relationship effortless. I don't know if it's jealousy or envy, but when Gabriel finds out Olivia and Ricky are seeing each other, he's not too pleased. He says it's because of conflict of interest, since both are his clients, but we get the feeling that there's something else there.

I'm very pleased where this series is going. As far as sequels go, this is the best one I've read in a long time. I'm not disappointed, that's for sure. It did not fall into the sequel death trap. The only thing I regret is waiting so long to actually read it. If you read Omens and was disappointed, do not make the mistake of letting go of this series. This sequel surpasses its predecessor, and if definitely worth checking out.



 

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Posted by Tynga at 01:52

 Cainsville, Hounds, Kelley Armstrong, omens, Paranormal, Purchased, Random House, Random House Canada, Review  4 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [134]

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 hope you guys had an awesome week!

Here snow already showed it's nose and it looks like it won't go away lol

Now here are the books I got in the last month:

For review:

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers (loved it!)
Covenant's End by Ari marmellEcho 8 by Sharon Lynn Fisher
The Darkest Mind by Alexandra Bracken
Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
In The After Light by Alexandra Bracken

Also, I would like to remind you that we are still looking for a reviewer to join us :)

What did you add to your shelves?

[inlinkz_linkup id=469237]

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Posted by Tynga at 00:09

 Stacking The Shelves  29 People left their mark

All In by Amanda Carlson

Ginger and Luke are tracking her brother Damien. She wants to rescues him; he is tasked to bring him back to face justice. The chase started smoothly, but a lot more then they were expecting happened on the way.

All in is the third installment of the series written by Amanda Carlson and I loved it just as much as the previous ones. I like that even though it's a series of novella, the stories are long enough to really get involved into the characters. The fact that we've met Ginger and Luke in the previous book(s) also added a kinship feeling in the mix and made their budding relationship more believable.

Ginger is a smart woman that has been dedicated to rescuing her brother for years. I really appreciated this side of her, but she's also a self-loathing succubus and I felt bad for her. Her conscience and her desire to not 'parasite' anyone will lead her to extremes and it was quite a roller-coaster ride to witness. Luke is down-right amazing. He is sweet, caring, perceptive, but also strong and fierce. The perfect mix if you ask me!

I truly enjoying the developing romance between those two and their raw feelings felt real. One of my favorite moment was how Ginger described nature to Luke to try and include him in her world, make him see the way she saw things. It was quite endearing.

The plot was quite satisfying even though there isn't much room for twist and turns in a 150 pages long book. The conclusion was spot on and I have a feeling the next novella by Amanda will be about Raoul and a new Elemental girl. I can't wait to read what's next!

Sin City Collectors is a great series! I always enjoy a novella once in a while when you don't quite feel like committing to a full length novel. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a bit of instant gratification once in a while :)

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Posted by Tynga at 00:10

 Amanda Carlson, Author, Paranormal Romance, Review, Self Published, shapeshifters, Sin City Collectors, Succubus  Leave your mark

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire, the final book in the Mortal Instruments series, really delivers!  It's chock full of action and adventure during the great war between Sebastian and the Shadowhunters (with the Downworlders who have joined the Council) and romance between the various main characters.  Overarchingly, this is a classic good vs. evil battle, with characters working together loyally and bravely to take down Sebastian, the monsters he's created, and the demons he's recruited.  The fight will take Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, Alec, and Magnus to a place where almost no one has dared to go before, to accomplish what "can't" (in the eyes of the Council) be done.

Even if the good vs. evil plot is a classic, there are more than enough twists and turns in City of Heavenly Fire to keep readers engaged.  Every time it seemed like Clary and friends had reached a place where they could sleep for a few hours or catch a bite... there was another upheaval in the plan!  The reader also gets to "travel" with the group; they begin in NYC but over the course of the novel they travel to Alicante and another place that I can't tell you about because it's a plot point.  ;)  I was reading the book in the southeastern US, having never traveled to NYC, and I was dazzled at the descriptions of the Big Apple and the big city of Alicante.

During their travels and battles and triumphs, Jace & Clary, Simon & Isabelle, and Alec & Magnus manage to find time to thoroughly hash out, explore, and grow their romantic relationships.  I love the depth and complexity of these relationships.  They are much deeper than what you would imagine your usual teenage romance to be.  In their own ways, each pairing is a star-crossed, Romeo & Juliet-type love affair.  Jace is a born & bred Shadowhunter, Valentine's son, and Clary is new to the Shadowhunter world.  Simon is new to the Downworld, and is a vampire, while Isabelle is a born & bred Shadowhunter, raised to believe that Downworlders are somehow "less" than Shadowhunters.  Same with Alec (Shadowhunter) and Magnus (warlock), with the added tension of being a same-sex couple in a society that is only beginning to recognize and accept that.  And although this book will be found in your library or bookstore YA section, there were a few scenes that could cause a blush!  Cassandra Clare has done a fantastic job of building up the relationships in these books, with a comfortable, realistic pace.

The plot of the book overall moves at a very good pace.  There weren't any moments that felt "bogged down" or sluggish, and the conclusion felt just right, about 1/3 of the book, for the series finale.  There was a great mixture of dialogue and demon butt-kicking!  I love how all the guys (Jace, Simon, Magnus) have this dry sense of humor!  I also enjoyed reading how each characters' individual strengths played out and contributed to the outcome.

In fact, the only thing that caused this book to lose one star in the rating (from me) was the narration.  I listened to the audio version, narrated by Jason Dohring and Sophie Turner, and I just didn't connect with Jason.  To me, it was just a little flat when mixed in with Sophie's vibrant dictation.  Also, Sophie was narrating Clary's parts (of course) and Jason was covering Jace... but Sophie has a British accent (Clary is from NYC) and Jason is American (from listening to previous audio versions of Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices books, I'd given Jace a British accent).  I absolutely loved Molly Quinn's narration of the fifth book, City of Lost Souls, and was a little disappointed to find that she hadn't been brought on for the sixth book.  But the book itself is fantastic; I never considered discontinuing listening, because I had to know what happened next!

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Cassandra Clare, demons, Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, Library, Love amp; Romance, Paranormal, Review, Romance, Simon amp; Schuster Audio, The Mortal Instruments, young adult  1 Person left their mark

Easy Pickings by Faith Hunter and C. E. Murphy

When Dorothy and Toto are whisked out of Kansas, they are given a few guides to help along the way. When Jane Yellowrock and Joanne Walker get taken out of New Orleans close to Mardi Gras, they only get a man who’s all mystery and a rampaging demon. Dorothy and her dog also had the luxury of being from the same world. Jane and Jo seem to come from two different planes of existence. This is how we begin the crossover of two successful urban fantasy series (Jane Yellowrock Series and Walker Papers Series). I got this book as an audiobook and since there’s little question as to the abilities of the authors, I’ll talk a little about the performance and story.

Individually, Kristine Hvam and Gabra Zackman are excellent at their craft. I’ve always though Kristine Hvam’s voice was suited to the character of Jane Yellowrock. Gabra Zackman was a little different for me. She has a pleasant voice and reads well, putting emphasis and personality in all the right places. The only problem for me was that her voice gave a different mental image than the description in the text or the cover of the book. I know this is my perception and others may not see it that way. The difference is mild enough to not take me out of the story. My only real complaint was with the audio editing. There are spots where the levels were way off and did threaten to pull me out of the story.

The story itself was very interesting and I thought they handled the crossover well. They were able to take to characters from two very different worlds and make it seem not only plausible but almost inevitable for them to meet. I also applaud the authors for being able to meld the styles. It’s not seamless but, I thought the seams were part of the texture of the story.  In that they helped illustrate the disparity among these characters and worlds.

I am a big fan of both Faith Hunter and Kristine Hvam and love the Jane Yellowrock series. This book has done its job and tempted me to check out the Walker Papers series. If you are likewise a fan of either of these book series’, I highly suggest reading or listening to this one.

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Posted by Tynga at 00:36

 Action amp; Adventure, C. E. Murphy, crossover, Faith Hunter, Fantasy amp; Magic, Fiction, Jane Yellowrock, mardi gras, Purchased, Review, shaman, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, Walker Papers, yellowrock  Leave your mark

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Honestly, this is not my usual kind of read, but sometimes I find it refreshing to read a book outside my comfort zone. I would categorize this book as a thriller but it's also a YA contemporary because of all the boy drama. Right after finishing the book, I have this weird love/hate feeling about BLACK ICE. I really did enjoy it because it was captivating and had me hooked until the very end. On the other hand, I didn't really connect with the main character because of so many bad decisions she made.

It all starts off as Britt and her best friend Korbie make their way to Korbie's family cabin in the mountains but never reach it because of very bad winter weather. Snow prevents them from continuing on in the Jeep so they decide to hike a little and find warm shelter. I think this is their first big mistake because they could have easily taken the new hiking gear they had just purchased and make camp to wait out the storm. Unfortunately the first thing they can think of is running off into the woods with no idea where they are in order to find help. And help they did not find. Instead they get kidnapped by two guys who want to use Britt to get off the mountain because of her apparent knowledge of the area. And I say apparent because throughout the whole novel, it felt like she had no clue where she was going.

The romantic tension that develops between Britt and one of her captors, Mason, is very annoying. She just came out of a relationship with a jerk called Calvin and it's almost as if she's trying to replace one bad boy for another. If there were one good example of Stockholm Syndrome, this would be it. I wanted to roll my eyes every time Mason said something remotely nice. The guy just kidnapped her, prevented her from getting help and just because he says something about getting her to safety she immediately believes him. Britt supposedly trained many month for this hiking trip of hers but it seems like she knows nothing about surviving in the woods. Well, she knows a few basics but relies a lot on Mason to do the work. She thinks she's a strong and independent person but she relies so much on Mason that it's impossible believe.

I think most of what I don't like about the book springs from my inability to connect with Britt. She thinks she knows a lot about hiking and survival but when it comes to applying her knowledge, everything seems to go wrong. So many bad decisions were made from her part and instead of proving herself to everyone (especially her ex, Calvin) she would have been better off going to Hawaii like some of her other friends. Not only do I not agree with the decisions she makes during this ordeal, I also think she made bad decisions in staying in a relationship with Calvin for as long as she did. Also, Korbie sounds like a girl that could have been cast in the movie Mean Girls because there's nothing remotely nice about this girl expect for giving Britt so many things, and then rubbing it in her face later on.

It might sound as if I didn't like BLACK ICE but while my main issue is with the characters, many other things about this book were done right. The pacing was perfect since things were revealed little by little, keeping the tension to the maximum throughout the whole story. The author also kept me guessing throughout the majority of the book, even though I guessed who the real "bad guy" was some time before things were revealed. I wonder if this book would have been better as a non YA book. Instead of writing about unrealistic teens, maybe the author might be better off writing about adults. I don't think I would recommend this book to anyone, but I honestly don't regret having read it. The suspense was good even if I was a little disappointed with the ending.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:22

 Becca Fitzpatrick, Gifted, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Thriller, young adult  5 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [133]

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!

——————

Hello, all!  Marie here with another great Stacking the Shelves.  Want to join the fun?  Clink on the linksy below and add your blog to our stack!

I was so proud of myself:  I went to two different bookstores this week, beginning Christmas shopping, and managed to resist buying any books for myself!  This is a good thing:  our bookshelves are getting very, very full!  But you'll see below that I definitely am still taking advantage of my local library, and accepting books for review from publishers.

Egalleys & ARCs for Review:

The Witches of Echo Park by Amber Benson: I don't know much about this one, but I love, love, love that cover!  The colors!

Lost & Found by Brooke Davis: Another one that I don't know much about, but the cover drew me in.  It's a redhead (like me!), and her silhouette is cut from the page of a book.  Looks perfect for me!

Gnarr! How I Became the Mayor of a Large City in Iceland and Changed the World by Jon Gnarr: This looks hilarious and thought-provoking all in one.  Also, my mom really wants to visit Iceland some day for some reason, so I plan to hand this one over to her after I read it!

Unleashed by Sophie Jordan: I really, really like Uninvited and am excited to find out what happens next!

Finished Copies for Review:

Treadmill by Warren Adler: I recently read and LOVED Trans-Siberian Express, and was super-excited when the publisher reached out to me to review Treadmill next.  One or both of these books might just be Christmas gifts for Dad this year...

Proof of Angels by Mary Curran Hackett: I've actually already read this one, and it'll be reviewed on my other blog soon.  It wasn't a terrible book; just not my cup of tea.

The Martian by Andy Weir: I've heard nothing but praise for this one!  Also, I'm participating in a Bookish Bingo game on my other blog and this will fulfill the "Orange Cover" square.  ;)

Library:

(It's really hard to not keep bringing home books when they're free at the library....)

Loop by Karen Akins: I helped write the Paranorm'All Hallows Eve guest post with Karen Akins, and reading about her got me really interested in trying her book.

Compulsion by Martina Boone: I hosted seven YA authors at a library event a week ago, and Martina Boone was one of them.  I had hoped to read all the authors' latest books before the event, but alas, I didn't get to Compulsion in time.  I still plan to, though!

Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans: This is Book #3 in the Michael Vey series, which I'm loving.  I got this one on CD to listen to during my commute.

Zentangle Untangled: Inspiration and Prompts for Meditative Drawing by Kass Hall: You're going to see 4 books on zentangling in my stack today.  I did a teen program on the art form and it was a huge hit!  If you haven't zentangled before, you should look it up and give it a try.  I'm not very talented when it comes to drawing, and even I can zentangle!

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand:  My sister-in-law recommended this one, and the hubby and I both plan to read it before we see the movie.

Make & Give: Simple and Modern Crafts to Brighten Every Day by Steph Hung with Erin Jang: Hoping to find Christmas gift inspiration!

U2: The Definitive Biography by John Jobling: The hubby is a HUGE U2 fan.  I want to read this so that I converse with him intelligently.  ;)

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline: Both my mom and my sister-in-law recommended this one!  Double recommendation makes this a must-read-now book.

One Zentangle a Day: A 6-Week Course in Creative Drawing for Relaxation, Inspiration, and Fun by Beckah Krahula: Zentangling for Work Book #2.

The Beauty of Zentangle: Inspirational Examples From 137 Tangle Artists Worldwide by Suzanne McNeill with Cindy Shepard: Zentangling for Work Book #3.

Joy of Zentangle: Drawing Your Way to Increased Creativity, Focus, and Well-Being by Suzanne McNeill with Sandy Steen Bartholomew and Marie Browning: Zentangling for Work Book #4.

The Big Book of Sides: More Than 450 Recipes for the Best Vegetables, Grains, Salads, Breads, Sauces, and More  by Rick Rodgers: I'll look through this, but I'm not super excited.  There are practically no pictures!  I like pictures in my cookbooks, so that I know if I'm doing it right.

Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg:  I'm a sucker for off-beat memoirs!  Also, I work in a traditional public library and I love the show Orange is the New Black... so many reasons for this to be a good book for me!

Artful Christmas: 30 Elegant Craft Projects by Susan Wasinger: Looking for Christmas decor inspiration!  (Yes, I know... Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet...)

Mint Juleps With Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking by Mark Will-Weber: I love history, I love learning about the Presidents, and I love cocktail time.  Win, win, win!

What about you?  What books did you receive this week?  Click the link below to join in the fun!

[inlinkz_linkup id=466578]

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Stacking The Shelves  13 People left their mark

The Tears of the Rose by Jeffe Kennedy

Amelia has to deal with the death of her husband, to the hand of her sister. It's very difficult, but what awaits her isn't easier. She is pregnant and her father, the King, and her father-in-law are fighting to claim her son their heir. Or is it a daughter like her sister claims?

The Tears of the Rose is the second novel in the Twelve Kingdoms series and I while I enjoyed it, I'm afraid I preferred the first novel, The Mark of the Tala. The main reason is that I loved Andi and Rafe a lot more than I liked Amelia. I really didn't feel any connection to her, and her shallowness really bothered me. She tries really hard to change and become a better person, and I must command her for it. But she doesn't succeed until really late into the book. So even though I came to appreciate her in the end, for about 75% of the book I didn't really care for her.

Thankfully, the White Monk really spoke to me! I liked this mysterious character and his witty comments. There is a lot of depth to this character and I enjoyed discovering his shady past, one surprise at a time. He really stepped up to my expectations and I loved him until the end!

Religion takes a very important role in this novel, as much as the shape-shifting magic was important in the first book. I much preferred the later, but I still thought piousness fit Amelia like a glove and I liked the actions she took to improve the impact religion has on her citizens.

The plot was very consistent and full of political challenges, if not action packed. I was really satisfied with the way the different subplot lined-up and some turn of events really surprised me. My favorite moment was by far when Amelia faced Andi and her subsequent one-on-one action with the White Monk.

The conclusion was absolutely thrilling and I find myself wondering just how we will be able to follow Amelia's next steps on her important mission since the third book, The Talon of the Hawk, features the eldest sister.

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Posted by Tynga at 00:44

 Fantasy, High Fantasy, Historical, Jeffe Kennedy, Kensington, Kensington Books, Publisher, Review, The Twelve Kingdoms  Leave your mark

The Body Electric by Beth Revis

I'm writing this review a full week after finishing the book because I needed time to let it all sink in and process.  This is one heck of a story!  Beth Revis spins a complex plot with very 3D characters in a beautiful, realistic world.

Through the eyes of the main character, Ella, the reader is transported to New Venice, a sparkling futuristic city where humans and androids coexist.  Everything a person does is linked to a device called a CuffLink, worn around the wrist.  This CuffLink allows purchases and monitors health.  Ella's dad has developed a new medical technology in which nanobots are injected into a person, or inhaled, to cure any manner of illnesses.  These nanobots can also be used to strengthen or improve people.

But not all is as it seems in New Venice.  Ella's best friend Akila is acting weird, and there's a guy, Jack, who claims to know her... but she doesn't remember him at all.

What follows is absolutely nonstop action and mystery.  The chapters are short and pack a real punch.  From one chapter to the next, I couldn't tell what was going to happen.  By the middle of the book, nothing seemed out of the realm of possibility.  And it was all believable!  The author skillfully immerses us, the readers, entirely into the world of New Venice.  There are no breaks in the plot for descriptions of the setting; instead, we see and hear it all through the eyes and ears of Ella.

Ella is quite the complicated character.  She's not easily likable, and may not even be a reliable narrator.  I usually don't enjoy books where I don't care for the main character, but the story here was definitely addicting and kept me wanting more, regardless.  Ella wasn't mean or evil; she was just cold.  Jack, on the other hand, felt much more human and likable.  I admired his character; his willingness to stick with Ella and help her even when it wasn't easy.  He shows a lot of courage, going against the status quo to help his family and friends.

The Body Electric has a complex plot that will keep you on your toes.  This is not a light beach read; it's a book to get completely involved in.  I would recommend this for fans of Vanilla Sky or Inception.  This book is one that teens and adults alike will read and enjoy.  Cerebral and fast-paced and exhilarating.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Beth Revis, Purchased, Review, Science Fiction, Science-Fiction, Scripturient Books, young adult  2 People left their mark

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

In the not too distant future, a major event called  The Calamity, changes random people and with that, the fate of humanity.  If that sounds a bit familiar it may be because it’s the basis for many post-apocalyptic stories.  Brandon Sanderson has freshened up this often used trope in his book Steelheart – Book 1 of the Reckoners Series.

In the Reckoners series, The Calamity, ordinary people are transformed.  The transformation gives these random people superhero like abilities and they become known as Epics.  These new powers result in a huge power shifts throughout the country.  Borders are redrawn and governments, though left in place, are powerless.  This story follows a young man named David.  When David was very young, he and his father where in Chicago when an Epic named Steelheart made his mark on the city.  David sees something nobody was never meant to see, the vulnerability of an Epic.  The resulting events become the catalyst that drive David to seek revenge and an end to all Epics.

The character of David seeks out a group of people known as the Reckoners.   Sanderson creates the group with many of the archetypes we’ve seen before like the whiny teen, the aloof love interest and the hard core gun enthusiast.  He doesn’t just use them as filler. He breathes a bit of life into them.  You either like, dislike or are oddly amused by these characters. In time, you start to slowly understand who this band of misfits are and how they function together.  You also see how they have reached this point through their backstories.

By telling the story through David’s eyes, Brandon Sanderson brings you into the story.  He keeps you there with a great combination of action scenes and plot twists.  His writing is easy to follow without being too simple or patronizing.  I like how in this book, he peppers the dialog with slang he created for the time period and it doesn’t sound contrived.

There’s a dose of reality in this story I found oddly refreshing.  The group seems to have more mistakes and missteps than true successes.  It’s not that I like to see the good guys fail, mind you.   I do think that showing their flaws and weaknesses can give the story that touch of reality that makes it easy for the reader to get drawn.

I like this book with its action and twists.  It kept me engaged the whole way. I would not hesitate to recommend Steelheart to anyone twelve years or older. I actually did suggest to my son when for a school assignment and he liked it.  There is violence and some young adult romance but, it’s actually all pretty mild.  I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series coming out soon.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sC9NtpXLH4&w=560&h=315]

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Posted by Tynga at 01:30

 Brandon Sanderson, Delacorte, Purchased, Reckoners, Review, Urban Fantasy, young adult  Leave your mark

Soapboxing: Inspiration or Theft

 



It is foretold there will be the One to change the world, to right the wrongs and bring harmony to all. Tell me this: of what character do I speak, Harry, Perry or Art? I’ll save the answer for the end.

I just wanted to use the ‘chosen one’ question to introduce the thought of the use, reuse and abuse of tropes. All too often I hear critics and consumer complain about a lack of originality.  This often comes up when my son and I discuss movies, books or TV shows.  I usually wind up saying “there’s nothing new under the sun”.

I’ve come to the realization there’s a lot of truth in that old quote. Everything from the matter we’re made of to the stories we tell are all just variations on themes as old as human-kind.  Since before the time of cave drawings, stories told to entertain or to preserve knowledge had to travel well.   To do so, they often had common storylines.  They might get changed to suit the location, tribe or situation but, they were essentially the same.  Preserving the stories in more resilient media hasn’t changed that a bit.

I started really thinking about this when I heard people comparing the Harry Potter books to the Wizard of Earthsea books. I did my own amateur comparison with the first book of each series.  I won’t say they are completely different.  Both have young male wizards and both have older wizards teaching wizards at a wizard schools.  Beyond that, the comparisons start to strain.  I believe that’s what you should expect with a good trope.  Somebody writes about lovers separated by family or cultural differences and a few millennia later you have Westside Story and eventually Twilight

To me, it’s not the source of the inspiration or who the first to use a story line was. The real test is, how well did you tell the story and how did you make it interesting.  To paraphrase Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead, if you’re going to do a copy of Romeo and Juliet at least do a good copy of Romeo and Juliet.

So, now I’ll answer the question: who was the chosen one: Harry (Harry Potter), Perry (Pericles) or Art (King Arthur Pendragon)? The answer is all of the above. Who was first?  That is both obvious and irrelevant.  They’re all good stories and that is what does matter.

 

Where do you draw the line between inspiration and plagiarism?  I'd love to hear from you so, please leave your thoughts and opinions on this so in the comments! 

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!

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Posted by Tynga at 01:00

 Soapboxing  2 People left their mark

The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich

If I had one word to describe THE TIME ROADS I would use brilliant. I've never read anything quite like it in terms of format and story. The book is actually four novellas, but what is so amazing is that all four stories are meant to be read together, and are not supposed to be seen as individual entities. Somehow, even if the main characters and the point of views change from one stories to the other, Beth Bernobich was able to intertwine the stories together to create a rich and complex history of a nation that is facing technological advances and political disruption.

THE TIME ROADS is at first a political story, in an alternate world, where Éire (Ireland) is a powerful empire and Anglia (England) is one of its dependencies. The early 20th century of this alternate universe is when Anglians are searching for independence, or at least to be recognized as a country. It's also the time where great minds of science, or more specifically physics and mathematics, are changing the world. In Europe, technology that could potentially be used in warfare is on every political leader's mind especially since political tension can be felt throughout the continent. It's always obvious that this is an alternate universe, however, it does have some similarities with our own world. Prussia is pushing to expand its borders, Austria is also trying to expand its influence, and Montenegro is cringing as those superpowers flex their muscles. There is also the attempt to create the Union of Nations, an organization that could potentially mirror our own United Nations. The author obviously researched our early 20th century history in order to base her universe partially on ours, but still she managed to add her own twist to create a completely different world.

As the title would have you believe, some of the technology being researched has to do with time. Scientists and mathematicians across Europe are trying to evaluate the riffs of time in order to control it. Science has proven that time can be manipulated, but with very strong repercussions. Looking back, I would say the first two novellas take the time to explain the development of this branch of science, while the other two deal with the political repercussions of time manipulation.

I don't want to reveal too much about the stories because truthfully, they deserve to be read with an open and fresh mind. However, I really want to generate some curiosity for this book. For a world so rich in detail, I wouldn't say the same thing for the characters. Sure, their history and situations explain their emotions and the reason for their actions very well, but because there isn't a true main character, I think the author was limited and possibly didn't want to favor one character over the other.  Áine and Aidrean Ó Deághaidh come close to being main characters, she the Queen of Éire, and he one of her commanders and personal guards. Their stories are definitely intertwined but their timelines don't necessarily follow one another. So when one of the stories concentrates more on one of them, the other character is still present, yet not as prominent.

I'm sorry to say this review doesn't do the book any justice. Beth Bernobich was kind enough to visit the blog a few weeks back and still I can't find the right words to describe THE TIME ROADS. It will definitely bring you on a journey that spans 15 years, in a world that is so like ours, yet very different. The science-fiction/fantasy elements merge wonderfully with the amazing story and will keep you wondering until the very end. A book wouldn't be complete without love, whether it's the love for a country, love for a ruler or romantic love. All three find their way into the book which, in my opinion, makes it a very accomplished story. This book is also intelligent, wonderfully written and above all, captivating. Don't let it slip under the radar.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:21

 alternate universe, Beth Bernobich, Fantasy, Publisher, Review, time travel, Tor Books  Leave your mark

Stacking The Shelves [132]

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!

——————

Hey everyone! So I went a little crazy these last few weeks. I got/bought many different books, and a wide variety of genres too.

Also, @kimbacaffeinate and @BookShelfery are hosting a week long Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-thon and I decided to participate this year.  I always get into the holiday spirit every time the red cups from Starbucks appear. It simply feels like it's time. So that's why you'll see so many Christmas/holiday books stacking my shelves.

 

Purchased

Common Ground by Justin Trudeau

You Are Here by Chris Hadfield (my favorite astronaut!)

Clariel by Garth Nix

Christmas on 4th Street by Susan Mallery

Gifted from Tynga (during my really quick Montréal visit)

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Light My Fire by G.A. Aiken

From the Library

Silent Night by Robert B. Parker

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

'Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries

Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels

Horns by Joe Hill

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber*

Bring Me Home For Christmas by Robyn Carr*

*denotes eBooks

Did you go a little bit crazy too? Don't forget to share your thoughts and your link to your own StS post below!

[inlinkz_linkup id=465056]

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Posted by Tynga at 23:13

 Stacking The Shelves  21 People left their mark

Take Two: Defy by Sara B Larson

Take Two is a new feature I am launching on the blog! Tynga's reviews have been around for 6 years, and we have reviewed A LOT of books! And because we are a team of many with the same tastes, I decided to allow a second review of a same book, to give the reader a second opinion. I hope you will enjoy!

Read Jon's opinion of Defy

My thoughts:

What an awesome fantasy book! Alexa lives in a world at war. Her mother's country is fighting against her father's country in an anti-magic conflict. Both her parents were killed by a Fire Sorcerer and to avoid being locked in a breeding house (I will let you guess what happens there...), she disguises herself as a boy, with the help of her twin brother, and joins the army. Known as Alex, she climbs her way to the Prince's own guard and her whole world changes when her brother is killed and she is kidnapped with a fellow guard and the Prince himself.

I really adored this book and before I go all fangirl, I'd like to mention the two elements that bothered me. First, Alexa is a 17 years old girl playing the role of a 20 years old man. Even though she admits not being very curvy, I have a very hard time believing nobody noticed her lack of hair and beard? I mean this is the medieval era, in the army, I'm pretty sure the other men don't shave daily. Also, there is a love triangle later on in the story with another guard and the Prince. How is it that two men fall in love with her when she's been acting the part of a man for the last 3 years? It didn't really bother me, but I feel like it wasn't very believable AND the triangle was not necessary to the story.

Now onto positive things! I really liked Alexa. She was strong, dedicated but flawed, which made her a multi-faceted character. She faced many challenges during her young life and it showed in the decisions she made. I really liked the Prince also, even though I felt the urge to smack him on the head quite a few times. I didn't like the way he treated and used Alexa, but I understood his reasons. I really hope he treats her better in the future. I liked Rylan, but I thought he was too ingrained in the third-wheel role. It's nice that he is supportive of Alexa, but he is a bit too much like a doormat for my taste.

I really enjoyed the lore and the plot line. Sara manged to surprise me on more than one occasion, which is always a good thing. I even shed a tear or two hehe. In wasn't a breakneck pace, like most fantasy novels, but I was hooked the whole way through. The conclusion was simply breathtaking and I am super excited for the sequel, Ignite.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Graceling by Kristen Cashore and Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.

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Posted by Tynga at 00:43

 Defy, Fantasy amp; Magic, High Fantasy, Magic, Netgalley, Review, Sara B larson, Sara B. Larson, Scholastic, Scholastic Inc., War, young adult  1 Person left their mark