Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

Warning!  Dreams of Gods & Monsters is the finale to a trilogy.  Check out Tynga's review of Daughter of Smoke & Bone and my review of Days of Blood & Starlight by clicking on the titles to avoid series spoilers!

Starcrossed lovers Karou (a monster) and Akiva (an angel) join forces in a new and unique twist on the classic good vs. evil battle.  Angels are descending on Rome in battalions, thousands of angels, through a tear in the sky.  Concurrently, Eliza, a genetics researcher, is called to Morocco to investigate what appears to be a mass grave full of unnatural monsters.  Karou has managed a great deception and set up a puppet leader of the chimaera.  Through him, she's able to unite the misbegotten and the chimaera to battle the invading seraphim.  Yes-- that's the great twist on the classic good vs. evil battle:  in Dreams of Gods & Monsters, angels are seen as a malevolent invading force and the monsters (chimaera) are the good defenders!

As with the first two books, the characters are so incredibly rich.  The reader literally gets inside many of the character's minds, so we see firsthand their struggles and doubts and confidences.   This series is solidly YA; we can be sure which characters are "good guys" and which ones are the "bad guys."  But they're still more complex than that.  Karou is definitely a "good guy," but we see her struggle with battle plans, knowing that some of her kind may perish.  And although Akiva is on Karou's side, the reader can feel his confliction, going against his own kind.  By the end of the book I was nearly crying and/or cheering out loud!

Speaking of characters, of course we must talk about Zuzana and Mick!  How could anyone not love this brave pair?  They are fully human, and don't always understand what's going on, but they are always always always ready to stand by Karou's side.  Even when that leads to a serious lack of chocolate cake in Zuzana's life.  Ya'll, I have never shipped two characters as much as I ship them!  I haven't yet read Night of Cake & Puppets, but I plan to asap.

Not only is Laini Taylor good at developing characters for us to love, she's also a top-notch world-builder.  You might think it'd be hard to wrap your mind around a world populated by creatures composed of many different species (such as a gray wolf head on a human body, or a jaguar body with a human head and bat wings), a world lived mostly deep inside a system of caves, but the author does such fantastic descriptions that you can really picture yourself there.

So, the plot.  Here's where Dreams of Gods & Monsters lost one of it's five stars for me.  The final battle did not go as I expected it to.  I felt like it fell a little flat compared to all the build-up.  I also felt like there were a few loose ends, or tenuous connections, at the end, considering that it's a series finale.  It wasn't too terrible; if you're already invested from reading Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight, you should definitely still read Dreams of Gods & Monsters... but just be prepared.

And finally, the narration:  I listened to Dreams of Gods & Monsters on CD and the narration was great!  The narrator had good, clear annunciation and pacing.  The production quality was great; I never had to fiddle with the volume.  I never tuned out.  And the narrator did a great accent for Zuzana and Mick.

This is such a unique, well-written trilogy, and I definitely recommend to folks at work (and now to you too)!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 angels, audiobook, Brown Books for Young Readers, chimaera, Daughter of Smoke amp; Bone, Laini Taylor, Library, Little, Paranormal, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

Night of the Living Deed by E. J. Copperman

The great thing about a small town is that it seems like everybody knows everybody else and that can make seem friendly.  The bad thing about a small town is, it seems like everybody knows everybody else and you have very little privacy.  Allison finds that out when she returns to her hometown to start a Guest House (not a B&B).   She also discovers, though, secrets still manage to be kept and some are darker than others. At least that is the impression she gets from her first two guests, a pair of ghosts!  Allison must get her old house ready for business while raising her daughter and finding a murderer.

The story is written from the perspective of Allison so, we get to know quite a bit about her, her quick wit and her no-nonsense attitude.  Through Allison, we meet some of her friends, her mother and some acquaintances both unsavory and benign.  This makes for an eclectic collection of characters which is great for a murder mystery.  They're all varied and described well enough that it's easy to keep straight who is who.   It also allows for ample 'red herrings' which I believe is a requirement of a good murder mystery.

The pacing of  Night of the Living Deed is beautifully maintained.  So much so that, the reader is never worn out or left to feel stagnant at any time.   E.J. Copperman marries extraordinary events with the mundane to create and then relieve tension in the crafting of this story.

If I were to be negative about anything, it would be on two somewhat minor points.  One has to do with how to repair plaster walls.  A bit boring and pointless to complain about it even though it was hard to overlook when I was in the middle of the book.  The other I won't go into great detail (spoilers) but, there was a moment when two events seemed to get confused with each other.  Once a gain, not important, just one of those double take moments.

The Night of the Living Deed was a fun romp through two of my favorite genres: ghost stories and murder mysteries.  In both characters and content, this proves to be an inviting opening to an intriguing series.  There are some mature moments and a little bit of language that I believe puts this in the PG13 range.

 

***There is only one day to vote on the next series for me to review!  Just go to my las STS and share your thoughts!



 

 

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Berkley, E.J. Copperman, ghosts, halloween, Haunted Guesthouse Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Purchased, Review  1 Person left their mark

Half Wild by Sally Green

This sequel has surpassed my expectations. I wasn't overly pleased with the first book of the series, Half Bad, so honestly my expectations weren't very high. But I caved and gave this one a shot. I'm glad this series is getting better, however, I've definitely read better books. Nathan is still the protagonist of the story and he's still on the run from the Council of white witches and their Hunters. Things are far more interesting now that he has come into his Gift, and he's learning how to control it. With some old and new allies, Nathan continues to avoid and survive the white witches.

It's interesting to see a new love interest develop. It was totally unexpected but I'm definitely on board with it. I had a difficult time with Annelise, Nathan's love interest in book one, so I'm actually overjoyed that there's something else going on, in terms of love interest. My problem with Annelise was that she was simply too boring, and there was no spark between her and Nathan. Although, throughout a good part of this book, Nathan's goal is to save Annelise, I'm not convinced that it's out of love. I think it's more out of duty because he feels responsible for her being held captive. Anyways, I'm pretty sure many readers will be surprised with this new development and I think it was well plotted by the author. I usually hate love triangles with a passion but for some reason this one works!

I'm glad we see more of Marcus, Nathan's father. Obviously not the best father figure for a young man, Marcus still somewhat has a positive influence on Nathan. Who wouldn't want to spend time with their father after being apart for most of their lives? Even though Marcus may not be the best role model, Nathan does find new allies and new people to look up to. Being out in the wild suits Nathan but I think he has come to learn that he doesn't have to be alone, and accepting help isn't the worse possible fate.

There is definitely a plot change in this sequel. In Half Bad, the story was basically Nathan against the world of white witches. Now we realize that the conflict is bigger than Nathan, and Nathan isn't the only one demanding change. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot because I think readers are better off reading it straight from the source. It feels like this series went from a superhero's origin story in book one, to a hero's quest in book two. The change in plot is absolutely positive and it definitely makes things more intriguing.

The ending of this book is killer and I'm really looking forward to the last book of this trilogy. To the readers that were doubtful, like me, after reading book one, I say give this one a try. The line between Black and White is definitely grey and Sally Green has created a wonderful story to question morality and righteousness.



 

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Posted by Tynga at 03:56

 Half Bad, Magic, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Sally Green, Viking, witches, young adult  4 People left their mark

Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

I was very sad when Jennifer Estep ended her first YA series, Mythos Academy. Thankfully, she's back with an exciting new world inhabited by some very interesting characters in COLD BURN OF MAGIC, the start of her new YA series.

In Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia, a town dubbed “the most magical place in America”, the world works a bit differently. There are magical Families that run the town, like magical mobsters, with the Sinclairs and the Draconis on top. People have different Talents that largely fall into three categories: strength, speed, and senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell). Non-magical people, uncharitably called rubes by some, don't realise that there's real magic in the world but those who are in the know are aware of the monsters, magic, and danger that exists in this town.

As with every Estep urban fantasy, the heroine of this series is tough, independent, and smart. Lila is edgier and harder than Gwen from Mythos Academy but she's not quite as tough as Gin from the Elemental Assassin books. Lila's an orphan who makes a living as a thief, secretly living in the basement of a public library and attending a mundane high school. The only constant in her life is Mo, her guardian and also her employer. It's not an easy life but she's living off the radar, the way she wants, until she saves the life of Devon Sinclair and gets pulled into the world of the Families, where Lila uses her street smarts, fighting skills, and heirlooms from her mother to figure out why Devon's a target and keep him alive while she's working on this mystery.

The other characters in COLD BURN OF MAGIC are also well developed. I'm particularly fond of Oscar the pixie, who is delightfully grumpy. Felix and Devon are also nicely written and I'm looking forward to learning more about them over the series. I don't want to go into things in great detail since it's a new series and I want you to enjoy meeting this new world and these new characters as much as I did.

Estep's written a nice and twisty path for Lila to negotiate and it makes for a very interesting read. I expected nothing less from one of my favourite authors and she's definitely delivered a fun and exciting story. I read the whole thing in one setting!

COLD BURN OF MAGIC is a fantastic new book and a great start to the Black Blade series. Estep is a wonderful writer and I think that you'll really enjoy it!

Read an excerpt (scroll down)

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Black Blade, Jennifer Estep, Kensington, Kensington Books, Magic, Netgalley, Review, Urban Fantasy, young adult  5 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [156]

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 everyone! Quite a few purchases for me this week.

Among others, I've been obsessed with the TV show Outlander recently, based on the bestselling books by Diana Gabaldon. Since I only read the first three books of the series, I decided to purchase and read the rest. I'm also continuing a few more series and discovering a new one.

Purchased

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

Immortal by J.R. Ward

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

What did you add to your shelves? I want to know!

[inlinkz_linkup id=519326]

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Posted by Tynga at 01:39

 Meme, Stacking The Shelves  26 People left their mark

The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Putting her foot down and refusing to send shipments of slaves to the Mort was Queen Kelsea's first decision as a Queen, and it might be the one that will destroy her Kingdom. The Mort won't take no for an answer and they are marching on the Tearling to take by force what they think is their due, and Kelsea will have to push them back or die trying.

The Invasion of the Tearling was a great installment and I am happy to say it is not suffering from the second novel curse. The mood of this novel is different, Kelsea is a Queen and has to take decisions as such and stop being a child. She also has to understand and control the power coming from her Sapphires, deal with a new found sexuality and some weird visions/sleepwalking she's been experiencing. To say her plate is full would be putting it mildly, but I really enjoyed watching her struggle and try her best to come out on top. I love that she is now taking her own decisions instead of simply relying on Mace and that she is trying really hard to play it smart. She seeks wisdom that will help her make the best choices and try to control her impulses. She's growing up!

One of my favorite aspect of this novel is Kelsea's visions of Lily. Lily lives in pre-crossing America and we witness her life in first-person narration. We get to see the kind of struggle the pre-crossing people faced, how it came to be so bad, and how some people actually crossed. I found her story really engrossing and I was avidly awaiting Kelsea's next vision. I also love how their stories tied up at the end.

This novel is not action pack. Their are some tense scenes, some violence, but mostly it's a psychological game. All the chess piece progress throughout the novel and we anxiously wait while both Queens play their moves. Also, if you've been anxious to know the Red Queen's real identity, you will be pleased to know that it is revealed in this novel.

The conclusion really is a game-changer and I am anxious for the next installment (no title nor tentative release date yet). I can't wait to see what will happen to certain key characters and I really hope we will see more of Lily!

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Posted by Tynga at 01:28

 Dystopian, Edelweiss, Epic, Erika Johansen, Fantasy, HarperCollins, High Fantasy, Review, The Queen of the Tearling  6 People left their mark

Oracle of Philadelphia by Elizabeth Corrigan

This book was such a lovely surprise!  I've only read a few other urban fantasy novels.  Guess what?  I think I can say now that I am most certainly an urban fantasy fan!  I couldn't put Oracle of Philadelphia down!   

Some things I loved about the book:

1. The characters and their depth.  I want to be friends with Carrie and Bedlam!  Mostly Carrie, because I think Bedlam could feel like a bit much after hanging out for awhile, but I think he'd be a ton of fun in small doses.  See what I mean about character depth?  Just one book into the series and I can tell that Bedlam could possibly be tiring, but I'm still drawn to his magnetic "lets everyone have fun together always" personality.  And Carrie:  so, so, so caring!  She even cares for/looks after Bedlam.  For millenia.  Carrie feels very "real" to me.  She's not perfect.  Even though she's lives thousands (millions?) of years, she still makes the occasional mistake.  She still thinks with her heart and not with her head sometimes.


2. The writing.  It was most excellent.  Rich.  Does that make sense to ya'll?  The writing in Oracle was like a fantastic lavender creme brulee.  (For comparison, I'd say my own writing on this blog is about on par with Cheez Doodles.)  Ms. Corrigan used the word phonemes for pete's sake!  I love vocab-building books.  I'm totally trying to work "phoneme" into ordinary conversation right now.  It's also got this fantastic balance going between hilarity with Bedlam and seriousness in trying to save Sebastian.  Just as the book starts to feel really heavy, Bedlam swoops in to top his waffles with chopped jalapenos.


3. The humanity of Gabriel, Michael, and Bedlam.  I'm a Christian, so I'm sorta familiar with the angels and demons and all that, but not too familiar.  I too always imagined angels to be these vaguely human beings with wings who glowed.  Much loftier than you or I.  In Oracle the angels stop by the diner to say hi and help do some dishes.  Mind. Blown.


4. The Biblical backstories.  I loved these!  Every time Ms. Corrigan introduced a new character, she let Carrie reminisce on how they met.  Some of these were downright hilarious; some touched the heart.  Remember: it's all fiction and it's all for fun, so you're definitely not going to find these narratives in Biblical texts.  Did anyone else read Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore?  Bedlam and Biff could have been best friends.


5. The character list at the beginning of the book.  Ms. Corrigan lists all the angels & demons & their main attributes & where they are in social standing.  Most helpful.  I looked at Raising Chaos (the sequel), and the chart is there too.  Excellent.

Some things I didn't particularly care for about the book, but which will not at all impede me continuing to read and enjoy the series:

1. The demons' demonosity (just made that word up) is really downplayed a lot.  I'm struggling with how to word this; how to say this.  I just expected them to be a lot more evil.  Like, I actually liked Bedlam for the most part.  And that made me feel just a little squeevy inside.


2. The bit in the second half of the book where Carrie goes a-questing.  I don't want to give anything away in the book because I really do think ya'll should go read it.  It's really good.  But there's a point where Carrie goes on a quest to help someone and it just gets a little bit predictable/repetitious.   Just a tiny bit.  I dealt with it by just continuing to read because it's a good book and I was hooked.  So you see, not really terribly bad, but still.  I could have done with just a little bit less quest.

So that's my take on Oracle of Philadelphia by Elizabeth Corrigan.  I devoured the book in just two days (impressive, considering I work full time)!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 angels, demons, Earthbound Angels, Elizabeth Corrigan, Paranormal, Publisher, Red Adept, Review, urban fantasty, Urban Fantasy  1 Person left their mark

Firefight: Reckoners Book 2 by Brandon Sanderson

Now that Steelheart and Mitosis are no more, everything can go back to normal, right?  Of course not.  The thing about Epics is, there are plenty to go around.  The Reckoners find that getting rid of one tyrant makes room for at least one more.  Now, Newcago is trying to rebuild after being controlled by Steelheart for so long.  In the middle of all of that, the Reckoners need to send a small crew to help out the Reckoner group in New Babylon.

Just as with successful movies, making a sequel can be hazardous.  The author could cripple characters by making them too much like they were in the first book and not growing at all.  The author could demean the series by creating repetitive or meaningless plots and tropes.  Thankfully, none of that happens in Firefight, the latest volume in the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson.

Now, this is a story line that lends itself well to the whole Monster of the Week feel.  It does that to an extent with this story.  As with all Reckoner's stories, there are new Epics are introduced with strange new abilities.  I don't want to give too much away but, David and his friends delve into the whole 'Epic' issue deeper than before.  Not the least of the questions being, can Epics rule justly.  That question can be seen as allegory for the current times question, can a dictator be better than the alternative.  The answer is, of course, dependent on who is asked.

The newer characters are good additions to the Reckoner's world.  They don't come off as 'cookie-cutter' though, many typical archetypes are represented.  The young and zealous recruit, the reluctant hero and of course the power hungry mastermind.  We can also add the disaffected drone in this story.  Obviously, Firefight makes an appearance in this book.  To say the character has twists to it is an understatement.  It's more like it was written on a Mobius Strip rather than paper.

Firefight  is a worthy addition to the Reckoners world.  Not only does it continue the story from the previous books but, it leaves us wanting more.  It brings to my mind the story arcs of Eragon and Harry Potter in that, we get to see a character grow from a single minded goal into a greater understanding of the world and their part in it.  This is a book that is intended for young adults and does a good job in that respect though it is a little heavy on violence.  I would put it at a mile PG13.

 

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

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

Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton

I've been a big fan of this series in the past, despite all the ups and downs it went through. However, I can honestly say I'm not a fan of this particular book. At first, I thought "Yes! The Anita Blake I love is back!" since there was a lot police work at the beginning of the book. The first half of the book is dedicated to preturnatural police investigations and action. Dolph and Zerbrowski are back and I honestly thought the book was headed in the right direction until Anita's lovers made an appearance.

That's when most of Anita's internal dialogue switched from killing bad guys to describing her "sweeties." I've come to expect multiple lovers from Anita, and unlike many readers, it really doesn't bother me (the more, the merrier I guess). What does bother me, however, is the repetition. Each single lover gets several pages of description. After 20+ books, we get it, Anita's lovers are beautiful, handsome, fit, etc. I don't need to read the same description multiple times in the same book, except change the hair colour/length and eye colour depending on the man she's describing. Also, I don't see the point in describing their workout routines, especially when it's repeated multiple times in the same book, and why they need to keep fit. Don't get me wrong, a refresher is definitely okay when it comes to describing physical appearance, however, when I read more or less the same sentence a few chapters later, I feel like that's not just bad writing, but bad editing too.

Admittedly, Laurell K. Hamilton does know how to write a great sex scene. Even though the sex scenes are often filler, they are pretty intense, steamy and amazing. They never get boring. Variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to lovers, in Anita's case. Another positive thing about the book is Zerbrowski, Anita's police "partner." Every scene he's in is great and I really wish we could have seen more of him. The new U.S. Marshall Brice is pretty cool too, especially since he's homosexual and doesn't want to sleep with Anita for a change (however, he would like a chance at some of her lovers).

I'm tired of seeing this series going nowhere. I've invested so much time (and money!) in the series. I keep buying and reading the books, in hopes that something new will happen. The series has failed to surprise me and really entertain me in these last few books. I fear this review has become a rant so I'm going to cut it short. Am I going to read the next book? Probably. I hate not finishing a series and I would feel even worse it the next book turned out to be amazing.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:27

 Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, Berkley, Laurell K Hamilton, Laurell K. Hamilton, Magic, necromancy, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, shapeshifters, vampires  2 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [155]

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 went with a couple of the more classical writers this month and wound  up with a selection from Votaire and one from Agatha Christie.  Candide is a very simple yet very strange story.  I wasn't sure whether to take it as allegory, parody or just an oddly written story.  Death on the Nile was a bit more straight forward even though there were twists and turns sufficient for a murder mystery.  I enjoyed the Christie book a bit more but, they are book good reads.

Then my love affair with Miss Jane Yellowrock continued with the latest volume in that series.  The more Jane changes, the more she stays the same.  I have to admit, some of the way I view some characters in the series has shifted a bit with this book.

Now, I ask for a bit of assistance.  I've almost chosen an established series to take up.  I plan to review one volume from the series each month.  I also encourage all the readers to use the comments section not only to remark on that months selection (no spoilers, please) but, also to comment on the series up to that point.  If you've considered but haven't picked up any of those in the poll, now's a good time to have me be your 'to in the water."  If there something you want me to try that's not in the poll, select other. 

[yop_poll id="-3" tr_id="[yop_poll id="4"]

So, what golden oldie or new classic have you chosen for yourself?

 [inlinkz_linkup id=516716]

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Stacking The Shelves  18 People left their mark

Beckon Me by Cindy Thomas

This fantastic New Adult book has just the right mix of college life, friendship, romance, and ghosts!

Beckon Me is only the second New Adult book I've tried.  I've been hesistant, under the misbelief that New Adult is just YA with sex.  Boy, was I wrong!  If all New Adult is anything like Beckon Me, its more about the age of the characters (college or very young adult) and the depth of the characters' interactions with each other and with the world.

Karina and Rainey, best friends, go out together one night during their freshman year to see a photography exhibit.  In an instant, their lives are changed when they come upon a mugging, and get shot.  In that instant, Karina learns that souls don't die with the physical body; they cross over into whatever is next.  Unfortunately, something goes awry and Rainey's soul doesn't cross over.  It lingers, and it's scaring the crap out of her.  Essentially "haunting" her.

Cindy Thomas has written wonderfully complex characters that the reader can't help but fall in love with.  Reading the scenes where the main character, Karina, is hanging out with first Rainey and then Gabby took me right back to my own college days.  Not only that, but I truly wanted to be in the apartment with them, eating ice cream, watching movies, or going out to a club to let loose.  I think the author did a fantastic job with Karina--writing her character in such a way that we see her internal struggle when it comes to making new friends.  Is it a betrayal of her best friendship with Rainey to accept Gabby's friendship?  Absolutely not!  And are you into romance?  There's this lovely slow build between Karina and Eli, the hot guy next door.  The sexual tension was killing me!  You see, he's not only hot and right next door and a fellow student at Backbay University, he's also witty and ever-present, always making himself right at home with Karina in class or at home.  He's her trainer (more on that in the next paragraph), and he's got a great physique (which Cindy Thomas does a fantastic job describing (fans myself)), and there's a hint of "maybe it's forbidden" thrown in.  No spoilers, but I will let you know that there's no behind-closed-bedroom-doors scenes, in case you're not into that.

As I mentioned, Eli is Karina's trainer.  Rainey's ghost keeps popping up in Karina's life, and this is because she's been marked as a possible Beckoner recruit.  Beckoners are people who help guide souls to the other side.  There are many pros and cons to accepting the job, one of which is that Karina will be able to help guide Rainey's soul, and release her from a purgatory-type place.  I thought this was pretty cool:  Karina essentially gets to "job shadow" or "intern" with Eli before making the final decision.  There are a few months in which they train and talk about all the aspects of the job before she makes her decision.  It turns out it's not as straightforward as Karina thinks.  You'll be kept guessing until the end whether or not Karina is willing and able to accept the danger!

I am so very, very glad I decided to give this New Adult romance/paranormal/friendship book a try, and will be waiting very impatiently for the next book in the duology!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Author, Beckon Me, Cindy Thomas, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Friendship, Love amp; Romance, New adult, Paranormal, Review  3 People left their mark

Starfire a Vince Lombard Story by Mike Lee

Humanity has expanded its realm out to thirteen systems and is reaching out for number fourteen.  This time, there has been a series of events that may halt that progress before it can be fully realized.  Valuable assets are missing in the new system and the government wants answers.  Can Captain Vince Lombard of the Galactic Marine Corps bring those answers to light?

This is a military/space-travel story with a bit of a difference.  In most cases, we are granted access to what's going on through the eyes of a futuristic Navy.   In Starfire, we see the story from the perspective of (as we called them ) the grunts, the ground pounders or the basic Marine rifleman.   It's through the eyes of Captain Lombard, the commander of a company of Galactic Marines on the fringes of human existence in space.  It's a nice break from hearing about propulsion systems, astronavigation or the trials of commanding a ship in space and keeping it in one piece.  This time, we get to hear from a guy whose job it is to break ships into many pieces from time to time.

The story itself has a nice flow and good pacing.  There is plenty of action while still not being overdone.  Any hand to hand fight scenes don't feature superhuman feats of strength, ability or daring.  Scenes using the advanced weapons of the future don't come across as a demonstration of their many features.  It's apparent that Mr. Lee did his homework at least a little when it came to how employ Marines aboard a naval vessel.  I only wish he would have paid more attention to the rank structure and a few more traditions of the Corps.  Many countries have adopted the use of a corps of marines as we did from the British so, much of what I hoped to see but didn't, is somewhat universal.  Honestly, though, it's not that big of a deal and didn't distract me from the story at all.

The characters in this story are developed well enough.  There are some uni-tasker characters (they have only a single limited use) and a few Redshirt types but, this is a story that is really hyper-focused.  We don't get bogged down in a lot of back or side story.  That also means we don't get a whole lot of insight to some characters.  This is, however, the beginning story of a series so, we can always hope to see more of some of these characters in later books.

This is a very entertaining story told from a seldom used perspective.  The result of the excursion of these Marines whets the appetite for the books that follow.  There is, of course, some very violent scenes, a bit of harsh language and the suggestion of adult relations so,  this book is pretty PG13.  It's not so harsh that I wouldn't allow my 13 year old to read it but, I would be ready to answer a question or two if he did.



 

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Breakwater Harbor Books, Marines, Mike Lee, Purchased, Review, Space, Vince Lombard  Leave your mark

"When I'm not writing" with Cindy Thomas

 Cindy Thomas is a YA and NA author, and also a publicist for Spencer Hill Press.  Her newest book is the paranormal NA Beckon Me, which I just read and LOVED.  (You'll be able to read my full review on Thursday.)  Cindy's a busy woman, what with work and writing and "mom-ing," so I'm very grateful she was able to stop by and tell us more about what she's up to when she's not writing!

There are a ton of things I should be doing when I’m not writing. Namely, cleaning my house, cooking, folding and putting away laundry. Did I mention the cleaning?

But since I’m a mother of three young boys who also happens to work from home as the Manager of Marketing and a senior publicist for Spencer Hill Press, there are a ton of things that just don’t get done. Seriously, you should see the three laundry baskets sitting right beside me that need folding right now. It’s kind of ridiculous.

If I’m not writing and organizing publicity for other authors, I’m usually seen at the local Tae Kwon Do gym with my two oldest boys. They go at least 4 times a week and we can be there anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours at a time. It makes our evenings pretty hectic, but I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they’re there and I know it’s helping them to build confidence in themselves. Those are some of the best parent moments ever.

I’m also the homeroom mom for my oldest son, so I spend quite a bit of time at the elementary school too. Most parents will know exactly what this entails, but for those who don’t, it’s mostly planning classroom parties, organizing gifts for the teachers, putting together baskets for prizes at the spring fair and pretty much all kinds of volunteer work at the school. It’s another one of those bonuses of being a stay at home parent that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Lastly, diapers. I am pretty much always knee deep in diapers. With a yet-to-be-trained toddler running around the house, there is never a shortage of them needing to be changed. It’s my third go-round, so I’m pretty good at it by now, but it’s still kind of crazy to me just how many of those suckers we go through in a single week.

If there are only two things you take away from this post, I’m going to guess that those will be: 1. Cindy’s life is pretty busy & 2. Cindy’s life isn’t all that exciting.  You’d be right on both counts, but I hope you always take away this: There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t remember just how blessed I am.

Thank you for reading!

———————————

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

Website | Facebook | Twitter

———————————

Here's the scoop on Beckon Me:

Everything nineteen-year-old Karina Mitchell knows about death changes the instant that she and her best friend, Rainey, are shot. For one, souls don’t die. They cross over. Only, Rainey’s soul hasn’t, and her ghost is hell bent on haunting Karina.

When Karina begins her sophomore year of college and moves into the apartment that she was supposed to share with Rainey, she learns a few shocking truths from her mysterious and gorgeous blue-eyed neighbor, Eli.

One: Karina has been chosen to become a Beckoner—an immortal conduit of the dead who helps safely guide souls to the other side.

Two: She’s the reason that Rainey’s soul can’t cross over—Rainey followed her back from death and missed her window to be at peace.

Three: Eli is hot. As in swoon-worthy, to-die-for, will-make-you-forget-yourself hot. And it turns out, Eli is a Beckoner, too.

Despite her attraction to Eli, the decision to become a Beckoner isn’t an easy one—it would mean giving up her own mortality … her own soul. But if she doesn’t, her best friend will be left to suffer an eternity at the hands of the evil Ceptors, dark creatures that feed on the souls left behind. After all, it’s her fault Rainey is haunting her.

Time is running out, and Karina needs to decide: Are love and loyalty worth sacrificing her soul?

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

———————————

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 marieharris725 (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 When I'm not writing  1 Person left their mark

The Pleasure Slave by Gena Showalter

When I'm in the mood for a good paranormal romance (heavy on the romance) Gena Showalter is always at the top of my list. Her name is synonymous with the genre and I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've read from her long list of books. Honestly, I've been negligent and haven't read her most recent releases. The Pleasure Slave is an older release but I thought I would work my way through her books by starting with her earliest ones.

As a title, The Pleasure Slave does sound quite raunchy, but by recent standards, it's relatively tame. Tristan has been cursed into a life of servitude, captive of a jewelry box when not actively owned by anyone and a slave when a woman becomes the owner said jewelry box. Cursed for thousands of years to please any whim of his current owner, he thought he would remain a slave, for the rest of eternity. Until his new owner, Julia Anderson changed everything.

As an antique dealer, Julia was drawn to Tristan's jewelry box, but honestly, I don't think she was quite ready for the surprise she got. Julia has always considered herself plain and shy, never worthy of a strong and beautiful specimen such as Tristan. With Julia, Tristan discovers that not all owner are selfless. For the first time in thousands of years, his owner actually cares about his feelings and tries to not order him around. Because of the curse, he's obligated to follow any small order, whether it be sexual or not. With Julia, everything seems different. She's different. I really enjoyed reading the development between the two characters. How Julia slowly begins to trust Tristan as a man, after being hurt so long ago. How Tristan slowly begins to trust Julia with his heart, something he thought would never be possible.

The dialogue between Tristan and Julia is excellent and fun. Despite this being one of her first books, I can already see Gena distinctive writing style. Personally, I loved the Julia character but I can see how she could be a little up tight and reserved for some readers. The evolution she goes through during the book is fun to watch. Honestly, who wouldn't be able to come out of their shell with a hot teacher like Tristan?

There were just a few discrepancies in the paranormal aspects in the book. I wish the paranormal elements could have been a little more elaborate. Julia and Tristan are both mortals, and don' t possess any magic themselves, but their story is definitely dependent on magic. Tristan comes from the planet Imperia where mortals and Druinns (sorcerers/witches) try to coexist but don't always do, as is it evident when Tristan is cursed by his spurned Druinn lover. Honestly, I thought it was a little weird that he was from a different planet because usually that makes me think of spaceships, and not magic. Another thing that bothered me is the fact that Tristan has been a slave for thousands of years, but only a few years have passed on his planet, when he gets transported back and forth between Julia and his home planet. It's something the author could have elaborated on but for some reason, I didn't really care whether she did or not. I just wanted to read more about Tristan and Julia!

Overall, I was satisfied with Julia and Tristan's story. You're always guaranteed a happily ever after in paranormal romances and I honestly loved the way this book ended. There could be more to the series since a few things were left unresolved, but unfortunately, this is the last book of the series. It wasn't my favorite Gena Showalter book, but in general, it filled my need for a romantic love story.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:01

 Alien, Gena Showalter, Harlequin, Imperia, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, Romance  1 Person left their mark

Wickedly Dangerous by Deborah Blake

WICKEDLY DANGEROUS is the start of what could be an exciting new series. The series is based on the Baba Yaga mythology, a supernatural being from Russian lore who's usually a crone who lives in a hut with chicken legs and flies around in a mortar and pestle. Most urban fantasy and paranormal series focus on other supernatural beings so I was very curious to see what someone might do with Baba Yaga. In Blake's world, Baba Yaga is a title, not a single being, and WICKEDLY DANGEROUS is one Baba's story, in this case Barbara Yager. (Such an un-subtle name, I know.) This 21st century Baba Yaga rides a motorcycle instead of a mortar and has an Airstream instead of a hut -- a great modernisation on mythology -- but she's still got a ton of magic and still goes where she's called, doing "favours" in exchange for three impossible tasks.

There's also another side to the mythology, quite literally: the Otherworld. It's a land of magic and mystical creatures. All of the Baba Yaga's answer to the queen of the Otherworld, and many of the Babas guard doors to the Otherworld. Barbara Yager, for example, has a door in her Airstream.

In WICKEDLY DANGEROUS, Baba ends up in a small town in the middle of nowhere, a town with three missing children. Baba immediately hones in on a suspect and the book has a lot of neat ups and downs and Baba faces off with her opponent. Complicating matters is the local sheriff, Liam McClellan. He's one of those incredibly-handsome-with-a-tragic-past types, making him a sympathetic character and also a great romantic interest for Baba. (He's also a complete newcomer to the world of magics so he also serves the very practical purpose of exposition.)

What I liked best about WICKEDLY DANGEROUS, aside from the mythology, are the characters. Baba is so prickly and witchy and delightful! The secondary characters are also great - Day, Sun, and Knight are particularly entertaining, as is Chudo-Yudo, the dragon disguised as a dog who lives with Baba. In the world of animal sidekicks, Chudo-Yudo is up there in the Top Five.

Each book seems to have a different Baba Yaga as the protagonist so I'm very curious to see what happens in the next novel. We get a brief, painful tease of events in the next novel in the epilogue of WICKEDLY DANGEROUS so it should be an interesting new story.

Read an excerpt

 

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Baba Yaga, Deborah Blake, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Urban Fantasy  3 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [154]

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!  Here in NC, we're coming to the end of Spring Break for all the kids, and what a beautiful week it's been!  I've been spending more and more time outside with the puppy, and a little less time reading.  Of course, I still brought home quite a few books from the library, and I've made some book purchases lately.

ARC for Review:  Uprooted by Naomi Novik.  This is a YA that's supposed to have a "Grimm fairy tales" feel to it.

Purchased:  The Miniaturist by Jessi Burton, The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, The Liberator by Alex Kershaw, and Beckon Me by Cindy Thomas.  I've only read Beckon Me so far, but it was so so so good!  Look for a review soon.

The Library:  Washington Schlepped Here by Christopher Buckley, The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Dominique DeVito, Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle, A Lifetime of Fiction by William Patrick Martin, Confessions: The Paris Mysteries by James Patterson with Maxine Paetro, Duck Commander Kitchen: Miss Kay by Kay Robertson with Chrys Howard, and Lonely Planet: Washington, DC by Karla Zimmerman with Regis St. Louis.  I am a HUGE fan of the Confessions series by James Patterson, and really hope it continues beyond a trilogy; and the hubby and I are vacation planning, can't you tell?

What about you?  What books did you bring home this week?

[inlinkz_linkup id=514204]

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Stacking The Shelves  9 People left their mark

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas

In The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, we get to meet Celaena a super pretty and extremely cocky sixteen years old assassin, on a mission for her master, along with Sam, another assassin she grew up with. Both teenagers thought they were going to the pirate lord to settle a business with him, after some assassins were presumably killed by pirates, but both youth are in for a surprise.

I really enjoyed this story because even though the novella is only 69 pages long, it was enough to fall in love with both main characters. They also showed a bit of growth and their opinion of each other evolved enough to make a difference. The story and its ending were also heart-poundingly exciting!

The Assassin and the Healer takes place next and Celaena is on her journey toward the Silent Master. She stays at a inn and meets a young girl with a difficult life. Despite the beating she took from Arobinn she decides to help this girl too. I like how she is so though on the outside, but is also soft when it come to helping those in needs. This story is the shortest of the bunch, but still an interesting one.

In  The Assassin and the Desert, Celaena is punished for her actions of the first story and sent to the desert heat. She is suppose to gain the approval of the Silent Master, or not come back. But how to you earn the approval of a master who doesn’t want to train you? Celaena will have to draw his attention but it won’t be easy.

My favorite aspect of this second installment is the dramatic growth Celaena showed us. She used to be a cocky, snob, spoiled girl but the desert heat is hard and did wonders to her personality. Nothing brings you back to reality like a 6 miles run under the desert sun. She was also away from Sam, and this time of loneliness allowed her to think about her relationship with him. The ending was once again breathtaking!

The fourth story, The Assassin and the Underworld, was just as engrossing. Celeana is back with her master in this story and she has to decide where her allegiances stands. Can she forgive him for what he did? How does she really feel about Sam now that she’s back in his presence? All the while working on an assassinating mission.

This novella was my favorite thus far for three reasons. First, we finally get to see her assassin talents at works. Second, the plot is much thicker and not everything is what it seems. And last but not least, there is some romance involved and I really like how it played out.

The Assassin and the Empire is the last novella and is the longest.

Sam & Celaena are in love and want to leave town, but if they don’t want to live their lives as fugitives, they have to strike a deal with the Assassin’s Guild and the price will be a steep one. Even steeper than the astounding number the leader is asking for, but our heroes will find out the hard way…

I’ve already read the following books in the series, which gave me a very interesting perspective. I truly enjoyed discovering about the lovers, especially knowing what came next. Even though I knew the final outcome of the installment, I enjoyed discovering the particulars, and I was simply hooked to the pages. That’s just how enticing Maas’ writing is.

The plot proved to be exciting and engrossing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and felt the weight of grief right by Celaena’s side. The emotions were honest and raw and I truly enjoyed it.

I strongly urge you to read The Assassin's Blade because even though it's not absolutely necessary to your enjoyment of the series, it will definitely enhance your experience. Miss Maas often refers to events happening in the stories, and having read them will enlighten those moments.

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Posted by Tynga at 01:36

 Assassin, Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Children's, Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, Love amp; Romance, Purchased, Review, Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass, young adult  3 People left their mark

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Inheritance is the fourth (and final) book in the Eragon series, so I can't guarantee that there won't be spoilers for the first three books in this review.  I can promise no spoilers for Inheritance.

Eragon has come a looooong way from his humble beginning in Eragon!  From a poor farm boy who knew little of his family to a dragon rider leading the Varden (sp?) against Galbatorix.  As you can imagine, Inheritance is fraught with tension.  Everything has been leading to this final battle to defeat Galbatorix and return freedom to Alagaesia.  Christopher Paolini does NOT disappoint!

Rather than structuring Inheritance to be nothing more than a large, lengthy battle, Christopher Paolini opens with battle preparations.  The reader is present for the birth of Rorin's child, and goes on an adventure with Eragon and Saphira to gain more recruits for the Varden.  We continue to see growth and strength in characters.  For instance, Naswadda (sp?) is really put to the test in the first half of the book.  I know, I know:  no spoilers!  But I can say that the reader will see forgiveness in action, and there will be a time when the line between black and white, right and wrong, becomes a little fuzzy and gray.  I love that about these books:  none of the characters are 100% good or bad.  Even the hero of the story, Eragon, has his flaws.

Of course ultimately, this series is (like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings) an allegory of the ancient tried and true fight between good and evil.  Even flawed, there is never any question that the Varden are the "good guys" and Galbatorix is the "bad guy."  So even with their small flaws, the reader never questions whether Eragon is "good" or "bad;" he always has the best of intentions.

As is probably predictable, a large chunk of the middle of the book is the battle.  It's intense!  While I think that many readers will guess at the ultimate outcome, none of the individual characters' fates is guaranteed, leaving readers on the edge of their seats.

The language in these books is just beautiful.  Poignant and almost lyrical, with heavy undertones of Tolkien.  But never, ever dull or pedantic.  There are sweeping descriptions of setting that never feel overly long, and are well spaced between dialogue and action.

And finally, a note on the narration, as I listened to this book on CD.  Gerard Doyle does a FANTASTIC job.  I do believe he's the same narrator as on the other books, and I do like continuity in narrators in audiobook series.  And his reading is so excellent.  The cadence isn't too fast or too slow.  And he does a really cool, deep, gravelly voice for the dragons!

A great end to a great series!  I've already re-added the books to my tbr list to re-read in the future.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Action amp; Adventure, Christopher Paolini, dragons, Eragon, High Fantasy, Library, Listening Library, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

The Wonder of All Things by Jason Mott

This is a paranormal story that straddles many worlds.  The worlds of magic, supernatural or religion could be what's behind the strange happenings around this little town.  As events unfold,  people around the world seem to have their own explanation for what has happened.   At the center of it all, a young girl barely into her teens, has the eyes and hopes of the world on her.

As a story, overall, it's not too bad.  It's evenly paced in that it gives the reader a bit of breathing room between the larger scenes.   It makes use of some very familiar tropes in the relationships between fathers and daughters or sons and also with long time friendships.  These are well written enough to where one may not notice them right away.  The overall arc of the story is a bit more unique and brings up some real interesting questions.  Not the least of which is: what is our obligation to those around us and how much should each of us be required to sacrifice for others.  Just because somebody can do a thing to help others, does that mean they must do that thing.  If nothing else, this book could certainly start a lively discussion on such matters.

The characters are well developed.  The people in this book were complete enough that I was able to feel great empathy not only for Ava but for her friend Wash as well their families.  There's a case to be made that Ava and Wash are a little too good to be true.  They are young and live in a small town so, a little naiveté is to be expected.

The Wonder of All Things is more than just a story about a girl with hidden abilities.  It is also a story about love, family, redemption and sacrifice.  It is a very entertaining read and a nice addition to libraries of those who like paranormal stories mixed with a some philosophical underpinnings.  There are some brief PG13 moments but, for the most part it's a good Young Adult book.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:00

 Jason Mott, Mira, Paranormal, Purchased, Review, young adult  3 People left their mark

Nocturnall: Guest Post by Beth Bernobich

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Beth Bernobich's River of Souls Series. When she approached me to help her spread the word about her upcoming novella set in the same world, I jumped at the chance. She plans to publish the e-novella, Nocturnall, in December. However, because she wants "to give this story the professional treatment it deserves, including custom cover art from up-and-coming artist Jessica Shirley," she started a Kickstarter fund to help her release her story in physical form.

Honestly, I'm not crazy about Kickstarters but I'm rethinking it because I want to help Beth. This will be the first time I pledge through Kickstarter and I hope many of you will help too. Below, you will find Beth's mini-essay explaining why this novella is so important to her.

IN BETWEEN: THE SPACES LEFT BY NOVELS

by Beth Bernobich

In graphic design, the part of the page left unmarked is called whitespace. It's a critical element, whether we're talking about a web page, a magazine, or the pages of a book. And it's an active element that leads the reader's eye over the page and emphasizes what's important. Whitespace provides a balance.

There's a similar concept in fiction as well. A good novel will leave certain scenes unwritten, with only a reference to mark their presence. There might be times the story skips ahead weeks or even years, leaving that interval blank, or summarized in a few words. And we don't need to see those fives chapters of the protagonist's back story, only enough details to make the present events emotionally satisfying. The blanks in the story serve to emphasize and guide, just as whitespace does.

But what about the world and plot outside the novel's pages? What about the spaces between books in a series?

I confess, I love these gems scattered around the edges of novels. Take for instance, Martha Wells's Books of the Raksura series. Starting with The Cloud Roads, we get the story of Moon, a shapeshifter whose past is a blank, and who doesn't even know what he is. Throughout this book and the next two, The Serpent Sea and The Siren Depths, he finds a home with others like him, and earns a place in their society. He also fills in the blanks of his past.

The books are deeply satisfying on their own--Wells has created an intricate, imaginative world and peopled it with complex characters--but I was delighted to learn she also wrote a series of short stories and novellas, which she has collected into two books, Stories of the Raksura I and II.  In these books, we get to see events from the distant past. We get to find out what happens after The Siren Depths, as Moon continues to negotiate his way through his new life. You don't need to read the stories to enjoy the books, but if you do, you'll come back to the series with an even deeper appreciation for them.

And sometimes, the author writes a story that takes place long after the end of the books. Stephanie Burgis's novella "Courting Magic" is a capstone to her Kat, Incorrigible series. In the books, Kat Stephenson is twelve years old. She battles highwaymen, learns magic (sometimes with disastrous results), and plots romance for her older sisters. By the time "Courting Magic" takes place, Kat is eighteen years old and now it's her turn for romance. It's a delightful, frothy, and very satisfying endnote for the series.

Then there are stories that are like illuminated step stones between books. In Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint, we enter the world of Riverside to meet Alec of Tremontaine and the swordsman he loved, Richard St. Vier. The Privilege of the Sword takes place eighteen years later, and The Fall of the Kings, written with Delia Sherman, over twenty years after that. Lots of whitespace, and yet the series has balance. (And wit and exquisite prose.) But Kushner has written a number of short stories that take place in the interstices before and between those books. My two favorites are "The Man With the Knives" and "The Death of the Duke," brilliant, heartbreaking gems that lead us over the years from book to book.

Too many extras clutter up the whitespace, yes. But done right, those tiny accents balance the whitespace with the larger elements. Done right, these stories of "in between and after" let us view the world and characters through a finer lens.

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An epic fantasy story with political intrigue, secret agendas, and an everlasting love.

Nocturnall takes place thirty-five years after the end of Allegiance. There are secret agendas and political intrigue. Old enemies make their reappearance. But most of all, it's a story about a love than spans across lifetimes. My editor loved it, and suggested we include Nocturnall as an epilogue to the novel. I felt that would only muddy the book's ending. Better to publish the story later, as a stand-alone.

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River of Souls series

     

About Beth Bernobich

Beth Bernobich is the author of the epic fantasy trilogy, River of Souls, from Tor Books. Her latest book is The Time Roads, an alternate history about mathematics, murder, and time. You can read more about her on her website. You can also follow her on Twitter or friend her on Facebook.

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Again, here is the link to the Kickstarter.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:05

 Guest Post  3 People left their mark

The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire by Molly Harper

Honestly, Molly Harper can do no wrong when it comes to writing paranormal romance fiction. She literally has me laughing out loud while reading her paranormal romance books. Combining snarky, remarkable and witty female characters with supernatural hot men is always entertaining, but somehow, Molly Harper is a genius when it comes to humor in paranormal romance. The funny banter and the hilarious situations is what keeps me coming back to this series or her books in general.

Realistically, the plot of The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire isn't all that extravagant, nor is it very detailed, but it does serve the purpose of advancing the story between Gigi and Nik. Gigi has landed the greatest summer job for a computer science undergrad and she's actually looking forward to working for the Vampire Council. However, she never expected to meet up with her mysterious vampire who kissed her and enthralled her during her last Christmas break. She was hurt when her mystery man left her after giving her the earth shattering kiss, without even saying a word. Now, what hurts even more is when Gigi and the mysterious man cross paths again, and he doesn't remember a thing about their heated kiss. Nik feels bad about his selective amnesia, but over time he starts to realize every thought in his mind about Gigi is muddled. Despite the mutual attraction, Nik can't stop trying to kill Gigi (involuntarily), and then forgetting about the attacks, almost as if he's being controlled by magic or something supernatural.

Amnesiacs are always fun to read because you never know how things will turn out. Reading about Gigi and Nik definitely was fun even though their relationship wasn't very believable. It felt too much like love at first sight. Gigi's older sister and brother-in-law forbid Gigi from seeing the centuries old vampire, but obviously forbidden love trumps over murderous fugue states from your vampire boyfriend. More scenes and more development between Gigi and Nik would have been fun and desirable.

The nerd in me is thrilled that Molly included so many pop culture references. Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory, The Walking Dead, and Dr. Who references (and many more) were mentioned. Oddly enough, the references were not just thrown into the text for the heck of it. No, they were actually in context and they added an interesting layer to Gigi's character.

A light and fun supernatural read, this book is a definite read for any Molly Harper fans. It may not be the best book in the series, but it's a definite must if you want to read more about the comings and goings of the beloved vampires of the little town called Half-Moon Hollow. I'm glad the original Half-Moon Hollow vampire couple Jane and Gabriel were present, despite their brief appearances, because I really missed reading about their craziness. Gigi and Nik are a great addition to the gang, but I felt their story was a little bit too short, a little rushed for my tastes. I really hope Molly Harper has more vampire or werewolves stories to write because this girl needs her paranormal/pop culture fixes.

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Posted by Tynga at 02:38

 Half Moon Hollow, Magic, Molly Harper, Paranormal Romance, Pocket, Purchased, Review, Shapeshifter, Simon amp; Schuster, Simon Schuster, Vampire, Witch  2 People left their mark

Stacking The Shelves [153]

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 guys! Happy Easter :)

I couldn't resist, I had to share some shots I took of my daughters ^^

I hope you are enjoying some precious family time!

Now for the books I received in the past month (sorry no pictures!), all for review:

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris
Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
The Crow of Connemara by Stephen Leigh
The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

What did you add to your shelves?

[inlinkz_linkup id=512867]

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Posted by Tynga at 01:44

 Stacking The Shelves  22 People left their mark

Giveaway: The Remedy by Suzanne Young

To celebrate the release of THE REMEDY by Suzanne Young, the first in a new series set in a world before The Program, Simon & Schuster if offering an awesome prize pack! Let me tell you a bite more about The Remedy before I get onto details.

About The Remedy:

Can one girl take on so many identities without losing her own? Find out in this riveting companion to The Program and the New York Times bestselling The Treatment.

In a world before The Program…

Quinlan McKee is a closer. Since the age of seven, Quinn has held the responsibility of providing closure to grieving families with a special skill—she can “become” anyone.

Recommended by grief counselors, Quinn is hired by families to take on the short-term role of a deceased loved one between the ages of fifteen and twenty. She’s not an exact copy, of course, but she wears their clothes and changes her hair, studies them through pictures and videos, and soon, Quinn can act like them, smell like them, and be them for all intents and purposes. But to do her job successfully, she can’t get attached.

Now seventeen, Quinn is deft at recreating herself, sometimes confusing her own past with those of the people she’s portrayed. When she’s given her longest assignment, playing the role of Catalina Barnes, Quinn begins to bond with the deceased girl’s boyfriend. But that’s only the beginning of the complications, especially when Quinn finds out the truth about Catalina’s death. And the epidemic it could start.

Read an excerptS&S is offering to one American (US only) winner:

· a copy of The Remedy

· plus copies of Suzanne Young’s bestselling series The Program and The Treatment.

Giveaway ends, April 15th, 2015.

To enter, please fill the form.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program series. Originally from Utica, New York, Suzanne moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She is a novelist and an English teacher, but not always in that order. Suzanne is the author of The Program, The Treatment, The Remedy, and A Need So Beautiful.

 

LEARN MORE

Learn More at SuzanneYoungAuthor.com
Visit the author on her Personal Blo
Follow Suzanne Young on Twitter and Facebook
#ReleaseTheRemedy

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Posted by Tynga at 01:19

 giveaway, Simon Schuster, Suzanne Young  1 Person left their mark