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Monday, June 30, 2014

Fireborn blog tour: Interview with Keri Arthur

Fireborn blog tour banner

I have to be honest, moments like this are part of the reason I love blogging. The one and only Keri Arthur, whose books I adore, is visiting Team Tynga's Reviews and I got to interview her!! If that's not an amazing moment, I don't know what is. I've been a major fan for years and it was incredibly hard for me not to fangirl all over her but she is here to promote FIREBORN, her newest release and the start of what is sure to be an amazing new series.


Please join me in welcoming the inestimably talented Keri Arthur!


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First of all, thank you for visiting Team Tynga's Reviews and congrats on starting a new series! What's the most exciting part about kicking off a new series?

Thanks! And thanks for inviting me here to chat.

I think the most exciting thing about starting a new series is the ability to follow the journey of not only brand new characters, but to build a brand new world. I know that’s a bit of a standard answer, but you need to remember that between the Riley Jenson and the Dark Angel novels, I’ve spent 16 books in the one world, and I’m loving the ability to stretch as a writer.

How would you describe FIREBORN if you only had ten words?

 I’m never very good at doing something like that! Lol. Um... In a world where supernaturals aren’t entirely accepted, a phoenix battles to save mankind. Nope, that’s fourteen. Told you I wasn’t very good!

What inspired you to write a series based on phoenixes?

 I think it mainly stemmed from the desire to get away from both werewolves and vampires as main characters. As much as I love both, I just wanted to do something a little different. I spent hours trolling the net, looking at all sorts of supernatural beings--something I usually do when I’m researching for bad guys, not good. I kept stopping on references about phoenixes, and the idea of a character with the ability of being reborn from the ashes of their past just fired my imagination. Emberly was born  :)

All of your heroines are very confident, sexy women. How do you come up with some strong yet individual characters? 

 It’s very much a backlash of all the fantasy novels I used to read in the 70s and the 80s. You know the ones--the heroine was always tripping over, doing something dumb, or in need of rescuing. It drove me up the wall. Sure, not every female character in fantasy fiction needs to kick arse, but surely it wouldn’t have hurt the (mainly male) writers at the time to write one or two capable females? You have no idea how relieved I was to find writers like Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey.

Who are your favourite characters to write dialogue for (in this or any of your other series)? 

 Actually, my favourite all time character to write dialogue for is, believe it or, a sword. Or rather, the demon who gives the sword life. Amaya was not supposed to be such a strong presence in the Dark Angels series, but once she got page time, she was not giving it up.  I had enormous fun thinking up snark for her.

Will Emberly's world overlap with Riley and/or Risa's? Can we expect any familiar characters to crop up, even just for a cameo?

I’m afraid there’s no chance of that happening, because Fireborn is set in a completely different world to the Riley and Risa’s. Yes, it’s still Melbourne (that old ‘write what you know’ chestnut) but it’s a very different, somewhat darker Melbourne. There’s definitely no werewolf clubs in this version!

Melbourne is very much a character in your books, including FIREBORN. What are some of your must-see or must-do attractions in the area?  

 Melbourne is the most European of all Australian cities and, like France, you’ll find restaurants and cafes everywhere, most of them with tables and umbrellas out on the sidewalks so people can enjoy the sunshine (or get protection from the famously unreliable weather here) and people watch. If you’re coming to Melbourne, allow plenty of time to explore all the interconnecting little laneways with their amazing variety of shops, and sampling some truly fantastic cuisine. We do love our food, coffee and tea here. Then head off down the Great Ocean Road for some spectacular scenery, or head on over to the Yarra Valley, where some of the best wine makers in the country are located--and eat and drink some more while you’re there  :)

How many stories do you have planned for the Souls of Fire series?

 I have two planned at this point, but there will be more after that. I just don’t know how many as yet, because I usually need to be several novels into a series before I have some idea.

Finally, can you give us any exclusive teasers about what's to come? I'm so curious about everything, but especially about what's going on with Sam.

 You do find out what is going on with Sam, but I’m afraid it’s going to take a couple of books. As for a teaser...let’s just say it’s connected with what happened to his brother.

Thanks very much for taking the time to answer my questions.

Thanks again for inviting me.  :)

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For more Keri, check out the following links:


Website | Facebook | Twitter


You can also visit the previous tour stop, Fang-tastic Books, or check out Rambling from This Chick tomorrow for more FIREBORN goodness.


And here's the scoop on FIREBORN:



Fireborn by Keri Arthur (Souls of Fire #1)

From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand-new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson—a phoenix capable of taking on human form and cursed with the ability to foresee death....

Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent it from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plaguelike virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment intended to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames....

Jenn's thoughts


Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository



Jenn

Fireborn by Keri Arthur

I've been a big fan of Keri Arthur's for quite some time. She's a wonderfully talented writer who consistently delivers engaging stories, strong characters, steamy sex scenes, and interesting worlds. In FIREBORN, the first book in her new Souls of Fire series, we're back in Melbourne, in a world where vampires and werewolves are out but other supernaturals, including phoenixes like Emberly, our heroine, are still hiding from humans. I was so excited to see Arthur develop a series around a phoenix since we so rarely see them in stories, let alone as main characters in a series, and it makes FIREBORN a really fresh, exciting book.

In the Souls of Fire mythology, phoenixes have been cursed to never find happiness in love. They have a bonded partner that they spend all of their lives with (phoenixes get reborn every 100 years) but they can never be in love with their mate; instead, they seek love with humans or other beings, but are destined to never have a happy relationship. It's a terrible fate and you can see how it would wear someone down. But Emberly and her mate Rory stay strong, supporting each other and taking turns leading the more dangerous life; if one half of a a phoenix pair dies before their allotted 100-year span is over, the rebirth is painful and can only happen if their partner is still around. I particularly liked this aspect of Arthur's mythology because it creates a true sense of danger for Emberly and Rory, in a way that wouldn't have happened if the phoenixes could be just fine after each death.

Emberly is a very typical Arthur heroine: she's confident in all of the professional and sexual aspects of her life, though she does have a muddy romantic life. Like Riley and Risa before her, Emberly has multiple potential/current/previous lovers: Rory; Jackson Miller, a fire Fae; and her ex, Sam, who's presented as human but is probably something more. I have my suspicious about where Arthur will go with Sam but we'll see what happens -- Arthur has a way of surprising me even when I'm looking for it!

The overarching plot is an investigation into the death of Emberly's boss, which is being led by Sam and his team. There are mysterious vampire-like red cloaks who are after Emberly's boss' research, which means the Emberly is forced into the investigation even though she's supposed to be laying low this rebirth. We don't get a lot of resolution about the red cloaks since this is the setup for a mystery that will likely span several novels, if not the entire series, but we do get a nice bit of information about their origins and potential goals. They're still a creepy hive-mind baddie without really clear motivations but there's enough of a tease in FIREBORN to have me completely intrigued.

If you're looking to start a new urban fantasy series with a compelling plot, fully realised characters, steamy romance, and standout worldbuilding, look no further than FIREBORN. Keri Arthur has kicked off what's sure to be yet another amazing series and you won't be sorry you've given it a shot!

Jenn

Sunday, June 29, 2014

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

At first, I wasn't sure if I should published this review on the blog because it's not at all supernatural, but I enjoyed it so much that I had to share my thoughts about it with as many people as possible. It is however set in the future, and could be qualified as a dystopian novel. While not completly dystopian, it does have some elements like being set in the future and citizens of the USA are very restricted in their every day life. Set in 2083, imagine a world where caffeine and chocolate are illegal substances (although alcohol is not at all monitored, even young adults can drink), and natural resources are so limited that everything is rationed, including, but not limited to water, paper, and even paper towels! Personally, I don't think I could live without my morning coffee and my evening tea. I don't think a government banning caffeine is at all realistic (imagine the Starbucks led riots!), but I think it's the symbolism behind it that makes you think. Whether it be caffeine or alcohol, banning or restricting things only leads revolts and angry citizens. Contraband also means the creation of new black markets demand and mafias that push the product.

Anya Balanchine (or Annie to some friends) is caught up in a family mafia because she was born into it. Before her father passed away, he was the owner of a chocolate empire, called Balanchine Chocolates, which continues to produce the illegal substance, even after it was banned. Anya couldn't care less about the chocolate. Orphaned at nine years old, now in her junior year of high school, all she cares about is passing her classes and taking care of her older, but simple brother, and younger sister. But being born a Balanchine makes things complicated because everyone knows she's the daughter of the infamous dead mob boss. Things couldn't get any worse when she's suspected of poisoning her ex-boyfriend (with contraband chocolate, no less!), and sent to a horrible underage detention center.

The novel might center around chocolate and the danger it poses for Anya and her siblings, but I think the real message behind the novel is growing up despite how difficult it might be, and taking care of those you love and care for. Anya's enemies (or those who fight against what she stands for) might be numerous, but the few friends she has are worth keeping. Trouble tends to follow Anya around and she needs as many friends as possible to bail her out, or simply to support her. One aspect of the book that I really enjoyed is the presences of Anya's father. Although he was murdered when she was young, his wisdom lives on and Anya remembers the wise words he told her when she was younger t,o guide her in her difficult decisions.

Overall, this is definitely not the book I was expecting but it was surprisingly really good. It might be more suitable for mature young adults because of some of the more harsher subjects (we are dealing with mafia!) but the scenes are not all that graphic. The writing is very easy to read, and although I'm not crazy about narrators that uses the "you" in the narration, I was able to get passed that because the story was so engaging. The author has a lot to say in this novel but she finds a way to say as much as possible without getting too much into the descriptive details. Anya's story is a heartfelt one because of her selflessness, her caring nature, and all the difficult things she had to go through during her junior year. Although this book doesn't necessarily finish with a happily ever after, as a reader you're hopeful she'll find a way to pull through. A completely original take on dystopia, fans of the Delirum and Whither series will enjoy ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE.

Read an excerpt


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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Stacking The Shelves [113]

Stacking the Shelves


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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This week I'm only stacking my shelves with one book. It looks lonely in the picture... :(


I wasn't crazy about the first book in the series, and while I liked it well enough, I'm willing to give this second book a try.


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Purchased


The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith


What did you add  to your shelves this week?


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Friday, June 27, 2014

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Be ready to launch in a world of tradition, arranged marriage, strong religious convictions and magic. Lia is promised to a Prince she's never met because her parents want to create an alliance between their two kingdoms. The relation between the two has been strained, and with the barbarian's treat being stronger than ever, they need to unite and present a strong front. Lia won't have any of it though and  runs away with her maid to a faraway seaside village on her wedding day. What she doesn't know is that the prince and an assassin managed to track her there and they've both decided to intrude, undercover, in her new life. Which of the boys will earn her heart and trust?

This is the first novel from miss Pearson I've read and I absolutely loved it! I don't know if her other novels are just as good, but I'll definitely have to find out. I just love high fantasy and I was definitely served with this one. It was also very unique because it is set in a dystopian world! It's the first novel I've read that combines both genre, and I was happily surprised! The world that once were was destroyed by the gods to eliminate corruption of the heart. The survivors, called Remnants, built the world has Lia knows it, along with their religious beliefs. I found it was highly original, and I hope we discover more about it in the following novels.

The characters were a real treat. Lia isn't your typical noble woman. She is capable, strong and determined. She is also loving and compassionate and I just loved every aspect of her. She strives hard to build a life for herself away from the court and politics and she proved to be very resourceful. Kaden and Rafe were both very interesting but I can't tell you more about each without spoiling anything, so I won't say!

My favorite aspect of the book is how easily Mary led me astray. See, the novel is told from three perspectives: Lia's, the assassin's & the Prince's. The only problem? We don't know which of the boy is which! Pearson leaves breadcrumbs all along and there is two distinct trails, which leave us to decide for our own which boy is the prince and assassin. I dove in head first, convinced boy A was the assassin, not realizing my mistake until the big reveal (at about 60% of the novel).  I was so convinced I was right that I thought the author had made a mistake (it was an eARC after all..), going as far as going back to re-read some parts and realized I was fooled. It was then that I realized that there were clues leading to the truth but I was so engrossed in my perception that I had ignored them. Sheer genius if you ask me! I wanted to re-read the whole thing now that I knew the truth!

I was also completely engrossed in the plot. I loved watching Lia acclimate to her new life, see her interact with the boys, and witness her determination after she was kidnapped and dragged across the world.  I left involved in every step of her journey, wondering how she would get herself out of this or that situation and I loved it.

Pearson was cruel enough to end her novel on an epic cliffhanger and I have no idea how I will survived until the next installment! I read Kiss of Deception in March (even though you are just seeing it now, to respect publisher's request) and I guess book 2 will be released in July 2015. It's one hell of a long wait! I would suggest this read to fans of Maria V Snyder & Kristin Cashore, I'm sure you'll love it!

tynga

 

Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

I picked this book up because I wanted a cute, refreshing retelling. I went into it knowing it would be for younger audiences, however I thought that all ages could read it. My mind immediately compared it to the Percy Jackson series that can be enjoyed by all ages. And while I have to admit that THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY was slightly too young for me. For example, I loved that there were pictures in this book. They were adorable! But the rational part of my brain was telling me that there were pictures in this book and that may be the cause of why I was rolling my eyes every now and then. This book is truly meant for younger audiences. It's a good read to share between mother and daughter.

As far as the plot goes, it was definitely cute. I think it could be more appreciated by younger audiences, but I recognize the potential. Our main character is a smart girl, but she wouldn't have come to half of the conclusions she eventually came to if not for Andrew, the overweight classmate that most people made fun of. She harbors a huge amount of guilt because her mother passed away from cancer earlier and she felt she helped accelerate the process of her death. Why she believes this is something that you'll have to discover for yourself, but there is a surprising amount of depth to this tale. It's about forgiving oneself and realizing that because you do something wrong, you're not an evil person.

All plot issues aside, the retelling nerd inside me is extremely satisfied. This is a really unique twist on the HANSEL AND GRETEL fairytale. Essentially, these witches opened up a school where there are no rules and snacking on candy is encouraged. The bowls fill themselves and lunch is an infinite helping of deliciousness. There's several snack times a day and if you're not eating, the teachers get mad. See, they've got to fatten up the kids one way or another. This is their house of candy that attracts the children where they can slowly fatten up to prepare for their magnificent feast. I absolutely adore this entire idea. And I can't complain about execution because I know that, in the end, the age level chosen for this novel was what the novel demanded.

I can't complain about the novel because I went in thinking that, as a middle grade lover, it would be a level I could read. I didn't realize it was for younger middle grade readers, but I still found the overall tale to be adorable. Some characters are extremely frustrating, like the evil step-mother that didn't have to be evil but was made evil for the purpose of the retelling. Even our main character is slow to catch onto things at time. But, in the end, this novel was satisfactory. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It is simply okay.

lilisig

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I really looked forward to reading The Vanishing Season because I absolutely loved Anderson's Tigerlily. If you're looking to read a novel in the same vein as Tigerlily or you've been interested in reading a ghost story, The Vanishing Season probably won't work for you. Despite the fact that the description mentions the novel's ghost narrator, this novel is technically not a paranormal one and this book is a contemporary, coming-of-age tale. Anderson has crafted a slow-burning novel with gorgeous writing and a lifelike setting in TVS; this isn't the type of book I'd normally read, but there was something so chilling and powerful about this stand-alone.

This book is about a teenager named Maggie who's learning about herself and what it means to be friends with someone. Sure, there's a ghost narrator, but the primary objective of this omniscient character is to show the story from a bunch of angles without being biased. There's also murders going on while Maggie is discovering herself, but the murders aren't really the focus of this novel by any means.

From the moment I met Maggie, I started to develop with a bond because I love characters who are introverted and more sheltered. Maggie doesn't want to go outside, she doesn't want to socialize with people, she just wants to be binge watch her favorite shows on Netflix and as an introvert, I totally understood her outlook. I loved how Pauline and Liam made Maggie blossoms and metamorphize into someone so radically different -- they helped Maggie out of the cocoon she'd been hiding in. I remember feeling those feelings of insecurity that Maggie dealt with and it was reassuring to see her tackle these feelings with courage and strength. Each character in an Anderson feels special and they're always three dimensional to the point where they feel as if they have a separate life outside the novel. Whether it's the quirky, wise Elsa who is obsessed with US Weekly or  Liam who is experiencing unrequited love. Anderson doesn't just create characters, she creates people that are so easy to fall in love with.

Anderson's writing style in TVS is gorgeous and haunting to the point where even something as simple as a flock of geese flying off seems magical and extraordinary. Anderson has a powerful gift to bewitch readers with her every word and her descriptions in this novel are lush and mesmerizing. Readers will feel the chilly atmosphere of the winter season as they turn the pages and they will feel like they know the quaint town that Maggie lives in because Anderson truly immerses readers with the setting.

The Vanishing Season is a wonderful, coming-of-age that will chill readers with it's incredible narration and writing. While the plot is a bit sparse and slow-paced, the beautiful setting and writing eclipse this novel's short-comings. Though I expected a novel with more paranormal elements, I'm so glad that Anderson surprised me with this terrific coming-of-age tale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

"When I'm not writing" with Jamie Schultz

We have a very interesting guest this week: Jamie Schultz, the author of PREMONITIONS! He's got a very cool way of keeping busy when he's not writing a book. I think you're really going to enjoy this one, guys. :)


"When I'm not writing" logo


The thing about writing is that it’s both solitary and cerebral—basically, you spend a lot of time alone in your head. I’m on the short list of the most introverted people I know, but even I need a regular break from the inside of my head. As everybody knows, the logical alternative to quiet contemplation in the silence of one’s office is LOUD ROCK AND ROLL IN FRONT OF GOBS OF PEOPLE.

So this is me, in my other natural habitat:

[caption id="attachment_12592" align="aligncenter" width="256"]Jamie Schultz1 You play better if you make the appropriate face.[/caption]

The nice thing about playing music, especially when improvising, is that there is no time for thinking about things. Everything is happening right now. You strap on your guitar, wiggle your fingers, and pray nothing awful comes out. If done properly, you find yourself in a place of total abandonment to the music. At a party, I’m the guy in the corner with a drink and an anxious expression, but stick me on stage with a guitar and I become a jumping, gesticulating, flailing maniac. One of my friends refers to my stage persona as Tyler Durden—a crazy, anarchistic alternate personality that only manifests itself under certain conditions.

[caption id="attachment_12593" align="aligncenter" width="210"]Jamie Schultz2 The first rule of Fight Club is—AUGH! My eye![/caption]

I am currently between bands, however, because of a terminal personality conflict between  me and any drummer that ever lived (I wish I could explain this, or better yet, fix it, but I’ve had no luck so far. If you happen to know a drummer who is capable, reliable, local, and won’t shower me with unwelcome amorous advances, drop me a line). As a result, I’ve been holed up working on a solo act and recording a mess of songs in my home studio, which I refer to as the Kingdom of Stray Voltage.

[caption id="attachment_12594" align="aligncenter" width="275"]Jamie Schultz3 This, and worse, is what goes on behind all those super nifty recording consoles you see in studio pictures. Cables. So many cables. I have nightmares about cables.[/caption]

Left up to my own devices, I specialize in songs full of bizarre imagery, weird references, and a kind of desolate vibe. Think Neil Young on acid, reading from the book of Revelation, and that’ll get you close. This tune (“Behind Closed Doors”) is a good example, though I should warn you: I graduated with high honors from the Neil Young School of Vocals, majoring in Pitch Inaccuracy. This one (“All Gonna Lose”) comes from a similar place, though from a rather more absurd angle. It features the Devil getting a tattoo.

When I’m working with Darren—bass player/singer extraordinaire and my partner in musical crime—we tend to specialize in songs full of bizarre imagery, weird references, and a kind of desolate vibe that are also groovy. Here (“They Told Me”) is one of our works in progress. Recording is complete with the exception of the final vocal tracks, which currently feature scratch tracks doing placeholder duty. We’re angling to finish recording an album’s worth of tunes this year, so I’m pretty excited about that.

Music is great because it gets the demons out. Then I can hang up my guitar, go back to my desk, and… well… get a wholly different set of demons out.

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Thanks so much for visiting us, Jamie! For more about Jamie and his work, check out the following links:


Website | Twitter


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Here's the scoop on PREMONITIONS:




Premonitions by Jamie SchultzTWO MILLION DOLLARS...
 
It’s the kind of score Karyn Ames has always dreamed of—enough to set her crew up pretty well and, more important, enough to keep her safely stocked on a very rare, very expensive black market drug. Without it, Karyn hallucinates slices of the future until they totally overwhelm her, leaving her unable to distinguish the present from the mess of certainties and possibilities yet to come.
 
The client behind the heist is Enoch Sobell, a notorious crime lord with a reputation for being ruthless and exacting—and a purported practitioner of dark magic. Sobell is almost certainly condemned to Hell for a magically extended lifetime full of shady dealings. Once you’re in business with him, there’s no backing out.
 
Karyn and her associates are used to the supernatural and the occult, but their target is more than just the usual family heirloom or cursed necklace. It’s a piece of something larger. Something sinister.
 
Karyn’s crew and even Sobell himself are about to find out just how powerful it is… and how powerful it may yet become.


Jenn's thoughts


Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository



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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!


Jennsig

Monday, June 23, 2014

Premonitions by Jamie Schultz

PREMONITIONS is an amazing debut from Jamie Schultz. It's got everything you could ask for in a novel that blends a high-stakes caper with supernatural abilities. It's a little bit of The Italian Job (minus the Mini Coopers, of course) mixed in with a lot of grit, unpredictable alliances, and some truly scary individuals.

The crew at the centre of PREMONITIONS consists of Karyn, Anna, Nail, and Tommy. They've been together for eight years, have a good group dynamic, and aim to misbehave. Karyn has a terrible gift. She's able to see into the future, particularly related to dangers, but it comes with a serious price: she doesn't always know if what she's seeing is real or a hallucination. It's a theoretically cool ability but the price that Karyn pays is devastatingly high. She needs to buy drugs called blind to keep her grounded. Like all drugs, Karyn is building an immunity and she needs more and more blind to keep herself sane. She's not the only one with a bit of hocus pocus: Tommy has "mad occult skills" that come in quite handy as well.

They've been a solid crew for ages and they get approached to move into the big leagues when they're approached by a representative for Enoch Sobell, a very scary man. He's one of those once-you're-in-you're-in-for-life-no-matter-what kind of bosses, a real gangland boss with more than a bit of magic at his disposal. Sobell has a true sense of menace, which I appreciated. A lot of times villains aren't actually that intimidating but Sobell definitely comes off like someone that shouldn't be messed with. Schultz has done an excellent job with all of the characters but I found Sobell to be my favourite, oddly enough, because he's very self-assured and calculating and aware. The fact that he's evil just makes him a bit more interesting to my mind. :) It's not to say that the other characters aren't well written but Sobell was just the most intriguing to me.

PREMONITIONS is a great debut and I'm so excited to see what else Schultz will cook up in future novels. He's crafted an amazing story and I'd definitely recommend this to people who like urban fantasy with a criminal twist.

Jenn

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Under the Dome: Part One by Stephen King

There's a few reason why I wanted to read this book. First, I attempted to read a library copy of UNDER THE DOME when it first came out as hardcover but because it was so large, I gave up on it because it was so intimidating. I think the publisher did the right choice in reprinting them as two parts when it came to releasing them as paperback. 640 pages is a little less intimidating than 1074. Another reason I wanted to read it is because I'm hooked on the TV series based on the book, and season 2 will be airing in about a week. I figured I would review the books before the new season began in anticipation for the TV show.

Within the first few pages of the book, you immediately realize that despite some similarities, the stories are quite different. Some of the characters are recognizable, but not quite the same, while others are completely different or are non existent in the TV show. Also the woodchuck in the book is replaced by a cow in the TV series. While there's a murder in the beginning of the book, there is one in the book too, but committed by someone else, killing someone else. One thing that is definitely the same is the confusion created by the dome and the tense atmosphere in the small Maine town. People are frightened and when people are scared, they can act defensively or in some cases, can turn aggressive and hungry for power.

The idea of the dome is quite original but the fact that everything goes crazy once people realize what's happening is typical of human nature. A sociopathic cars salesman turned politician, Big Jim Rennie becomes obsessed in controlling everything and holding the power in the small town of Chester's Mill. Everything under the dome turns upside down, and rules of civilization aren't really followed anymore. An Iraq soldier doesn't want to be a hero, but under the circumstances, the town needs one and he is more or less dragged into the role of protagonist. Dale Barbara's military training comes in handy for controlling unique situations and I find it interesting to see his military and analytical thinking coming into play. Julia Shumway, the town's newspaper publisher is another character that takes a leadership role in trying to figure out the mystery of the dome. There are so many different characters that sometimes it's hard to follow, but the book wouldn't be what it is without the town, and the town wouldn't be anything without its townspeople.

Overall, I really enjoyed part one but I must warn you, reader, it's a very slow novel. The first 30 min after the dome hits takes about 100 pages to describe. I guess that's the magic of literacy. It can take so many words to describe a short amount of time. It also allows you to be omnipresent in so many different places all at the same time. The author takes the time to describe what happens to many different characters when the dome hits. The chaos of dome day arrises from the many crashes into the invisible wall, whether it be by plane, car or tractor. If you want a fast read, this is definitely not the book for you, but if you have the time to take it all in, and the concept intrigues you, I say go for it.

This long but detailed thriller is worth it, if you have the time to absorb all the details. Personally I don't read many Stephen King novel because his writing is unique and detailed but now I feel like I should be reading more of his novels, even if they aren't my usual genre. Since it's available, I'm diving right into part two. I don't want to forget any details, especially because there's so many characters to follow. I'm also very happy the new season of the TV show will be airing soon so I can keep comparing the two very different, yet similar stories.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Stacking The Shelves [112]

Stacking the Shelves


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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Won:


WonBooks62014


Dare You Toby Katie McGarry
The 57 Lives Of Alex Wayfare by M.G. Buehrlen
Between by Megan Whitmer
Virgin by Radhika Sanghani
The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
The Hunt by Stacey Kade
The Rules For Breaking by Ashley Elston
Forever by Karen Ann Hopkins
Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins
Belonging by Karen Ann Hopkins
Lux: Beginnings by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Lux: Consequences by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Somehow I managed to win a huge giveaway from one of my favorite authors!

For Review:
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Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

I'll be giving ARCS of Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, The Walled City by Ryan Graudin and Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers once I reach 1500 followers on Twitter! Follow me @scottreadsit!


Jon
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Friday, June 20, 2014

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Kelsea was sneaked out of the castle as a baby to be raised by two weathered and very smart people. Her very life was threatened by her uncle, thus her being raised away from court in secrecy, and when her nineteenth birthday comes calling her late mother's guard knock on her door to escort her back to her throne. Assassin's are out to get her and she must win the heart of her people if she wishes to rule her country successfully.. if she can survive.

The Queen of the Tearling is a thrilling debut novel by Erika Johanson and I'm sure this novel will gather a tremendous fan base!

Based in a dystopian setup, this high fantasy novel was pretty original! My only problem with this novel though is that the details of what they call 'the crossing' are a bit hazy. People were forced to leave the old world behind and crossed an ocean by boat to get to this new world. They couldn't bring over much technology, nor medicine and they find themselves in medieval times. It's not all that clear what happened to make them crossover, and it seems to new world is in another dimension or something, I honestly don't know, which is a big flaw.

Despite this major issue, the plot is very interesting and engaging. Kelsea is first brought to the castle, and not without action, mind you!, and starts her Queen life with a bang. She then has to strive hard to take the right decisions for her people, dodge assassin attemps, and build her Queenship from scratch. I was honestly riveted to the pages and I loved watching Kelsea grow from a young innocent girl to a queen in a matter of weeks. I also appreciated her bodyguard/adviser.

I usually love my novels with some romance and surprisingly I enjoyed the fact that here is none in this novel. Ok, Kelsea has some kind of crush on her kidnapper, but it's irrelevant to the story and barely worth mentioning. The focus is all about how she will overcome to obstacles to break her people free and I enjoyed it.

The Queen of the Tearling is kind of a long read but I wasn't bored one minute and even though I disagree with the “The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones" promo line, I would suggest this novel to fantasy fans. I can't wait for the next installment!

tynga

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Dead To You by Lisa McMann

Lisa McMann never disappoints with any of her books and Dead To You is no exception by any means. Dead To You delivers McMann's signature thrills and writing style to create one of the most mind-blowing thrillers I've read lately. Dead To You will mess with your mind, after reading this book you will feel like the world has suddenly shifted off course. Though this book is essentially a lead up to the shocking finale, I was constantly glued to the page and I was dying to find out how everything would end.

The premise of Dead To You is rather simple, but beneath the surface it's a very powerful book that I absolutely loved. Readers should never underestimate McMann because the plotlines in all of her books are superb and multilayered. Ethan was abducted from his home when he was seven and by some miracle, he has made it back to his family. The only problem is that Ethan is reluctant to address his past and that some of his family members feel weary of him. Will Ethan be accepted into his family? What is Ethan hiding?

A good majority of Dead To You follows Ethan trying to readjust to his life at home and to relearn what he has missed in his absence. McMann furtively snuck in foreshadowing elements that I hadn't realized were there, until I reached the incredible ending. It takes a lot to surprise me as a reader, but I'm still in awe of that ending weeks after finishing this book. You will never see this ending coming and for that reason, it's the type of ending that will occupy your mind long after finishing.

I don't want to say much more about Dead To You because this is one of those books that readers will enjoy if they know less about it. Now that I've finished all of McMann's YA novels, I definitely need to move onto her middle-grade series, The Unwanteds because I've been hearing such great things about that series. Dead To You is a solid thriller that will mess with readers' minds from start to finish and McMann's literary talent shines in this one.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

"When I'm not writing" with Andrea R. Cooper + giveaway

Son of Dragons Banner 450 x 169


This week, we're hosting Crimson Romance author Andrea R. Cooper for "When I'm not writing". Andrea is celebrating the release of SONS OF DRAGONS, the second book in her Legends of Oblivion series. She's also a native of Houston, Texas, a city near and dear to me because it's where one of my best friends is from.


There's an amazing tour-wide giveaway so be sure to toss your e-hat in the ring after you find out what Andrea does when she's not hard at work crafting her next paranormal romance!


"When I'm not writing" logo


Andrea R CooperWhen I’m not writing (non-writing being 90% of my day) I am juggling being a stay-at-home mom to three kids; two of which are under the age of five. Even though I dislike cleaning (but love a clean house), I daily do laundry, dishes, pick up toys, and try to clean a few rooms or vacuum.

Cooking also takes up part of my day as does running to the store when I realize we don’t have some ingredient for the recipe I was making (yes, I have to have a recipe and no, I’m horrible at improv). Don’t believe me? Last week, I was thinking of making a mushroom pasta cream sauce. Then I debated adding summer sausage. How did I escape the dilemma of a disastrous dinner? I texted my husband (who is a great cook and can throw things together without any recipe or plan and it comes out yummy). Anyway, he told me the sausage would not go well—with this meal—too tangy.

I also exercise, because sitting in front of a computer as much as my kids will allow me, does not make a slim figure. Zumba, swimming, and weights are my favorite ways to exercise. Although, my gym has a body combat class that I’ve been wanting to try. I took several years of Karate and Muay Thai. Though, when my nineteenth month old daughter has had enough of the gym’s kids’ club, there’s nothing I can do but pick her up and leave.

I also read (especially since my kids take over the TV if they are awake and it is on). My favorite genres to read are fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. The internet takes up any extra time I have (or sometimes don’t have) in my day.

Typically, I do all my emails, facebook, twitter, etc. in the morning. Then I take my two youngest kids somewhere fun to play. If they were older, I would use the time they were screaming down the slides to write, but again, my daughter has other ideas. It is all I can do to get her not to eat dirt, mud, or sand. However, out of all three of my children, she has been the healthiest so far … maybe she’s onto something with the dirt-eating.

Sometimes, my husband and I splurge and have a babysitter for the kids while we go watch a movie. Of course, the last time we tried that, we got a frantic phone call and missed the last half of the movie. LOL. Such as life with kids—and I know they won’t be this age for long.

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Thanks so much for visiting us, Andrea! Follow the links below to learn more about Andrea and her books:


WebsiteFacebookTwitter | Tour Schedule


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Here's the scoop on SONS OF DRAGONS:



Sons of Dragons by Andrea R CooperIn a time of false peace, the dead rise as soldiers for the Warloc’s scheme. For thousands of years he has stood ready for the final battle. Though the witch and her cursed Elvin have destroyed his physical body, now with his protégé, he has honed a new way to wage war.

Shunned by her own people and weary-hearted from centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana scours the land to silence the undead. Her heart has turned as cold as the sword she wields, until a prince seeks her aid.

Never has Prince Landon met a woman like Mirhana. Both beautiful and deadly, she haunts his dreams. The battle at hand becomes more enchanting than fighting to remain true to his unseen betrothed.

When a traitor emerges, new alliances are tested and the only remaining hope is to follow the prophecy and find the ... Son of Dragons.

Read an excerpt


Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository




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Andrea is giving away a bunch of prizes on this tour:
2 ebook Son of Dragons Book 2 - Int'l
1 ebook Cursed in Shadow Book 1.5 - Int'l
1 $15 Amazon Gift Card - Int'l
1 winner - $70 Victoria Secret Gift Card - US only


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!


Jennsig

Monday, June 16, 2014

Allegiance blog tour: Interview with Susannah Sandlin + giveaway

Allegiance Banner 450 x 169

I'm really excited about today's guest. I'm a huge fan of Susannah Sandlin/Suzanne Johnson and so I'm happy that Team Tynga's Reviews can take part in the tour for the Susannah's latest release, ALLEGIANCE, the fourth book in her Penton Legacy series. Read on to for my interview with Susannah and then enter the tour-wide giveaway!


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Hi, Susannah, and welcome back to Team Tynga's Reviews. So nice to have you back again. Last time you were on the blog, we chatted about STORM FORCE, and it's great to see you again for your newest release, ALLEGIANCE, which takes us back to Penton. What can our readers expect from ALLEGIANCE?


Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin (Penton Legacy #4)Thanks for having me back! ALLEGIANCE takes a dark(er) turn as the looming war strikes at the heart of the town just as Aidan’s community is trying to rebuild. At the same time, a couple of new characters come to town, including an eagle-shifter named Robin who was in STORM FORCE. Her interactions with the Penton crew, especially with Big Bad Mirren, are really a lot of fun. So there’s a good dose of humor woven in with the darkness.

How happy were you to get back into vampire business after switching toward shifters for STORM FORCE?

I really loved writing the shifters, but I missed my Penton vampires! So the idea of bringing a couple of the STORM FORCE characters (Robin and Nik) to Penton really let me have the best of both worlds and also expanded the overall worldbuilding of the Penton series.

I was worried we'd never get to see Cage's story after OMEGA. How did you decide to make him the main man in ALLEGIANCE?

I knew when OMEGA was half-written that Cage needed his own story. Plus, OMEGA left him in an awkward situation with one of the main series characters, Melissa, and I knew that had to be resolved. I’ll admit, I hadn’t originally planned on resolving the way I did but sometimes characters develop minds of their own! (Casts an accusatory glance at Robin.)

In our last interview, you mentioned you'd like to write a book for Robin and now she's front and centre in Penton! What inspired you to bring her (and other STORM FORCE characters) more directly into the Penton Legacy world? And does this mean we won't see any more Omega Force novels?

Storm Force by Susannah SandlinI’m not closing the door on Omega Force—there’s a lot of story potential there, so we’ll see what happens. I deliberately didn’t bring the character of Archer from STORM FORCE over to the new book because I thought he’d be a good hero if I did write another Omega Force book.

But as I was thinking about ALLEGIANCE and where the Penton story needed to go after OMEGA, I realized the Omega Force concept had to be brought fully into Penton, where it originated. So it made sense to bring Robin and Nik into the Penton world. As soon as I began thinking about how they might interact with the Penton crew, well, Robin kind of took over the book---because that’s the way Robin rolls! LOL. She’s such a fun character. And now, of course, Nik needs his story told.  :)

Can we expect more shifters or other supernaturals in Penton?

Definitely shifters, since that door has been opened now, and the shifter world has gotten dragged into the whole vampire mess. I’m not sure about other supernaturals, though. I don’t envision this becoming a big multiverse like I have in my Sentinels of New Orleans series (as Suzanne Johnson).

You've started what seems to be the next phase in Penton's struggle with ALLEGIANCE. Any teases about what's to come?

Well, I think Nik’s story needs telling. There are hints of it in ALLEGIANCE; he’s a really deep and interesting character to me. But the new phase of the Penton story lies with Aidan. By the end of ALLEGIANCE, he is in the midst of a real crisis, where he realizes the system he truly believed could be changed from the inside is more broken than he knew. He’s very angry. His enemies have a tendency to always think of Aidan as weak because he is a cautious man who believes in fair play, but they shouldn’t forget that he also is a very powerful vampire. There’s only so far he can be pushed before he pushes back. How he pushes back will determine the future of Penton.

To wrap up, I have a couple writing questions for you. What is most challenging about having multiple series running at the same time (with different publishers)?

River Road by Suzanne Johnson (Sentinel of New Orleans #2)It is sheer craziness sometimes! I have the urban fantasy series (Sentinels of New Orleans), the paranormal romance series (Penton), and a new romantic thriller series (Collectors) running concurrently, and they’re all very different. The biggest challenge to me is that I’m a very linear thinker, which means I don’t multitask well. I need to work on Book A, totally immersed from start to finish, and then move to Book B. I can’t bounce back and forth. With book deadlines overlapping, that’s not completely possible, but I do compartmentalize my time where I’m “faithful” to one book while I’m doing the actual writing.

What's the best piece of writing advice you've received?

To let go of perfectionism and give myself permission to write a sloppy first draft. That was hard because I always want to go back and edit and revise. But books never get finished when you do that. My first draft is so down and dirty I don’t even call it a first draft—I call it “Draft Zero.” It’s purely me working out plot details and usually runs about 60,000 words (a full novel is usually around 90k). Then I go through working in detail and massaging things to get to a real first draft. NOBODY sees Draft Zero—LOL.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit us, Susannah, and enjoy the rest of your tour!

Thanks again for having me here today!

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Okay, who's primed for a Nik story? I am. He's one of my favourite characters in the series.


For more Susannah/Suzanne, check out the following links:


Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tour Schedule


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Here's the scoop on ALLEGIANCE:



Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin (Penton Legacy #4)

From award-winning author Susannah Sandlin comes the fourth book in the smart and steamy Penton Legacy series.


British vampire psychiatrist and former mercenary Cage Reynolds returns to Penton, Alabama, looking for a permanent home. The town has been ravaged by the ongoing vampire war and the shortage of untainted human blood, and now the vampires and humans that make up the Omega Force are trying to rebuild. Cage hopes to help the cause, put down roots in Penton, and resolve his relationship with Melissa Calvert. The last thing he expects is to find himself drawn to Robin Ashton, a trash-talking eagle shape-shifter and new Omega recruit.


Meanwhile, as a dangerous saboteur wreaks havoc in Penton, the ruthless Vampire Tribunal leader Matthias Ludlam has been freed on the eve of his scheduled execution. But by whom? And to what end? As war and chaos rage on, love isn’t something Cage is looking for, but will his attraction to Robin distract him from the danger living among them?


Jenn's thoughts


Purchase: Amazon



 

And here are the rest of the Penton books:


Redemption by Susannah Sandlin (Penton Legacy #1)Absolution by Susannah Sandlin (Penton Legacy #2)Omega by Susannah Sandlin (Penton Legacy #3)Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin


giveaway banner

Susannah is giving away a slew of prizes on the tour: 1 $50 Amazon gift card 2 $10 Amazon gift cards 2 Author swag packs (books, swag)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Jenn

Allegiance by Susannah Sandlin

The Penton scathe is back, baby! I feel like it's been forever since the last Penton Legacy novel so I was thrilled to get my hands on an eARC of ALLEGIANCE as part of the author's tour. This time, the focus of the novel is on Cage Reynolds, who you may remember from previous Penton books, and Robin Ashton, the feisty eagle shapeshifter from STORM FORCE (review here). ALLEGIANCE takes place after the events of STORM FORCE but you don't need to have read the spinoff to understand everyone's backstory in ALLEGIANCE.

For me, the best part of the book was definitely Robin. I loved her in STORM FORCE and she's great in ALLEGIANCE. She's so unapologetic and bold and funny. And Cage is a surprisingly good foil for her. It's not a love connection I would have anticipated, partially because there's been no lead-up the way there was for, say, Will and Randa, but also because Robin and Cage are so different. This made their romance more interesting for me as a reader.

Generally speaking, it was also great to just be back in Penton. Sandlin's a talented writer and I really love the world she's built for this series. In ALLEGIANCE, we get to check in with the previous romantic pairs and also see just how Matthias' brutal efforts have affected the community. In REDEMPTION, Penton was very Eden-like in some ways and now it's literally a shell of its former self, with burnt out buildings and community members leaving. Penton's now also plagued by random vampires who want to join for all of the vaccine-free blood, not because they want to be a part of what Aiden and co. have built. Aiden's new position of power seems to have more negatives than positives at this point and I'm very curious to see if Penton will be able to hold together in the face of old and new adversaries.

On that note, I have to mention that there are some very interesting new threads being woven into the larger narrative. I can't say too much about one since it involves some major reveals but I think I can safely talk about one of the others: what drinking from a shifter does to a vampire. Obviously, it's going to be a significant issue for Robin and Cage, given how bitey Sandlin's vampires get in sexy moments, and I'm curious to see how things will play out over the long-term since shifter blood is different from human blood.

ALLEGIANCE is another welcome entry into the Penton Legacy series. Robin and Cage aren't my favourite Penton couple but their romance is full of chemistry and I liked reading their story. I hope you will, too.

Jenn

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Soapboxing: What's in a name?

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It's that time of the month again and this question was inspired by one of Stéphanie's reviews from last month, when she talked about one of J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. It's a series that I used to read but I eventually abandoned, not because of the storylines or the worldbuilding but because I couldn't deal with the way she names her characters. Specifically, my main issue is the way that she spells all of their names and, to be fair, it's an issue that I had from the outset of the series. I was cool with a name like Wrath -- it's no stranger than Barrons or any host of other characters -- but things really started to go downhill when I realised his merry band of brothers had ridiculously spelled names. I have no objections to giving characters unusual names but, as someone dislikes it when people substitute "z" for "s" for stylistic purposes, it's probably no surprise that names like Rhage, Vishous, and Zsadist aren't my favourite. But I was willing to go along with it since I thought the characters and stories were so interesting. But then we started getting into names like Xcor or s'Ex and I'm done. I appreciate that the names are treated as completely normal internal to the series but I hit a point where I found them so distracting that I couldn't keep reading the series. (Sorry, BDB fans, I had to come clean on this.) 

Unnecessarily strange spelling isn't the only thing that challenges my ability to continue with a series. You may remember that one of my quibbles with PEACEMAKER was that the protagonist's name was Virgin. I found it unnecessarily distracting. Again, I have no issue with unusual names: one of my favourite series is Sierra Dean's Secret McQueen books and it's a kind of ridiculous name, which Secret/Dean uses to great comic effect at certain points in the series. "Secret Rain", anyone? And maybe that's why I love it so much. Dean acknowledges that Secret's name is a bit wacky and a potential point of teasing. This is one of those cases where a somewhat ridiculous name is just part of the story. It's the same with Buffy, one of my favourite shows. And yes, Buffy isn't a tough name but it's also a little tongue-in-cheek and the writers make a point of sending it up every once in a while, including in the pilot. (Remember the Aphrodisia moment?)

I'm sure there are lots of other examples about naming gone awry (or at least off the beaten path) but I'm going to throw it out to you guys now.

 What's your take on unusual names?
Share your best and worst names 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!


Jenn

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

I've read many Nora Roberts novels but I've never written a review here on Tynga's Reviews. Usually, Roberts sticks to contemporary romances, but once in a while, she'll dabble with the supernatural and come out with a wonderful trilogy about love, magic and defeating a paranormal evil. Honestly, I usually wait until the whole Nora Roberts trilogy is published before diving into it, but in this case, I couldn't resist. With it's magical setting of Ireland and characters that sounded genuine and magical, I thought I was in for a treat. While I enjoyed DARK WITCH, I feel like the book was missing a bit of that typical Nora Roberts charm that I've become so fond of.

The setting couldn't have been more perfect. If you want to read a good witch book, personally I find the best ones always have some sort of link to Ireland. It's almost as if the Irish countryside has this inherent magic and mysticism that translates into the characters. It really helps that Nora Roberts has a penchant for Ireland as so many of her books are either set in Ireland or have Irish characters. I think Nora Roberts might be one of the most published author of our time but it's her Irish and magical books that are some of my favorites.

My main issue with DARK WITCH is the main character, Iona. Although she did have likable qualities, I think it's her naivety about love that put me off. Her desire for perfect and true love made me doubt her authenticity. Sure everybody wants to be loved in some way and everyone has the right to search for that special one, no matter how they go about finding him or her. It's a little ironic that Iona's love interest, Boyle, comes waltzing into her live, brooding on a horse when she has such a strong connection with horses. Actually, I find Iona's connection with horses more believable than her love at first sight feelings for Boyle. We definitely don't have enough background information about Iona, especially since her past is really the main reason why she finds herself in Ireland at the beginning of this story. The lack of interest from her parents when she was a child, has apparently made her the way she is, but I feel her history could have been a little bit more detailed in order to understand her intentions and her immense need to be accepted and loved. I'll admit with the other characters of the book that her incessant need to apologize for everything is a little annoying, but it's something I'm willing to overlook since it makes her so likable. And personally, I do it all the time.

I admire Iona's relationship and connection with horses and probably so many young girls would love to have only a portion of her talents. Her link with horses is something magical that she inherited from her ancestors, and it's that link that makes her a stronger witch. We are also introduced to Branna and Connor, Iona's cousins that accept her the way she has always wanted to be accepted by family. With these two other witches, they form a trio that has been legend in the small town of Ashford, and they're stronger together. Iona with her horse, Connor with his hawk, and Branna with her hound. Together, with three other friends, they form a circle that might just once and for all defeat a dark spirit that has been haunting Iona's family for centuries.

Nora Roberts is known for her great characters and while I do have a few minor issues with the ones from this book, I do find them genuine and likable. My other issue with DARK WITCH is the story line. The battle between good and evil magic is obviously the main conflict in this book, and while we do have quite a bit of information about how the war began, I just don't find the "fight scenes" in this book are that engaging. They're very typical and lack in a bit of imagination. The lure of the dark side is obviously interesting but overall, the main conflict left me wanting more.

I might have been a little harsh with this review, but I think it's because my expectations might have been a little bit too high. This is the first book of the trilogy so I have high hopes that things will only get better from this point on. Personally, I have faith in Nora Roberts and I think DARK WITCH might simply be her way of setting up one of her epic trilogies.

stephsig_thumb-25255B1-25255D6

Friday, June 13, 2014

Stacking The Shelves [111]

Stacking the Shelves


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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Jenn here with a quick post. I've been cutting back on review requests since I'm trying to get through all of my old ARCs but there were a few titles I couldn't resist!


For review:


Compelled by Shawntelle Madison (Coveted #3)The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod DuncanWitchlight by Sonya Clark


Witchlight by Sonya Clark
The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter by Rod Duncan
A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton
Compelled by Shawntelle Madison
A Curse Awakened by Cecy Robson
Premonitions by Jamie Schultz


Bought:


Aces Wild by Amanda CarlsonFortune's Pawn by Rachel BachBlack Arts by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #7)


Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach
The Wallflower by Dana Marie Bell
Cynful by Dana Marie Bell
Aces Wild by Amanda Carlson
Black Arts by Faith Hunter
Color My Heart by Red Garnier
Galilee Rising by Jennifer Harlow
Key of Solomon by Cassiel Knight
King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab
Prince of Power by Elisabeth Staab



What did you add to your shelves this week?


Jenn


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