November 29, 2010

Buffy Reboot, And Cover Lovers Lookie

As a reader I always want the download on what's going on with authors. Do they have new books coming out, how the  latest tour going, any thing juicy! So, I decided to bring the news to my readers. I'm lurking around all of those author blogs anyway, might as well do something productive.

buffyseason1 This is probably old news, but I felt that it was big enough that it had to be gossiped about here.   Warner Brother’s most successful occult show is being rebooted, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.   Sadly, Joss Whedon will not be leading it.   So far fans are pretty outraged about the whole thing.  If you just type it in fans everywhere are leery and not excited.

Clearly WB is trying to feed off the hot love fans have for the vampire/urban fantasy franchise that is experiencing a mega boom right now.  In the end creating a new Buffy will generate fans.  Faithful fans will look at it just to see what the new one is, whether in hopes of a new addiction or something to mock.  Those who didn’t like the original (yes, it’s possible) series my find solace in the new series.  Or it could fine people who have never bothered with Buffy.  buffyhot

None of the old cast will be brought either.  Which I can clearly understand as it would cost a lot of money to bring back any of the stars that the original series created.  After, if this is a flop WB may not want to drop too much dough on it.  So why not start a reboot with a completely clean start. (Main Research.)

Lot’s of readers are cover lovers just like me, and hey I don’t blame’em.  The artwork on covers always has me drooling at my books and rushing to the store to by them.  No matter what we say, we do judge books by there covers.  Even if we hit duds and some of our favorites may have the ugliest covers we’ve ever seen, cover lovers just never learn.  One of my favorite covers in the UF genre actually had a fun post over at Orbit for a shoot to get the latest post.  Book four of the Sabina Kane series, titled SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL, needs a cover pronto for it’s now rather then later.  First thing is to come up with a hot new pose to got with the sexy poses we see on the other covers.

Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, #1) The Mage in Black (Sabina Kane, #2) Green Eyed Demon (Sabina Kane, #3)
Here are some of the poses that are up for picking. Personally my favorite is the last one where the New Junior Designer hijacks the shoot.
STD1 STD2
STD3 STD4

After they finally choose the perfect pose, then it’s off to the illustrator of the series to get the finishing touches to look like the previous covers.  Of course, I make it sound easy.  There’s are reason this starts way before the release date of the book.  It’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into these covers. (Original Post)

What can I say, it was a slow week this holiday for book news.  Personally, I’m excited about the reboot of Buffy.  I’ll either love it or hate it, if I can get some more Buffy I’m all there!

November 28, 2010

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagwa

The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1)The Iron King (Iron Fey, Book 1) by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.



Genre: Paranormal YA

Thoughts:


When I first saw The Iron King, I immediately started to groan thinking, "Not another paranormal YA, about fairies." Sure I haven't read a dud yet, but at some point the story idea becomes washed up. Too many authors using the same thread of thought always tangles up with someone elses ideas. When really positive reviews started popping up from like minded readers, I started to pay attention.

Kagawa takes the over used Fairy concept washing up in the YA genre and makes it her own. After about 3 pages I stopped trying to compare it to Marr, Black, or any of the others who have written in the Fairy line of YA books. Kagawas humor immediately set this book a part from others, amplifying the cruel humor of the Faye. In fact, the fact that I could laugh in the middle of a crisis was one of my favorite parts of this book. A rock solid plot that clearly stands out, with I twist I didn't see coming, was another huge cherry on top!

Puck is featured in this book as a character. No matter who is writing about our mischievous little Shakespeare character I always fall in love. He's such a great character in this tale. He's fiercely loyal, quite the little pot stirrer, and has inner depths that make me want to reach out and explore more about him. Sadly he is placed as the "friend" love interest to the triangle. Personally, I feel as if I should sit down with authors and tell them the best of love comes from friendships. It would feel nice if for once I couldn't see the poor guy friend being left in the dust over some tall dark and silent character.

Ash, is our tall dark and silent character. Don't get me wrong, by the end of The Iron King I was reading to eat the poor boy up. The love story between him and Meghan started to develop wonderfully. She thought he looked like the cats meow, but new he was bad for her. For the majority of the book he's ready to kill her in way too many scenes. The "love" story was developing nicely, I could feel the potential. Sadly, like a lot of YA read, the author felt the need to make confessions of love before the end of the first book. Most series can not pull this off, they need time to build it up more. Use some of the length of the series to make the reader truly fall in love.

Megan was a pretty likable character and I loved that she had an opinion. If she was in a character line up I could tell her apart. Which really is something wonderful in a genre where the characters just don't stand apart like they should. It's great watching Meghan grow up in front of my eyes.

There were also some great side characters and fun Faye that graced these pages. Namely Grim, who's fun vanishing ways reminisce of a certain cat from Alice and Wonderland.

Bottom Line: In the end The Iron King really holds its own in the over populated genre of paranormal fairy reads in YA books. It has humor, plenty of action, some yummy love triangle leads, mystery, and sorrow. The only reason I don't give this book I higher rating is the over rushed love story, lets get a little more growth. Looking forward to book 2!

Sexual Content:

Kissing, evil sexual prank by kids at school, and a few references to rape.

Rating: 4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.

Add it:

Amazon: The Iron King (Harlequin Teen)

goodreads: The Iron King

November 26, 2010

Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

To Nora Grey, Patch seems like the completely unexpected, picture-perfect guy; handsome, friendly, attentive. But perhaps he's too perfect, too attentive, trespassing over the line between would-be boyfriend and stalker. At first confused and then frightened, Nora eventually discovers that both she and her ever-watchful companion are enmeshed in a primordial battle for souls. Hush, Hush is a debut novel that has raised a feverish buzz.



Genre: Paranormal YA

Thoughts:

Let's face it this is one big hit in the YA genre. Especially for the new venue of Angel books hitting the book shelves. With a cover like this and the fact that you can never go anywhere without seeing this book splattered on every blog and book site there is, expectations were high. Sadly for me, they deflated all over the place.

The plot was pretty average. The take on angels, fallen, not, and Nephiles was pretty original. However, this book tried so hard for 80 percent of the read to be mysteries that the plot went no where. When a masked attacker kept popping up I couldn't help but groan and go, "Really again, where the hell is the plot!!" Answers were not forth coming until the last 20 percent. Where everything was suddenly dumped. Sure the ending was good, it had a plot twist in there that I did not see coming right away. Sadly the fantastic ending was blown by trying to cram everything all at once. This had potential, but Fitzpatrick spent so much time trying to make it mysterious that all the plot development that should have been sprinkled throughout the book was just shoved in your face at the end.

Patch and Nora's relationship was one of the more believable ones I've read which isn't saying too much. Patch is a creepy stalker. Don't get me wrong at the beginning of this book I was ready to join the legions of Patch fans. After a while his creepy stalking dominated the pages. We get zero information about Patch until that last 20 percent I was talking about. If we could have been fed that information during the story Patch would have developed nicely. Because all of this important stuff was jammed into the ending a lot of the emotions and plot was lost.

Nora herself, was a very vague character. She felt so blank. Of course her father had died and she had one friend. It was like her only purpose was to be there for the reader to insert themselves in her place. Trust me you are going to be doing a lot of self insertion out of shear desperation to get some kind of character depth out of Nora. Which sadly means you're probably not going to be happy with some of Nora's choices or reactions. If my life is being threatened, I'm not going to act like a love sick crack head no matter what the songs say!

Bottom Line: The only thing this book really had going on was the sensational cover. The plot was average, and the good parts crammed into an ending that ruined the experience. Patch, the little hottie, was too much of a creepy stalker. Even the when juicy info is finally dished out it's too late to get the appropriate character build-up. Out of sheer curiosity I'll buy the next book when it comes out in paperback.

Sexual Content:

Kisses and some sexual innuendos.

Rating: 2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

Add it:

Amazon: Hush, Hush

goodreads: Hush, Hush

 

November 25, 2010

Wednesday Wishes, Thankful on Thursday

Hunting for books is one of my favorite things. Finding a new title is my equivalent of "getting rich." Whether the titles been around for a while, brand spanking new, or just not that common Wednesday Wishes is here for me to share them with you.

Sorry everyone that WW is coming a day late yesterday was one of those crazy days.  The hugest white out came in and knocked out the Internet.  Then someone dumped a stray off in said white out, thankfully the kitten was nursed back to health and has a new home.  Then my computer gets a virus. Well the virus is gone and I’m thankful!!

So happy Thanksgiving to all of you wonderful people. 

The Vampire StalkerThe Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?

Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction.

This sounds like any vampire readers/writers wet dream.

GraveminderGraveminder by Melissa Marr

The New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series delivers her first novel for adults, a story about the living, the dead, and a curse that binds them.

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn’t a funeral that Maylene didn’t attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place—and the man—she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D—a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.

This is a cool cover.  Not what I was expecting for Marr’s adult series, but at least it’s unique. (Trying to stay positive about this cover, it’s so tacky!!)

ReaperReaper (Soul Screamers) by Rachel Vincent

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

An ebook exclusive Soul Screamers series novella.

Not as pretty as the series covers.

Never Knew Another Never Knew Another by J. McDermott

Fugitive Rachel Nolander is a newcomer to the city of Dogsland, where the rich throw parties and the poor just do whatever they can to scrape by. Supported by her brother Djoss, she hides out in their squalid apartment, living in fear that someday, someone will find out that she is the child of a demon. Corporal Jona Lord Joni is a demon's child too, but instead of living in fear, he keeps his secret and goes about his life as a cocky, self-assured man of the law. The first book in the Dogsland Trilogy, Never Knew Another is the story of how these two outcasts meet.

Take a real good look at this cover.  Sweet, right!! This cover is so breath taking from texture to layout, it’s perfect.  Really want this book!

License to EnsorcellLicense to Ensorcell by Katharine Kerr

Psychic Agent Nola O'Grady isn't sure returning to San Francisco, and living near her unusual family, is a good idea. Her job, with a psychic agency so obscure even the CIA doesn't know it exists, can be perilous, and she's afraid of the relatives getting involved.

Then the Agency saddles her with Israeli secret agent Ari Nathan, and she has a bigger problem on her hands, because tact and compromise are not Ari's strong points. Their mission is to track down a serial killer obsessed with werewolves. He sees them everywhere and shoots whenever he thinks he has one in his sights. Ari assumes the man's psychotic, but in truth he's murdering actual werewolves. Nola should know. Her younger brother Pat, a lycanthrope, was the first victim.

Can Nola's psychic talents and Ari's skill with guns keep them alive long enough to unravel the greater mystery behind the killings? Can they save the werewolves and the world while stopping Nola's family from running headlong into danger?

I new urban fantasy series! Yummy.

Tempest Rising Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

A contemporary paranormal romance out just in time to ride the wave of the newest creature craze: mermaids!

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Tattoos, pretty mermaid scales?? So there!

Under WrapsUnder Wraps by Hannah Jayne

Sick of wrongful-death lawsuits every time a full moon comes around? Call the Underworld Detection Agency.

As a human immune to magic, Sophie Lawson can help everyone from banshee to zombie transition into normal, everyday San Francisco life. With a handsome werewolf as her UDA boss and a fashionista vampire for a roommate, Sophie knows everything there is to know about the undead, the unseen, and the uncanny…

Until a rash of gruesome murders has demons and mortals running for cover, and Sophie finds herself playing sidekick to detective Parker Hayes. Dodging raging bloodsuckers, bad-tempered fairies, and love-struck trolls is one thing. But when Sophie discovers Parker isn’t what he seems, she’s got only one chance to figure out whom to trust. Because an evil hiding in plain sight is closing in…and about to make one wisecracking human its means to ultimate power…

This cover has everything I want in an Urban Fantasy.  From vibrant colors, kiss butt heroine (x-na on the high hills), sexy pose, and a scene of the city. Perfection!

The Hunt of the UnicornThe Hunt of the Unicorn by C.C. Humphreys

Elayne thinks the old family story that one of her ancestors stepped through a tapestry into a world of mythical beasts makes a great fireside tale. But she lives in the real world. In New York City. And she's outgrown that kind of fantasy.

Until she finds herself in front of a unicorn tapestry at the Cloisters museum and sees her initials woven into the fabric. And hears a unicorn calling to her. And slips and falls—into that other world.

Suddenly the line between fantasy and reality isn't so clear. But the danger is real enough. Almost before she can think, Elayne is attacked by a ferocious beast, rescued by a unicorn, and taken prisoner by a tyrant king. Each of them seems to have an idea about her—that she's a hero, a villain, dinner!

But Elayne has a few ideas of her own. She wants to overthrow the king; she wants to tame the unicorn. She wants to go home! And she's willing to become both hero and villain to do it.

Good unicorn covers are hard to find.  This hits the spot on so many levels. 

Daughters of Dracula (The Stoker Sisters, #1)Daughters of Dracula (The Stoker Sisters #1) by Kailin Gow

Two sisters... Born during the time of Jane Austen... Set to marry for advancement, but escaped their fates by becoming vampires. Now vampires in the 21st century, hunted by a sect of rogue hunters, the sisters live in a small beach town of California where they meet Keegan Knowles, a mysterious boy. For hundreds of years they've shared clothes, books, and their home, but will they share the same boy or is it there going to be war?

I heard “Jane Austen” and “Dracula.”  Plus the part about escaping marriage, ahhh thank you!

BruiserBruiser by Neal Shusterman

Tennyson: Don't get me started on the Bruiser. He was voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" by the entire school. He's the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, BrontË, dating him? One of these days she's going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it's not going to end well.

BrontË: My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way—no right to threaten him. There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can't care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can't be explained. I know, because they're happening to me.

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear workings of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love.

Really not sure what this book is about, the reviews have me really intrigued.

The False PrincessThe False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

This just sounds amazing.

Dreamhunter (The Dreamhunter Duet, Book 1)Dreamhunter (The Dreamhunter Duet, Book 1) by Elizabeth Knox

Laura comes from a world similar to our own except for one difference: It is next to the Place, an unfathomable land that fosters dreams of every kind and is inaccessible to all but a select few, the dreamhunters. These are individuals with the ability to catch larger-than-life dreams and relay them to audiences in the magnificent dream palace. People travel from all around to experience the benefits of the hunters’ unique visions.

Now, fifteen-year-old Laura and her cousin Rose, daughters of dreamhunters, are old enough to find out if they qualify to enter the Place. But nothing can prepare them for what they are about to discover. In the midst of a fascinating landscape, Laura’s dreamy childhood is ending, and a nightmare is beginning.

This cover is kind of so-so.  The fading words is a really nice touch. 

Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Fantasy Lover (Dark-Hunter, #0)Fantasy Lover (Dark Hunter, book 0) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

This book is part of the Dark-Hunter universe, but does not feature any Dark-Hunters, For that it's considered an introduction to the series hence the #0.

 
Dear Reader,

Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day. As a love-slave, I knew everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She, alone, bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again. But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace-the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two thousand year old curse?

Julian of Macedon

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Thoughts:

"Dirty Joke." Is the first thoughts that pop into my head after reading Fantasy Lover. Personally I love a dirty joke, especially a good one. Fantasy Lover is one good dirty joke.

I'm not saying that it didn't have some intense moments. Jillian is our man trapped in the book to be a "love slave," and Kenyon brings the harsh reality of that into light. Grace has been wounded before and no longer trusts men. She's a sex therapist who doesn't have sex, but when you've lost you're virginity to a bet sex starts to sour. They're both damaged and Kenyons straight forward writing amplifies the healing the two do to each other.

I will admit for all the raving out there this was a little disappointing. The plot was very formalistic. Good characters, that dirty humor, and a fun pace makes it seem pretty original. Even though I found myself annoyed at the same old miscommunication ploy (you know the one where neither character can confess their feelings, and they both feel they don't deserve each other because of low self esteem issues) I was still cheering them on.

The Greek mythology was a surprise. Vampires always popped into mind when thinking about the Dark Hunter series. For this Xena and Hercules fan it was a real treat to have Greek myths and tragedies gracing the pages. Gods and Goddess pop up and it's so fun. I love getting takes on other peoples versions of Greek gods. Jillian's life was like a Greek tragedy and I loved it!!

Bottom Line: If you love a dirty joke, with one heck of a punch line, this is the book for you. Greek myth and tragedy mix well together to give the reader a fun paranormal romance. If you've been thinking about reading the series I would say don't miss out on this book 0. I don't know much about this series, but some of the characters that show up in other books are mentioned and met in this book breifly so I think it will add to the series as you read it.

Sexual content:

Full sex scenes, naughty words, and talk about sex. (What part of dirty joke didn't you understand!?)

Rating:  3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.

 

Add it:

Amazon: Fantasy Lover (Dark-Hunter, Book 1)

goodreads: Fantasy Lover

November 22, 2010

Lips Don’t Lie: Author Gossip

As a reader I always want the download on what's going on with authors. Do they have new books coming out, how the latest tour going, any thing juicy! So, I decided to bring the news to my readers. I'm lurking around all of those author blogs anyway, might as well do something productive.

General News:

The Aware (The Isles of Glory, #1)The Last Stormlord (Watergivers, #1)

Larke’s The Isles of Glory series has been one of my top Epic Fantasy series, at least for me.  While copies of these books are pretty much hard to find, her Watergivers series has been getting fantastic reviews around the Epic Fantasy circles.

While I haven’t read this new series she’s trying to get her book-proposal-come-synopsis created for a new concept!  I’ll let the authors own words fill us in.

And I spent the time working on my book-proposal-come-synopsis. Which is something I hate above all other writing jobs. You try writing a summary of a story that is unbelievably complicated and full of weird stuff, each element of which you can't possibly explain in less than a chapter. Sigh. Anyway, it has been done and put aside for a day or two to stew before submitting, but I shall let you all in on the secret...

The titles I have settled on. Now, if you've been around a while, you will know that never yet have the first titles I thought of been what we ended up with, but what the heck. I try. And here they are:

This one's a duology or whatever it is you call two-book-ologies. So the duology is called The Hidden Kingdom. Book One is The Masks of Yedron. Book Two is The Thwarted Prince.


And that's all about it for now. (Author’s Post)

The lovely Alexandra Ivy is going to have  some fun with some blog tours.  When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity, #1)So check them out!

Blog Dates:
Nov. 17th
Over Coffee
http://siamckye.blogspot.com/

Nov. 22nd
VampChix
http://vampchix.blogspot.com/

Dec 8th
Bitten By Books
http://bittenbybooks.com/

Dec 13th
Nocturne Romance Reads
http://www.nocturnereads.webs.com/

Dec 21st
Borders
http://bordersblog.com/trueromance/
Interviews:
http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) Cassandra Clare fans all now the misery of waiting for her next book. So Cassandra dear has decided to tease and taunt us. With a little teaser of Fallen Angels, book 4 of The Mortal Instruments book.

Teaser 1)
The Queen’s eyes glittered. “You told me that you did not wish to make a compact with me, for there was nothing I could give you. You said there was nothing in the world you wanted. When you imagine your life without Jace, do you still feel the same?”
*Why are you doing this to me?* Clary wanted to scream, but she said nothing, for the Faerie Queen glanced past her, and smiled, saying: “Wipe your tears, for he returns. It will do you no good for him to see you cry.”


Teaser 2)
“That wasn’t fair," Simon said.
“Maybe,” said Isabelle. “But I watch my brothers give their hearts away and I think, Don’t you know? Hearts are breakable. And I think even when you heal, you’re never what you were before.”

 

New Covers:

Ah, the smell of new covers.  I do love that smell, especially when they’re are Richelle Mead’s books.  Even better, when they are international covers.

French cover, which I love that they’ve kept the wings:

French-SS 

The Germans are sticking with the blind fold.

German-SS

Here’s the e-story cover for Dead Drop, which will be published before the January release of The Kensie.  Really, really like this cover.

149080_10150092069016807_89673096806_7293647_1796444_n

Author Wit:

Have you ever wanted to read a post where one author interviews another?  Well here’s your chance. Aprilynne Pike is being interviewed  by JS Lewis, so feel free to check it out! Here.

Kelly Meding has a fun podcast to check out.  If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to a favorite author on podcast do it!  The only thing that can beat it is a youtube interview. 

Finding out what books authors have gorged themselves on always spikes my interest.  Maggie Stiefvater shares the secret world of an author with a book addiction.  So check it out, here.

November 19, 2010

Book Blogger Hop and Weely Overview

Book Blogger Hop
If you want to join in this fun event just click on the image above and start hopping!!

"Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"


I feel most thankful for having such wonderful parents.  For those of you who are Grey's Anatomy fans, I like to tease that they're my People.  Also I am thankful for all the many blessing we've received this year and pray the continue.  Very thankful for having more People in the form of great friends and a very stressful sister. 

Weekly Overview:
Well, I'm off to the hop!! TGIF.

November 18, 2010

Review: Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson

Lord of the Fading Lands (Tairen Soul, #1)Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson

Genre: Paranormal Romance (AKA Romantic Fantasy)

Once he had scorched the world.

Once he had driven back overwhelming darkness.

Once he had loved with such passion, his name was legend...

TAIREN SOUL

Now a thousand years later, a new threat calls him from the Fading Lands, back into the world that had cost him so dearly. Now an ancient, familiar evil is regaining its strength, and a new voice beckons him--more compelling, more seductive, more maddening than any before.

As the power of his most bitter enemy grows and ancient alliances crumble, the wildness in his blood will not be denied. The tairen must claim his truemate and embrace the destiny woven for him in the mists of time.


Thoughts:

First off before I read this book, I was prepared to dislike it. It's shelved in the romance genre, and no matter how many romance books I read I'll still always be wary of that lay of the land. The description on the back of the book had me giggling with it's silliness, and then someone told me this was a series about finding ones soulmate. Personally the over the top soulmate thing had me trying to check out before I could even crack open a page. Before I found out anything about the book I had already bought it, so I new I was going to read it. This book has loads of great reviews for it, and then there are the reviewers who are skeptic romantics like me who just thought it was hokey.

Well this skeptic has been silenced. Turns out this book has more then hot sex scenes surrounded by thin plot lines. In fact it was quite the oppisite.

The world Wilson built is a fantasy world that many an aspiring writer would love to have developed. You can see the races, sink into the life of the people, and let the history of this rich land poor over you. The Faye are intriguing people who live VERY long lives, many of the Faye characters living for over a thousand years. It's had creating character that can show the weight they carry living that long--sure Wilson doesn't really pull it off--but you can feel it at times. Its a sorrowful note that she hits. The Celierians are the humans in this book that are "good." They've had alliances with the Faye and have fought to keep the Elden off of them for generations. The Eld are the evil Mages of this tale. Who want to crush the Faye at all costs. Of course not all of the people of Eld are mages. Instead of being free people they are nothing but tools, Marked at birth until the age of six when they are nothing more then pawns for the mages to take control of there bodies. There are also other races, notably the Elves. Not much is said about them in history or in the progress of this book. I've always been a fan of elves so I'm curious to get more information on them. Plus, why aren't they really mentioned in the history?

Wilson has created a cast of characters that interact so well. Many times I found myself laughing out loud with the characters, to fist pumping in the air victoriously. Side character stole my heart just as much as our leading characters Ellie and Rain. I found myself at times respecting, laughing, and enjoying the Celierian Queen--clearly she's a bad apple. The plots that are building up around her making me worry, especially after Wilson reveled the love story around how the King came to court her. The Faye protectors of Ellie have warmed their way into my heart with their fierce loyalty and their humorous antics.

The plot builds up nicely with this title and I had no problem sinking into the politics and culture. If you're afraid that this is going to turn into sex and no plot, be assured. There's a lot of plot threads that start to build up and not all of them are resolved at the end of this book. There's a lot of lip biting moments in Lord of the Fading Lands.

The love story between Ellie and Rain plays out nicely. All that sex I was afraid this book was going to be dedicated to, not here. The Soulmate/bond thing isn't something that makes the two characters just jump in bed together. Instead Ellie still gets the choice of falling in love with Rain. It's a pleasure to watch both of them discover each other. Rain at times can be over protective, but lets be honest his enemies are going to want her dead or worse. So clearly a little over protectiveness is nice. Rain nearly destroyed the world when his lady love was killed over a 1,000 years before of the events of this book, so I was worried how much Wilson would play that card. She plays it nicely, never making the reader feel over powered by Rian's suffering, but still making us want to shed a few tears for him. At times Rain can be annoyingly ill tempered to a fault, sometimes reminding me of a spoiled pouting child. In the end that's the charm of Rain Faye to the bone, flying cat at heart. Ellie is still getting fleshed out in this book. You can see the strong and determined woman she is gong to develop into.

Bottom Line:

This book needs to be checked out just for the buzz alone that it's stirring. Don't let the soulmate and romance shelving fool you, this book could hold its own in with the Epic Fantasy. It has a fantasy world that rivals many that I've come across, plus has the added bonus of making me fall in love with more then just the main characters. You'll laugh out loud with this book, have "fist pump of victory" moments, bite your lip in worry, and just get all tangled up with this book.

Sexual Content:

Some witty sexual jokes, a few slightly graphic scenes, and then one sex scene at the end. Nothing to over the top.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Add it:

Amazon: Lord of the Fading Lands (Tairen Soul)

goodreads: Lord of the Fading Lands

November 17, 2010

Wednesday Wishes

Hunting for books is one of my favorite things. Finding a new title is my equivalent of "getting rich." Whether the titles been around for a while, brand spanking new, or just not that common Wednesday Wishes is here for me to share them with you.

Bitter Frost (Frost, #1)Bitter Frost (Frost #1) by Kailin Gow

All her life, Breena had always dreamed about fairies as though she lived among them...beautiful fairies living among mortals and living in Feyland. In her dreams, he was always there the breathtakingly handsome but dangerous Winter Prince, Kian, who is her intended. When Breena turns sixteen, she begins seeing fairies and other creatures mortals don t see. Her best friend Logan, suddenly acts very protective. Then she sees Kian, who seems intent on finding her and carrying her off to Feyland. That's fine and all, but for the fact that humans rarely survive a trip to Feyland, a kiss from a fairy generally means death to the human unless that human has fairy blood in them or is very strong, and although Kian seemed to be her intended, he seems to hate her and wants her dead.

Fiary themed paranormal YA book are starting to get my respect. They rarely ever disappiont me, no like some other reads . . .

Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra, #2)Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra #2) by Amber Kizer

No details to what this second installment is yet, but hears hoping!

 

 

The Shifter (Healing Wars, #1)The Shifter (Healing Wars #1) by Janice Hardy

Nya is an orphan struggling for survival in a city crippled by war. She is also a Taker—with her touch, she can heal injuries, pulling pain from another person into her own body. But unlike her sister, Tali, and the other Takers who become Healers' League apprentices, Nya's skill is flawed: She can't push that pain into pynvium, the enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it into another person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from forces occupying her city. If discovered, she'd be used as a human weapon against her own people.

Rumors of another war make Nya's life harder, forcing her to take desperate risks just to find work and food. She pushes her luck too far and exposes her secret to a pain merchant eager to use her shifting ability for his own sinister purposes. At first Nya refuses, but when Tali and other League Healers mysteriously disappear, she's faced with some difficult choices. As her father used to say, principles are a bargain at any price; but how many will Nya have to sell to get Tali back alive?

This sounds like a very different Fantasy YA read, looking forward to it.

Ultraviolet Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Those Goosebumps you're feeling, are Goosebumps of awesomeness!

Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century, #1)Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century #1) by Cherie Priest

Cherie Priest's much-anticipated steampunk debut has finally arrived in the form of a paperback original. Its plot features the sort of calibrated suspense that readers of her Four and Twenty Blackbirds would expect. Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his sister save him in time? Zombie lit of the first order.

This book has been on my maybe back log pile for a while. After some reviews from some goodreads friends it's been moved onto a must read pile. Now if I can only get my hands on it!

Deceived By The Others (H & W Investigations, #3) Deceived By The Others (H&W Investigations #3) by Jess Haines

They're here, and they're real...werewolves, vampires, mages, and other creatures of the night. For New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest, taking care of Others business started out as a way to stay solvent. But now business is getting very, very complicated...

Shiarra's relationship with sexy werewolf Chaz may be somewhat unconventional. Still, after a few bumps, Shia is finally ready to get serious. That means meeting family--or in this case, bringing Chaz's entire werewolf pack along for a rollicking full-moon weekend in the Catskills.

Soon after they arrive, threatening notes appear, warning Chaz to go home. Then their cabin is ransacked. Shia starts digging to find out whether it's the work of upstart teenaged werewolves or something more sinister. Yet as rumors about her vampire connections arouse the pack's hostility, Shia has to contend with other dangers. Not just from an adversary about to make his fatal intentions known, but from a threat that's even closer than she knows...

After reading book 2, Taken by the Others, I have faith in this series!! (My review should be up later this month for it.)