May 19, 2014

Not gone . . .

All right I  haven’t been on for a week and I thought I’d be back up this week . . . however I’m probably only going to be checking in on goodreads and some of my other sites briefly.

A water leak in our pipes has been my current project. We buried  them four feet down, never had the pipes freeze. (And considering where we live, that is darn lucky.) However, that makes finding and fixing a leak quite the challenge.

So it might be a little longer before Book Whispers gets regular posts again. Just been so tired.

Thanks! See ya soon.

May 9, 2014

Cover Coveting(9)

 
Cover art is found from Wicked Scribes, ATUF, Goodreads, social networks, and other sources.
***All cover art may not be final.***

I’m a little short on time


Heart Fire by Robin D. Owens

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


heart-fire Series: N/A 

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Shera’s thoughts:

Another topless man cover, but they’re trying. I have a love and hate relationship with the covers for this series.

Cool background.

Love Me To Death by Marissa Clarke

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


love-me-to-death Series: Underveil, book 1

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Shera’s thoughts:

Another chiseled chest. The crossed arms are different.

Renegade Dragon by Lolita Lopez

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


renegade-dragon Series: Dragon Heat, book 1

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Shera’s thoughts:

No. No. No. No. That pose.

Those pants.

No. No. No. No.

Say Her Name by James Dawson

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


say-her-name-james-dawson Series: N/A 

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre:  Paranormal YA

Shera’s thoughts:

Ooooo, so creepy.

Tainted Blood by M.L. Brennan

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


tainted-blood Series: Generation V, book 3

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy 

Shera’s thoughts:

Not only do the guys on the cover look badass. But this shows that, yes, clothes can be sexy too!

The Fire Artist by Daisy Whitney

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


the-fire-artist Series: N/A 

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal YA

Shera’s thoughts:

Not sure if this is a cover makeover, or what? Bloomsbury is a publisher in the US—just checked—but maybe it’s their UK cover I’m seeing.

I like this one the best though! Looks great!

The Girl Who Kissed a Lie by Skylar Dorset

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


the-girl-who-kissed-a-lie Series: Otherworld, book 0.5

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal YA  

Shera’s thoughts:

Wow! What a great novella cover.

Matches the series perfectly.

The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


The-Voyage-of-the-Basilisk Series: Memoir by Lady Trent, book 3

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Epic Fantasy

Shera’s thoughts:

Love these covers! This one looks like one of those classroom posters from science class.

The Winter King by C.L. Wilson

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


winter-king Series: N/A  (Not confirmed yet.)

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: N/A

Shera’s thoughts:

Despite the Tairen Soul covers . . . I was hoping for a step away from the 80s/90s romance cover era.

I think it would look better without that horrid veil. I know bride is on the cover, but the dress is enough of a hint.

May 8, 2014

Review: Greywalker

Greywalker (Greywalker, book 1) by Kat Richardson

greywalker

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Greywalker (1)

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead for two minutes. When she comes to in the hospital, she sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring.

But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker- able to move between the human world and the mysterious cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift is about to drag her into that strange new realm-whether she likes it or not.


Review:

The shame. Greywalker was a title I purchased when it first released, in 2006. Eight years later I finally read it. Oh, the shame. Because Richardson is part of the Urban Fantasy movement as I like to call it. When the genre finally started to hit big in the 2000s. Ironically 8 books later it's clear this is a top series in the genre, so much so that I've been faithfully buying them without ever reading a single one. Which for me is big. It was magic when I finally started up Greywalker and it just clicked.

The writing for Greywalker is amazing. From the world building to the characters. Seattle is so fleshed out that Richardson's rendition of has already popped up to my top 5 for written version of the city. (There are a lot of UF titles in Seattle.) This is a debut title, yet the writing is so sophisticated and never loses it's soul. The best part is there were some new words that I had to look up in the dictionary. It gives me shivers when words are used in a new way and I actually have to brush up on my vocabulary. It seems like authors tend to recycle descriptions and phrases, a lot. This isn't a show of how to use big words or anything like that. It's simply an author showing us the magic of her writing style, and I loved it.

What I love the most is how readers slide into Harper. We're there for the incident as she dies and comes back. The slow realization as she comes to terms with the fact that she's not crazy, she's seeing ghosts and the likes. She's a practical PI and at know point does Richardson try to glorify Harper. Nope instead Harper states PI work is usually dull and except for the rare crazy—such as what led up to her brush with death—it's fairly safe. A lot of titles try to bash readers brains in with the weight of how hard this new reality is and how the character can't cope. AKA endless denial that is beyond painful to sit through. (Cough. C.E. Murphy. Cough.) What I appreciated is that Harper is a skeptic, but she can't live in her denial. Her fears are totally understandable and I felt them right with her. What’s more is readers get to know Harper and she becomes a friend, there’s still some mysteries—like her mother—but we know her.

The cases Harper picks up all seem normal, but soon take a twist for the Grey. Giving readers a great peek behind that shadows as to what might be lurking. And maybe Harper becoming a Greywalker wasn't such a random act? The plot also helps to bring in some great characters. Such as the Danzigers, who are a married couple and their new baby. The wife happens to be a witch and the husband an open minded scholar who might be a bit more out there then is hocus-pocus wife. The Danziger's house is haunted by mysterious ghost, and conveniently located on a ley line. There's also an interesting enough love interest to spice things up, but is not the focus of the book.

This book is about the mystery and showing off what feels like very authentic PI-ing. Since I'm not a PI I can't say how close it is to the job, but what Harper describes is a bit more believable then the many PI employed Urban Fantasy leads out there. (Not that I don't enjoy them to death!) Best part is the magic isn't about flash here. There's a bases for everything and I greatly enjoyed all the theorizing about it. The magic felt solid and real. As if I could actually step right into the world Richardson has created.

This book has smarts. Despite the humor and rich world presented, I have a feeling readers are going to love it or find it dry. Either way it's well worth the gamble! Some might fine Harper a bit of a loner, but if you where having strange experiences that might lead you to believe that you’re crazy, holding people at arms length might be appealing. As a start up there's a lot we don't learn about Harper and we're learning about the Grey and the things thought creep in it a long with Harper. The bare glimpse of the vampire society leads me to believe that I'm going to like the vampire lore found here. Even more I love how endless, but grounded, the magic appears. I'm all in for the next book and I feel justified for jumping the gun and buying every release.

Sexual Content: Sex happens, but it’s not graphic or in detail. Sexual humor.

 
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:
Greywalker (1)
Poltergeist (2)
Underground (3)
Vanished (4)
Labyrinth (5)
Downpour (6)
Seawitch (7)
Possession (8)
Revenant (9)
Greywalker (1)
Poltergeist (2)
Underground (3)
Vanished (4)
Labyrinth (5)
Downpour (6)
Seawitch (7)
Possession (8)
Revenant (9)
Greywalker (1)
Poltergeist (2)
Underground (3)
Vanished (4)
Labyrinth (5)
Downpour (6)
Seawitch (7)
Possession (8)
Revenant (9)

May 7, 2014

Cover Coveting(6)

 
Cover art is found from Wicked Scribes, ATUF, Goodreads, social networks, and other sources.
***All cover art may not be final.***

OK. I missed posting Monday and Tuesday. What can I say, my book addiction got the better of me. Meaning: Was totally junking out on books and didn’t care about the rest of the world.

Now let’s look at pretty books.


The Witch With No Name by Kim Harrison

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


9452369 Series: The Hollows, book 13

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Shera’s thoughts:

It fits the series well. I like how dark the other covers have been. With this final book suddenly, boom, white. Nice touch.

Atlantia by Ally Condie

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


atlantia Series: Standalone

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal YA (Though there are rumors it might be dystopian.)

Shera’s thoughts:

Sometimes simple is simply beautiful.

Best part is that the cover blurb stands out because it can blend in.

Delete by Kim Curran

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


delete Series: Shift, book 3

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Young Adult Sci/Fi

Shera’s thoughts:

Love this cover!! It doesn’t scream sci/fi, but I like that it screams super hero book.

Fireborn by Keri Arthur

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


fireborn Series: Souls of Fire 

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Shera’s thoughts:

Arthur has a new series? HECK. TO. THE. YES!

Ok. Moving on.

When I saw this cover I thought “oh, a phoenix book?” (Then I noticed that Arthur’s name was on it and went crazy!)

This cover looks great, and I knew what the most important thing was. Phoenix!

Mission accomplished.

Fire Rising by Donna Grant

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


fire-rising Series: Dark Kings, book 2

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Shera’s thoughts:

For a standard PNR cover with chiseled chest, it’s not bad. The contrast of the dragon is eye catching enough to bring fans in.

Free Agent by J.C. Nelson

Previous book(s) in series:

Goodreads | Amazon


free-agent Series: Grimm Agency, book 1

Add it: Goodreads | Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Shera’s thoughts:

First of all the blurb sounds A-mazing.

The cover is perfect UF and I LOVE that the girl is covered up. And oh, her breasts don’t look like they’re going to pop off the cover and beat readers into reading it.

I love the whole magical swirl glow affect. And the way the series name is displayed!

May 2, 2014

Review: The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, book 1) by Rick Riordan

the-lightning-thief

Genre: Paranormal Middle Grade
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: The Lightning Thief (1)

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.


Review:

As an adult reading this, I can clearly state this is a middle grade/independent reader written for that age group. To be honest I've never been a fan of middle grade books, when I was at that age group I didn't read them. Skipped right over to YA and mainly adult. There are usually two main reasons that middle grade books don’t work for me. 1) Lack of character depth. 2) Easy plots, that leave me frustrated.

The Lightning Thief definitely introduces a really fun cast. Percy's humor is great and it flavors the book well and matches the “I am Percy Jackson and this is my tale” style that Riordan uses to tell the story. There's fun banter and plenty of humor. Percy is twelve years old. I enjoy reading characters of all ages, so I can safely say that reading a younger character doesn't play on any bias I have. When reading Percy at times I felt like he was too old and then suddenly too young. The life that he has lived could definitely be cause for this . . . but Riordan doesn't seem to display emotions well in this first entry. The writing isn't telling me how I should feel or anything. I'll be the first to admit that the writing found in The Lightning Thief is fantastic! It's just that it feels like characters are being glossed over. We get the basics, some of what motivates them and so on. Maybe it's due to the huge cast found here. Riordan may not have fallen into the groove to show off all these characters. Yet.

Ah, now the plot. These kids are supposed to know the mythology. Annabeth came to the camp at age seven and is the daughter of a goddess of knowledge. Yet they all pranced into every trap. Yes, I know this is middle grade level. But at that age even at my own self taught Greek Mythology level I would have been like, “Oh, shit. Realistic looking stone statues with scared facial expressions. Medusa be here! Flee!” (Oh, yes. I used the word flee.) Percy was getting special Chiron (yes that Chiron) teaching. Yet no one seemed to know their centaur rump from their satyr horns. Then they made huge bounds of genius and I thought, “Really and you didn't see those other things coming?”

Those gripes aside. The world was awesome! The mix of ancient Greek mythology and it's culture into modern US of A is freaking cool. It's probably where most of my enjoyment from the book came from. Come on, the entrance to the underworld is a record company! Hades is worried how he's going to pay for expanding the Underworld as more and more dead come in! Even better is the logic of how this mythological universe and our world mesh. How each have affected each other. From influencing wars to architect.

This is definitely a middle grade book. The plot and emotional connections are lacking, and well it just doesn't have the depth that I crave from my books. However, the Greek mythology mixing and humor is fun. My interest in the characters presented are worth seeing if the books flesh out more. The idea of children of Gods has been a story I've always been drawn to. What Riordan has done here is worth a try for every reader. (Though if your a reader who needs adult writing it may not work out.) If you've seen the movie, but have yet to read the book never fear! This book is sooooooo much better and I'm shocked that Fox decided to “loosely base” the movie on it. (Why Hollywood thinks ignoring source material is a good idea?) The Lightning Thief is worth a try whether you're like me, and rarely dabble in middle grade reads, or love them!

Sexual Content: Clean.

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


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:

The Lightning Thief (1)
The Sea of Monsters (2)
The Titan’s Curse (3)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (4)
The Last Olympian (5)

The Lightning Thief (1)
The Sea of Monsters (2)
The Titan’s Curse (3)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (4)
The Last Olympian (5)

The Lightning Thief (1)
The Sea of Monsters (2)
The Titan’s Curse (3)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (4)
The Last Olympian (5)