Wednesday, May 22, 2013

{Excerpt & #Giveaway} The Liberator by Victoria Scott


Excerpt from THE LIBERATOR
By Victoria Scott
      

When I open my eyes, the sun is trying to murder me. It’s shining on my face and making my head pound. Or maybe it’s my hangover that’s giving me the headache, but nonetheless—me and the sun?—we’re not on friendly terms.

Charlie murmurs beside me. My arms are still wrapped around her waist, and I suddenly realize I must have crashed out in her bed last night. If Grams wakes up and finds me here, she’ll run me a bath…and toss in the toaster.

“Morning, babe,” I whisper.

“Morning, hot stuff,” a distinctly male voice responds.

I whip around, my heart racing, and find Max sitting in a chair across the room. “You look so hot when you first wake up,” he says. He raises a hand to his hair. “Got that whole sexy bed head thing going on.”

Charlie doesn’t even move from her place, but I feel her laughing against me. “Your friend is kind of creepy, Dante,” she manages.

“Max, what the hell are you doing in here?” I ask, pulling the covers farther up even though I’m (regretfully) fully-clothed.

“Real question is, why did I wait so long to join you guys?” Max stands from his chair and cocks his head. A mischievous smile crawls across his face.

“No,” I say, trying to appear serious. “Don’t even think about it, dude.”

Max starts running in place, his smile widening farther until he looks deranged. “Ready or not!” Before I can stop him, Max races toward the bed and dives on top of us. “Oh! Oh it feels even better than I imagined.” He rolls back and forth across our bodies as Charlie laughs and I wonder why I’m friends with such a raging idiot.

With all my strength, I grab Max’s shirt and rotate him toward the edge. He falls off the side, his arms pin-wheeling. There’s a loud thud, and then nothing.

I wait for several seconds before leaning over to search for him. Max is lying face down on the floor, his arms and legs curled like a dead spider. “You’re not really hurt,” I say.

“I think you gave me spinal bifida. You need to call someone.”

“That’s a genetic disorder,” I respond with a sigh, collapsing back onto my pillow. A second later, he raises his head very, very slowly up from the side of the bed. It’s one of the more unsettling things he’s ever done. “Max, is there a purpose to this visit?” I ask. I want so badly to act like he’s annoying me. But he knows, and I know, that we both love this game: the one where I pretend he’s a pain in my ass, and he acts like a damn circus clown.

He stands up, crosses the room, and plops back down in the chair. “Valery sent me.”

I throw an arm across my eyes. “Of course she did.” Beside me, Charlie moves to get up and I immediately reach for her. She squeals and wiggles out of my grasp.

I watch as she walks around the bed and ruffles Max’s hair. The twenty-eight year old pants like a dog. It’s a bit disturbing considering Charlie’s seventeen. She eyes me with a grin. “I’ll make waffles.”

My face lights up.

“Yes,” she continues. “And bacon.”

I glance at Max and nod toward Charlie. “That’s my girl.”

“Damn straight,” he says.

“I’m still making breakfast for your birthday,” I call after Charlie. Then, looking at Max, I add, “My girl’s going to be legal soon.”

Max says, “Boom.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

{A Kelly M Review}: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Walker Books

Synopsis:


Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.





Ok so I have been steadily avoiding writing this review. I just did not want to. I’m probably gonna end up pissing through my eyes anyway but let’s give it a go.

When Clockwork Princess got delivered to me I ran out of the house so fast I sprained my ankle and fell on my face. Not a pretty picture I know but this series and Cassie Clare has seriously messed with my brain. So I ripped off the packaging and just sat and stared at it for a good fifteen minutes. It was so beautiful. AND I had to hypnotize myself into NOT looking at the family tree and I am so proud of myself because I didn’t.
I was so terrified of reading this book because the entire twitterverse was mourning and some even screaming in pain. Normally those types of feelings scare people away, but I know the Cassie fandom just craves for it more!

Anyway on to the actual book!

THERE WILL BE SOME SPOILERS!!!!!

Right off the bat something happens. That’s the thing with Cassie’s books they are so action packed, that the story never drags! Gabriel comes in covered in blood because of what the Demon Pox has done with his father. I loved the TMI parallel here where Gabriel talks about his father being a worm in the same way that Isabelle spoke about Simon becoming a rat. I found it quite hilarious.

Jem ends up getting sicker and we realise that he is near his end. Immediately this sets of a somber atmosphere to the story and you know that this is not going to end well. So Will, Tessa and the gang are working fast trying to find a cure for Jem.

Mortmain also steps up his game into getting Tessa and force her to marry him and have his children (sick right???). He ends up capturing her and then Will is torn between staying at Jem’s side and going after Tessa, the girl he loves. Jem finds out that Will is just as in love with Tessa as he is and he tells Will to go after Tessa and basically gives Will his blessing to be with Tessa, because Jem is just as selfless as Will.
So that is part of the story in short, really short, so now on to individual characters. I’m going to do Will, Tessa and Jem last.

Charlotte and Henry we see finally being comfortable in their marriage because they finally know how the other is feeling. Even though they are still so young they are basically the parents of the institute, especially Charlotte. She always looks after everyone and is very worried about Will’s emotional and mental health because of Jem’s death being so alarmingly close. Henry get’s more inventive and he and Charlotte realise how deep their love really goes.

Cecily, Will’s sister, is freakishly like Will and not just the physical appearance. She is just as stubborn and fierce as he is! She wants to be a part of his life even though she has a hidden agenda, to save Will from the evil Shadowhunters whom he has fallen prey to. She realises that this is not the case, that the entire institute operates as a family and Will is very happy, well as happy as Will can be, there. He has Jem and that is all he needs really. Cecily develops a relationship with Gabriel and it is utterly hilarious. She keeps him on his toes and I really ended up loving Cecily.

Gabriel IS AWESOME!!!!! He turned out to be one of my absolute favourite characters. The dude is hilarious and he is like a younger version of Jace and Will mixed together. It was quite awesome to read about him. He has a temper and it sometimes leads to hilarious scenariors. There was a part where I thought he might be a traitor but luckily he was the guy I always thought he was.

Gideon and Sophie, dear God but watching this relationship develop was so funny. Sophie rebuking him and Gideon who keeps asking for scones, just to see her, even though he hates them and ends up shoving them under his bed which infuriates Sophie. I laughed so so much! But luckily it’s a happy ending for them!

I’m going to do Will, Tessa and Jem together coz really how can I even separate them? This was the most complicated and heartbreaking love triangle I had to deal with and I already have tears in my eyes. I am not Team Will or Team Jem, I find that you cannot love the one without the other, but hey to each their own right? Anyway I wanted Jem to be alive and happy and I also want Will to be happy so how the hell does that work right? Jem doesn’t die, thank God but he turns into a Silent Brother. So he cannot marry Tessa and therefore Will and Tessa can be together. They have a happy life with children and grandchildren and Will dies of old age. My God but did I cry when that happened. It was the worst moment of my life and I’m still not over it. After like eighty years Jem finds a cure and he can switch back from being a Silent Brother and then he and Tessa can have their chance at a relationship! YAY right?? Like Woolsey said Tessa is lucky enough to have two great loves of her life and I am so happy that they could have their time together.

Okay so some people were sad that Tessa and Jem had to say goodbye and not get married and some people were sad because Will died and left Tessa behind. Me? I was sad because Will and Jem were separated! They had to live their lives basically apart from each other and then Will was dead when Jem finally got the cure. I find it unfair that they had to and have to live their lives without each other. That was the most heartbreaking thing of the entire story for me

Cassie is the most amazing writer under the son and she deserves to win a Nobel Prize for literature for this story. If you want your heart shattered and your soul shredded then read this series.

This is my Will and Tessa song: 1949 by Mallory Knox


This is my Will and Jem song: Don't Go by Bring Me The Horizon





{Teaser Tuesday}: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Title: The 5th Wave
Series: The Fifth Wave #1
Author: Rick Yancey
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Publisher: Penguin Books

Synopsis:


After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.


Teaser:

"I didn't save you," he whispers, lips tickling my eyelashes.
"You saved me."


This book is so so awesome so far. I don't do Sci-Fi but this is amazing. 



Thursday, May 16, 2013

{Help Please} Cover Reveal for Immortals by Ednah Walters

Hey all! I have had the extreme pleasure of working with Ednah Walters on her The Guardian Legacy series, and now she's got a New Adult series. I'm not going to lie, I started the ARC of Runes a couple days back, and if it weren't for my own writing endeavors, I would have gulped it up! I'm all sorts of swooning for Torin. Yummy!

When Catie from Forbidden Passions said she needed a partner to help get the word out about the second cover reveal,  Immortals, I jumped on the offer. I mean seriously, cover reveals are pretty simple, right. And you know you need just a little something extra to add to your blog, so jump on board. Pwetty Pwease!


EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at www.ednahwalters.com or www.ebwalters.com.

All you need to do to volunteer for the cover reveal is hop over HERE, fill out the short linky and either Catie or I will be in touch with you regarding the info you will need for the post on June 17th, 2013. If your not a hopper, leave your email in a comment and I'll get your information where it needs to be!

AGAIN, JUST GO HERE AND FILL OUT LINKY!

Monday, May 13, 2013

{Book Review} Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Title: Slammed
Series: Slammed #1
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: September 2012 by Atria
Originally Self-Published January 15, 2012
Contemporary

Goodreads     Twitter     Facebook     Website
Barnes & Noble     Amazon     

Synopsis:


Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.



And then some...

I've come to figure out I am not a book club girl. Why? Because I can't stick to the reading assignment. Divide the chapters up over a freaking month? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Slammed, about four hours reading time, give or take. Seriously. A little longer including the obligated pee break. 

Direct Quote to my ladies at the Mafia (you know who you are)...
I'm a firm believer that certain things fall into your life at the exact right times. You ladies are a great example, and then there's Slammed by Colleen Hoover! I laughed, I cried, I giggled, and tears of both sadness and joy streamed down my face. Oddly, I feel much lighter now!

From the end of April until about now, my life tends to get pretty hectic. We've had a tragedy or two inside this household, not unlike many others. Often I'm terrified to read anything that might be remotely heart-breaking, but Colleen's book was chosen for our book club read this month, so I thought "Why not?" (I'm pretty sure I even voted for it.) I would ask, as I often do, "Why didn't I read that sooner?" but it fell into my lap when fate meant for it to, and I'm so very lucky.

The Short of It:
Are you ready for layers packed upon layers of yummy reading goodness? I certainly was!

Ah, Layken or Lake if you're Will. Sad and uprooted after her father's death, she finds herself in Michigan. Now, I'm telling you, I'm a Texas girl myself, and how any good Texas mother could drag her baby to Michigan is beyond me. When I first read this, I was horrified. Literally. I mean, I love all you peeps from Michigan, but this is Texas! Okay, so I eventually understand her mother's motives, but I would be just a little pouty if I were forced to move anywhere but the Carribean, or a secluded island. But Layken's really not that pouty. Sure she's sad because not only has she lost her father, but she's being transplanted to another state at the start of her senior year! She's making the best of it for her mother and her little brother, Kel.

Then there's the boy next door, Will. I mean isn't there always? Except he's not. He's not the typical bad-boy next door, he's not even the good-boy next door. He's the stranger from across the street who's had a tragedy of his own and  now instead of playing college football he's raising his little brother, Caulder, while attending college and working an internship. He's a busy boy, without no time for a relationship. Until he notices the cute girl sitting behind the steering wheel of the U-Haul truck across the street who stops sulking long enough to play Zombie with her little brother and his newly made friend.

I wish I could say things were that simple, in this book or in life generally. Lake and Will have a chance for one single date before everything changes. Lake and Will, the two people who need each other the most, aren't allowed to be together. Not because of those pesky parents, or even age ranges, but because Will can't afford to lose his internship and Layken can't stop going to school. She's made a couple of friends, but no one like Will.

Layken's heartache doesn't stop at Will, but I'll go no further with the storyline as there is so much left to tell, and so much a reader should not experience through one blogger's eyes.

My Overall Opinion:
In all honesty, my summary sucks. I can't do this book justice without going into a ten page essay on it's merits. Overall, I'd call the theme edgy, but not necessarily dark. Two families are negotiating their way through the most un-perfect storm the only way they know how. One day at a time.

Layken's mom is a doll. And an exceptionally smart woman. Reading this book as a mother has given me wisdom when dealing with children. "let them carve pumpkins when they need to" (that one you'll need to read the book to understand, and "while you must choose the battles you pick with your children, it's important not to pick that many."

I love the culture of poetry slamming, I love that this book shows strong male characters hitting back at the world with their words in a civilized manner. And the Avett Brothers? Has anyone ever seen them in concert? I haven't, but my sister has and she told me how amazing they were. I looked up a few videos on YouTube and became enthralled with their enthusiasm. Watching them play, even on my laptop, is exhilarating. But to read their lyrics, to understand them in reference to Slammed gave me a complete different appreciation for them. Eventually Will refers to them as philosophers and I'm not too sure he's wrong.

And Finally:
Now, if my words are not a straight out endorsement of Slammed, perhaps you'll read a few other reviews or just pick up the book, because there's just so much greatness packed inside. The characters are amazingly strong, even during their weakest moments. They're funny and upbeat, tragic and sad, but mostly, they are inspiring.

In the end, when the tears were cried, and the giggles laughed, life felt lighter and I breathed easier.

Until...I started Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)

A Review by Kristin

{Giveaway & Book Trailer} Runes by Ednah Walters



Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.



What reviewers are saying:

HOLY RUNES!I really enjoyed this story especially Torin *swoon*. Ednah did a wonderful job on Runes! It is a must read for fans of YA books!...Breanna- http://two-tall-tales.blogspot.com/

Wow! I’ve got to start by saying that it takes something original and excellent to surprise me, and this book did just that! I found myself about 75% of the way through the book with my mouth hanging open... Carrie Williams (Goodreads)

Oh HOLY COW! This book was a mind blowing surprise! I loved the way it turned out and I am literally going crazy over the ending. I was not expecting it to turn out the way it did....Maida...full review May 23-http://loveaffairwithabookreviews.blogspot.ca/

Links: where Runes will be avialable for a sale price of $0.99

Amazon Pre-Order Link for Print

Amazon links:
Kindle (US): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP4YKTG

Kindle (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CP4YKTG

Kindle (CA): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00CP4YKTG


Barnes&Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115272293?ean=2940016613338&isbn=2940016613338

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=ednah+walters

About Ednah Walters:

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. You can visit her online at www.ednahwalters.com or www.ebwalters.com.


Contact Ednah:

Website:  http://www.ednahwalters.com/index.html
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188120.Ednah_Walters
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EdnahWalters
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ednahwalters

Also there is a giveaway that will go along with the trailer reveal.  This is for US mailing addresses only.  Here is the Rafflecopter link:



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, May 12, 2013

{Series Sunday} Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson




Series: Mistborn Series
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Website





Synopsis:

In a world with a red sun, brown plants and ash that falls endlessly from the sky, the Lord Ruler is the supreme god and authority. Humans are divided into two classes--the nobility and the skaa--the servants/slaves, barely considered sentient by the nobility, much less human. But there are rebels among the skaa, and the nobility have long availed themselves of skaa women, allowing mistings--a nickname for magic users with the ability to burn metals to various effects--to be born among the skaa.

But the skaa are more intelligent than credited, and they seek to overthrow the Lord Ruler. Lead by Kelsier, a charismatic mistborn--an allomancer able to burn all of the magically charged metals--his crew of misting thieves, and the distrusting, orphaned mistborn Vin will make a move against their god-king and deal with prophecies, undiscovered magics and forgotten history.

Mistborn is an epic fantasy trilogy and a heist story of political intrigue, surprises and magical martial-arts action. The saga dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge?


I finished Mistborn, the first of this trilogy a few months ago--then got side tracked by real life. But I saved the review because I knew as soon as I finished the first one, that I would finish this series. Unfortunately, in the vein of most epic fantasy, it's a long series, so finding the time to read the nearly 1500 pages of the following two books was a little tricky. Enter vacation.


Now, as far as series go, this one is only a trilogy with a stand alone fourth book that takes place several hundred years after the trilogy. At least for now. However, I thought it was best to pump this as one big piece.

It's my first time reading Brandon Sanderson, but I promise, it won't be the last. He builds such fascinating worlds and, more impressively, extremely original magic systems. I didn't quite realize how much fluff I'd been reading lately until diving into this (not that fluff doesn't have it's place...) but: Complex world, complex politics, complex magic, an ensemble cast, multiple plot lines and serious plot twists-- I'm in love. 

And did I mention the characters? I loved the characters. From Kelsier's refusal to be crushed, insisting on laughing in a world where skaa have nothing to laugh about to Vin's initial distrust and insecurity and watching her come into her own. I actually just really adored Vin, period. She's something of an atypical female character--powerful and decisive--while she does have doubts, she doesn't really linger on them. Once Vin comes to a decision, she rarely second-guesses it. It was a nice change of pace. 

I really enjoyed the depth of both the world building--the history, the cultures, the actual logic and plausibility of the world and its development. It pulled me in. And there's an ambiance to the setting, the world where green plants are a strange idea and the mists at night seem to be a living thing. Usually setting is sort of a side benefit for me, but in this case, it was really a shining star all its own.

And the magic. I loved the intricacy of the system and the originality. Mistborn have the ability to push themselves off of metals or use metals to pull themselves forward. A skilled mistborn can effectively fly, but there are very physics-related ideas behind their use. Yet the magic is still magic. It does make for some fantastic, almost Matrix-esque fight scenes. 

And these books have twists and turns. There were several plot twists that I did not see coming. But they weren't twists that made me feel cheated--I feel like the disclaimers and clues are clear in retrospect. 

I won't lie, this is a dense, traditional epic fantasy. They're long books but they are so worth it. I'm about a hundred pages into the fourth book, so I'll follow up with a review on that. But, regardless of how it turns out--look into this trilogy.


"Our best efforts were never even a mild annoyance to the Lord Ruler."

"Ah, but being an annoyance is something that I am very good at. In fact, I'm far more than just a 'mild' annoyance--people tell me I can be downright frustrating. Might as well use this talent for the cause of good, eh?”

--Marsh and Kelsier, Mistborn
Books in the series: 

1) Mistborn
2) The Well of Ascension
3) The Hero of Ages

4) The Alloy of Law


 




 




 



Tuesday, May 7, 2013

{A Kelly Coffee Review} Greenwode by J Tullos Hennig




Title: Greenwode
Autor:J Tullos Hennig
Series: Book One of The Wode
Genre: Historical, High Fantasy, slash
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press




Synopsis:
The Hooded One. The one to breathe the dark and light and dusk between….

When an old druid foresees this harbinger of chaos, he also sees whom it will claim: young Rob of Loxley. Rob’s mother and father, a yeoman forester and a wisewoman, have raised Rob and his sister, Marion, under a solemn duty: to take their parents’ places in the Old Religion as the manifestations of the Horned Lord and the Lady Huntress.

But when Gamelyn Boundys, son of a powerful nobleman, is injured in the forest, he and Rob begin a friendship that challenges both duty and ideology: Gamelyn is a devout follower of the Catholic Church. Rob understands the divide between peasant and noble all too well. And the old druid has foreseen that Gamelyn is destined to be Rob’s sworn enemy—to fight in a blood sacrifice for the greenwode's Maiden.

In a risky bid for happiness, Rob dares the Horned Lord to reinterpret the ancient rites—to allow Rob to take Gamelyn as a lover instead of a rival. But in the eyes of Gamelyn’s church, lust is a sin—and sodomy is unthinkable.



Disclaimer: This is an adult gay romance novel. That means sex between men. Don't like don't read--though in this case it would be a crying shame to pass the book up.

There is so much good about this book I'm not even sure where to start. First, I'm an old fantasy nerd, and Robin Hood hits it hard. This retelling is fantastic, in both the original meaning of the word and in the awesome meaning of the word.

Let's start with the basics: the language. A minor pet peeve of mine is historical novels where everyone speaks modern English. It just sort of hinders my willing suspension of disbelief. Hennig crafts a world where I can hear the accents in the voices--the variety between the low and high born. There are touches of French, Latin and Gaelic (I think, may be Welsh, I don't remember that it's specifically named), but their use is historically accurate and lends such depth to the world.

The myth maintained: I actually took a class that focused 1/3 of the semester on Robin Hood, so reading this story, seeing where the author has pulled from some of the oldest ballads and woven in all of the key components and characteristics of Robin Hood, yet, making them into a story that I haven't quite read was thrilling. The author did her research and it shows. Both in her weaving of the traditional tale and in her historic details.

The original take: One thing the original myths don't really focus much on is religion. It is present, but not a focus. So, Greenwode has a unique and creative--yet logical--twist on the Robin Hood myth, placing not only the rich against the poor but Christianity against the native pagan religion.

"The old gods aren't dead... we forget that at our peril..."
 --Brother Dolfin

The mysticism and magic of the old religion, and honestly, just the information about and portrayal of the old religion, is completely fascinating. 

And then, we have the characterization. The characters, the heart of the story and my ultimate draw-- They're the icing on the cake for this one. Rob and Marion are spectacular as brother and sister and Rob's developing relationship with the the near monastery-bound Gamelyn is portrayed wonderfully. The two are magnetic. I can't think of a character that isn't well crafted and defined--from Rob, to his parents, Gamelyn's family and the Horned God himself. All I could think at the end was "Wait, that's it?!"

No. Fortunately, it's the first in a duology... the second just doesn't come out until late this month. Where Greenwode explores mostly pre-myth Rob, the sequel promises to give us more of the Robin Hood--or Hode--myth that we know and love. Honestly, I can't wait for it.

This one is a highly recommended read. Just read it. It blew me away.






{Teaser Tuesday} Poison Princess by Kresley Cole


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Title: Poison Princess
Series: The Arcana Chronicles #1
Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Synopsis:

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

Teaser:

My sketchbook was...gone. The one filled with the rats and serpents under an apocalyptic sky, bodies mangled in thorn barbed wire, and horrific sack-faced bogeymen. I'd drawn one lapping blood from a victim's throat. Like and animal at a trough.

And, because I don't want to leave on a bad note...


At that moment, I was dying for this Cajun boy to kiss me. I didn't care about my reputation, the friends I'd disappoint, the popularity I'd lose, or the bragging rights he'd win.

I had to know what the look in his eyes promised.

He was staring at my lips, and before I could think better of it, I'd wetted them.

He wrapped one of his arms behind my back, cupping my chin with his free hand. "Evangeline, I'm goan to kiss you until your toes curl, until we're breathing hard for each other."

***I've started this book and have enjoyed it immensely. I will admit that the writing and the storyline are so unique and intriguing that sometimes I'm a bit overwhelmed so I take a break for a few days. I've fallen in love with Jackson, though I'm not sure I'm supposed to have, and Evangeline is still a complete mystery to me. If you've had troubles making it through in one reading, don't feel bad, set it down and come back to it. Each time I do, I fall a little more in love. Also...no words are misspelled in the teasers, I typed them as they were written.

Monday, May 6, 2013

{Book Review} Stray by Rachel Vincent

Title: Stray
Series: Shifters #1
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Mira Books
Publishing Date: June 1, 2007

Synopsis:

There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . .
And I'm one of them.

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .



*This is an Adult Urban Fantasy and contains mild to moderate sexual content and violence.

After many weeks of what my reading friends have now termed "reading ADD," I finally gave in and read a book that my co-blogger has been begging me to read. It's only been on the market for about six years now, and as I am a huge fan of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series, I have no idea why I was so hesitant to pick this up and read it. Heck, I even had it sitting on my shelf beside the rest of my TBR books.

I'm not a werewolf fan, or really a shifter fan, but Stray caught and held my attention from the first page, literally. I had a stack of books in my lap, flipping from one to the other, perusing the first couple pages of each looking for something to scream READ ME. Stray finally did. 

With any book, I look for layers in my reading. The main storyline revolves around Faythe (don't you just love the spelling) and her reluctance to return home to her Pride. She left five years previously to attend college and was currently working on her graduate work when her father summoned her home via Marc, the insanely hot boy of Faythe's past, and maybe her future. She went home, scraping her claws the whole way. Once she steps inside her childhood house, Faythe begins to understand why her father sent his second in charge to drag her home. Tabbies, female werecats, are going missing. The fact that there are only eight breeding Tabbies is reason for all the Prides to worry.

Faythe initially comes across as a spiteful and rebellious woman, though if I were raised under the laws of the Pride, I probably would be too. Once she finds out her friends are being kidnapped, she quickly becomes a mature and caring person, um - I mean werecat. She's completely kick-ass and has proven to be able to survive on her own, not needing a man to support her. There's a very minor love triangle, and she probably didn't handle things right, but we all make mistakes. I have a feeling destiny would have eventually made her choice for her had she not made her own decision.

Initially, and honestly throughout this book, I did not like Marc. I felt like her tried to take too many privileges with Faythe and played the ex-lover card a little too hard. He didn't earn any points with me until the very, very end of the book and starting into Rogue,which I am currently reading. I'm just not a big fan of the whole "me man, you woman" attitude.

Jace is a hotty, and sensual to boot. I have a feeling he's been pining after Faythe for quite some time. He's her youngest brother's, Ethan's, best friend, and I do love Ethan. He's cute and a little bit of a rebellion, not quite as bad as Faythe, but he definitely doesn't play by all the rules. Out of the brothers, he's definitely my favorite. I haven't really gotten a grasp on Micheal or Owen yet, and Ryan...well...

If you're looking for something not to serious but with a bit of depth to it, I highly suggest Stray. It's fun and action packed, start to finish. I always enjoy a strong lead character, and Faythe rocks.

A Review by Kristin

Thursday, May 2, 2013

{A Kelly M Review}: Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: Indigo Spell
Series: Bloodlines #3
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Razorbill

Synopsis:


In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next. Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.






Ok firstly I must apologise for my absence. I have been so busy with university life that I haven’t had time to do anything and also to be quite frank, I’ve gotten incredibly lazy, but! Fear not, I have returned, even though probably nobody missed me. So now I am going to start catching up with the 1000s of reviews I have to do. Ok maybe not that much, but it is quite a pile!

When I got this book from Penguin Books South Africa, I literally screamed my face off. I have the biggest Adrian obsession of all time. I mean he is in my top 3 book boyfriends, along with Jace and Will. After the way Golden Lily ended I was horrified and angry and manic. I literally did this


Well I didn’t throw it out of the window because would’ve had taken excessive force since I have a paperback, but I did thrown it across the room. Then I realized what I did and ran to pick it up too look over the damage, yeah didn’t think that one through did I? I blame Richelle Mead!

Anyway Indigo Spell is probably the first book that made me smile continuously. I didn’t stop smiling once! Even when a few bad things happened. I was so overtly happy all the way through that my face started twitching from smiling that much. I’m trying not to give away too many spoilers but the book has been out for a while sooo, but you can probably guess what happens since I’m so happy.

The humour was just plain awesome. I couldn’t stop laughing at most of the things Adrian said, even Sydney made me laugh! Adrian has really grown into the man I knew he could be, his maturity that is shown throughout the novel amazed me. He never gives up for what he believes in and honestly I could keep gushing about him forever but I’ll save you from my corny geekness.

Syndey, thank God, is finally working on her eating disorder. This was something about her that bothered me immensely but I’m glad that she shows the strength of her character by working on it. Slowly but surely I have no doubt that she will be fine. Also she comes to terms with the fact that the Moroi and Dhampirs are probably not what she was led to believe (DUH) and that there might be other forces at work for the reasons she feels her revoltions(did I spell that correctly? I don’t know). The fact that she carried on with her magic training (reluctantly but progress right?) really made me happy. I was quite shocked with myself for not finding Sydney annoying at all. Normally her attitude and her thing about vampires and magic being unnatural would’ve seriously pissed me off but Richelle Mead wrote the character of Sydney perfectly, you just can’t help but understand her.

There were a few twists and turns in the story that really took me by surprise and I am loving the direction Richelle is taking this story in. this was by far her best book she has ever written like hands down. I could not put it down, I finished somewhere in the early morning hours and then I was so happy I couldn’t sleep, even though the ending was an “OH CRAP!” ending.

Please don’t hesitate in reading this soul-stealing, sleep-depriving, world-forgetting book. If you haven’t read the series yet GO BUY THEM ALL NOW!!! I mean it’s only 3 books. BUT you have to read the Vampire Academy series before you read this so in that case it will be 9 books that you have to buy, I mean that’s nothing right? 



Wednesday, May 1, 2013

{Giveaway & Release Day Blitz} Centaur Rivalry by Nancy Straight


Centaur Rivalry Release Day Blitz!!

Today ‘s the day!!  Centaur Rivalry is available right now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.  It’s the third book in Nancy Straight’s Touched Series!

About Centaur Rivalry

The Centaur world is rocked as news spreads of the Lost Herd, Camille's existence, and her Centaur protector. A death order against Camille's father and family sends all into hiding.  Camille and Drake leave the country pursued by the Lost Herd as well as by Centaur Council enforcers. Camille's twin brother Cameron is manipulated by the Council Head and is quickly becoming her newest enemy. Amid unexpected new protectors, enemies, and romances, Camille and Drake make their plans to travel to Africa to confront the Centaur Council. They hope acceptance of Camille as Chiron's heir, yet knowing that her link to the Lost Herd could require them to kill or to be killed.

You can stalk Nancy here:
Twitter: @NancyStraight
Blog 

So, what would be the ultimate giveaway for this blitz?  How about Paperback copies of Blood Debt, Centaur Legacy and Centaur Rivalry?



What? Not good enough? How about we have FIVE, count them FIVE, winners who will EACH win a paperback set!! Still not good enough??

Man!! Okay, INTERNATIONAL WINNERS, TOO!!

Enter the Rafflecopter below.

{Giveaway} It's My Birthday Giveaway


So, it's my birthday! We'll not go with how old I am, but I'd love to celebrate it with you! I happen to have several duplicate books, and I'm willing to give a couple of them away!

So...here's the deal! Fill out the Rafflecopter and I'll choose two people to win these books. 

I do apologize, but since I'm paying shipping, it's USA and Canada only! Next giveaway will be international, promise.

Here's what I have!


OR...


So, one winner will win Clockwork Princess and one winner will win Beautiful Creatures AND Beautiful Darknes. Be sure to put your preference in the Rafflecopter entry! And good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...