Saturday 31 March 2012

RAK Wrap Up

April is almost here, so it's the end of another RAK month.

I send out some RAKs, but didn't receive a RAK myself. I did receive some pretty awesome books for review and through giveaways, so I'm still a happy piggy.

And I will sign up again for April of course.

===================
RAK:

The RAK movement (=Random Acts of Kindness): it is an initiative organized by the Ladies at the Book Soulmates where everyone posts their whislists and then other people realize one (or more) wishes of a person. Meaning that they send some books to the lucky person they picked! Doesn't it sound fabulous?

Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wish list and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

• Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Friday 30 March 2012

Eat Slay Love - Book Review

Eat Slay Love (Living With the Dead #3)
by Jesse Petersen


What is it about:
Sarah and David have survived the zombie apocalypse. They stood side by side and fought the undead, mad scientists, and even bionic monsters until the unthinkable happened. A zombie bite. But not even that could stop them. Now, with a possible cure in hand, they're headed east, looking for a safe zone behind the rumored "Wall." They're feeling pretty optimistic.

That is until Dave stops sleeping and starts lifting huge objects.


What did I think of it:
I think this is the best book in this series yet!

It was funny, intense, actionpacked and it had lots of zombies!

I will confess I was worried about the outcome of this book, especially as Dave is my favorite character and I had to stop myself from peeking at the last chapter a couple of times. I'm glad I didn't peek, because this book is a fun and cool rollercoaster ride with a conclusion that I didn't expect.

If you haven't read other books in this series I advice against starting with this book. I think it could be read as a standalone, but to really enjoy it you should read the first two books, so you're more invested in both Sarah and David and can root even more for them to save the day.

I will keep an eye out for more books by Petersen and hope they'll be just as much fun as Eat Slay Love and her other zombie books.

Why should you read it:
Brains.... Ehm Zombies!!


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Thursday 29 March 2012

Archangel's Blade - Book Review

Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter #4)
by Nalini Singh


What is it about:
The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...


What did I think of it:
I will confess I didn't much like Dmitri in the first three books in this series, but I loved those books enough to give a book featuring Dmitri as lead character a chance.

And luckily Dmitri turns out to be not such a jerk after all.

He's still an arrogant bastard though, but the building relationship between him and Honor makes him slowly change and in the end I actually rooted for him to defeat his enemies and to win the heart of Honor.

I was surprised by the action storyline. It started with the corpseless head lead, then totally went off track to follow a different lead - which made me wonder how things would turn out - but finally everything fell together again. A bumpy, but cool read.

I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series and luckily I have Angels' Flight already in my to-be-read pile so I can start that as soon as possible.

Why should you read it:
It's Urban Fantasy Romance with vampires and angels.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Wishlist Wednesday - Exogene


I confess:
I totally want this book for its cover
(although the story does sound cool as well)

Exogene by T.C. McCarthy

Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).

Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.

And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.

But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.


Tuesday 27 March 2012

Teaser Tuesadays - A Sliver of Shadows


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!

Sputtering, I flailed madly, the shock of the water sucking the wind out of me. Stunned, I sank down into the murk for a moment, the brush of something slimy jerking me back to myself.
(page 210, A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang)


Monday 26 March 2012

Incarnate - Book Review

Incarnate (Newsoul #1)
by Jodi Meadows


What is it about:
New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?


What did I think of it:
This was a nice and cute read with a bit of suspense and drama.

I really liked the idea of a world full of people who constantly reincarnate and are aware of this. It raises questions on how you would live your life in such a case and I was happy to see that Meadows used this in how the other characters react to Ana. It made for some interesting reading.

The suspense part of the story was intriguing although some events could have used a bit more working up to. I like it when you do not see certain things coming even though when they happen you discover there were clues along the way all along. In this book they were either absent or blaringly obvious.

I really liked Sam, he was a breath of fresh air after all the brooding, misunderstood youngsters you usually encounter in Young Adult fiction. Meadows did a good job of mixing his history of many lives already lived with the liveliness of a young man just past his teens. It made Sam a surprisingly likeable and balanced character.

All in all this is a pleasant read with some food for thought and I might give the second book a try once it's released.

Why should you read it:
It's a cute YA Fantasy that makes you think.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Saturday 24 March 2012

Crave the Moon - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Crave The Moon (Nightcreature #11)
by Lori Handeland


What is it about:
Gina O’Neill will do anything to hold on to her beloved ranch that has been in her family for generations. Enter Mateo Mecate, an archeologist whose greatest wish is to dig there. Prepared to despise Matt—and to thwart his agenda—Gina cannot deny the shocking desire she feels for him.

Matt believes that the Nahua Springs Ranch holds an important key to Aztec history—one that will restore his standing in the archeological community. But he never expects to go head-to-head with the maddeningly sensuous owner, Gina. The ranch seems to have cast a spell on them both…

When Gina and Matt delve into the secrets of this ancient place, they awaken something unspeakably evil—a shapeshifter who is centuries old. A werewolf with vengeance on its mind. A sorcerer of incredible power. Can Gina and Matt defeat this enemy—even as their conflicts deepen…and their attraction grows more dangerous?


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I was disappointed by this book.

Having read 'Blue Moon', the first book in this series, I expected a Paranormal Romance with werewolves, but instead this book is practically a contemporary romance with some werewolves thrown in as an afterthought.

I didn't particularly warm up to Gina and Matt as well, the attraction between them was too sudden and unbelievable and their personalities were a bit flat. The other characters were rather stereotypical and the one I liked the most turned out to be a bad guy (surprise, surprise, I do know how to pick them).

That I finished this book was because I kept hoping the story would pick up as soon as the werewolf was introduced, but when this finally happened it didn't manage to save the book for me, being a case of too little, too late.

I'm not sure if I will read more books in this series, because as much as I liked 'Blue Moon' I do not look forward to another flop like 'Crave the Moon'. This is probably a nice read if you're more into contemporary romance, but for me it didn't work.

Why should you read it:
It might be a nice read for people who like 'Paranormal Romance Light'.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Friday 23 March 2012

Alien Diplomacy - Early Book review

Alien Diplomacy (Katherine "Kitty" Katt #5)
by Gini Koch


What is it about:
Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion's Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same...

What did I think of it:
And yet again Koch delivers a fun and action packed story.

Alien Diplomacy is a fast paced read, full of Koch's trademark wackiness and over the top (but oh so cool and fun) action.

There's lots of new characters introduced in this book and I have to confess that at times I had trouble remembering who was who, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment. I was glad that all my favorite characters were all still present and still kicking ass and taking names. I also hope that some of the new characters will return in future books as well.

I wouldn't advice to read this story if you haven't read previous books in this series though, it might be difficult to figure out what's going on and why. And the previous four books are way too cool to just skip them, so if you're new to this series: do yourself a favor and go buy 'Touched by an Alien'.

I'm impressed by how Koch manages to keep this series fresh and exciting and I'm looking forward to the next installment in this awesome series.

Why should you read it:
It's a wacky, fun and action packed SciFi adventure


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Expected publication: April 3rd 2012

Thursday 22 March 2012

The Influence of Family and Life on Storytelling - Guestpost by Rebecca Hamilton

As part of the 'The Forever Girl' blog tour which is hosted by Dark Mind Book Tours I'm having Rebecca Hamilton over on my blog today. She will tell you about the influence of family and life on storytelling. But first let me tell you a bit about her book 'The Forever Girl'

The Forever Girl

Sophia Parsons’ family has skeletons, but they aren’t in their graves...

Solving the mystery of an ancestor’s hanging might silence the clashing whispers in Sophia's mind, but the cult in her town and the supernaturals who secretly reside there are determined to silence her first.

As Sophia unknowingly crosses the line into an elemental world full of vampire-like creatures, shapeshifters, and supernatural grim reapers, she meets Charles, a man who becomes both lover and ally.

But can she trust him?

It’s not until someone nearly kills Sophia that she realizes the only way to unveil the source of her family's curse: abandon her faith or abandon her humanity. If she wants to survive, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.

-----

Doesn't that sound intriguing!?
Now on to Rebecca's guestpost:

The Influence of Family and Life on Storytelling

I’ve had some interesting experiences growing up, maybe even a few that were a bit spooky. One of the earliest stories I remember my mom telling me is how she once “flew” in the field in front of my grandmother’s house. She said she was running across the field with her arms spread and she really wanted to fly and then one day her feet lifted off the ground for a few steps too long to be anything other than flying.

I can’t tell you how many summers I wasted running across that field. Apparently, this skill was not passed down genetically. I tried to fly, I believed I could fly, but fly I did not. I wonder if R Kelly’s mom once told him a similar story.

My mom told me other stories about our family as well, and there is one in particular that sticks out in my mind. She says her great uncle (or something like that) was supposed to shovel coal on the Titanic. But as he was walking down one of the halls, his hat blew off (there was no breeze) and he got a bad feeling and didn’t go after all. That story did inspire me to write a short story once, but I never finished the story. Actually, I have no idea what I did with what I’d written. It’s laying around somewhere in my computer, I’m sure.

My family is known for having their fair share of secrets, too, but there’s nothing supernatural about these. These are the uglies. I won’t say much about them now, but I once started writing a memoir that I may one day finish, and that gets a bit more into secrets that are the drama of my family.

So I suppose, in some ways, the ideas of paranormal forces and family secrets you can’t talk about have influenced my stories. I think all my writing reflects me in those ways. Not the obvious ways—as in, a lot of people think I’m Wiccan. I’m not. But people think I must be because I wrote a convincing Wiccan character. But in the less obvious ways, there are pieces of my in my writing. It’s in the details, though, like the coat closets that smell of moth balls, or the one hiding place in my grandma’s house that my cousins could never find me in when we played hide and seek.

The mystery in Sophia’s family history, however, belong to her family alone.


click here for the other posts in this blog tour.
(some of them have giveaways!)

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Royal Street - Early Book Review

Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans #1)
by Suzanne Johnson


What is it about:
As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.


What did I think of it:
I really enjoyed this book.

Johnson creates an intruiging world with a unique and cool magic system. I really like how she uses New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina as a setting while still showing respect for what happened there.

DJ is a likeable heroine although her mixed feelings for the men in her life (yes: love triangle!) made me want to kick her from time to time. The inclusion of famous characters from New Orleans' history was fun and there were a couple of characters that I wouldn't mind seeing again in future books.

The writing is pleasant and all in all this book is a delightful read full of action and suspense.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, because this book made me hungry for more.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Urban Fantasy set in New Orleans.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Expected publication: April 10th 2012

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Teaser Tuesdays - Carpathia

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!

Another book that I hope to be reviewing during my Titanic event next month.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about,"Justin said. "At least we'll be spared the horrors of that prospect. It's one hell of a day when you have to count freezing to death or drowning among your blessings."
(page 70, Carpathis by Matt Forbeck)

Monday 19 March 2012

Little Demons - Book Review

Little Demons
by Marty Shaw

ebook, short story

What is it about:
Welcome to Hale (Pop. 666), where things aren’t always what they seem and the devil always gets his due.

After a car heist goes wrong, a narrow escape from the police has Frank driving into the little town of Hale, where he thinks he’s found the answer to his prayers.

An old farmer by the name of Crowley has won the lottery and Frank thinks it’s only fair the old man shares his wealth. Of course, Crowley’s daughter, Lilly, doesn’t mind sharing herself with Frank, either, which only makes life seem so much sweeter.

Unfortunately, this is Hale and the little town has more in common with that other ‘H’ place than Frank realizes. He thinks the old farmer and his sexy daughter are the perfect victims, but his opinion might change before the sun comes up… if he lives that long.

Little Demons, a novelette of approximately 11,600 words, contains scenes that include sexual situations and strong language.


What did I think of it:
I really enjoyed Shaw's zombie story 'Dead Man Walking' so when offered the chance to read 'Little Demons' I couldn't say no.

And let me tell you:
Little Demons is a very cool read!

It's creepy, it's a little bit scary and it's got pigs!
(Ok, I know: the pig thing is maybe just interesting for me, but still I think it's cool.)

Shaw manages to create a setting that's spooky and intriguing and I like the way he sets up his characters. Frank is a complete bastard, but still Shaw succeeds in letting me root for Frank. The other characters are really cool as well and I wouldn't mind Shaw writing more stories set in Hale.

It's well written and fast paced and I got the feeling Shaw's writing got a bit more smooth than it was in 'Dead Man Walking'.

The one negative thing I could say that it's a novelette, so much too short. But every good story is always much too short in my opinion, so that's not really a negative point at all.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and creepy short story.


Buy this ebook here

Saturday 17 March 2012

Coming Up: 15 Titanic Days

This year it's a 100 years ago that the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage.

I will dedicate 15 days to the Titanic in April with reviews about books that feature the Titanic, a look at movies about Titanic and more.

Thursday 15 March 2012

Blood Bound - Book Review

Blood Bound (Unbound #1)
by Rachel Vincent


What is it about:
Bound by blood, condemned by fate

As a bloodtracker, Liv is extremely powerful. And in a world where power is a commodity that can get you killed, Liv's learnt to survive by her own rules.

Rule number one? Trust no one.

But when a friend's daughter goes missing, Liv is bound by a potent magical oath. She can't rest until the child is safe.
And that means trusting her dangerous ex, Cam.


What did I think of it:
I'm in two minds about this book.

I really liked the writing, the world building and the magic system that Vincent came up with. The story itself is interesting enough that it kept me reading to see how it would all play out.

But I totally loathed Liv's so called 'friend' and Cam.

Really: if I had friends like that you could shoot me right now. I wouldn't want to live in a world where people like that would be considered friends. So if I'd been Liv, this book would only have been a couple of chapters long, because either I'd have comitted suicide or I'd have gone on a killing spree.

Therefore I really couldn't understand the attraction Liv felt for Cam and I kept hoping against all odds she would kick his ass or at least see the light and dump him.

So this was a bumpy read that kept frustrating me while being interesting enough to keep me from screaming and throwing the book through the room. I don't think I'll read any other books in this series, my blood pressure can't handle it.

Why should you read it:
It's a suspenseful story with a very intriguing setting and magic system.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Feeling Lucky Winners


It's time to announce the winner of the Feeling Lucky Giveaway!

There were many people who left a comment and I really enjoyed reading them all. And during this giveaway my blog got some new followers! Because the number of followers is now over 150 I decided to give away not 1, but 2 copies of Sins of the Angels!

And the winners are:

Disincentive and Stephanie Verhaegen

Congrats!
I will send you an email to get your address.


Thanks to everyone who entered.
And keep an eye out for a new giveaway around April 15th.






Tuesday 13 March 2012

Teaser Tuesdays - Shadow of the Titanic


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!

I'll be reviewing this one in April when I'll devote two weeks to the Titanic.

Although Renee tried to blank the Titanic from her consciousness, the ship - and the memory of her husband - kept resurfacing. What preyed on her mind more than anything was wether she had done the right thing in leaving her husband on the ship to die.
(page 70, Shadow of the Titanic by Andrew Wilson)

Monday 12 March 2012

Inside Out - Book Review

Inside Out (Insider #1)
by Maria V. Snyder


What is it about:
Keep Your Head Down.
Don't Get Noticed.
Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.


What did I think of it:
I really love Snyder's Fantasy books, so that's why I decided to give this Dystopian Young Adult story a try.

And it's a very cool read!

The Dystopian setting is really intriguing and I liked Trella from the start, even though she's a bit of a loner. There were several interesting other characters as well. The writing was pleasant and I enjoyed the story.

I must confess I saw some events coming from miles away though, but it didn't spoil the book for me. The writing, characters and the action easily kept the story interesting without the added suspense that would have been there if I hadn't seen where things would lead to.

I will keep my eyes out for the sequel 'Outside In', because I got a feeling what will happen next and if it does that would make for another cool story.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Dystopian YA without too much teenage angsting.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Saturday 10 March 2012

Of Swine and Roses - Book Review

Of Swine and Roses
by Ilona Andrews

ebook, short story

What is it about:
A young adult short story about a girl, a pig, some magic, and the worst date ever.

Chad Thurman is a thug, who carries brass knuckles in both pockets and lays magic traps for intruders into “his” neighborhood. The last thing Alena Kornov wants to do is to go on the date with him. But when her family pressures her, she can’t say no. Now the ice-cream is absent, the pig is running for its life, and we won’t even mention the dead guy…


What did I think of it:
I couldn't resist picking up this story when I saw the title.

And it's a cute and fun read.

Just as in all other books I've read by Andrews the writing is good and the world building is done very well considering the length of this story.

The story itself is a bit predictable, but that didn't reduce my enjoyment. There's action, a bit of romance and most importantly: a pig!

I wouldn't mind if the Andrews duo decided to write more stories in this setting, even if those stories wouldn't include pigs. I will most certainly continue to read stories written by them: next up is Magic Bites.

Why should you read it:
It's got a pig!! ;-)


Buy this ebook from Amazon

Friday 9 March 2012

Devil's Luck - Book Review

Devil's Luck (The Disillusionists #3.5)
by Carolyn Crane

ebook, novella

What is it about:
THERE’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND DOOM.

No wager is too outrageous for Simon Fitzgerald, the most reckless of the Disillusionists. His dark secrets drive him to take increasingly extreme risks, but he’s never lived so quite so dangerously as when he hooks up with Midcity’s most powerful prognosticator.

Fawna Brady is tormented by the destinies she sees for those around her. To Fawna, knowledge of the future is a cage she’d do anything to escape. She’s stunned to discover a taste of the freedom for which she yearns at the side of Simon, the one person in the world who despises everything she is, everything she stands for.

Simon’s defiant attitude toward destiny captivates Fawna, but will her love destroy him? And will Simon rush headlong into the delicious doom she offers?


What did I think of it:
I love this story!

Seriously: When I read this story I had some doubts along the way. There are a couple of plot points that could have several different outcomes. Most often when this is the case the story takes the possibility that I like the least. I expected this to happen here as well and even though I was really enjoying the story and Crane's writing I was already bracing for an ending that would probably be nice, but not what I was secretly wishing for.

Imagine my surprise when Crane decided to not go for the obvious route, but instead turned all my expectations up side down and delivered a story with an ending so perfect I wanted to cheer, laugh and sniffle all at the same time.

If I wasn't already a dedicated fan of Crane's Disillusionists series I would be now!

I hope Crane continues to write novella's like this and I'm already looking forward to whatever she decides to write next.

Why should you read it:
I can advice this novella to both fans of the Disillusionists books and to those new to Crane's writing: it's beautiful.


Buy this novella from Amazon

Thursday 8 March 2012

The Spirit Thief - Book Review

The Spirit Thief (The Legend of Eli Monpress #1)
by Rachel Aaron


What is it about:
Eli Monpress is talented. He's charming. And he's a thief.

But not just any thief. He's the greatest thief of the age - and he's also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he's going to put his plan into effect.

The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he'll need to steal some big things. But he'll start small for now. He'll just steal something that no one will miss - at least for a while.

Like a king.


What did I think of it:
This is a very enjoyable read.

Eli is almost bit too much at times (he's larger than life and good at everything), but the humor that is used in this book keeps Eli likeable and makes that I could accept his near perfectness.

The story is worthy of any good Fantasy book: lots of intrigue, impossible seeming quests, a mysterious bad guy and a motley cast of characters who have to save the day. The story had a couple of situations which reminded me of my Fantasy Roleplaying days and I must say I wondered at times if Eli and his companions maybe first saw life as characters in such a roleplay (not that this is a bad thing in any way, btw).

I must say I loved the magic system Aaron came up with: it's unique and fun and Aaron used it to its fullest advantage for the story.

All in all I very much enjoyed this book and I'm happy to say I have the next two books in my to-be-read pile as I'm looking forward to reading more about Eli and his friends.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun Fantasy with a likeable hero.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Feelin Lucky Giveaway Hop



This hop is hosted by:
I Smell Sheep
and
Fictional Candy

For this hop I'm giving away one copy of Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin.

If you want a chance to win then follow these rules:
- Leave a comment in which you tell me why you feel lucky today
- Leave a way to contact you
- Sing a song about Leprechauns, Sheep and Angels while chewing candy
(ok, that last one is just optional :-p)

That's it!

You don't have to be a follower to enter
And of course the giveaway is international!

Winner will be picked at random on March 14th

For more cool giveaways just hop along:

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Teaser Tuesdays : Incarnate


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!

She gave me a queer look, but nodded again and headed deeper into the diaries section while I made my way out. If she hadn't guessed my suspicions already, it wouldn't take long.
(page 200, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows)

Monday 5 March 2012

Contingency Plan - Book Review

Contingency Plan (The Neighborhood #1)
by Anita Ensal

ebook, short story

What is it about:
A desperate mother is offered an unusual opportunity by an even more unusual person -- but should she take the offer or go with her contingency plan?...

What did I think of it:
This is a very sweet story, even though the blurb makes it sound a bit dark. It's about making choices, trust, and how not everything is as it seems.

I liked the fairytale mood of this story and the hope and sweetness that it breathed. The writing fits the story and I really liked the characters and the setting as well.

I will keep an eye out for the next story in this series as I'm curious what other stories Ensal comes up with next and if they will be just as sweet or if 'the neighborhood' will show some fangs in upcoming stories.

Why should you read it:
It's a sweet and heartwarming story


Buy from Musa Publishing

Saturday 3 March 2012

Incarnate in my Mail


Today I received a book from aLmYbNeNr.
I won this in a giveaway she held over on her blog. It sounds like an intriguing read and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Thanks aLmYbNeNr!

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?



Friday 2 March 2012

Starkissed - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Starkissed
by Lanette Curington

ebook

What is it about:
She's human, he's not, but together Leith and J'Qhir struggle to survive on an alien world, defeat interstellar treachery from a mutual enemy, and confront their growing attraction.

Leith McClure reluctantly takes over the family shipping business due to her father's illness. She is shocked to find her father has been trading with the Zi. When a trusted friend's betrayal leaves Leith and the Warrior of Zi marooned on a deserted planet, they must learn to overcome their differences to survive and to explore their mutual attraction.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I picked up this book because it was recommended to me when I asked for SciFi romances where one of the lead characters is not human.

And I must say in that aspect this was a great read.

I really enjoyed the first part of the story where Leith and J'Qhir get stranded on a deserted planet. The building attraction and romance between them was delicious to read and I loved how Curington made J'Qhir an actual alien in appearance (although humanoid in shape) instead of making him look just like a human as so many SciFi romances do. Their different views on life were worked into both the story and the romance in a natural and believable way as well.

Then they were rescued and the drama began.....

I really dislike it when romantic tension is created by the lead characters not talking to each other, but still making wild speculations about the behaviour of the other character and then acting all huffy in return.

Seriously: I really dislike it!

The ending made up for all the drama though and together with the really beautiful first part of the story it made sure I will reread this book in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable SciFi romance.


Buy this ebook here
(also available as paperback)

Thursday 1 March 2012

Dust and Decay - Book Review

Dust & Decay (Benny Imura #2)
by Jonathan Maberry


What is it about:
In post-apocalyptic America, 15-year-old Benny Imura and his friends set out into the great Rot & Ruin hoping to find a better future but are soon pitted against zombies, wild animals, insane murderers, and the horrors of Gameland.

What did I think of it:
The action and the zombies in this book were absolutely amazing!

Still I didn't love this book as much as I loved Rot & Ruin. Where Rot & Ruin was a story about growth, family and finding your way in life and would still have been beautiful without the zombie mayhem, Dust & Decay needs the action to keep standing.

I also once again was reminded why I should pick my YA reads with care: the teenage drama and stupidity in this book grated on my nerves and I would happily have shoved some of the characters in front of a horde of zombies to make the drama stop.

In the end I enjoyed this book because of the action and because of a couple of adult characters who brought some well needed level-headedness to the story.

I'm not sure if I will read the next book in this series, because it looks like my favorite character will not return in book three.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, action-packed Zombie book.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide