Wednesday 31 July 2013

TBR Orphans Challenge Update 7

I actually managed to read 2 books for my Orphans challenge this month!


I finally picked up Dead and Gone which has been on my shelves for ages because I was angry at Sookie about things that happened in the book before this. And I can say although Sookie and I will never be friends I liked this book enough to be tempted to continue this series.


Blood Before Sunrise was the other Orphan that finally got my attention. I'm still in two minds about this series I will confess. I like the action, but the character interactions are driving me insane.

How about you?
Did you read anything that has been gathering dust on your shelves?


RAK Round-Up July


No RAK for me this month, but I did receive some books that I won, like this cool book with short stories.

I did send 2 books to a fellow participant of RAK and as always I'm signing up for another months of RAK.

===================
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!


Tuesday 30 July 2013

Teaser Tuesdays - Vengeance Born

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!


Her past was distasteful, yet worse was the hope and assumption that Kalan might accept her. The expressionless mask on his face gave away nothing but his recent actions proved he was just like everyone else. He didn't care.
(page 82, Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin)


Monday 29 July 2013

Viral Nation - Book Rant


Viral Nation (Viral Nation #1)
by Shaunta Grimes


What is it about:
After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.

When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.


What did I think of it:
I totally bought this book for its cover I will confess. That it sounded like a cool Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic YA was an added bonus.

Well...

I will confess I totally skipped over the time travel mentions when reading the cover story.

Time travel stories and I have a complicated relationship with each other I have to admit. On one hand I am fascinated by time travel and I've certainly read my share of time travel stories. On the other hand however... I'm very critical towards time travel theories and their execution in stories.

Viral Nation's time travel theory and the execution didn't make sense in my opinion. I kept wondering why those who knew how the time travel worked, acted like they did. Their actions and motives didn't ring true when held against the theory used. And the theory itself wasn't rock solid either by the way.

I know this is a very personal pet peeve and that I'm often too strict towards time travel stories, so I really tried to look past the time travel stuff and to just enjoy the story.

And that's hard when time travel is such an important part of the plot!

But to be fair:
I did enjoy Viral Nation for most parts. The characters, especially Clover and her brother West, were cool. I also did enjoy the world building outside of the time travelling and the story was suspenseful. So even with the annoyances about the time travelling this was a nice read.

I don't think I'll read any other books in this series though.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable Dystopian/Time Travel YA read.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Sunday 28 July 2013

Help me out for a chance to win some bookmarks!


I'm trying out using forms for future giveaways and such and I was hoping that you wanted to help me out with testing it.

I'd be very grateful if you would visit the form and fill it out. At the end of this week I will pick one person who filled in the form and send that person some of my bookmarks.

If the form doesn't work for you, please leave me comment and tell me what the problem is and if you want to be entered to win some bookmarks.

Thanks in advance :-)

Click here to go to the form

Friday 26 July 2013

Chasers - Book Review


Chasers (Alone #1)
by James Phelan


What is it about:
The trip of a lifetime just turned into the end of the world.

When Jesse crawls out of the wreckage of a subway car and emerges into daylight, he’s greeted by a living nightmare. An unexplained force has destroyed New York City, turning skyscrapers into ash, cutting off all power and communication. Jesse and his new friends, Dave, Anna and Mini are dazed but unhurt. The other survivors are not so lucky. Every human being they encounter is infected, gripped by an unquenchable thirst that drives them to monstrous acts of violence.

Somehow, Jesse has to escape. But first, he has to stay alive.


What did I think of it:
This is a cool post-apocalyptic read.

A group of teens from different countries are in New York on a UN sponsored trip when disaster strikes. Four of them survive the terrible subway crash and when they crawl from the wreckage they discover that the crash was the least of their problems.

The story is told by Jesse, a teen from Melbourne. He's a likeable character although he does have the tendency to joke at unfortunate moments in my opinion. The other three teens are really likeable as well and I was rooting for all of them to figure out what was going on and to stay alive.

Although there are a couple of action scenes where the teens get chased by the infected, mostly this story is about how they are trying to cope and survive. Because they don't run into other people it stays unclear what has happened and if it's just New York or if the whole world is affected. If there's one negative thing I can say it is that Jesse and his friends don't really worry about their family and friends, except for Dave who is from New York.

That aside this is a fast and cool read. I really enjoyed reading how Jesse and his friends react to what's happening around them and about their attempts to get information and to get to safety.

The ending was really cool as well and even though it's a bit of a cliffhanger, I think this book can also easily be read as a standalone. But as it's the first book in a trilogy you can bet I will get hold of the second book somewhere in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and enjoyable post-apocalyptic YA read.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide


Thursday 25 July 2013

On McPig's Wishlist - Charm and Strange

This sounds really intriguing and mysterious.


Charm & Strange
by Stephanie Kuehn


When you’ve been kept caged in the dark, it’s impossible to see the forest for the trees. It’s impossible to see anything, really. Not without bars . . .

Andrew Winston Winters is at war with himself.

He’s part Win, the lonely teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates out, no matter the cost.

He’s part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a fateful, long-ago summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a secret so monstrous it led three children to do the unthinkable.

Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles both the pain of his past and the isolation of his present.

Before the sun rises, he’ll either surrender his sanity to the wild darkness inside his mind or make peace with the most elemental of truths—that choosing to live can mean so much more than not dying.



Wednesday 24 July 2013

Monument 14 - Book Review


Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1)
by Emmy Laybourne


What is it about:
Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.


What did I think of it:
What's with all these older siblings who hover over their younger siblings and don't want them to make their own friends and explore the world on their own?! It seems to be a recurring theme in Young Adult books.

Apart from wanting to kick the main character Dean for his older sibling syndrome from time to time I really enjoyed this book though.

14 kids get stuck in a superstore during a disaster of apocalyptic proportions. I loved reading how they each reacted in their own way and about the group dynamics. I even really liked reading about the younger children and how they cope, and usually I don't really like the inclusion of small children in books.

With 14 kids it's difficult to give all of them enough screen time to get to know them, but I think Laybourne did a decent job at that. I think she managed to make the kids and the things they do realistic. Their problems and fights were interesting to read and I soon had my favorites who I rooted for. Dean as lead character was of course among those, but I also really liked Niko, a silent, but practical guy who turns out to be a natural leader.

Near the end of the book there are some developments that force the group to make an important decision and the book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, but not annoyingly so. I will confess I did order the second book in this trilogy soon after finishing this book though and I hope it gets here soon.

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool post-apocalyptic YA read.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide


Tuesday 23 July 2013

Teaser Tuesdays - Kindling The Moon

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 must admit, I got a little excited about this bit of information; I had a thing for rare occult books, and with the pressing matter of my parents' lives on the line, that made it even more enticing.
(page 37, Kindling The Moon by Jenn Bennett)


Monday 22 July 2013

A Werewolf in Manhattan - Book Review by Voodoo Bride


A Werewolf in Manhattan (Wild About You #1)
by Vicki Lewis Thompson


What is it about:
Emma Gavin writes about werewolves, but that doesn't mean she believes in them-not until a pack of real-life New York weres decide to investigate the striking accuracy of her "fiction".

When Aidan Wallace, son and heir of the pack leader, tries to sniff out Emma's potential informant, he discovers something even more dangerous- an undeniable attraction to her.


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

I picked this up because I was in the mood for a light and fluffy paranormal romance and this book sounded like it might be just what I was looking for.

And I'm glad that I can tell you A Werewolf in Manhattan met my expectations.

There's instant attraction between Emma and Aidan and it doesn't take long before things heat up. I really enjoyed the romance, which is indeed fluffy and fun. I will confess I had my doubts when it is revealed that Aidan has a rather special problem with his shifting abilities, but luckily Lewis Thompson didn't go in the direction I feared she would. Instead she kept the story an entertaining, fluffy romance from start to finish.

So next time I'm in the mood for a light paranormal romance you can count on it I'll grab the next book in this series and I might check out some of Lewis Thompson's other books as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and fluffy Paranormal romance.


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Friday 19 July 2013

Wit Awakening - Book Review by Voodoo Bride + Giveaway


Wit Awakening
by Maria Violante


What is it about:
Leah feels human, but she's actually a "Wit"—her brain is the host of an organic processing unit that regulates her actions and emotions. As part of the lowest subclass of society, she submits to a human handler who owns her, body and mind.

De Leon is the rising star of the Copy Leagues, a no-holds-barred fighting organization for genetically altered and technologically augmented Wits. His past is dark and his future uncertain, but with enough wins, he just might be able to break free of his bondage to his trainer and enjoy life as a citizen of New Dallas.

Neither of them expected to fall in love, but when her handler begins to bring Leah to the fights, a secret and dangerous relationship blossoms, one that threatens both of their lives.


What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is an intriguing and disturbing Futuristic Romance.

Leah is created for her owner Jacob's enjoyment. She's a bio-engineered human with a processing unit that can take over her actions. It was very disturbing to read how Jacob treated her like a toy or at best a pet. Although just as human as Jacob, she is treated as less because of the way she was created. Her life at the start of the story is so bleak, I couldn't help rooting for her to find happiness.

When she meets De Leon she learns she doesn't have to be a slave to her processing unit and that there's more to life than following Jacob's commands. Slowly she starts to explore her emotions instead of letting her processing unit take over. Her growing awereness made Jacob and his actions seem even more horrific I will confess. The way he and other 'real' humans treat the Wits is chilling.

I loved seeing Leah open up and start to question her life and her owner's motives. The developing romance between her and De Leon seems a bit fast, but at the same time I could understand why Leah felt so strongly about De Leon so fast. There's a sweetness to the romance between Leah and De Leon that was in strong contrast to the bitter life Leah and other Wits lead and that I really enjoyed.

Leah's awakening and De Leon's attempts to win his freedom lead to events that change both their lives and even though the story doesn't end on a cliffhanger it did leave me wondering what will happen to them next.

All in all this is a romance that is both beautiful and thought provoking and I think I'll have a look at what other books Violante has written.

Why should you read it:
It's an intriguing and sweet Futuristic Romance.


Want to read Wit Awakening?

Maria Violante was kind enough to offer one ebook copy of Wit Awakening to a reader of my blog.

So for a chance to win:
Leave a comment on this post with a way to contact you before july 27th 2013.
I'll pick a winner at random soon after.

This giveaway is international and open to everyone who's old enough to be allowed to enter giveaways without asking permission and old enough to read this book.




Thursday 18 July 2013

On McPig's Wishlist - In The After

I'm a bit wary about the toddler, but otherwise this sounds like a pretty cool read.


In the After (In the After #1)
by Demitria Lunetta


They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.


Wednesday 17 July 2013

PODs - Book Review


PODs (Pods #1)
by Michelle Pickett


What is it about:
Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.


What did I think of it:

I've been looking forward to reading this book ever since I first heard about it over a year ago. Then I was greatly disappointed when I discovered it released in June 2013 instead of June 2012 as I thought. And then I was disappointed again when on release day my preordered copy wasn't available and I had to wait even longer for the book to arrive.

But it finally arrived and this is what greeted me when I opened the book:


I will confess PODs deserved a place on my keeper shelves right at that moment just for how it looked alone.

And then I started reading and it earned its place on my keeper shelves a second time.

This is a really cool Post Apocalyptic read!

I will confess I had expected a different story. I had thought that the time in the PODs would be glossed over and that the story would only really kick off when Eva leaves the PODs. Instead there's a lot of time spend on Eva being brought to the POD and on the stay in the POD intself. Ony later in the book do Eva and the others leave the POD and discover what's waiting for them outside.

Did I care that I wasn't immediately thrust into scenes where Eva has to fight infected mutants? No!

Pickett did a wonderful job in setting the mood for this story and showing us how Eva and her POD-mates handle the time in the POD. I was engrossed in the story from the start. There were some things that I found a little unbelievable or that weren't really thought through in my opinion, but the story was so intriguing that I was able to suspend disbelieve and let myself go along with it.

All in all I really enjoyed this story and it was well worth the wait. Although it can be read as a standalone (no nasty cliffhangers) there's going to be a sequel and you can bet on it that I'll be getting hold of it.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Post Apocalyptic YA


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Teaser Tuesdays - Viral Nation

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 will confess I bought this book for its cover. Just started it and I'm hoping the cover won't be the only cool thing about this book.


Wes drew his hands through his hair and tried to ease his heart rate to something that didn't make him feel like he was about to keel over. "Tell me again."
(page 118, Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes)

Monday 15 July 2013

Born Wicked - Book Review


Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)
by Jessica Spotswood


What is it about:
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.


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

I will confess I have little patience with the trope of 'older sibling promised dying parent to look after the others and is being overly protective'. So Cate did annoy me a lot whenever she was deciding to keep things from her sisters to 'protect' them or when she decided for her sisters what they should do.

That annoyance aside I enjoyed this story. The setting is intriguing, the romance sweet and the overall plot suspenseful. I especially liked Tess, the youngest of the sisters, and Cate's love interest Finn. They were both really nice and interesting characters.

I was drawn out of the story a couple of times by the present tense in which this book was written, but for the most part the story was good enough to distract from the present tense.

I have to say that my copy of this book had a different backcover story than the one I posted above and because of that spoilery backcover story the ending didn't come as a surprise, which was a shame in my opinion. Even though I saw it coming, the ending was quite something though and I'm very curious what will happen next.

So all in all this is an entertaining read and I will try to get hold of the next book in this series.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable Paranormal YA read


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Friday 12 July 2013

Interview with Gina X. Grant, author of The Reluctant Reaper (+ giveaway)


Today I bring you an interview with Gina X. Grant, author of The Reluctant Reaper.

She has an amazing giveaway for my readers as well, so stay tuned for the interview, more information about The Reluctant Reaper and a giveaway!


Welcome Gina.
Could you tell a bit about yourself for those people who don’t know you yet?


I’m a Canadian, a dog-rescuer, a funny writer (and also a writer of funny stuff), and generally a nice person. My dogs seem to like me. Especially at dinner time.

I began my writing life as a fanfictioneer back when we still accessed the World Wide Web, as it was then known, via stone tablets. Ten years later, I decided I could write as well as some of the bestsellers I was reading (damned by faint praise), and began to “file the serial numbers” off some of my longer fanfic.

In 2009, my first full-length novel, a gay romance titled Gym Dandy, was published. But not before being contracted and uncontracted and contracted again… It was ever thus in publishing, eh?

Now I write funny urban fantasy under my (mostly) real name, Gina X. Grant.

My hobbies? I read, I write, I walk the dogs. I watch a lot of TV and movies.


How many books will there be in the The Reluctant Reaper series?

Simon & Schuster contracted three books, so right now, it’s a trilogy. Book 4 is written but not yet shown to anyone. The first three books come out June, July and August of this year, so three books, no waiting!


Have you ever used people you know as characters in your books?

Since I cut my writerly teeth on fanfiction, I tend to draw more on the fictional characters I know and love. Does Victor sound like the Mountie from Due South? Does Kerrick sound like Mal from Firefly. Oops. Think of it as “real life once removed.” I’ve certainly used situations and dialogue that really happened—to me or to people I know.


Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

I’m about to send my agent the first book of a new series.

I’ve written Book 4 of the Reaper trilogy. (Hey, if Douglas Adams can have five books in his trilogy, so can I.)

And I’m poking away at a futuristic steampunk idea with lots of buckle in its swash.

So keeping busy, yeah.


Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

Every morning I’m out with my two rescued dogs, Billie and Stormy, in a beautiful, fairly wild park located in the centre of Toronto.



What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

I wrote my second book.

To celebrate the release of THE RELUCTANT REAPER series, we’ll be having a family get together, possibly with champagne!

What is the best thing about being a published author?

Telling people I’m a published author. And also? The writing. I love the writing process, especially the first draft. I’m a great and powerful wizard; dance, characters, dance, I say!


What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

I read all the time, although I’m a sloooowww reader. For many years, I’ve tracked my reading in an Excel spreadsheet, then each year I choose one as my own personal, “Best Book of the Year!” So I know I read between 50 and 60 books a year, mostly fiction, with the occasional writing book or biography tossed in. So far this year, the lead contenders are Stephen Hunt for his Jackelian series, and Erin Morgenstern for Night Circus. Both very complicated plots with a dreamy, ethereal quality plus amazing world-building. I had a chance to hear Stephen Hunt speak recently; he was very informative and interesting.

My shelves were full of funny fantasy and absurdist humor. My first writing influence was probably Tom Robbins (not the motivational speaker, the humorist who wrote Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.) More recently, I’ve been hoarding, I mean reading, Janet Evanovich, Sir Terry Pratchett, Christopher Moore and Charlaine Harris.


Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?

I can’t believe I just wrote four books about death and forgot to add a zombie. My bad. Looks like I’m going to have to write a fifth book, now.

In my planned steampunk book, there are definitely zombies. Like the really bad guys in Warm Bodies. I might have to watch that again as research.


Thanks for letting me play on your blog today.


It was fun having you here today!

---------------------


Life for Kirsty d’Arc might not be perfect, but it’s far from hellish. She likes her job, has a great BFF and truly admires Conrad, her boss. But when she dives in front of a lunatic’s blade to save him from certain death, she finds out Conrad isn’t so admirable after all. In fact, he’s traded her soul to the Devil!

While her body lies comatose on the Mortal Coil, Kirsty’s spirit is dragged straight to Hell…which is not quite the fire-and-brimstone abyss she’d expected. In fact, the place is quirky, wacky, and not without charm. Desperate to reunite body and soul before her time runs out, she seeks out allies, earning the friendship of a powerful drag demon, a psychic server and most importantly, Hell’s civil servant. But what of her growing attraction to Dante, the sexy Reaper with a flair for romantic language—can she forgive him for scything her soul?

Stuck in the netherworld, Kirsty vows she’ll do everything on her postmortem bucket-list, starting with getting her life back and ensuring that Conrad has Hell to pay!




For something a little difference and a lot funny, check out THE RELUCTANT REAPER, available wherever ebooks are sold.

Book 1. THE RELUCTANT REAPER: Death is what happens while you’re making other plans. Available now.
Book 2. SCYTHE DOES MATTER: Be careful what you wish for, it just might get you! July 19, 2013
Book 3. ESPRIT DE CORPSE: Hell is where the heart is. August 15, 2013

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Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Thursday 11 July 2013

On Voodoo Bride's Wishlist - Hook's Pan

Captain Hook as a romantic hero?
Voodoo Bride loves to see how that plays out.


Hook's Pan (Kingdom #5)
by Marie Hall


Trishelle Page has known pain in her life, but instead of it making her weak, she's stronger. Confident. That is until the day a fairy kidnaps her during her staring role in Peter Pan's play and tells her not only do fairy tales exist, but that she's the soulmate of the pirate they call Hook, making her question everything she ever thought she knew.

Captain James Hook is a man at the end of his rope. He's not the villainous bastard tales have made him out to be. So when the curvaceous blonde drops, literally, at his feet he aims to prove it to her. If only to get her into his bed.

What neither one knows is that fate and magic are conspiring and they can deny the attraction all they want but the end is already written, it's just a matter of getting there.



Wednesday 10 July 2013

Hot Blooded - Book Review


Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2)
by Amanda Carlson


What is it about:
It hasn't been the best week for Jessica McClain.

Her mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge --- but Jessica is playing for keeps.

Because she's the only female werewolf in town...it comes with its own set of rules...and powers.

Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.

All in a day's work for a girl.

The second novel in the Jessica McClain series is a full on action adventure featuring one angry Goddess and plenty of monsters, demons, and a few newly risen beasties...


What did I think of it:
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, so I had high hopes for Hot Blooded.

And I can tell you this book delivers!

It's a really cool and action packed adventure. Jessica has to overcome many obstacles to find and rescue her mate. Along the way she discovers a lot about herself as well.

I really like Jessica and even though she seems a bit too powerful at times I could relate to her. I also liked most of the other characters, although I'm having a hard time in getting to understand and like Jessica's brother Tyler for some reason.

The action in intense and there are some really cool monsters Jessica has to fight. I liked getting to learn more about the vampires as well. I did miss Roarke's presence for most of the book though and I hope he'll have a bigger role in the next book.

The ending was yet another cliffhanger and I'm anxious to see what will happen next, so you can bet I'll be getting my trotters on the next book in this series.

Why should you read it:
This is a cool, action packed Urban Fantasy read.


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Tuesday 9 July 2013

Teaser Tuesdays - Monument 14

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!



Mrs. Wooly, she was an institution in our town. A grizzled, wiry-haired, ashtray-scented, tough-talking institution. Notorious and totally devoted to bus driving, which you can't say about everyone.
(page 2, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne)


Monday 8 July 2013

So Close to You - Book Review


So Close to You (So Close to You #1)
by Rachel Carter


What is it about:
Lydia Bentley doesn’t believe the rumors about the Montauk Project, that there’s some sort of government conspiracy involving people vanishing and tortured children. But her grandfather is sure that the Project is behind his father’s disappearance more than sixty years earlier.

While helping her grandfather search Camp Hero, a seemingly abandoned military base on Long Island, for information about the disappearance, Lydia is transported back to 1944—just a few days before her great-grandfather’s disappearance.

Lydia begins to unravel the dark secrets of the Montauk Project and her own family history, despite warnings from Wes, a mysterious boy she is powerfully attracted to but not sure she should trust.


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

I will confess I couldn't stand Lydia.
She's rash and unthinking. She just blunders on into danger without thinking about the consequences.

Well, she only thinks about the best possible consequences of her actions, not about the negative consequences.

And it's not as if she isn't warned. Wes keeps warning her, she just choses not to listen and keeps on doing what she wants, because she's convinced that like a cat she will land on her feet no matter what she does.

So... with a heroine like that you can see disaster coming from miles away. I felt frustrated for most part of this book. That I kept on reading was because of other characters that had me intrigued and because I was curious what kind of trainwreck Lydia would end up in. And on that part the book doesn't disappoint I might add.

All in all this book frustrated me and left me feeling underwhelmed. I don't think I'll read any more books in this series.

Why should you read it:
It has fun characters and a decent time travel theory.


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Friday 5 July 2013

Across the Universe - Book Review


Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1)
by Beth Revis


What is it about:
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.


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

The setting was really intriguing:
The spaceship Godspeed has been travelling for 250 years and in that time there have been several generations of people on board the ship who have created their own society. This lend itself really well for a suspenseful story.

I liked Elder, he's smart, trying to do what's right, but because he's been kept in the dark about a lot of things he makes mistakes. I could really understand his motivations and the frustration that he feels from time to time.

Amy was harder to like. I will confess that at the start of the story she seemed to act too young for her age. Then she wakes up on Godspeed and she starts acting a bit bratty and unthinking as well. I wanted to kick her from time to time.

The story was enjoyable and intriguing. I did have my suspisions about what was going on and it turned out I was right about some of them, but wrong about some others.

All in all this is a really fun read and I will most certainly give the next book in this trilogy a try as well.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable YA SciFi read.


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Thursday 4 July 2013

On Voodoo Bride's Wishlist - Sealed With a Curse

We heard many good things about this book and Voodoo Bride is dying to find out if they're true.


Sealed with a Curse (Weird Girls #1)
by Cecy Robson


Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twenty-something girls—with one tiny exception: They're the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird…

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders if the vampires of Tahoe are plague-ridden.

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the area safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and—oh, yeah—not lose her heart to the wrong guy or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, he's coming for her and her sisters.

This Wird girl has never had it so tough.



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Wednesday 3 July 2013

The Candle Man - Book Rant


The Candle Man
by Alex Scarrow


What is it about:
1912. Locked in an eerily quiet dining room on the Titanic, a mysterious man tells a young girl his life story as the ship begins to sink. It all starts in Whitechapel, London in 1888...

In the small hours of the night in a darkened Whitechapel alley, young Mary Kelly stumbles upon a man who has been seriously injured and is almost unconscious in the gutter. Mary - down on her luck and desperate to survive - steals his bag and runs off into the night.
Two days later, an American gentleman wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He has suffered a serious head injury, and with no one to help him remember who he is he starts to wonder how he will ever find his way home.
One terrible truth links these two lost souls in the dark world of Victorian London - a truth that could ruin the name of the most influential man in the land...

Back in 1912, as the Titanic begins its final shuddering descent to the bottom of the frozen, black Atlantic, the truth behind a series of murders that have hung like a dark fog over London for more than two decades is about to be revealed... the identity of Jack the Ripper.


What did I think of it:
Warning: this is a rant with spoilers!

So...

I picked this book up because I expected a story that intertwines the story of Jack the Ripper with The Titanic.

I knew this story would be mostly about Jack the Ripper, but expected that the Titanic would play a crucial role at least, seeing how the Titanic is repeatedly mentioned in the back cover story and is featured on the cover illustration.

Yeah...

There a prologue and epilogue that are set on Titanic where an old man is telling a story to a young woman and that story is: this book.

The old man and the young woman could just as easily have been sitting in a museum, a pub, a train, a... you get my point.

Worse:
The prologue and epilogue could have just as well been left out and no one would have noticed.

Don't you hate it when something like The Titanic is used as a selling point when all it is in reality is window dressing? It's clear the Titanic is only mentioned on the cover to sell more books.

I felt robbed!

As for the Jack the Ripper story this book actually is about:

It's a decent story with some original ideas, but I was disappointed to discover the author went for one of the most used conspiracy theories about Jack the Ripper. I would have liked this book better if the author had actually tried to give his own theory instead of using a theory that's been done to death.

Why should you read it:
If you want to read a story about Jack the Ripper this might be a book for you. Just don't get your hopes up about the role of The Titanic.


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