unCOVERed is going to be a semi-regular feature that will be hosted on here where I showcase some of the covers revealed for up-and-coming books. (New graphic coming soon!)
Friday, November 19, 2010
unCOVERed
unCOVERed is going to be a semi-regular feature that will be hosted on here where I showcase some of the covers revealed for up-and-coming books. (New graphic coming soon!)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Review: Nightshade, by Andrea Cremer
Nightshade (Nightshade #1)
Andrea Cremer
Hardcover, 454 pages
Philomel
October 19, 2010
isbn: 039925482X
isbn13: 9780399254826
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Ever since Calla was little, she knew what was expected of her. Graduate high school, be the alpha of the Nightshade clan, mate with the Bane alpha Ren, and live happily ever after. However, all of that changed when she saved one hiker from being mauled by a bear - a hiker that she can’t seem to stay away from, and is more than what he seems.
I have to admit that a story about werewolves/shifters (in this case called Guardians) has to be pretty spectacular to really grab my attention - and Nightshade exceeded my expectations for these type of stories. The story is captivating, hypnotic, and any other word that you can think of to make it sound like a fabulous read ... because that's exactly what it is. I typically tend to stray away from books with a lot of hype because they usually disappoint me, but I'm glad I went with my gut and read this one. Cremer weaves the story beautifully from the very first page and it doesn't let you out of its tangle until the very end, where you're begging for more.
I don't think there is one character in the story that I could say wasn't developed or could use more time to let their personality show - ALL of the characters, no matter how small their role in the novel, stand out with their individuality and strong voices. The two male leads were perfect in their own way, and I have to admit that I am having trouble picking which one I like the most. They're both good characters with their fair share of flaws and nobility, and their loyalties to themselves, their family/friends and Calla just makes me swoon! The interaction between any and all of the characters moves the story along wonderfully without any snags.
The history is rich. The plot is fast-paced, but not so much that it leaves you behind. The ending has your head spinning with questions of what will happen next. In all honesty, I can't tell you one thing that I could pick out and say needs improvement in the story. Nightshade has captivated my heart, and I'm anxiously awaiting its sequel, Wolfsbane.
I have to admit that a story about werewolves/shifters (in this case called Guardians) has to be pretty spectacular to really grab my attention - and Nightshade exceeded my expectations for these type of stories. The story is captivating, hypnotic, and any other word that you can think of to make it sound like a fabulous read ... because that's exactly what it is. I typically tend to stray away from books with a lot of hype because they usually disappoint me, but I'm glad I went with my gut and read this one. Cremer weaves the story beautifully from the very first page and it doesn't let you out of its tangle until the very end, where you're begging for more.
I don't think there is one character in the story that I could say wasn't developed or could use more time to let their personality show - ALL of the characters, no matter how small their role in the novel, stand out with their individuality and strong voices. The two male leads were perfect in their own way, and I have to admit that I am having trouble picking which one I like the most. They're both good characters with their fair share of flaws and nobility, and their loyalties to themselves, their family/friends and Calla just makes me swoon! The interaction between any and all of the characters moves the story along wonderfully without any snags.
The history is rich. The plot is fast-paced, but not so much that it leaves you behind. The ending has your head spinning with questions of what will happen next. In all honesty, I can't tell you one thing that I could pick out and say needs improvement in the story. Nightshade has captivated my heart, and I'm anxiously awaiting its sequel, Wolfsbane.
Source: SFBR
Avg Rate: 4.0
Trailers on Thursday
Trailers On Thursday is feature I post every once in a while to showcase some of the newest releases or up-and-coming releases in the book world. Every once in a while, a movie trailer will be posted as well to promote an adaptation coming to theaters and/or DVD.
The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson
I hope you guys are ready for it, because Part One of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows comes out *THIS WEEK*! How many of you are going to see an early screening or midnight showing?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday
Slice of Cherry
by Dia Reeves
Waiting Until ...
January 4, 2011
Happiness is a bloody knife.
Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.
It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities....
Gratitude Giveaway Blog Hop!
It's that time again ... giveaway time! The Gratitude Giveaway Hop is a hop consisting of over 175+ blogs with one common goal - to show their gratitude to their followers by offering giveaways. Simple enough, right?
After you enter my contest, be sure to check out the Linky below to enter into the other giveaways as well!
My Giveaway!
Since this is about my followers, I want to be sure that I please you guys. Therefore, I'm giving away what I think you will like the best ... a free book of your choice! I will be choosing two winners for this and they will choose the book that I order them from Book Depository - whether it be a new release, backlist, or pre-order.
The rules are simple:
- You MUST be a follower. New or old, I don't care ... but, since this hop is about the followers, it only makes sense that you actually follow the blog!
- Fill out the form, answering ALL required questions.
- You can post about this contest other places for extra points, just make sure to include the links in the form.
- The contest is INTERNATIONAL. As long as Book Depository ships to you, then you are qualified!
- Contest ends Sunday, November 28 at 11:59pm EST.
- Winners notified via e-mail. You have 72 hours to respond.
- The contest is INTERNATIONAL. As long as Book Depository ships to you, then you are qualified!
- Contest ends Sunday, November 28 at 11:59pm EST.
- Winners notified via e-mail. You have 72 hours to respond.
To enter, click HERE.
Good luck you guys!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Review: Infinite Days, by Rebecca Maizel
Infinite Days (Vampire Queen #1)
Rebecca Maizel
Paperback, 310 pages
St. Martin's Griffin
August 3, 2010
isbn: 0312649916
isbn13: 9780312649913
Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.
Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?
Ahh, back to my wonderful vampire stories! … Sort of. This time around with Infinite Days, it’s a vampire-turned-human story in which we follow the main character, Lenah, as she breathes her first breath as a sixteen-year-old human in the 21st century. After her awakening, Lenah learns that Rhode (her vampire lover/soul mate) had to sacrifice himself in order for her to have her one wish granted - to be human again after 500+ years of reigning terror as a vicious vampire queen. Left on her own, Lenah must learn how to blend into her new school in America, Wickham. Not only does she have to teach herself how to be human again, but she also has to worry about her old coven coming to find her.
I really loved this story. I thought it was a new take on the cliché teen vampire story. I did have to do a double take on how Lenah learned things so quickly - but, it’s not as if her mind has been completely erased, it’s more like learning to adapt from old ways to new ones. The romance between Lenah and Justin was fun to watch from the beginning encounter to the time that they actually ended up getting together. I kind of felt a little stab in my heart for Rhode, though. It just seemed like Lenah never really loved him the way that he loved her. He sacrificed a lot for her, and I don’t feel like he was treated fairly. But, that’s just one girl’s opinion.
My heart also ached for Tony. I thought he was a wonderful best friend, but I don’t think he would have made a good love interest for Lenah - even though he did confess he was in love with her. I’m glad there was a resolution between them soon after the awkwardness, though they didn’t get much time after to explore their friendship more. Even the other characters, particularly the Three-Piece, I didn’t find annoying at all - which was surprising, considering I thought I would at the beginning.
The writing was great - even the parts where it skipped from present to past and back again, it was easy to switch with the story and keep up. I loved all of the character interactions. I think my favorite parts were the flashbacks … and I’m pretty sure I’d be happy with just a book about Lenah as a vampire and her many adventures. I read the book in one sitting and was pretty satisfied with the ending. I did have a OMG-I-knew-something-like-that-was-going-to-happen moment and that moment made me happy.
The preview of the second book at the end of this novel was also the perfect little teaser to keep you longing for more. I can’t wait for the next book!
I really loved this story. I thought it was a new take on the cliché teen vampire story. I did have to do a double take on how Lenah learned things so quickly - but, it’s not as if her mind has been completely erased, it’s more like learning to adapt from old ways to new ones. The romance between Lenah and Justin was fun to watch from the beginning encounter to the time that they actually ended up getting together. I kind of felt a little stab in my heart for Rhode, though. It just seemed like Lenah never really loved him the way that he loved her. He sacrificed a lot for her, and I don’t feel like he was treated fairly. But, that’s just one girl’s opinion.
My heart also ached for Tony. I thought he was a wonderful best friend, but I don’t think he would have made a good love interest for Lenah - even though he did confess he was in love with her. I’m glad there was a resolution between them soon after the awkwardness, though they didn’t get much time after to explore their friendship more. Even the other characters, particularly the Three-Piece, I didn’t find annoying at all - which was surprising, considering I thought I would at the beginning.
The writing was great - even the parts where it skipped from present to past and back again, it was easy to switch with the story and keep up. I loved all of the character interactions. I think my favorite parts were the flashbacks … and I’m pretty sure I’d be happy with just a book about Lenah as a vampire and her many adventures. I read the book in one sitting and was pretty satisfied with the ending. I did have a OMG-I-knew-something-like-that-was-going-to-happen moment and that moment made me happy.
The preview of the second book at the end of this novel was also the perfect little teaser to keep you longing for more. I can’t wait for the next book!
Source: SFBR
Avg Rating: 4.0
Teaser Tuesdays!
Infinite Days, by Rebecca Maizel"The English floor is up there," he said, and pointed at a staircase. "I can go with you, if you want."
The position I was in with Tracy was not to be taken lightly. I needed to go up alone. "No," I said, though my tone was thankful. I looked back to the group, but they had started up the stairs. "I'll be all right," I said, grateful I wouldn't have to pass by them after they had just talked about me in that manner.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Review: The Fledgling Handbook, by PC Cast
The Fledgling Handbook (House of Night)
P.C. Cast
Paperback, 176 pages
St. Martin's Griffin
October 26, 2o1o
isbn: 0312595123
isbn13: 9780312595128
Merry meet, fledgling. I trust this guide will serve you well…. Every vampyre fledgling who arrives at the House of Night receives a copy of "The Fledgling Handbook 101", and now, fans can have one, too, with this gorgeous must-have edition. Inside you’ll find original stories, the complete vampyre history, inside info into rituals, vamp biology, and the Change, and much more.
Ever since Marked came out, I've wanted to know what Zoey Redbird's Fledgling Handbook looks like. As a matter of fact, anytime I read a book about someone going to a special school and getting their handbooks, I always wonder what they're like. I was a nerd in school, so I liked getting these guides and reading over the rules and regulations of my new school - and I liked it even more when they included the history. So, when I got the chance to read The Fledgling Handbook 1o1, I was over the moon.
Though I have my own issues with some of the characters, I am a fan of the House of Night series. P.C. Cast does not fail me with this guide. With a gorgeous cover, thick pages and beautiful drawings, you'll get lost in the history and mythology behind not only the House of Night, but vampyre folklore as well. I also think the pages where you can add your own notes about your changing vampyre self is a cute little touch and makes it feel like a true school handbook. Over everything, my absolute favorite thing to it all is the vampyre history stories that include places and historical figures that we all know and are familiar with.
I read through the book in less than an hour, then spent more time going through and studying the pictures and footnotes. With less than two hundred pages, it's an extremely easy read. The price seems a little steep for this guide, but it is a welcome addition to anyone's HoN collection.
Source: SFBR
Though I have my own issues with some of the characters, I am a fan of the House of Night series. P.C. Cast does not fail me with this guide. With a gorgeous cover, thick pages and beautiful drawings, you'll get lost in the history and mythology behind not only the House of Night, but vampyre folklore as well. I also think the pages where you can add your own notes about your changing vampyre self is a cute little touch and makes it feel like a true school handbook. Over everything, my absolute favorite thing to it all is the vampyre history stories that include places and historical figures that we all know and are familiar with.
I read through the book in less than an hour, then spent more time going through and studying the pictures and footnotes. With less than two hundred pages, it's an extremely easy read. The price seems a little steep for this guide, but it is a welcome addition to anyone's HoN collection.
Source: SFBR
Avg Rate: 3.5More Info On This Book
The Fledgling Handbook Sneak Peek | House of Night Website
Buy This Book
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
The Fledgling Handbook Sneak Peek | House of Night Website
Buy This Book
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Monday, Monday!
Last Week...
The Bloodlight Chronicles: Reconciliation, by Steve Stanton
The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson
Infinite Days, by Rebecca Maizel
Truly, Madly, Deadly, by Becca Wilcott
This Week...
Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books, by Francesca Lia Block
The Frenzy, by Francesca Lia Block
Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins & Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate, by Lesley M.M. Blume
Wildwing, by Emily Whitman
Future News...
Gratitude Giveaways is coming up this week! Don't forget to stop by where you'll get the chance to sign up for my giveaway!!
Don't Forget!...
You still have time to enter my contest to win a copy of Minder and a signed copy of its sequel, Adversary, from the author! Click here to be directed to the post to find out all of details and put your name in the drawing!
The Bloodlight Chronicles: Reconciliation, by Steve Stanton
The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson
Infinite Days, by Rebecca Maizel
Truly, Madly, Deadly, by Becca Wilcott
This Week...
Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books, by Francesca Lia Block
The Frenzy, by Francesca Lia Block
Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins & Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate, by Lesley M.M. Blume
Wildwing, by Emily Whitman
Future News...
Gratitude Giveaways is coming up this week! Don't forget to stop by where you'll get the chance to sign up for my giveaway!!
Don't Forget!...
You still have time to enter my contest to win a copy of Minder and a signed copy of its sequel, Adversary, from the author! Click here to be directed to the post to find out all of details and put your name in the drawing!
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