Sunday, May 16, 2010

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.  It is a great way to keep track of those books you have received in the past week, whether by mail (either review copies or those you purchased), in the bookstore, or from the library.  It's also a great way to check out what everyone else in the blogging world is reading.  If you are interested, visit  blog, link up, post, and have fun.

This is what I received for review this week.  It's interesting, but things have been pretty slow for several weeks, then all of a sudden, in two days, I get these books in the mail.  I love getting unexpected books in the mail, it's such fun!!!!

The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 8)
by John Flanagan

My son was pretty excited about this one arriving in the mail.  I better read it soon, or it will probably disappear.












Restoring Harmony
by Joelle Anthony

This is a riveting, fast-paced dystopian tale complete with adventure and romance that readers will devour.














Private (Jack Morgan, Book 1)
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Murder, glamour, glitz, and secrets.  What more could a reader want?















Folly
by Marthe Jocelyn

I mentioned this in my weekly feature This Week's Upcoming Releases and next thing I know, I receive it as a review copy.  I was thrilled.













A Wretched Man: A Novel of Paul the Apostle
by R.W. Holmen

This should be a very interesting read.  I am looking forward to it.












Books I won this week:

A Certain Wolfish Charm
by Lydia Dale
I love books about werewolves. 
















I did not go to the bookstore or the library this past week.  I have too many books on my TBR pile and those places are dangerous places to be right now.  I will head back to these beloved places once I am set free for the summer and have ample time to read.
Saturday, May 15, 2010

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate, Book 1)
by Gail Carriger
Copyright: 2009 Orbit Books
Pages: 373
Edition: Trade Paperback
Genre: Paranormal
Source: Local Library

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many tribulations.  First, she has no soul.  Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead.  Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there?  From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampire appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia is responsible.  Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society?  With her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing?  Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

My Thoughts
I found this debut novel in this series to be truly delightful and engaging.  The witty dialogue, especially between Alexia and Lord Maccon, caught my attention right from the beginning, and had me hooked almost immediately.  I found myself laughing quite often at the silliness of the situations Alexia often found herself caught in the middle of and how she managed to extricate herself. Apprently a lot of the conflict between Lord Maccon and Alexia began over an incident involving a hedgehog and I was quite glad to discover that we do find out exactly what this incident is all about. 

The world that Ms. Carriger created was inventive and fun.  The werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings are all integrated in London society and have a place in society.  There is a combination of science and old London society that is quite fascinating in this novel, even if the old standards of werewolves and vampires offer nothing relatively fresh in the area of the supernatural.  I kept envisioning the vampires as bees as they were often referred to as "hives" and "belonging to a hive" and I couldn't get the image out of my mind.  Furthermore, as it is the queen who can only reproduce new vampires, the image became more further implanted that way.  Alexia, as a preternatural, was a breath of fresh air.  She is the antithesis to a supernatural as she has the power to neutralize the effects of a supernatural being and turn them almost human while she is touching them.  The scene where she helps Lord Akeldama see the sun for the first time in hundreds of years is very touching.  I'm very curious as to how Ms. Carriger will develop the theme for preternaturals in her future novels as I found the concept truly original and intriguing.

The interaction and sexual intensity between Lord Maccon and Alexia was fun and full of humour.  It made for some of the best scenes involving witty dialogue in the novel.  As they are both Alpha in their respective states, it made for a lot of interesting scenes, especially when one or the other found themselves in compromising or vulnerable positions.  And as some of the scenes were witnessed by third parties, it brought the hilarity to even higher proportions.

Verdict
Soulless was a fun and unique novel, involving a lot of witty and intriguing dialogue.  Although it took me a long time to read it, it was definitely not because I found the novel boring or uninteresting.  I have already bought Changeless and am definitely looking forward to Blameless when it is released in September.
Friday, May 14, 2010

Book Blogger Hop

It's Friday!  It's time to go and do the HOP!


Jennifer at Crazy for Books has created this weekly Book Blogger Hop to give us book bloggers and book lovers a chance to find each other and connect so that we can make new friends, discover great new blogs out there, support each other, and just generally talk about one of our favourite subjects, BOOKS!

If you're interested in joining a really great community, head on over to her site and join in on the fun.

The only stipulation is that your blog must have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

What are you waiting for?

It's time to HOP!!!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

My Usual (Or Unusual) Reading Habits

I've been seeing this go round the book blogging world so of course I just had to do it.  I first saw it at WORD for Teens, but I'm not sure who started it, although if anyone knows I would love to know and give credit where credit is due, so to speak.

Do you snack while you read?
Unfortunately, yes.  Dill pickle sunflower seeds are addictive.

What is your favourite drink while reading?
Chai Tea Latte with Soy milk from Starbucks or peppermint or chamomile tea when at home.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read?
Usually, no, although it sometimes depends on the book and what it's used for.  If it's for reading pleasure, usually no, although I will sometimes underline a quote that hits me especially hard.  If it's for a course, I tend to mark all over the place as I need to for studying purposes.  I know it's sacriligeous but I have to.  There are only so many sticky notes you can put in a book before they take over.

How do you keep your place while reading a book?
Using whatever is at hand.  I have used bookmarks, pencils, other books, kids toys, you name it to mark a page, as long as it stays in the book.  It's amazing how versatile you can be when you are desperate not to lose a page.  But I have never folded over a page.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?
Both.  I go through phases.  I love historical non-fiction.  I usually tend to read whatever I feel like reading.

Are you a person tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
I can stop anywhere.  It doesn't bother me and I can pick up the story or thoughts at any point.  My problem is just stopping period.

Are you the type of person to just throw the book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
Never.  That would wreck the book.  I may yell at the book, but never throw it.  And I have earned some weird looks over the years for yelling back at books.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
What's a dictionary?  Always figure it out in context.

What are you currently reading?
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Ghosts and Echoes by Lyn Benedict
Virginia by Susan Hughes
Changes by Jim Butcher

What is the last book you bought?
Street Game by Christine Feehan

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
I've always read more than one at a time.  I picked up that habit from my mother and I would find it strange to do otherwise.  My hubby thinks it's abnormal, but there you have it.

Do you have a favourite time/place to read?
Anywhere!  Anytime!

Do you prefer series books or stand-alones?
It depends.  I go through phases and sometimes I get irritated by series as they sometimes just drag on and on.  I like a good stand-alone book too.

Is there a specific book you find yourself recommending over and over?
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel

How do you organize your books?
By series, by hardcover and softcover.  I tend to be a little anal about the whole book thing but I've had to relax a bit as my bookshelves are not yet built the way I want them.

Review: The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum

The Golden Spiral (Book 2, Hourglass Door Trilogy)
by Lisa Mangum
Release Date: May 10, 2010
2010 Shadow Mountain
Hardcover Edition; 416 Pages
ISBN: 978-1606416358
Genre: Young Adult
Source: ARC from Shadow Mountain (Softcover Edition)

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V.  Abby knows that Dante, as a Master of Time, is the only one who can stop them from destroying time itself.  She also knows that he will need her help.  But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby's worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically.

The bank is eroding.  The barriers are thinning.  And time is running out.

My Thoughts
I found The Golden Spiral to be a thoughtful and engaging sequel to The Hourglass Door.  Although The Hourglass Door began somewhat slowly in order to set up the action and the characters, The Golden Spiral picked up right where The Hourglass Door ended and took off from there.  Assumptions were made that you had read the first book, that you were familiar with the characters and the storyline, and that you knew exactly what was going on.   This is definitely not a stand-alone book; you must read the first book in order to understand the events in this book. 

Dante is stuck behind the Door and Abby must built a new one in order to get him back, but she needs help to do and must trust someone she never thought she would.  In the meantime, Zo is now more powerful than ever before and is wreaking havoc on her life, changing her past timeline, shifting her past, altering it so that people and family she knew and loved are no longer in her present.  Abby has to work hard and fast to prevent Zo from altering any more of her past, to prevent the barriers of time from breaking down further.  What I found absolutely fascinating in all this were the philosophical discussions surrounding the past and how one choice from your past can alter your future course so drastically.  Abby asks Dante at one point, why can't he just go back and fix her past and he answers, he doesn't know what choice it was that her parents made that altered the future so drastically and he was afraid that if he changed one thing, it would alter the future even more.  It really made me think about all of my choices I've made in the past, good and bad, and how if I would have changed one thing, how different my life right now would have been.  It boggles the mind to think of the paradoxes that creates.

The world that is created in this novel is highly imaginative and unique.  The river, the bank, the hourglass door, the time paradoxes and the time travelling allows for a lot of suspense and mystery.  The action moves more quickly in this novel than in the first, with many plot twists and turns.  You barely had time to breathe before something else happened.  Ms. Mangum's writing style is fresh and creative, drawing the reader into her characters, allowing us to really see what they are thinking and feeling.  I really enjoyed how Valerie's character developed, and how secrets were revealed through the use of pictures and stories; I was never sure of Valerie's loyalty and this kept me interested and intrigued all the way through this novel.  She is such a fascinating character.

Verdict
The Golden Spiral is a fun, compelling, and engaging sequel to The Hourglass Door.  The characters continue to be well-developed and intriguing, with many dark and interesting secrets, secrets that make them unsure whom they should trust.  I am definitely looking forward to book 3, The Forgotten Locket, when it is released in summer 2011.

For more information on Lisa Mangum, you can visit:
The Word Nerd Blog
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Blog Awards

I am thrilled to have received two blog awards this week.  I do apologize in taking so long in acknowledging these awards but life does have a way of interefering even with the best of intentions.  I have been really sick this week and trying to navigate work and the kiddies has been extremely stressful.


Susan at Crazy Cat Lady's Library has awarded me with this lovely blog.  And of course, there are requirements associated with the acceptance.

1) Get really excited that you got the coolest award EVER!  That's a no-brainer!!!

2) Choose one of the following options:
a) Get really drunk and blog for 15 minutes straight or as long as you can focus.
b) Write about your most embarrassing moment.  (Which one?)
c) Write a "soundtrack of your childhood" post.
d) Make your next blog a vlog.
e) Take a picture of yourself first thing in the morning. (And scare everyone away forever?)

3) Pass the award on to at least 3, but preferably more, awesome bloggers.  Don't forget to tell them.

I am going to post my most embarrassing moment later.  I need to think about which one would be the most interesting.   There are so many of them!!!!!!

I am passing this award on to:









I received the Proflific Blogger Award from CMash Loves to Read.  Thank you so much and if you have a chance, go check out her lovely blog.    Every winner must pass this on to at least seven other deserving blogs, and then must link back to the original blog. 

I am now passing this award on to:


Congratulations everyone!  And thanks again for the lovely awards!!!!

Waiting on Wednesday


This weekly meme, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, gives us readers the chance to highlight some upcoming releases we are looking forward to reading.  It also allows us to see what other bloggers and readers have discovered in the publishing world, books that are soon to be published/released, ones we may not know about.  If you are interested, head on over to Jill's blog, grab the logo, post your own WOW selection, and share it with the world.


Legacies (Book 1, Shadow Grail Series)
by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemare Edghill
Release Date: July 6, 2010

Who - or what - is stalking the students at Oakhurst Academy?

In the wake of the accident that killed her family, Spirit White is spirited away to Oakhurst Academy, a combination school and orphanage in the middle of Montana.  There she learns she is a legacy - not only to the school, which her parents also attended, but to magic.

All the students at Oakhurst have magical powers, and although Spirit's hasn't manifested itself yet, the administrators insist she has one.  Spirit isn't sure she cares.  Devastated by the loss of her family, she finds comfort with a group of friends: Burke Hallows, Lachlann Spears, Muirin Shae, and Adelaide Lake.

But something strange is going on at Oakhurst.  Students start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, and the school seems to be trying to cover it up.  Spirit and her friends must find out what's happening - before one of them becomes the next victim...



Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Review: Vampire Theory by Lily Caracci

Vampire Theory
by Lily Caracci
Outskirts Press, Inc.
Softcover Edition; 598 Pages
ISBN:978-1-4327-5463-1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Review copy from Outskirt Press

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Emalyn Archer has never imagined being ranked "Most Wanted" on a serial killer's hit list.  She has never wielded a weapon - much less a designer stiletto - to save her life, has never driven a car off the top of a twelve-foot wall and most definitely doesn't think she'd ever fall for her best friend, the notorious player.

But there's a first time for everything.

When mysteriously gorgeous Alan comes to North Willchester High, bringing with him the equivalent of the Apocalypse, Emalyn learns that change isn't always for the best.  Particularly when you're the sole saviour of a doomed (and oblivious) hometown and your tactical skills rival a fourth-grader's.  It will take a girl more than her rapier-sharp wit, serious Chemistry lessons and a hunky sidekick to win the race against Alan's fanged armada.  Particularly when her once-trustworthy allies are intent on serving her head on a silver platter to this debonair madman.

And the worst of it? She won't escape entirely human.

My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this teen angst, romance, mystery, thriller, suspense novel by debut novelist Lily Caracci.  There was enough of everything in here to fully satisfy any reader.  There was the three-way romance between Emmy, Luke and Alan and then the entanglement between Miranda and Alan made things even more interesting.  All of the high school drama and the ensuing social activities surrounding high school were the perfect settings for many interesting and intriguing scenes to occur. 

What I truly found enjoyable were the characters. Ms. Caracci certainly went out of her way to ensure that the characters stayed true to their personalities and allowed them time to grow and develop in order to tell a fantastic story.  Emmy is an amazing and intriguing character and I truly enjoyed her courage, her sass, her wit, and her guts.  Although she appears at first to be meek and mild, and seems to be on the outside of her in-crowd group, she is anything but meek and mild, and always stands up for herself in any situation.  One of the scenes I love is when she punches a guy who tries to hit on her and wouldn't leave her alone.  She couldn't then get it out of her mind as she wonders if she's becoming too aggressive because she's been hanging around vampires.  It's hilarious!  All of the characters were truly interesting, even the bad guys, and I found myself totally caught up in the action not just through the plot but through characterization.  

The plot itself was a mixture of everything you could find in a novel.  I loved the high school angst as much as I loved the vampire scenes.  The writing was done with such dexterity that I never really knew when the vampires were going to show up.  When I was expecting vampires, I got high school social scenes and when I was expecting normal high school scenes, suddenly the action would explode and everything would twist and change.  Ms. Caracci's writing style certainly evoked a lot of emotions in me and I could envision the scenes in my mind very clearly.

Verdict
I really enjoyed Vampire Theory.  My only significant issue with this novel is the ending in that the conclusion left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied as some things were not clarified and some things were left hanging with no explanations.  I am guessing, and hoping, that there is perhaps a sequel in the works to Vampire Theory and that everything will be explained later.  Otherwise, Vampire Theory is an enjoyable novel full of suspense as well as an engaging look at high school life.