In My Mailbox #15

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. This is where we share what we have bought/received/borrowed throughout the week.

Only a couple of things in my mailbox this week....

 

Redemption (Hearts of Stone) by Veronique Launier

Crux by Julie Reece

These are both review books and I'm really looking forward to reading them both.


What was in your mailbox this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out.


Thanks to Netgalley, Flux and J. Taylor Publishing.

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Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz
Published by Harlequin Teen, 27th March 2012
ISBN: 0373210507 (ISBN13: 9780373210503)
Source: Netgalley
Target Audience: Young Adult


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Spoilers for book 1, Spellbound


Having beaten the curse, Emma and Brendan are free to live happily ever after, or so it would seem. Emma, who now knows she's a witch, is taking spell lessons from her best friend Angelique, who's also a witch. Angelique is an empath and she begins to feel danger around Emma. When Brendan is set up and Emma gets attacked in the park, they have no idea how bad things are going to get.


This book just didn't capture me at all and I'm not sure why. There is nothing I can put my finger on, but I just couldn't get into it. To the point where I really struggled to make myself pick up my kindle and read it.


There is nothing I can actually find to fault it. I liked the authors writing style, all of the characters are well defined and enjoyable, her descriptions are well done and there is a lot of mystery and suspense to keep the reader guessing. Maybe its just me, so I would recommend anyone who is interested to read it and form their own opinions.


Emma and Brendan are still very much in love and its really sweet. It does get quite annoying though and unbelievable that every single female is supposed to fall all over Brendan, some even becoming obsessed with him. This is probably my only fault with the book.


Angelique is a really enjoyable character. We get to know her an awful lot more here. A couple of times, we change from Emma's POV to Angeliques. This is really interesting as it is when she is interacting with Brendan, who she really doesn't like but is starting to respect.


I did really enjoy the ending of this book. I felt it was really well done.  I don't know if there is a 3rd book in this series. Again, this one ended without a cliff hanger and with the illusion of happily ever after but so did book 1, so who knows. I'm not too sure if I would read another book in the series because I kind of feel as if the whole thing is just being dragged out. Spellbound would have been a great stand alone book and I think that's kind of what made it so hard for me to connect with Spellcaster, it felt like it was written just for the sake of making a series where there really shouldn't have been one.

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Guest Post and Giveaway: Suzan Battah

Today we have a guest post by Suzan Battah, author of the fantastic BaSati: Outside In. You can read my review here. She is also offering 5 ecopies of the book to giveaway. 

Seventeen year old, Armani Radnelaq a full blooded BaSatai is plagued by a curse in her blood. A curse created from hate and designed to break the divide between two parallel worlds of Earth and H-trae when Armani's blood is spilled in attack and she dies.

S'teuqoubs have been travelling back and forth across the divide for centuries without trouble. The BaSatai and Guardians monitoring activity and enforcing rules to ensure peace and harmony but if the divide splits and opens, a much greater number of supernatural S’teuqoubs will filter into earth destroying equilibrium which the BaSatai and Guardians will be unable to control. Humanity and the BaSatai will suffer and perish. The parallel divide must remain secure at all costs.

Armani has remained hidden on earth with her adopted father Elijah since her birth. She has been raised in the human way and fights her natural instinct to evolve into a BaSatai. The BaSatai in her requires her to evolve and shift, use her powers and strength. Yet Armani is freaked out by the need to shift. She smokes, has a bad attitude, must deal with aggressive bullies and control her natural BaSatai instinct. Her Guardian with BaSatai Warriors are coming for her. She refuses to accept her fate and doesn't believe any BaSatai should die to protect her.

The blood curse maturing in her veins makes her a target for her enemies. Her Guardian Karhl and an elite BasSatai Warrior Rafael are the first to arrive and prepare her for her crossing over. Her attraction to Rafael complicates her purpose to stay on earth even more. They both insist she fall into line and follow their lead but she is not ready to leave earth just yet... 



BaSatai: Outside In - A History of Where it All Started.

Firstly, thank you to Suzanne for having me as a Guest on her blog. As an author who writes in a few different genres, I must confess, chatting about the Worlds I create in Urban Fantasy is the most fun.

The original BaSatai: Outside In concept evolved in 2010. I was on holidays and the idea just walked into my head - blood curse, love & hate and a parallel world. I'm going to give you a brief introduction to the BaSatai and Guardian people, nothing too in depth or it may spoil the fun :)

The History of the BaSatai people: You will notice in BaSatai: Outside In when you read it, there is minimal explanation - I did this purposefully. I want readers to understand but also not to know everything of the BaSatai history. I want readers to think about what their own interpretation is and what the real interpretation could be. I certainly didn't want to overload readers with information that was not relevant at the time and also that was not necessary in moving the story forward.

The expected life span of BaSatai and Guardians is between 150 - 200 years. They are not immortal but are given a longer youth life due to their special skills in protecting H-trae and Earth. From birth to 25 years old they grow to adulthood. From 25 years old to 100 years old, they remain in a youthful state and generally can start to have children from age 30 years old. The BaSatai rarely have more than four children. From 100 years to 150 years BaSatai are in middle age, still very much active and a healthy people. From 150 years to 200 years the BaSatai are elderly and ready to move onto their next life in the Holy Realm.

BaSatai: Outside In revolves around parallel worlds: Earth and H-trae. A gate, divides the two worlds known as the parallel divide, it's a metaphysical gate that opens periodically at certain times when the planets turn at different angles. The BaSatai and Guardians, an alien humanoid race with intense supernatural powers maintain and protect the gate between the two worlds. BaSatai have so much strength and power both mentally and physically. They train on H-trae to understand and learn how to use their skills. They are known as Warriors and each has a more prominent skill: healing, peace, strength, dependent on the fate chosen at their birth. BaSatai have an extraordinary ability to transform and adopt animalistic features and capabilities. Each BaSatai learns this as they grow up and their transformation known as a shift or shifting is unique to each BaSatai in that each experiences it differently and adopts their own unique characteristics.

Guardians are male BaSatai with exceptional power far beyond what a true BaSatai is capable of. Guardians are born for one only to protect, die and kill. It is not a romantic relationship between Guardian and his special connection, though it can happen. Guardians also can choose to have a special partner or two BaSatai Warrior females trained to be with them (which are most times sisters). If Guardian's choose two female BaSatai, they remain celibate and will possibly never marry, they are tied together for life. They gain more strength in having two females with them. If one of their females dies, the Guardian has a right to marry the other one and usually will because they do love both their females. There are also Torvar Cascade Guardians, born for many not just one. They are alike to the BaSatai Male Warriors only stronger, they are leaders also and protect jurisdictions. A difference between Guardian's and BaSatai males are that they don't shift at all.

H-trae is where all supernaturals live, all types of supernatural creatures can be found. S'teuqoubs are a supernatural creature which are BaSatai born but use both evil and good which differentiates them from the BaSatai due to the dark power they use. S'teuqoub or S'teuqoubs' is also a term used in the book to describe a supernatural wanting, needing or ready to kill.

Without giving away integral parts of the book and concept behind this story I will do my best to offer an explanation of the curse without giving too many spoilers for the 1st and 2nd book. A great Guardian in his youth fell in love with a beautiful BaSatai young woman. Her sister really wanted to be his female also which he could have accepted and been more powerful, yet his love for the one BaSatai woman was enough to refuse the offer. He loved his woman too much, wanted only her and could see a future with her. The sister in her fury at being rejected cursed their bloodline, damning all BaSatai and Guardians to eternal uncertainty until the curse is broken or fulfilled. Armani is the descendant born with the cursed blood, if her blood is spilled in attack and she dies, the curse prophecy is designed to destroy the parallel divide between H-trae and Earth. The BaSatai would not be able to contain the chaos that would erupt. Supernatural's will filter into Earth and destroy the balance of power, both worlds will collapse - humanity will become extinct and so too will the BaSatai and Guardians.

The BaSatai language is unique in that there is a simple trick to it; I'm not going to give it away. The clues are all in the book. Some readers have worked it out, some have not yet. I've also thrown in a few nonsensical words generally as names with the same trick. The second book will have the same thing but it's going to be a lot harder, trickier to work out and yes Armani will learn her language, it's already in her blood but there will be scenes where she'll be speaking her own language. So if you work out the concept of the BaSatai language, you'll understand most of what they say. Not all words I have created are from English words anyway. This is going to be great fun!

Thank you again for having me and I hope this intrigues you enough to pick up my Young Adult Urban Fantasy novel BaSatai: Outside In #1 and add it to your TBR pile. Book trailer coming soon.

Suzan Battah

Book Trailer 

And now, onto the giveaway (Ireland and UK only)

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My Quote of the Week #11

This is my weekly meme where I post one of my favourite quotes. Feel free to join in. I do it on Friday but you can do it any day of the week you choose just post your link in a comment below and I will check it out. 

This week my Quote comes from Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz.


"Brendan, you would do it for her." "Yeah, but I'm the guy. I'm supposed to." I didn't stop myself from gagging at that statement. "What?" Brendan asked, surprised. "I love Emma. I want to protect her. Why does that offend you?" "Well, you love a really strong woman. Tough titties for you."


I love this lol, what do you think?

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Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Published by Harlequin Teen 21st June 2011
ISBN: 0373210302
Source: Bought
Target Audience: Young Adult




My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had read mixed reviews about this book on Goodreads and was unsure of whether or not I would read it. But, I happened to see Spellcaster on Netgalley and decided to request it and if I was approved, I would buy Spellbound to read first. And I'm so glad I did, because I loved it.


Emma has had a very tragic life up to this and now, at the age of 16, she has gone to live with her aunt in New York. She is just starting at a private school, Vincent Academy, where she makes some good friends, and some deadly enemies.


But she also meets her soul mate, Brendan Salinger. An extremely hot guy who also happens to be very rich. But they soon learn of a curse which means they can't be together, or she will die a horrible death.


I really, really liked this book. It kept me enthralled from start to finish. I just didn't want to stop reading.


Emma is a likeable character. She deals well with the bullies that she finds herself on the wrong side off, and is not afraid to stand up to them. She's interesting and it was easy to be inside her head. When she meets Brendan there is an instant attraction, but then he pulls back and things move a lot slower so we don't have the dreaded insta love. Brendan is also a likeable character. He is caring and very protective towards Emma, and completely swoon worthy. Emma's best friend Angelique and her cousin Ashley are also interesting characters. All of the characters are well defined here so we feel really involved with all of them.


I thought this book was mainly about the curse and star-crossed lovers so I was totally surprised and delighted to see that there is so much more to it. There is no cliff hanger in sight here either and it just ends so well. It's definitely one that I would recommend.

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Crave Tour Stop: Review and Interview

Crave by Melissa Darnell
Published by Mira Ink 6th April 2012
ISBN13: 9781848450967
Young Adult

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savannah and Tristan got married in the fourth grade, when they used to be best friends.  But soon after, all the kids from the Clann stopped talking to Savannah, and some became downright mean to her.  And she had no idea why or what she had done wrong.

The Clann are the founding fathers of the town of Jacksonville. They still run the town and a good portion of Texas, having  people in local and federal government. But rumour in the town has it that they have reached their positions of power by using magic.

Savannah lives with her mother and grandmother as her parents divorced when she was very young. Now, she only sees her dad twice a year. But when she suddenly gets really ill, after never having been sick before, her dad arrives to explain to her what she is.

When she returns to school, she finds that guys are starting to notice her more. And when she looks them in the eye, they suddenly become crazed stalkers. From then on, she makes a point of never looking people in the eye. But then she mistakenly makes eye contact with Tristan and suddenly he’s everywhere she is, trying to get her to go out with him. She’s not sure if he’s been “gaze dazed” or not, but she hopes he hasn’t because she really likes him, and always has.

This book totally blew me away. It was different to what I expected but in a very good way. It’s the first time I’ve read about witches and vampires in such a scenario. It is not an action packed witches versus vampires’ type book but that does not take from it one bit. It is a fantastic love story with Savannah and Tristan as star-crossed lovers.

The writing flowed along really well and I didn't want to put it down. The characters were all really well defined and I loved Savannah and Tristan.  I also really liked Emily, Tristan’s sister.  She and Tristan have a really close relationship and it’s great that he can trust her so much.

This is written from the POV of both Savannah and Tristan and I really liked getting an insight into Tristan’s feelings for Savannah. He worries about her and is protective of her even from afar, and I loved that.

I really wasn’t expecting what happened in the end and then the cliff-hanger just knocked me for six.

I need the next book in this series NOW!!!

*********************************************

Melissa has kindly agreed to answer some questions about this fantastic book. So let's get started.

What inspired you to write a book with a vampire and witch mix? It’s quite unusual.

When the YA vampire craze started to take off, as a long time lover of vamp romances I was thrilled but felt the genre was really missing something...namely a vampire heroine. Why should the boys get all the fun here?! But I wanted to see her start off as a normal, clueless human and then have to experience this crazy transformation process as well as learn how to deal with the final result of becoming a vampire.

I also wanted a real Romeo and Juliet forbidden kind of love, one where both the hero and heroine were equally powerful, equally interesting in a paranormal way, and equally dangerous to each other so the forbidden aspect of their love would have a huge rippling effect not just on each other but on their worlds as well. When I considered what kind of hero could possibly be as strong and powerful as a vamp, the answer seemed natural...a male witch.


If you could hang out with one of the characters for a day, who would you choose and why?

Hmm, that's a tough one. I couldn't spend it with Tristan (it would make my hubby too jealous--he knows how much I adore Tristan!). I dearly love Savannah, but I'd be tempted to give her too much advice/psychotherapy and probably drive her further nuts by asking her way too many questions, lol. So it would have to be either Anne or Emily. Anne is based on my real life best friend from high school, who I miss all the time and would love to get to see more of (we talk on the phone, but I haven't gotten to actually see her in years!). Hanging out with Anne would be the next best thing. Emily would also be great to hang out with for a day because she's blunt and outgoing in a way I always wish I could be, and she leads with her heart and adores her family despite all their many faults. Plus she's got that whole super powerful witch thing going on, so maybe she could whip up a few spells for me!



Savannah could show stronger vampire or witch traits. If you were in her position, which would you be hoping to become the strongest side.

Savannah actually hopes that the witchy side will take over, because then she wouldn't be a danger to Tristan. Whether she actually GETS that wish is another thing entirely!



Savannah wants to be a dancer and Tristan wants to join the NFL. Did you always want to be a writer or did you have a different ambition when you were in high school.

Typical for most kids probably, I wanted to be many things when I grew up...a writer, dance team director, video game designer, and later a website designer. Thankfully I've gotten to do all of them in some capacity as an adult, serving as a substitute dance team director, creating dance-themed digital design products similar to what might appear in a video game for the virtual world of Second Life, and then to support my writing I learned how to design my own websites, including www.TheClannSeries.com with an online playlist and other interactive fun stuff relating to the series books, as well as www.melissadarnell.com for my general author site where readers can contact me anytime.

Can you sum up Crave in ten words?

The Clann Series...Bloodlust. Magic. Forbidden love.


Thank you for the interview, it was a pleasure! Please let your readers know that I would love to hear from them, and they can feel free to contact me through either of my websites at www.theclannseries.com or www.melissadarnell.com, where they can also learn about the history of Savannah's race of vampires and the Clann, listen to the online playlist for each Clann Series book, and much more!

*******************************************

Melissa Darnell is a book lover through and through. In addition to authoring a growing list of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction books on a wide assortment of topics and genres, she is also a freelance book editor, layout and cover designer, and ebook formatter with more than 75 books to her professional credit. She wrote her first story in the third grade, was first published in the sixth grade when her poem was selected for an anthology, and has since won several regional and national essay contests with prizes ranging from the complete Harry Potter collection in hardback to an actual horse with a year's worth of feed in the 1992 Ponies of America essay contest. Born in California, she grew up in East Texas and has also called the following states home at one time or another: Utah, West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, and Iowa. A former award-winning dancer with 12 years' formal training in jazz, tap, and ballet, she currently lives in South Dakota with her husband and two children, where she enjoys watching Whale Wars, UFC matches and True Blood, trying out new hair colors, designing fun stuff to sell in the virtual world of Second Life, and of course writing her latest book!

Add this to your TBR on Goodreads

Buy the Book: Amazon/The Book Depository

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Eden (Eden #1) by Janelle Stalder

Eden by Janelle Stalder
Published: 20th September 2011
ASIN: B005ZS3C5C
Young Adult


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Aidan is 15 years old and I guess you could call him a bit of a geek. He is unpopular at school and gets picked on by the popular kids. He is tall and thin and not a fighter.


One night, he is awoken by a bright light in his garden. When he goes to investigate, he is whisked away to Eden, another dimension, by Diana, who is a witch. She tells him he is to be a great warrior who will help them to win the war against the North.


He is helped along the way by Elisa, the daughter of the captain of the army. Wolfe and Logan who are in their last year of training before they are fully fledged members of the Kings army.


This book wasn't really holding my interest and I sometimes found myself skimming. I honestly wanted to stop but I always try to go to about 50% before I give up, just to be fair. And because sometimes a book that's slow to start can become a firm favourite.


At about 48% there was a turnaround, with the introduction of Callum and Rose. I was a lot more interested in their story and was disappointed when it would return to Aidan and his friends. Unfortunately, their story just couldn't hold my attention and I wouldn't have finished this book if not for Callum and Rose. I was really interested in how things were going to work out between them, especially considering how they met.


Besides the fact that this was a story that just wasn't for me, there was very little to fault it on. It was well written and there is no doubt that Janelle Stalder is an extremely talented author. Her world building and character descriptions could not be faulted and she wrote through the eyes of a 15 year old boy expertly. I was immediately taken with all of the characters and found them all interesting in themselves, I just couldn't seem to build a lot of interest around the story. I also really liked Wolf, although at the start it seemed like I wouldn't.


There was no actual romance in this book, more so the lead up to it. Where you know its going to come, you just don't know when and that's something I love.


This book rounded up nicely in the end but I was saddened by the fact that we didn't revisit Callum and Rose just one more time. And I will probably only read the next book in the series if I know they will be in it.


If I had to find fault with this book, it would probably be the multiple POV's but then I totally enjoyed that we got to see Callum and Rose's POV too so that is kind of contradictory.


I will be interested in seeing reviews for Eden-West and if Callum and Rose are there, I will definitely be heading back to Eden to visit them.

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In My Mailbox #16

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. This is where we share what we have bought/received/borrowed throughout the week.

First off this week, I'd like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter. I hope you all got lots of Easter eggs :)


I am really excited about my mailbox this week. This is what I got for review

Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted by Amiee Carter

Touched by Cyn Balog

Shadowfell (Shadow Trilogy #1) by Juliet Marillier

Velveteen (Velveteen #1) by Daniel Marks

Dark Matter Heart (Cor Griffen Bloodsuckers #1) by Nathan Wrann
The Doorknob Society by M.J. Fletcher

The Vampire Underground (Grisly High #1) by Brian Rowe

Thanks to Mira Ink, Harper Collins UK, Netgalley, Nathan Wrann, Brian Rowe and M.J. Fletcher

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Shayla Witherwood Tour Stop: Review

Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Faerie Tale by Tamra Torero

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book was just so sweet. Perfect for the younger end of the YA spectre.

Shayla is just starting in public high school having spent her entire life travelling the country in an RV with her grandparents and being home schooled by an online tutor. She is completely naïve to the ways of high school and mixing with other kids. This is not made any easier by the fact that she is a half faerie living in the human world. Her mother, who was a faerie, died when Shayla was a baby so she hasn’t had anyone to teach her faerie magic. All she knows is what her grandparents tell her. Which is that if anyone finds out she’s a faerie, it would be very dangerous for her.

I enjoyed this cute story which was a really quick, easy read. Shayla is so sweet, you can’t help but love her. She meets Josi, a really likeable character and they quickly become best friends.

There is a cute little romance in this book too. I didn’t feel we got to know Jace too well though. I felt his character could have had a little more depth as could some of the other secondary characters, but this didn’t take from the story too much.

The book is mainly based around Shayla learning how to fit in in a public high school while also learning more about her magic and being a faerie.  The book ends on a darker note which is not too surprising as there is some mystery and suspicion which leaves you guessing.

3.5 stars may seem low for a book that I didn’t say anything really negative about, but this is purely from my perspective in that I enjoy books from the older end of the YA spectre more. I do feel though that it would be very enjoyable to the 12 to 15 age group and people who enjoy this genre. I have recommended it to a few people who ask me to let them know if I come across paranormal books that are suitable for younger readers.

  

Buy the Book: Amazon/The Book Depository

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My Quote of the Week #10

This is my weekly meme where I post one of my favourite quotes. Feel free to join in. I do it on Friday but you can do it any day of the week you choose just post your link in a comment below. 

This week my quote comes from Wraith by Edie Claire, a HEA ghost story which I love. Its about a girl who can see the dead and a hot surfer ghost.

“Zane," I whispered breathlessly, knowing it was wrong, but powerless to stop myself. "If things were different... if you were alive... and I was alive-" "Yes," he said immediately, interrupting me. He leaned in closer. His voice was no more than a whisper. "Absolutely, yes. Don't ever doubt it, Kali.”

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Waiting on Wednesday #9

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Starling by Lesley Livingston

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling.

This book sounds really really good. I can't wait to read it. And I love the cover too. The girl walking through the water with the city behind her. Intriguing! I think the girl looks a bit like Kristen Stewart...

What are you waiting on this Wednesday. Leave me a comment so I can check it out.

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Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. You know the rules: grab your current read, open to a random page and share a two sentence teaser with us (no spoilers!). Be sure to tell us about the book, so we can add it to our TBR list!

This week my Teaser comes from The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa which I am really enjoying.

"I have already fed tonight," he stated calmly, and took one step backward, into the shadows. "And you, little wildcat, I suspect you have claws you wouldn't hesitate to use. I find I am in no mood for another fight, so consider yourself lucky. You met a heartless, soulless bloodsucker and lived. Next time, it might be very different."

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COVER REVEAL: Charade by Cambria Hebert

Charade (Heven and Hell Series #) by Cambria Hebert
Release Date: May 18, 2012
Publisher: Otherworld Publications

Young Adult
Format: will be available in Ebook and Paperback




Blurb


Dying at the hands of a psycho was a shock. Having my life returned to me by an angel was incredible. Being named a Supernatural Treasure and being given Sam as my guard was pretty darn awesome. Acquiring a debt for it all—well, I should have seen it coming.

Now here we are, fighting demons from Hell, caring for a boy that I just don’t trust, and traveling to faraway places to return a treasure to its rightful place. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone wears a mask; everyone puts on a charade. It’s up to us to separate the truth from the lies and reality from fiction. A hard task when my new reality involves fallen angels, witches and dragons… and did I mention Hell?

Anchoring me down through it all is Sam. Sam, who must face tragedies of his own and is put to the test again and again.

If we fail in our task, life as we know it—life as you know it—will end. Forever.

Book Trailer

So what do you think? I am loving it! The eye......and the colouring. Really great.

Goodreads/Blog/Twitter

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Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

UK Cover                                            US Cover

Published March 29th 2012 by Simon & Schuster (UK)
Published March 13th 2012 by Heperion (US)
Young Adult


My Rating: 3 of 5 stars


I hate to admit, but I was disappointed with this. Maybe it was because of all the hype and because I was looking forward to it so much but I didn't think it was nearly as entertaining as the first two.


Sophie was still great and a totally enjoyable character. Her snarky attitude is a lot of fun and I love the banter between herself and Archer.


Cal's character didn't impress me too much in this book although I did like him previously. He was very impassive and unemotional and just seemed to fade into the background even though he played a part in the most important parts of the book. I really didn't like the direction that Rachel took his character in. It felt like he was just so unimportant. He was even ignored when they went into the underworld. We didn't see anything from his past.


I found it unbelievable that Archer would be the only one to be concerned about Sophie going into the underworld alone, especially when no one knew what to expect there. No parent would send their child off like that alone, even if going with her meant they would die. And the fact that Sophie couldn't touch the demonglass, how did they expect her to get it on her own? Where was the logic?


Then there was the mystery of Torin, and why he apparently doesn't want to leave the Brannicks. It appears to have something to do with Izzy. Sophie says that she hopes to find out more about that, but she doesn't, and therefore, neither does the reader. If I missed something here, I would really like someone to fill me in.


The climax of this book (Sophie saving the world) seemed rushed to me. Actually, the whole thing seemed rushed. But everything seemed to fall into place too easily to Sophie's advantage. And the unfortunate casualty seemed a bit unnecessary. But then I guess it was an easy way to deal with the love triangle.


I actually liked Elodie and the possession made it interesting. But I was waiting for her to mess with the love lives from the very beginning. This was just too predictable when she was the scorned ex-girlfriend. I also wasn't surprised to find out that Sophie's mother was a Brannick as I had guessed this from the end of the last book. I was surprised that there was so few of them and the way they lived. That just didn't ring true with me, it was odd.


The ending was bitter sweet which I didn't find satisfying. And I didn't like the way things were left between Archer and The Eye.


I would recommend that people read this book if they have read and enjoyed the first two books but if this was a first in series, I think I would be telling people to steer clear. The book wasn't that long and I think it was rushed. Maybe a longer book with a bit more depth would have been slightly better. I am really sad not to have enjoyed this book as I really wanted to. I loved the first two and this was just a bad ending to a really great series.

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads

Buy the Book: Amazon/The Book Depository

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In My Mailbox #15

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. This is where we share what we have bought/received/borrowed throughout the week.

I bought these from The Book Depository

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

For Review

ReVamped by Ada Adams

Crashing Eden  by Michael Sussman

Thanks to Ada Adams and Michael Sussman for providing copies of their books for review


What's in your mailbox this week. Leave me a link so I can check it out!

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Quote of the Week #9

This is my weekly meme where I post one of my favourite quotes. Feel free to join in. I do it on Friday but you can do it any day of the week you choose just post your link in a comment below. 











This week my Quote of the Week comes from Raising Demons/Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins. I am just about to start reading Spellbound so it seemed like a good choice.

“She was my assignment."
"From The Eye?"
"No, from the Boy Scouts. That Witch Dating badge just kept eluding me."
"Well, you must have at least three Total Douchebag badges by now, so that has to count for something.”

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COVER REVEAL: Defy by Raine Thomas

Defy by Raine Thomas
Published by: Lambe Books
Release Date: April 3rd 2012
Target Audience: Young Adult


Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.

Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.

Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.

As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

Isn't this a gorgeous cover. I love her eyes and the peacock feathers in her hair. Can't wait to read it!

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads

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Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
Release Date: April 3rd 2012
Publishers: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 054762834X
Young Adult


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book opens with fourteen year old Ismae Rienne taking part in an arranged marriage. That night, after being attacked by her new husband, she is rescued and taken to the Convent of Saint Mortain, the patron Saint of Death and one of the old gods. She meets with the abbess of the convent and learns that she was sired by Death and is one of his handmaidens. She is to train to be one of Deaths assassins, learning martial arts, how to use many different types of weapon and how to make and administer different poisons. She will then carry out Deaths work.


Three years later, she is ready for her first assignment.


When her second assignment doesn’t quite go to plan, she is placed in the household of Gavriel Duval, half brother to the Duchess. She is to watch and see if he is a traitor. And if the marque of death appears on him or anyone else at Court, she is to kill them.


But what will she do when the man she has fallen in love with has been marqued?


This is the first historical fiction book that I have read and I did not think that this was a genre that I would enjoy.  But I enjoyed every page. I could not put it down. I did no housework yesterday :).


Ismae is an amazing character. She is definitely kick butt as she has been well trained but she is also intelligent. She is able to work with Duval to figure out who is traitorous and how they can secure that France doesn’t take over Brittany while making sure that Anne, the Duchess, gets a suitable husband.  She is very likeable not only to the reader but also to people that she meets at Court. She is brave and merciful.


And I loved Duval. He is definitely one for my book boyfriend list. I loved the way the romance played out. They started off really not liking each other, which gradually grew to respect and finally, to love. I love a romance where the characters start off not liking each other and when the love interest is not “hot”, but becomes beautiful and sexy in their own way because of what we see on the inside.


This book had a lot of action and mystery and was not just built around the romance. The romance very much played a background part here. The characters were all really well written though I did have to really work at times to remember who everyone was.  The politics throughout this book were interesting, surprisingly, as it’s not something I would have expected to enjoy.


There isn’t anything I can find to fault with this book. I would recommend it to everyone even if it’s something you don’t feel you’d like as that’s the way I felt and I absolutely loved it. It is one of those books that keeps playing on my mind, even though I finished it yesterday.


I will read the second book in the series, Dark Triumph. From the blurb, it appears that we will not be continuing on with Ismae’s story which I am sorry to see, even though the ending of this was perfect for her. I can only hope that we will see her and Duval at some point throughout the series.




"Whenever you are ready, or if you never are, my heart is yours, until Death do us part. Whatever that may mean when consorting with one of Death's handmaidens."


Book trailer

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