Teaser Tuesday (16)

"Teaser Tuesday" is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

Check out her blog for all the details.

My teaser this week comes from an ARC of Vixen by Jillian Larkin.

“Are you trying to tell me something?” Gloria asked, surprising herself. “Or are you just trying to be a bitch?”


Vera broke into a half-impressed smile. “Both."

p. 240

Gratitude Giveaway Hop Winner!

Thanks to all who entered. I used Random.org to select my winner.

And the winner is.......

#68 Man of la Book

Congratulations!

 I’m sending you an email now. Please respond within 48 hours or I’ll have to select a new winner.

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends. 

Anyone hitting the Black Friday sales? This will be the first year the hubs and I brave the crowds. Good luck to all the deal seekers out there! If you have any advice please share. 

Review: Thunder And Ashes by Z.A. Recht (Blog Tour)

Title: Thunder And Ashes
Series: Morningstar Strain #2
Author: Z.A. Recht
Available: Now
Reading Level: Adult


3.5 out of 5 Stars


**Possible spoilers for earlier books in this series below**










Description from Goodreads:


A lot can change in three months: wars can be decided, nations can be forged... or entire species can be brought to the brink of annihilation. The Morningstar Virus, an incredibly virulent disease, has swept the face of the planet, infecting billions. Its hosts rampage, attacking anything that remains uninfected. Even death can't stop the virus-its victims as cannibalistic shamblers. Scattered across the world, embattled groups have persevered. For some, surviving is the pinnacle of achievement. Others hoard goods and weapons. And still others leverage power over the remnants of humanity in the form of a mysterious cure for Morningstar. Francis Sherman and Anna Demilio want only a vaccine, but to find it, they must cross a countryside in ruins, dodging not only the infected, but also the lawless living. The bulk of the storm has passed over the world, leaving echoing thunder and softly drifting ashes. But for the survivors, the peril remains, and the search for a cure is just beginning...


My thoughts:


Thunder and Ashes follows three groups of Morningstar Virus survivors. When infected the virus causes you to become the living dead. The first set is lead by a couple of military men who are trying to get to Omaha. Over the course of their travels they find themselves helping a survivors village deal with some ruthless bandits. The second group contains the doctor who is considered an expert on The Morningstar Virus. She is attempting to get to Omaha so she can work on a vaccine. Survivor groups one and two hope to meet up at the research facility in Omaha. The final set are sailors from the USS Ramage. They’ve abandoned ship, and while exploring an abandoned town they find themselves in possession of a seriously hot commodity. 


Ok, I did it again. I read a series out of order. I didn’t realize this was a sequel to another book. I saw zombies and thought Heck Yeah! Thankfully, reading this without reading the first turned out not to be a big deal. Background info was provided, and I pieced together what had occurred in book one, Plague of the Dead. 


The husband and I are both a little zombie obsessed. We have a group of friends who we’ve planned our survival strategy with. Yes, we roll nerdy. So when I discover a new book starring the undead I have to read it. Thunder and Ashes portrayed the reanimated in a different light than I’ve seen so far. You have two types, shamblers and sprinters. The names are pretty self-explanatory. Shamblers move slowly so you can usually get away. The sprinters are the scary ones. They can catch you. Once they’ve let out their roar to alert other undead in the area you better make yourself scarce. They hunt like a pack. Zombies are scary, but the thought that they would be coordinated enough to actually hunt together and sprint after you is seriously unsettling. 


Kudos to the author for pointing out the virus is in the blood, and having character decontaminate themselves after a bloody battle with the undead. I hate when folks are out bludgeoning zombies in books or movies with little concern for blood splatter. Hello! Get some protective gear. Last thing you want is zombie blood or brain matter in your eye. Nice group of characters featured in this one. They could have been a little more developed. The pacing could have also been better. An extra 30 pages would have provided a meatier story, and maybe not such a rushed ending. Even with the minor flaws I was enthralled. This would make a fantastic movie. Seriously scary stuff, and if you’re looking for something to make you sleep with the lights on this is it. 


I plan to backtrack and read the first book in this series. While I was researching the series further, I was sad to learn the author had passed away. A ghostwriter is working on finishing the third book in this series which is titled Survivors.

On the web:

The Morningstar Saga Website

Books in this series:

Source: Publisher

Interview: CK Kelly Martin

I’m pleased to welcome young adult author, CK Kelly Martin, to the blog today. 

Can you tell us what you're currently working on? 


I just finished revisions on My Beating Teenage Heart (which will be out next September) and am waiting for copy-edits on it but in the meantime am researching a brand new YA book. I’m not far enough down the road yet to know if the idea will really amount to anything but if it does work out it will be quite different to any of my books so far.

Do you see yourself ever writing something other than Young Adult? 

Yes! Thanks for asking. Actually this past summer I finished an adult book about a twenty-year-old girl named Leah who goes into a state of collapse when her boyfriend (the love of her life) dies in a car accident. She drops out of college, loses her job and cuts herself off from all her friends and family. The first third of the book is filled with grief and then Leah shocks herself by sleeping with someone else. Hopefully that book will be submitted to publishers in not too long so please keep your fingers crossed for me that it finds a good home!   

Other authors have mentioned "must haves" while writing. Everything from Dr. Pepper to purple sharpies. Is there anything you can’t write without? 

I need to be alone and it has to be as quiet as possible. I’ve also discovered that I can’t get any serious writing done before eleven in the morning, for some reason. I don’t drink coffee so I usually have a Coca-Cola on the go while writing.  

You’ve wrote from the male perspective in your books. Do you find it difficult to capture the voice of a teen guy? 

I don’t really find it a bigger a challenge to write from a teenage guy’s perspective than a teenage girl’s. It’s tricky trying to find anyone’s voice and discover who they are and once you have a handle on that the words start to flow more easily. For this reason I always find the first quarter of a book or so more difficult – I’m still learning how the character thinks and how they’d react in situations.  

Is there a specific book that sparked your desire to be a writer? 

Probably all the books I read or had read to me when I was kid (stuff like Babar, Madeline, The Hardy Boys, Anne of Green Gables, Tintin) but there’s not one book that stands out more than the others. Writing is something I always knew I’d do but it was actually watching the show Party of Five that inspired me to write a YA book.  

What book/books are you currently reading? 

Right now I’m 150 pages in Mockingjay and am enjoying it just as much as the first two Hunger Games books. They’ve all been impossible to put down. Before that I finished The Hate List by Jennifer Brown and was so impressed by her nuanced treatment of the impact the shooting had on the various characters and also the multiple, complex causes for the violence.

Favorites:

Color?  

Sky blue. I like black an awful lot too.

Movie? 

Children of Men from 2006 (directed by Alfonso Cuarón Alfonso Cuarón). It blew me away when I first saw it in the theatre. I was so tense that I had a splitting (tension) headache from thirty minutes in to the very end and when I watched Children of Men on DVD again this past September it hadn’t lost an ounce of its power. This film introduces us to a dark, hopeless future which is very much like our current world, the important difference being that there are no more children because women can’t get pregnant anymore. Children of Men shows us a completely convincing portrait of that world and then it offers us the possibility of hope but puts it at dire jeopardy. I can’t recommend this movie highly enough. If you haven’t seen it here’s a description from IMDB: “In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.”

Food? 

Either Shepherd’s pie or mint cupcakes, I can’t make up my mind! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Visit CK Kelly Martin’s website!

Want more info about CK Kelly Martin’s books?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | IndieBound

 The Teen Book Scene

Waiting On Wednesday (31)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait for. This week I’m waiting on,

First Grave on the Right 

by Darynda Jones

Releases February 2011

Synopsis via Goodreads

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. 

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

Doesn’t this sound fun!

What are you “waiting on”?

Review & Giveaway: Stronger Than Sin by Caridad Piñeiro

Title: Stronger Than Sin
Series: Sins #2
Author: Caridad Piñeiro
Available: Now
Reading Level: Adult


4 out of 5 Stars










Description from Goodreads:


Dr. Liliana Carrera nearly lost her life to Wardwell scientists. She won't let them harm other innocent victims, like her new patient, Jesse Bradford. The former pro athlete had the best hands in the NFL . . . until an injury forced him to undergo Wardwell's experimental gene therapy. Now Jesse's gorgeous body is superhuman-but his strength comes at a price.

With Wardwell threatening his family, Jesse can't tell Liliana all he knows. Yet he can't resist her compassion . . . or her healing, erotic touch. As their passion flares, Jesse's body becomes dangerous and volatile. For evil men are plotting to change the face of humanity-and will destroy whoever stands in their way.

My thoughts:

Liliana is a doctor, dedicated to trying to stop the horrific effects patients who were injected by hybrid DNA are suffering from. This causes her to become the caregiver to gorgeous ex football star, Jesse. After an injury ended his football career, he became one of many victims when he was treated with experimental gene therapy. Now he is forming bone in places where bone shouldn’t be able to form. Liliana is brought on as his physician under misleading circumstances. When she begins to have romantic feelings for Jesse she questions her ethical responsibilities, as well as the lingering feeling things aren’t quite as they seem. Jesse is also finding himself with feelings he didn’t expect, but with his questionable past and future he isn’t sure if he can make things with the gorgeous doctor work.

This is the second book in the Sin series. I haven’t read the first, but really wished I would have before reading Stronger Than Sin. The author did provide enough background info to help readers figure out what was happening.  I just would have liked a little more background on some of the characters mentioned. This is in no way the author’s fault. I know better than to read a series out of order ;) I’ll definitely read the first, Sins of the Flesh, when I have the chance. 

I thought the whole hybrid gene thing really made the premise of this one fascinating. I also enjoy books with lead characters that are doctors, and dig all the medical jargon that comes along with it. While there are no vampires or werewolves, the gene mutation gives it something I feel will appeal to readers who enjoy a good paranormal romance novel.

This one also contained really great lead characters. Jesse and Liliana both suffered harm from those they’ve trusted in the past. For Liliana it was at the hands of an ex, and with Jesse it was the doctors he’d hoped would save his career. I loved watching them learn to trust again together. The chemistry between Liliana and Jesse was HOT. I also felt the progression of their relationship was well paced. While they started to fall quickly it didn’t feel rushed. I like how they weren’t even really each others types, but couldn’t deny the attraction when thrown together under perilous circumstances.

Stronger Than Sin is a nice mix of romance and suspense. I’d recommend it to fans of both romantic suspense and paranormal romance. 

Caridad Piñeiro on the web:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Five Fun Facts

Books in this series:

I also have 5 copies of Stronger Than Sin up for grabs! Thanks Hachette!

~Open to residents of the U.S & Canada
~No P.O. Boxes, please
~Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. 

~Book ships directly from publisher

~Ends December 3rd

~Please fill out this FORM to enter.

Source: Publisher

Review: Songs of Love & Death Anthology (Blog Tour)

Title: Songs of Love & Death
Available: Now
Reading Level: Adult
# of pages: 480


4 out of 5 Stars












Authors: Neil Gaiman, Diana Gabaldon, Jim Butcher, Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, Jo Beverly, M. L. N. Hanover, Cecelia Holland, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Robin Hobb, Lisa Tuttle, Linnea Sinclair, Mary Jo Putney, Tanith Lee, Peter S. Beagle, & Yasmine Galenorn


Description from Goodreads:


IN this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.

International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost.

New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.

Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.

My thoughts:

This was a nice variety of stories, from many well known authors. Stories starring everything from superheroes to faeries to wizards to haunted houses, and even a zombiefied post-apocalyptic setting. A little something for everyone! 

My favorites include Neil Gaiman’s The Thing About Cassandra, Jo Beverley’s The Marrying Maid, and Marjorie M. Liu’s After the Blood. All of the authors were new to me with the exception of Neil Gaiman. Gaiman’s story is reason enough to pick this one up, and the reason this made it onto my to be read pile in the first place. He is such an amazing writer. Jim Butcher’s story was also very good. Fans of Harry Dresden will love it. I can’t believe I haven’t started that series yet, but maybe this story will be the push I need.


A few were a little dark and twisty. M. L. N. Hanover’s Hurt Me gave me chills. Super creepy and super awesome! A couple were a little bit too sci-fi for me, and I wasn’t as into them as I would have liked. Still a nice variety of solid short stories. I’d definitely recommend it especially if you’re a fan of the authors featured.

Source: Publisher

Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Keary Taylor talks angels.

I’m excited to welcome author Keary Taylor to the blog to discuss her thoughts on angels in Young Adult literature having the resiliency vampires have had. Welcome Keary, and thanks so much for being here!

The subject of angels is one that has boomed in a huge way over the last year.  When I first started writing Branded in January of 2009 I looked and looked for other urban fantasy’s  based around angels specifically and found next to nothing.  Just as I finished, Hush Hush and Fallen came out one month later.  It seems like a new angel book is coming out every month.  There’s Halo, Angel, Angefire, the list keeps going on and on.  Angels are making a quick rise in popular fiction.

I think part of the reason there is so much new angel fiction is because the lovers of urban/contemporary fantasy are getting a little tired of what is out there.  Vampires have dominated the field for a long time.  People are ready for something fresh.  This is a great opportunity for those of us who love to write about supernatural beings but are burned out of vampires.  I think the entire genre is evolving.  We’re seeing a lot of new or untapped into mythical creatures coming up.  There’s The Immortals series that deals with (obviously) immortals, there’s Forgive My Fins with mermaids, there’s Beautiful Creatures with a unique take on witches, there’s even a new take on aliens in I Am Number Four.  The market used to be kind of narrow in this genre.  Vampires dominated.  But the field is expanding and people are wanting more.

I suppose this could really be said with any creature but there is a wide variety of takes to be had when approaching angels.  The mythology surrounding angels is left pretty wide open for interpretation.  A LOT of the new angel books out there deal with fallen angels or nephiliam.  In fact I think most of them are based around that.  My series title is Fall of Angels.  I’ll explain a bit what I mean by that.

In Branded, Jessica has nightmares whenever she sleeps of standing trial before a council of angels and being judged for the deeds of real people who have died.  Whatever the outcome of the trail is, they are always turned into an angel in the end and granted wings.  So, when I say "Fall of Angels" I'm talking basically about the fall of everyone.  I'm talking about the things that make us fall, the mistakes we make, our frailties, essentially, what makes us human. No one is perfect and we all make poor decisions that affect not only ourselves but those around us.  

Now the downside and the upside.  Angels will always have a slight disadvantage by having a slightly more limited reader field than vampires for the fact that of course there is going to be a bit of religion involved.  It’s hard not to have just a little bit of religion when you’re talking about angels.  Some people aren’t going to like that, and that’s okay.  On the other side though, angels have been around for a VERY long time.  Angels crop everywhere, in the bible, on gravestones, on churches.  They have the advantage of a LOT of history and the advantage of the fact that a lot of people really believe in angels.

Do I think angels will stand the test of popularity in time?  I think yes.  I think the genre is expanding and this is a new age in the supernatural.  But only time will tell.

Branded: Fall of Angels is available now

Forsaken: Fall of Angels #2 will be available in January 2011

____________________________________________________________

Thanks for stopping by, Keary! 

I wasn’t scheduled for a giveaway, but I received two copies of Branded: Fall of Angels in the mail. The second copy is signed to me, but I promise that won’t mar your reading enjoyment ;) My review of Branded can be found here.

Rules:

Open to residents of the U.S & Canada

Ends 11/30

Fill out the form to enter

Comments are appreciated, but won’t count as entries

Guest post is part of the Branded tour via The Teen Book Scene

Waiting On Wednesday (30)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait for. This week I’m waiting on,

Lily of the Nile

by Stephanie Dray

Releases: January 2011

Synopsis via Goodreads

With her parents dead, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is left at the mercy of her Roman captors. Heir to one empire and prisoner of another, Princess Selene must save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers… 

In the aftermath of Alexandria’s tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she’s ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she’s put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene’s captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor’s sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans… 

Trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. Faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to honor her mother’s lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?

What are you “waiting on”?