Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tens List: Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban - Two Moon Princess Blog Tour




Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban (author of Two Moon Princess) is stopping by today to share the 10 books she feels everyone should read.
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This is a list of ten books I recommend for no other reason than because I love them. As some of them are not well-known I am including the link to my review when available.

Three are fantasy with a strong female protagonist:
Novels of the Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt, especially On Fortune’s Wheel (because it is the most romantic of the four).
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. It was made into a wonderful animated movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki (http://www.notreadyforgrannypanties.com/2010/08/howls-moving-castle-directed-by-hayao.html)
The Shamer's Chronicles by Lene Kaaberball. (http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2008/04/06/book-reviews/)

Two are Historical Fiction: (In the words of these authors, history really comes alive.)
Roman times: The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (Now a movie The Eagle with Channing Tatum as Marcus Aquila). (http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/the-eagle-of-the-ninth-by-rosemary-sutcliff/)
Low middle ages in Britain: Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell. (http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/the-last-kingdom-by-bernard-cornwell/).

Two are in Spanish. They have been translated into English, but it is worth to learn Spanish just to read them in the original language (Yes, I know that is easy for me to say because I am from Spain):
Rimas y Leyendas (Rimes and Legends) by Gustavo Adolfo Becquer (http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/happy-birthday-becquer/)
Romancero gitano (Gypsy Songs) by Federico Garcia Lorca

One is SF:
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

One is non-fiction:

One was written in the XIX century
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Enjoy!

Fabulous list, Carmen! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your choices with us!

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Author Guest Post & Giveaway: H.P Mallory (Blog Tour)


Please welcome H.P Mallory to the blog today!





Since I've written about Knight and Dulcie, I thought a third guest post should be about the vampire who seems to constantly attract admirers...Bram. I chose the name Bram as a pun on Bram Stoker, the writer and creator of Dracula. As Bram mentions in his interview with Dulcie (Dulcie is writing a book about him) he came before Bram Stoker. And, Bram's vanity really knows no bounds, a good example of this is when he tells Dulcie he imagines the character of Dracula was created in his image.

I wanted Bram to be mysterious and suave, unpredictable and not necessarily good but not all bad--sort of like what I imagine the quintessential vampire to be. Bram is three hundred years old and English. He's self centered, materialistic, vain and sexy. Dulcie definitely wants to keep him on her good side because he walks the line between law abiding and rule breaking, allowing her a bridge to the criminals of Splendor.

Physically, Bram is very attractive--he's tall with dark hair and light eyes. But, I think the real attraction with Bram is in his personality. Dulcie knows he's sexually interested in her but she's also convinced that's the extent of his attraction to her--that he's stuck in the thrill of the chase. And while Dulcie likes Bram, she doesn't trust him and she really doesn't take him seriously. And even though she can admit he's attractive and she's attracted to him, she'd never let that attraction get out of hand--mostly because Bram and her best friend, Sam, have a romantic history.

I've created fan pages for Dulcie, Knight, Quillan and Bram on facebook (please friend them, if you're interested) and I would say the majority of the conversations include Bram. It seems we just can't get over our vampires!


About the author:

Hi, I'm HP Mallory and I've written two series, the first about a fairy in law enforcement (To Kill A Warlock and A Tale of Two Goblins) and the second about a witch who can bring back the dead (Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble and Toil and Trouble).

I'm a mongo fan of anything that goes bump in the night and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! (Quick tangent--the best costume I've ever worn was last year when I went as the Headless Horseman and my baby was my Jack-O-Lantern head!) I've always loved the Twilight Zone Marathons and if I ever saw a ghost, I think I'd wet myself.

I grew up in California although I've lived abroad in the UK (England and Scotland--woo hoo, gotta love those kilts!)

I'd categorize my writing as a blend of suspense, humor, light horror, and romance with a sprinkle of fantasy to tie everything together! If you are all about fairies and witches and vampires (oh my!), you love a good alpha warlock and you like men who get a little hairy during a full moon, I got the goods.



Buy the Book:


Want to win an ebook copy of A Tale of Two Goblins? Leave a comment with a way to contact you (email/twitter/etc). I’ll choose a winner on May 7th. Also don’t miss the chance to become a character in a future H.P Mallory book. Super cool right? Details are below.

The next tour stop is Karissa's Books 

Follow the blog tour here!
Friday, April 22, 2011

Review & Giveaway: Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer



Title: Never a Gentleman
Series: The Drake’s Rakes #2
Author: Eileen Dreyer | Authors Website
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Forever)
Available: Now
Genre: Historical Romance
Reading Level: Adult










Description from Goodreads:


HE HIDES HIS TRUE COLORS . . .

Miss Grace Fairchild is under no illusions about her charms. Painfully plain, she is a soldier's daughter who has spent her life being useful, not learning the treacherous ways of the ton.She may have been caught in a scandal with society's favorite rogue, but how can she marry him when it means losing herself?

WHILE SHE HIDES HER TRUE SELF . . .

Diccan Hilliard doesn't know which of his enemies drugged him and dumped him in Grace's bed, but he does know the outcome. He and Grace must marry. To his surprise, a wild, heady passion flares between them. Yet Diccan is trapped in a deadly game of intrigue Grace knows nothing about. Will his lies destroy Grace just as he realizes how desperately he needs her? And how can he hope for a future with her, when an old enemy has set his murderous sights on them both?


My thoughts:



Grace Fairchild is aptly nicknamed Little Colonel. Raised on the battlefield with her soldier father, she is selfless and continuously puts others needs before her own. Content to spend her life as a childless spinster until she wakes up in bed with Diccan Hilliard. It is apparent both Grace and Diccan were drugged, but in order to protect both of their names they decide to marry. Grace is upset to give up the dreams of a simple life on the land she inherited from her aunt. Diccan isn’t thrilled to be stuck with a wife when he prefers the life of a bachelor. They move to London where Grace with her bum leg and plain appearance faces ridicule and teasing. Diccan is wrapped up in political intrigue, and forced to shun his wife and take a mistress to protect her. Neither planned to have genuine feelings for each other, but find it happening regardless. 



I have such mixed feelings when it comes to Never a Gentleman. This was a very hard one to rate and review. I absolutely adore Eileen Dreyer’s style of writing. It is so descriptive and thoroughly captivating. She also creates such well developed characters. With that said, the plot took so many turns that I truly didn’t anticipate. I loved the political side and the tender moments witnessed between Grace and Diccan, but the situations he found himself in for his mission left a bad taste in my mouth. There was one scene in particular that made me especially uncomfortable. The author gave justifiable reasons for his mistreatment of Grace, but this wasn’t what I usually look for in a historical romance. 


I also discovered while reading that I don’t like to spend most of my time feeling pity for the main characters. Poor Grace was continuously made to feel ugly and worthless. She didn’t emanate the strength I’d expected from the “Little Colonel”. I even felt (a little) sorry for Diccan. He seemed sincerely remorseful for his behavior and I think he did an OK job of redeeming himself at least partially, but I really need more sigh worthy moments and warm fuzzies with my romance novels.

Even though the romantic elements weren’t what I had hoped for, there is still top-notch story telling in Never a Gentleman. The ending was also what I’d consider angsty perfection. I’ll definitely pick up the next book in the series which features my most favorite character, Kate. 


My Rating:




Eileen Dreyer on the web:


Win 1 of 3 copies of Never A Gentleman:

Rules:

Open to residents of the U.S & Canada
No P.O Boxes please
Winners are subject to the 1 copy per household rule
Books ship directly from publisher
Please fill out the form to enter
Comments are always appreciated, but will not count as an entry
Ends May 8th

Thursday, April 21, 2011

ARC Review: Born at Midnight by C. C Hunter



Title: Born at Midnight
Series: Shadow Falls #1
Author: C. C Hunter | Author Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: Young Adult












Description from Goodreads:


Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams,  Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…



Favorite quote:

“Just because a guy rings your bell, doesn’t mean you have to toot his horn” 


My thoughts:

Kylie finds herself caught at a party with alcohol (that she wasn’t even drinking), and shipped off to a camp for troubled teens. Or at least that is what her therapist claims. On day one she discovers it is a camp for teens with supernatural lineage. Werewolves, faeries, and even vampires. Unfortunately, they haven’t figured out what Kylie is, and she strongly denies having any type of preternatural skills. She quickly gains the attentions of a boy named Derek, and meets another boy from her past who scares her witless (even with all his hotness). While balancing boys, new friends, and family drama, she also has to come to terms with the fact it is very likely she has supernatural abilities.

You will never look at summer camp the same way again. Really, how cool a setting did the author choose for her YA debut? I loved her take on supernaturals (especially vampires) and how she threw them all together in a camp setting. Add in hot boys, a love triangle (yes, I still love them!), and a mystery to solve, and you have a book that rocked my socks! 


Kylie is an amazing main character. I just loved her. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself even when the person she is standing up to could rip her to shreds. You might not love her at first, but her character really evolves so much over the course of the book. She has to come to terms with so much change in such a short time. I really felt for the poor girl, but she handled it quite well. There is also a great cast of secondary characters who I hope to see more of as this series continues. 


Now let us discuss previously mentioned hot boys. Derek is your typical nice guy. I really liked him and he is a great love interest for Kylie, but if you know me or read my blog often, you’ll know I’m addicted to the bad (but sweet behind the tough facade) boy. In this case that would be Lucas. He won me over even though I initially didn’t like him. As the book progressed I became firmly fixed on the Team Lucas side. He has all the characteristics that blend to create the perfect "bad boy". Mystery, attitude, dangerously good looks, and he is a werewolf! In the battle of hot fae and hot weres, the furry guys always win with me.


Still loving YA paranormal books, but want a fresh take? Give Born At Midnight a try! I think even adult fans will enjoy this series. In case you didn’t know C.C Hunter is a pseudonym for romance author Christie Craig. While this is definitely aimed at young adults, the writing had a certain feel that can only be created by a seasoned romance writer. This series just has so much to offer. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!



My Rating:


Source:

Around the World Tours

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

ARC Review: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford


Title: A Touch Mortal
Series: Book #1 in the trilogy
Author: Leah Clifford | Author Website
Available: Now
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Reading Level: Young Adult












Description from Goodreads:


Eden didn't expect Az.


Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.

My thoughts:


Eden meets Az. Az and Eden fall in love. Eden doesn’t realize Az is a fallen angel, and Az doesn’t realize Eden is a mortal with no path, destined to commit suicide and become what is known as a Sider.  Siders are stuck on Earth and forgotten by everyone who knew them when they were alive. They must pass energy to humans or risk falling into a state that made me think of an addict desperate for a fix. The only catch is if they pass the energy to a person that isn’t emotionally stable it can cause serious repercussions. Store the energy for too long and they can actually kill a person when passing it. Eden isn’t like other Siders, and that bit of information just might get her into some serious trouble.

Confused yet? A Touch Mortal is a book with such a complex premise it is difficult to really explain. I’ll just say I absolutely loved it, and I was sad to see the book end! I’m actually itching to read this one again. Confusing at times, but also completely addicting. I was just blown away by how intricate a world this author created.  It did take me a bit to get used to the names they used to describe one another, but the complicated premise didn’t detract from my level of reading enjoyment. The characters were perfectly developed. The pacing of the story couldn’t have flowed more smoothly. This is a stellar start to a new YA trilogy!

Be warned it is pretty heavy on language and situations not suitable for younger teens. I suppose that is a given when a plot revolves around suicide. This isn’t like any other angel-centric YA book you may have read. A Touch Mortal is a dark and twisted read that is in a class all of its own. 

My Rating:



Source:

Around the World Tours


Sunday, April 17, 2011

Author Interview: Jennifer Archer



I’m excited to have Jennifer Archer visiting the blog today! Welcome Jennifer!




TFE: When creating a main character for your books are there certain characteristics you find you like them to have?

Jennifer: Every story is unique, as are the characters in them. A character whose personality fits Book A, might be entirely wrong for Book B. That said, I do think it’s important that the main character of every book be someone readers will care about enough to want them to succeed at whatever goal or struggle they’re tackling throughout the course of the story. Even if he/she is very flawed in the beginning and displays unadmirable behavior, the reader needs to feel that the character is a good person at heart, and relate to him/her in some way. They have to believe that such a character is redeemable and deserving of their caring. 

TFE: You moved around quite a bit as a child/teen. Do you feel the places you’ve seen, and the people you’ve met help your writing?

Jennifer: Moving was such a factor in my upbringing, that there’s no way it can’t influence my writing. I have lived in several states throughout the southwest. I moved the most between the ages of one and eleven. Even though I was very young, the memories of the communities I lived in, the friends I made, and the teachers who taught me have definitely remained vivid, and I often see glimpses of them in my work. Occasionally, I have set all or a part of a book in a location with heavy similarities to a place I lived as a child. However, the feelings associated with all those moves shows up more in my work than do places I’ve lived or people I knew. I see evidence of the impact moving had on my personality in many, if not all, of the stories I write. In Through Her Eyes, for instance, Tansy has also moved frequently throughout her life. The sadness she feels over leaving old friends and the apprehension she experiences about starting over in a strange school, were once my own emotions.  

TFE: I love a good ghost story. Should we expect Through Her Eyes to induce goosebumps?

Jennifer: I certainly hope that as the story unfolds and readers begin to make connections between certain elements in the book and the mystery, they will experience a few chills! Several of the scenes gave me such an eerie feeling when I was writing them. I don’t want to give too much away, but two in particular – one involving a mulberry tree and Tansy’s grandfather, and another involving the farmhouse neighboring Tansy’s– really made the back of my neck prickle. And then there’s another scene where Tansy sees a guy on the bridge . . .  I’ll shut up now! My oldest son, who is working on his Masters in English, was one of my early readers, and he told me that he definitely had goosebumps while reading certain parts of the book. He’s a very critical reader, so I was pretty pleased by that!

TFE: I have to ask. Have you ever had a ghostly experience?

Jennifer: A few years ago I was working on a book in which one of the characters was a fortune teller, and I decided to have a “reading” by a local psychic. To be honest, I thought all psychics were con-artists, so my intentions were strictly to do research and have a little fun. The woman came to my house and we began by sitting at my kitchen table and chatting about a few general things. After a few minutes, she became very quiet and looked past me over my shoulder, as if watching and listening to someone – or something – behind me. The psychic then asked me if a family member had “passed” recently. I told her ‘yes,’ and she began to relay messages, supposedly from this person, about research I was doing for another project involving the Dust Bowl that I had not discussed with anyone. According to the psychic, my family member said he would be “tickled” if I used his family stories about that time period for my research. The word “tickled” was one he used while alive, and I had been looking through my office closet just the week before for my written copy of his family stories. Talk about inducing goosebumps! As you might guess, I’m a lot more open minded about psychics now.

TFE: Describe Through Her Eyes in just three words.

Jennifer: Wow. I spend such a long time working on a book that it becomes my “baby.” It’s difficult to describe my baby in only three words! Early readers have told me that Through Her Eyes is creepy (in a good way), funny, and unique. I like those descriptions, but I also hope the story speaks to each reader in a different way.   

TFE: Anything else you’d like to share about yourself, or your up and coming release?

Jennifer: I am currently working on another novel for teens called The Shadow Girl, which is possibly the most difficult story I’ve ever written. It involves a love triangle, more than one mystery, and a girl with very unusual abilities who is unraveling a web of secrets about her family and her own identity. I’m really excited about the book! It takes place in the mountains of Colorado in a setting very similar to the Spanish Peaks area where my husband and I have a cabin. Because it’s such a beautiful location and so many intriguing and mysterious legends surround the Spanish Peaks, it was the perfect place to set The Shadow Girl. I did take a few artistic liberties, though, and fictionalized the book’s setting to a certain extent. 

Thank you for having me on your blog; I’ve enjoyed it! I hope you and your readers will stop by my website www.jenniferarcher.net and my blog www.jenniferarcher.blogspot.com to say hello. And if they read Through Her Eyes, I’d love to hear about it! In the meantime, take a look at the brand new trailer  http://vimeo.com/15861362



Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer! My review of Through Her Eyes can be found here!


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